Keeping Floral Costs Down

The cost of fresh flowers will make a significant impact on your wedding budget. If you’re watching your pennies carefully, but still want to have beautiful fresh flowers at your event, consider your choices carefully.

Choose flowers that will be in season at the time of your wedding. This seems obvious, but many brides fall in love with the sample photos and never consider availability. Florists can import flowers virtually year-round, but imported flowers will cost much more than seasonal ones.

Choose natural colours. Exotic flowers or not-so-exotic florals in unusual colours will push your flower bill up. Always be realistic about the cost of things. If exotic colours or varieties exceed your budget, ask your florist if there is something similar in colour or appearance that will go a bit easier on your funds.

Focus your flower budget on your reception, instead of on your wedding venue. Your guests will be at your wedding venue an hour or less, but will be at your reception for several hours. It makes sense to spend the majority of your floral budget on your reception site.

Look at your reception site carefully. There are likely to be a few spots where flowers can be concentrated with great effect. If you want floral centerpieces, consider putting one or two flowers in a bud vase, or floating fresh florals in a small dish at each table. You could also alternate floral and non-floral centerpieces at the reception tables.

Use simple, local flowers for your bouquet. Consider carrying a single flower, or passing up on a bouquet altogether. They can be difficult to manage during the ceremony, and your bouquet won’t see much action during the reception, unless you plan to throw it. Throwing a large, unbalanced bouquet doesn’t work very well, especially when you can’t see what you’re doing! If you want to toss a bouquet, make up a small floral arrangement for the bouquet toss.

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Wedding Gift Theft – A Growing Trend

An enormous amount of planning goes into a wedding and reception, but most couples never give a second thought to security for their event. Wedding receptions, especially large ones, can be the ideal place for a thief to “hide in plain sight.”

More couples are reporting that gifts are being stolen directly from their receptions. Cash gifts, congratulatory cards and small boxes are a favorite of thieves because they can be spirited away easily while the guests are distracted by the activities in the reception venue.

To minimize the possibility of theft, ask your guests to mail or deliver their gifts to your home or to a relative’s home prior to the wedding. The fewer gifts at the reception, the less attractive your event will be to thieves. Set your gift table as far from the room exits as possible and ask a trusted friend or two to watch over the gifts. If that’s not a possibility, see if your venue has a nearby lockable room that can be used to store the gifts. There’s really no reason to display them at the reception.

If you discover that you’ve been a victim of theft at your wedding, report the incident to the police and venue manager immediately. The site may have security camera tapes that may shed light on what happened. Contact your guests and let them know immediately that a theft occurred at your wedding. Your guests may be able to provide useful information to the police about any unusual activity. They can also ask their banks to cancel any cheques they tucked into congratulatory cards.

If gifts have been stolen, write notes to your guests thanking them for attending. You may briefly explain what happened, and assure your guests that their presence at your wedding meant a great deal to you.

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Retired Rugby Star Johns Weds Publicist

Retired rugby league star Andrew Johns married Channel Nine publicist, Catherine Mahoney, in a tightly guarded Shark Island wedding ceremony in front of 150 family members and friends. The bride wore a Johanna Johnson dress of silk satin, and a silk tulle veil. The groom wore a grey suit.

Few details of the ceremony were available before the event. Even the guests did not know exactly when or where the ceremony would take place. They were instructed to wait for a phone call the morning of the event, which provided them with further details about where they should go.

The bride arrived at the ceremony via water taxi, and the couple were married just after 5:00 pm, with a beautiful view of the Sydney Harbour. The ceremony took place under a French chantilly lace canopy. Samuel, Johns’ 8 year-old son served as the best man.

The couple have been dating for five years. The couple met in 2002 when Mahoney was hired to promote Johns’ DVD entitled “The Story So Far.” Mahoney moved to Sydney from London six years ago. This is the first marriage for Mahoney and the second for Johns.

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The Appeal Of Simplicity

With the average wedding cost now hovering around $40,000, it’s no wonder that the emerging trend is simplicity.

Weddings have become very elaborate affairs, due in some part to the lavish, public weddings of many celebrities. Many couples are waiting to marry until they’re more established financially, and can spend more freely on weddings.

Even with the extra resources, some couples are opting for a return to simpler weddings, with fewer of the trappings of larger affairs.

If a simple wedding appeals to you, start by trimming your guest list. Invite only close family members and friends. For those not invited to the wedding, send a simple wedding announcement after the ceremony has occurred.

Choose a smaller, more intimate location for your wedding. A very elegant wedding can be planned in a private garden or home. Cut the size of the bridal party and have only a maid of honour and a best man.

