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Throwing an Anniversary Party to be Remembered

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

Silver or Gold?

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

Who to Invite

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

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

The Invitations

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

Setting the Scene

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

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

Favors to Remember

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

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

A Night of Nostalgia

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

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

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

50th Anniversary Gift ideas

A 50th anniversary gift commemorates a milestone most married couples wish to reach. What can you possibly give a couple after 50 years of marriage? The most meaningful wedding anniversary gift is one that comes from the heart: to express your love and appreciation towards all that they mean to you, how their staying married through the thick and thin of life has influenced you, to tell about the warm and loving memories you shared with them throughout the years.

The 50th anniversary is commemorated by gold and the flower is violet. A gift certainly doesn't have to be gold, wrap a gift in gold paper or paper decorated with violets.

50th anniversary gift ideas for the couple
• Keepsake personalized anniversary gifts, such as a photo quilt or pillow
• Monthly or quarterly lo-carb, dietetic or fruit gift baskets
• Restore their wedding photo and place in a gold frame
• Have a painting or caricature made out of their wedding photo
• As they probably don't cook for themselves as much, gift certificates to restaurants would be appreciated
• A gift of theater or concert subscription tickets. Make them a patron with VIP privileges
• The children can create a 50th anniversary keepsake journal gift. Ask family and friends to write a paragraph or two to share a memory with their parents. Or ask for a photo with the couple that the children don't have and write a caption about it
• Instead of a guest book, buy a music box and fill it with messages of love written on gold or handmade paper from family and friends
• Are they up for a cruise? Take them on a weekend or week long cruise. They probably will enjoy sharing this vacation with others
• What could help them personally? Can you lease a car for them? Pay for a kitchen or other home renovation?
• Do they golf? Pay for private lessons or a VIP membership at their favorite club. Buy 2 clubs, have them engraved and then gold plated
• What hobbies do they enjoy? Give them gift certificates for a spending spree at their favorite craft or hobby store
• Buy tickets to a favorite event and pay for their lodging and food expenses
• Do they volunteer or have a favorite charity? Contribute to their favorite organization. Find out if a plaque or some other special mention can be made in their name

The best 50th anniversary gift for the couple is one that helps them to enjoy life more. Many couples don't even want to receive gifts. Give a gift of your time and help. Make up "Gift of Time" or "Labor of Love" coupons to take them out to their favorite restaurant, make them a home-cooked meal, chauffeur them on a shopping trip, run errands for them, take them to a show or movie, have a local landscaping company take care of their property, have their home repainted. Find out what will make a difference in the quality of their life.

Your love and attention will be the most appreciated 50th anniversary gift you can give your parents or a couple. Make the time for those you love!

Becoming One Financially

When we think of marriage, most of us like to be romantic about it. Marriage brings images of engagement rings and a big white triple-layer cake. Nobody wants to talk about money management, prenuptials and other financial matters.

However, statistics show that the top reason for divorce is disagreeing about money. Don’t get carried away by the sheer romance of getting married. Discuss your financial concerns before you walk down the aisle.

Prenuptial agreements
These legally-binding contracts will save you quite a heartache in the event of a divorce.
But who is ever considering divorce at the time of marriage? It may seem unromantic, and certainly, most of the time it may be unnecessary. However, if you stand to inherit a very large sum of money, if you have a trust fund, or if you own a business, a prenuptial can help you keep what is rightfully yours.

Set a reasonable wedding budget
With the average American wedding costing over $19,000, it makes sense to look into some affordable alternatives. Keeping it small and holding the ceremony and reception in a park or other scenic public place are just two examples of ways that you can save a ton.

Be ready for tax-season
If both spouses work, by law, they both must be taxed at the same rate as that of the highest income-earning spouse. Married couples will be happy to hear, however that the marriage tax penalty is being phased out over the next few years.

Merge your money
Legally, a married couple has joint-ownership of everything. Regardless, a husband and wife will often open a joint bank account to make household expenses easier to track.

Discussing the financial details of marriage one-step-at-a-time can help ease the both of you into a fruitful and harmonious new life together.

The Prenuptial Agreement Dilemma

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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A Bridal Shower Invitation should be attractive and stylish!

A bridal shower invitations should lay out all of the necessary information, yet still be attractive. One way to do this is to have a picture engraved on the invitation. Ask your engraver to add a small design on the inside of your invitation or wherever you have information about the reception. If, for example, an ice cream social is your theme see if there is an ice cream cone or Sundae dish they can emboss onto the paper without taking away from the main body of the invitation. Remember that subtlety is stylish; you don’t want to come across as overpowering with your theme. It may be difficult sometimes to know who to invite to the bridal shower. As a general rule, the bridal shower hostess or hostesses should invite female family members of both the bride and the groom. She should also invite close female friends of the bride and the bride's family. She may also want to invite some of the bride-to-be's co-workers. She should be sure to consult with the bride when compiling the guest list. Try to organize the people invited so some will set up the bridal shower game, someone else will set up the bridal shower favor, and so on. Not everyone invited to the wedding needs to be invited to the shower. However, those invited to the bridal shower are normally invited to the wedding.


