When it comes to wedding music, there are some choices that stand apart from others. During the ceremony, it is getting more popular to avoid the traditional bridal music and use a chosen song of love instead.

People still are using the traditional bridal song too, but it is just not necessary anymore for those who want to be original or walk down the aisle to a song that best expresses how they feel about their nuptials.

When it comes to the music for your wedding ceremony and the reception, it is important that you consider your budget above all things. Naturally, you will want to have all of the music that you love available including the music that you want for your first dance.

Hiring a DJ can be the best way to go, but it is not the only way to go. If you must hire a DJ, there are a few ways that you can save money on it.

Saving on a DJ

For starters, you can look to hire an amateur DJ who is just starting out. They are eager for the work and will often cut you a good deal. You can find good amateur DJ’s at local school dances and sometimes just by asking local area high school and college kids about DJ’s that they might know.

Young DJ’s who are just starting out are also using modern technology like portable computers with downloaded music and this means that they can almost always get just about any song that you might want.

Young DJ’s are also more willing to follow your precise instructions for what you want to hear and will allow you to have full control of what they do. Many amateur DJs will also make you custom CDs if you ask them and you can give them to the bridal party as gifts.

To get the best prices from the amateurs, you can let them audition to make sure that they can play your wedding song and then you can let them bid their prices. You simply choose the best of them who has the best price.

Saving on a band

Many couples would prefer to use a live band at their wedding and reception. Live bands offer a special tone to the ceremony and it adds some elegance.

When you want to save money on a band, you can often find great deals when you look to local high school and college bands to get much cheaper prices. You can use the school bands to play music at the ceremony and hire a DJ for the reception.

You can also look to any friends or family members who play musical instruments to help you out. Just make sure that the band that you do hire knows how to play the song or music that you are hoping to have at your wedding.

Instruments like guitar, Spanish guitar, saxophone, and piano are always great for weddings and you can often find local musical students who will be willing to play a wedding for small fees.

Extra Money Saving Tips

When it comes to the music that you want to hear at your wedding, there are some extra tips that you can use to help and make it just a little bit more affordable. Some of these tips are as follows:

· Hold auditions with young people who are trying to get some experience and let them come to you.

· Place an ad in the paper or penny saver that you are looking for wedding bands or DJ’s and let them bid for the jobs. This will have the different players competing for your wedding which will have them all trying to outbid each other for the chance for exposure. Let them audition and tell them that you are taking quotes on fees so that they all know what is going to happen.

· Use pre-recorded live music tapings at your wedding so that you will get he live music sound but without paying the extra money.

· Use a stereo at your reception that hosts various different mixed CD’s and plays them all automatically. Many stereos these days will play through dozens of Cd’s in a row so that the music lasts for hours. This can cost you no more than the price of the CD’s. You can also use CDs that you burned yourself from the computer so that you can get all of your favorite music

· A nice decoration for a reception is to make a collage of pictures of the bride and groom and their families.

About the author:

For more tips and ideas on planning your wedding check out http://www.planning-your-wedding.comThe Ultimate Online Guide to Planning Your Wedding


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You’ve probably heard about Save the Dates since they have become quite popular with brides but you might not know exactly what purpose they serve.

People’s lives are getting increasingly busier and more tightly scheduled so that’s where Save the Date announcements come in handy. You want to make sure that your guests, especially family and close friends, keep the date of your wedding open when planning their schedules. To ensure this, you’ll want to consider sending out Save the Date notices shortly after you have set your wedding date, especially if it’s several months in the future or around a holiday.

Proper etiquette doesn’t dictate that these advance notices have to be sent but in today’s world it helps your guests in their planning so they can be sure to be with you sharing in the celebration of one of the most important days of your life. If you do decide to send them out, you are not required to send them to every one of your guests but you’ll probably want to at least include close family members and friends. Guests who will have to travel to be in attendance will find them especially helpful for giving them plenty of travel preparation time particularly if you are having a destination wedding.

It’s easy to be creative when sending out your Save the Dates since there are so many different varieties and designs available.

• Magnets have become a favorite selection and why not since your guests can easily stick them onto their refrigerator as their reminder. Some magnets have the option of including a photo and some actually show a calendar of your wedding date month with your date circled for easy reference.

• Scratch Off Cards are a fun, unique way of announcing your wedding date. Your date will only be visible to guests after they have scratched off the appropriate area on the card similar to lottery tickets. They come in great playful designs sure to make your guests smile.

• Announcement cards can be as creative or as simple as you like. They come in varying designs, colors and themes from whimsical to more traditional. Some of them even come in creative shapes.

All designs are printed with your wedding date and names and some even give the option of including the wedding location. Blank white mailing envelopes are usually included in the price no matter which design you choose. Be sure to list at the bottom of your Save the Date the added line, “invitation to follow”, so guests won’t assume that this is the actual wedding invitation. This is also why it’s imperative that everyone who receives your Save the Date will also receive your wedding invitation.

Wedding invitations play an important role in planning your wedding, and in today’s society, Save the Dates are becoming increasingly popular because of your guests’ busy schedules. You want to do everything you can to make sure family and friends will be able to share in the joy of your wedding day.

About the author:
Sara Haese is the owner of Printed Creations Wedding Store where you'll find a fantastic selection of wedding invitations as well as save the dates and wedding accessories. Sign up to receive the FREE Wedding Invitation Guide.

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Wedding favors are a must have for many brides. Ideas for wedding favors that are not too expensive can run a bit short at times.

Some people find that items like personalized magnets are a good bargain at $1-$2.50 each. That is a pretty good deal. When you shop for them online, sometimes you can find them for as cheap as 50 cents each. Personally decorated candles are a great idea. You can even carve your candles and then paint the carved area to match your theme.

Here are some more wedding favor ideas:

· Bookmarks are cheap to make and easy to print on your own home computer.

· Personalized shot glasses with Hershey’s kisses in them from Mr. and Mrs. are fun and can run as cheap as $2.15 each for 150 of them

· Wrapping white spruce trees are a great and unique idea that will cost approximately 50 cents each.

· Personalized mint tins are a great idea and cost about $1.50 per person.

· You can get heart shaped wine stoppers in various colors with personal engravings on them for about 75 cents each

The fact of the matter is that no matter what you hoping to use as a wedding favor, the choices that you have are really only as limited as your creativity.

It is really important that when you are looking into your wedding favors that you realize that they are not the same as centerpieces or bridal party gifts.

Wedding favors are generally given to the entire guest list at a wedding; whereas bridal party gifts are only given to those who are attendants in the ceremony.

Really fun wedding favors are those that are created from your favorite treats. For example, Hershey’s kissed bouquets or chocolate heart bouquets are great as well. The wedding favors are simply meant to say thanks to your guests.

They do not have to be expensive and can run you as little as 50 cents per person when you shop around. Buying your wedding favors online can help you find the best deals out there.

About the author:
For more tips and ideas on planning your wedding, check out The Ultimate Online Guide to Wedding Planning


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Should we have a prenuptial agreement?


OK. You can look at the idea as very cold and unromantic. You can look at the idea as a considerate and practical way to decide before the marriage certain issues having to do with your money.

It is interesting to note that the custom of creating prenuptial agreements is not the modern invention that it seems to be. During the 19th century, before the Married Women's Property Act of 1848, prenuptial agreements were necessary for women in the United States. Until the act became law, everything a woman owned or inherited was transferred to her husband. If he died or divorced her, she was just out of luck.

Nowadays it is not so uncommon to execute prenuptial agreements. And these are not just for the famous super-rich couples we read about, where one spouse is much richer than the other. These are couples who want to be upfront about financial issues and get that out of the way before the wedding.

A prenuptial agreement is a signed and notarized contract that describes how a couple will handle the financial aspects of their marriage. The prenuptial agreement has many positive benefits that are not related to divorce, and although it is not very romantic, it has many positive elements.

• If a future spouse won't sign a prenuptial agreement, it may be best to discover this before the wedding.
The financial well-being of children from a previous marriage can be protected
• Personal and business assets accumulated before the marriage are protected by a prenuptial agreement.
• A prenuptial agreement reveals financial expectations before the wedding.
• A prenuptial agreement discloses assets a spouse may want to give to children or other family members in the event of death.
• In the event of a divorce, the prenup eliminates battles over assets and finances.
• Signing a prenup does not mean that a couple is anticipating divorce.
• Prenups address financial matters need to be faced.
• A well-constructed prenuptial agreement can preserve family ties and inheritance.

Despite its many positive features, the prenuptial agreement cannot accomplish everything.

• A prenuptial agreement may be considered unromantic.
• A prenuptial agreement may give the appearance of a lack of trust between the partners.
• It is true that a prenup could create resentment between certain spouses.
• Certain requirements exist so that the prenuptial agreement cannot be declared invalid. These include failure to disclose all assets, evidence of fraud, forcing the agreement upon the other spouse, unfairness, and lack of representation at the time of signing the agreement.

If you are considering having a prenuptial agreement it is important to remember these things:

• Don’t wait until the last minute to talk about financial matters. Discuss the agreement early in the relationship.
• Don’t try to hide your thoughts, feelings, and especially your assets.


Note that Legal Helpmate Corp provides an easy-to-use, quick, and economical online method for Creating Prenuptial Agreement (Premarital Contract).


About the author:
Jeffrey Broobin is a free-lance writer on family and finance issues; his main goal is to help people during their complicated period of life.
Website: http://www.legalhelpmate.com
Email: jeffreyb@legalhelpmate.com


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Everybody talks about wedding invitations, but what about all the other terms and items that are associated with them. Below are explanations of some of the more common terms and items that you’ll probably encounter while shopping for your invitations.

Seal n Send Invitations: This type of invitation is mailed to guests as a single-folded piece (without an envelope) having the respond postcard attached to the invitation by a perforation for easy removal. Since the respond piece is a postcard, you will save on postage for the return mailing. Prices for this product normally include seals along with a printed return address on both the back flap when initially mailing the invitation and on the perforated respond postcard.

Announcements: For those who won’t be invited to your wedding but you would still like them to know about your marriage, you can mail them an announcement card. They can be printed on the same paper as your invitation but mailed on your wedding day or immediately after with the wording stating that your wedding has already taken place.

Reception Cards: If there isn’t enough room on your invitation for listing the details of your reception or if not all guests will be invited to attend the reception, reception cards can be ordered to match your invitations and then be included as a separate insert. Please keep in mind that this card could possibly add to your mailing cost since postage is based on weight.

Respond Cards: These cards are essential to planning for your dinner/reception since an accurate guest attendance count will be needed for food and seating preparations. The respond card along with its mailing envelope will be inserted with your invitation. Remember to include a postage stamp on this small envelope which will also have a mailing address already printed on it so all your guests have to do is fill out the card and mail it back by the date you have printed on it.

Map Cards: These direction cards would be included as a convenience for any guests who might not be familiar with the location of the church and/or reception.

Printed Invitation Envelope Flaps: This option of having your return address printed on the outside envelope can save you valuable time and ensure that undeliverable invitations are returned to you. There is a small cost involved but it also gives an address to those who might not be able to attend but still want to send you a card or gift.

Lined Inner Envelopes: For a small charge, you can request your inner envelopes have a colored lining to add a special touch to your invitation ensemble. Color choices will vary depending on the invitation style you choose.

Envelope Seals: These self-adhesive labels add just the right finishing touch. They are available in many styles and are used on your outer envelope making it look like they are holding the flap down even though it has already been sealed.

Informal Notes: These are used separately from your invitations but should be included with your original order since they are usually printed on matching paper and this will save you on shipping costs. They are personalized with either your names or monogram on the front with the inside being blank for writing your thank you notes. Any leftovers can be used long after the wedding for other purposes. Blank mailing envelopes are included with them.

Not all of the above items are necessary to make your wedding invitations complete. Remember, this is your special day, so it’s your decision as to which ones you would like to include as part of your invitation ensemble.

About the author:
Sara Haese is the owner of Printed Creations Wedding Store where you'll find a fantastic selection of wedding invitations as well as save the dates and wedding accessories. Sign up to receive the FREE Wedding Invitation Guide.

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Only a trained and experienced wedding videographer is correctly prepared to capture all the details and finer points of your special day, from the rush of preparations at the beginning of the day, through the emotional moments of the ceremony, and to the excitement of the reception.

Afterwards, a professional with creative editing skills will polish your tape artistically and professionally to produce a video (or DVD) that not only documents your day, but also is fun and entertaining to watch again and again!

Because your choice of videographers is so vital to the memories you will have after your wedding day ends, get an early start in the process of selecting your videographer and shop based on quality.

Placing videography at the top of your priority list also ensures the best chance of securing your first choice, as today's top wedding videographers are booked far in advance.

Just like professional photography, pricing for professional videography varies widely, even within the same geographic region. Talent, technology, and time are three key factors, which will affect the pricing of your video.

For example, you may find professional videographers in your area using cameras and editing systems that are similar. However, it will be their skills, experience, style, and techniques in both shooting and editing that will immediately capture your attention and be the distinguishing differences you will notice in their work.

This is why it is virtually impossible to shop by price alone when selecting your videographer. Professional wedding videography is an artistic, not a mechanical medium and videographers shoot and edit video differently.

Video styles and quality can vary tremendously even within the same community and in order to make an informed decision about a videographer - it will be the distinguishing differences of style, quality and end results that will excite you. Be sure that your videographer can match your preferences, and ask to see actual samples of work produced by the videographer who will be recording your event.

When you stop by to see samples, you will also have an ideal opportunity to discuss your wedding details and style preferences before making your final decision.

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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In ancient times, brides were thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits, so in order to protect the bride, her friends were richly dressed in costumes similar to the bride's and acted as decoys to confuse the evil spirits.

It was once common for the bride and groom, as well as their friends, to walk to the church on the morning of the wedding. Afraid that a spurned suitor would try to place a curse on the bride and groom, their friends would garb themselves similar to the bride and groom in order to trick the evil wishers.

Today, the function of the bridesmaid is to be a support to the bride as well as her confidant and friend.

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of groomsmen? Legend has it that this came about during ancient times when women were in short supply and a man had to literally kidnap his bride from her village, clan or tribe. The groom-to-be would bring along his 'best men' to help fight off angry family members or from competing suitors.

The best man of days-gone-by was responsible for more than the wedding ring. Since there remained a threat of the bride's family attempting to forcibly gain her return, the best man stayed by the groom's side throughout the marriage ceremony, protecting the bride and groom from any threats. He also served as a sentry outside the newlyweds' home.

It is believed to bring good luck to the groom if the best man arranges for the groom to carry a good luck charm in his pocket on his wedding day. It is also considered good luck for the best man to pay the officiant's fee in an odd sum.

Nowadays, the role of the groomsmen and best man has been confined to the honorary positions.


About the author:
Tom Tsatsos

http://www.theamericanwedding.com


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The first thing that needs to be considered when planning the ultimate wedding is how much time you will give yourself for the planning. In essence; this means what day that you will set the date of the wedding.

This may sound like a trivial matter, but it really is important because it will let you know what the time limit is for making your preparations.

Some weddings can take up to 3-4 months to prepare for and plan. This is pretty typical; depending on how big you are planning for your wedding to be and how fancy etc.

If you are not giving yourself more than a month, then planning is naturally different. Because of the differences in the time that you are giving yourself to planning the wedding, it is best to give the best planning methods and you may use them or not use them as they apply to your case.

One of the most important factors that go with planning a wedding is determining who you will be delegating specific duties to. For example, if you are terrible at choosing flowers, who will you assign to do it for you?

It is always best to try to give different duties to others so that you will not be overwhelmed by them yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the various duties that you can hand out:

· Catering: Who do you believe would be the best person to handle all of the arrangements for the food and drink at your wedding?
· Invitations and seating arrangements: This person will be addressing and mailing out invitations and making sure that people are seated in a fashion that will ensure everyone’s mutual comfort and enjoyment
· Decorations for wedding and reception includes center pieces
· Rehearsal dinners etc.
· Music and/or DJ
· Brides maid and groomsmen gifts and favors
· Gowns, and tuxedos
· Bridal showers/bachelor parties etc.

All of these things are usual must haves when it comes to a wedding, unless of course, you opt not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen in the wedding. All of these things can be murder to try to do on your own as well.

That is why you have to get in touch with people who are capable of taking over some of the menial jobs for you. All of these things seem small at first, but they can quickly add up to quite a bit of money when they are all combined together.

After you have delegated the responsibilities, you should next set a specific time period to have all of the tasks completed. Creating a to-do list and time sheet is a great way to do this. That way, when all of the tasks are finished you can easily check them off.

You should set up specific times and days to discuss the progress of things as well, just in case things are not going so well. In doing this you will be able to help make sure that all things are running smoothly.

You might be wondering what happens when you have done all of this and are ready to get started. First of all, you have to be willing to follow the general wishes of the couple to be wed; that is unless you are the couple and are planning your own wedding.

When planning a wedding on a budget you have to lower your requirements just a bit. For example, you can’t try to have to filet mignon if you are throwing the wedding on a fish stick budget. I have broken down the various aspects of the wedding planning to the last details so that you will get a better idea of what I mean.

Ideally, you would want to have at least a year to plan the wedding, but that is not always possible or desired. For the purposes of this guide, I have set up a 12 month wedding timeline that will certainly make it a little bit easier to host your wedding.

