Wedding On A Budget

Traditionally, the bride's family paid for the costs of a wedding while the groom would incur the expense of the honeymoon. These days it is not uncommon to find many couples paying for their own wedding from their own funds. However, you don't have to spend a fortune or go into debt to have a beautiful wedding. Determine the amount of your budget and stick to it. Keep track of all your expenses and receipts in a folder or binder so that you can stay organized and accurately keep track of where your money is going. Here are some helpful tips to help you stay within your wedding budget.

Wedding Dress
• Avoid overly elaborate dresses because they will be more expensive.
• Choose a floor sample dress and just have it dry cleaned if necessary.
• Look for your dress during prom and homecoming or consider wearing a bridesmaid dress. You can find a beautiful white or cream colored dress during that would be perfect for a wedding at a fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding dress.
• Look at consignment shops and the classified ads. Wedding dresses are generally only worn once so you can get a gently used dress at a huge cost savings.

Reception
• Keep the number of guests down. You and the groom should look at the first draft of the guest list and carefully consider who can be taken off the list.
• Have a cash bar instead of an open bar. Or you can also just provide wine and beer to keep the costs down.
• Hold the ceremony and reception in the same location. You will be able to cut the cost of the location for the ceremony, decorations and transportation to the reception site.

Flowers
• Purchase your flowers wholesale and just pay for the labor of a professional florist to arrange them.
• Arrange the flowers yourself. A bouquet made of all roses with a little eucalyptus filler and tied with ribbon makes a stunning bouquet and you do not need to be a professional to put this together.

Photography
• Find a photographer with reasonable hourly rates and pay only for the time to do your formal poses. You can then designate friends or family to take the candid shots throughout the rest of the reception.
• Put disposable cameras at each table with a note asking guests to take pictures to help you capture memories.

Invitations
• Print your own invitations using your home computer. Visit your local arts and crafts store or search online and purchase a do-it-yourself invitation kit.

Miscellaneous
• Make your own wedding favors. Wrap up jordan almonds or other candies in lace and tie with ribbon pre-printed with your names and wedding date.
• Keep the number of chosen bridesmaids and groomsmen to a minimum or choose not to have them at all. This will keep the rehearsal dinner cost down as well as eliminate the need to buy groomsmen and bridesmaid gifts.

By Gina Brown
She writes articles on a variety of wedding topics. To learn more about wedding planning, Gina recommends you visit: http://www.AWeddingToPlan.com

What Makes A Wedding Invitation Unique?

There are many types of wedding invitations to choose from and it can sometimes be difficult to find something that is unique. A unique invitation stands out while showing your guests what to expect at your ceremony. This information includes the location and how one should expect to dress based on the formality of the event. There are many different styles of wedding invitations out there, but if you want yours to be unique, you should use some creativity as well as the following tips. You can make small changes to popular patterns and styles. In addition, by simply following a few easy steps, you can be on your way to getting some unique wedding invitations.

First of all, think about the colors that you are using. Chances are that you have specific ideas about this important choice and you are most likely planning your wedding based around those colors. Even though many people may choose the same general color, the specific shades of colors, and the ways in which you use them, are likely to be unique to your wedding. Ideally, you want to be sure that you are able to choose a particular color in a special shade that really matches your own ideas about what you want your day to be like. In most cases, this is going to be something that is very simple for you to decide right from the beginning of the planning process, and it can help you make the most out of the colors that are available. Therefore, the first thing that is going to make your wedding invitations unique is the color scheme that you decide to use.

Also, the patterns that you are using should reflect your own particular tastes, but also the theme and formality of your wedding. If you have, some special patterns that you want to use, such as certain shapes or cultural patterns, these help to make your wedding invitations unique to you and to your wedding. In addition, by using carefully chosen patterns and outlines, you may find that the formality of your wedding can be expressed through the invitations. For instance, if you have a very formal wedding, a white invite with black lettering and gold borders definitely reinforces this idea in a much clearer way than a brightly colored invitation would do.

It is important to incorporate the formality of your wedding with not only the colors and design of your invite, but also the font that you use for the lettering. All of these are important in portraying the formality of the wedding to your guests. This is an important reason for sending an invitation. Letting your invitations set the tone for your wedding is the best (and easiest) way of letting your guests know what to expect on the big day.

