Kamis, 24 April 2008

A Magical Wedding Reception

If you want your guests to remember your wedding as the best they've ever been to, I recommend you hire a magician. Magic fills in all those awkward gaps in the proceedings and gets everyone involved and talking to each other.

The special, dream-like quality we all want for our wedding day is beautifully enhanced by magic and the sense of excitement and wonder it creates.

My own wedding had the potential for being a bit strained. Our families had never got on particularly well and we were apprehensive as to how the day might go. The magician we hired was fantastic. Not only did he perform miracles of magic, he gave our two mums such a surprise that they both screamed, then laughed together, and we could see the tension between them draining away.

My sister had a very romantic wedding and the magician blended perfectly with the mood. We'll never forget one trick in particular. Grace and her new husband each picked a card and signed it. The magician said the magic words and the two cards became one. They now have a card with two faces, one with her signature across it and the other with his. It lives in a double-sided photo frame, suspended from the ceiling in their bedroom.

My brother went to a wedding where he knew only the bridegroom. All the other guests seemed to know each other and Danny felt lonely and shy. During the reception, he was just looking for the hotel's telly lounge, thinking to watch the football, when a magician appeared from nowhere and showed him some tricks. When the magician moved to a group standing nearby, he took Danny with him and got him involved.

The venue for my cousin's wedding reception had made a mistake somewhere and the meal was a couple of hours later than it should have been. Luckily, they had booked a magician (on my recommendation!) and we were all so engrossed in watching the magic that the time flew by.

The magician we had at our wedding was extremely versatile. His magic was popular with four generations and he was very kind to the couple of teenagers who felt a bit like fish out of water. He taught them a few simple card tricks, which they're still showing us two years later.

When booking your magician, don't just go for the cheapest. You don't want to end up with someone's Uncle Derek who knows a few tricks. You want a smooth, sophisticated magician who will get on well with everybody and perform the sort of magic that will make people gasp, not groan. Although there are many capable magicians who are not in it, membership of The Magic Circle is a good indication of a magician's skill.

Sabtu, 19 April 2008

Wedding Gowns - How Did You Choose Yours?

There is a very wide range of wedding and evening gowns offered by Bridal Studios.

Brides to be are spoilt for choice of what to wear and choose.

There are many times that brides get really overwhelmed by the number of gowns they have to choose.

1 wedding gown, 1 evening gown, 1 tea-dress, 1 Chinese Kua are the norms of an ordinary pakage.

However, for brides who can afford to pay more, they may have up to 2 or even 4 wedding gowns and 3 evening gowns.

Some brides even order gowns from overseas and arranged to be delivered to Singapore.

I remembered I have one friend of mine is really rich and she could afford to get different items such as her shoes, gowns from European countries. These items were to be air-flown to Singapore.

Wow!!!

Yes! Wedding is one in a life-time big event of one’s life. But it is just the beginning and for those brides who want more than what their budget allows, it is a wise decision to sit down and plan through how much they can spend on their gowns.

There are many times that an unwise decision was made in the spur of moment to get the gowns that they wanted to wear, and at the same time, they have blown their budgets.

So, one advice for ladies, as well as men out there, do include budgeting in the wedding planning and learn to do it together as it could benefit them by setting a foundation for them to learn to budget after their wedding

and it is still a long long way to go…

by: Jhong Ren

Sabtu, 12 April 2008

The Search For The Perfect Beach Wedding Dress

There are of course many great places to host a wedding, but for many brides to be nothing can beat the beauty, charm and casual elegance of a beach wedding.

One of the most important decisions any wedding planner or bride to be must make is choosing the perfect beach wedding dress.

It is important to find the perfect dress for any wedding, but a wedding on the beach introduces a number of interesting choices.

Choose A Wedding Dress That Matches The Formality Of The Wedding

It is important, of course, to choose a beach wedding dress that is a match for the kind of wedding ceremony you are planning.

The type of dress that is perfect for a casual beach wedding may not be so perfect for a wedding in a more formal setting, so it is important to determine the type of wedding ceremony you are planning as you shop for the perfect wedding dress.

Places To Search For Your Wedding Dress

There are many different places to search for information on the perfect beach wedding dress, of course, and it is important to look around for the best ideas before shopping for this vital piece of wedding apparel.

If you are planning a wedding already, chances are you have accumulated a number of wedding related publications, such as bridal magazines and wedding planning guides.

These types of publications can be a godsend to those in search of the perfect beach wedding dress. Between the articles and the advertisements you may be able to find a great wedding dress for that great beach wedding with little trouble.

Getting The Best Deal For Your Wedding Budget

Of course there are plenty of places to buy that great beach wedding dress, and it is important to shop around as much as possible in order to get the best possible quality at the very best price.

The prices of these wedding gowns and wedding dresses can vary quite widely, and it is important to shop around as much as possible in order to get the very best deal for your limited wedding budget.

How To Be Worth $10 Million - 20 Years From Your Wedding Day

Before you become engaged, decide together to become financially free. These are the easiest ways to become a multimillionaire! There is power when money makes money! Compounding is earning interest on the principal and the accumulating interest.

Reduce the Cost of Your Wedding

Forty-five billion dollars was spent on weddings in 2004. In the United States, the average cost of a wedding on the east and west coasts is $38,000; the national average is $26,000. The bridal gown and reception generally are the most expensive items.

After receiving my masters, my first job was the director of a college food service. During those four years, my associates and I became well-known for the gorgeous wedding receptions we would create. From all my experience, you can have an eloquent wedding for thousands less than the national average.

If you and your fiancé have the goal to be financially free, spend less and still have an awesome wedding. Be creative! Purchase the book A Simply Beautiful Wedding by Eileen Silva Kindig. It shows how to have a magnificent wedding for much less so that you will have a sizeable nest egg to start or continue with your investment program. If you save $15,000 on your wedding and invest it, in just 30 years you would have almost $1 million! Leave it alone and in 10 more years you would have over $4 million!

Reduce Your Taxes – Legally

Another major way to become a millionaire is to reduce your income tax and invest the tax savings yourself. The average household spends $18,750 in taxes per year. Reduce them in half and invest the $9,375. Chapter 16 in 80 Proven Ways to Become a Millionaire is devoted to this topic in detail. In addition, the Appendix has 2000 Ways to Lower Income Taxes.

First invest in your 401(k) and other pension plans. Then start a home business, even if it's part-time, as it will allow you to take advantage of many tax savings.

For 25 years, I owned several farms in Vermont while I lived and worked in California. Those farms gave me excellent income-tax deductions, making it possible to legally reduce my income taxes. Instead of paying unnecessary income tax, I invested that money. Yes, and I still paid my fair share of taxes. Did you know there are 72 different taxes in a loaf of bread?

Eliminate Paying Interest

When you pay interest on loans and credit cards others become millionaires instead of yourself. The only interest you should ever pay for is for investments-period! It is tax deductible and will save you money, so you will have more to invest. For everything else, pay cash. See how simple it is to become debt-free in Chapter 8.

Before my dear, beautiful girlfriend and I were married, we agreed to pay interest only on money for investments. Now decades later, no interest was ever paid. You can choose to do the same whether married or not.

The average household spends (actually wastes) $10,875 interest per year on 14.2 credit cards and loans. Keep this money and invest it for yourself. In 20 years the total invested is only $217,500 and you will have over $1 million. Continue for another 10 years and you will have over $5 million with only $326,250 invested. WOW, the power of compounding interest!

Invest Second Salary

I strongly recommend waiting six years before having children. (Chapter 3 of 80 Proven Ways to Become a Millionaire covers this in great detail.) By doing so, both husband and wife can work full-time. Choose to live on one salary and invest the entire other salary. In six years you will have $261,737 and a couple of choices.

You could choose to have a perpetual income of $39,261 created from the interest and dividends so you can stay home and raise your own children. What a blessing that would be for your family - and the nation!

Another choice would be to keep the interest invested and compounding and in 14 short years (20 years total), your investment from six year's salary would be worth $1.8 million. Now that's exciting!

401(k) Investment Program

The value of a 401(k) investment program is so awesome, that when you and your spouse graduate from college, I urge you to consider the following:

* Select the best job which has the best 401(k) plan and contribute 100% to your plan. Remember, 80% of all companies offer a 401(k) plan and 50% of those will contribute to your plan-free money for you.

* Live as close to your job as possible in order to reduce your commute time, automobile expenses, and the wear and tear on yourself. Choose to be rested and to spend lots of quality time together, rather than in commuter traffic.

Let me blow your mind! You can have $1,889,888 in 20 years with a yearly cost of only $5,700. "How's that possible?"

First, assume you fully contribute to a 401(k) for 20 years. Remember, you are not out-of-pocket the full $15,000. Your employer contributes $5,000 per year. And, if you are in the 43% federal and state income tax bracket, the government reduces your taxes by $4,300 a year. So, instead of $15,000, you are only out of pocket $5,700 per year.

Just think, as a payroll deduction each paycheck, in 20 years you will have invested out-of-pocket only $114,000 ($5,700 per year) while the investment increased to $1,889,888 ($15,000 invested per year).

And when you are married, each of you can contribute $15,000 per year to a 401(k) so you can double the investment returns shown.