12 months before your Wedding day:

· Announce the engagement
· Set your wedding date
· Create a budget
· Hire a Wedding Coordinator (optional)
· Create your guest list
· Start brainstorming ideas and themes
· Reserve your Ceremony spot
· Book an Officiate
· Make reservations for your Reception area
· Book a Photographer and Videographer
· Book Caterer, Florist and Music (Band, DJ, etc.)
· Look for a Wedding gown and Tux, allowing time for alterations and fittings
· Register for gifts
· Select and call the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
· Agree on a date to order bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen's tuxes
· Choose a destination for your Honeymoon
· Apply for passports, if required

6 months before your Wedding day:

· Finalize your guest list
· Decide on the timeline and details of Ceremony and Reception
· Order/make invitations, and thank you notes
· Make airline and hotel reservations for the Honeymoon
· Choose a caterer, a florist and place an order for the wedding cake.
· Book Transportation (Limo, Antique Car, Etc.) for wedding day
· Shop for any Party rentals

3-4 months before your Wedding day:

· Mail out/hand deliver invitations
· Confirm wedding details and contracts with all wedding vendors
· Choose gifts for your attendants
· Set a date and time for the rehearsal dinner
· Help make travel arrangements for any out-of-town guests
· Make final alterations and fittings for the Wedding Gown and Tux
· Set time with your Photographer for the Bridal Portrait or Engagement shoot

1 month before your Wedding day:

· Apply for the marriage license
· Buy your wedding bands
· Finalize music list and no-play list with band or DJ
· Attend showers
· Make insurance arrangements

1-2 weeks before your Wedding day:

· Schedule the rehearsal a day or two before your wedding day
· Make an appointment with a Beauty Salon for day of wedding
· Send a wedding announcement to the local newspapers (optional)
· Make necessary arrangements for name & address change, if any.
· Discuss final details with the reception Site and the Caterer
· Pack for honeymoon
· Write out all checks needed for wedding day
· Send reminders to the rehearsal dinner attendees about the location & time
· Discuss final details of the ceremony and reception with family and bridal party

Wedding day or day before:

· Visit your Beauty Salon for manicure and pedicure
· Host the rehearsal and dinner.
· Make sure the ushers have the final guest list.

About the author:
For more tips and ideas on planning a wedding, check out The Ultimate Online Guide to Wedding Planning


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The veil dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They were wary of evil spirits and demons, and bright colors were believed to scare off these unwanted spirits. Occasionally, a Roman bride was completely covered in red veils to protect her from evil spirits. Others believe wearing the veil stems from the time of arranged marriages. The father of the bride may have feared the groom would not want to marry his daughter if he found her unpleasant to look upon, so the bride would be heavily veiled and she would not be revealed to the groom until after the ceremony.

Many believe the tradition of the 'unveiling' stems from Biblical story of Jacob and his two wives. Jacob's father-in-law, Laban, tricked him into marrying Leah instead of his true love, Rachel. Leah was heavily veiled and Jacob did not realize he had married the wrong woman until after the ceremony. Thus the Jewish tradition of Bedeken was born, where the groom lowers the veil before the ceremony and raises it prior to the kiss.

The veil became popular in England during the 1800's and signified modesty and chastity. In the Christian tradition, the veil is lowered by the father before the processional and is raised by the groom prior to the kiss.

In some Eastern ceremonies, the bride is veiled throughout the entire ceremony and is not unveiled until after it is over.

The wedding veil has evolved over the centuries, and has signified youth, virginity and modesty. Roman brides were married in swathes of brilliant red or yellow, while Viking queens wore metal skullcaps. Many Japanese brides still wear the traditional tsuno-kakushi, a white hood that supposedly hides the horns of jealousy. Veils made of lace were made popular in the United States by Nelly Curtis, the adopted daughter of George Washington. Legend has it that Major Lawrence Lewis, her father's aid, saw Nelly standing behind a filmy lace curtain and he was so taken by her beauty that he asked for her hand in marriage. She then wore a lace veil on her wedding day in order to preserve the effect for her groom.


About the author:
Tom Tsatsos
http://www.theamericanwedding.com



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Anniversary parties are a wonderful way to celebrate two people who have been together for a number of years. The most common anniversary parties are for 25 years and 50 years. There are many things you can do to make this day special for not only the couple, but all of their family and friends as well. Many people have shared in the joys and sorrows of the anniversary couple and they help to make this a special day as well. Planning an anniversary party is a huge undertaking, sometimes almost as big as a wedding.

Silver or Gold?

An anniversary party theme is fairly simple to determine. Unless the couple or their immediate family has requested a particular theme (this is unlikely), you should plan a fairly traditional party. A 25th wedding anniversary is traditionally silver, while a 50th anniversary is gold. Use this to plan the majority of your party, everything from invitations to decorations.

Who to Invite

An anniversary party can be as big as a wedding. While many people opt for a small get together consisting of family and close friends only, others look forward to a huge celebration with everyone who has touched their lives in past years. 25th anniversary parties tend to be of the smaller more intimate variety, whereas 50 years together definitely deserves more of a to-do.

If you’re planning a huge bash, it may take quite a bit of time to come up with a guest list. If the happy couple knows about the party the easiest thing to do is ask them who should be invited. Family members and close friends are fairly obvious, but in addition you may want to invite old coworkers, church members, old neighbors, and the list can go on. If you are planning a surprise party for the couple, this can be a little tricky. Rather than getting the input of just one family member, send a tentative guest list to several family members and ask each for additions and deletions. This will help make sure no one gets missed.

The Invitations

If you’re throwing a huge anniversary party, sending out invitations can be quite the task. If the party budget allows for it, get them custom made. You can order the invitations online and get everything shipped to you and ready to go. This will save an enormous amount of time. If the party budget is tight and that money would better go to use elsewhere, making your own invitations can actually be quite simple. All you need is a computer and a printer. You can download some great invitations templates that are simple enough to put together. All you need to do is add all the party information and perhaps a beautiful quote on the front and voila your invitations are ready to go.

Setting the Scene

Decorations for the party don’t have to be hugely extravagant, but by adding some special touches you will help make the night even more special for the happy couple. Use the anniversary color almost exclusively; this will help make a great effect. Some ways to use either silver or gold are:
- Use gold or silver pen or ink for place cards, menu, and any other written items
- Gold or silver balloons make a beautiful yet inexpensive decoration
- Add gold or silver placemats or doilies at each place setting
- Gold or silver candles and or candle holders make a great centerpiece
- Dinnerware and barware should have gold or silver accents

There are many other ways in which you can incorporate these colors into the party. Just be sure not to overdo it since this may actually have a night club-ish tacky sort of look to it. Add plenty of white to balance it out.

Favors to Remember

Many couples will want to send their guests away with a little something to remember the night by and as a thank you for attending. One of the best favors ideas is a small picture frame of the couple. You can use pictures from their wedding day or a more recent photo. If you can find picture frames that hold two photos a nice idea is to add both a picture of their wedding day and a recent one. Friends and family of the couple will love taking this beautiful keepsake home.

Another great idea is a CD of songs form the era that the couple met and was married. This will bring back great memories for many of their family and friends and is probably one of the most useful favor possibilities. Be sure to check with local copyright laws to determine what type of fees apply to creating and giving away a music compilation. Make sure that all the music on the CD gets played throughout the night to really give guests something to remember.

A Night of Nostalgia

A great idea for any anniversary party, big or small, is a slide show. Start the show of with pictures of the couple when they first met and progress through the years of children and grandchildren. Don’t be surprised to see a few eyes get misty during the show. Add some memorable quotes throughout the show, and play some touching music that reminds them of certain times in their lives.

If you want the slide show to be a surprise, you can ask family and friends for their favorite pictures to add to the show. You’ll probably end up with more pictures than you’ll know what to do with so don’t worry if you can’t get any of the couple’s picture albums.

As you can see, planning an anniversary party can take a lot of time, so start planning as soon as possible. Since you could be inviting well over 100 people, starting a year in advance isn’t too soon. Don’t try and take this task on by yourself, you’ll probably have plenty of offers from friends and family to give you a hand; definitely take them up on their offer. This will be a night for everyone to cherish and remember, and the happy anniversary couple will be on cloud nine after seeing how much they mean to everyone in their lives.

About the author:
John Lenaghan writes about party planning and other tips for the Party Ideas 4u website, where he provides valuable tips and advice about Anniversary party ideas, birthday party ideas and other party planning topics.


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What factors should a bride and groom consider when choosing a videographer?

How the couple "clicks" with the videographer, the perceived quality of the work, price and value, experience, and professionalism are all important factors when choosing a videographer.

On the first item, realize that you will be spending lots of time on what is often a rather stressful day with this person. While a personable videographer will help the couple relax and enjoy their day, the exact opposite is also true.

The nicest videographer in the world, however, will not compensate for poor work. Shooting and editing videotape is an art form. Find someone with the right combination of excellent skills and excellent tools.

Price and value will always mean different things to couples on different budgets. The tired cliche, "you get what you pay for" is as true here as with any other service. If a couple finds out how much time is really involved in producing a great video, they will realize why prices will often exceed $1500 to $2000. Certainly, none of us will advocate going over-budget like they do in Hollywood, but a video that will hold up to the scrutiny of friends, family, and time will not come cheaply.

A videography studio that has done work in your facility, or one like it, is an invaluable help. That the videographer is on his 100th, or 500th wedding, is an asset to you. That videographer knows what to expect at the wedding, what questions to ask, and of whom, knows how to interact with the various people he/she will come into contact with during the day.

What are some questions a couple should ask when choosing a videographer?

We give out a sheet entitled "Comparison shopping questions" to our couples. This is a great place to start as you shop.

* Who will my videographer be? Will he/she be the owner, a partner, a full-time employee, a free-lance person, or other?

* Who will be editing the videotape?

*To what professional organizations does your studio belong?

*How do the crew members advance their professional educations?

*Is the sample tape I'm viewing the same format (usually standard VHS) and same generation (usually 3rd) that I will receive? Was the sample tape recorded and edited on the same equipment that will be used for my event?

*Is your main camera a 3-CCD (3 "chip") professional model, or something else? What about camera 2, or your back-up camera?

*How many wireless microphones will you use during the ceremony? Where will they be placed?

All the sources of sound should be clean and clear.

* What happens if an equipment problem occurs during my wedding?

*What guarantees do you provide?

*What input do we have throughout the shooting and editing process?

* How will you light the ceremony? How will you light the reception?

*Where will the videographer(s) be during the ceremony and reception?

*How will the crew be dressed?

What are some indications that a videographer might not be that professional?

You should think twice before hiring a videographer who

*Does not allow you to visit their studio

* Offers no references

* Avoids answering direct questions

*Speaks ill of other videographers, other industry professionals, or other couples

* Shows you a tape that he/she didn't produce, but claims to be able to make one "just like that"

How can a couple evaluate the quality of a wedding video they are viewing as a sample? What are some indicators that the video is very good--and indicators that the video is not that good at all?

Here is what I see as the best way to judge: ask yourself "Is this what I want my tape to look and sound like?" If your answer is "no", go on to your next appointment. If the answer is "yes", then it's time to move forward. Start with the questions that I list in number 2 above. Seeing a tape from your facility, under similar conditions, will be a great visual clue as to how your tape will turn out.

A major ingredient in the evaluation process is how the details show up in the tape. Do the flesh tones look right? Can you see eye colors? Can the brides gown be seen in fine detail? Same for the mothers' dresses.

Crank up the sound. At high volume, the sound should still be clean and clear, not distorted in any way.

What information should a couple give to their videographer before the wedding that could really help the videographer do his/her job well?

Knowing where to be, and when, is the obviously best way to start the day off correctly. Please let us know if anything out of the ordinary is going to happen, such as your sister singing with the band, or Aunt Mildred getting a cake in honor of her 85th birthday. Information that you are sharing with the other vendors, such as the caterer, about the schedule of events, should be shared with us.

Knowing what you expect of us, so that we can meet or exceed those expectations, is vital.

What should the couple include in a contract with a videographer?

The contract should protect both parties, and not be so restrictive that it needs to be referred to during the wedding. Obviously, there should be a clear accounting for what services are being included, and at what price. Available extras, and their prices, should be clear. If the contract is based on hours of coverage, that should be unambiguous, along with definition of and charges for overtime. Any rules about cancellation should be easily understood, along with the requirements for any guarantees. And since we work a very long day, meal breaks should be defined and included in the contract.

What are some great ideas for videos that the couple could have made that would be played either at the church or the reception?

Having been a judge for the recent Wedding and Event Videographers International Creative Excellence Awards, I can tell you that some outstanding videos are being produced across the country, and around the world. One award winner was told as an eternal love story, showing how the couple had been together in a previous life. They had Shakespearian-type costumes for that period, and it was shot with a soft-focus filter. The modern portion was shot with regular camera settings. Another entry told a funny "how we met" story, set to music. The Best of Category winner was actually rather simple, but told well. It showed the bride and groom arriving at an old mansion for a picnic, then cut back and forth between actual picnic scenes and posed moments. Those posed moments included the couple lip-synching to the background music, and it was a story told with subtle humor.

Do you have any suggestions on how a couple can make sure a video made ahead of time (perhaps one of them from childhood on or one highlighting family love stories) turns out extremely well?

Have a clear idea of what you expect to see before starting the production, and make sure the producer understands as well. View the tape before it is shown. See other works the studio has produced. Ask those people how their tapes turned out.

How can a couple save money on videography? Are there any ways they can negotiate for a better price?

This is a very difficult area. Some studios will offer discounts for off-season work. Just recognize that what is in-season will vary by region. A Friday night wedding could also bring savings. Cutting back on the services provided, or on the number of tapes received, can make a difference. Shopping with a friend, where both will choose the same videographer, can be helpful. Ask if the videographer offers a Bridal Registry program. We do offer this service, where friends of the couple can buy gift certificates toward the price of the wedding video. There are some videographers, however, that do not offer discounts of any kind, for any reason. be prepared to hear that answer as well.

What special effects can a couple request? Do you use any special effects in wedding videos that you think come out really well?

Most videographers have a bank of hundreds of available special effects. I believe that the best videos have the least intrusive effects. Certainly, the Creative Excellence award winners were F/X minimalists. Certain effects can make a tape look as dated as the fashions and hairstyles will in a few years. The classic film-making techniques, such as black & white, slo-mo, and letter boxing, also look great on video. The latest exploding, picture-breaking, fire-breathing effect will look as bad on your wedding tape in a year or so as it looks now on some late night locally produced cable TV used car lot commercial.

The best special effect is a well-trained human eye. How the shot is framed, how it's lit, how it's tracked, are all elements much more important than what can be achieved through clicking a mouse button.

What type of things have you done with wedding video that you feel really came out spectacular?

A personal favorite is where I assemble the key shots from the wedding ceremony, and edit them together in black & white letterbox. Then I superimpose a scroll of the wedding invitation over that.

Another favorite is when I had the bride and groom sitting on a bench, talking to each other. I started my shot with an extreme close-up of a tree, then moved the camera out to catch the bride with the most natural laugh you can imagine. While shooting next to a pond at a bed-and-breakfast place, we got some great reflection shots. And that first look always is magical, whether staged or real.

How can a couple help the videographer on the day of the wedding, so as to be sure the video comes out wonderful?

Relax and have a great time. If they have hired a professional, put their faith there. If they relax and have fun, that will shine through on the tape.

What type of equipment should a videographer bring to the wedding? What type of equipment should the bride and groom ask be brought?

How the equipment is used is as important as the hardware involved. While I did indirectly address the issues earlier, I'll review.

*At least two wireless microphones, plus at least one extra hard wire mic.

* At least one 3CCD pro camera, preferably two, and/or a back-up camera

*Tripod and dolly

*Proper lights

* A note sheet, with all the relevant wedding info, and a place to write new notes, if needed

*More than enough blank videotapes

What are your best tips for brides and grooms who want a really outstanding wedding video?

*Ask friends, family, and other vendors who they recommend

*Commit as much of a percentage as possible toward the video in the budget

*Shop around, and ask the questions in #2 above, so that you can compare apples to apples

* Relax and have fun

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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If you were like most little girls, your wedding day was something that was forever in your imagination, a joyous event that would mark a new and exciting era in your life. But in all of your daydreaming and waiting for the right partner to come along, did you imagine that planning a wedding could be so stressful? The answer is probably not.

The truth is that planning a wedding can be exhausting and have a heavy toll on you financially and emotionally. But it doesn't have to be quite so bad. By following a few simple tips, you can avoid most of the hassles and headaches associated with planning a wedding.


Start planning early. In order to ensure that you can hire the best establishments and service providers for your wedding, you need to start booking early. Many of these places are booked for months in advance, and if you don't act quickly, you may have to go with something other than your first choice.


Investigate your service providers. By asking for referrals and listening to word of mouth commentary on local service providers, you can save yourself a lot of heartache.


Put everything in writing. Make sure that everything that is agreed upon with service contractors is put in writing and signed by both parties. A written contract is sometimes the only way to prove what services were offered at what price.


Do a determined, small amount of wedding tasks each week. By starting early, you can take advantage of planning your wedding over an extended period of time. Do not leave everything for the last minute. Doing small tasks over an extended period of time will ease your stress and frustration immensely.


Watch your budget. Going into debt to pay for a lavish wedding is never a good idea. Remember to stay within your means and use your money for a better purpose. Sure the $5,000 gown may look great on you, but having a home to live in is probably more important. And you cannot wear an expensive gown while you're lying on the beaches of your honeymoon resort, which you wouldn't be able to afford if you bought the over-priced gown.


While these steps will not make planning your wedding entirely stress free, they will help to make the transition to your new marital status as smooth as it can be.





