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Adorn.com-rent bridal jewelry First Impressions Lasts Choose Your Wedding Invitations ProperlyHow to choose your wedding invitation: 1. Set a budget and be creative. As well as there are beautiful expanssive invitations, there are also inexpenssive but equally beautiful ones in the market. You just got to be creative and know where to look. 2. Decide on a theme and color motif for your wedding. Your invitation should suggest the theme or the color motif of your wedding. 3. Do your guest list so that you will know how many invitations to order. 4. Select a style that reflects your personality as well as it should give an idea of the wedding that you are planning. 5. Begin as early as eight months before the wedding. This means that you will have plenty of time paying attention to perfect the wording, and should something goes wrong, you will have ample time to revise it and make sure that it is “the way you want it” before sending them out. 6. Before you order your invitations, make sure that all of your wedding details such as the date, time and place of the ceremony and reception are already confirmed. 7. Asking help from professionals on the look and style of your invitation will help you pull your ideas together for a more beautiful outcome. 8. With regards to the proper wording and etiquette, a professional should be consulted to make sure that everything in the invitation is properly placed. 9. Order more invitations than the amount that you really need. This will give you a few extras in case you miss anyone out. 10. When giving the shop your wording, it is best that you give it to them typewritten, so they can clearly read it. 11. Do it with style. Be creative and try to combine materials to achieve your own personal touch. Invitation Etiquette
1. When the ceremony and the reception will be held at different locations, you can enclose a reception card along with your invitation. The reception card should also be provided with an envelope and contain specific information about the reception. 2. Do not address envelopes as Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper and Family. This is not proper. The names of children under eighteen years old should be included in the invitation, while children over eighteen should be sent their own invitation. 3. You can use casual names such as “Uncle Henry and Aunt Beth” or “Grandma” to relatives that are close to you, in addressing the inner envelope as this will show how much you mean to them, even if you are planning a formal event. 4. Mail your invitation six to eight weeks before your wedding date. If however, your wedding date is set on a holiday season or you are inviting a lot of guests that are from out of State, you should mail the invitations sooner to give them ample time to plan and make hotel reservations and organize their schedule. 5. Position the word “black tie” in the lower right hand corner of the invitation if you are planning for a formal wedding so that your guests can dress accordingly. Don’ts when placing invitation wordings: 1. Don’t use nicknames. Always use the first, middle, and last name. Some people do not want their middle names included in the invitation; don’t use initials, simply do not include their middle names. 2. Don’t make abbreviations. Only “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “Dr.” can be abbreviated. All other titles should be written completely. 3. Don’t abbreviate dates, addresses and time. 4. Don’t write the word “and” as “&”. Invitation assembly: 1. Place the invitation inside the large envelope along with its protective tissue and make certain that the invitation is facing you. 2. Place in the reception invitation on top of the invitation, also facing you. 3. Position the response card in, and leaning within the flap of the response envelope, which is facing down. 4. The last to go in are the directions or map which guides the guests. 5. When addressing the outer envelope, it is best that you use calligraphy. 6. For added touch, choose a postage stamp that well compliments the general appearance of your invitation. 7. If possible, bring your invitations to the post office and ask that they be hand cancelled, to avoid unattractive marks or scratches that a machine cancelling can cause. Click
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Gifts - Show them you appreciate them standing up for you. Garden Wedding Favors - Create a gorgeous glowing garden on your reception tables. Beach Wedding Favors - Make their memories of your special day on the beach linger on and on. Elegant Wedding Favors - These stylish favors bring sophistication and flair to any wedding. Golf Wedding Favors - A fun little gift that's sure to be appreciated by guests of all ages and tastes! Asian Wedding Favors - These specially crafted gifts recall the beauty and elegance of the Far East while retaining a distinctly modern sophistication. Personalized Wedding Favors - A creative way to make your reception tables that much more intimate. Wedding Cost Saving IdeasAlmost every girl has a picture of her ideal wedding in her mind. She may dream up something that she can visualize when reading fairy tales that end with "...and they live happily ever after." She sees flowers, ribbons and laces. However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other considerations on her mind. She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom. Not to mention that the bride also considers the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration. And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations - the cost. Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying of debts made during the wedding preparations. Therefore, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be should be very careful what to spend on. Here are a few things to consider. * Personalize the decorations. Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost. For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose having photos from their collection made the main subjects for the reception design. The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes, * Consider renting. Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again. These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arc ways and the artificial flower arrangements. So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces. * Kids can get bored during the wedding reception. So instead of having kids seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where kids can be more casual and can have a small party of their own. * Marriage is a union of families. During the wedding rites, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple. Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families. * For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts schools. They may agree to cater for the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more. You may also have a pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish. * If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party. Usually, only cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests. * For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ. You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception. * When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day. They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost. Getting married should not be expensive. After all, the essence of marriage is in the union and not in the celebration. You shouldn't also try too hard to please the guests. Your family and friends are there to rejoice this wonderful event with you and not to criticize your wedding. Interesting Wedding Night Rituals from Around The WorldWeddings are occasions of lasting traditions and rituals. All over the world, people’s beliefs, culture and history has affected this memorable event. It is common knowledge that wedding ceremonies are different all over the world, but did you know that the diversity extends even on the wedding night? Read this to know the interesting activities that couples, families and friends do before letting the newlyweds reach a night of wedding bliss! It is customary in an American wedding for the bride and groom to hop into a get-away car with tin cans attached to the rear of the car, off to their secret honeymoon, immediately after the wedding. Did you know that this rooted from escaping a Celtic wedding night tradition? In Gaelic cultures, it was a tradition for friends and family of the couple to mess with the couple’s wedding night. In the olden days, when couples spend their wedding night in a barn, girl friends of the bride would dress her for bed and ask each of the male guests to kiss her good night. The friends would do other things to prevent the groom from seeing her new wife. Even if the couple finally comes together, they would disturb the union by making noise outside the barn and even peep into the couple, while drinking the night away. The couple waits for everyone to get too drunk to eventually leave them alone. This kind of prank is something that newly weds want to get away from, thus, they keep their honeymoon destination a secret and speed away after the wedding. More Celtic wedding night ritual come from Scotland: sleeping in the barn on the first night, sprinkling water on the marriage bed for luck and staying for a week with the bride's parents before moving into the newlywed’s home. The Germans and the French do a similar tradition of “disturbing” the wedding night, called Chiverie, known in the US as Shivaree. They make noise outside the place where the couple spends their first night together. Some even play around with the room where they will stay, like put plenty of balloons, spread food all over the bed, and hide alarm clock everywhere, just for fun. The Romans believed that it was bad fortune when the bride stumbles when entering the newlywed’s house for the first time. Thus, after the wedding, male friends of the couple would carry her over the doorstep. At present, the groom is expected to do the job himself. In Benin, western Africa, they value virginity. The bride’s mother rewards her with cash if she’s a virgin at their wedding night! In the morning, the sheets that the couples used are inspected for bloodstains. Some mothers even "fly the flag" out the window, showing off their daughter's bloodstained nightgown. Seriously! For the Chinese, at the night of the wedding, candles designed with a phoenix and a dragon is lit to drive the evil spirit away. The newlyweds will drink wine from goblets tied together with a red ribbon, while arms intertwined. Then the bride will be given half-raw dumplings, which symbolize prosperity. Marquesasian (from Polynesia) brides have a notable wedding night ritual: they are expected to have sex with all the male guests and then saving the groom for last. Now that can make your wedding night … extremely unforgettable! Weddings: Some