A morning wedding followed by a brunch reception can keep your event simple.

Another emerging trend in weddings is a late-night affair. A moonlit wedding under the stars, followed by a strolling dinner reception for 30 or 40 friends and family can restore the simplicity to your event. Place a few fresh flowers or scatter flower petals on the tables as centerpieces. If you’re going to provide alcohol, limit it to wine or champagne and other light refreshments.

For small venues, organise a string quartet to play during dinner. Hire a comedian or a magician to provide light entertainment for your guests, and shorten the length of the reception to no more than a few hours.

There’s something inherently lovely about simplicity. After attending many all-out affairs, your guests may appreciate a simple, intimate gathering.

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Classic Wedding Invitations for a Traditional Wedding

Classic wedding invitations are perfect for any type of wedding; however, they are most often seen for traditional weddings. Classic wedding invitations are simple, elegant, and beautiful which is why they are considered classic. Read more about classic wedding invitations

Bride Sues Florist For $400K

A florist in New York is being sued by a bride for more than USD$400,000 for using flowers that did not match the bride’s colour scheme for the reception. Posy Floral Design Studio substituted pastel pink and green hydrangeas in table centerpieces that were supposed to be have rust and green hydrangeas.

According to the bride, the couple experienced “extreme disappointment, distress and embarrassment” as a result of the substitution.

The floral bill was more than $27,000 and the bride and groom initially asked for a $4,000 refund, but decided to sue, seeking $400,000 in damages instead. The suit was filed in Manhattan Superior Court. The florist is countersuing, claiming that publicity from the lawsuit has damaged his reputation.

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Choosing the Right Beach Theme Wedding Invitations

Beach theme wedding invitations are a necessity for any couple that is planning a beach themed wedding, a wedding on the beach, or a destination wedding to a beach location. It is important that the couple includes the theme throughout their wedding planning process, and beach theme wedding invitations are the perfect way for the bride and groom to incorporate this theme into their wedding.

There are many possibilities when it comes to beach theme wedding invitations. Consider the classic scene of pure, beautiful sand alongside a serene, blue ocean. Perhaps there is a bride standing on the beach with the salty air blowing her veil behind her. This setting is why a couple chooses a beach theme wedding and so it makes sense to showcase this in beach theme wedding invitations.

If the couple wants a more classic wedding invitation, it is still possible to choose a beach theme wedding invitation that is simpler. Traditional wedding invitations are often quite simple, one sided, and wither white or cream. A traditional beach theme wedding invitation may have some slight decoration such as embossed seashells to give it that special touch.

There are many different beach theme wedding invitations, so every couple is going to find the invitation that best suits their wedding style. A couple may choose something lighthearted such as a pair of flip flops on their wedding invitation. They may choose to represent their beach theme wedding with seashells or sailboats. Beach theme weddings and destination weddings are very popular, so finding the perfect beach theme wedding invitation is going to be easy and fun.

A beach theme wedding invitation is a must for any couple that is planning a wedding on the beach, a beach theme wedding, or a destination wedding. These invitations are the first glimpse to the wedding day and should make guests excited to attend the wedding. Beach theme wedding invitations are sure to accomplish this!

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Photographer Surprises Bride With Wedding Photo Gift

Karen Cline of Mansfield, Ohio in the United States received a precious wedding gift 27 years after she and her husband Mark were married. The pair wed in 1980 in a very simple ceremony. The bride borrowed her sister’s gown and made all of her flowers.

The couple, who were 18 and 19 at the time of their wedding, hired a photographer to take pictures, but after all the bills were paid, there was no money left to pay him. The bride had only a single photograph of herself in her wedding dress, but there were no pictures of her husband or family on her special day. Even Cline’s borrowed dress was later claimed by a house fire.

Cline works as a waitress at a diner in Mansfield, and was visited last week by Jim Wagner, her wedding photographer, now 80 years old. Wagner presented Cline with her wedding photo album as a surprise gift. Cline spent the rest of the day in tears, explaining that many of the guests in the photos have passed away, and the wedding photos are the only ones she has of them.

Wagner had cleaned out a closet in his home a month earlier and found Cline’s wedding album. He knew she didn’t have any money at the time of her wedding and thought she might like to have the pictures now. With no way of contacting Cline, he put the album back into the closet. By chance, he ran into Cline’s step-father, who told Wagner where he could find Cline.

After he presented her with the album, Cline immediately wrote Wagner a check for $150, the price she and her husband had agreed to pay him in 1980. She also bought Wagner breakfast. For his part, Wagner said he simply figured that Cline would like to have her album. He also said that he hadn’t been hugged that much in years.