About the author:
By Rose Lenk
For more wedding tips and articles visit my web site http://www.jenniferswedding.com


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The wearing of a man wedding ring is a relatively modern phenomenon. So is the use of Titanium in Titanium mens rings.

One of the newest and classiest of the modern jewelry materials, Titanium is setting a standard in the looks of contemporary mens wedding bands.

Despite this, mens titanium rings are reasonably hard to find in your local jewelry store. Unfortunately titanium hasn’t quite made it into the consciousness of your local jewelry merchant. So if you want to find the ultimate in contemporary male jewelry, including men’s titanium rings, you have to look further affield.

Enter the internet. There is a world of choice on the net for the modern couple searching for the ideal contemporary design mens titanium wedding band.

But first, what is titanium?

Titanium is a naturally occurring element, not an alloy. In other words it isn’t just a mixture of two or more different metals to produce a third one, as alloys are. That is not to say that Titanium cannot be alloyed with other metals, just that Titanium itself is not an alloy.

It is in fact often alloyed with other metals for jewelry making to make it harder, although all Titanium including pure Titanium makes a fine jewelry material.

For the more chemically minded amongst us, Titanium is listed in the periodic table as a natural element, atomic number 22.

It was named in 1795 after the god Titan.

Titanium can even be found in space rocks. The Apollo 17 mission brought back rocks with up to 12% Titanium in them.

Because of it’s natural properties Titanium has been primarily used in the aerospace industry, and only more recently applied to jewelry making.

But why is Titanium such a great material for making mens wedding bands? A number of reasons.

Firstly it is very hard, much harder than traditional ring materials such as gold and silver. It is extremely lightweight, corrosion resistant and very strong. It is so strong in fact that rings are fashioned out of a solid block of metal, so make sure that you get your size right as resizing is usually not an option.

It is hypoallergenic, meaning that it cannot produce skin reactions or allergies as can be found with some other ring materials, though rare.

But the real reason is that it looks great! Titanium can be shaped into a wide variety of styles. It can also be colored into a stunning range of colors which can be mixed and matched.

For this reason the range of choices in mens Titanium wedding bands is much greater than for a more traditional material such as gold for example. Although gold can be altered to offer a small range of different colours, it is basically gold colored. Titanium offers a much wider range of choices in color.

Titanium also offers a choice of finish, most commonly satin, matt or polished.

Black Titanium mens wedding rings are amongst the most eye catching of all the Titanium rings. Black Titanium rings are usually a mix of black Titanium coupled with another color as an all black ring can be overpowering. But a contemporary style mens black Titanium ring is almost the ultimate in chic for the man who wants to make a statement.

Mens Titanium rings can be coupled with a wide range of precious gemstones, including diamonds, to add effect. And as Titanium is so strong it is also possible to buy tension set titanium rings.

What are these? Well the strength of the material is used to suspend a gemstone, say a diamond, between the two ends of the ring so that the gemstone is almost hanging in space in the ring. A totally modern look.

The strength of the Titanium keeps it there.

And for the more creatively minded amongst us it is possible to design your own mens Titanium ring. There are online jewellers who offer the option of making up a design for your Titanium ring that is unique only to you. You decide exactly what style, color or mix of colors you want.

Want to add a gemstone? Or more than one? Where do you want to put it in the ring? It’s all up to you.

There is no doubt that the older traditional materials used for making rings make beautiful rings. Gold or silver rings are still high on the list of choices for many men, and modern ring designs in these materials are also impressive.

But the modern man who has decided to wear his marital status on his finger shouldn’t buy a ring before he looks at the range of
Titanium mens wedding rings.

The only difficulty is making up your mind which one!

About the author:

To find out more about Titanium Mens Rings visit http://www.coolmensrings.ili1.com/titanium-mens-wedding-rings.htmlas well as many other types of Men’s Wedding Rings, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, Diamond, unique and custom made and inexpensive Mens Wedding Rings.
© 2005 Peter Crump.



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PLANNING A WEDDING

TOP FIVE REASONS FOR HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER

One of the most joyous occasions in life is a wedding, a time when two people in love exchange those powerful words, “I Do”, which binds them legally as husband and wife. Although an exciting time of life, planning a wedding is also a very stressful time. For that reason, many people have discovered the benefits of hiring a professional coordinator to ensure everything comes together as it should. In this article, we are providing you with the top five reasons for hiring a wedding planner so you can enjoy your wedding with much less stress.

Stress-Free

The number one reason for hiring a wedding planner is to dramatically reduce the level of stress. Every wedding, even the best planned will have challenges. Unfortunately, when the bride and/or groom are the ones trying to handle all the obstacles along with everything else, they feel completely overwhelmed and suddenly, the enjoyment of wedding planning is out the door. With a professional planner, they supervise all of the events associated with your wedding so you no longer have to sweat the small (or big) stuff. That means everything from the delivery of the flowers, to the set up of the cake, to the limos arriving on time is taken care of for you.

Creativity

A good wedding planner will have been in the business for years. Because of this, they have coordinated hundreds of weddings and can take ideas to share with you for your upcoming wedding. That means instead of a wedding cake that is three layers of chocolate, you could end up with something tropical, one layer of pina colada cake, one of red raspberry, and a third of coconut cream. The point is that by hiring a wedding planner, your ideas can be expounded on, enhancing your wedding.

Precise Detailing

For all weddings, there are so many small details that often, things get overlooked. One of the frustrations for the bride and groom is trying to maintain all of those details so the wedding goes off without a hitch. An experienced wedding planner knows all about the small details and has an outstanding ability of keeping track of them. He or she would sit down with the bride and/or groom and go over each aspect of the wedding, covering every possible angle so nothing is missed.

Insider Information

A huge benefit in hiring a wedding planner is that they know who the best of the best is. If you want a DJ, they can provide you with several top choices. If you want a catered meal, they can tell you exactly which caterer serves fabulous food at an affordable price, or if you want a horse drawn carriage to take you to the reception, they know who to call. For you, that means no time is wasted making phone call after phone call, only to walk away frustrated and empty handed.

Discounts

Finally, hiring a wedding planner is an excellent idea if you want to save money. Because these professionals have connections with all types of people in the wedding industry, they can typically pass on excellent discounts to you. Keep in mind that does not affect the quality of the service, just the price.


About the author:
Dion Semeniuk has been married for over 5 years and has been helping people plan their wedding with the help of his wife. To learn more and get ideas of wedding planning, please visit http://www.wedding-planner-directory.com


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WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE WEDDING FAVORS AND WHY?

At most weddings, the bride and groom will offer some type of
small memento as a note of appreciation to family and friends,
more commonly known as wedding favors. As you will discover in
this article, the type of favors are widely varied but there are
some that are considered better choices than others. Remember,
wedding favors do not have to be expensive. In fact, this type
of gift can be something homemade. If you want to go all out,
that is certainly fine, but it is also not necessary. The focus
of the wedding favor is to let people know you are grateful for
their assistance with your wedding and/or reception or that you
are just honored they showed up. To help you get started, we
have provided you with the top five wedding favors.

Food

One of the most popular types of wedding favor is food, simply
because most people love to eat. A wonderful option that is
easy and inexpensive to make would be to purchase small black
favor boxes and then line them with white tissue paper. Place
Oreo cookies or dark chocolate covered peanuts inside and then
tie the box off with white and red ribbon. Watch everyone enjoy
the beautiful box but even more, the delicious goodies inside.
This is a very nice choice for both informal and formal weddings.

Flower Plant

The second of the top five wedding favors is a fresh plant or
flower seeds. With this, you can get as creative as you want.
A couple of ideas that work very nice is placing a miniature
plant or cacti in a small terra cotta planter. To make this
more personalized, the women (and men) in the wedding party
could get together for lunch to embellish the pots with ribbon,
craft paint, lace, and so on. You could also choose a simple
glass container, add three different seed packages, and punch a
hole through the upper corner of all three to tie together with
ribbon. These are appreciated because once planted, they are a
constant reminder of your cherished event.

Fragrant Soap

For the third of the top five wedding favors, you might also
consider fragrant soap or votive candles. For soap, this is a
lovely wedding favor to place in hotel rooms of out-of-town
guests. You can purchase all of the supplies at local hobby or
craft stores and then purchase your fragrant of choice such as
lemon grass, watermelon, sandalwood, white ginger, etc. If you
prefer, you can purchase pre-made soap or buy glycerin and molds
to make your own. As an extra romantic touch, look at mold
designs such as wedding bells, hearts, bubble designs.

Candles

Now for the fourth of the top five wedding favors, you can never
go wrong with votive candles, enjoyed by both men and women.
This type of wedding favor can again be purchased through a
hobby or craft store or on the Internet. If you prefer, you can
create your own candles, which involves melting wax, adding
color and fragrance, and then pouring into approved glass jars.
Choose several coordinating colors if you like and for the
simple yet elegant glass jars, add decorative touches such as
flowers, ribbon, or trinkets attached with hot glue.

Pewter

Finally, the last of the five top wedding favors would be pewter
or silver. You will find many wonderful choices such as picture
frames, paperweights, and bottle openers. With this type of
gift, you will probably pay a little more but this is a nice
gift for a more formal wedding, affluent group list, or members
of the bridal party. Remember, you can choose from hundreds of
wedding favors to include miniature bottles of wine, stationary
with last name and wedding date, golf balls and tees for the
sports enthusiasts, and the list goes on and on. Whether you go
with bubbles to be blown as you and your new spouse leave the
church to creative miniature baskets filled with candles, candy
or Jordon’s almonds and everything in between, the key is to
choose wedding favors that coordinate with your wedding but that
are also special for your type of guest list.


About the author:
Dion Semeniuk has been married for over 5 years now and has been providing ideas with his wife's help for other peoples weddings. To learn more about other wedding favor ideas, visit http://www.wedding-favor-directory.com


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When it comes to choosing your wedding decorations, you must decide on your theme. Once you have done this, you can then make your decisions about the budget that you will have.

Here are the top 10 tips that you should know in order to lower the cost of your wedding decorations.

1. Decide on the essential items that you must have first and then worry about the extras.

2. Hand make the centerpieces yourself using items priced toward your budget.

3. Using artificial flowers is cheaper than fresh flowers unless you pick them yourself from a field.

4. Skip the extra wedding favors and focus more attention on decoration detail.

5. Never go over your budget because you set it up for a reason

6. For smaller items like candles, candle holders, small laces etc. visit your nearby dollar store.

7. Never underestimate the elegance of basic décor. Sometimes minimal is best.

8. Some very versatile items that can make a beautiful decorations include: clay pots, plastic bowls/vases, faux flowers, pearls, balloons, pillar candles, rhinestones, and empty wine bottles.

9. Tissue paper roses and flowers give off a beautiful look to any decorating style and they are quick and easy to make.

10. A word to wise is that your decorations should not even amount to half of the money that is spent on the reception.

About the author:

Mike Lindsey runs the website http://www.planning-your-wedding.comThe Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Wedding


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1. Plan your wedding ceremony and reception in the morning, on a Friday or Sunday night and consider the winter months for all these times and dates will be less expensive.


2. Try to keep your guest list minimal.


3. Make your own veil. You’ll find that most craft stores sell how-to books and even supplies on designing your own veil, which can save you hundreds of dollars.


4. Shop online for your wedding dress. Go to a nearby bridal shop and try on dresses so you know they fit, and once you find some you like, search for them online, you’ll most likely find them, and for much less.


5. Supply your own alcohol for the wedding if you can, you’ll be sure to save.


6. Opt to not have a dinner reception. Choose to have a brunch, cocktail or dessert party instead.


7. Use silk flowers. Silk flowers are beautiful, look real, and are always less than real flowers. Better yet, you can even rent them.


8. When decorating, use more greenery and baby’s breath, with fewer flowers to cut costs but still make the setting look fulfilled.


9. Create your own invitations. You can easily create a design with use of a computer and software programs available for this task, as well as purchasing your own wedding desktop publishing paper.


10. Consider using local universities qualified but inexpensive musicians, photographers, and videographers. Professors can point you in the right direction to finding the best students in the program.

About the author:
Nathan Dawson writes for http://www.marriedfinances.comand http://www.successfulmarriageresource.com,great online sources for marriage and finance information.


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Some of the first things you’ll spend money on when you decide to get married (besides the ring) are the wedding invitations. While you want your invitations to be classy, unique and of good quality, you’ll probably also want to find ways to save on wedding invitations as well. Here are the top ways to send out invitations that you can afford—and that your friends and family will be impressed with.


Keep your guest list small.

The more people you invite to your wedding, the more invitations you’re going to have to send out, so take a little time to create a guest list that you and your spouse will be satisfied with—and one that will fit your budget. Let your friends and family know when you’ll be getting married as soon as you can, so that they can tell you if they’ll be able to make it. For those who won’t be able to attend, you can send alternate invitations on different paper that may be a little less expensive, so that your loved ones can still keep a reminder of your special day. Now is not the time to be extremely polite—this is your day, and you deserve to have the people you love at your ceremony. Just because people know that you’re getting married, doesn’t mean they all have to come to wedding. Remember, the more invitations you send out, the more people that will show up, the more reception dinners you’ll have to pay for…and the list goes on. Keeping your guest list small will help you to save on other wedding costs as well, so choose wisely.


Make your own invitations.

If you’re especially crafty or know exactly how you want your invitations to look (and haven’t seen this look in stores or online) you may want to consider making your invitations yourself. This way, you can save money, and add your own special touches to make an invitation that really is unique to your ceremony and your relationship. Of course, you may still have to ask for help, but if you need friends and family to give you pointers on the invitation design or provide supplies for you to use, you won’t have to pay for labor. You can also be sure that no one will have your invitations, and this will be another way to give guests the impression that your wedding will be an event to remember. You can also look online for wedding invitation templates to follow if you want to keep things a little more traditional, or aren’t quite ready to try your hand at such a crafty task. Here are some sites that may help: www.southworth.com, www.yourinvitationplace.com, and www.theweddingplace.com.



Use less paper.

Your invitation doesn’t have to be two or three pages; you can save the story of how you met for the wedding video or the wedding programs in order to cut costs. A single sheet invitation will usually save you money, and looks very classy and sophisticated. If you want to add photos to your wedding invitations, you may want to use a photo of wedding rings, or a picture of you and your fiancé as a backdrop, and include all the information about the ceremony on the same sheet. Using one ink color and a smaller border can also help to save money. The key is to make your wedding invitations look interesting and tasteful enough for people to want to attend the ceremony, and you can definitely do this without spending a whole lot of money. After all, you want to save for that fabulous dress and great reception—these are the things that will keep your guests remembering your day for years to come.

About the author:
Michael Ferrell is the owner and operator of PerfectLoveLetters.com - Discover how you can quickly and easily create a romantic love letter in only 3 minutes guaranteed to swept your lover off their feet- without writing!


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Most people are aware that significant wedding anniversaries such as 40th and 60th are linked to precious stones, in these cases ruby and diamond; and that the 25th and 50th anniversaries are linked to precious metals: silver and gold . However, it is less well known that all anniversaries up to and including the 15th, and then every 5th anniversary, have their own particular symbol. So, if you are looking for a present for your spouse to commemorate your wedding anniversary, you can now buy something appropriate. However, if it your sixth anniversary, I doubt whether a bag of sugar or a candy bar will be quite enough! The list below shows the symbol traditionally associated with each anniversary.

ANNIVERSARY

1st - Paper
2nd - Cotton
3rd - Leather
4th - Books
5th - Wood
6th - Sugar, candy
7th - Wool, cooper
8th - Bronze, pottery
9th - Pottery, willow
10th - Tin, aluminium
11th - Steel
12th - Silk, linen
13th - Lace
14th - Ivory
15th - Crystal
20th - China
25th - Silver
30th - Pearl
35th - Coral
40th - Ruby
45th - Sapphire
50th - Gold
60th - Diamond
75th - Diamond

The Silver (25th) and Golden (50th) Anniversaries appear to be the most traditional. In Central Europe going back hundreds of years a man would present his wife with a silver or golden garland to mark the occasion of their anniversary.

The other materials have been added to the list more recently, and there is now a more modern list which incorporates the missing years 16-19. Amazingly, a ten carat diamond has been added for a 100th Wedding Anniversary! How many couples will get that far?

The traditional version is still preferred by most people.

About the author:
Tony Luck runs a shop with unique personalized plates. Visit the shop at http://www.commemorative-plates.co.uk


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VegasWedlock is an online magazine dedicated to Las Vegas brides that provides Las Vegas wedding tips and tricks, but recently, they have revealed a secret kept undercover for months.
VegasWedlock recently unveiled an additional Web site to sell massive amounts of Las Vegas themed wedding invitations designed exclusively by professional graphic designers for the Las Vegas bride.
The Web site will now be the largest retailer of Las Vegas themed wedding invitations in the world.
The invitations were secretly designed by professional graphic designers who were told not to leak the information about the new Las Vegas invitations to anyone.
The new site, www.VegasWedlockInvitations.com, is easy to navigate and a user can quickly see the wide variety that VegasWedlock has available. With over 50 exclusive Las Vegas wedding invitations designed already, VegasWedlock’s designers are creating more each month and will continue until they reach well over a thousand.
Within the Las Vegas wedding invitations already designed, VegasWedlock has styles to satisfy any bride and groom’s taste. They have informal, formal and contemporary invitations along with new collections that they call “holiday” and “location.”
The “location” collection includes places that couples often get married in Las Vegas like the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, the Venetian, and more. The “holiday” collection has holiday dressed invitations with a Las Vegas touch as well.
While VegasWedlock is the only organization in the world to sell these Las Vegas wedding invitations, they are willing to work with affiliates and help spread the Las Vegas themed wedding invitations to other sites as well.
“We have seen a high demand for Las Vegas themed wedding invitations and want the brides and grooms getting married in Las Vegas to find these invitations easily, without a lot of hassle,” the publisher of VegasWedlock said.



