Wedding Ideas

I suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can be divided into 4 main sections and these are: The ceremony Pre-meal drinks Wedding breakfast Evening reception

I suppose about half of the weddings I come across have the ceremony in a church so this means that if they do require me to provide live music; it will be during the drinks before the meal and the wedding breakfast. Everyone’s requirements are different so don’t be afraid to discuss any special requirements with whoever your hiring.

As far as the choice of specific pieces of music is concerned - the only part of the wedding that you really have to think about is the wedding ceremony.

A) The ceremony

The church ceremony. I’m not going to go into any detail with the choice of music for a church ceremony – there are so many religious denominations which all have their differences. A church wedding is easier from the music point of view in that you very seldom have to provide someone to perform your choice of music - unlike the civil ceremony. However, you won’t have a problem with a church service - you’ll be able to discuss everything to the finest detail with the relevant cleric and the resident organist if there is one.

The civil ceremony. One thing that has become popular over recent years is the civil wedding ceremony and I think that this is the reason that more and more musicians are booked for weddings each year. At one time you had to go to a registry office to have a civil ceremony. Things have changed as so many hotels and other venues have been able to apply for a licence to hold marriage ceremonies on their own premises. The main advantage to a civil wedding in a hotel is that everything to do with the marriage can be carried out at the same place. That means less travelling and less hassle for everyone. Although you will have to sort out the music for a civil ceremony yourself there is a bonus in that if you choose live music for the service, the musicians can provide music for the pre-meal drinks and for the wedding breakfast itself – thus killing three birds with one stone. Your specific choice of music should be discussed with the musicians well before the event and they should be able to provide you with some ideas. If you don’t want to pick each individual piece of music for the proceedings then just give whoever is involved, an idea of the style of music you would like or maybe a composer. For a civil ceremony you can have any music you want as long as neither the title or the lyric have any reference to religion. Most couples prefer to have music of a classical vein for the ceremony and the have something lighter for the rest of the day.

The civil ceremony has four main part’s as far as a musician is concerned and they are: The gathering of the congregation (sometimes called ‘the prelude’. The Procession The signing of the register(sometimes called ‘the interlude. The recession

1) The gathering of the congregation.

This section doesn’t really have a time span - so when a couple does select music for this part of the ceremony, they must accept that either you won’t be able to have all of your chosen pieces, or more frequently the performer will have to play extra music of his choice.

2) The Procession. The next section is the entrance of the bride and traditionally this is carried out to Verdi’s Bridal March. Although most people stick to the Verdi; you can have any music you like. The one thing you must consider when looking an alternative is that it doesn’t take long for the bride to walk down the aisle. I think that it is wiser to stick to the Bridal March.

3) The signing of the register. There never seems to be a problem with this part. A piece of up to five minutes is usually fine and anything goes really. I suppose that if you did choose something that was too long there would come a point where the musician would have to stop playing – however, the piece would have to be excessively long for this to occur.

4) The recession. This is where everyone leaves the place of the wedding ceremony and traditionally this was always carried out to Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. In this day and age wedding couples seem to request everything but the Wedding March. Anything seems to be appropriate for the recession and there isn’t a problem with the length of the music. As soon as the last person has gone; the musician or musicians finish.

That’s it! The ceremony is over and everyone can start the celebration.

B) Pre Meal Drinks

After the ceremony everyone usually starts making a lot of noise. They have so much to say because they’ve had to keep so quiet throughout all the serious bit. I said earlier that you needn’t concern yourself about the music after the ceremony but it is a good idea to discuss the style of music you are looking for and maybe give them a couple of requests.

C) The Wedding Breakfast

At one time I used to consider it a novelty if a wedding had live music for the wedding breakfast - now you often get jazz pianists, string quartet, harpists or even flamenco guitarists. It’s always nice to have music while everyone is eating and chatting as long as the music isn’t intrusive. Most of the time musicians just go with with the crowd: playing more mellow music if everyone’s quiet and the more lively stuff if everyone starts making more noise. One of the most important thing to be aware of is whether the music is interfering with the conversation of the wedding guests. If it is; then there’s something wrong. For most weddings you need the music to carry on right up to the speeches and that’s where it finishes until the evening reception.