Free Money – Invest Semimonthly Versus Annually

Another gigantic aspect of the miracle of compound interest is the free money you can make if you invest semimonthly or monthly instead of yearly.

For example - invest your payroll deduction ($625 semimonthly)/20 years and you will have $1,889,888. Invest $15,000 once per year/20 years and you will have $1,767,152. The difference is added investment income - $122,736. Look at what consistent investing means to your wealth creation and financial freedom. Take $122,736 and divide by 20 (number of years). This gives you $6,136 extra, free money per year invested!

This is the power of money making money! Compounding is earning interest on the principal and the accumulating interest.

Remember that Wealth is a Matter of Choice - Yours Alone. Choose today to become a millionaire, to focus on your wealth creation, to create a life you love for you and your loved ones.

NOTE: This article is designed to inspire you into action and to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. Factual material has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, and is not guaranteed. All examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as recommendations, advice, or tax counsel. The author is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the author strongly recommends that the reader should contact his own professional advisors.

by: Paul S. Damazo

Sabtu, 15 Maret 2008

Top 5 Reasons To Choose A Destination Wedding Package

Want to make your wedding an experience to remember? A destination wedding package is a great alternative to the traditional wedding package. Here's 5 top reasons to choose a destination wedding.

1. You get to choose the weather for your special day.

Enjoy cold weather? Find a winter destination package in Colorado and don't forget to enjoy some skiing! Like warm weather? Head out to the Bahamas and enjoy the beach!

2. You get more out of your wedding dollars.

Destination weddings are usually cheaper than traditional weddings. Also, there are all-inclusive destination wedding packages with everything included - from the plane ticket to the wedding reception.

3. You get a vacation and a wedding planning team.

You'll take a break away from your busy life and be able to relax. Also, destination wedding packages come with a wedding staff that will plan much of your wedding activities. This is great for reducing your wedding planning stress!

4. You get to decide the scenery of your wedding.

If you like looking at beach sunsets, consider going to Hawaii. You'll have a great backdrop for your wedding. Don't forget to take many pictures! If the beach is not your thing, you can go to Europe and get married in a magnificent castle.

5. If you're the creative type, a destination wedding package is perfect for a theme wedding.

Thinking of having a theme wedding? A destination wedding package will make your wedding come alive. For example, an island theme wedding is better in the Caribbean than Atlanta, Georgia.

By Dee Bovis

Need Help With Wedding Flowers

It is important that when you consult with the right florist that they make you feel as though they put as much into your special day as they would as if they we were designing their own daughters' wedding. Wedding flowers are both decoration and a wedding tradition. They will be a central theme to your entire wedding, both in the church and at your reception centre.

Wedding

Wedding flower arrangements, as a matter of fact, can be preserved to provide you a lifetime symbol of your union. The decorations bring the day to life and finding the right local florist is the key to making the wedding day a blooming success. Florists and other members of the floral industry, wants every bride's day to be perfect and they usually offer helpful advice for brides to be.

Flowers

Flowers are one of the most important elements and essential part of your wedding day; in fact they are treasured traditions of romance. It is also important to know what flowers are appropriate and what they represent as they are a big part of creating a beautiful wedding.

Wedding flower arrangements provide a wedding with beauty, style, and charisma. It is every girls desire to make her wedding day special, and wedding flowers plays a big part in it. Wedding Flowers are both decoration and a wedding tradition. There are many type of wedding flowers that provides detailed information about the wedding they include wedding flowers, fall wedding flowers, silk wedding flowers, spring wedding flowers and more.

By Arinze Ngonadi

Kamis, 06 Maret 2008

Destination Weddings For Those Who Hunger For The Exotic

You've decided that you want a destination wedding, preferably a beach wedding, but most importantly you want to go somewhere exotic where the sea breezes cool the warm afternoon and stir the palm trees. You've got it all pictured in your mind you just don't know where to go for your destination wedding.

You've decided you want your destination wedding to be somewhere exotic like the Caribbean with its golden beaches and azure sea and sky, or Hawaii with its fabulous beaches and lush tropical flowers, or Florida with its cosmopolitan cities and world famous theme parks and its beautiful beaches. Let's take a closer look at these destination wedding locations.

Do All Roads Lead to Caribbean Destination Wedding Resorts?

We'll start our tour with the Islands of the Bahamas. There are 700 of them stretching for 500 miles to the east of Florida and Cuba. They have some of the clearest sea water in the world which makes for truly spectacular snorkeling and beach weddings. They also have a whole division of the Tourism Ministry devoted to Destination Weddings. So if you have a beach wedding idea, give them a ring during office hours and they will be happy to help you.

On the other side of the Caribbean in Mexico is Cancun, another spectacular Caribbean Beach Wedding setting. Its unique attractions are Mayan archaeological sites along with beautiful white beaches and some of the best diving sites in the Caribbean. Many hotels and resorts have destination wedding packages that include the beach wedding free. This bonus is available at many Caribbean resorts.

Back to the eastern side of the Caribbean you come across the PuertoRico wedding destination. With so many connections with the USA, this is one of the most popular destination wedding resort islands. Another spectacular tropical wedding destination, Puerto Rico has more than its fair share of fabulous beaches and fantastic scenery. It also has waterfalls and other places of scenic beauty in its interior. A truly idyllic island for your outdoor wedding.

How About A Hawaii Destination Wedding?

Hawaii, the Friendly Islands, stunning island after island. Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, all different but all clad with their rich volcanic vegetation and surrounded by cliffs and fabulous beaches. The whole archipelago cries out love and romance. Home of the hula dancers and the lei of scented frangipani flowers. Where else in the USA could a more romantic Hawaii beach wedding be held?

Then there are literally hundreds of other choices if you don't want the beach for your destination wedding. Just imagine an idyllic waterfall surrounded by exotic tropical flowers or a beautiful chapel for a more traditional wedding. Heaven awaits the bride and groom in the Hawaiian Isles.

Finally Florida For A Fabulous Destination Wedding

Miami is the most exotic city in the United States but also has some of the most beautiful beaches of any city anywhere. And there are lots of alternative outdoor wedding locations including yachts and launches. Another destination wedding location is Key West an idyllic tropical island at the end of a 100 mile chain of islands and keys off the southern Florida coast. And there are many other cities like Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and the Theme Parks of Orlando. A virtual cornucopia of Florida destination wedding locations.

The Unity Sand Ceremony For Your Destination Wedding

While we are talking about tropical wedding destinations and beach wedding ceremonies, it is an ideal time to mention the great outdoor alternative to the unity candle ceremony, the unity sand ceremony. At your beach wedding, you can even scoop up the sand at your feet to use in the ceremony and as a permanent souvenir of the glorious beach where you took your vows.

The Unity Sand Ceremony is a ceremony a couple of minutes long during which the bride and groom each pour colorful sand into a unity vase. This symbolizes their two separate lives coming together, being joined and continuing on as one married couple. It is a simple and beautiful ceremony. Other family members particularly children of the couple are also able to join in the ceremony with miniature versions of the unity vase.

The Unity Sand Ceremony has also become increasingly popular with couples who are venturing into second marriages and are looking for a meaningful ceremony for blended families where the children of the bride and groom can also participate.

by: Sharon Vaz

Wedding Gowns - How Did You Choose Yours?

There is a very wide range of wedding and evening gowns offered by Bridal Studios.

Brides to be are spoilt for choice of what to wear and choose.

There are many times that brides get really overwhelmed by the number of gowns they have to choose.

1 wedding gown, 1 evening gown, 1 tea-dress, 1 Chinese Kua are the norms of an ordinary pakage.

However, for brides who can afford to pay more, they may have up to 2 or even 4 wedding gowns and 3 evening gowns.

Some brides even order gowns from overseas and arranged to be delivered to Singapore.

I remembered I have one friend of mine is really rich and she could afford to get different items such as her shoes, gowns from European countries. These items were to be air-flown to Singapore.

Wow!!!

Yes! Wedding is one in a life-time big event of one’s life. But it is just the beginning and for those brides who want more than what their budget allows, it is a wise decision to sit down and plan through how much they can spend on their gowns.

There are many times that an unwise decision was made in the spur of moment to get the gowns that they wanted to wear, and at the same time, they have blown their budgets.

So, one advice for ladies, as well as men out there, do include budgeting in the wedding planning and learn to do it together as it could benefit them by setting a foundation for them to learn to budget after their wedding…

and it is still a long long way to go…

by: Jhong Ren

Do I Need A Wedding Planner For My Las Vegas Wedding?

Okay, so you are still teary-eyed after saying yes to your boyfriend’s proposal to live happily ever after. What next? It’s time to get your feet on the ground and plan your dream wedding.

Somehow, everything comes into focus and you start to panic. “So where do I start?” you ask yourself. For first time brides and grooms, planning a wedding can be quite daunting. You may take into consideration the possibility of eloping.

What better place to elope to than Las Vegas, “The Wedding Capital of the World”? Three hundred and sixty five days of the year couples from all parts of the globe come to Las Vegas to have the wedding of their dreams. The stereotypical “Tacky Vegas Wedding” is a thing of the past. Unless that is what you are looking for and then that is possible as well. This, of course is the beauty of a Las Vegas Wedding. Whatever your wedding dreams, wants and needs it can and will be done for you at a fraction of the cost.