About the author:
Renae earned her journalism degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She is currently a wedding consultant for http://www.vegaswedlock.com


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Wedding rings are a symbol of union. A union between a man and a woman.

This tradition of publicising the union between the man and a woman is a tradition that goes way back to the ancient Egyptians.

Then the use of a ring was slightly different then than now. A ring consisted of something that was more commonly available to the Egyptians. Rushes from along the banks of the Nile.

Rushes were used to symbolise the union between male and female by braiding a small piece around the finger. This created a never ending circle that symbolised eternity. A never ending circle of love.

However although this tradition goes back thousands of years the
wearing of men’s wedding bands is much newer. It was really only after the second world war that men decided that the wearing of a mens wedding band was an appropriate way to celebrate their new commitment to their bride.

Now that the wearing of a mens wedding band is fashionable men are turning their thoughts to which type of ring to buy. And as it is rare that a man will wear an engagement ring, (although not unheard of), their wedding ring is often the only piece of jewelry that they will wear. So they need to give it some thought.

So in many cases men want something unique. Something that no-one else has. A mens wedding band that stands out and makes a statement about just who they are. Something very different.

So what alternatives are there for the man who just wants to be
different?

Gold, Silver or Diamonds are usually first associated with wedding rings. However for the modern man there are many more choices.

Mens Platinum wedding bands and mens Titanium wedding bands are newer but no less stunning. Both are much more recent for the crafting of rings but both make for magnificent rings.

Platinum is exceptionally strong and durable. However it’s appeal is its unique patina or sheen which it develops over time. And it can be crafted into a fascinating range of unusual mens wedding bands. The options are endless.

Similarly Titanium is exceptionally strong and also very light, a third of the weight of gold. This is a bonus for anyone worried about whether a ring on the finger may feel heavy.

Titanium rings are fashioned out of a single block of Titanium and so need to be made to the exact size. The range of Titanium mens rings is, like Platinum, extensive, and there are rings to suit any taste.

However for the man looking for something really unique there are many other options. The internet has opened up a whole new world for the man looking for unique mens wedding bands.

There are now online jewellers who allow you to design your own ring.

For example it is possible to design your own Titanium mens wedding band using a whole variety of Titanium colors. You choose your own ring shape, size and color or mix of colors and add any one of a variety of gemstones to it as you wish. These can be placed exactly as you desire to create a really unique men’s wedding band unlike anything anyone else has anywhere in the world.

For the really adventurous there’s more. Why not carbon fibre? How about stainless steel, or two tone bands? Or celtic mens wedding bands?

And why not get REALLY adventurous if you wish. For those who want something right out of the ordinary there are many options.

Zodiac mens wedding rings are stunning. Available in all the zodiac signs a zodiac ring will turn the head. Large and very visible a zodiac ring is not for the faint hearted but for the man who wants to be noticed it is a ring that must be considered. And two tone zodiac rings are even better!

Not suitable for a wedding ring? Who says! For the man who wants to be unique it doesn’t matter. If he, and she, both like it then it works for them. That’s all that matters.

How about mens gambling rings? For the gamblers amongst us there are rings featuring all manner of gambling symbols. How about a gold and diamond roulette ring? It really does have a tiny roulette wheel, with numbers.

Or a gold and diamond spinning dice ring that really does have 2 tiny dice? Or a gold spinning black jack ring.

Even unusual gemstones can be made into the most unique mens wedding bands. Two tone rings with Tanzanite anyone? Gold with Blue Topaz? Gold, Diamond and Garnet?

So although the wearing of mens wedding bands is relatively new, it doesn’t have to be boring. These types of rings are not for everyone, but for the man who wants a really unique mens wedding band there are lots of choices.

It’s just a case of how unique do you want to be!!!

About the author:

© 2005 Peter Crump. Peter Crump is the webmaster and owner of http://www.coolmensrings.ili1.com/unique-mens-wedding-rings.html”>CoolMens Wedding Rings This is a website devoted solely to mens rings, both mens wedding rings and mens rings in general. For great ideas on all types of mens rings.


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Wedding favors have become an integral part of a wedding. And many brides, and couples, search for unique wedding favors which will make a statement and from which the guests will remember this wedding with fond memories.

So when you’re planning your wedding, one of the decisions you’ll undoubtedly need to make is in the selection of wedding favors for your guests - and what better wedding favors than heirloom wedding favors. These small gifts are a wonderful way to show your guests that you appreciate them coming to celebrate your special day and to say a small, personal “thank you” to your guests for their attendance, their friendship, and their wedding gifts to you.

No longer limited to weddings for the wealthy or well-to-do, unique wedding favors can now be ordered from a number of sources, including online companies, for a fraction of what they once cost. Even a modest or small wedding can be made much more special by providing thoughtful and even unique wedding favors for the guests.

Wedding favors are typically small but thoughtful items that serve as a memento of your beautiful day. Traditional items include things like ornate bottle-stoppers, cake servers, and serving spoons. Such items are intended to be a keepsake for the wedding guests rather than something they will actually use in everyday life.

Some couples, however, will choose wedding favors that serve double duty as a reminder of the event as well as a useful item. Small picture frames, decorated place card holders, lovely candy dishes, pen and pencil sets, and other such favors fall into this category. Edible wedding favors such as mints or candies in an attractive tin are also available. The choices are truly limited only by your imagination.

Typical wedding favors come with traditional wedding theme designs including bells, doves, hearts, flowers, and flowing ribbons, but can also include more modern motifs like dolphins. With the more costly but far more personalized option of custom ordering, virtually anything is possible.

The most important consideration is selecting wedding favors is to remember that these are items meant simply to say “thank you.” You’re not going to find the perfect item that will please each and every guest at your wedding, but a little thoughtfulness will result in favors that will at least let your guests know that you’re thinking of them. The guests at your wedding are primarily your family and your friends, and they will invariably appreciate a small souvenir of the event.

Wedding favors should not be confused with the traditional gifts provided by the bride and groom to members of their wedding party. It is proper to provide the bridesmaids and groomsmen with a more personal and separate gift. Anything that says you appreciate their friendship and participation in your special day is appropriate for these close friends or family members.

Your wedding is undoubtedly one of the most important days in your life and all of the planning that goes into this momentous event reflects that importance, helping to make your special day a beautiful experience for all involved. Selecting the perfect wedding favors - unique wedding favors - can help make that dream of beauty and perfection into a reality!

About the author:
For unique wedding favors that you can make yourself (of have made for you), go to http://www.learnhowguides.com/WeddingFavors/index.htmland take a look at the Wonderful Crocheted Wedding Favors that you can make and give to your wedding guests.


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Your wedding dress:
Start shopping right away. You won't feel rushed or pressured into buying something, and you'll be able to shop smart.

Simple plain dresses are usually less expensive then the ones with lace, pearls/beads etc..

You could buy a plain dress and add lace, beads etc.. yourself. Or get someone to do it for you.

Rent or borrow a dress. If you like your mother`s, sister`s or friends dress ask them if you could borrow it. But don`t be offended if they refuse as a wedding dress is very sacred to most women.

Look around second hand shops/charity shops. You`ll be surprised at the amount they get given, and they are usually inexpensive.

The venue:
Book the ceremony/reception well in advance you may be able to negotiate a better price then you would if you left it to the last minute.

Have your wedding on off-peak months. November to April rates will probably be reduced. Christmas weddings are more expensive though so if you are planning a Christmas wedding you will have to cut your finances.

Instead of a grand ballroom or banquet hall, think less-expensive venues, like publicly owned buildings and parks, registry office, the church or temple hall, the backyard, the beach, a restaurant's private room. You may have to get a permit to marry in a public place, but it will be less than a private banquet room.

Catering:
Look around for caterers. Get different quotes before you decide on one.

Choose cheaper entrees, like prawns instead of lobster, vegetables like broccoli instead of asparagus will cut the cost, too.

Cut down on courses. If you're having a cocktail hour, do you really need an appetizer course? Do you need soup and salad?

Instead of waiter service, have a buffet bar.

Think ethnic! Mexican, Indian, Italian, or Chinese food is fun and much cheaper per person than the traditional wedding menu. See if your favorite restaurant caters.

If you are having a themed wedding create your menu around the theme.

Have the wedding cake only as dessert and eliminate any other sweets (eclairs, pastries, etc.).

Consider a wedding breakfast or brunch (omelettes, muffins, pancakes, French toast), or a tea (a variety of tea flavors, finger sandwiches, scones and jams, etc.) to save money.

The more tiers and decorations your cake has the more expensive it will be.

Buy your own drink it will work out a lot cheaper then paying the caterers or venues prices.

Photos:
Compare hourly fees and package deals to see which is more cost-effective for you.

Give disposable cameras as wedding favours. Then you can get copies of the days events from family and friends.

Have a professional photographer take the formal pictures and shoot the ceremony; have guests take all reception photos.

Visit your local college`s photography department and check out some of the students' portfolios. They will do your photography a lot cheaper and just as good as a professional

Ask friends and family to video the big day for you.

Flowers:
Use flowers that are in season and/or locally grown they're less expensive than out-of-season flowers that must be shipped to your area.

Have bouquet with just a few large flowers, like orchids, tulips, lilies, or sunflowers, tied with a ribbon.

If you are marrying at Christmas or Easter, your church may already be decked out beautifully.

Arrange to share the cost of ceremony decorations with the couple marrying directly before or after you that day.

Use silk or dried flowers instead of fresh ones in table centerpieces.

Music:
DJs are less expensive than live bands.

Ask a family member or friends child to sing at the reception.

Hire music for the evening reception only. People are usually to busy chatting to notice any way.

Ask at the local college/university for young musicians.

Invitations:
Send invitations that are light enough when completely assembled to require only a single stamp for mailing.

Make your own invitation cards. They are cheaper and more personal.

If you are having a themed wedding make cards to do with the theme.

Transportation:
Limousines are cheap enough to hire for an hour. Find out in advance how long the ceremony will take.

Only hire a limo for the bride and groom; have attendants driven in relatives' cars, or have them drive themselves in groups.

You might be able to hire a horse and carriage for just as less. Check the Yellow pages for any in your area.

We hope these are of some use to you. Good luck

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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The is one of the most important features of your reception. In fact, it is the centerpiece of your reception. You should begin shopping for a baker 6-8 months before the wedding. If you plan on having your reception catered, ask your caterer if they will bake your wedding cake. However, you do not have to choose the caterer to bake your cake. You can also buy cakes from commercial and boutique bakeries, custom wedding cake designer, a culinary school or someone you know who makes cakes from home.

Begin by calling bakeries or cake decorators in your area to check for date availability. If they are available, make an appointment to go in and check out the designs, taste and skill level of the business. Many specialty cake decorators require that you book six months to a year in advance to reserve your date, whereas commercial bakeries may require 3 months due to larger staff and their ability to do a larger quantity of cakes.

Since most weddings are on the weekends, baker's deadlines also coincide with that timetable. A phone call to make an appointment to visit with the individual or bakery about your cake will be appreciated. If you just walk in and expect undivided attention, you may be disappointed if they do not have time to visit with you at that time.

Ask the baker to provide samples of the cake flavors, icings, fillings, etc., during your interview. The taste, flavor and texture of the cake itself will be the most important decision you will make when you order your cake. The outside beauty of your wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement, but the inside of the cake is what you will be serving to your guests. You want a cake that is flavorful, moist and good to eat.

Before your meeting with the baker, collect pictures of wedding cakes that appeal to you. Be sure to take those pictures with you on your interviews so that you can give your baker an illustrated idea of what you are looking for in a wedding cake. Here are some key questions you need to ask them:


Flexibility-Will they bake a cake according to your specifications?
Is the cake made from scratch or is it from a cake mix?
Request to see pictures of their work. Most bakers will have a portfolio of their cakes.
Certain cakes are not good for particular seasons. For example, if you are planning an outdoor wedding in August, you want to avoid cakes with mousse, meringue, whipped cream or buttercream filling. Ask the baker what cakes are in season.
What is the price per serving? Prices can average between $1.50 a slice to $15 a slice depending on the cake you choose. The price depends on frosting, decorations, architecture, etc. Understand that the more elaborate the cake, the more expensive the "per serving" price will be.
What are the extra charges? Most bakers charge for renting the pillars, columns, cake toppers, delivery and set-up. There may also be extra charges for certain cake fillings, flavors, styles, etc.
Who will be setting up the cake?
What do they provide in the set-up? Talk to your baker about how you'd like the cake table to be set up.
If you plan on using fresh flowers on your cake, who is responsible for providing the flowers, the baker or the florist?


When interviewing the baker, make sure you know the number of servings required, your desired type and design, and your budget for the cake. Be up front with the baker about the maximum amount you are willing to spend on your cake and ask them if they are willing to negotiate. Click here to see how you can save money on your wedding cake.

After you have decided on a baker and all the details, make sure to get everything in writing. Your contract should include the following:


Detailed description of the cake type, style, and description of the decorations.
The number of layers and fillings for each layer if applicable.
Type of frosting.
Wedding date, time and location of delivery
When, how, where and by whom the cake will be delivered (or picked up). Make sure to include the complete address where the cake is to be delivered.
Name and contact information of the baker
List of rented items (pillars, cake stand, cake table, etc.)
Delivery and set-up fees
Total price
Deposit amount
Balance and due date
Baker's cancellation and/or refund policy

If you do your homework, buying your wedding cake will be a smooth process. Remember to be realistic, and don't spend your entire wedding budget on your wedding cake.


About the author:
Tom Tsatsos

http://wedding-invitations.theamericanwedding.com/wedding-invitations.html


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Gone are the days when all wedding ceremonies were conducted in religious surroundings and required the blessing of God. Whilst the majority of people still opt for a traditional ceremony, more and more people are looking at new and innovative ways to get married.

When planning wedding ceremonies, it is important to think carefully about what you hope to achieve, what sort of atmosphere are you going to create and, indeed, what your guests would enjoy. The wedding day, itself, should be planned with the bride and groom in mind; however, it is always wise to consider your guests. Just think about it, getting married whilst descending white water rapids may not be such a good idea if few of your guests can swim!

Although wedding ceremonies can take place in almost any type of environment, you should ensure that the individual conducting your ceremony is licensed, so that you can be certain that your wedding is legally valid.

People are becoming more and more imaginative when it comes to wedding ceremonies, in an attempt to be different from the rest. Of course, if both bride and groom enjoy a similar hobby, a theme may be very obvious. For example, if you are both divers, getting married under water or maybe bungee jumping if you both enjoy throwing yourselves off bridges!

Not all wedding ceremonies are as dramatic as these, non-religious options; but simple ceremonies, in general, are becoming increasingly popular. Not only are people opting for simplicity, because it tends to work out cheaper, but also because of the increase in the number of second weddings taking place. Couples, especially second time round, are generally keen to ensure that they opt for smaller, elite gatherings of close friends and family, with a stronger emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

Many venues now offer the complete service and it is well worth looking at your favorite hotels to see if they have a license to perform wedding ceremonies. By keeping everything in one venue it will be easier to control the flow of the day and to ensure that guests are not concerned with transport, throughout the day.

Even the vows taken during wedding ceremonies are becoming more modern and tailored to an individual’s desire. Those getting married can now write their own vows so that they really mean something special for their individual circumstances.

Arguably, the trend towards creating your own wedding ceremonies allows individuals to really put their own stamp on their special day. After all, it is your day so why shouldn’t you have it all your own way?

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com


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Wedding ceremonies are simply not what they used to be. Set patterns and traditional format ceremonies are making way for unique, well thought out wedding ceremonies that are tailored to the individual needs of the bride and groom. However, whatever type of wedding ceremony you chose, there are still some important considerations when planning picture-perfect wedding ceremonies.

Wedding Ceremonies – The Timing

Time of year is fundamental. Not everyone wants a summer wedding, although most brides and grooms tend to favor summertime wedding ceremonies, which means that popular venues are likely to be booked up, well in advance. If you are prepared to take a less traditional approach, in terms of dates and times, you may find that you have a much wider choice of venues.

These days, many wedding ceremonies take place in non-traditional locations such as beaches or even underwater! Whilst it may be easier to find availability for a more unusual venue, these specialist ceremonies are likely to be more expensive.

Another great way of securing the venue that you really want, at a cheap price, is to be flexible. Many locations now offer evening or mid-week wedding ceremonies, at a reduced price. Getting married at a non-traditional time is also likely to mean that other costs such as transport, accommodation and photography are cheaper. Overall, you can make substantial savings.

Wedding Vows

No two wedding ceremonies are the same and one of the best ways to add an individual touch, without going overboard, is to create your own vows. These need not be religious, and can often be more meaningful and a truer expression of love than a traditional, formulaic vow. Always check with the person conducting the ceremony, as there are still basic requirements in terms of what must be said and carried out to make the wedding legal.

Flowers and Music

It is the little touches that make wedding ceremonies special to the individuals involved. Never underestimate the effect that a few well chosen songs or unusual flower arrangements can have on your guests.

Try not to have a rigid idea about the type of flowers that you want. Remember, flowers are very seasonal, so it is always best to ask your florist for professional advice. Also bear in mind that the flowers you chose should complement whatever theme you are following. So, for example, if you are going for simplicity, stick to simple flowers that are classic and understated.