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1 Corinthians 13:4 TLB

Love is very patient and kind,
never jealous or envious,
never boastful or proud.

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Beautiful Butterfly Wedding Invitations

Butterfly wedding invitations are the perfect way to complement a butterfly themed wedding. Butterflies are a beautiful theme for weddings because not only are they physically beautiful, but they are also carry a lot of meaning in their very existence. Read more about beautiful butterfly wedding invitations

Beach Wedding Invitations for a Beautiful Beach Theme Wedding

Beach wedding invitations are a necessity when a couple is planning a beach wedding. This may be an actual wedding on the beach, a destination wedding, or simply a beach theme wedding if the couple loves the beach but does not have the option of holding the wedding on the beach. Beach wedding invitations range from simple and classic to contemporary and even vintage. There is a beach wedding invitation for every couple!

There are many images that can be used to represent a beach theme wedding. Many couples will choose one of these images to be included throughout their wedding. Common images include seashells, flip flops (thongs), suns, sand, and even tropical flowers. Each of these is wonderful to include on beach wedding invitations.

It is important to remember that beach wedding invitations still need to convey the atmosphere of the wedding. If the wedding is going to be a formal affair, then the couple should not choose a cartoon inspired wedding invitation. If the wedding is going to be very casual, then a classic invitation is probably not the best choice. It is necessary for the couple to make sure that this message is conveyed even as they include the beach theme in their wedding invitations.

A classic, traditional, elegant wedding invitation is very simple in design. It is one sided and either white or cream. The couple can include the beach theme by choosing one of these classic invitations with an embossed image such as seashells or suns. These beach wedding invitations will showcase the beach theme while maintaining the elegance of traditional wedding invitations.

If a couple would like a more contemporary wedding invitation, then the possibilities are almost limitless. They can choose to focus on a single beach theme image or may choose an artistic invitation. These wedding invitations are extraordinary and guests will be thrilled to receive a wedding invitation so different than those they are accustomed to.

Couples may consider very romantic beach wedding invitations. These often include a photograph of the sea and sand. There are few things more beautiful than a calm blue ocean. This may be an image under the bright light of the sun or during an amazing sunset. Either way, this image is going to inspire romance.

Beach wedding invitations are the best option to any couple planning a beach theme wedding. It is a wonderful way to incorporate the theme into the wedding planning.

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Comedian Drew Carey To Marry Nicole Jaracz

Comedian Drew Carey proposed to his girlfriend Nicole Jaracz on October 9. Carey, 49 is currently the host of the long-running game show programme “The Price Is Right,” having recently assumed the hosting duties from Bob Barker. He is also the host of The Power of 10, and starred in The Drew Carey Show, and the US version of “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?”

Prior to launching his comedy career, Carey served in the US Marine Corps, and is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. The bride-to-be is a recent culinary school graduate. No wedding date has been set, and this will be the first marriage for both Mr. Carey and Ms. Jaracz. No further details were released.

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Wedding Colours For 2008

The newest colours for 2008 weddings are yellow and silver. Yellow made a big splash on the runways for the 2008 bridal collections, so expect to see plenty of it in the coming months. Yellow makes a great addition to a daytime wedding, and can easily blend with darker colours for an evening affair. Yellow also plays well with white, so don’t be shy about dressing up your dress with a little yellow.

Silver, which has been catching a lot of attention in the past year, is still showing off. Silver bridal gowns, gowns trimmed in silver, and silver accents make a dazzling statement at any wedding. If you’re not adventurous enough for silver, consider it as a colour for your bridesmaids. Silver makes nice with white, but don’t go too far with it if you’re not aiming to look like a Hollywood starlet. Paired with sequins or rhinestones, silver is definitely a stand-out at any wedding.

Get ready for a colour-shock! Jewel-tone colours are on the runways again, ready to liven up any wedding. If you’re not going for shock value, you can settle down these hearty hues with pastels and creams. Paired with silver or rhinestones, these colours will let your bridesmaids really stand out.

If none of these trends appeal to you, don’t worry. Bridal designers always have many traditional styles and colours available for the not-so-adventurous-at-heart.

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Colossians 3:14 NRSV

Clothe yourselves with love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:14 NRSV

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Runaway Ring Returned For Second Time

A US man in Deerfield, Massachusetts who lost his wedding ring for the second time has gotten it back, thanks to the curiosity of the man who found it. John Carney was dumping rubbish last week when he noticed a man’s gold wedding band partially buried in the dirt.