Information needed on a Bridal Shower Invitation


The bridal shower invitation should include the name of the bride to be, the date and time of the shower, and the address and phone number of the hostess/hostesses. If you are concerned about the attendance at your bridal shower, consider including on the invitation a deadline date for the RSVP; usually about two weeks prior to the shower date.

Bachelorette Party Ideas

While bachelor parties are a tradition dating back to the 1800s, bachelorette parties have become popular only recently. Bachelorette parties seem to be more about the bride-to-be bonding with women friends than the male tradition of enjoying a final night of freedom before marriage.

A New Tradition

Some brides choose a night of frivolity, such as male exotic dancers and lots of alcohol, much like the groom's bachelor party. But the majority of women opt for other activities. The theme of most bachelorette parties is to tease the bride in a fun way, while sharing a memorable evening with her best friends.

The Nightclub Scene

This is 1 of the most popular bachelorette activities. Parties often start with dinner at an elegant restaurant, followed by drinks and dancing at popular nightclubs. Hiring a limousine to drive everyone together from destination to destination is a great idea. First, it allows all the women to travel together and party in transit. Second, it adds a touch of class to the evening. And perhaps the best reason is to ensure that everyone arrives safely at their destinations.

The women in the bachelorette party will often create a veil for the bride to wear on that night. The style of the veil isn't important, so long as it is conspicuous and calls a great deal of attention to the bride. It's also typical for this type of party to send the bride on a scavenger hunt. The other women get together ahead of time to create a list of activities for the bride to accomplish or objects to find. This type of bachelorette party is a great way for the bride to enjoy a night of dinner, dancing, drinks and fun with her best friends.

Retreat To A Spa

Spa retreats have become quite popular as bachelorette party ideas. The bride-to-be and her friends get together at a spa to enjoy relaxing massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and other treatments. A steam room, sauna and/or hot tub adds an extra element of relaxation.

Some spas provide great meals from a selection of healthy dishes. This type of bachelorette party lets the bride relax and connect with her friends while leaving behind the stress of planning a wedding. Many brides get so caught up in the details of wedding planning that they forget to enjoy the wedding. A spa retreat bachelorette party is a great solution.

Exotic Dance Lessons

A little more risque, but lots of fun, is exotic dancing lessons. These parties are becoming more common now that pole dancing classes are beginning to spring up in health clubs. For these parties the women gather at a private home or a dance studio, and a professional dancer comes in to teach them the art of exotic dance. This can be a great way for friends to let loose and have fun.

Night Of Feature Films

Another unique bachelorette party idea is for the maid of honor to host a movie night. The hostess rents plenty of movies to select from, and stocks up on movie theater style goodies or creates a menu of hors d'oeuvres. This could be the bride's last chance to sit around with her friends watching "chick flicks" for a good long while. This is a fun, safe, and relaxing way for the women to get together to talk and have a good time.

Female Bonding

Although a new phenomenon, the bachelorette party is quickly catching on. It does not have the same feel as a bachelor party -- instead of a last night of freedom, it a night to bond with women friends.

Saving Money Using Wedding Reception Themes

Just like weddings, receptions are often theme based as well. Reception themes are often more relaxed than wedding themes because they are meant to be provided in a party atmosphere. There are many affordable themes that can be used and I will mention some of them here as well as some great ideas for them.

Choosing a themed reception can save you a great deal of money on it, depending on the theme that is chosen.

Reception themes allow people to get creative with their celebration and express themselves. People often choose to base their themes on hobbies, personal interests, and dreams. It can be very costly to host a reception. That is why the majority of your wedding budget is spent on it. Themes help to cut the costs because you can choose to use a casual theme that doesn’t require a great deal of extras. Choosing themes like beach themes, Mexican fiestas, or toga party is simple and the food is cheap and easy. Take a look at some more themes to lessen the cost of your reception.

Star Trek

This fun theme can be extremely affordable. You can decorate the room or hall with stars. You can use black garbage bags like wallpaper and string white lights around to simulate the stars. You can have guests dress up like aliens or star trek characters.

You can serve appetizers rather than entrees and give them special names that remind them of Star Trek. It is a really fun theme that is great if you are a star trek fan. You can also go with other-worldly music that is downloaded from a computer rather than go with a DJ too. You can also choose to play episodes of the show during the reception as entertainment.

NASCAR

This theme has a world of possibilities. You can decorate with checkered flags and checkered flag streamers, toy cars, painted numbers of the different cars and drivers.

If you would like, you can decorate with a particular driver motif. The best part about this theme is that it is very casual and you can serve regular foods like pizza, large submarine sandwiches, hamburgers and even chips and nachos; pretty much any food that you want.

In general this relaxed type of theme applies to all sports related theme. This theme is great for receptions. You can also opt to watch a race.

Movies

Popular movie themes like the Matrix and Lord of the Rings etc. can be a lot of fun for receptions when the bride and groom are movie buffs.

Decorations will be based on what the general movie symbolizes such as; if you chose the Matrix, you would use computer data charts and sheets, computers, dress in all black etc. You could serve appetizers rather than entrees for this type of theme as well. Playing the movie during your reception is a cool idea for background scenery.