Always check with venues for wedding ceremonies what sorts of floral arrangements they can accommodate. Some venues will have limited space and may need to re-use the area very quickly, so will be unable to cope with large amounts of flowers. If flowers are important to you, remember to check with the wedding ceremonies’ venues BEFORE you book or, failing that, request that you are the last wedding of the day.

Thinking about the small things early on will make the big things happen, on the day!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com


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Weddings are a joyous occasion but can get expensive in a hurry. With wedding crafts you can insert a personal touch and hold the price down as well. Here are a few ideas for wedding crafts to add sparkle and creativity to your big day.

It is not that hard to create your own wedding veil. To make this wedding craft, you will need a length of bridal illusion in the desired length. You will also need a comb to attach it to your hair and a hat or headpiece to cover the comb. Sew large running stitches about an inch from the end of the illusion and gather it tightly. Now sew the veil to the comb. Top with hat or headpiece. As an alternative, you can decorate a wide-brimmed straw hat with silk flowers, ribbon, and pearls.

The bouquets and floral arrangements can also be personally crafted. For a simple outdoor wedding, consider wild flowers. They are free and have a charm all their own. Bouquets can be arranged in large clear vases, with a bow tied elegantly around.

Favors for the guests are particularly appropriate wedding crafts. Refrigerator magnets are a simple and well-received favor. A really nice idea is to make a magnetic picture frame and include a picture of the couple. You could cut a frame out of craft foam in one of the wedding colors, arrange over the photo, and glue all onto a cardboard backing. Place self-adhesive magnet tape on the back of the cardboard. Decorate the front of the frame with foil heart stickers and a monogram of the couple's last name.

Bows for the ends of the pews or rows make simple wedding crafts. Wide velvet ribbons are nice for fall and winter weddings, while satin is more appropriate for spring and summer weddings. Loop some flat lace in with the ribbons. In the center of the completed bow, attach some silk flowers and pearl sprays with a hot glue gun.

Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at decorating your own cake. Check the craft section of the department store for pans and gadgets of all types to help you create a cake to remember. Do remember, though, that it takes a steady hand. Be sure to practice before starting on the real cake.

Preparing for a wedding can be expensive, but with wedding crafts, you can take some of the sting out. Plan early, however, because it will take a little while to make favors for everyone and all the other little details you will want to take care of. Maybe creating wedding crafts will even relieve some of those wedding jitters. In any event, crafting your own wedding items is a way to have a personal, beautiful, and less expensive wedding.

About the author:
Find out more about making your own unique wedding favors here:

http://www.LearnHowGuides.com/WeddingFavors/index.html


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Often overlooked, wedding decorations can make a real difference to your wedding. The correct wedding decorations can really help to add that extra touch of sparkle to your wedding day. Having said this, no one wants to spend a fortune on wedding decorations that will more than likely end up in the trash can at the end of the day!

Wedding Decorations – Modern Trends

Modern trends in wedding decorations suggest that less is most certainly more. A few simple touches are normally enough to change an ordinary room into a venue fit for your special day. Ideally, wedding decorations should follow the same theme that runs throughout the wedding day. Don’t forget the smallest of details and make sure that the wedding decorations are placed in the ceremony venue, in the reception venue and even as part of the transport.

Wedding Decorations – Budget Conscious Ideas

The cost of wedding decorations can really spiral out of control, so make sure that you budget correctly and that you shop around for the best deals. You may be surprised by how many artistic people you have as friends and family; ask around to see if some of these people would be prepared to help you create that special look.

If you cannot find a friend or relative to help you out, then why not try the local college or art school as this will offer a dedicated, skilled yet cheap option. It is vital that you plan ahead, because the cost of wedding decorations will normally be a lot less if you buy them all together and not bit by bit.

Wedding Decorations – Dare to be Different

Traditional wedding decorations, such as flowers, are generally very expensive so take a different approach by creating your own decorations. Give your wedding an individual feel and save some money, into the bargain, by daring to be different!

Material of various types can be a really useful way of creating effective wedding decorations. Large bows, for example, make superb decorations for chairs in both the ceremony and the reception venue.

As a centerpiece, why not have a glass bowl with some small stones and a floating candle. Not only will these decorations be cheaper than large flower displays, but they are also more permanent and can be given as gifts or retained as a memento of your wedding day.

Wedding decorations are a matter of personal choice, but remember, be different, be organized and be consistent and you won’t go far wrong!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremony.com


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Weddings are a very expensive business and costs can quickly spiral out of control. Most brides want to ensure that they look their best, so it is little wonder that wedding dresses are the one area that seems reliably to run over budget in almost any wedding arrangement.

But, you don’t need to spend a fortune in order to look stunning and to generate admiring glances from all around. Wedding dresses are a matter of very personal choice and it is often the case that imagination can be a much greater asset than pure cash!

Wedding Dresses - Clever (and cheap) Ideas

Most weddings have an underlying theme and wedding dresses should be included within this theme. For example, if you are having a medieval theme, it is possible to choose a darker bodice or even an impressive hairpiece to accentuate an otherwise very plain dress.

As a general rule, wedding dresses do not need to over elaborate. One, well-thought out accessory can be much more effective than a very large and excessive dress. A plain dress is often a lot cheaper and with a little thought, a classic, simple style can actually look more sophisticated. Many brides often change their wedding dresses, before the evening celebrations, as these formal style dresses tend to be cumbersome and heavy.

Doesn’t this seem like a huge waste of money? Why not have two-piece wedding dresses that will allow you to change your skirt for a shorter, lighter version, whilst keeping the shaped bodice as well as any theme that you have developed?

Wedding Dresses – The Key to Accessorizing

Depending on your body shape and the type of wedding you are creating, different wedding dresses will suit different accessories. For example, if you are considering the traditional tight bodice, tapered in at the waist and flowing freely over the legs, you may like to concentrate on accessorizing your middle with the use of a thin belt. As every bride wants to look her best, accessories should be used to accentuate your assets. By using key accessories, wedding dresses can remain rather plain and simple, meaning that they are not only cheaper, but may actually be usable for other occasions, in the future.

A bride with a fuller waist but an impressive bust may wish to consider wedding dresses that simply skim the middle part of her body and cling to the bust and hip area. In these instances, it is worth drawing attention to your neckline with a large necklace or even a shawl. Take some time to shop around for those finishing touches; sometimes there is nothing better than a pure, single fresh flower, so don’t always assume that expensive is best. Think simple and think classic. Plain wedding dresses can be just as effective as the most sensational designer wedding dresses, if given the personal touch. Above all, your dress is guaranteed to be unique!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com


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Wedding dresses are such an opportunity for any bride to show their unique sense of style and to really make a fashion statement. Gone are the days of the plain ‘meringue’ style wedding dresses with a little cute well-placed bow; now we are daring to be different!

In fact, one of the latest trends is to offer wedding dresses that can be used again. Not only is this a great idea from a budget point of view, but it is also reflective of the simple lines that are part of the modern trend in wedding dresses. Arguably, this fashion is due to the ever increasing age of first time brides as well as the large number of second weddings.

Wedding Dresses for the Winter Wedding

Whenever we think about wedding dresses, we automatically think of a warm, summer’s day, with a crisp, wafting white dress to match. However, there is a growing trend towards winter weddings. Winter wedding dresses may not be pure white and are often the preferred choice for second time brides.

Trends in winter wedding dresses include deep red colored dresses or dresses that include a large amount of black. Another great idea is to include a fur collar, or long fake fur coat. If you love a touch of luxury and you want something a little different, then winter wedding dresses may just be the thing for you!

Wedding Dresses for the Summer Wedding

The key to summer wedding dresses, this year, is color. Many wedding dresses are now using substantial amounts of colored fabric to add a classic touch to an otherwise traditional white or cream dress.

Weddings are becoming much more sophisticated; generally, brides will select a theme that they will maintain throughout all aspects of their wedding. Wedding dresses must, of course, fit into this theme and as such colors and accessories are vital. Popular, seasonal colors for wedding dresses include lilac, pink, blue and yellow. Often, brides will choose a half-color theme where the bodice is colored or the skirt is colored, but the other half of the dress is kept in a plain cream or white.

Subtle is the name of the game with modern wedding dresses.

Wedding Dresses – Standing Out From the Crowd

Today, wedding dresses are all different; no-one wants to look the same as the next bride and, naturally, brides go to extreme lengths to make sure that they stand out from the crowd. Of course everyone wants to do so in a classy and not trashy way! It seems that individually designed wedding dresses are the way of the future. By commissioning a made to measure dress you can make sure that it fits perfectly, is exactly what you want and above all, is unique.

Wedding dresses are an expression of your personality, so don’t hold back; let your imagination run wild!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com


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So you've set a date with the man of your dreams? The only thing, well one of the many things, you have to do to get ready is choose the perfect dress. If you want help with that, you're reading the wrong article. This advice is to keep you from choosing the WRONG wedding dress. Below are practical ideas to keep you from making a very expensive mistake (no, I'm not talking about your fiance).

1. It's gotta fit. This might seem obvious to you, but many brides swear they are a size six and cram their bodies into dresses much too small for them. This unflattering approach to wedding dress shopping can make for bad pictures, not to mention discomfort on your big day.
2. Style is a must. Not every woman has the desire to be current with wedding dress fashions, but there are some definite no-nos. Stay away from halters, giant puffy sleeves, and mermaid style skirts (tight around the hips and knees and flared at the ankles). Also avoid any dress that you saw in a wedding more than 5 years ago.
3. Consider the setting. Don't choose a dress for a different wedding, even if it's been your dream since you were a little girl. Long sleeved dresses should NOT be worn at an outdoor wedding in August. (I knew a bride once who did this and put a ziploc bag of ice down the back of her dress) Conversely, don't choose a sleeveless dress for an outdoor reception in November. (Again, the bride who did this turned into the Wicked Witch of the West during pictures) Lastly, and this is a little known fact, don't wear lots of tulle for an outdoor event. This one I learned personally. The fabric attracts bees like crazy. I had those flying pests in between all 12 layers of my tulle skirt.
4. Love it. Don't buy a dress that you don't absolutely love. You only get one chance to have your perfect day. Choosing the cheapest, or the most sensible, or even the one that your best friend likes the most will not cut it for your wedding. If you don't love it, leave it.

Hopefully this advice will keep you from making a mistake when it comes to your wedding dress. This is one of the only elements of planning a wedding that is almost entirely in your control. You may order flowers that come in silk instead of fresh. Perhaps your invitations spell your parents names “Joan and Jill.” Maybe your caterer had a death in the family. Well, you won't have all of these things happen. At least, probably not. But, at least you will have not picked a bad dress.

About the author:
I’m glad you read this because when you look back after a few years, you will remember nothing except your sheer joy, but your pictures will remind you of many wonderful moments. All of those moments in your beautiful wedding dress. Jessica Deets writes articles of interest for the general public. The website at www.BeautifulWeddingDresses.comhas more information and news about wedding dresses and our blog features current updates.


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Few modern weddings manage to avoid the ritual of wedding favors. Traditionally, wedding favors are usually placed on the table, in front of every guest, although this idea seems to have diminished, in recent years.
 
Choices of Wedding Favors
 
Trying to select a small gift that is going to appeal to the entire wedding party is tricky, to say the least. Arguably it is impossible! However, there are ways to avoid giving inappropriate wedding favors, while also keeping the budget in check.
 
Why not simply create a selection of sweets and chocolates that can be placed in the center of the table for all to pick at. This is a great way of allowing people to choose their own gifts, without having to worry about issues of taste.
 
With a small, intimate party, it is actually possible to select gifts, individually. This is only really possible when the party is very small; normally a maximum of thirty is appropriate for these types of wedding favors. If you take this approach, be certain that position the wedding favors correctly and inline with the table settings or you might just find that your carefully selected wedding favors end up in the wrong hands!
 
Edibles are always a good choice when it comes to wedding favors as many people are getting quite hungry after the ceremony and photographs. Sugared almonds are considered to be the traditional wedding favors.  However, the fact of the matter is that not many people actually enjoy sugared almonds, so it may be better to consider an alternative. Why not use chocolates or sweets instead? If you are in a warm climate chocolates will need to be stored in a refrigerator until the last minute, so make sure that you have this facility.
 
Alternatives to Wedding Favors
 
Moving away from the more traditional types of wedding favors, you may wish to consider a more modern and innovative approach. By daring to be different, not only can you save yourself some money, but you are also more likely to make a lasting impression on your guests.
 
Some different ideas for wedding favors include a lottery card each, but think about how you would react if someone wins big-time on the ticket that you have bought! If this thought does not appeal, then consider having a raffle where everyone is given a ticket and there is a range of prizes available.
 
Another great idea could be to place a bowl of goodies such as chocolates sweets and alcohol miniatures, in the center of the table, allowing a bit of potluck for the guests. If you have a bit more time on your hands, you could wrap the wedding favors up and allow guests to select their own and take a chance on the outcome.
 
One of the key things to remember with wedding favors is that you want to generate discussion. When guests arrive at a wedding reception, they are often slightly shy or timid and having a game involving wedding favors will do wonders to break the ice!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com


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No wedding is complete without a selection of wedding flowers! However, bear in mind that the price of wedding flowers can escalate and most of these flowers will simply be thrown out, at the end of the day.
 
Choosing your Wedding Flowers
 
Your choice of wedding flowers can make such a difference to both the look of your wedding and of course your budget. Wedding flowers are largely seasonal; if you choose a flower that is not in season, it may not be as good as you would hope and it will certainly cost more!
 
Obtain professional advice from someone who regularly provides wedding flowers; they will almost certainly be better placed to advise you on the easiest way to achieve your desired look.
 
Wedding Flowers for the Bride
 
A bride will normally, as part of her outfit, hold some wedding flowers. Traditionally, these bouquets were large and flamboyant, however trends are changing. Many brides now prefer simple wedding flowers, such as a single rose or lily. This can be incredibly effective, not to mention a lot cheaper and easier to handle.
 
The bridal wedding flowers must complement your dress; so choose the wedding flowers with your dress in mind. As a very simple dress may be swamped by a large bouquet, pay careful attention to the combination, not just the actual wedding flowers themselves.
 
Wedding Flowers for the Bridal Party
 
It’s not just the bride who has to be considered when it comes to wedding flowers. Bridesmaids, the groom and best man will also be wearing flowers so their outfits must also be considered.
 
Male buttonholes are generally very small and inconspicuous, in fact it isn’t even necessary to use flowers, a small fabric attachment can be just as nice and can also double up as a keepsake as it will not wilt, in time.
 
When it comes to wedding flowers for your bridesmaids, it is vital that you consider their ages. A 3-year old is unlikely to be able to handle a large bouquet and similarly it may be a disaster with a thorny rose collection.
 
With wedding flowers, simple is often best. All of the wedding party will have many other things to consider, not just the wedding flowers; keep them simple and easy to handle.
 
Your choice of wedding flowers is extremely important so do give it the time it deserves. Plan in advance and take professional advice, it will be worth it, in the end.

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com


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With most contemporary weddings there is a huge entourage of individuals who are extremely important to the success of the big day. Bearing this in mind, it seems only fitting that these people should be recognized for their time and effort with specifically chosen wedding gifts all of their own.

Who Should Receive Wedding Gifts?

The obvious answer is anyone who helps out to the extent that the bride and groom feel that they deserve special wedding gifts. Typical individuals who should be considered for such wedding gifts include bridesmaids, best men, ushers and the parents of the bride and groom.

Wedding gifts are also often given to the professionals that help make the day happen, such as your hairdresser or the wedding planner, although these gifts are more token gifts and can be as simple as a nice card or a small bouquet of flowers.

With larger weddings, it is also common practice to offer a small gift to every guest in the form of a favor, placed at each place setting. Due to the large quantity of these wedding gifts that you are required to purchase, they tend to be much smaller and cheaper such as sugared almonds or small chocolates.

Choosing Wedding Gifts

Of course, your choice of wedding gifts depends largely on the known likes and dislikes of the people whom you have invited to attend your wedding party. If you have a small number of people involved you may be able to purchase individually chosen, more expensive wedding gifts such as a special ornament or piece of jewelry. But remember that it is the thought which counts, and token wedding gifts such as cufflinks, teddy bears and mugs can be just as effective.

As part of the wedding speeches, bouquets of flowers are often given to the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom; this is particularly the case with more traditional wedding ceremonies.

A great cheap way to please the wedding party guests is to offer them pictures of the day as well as any attire that you have purchased especially for them. It is very difficult to think of anything else to do with the bridesmaid dresses and jewelry, so why not use them as unique wedding gifts?

By giving the critical members of the wedding party wedding gifts you will ensure that your important helpers feel that their efforts have been noticed and they will feel that they have truly been a vital part of your big day.

Giving wedding gifts to guests may seem a little odd, but why not share the good fortune of your day and spread a little happiness?

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com


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One of the most important things to any bride is the wedding photography that captures the magical day, for years to come. Most wedding gowns are made to make the bride look absolutely stunning; however, not all wedding gowns photograph as well as they should, so it is important to consider what your short listed wedding gowns will actually look like, in the photographs.
 
Wedding Gowns and the Accessories that Make Photographs Special
 
The types of wedding gowns that will look best in your wedding photographs depend largely on the style of wedding photographs that you have chosen. If you are opting for the contemporary style of photographs that are not staged but actually follow the day, on a more informal basis, then you need to be aware that your choice of wedding gowns will be viewed from every angle.
 