The ring was engraved with the words “Ed and Linda” and “June 9, 1996″ inside. Mr. Carney took the ring to the town library and enlisted the help of the librarians, who searched the town’s wedding notices from that time. The search paid off for Carney, who found a notice for the wedding of Ed and Linda LaCoille, residents of Deerfield at the time. A second check of the records provided a current address, and Mr. Carney returned the ring to an amazed and grateful LaCoille.

LaCoille said that this is the second time in less than a year that the ring has gone walkabout. On an earlier vacation in at a lake in Maine, the ring slipped off LaCoille’s finger. He left a note for future renters of the lake house where the couple stayed, and the ring was returned in the mail a few weeks later.

LaCoille, who has recently lost weight, is now keeping the ring in a box until he can get it resized by a jeweller.

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Planning A Wedding Part III

As you move into the three to four months immediately before your wedding, your advance planning will start to pay off. Mail out the invitations, giving your guests ample time to respond. You’ll need to supply the caterer with estimated counts – although the actual guest count won’t be needed until just few days before the event, schedule dress fittings for yourself and your bridesmaids, purchase shoes, organise seating charts for the reception, make sure the remaining deposits are paid, and handle the small details. If your planning becomes too overwhelming, ask your maid of honour or a member of your family to help out.

Now is also a great time to discuss a hens’ night, if your bridesmaids want to plan one for you. Have your celebration a few weeks in advance of the wedding, since the last days before your event will be filled to the brim with taking care of last minute details and spending time with family and friends.

As your wedding day approaches, remember to eat healthy meals, take time to relax and get plenty of rest! If your planning has been solid, you should be able to find opportunities to rest and relax. Consider taking a weekend off now and then to grab some extra down-time.

Schedule a final fitting for your dress about a week prior to the wedding. Verify that all deposits have been paid and that your bridesmaids have everything taken care of. Make sure your groom and groomsmen have all of their tuxedos ordered and paid for.

Supply the venue and caterer with final guest counts within a few days of the event. If you plan to have a rehearsal dinner or a groom’s dinner, plan those now. Reserve a restaurant or make plans for something more intimate at your home or someone else’s. Really take care with this one: on the day before the wedding, another dinner to plan and provide for can be too much. Strongly consider making reservations at a nice restaurant for this one.

Remember, the more planning you do and the more details you take care of early in the process, the smoother your event will go.

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Planning A Wedding Part II

After your venue is booked, get to work on finding your dress. Wedding dresses can take months to be delivered and properly fitted, so don’t let this task wait until the last minute. Give a minimum of twelve weeks from the time you order for the dress to be received, then plan for fittings on top of that. Be sure your bridesmaids get fitted for their gowns early as well.

Finalise your guest list and send save-the-date cards as soon as possible after your venue is booked. You can order your invitations, bomboniere boxes and thank you notes at the same time. Remember, you’ll need to provide about 3 months for mailing the invitations and receiving your guests’ response cards, so don’t wait to order them.

Put your man to work researching a honeymoon. Before you turn him loose, have a discussion about the kind of honeymoon you want. You may have sunbathing on an exotic beach or visiting Paris in mind while he’s booking a two-week sport fishing excursion. If you’re travelling abroad, leave at least four to six months to get passports, if you don’t already have them. Don’t wait to get those credentials.

Have your man organise your wedding day transportation, if you plan to do something special. As with the honeymoon, either have a discussion beforehand so you each know the other’s expectations (and budget!), or be prepared to live with your man’s touch on this one.

Finally, get tuxedos for the groom and groomsmen organised - another great task for the guys. Just provide budgetary and fashion guidance on what you’re expecting. These “man-tasks” should be done with about six months’ lead time.

Also give about six months notice for your florist. Order your flowers well in advance of the ceremony, whether you’re going with fresh or artificial. Purchase your rings and have them sized. Jewellers can work quickly, but this is one of those tasks that you can do early and get out of the way. Also, if you buy your rings early, you won’t be tempted to skimp on them when you’re up to your elbows in wedding bills.

Also on your “six-month list” should be organising a DJ or live band. Six months will give you adequate time to audition bands or find a DJ who complements the style of your reception. If you plan to do your own music, start putting together your own playlists. This is a deceptively time-consuming task that will quickly overwhelm you if you put it off until the last minute.

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Planning A Wedding Part I

If you’ve just become engaged and your wedding is 6 months to a year (or more) away, how soon should you begin planning? It’s never too early to start planning, but the more early planning you do, the smoother your event will be. Establish a timetable early on for your event, and you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and anxiety as your big day approaches.