Roman theme

The choices with the Roman theme vary. Togas are always a part of the festivities. Serving fresh fruits like grapes, apples etc. are always good. Serving fresh rotisseries meats or cold cuts are great with this theme too.

You can generally serve beer and wine for this theme and you can decorate with wreathes, garland, candles and anything else in the Roman fashion.

Reception themes are a great way to personalize your reception. People often choose their themes based on their personalities and individual character. Some themes are based on hobbies and others are based on hopes and dreams.

The Wedding Veil

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

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

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

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

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

Planning Your Wedding Reception Menu

When you are planning a budgeted menu, you must first know what your exact budget is when it comes to the food and drink specifically. Some people keep the food and drinks separate, but on average, the food and drink are a part of the same bill.

If you can afford the more expensive catering services, then by all means enjoy. However, if you are like most of us, you will likely need a little bit of help in creating a menu that is fitting to your budget.

If you are hosting an indoor reception in a hall and plan to have a dinner option, you have to make sure that you accommodate the needs of all of your guests which include vegetarians. You should request that the guests RSVP beforehand so that you can get the right amount of vegetarian plates.

The way that you choose to serve the dinners can vary. Here are some tips on how you can choose to serve the guests to make it a bit cheaper for you.

· You can serve the meals buffet style, with this option you have people forego wedding gifts in favor of bringing a dish

· You can offer vegetable, fruit an meat platters with dips and crackers instead of foods

· You can ask each guest to contribute a small amount of money to the reception or to make donations toward the reception rather than buying a gift.

· You can offer a soup and salad menu rather than a full blown entrée

· Offer a limited bar which means that you offer an open bar only at certain times such as after dinner and during toasting etc. that way your guests aren’t paying and you won’t go broke, the rest of the time offer a cash bar

· Offer around the world appetizers instead of a meal. This will give you the opportunity to offer fill ups such as crab, shrimp. Etc. as well as casual appetizers like cheese sticks, chicken wings, and mushroom caps etc. the around the world motif will also provide your party with a variety of different tastes.

· Request that each immediate family member create a dish instead of a present

· Do not pay for extras like servers, bartenders etc. asking a friend or family member to do it instead as a wedding gift to you

Outdoor receptions give you much freedom when choosing your menu because you can serve anything that you want including barbecue, long group submarine sandwiches or pizza.

As long as you offer foods that will accommodate both carnivores and vegetarians, you will be fine. You can always find items to suit all of your needs and every budget as long as your budget is reasonable for the amount of people that you are planning to serve. If it doesn’t fit, you may have to trim the invite list.

What Makes The Best Wedding Anniversary Gift?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Show how much you appreciate your husband or wife and plan your anniversary celebration around something that they always wanted to do but haven't done yet.

But the best anniversary gift is to give your husband or wife what they truly want: to know that you cherish your love and marriage, and always will.

Saving Money as a Newlywed Team

As a newly wed couple, you may not always agree on things; however, when it comes to financial survival, the both of you will need to put your heads together and make some decisions with regard to money management.

For this reason, it is always wise for a married couple to seek financial marriage advice. A financial planner can help with matters such as whether or not to get a prenuptial agreement, and what percentage of your income to put into a joint bank account, and some wise investments to start out with.

Other decisions are best made between the two of you. What are your spending habits? Who will balance the checkbook? Who will pay the bills? What investments do you wish to make? What are your financial goals and what is your plan to reach them?

Another aspect of marriage that may require planning is your wedding budget. That would include everything from the price of engagement rings all the way to the actual wedding cost.

Planning your financial future together is crucial for a healthy marriage. If the both of you choose to undergo premarital counseling, take a few sessions to communicate about your financial issues. Get started early, and continue with couple counseling after tying the knot, as well.

Bringing Debts into a Marriage

Are you a credit card junkie? Credit card debt can often be a big, deep, dark secret for someone preparing for marriage. It’s an uncomfortable subject to talk about. Do you bring it up before or after he slips the engagement ring on your finger (or before you slip it onto hers)? Or do you wait until after all the marriage preparations are in place?

If there are large differences in your assets and liabilities, it may not be such a hot idea to get a joint bank account. Furthermore, you may want to sign a prenuptial agreement just to be clear about what came before your marriage, and what came after.

How you plan your wedding budget will largely determine how you approach money management as a married couple, in the long term. Wedding costs, by themselves can run up quite a tab. If you are noticing conflicts in the early stages of your joint money management, then get some financial marriage advice or premarital counseling.

Couple counseling can be just as much a part of a healthy marriage as family or financial planning is. It’s a way of ensuring solid communication skills from the get go; and that’s important when debts and assets are about to be split right down the middle.

Planning Your Wedding Reception

Great deals can be found when you know how much money you are working with. It really doesn’t matter how small your budget is for the reception because all budgets can be accommodated.

Your reception budget should consist of approximately 30% of your wedding budget or more. Most wedding receptions are so expensive due to the fact of providing meals, decorations, hall rentals etc.