You may consider the possibility of hiring a wedding planner, but do you need one?

Most of the wedding chapels in Las Vegas (both in the casinos and independent chapels) have in house “wedding coordinators”.

These coordinators will work with you to choose a wedding package and plan you reception (if needed). There are also independent coordinators that can put together the most intimate and extraordinary weddings.

If you are looking for a simple intimate wedding with just you, your fiancé, and maybe a few friends and family members you most likely will not need the assistance of an outside coordinator or planner. If your plans include a large wedding party, guest list and reception you may want to enlist the services of a coordinator who will be dedicated to your needs.

The question is what your needs are. Once you agree on what type of wedding you want, you will be able to decide if you really need a wedding planner.

A wedding planner or coordinator can be very useful as they know the ins and outs of the whole Las Vegas Wedding circuit, but what is most important in planning your wedding is arming yourself with information. Weddings are big business in Las Vegas and if you were to do a search on the internet you will see story after story of couples who felt misguided or deceived by wedding chapels, coordinators or venders simply because they didn’t’ understand or ask how things worked.

Research is the best investment you can make for your big day. A guide such as “The Vegas Wedding Book” written by a Las Vegas Wedding Chapel insider, is full of tips, questions to ask and chapel secrets to assist couples with planning their wedding without being taken in by hidden charges. It is advisable to do your own research as is suggested in this guide prior to making any decision or plans for your wedding.

Enlisting the help of a wedding planner may be the route for you in creating a stress-free environment before your wedding date and on the big day itself. However, you have to contend with an additional budget for their services. The payment for wedding planners vary depending on how they charge, whether it is package style or if they ask for a per hour rate. Some wedding planners base their fees on the total budget for your wedding.

Here are some of the reasons why you may opt for a wedding planner:

1. Experience - Wedding planners have years of experience in wedding preparations and you can expect them to know even the smallest details that you need to take care of before your wedding. They also know the best wedding chapels in Las Vegas and they will be able to give you tips in organizing your special day.

2. Contacts - These people have been involved with the Las Vegas wedding scene for years. They are in close contact will suppliers who can give you the best deal for everything you need from documentation, photography, catering, gowns, etc. The best thing is, they also know which suppliers are reliable and which are not.

3. Information and Negotiation Skills - You can be sure that if you want to get the best prices possible for your wedding requirements, your wedding planner can haggle for you. Planners use their inside information to negotiate with suppliers and service providers to get the best deal.

Las Vegas wedding planning can be a thrill but it can also prove challenging for those who are not from Las Vegas. If it’s a big wedding with all the bells and whistles then a wedding planner can be of great service, but ultimately not really necessary, especially if you have the right guide.

by: Abby Winthrop

Wedding Band, Understanding Your Wedding Band

Wedding Band, What You Should Know About Your Wedding Band.

Most people would know what a wedding band is and how it looks. A wedding band could be worn by males and females. Most wedding band designs would be simple and suitable for men and ladies. A wedding is a solemn occassion that brings together two individuals for the rest of their lives. It is now getting increasingly popular for couples to wear similar wedding bands, these are referred to as wedding band pairs. Such wedding bands would have a similar design but differ in ring size and dimension. It is quite obvious that a wedding band would be expected to be strong and sturdy and last for a long time. In this article, we will provide information and suggestions that would help you choose your wedding band. Most of the information would be relevant to all good quality jewels and not just wedding bands, so do spend some time reading the information.

Dimensions of the wedding band: This would include the band width and the ring size of your ring. Most men's wedding bands would have a width of around 8mm to 12mm, ladies would prefer their wedding band to have a width of around 5mm to 7mm. The choice is largely based on personal preference but, there is one feature that needs to be considered. This is the metal weight of your wedding band, a large wedding band with low metal weight cannot be sturdy. It is better to go for a narrow wedding band with good weight rather than, a wide wedding band with low weight. Low weight would mean low thickness of the metal, this will make your wedding band bend or deform easily.

Gemstone choice and mounting: A wedding band could be a plain simple ring without any gemstones or diamonds. You can also have a wedding band with a gemstone or diamond in the ring. A wedding band with many small gems or diamonds needs to have a healthy metal weight. This is required for firm mounting of the diamonds and gems in the ring. Remember to consider the gemstone when choosing the design for your wedding band. Certain gems like rubies, sapphires, emeralds and tanzanite can be very expensive in large sizes. A wedding band with a moderate size for the gemstone would be suitable in such cases. The type of mounting used for the gemstone in your wedding band will also influence the durability of the ring. Flimsy prongs can open up and loosen the gemstone or diamond. A firm mounting with metal all around would be ideal, this will however require the wedding band to have a good metal weight.

Silver or gold: There is no hard and fast rule regarding the metal choice for a wedding band. You could choose a gold or silver wedding band depending on your likes and budget. If you are thinking of a silver wedding band, make sure that your jeweller is willing to provide you with good design options, good craftsmanship and good gemstone options. There is no reason why you should accept, inferior quality material and craftsmanship for a sterling silver wedding band. For a gold wedding band with many gems or diamonds, or a wedding band with an intricate design 14k gold offers better hardness as compared to 18k gold. Jewellers promise anti-tarnish treatments for silver rings, do not believe this as any plating on silver will wear off over time. The rate at which the plating on your silver wedding band will wear off depends on the climate, water composition, environment etc. A good jeweller would offer similar design and gemstone options for gold and silver rings. This works to your advantage as a silver wedding band would be priced lower than a gold wedding band.

Enhance the meaning: Since a wedding band is a special occassion jewel, you could consider including features that would increase the meaning of the ring. Etchings inside or outside the band, including a birthstone or exchanging birthstones would be good options. There is another very interesting way in which more meaning could be added to your wedding band. This involves etching or creating forms all around the wedding band. For example, a musician could have musical notes created all around the band. You could also choose to order a pair of celtic wedding bands, or a claddagh wedding band.

Remember that a wedding band is about you and your spouse. Look at various options, think of various ideas and then discuss them with your jeweller. If your jeweller is only interested in working with a small set of standard moulds that he has, find another jeweller. A personalized wedding band increases the bond between the couple, this makes a tremendous impact when the couple is geographically apart. A perfect example is for men working with the armed forces, their duty could take them far away from home for long durations. On such occassions, a carefully selected pair of wedding bands can strengthen bonds between the couple despite the physical distance.

You can see a classic collection of wedding bands at this link. Get a few ideas, use your imagination and then work with a jeweller that you feel comfortable with.

by: www.kaisilver.com

Sabtu, 01 Maret 2008

Hawaii Weddings Are Perfectly Romantic

For most people, their wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of their lives. Everyone wants to have a beautiful and personally meaningful wedding, and these days weddings are more inventive than ever. Hawaii weddings fit the bill for many couples in terms of uniqueness and variety.

A marriage ceremony in Hawaii can be held in many exotic venues. For example, they can be on a beach at dusk, under a tropical waterfall, in a awe-inspiring garden, or even under the water. A Kauai marriage ceremony can be both simple and extravagant. Hawaii beach weddings have been a popular choice for years, and with good rationale. A Hawaiian beach is the dream setting for many couples.

The easiest way to go about arranging a destination wedding is to contact a wedding planner in the area. Unless you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii, you'll need someone familiar with the locality you choose to make the plans and iron out the details for your special day. Luckily, there are many companies to choose from with expertise in planning Hawaii weddings.

A wedding planner is capable of aiding you in the search for the perfect venue, regardless of your personal tastes. In addition, they can take care of particulars such as flowers, entertainment, transportation, and lodging. If you are able to provide your wedding planner with the gist of what you desire for your wedding day and your budgetary constraints, the probability is that they will find the best sources and locales to fit your unique scenario.

A good wedding planner can also handle tasks such as finding a great place for the bachelor party and arranging for the bride's hair and makeup on the wedding day. Wedding planners should be very knowledgeable about the area and be seriously committed to planning Hawaii weddings that are both beautiful and memorable.

After you choose the location for your wedding and a wedding planner, you'll want to decide on the type of wedding. With Hawaii weddings you can choose a religious, secular, or a traditional wedding - complete with the lei exchange.

It's a wonderful idea to tie a knot in Hawaii. This place is very beautiful and a perfect location for a romantic wedding. You can have your marriage and honeymoon at the same place. Not only will you remember your wedding for a lifetime but your guests will also be delighted to attend your wedding.

Many people consider their wedding day to be one of the most memorable and important events of their lives. There are a great many exotic possibilities for Hawaii weddings. These possibilities range from sunset beaches to spectacular waterfalls. You can even have your wedding underwater. A Kauai wedding can have both grand and simple aspects. Hawaii beach weddings have endured for decades as a popular choice. This fact is not without cause as the Hawaiian beaches are easily among the most beautiful settings you could dream of for a wedding

Simple Wedding Invitations

Weddings are grand social affairs with celebrations continuing for days before and after the wedding ceremony and reception. Before the beginning of this revelry, it is very important to send out the wedding invitation cards to the various guests who are to be invited to the ceremony and reception.