On the other hand, if you are opting for a small selection of formal photographs purely from the front, then your choice of wedding gowns should focus on the detail at the front of the dress. If you have chosen to have only black and white photographs, it is worth considering what your chosen colors of wedding gowns will look like in monochrome.
 
Top Photography Hints for Wedding Gowns
 
Never forget how important the detail on the back of wedding gowns is. During the ceremony, your guests will have little to look at other than the back of your wedding gown. Therefore, it is important that all wedding gowns have some special detail and unique look; it is also a great opportunity for the wedding photographer and a picture from the back of the ceremony venue can be stunning!
 
Bear in mind that accessories can look a little strange in wedding photographs so it may be worth investing in accessories that are detachable from wedding gowns, so that you can choose whether to have them in a given photograph or not. This is a really good idea when the accessory is particularly detailed as it may be superb as part of a close-up picture, however, it may just look like a stain from a distance!
 
Another good idea is to have a cardigan or jacket as an accessory for your choice of wedding gowns. This way you can vary the photographs and the look that you present, throughout the day. Wedding photographs can appear a little repetitive; therefore it is a great idea to have a range of accessories and additions so that you can vary the photographs and make it look like you had several wedding gowns and not just the one!
 
Remember, your choice of wedding gown is going to be captured in your photographs for years to come. When you are choosing your perfect dress, consider its ‘photograph ability’ as well as what it will look like in the flesh – they are both equally important!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com


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How you wear your hair at your wedding is important. Above all else you Wedding Hairstyle has to be comfortable. It should compliment not only your face but your dress as well.

It does no harm to have your regular hairdresser practise on you a few times. By doing this you may decide that the particular Wedding Hairstyle you have dreamt about having since you were a small child actually does nothing for the shape of your face!

If you want a wedding updo and you have relatively short hair then although with many grips and much hairspray it is possible, do remember that your hairdresser can do the impossible but miracles are outwith their reach!

Try to get a rough idea of what sort of style you are looking at for your wedding hairstyle as far in advance as possible. This gives your hair a chance to grow to a length that is more manageable for your hairdresser. After all long hair can easily be cut but it is harder and more expensive to add to your hair.

Always remember it is you that is getting married and not some fairytale image of you that you have held in your imagination since you were six! You dont want to walk down the aisle to your beloved and have him not recognize you because you wedding hairstyle is so different!

Try not to go for something very different. Chances are you will get fed up with it. If an updo requires a lot of help to stay up then as a wedding hairstyle it probably isn't right. Your wedding hairstyle has to stay in place for up to 10 hours, a lot to ask of any hairstyle but particularly difficult when a veil is shoved in, you are being swung around the dance floor and everyone wants to hug you!!

If you decide to opt for flowers or a tiara amongst your wedding hairstyle then make sure that they are securely attached but not hurting.

I would suggest go for elegance and comfort. Something that suits you and brings out your best features. If you can mange a wedding hairstyle that looks just as good down as up then you grab it with both hands, a comb and some grips!!

About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at www.a1-ourwedding.com where you can gather everything you need to make your Wedding Day special.


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Did you hear the one about the groom that got so drunk the night before his wedding he passed out during the nuptials?

What about the bride who deliberately chose ugly, clingy sheath dresses for her overweight bridesmaids just so she could look like a supermodel in comparison?

We've all heard wedding horror stories -- true tales of etiquette faux pas and heinous manners. But a classy, considerate bride does not indulge her ego, overlook her bridesmaids' feelings or point out the poor taste of others, according to Gail Dunson, coauthor of "Bridezilla: True Tales From Etiquette Hell" and a certified protocol and etiquette consultant.

Dunson has heard hundreds of stories about wedding guests gone awry, tacky gifts and friendships ruined by wedding disasters on www.etiquettehell.com, the Web site she manages with partner Jeanne Hamilton.

"There are a lot of misguided people out there," Dunson said. "The only thing that matters is getting down to the end of the aisle and exchanging vows. Everything else is superfluous."

CORRESPONDENCE CRIMES

Unoriginal thank you notes for wedding gifts is the most mentioned correspondence crime, Dunson said.

"People buy tacky thank you notes and say, ‘Thanks for the gift. Love, Jane,' or go to services on the Net that generate the thank-yous for them," she said.

So, mass-mailed acknowledgements of wedding gifts are in poor taste, but what if the gift itself is tacky?

"The bride writes the most creative thank-you note possible," Dunson said.

After that, the bride can do anything she wants with the present. Put it in a closet, smash it with a hammer in the backyard or give it to charity -- just don't tell the gift-giver what happened to their thoughtful thingamajig, Dunson said.

Mentioning gifts in the invitation is another nuptial no-no, Dunson said, which also includes sending registry cards, asking for money in lieu of gifts or any other presumption that a gift will be given.

"No one owes you a gift because you're getting married, and no one needs to be told where to get you a gift," she said. "Get it out of your pretty little head that you are owed gifts. People will give gifts because we will toss them into Etiquette Hell if they don't."

"A registry is fine as long as you don't advertise it," she clarified. "If people want to know where the bride is registered, people will ask."

"It's fine to put on the invitation, ‘No gifts please.' Anything other than that leads the guests to think something else," she said.

BRIDESMAID BLUNDERS

Because bridesmaid responsibilities generally include buying an outfit, planning the wedding shower, getting a gift for the shower and finding a gift for the wedding, the honor can be quite costly.

"Bridesmaids need to realize that saying yes carries responsibilities of time and resources," Dunson said. "It's more than pictures and parties. It's an expensive proposition."

What if the bridesmaids aren't up to the challenge?

"You do not want a pain in the butt on your wedding day. There are enough details to take care of. You don't want someone uncooperative," Dunson said.

"The bride can ask her to step down, but doing so is usually a friendship breaker," she said.

When ousting a bothersome bridesmaid, be honest, talk about your concerns, but don't blatantly ask her to step down, Dunson said. See what you can do to make her job easier, or give her the chance to bow out. If she can't spare the necessary time and money, maybe she would be better suited to simply coordinating a party or being an usher.

"You really have to be diplomatic if you want to preserve the friendship," Dunson cautions.

But, the biggest bridesmaid blunder isn't always on the bridesmaid's part. Sometimes the bride herself is the one trampling on good taste.

Choosing dresses will be biggest decision the bride and bridesmaids do together, Dunson said, and she has some tips for the bride before the big shopping trip.

"Do some preshopping, but don't get set on any ideas," she said.

Instead, let your attendants have a say in the outfits they have to wear.

"These are not Barbie dolls to dress up. These are your friends. They need to look nice and be comfortable," Dunson said. "It's not about the dress, it's about the friends."

She suggests choosing outfits from the same designer line so everyone can find a style they feel confident in -- a style that suits their body.

"If the bridesmaids look gorgeous, the bride is going to look gorgeous," Dunson said. "If the bridesmaids don't look good, I guarantee tongues are going to be wagging. The bride is the one who ends up looking ugly for her attitude."

RECEPTIONS GONE WRONG

"Please don't think the reception is a place to get money from your guests," Dunson said.

Receiving lines for guests to hand envelopes of money to the groom, satin purses to collect cash for dances with the bride and cash bars are traditions past their prime, Dunson said.

"To actively solicit money is just a heinous faux pas," Dunson said. "Asking your guests to bring out their wallets will certainly put a sour taste on their tongues. Guests are not paying customers. They are guests."

The cake smash is another tradition Dunson would rather the bride and groom do without.

"We're not against fun," Dunson said. "We're just against public displays of tacky."

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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You are about to get married, tie the knot, jump the broom, make an honest man/woman out of someone else or any other of a number of ways to describe a wedding.

Its no wonder that getting married is said to be one of the most stressful events in a person's life and almost everyone suffers from last minute nerves,wedding jitters or extremely cold feet! The important thing is to keep these wedding jitters under control and not let them ruin your big day.

Having a few nerves and jitters is perfectly normal and the adrenaline can actually help you cope with being the centre of attention if you are a little on the shy side. One of the best ways to help calm wedding jitters is to sit quietly, just before the service and, if need be, remind yourself exactly why you want to get married!

Often the bride or groom will have a drink or two before the ceremony to help lessen their wedding jitters but don't let this go too far. Too much liquor can make for a very forgettable day!

It is nice for the bride-to-be to share a glass of champagne with some of her closest female friends while she is getting herself dressed and having her hair and make-up done. This can often relax her and create a celebration atmosphere which will dispel any serious wedding jitters or cold feet.

I think that the main cause of wedding jitters is often the thoughts of something going wrong on the big day, rather than actually being worried about whether they are making the right decision.

Although promising to share your life with someone is a big step once you get to this point you should be pretty certain that this is the right person.

Preparation is always the key and if you are panicking about whether the rings are safe or if you will fluff your words then don't let these wedding jitters get in the way of what is going to be a beautiful day.

If you think about the worst that can happen for example the rings get lost then think of a solution, borrow someones, then the worry should ease off. There is so much emotion involved that fluffing your words can be almost inevitable and no-one actually notices!

Whatever happens its your day and people will only remember the good bits. If things do go wrong everyone will pull together to fix it and in years to come you will look back and laugh.

Relax and enjoy!

About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at www.a1-ourwedding.comwhere you can gather everything you need to make your Wedding Day special!


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Depending on your personal preferences and the preferences of your husband or wife-to-be, a wedding can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 2 years to plan. If one step in the planning process is missed, the whole wedding could be ruined. To prevent this from happening, we have created a wedding checklist in order to ensure everything goes according to plan on your big day.

7-12 Months Prior
• Announce Engagement and have your engagement party
• Decide on the wedding style and create a guest list
• Choose who you both want in the wedding party
• Set the date and time of the wedding
• Book your wedding officiant
• Choose your wedding song
• Decide on "extras" (cake, flowers, dj, photographers etc)
• Purchase your wedding dress and bridal accessories
• Purchase bridesmaids dresses and accessories (maid of honor as well)
• Start planning your honeymoon
• Buy (or make) your wedding favors
• Purchase your wedding invitations
• Plan your rehearsal ceremony and dinner

2-6 Months Prior
• Arrange accommodations for out-of-town guests
• Finalize the dinner menu
• Book your limo (or other form of transportation)
• Book the rehearsal dinner site
• Book your honeymoon
• Purchase your wedding rings
• Purchase your gifts for the wedding party
• Rent the tuxedos for groom and groomsmen (including bestman)
• Schedule a dress fitting (bride)
• Book hair and makeup appointment (bride)
• Have your bridal shower
• Send out the invitations to your guests
• Plan the wedding program

1 Month Prior
• Get your marriage license (and blood tests if needed)
• Final dress fitting (bride)
• Arrange seating for your guests
• Have your stag and doe party

1-2 Weeks Prior
• Pick up the wedding dress
• Have your bachelor and bachelorette parties

The Day Before
• Give the wedding party their gifts
• Pick up the tuxedo(s)
• Decorate the wedding site
• Have your rehearsal dinner and greet out-of-town guests

Follow these steps in the first step towards a lifetime of marital bliss!


About the author:
Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding planning to wedding invitations and more.


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It can be tempting to avoid the whole wedding planning fiasco by hiring a professional, but these individuals do not come cheaply, so taking charge yourself can be an excellent way to save a great deal of cash. Wedding planning is an art and a lot harder than it looks, so don’t underestimate the time and effort that you will need to put into even the most basic of weddings.

Wedding Planning – The Basics

The basics of wedding planning is to be organized and thorough; it is well worth having at least one extra person to help you with the arrangements, two heads are most certainly better than one when it comes to wedding planning.

A great way to start is to make a list of the dates and items that simply cannot change, for example the venue or the key guests. This is fundamental, as all other aspects can be altered and planned around the key items.

Secondly, when it comes to wedding planning, it is important to decide on the ‘feel’ that you want for your wedding. For example, do you want your wedding to have a relaxed or informal theme? Is there a common hobby or activity that you can draw on as an underlying idea for your wedding? For instance, do the bride and groom both love dogs or do they both enjoy water sports? A very simple lead can be just enough to get you started!

Wedding Planning – Behaving Like a Professional

Wedding planning professionals are generally individuals who are full of ideas, are organized and can get the most out of providers. Whilst a professional may have many ideas at their fingertips you will have to look around and think carefully about what you are hoping to achieve. Why not get ideas by asking friends and relatives what they have seen in recent weddings that worked particularly well (or indeed did not work at all), so that you can take the best ideas and ditch the worst!

Stay organized. Keep accurate records of everything that you see and do. Go overboard with your records as, at some point, you are almost certainly going to be in the position of not being able to remember where you saw that special item!

When it comes to wedding planning, communication is key. Make sure that all providers are fully aware of what you expect, when you expect it and what you expect to pay. Get everything in writing and ensure that you tell everyone if there is any change (no matter how small it may appear).

Be professional, be realistic and keep the suppliers informed; believe you me it will really help to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com


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(ARA) - The reception is traditionally one of the most expensive aspects of a wedding. However, by combining personal creativity and ingenuity -- the foundation of lifestylist Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade(R) philosophy -- with inexpensive, ready-made items available at discount retailers, brides-to-be and cash-strapped parents can host a beautiful wedding reception without blowing through the entire bridal budget.

“Creating a beautiful wedding environment on a budget is simple,” says Sandra Lee, entertaining expert and author. “By putting a personal touch on everything from table centerpieces to wedding favors, brides and grooms can save while creating memories for years to come.”

While June is still the most popular month for weddings, according to a recent study by Hallmark.com, September and October are quickly gaining in popularity. Sandra Lee offers some great last-minute planning tips this fall for brides and grooms-to-be:

* If renting a reception tent, create a romantic environment by purchasing sheering fabric and 2-inch ribbon from a local discount retailer to drape around the canopy. Create billows of fabric and hang from the ceiling, wrap around poles, and swag in the entryway.

* Whether throwing an indoor or outdoor reception, flowers help set the tone but can quickly add up. A typical flower budget is 15 percent of the overall cost of a wedding. Consider using some of the beautiful and realistic-looking silk flowers available today intermingled with arrangements of fresh flowers to keep the romance high and the costs low. The bride and groom can use the silk flowers in the home for years to come.

* Every bride wants to do something unique at her wedding. Create a dramatic, sweet-smelling entrance for guests by lining a walkway to the reception venue or reception tent with fresh rose petals. Also consider renting a bubble machine, available at retailers such as Wal-Mart, for some added ambiance and fun.

* Renting both table settings and white linen tablecloths can get expensive. Instead, consider purchasing clear glass plates from a discount retailer. Stack the salad plate on top of the dinner plate and place a large leaf between the two for a very pretty place setting. Buying plates is often less expensive than renting and the bride and groom can keep them for the years (and dinner parties) ahead.

* Remember to keep centerpieces either low enough or high enough so guests can see each other from across the table. A simple cake pedestal adorned with sugared fruits and a candle makes a beautiful and an inexpensive centerpiece. Add to the sugary sparkle by placing candles in votive candle holders to illuminate the centerpieces from underneath. Remember to place approximately half an inch of water in each candle holder or glass for easy removal of melted wax.

* For more formal wedding receptions, assigning guests to tables is considered proper etiquette but that doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy. Purchase large sugar cookies and pipe romantic words like “joy,” “hope,” “love,” and “forever” on each cookie. Place one cookie in each centerpiece to replace traditional numbered tables and have your place cards direct your guests to these romantically identified tables.

* Wedding favors that double as place cards can be made by purchasing sugar cookies from a local bakery that are iced in white. Pipe each guest’s names on the cookies in colored icing a day or two before the wedding. Place in cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon, and set at each guest’s place setting so guests know where to sit.

* Handmade keepsakes given out during the wedding reception are an easy and thoughtful way to thank the wedding party. Create beautiful, unique cards for the bridesmaids by purchasing simple white note cards, decorated with the wedding’s theme colors embellished with different fabrics or small trinkets purchased from a craft department. Write a cherished memory or personal note inside the card, which bridesmaids can keep for the years to come.

* And don’t forget the wedding cake, which can be very expensive, depending on the number of guests attending. Consider purchasing a decorated sheet cake from a local bakery in addition to a smaller tiered cake. Then marry them together as one elaborate cake with piping and rose petals. Brides and grooms may find that bakeries like those at a Wal-Mart Supercenter can make unique and cost-conscious tiered wedding cakes that are beautiful as well as delicious. Remember, all cakes are created equal -- flour, sugar, and butter -- so there’s no need to spend a fortune on one.

For more information visit Lee’s Web site, www.semihomemade.com, or the online wedding center available at www.walmart.com which has a bridal registry, cake ordering forms, budget forms, reception planning guides, and more for the bride and groom.

Courtesy of ARA Content






About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content

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don’t tend to get the public airing that they deserve, in your average wedding celebration. However, wedding rings are likely to be worn for the rest of the bride and grooms’ living days, so they are, arguably, the most important element of the wedding accessories.
 
Wedding Rings – The Basics
 
Wedding rings are exchanged as part of the ceremony, normally as vows are said by both parties. The guests do not normally see the wedding rings until after the ceremony is well and truly over, so it can be tempting to skimp on this element and save money.
 
Bear in mind that the bride will almost certainly wear her wedding ring alongside her engagement ring. It is essential, therefore, that they both rings work together well. This is particularly important if the engagement ring is of an atypical shape or with a particularly large stone.
 
Always consider your everyday jewelry. Although it is possible to accessorize on your wedding day to complement you choice of wedding rings, this ring will be worn every day, for many years, so it must fit in well with your general style. This is equally important for the groom, as he too will have to wear the ring for some time, so he should also consider what would go well with his usual attire.
 