For the purposes of this guide, I will give two different examples of common receptions and an idea for cutting costs on the food and drinks as well as give you the best tips for throwing your reception on a budget.

Renting a Hall

If you prefer to rent a hall or space for your reception, you must consider many things before making this decision. You will have to think of the prices for the hall rental, the cost of using their servers (most halls include servers in price and they are not negotiable), decorations, flowers, meals, drinks etc.

When you wish to rent a hall for your reception there are some things that the hall will include in your rental that you can’t avoid paying for such as: servers, decorations, and wine. However, some halls will give you the option to pick and choose the extras that you want.

Depending on the type of hall that you choose to rent, the costs can vary greatly. For example, if you rent a large hall, you could pay more than if you rented a legion hall.

You might also want to consider that if you are starting with a small budget, that renting a hall might not be worth the effort and money, or it may leave you with less options.

There are a few tips when renting a hall that could keep a great deal of your costs down. Let’s take a look at them.

1. You should only consider renting a hall if you have invited 50 or more people to your reception.

2. When renting a hall, you have to decide if you are opting for a cash bar or an open bar. A good compromise is to purchase a few cases of beer on your own and host a cash bar for those who want mixed drinks if you are trying to keep costs down.

3. Rent a hall that you can decorate yourself

4. If you must have servers, rent a hall that includes servers in the price of the rental or go with a hall that lets you bring your own.

5. Choose a hall that will cater to whatever your needs or budget is.

6. When it comes to the food, you should go with a hall that will allow you to bring your own food if you would prefer to not pay extra for catering.

7. Serving vegetable and fruit trays, as well as finger foods like finger sandwiches will be of great value in accommodating vegetarians

8. Opting for a casual reception will allow you to serve your food buffet style which will be predominantly cheaper.

9. Opting to tell people to forego giving you a wedding gift and serve a completely cash bar is a great way to accommodate guests and recover some of the money for the hall.

10. Opt for non-weekend dates because these are not peak hours for the hall and the prices may be cheaper

11. You should choose to host your event during the winter for the best rates

12. Negotiate a special discount by paying cash instead of credit card. Most reception halls will do this

13. Choose to go with a non-dinner reception offering instead snack foods and munchables

Hosting a wedding reception at a hall does not have to cost through the nose if you know how to get around the basics which I have just mentioned.

Most people would like to host their reception at a reception hall because they feel that it is more elegant than hosting it outdoors, however, this is not always the case. Sometimes, hosting your event outdoors is more fun and it is also much cheaper.

How to Save Money on Wedding and Baby Shower Favors

Planning on having a wedding or baby shower soon? Getting favors is a nice way of saying thank you to your guests for coming. Here are some tips for saving money when purchasing baby shower or wedding favors.

1) Buy extras off other people - Oftentimes, people get too many favors for their occasion. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Once the celebration is over, however, these people may be willing to sell you their leftover favors at a sharp discount. If you don't know anyone personally, then look in the classifieds in both local and national papers as well as online auction sites like ebay.

2) Buy in bulk and sell the leftovers - Sometimes you will be able to save money by buying in bulk. You can sell the extras to other people. If you know other people that are having weddings or baby showers, then you can combine your orders and benefit from lower costs and possibly bulk purchase incentives like free shipping.

3) Make your own favors - If you are crafty, then you can make your own favors. Purchase all the materials at your local craft shop or online. Since you are making them from scratch, you can customize and personalize as well. People will appreciate the effort that went into making your own favors.

4) Find a craftsman - If you find a local craftsman or artist, then there is a chance that you can get a great price from them for your favors. Another possibility is an art student that is still in school. They will usually work for less money than a full time professional.

5) Flea markets and thrift shops - Flea markets and thrift shops are great places to locate bargain items. Also check out closeouts, store sales, garage sales, and live auctions. Oftentimes, you can also negotiate prices with these vendors.

As you can see, there are many ways to save money when shopping for gifts for your guests. Follow these tips and you are sure to save money or favors and supplies for your wedding, baby shower, or any other special occasion.

Traditional Wedding Anniversary Symbols

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

ANNIVERSARY

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

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

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

The traditional version is still preferred by most people.

Tips for A Great Wedding Video

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Who will be editing the videotape?

*To what professional organizations does your studio belong?

*How do the crew members advance their professional educations?

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

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

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

All the sources of sound should be clean and clear.

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

*What guarantees do you provide?

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

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

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

*How will the crew be dressed?

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

You should think twice before hiring a videographer who

*Does not allow you to visit their studio

* Offers no references

* Avoids answering direct questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Tripod and dolly

*Proper lights

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

*More than enough blank videotapes

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

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

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

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

* Relax and have fun

Grooms Get Personal With Their Rings

(ARA) - With this ring, or maybe that ring, grooms have more choices than ever before.

Once upon a time the plain gold band was the only choice for a man’s wedding ring. While brides-to-be deliberated over filigree, gem stones and other detailing, grooms simply told the jeweler their finger size and went on their way. But times have changed.

Today grooms have a host of options, from intricately detailed to customized creations. Wedding rings come in a variety of styles, metals and finishes to fit the personality of every groom. The trend today is definitely about individual style.