Wedding invitations are therefore very significant aspects of the whole occasion. The invitation cards are vital as they contain the details of the wedding ceremony, its location, and timings. This is apart from the usual reference regarding the bride and groom and their families.

Therefore, wedding cards are an integral part of organizing the wedding ceremony. Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the invites are pleasant and graceful and at the same time appealing and nice. However, the kind of the wedding invites depends fully on the couple and there are a variety of designs from where they get to choose the final outlay of the invite.

Wedding invitation cards may be simplistic as well as gorgeous and elaborate. Simply designed ones are usually pristine white adorned with silver or golden decorations and look very elegant and graceful. The inside of the invitation should be filled up by the written invitation and it should be addressed with respect to the invitees.

Often these invitations are decorated with flower motifs, at times colorful and vibrant, and sometimes simple. These decorative features add beauty to the invitations and are appealing to the guests. At the same time, wedding invitations are also symbolic of the host's power and wealth. Therefore, one can also come across very elaborately decorated invitations.

These invites are usually available in two colors, black and white. They may be striped or printed with larger motifs which garner a lot of attention from the invited and are eye-catching. They appear to be a complete contrast compared to the all white simply designed cards.

Nonetheless, the kind of wedding invitations depends greatly upon the way of expression of the bride and groom and different individuals have different modes of expression. All invitations are accessorized with suitable envelopes and are often accompanied by 'Thank You' notes.

By L Hayes

Wedding Photography - No Need To Say Smile Please

Photographing a wedding is like photographing a race, it only happens once, you are emotional and you do not get a second chance. When photographing this event you must have the ability to foresee the actions that are about to take place. You must be ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Just relax and don't be an outsider be a part of the action.

Although no two weddings are the same it is important to use an eye for composition and design. Every occasion and wedding is different from one another. Each group of people and settings create different energy. Capture the energy and personality of people in the group. This is what makes the photograph really special. While photographing a marriage there is a lot of pressure to get the photographs. They must be beautiful and creative. A wedding is a beautiful moment. People gather here to share their experiences. People really open their hearts and that doesn't really happen on a day-to-day basis. You must capture this feeling whenever you photograph a wedding. Whenever possible, you should offer the bride and groom unlimited film, limiting the amount of film, you can use at the wedding may be like limiting your artistic ability. Make sure you get a list of family and friends that the bride and groom want photographed on the day of the marriage.

Most often people tend to look very comfortable in outdoor weddings. Take as many photographs as you can at this sort of event. The outdoor light makes people look much healthier and as a consequence the often look a lot more happier. Get involved while clicking the snaps or else it may look like a stranger has taken the photographs of the big day.

By Amanda Jane

A Beach Wedding - Bringing Dreams To Reality

A beach is a truly romantic place for any one. And the wedding at the beach would really be a very romantic affair. It has the perfect natural surroundings to make it a perfect different experience for the couple. The sound of the waves with the slow soft music, the white sand beneath your face and the clear blue skies above make it a incomparable experience. But there is a lot of hard work along with planning which goes into having this wonderful experience.

There is a lot of things that need to be taken care of firstly it might be very hot if the wedding is scheduled to be held in the afternoon. So in such a situation it should be made sure that there is plenty of supply of cold water and juices, also one should take care of the food with extra care since there are chances of the food to get spoiled due to the extreme hot temperature. One should also take care of the attire like dark clothes should be avoided though the groom is an exception. Moreover one should also take care that high heels are avoided, since they cause a lot of problem in walking in the sand. One also needs to arrange for the requirements of the ceremony, the décor, music and photography. One can also arrange for the live performance of a band if the theme of wedding is in the evening but one should make sure that proper arrangements of electrical connections are made for them.

Though any time of the day is suitable for a beach wedding but the most appropriate time would be in the evenings during the sunset. Imagine the breath taking canopies, the clear beaches, vast stretches of the swaying palm trees, and the soothing sound of the wave along with that of the band and finally the setting sun can make it an incredible experience for any couple.

By Amanda Jane

Hot Wedding Gown Trends In 2008

In the past year, we saw wedding gowns that went the overly romantic route with vintage accents like bows, lace, generous beading, and tiered ruffles galore like wedding cakes. For instance, the last wedding I attended for December 2007 had the bride walking around in a strapless duchesse satin number, but with a full meringue-like skirt over a hoop petticoat. It was cute and photogenic, but she had a hard time sitting still throughout the wedding proper. Plus, her gown was too heavy for her to dance the night away with her new groom.

Take heart, 2008 brides. Bridal fashion mavens are predicting a more sensuous silhouette with either a cinched waist or draped hips in the coming year. The last quarter's craze over obi sashes will still be evident with the aforementioned trend, but with more sedate metallic colors like silver, pale gold; and bolder, brighter colors for the more daring, to complement the wedding motif. Skirts will be either full in manner of Marilyn Monroe's famous up-skirt moments, or diaphanous to the point of cruelty. Lace overlays are still favored to add a formal touch to an otherwise more fun, more casual feel to wedding dresses, but the coming year's bridal statement is all about flowing fabrics, not stiff ones.

Speaking of casual, the trend is also moving toward ankle-length dresses in favor of floor-length ball gown affairs. As mentioned, the modern bride likes to dance and mingle with her guests instead of just sit on a chair with her groom and be a queen-like spectator to her own wedding. Romance and risqué are fashion factors to consider, with strapless bodices, asymmetrical necklines, and bustiers taking precedence over high-necked ones. Again, for a formal touch, cover-up garments are a must especially for morning nuptials. Capelets trimmed with fur or lace are dramatic and chic, but beaded boleros, sheer shawls, and fur shrugs still make the grade for the fashion-conscious bride who doesn't want to bare her shoulders too much.

Those who don't want to do away with sleeves altogether can have several options. One is the more innocent, picturesque puffed sleeves. Done daintily in sheer tulle or chiffon instead of encrusted with piles of beading and whatnot, it can add an unexpected panache to a Grecian-style gown with a below-the-bust waistline. Dropped sleeves are also gorgeous for this particular style, as well as extended sleeves to flatter broad shoulders. Those with "stronger" arms can opt for bell sleeves that will emphasize their wrists rather than their biceps. At hotbridesonline.com, the latest trends in wedding gowns can be found.

However, 2008's freshest, boldest bridal fashion trend has everything to do with (le gasp!) opting for colors other than virginal white. Pale golds, mauves, blues, pinks, and even silvery greys won't raise eyebrows when the brides wearing them walk down the aisle, but will earn nods if properly done. Now, if you're not daring enough, you can choose to accentuate your white or off-white gown with your favorite color. A sash, belt, ribbon, or obi can complement a simply (but superbly) cut gown, as long as the fabrics and patterns don't clash horribly with each other. Oversized bows and flower accents are also in, and these provide the perfect venue for brides to personalize their wedding attires with colors that add character. The secret is not to go overboard, but to make sure the colors are well-placed and done in good taste. For the more daring brides, they may want to visit redhotbrides.com to see what some bold and courageous woman are sporting these days.

By Tommy Glauning

Planning Your Wedding At A Resort

Resort weddings are fast becoming a popular alternative to traditional city weddings. Among the many advantages associated with them, many couples cite the option of escaping the mad rush of the city and tying the knot in a beautifully serene location as one of the main reasons to plan a getaway wedding. Other benefits of destination nuptials are the ease of organizing the event in one central location and the multitude of activities on offer for the enjoyment of bride, groom, and their guests.

Just as you would research a holiday destination before buying your airline tickets, doing your homework before settling on a resort to host your wedding will ensure your big day is as memorable for your guests as it is for you and your partner. To help ease your planning we've compiled a list of some of the key details you might want to consider before you make your decision.

Hotels

Make sure the resort offers a few choices of hotels to suit the different budgets of your guests. Many hotels offer room rate discounts to wedding parties so be sure to shop around.

Activities

Find out what kinds of activities are on offer at the resort and what their costs are.

Spa Services

See if there is a beauty salon or spa at the resort and if they offer any special wedding packages for brides and the bridal party, such as discounts or "in-room" services.

Photography

Ask around for a few referrals for wedding photographers who service the resort. Contact the photographer well in advance to see if they're available for your day and be sure to view their portfolio. If at all possible, set up a meeting with your prospective photographer before signing a contract. It's important that you feel very comfortable with the person who will be taking pictures of you on one of the biggest days of your life!

Wedding Planning Services

Many resorts now offer wedding planning services. Hiring a wedding planner at a resort allows you to work with a professional who is familiar with the best local suppliers and also makes it easier for you to coordinate your wedding from afar.

Children & Pets

Many resorts now offer babysitting services, daycare, and kids day camps. These services can be a huge help to guests who are traveling with little ones. Check in advance that hotels allow pets.

Plan An Itinerary

If you have family or guests that will be staying overnight or for a few days a great idea is to plan an optional itinerary that includes different activities to keep your friends and family occupied and entertained.

Sun Peaks Resort is British Columbia's second largest winter destination offering guests world class skiing, accommodations, dining, golfing, mountain biking and more...

By Darla Symington

Top 7 Beach Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Having a wedding theme means planning your wedding around something you love, your favorite color or maybe even the location of your wedding. Beach wedding centerpiece ideas can help to finish off your beach wedding theme.