If you intend to have a large wedding, you’ll need to extend your planning time. You can’t pull off a big event on short notice. Once you’re engaged and have a wedding date, immediately decide what kind of wedding you would like and how large it should be. If you’re paying for the wedding yourself, your resources will be the most likely determinant of how many people you can invite. If you’re receiving help from family, have an honest conversation about what you would like and what the available resources will bear. You may have to modify your dream wedding to fit into reality.

Once you know how much you have to work with and how large your party will be, begin searching for the major components of your wedding. That includes the wedding venue, the catering, flowers, music, cakes, invitations, favours and other stationery, transportation, photography, and wedding attire. Book your venue first. It will help if you can be flexible about your wedding date as you look for a venue. Sometimes, weddings are booked as much as two years in advance, so don’t be surprised if your date isn’t available for your chosen venue. Saturday evenings book fast. Booking the venue is the only critical task you’ll have right out of the gate, as long as you have at least six to nine months’ lead time.

Many small details are taken care of now because you will not have time to take care of them later. Before the heat gets turned up, organise your gift registries. Get your cake ordered sooner rather than later. Weddings tend to fill up a baker’s weekends, and they can only produce so many cakes at one time. This is actually a fun job. You may find yourself sorting through some delicious samples.

I’ll continue to look at the planning process in a future post.

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Wedding Traditions to Follow

It would be nearly impossible to cover every single wedding tradition on a single page. Every religion and every culture has their own wedding traditions. These are the wedding traditions that have become part of many weddings regardless of religion or culture!

The bouquet toss is one of the most fun wedding traditions. All of the single women at the wedding gather in a group with the bride either up on a balcony, chair, or just standing several feet away. The bride stands with her back to the group of women and tosses her bouquet over her shoulder. All of the single women reach, jump, grab, claw their way to the bouquet. It is believed that the lucky woman to catch the bouquet will be the next to get married! Brides should always have a small bouquet made up for this tradition. She should not throw her actual bouquet. These are actually called “toss bouquets.” The woman who catches it gets to keep it! It can get pretty brutal with all of those single women vying for the bouquet, but it is one of the most fun wedding traditions to watch!

In addition to the bouquet toss, the single men get their own wedding tradition. This is the garter toss. Every bride wears a garter on her upper thigh. The bride sits in a chair in the middle of the room and the groom retrieves the garter. Once again, the bride should have a back-up. This means wearing two garters. The lower one is the one the groom will remove. If a bride does not want to show off too much leg, then she can wear the garter on her calf. Just like the bouquet toss, the groom throws the garter over his shoulder for one of the single men to catch.

Both of these wedding traditions would then lead to a third wedding tradition. The woman that caught the bouquet would take the seat that the bride had been in and the man that caught the garter would put the garter on her thigh. Some people find this to be uncomfortable, so it is not always done this way.

There are certain dances that occur at the reception that have become wedding traditions. The very first dance is always between the new bride and groom. Other dances may include the bridal party dance, the mother/son dance, and the father/daughter dance. These can be mixed and matched and danced to whatever music the couple chooses.

The most delicious of the wedding traditions is the cake cutting. The bride and groom slice a small piece of cake. She holds the knife and he places his hand over hers. Then, they take turns feeding a bite of cake to the other. Some couples will do this delicately and lovingly. Other couples express their fun and wild side by smashing the cake into the other’s face. This can be a messy wedding tradition.

There are several toasts that will be given during the dinner. These have become wedding traditions as well. This usually includes a toast from the best man and father of the bride. Additionally, the maid of honor, father of the groom, and the groom may choose to give a toast. These toasts will forever be remembered.

Wedding traditions do not always have to be followed. The bride and groom need to choose which wedding traditions they would like to incorporate into their wedding reception. Those listed here are the most common wedding traditions and definitely some of the most enjoyable!

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Flowers: Fresh Or Silk

Flowers are a staple item at most weddings. Much of the floral industry is devoted to supplying fresh flower arrangements for weddings and other special occasions. Brides-to-be will need to make a choice about whether to have flowers or other greenery at the wedding, and if flowers are to play a role, will they be fresh-cut or silk?

Fresh-cut flowers are undeniably beautiful. Exotic florals can add an exquisite touch to a wedding, and are exceptionally beautiful, but they also come at a price. Depending upon the number and type of arrangements, wedding flowers can cost $800-$1,600.