While gold will always be a popular choice, other metals are currently gaining favor. “Many men are stepping outside the box to personalize their wedding band by using alternative metals to express their individuality,” says Marsha Bryant, senior buyer for 18K gold and platinum at ShopNBC. “This season, men’s rings are both functional and fashionable.”

Platinum, a silver-colored precious metal, is a big trend right now. According to the Platinum Guild International, the number of brides and grooms choosing platinum rings has reached 40 percent. A matte finish is hot right now, as it gives a subdued, modern look. While more expensive than gold, it is also more durable, making it a good choice for those who work with their hands.

No longer just a girl’s best friend, many grooms are adding diamonds to their rings. Nothing over the top, according to wedding Web site, TheKnot.com. These rings give just a bit of sparkle, often in a style that compliments the bride’s ring. Most popular are channel-set or gypsy-set stones that offer a flush mounting and secure fit.

For a personal look, many grooms are adding special details. Custom engraving is a great option for grooms who want a ring unique to them. Rings like the Personalized Message Ring from ShopNBC allow couples to imprint names, dates or a special phrase on the outside of the ring, creating a treasured family heirloom. Some grooms are creating jewelry wardrobes by matching key pieces. “Rings that compliment watchband styles were recently introduced at this season’s international jewelry shows,” says Bryant.

Many grooms unaccustomed to wearing jewelry are discovering the newest ring metal: titanium. This lightweight, durable metal comes in either satin or polished finishes, often with an accent stripe of gold. Titanium rings provide an up-to-date look at an affordable price.

When shopping for a ring, remember to check for marks that indicate you’re getting the metal you pay for. Gold is stamped according to its karat: 14K or 18K. Platinum is marked with PLAT, PT, PT950 or IRIDPLAT. Look for a ring that not only matches your taste, but also your life. Intricate carvings will catch debris, and may not be a good choice for those who engage in messy work. Matte finishes tend to show scratches more quickly. And some people are sensitive to metals and may have skin allergies that make one metal a more desirable choice than another.

Take your time when selecting a ring. Remember, long after the tuxedos have been returned and the limo ride has ended, your wedding ring will be with you each moment to remind you of your lasting commitment.

For the best selection of wedding rings, check the ShopNBC jewelry categories. Also available at www.shopnbc.com is a whole range of housewares, clothing, computers, software and health and fitness products.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Money and Marriage 101

Q. Is a prenuptial agreement necessary?
A. Legally speaking, marriage splits your combined assets and liabilities right down the middle. Everything gets shared. Therefore, a prenuptial agreement is sometimes very necessary, particularly when a married man or woman has assets or liabilities that will greatly exceed that of his or her spouse. To make a decision that is right for the both of you, consult with a financial planner who is familiar with the marriage laws in your state.

Q. What about opening a joint bank account?
A. Since all your money will in essence be merged together, opening a joint bank account can make paying bills much simpler. This is particularly true of bills for things that you own and share as a married couple, such as a house or insurance. However, it is also a good idea to budget some spending money to put into your own personal accounts.

Q. What is the average wedding cost?
A. Marriage preparation can be really hectic and stressful, depending on how fancy you want to get. Add the stress of trying to stick to a wedding budget, and you could be in for a rocky beginning. The average wedding cost is more than $15,000. This may be comfortable for you, or maybe not. Set a realistic budget taking into account your debts and your income.

Q. My spouse is a spender and I’m a saver. Will we ever agree?
A. A good marriage is about finding balance; but most of all, it is about survival. That means being less selfish, being willing to negotiate and to compromise. If you find yourself at odds about your spending habits, get premarital counseling. Couple counseling can open the lines of communication. In the long-run, good communication is the key to successful financial and family planning.

Wedding is time for everyone to mind their manners.

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

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

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

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

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

CORRESPONDENCE CRIMES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BRIDESMAID BLUNDERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RECEPTIONS GONE WRONG

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

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

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

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

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

Bridal Shower Themes

It is the maid of honor's duty to organize the bridal shower and to ensure that the party is everything the bride expected. The best way to ensure that everyone will have fun is to create a theme around the bridal shower in which everyone can participate in. The following is a list of fun and exciting themes for bridal showers. Choose the one that suits the bride the best:

1. Lingerie Bridal Shower - The lingerie theme has become more and more popular in recent years. This type of shower is typically for a younger bride who will be comfortable with the risqué nature of a lingerie bridal shower. Each guest, in lieu of bringing a traditional wedding shower gift, will bring a piece of lingerie for the bride. The groom will reap the benefits of a lingerie shower as well. Chances are the gifts will be put to great use on the honeymoon.

2. Gourmet Bridal Shower - A gourmet bridal shower is perfect for brides who love to cook and sample different kinds of food. Instead of serving traditional snacks like cheese and crackers, ask each guest to bring a gourmet-related dish. Sending out invitations in the shape of foods or hand deliver invitations in an apron to add a little extra pizzazz to your shower.