Beach weddings allow you to be creative with the planning. In general, think nautical for ideas. All things related to the beach, sailing and the ocean fair game for centerpiece ideas.

Make sure your centerpieces fit in with the overall theme and color choices of your wedding and your reception location. Make note of colors at your reception location as well as the décor and use that as your starting point for all of your reception decoration planning.

Look online and in antique or vintage nautical stores for ideas and supplies. You would be surprised what you might find if you take a few days to stroll through a beach or harbor town.

If you are having a destination wedding, planning your centerpieces may be a little more challenging for you. Work with the wedding planner at your resort for ideas. They will be able to tell you what flowers and other items are available. They are also a valuable resource to bounce ideas off of and to lend a hand in pulling it all together.

Here are seven beach wedding centerpiece ideas:

Flowers

You can never go wrong with using flowers in your centerpieces. A beach wedding offers you the opportunity to include tropical flowers in your centerpieces, especially if you are getting married on an island.

For example, birds of paradise, orchids or hibiscus make great choices for a tropical wedding.

Candles

Look for unique candle shapes like bamboo, starfish, seashells or candles that look like coral. You can also buy votives and pillars that are decorated with shells, or you can create them yourself to save money.

Put them in a shallow vase or glass container filled with water, sand and shells. You can also use votive or floating candles in a similar way.

Fruit

Nothing says beach or tropical like fresh fruit. Fill vases with lemons, limes, mangos or any other tropical fruit. Accent it with fresh flowers or other nautical items.

Hurricane vases work really well. Try filling them with sand, shells or water as part of your centerpieces.

Unique Containers

Instead of a plain old vases try to find unique containers to hold your centerpieces. Ideas include lanterns, bamboo bowls

Sand Castles

This is a fun option that is perfect for a reception on the beach. Build them yourself with the help of friends, or hire someone to build them for you.

Lighthouses

Use them as centerpieces on their own or as containers for flowers. A unique twist is to have a different one on each table.

Nautical Items

Things like anchors, sail boats or a ship's bell can be used as centerpieces. One idea is to have a different vintage nautical item at the center of each table.

By Stephen Badiali

Wedding Planning Books - Helping You Plan A Great Wedding

If you need help planning your wedding, consider buying a wedding planning book. Many couples have turned to wedding planning books because they want to lower their wedding planning stress.

Wedding planning books can you help organize a wedding filled with creative ideas. Even expensive wedding planning books can save you a lot of stress and money. You can avoid paying the big bucks for a wedding planner. With the help of a wedding planning book, you can plan your own wedding and make it a memorable experience for you, your special someone, and your guests.

So, where can you find these useful books? You can go to a bookstore or search the internet. You should find many different wedding planning books. These books can help you make good decisions about your wedding. Also, as you browse the planning books, you'll find ideas that will add flair and creativity to your wedding.

Wedding planning books can help you keep track of all the little wedding details. Let's face it, weddings can be incredibly detailed. With all the things to remember like wedding photography, reception food, invitations, or wedding favors, wedding planning can stress out even detail-oriented couples. Wedding planning books have sections for the different components of a wedding. This helps you stay organized and "in control" of your wedding planning process.

Finally, wedding planning books have ideas that help you save money. These books can guide you in finding an inexpensive wedding reception location. They can show you beautiful yet cheap wedding centerpieces and bouquets. And they can point to wedding flowers that won't break the bank.

By Dee Bovis

Minggu, 24 Februari 2008

Tips For Your Fun And Cheap Wedding Centerpiece Idea

Fed up with flowers or candles for your cheap wedding centerpiece idea, or find they are just too much like every other wedding you go to then help is here.

Help in the form of you, that is you from your childhood when nothing else mattered but having the latest toy or craze. Think back to the days when you saved all your pocket money to ensure you were the coolest kid in the playground, how good would it be to have that feeling back? I am not talking the latest games console but inspiration for your cheap wedding centerpiece idea.

Having games and gadgets at the table is a great ice breaker and can easily set the tone for a relaxed and fun wedding reception. Make a space in the middle of your table for the games and away we go.

Games that work well are ones that everyone can play, play quickly and that they have played before. Lego, pick up sticks, trump cards, marbles, tiddlywinks. With the building toys you could set each table a challenge; make a wedding cake or a limousine, use your imagination, what are you both into? Bikes, planes, boats etc

The great thing about this cheap wedding centerpiece idea is that it works as a great ice breaker.

To display the games you could have them in a big box or material bag on each table - decorated in your wedding colors.

To take this theme one step further you could have the tables named on the plan for each type of game that you have and don't forget the top table!


by: Suzanne Daykin

The Hassle of Wedding Planning

There is more to wedding planning than a beautiful bride, great food, and wonderful scenery. Planning a perfect wedding can be time consuming, stressful, and overwhelming. It will take most brides 7 to 12 months to plan their wedding. Most brides have an average of 189 guests and will spend an average of $20,000 to $25,000. Planning a wedding for 189 guests with a budget of $20,000 to $25,000 is a task in it self. However, most brides worry about other things such as exceeding their budget, forgetting crucial details, their reception not being fun, and guest’s not showing up. Mot brides choose not to hire a wedding planner which adds more stress and headache.

Furthermore, if you choose not to hire a wedding planner it is imperative that you are organized and vigilant. If not, you may become susceptible to what most brides worry about as mentioned above. It is also wise to have your mother help you plan the wedding. Weddingchannel.com provides free planning tools for brides not hiring a wedding planner: wedding website, planning checklist, budget calculator, guest list manager, scrapbook, and a save-the-date with free registration.

The first step a bride should take is to decide what month she wants her wedding. August is the top month for having a wedding because it hardly rains and fall leaves give nice scenery. It does not matter which month you choose just make sure to plan 7 to 12 months ahead. Weddingsgalore.com provides a wedding checklist that lists general ideas month by month on some of the things you may need to do in preparation for your wedding. InfaCity.com is a wedding auction marketplace to all things weddings (from wedding attire; to accessories; to decorations; to invitations; and much more). Instead of having to call around for quotes, you can search through InfaCity’s listed vendors who have placed ads, services, and/or products with their information and prices.

All in all, planning a wedding can be dreadful and cause you to become a “bridezilla.” To alleviate the stress and hassle of planning a wedding you can hire a wedding planner. On the other hand, if you are organized and vigilant you will find that planning your own wedding can be very pleasing.
by: Wanda McDowell

Make Your Wedding Memorable

It’s a blur of white lace, pink taffeta, and a bunch of hot men in tuxedos. Something to keep in mind while planning a wedding is that all weddings are pretty much the same, unless one is memorably different of course. Sounds simple enough, but how does one create a wedding that significantly differs from the standard blushing bride, white dress, classy bridesmaids, perfect setting, to be followed by a bunch of food, heavy drinking, and a gift of about $100 per person? What’s the trick to turning the tradition of marriage into something that varies enough from tradition to make it new, different, exciting, and memorable?

Details are important, but they’re not always the answer. If you bedazzle everything with pink Swarovski crystals, no one will care that you spent thousands on your decorations when they try to remember your wedding three months later. If you tie a gold bow around every chair, waiter, fork, and hors d'oeuvres at the reception, people might chuckle and appreciate the theme but few will truly remember the elegance that you tried so hard to create when they think of drunk Uncle Bob with a gold bow around his head. Rent designer chandeliers and they’ll stare in awe for 10 seconds before they dance, get drunk, and forget the elegance that’s hanging above. Bottom line is that it’s become commonplace to impress your wedding guests with a pricey, entertaining, and elaborate reception. In order to make a memory, you need to send them home with a little bit of a reminder of how sophisticated and marvelous your wedding really was.

So here you are, the blushing bride, in dire need of some wedding favour ideas. You’ve booked the photographer, you’ve purchased and altered the perfect dress, and everything is in place with the budget. Your main concern right now might be going overboard and wasting too much money on something small that people might just throw away. The trick is knowing your guests and hoping that they know you too; chose something personal and meaningful to you and your guests and the chances of those tiny $2 treasures getting tossed in the trash will hopefully be slim to none.

When giving away favours at your wedding, you’re automatically going to lean towards the item that is cute, pretty, and goes with the theme of everything you’ve already paid for. It’s a fun and unique idea to lean towards the “functional” aspect of the item rather than the visual. Does it do something? Do you need batteries for it? Is someone going to put it in their purse, take it home, and have a place for it on their shelf? Maybe it’s a paperweight and can be used in an office. Maybe it’s a decorative soap in a functional color that would match almost any bathroom.

If it’s a disposable camera or a picture frame, then the guest is almost guaranteed to keep it with them. The disposable camera idea benefits the guests and the married couple because each guest will be certain to have a camera’s worth of pictures to look back on in an album for years to come, and negatives can be mailed to the bride and groom in order to reproduce candid shots taken at their own party.