D) The Evening Reception

Most people will opt for a disco at this point but there are other alternatives. In a sense a marriage is the merging of two families and for most of the guests there will be a large number of people at the wedding who are complete strangers. I think that the wedding day should be geared to making things easy for everyone to get to know each other – unfortunately a disco doesn’t always achieve this and as discos are getting more expensive; live music is rapidly becoming a viable option. Very often a couple fail to realise that quite a large percentage of the guests are going to be elderly and probably won’t be into the latest music trends so your choice of music should cater for these people. Also, the term disco seems to be synonymous with high volume levels so this is something else that you ought to take into consideration when you make your final choice.

Whichever way you go; you won’t please everyone. If it is a big wedding you’ll probably have to hire the services of a disco or a function band, but make sure that whichever choice you make; that they can provide music to cover most tastes. If the wedding is a small affair you will be able to be a bit more adventurous as there won’t be the same pressure to have the dance floor packed with their people in their suits and party frocks. You will be able to try something a bit more subtle – maybe something a little bit more specialised. A soul band is a great idea but don’t expect them to be able to play anything – let them stick to what they do best If it is a small wedding there is a better chance of knowing you guests more intimately and maybe you could find something more to their taste. There is a lot of scope in what you choose; here are a few ideas: soul band, jazz quartet, steel band, salsa, ceilidh, reggae etc. One of the best weddings I’ve ever been to had a ceilidh band and they filled the floor for the entire evening. The bizarre thing about having a ceilidh is that hardly anybody likes the music but it’s main advantage is that you don’t need to be able to dance in order to get up and join in. There is usually someone to show you each dance and there’s no need to feel embarrassed. Another plus is that you usually swap partners which helps get people together and helps with the merging of the two families.

I suppose to sum up this last section I would say that that the obvious choice of a disco isn’t necessarily the best. Think about the numerous alternatives and maybe you’ll make your wedding a little bit different from the norm and more memorable in the process.

About the Author

Eugene Portman is a Surrey based jazz pianist who works throughout the UK both as a soloist and as an ensemble player. His blend of cocktail piano and jazz seems to provide a type of music that is intricate, exciting, and yet easy to listen to. He has provided music and entertainment for thousands of weddings, trade shows and other events.
mail@eugeneportman.com

Wedding Favors
Unique bridal shower and wedding party favors, keepsakes and gifts from catalina collectibles.

As a Personal Trainer for brides-to-be, I often get asked the same wedding fitness questions over and over again. Brides (and grooms) usually are looking for simple and easy ways to get in better shape for their special day.

While there aren’t any quick-fix overnight shape-up plans, armed with the right knowledge and techniques anyone can improve their appearance in time for their wedding day. Here are the most common questions along with answers to help you get more fit in time for your nuptials.

My wedding is next month, how can I drop 20 pounds? Bottom line – you really can’t. This answer doesn’t get a lot of cheers, but it’s the realistic truth. In a month’s time the most you typically can expect to lose is about 8 pounds. If you try unhealthy, starvation-type diets you might be able to lose more than that. But, the truth is that those extra pounds probably won’t make you look a whole lot better. That’s because if you lose that much weight in such a short period of time then you just lose water and muscle weight primarily – not fat! You’d be better off losing the 8 pounds in a healthy way that includes increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat. This type of weight loss will actually improve your appearance. Plus, with the drastic 20-pound loss, you are putting yourself at risk for illness not to mention making yourself look sickly for your precious wedding photographs.

With all the wedding planning, I don’t have a single minute to workout. What can I do? While wedding planning can make anyone’s life a little crazy, it’s important not to lose sight of the importance of regular exercise. Decreasing your usual weekly fitness regimen is fine, but don’t completely forgo it. Try to fit in even just 20 minutes three times per week. And, don’t feel limited to traditional workouts. You can incorporate your wedding planning and workouts together. For example, enroll your fiancé and yourself in weekly dance lessons. You’ll wow your reception guests with your dance steps plus benefit from the exercise you get during each lesson.

How can I get my upper body more defined looking for my wedding day? You can’t spot reduce. So, if you have a lot of fat in that area, you will first need to reduce it. In basic terms, this is done by burning more calories than you consume. So, you need to participate in a healthy fitness program that includes cardio, strength training, flexibility and good nutrition. Once you have decreased the fat, then you can concentrate on strengthening the muscle groups in your upper body. You can do this with dumbbells, resistance bands or weight machines. Choose 1-2 exercises for each major muscle group and perform 8-12 reps and repeat with 1-2 sets. With a good, targeted strength program you could even see results within four weeks.