3. Around-the-Clock Bridal Shower - This is a relatively new bridal shower theme. It requires each guest to bring a gift that the bride and groom can use at a specific point throughout the day. For example, on one person's invitation it might read 3pm; while on another's it may read 1am. The gifts are distributed clockwise according to the hours each guest is assigned.

4. Room-of-the-House Bridal Shower - Similar to the "around-the-clock" theme listed above; this theme requires each guest to bring a gift in relation to a specific room in the house. One guest might be assigned the kitchen; while another might receive the bedroom. Each guest would have to choose their gift pertaining to the room on the invitation.

5. Stock the Bar - This theme requires each guest to bring wine, beer, spirits or liquor; which the couple can use to stock their bar at home. You may want to assign each guest a different kind of liquor to ensure that the couple doesn't end up with 10 bottles of tequila!

The bridal shower theme you choose will have a great impact on the success of your bridal shower. Make sure the theme is suitable for the personality of the bride; otherwise she may be disappointed with the outcome. Also take into consideration the types of gifts the couple could most use. If they already have a stocked bar, a "stock-the-bar" shower won't be a helpful theme. The outcome of this shower may determine whether or not you're ever asked to throw another one. But remember, above all, have fun!

Are Wedding Decorations waiting in Your future?

If there are wedding bells in your future, then surely there are wedding decorations as well. Or, maybe you are looking for Easter decorations, baby shower decorations, or even prom decorations? For some good ideas on any party decorations, just check online!

When you are planning a party, no matter how big or small you will want to use decorations to make the atmosphere what you want it to be. Table decorations are one thing most parties have. You may wish to cover your tables with brightly colored table clothes with a fresh flower centerpiece. Or maybe you are crafty and wish to make personalized place-mats for your guests. Whatever you choose, the decoration will make the party a blast!

But, not all of us are crafty and need some extra help in this area. You can take a trip to your local craft store where you will find aisles and aisles of ideas. But, more then likely, you will still need some idea of what you can do yourself. Another option is to check out the online retailers and their vast amount of options. If you need help finding what you are looking for online, try searching for it using a major search engine.

Decorations will make your party a hit. Walking into a balloon filled room with decorated tables and chairs, streamers, and festive colored banners will set the mood for your party! So, liven up your wedding decorations by visiting a local craft store, doing some design work yourself, or even just browse the online aisles and make it a great party!

Ditching a Wedding

John’s cousin, Grace, is getting married in Liverpool, UK and he lives in Glasgow, UK. He does not really want to attend the wedding, weddings and such are just not his idea of a fun Saturday. He has already spent time and attended all the functions and parties over the last month that family and friends have had to congratulate her and he wants this weekend for himself.

The big problem is that he has a planned fishing trip with the guys on the same weekend as his cousin’s wedding. He has never missed this fishing trip in the last ten years and he doesn’t want to start now.

He decides to head to the internet and see if he can come up with any good ideas to ditch this wedding and still save face. He begins to look for UK online florists that will deliver flowers from Glasgow, UK to Liverpool, UK.

Wow, there are florist that can deliver some nice flower arraignments and bouquets. There were so many choices from bouquets, plants, gifts sets, and even a way of creating your own unique flowers and style.

There were many wonderful choices to consider such as the Classic Charm Basket which is a nice basket filled with scented Freesia, Alstroemeria, Carnations and Chrysanthemums, Timeless Tradition Wrap which is an elegant display of a mix of Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Alstroemeria and Asiatic Lilies, and the Hot Tropical Hand-tied with a mix of tropical flowers and Sunflowers.

He even searched through the gift sets that he could have delivered from Glasgow, UK to Liverpool, UK and he found some very unique ideas such as the Sunbeam Chocolate Surprise which is created with beautiful summer flowers and delightful Maison Fougère chocolates and the Summer Punch & Bubbly Gift Set which uses summer flowers and Veuve Ricotteau Brut which would be perfect for the bride and groom.

He could even choose and create his own flower arraignments and then add balloons, chocolates, or champagne. Now, to decide what would be best. He wanted to send his cousin something nice that she would enjoy and make missing her wedding smooth over easily.

Her favorite flowers had always been tropical and her honeymoon was planned for Aruba, so he chose the Hot Tropical Hand Tied, but he also chose chocolates and champagne. Ordering the flowers and gifts were a breeze, he placed his order online with the UK floral shop and the flower arraignments and gifts were delivered in plenty of time for Grace to enjoy them before the wedding ceremony.

Grace was happy with the flowers and John was happy on the lake fishing with the guys all because of the online UK florist.

Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation

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A Financial “To Do” List for Engaged Couples

Engagement can be a hectic and overwhelming time for all parties involved. However, by setting a wedding budget and by creating a long-term money-management plan, you can ensure that you will start off on the right foot. Follow these steps for a good marriage preparation:

1. Prepare to merge finances
Discuss your spending and saving habits, your debts and assets and your respective salaries. Be sure that you have a realistic idea of how marriage will affect you both as a couple and as individuals.

2. Plan your wedding
Make a realistic assessment of how much you can spend. While the average wedding cost is $15,000, with careful planning you may be able to go lower than that and create memories that will last forever.