The most important tip on getting it right with the wedding favours is choosing a favour that truly shows your appreciation of having each person as your guest. Give them the outstanding wedding that they were expecting, and send them home with a special little token of your gratitude and they will surely remember your soiree for years to come.


by: Kim Hall

Plan Your Romantic Wedding That Everyone Will Remember

Your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life but it does not just happen by itself. If it is to be the special romantic day to live in your memories for the rest of your life you need to make sure every detail of every point is covered even if you think at times the romantic element of the wedding day is lost. However if the planning of your wedding is right as the big day draws near you will start seeing all the wedding plans come together at the right time. You will find our planning a wedding tips in the romantic weddings section of BeRomantic.com will make it as simple yet as exciting as possible.

Let's start with the least romantic aspect of the wedding. What will the wedding cost and who will pay for it? In some cultures it is traditional for the bride's parents to pay for the wedding and reception but it is also common for both families to share the total cost. You will initially need to establish the total budget you have to play with by meeting with both sides and get some indication of what monies, if any, each party will contribute. It is inadvisable to start a new married relationship with debts on your credit cards or bank loans as repaying these will obviously reduce the amount of money available for other purposes that will arise e.g. new babies or buying a house or even the special romantic trips/evenings on the honeymoon.

Research shows that the most common reasons for relationship difficulties is financial pressures on the couple. One person being careful and trying to save money on little things whilst seeing the other spending on what they see as unnecessary expenses even if it is not verbalised will build resentment. You don't want to go building in reasons for a potential marriage breakup through spending too much by having a huge romantic wedding or not taking opportunities to trim back some expenses to bring it back within budget.

Romantic weddings that you remember for the right reasons means budgeting each item as early as possible. Can you imagine the horror of setting carefully allocated prices against each item and spending up to your limit then finding that the amount set aside for clothes you were hiring did not include the cost of all the essential extras which cost nearly as much again. What can you do at the last minute to trim the costs of other items? Nothing can upset those carefully laid out romantic wedding planning budgets than last minute costs so leave a generous contingency fund for GENUINE emergencies.

Plan a wedding to remember but think about the cost! If you can trim just a little off the cost in say half a dozen places it could amount to a considerable saving. Will any part of the flower décor be suitable for both the ceremony and the reception? Wise spending makes a difference and if you find you are still under budget on the whole wedding you could use it for a special treat dinner during the honeymoon. What small savings can you find?

Choosing a Wedding Photography Package

Finding an affordable wedding photography package isn't easy. Every bride wants the best for her wedding, but the reality is that not every bride can afford the best. Many couples have limited budgets with which to work and all too often, they find themselves having to cut corners to avoid over-spending. The first aspect of a wedding that is slashed for costs is the professional wedding photographer.

The reason for this is that wedding photography prices are anything but standardized. Depending on the photographer you select, the format and style of photography and the length of the celebration, the base rate can fluctuate wildly. Added to this is the fact that there are almost limitless options in the wedding photography package. The more extras you add, the higher the price.

Many who are seeking budget wedding photography decide to spend their money on hiring a better photographer to do less work. Rather than selecting a lower priced photographer and ordering a huge photo package, they go with the photographer that they most trust and order a smaller package. Some couples even forgo the traditional wedding photography package altogether and simply buy the negatives or original digital images from the photographer. These couples then use their own technological savvy to create personalized albums and reprints that are meaningful to them.

Some professional wedding photographers maintain a traditionalist view. They feel that as the expert, the wedding photographer is the only one truly suited to put together the wedding album. This argument does have some merit. The photographer is the only one who knows what he or she was trying to convey in each shot. Additionally, the photographer works closely with trusted contacts at the developing lab and is able to judge when photos return with imperfections. He or she is familiar with color balance and stylistic concerns and is therefore quite adept at placing the photos within the album to create a pleasing whole.

On the other hand, scrap booking and other DIY projects have become extremely common option to a traditional wedding photography package. Today's couples are generally quite adept at working with photos, doing retouches and fixing color problems on their home computers. For these couples, their wedding album is just another fun home project.

Many couples opt for the best of both worlds. These couples purchase a basic wedding photography package that includes a small album and a few reprints. They also purchase the original media and create a personalized album as well. They may do reprints and reorders themselves, or they may order these items from their photographer, depending on how much time and money they have. This way, the couple receives a classic wedding album to show their children and grandchildren, as well as the ability to personalize and scrapbook to their hearts' content.

Whatever your feelings on wedding photography packages, you are certain to find a photographer who will meet your needs. The wedding photography market is changing rapidly and photographers are adapting to the times. Perhaps you want a traditional large wedding photography package that includes an album full of traditional posed photos. Maybe you want to purchase nothing but the photographer's time and the raw media. Or perhaps you want something in between, a small photo package that also includes the original media. The choice is yours. It is your wedding and you deserve a photographer that will work with the choices that you make.

A Professional Wedding Planner Will Make Your Wedding More Special

Wedding is a moment which is meant to be extremely special in your life. To this end you would like to make your wedding unique. In fact, there are many people who can help you to make the experiences on your big day really special.

In order to build up these special and unique experiences, a professional wedding planner is a must. Theoretically this task can be done by anyone. You can do it yourself. You may even ask for the help of your friends and relatives in this matters. However, professional planners are experts can bring a totally different experience. They will be responsible for make your wedding go in the wait you want. They will help you to gather and line up all the other professionals such as gown and invitation designers so that you do not need to worry about all the vendors.

You may want to make your reception a colorful event. This is especially true if you are going to hold an Asian themed reception. You will try to fill the whole venue with eye-catching colors. The colors of the dresses of the bride and groom are also very essential. With the help of a professional wedding planner, you can ensure that all these ideas can be accomplished.

You will also need some music for your big day. The planners will help you to utilize music to set the right atmosphere of your reception. It is not an easy task to make decision on the music. Usually the planners will help you to find a good band and live music will be played during your reception. This will give additional touch to your wedding.

Without any exception, you will find different types of flowers in a wedding. The choice of the flowers becomes very important. The colors of the flowers should match the color theme of the reception. To this end your planner will work with professional florist in order to finish this task.

Wedding photography is also one of the most important items for your ceremony and reception. The photographer will record all the sweet and romantic moments. The photographer will even retouch your photos and videos so that you can have a permanent record on your wedding. Your wedding planning professional will help you to make sure that the photographer will deliver his / her job in the highest quality.

No one will deny that the cake cutting ceremony is the focus of your reception. It is regarded as the most significant moment in your wedding. It is not easy to determine the size and decoration of the cake. Your wedding planner will help you to take care all these decisions. They will help you to choose the best baker to make the cake. They will also help to make sure that the cake will be tasting good. This is because at the end of the day the cake is meant to be eaten.

With all these arrangements, you can make sure that your wedding will be a special and unique one. With the help of a professional wedding planner, you can really sit back and enjoy your time in your wedding!

Location, Location, Location. How To Choose The Perfect Venue For Your Wedding.

It’s the most important factor in real estate and it should be considered the most important decision to make when planning your ceremony and reception. There are many factors that go into deciding a location and usually cost is the first and foremost. Everyone wants a beautiful setting but the question is can you afford it? Location costs can go anywhere from free at a family or friends residence to $20,000 for a luxury estate. Whether your location is free or costs a bundle there are a few factors you need to consider before signing on the dotted line.

How big is the venue? Can the site accommodate a ceremony and reception? Every location will have a maximum capacity. Some separate their capacities by indoor and outdoor events and by ceremonies and receptions. When calling around this should be the first question you ask if you have a large guest list. It could speed up your search immensely if you find out the locations you are calling have a 50 person limit. Usually halls, hotels and larger estates can accommodate the bigger receptions. Wineries, small estates and private residences often have limited space.

What’s included? One would think with a $10,000 dollar site fee something would be included in that price? Not necessarily and not usually. The more desirable the site the more they can charge. Always ask what’s included. Sometimes sites will include things like tables and chairs, maybe even white linens. This could save you some money on rentals. Venues that are already set up for catering, such as hotels or community halls usually have these basics. Private residences and estates are at the top of the list when it comes to high cost receptions. They usually do not have the space or the desire to keep rentals on hand so you have to bring or rent everything for the event and this could cost you a pretty penny.

What are the restrictions? When reading through a location contract you will always see a section of restrictions. This is to protect everyone involved. Some may seem silly, others too strict, but they are rarely negotiable. One of my favorite restrictions is “Only water is allowed in the fountain.” This came about because a not-so-sober bride jumped in it with her wedding dress on. Here are some you are likely to see:

• Curfew: Some sites have a curfew because of the residents living nearby. Some will say no music past 10pm others may say no guests past 10pm. Just make sure it works well with your timeline.
• Alcohol: To drink or not to drink, some sites will not allow a full bar. These venues have it written on their insurance rider that guests can not bring outside alcohol onto the premises. Usually wine and beer are okay. Just check if you are considering a full bar.
• No cars on site. If you have a large guest list and the ceremony or reception is at a private residence, up a windy hill, you may see “need transportation” in the contract. This means no cars are allowed to park in front of or around the residence. In this case a shuttle or valet service will be required.

Ask for preferred vendors. An established site will have a list of vendors they work with often. Some of my clients, in the past, have concern about working with “preferred vendors” because they think it will cost more. Well, it’s quite the contrary. In the long run, if you work with a vendor who knows the location they usually have many smart ways to save you money and time. Plus, it makes your life so much easier if you don’t have to second-guess everything they do. If they know the space, they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t and less things fall through the cracks. Practice makes perfect.

