Wedding Ideas

By: Dion Semeniuk

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.

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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By: Dion Semeniuk

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 Jordons 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.

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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By: Martin Smith

During the Medieval period is when rings became popular. All classes of people wore rings from the poorest to the richest. Rings were typically made of iron, copper, silver, and gold. The material of the ring worn usually indicated the class of the wearer. It wasn’t until around the 14th century that faceted jewels appeared in rings.

Some cultures have rings typically associated with them. Cultures such as Native Americans use silver and turquoise in their jewelry. Early Christians used the Greek symbol, the Icthus, which resembles a fish.
One of the best known is the Irish Claddagh that also has an intriguing story attached to it. Richard Joyce was among the crew of a fishing boat from the village of Claddagh, Ireland that was captured, he was to have been married that very same week. During slavery Richard Joyce was put to the trade of Goldsmith-ing. Through the years of capture neither married. Richard Joyce created a ring for his love with a heart for love, a crown for loyalty, and two hands.

After Joyce escaped capture, he returned to the village of Claddagh and was overjoyed to see his love again and to know she had never married. She always knew he would return to her. He gave her the ring that has become known as the Claddagh ring. If the Claddagh is worn on the right hand with the crown inward (toward the wrist) the heart is not yet committed. If it is worn on the right hand with the crown turned outward the wearer is committed to someone. Finally if it is worn on the left hand with the crown outward it means Let our love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated.

Rings are worn for a variety of reasons including adornment. There are rings given as a reward for a job well done such as the Super Bowl victory.
They are given to represent commitment as in engagements and marriages. Women religious to signify their commitment to God also wear rings.

Rings can be made of almost any material now. They can be made from plastic, silver, gold, or copper, even wood. They can be made of ceramic materials as well. They can be of simple design or something as intricate as filigree.

They can be plain and simple or they can be adorned with jewels or gemstones, as in the case of birthstone rings. There is a birthstone for each month of the year and each has its own meaning. See the listing below.
January - Garnet - the gem of faith and truth; protects from poisons, thought to stop bleeding, cure sickness of the blood and infections.
February - Amethyst - aids soldiers in battle, control evil thoughts, helps hunters to catch animals, and helps the owner be good in business.
March - Aquamarine - sailors used aquamarine to gemstones to keep them safe and to prevent seasickness. It gives the wearer courage, foresight and courage
April - Diamond - Symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. It is the ultimate gift of love. In 1477 Archduke Maxmillian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring, thus starting the tradition of diamonds being given as engagement rings.
May - Emerald - Sharpened the wearer’s eyesight and mind. Travelers used them as protection against the hazards of long trips. The green color is said to give the owner power to predict the future.
June - Pearl - Freshwater pearls give the power of love, money, protection, and luck. It is said they give provide wisdom through experience and protect children from harm.
July - Ruby - Its red color is related to sex, passion, strength, health, physical energy, courage, and protection. It is associated with blood, birth, and death
August - Peridot -It is thought to bring the wearer good luck, peace, and success. Its powers include health, protection, and sleep. It attracts love, calms anger, eases anxiety and negative emotions
September - Saphire - Its powers include spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. It is said to aid in the healing of rheumatism, colic and mental illness
October -Opal - It has healing powers that aid inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight. It also aids in remembering past lives.
November - Yellow Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) - In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Citrine - also for November - Aids the kidneys, heart, digestive tract liver, and muscles. It promotes creativity, personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.
December - Blue Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) - In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Turquoise - also for December - It attracts money, success, and love. It gives protection, healing, courage, friendship, and luck. It eases the mind and mental tension.

There are school rings, engagement rings, wedding rings, friendship rings and mothers rings (usually the birthstones of her children set on a band. The price range of rings can be anywhere from fifty cents (usually found in the toy machines you see in stores) to thousands of dollars and more or even higher.

Martin Smith is a freelance writer providing advice and information on a variety of products. His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource. Drop by the site for more information if you have time ! http://www.1st-4-jewelry.com

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By: Donna Monday

Ahh . . . sweet romance.

The flowers. The chocolate. The late night whispers of I love you.

For most people in love, the culmination of months of togetherness and special friendship comes down to one single moment: The marriage proposal - - featuring a simple, but elegant, diamond engagement ring.

Of course, if youre a celebrity, a simple ring may not have enough wattage to suit your tastes. Thus, we see many celebrities sporting five-carat to seven-carat diamond studded engagement and wedding rings.

Well, if you can afford it, why not flaunt it, right?

Take for instance the recent marriages of Britney Spears and Star Jones. When Britney Spears got engaged to her former back up dancer, Kevin Federline, she promptly bought herself an awesome-looking five-carat diamond engagement ring. (Does anyone really believe that Kevin bought this for her on his dancers salary?)

Britney bought herself the ring she felt she deserved nothing wrong with that. Then, she and Kevin quickly made the leap to matrimony in a matter of months with a surprisingly nice (no lip kissing of Madonna) wedding ceremony.