I really want to get in-shape for my wedding, but I just don’t have any willpower. How can I make myself exercise? Find a program or a workout-buddy that will help provide you with motivation, encouragement and accountability. Your fiancé is a great first choice. But, you could also enlist the help of a member of the bridal party or your mother. Another great option is working with a fitness professional. The fitness pro can create an individual program for you or one designed for you and your workout-buddy. Plus, being accountable to a stranger can be much more motivating. After all, your buddy may fear offending you when remarking about a missed workout session.

Our honeymoon is at a beach. How can I get firmer abs and butt for my swimsuit? As mentioned above, you can’t spot reduce and you need to take a comprehensive approach to shaping-up. With that said, be sure to include exercises that strengthen and tone those particular areas. For a very challenging abdominal workout, try exercises with a stability ball. There are also many great leg/butt exercises that you can do with the ball. But, plain-old squats and lunges are also effective.

For a comprehensive customized bridal workout program, visit http://www.workoutsforyou.com

About the Author

Lynn Bode, author and certified personal trainer, offers brides and grooms an affordable and convenient way to get fit through her website, WorkoutsForYou.com. WorkoutsForYou can help you get the body you’ve always dreamed of in time for your wedding day. Visit http://www.workoutsforyou.com/wtw_wedding_fitness.asp for more information and a sample workout plan.
info@workoutsforyou.com

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Wearing a comfortable pair of shoes is very important if you spend much time on your feet. Whether you’re standing, walking or running, all of your weight falls directly onto the bottom of your feet. That’s why the shoes you wear are critical to the long term comfort and health of your feet and ankles.

Whether you’re wearing sandals, boots or running shoes it’s crucial that your feet are supported and comfortable. Shoes with support and shock absorption will help reduce pounding on the rest of your body as you walk or run.

In prehistoric times skins or hides were probably tied around the foot for protection and warmth. The sandal, probably the earliest form of shoe, was worn in Egypt, Greece, and Rome; an early form of the boot was also known in Greece and Rome. The characteristic shoe of the Middle Ages was the soft, clinging moccasin, which extended to the ankle. It was highly decorated and was of velvet, cloth of gold, and, increasingly, of leather. Today the choices of shoes are great…wonderful styles and comfort.

We’ve chosen from only the best suppliers of shoes. Whether you’re looking for women’s shoes, men’s shoes or wedding shoes, you’ll find absolutely any style your looking for on the internet. You can be confident that your personal choice of shoes will arrive quickly right to your door.

About the Author

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.a1-shoes-4u.com/
mjy610@hotmail.com

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Bluebird Gardens Quilts And Collectibles
Personalized, custom, finished handmade baby, wedding quilts, raggedy ann dolls, gifts for cat lovers, gardeners, quilters, nature lovers, home decor collectibles, bird houses, furniture care and refinishing products. Free guides and gift recipes.

Here follows suggestions and tips that will help you determine the ideal programme for your Wedding day. A String Quartet can provide music for every stage of your Wedding.

First of all, we have the Brides breakfast. If you are hiring the services of a String quartet for the whole day, you may be able to arrange for one or two of the players to come along for this early stage of the wedding at reasonable extra cost. A single string instrument, such as the cello, can provide gentle background music with Schubert’s Ave Maria or the solo suites by Bach. It is considered good form to invite the musicians to have a meal with your guests, especially if there is a long interval between wedding stages.

Next follows the Prelude. This is the stage when your guests arrive at the actual venue where the ceremony will take place. This is often a different venue from where the Brides breakfast and / or Reception takes place. You should allow enough time for the musicians to arrive at the wedding venue before your guests! By this stage, the full quartet (all 4 players) will need to be on site for the main part of the ceremony, so it makes sense to take advantage of their presence and ask them to play for the Prelude as well. The Pachelbel Canon is an ideal piece of music for this purpose. As this stage is probably the longest (with exception of the reception), the quartet will need to have a substantial repertoire of peaceful arrival music in order to avoid repitition. Selections such as the Flower Duet from Delibe’s Lakme and The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens are perennial favourites. A good string quartet will be aware of these requirements, and should be able to assure you that their repertoire is varied, extensive and appropriate. Allow up to 30 minutes for this stage.

