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
Minggu, 24 Februari 2008
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
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
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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 Valentine’s 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 today’s 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 Nature’s 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.
Wedding Flower Tips and Trends for 2008: Budget Conscious Brides, Do-It-Yourself Wedding Flowers, and The Grower's Box
With brides-to-be becoming more budget conscious, the 2008 wedding season will no doubt show a growing trend towards the practice of "Do-it-Yourself Wedding Flowers". The Grower's Box specializes in the procurement and shipping of premium fresh cut wholesale flowers and wedding flowers and serves the wholesale, retail, and consumer markets.
Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) February 18, 2008 -- With Valentine's Day now passed, many brides-to-be have begun looking forward to wedding season 2008. The date has been set, the reception location confirmed, and the bridesmaids' dresses picked out. With those tasks aside, the focus now turns to the selection of the wedding flowers! However, with the ever-rising costs associated with weddings, the expense of hiring a floral designer can often be overwhelming. To cut costs, the trend among budget conscious brides is to order wholesale flowers in bulk from online sources like The Grower's Box (www.growersbox.com) and create their own arrangements of wedding flowers.
The budget conscious bride (Bride-on-a-Budget) and the idea of arranging your own wedding flowers (DIY Wedding Flowers) is becoming more and more popular throughout the wedding industry. On average, brides spend 8% of their total wedding budget on their wedding flowers. This can mean spending up to $1,000 to $4,000 for flowers alone! Many brides are going the way of do-it-yourself wedding flowers because of the significant cost savings and because they it provides them with the freedom to create wedding flower arrangements that truly reflect their own personality and style.
When ordering wedding flowers from sources such as The Grower's Box (www.growersbox.com), fresh flowers are cut to order and are shipped directly from flower farms all over the world directly to the customer or venue. The key to success with "Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Wedding Flowers" lies in the customer's ability to plan. A few very important points to consider when determining the best wedding flowers for the ceremony and reception are:
- What time of year is the wedding?
- Will the ceremony or reception be held indoors or outdoors?
- What are the wedding colors?
- What colors are the bridesmaids wearing?
- Are the flowers for the wedding party as well as the reception?
- Are flowers needed for the ceremony?
- How many guests are expected?
- How many tables will need centerpieces?
Wedding flowers play a very prominent role in the overall beauty and outcome of the wedding decor. The following should also be considered as the planning process continues:
Bridal Bouquets -- The bridal bouquet is perhaps one of the most sentimental uses of wedding flowers. The best practice for deciding what to include in a bridal bouquet is to glance through bridal magazines to find the flowers that are eye-catching. Traditionally, bridal bouquets are made of white flowers; however, arrangements of colored flowers have become trendy. The bridal bouquet is said to be a reflection of the bride's personality and style. Popular bouquet styles include cascade, cluster, contemporary, and hand-tied.
The bridesmaids' bouquets should consist of flowers that are complementary in color and style to the rest of the wedding flowers, especially the flowers in the bridal bouquet. Bridesmaids' bouquets can be hand-tied bouquets or simply a single stem. At the reception, bridesmaids can place their bouquets around the wedding cake for added color and flair.
Groom & Groomsmen Boutonnieres -- Boutonnieres are usually a single blossom such as a rose or carnation, and should be worn on the groom's left lapel, close to his heart. To distinguish the groom's boutonniere from the groomsmens', simply add a second bloom or a sprig of baby's breath.
Ceremony Flowers -- These flowers can be wildly elaborate or strikingly simple. The main purpose is to direct the guests' attention toward the bride and groom. If the wedding ceremony is outside, the structure serving as the altar can be decorated with colorful flowers and greenery. It is important to consider the decor of the ceremony site as some locations may call for only minimal decoration. It is also wise to check with the venue as some places do have restrictions on floral decorations.
Reception Site -- As with the ceremony site, select the flowers based on the site's decor. Elaborate halls may require less decoration, while dozens of flowers may be necessary to transform a stark reception hall into an intimate setting.
Beverly Clark's WeddingLocation.com Celebrates its Eighth Anniversary with a Whole New Look
Valentine's Day is a big day for Beverly Clark Enterprises as they celebrate their eighth year as a wedding marketing solutions company. Beverly Clark Enterprises now provides everything from the popular first stop for brides on the Internet, WeddingLocation.com, to Beverly Clark's Elite Wedding Collection, an enormously effective multi-media program that endorses and markets luxury hotels and resorts to brides. In addition to their comprehensive online wedding training program, BeverlyClarkTraining.com, their expanded training division creates customized in-person and online educational training programs for all aspects of the hospitality industry.
Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) February 13, 2008 -- Beverly Clark Enterprises has a lot to celebrate this Valentine's Day. WeddingLocation.com, one of the first stops for brides looking for the perfect place for their special day, has just gone live with a complete redesign timed to coincide with their eighth anniversary on February 14. And Beverly Clark's Elite Wedding Collection, an enormously effective multi-media program that endorses and markets luxury hotels and resorts to brides will publish its 2008 Spring/Summer Guide the same day. The many properties participating in Beverly Clark's programs have found them to be a great way to increase their wedding revenues.
"In the last two years we have expanded into a wedding marketing solutions company, " says Jay Klanfer, president of Beverly Clark Enterprises. "Not only do we offer a variety of unique marketing opportunities to the hospitality industry via the Internet and the Elite Wedding Collection Guide, we also offer a comprehensive online wedding training program at BeverlyClarkTraining.com. With our expanded training division, we can create customized in-person and online educational training programs for all aspects of the hospitality industry."
Featuring new graphics and functionality, WeddingLocation.com offers a host of new features for any venue that wants to reach today's bridal market. "By capitalizing on our brand recognition, national advertising, and search engine optimization, we are forecasting continued increasing web traffic which directly correlates with our partners' success," Klanfer points out.
According to Lisa Hamilton, Director of Sales & Marketing for Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Resort in St. Thomas, "Being a part of Beverly Clark's Elite Wedding Collection has definitely helped raise our profile in the high-end wedding market. And the Internet exposure on EliteWeddingCollection.com and WeddingLocation.com has brought us a steady stream of leads. The other marketing they do to support us is great."
Renowned wedding expert Beverly Clark is the award-winning designer of elegant wedding gifts and accessories in the Beverly Clark Collection, which are featured at over 10,000 fine retailers nationwide. She is also the author of the best-selling "Planning A Wedding To Remember" with nearly 4 million copies in printA lavish wedding!
Air hostess Anulka and pilot Capt Sumeet Bhola were at cloud number nine as they tied the knot amidst a huge gathering of friends and family, who came down from far and near.
It was a lavish affair to say the least. Well, bride’s parents Col Sunil and Ranjana Sorick had ensured as much. While the perfect decor done with fresh flowers, fairy lights and diyas added to the show, foot-tapping music belted out by the DJ gave the do the required punch, which forced the guests to shake a leg.
Looking happy at the prospect of having gained a pretty daughter-in-law, were Brig Vinod and Neeru Bhola, Capt Sumeet’s parents.
Also spotted: Lt Gen S Sehgal, Lt Gen S Chibbar, Brig Jaspal Singh, Brig VK Saxena and bureaucrats Alka Sirohi and Aradhna Johri.
It was a lavish affair to say the least. Well, bride’s parents Col Sunil and Ranjana Sorick had ensured as much. While the perfect decor done with fresh flowers, fairy lights and diyas added to the show, foot-tapping music belted out by the DJ gave the do the required punch, which forced the guests to shake a leg.
Looking happy at the prospect of having gained a pretty daughter-in-law, were Brig Vinod and Neeru Bhola, Capt Sumeet’s parents.
Also spotted: Lt Gen S Sehgal, Lt Gen S Chibbar, Brig Jaspal Singh, Brig VK Saxena and bureaucrats Alka Sirohi and Aradhna Johri.
Hurt cop’s wedding postponed
A COUPLE who were due to be married next Sunday have had to put their plans on hold after the groom was knocked down by a drunk driver.
Pranesh Panday, 25, a Pietermaritzburg traffic policeman, sustained serious head and spine injuries and a cracked hip on Monday while on duty on the N3 freeway at Cato Ridge.
His fiancée, Kajal Bhoopal, said he was in a stable condition in the Pietermaritzburg Medi-Clinic, but they had been forced to postpone their wedding until he recovered.
Provincial Transport Department spokesman Rajen Chinaboo said Panday was knocked down while removing tyre debris from the side of the road with his partner, Linda Liphiyane.
He said the driver of the vehicle was given a breathalyser test and found to be five times over the limit.
A 36-year-old man appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of reckless driving and attempted culpable homicide.
Bhoopal said she was distraught when she learnt the extent of Panday’s injuries.
“I just can’t believe that this has happened. It’s been so hard on all of us, especially his mother.
“He won’t be able to walk for five months and will be bedridden,” she said.
The couple have been dating for three years.
Their families have spent the past few days cancelling catering and décor services and notifying friends and relatives that the wedding has been put on hold.