Once you have found a color scheme and font, as well as shapes and borders, that help you design your wedding invitation, there may be a few other things that you can think about in order to make your wedding invitation unique. Even though you are having a wedding that is probably going to be similar to other wedding celebrations, this wedding is something that will only occur once, and it is uniquely yours. This is simply because this celebration is about you and your soon to be spouse. The unique combination of flowers, music, and events is yours and yours alone, and if your wedding invitation can reflect this, you may find that the invite is even more unique.

There are a few other ways to make your wedding invitation unique, and you can start by thinking of yourselves and what you are each like. Is there a phrase, such a biblical passage or a song lyric, which is going to feature prominently into your wedding? If so, you can use this on your invite, to tie the invitation to the entire wedding day. Alternatively, is there a quote or an idea that you and your spouse want to use for the wedding in order to make it a big part of your special day? If so, you can also use these in your invitation, because these help make it even more unique.

Creating a unique wedding invitation is definitely something important, because it allows you to have a wedding invite that does so much more than invite people to your wedding. It almost tells a short story about your special and unique day; the day that belongs to no one else but the two of you. When planning a wedding be sure to consider these tips because a unique wedding invitation has many advantages over a standard invitation design. These wedding invitations provide important information to your guests including the formality of the event along with the date and location of the ceremony.javascript:void(0)

By: Cynthia Andrews1
is a freelance writer who writes about family and family events such as weddings, often focusing on one specific aspect of a wedding, such as unique wedding invitations.

The A to Z of Wedding Dresses

The wedding dress we imagined ourselves getting married in as little girls is probably a world away from the wedding dress we will actually choose as adults for our big day. Growing up, we come to the realization that our figures may not actually suit the big, puffy meringue creation of our childhood dreams and that we don't actually have squillions of dollars in the bank to pay for it either. So without that girlish invention of a dress to go by (or the naïve unlimited budget), most of us are at a loss to decide what to wear on our wedding day. If that's the case, this A-Z guide of wedding dresses should help you find your way again.

A - Accessories Do Have To Match Your Wedding Dress
Accessories should complement your dress and enhance the look that you are going for. If you're after elegant and understated, you can't go wrong with a simple strand of pearls. If the feel is romantic, team your wedding dress with antique jewelry.

B - Bridesmaid Dresses Don't Have To Match Your Wedding Dress
Although it's still done, matching dresses are somewhat outdated now. Brides often choose a contrasting colour to their wedding dress which is carried throughout the wedding as the colour theme. Why not dress your bridesmaids in different shades of this contrasting colour for a modern twist.
C - Check the Workmanship of Your Wedding Dress
Whether you hire, buy or make your wedding dress, you should always check the quality and workmanship. You don't want to have to deal burst seams, falling hems and loose beading on your wedding day.

D - Designer Wedding Dresses
We'd all love a Vera Wang original, but why source overseas for your wedding dress when we have amazing bridal couture on our very own doorstep. Look out for Australian designers like Mariana Hardwick and Alex Perry (who is commissioned regularly by celebrities to create their wedding gowns).

E - Ego in a Wedding Dress
Do you want your ego boosted or an honest opinion when trying on wedding dresses? Don't take all your gushing girlfriends with you when you shop for your gown. Choose one or two trusted people who will tell you truthfully whether the wedding dress suits you or not. That way, you'll get a genuine ego boost when you arrive at your wedding looking absolutely stunning.

F - Flattering Wedding Dress Styles
For the full-figured bride, choose simple lines that skim rather than hug the figure as they are more slimming. Pear-shaped brides should consider A-line wedding dresses as they tend to hide the hips and thighs. Tall, thin brides can pretty much get away with any style but should steer away from straight, tight dresses as they often produce a matchstick look rather than to accentuate the feminine curve.

G - Garters and Wedding Dresses
Love them or hate them, garters (and the removal of them by single male guests during the wedding reception) do feature often at weddings. As long as they don't spoil the line of your dress and are hidden from the eye until the time they are supposed to make their appearance, there's no harm in continuing this fun tradition.

H - Hiring Your Wedding Dress
If you're on a tight budget and not fussed whether you keep your dress or not, then hiring your wedding dress may be the best option. Hire companies such as Ferrari Formal and Bridal will provide advice on which styles will suit your figure and are able to supply matching accessories too. They can also outfit the entire wedding party to take the headache out of coordinating the wedding attire at a fraction of what it would cost to purchase it all new.