3. Decide on whether to have a prenuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreements aren’t always necessary. However, if there is a considerable difference in your net assets, it would be foolish not to have one drafted by a lawyer and signed by the necessary parties.

4. Merge your money
In the eyes of the law (and creditors), a married couple is a single financial unit. This holds true, even for those couples who decide to open joint bank accounts.

5. Go over your taxes
A good accountant may help out in this area. Generally speaking, dual-income families get penalized by tax laws. Evaluate your tax situation and decide if it is worth it for both of you to work.

10 Tips to Getting Great Deals on Catering

When it comes to your catering services for your wedding, there are options to make it more affordable. Generally for larger receptions, catering companies will offer discounts on their own.

Saving money on your food and drink can be very easy, but it really depends on how large your reception party will be and what you are planning to serve. I will explain how you can save some money on the catering for your party.

1. You can serve basic entrees where the meals are all inclusive and forego the extras like salads, soups and breads and bring these items yourself.

2. You can choose to go with appetizers instead of full entrees. Many catering companies will offer a variety of appetizers at a special cost.

3. Skip out on the extra services that many catering companies offer such as place settings or servers.

4. Avoid going to a professional caterer and opt instead to use a small restaurants catering services instead.

5. Picking up the food for your reception instead of letting the catering company deliver it can save you a great deal of money.

6. You can always make the food yourself and experiment with many different tastes or prepare all of your best dishes.

7. Tips are generally included in catering packages so you do not have to provide extra tips during the reception unless someone goes out of their way and/or far over the duties

8. Plan your wedding yourself instead of using a wedding planner

9. Limit your transportation costs by booking the services on off seasons or shopping around for the cheapest costs

10. The very last thing that you can do is elope!

These tips can save you a lot of money on catering because when you skip the extras and forego the delivery charges and set up etc. catering companies will give you good prices.

Of course, you can also opt out of full entrees and serve something altogether different. It can be very easy to get good prices on catering services. Perhaps the best way to do this is to simply limit the guests at your reception that you have to serve.

By turning your full reception into a private and intimate celebration, you can limit the amount of guests without offending anyone. Unless you can afford to invite all of your co-workers that you get along with, don’t invite any. It is just good etiquette.

Titanium Mens Rings – The Contemporary Look for the Modern Man

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

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

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

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

But first, what is titanium?

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

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

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

It was named in 1795 after the god Titan.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The strength of the Titanium keeps it there.

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

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

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

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

The only difficulty is making up your mind which one!

Planning your Wedding Decoration Budget

When it comes to your decorating budget it really depends on where the ceremony and reception will be on what decorations need to be present as well as what if any; themes that you are choosing.

For example, if you are planning an indoor dinner, you have to include centerpieces etc. The most common decorating choice for weddings and reception are flowers, and streamers.

While the streamers and various other decorations are generally inexpensive, the flowers can kill you. It is best when choosing your flowers for a wedding service and reception to use false flowers or paper machete flowers as they are cheap and reusable.

For those who would much prefer to use real flowers, it can be much cheaper to go with wild flowers and/or hand picked flowers. It is also a good idea to use them sparingly.

For example, rather than going all out and decorating everything with flowers just use a simple arrangement for the center of the table and place them in small vases or hand made crafts.

Of course you can also opt to keep the flowers strictly in the ceremony. Paper machete flowers re getting more and more popular as well as hand made roses that were created from tissue paper. When they are placed on green pipe cleaners or wires that are covered in green tissue paper they are quite attractive. It is a nice way to save money and spend some time with your friends and family in creating them.

When it comes to the decoration budget, this is a time when you will want the church, chapel or hall for the ceremony to cover them for you.

If that is not possible, the ceremonial decorations can be limited to those involved in the ceremony, such as their clothes. If you must, you can pin balloons to the areas where the guests will be seated or create some flowers out of tissue paper.

Streamers are always used, but there are other ways to decorate that are just as appealing. Here are some good tips for decorating at your wedding on a budget.

· A really unique idea is to use glass containers and putting baby fish in them. It is very unique and attractive, and it is also cheap because the glass containers can be purchased at Wal-Mart and even a dollar store. The fish can be as cheap as you want them to be

· Good old candle holders and candles are always a romantic addition to any wedding decor

· If your reception is at night it is nice to add fireflies to a glass container with holes for air or even butterflies during the day

· False flower arrangements in a bamboo pot are a very nice addition and keepsake for guests

· Using white Christmas lights streamed through greenery is a beautiful decoration and is one that you likely already have available

· Chocolate and candy flower bouquets are sweet accents to the décor and they can be souvenirs for the guests later.

· Balloons, balloons, and more balloons are always fun

These are not the only decorations that are available but you are getting the idea. The best thing that you can do before choosing your decorations is to choose a theme first. Themes for weddings are just like choosing themes for anniversaries and birthdays. Once you can decide on a theme, you can decorate around that theme.

For example, if you are choosing to have your theme be tropical romance, you can use glass containers with sand etc. as centerpieces to your reception. Some extra and easy to afford themes include those that will be listed in the table below as well as some of the things that usually accompany them.