Contrary to popular belief, it is not essential to choose golden rings. If you prefer silver colored rings but want to retain the quality, why not consider white gold? It is also possible for the bride and groom to have different styles of ring, so do not feel pressured into selecting matching styled rings.
 
Wedding Rings – Ideas for Slashing the Budget
 
Whilst you want the best wedding rings possible, you do not need to spend a small fortune! Often, wedding rings are passed through the generations, particularly on the male side, so find out whether this is the case so that you can avoid the time and energy of searching for the perfect wedding rings!
 
When you are selecting an engagement ring, it may be possible to negotiate a discount on wedding rings, if they are purchased at the same time. Another possible option is to consider using cheaper wedding rings for the ceremony itself and to purchase the more permanent wedding rings, at a later day. The real point of this is to spread the major expenses – weddings do not come cheaply!
 
A great way to make cheaper wedding rings look unique is to have them engraved with your wedding date and your initials.
 
With a little imagination, wedding rings can truly look magical, without costing the earth!

About the author:
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com


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The wedding service in the Greek Orthodox faith is an ancient and beautiful ceremony, which has been celebrated in its current form for centuries. The wedding ceremony is full of symbolism and is a great experience if you have never attended one before, because it is likely to be quite different from other weddings you have attended in Western Europe. The service is also rather unique because the bride and groom do not make vows to each other – their presence together in the church is taken to mean that they are serious about getting married. There are no wedding rehearsals and the ceremony usually has a very relaxed atmosphere - guests take photos whenever they want to and often chat quietly among themselves throughout the ceremony.

The Beginning of the Wedding

In most cases the wedding guests will wait with the groom outside the church until the bride arrives (a few sneaky wedding pros will go into the church early to secure a good seat). In the Summer, when most weddings take place, it is not unusual for ceremonies to be arranged back to back, so the guests attending a marriage will often stand around with those who have just attended the previous wedding are ready to leave. Wedding dress commentators among the crowd will get to consider and discuss at least two brides and maybe even a third as they leave the church – bargain! Meanwhile, the groom waits for the bride at the entrance to the church, often holding her floral bouquet. He hands it to her as they meet and they then go inside together followed by the guests. There is no separation of the guests into guests of the bride and guests of the groom – everyone sits together and in the case of small churches, many people prefer to stand in a spot where they can get a good view of the proceedings.

Service of Betrothal

The wedding ceremony itself is in two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. The exchanging of rings is the focus of the Service of Betrothal. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand and making the sign of the cross over the heads of the bride and groom. The rings are then placed on the third fingers of their right hands. The "Koumbaro", the couple’s religious sponsor, then swaps the rings over between the bride and groom’s fingers, three times. A number of rituals in the ceremony are repeated three times and this symbolises the Holy Trinity: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage

This Ceremony consists of several key parts. First, several prayers are said and then as they come to an end, the priest joins the right hands of the bride and groom. Their hands remain joined until the end of the wedding ceremony, which symbolises the couple’s union.

The Crowning

The bride and groom are crowned with thin crowns, or "stefana", which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolise the glory and honour that is being bestowed on them by God, and the the ribbon symbolises their unity. The "Koumbaro" then exchanges the crowns between the heads of the couple, three times.

The Common Cup

The crowning is followed by a reading of the Gospel, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, which was then given to the married couple. Wine is given to the couple and they each drink from it three times.

The Ceremonial Walk

The priest the leads the couple, who are still wearing their "stefana", three times around the altar on their first steps as a married couple. The "Koumbaro" follows close behind the couple holding the stefana place. At this point the couple (and anyone standing nearby) is usually showered with rice, which was earlier handed out to the wedding guests. The priest will often make use of the bible he is holding to give himself some protection!

The Removal of the Crowns

When the Ceremonial Walk has ended, the priest blesses the couple, the crowns are removed and he then separates their previously joined hands with the bible, reminding them that only God can break the union which they have just entered into.

Wedding traditions

Unfortunately, a lot of the information available on Greek Orthodox wedding traditions is a little outdated and contains generalisations that give the impression that certain traditions are followed by everyone who gets married. Some of these traditions are set out below.

- The baking of bread and cakes containing coins.

- Rolling a baby on the marital bed to encourage fertility.

- The throwing of money onto the marital bed.

- The pinning of money onto the bride (and sometimes also the groom) at the wedding reception.

Although these rituals are seen as traditional, fewer and fewer young people marrying today are following them, because they are seen as old-fashioned. Many people do not wish to put their guests through the ordeal of other people being able to see how much money they pin on the bride, for example. Although money is still a very common, as well as practical, wedding present it is often given to the couple before the wedding day or to a third person at the wedding reception, for safe-keeping. Greeks living in the more remote parts of Greece and abroad, who will naturally feel more strongly about doing things the traditional way, are more likely to follow these traditions than those living in Athens, for example. Like weddings in many places, Greek weddings are changing. At the time of writing, there is a growing fashion to go and get married on an island and I recently heard someone say that he was looking into getting married in a ski resort. He was wisely advised by a friend: “You had better first ask the priest if he wants to perform a marriage up a mountain”!


About the author:
Emmanuel Mendonca is the webmaster and publisher of Athens Room at http://www.athensroom.com- a free service for finding and advertising property for rent in Athens, with a wealth of information about visiting, living and working in Greece.


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Getting Married? Congratulations! You just set the date for the most important day
in your life. Your wedding day. Imagine...It is your wedding day. Your very own wedding day! It will be fun.


Here are ten essential steps that will make the preparation fun too.


1. Keep within your financial limits. Budget your wedding. You do not want to start your married life in debt. If you are organized have a plan and are creative, whatever your budget, a "wedding to remember" will be yours.


2. Now Visualize. That's right, visualize. Close your eyes and look at the tasks at hand. The list may SEEM overwhelming but it isn't.


3.Don't try to do everything all at once. Start by gathering information. Use the Net to gather ideas from around the world. Make an extensive list of "things you LIKE", "things you WANT" and "things you MUST HAVE" (see the difference?)


4. Now you are ready to make a Top Ten (or top eleven or twelve) list.


5. Break your list it into small manageable portions that you can successfully
accomplish. Use categories like... Before the wedding - During the wedding - After the wedding.


6. Now use sub categories. Include ideas for related events such as, showers, receptions, and honeymoon.


7. It is YOUR wedding. It reflects YOU. No one should dictate to you what to do and
how to do it. You may seek advice, ideas and wisdom but in the end each final decision is yours.


8. What this means is don't be shy! Accept assistance when offered and solicit involvement, help and ideas from those you believe will be an asset.


9.Add your personal touches. For example; if you have children you may consider making them an important part of your wedding.


10. Pick a few aspects of your wedding and make them personalized. A personal touch makes a wedding meaningful to the bridal couple, their attendants, family and all invited guests.


In summary, your wedding is a serious moment for declaring your love and commitment to each other. Make your wedding truly a one-of-a-kind event. Fill it with cherished moments and keepsakes. Whether you choose a favorite theme, a special setting or an intimate gathering of friends and loved ones, enjoy the journey. Perhaps, the memories and keepsakes may stay with you forever. Treasure them! And may you have a Happy, Happy day!




About the author:
Copyrights Tom Downward of http://www.weddingsrfun.comPlease feel free to post this Article in your newsletter, on your website, and forward it to your friends and / or business associates. If you post or otherwise publish this article, please ensure that the copyright as well as the author's entire bylines box remain intact. We would appreciate a courtesy copy of your publication and / or a website link. Please E-mail to: tom@weddingsrfun.com



This article courtesy of http://www.weddingsrfun.com
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.




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What's the state of the wedding videography industry today? To find out, we talked with working wedding videographers, found industry statistics and fleshed out what is undoubtedly a flourishing business in a growing market. Although some might wonder if amateurs are moving in on the pros because of lower-cost gear and easier-to-use software, our consensus of wedding shooters and editors say that isn't so. We also took a look at the tools wedding videographers are using, and found out how the best wedding videographers are using the Web to open up new avenues of business for their bustling enterprises.

To get an idea of the size of the wedding videography market, first let's take a look at statistics that reveal the enormous amount of money spent on weddings in the United States. According to the American Wedding Study by Conde Nast's Bridal Infobank, in the last ten years spending on an average wedding has exploded by 50%, to an average of $22,360 per wedding this year, up from $15,208 in 1994. And, according to Richard Markel, President of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, of the $65 billion spent on weddings each year, "6% of the budget would be for video." Markel added, "But using the 6% of the estimated $65 billion spent will equate out to $390 million." This signals a wide-open market for wedding videography professionals. Markel continued, "We just had a show here in Sacramento and several of our videographers booked business with an average ticket price of $2,500."



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Looking at those stats, wedding videography appears to be a growth industry. Let's do the math for a moment. Consider an experienced videographer , charging $2500 for an average wedding, shooting one wedding per week. In a year, that person has earned $130,000. But that would be a very hard-working videographer -- most of the videographers we talked to said they spent up to 40 hours editing each wedding video, meaning a weekly shoot would constitute nearly-constant travail with hardly any time off.

One great success story would be that of high-end videographer Kris Malandruccolo, whose company Elegant Videos by Kris has been operating in the Chicago area for the past 16 years. Her business can command as much as $5000 for a wedding video package, and regularly signs contracts for $3000 weddings. But the mother of three doesn't want to work all the time, so she limits herself. "Someone else could shoot four or five per month. But I average two or three weddings a month," she told Digital Media Net.

According to Luisa Winters, an award-winning videographer and editor who has her own wedding videography business, Unforgettable Events, most wedding videographers charge under $2000 for their services -- with higher-end wedding video companies charging as much as $15,000-$20,000. "I do not consider anyone a true professional unless they are able to make enough money to support themselves with this business," Winters told Digital Media Net. "Anything else is a side business. Supporting a family means different things depending on what part of the country you are located. If you are in a less expensive location, then less income will suffice -- and you are still professional," Winters added.

At prices of $2000-$5000 and up, it seems like amateurs would be interested in shooting their own wedding videos, or getting a friend or relative to take the controls of the family camcorder . But Internet message boards for wedding videographers are rife with stories of first-time videographers shooting an entire wedding ceremony with the camcorder on pause, only to find they began rolling after all was said and done, ending up with lots of artistic shots of the floor and nothing else. According to videographer /editor Luisa Winters, "The amateurs are taking a bite out of the wedding videographer business, but that is true only for the lower-end videographers." She thinks the lower-end shooters make things better for the higher end, increasing the quality gap between the two. "More-educated brides will expect to pay a lot more for a video that looks professional than they were willing to pay before the advent of such inexpensive equipment. The difference between an amateur wedding video and a professional one is huge, and people are willing to pay Top Dollar for the latter." Sometimes quality considerations can be quite basic, such as, can you hear what the bride and groom are saying? "You really have to worry about the audio part of it, you know. There's a lot involved," said Kris Malandruccolo, who in addition to being a successful wedding videographer is president of the Illinois Videographers Association.

Is the playing field being leveled by the profusion of low-cost, high quality equipment? According to Winters, "The quality of image and editing capabilities has become less important to the fact that now you have to be a better storyteller, you have to be a better artist... after all, we all have access to pen and paper, but we cannot all write the great American novel, right? Shakespeare and Mozart only had pen and paper to work with, and yet they gave us masterpieces that transcend time. Not all is determined by equipment."

Then there's the editing, which is a process many newlyweds aren't equipped to handle. "As you know, anyone in the business who edits knows it's a time-consuming process," said Malandruccolo. "I take tons of family videos but none of my personal stuff is edited, because there's no time. So if I wasn't getting paid, then I would not be editing, because it's so time-consuming, especially if you don't do it all the time. I think a lot of people, especially if they have the money, just want to say 'do it for me.'" Malandruccolo added that it's not just the time element that is a barrier to entry, but it's the professionalism required to create a polished production. "The end result is that you have a better quality video. Like I emphasize to my clients, this is a family heirloom. You only get one shot to do it right, and you can't do it over, so being that this is a family heirloom, if you look at it that way, then they're willing to invest the money into it. And I've never had a client say that they're sorry that they spent the money on video. Clients just don't say that," added Malandruccolo.

Wedding videography has changed significantly over the past 20 years, where digital video shooting and editing has brought highly sophisticated techniques to a type of video production that was once quite basic. In those days it was typical to spend about $1000 on a video that was a simple, point-and-shoot production, with all the editing taking place in the camera . But now, with the power of digital technology, videographers are taking advantage of 3-chip DV camcorders and sophisticated editing setups, resulting in extraordinary productions, many of which are true works of art.

For the shooting tasks, most wedding videographers use DV camcorders in the league of the Sony PD150 or VX 2000, Canon XL1 and GL2, or Panasonic 3-chip camcorders such as the AG-DVX100. Said Winters, "Most wedding videographers will use DV for acquisition (3-CCD), which is logical, because the cost is low, the quality is high, and above all, the weight of the camcorder is so low now, that videographers are able to be more creative with the smaller units than they were able to be, say, five or six years ago, when the cameras where huge. No longer do you have to have a big professional-looking camcorder to get good money videotaping weddings. In fact, many clients prefer the smaller units over the bigger ones, because they are less obtrusive."

Another staple of wedding coverage are wireless microphones, usually attached to the groom and strategically placed elsewhere, assuring that the most important words many people will ever speak will be clearly heard on the final product.

The biggest technological leap has been in editing, where even unsophisticated computers can create presentations that would have been possible only in a multi-million dollar edit suite 20 years ago. Apple Final Cut Pro is the most popular Mac application for editing, with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 leading the pack on the Windows side. Other wedding videographers use Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Liquid Edition , Avid Xpress , NewTek Video Toaster, Canopus Edius and others. Some videographers opt for real-time DV acceleration cards such as the RT.X100 from Matrox or the DVStorm2 from Canopus . One constant is obvious throughout the equipment decision arena -- people are staunchly devoted to the choices they've made. Winters said, "They're loyal, from fierce arguments about the superiority of an operating system or capture card to the inferiority of the competing product. My personal opinion is less partisan. To me an editing system is a tool and nothing more -- whatever works and makes me money is what I will use -- and in this case I have chosen Premiere Pro 1.5 and a Matrox RT.X100 capture card. I have both the real time card from Matrox and plain generic FireWire cards."



Another popular technique of today's wedding videography is multicamera production. At its most rudimentary level, a videographer will operate one camcorder while a second unmanned camcorder is set up on a tripod, taping the event from a different angle. For the reception, most of the time a single camcorder does all the shooting, with the other used as a backup. At its most sophisticated, a multicamera setup works in much the same way a network remote production would be configured, with multiple cameras attached to a switcher located in a separate room outside the venue. A director is in constant contact with each of the three, four or more camera operators via headsets, coordinating their shots while switching live between cameras while rolling tape in each camera for isolated footage that can be added in post.

Advanced technology also makes the final product delivered to clients much better, where a high quality DVD is now commonly handed to the client when all the shooting and editing is done. Formerly an extra-cost option for wedding video clients, DVDs have been working their way into the mainstream particularly over the past few years. Said Malandruccolo, "When I first started offering DVDs about three years ago, they were expensive. I had it as an add-on. Not everyone took it because not everyone had a DVD player. It's amazing how quickly that has changed, because now a lot of couples aren't even interested in a VHS copy except for Grandma." It's not surprising that DVDs have taken over as far as deliverables are concerned. With home DVD player prices now dipping below $50, and many computers including DVD burners and players as standard equipment, DVDs have become a ubiquitous delivery medium for videographers of all kinds. Perhaps the greatest benefit of this is the fact that finally clients can see the true quality of the video, virtually the same as the quality of the camcorder on which it was shot. That represents quite a quality difference from the VHS tapes that were the norm just a few short years ago. "So many times, I was shooting with a 3-chip camcorder , and I would have this beautiful miniDV master, but then the couple's walking out the door with VHS and I'm putting the master tape in a box in my studio. All that quality would go to waste," said Malandruccolo.

Every wedding videographer is intensely concerned with marketing, and high technology has been a boon to all involved. The biggest plus is the Web, with its ability to bring a tremendous volume of information to anyone with a computer. By far the most important innovation for wedding videography marketing is streaming video. Some reported to us that clients will not consider a videographer unless they can see a streaming video demo of the shooter's work on the Web. Where in years past a client would need to personally visit numerous videographers to see examples of their work, now a bride-to-be can visit twenty Web sites in an evening, picking a videographer whose style and pricing matches her taste and budget. Streaming video is also important after the wedding is shot as well. According to Richard Markel, President of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, streaming video lets clients show their wedding to the world. "The ability to email or add streaming video to a Web site is awesome -- now viewers that could not attend the wedding from around the world -- friends and family -- can view the wedding wherever they are," Markel said.

The Web has become so important on wedding marketing, that some videographers report a full 50% of their business is attracted via the Web. Clients can see the demo videos, get a price quote, and negotiate the entire shoot without ever seeing the videographer . "A lot of brides complement my Web site," said Malandruccolo, because they get the instant gratification of seeing samples immediately. "The majority have broadband connections so they can see the sample videos of past projects. I've booked brides without even meeting with them, just from them finding my Web site, clicking on the streaming video, calling me, talking price, and they'll say, 'All right. Send me a contract.' I feel if you're a videographer , if you want to get more business, you need to offer streaming video."