I - Ivory Wedding Dresses
Ivory is a gorgeous colour for wedding dresses. It's light enough to enable you to have a white wedding yet dark enough so as not to offend anyone if you're not quite virginal enough to wear pure white.

J - Jewellery and Your Wedding Dress
They say diamonds are a girl's best friend but too many of them won't do you any favors. A good rule of thumb is: the fussier the wedding dress, the simpler your jewellery should be. Don't make the mistake of looking garish on your wedding day.

K - Keeping Tradition with Your Wedding Dress
It's considered bad luck in Western Cultures for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. This tradition began in England and has spread throughout the world but nowadays has more to do with surprising your beloved than pandering to superstition.

L - Length of Your Wedding Dress
A bride's love affair with floor-length gowns will never die but it may not always be an appropriate choice. On a sweltering summer day you may wish you had opted for something shorter and cooler. Likewise, the effect of a long wedding dress will be ruined if you find you can't walk without tripping over it.

M - Money on Your Wedding Dress
In many cultures money is pinned on a bride's wedding dress. It's traditional to place money upon the dress of a Polish, Cuban or Greek bride in exchange for a dance.

N - Nip, Tuck and Your Wedding Dress
As strange as it may sound, a trend has emerged recently where brides opt for an inexpensive, off-the-rack wedding dress and spend the thousands they have saved on plastic surgery instead. The reasoning behind this is that the cosmetic surgery they have undergone will enhance their appearance more positively than any dress ever could!

O - Out Of Your Wedding Dress
After the reception, many brides change out of their wedding dress into a 'going-away outfit' - usually a light coloured suit or a simple shift dress. Some brides change for comfort, others change as a symbol of closure to the wedding.

P - Preserving Your Wedding Dress
After the wedding, wedding dresses should be professionally cleaned, wrapped in acid free tissue and stored in a dust free, acid reduced box to prevent mildew and yellowing. Make sure the box is then placed in a cool, dry storage area that is away from direct sunlight.

Q - Queenly Wedding Dresses
As the undisputed queen of the day, you may want your wedding dress to reflect your status. Sweeping wedding gowns with long trains, gloves and tiaras are popular with royal brides.

R - Red Wedding Dresses
Red is considered to be a very lucky colour in the Chinese culture so brides often wear red wedding dresses (cheongsams). If white doesn't appeal, why not do the same and spice up your wedding day.

S - Something Old, Something New... Your Wedding Dress
For your something old, why not wear a wedding dress that has been passed down from a relative. It adds a touch of tradition to the wedding and will please your family too.

T - Tans with Wedding Dresses
Tans look great with wedding dresses - especially if your gown is strapless, sleeveless or backless. Opt for a spray-on tan instead of the real thing just to avoid sunburn or peeling skin.

U - Underneath Your Wedding Dress
What's underneath the dress is important too. If you're wearing a strapless gown, you may need some extra bust support. If you want an hourglass figure, a corset may help, but if you're just feeling a little cheeky, wedding lingerie specialists justweddings.net.au can whip you up some cute briefs with 'bride', 'just married' or your new name written across the backside.

V - To Veil or Not To Veil
The general rule is: the more formal the wedding and wedding dress, the longer the veil. If you do decide to wear a veil, you'll need a headpiece to finish it off - a tiara, flowers, a circlet or a jeweled comb.

W - When To Start Looking For A Wedding Dress
Begin your search for the perfect dress six to nine months before the wedding. It can take between three to six months for a wedding dress order to come in or for a dress to be made. You also need to factor in the time it takes to make alterations.

X - Xtra Advice about Your Wedding Dress
Make sure that you are comfortable in your wedding dress. With all eyes on you during the ceremony and reception, you don't want to be constantly caught pulling, tugging, smoothing and readjusting your dress.

Y - You and Your Wedding Dress
You should love the look and the feel of your wedding dress. Don't choose your outfit based on the latest trends because it won't reflect your personality and taste.

Z - Zipping Your Wedding Dress
It sounds simple enough but you'll be surprised just how many brides and bridesmaids have neglected to take the appropriate amount of care when zipping up their wedding dress. Most wedding dresses are made of delicate fabrics and snags can cause serious damage to the gown.

aouthor: Marsha Tang

Important Questions to Ask Before Getting Married

It's time to get introspective! By taking the time to honestly assess your feelings and your motivations, you will be able to ascertain your degree of readiness for marriage.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What do I love about my partner?