These are common wedding ceremonial themes that are used as opposed to the reception themes mentioned above; of course they can be used as reception themes too.

The Wedding Party

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dressing the Mother-of-the-Bride

So you are getting married. You are so excited infact your whole family is so excited! What do you want as a present? What will your hair be like? Are you really going to wear that color of dress? All questions that may be fired at you during the course of the next few months. But one question can strike fear and trepidation into the strongest of brides. What is your mother going to wear?

The mother-of-the-bride outfit is probably the most talked about outfit other than what the bride is wearing. Not even the grooms choice of morning suit, kilt or sneakers and jeans will be talked about as much as what the mother-of-the-bride will be wearing.

Even if bride and mother-of-the-bride have a fantastic relationship outside of wedding planning, when it comes to what your mother is going to wear on your wedding day things can go horribly wrong!

She will have dreamt about this day from the moment you first opened your eyes and stared into hers. She will have planned and re-planned her outfit several times, over each decade that has passed, hopefully moving with the times!

She will have a definate idea of the image she wishes to project and how she wants to look on this wonderous day and hopefully that will coincide with your own ideas.

If you are lucky she will co-ordinate with the rest of the bridal party and your photographs will be a riot of harmonious color. If you fall into the not so lucky catergory then the photographer may experience diffculty placing her beside someone she doesnt clash with or horror of horrors the mother-of-the-groom turns up in the same dress!!!

If your parents have divorced and re-married then this situation can actually get worse. You only have one mother and she carries the mother-of-the-bride mantle but people, and its just human nature, will be looking at your fathers second wife's oufit almost as closely as the mother-of-the-bride's.

I did hear a story where a bride in this situation suddenly realised that the two women in question had indeed bought the same dress. Approaching her mother tactfully she mentioned that it might be an idea to take back the dress as she would have no other appropriate celebration to wear it to. Her mother smiled and replied that of course she would get another dress for her daughters big day but would be wearing the original dress to the wedding rehearsal dinner!

When is comes down to it the main thing is that everyone is happy and it would be foolish to let a disagreement over a mother-of-the-bride dress get in the way of your wedding. Always remember girls one day you may be the mother-of-the-bride!

Wedding Budgeting Tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Instead of waiter service, have a buffet bar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Music:
DJs are less expensive than live bands.

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

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

Ask at the local college/university for young musicians.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Hire A Disc Jockey For Your Wedding

Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking made for your wedding. Guests remember whether or not they had fun at your wedding. What you pay for is what you get is a good rule of thumb. However, I would like to educate the consumer, future brides and grooms, of how to hire a DJ and things to consider. The following are 9 important factors to consider when hiring a disc jockey BEFORE you sign the contract.

1. Who would be the DJ for your occasion? Many DJ companies are a multi-system operation. Be sure to have in writing of who your DJ will be at your event. I would recommend meeting your DJ before hiring the company at a neutral place, like a restaurant.

2. How many years experience does your DJ have with your type of function? Anyone can pretend to be a DJ. If you are having a formal event, does your DJ know how to organize a wedding reception or a grand entrance? The DJ should perform the type of show that you want!

3. Does the DJ get everyone involved dancing or do they just play music? You have to ask yourself if you want a DJ that will get everyone dancing? For example, will the DJ involve guests by playing and conducting motivational dances like the Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, Cha Cha Slide or just play music?

4. Will the DJ be dressed appropriately? Formal means tuxedo or dress. Semi-formal means dress pants, shirt & tie or slacks and blouse. Casual means polo shirt or company shirt. Be sure the DJ is dressed appropriately during set-up and takedown of equipment. Some guests do arrive early and stay late.

5. What is the DJ's fee? How much is overtime? Is a tip included in the fee? Will there be an extra charge for lighting-what does the lighting include? How much is travel to your location? Are you ONLY paying for the time the DJ performs?

6. Does the DJ include a contract? Be sure to have all details of your function in writing. The DJ must know the date, place, and time! You must know each other's names and phone numbers including the DAY of the occasion.

7. Is the DJ company professional? This may sound silly, but does the DJ have insurance? Accidents do happen. It's better to be prepared. Also, is the DJ a member of a national DJ association like ADJA or NAME? If they are, then they care about what they do and are a better chance of being professional.

8. What kind of equipment does the DJ use? Typically, if a DJ is using a brand of equipment you can buy at your local retail store, then that's what you will get. Excellent brand names include: JBL, Community, Denon, Gemini, QSC, Crown, etc. Always, and I mean always, ask if the DJ has back-up equipment WITH them for your function. Also, be sure the DJ brings the right amount of sound for the number of guests expected.

9. What music do you play? How many music selections will the DJ have WITH them? Be sure your DJ takes requests before and during your function. Also, give them a guideline of what you want played. However, this is what the DJ is paid to do. Don't limit the DJ by saying you want all of one kind of music or a list of 100 songs they must play. The best scenario is to play any type of music that gets people dancing and having fun. By the way, it should be understood the DJ does not play any offensive music.

I hope this helps!

The Value of a Professional Wedding Video

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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