As for Star Jones, its not known whether her stunning seven-carat princess cut diamond ring was bought or donated, but she too happily skipped off to a wedding ceremony with all the trimmings.

So, does all this extra diamond wattage mean that celebrities have a better wedding ceremony than everyone else?

Absolutely, not.

Theres absolutely no proof that their multi-carat diamond rings and fancy wedding accommodations gave them any more satisfaction at the alter than Joe and Jane Does down right sparse nuptials in a run-down back yard.

Buying the biggest and fanciest diamond engagement ring on the planet doesnt guarantee anything but a nice piece of ice jewelry to show off to your family and friends. Other than that, celebrities have the same odds for a successful, happy union as the rest of us.

And thats the way it should be.

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Copyright 2004
Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

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By: Samantha Taylor

Traditionally, a wedding band was worn on the ring finger of the left hand because it was believed that the vein in that finger went straight to the heart. A wedding ring is a piece of jewelry which will be worn everyday of your life to signify your love and fidelity to your significant other. That being said, you want to ensure you choose the perfect ring, which can be difficult for someone who is inexperienced in this area. Luckily we can help you through the steps of finding the perfect wedding ring for the special person in your life.

The first thing to consider is the kind of metal you want for your wedding rings. Most wedding rings are found in yellow gold, white gold or platinum. These forms of metal vary in price and most likely this decision will be quite easy since most women already know what kind of ring they want.

The next step is choosing the stone for the ring. You will need to decide which kind of stone you want as well as the shape of the stone. Diamonds are still the most popular choice when it comes to stones for wedding rings however colored stones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires are becoming more and more popular.

The last step is to find a reputable jeweler who you will be comfortable purchasing such an expensive piece of jewelry from. Perhaps it is best to use a jeweler who one of your friends or family members have already used and would recommend for you because of such great results.

If you are like most couples who are marrying, you will likely choose a diamond wedding ring. If you are doing so, you may want to keep the four C’s in mind while doing so. The four C’s are the diamond’s color, cut, clarity and carat weight.

Color Diamonds are available in number of colors and shades including white, yellow, green, blue and pink. The color range starts at D and moves through the alphabet towards Z. The scale moves from white to yellow as it makes its way through the alphabet.

Cut The cut of the diamond is what gives the diamond personality. Diamonds which are cut well will be bright and sparkly, however diamonds that are cut poorly may end up looking dull and boring. Choosing and making sure the cut is perfect is a crucial step in the overall outcome of your wedding ring.

Clarity An inclusion in a diamond is an imperfection inside the stone which will greatly affect the overall worth of the ring. The size, color and position of the inclusions in your ring affect the clarity of the diamond. You want to ensure the diamond has good clarity.

Carat Weight A carat is divided into 100 equal parts (also known as points). Therefore a one carat diamond equals 100 points; half carat equals 50 and so on. When the diamonds are loose (before they are mounted on the ring), the weight is easy to determine, however, after the diamond has been mounted only a gemologist can determine the weight of the diamond(s).

Take your time when choosing a wedding ring for yourself or for your significant other. A wedding ring is a sign of your everlasting love to one another and is something that will be cherished for the rest of your lives.

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 rings to wedding cake toppers and more.

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Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of your life and you’ve probably been dreaming about it since you were about 12 years old. The dress you choose is ultimately going to be what people look at and remember about your wedding. That being said, you want to find the perfect dress that will make your guest’s and husband’s jaws hit the floor when you walk down the aisle. Are you thinking that may be unrealistic with your wedding budget? Think again! We have some of the best shopping tips in order to help you save money on your wedding dress. This way you can enjoy your wedding while maintaining a reasonable wedding budget.

Shop Around Don’t assume the first dress you try on is going to be the best deal or look the best on you. There are many dresses to try.

Discount Bridal Salons Discount bridal salons often have sales of up to 75% off (especially on last year’s merchandise) which can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you hear of a discount sale, make sure you know what you are looking for since many women go crazy at these events and dresses are often gone in a matter of minutes.

Have Someone Make Your Dress If you have a talented friend or family member who you trust to make your wedding dress for you, you can save an enormous amount of money and still have a great dress for your big day.

Look on the Internet the Internet is a great place to search and explore the many options of styles for your dress and you are guaranteed to find dresses which do not cost a fortune.

Bridal Salons normal bridal salons (as opposed to discount) sometimes have sales which offer around 30% off last years merchandise. The salons near where you live are definitely worth looking into.

Borrow or Rent Some women cringe at the thought of borrowing or renting a wedding gown, but others may not take it as seriously. Wedding dresses are really only worn for one day and renting or borrowing can really save you a lot of money.

Seamstresses Contact a seamstress and ask for a quote. It’s unlikely that a seamstress is going to charge you as much as a bridal salon. If you do this, make sure to ask about their experience in this area or past brides who you can contact. This will ensure they are reputable and there won’t be any “mishaps” with your dress.