The cost of the arrangements combined with the idea of throwing away the flowers within a few days of the event cause some brides to turn to artificial alternatives instead. Today, silk flowers come in a number of styles and look very realistic. As an added benefit, the wedding arrangements can be kept as mementos or re-used in other arrangements. The cost of silk arrangements can often be substantially lower than the cost of fresh-cut flowers.

If you plan to throw a bouquet, you can have a small fresh or artificial one made up for just that purpose. You could also have a second, identical bouquet made up for throwing, if your budget will bear it. This will allow you to keep your bouquet and still take part in the tradition.

A single flower, or two flowers of complementary colours can be just as lovely as a whole bouquet. Additionally, larger bouquets can quickly become quite heavy and hard to manage during the ceremony. If you have your heart set on fresh flowers, but have a tight budget, work with a florist and make very simple arrangements of flowers that are in season. Your florist can help you choose flowers that meet your budget and suit your tastes.

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Television Host Montel Williams Marries Tara Fowler In Bermuda

CBS television talk show host Montel Williams and Tara Fowler were married in Bermuda on October 6, 2007 in front of 60 family members and close friends. The couple have been engaged for more than a year, having met in Florida two-and-a half years ago. Williams proposed to Fowler while they celebrated Williams’ 50th birthday in New York City.

The bride, 36, a former flight attendant for American Airlines, wore an ivory Badgley Mischka gown. The groom, 51, wore a gray pinstriped suit. The bridesmaids wore periwinkle dresses.

On Friday evening, the couple took all of their wedding guests on a cruise around the island on a 100-ft yacht. Prior to the beach wedding, the couple invited their guests to celebrate at a cocktail party. Maressa Williams, Williams’ 18-year-old daughter, served as an honour attendant.

This is Williams’ third marriage and the first for Fowler.

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Wedding Planning 101

It would be virtually impossible to give a complete Wedding Planning 101 course in this limited space. Wedding Planning 101 would require an entire textbook, maybe even two. In this limited space, you will learn the most important aspects of wedding planning and you will know which direction to go in when the time comes. Wedding Planning 101 is in session.

The very first thing that any couple needs to do when planning a wedding is purchase a great wedding planning book. These books should have everything that needs to be accomplished when it comes to wedding planning. They should also include ideas and even worksheets on how to accomplish these tasks. The best wedding planning books have a lot of space for brides and grooms to write down their thoughts, compare vendors, and also include folders to keep track of important papers.

If your wedding planning book is not equipped with these extras, then it is essential to prepare a 3-ring binder with folders and laminated sleeves to hold all of these necessities. This will include contracts, payment information, guest list, responses, gifts received, and budget. The folders will be where you can place your ideas. All of those bridal magazines you will buy are huge! Simply rip out the articles and advertisements that you enjoy and put them in the binder. This will save space and keep you organized.

Next, you will need to budget! This is imperative when it comes to wedding planning. Wedding Planning 101 should have a prerequisite course in budgeting because it is so important. Without a strict number set down on paper, it is easy to overspend while wedding planning. It is important to decide where you want to allocate the money. Is your bouquet more important than that tiara? The budget will help you decide. You will need to sit down with both sets of parents and see if and how much they will contribute and figure out how much the two of you can contribute. That is your budget.

Any good parent will teach their child to never accept the first quote before spending a significant sum of money. This is true in wedding planning as well. You must visit several vendors in order to find the right one that suits your needs and fits your budget. Yes, you may need to visit seven photographers before you find the right one. It is worth it in the end.

That is where Wedding Planning 101 must come to an end. Get that wedding planning book. Make sure it has a thorough checklist that includes a timeline and purchases that need to be made. You wouldn’t want to forget to order those personalized cocktail napkins.

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How to Choose Your Wedding Accessories

All eyes will be on you on your wedding day. There is more to looking fabulous than a gorgeous gown, great hair, and a man in a tux. The bride and groom each need their own accessories in order to complete their outfit and look absolutely fabulous on the biggest day of their lives!

Men have it easy when it comes to wedding planning and pretty much every aspect of grooming. This is not so when it comes to a man on his wedding day. He needs accessories just as much as the bride. The groom’s accessories are simple in comparison to the bride’s but much more involved than he may be accustomed to. The groom will be able to get most of his wedding accessories when he goes to purchase or rent his tuxedo or suit. First, the groom will need to make some decisions such as a bow tie versus a traditional long tie and a cummerbund versus a vest. Every groom will also need a nice set of cuff links. He will also need a pocket square and of course he will need his corsage. Any other accessories are entirely up to the individual. He may choose to wear jewelry that he wears on a regular basis or purchase a nice watch for the big day.