As a psychotherapist specializing in couples and marital therapy, one of the first things I ask is “What do you love about one another?" If the answers indicate little depth, serious trouble is indicated. Replies such "because she's pretty” or "he's fun” are troubling signs, indicating surface attraction. Once, to my horror, a client replied "Because we like the same kind of pizza.” Needless to say, this is not a foundation for a long lasting relationship!

Happily, after considerable introspection, many couples are able to identify their attraction to positive partner qualities such as compassion, intelligence, and an ability and willingness to communicate effectively. After all, if you can't talk openly with your partner, the relationship is not solid. Perhaps more important, self-aware couples are able to recognize areas for potential growth, and develop a plan to jointly work on their relationship.

Some, especially new, couples may view such questioning as cynically casting doubt upon their whirlwind romance. Nonetheless this type of critical self-reflection is vital in determining ultimate compatibility. Indeed, it doesn't take a relationship advice guru to realized that a little work now could save a lot of heartache later.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Why am I asking this person to marry me?

For example, are you proposing because your partner is pregnant? If that's your primary reason for getting hitched, I suggest you reconsider, because studies show that you will grow to resent your partner and child.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Can we work through problems?

If you've been with your partner for a long period of time, you have likely experienced some rough patches. Take a look at those patches to determine how you dealt with them as a couple, and note what you did well or identify areas for improvement. Do you feel comfortable discussing any problem with your partner?

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Can we communicate?

Talking is not necessarily the same as communicating. You need to be able to talk to this person in your life in a constructive way. If you have already argued, you already know if this is possible. We don't always get along with the people we love, but we should be willing to get along with them most of the time and try to love them when we are feeling negative about them. If you felt like you came away from the situation understanding the other person better, you are able to communicate.

Important Tip:

If you have ever walked away from an argument feeling degraded or unsatisfied, you might want to work on your couples communication skills a bit more.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

What are my conceptions of marriage?

Everyone has a different pre-conceived conception of what marriage means; some of us are influenced by family experiences, some of us by mass media depictions of marriage, some focus on the magical wedding day and think everything else will fall into place, while others dream of children and building long-term memories. What are yours? Are they at least similar to your partners? I hope so!

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Do we share the same values?

While this doesn't necessarily include religious or spiritual ideals, sharing the same values is going to be helpful in ensuring future harmony. For example, you will need to be able to share some values in order to make decisions together, parent together, and to live in the same home together.

Important Tip:

Conflicting values can be fun to debate when you're first dating, but having to live with someone who never agrees with you is not a strong foundation for a marriage.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Do we share the same religion?

If you have strong religious beliefs, you should be able to 1) share them with your partner or 2) respect your partner's differences. There are many couples that do not share the same religion, but they still need to be able to respect their spouse's beliefs and have their spouse return the favor.

Important tip: Those that do not share the same religion will want to create a plan on how to deal with this in terms of children and holidays.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE Getting Married

Where are we financially?

Marriage is certainly not about money, but making a note of what you have in terms of financial assets is certainly going to help you create a solid foundation. You need to be honest with your partner about your financial situation and they need to be honest with you. If you do not discuss money, this can create conflict in your marriage. In fact, financial stressors are one of the leading causes of divorce.

Action for the day: Perform some type of financial planning as a couple. Make notes regarding your financial situation as it relates to your tastes and standard of living. If you're fiscally responsible and your partner has a penchant for designer shoes and is drowning in credit card debt, can you manage this divide? Are you and your partner compatible in living within your means?

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

What are our differences?

Are you and your partner fundamentally different? If so, can you live with those differences? This can be anything that you feel strongly about or something that you simply dislike. For example, every one of us have “dealbreakers” which are things that we categorically will not tolerate. They represent a bare minimum requirement that should never be breached because it would often result in the end of the relationship. Do you need your partner to change in certain areas, or can live with them? Be honest, and save yourself future aggravation! Speak now or forever hold your peace, remember?

Action For The Day:

Make a list of your “dealbreakers” and share them with your partner. This will ensure that you are both on the same page regarding your expectations for your relationship.

A little introspection with respect to the above questions will help you ascertain your personal readiness for marriage. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't think of your partner's feelings as well. Next, we address your partner's readiness for marriage. After all, it takes two!