By: Samantha Taylor

Finding the perfect wedding dress is important, but paying a ridiculous amount for one dress can be a waste of your money. Finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect price, now that’s a wedding dream come true!

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 dress and attire to wedding cakes and more.

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By: Samantha Taylor

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!

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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By: Donna Monday

How much should you spend on a diamond engagement ring?

$100?

$1000?

How about a whopping $1 million?

Thats what Donald Trump just spent on an engagement ring for his lovely new wife, Melania Knauss. Can you imagine what it must be like to wear any ring worth that much on a daily basis?

The Donald must hire beefy security guards with names like Wolfgang and Spike just to watch over Melania every time her and her delicate ring finger step out the door.

Buying expensive diamond jewelry for their significant others seem to be a Trump family trait. Well, youve gotta do something with all that money besides invest in real estate deals.

Trumps son, Donald Jr. has just proposed to his fiance, Vanessa Haydon, with a very impressive four-carat emerald cut diamond ring with a diamond-encrusted platinum band. However, Vanessas ring can be considered a real bargain at a cost of only $100,000.

While most regular folks will not be able to come close to spending that kind of money on an engagement ring for their sweethearts, there are still many very wonderful options if youre looking to buy a diamond engagement ring, wedding ring, or wedding band online.

You should be able to find the perfect ring online to fit into your budget. You can even buy a custom engagement ring or wedding ring for a very reasonable price.

So take comfort in the fact that you dont have to be rich like the Trumps to present your loved one with a truly beautiful engagement ring that will make everyone feel very rich indeed.

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Copyright 2005
Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

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By: Donna Monday

In our hungry-for-anything new pop culture world, celebrities are often the ones that can start a hot fashion trend seemingly overnight. With their heavy media exposure, they are often photographed wearing the latest styles in fashion and jewelry.

Platinum engagement and wedding rings are the latest celebrity trend that has taken the jewelry industry by storm. Several high-profile newlyweds have taken a shine to the cool elegance of platinum.

Platinum is like our relationship in that it is strong, precious and timeless, says Nick Lachey about the custom made platinum wedding rings he and his wife Jessica Simpson tied the knot with.

It seems that view of the lustrous metal is shared by other celebrity couples as well such as: Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Adam Sandler and Jackie Titone, as well as, popular actresses Reese Witherspoon and Kate Hudson.

Celebrities are especially fond of pairing fancy colored diamonds with their platinum rings. Also, the three diamond platinum engagement ring has quickly become all the rage among new brides.

So, if youre looking to buy diamond jewelry online, whether its for a special occasion like a wedding, or a gift for a special person, consider platinum jewelry as one of your best and brightest options.

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Copyright 2004
Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

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By: Samantha Taylor

So, you decided to opt for an outdoor wedding under the sun amidst the lake, ocean or beach. Are you sure you have considered all the aspects of an outdoor wedding? Did you consider the fact that you and your guests are going to be outside for many hours throughout the day in the beating hot sun? Some people worry so much that it’s going to rain or be cold that they completely forget to prepare themselves for the sun and the heat. The last thing you want is for you or your guests to be burnt for pictures and leave the wedding early because they are sun-fried. So here are some sun protection tips to keep in mind whether you’re the bride, groom or guest at an outdoor wedding:

Do not tan in a salon or outdoor prior to the wedding. Tanning of any sort is bad for your skin and can cause peeling right before the wedding.

If you want to get the outdoor tanned look, opt for self-tanning products that will give you the same effect without harming your skin. There are many lotions and foams that work wonders on the skin.

Make sure you apply sunscreen numerous times throughout the day. Encourage your guests to do so as well. Indicate on the invitation that the wedding is outdoors and remind them to bring sunscreen. Here’s an idea - hand out small decorative bottles of sunscreen as an early wedding favor for your guests.

Try and avoid the sun as much as possible between the hours of 10am and 4pm. The sun’s rays are strongest at these times. Perhaps it’s a good idea to get pictures closer to the morning or early afternoon, before anyone is too tired (or burnt) from the sun.

Pack (and tell your guests to pack) cover-ups, shawls, wraps and hats for protection against the heat of the sun. Shawls are perfect for covering up your shoulders since they are a prime area for burns.

The coordinator of the wedding should ensure there are tents and umbrellas for shade. This is very important because spending the entire day in the sun with no shade can cause heat exhaustion and be harmful to your health.

Finally, make sure there is plenty of water for you and your guests. There’s nothing worse than being hot and thirsty. Lack of water can cause dehydration which can be very dangerous for you and your guests. Have water coolers setup in different areas so they are easily accessible for everyone.

Keep in mind the precautions listed above. It will ensure that your wedding goes smoothly for you and your guests. After all, it is the most important day of your life and you don’t want to take any chances of something ruining your special day!

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 related to planning a wedding - from wedding dresses to finding the perfect wedding cake and more.

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