The bride needs slightly more wedding accessories than the groom. Some of these accessories will never even be seen but are a necessary part of completing her bridal attire and making her look her best. Undergarments are very important to the bridal outfit. The bride will need to make sure that she tries on all undergarments with her gown to ensure that they fit properly and nothing shows. Most brides need a strapless bra. Others will choose a corset. She will need to the type of stockings she will wear and whether or not she needs crinoline under her skirt. All of these wedding accessories are going to make her look gorgeous even though nobody will see them!

The outer wedding accessories that the bride will need to choose are a lot of fun and some work as well. Jewelry is very important to the bridal outfit. Every bride will need different jewelry depending on the style of her dress. Most brides choose to wear earrings and often a necklace. It is best to wear only the bridal rings on the fingers but it is acceptable for the bride to choose a simple bracelet. In addition to jewelry, the bride will need to choose wedding accessories for her hair. She may choose to wear a veil or not, and will need to choose clips, barrettes, pins, or a tiara for her bridal hair.

When a bride is choosing her wedding accessories, she may also like to keep in mind the tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Many brides incorporate this tradition into the accessories they wear on their wedding day. This may mean wearing a new necklace, an antique tiara, a borrowed pin, and a blue garter.

Wedding accessories are a necessary part of every bride’s and groom’s outfit. They need them in order to look their best on the most special day of their lives and choosing them is one of the most fun and least stressful parts of wedding planning!

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden Set Their Wedding Date

Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden have reportedly set an October 13 date for their wedding. The pair has planned what is expected to be a lavish wedding in Laguna Beach, California. Ritchie, an actress who has appeared with pal Paris Hilton in MTV’s The Simple Life, recently revealed that she is expecting a child with Madden, who is the lead singer for the band Good Charlotte.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Choosing A Song For Your First Dance

One of the focal points of your reception will be your first dance together as a married couple. Most couples put a lot of thought into choosing a first dance song because it represents the way they feel about each other, and will bring back wedding memories each time they hear it. Some couples even take a few dance lessons prior to their wedding day to learn how to dance.

In all cases, a first-dance song should be meaningful to both the bride and groom. Careful attention should be paid to the song lyrics, since everyone in the room will be listening. Traditionally, couples choose a tune with a slow tempo and dance for the entire song. After the first dance is finished, couples often invite the rest of the wedding party or special guests to dance with them in a second song. Special songs may also be chosen for father-daughter dances, mother-son dances or dances with the couples’ new in-laws.

Selecting a first dance song can be time-consuming. It’s best to approach the task with an open mind. A bride may have dreamed for years of dancing to a particular tune, only to find that the song had special meaning to her future husband while in a past relationship. Work together to choose a song that both parties will find meaningful.

To help narrow the choices, visit an online music catalogue such as iTunes. Couples can hear snippets of the proposed songs and download potential choices for a small fee. Don’t be afraid to try out a song for it’s “danceability” and listen to the entire song before making a decision. If you’ve chosen a song that’s been recorded by several artists, listen to the various versions before making a decision.

Finally, be prepared to live with your choice. A song that seems just perfect now may seem silly in ten years. Before you choose a song, ask yourself if you’ll still want to hear it on your 25th or 50th wedding anniversary.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Archive Index

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An Invitation To A Wedding

Wedding invitations transmit a lot of information to wedding guests, so your choice of invitation is important. Invitations come in an almost endless spectrum of styles and colours. Read more about wedding invitations

Beth Torbert Marries

Canadian punk rock star Beth Torbert, who performs as Bif Naked, married Vancouver Sun sports writer Ian Walker in a traditional wedding ceremony at St. Andrews Wesley United Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The bride wore a cream-coloured mini-dress with a detachable long skirt and a pink veil. Walker wore a black tuxedo.

The couple met at a gym and began dating last year. Torbert has released several albums, the last of which - Superbeautifulmonster - debuted in 2005. She was married briefly in 1990. This is the first marriage for Walker.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Planning To Pay For The Wedding

It’s no secret that the cost of a wedding is headed ever upward. While as many as 75 percent of couples pay for their own celebrations, some parents still get in on the act. For brides-to-be who are already in the planning stages of an event, this comes too late, but a new trend in wedding planning is starting to emerge.

Parents are now beginning to use a long-term investment strategy to help defray the cost of their children’s weddings. The average cost of a wedding is currently about AUD$40,000. The trend toward more lavish weddings means that more couples are beginning married life under a mountain of debt. In the hopes of helping their children avoid such a fate, parents are now looking into long-term investments as a way to help relieve the cost burden of a wedding, especially when newly married couples may also be trying to purchase a home purchase, pay off educational loans, and have children of their own.