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Questions To Ask Of Your Partner

It's quite easy to get wrapped up in the idea that you are the only one that needs to consider your feelings regarding marriage as you're the one that's going to do the 'asking,' but this is only partially true. Yes, you do need to consider your own readiness, but you also need to question if your partner is ready as well.

Here are some questions that you can ask yourself about your partner to determine if this is a person that is ready to marry you:

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Are they willing to share things with you?

While all of us have small secrets, being married requires teamwork and a willingness to discuss some uncomfortable things. If you find that your partner isn't someone that shares things with you, you may want to reconsider whether they will make good marriage material. If they do not share themselves with you, then by definition you do not truly know them. In addition, you will likely find it difficult to communicate with them or even get a sense of what they are thinking.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Have they already discussed marriage?

When you're in a long term relationship, the topic of marriage should be broached at some point. Even if you never plan to get married, couples should talk about the possibility and the probability. A sign that your partner is ready or close to being ready for marriage is this discussion – this often indicates they have given the idea some thought and have begun to ask themselves if they are ready.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Do they see your relationship as a team effort?

If your potential spouse treats your marriage as though it were a team effort, it usually means they respect your input and opinions and are looking at things in the long term. Also, if your partner actively treats you as a permanent couple, this is likely a sign that they want to be a permanent couple.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Has your partner had positive role models of marriage in their life?

If your partner came from a family that did not provide an example of a stable marriage, then they may have a slightly harder time adjusting to the idea of marriage or long term commitment. This doesn't mean they are unfit for marriage, but it can be an obstacle in terms of them harboring different opinions about love and relationships.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Where do I see our lives heading?

Many people forget that the proposal is simply just one moment in which your lives will change forever. And while this moment is beautiful and timeless, you need to think more about what happens after your partner accepts a ring.

It's important to show your significant other that you have been thinking about the future and not just about the proposal. This is probably the most romantic gesture of all and it tells your partner that you are in this for the long haul.

You can relay this feeling to your partner by talking about the future after you propose or before you propose. Creating a vivid, happy picture of what your future together will look like is a great way not only to set up the perfect moment for popping the question, but also helps ensure that you are both ready for the wonderful ride!

If your partner isn't clear about what they want from your relationship, this isn't a problem necessarily, but it can be something that you might want to think about before you ask the big question. A partner that isn't quite sure what they want may indicate that they are not yet ready for marriage, or not easily satisfied. Of course, at the point you are ready to propose, you should already have an idea of your future potential as a long term couple.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Do I really know the person I Plan to marry?

It's easy to become swept up in the moment of proposing. If you've only been together for a few months, you're probably feeling as though nothing will ever go wrong between you – that all will be happy and blissful.

However, the truth is that whenever you put two people together, you will inevitably experience some sort of disagreement or some rough patches. That's life, and unforeseen stressors can occur in the form of sudden unemployment, illness, the passing of family and pets, etc.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding how long you need to know someone before you get engaged, but you should be asking yourself just how much you know about the person you wish to spend the rest of your life with.

And you should consider how much they know about you.

Consider your partner's family. Have you met them? Meeting your partner's family is a great way to learn more about your partner, and gives you clues regarding their upbringing and caregiver models.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Do you know your partners goals and dreams? Do you know what your partner would if they only had the chance?

Warning!

You should not get engaged to someone with the belief that you will “grow to love them” or get to know them more as you are married. This is almost always a recipe for disaster. Put simply, you should become engaged to someone you know well right now. While it's true that people change over the course of a marriage due to maturity and basic human development, but you should have a good idea of the essential nature of your partner.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask Before Getting Married

Do your partner's family and friends like you?

While the opinion of your partner's family and friends isn't the defining factor regarding the validity of your relationship, you do need to consider any problems as potential obstacles to true bliss. If your partner's mother, for example, is always berating you, you might have to deal with this for the rest of your life. Even worse, if your partner never stands up for you, can you live with that?

Some relationships may always be difficult, so you should ask yourself if that's something you will be able to deal with in a mature and honest manner.

Though it's true that you want to do as much as you can to ensure that you have positive relationships with the important people in your partner's life, you also need to be willing to acknowledge that people generally do not change, but they can soften over time. In other words, thoughtfully consider, but don't get over attached to the opinions of your partner's family and friends.

Unfortunately, even if your partner's friends and family don't like you, you still need to treat them with respect. This will help to maintain civility and keep your partner from feeling like you are exacerbating the situation.