Odd TraditionsAnd for the rest of their lives, the man and woman shall be together…. Doesn’t it sound romantic? For the man and the woman to leave their families to be as one, to form a new family? It has been like this from time immemorial. And throughout the millennia, the concept of family and marriage have been so closely knotted together that it is sometimes impossible to separate one from the other. Marriage is present in every culture in some form. Although the laws, norms, and cultures may differ, they all still recognize the union of man and woman under one roof. Marriage has evolved in so many ways from the different cultures all throughout the world throughout the ages. For each culture, there are diverse ways of celebrating something like marriage. But in each culture, there has always been one thing that has remained the same – that in every culture, and every tribe, marriage has always been one to be celebrated with the utmost of festivities, with singing, eating, and celebrating. Along with these festivities, man has also adopted a growing, and evolving number of traditions each filled with meaning and – believe it or not – shocking origins. The Wedding Cake The real wedding cake would be a pound cake that would be “pound up” and crumbled and tossed at the couple as a sign of fertility. That is where we get today’s custom of sprinkling the couple with rice after the wedding. Cakes during weddings are usually stacked up in large layers. The higher the stack, the more ‘glamorous’ the cake. People usually regard these arrangements are mere style. However, they were done so in the past as a symbol of fertility. Couples would stack these cakes to symbolize how many children the wished to have. So in the past, the higher the stack, the more the children. Tying the Knot Best Man – Secret Agent Today Wedding Rings: What To Look ForWedding rings have long been a part of the tradition of marriage. The highlight of every wedding ceremony, wedding rings represent a couple's promise of remaining faithful and loyal to each other all the time of their lives. The use of wedding rings date as far back as the time of ancient Egypt, when Egyptians create rings from reeds (and other plants that grow on the Nile River) for couples to exchange, symbolizing their never-ending love for each other. Today, conventional forms of wedding rings are those that consist of precious metals that are usually worn on the ring finger (the 4th finger) of the left hand. This practice stemmed out from the belief of the "hand-heart connection" - that a vein of blood from the 4th finger of the left hand goes directly to the heart. Medical science, however, has already refuted this claim with their discovery of how the circulatory system works, and although the tradition of wearing the ring on the 4th finger of the left hand still prevails, some people now prefers to wear their wedding rings on their right hand. Because wedding rings are the ultimate symbol of lifelong love and commitment, it is important that you choose rings of a high quality - one that will last for a long time (perhaps as enduring as your marriage!) Below are some factors to consider when buying wedding rings: 1. Establish your budget. Going into a jewelry store with the idea of how much you are willing to spend (and how much you can actually spend) for your wedding rings will save you a lot of time. 2. Choose the material. There are numerous wedding ring materials for you to choose from. Some of them are the following: · Gold - considered as the most traditional wedding ring material, gold comes in a variety of color (yellow gold, pink gold, white gold, green gold) and quality (14k, 18k, and 24k). · Platinum - considered as one of the finest, purest, and rarest precious metals. One of the strongest, heaviest, and the most enduring of all metals, wedding rings made of platinum is ideal to wear everyday because it is hypoallergenic, it resists tarnish, and it shows little wear. It is, however, more expensive than gold. · Diamonds - the hardest substance known to man, diamonds are considered as one of the most luxurious and sought-after gem and wedding ring material, with its beauty, purity and durability symbolizing long-lasting love. Note that the value of a diamond is determined by the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight. Other materials that are used for wedding rings include metals such as titanium, tungsten carbide, and nickel silver; and precious gems such as ruby, sapphire, emerald, and topaz. 3. Choose the style. Wedding rings also come in different styles and designs, such as the following: · Celtic/Irish design wedding rings Depending on your personal preference, your wedding ring should be in a design and style that is comfortable to wear and one that will reflect your personality. 4. Browse stores. Find the best deals by looking around the different jewelry stores to compare the different styles and prices that they offer. 