Now comes the big moment of your Wedding day, the Processional (walking down the aisle!) This is when you’ll be very pleased that you hired a String Quartet. The actual music for the infamous ‘Here comes the bride’ is the Bridal Chorus by Richard Wagner. If your prospective ensemble doesn’t know this piece (and it’s proper title), walk away! They most likely will of course. If you have your heart set on something else, you must make sure that the quartet either already has it in their repertoire, or has the resources to acquire it. More obscure musical requests may need to be written specially for quartet. Arrangements of most show tunes etc. should be within the grasp of the quartet musicians themselves. You should however, expect to pay an additional fee for this service. A good arrangement takes time.

The Signing of the register is the next stage of the Wedding which requires music. The Andante Cantabile by Tchaikovsky or Alexander Borodin’s Quartet no.2 are both very appropriate for this stage of the wedding, as they are relaxing and soothing pieces of music. Bach’s Air on the G string is also wonderfully effective. This allows everyone in the room to have a bit of a breather and will help to release any tension in the room! You should ensure that the quartet you have hired has the entire selection prepared, and not just excerpts, again to avoid endless repetition of ‘the famous bits’.

That’s it, you’ve done it, you’re married! All that’s left for you to do is to walk back down the aisle, the Processional. Unless you have very strong feelings about an alternative piece of music, it is advisable to stick with the Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn. Everybody expects to hear it, it suits the occasion perfectly and is a fantastic piece of music perfectly matched to the sound of the String Quartet.

It’s party time! The reception follows the processional, and often takes place at a different location from the wedding ceremony. In order to ensure that the musicians arrive before the guests, it is advisable that you allow them to leave the ceremony immediately following the conclusion of the processional. There is a huge amount of very good Quartet repertoire which is suitable for a Wedding reception. It would be possible to satisfy the needs of your reception with the music of Mozart alone! Of course, an experienced quartet should have a balanced repertoire. Even so, It is worth checking that the musicians have certain pieces in their arsenal. Make sure that they have on hand all the well-known baroque and classical masterpieces by Mozart, Haydn and Handel, some light music classics, jazz standards, show tunes and arrangements of other popular songs. You should expect to hear Ein Kleine Nachtmusic (a little night-music) by Mozart, Boccherini’s Minuet and The ragtime music of Scott Joplin to name but a few.

About the Author

Warren Zielinski is a top Professional violinist and musician. As Chief co-creator of the comprehensive and useful musicians-anytime.co.uk website, Warren has an enviable reputation amongst live classical wedding music specialists in the UK and abroad. Musicians-anytime specialises in providing the best young professional string quartets and ensembles for all types of events, parties and ceremonies.
info@musicians-anitime.co.uk

Weddings are always such special days. Gifts are often given not only at the wedding – but often at an engagement shower and a bridal shower. How can you make your gifts look special?

Many people wrap gifts for weddings in white, but this is not a strict rule by any means. You could also select gift-wrapping and accessories that complement the theme of the wedding. So a winder wedding gift could look lovely in silver paper with silver ribbon tied in a bow with a snowflake ornament as an accessory. A summer wedding gift could look stunning in deep pink paper with a thick pale pink ribbon topped with fresh pink roses (use white roses for a different look).

Another choice would be to select gift-wrap that somehow compliments your gift. Are you giving the bride and groom part of their china place settings? Select gift-wrap that has one or two of the colors from their china plates.

Different cultures have different meanings when gifts are given and received. Red is often a color used in China to celebrate weddings, and many wedding gifts in China are wrapped in red paper. In Italy, roses are a sign of love and happiness but carnations are a flower signifying a funeral. Pay attention to any special cultural meanings when you are giving and then wrapping gifts for a wedding or any other special occasion.

Weddings are a special time and with a little care and attention you can select beautiful gift-wrapping that will compliment this festive occasion.