Plan B. No one likes to think about their wedding day not being perfect but make sure the site is set up for changes from Mother Nature or anything else thrown your way. If any part of your event is outdoors make sure you have a rain plan. Can you rent a tent? Can you move the party inside? What is the last day to cancel? If you do cancel, do you get any of your deposit back? You probably won’t need to act on any of these but just in case you’ll be prepared.

Go with your gut. If you have the fortunate situation that you can’t decide between two or three locations go with what feels right. Imagine yourself walking down the aisle. Try to envision the reception set up. If it’s outside, will there be flowers in bloom? If it’s inside, will it be easy to deck it out. Whatever you choose the venue will set the stage of what’s to come.

What Should You Get Someone For Their Wedding? by Charlie Reese

Wedding Gifts: The Registry Controversy

Wedding gifts are an exciting part of any wedding, especially for the young bridal couple that is leaving the homes of their parents to build their own household. Traditional wedding gifts have always included items for the household or money to help the young couple begin their lives together.

Should You Register Or Should You Not?

The wedding gift registry has become somewhat of a double edge sword. Depending upon the area in which you live or your financial status, there are many different opinions regarding the necessity and use of a wedding gift registry.

In traditional wedding circles, it is considered poor manners to use a wedding gift registry or even suggest that you have registered for different gift ideas. The belief is that the wedding gift is not an expected item for the bride and groom but rather a generous offering by the guests. In addition, the fact that the bride and groom would try to direct or choose the wedding gift for the bride and groom prior to the wedding is also considered tasteless and selfish.

Etiquette Does Not Always Control the Behavior of Society

While traditional wedding gift etiquette does not accept the use of a wedding registry, the majority of brides and grooms use them daily to highlight the gifts of their choice. The wedding gift registry is designed to allow the bride and groom to shop in various stores or online to create wedding gift wish lists so that the wedding guests will be able to find "just the right gift". Bridal magazines and wedding planning books write articles and chapters that focus on how to use a gift registry to the benefit of the wedding couple.

While many different traditionalist view the wedding registry as a tacky method created to force the wedding guest to not only bring a gift but to buy only the wedding gifts for which the bridal couple has registered. The traditionalist argument is that the wedding gift is just that, a gift, not a requirement for attendance.

However, the popularity of the gift registry has virtually eradicated a large majority of traditionalists and created a whole new perspective on the gift registry. If you are a bridal pair that is planning to utilize the wedding gift registry, remember to have a wide variety of price ranged items listed on your registry. Providing a number of different items and price ranges will allow everyone to be able to purchase a gift that is within their budget.

How to Choose the Perfect Songs for your Wedding Reception

Sometimes finding the right songs for the biggest moments of your wedding can be a daunting task. After all, there’s much you need to consider (like you don’t have enough stuff to stress out about already!).

Have no fear; it doesn’t have to be a stressful situation. Here are some things to consider when choosing those special songs for your big day.

Bridal Dance – This is THE most important song of the night. Next to seeing you kiss at the altar at the end of the ceremony, this is the one of your most romantic events; your big moment alone on the dance floor. So the song has to be special.

There are three very important things to remember when choosing songs. These may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised. Plus these “rules” apply to any song chosen for any of the ceremonial dances.

1. Make sure the song you choose is one that the two of you can actually dance to! You may be able to tear up a dance floor, but your groom may have two left feet. Picking a song with an odd tempo may make him feel awkward, especially out on a dance floor in front of his friends and family. Try to keep it simple.

2. Make sure both of you actually LIKE the song. For example, you may really like Lonestar’s “Amazed”, but if country music makes your groom’s teeth itch, you need to choose another song. Or, he may really like that “one” Metallica ballad, but you hate it. Next, please.

3. Is the song appropriate for a bridal dance? Let’s face it…you may both really like the song, but “Love Bites” by Def Leppard does NOT make a good bridal song. Don’t laugh…it’s happened! (And there were many rather confused wedding guests that night).

Still, sometimes you may think that you don’t have a song that is “yours”. What was the first song the two of you danced to? Is there a ballad by an artist that the two of you are big fans of? Was there a song playing in the background the night he proposed to you? These are things to think about.

If that doesn’t seem to work, start listening to songs on the radio a bit closer. Listen to the lyrics. Eventually you will find a song that will express what you want to say to each other on your wedding day…and that’s your song!

Another thing you may want to consider is the length of the song. “In Your Eyes” may be the perfect song for you, but the track is nearly 6 minutes long. That’s a long time to be out there - the two of you…alone with everyone’s eyes upon you…feeling paranoid yet? Don’t be afraid to ask your DJ to fade the song out early.

The main thing to remember - this is your big moment. Make it special not only for you, but for your guests as well.

Bridal Party Dance – The first question we often get regarding this song is “Does the bride & groom stay on the dance floor during this dance?” The answer is “Yes”. It looks a little strange when the bride and groom leave the dance floor with their closest friends on it.

Some couples are choosing to combine the bridal dance and the bridal party dance -- one song for everything. This is a good idea if you have a small bridal party or if you are uncomfortable being the center of attention. Whatever you decide to do comes down to planning; making sure you let your DJ and your bridal party know what you want to do, i.e. when you want the bridal party to join you on the dance floor.

Some couples have chosen to allow their party members to dance with their significant others instead of whom they walked down the aisle with. This is fine, and may save a few awkward (and jealous) moments, but make sure that this is planned out with your DJ and your bridal party in advance. Doing this will double the number of people on your dance floor and a larger group of people will be a bit harder to keep in one place for very long. Make sure everyone knows what the plan is and what is expected of them. Plus, it is imperative that you have everyone’s names at the time of your consultation. Adding names at the last minute does increase the possibility of your DJ making an error, and we HATE making errors. But we are only human. The more you plan it, the easier it will go for everyone involved.

Some brides have been willing to drop the bridal party dance all together in favor of making life easier for everyone, avoiding awkward moments or because they just want to get to the party. This is fine, but keep in mind that the bridal party dance is a great opportunity for your photographer to get some good shots of your bridal party. If you still feel that you want to drop the bridal dance, make arrangements with your photographer to get pictures of your party during the day.

Having said all of this, actually choosing a bridal party song tends to be a bit easier. If you have been trying to choose between two songs for your bridal dance, you can use both; one song for the two of you and one for your bridal party.

You can also choose to be a bit light-hearted with this. “Friends In Low Places” can work, as does “With a Little Help From My Friends”.

Again, think about songs that may have special meaning to those you have chosen to stand up with you. For example, I attended a bonfire once with a number of good friends and there was a moment when someone pulled out a guitar and played “You’ve Got a Friend”…and there we all were; swaying back and forth. singing loudly, A couple of years later, one of the attendees at that bonfire remembered this and chose that song to be their bridal party dance. And sure enough, that moment happened again on the dance floor. Consult with the members of your bridal party; they can be a good source of ideas.

As before, another thing to keep in mind is the length of the song. For example, if you want your DJ to introduce your best man and maid of honor, the other 16 members of your bridal party, both sets of parents, and acknowledge your flower girls and ring bearers, choosing a short 2 minute long song like “What a Wonderful World” is NOT a good idea. The song will end before your parents are brought out onto the dance floor! Conversely, choosing a 5 ½ minute long song like Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” when there are only 3 couples to introduce is a bit much. Again, feel free to have your DJ fade the song out early.

The main thing to remember is that this is your moment to share with the people closest to you. Make it meaningful, make it fun, and make it special.

Daddy/Daughter Dance – This is, of course, a tradition, but this doesn’t mean you have to be traditional about it. Sure, “Daddy’s Little Girl” is still used. Of course “Butterfly Kisses” was created for this moment. And it seems nowadays that there’s a new song coming out of Nashville about once a month that’s tailor made for the daddy/daughter dance.

The main thing to remember is that this symbolizes your “last” dance that your father will have with his now-no-longer little girl, so this is a song that should be special to both of you. This doesn’t mean it has to be a sappy moment. You can have fun with this if you like. It all depends on the personalities of yourself and your father. Naturally, your best bet is to consult with your father, and your mother as well (mothers tend to remember things better than fathers sometimes!).

One great example…one of our DJs was asked to play “Puff the Magic Dragon” as the daddy/daughter dance recently. This may seem like it’s an odd choice at first, but this was a song that the bride’s father would sing to his young children when they would go to bed at night. So when the song was played at her wedding, both the bride and her father were in tears, as were the bride’s siblings gathered at the edge of the dance floor. In fact, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as 180 guests began singing along with the song! In another very similar situation, “On Top of Spaghetti” was once used, apparently having something to do with the bride’s love of spaghetti when she was a child. If there’s a song like this in your family history, use it!

In yet another example, a bride’s father was once considered a great disco dancer, so the bride chose “Last Dance” by Donna Summer…and then had the DJ open the dance floor to all of the guests when the song’s disco beat kicked in. So it need not be what “everyone else” does. Make the moment unique and special.

Mother/Son Dance – There are tons of ideas for daddy/daughter dances, but seemingly few choices for the mother/son dance. This isn’t necessarily true; they’re just not so obvious sometimes. The same rules apply as with the daddy/daughter dance; if there’s a song in your groom’s family history that means a lot to them, use it!