5. Consult an expert. Seek advice from a jeweler with a good reputation who can help you find the perfect wedding ring. Wedding rings are not merely pieces of jewelry. They are significant symbols of a couple's love and commitment for each other, so be sure to find a wedding ring that you can treasure forever. Wedding photos - Memories in printWedding photos are a vivid reminder of a couple's wedding day. In essence, wedding photos capture the spirit and joy of that blessed day when the couple exchanged 'I dos'. Wedding photos commemorate the memorable events that took place on the couple's wedding day. Getting quality wedding photos is important for every couple in order to preserve the joyous events of their wedding day. A substantial portion of a couple's wedding expenses goes into the preparation and production of the wedding photos. Depending on a couple's style and budget, there are a number of ways they can get the best wedding photos they want at the price they can afford. Professional services for wedding photos Hiring a professional wedding photographer is always a good idea for couples that want to have the best wedding photos from their wedding day. But many couples shy away from hiring professional photographers for their wedding photos because of the high costs associated with their services. Fortunately, there are a number of professional wedding photographers that offer a variety of photography packages for wedding photos at reasonable prices. In addition, many of these professional photographers may also be open to arranging a customized package to help out couples that are on a limited budget. At the same time, couples should also be cautious about getting the least expensive package for their wedding photos. Most of the time, a couple may end up spending more to get additional shots included in the package they initially ordered. It is better to get a slightly more expensive package that covers a lot more than to spend extra cash at the last minute. When working with a professional wedding photographer, be sure to get a signed agreement that outlines the terms of service to be provided. The contract would include matters concerning payments, cancellations as well as the delivery of wedding photos after development. Digital Photography - digital wedding photos Technology has brought about a marked increased in the development of highly sophisticated digital cameras. Many professional wedding photographers now make use of these digital cameras to produce high quality digital wedding photos. Even amateurs are using the latest digital cameras to produce professional looking wedding photos. But keep in mind that many amateurs may not have the artistic skill to create beautiful wedding photos. Unlike professional wedding photographers, most amateur photographers have no concept of light and composition, which are essential factors in taking professional wedding photos. Keep in mind that no amount of computer enhancement can fix poorly shot wedding photos. How to save on wedding photos Weddings can be quite expensive considering all the costs associated with the occasion. In particular, wedding photos can eat up a big chunk of the wedding funds because of all the photos that need to be taken. Formal, informal and group wedding photos with family and friends can be quite costly especially for a big wedding. A good way to limit costs is to employ the help of family and friends in taking additional wedding photos. The couple can hire a professional photographer to cover the ceremony. The photographer would only take the formal wedding photos before and during the ceremony. Family and friends can help take candid wedding photos during the reception. Candid wedding photos are a great way to remember the fun and merriment of the day. Wedding gift ideasA wedding is a red letter day for anyone. Just being invited to one can really bring about excitement. It is always a pleasure to see someone walk down the aisle with the promise of true love and life long happiness. Picking out wedding gifts can be a lot of fun too. There are thousands of gifts ideas that you can purchase online or on retail stores. Personalized gifts have been a common trend in weddings presents. Customized gifts bring out your creativity because you can dictate the style, design and message you want to be printed on them. Items range from photo frames, mugs and clocks, among others. In buying gifts, always keep in mind your budget and be sure to get the look you want to achieve on your purchased items. Here are some gift ideas that would surely be a hit: Tapestry Photo Frames T-shirts Accessories Mugs Clocks Looking for wedding gifts can be enjoyable. Personalizing your gifts would add a special touch to each present. No matter what the value of the gift is, remember that it is always the pure intention of giving that matters most. Tips for Choosing Wedding DecorationsThe first thing that guests notice when they attend a wedding ceremony or reception are the decorations. Therefore, every bride and groom wants to have the decorations very attractive, memorable and to have these represent the interests or the couple. Usually, the task of choosing the wedding decorations is delegated to the bride and the female members of the family and entourage. However, it is still preferred that the groom should also help in conceptualizing the decorations to be used for the wedding. Here are some aspects to consider when deciding on what decorations to be used in the wedding: * Mood Will the wedding be formal or casual? Do you want it to be traditional or contemporary? This will help in deciding what candles, flowers, balloons, and other venue enhancements will you be needing. * Color Scheme Consider the main color to be used for the decorations. This may be the couple's favorite color, a color that can be associated with their hobby or the color that is preferred during the season. Make sure that the color of the decorations will go well with what the members of the entourage and the guests will be