About the Author

Abigail Beal © 2004 Abigail Beal a.k.a. “the Gift-wrap Goddess” teaches gift wrap in suburban New York. She is the author of 2 ezines: GiftWrapGoddessWraps and CreativeCraftsTeachers. To subscribe: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeCraftsTeachers/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GiftWrapGoddessWraps/ contact: creativecraftsteachers@yahoo.com
giftwrapgoddess@yahoo.com

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1. Weddings typically can cost you anywhere around $15,000 or more. The big question is: who foots the bill?

The 21st century has heralded a shift in the way these costs are handled. We have moved away from the days when the family of the bride would pay all costs associated with the wedding ceremony . Today it may come down to who can afford it or, who can qualify for the personal loan from the lending institution.

Weddings may, in most cases, be a one time special event deserving of all the pomp and pageantry associated with the memorable day. However, there are ways to cut costs and still maximize the moment. Careful planning and budgeting are key to getting the most out of this experience at a reduced cost.

What should go into a wedding plan? When is too much, too much?

There are many things which makes a wedding a wedding. The old adage, “Something New, Something used and something blue, is a reliable guide to save.

Knowing what you need and how much it cost compared to your allotted budget for each item is essential. Your check list should include: Bride Gown and accessories, Groom’s wedding attire, wedding rings, flowers, wedding cake, wedding site, reception site, photography/video services, limousine, ceremony fees, decorations, licence, honeymoon/travel, music/entertainment services, invitations, wedding consulting fees, beverage/drinks and type of wedding.

Generally, all of these items should be carefully itemized and an actual cost should be obtained from the service providers. Your budget fro each service or product should be include to help guide you and/or your wedding consultants. From this list you can determine things like the size of your guest list, bridal party and reception, cake and amount you can actually allocate to each specific area.

A good example is: if you are purchasing a wedding gown and accessories which can easily run into $1,500 or more and your budget is $600, you can opt to rent a gown and accessory which typically at the high end is around $400.

Knowing where you would like to host your wedding and the type of wedding you want is also very essential. Many people typically choose a traditional wedding (religious). These can go into many different cultures i.e. African, Jewish, Islamic, Irish etc. Different types of weddings typically carry varying price tags depending on the culture and how complex the ceremony or extravagant it is.

Honeymoons can be a another costly expense. Honeymoons can extend from that drive to another state to the extended Bahamas vacation or Carribean cruise. Many companies are now incorporating wedding and honeymoon packages in their vacation packages. This has its upside and downside. Marriage laws also vary from country to country.

June typically is noted as the wedding month. So, expect costs to be higher. However travel this and hotel charges during this time of the year to many destinations including the Bahamas may be less expensive.

If you know your budget then it may be beneficial to allow a wedding consulting firm to handle the arrangements. Statistics show that couples are so tired and stressed after the wedding 705 do not have sex on the first night of the honeymoon.

Hiring wedding consultant doesn’t mean you lose control of your ceremony. It just saves you the hassle and stress of coordinating and implementing each individual activity and duty.

Your honey moon can be like any other vacation as far as proper planning is concerned. In order to save money, you must know what you want to do? Where you want to go? What you want to see? Consult with travel consultants in the country or area you plan to visit. Research well. Your trip does not have to be robotic or mechanical, but it can be cost effective and well organized.

TIPS

Below are a few cost saving tips for your special day.

Trim your guest list

Reduce the number of attendance in your bridal party and reception

Budget your honeymoon well

Choose the kind of wedding you like but can afford

Research: at least 6 months in advance

Book in advance: try the internet

Stay near home: try a friends remote cottage, town house or timeshare

Shorten your vacation stay

Travel and wed in the off season

Go on a Cruise: They are usually all inclusive

Bahamas Aficionados publishes Bahamas vacations tips, a fresh and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people like YOU! If you’re looking for the *best rated* Bahamas Vacation guide, the latest up to date information on the Bahamas and helpful support from an honest friend in the business come and grab a F-R-E-E subscription today at: http://www.rmsbahamas.com

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About the Author

Sidney Strachan is a young entrepreneur. In 1998 he and Rudolph started resource Marketing Services a B2B service oriented company. He has written many articles and is presently about to release a book of poetry entitled On and On. His website is entitled Bahamas Aficionados. It is a site promoting vacations in the Bahamas while providing services for the pleasure or business vacationers. Services include organizing and arranging Bahamian weddings, specialty tours and seminars/conferences, providing business equipment for rental and many other business and vacation oriented services.
rmsbahamas@msn.com

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