The daddy/daughter dance may get most of the attention, but the mother/son dance is JUST as important to your groom and his mother. Usually your groom’s mother will have ideas, but don’t keep your groom out of the loop!

But wait…there’s more…!

There are a few other points during the course of your reception that will require some music to help make the moments special. It may not seem like a big deal, but having music for these moments add to the overall presentation at your reception. They help set the mood and tone of the entire evening. Let’s take a look…

Introduction Music – This is the big moment; your Grand Entrance when you and your groom are first brought into the hall to the cheers of all your friends and loved ones who have gathered to celebrate your wedding. So naturally, you will want to choose music to highlight the moment.

There are a few things to consider. Will the bridal party also be introduced at this point? Will your parents also be introduced? Do you want one song for everyone, or do you want a separate song for your bridal party and one for you and your groom? Do you want something a bit mellow for your parents to walk in to, and then get a bit louder as your progress through the rest of the introductions?

Again, this is a BIG moment, and one you want to capitalize on. Use this moment to really pump up your guests.

Having said that, this moment can be as full of pomp and circumstance as you want, or can be as fun and rowdy as you’d like. There are some “standards” such as “Celebration”, “Let’s Get It Started” or “Get the Party Started”. But our DJs have used everything from “Here Comes the Bride” to the Austin Powers theme song, from “In the Mood” to the Blues Brothers, from the Chicago Bulls theme song to the Imperial March from “Star Wars”, from the U of M fight song to one of the songs used for the “C.S.I.” TV shows. As you can see, the possibilities here are quite endless.

There are no real rules for this one, so you can be as creative and individual as you like. Consult with your bridal party for this one, and check out or list of ideas here on our website.

Cake Cutting – Often couples will choose a song to highlight the cake cutting ceremony. This one isn’t really a necessity per se, but it does help to draw attention to the cake cutting.

We recommend something upbeat or mid-tempo for this and keep it light-hearted. And again, this can be almost anything. Some couples choose to let their Grand Entrance song play out if they go directly to the cake cutting after their introduction.

“Love & Marriage” by Frank Sinatra is popular here, but sometimes brides balk at using the theme to “Married With Children” (remember the Bundys?). If nothing else it does usually get a chuckle or two. Choosing a song with a food or sweets theme, like “Ice Cream”, “Sugar Sugar”, “Sweetest Thing” or “How Sweet It Is” always works. You can even go as far as Weird Al’s “Eat It”. Again, this is a light moment so have fun with it.

Bouquet Toss/Garter Removal/Garter Toss – This is something we will be discussing more in a later column. If you decide to do this, there will be several songs you will need; one song for the ladies for the bouquet toss, one for the gents for the garter toss, and a song for the garter removal. There may be others needed as well, depending on what you want to do. This is certainly the most lighthearted moment of the evening so you can have fun with this as well. Just remember…your grandmother is sitting right there…

How to find the songs – Didn’t think that there were this many songs to choose, did you? Have no fear…we’re here to help.

Most of the time there are obvious choices for your ceremonial dances. There’s that one song that the two of you have always considered “yours”. But maybe the choices aren’t so obvious. So how to find them…?

First of all, start early. Don’t wait until the last minute to choose the songs. These will be some of the most important moments of your wedding. Take as much care in choosing songs for these moments as you did in choosing the hall, your flowers or your DJ!

Listen to the radio. Go to your music collection. Browse through music stores. Poke around through iTunes or the like. Ask your friends, especially those who have already gotten married. Ask your family.

And of course, check out the song lists that we have included on www.mikestaff.com. Many talented and experienced DJs were consulted when compiling these lists, so there are a lot of ideas there for the taking. Ask your DJ for ideas when you consult with him. Use his experience and knowledge. That’s what we’re here for!

Now, all of this may seem like a lot to consider when choosing songs, but it’s really much easier than it appears. Don’t stress out about it! The main thing to remember is to LISTEN. Don’t just go to iTunes and play snippets of songs. Take a few minutes to really listen to some songs. Besides, with all of the chaos normally associated with planning a wedding, taking a few moments to sit back, relax, breathe and listen will certainly help take some of the tension off. Enjoy the process! Once you relax a bit, the right song will come to you.

Wedding Paper Divas Unveils Latest Trends for 2008 Wedding Season

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With approximately 30 percent of all engagements happening between Christmas and Valentines Day, the 2008 wedding season is quickly approaching. As couples begin their wedding preparations, Wedding Paper Divas (www.weddingpaperdivas.com), the preferred online destination by brides-to-be for premium wedding stationery, today announced the top wedding trends for 2008.

While wedding traditions do not typically change, each season unveils the latest trends that many couples will incorporate into their event. Many brides-to-be discover that the exclusive designs from Wedding Paper Divas are a perfect stationery match. Wedding Paper Divas unique creations embrace romantic inspirations while providing a dash of modern flair reflected in todays most popular trends.

According to Wedding Paper Divas, the top trends in 2008 will include:

  • Non-traditional shapes: Many couples are opting for wedding invitations in non-traditional shapes. Gone are the days choosing between 5 x 7 rectangles - now couples can select square and tea length cards.
  • Bright Colors & Unique Color Combinations: Couples are incorporating vibrant colors and unique color combinations into their weddings like yellow. Brides are also creating unique color combinations such as turquoise and lime. These colors are not only seen on invitations, but also on wedding place cards and programs, and incorporated throughout the reception.
  • Time-Honored Monograms: Every year the bridal industry wonders if monograms will go out of style, but they remain as popular as ever. Whether on save the date cards, wedding invitations or wedding thank you cards, classic monograms are still au courant.
  • Mother Natures Finest: Wedding ensembles inspired by natural elements, such as simple leaf and flower motifs, are in vogue and suit weddings of any season.
  • Modern toile: Toile inspiration has leapt off of our upholstery and curtains and is making a contemporary comeback on many top-selling stationery designs. These classic and highly intricate scenes designed with unusual colors are more chic than ever before.
  • Something old, something new: Brides love options and many combine modern designs with traditional stationery elements like ecru paper and letterpress printing.
  • Get Cultured: More couples are adding a little ethnic flavor to their stationery, whether through cultural motifs, meaningful quotes or relevant color combinations.
  • Wedding Websites: Wedding websites are continuing to grow in popularity and are becoming more elaborate than ever. These pages include details about the couple, their courtship, and their wedding. Couples are encouraging their guests to read more about their event or even RSVP online by adding the URL to their wedding website directly onto bridal shower invitations and wedding invites.

To see these trends reflected in hundreds of designs, visit www.weddingpaperdivas.com.

About Wedding Paper Divas

Based in Mountain View, California, Wedding Paper Divas offers premium, personalized wedding stationery. Wedding Paper Divas works with well-known, as well as up-and-coming, artists who design wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations and thank you cards that fit today's trends and romantic inspirations. Every design on Wedding Paper Divas is exclusive, which means it cannot be found anywhere else online or offline. Additionally, all Wedding Paper Divas products are printed on the highest quality paper and are completed in a fraction of the time for a fraction of the cost of most local wedding retailers.

Amana Appliances | A Perfect Wedding Anniversary Gift by Raul Crasmin

Want to buy a new refrigerator? Puzzled which to buy? Obviously we get puzzled to choose one with so many models in the market. Let me help you out.

Start with the basics. Make up your mind to choose the color of the refrigerator, the model and above all how much space you need so that it fits comfortably. It should be kept in such a place that it should have enough space for air circulation and proper electrical fittings. This information can be easily available on the famous website of the Toronto appliances. Just log on to this website and you can check out with numerous models attached with the price tag that are displayed on the screen. My personal choice is Amana refrigerator. Its service works wonders. This is my personal experience since I have been using it since years without any problems.

Once we all happen to gather in my house to celebrate New Year. My Amana refrigerator was giving me wonderful service as I also mentioned it before. My friends really got impressed by its features and the interior design. One of my colleagues liked it so much that he decided to gift one to his daughter for her wedding anniversary which happened to be round the corner of the week. Since he was too busy to go to any shopping mall to buy one, he was wondering as to how to buy this refrigerator. He asked my help and told me whether I can place an order for him. I told him that he can also place an order himself without going anywhere out of his house. I told him about this site and he was immediate in action as he did not want to waste any more of his time. Within few minutes he was happily surfing with the Toronto appliances. He right away opted to go in for an Amana refrigerator without a single thought. He placed an order with them and settled in peace of mind. I even told him that they ship the orders to the respective destinations without any hassles and are on time in delivering the goods.

His daughter was surprised to get a new refrigerator in her house, as she was planning to go for a new one but was only waiting for an occasion to arrive. Now she was relieved from her old refrigerator with a new one which she had been using since 8 years. She always wanted a new refrigerator with new technology to replace her old one. It was a perfect gift for her to get from her father. She was very delighted and seeing his daughter so happy with her new refrigerator my colleague was very much thankful to me to advice him to gift this refrigerator to her as he was not able to make up his mind to what to present his daughter for her wedding anniversary. The refrigerator was directly shipped to his daughter's house on the day of her wedding anniversary only.