“ It’s such a major setback, but I’m just glad that he is alive. That is the most important thing to me,” said Bhoopal.Sabtu, 23 Februari 2008
A whole new horror was unleashed on the wedding-going public – the video camera'
THE news that Coleen McLoughlin has supposedly banned Wayne Rooney's cousin from the Wedding of the Century (©OK! magazine) comes as no surprise to me. I tried to ban loads of relatives from my own nuptials – and not just because they might look dodgy in the photographs.
Photographs were the least of my worries. A whole new horror was about to be unleashed on the wedding-going public – the video camera. Before that invention blighted our lives, your biggest wedding worry was keeping the smile fixed for the official photographer. Now, you were going to have to smile for the whole day. That's bad enough when you're a guest: when it's your own wedding, you're likely to end up with lockjaw.
A family friend had just got a new video camera and offered to make a wedding video for us. We couldn't really say no and, anyway, we thought it might be nice to have something to look back on. You know, pinpoint where it all went wrong kinda thing. It has proved to be by far the most side-splitting film we have at home. It's even specially requested by friends when they come over. Nervous brides-to-be have watched it and – through the tears of laughter – have been calmed by the knowledge that at least their wedding can't possibly be as bad as that. The fact that there is no soundtrack – other than some great Pathe News-type music - only adds to the hilarity.
From the fights over seats and arguments over hymnbooks to the appallingly bad shuffling masquerading as dancing at the reception, our budding cinematographer managed to catch the two families in all their glory. One friend thought it was sweet that my family were running down the far aisle to try to beat the bride and groom out of the church. She thought it was because they were keen to get photographs of us emerging as newly-weds. She wasn't to know that they were putting a sprint on because they were all desperate for a fag. I don't think there was a camera among them.
Mother has always liked the video as it captured the happiest moment of her day perfectly. It's not the part where her only daughter walks down the aisle. It's not even the part when her favourite son reads the lesson (although, obviously, you don't hear that). It's the part where she is chatting to the catering manager at the reception. The woman is at least a size 22 and Mother looks miniscule in comparison.
The one good thing about the video is that filming stopped before things got completely out of hand. So, luckily, there is no documentary evidence of the underage guest who managed to sneak drinks all night and passed out in the middle of the dancefloor. Nor of Mother phoning for a taxi and imperiously demanding that two cars be sent at once. Of course, if she had remembered to put her glasses on, she would have seen that T for taxi comes right next to T for Torphichen Street police station in her phone book. So, thankfully, there isn't any footage of the police arriving and requesting that Mr Turner and I leave. They thought that if the bridal couple were to call it a night, then the drunken rabble posing as our families might be tempted to go home too. Hadn't any of them been to a wedding before?
A family friend had just got a new video camera and offered to make a wedding video for us. We couldn't really say no and, anyway, we thought it might be nice to have something to look back on. You know, pinpoint where it all went wrong kinda thing. It has proved to be by far the most side-splitting film we have at home. It's even specially requested by friends when they come over. Nervous brides-to-be have watched it and – through the tears of laughter – have been calmed by the knowledge that at least their wedding can't possibly be as bad as that. The fact that there is no soundtrack – other than some great Pathe News-type music - only adds to the hilarity.
From the fights over seats and arguments over hymnbooks to the appallingly bad shuffling masquerading as dancing at the reception, our budding cinematographer managed to catch the two families in all their glory. One friend thought it was sweet that my family were running down the far aisle to try to beat the bride and groom out of the church. She thought it was because they were keen to get photographs of us emerging as newly-weds. She wasn't to know that they were putting a sprint on because they were all desperate for a fag. I don't think there was a camera among them.
Mother has always liked the video as it captured the happiest moment of her day perfectly. It's not the part where her only daughter walks down the aisle. It's not even the part when her favourite son reads the lesson (although, obviously, you don't hear that). It's the part where she is chatting to the catering manager at the reception. The woman is at least a size 22 and Mother looks miniscule in comparison.
The one good thing about the video is that filming stopped before things got completely out of hand. So, luckily, there is no documentary evidence of the underage guest who managed to sneak drinks all night and passed out in the middle of the dancefloor. Nor of Mother phoning for a taxi and imperiously demanding that two cars be sent at once. Of course, if she had remembered to put her glasses on, she would have seen that T for taxi comes right next to T for Torphichen Street police station in her phone book. So, thankfully, there isn't any footage of the police arriving and requesting that Mr Turner and I leave. They thought that if the bridal couple were to call it a night, then the drunken rabble posing as our families might be tempted to go home too. Hadn't any of them been to a wedding before?
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