wearing. * Site Take pictures of the wedding site as early as possible so that you can check the pictures while considering a decorating idea. * Time Usually, decorations can only be set at the church and at the reception within one to two hours before the event. Therefore, you must consider decorations that don't take much time to mount. Also, these decorations should also be taken down right after the event. * Guests Consider how many will attend the wedding reception and how big is the site. With the number of guests that you will be having, can you still set-up bigger decorations that will take some floor space? If you have a large number of guests, you may just want to set-up floor decorations near the stage and dance floor where most of the program will take place. Also, you might want to opt for smaller but finely detailed table decorations. Also consider if there will be kids who will be attending the wedding reception. Kids may get bored during the program and start playing with the decorations that can cause an unsightly mess. So you may just get decorations that are not so fragile. Another tip, if you will be having several kids as guests, you may have a kids area, where they can mingle with other kids and where the decorations and food are more suited for their age. * Budget Improperly chosen decorating ideas will not look well even if these cost much. Also, choosing just two or three decorating ideas, as long as these are implemented well can make a ceremony and reception look lavish. Also, it is not necessary to buy every item that will be used as decorations. Some professional decorators can give you information on vases, mirrors, table centerpieces, dried flower arrangements, arc ways, pedestals and plants that will only be used for one day. With these, just adding a few candles, laces and fresh flowers will make your wedding site and reception exquisite. A final budgeting advice, check with the wedding rite venue director if there are other weddings that will take place during the day. If so, you may want to coordinate with the couple that will be using the venue before or after you. The may agree with your decorating ideas or add some of their own, and agree to just split the decorating expenses with you. Trust Your Memories Only To A Professional Wedding PhotographerIt is a must the one gets a professional photographer for her wedding day. Wedding pictures will last a lifetime, keeping memories of this very special day. It will live longer than the flowers and the catered food, therefore, you would only want a photographer who understands what you want and can be relied upon to capture every minute of this special day. Hire a professional, look for the following: 1. A valid and legal sales tax license. 2. Ask latest proof of business insurance. 3. Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera). 4. Membership in any professional association. 5. A permanent studio. Things to consider: Level of experience. Check his background and ask for names of persons that he has photographed. Call them and ask if they were satisfied on the photographer’s work. Personality. Is his ideas same as yours? Can you communicate with him easily? Meaning he understands what you want or what is your idea regarding the style of photography that you want to be achieved. Style of photography. Do the images that are presented appeal to you? Do you like his style? References. Ask for references and meet with them personally so you can take a look of his works as well as ask them if they were happy with the outcome of with his work. A person who is hesitant to give references is definitely not the photographer that you should hire. Packages. Ask about each package that he presents to you. If you are not comfortable with the packages, can he make one to satisfy your needs? Accomplished work. Ask how long will it take for him to finish your album, your bridal portrait and all the photos taken during the wedding. Price. Can you afford his services? If not, is he worth the price difference as compared to others you’ve met? Take the time to ask all that you need to know and make sure you understand all services and photos include in the cost. Payments and deposits. Should you cancel, can he give a refund? If he, in any circumstance, does not show up, what happens? Does he have a partner to take his place just in case? Make sure you clear all of this to him as well as discuss with him all your concerns. His answer should be able to convince you that he can be trusted. Contract. Check and read it carefully before signing. If there is anything that you don’t understand, ask him or ask that he leaves you the contract overnight so you can study it. Be certain that everything you both had agreed on is in the contract. When looking at the photographer’s work, look for the following: 1. Each sample album must consist of only one wedding. Does he have a lot of sample albums? 2. Does he have a recent actual wedding that he could have you look at? Look through his most recent wedding album. 3. Study each album well and see if the album is telling the story of the wedding and not just filling the album up with similar photos. 4. Are the portraits clear and did the photographer capture the subject’s mood? 5. Are all the photos done artistically? Is there a play of light and shadow? 6. Are candid shots taken? Are they clear and well composed? Remember that photos will remind you of and will bring!
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