The power of compounding is undeniable, and parents are now starting to look at a wedding as a “horizon event” that requires the benefit of long-term financial planning. With such a strategy, $250 set aside each month in an investment that produces five percent per year, within 10-12 years, parents could amass enough funds to cover or substantially diminish the cost of a wedding celebration.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Pamela Anderson and Rick Solomon

American actress Pamela Anderson and Rick Solomon have reportedly married in a private ceremony in Las Vegas. The couple were issued a marriage license on Saturday, September 29. No details of the ceremony were available.

Anderson was a regular on the television programme Baywatch, and has appeared in several films. She was previously married to Motley Crüe lead singer Tommy Lee, and singer Kid Rock. Solomon is a professional poker player, who was previously married to Elizabeth Dailey, and actress Shannen Doherty.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Wedding Etiquette and the Matter of Money

When it comes to weddings, there is a whole list of etiquette rules you should follow. There are proper procedures for toasts, for dealing with your bridesmaids, for sending out wedding invitations, and for planning the reception. At times, it may seem as if there’s no end to your “to-do” list.

As a result, it’s not surprising that you can also demonstrate your good manners by the manner in which you request gifts. Because of the celebratory nature of weddings, guests are often eager to shower the couple with gifts. They want to show you their affection and their best wishes for the two of you to have a happy life together.

But weddings have changed significantly over the years. After all, in the past, brides in their teens and early twenties were the norm. Now, it’s not unusual to find a first-time bride in her ‘30s or ‘40s. In addition, as people’s expectations for marriage have changed over time, so have their wedding gift requests.

It used to be that the only acceptable way to ask for specific gifts was through a department store bridal registry. And, for the most part, the list of requested gifts included plenty of dish ware, silver ware, and pots and pans. But today, there are a myriad of options available, with all different kinds of stores offering brides the opportunity to take part in registries. As a result, prospective husbands and wives can request everything from matching ski boots to tool chests.

But what if what you want most in the whole world is for the two of you to own your own home? Is it permissible to ask your guests to contribute to a fund to help your dream come true? After all, home is synonymous with marriage and family, and it may be the best single investment you can make in your future together.

Still, if you’re trying to follow appropriate wedding etiquette, you should resist the urge to ask for money for a house on your wedding invitation. Requesting money in writing is considered to be bad form. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get the word out that you’re hoping to buy a house and that your friends and family could help in the effort. Experts in wedding etiquette suggest that you let your parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and various family members that you would appreciate a monetary gift that would enable you to purchase a home. In addition, if someone asks you directly what you would like to receive as a gift, money for a house is a perfectly acceptable answer.

Since weddings are really a family project, you might be surprised how quickly word will spread of your need for money. Friends and relatives are likely to converse with one another about various wedding details, and the subject of suitable gifts is likely to come up. As a result, you may be able to realize your goal of owning a home in no time. And you’ll have your wedding guests to thank for it.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Traditional Wedding Vows and Your Wedding Ceremony

Traditional wedding vows are very hard to narrow down to a few different sets of vows. There are many different sets of vows that can be considered traditional. These traditional wedding vows are the vows that are used most often, whether a ceremony is religious or not. Traditional wedding vows have a place in every wedding.

Most couples that will have a religious ceremony, either set in their religious institution or simply performed by a leader in the religion, will use the traditional wedding vows set forth by that religion. In many religions, the couple will have two or three different versions of essentially the same vows that they can choose from. Some religions are stricter and offer only one choice. When a religious ceremony is set outside of the church, then it is up to the discretion of the officiant and the church as to what vows will be acceptable. Some religions will allow the couple to alter the wedding vows slightly, but it always must be approved by the church. These traditional wedding vows make it easy for the bride and groom in the sense that they do not need to worry about choosing or writing their own different vows. Other couples will find it frustrating that they are forced to use these traditional wedding vows.

Traditional wedding vows also extend to non-denominational services. There are standard sets of wedding vows that officiants use. Whether the couple is using a judge, a justice of the peace, or another non-denominational officiant, they will have examples of the most traditional non-denominational vows. These officiants will likely be more lenient when it comes to choosing a different set of vows or choosing to write your own vows.

Traditional wedding vows have stood the test of time because they are beautiful and convey what many people feel is exactly what needs to be said between a couple about to venture into marriage. Traditional wedding vows can be used in any ceremony, but there is always a choice. This is your day after all and you need to speak words that ring true for you and your unique relationship.

Keywords: Wedding Vows and Sayings, Weddingblog, Wedding

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