However, the Web isn't the only way to drum up business. As it has always been, another important tool is referrals, that age-old kind of word-of-mouth advertising where happy customers report their positive (or negative) wedding video results to others looking for the same service. Videographers such as Luisa Winters of Unforgettable Events see the Web as more of a reinforcement tool for referrals than an end-all. "The Web is great, but it is just a means of reinforcing what they have heard already through the referral, or if they are just surfing the net," she said. According to Winters, "By far, most clientele comes to us resulting from referrals from brides and other vendors -- in fact, we do not advertise at all." Surprisingly, she sees other wedding vendors as her allies, even if they are competing wedding videographers. "Many times my referrals come from other videographers that just cannot do the job for whatever reason -- mostly because they are already busy. Referrals, referrals, referrals -- that's the way to go!"

Attending a bridal show is another way for videographers to get the word out about their services. Brides-to-be attend these shows to see new trends and pick up ideas, and the number of videographers showing their wares at such events has increased over the years. According to Markel, "I have had videographers in my consumer bridal show over the last 15 years, however it was only one or two at most per show. But that's changing fast -- last week at our show we had 11." There are also exhibitions that are held specifically for wedding videographers, the biggest being the annual event held by WEVA, the Wedding and Event Videographers Association.

Another powerful way to attract attention to a videography business is by advertising in bridal publications. That's why Illinois Videographers Association president Kris Malandruccolo says it's a big advantage to be a part of an organization where videographers can band together. "We took out a co-op ad in Chicago Wedding Pages magazine and Wedding Guide Chicago, and in order to be on that co-op ad, you have to be a member of IVA. So we're able to advertise in magazines for less cost, because we're all going in on the ads." But even though Luisa Winters thinks ads are important, she adds that there's more to it than that. "He or she who markets best, wins," asserted Winters. "And notice that marketing is not only placing ads, it is building those relationships in the wedding business which will lead to referrals -- that is the marketing that counts the most."

All the wedding videographers interviewed were certain that amateurs are not overrunning their businesses in any significant way, although there were numerous examples of "newbies" who made valiant attempts but found out -- often too late -- that pro-level videography isn't as easy as it looks. Even though equipment prices and easy-to-use editing software has brought video-making into the mainstream, talent and experience, as well as hard work and shrewd marketing are still scarce qualities that make professional wedding videographers a valuable resource to the multi-billion dollar wedding industry.

About the author:
For more information on wedding videography in Tampa and Orlando, check out www.media43.comor call 813-623-3126.


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Selecting the right wedding videographer is very important because wedding videos hold special moments from your wedding day. Just like you need to find the perfect wedding dress, it should be without question that you need a quality wedding videographer.

Now I don’t mean a wedding videographer that asks Aunt Gretchen to say a few words about her little niece Sharon who is all grown up. And I don’t mean a wedding videographer that likes to force everyone to smile in the middle of dinner time because he is always in your face with that video camera. Run from those wedding videographers.

The Right Wedding Videographer
Albert Ling of Encore Weddings, was the right videographer for me. He was unobtrusive (we hardly knew he was around), he didn’t use crazy special effects in his previous wedding videos and he had a demeanor that made it easy to feel comfortable around him. Don’t worry, the right wedding videographer for you is out there. And once you find him, hold on tight because he is an important part of your wedding budget and he (along with the wedding photographer) has your once in your lifetime moments in his hands. Make sure your wedding videographer is experienced. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is for someone to just call themselves a videographer. Do you really want to be one of their early wedding video mistakes? Albert had hundreds of video that my husband went through with him during the consultation but even though he had done so many wedding videos, our wedding video was still different from all the others.

I just popped in my wedding DVD (that’s right, I didn’t get my wedding video on VHS) in order to give you some important tips on what to look for in your wedding videographer’s portfolio. Yes, you need to see the wedding videographer’s portfolio.

The Wedding Videographer’s Portfolio
You need to make sure he hasn’t done 1,000 wedding videos that are exactly the opposite approach you want. It also matters if he clearly understands what you want from him. Can he produce that? And has he done that before? You don’t have to see all his videos but you don’t want to see a video montage of what he thinks are his best clips. You want to see what he has done from start to finish. See if the videos were steady if he uses a hand held video camera instead of a tripod. Watch for editing – do they make sense? Are you going from the wedding ceremony to the reception or from the reception decorations to the ceremony? Has he captured all of the members of the wedding party? Was he too slow and didn’t get the “here comes the bride” entrance? Where the close ups “too close up”? Are you having an outdoor wedding? What if it is windy? Does he have unobtrusive mikes for the wedding party? Or will you end up with the sound of wind on the wedding video and muted voices? You also want to be able to speak with happy clients from the wedding videos you liked the most.

One Videographer or Two? One Video Camera or Two?
For my wedding, we had one videographer with one handheld camera. Having a second camera can help obtain extra points of view which may be needed during editing and sometimes if the first camera man is unable to get a shot, the second camera will hopefully be able to pick it up. Our wedding videographer was experienced so we didn’t feel like we needed a second camera or videographer.

Wedding Video on DVD or VHS?
After watching the wedding video once, most people don’t sit through it in full many times after. They usually fast forward to parts that they like which over time wears out your wedding video. If you choose to have your wedding video on DVD, you can easily jump to the parts you want to highlight instead of having to sit through a few hours or constantly fast forward and rewind your videotape.

And speaking of wedding videos that last a few hours - please spare your friends and family. You don’t need every single moment from your wedding day on the wedding video. My wedding video is 30 minutes long. It was set up like a story book with scenes from throughout the day highlighting the wedding ceremony, my father’s speech and the cutting of the cake. The other scenes were played with one of four songs we chose.

Special Additions to Your Wedding Video
The wedding videographer will probably offer you a few additions to your package. I personally felt they were unnecessary but you may feel differently. You may include a prelude of some wedding planning, commentary about the couple from their family and friends, photo montages and video from before the couple met and special effects (slow motion and fading in and out).

Wedding Videographer Cost
You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for your wedding video. The wedding videographer will be one of your biggest wedding budget expenses.

And now some advice that was given to me that I want to share with you.

My matron of honor gave me some advice when I was planning my wedding … even if you are on the fence about a wedding video – just get it! You may never watch it or your grandmother may be the only one that watches it but one day if you want to watch it and you don’t have a wedding video, you will feel incredibly sad about not having one to watch.

One last thing! Make sure you include your wedding videographer (and camera man) on the list for a meal at the reception or else you risk having them take an hour break so they can get some lunch/dinner. (Remember they are working straight close to 8 hours if not more! Feed them! No exceptions.)

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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Some of the same considerations involved in selecting a photographer for your wedding photos also apply to choosing the right videographer. Wedding video, however, is a newer art than wedding photography, and the two forms of preserving your memories cannot really be lumped together when shopping for these professional services.

Nowadays, nearly everyone has a home video camera, and the quality of pictures they produce is quite good; better, in fact, than professional equipment could turn out just a few years ago. This has led many people to neglect the importance of using a professional videographer to record once-in-a-lifetime events. Yes, your friend Bob's nifty new handy-dandy super camcorder can turn out some pretty good-looking stuff, but if you depend on friend Bob to provide your wedding video, you are setting yourself up to be sadly disappointed.

First of all, Bob's new camera, while quite snazzy, still will not be up to the level of equipment the serious professional videographer will bring to your wedding. When shopping for video, ask the videographer to explain to you what a 3-chip camera is, and why it makes better video than a home camcorder. Also ask him about the various tape formats used by the pros...SVHS, HI8, Betacam, and get him to explain the advantages of these over standard home formats. Oh, and wouldn't it be nice to have great sound quality on your video, so you can actually hear your wedding vows, and your music? Chances are pretty good that friend Bob won't own the sophisticated wireless microphones the professional uses to record even a whisper.

Ever sat and watched Bob's 6-hour production of Little Bobby's Birthday Party? This brings us to one of the areas where the pros really excel, editing. No, editing is NOT "cutting out" or throwing away any of your wedding video. Editing is an almost magical process whereby the professional videographer refines and assembles the pictures he carefully gathered at your wedding into a polished, pleasing record of your wedding day. Every videographer has his own style, and there are as many types of wedding video available as there are videographers. Look at lots of sample videos, find the videographer with a style that pleases you, and with a personality you can be comfortable with for six or eight hours on your wedding day.

After your wedding is over, all you will have to help you remember a very important day will be your wedding photos and your wedding video. Select these professionals with care and you'll never be sorry!

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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Choosing a wedding anniversary gift that wows your husband or wife can rate high on your anxiety list; your anniversary is an occasion where the thought counts even more than the gift. The idea that your loving spouse should “know what I want" can lead to disappointed expectations, as men and women tend to have radically different ideas about what “romantic" means. Mind reading is an art, not a science; so make it easy for your husband or wife to choose a wedding anniversary gift. Drop easy-to-figure-out hints or talk about how you would love to celebrate your anniversary.

You don't always have the money or the time to plan an extravagant wedding anniversary celebration, and truly, the amount of money spent isn't going to be what makes your husband or wife feel cherished. Life is busier than ever for most couples and it's easy to fall into a routine that deadens your marriage. Making time to celebrate your love gets lost in the shuffle. Your anniversary is the perfect occasion to break out of your rut.

What will touch your husband or wife's heart, what's been missing in your relationship that you want to enjoy again? Answer this question and you'll be on the right path to finding wedding anniversary gifts that have the magic “wow" factor.

Spice up your gifts
Traditional anniversary gifts of flowers, chocolate or jewelry can be made special by the way you present them.

Personalize a flower bouquet or a box of chocolates with a love letter, note or a short poem. “Roses are red, violets are blue, we've been married for xx years, and my love for you is still true." “Chocolates are yummy and sweet, but you are always my number one treat." Take a romantic song lyric and personalize it by changing a few words or a line or two. Doesn't have to be fancy, just heartfelt.

Place a jewelry gift in a special keepsake box and also enclose a love note. If you're dining out at your favorite restaurant, have the gift delivered with dessert. Buy a heart-shaped serving tray to present it. Or custom engrave a bracelet with a romantic message.

A romantic evening “home alone" can jumpstart your romance again. Create a fun theme for your evening and buy costumes to match it. Order in a dinner so you only have to heat and serve.

Indulge yourselves with a romantic and sexy getaway. If you have children, maybe a relative or trusted friends can take them for one night so you can enjoy a private celebration. Get a suite and decorate it beforehand. Set up candles, strew the bed with flower petals, sexy lingerie and fun toys. Put on your favorite music and leisurely give each other a massage to get into the mood.

Personalized gifts are very appreciated, especially when they include words of love or a happy photo of you together. Create a “love" gift basket. Include items such photos, love coupons, a framed love letter, a small box of chocolates, massage oils, a few fresh flowers, aromatic candles, bottle of wine or small romantic trinkets with special meanings to your marriage.

Show how much you appreciate your husband or wife and plan your anniversary celebration around something that they always wanted to do but haven't done yet.
But the best anniversary gift is to give your husband or wife what they truly want: to know that you cherish your love and marriage, and always will.


About the author:
Renee Michaels uses her design, writing and life skills to develop web businesses. For romantic anniversary ideas, visit LoveGifts.

Reprint article conditions: No changes to the content, bio and copyright must be included, and all links must be live.



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Many couples think they can cut a few corners by having uncle Charlie or aunt Mary video their wedding. They’ve had a camcorder for a long time; they must know what they are doing right? And what the heck it’s free!

But then you watch the video and the memories you had just aren’t coming across the way you remember them; or at least you didn’t get see sick during the real thing. Don’t get me wrong there are plenty of relatives and friends who could probably do a half way decent job but why take the chance? This is your wedding, your big day, and you only get one shot at it. When getting it right on the first take counts you really should not settle for anything less than a professional wedding videographer to capture your precious event.

Professional wedding videographers understand the nature of the wedding service and know the ins and outs of capturing all of the important moments. They also know the dynamics of working with the people involved in your wedding, including the clergy, photographer and others. I don’t know how many times a photographer has told me they missed a good shot because aunt Mary was in the way. More often though I hear from clergy about the uncle Charlie’s that crossed the line of propriety several times by not abiding by the rules of the venue or understanding the sanctity of the church.

Being a professional wedding videographer takes more than just knowing how to run a camcorder, get great footage or capture excellent audio. A good wedding videographer is able to make you and your party feel entirely at ease by being as unobtrusive and transparent as possible. They are able to work with you to find out what is important to you. What types of camera angles you like, what parts of the ceremony and reception are absolutely essential to capture, what effects if any you would like applied in edit, and so on. They know how to meet your expectations and create a finished product that you will be proud to share with family and friends.

Many couples do not understand the value of a wedding videographer until they see someone else’s professionally shot and edited video and by then it’s already too late. When you consider how much time the average person spends in front of the television, having a video of your wedding starts to make a lot of sense.

Whatever you’re feelings are about hiring a professional wedding videographer, you owe to yourself to at least make a few calls and ask some questions. It could be one of the best decisions you ever make.

About the author:
Find more articles at www.media43.com


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Your wedding vows are the words that will forever remain in your partner's heart and memory. So you want to ensure that you express exactly what you are feeling and how much you love them. Most people have never written wedding vows before and they aren't quite sure how to communicate what they feel into words. Here are some helpful guidelines to ensure that the feelings in your heart are encompassed in your wedding vows:

1. Sit down with your fiancée and put some general expectations in place for your wedding vows - such as how long and how in-depth they should be.

2. Begin brainstorming. Think about your relationship and everything you've gone through together. Focus, perhaps, on a specific situation such as the moment when you realized that this was the person you were meant to be with.

3. If you use nicknames or lovable expressions with your fiancée (honey or sweetheart) you may want to incorporate these into your wedding vows.

4. If tradition is important to you, review some examples of conventional wedding vows. Most begin with "in the name of God, I (your name) take you (your fiancée's name) to be my lawfully wedded wife/husband." You may consider reciting your vows in a similar manner.

5. Avoid sad memories or stories about you and your partner fighting. Wedding vows are meant to express the joys of being together. Therefore you should focus on the positive.

6. Once you've jotted down your ideas, you'll want to express them in a smooth and flowing manner. You may want to start with past memories and work your way to the present instead of jumping randomly from topic to topic, as this will give the impression that you took little time to prepare your vows.

7. Incorporate common expressions of love such as "I love you" or "I can't live with out you".

8. Once you have completed your vows be sure to read them over 2 or 3 times to ensure that they convey exactly what you want your partner to know. You might want to have a friend, family member or your wedding officiant to read them to ensure that they are appropriate and meaningful.

It's important to personalize your wedding vows and make them unique to you and your fiancée. Wedding vows are meant to convey your feelings of love. They explain why you're choosing to spend the rest of your life with your partner. Regardless of what you write, your partner loves you and is going to cherish your wedding vows as long as they come from the heart.

About the author:
Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding ceremonies to wedding traditions and more.


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Want to make sure your marriage doesn't end up on the rocks before you get to the chapel? Then set a realistic wedding budget -- and stick to it.

In the process of planning a wedding, budget concerns often is a source of disagreement for a couple. They may have different ideas about what kind of wedding they want, and about what they can afford. To make the wedding a truly happy occasion, it is important that the couple discusses financial constraints early.

Set A Budget And Save For It

The first tip is -- discuss finances before the wedding plans begin. Everyone involved in the decision-making process needs to understand exactly how much money is available for the wedding.

To maximize that budget, you should start saving early for your wedding. Advance planning and saving will allow you to maintain or even exceed your budget, comfortably. And that will make wedding planning easier and more fun.

Get Everyone On-Board

Once your wedding budget has been established, set it aside for a few days and then review it again. This gives everyone a chance to let the information sink in. The budget review after this waiting period gives the participants a chance to verify that they understand and agree to the budget. This is vitally important, because someone who does not agree with the budget may overspend in 1 area, leaving the rest of the budget in jeopardy.

Budget Line Items

When you've decided exactly how much money is available for your wedding, the next step is to divide the total into budget categories, such as the venue, food and drink, bride's attire, groom's attire, transportation, entertainment, photography, favors, centerpieces, and gifts. It is also advisable to set aside money for unforeseen expenses.

Who Pays

Part of establishing a budget is to be clear on who will pay for what.

Shopping And Negotiating

You will need to negotiate contracts for services, and so you must know the budget for each area of the wedding. If you have allotted $250 for entertainment, look for a DJ whose rate is approximately that amount, then negotiate to ensure that you remain under budget.

It's wise to shop around and compare prices for services. A company may come highly recommended, but if they are outside your price range, let them know why you are going to have to choose another company. You may be surprised at how willing they will be to give you a better offer.

Substitute Creativity For Cash

Doing things on your own is another way to stay under budget. Homemade invitations or making your own favors or centerpieces can greatly reduce the wedding cost, freeing up funds for other areas of the wedding.

Do not fall into the trap of viewing your budget as restrictive. Instead of thinking about what you can't afford, focus on how you can make your wedding and reception truly unique. You will be inspired to create a wonderful, memorable wedding regardless of your budget constraints.

Anticipate The Unforeseen

Realize that there are bound to be snags along the way. If you go over budget in 1 area, you will need to cut the budget in another area. As long as you stay aware of your spending and realize the ramifications of all your actions, you can roll with the punches and alter your plans to accommodate any needed changes.

Make It A Wonderful Memory

A wedding budget can cause emotional strain on a couple and their relationship. It is important for them to discuss their finances and establish a clear budget for their wedding plans. Doing this early in the wedding planning process can help the couple to avoid conflict during the planning phase of the wedding. It can also make the wedding more fun for everyone, and start out the marriage on a positive note.

After all, working together is what a marriage is all about.



About the author:
Visit www.gr8wedding.comto learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.


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