On the other hand, if you notice that your partner never stands up for you, this can create stress in your relationship. Additionally, if your partner always defers to the opinions of others, such as friends and family, this may create obstacles with respect to big decisions like children and career moves. Also, when a partner is constantly seeking others outside of the marriage for advice instead of conferring with his or her mate, this is a predictive indicator of relationship problems.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE Getting Married

Do we share similar interests?

Think of the time you've spent with your partner thus far. Are you able to spend time together pursuing similar interests? While you don't have to share all of the same hobbies and activities, you do want to have some things you can enjoy together.

For example, perhaps you both love the same sports team and look forward to watching and attending games together. Or you may both be fitness enthusiasts that like to workout together.

Think of the activities you already enjoy together to determine if you have aspects of your lives that you can share over the long haul. If not, maybe it's time to find something that you can both enjoy together.

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Are we able to live individual lives too?

Here comes the flip side to the above recommendation: It is also vital to maintain balance in your relationship. While you want to have similar interests in your lives, you also need to maintain your own individuality without any interference from your partner.

In the beginning stages of a relationship, you will always want to be together – at work, at home, etc. But as the relationship evolves and you learn more about each other, you need to step outside of your comfort zone and find out what makes you happy on your own.

In short, you need to get your own life! While your partner may be a high priority in your life, you also need to nurture your own learning, hobbies, and interests in order to grow as a person.

What's more is that the more you learn about yourself and about what you enjoy, the more you bring into your relationship.

The old joke is that older couples run out of things to say because they've already said everything – but this is not necessarily the case when you take the time to develop your own life outside of the marriage and the relationship.

You need to both be willing to give the other space and time away in order to grow. If you think that spending as much time together as possible is going to work for you, you may be shocked to see just how much that doesn't work in a long term relationship.

Be ready and be willing to support the interests of your partner so that you can both learn and feel nurtured in learning new things. And when you have new things to share, you never run out of things to say!

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE Getting Married

Is anyone ever really ready?

A very valid case could be made for the fact that you're never really ready for marriage and an engagement, but you try anyway. Things aren't going to be perfect, but they should feel perfect for you. In every relationship, there are going to be ups and downs, but it's what you do with those moments that will define you as a couple.

This is why it's so important to make sure you ascertain your readiness for marriage. A wedding proposal is a big step that shows you are ready to become committed to your partner, and what better time to explore your own feelings?

Getting engaged is a time of nervous excitement. It's a big step in any relationship, but by examining your personal readiness for marriage and the foundation of your relationship, it's going to feel like the right step!

Relationship Advice: Important Questions To Ask BEFORE You Get Married

Action For The Day:

Take some time to make a list of all the reasons why you want to get married. Do they match your partner's reasons? Are they valid reasons, or are you fulfilling some unmet and potentially selfish need?

by: Emily Kensington

Your Wedding Needs Some Etiquette

It's your wedding, do it your way and forget about the rest, right? If you plan to make a few people unhappy and quite a few more wondering where your manners are, then that is the way to go.

Although we do not want to think or talk about it, wedding etiquette is essential. At this very important time in your life, you want everyone to know who you are and what kind of life you are planning to live. The way that you present yourself here is the way they will see you as a couple.

Even if you do not care much about what they do and think, it is still essential for you to find a way to make them feel welcome into your life.

Not To Worry, It's Not Hard!

The hardest part of wedding etiquette is learning about it. That you will do here. The easy part is doing it. There are very few things that are too hard to accommodate. Besides, a wedding is all about pomp and circumstance, so why not lay it all out there?

Wedding etiquette may seem like a difficult process but once you learn a few facts about it and how to easily execute it, you will be well on your way to pleasing your guests, your parents and even find yourself enjoying it all!

Worries Relieved

Another benefit of following the right etiquette for your wedding is that you can avoid problems like these:

- You forgot to invite someone to your wedding and now, they are upset with you!

- You do not know how to properly announce your wedding. Should you put it in the newspaper or send an announcement in the mail?

- Who should you invite to your wedding shower?

- Is it okay to do a gift registry for your wedding? If so, should you put expensive items on it? Does it imply that you want gifts?

- What should you do about guests that are out of town? Is it up to you to provide for them?

- Who's going to pay for what? Should your bridesmaids pay for their dresses? Should you fork over the money for gifts?

- Who should throw your bridal shower?

- Is email an acceptable form of thank you notes for your gifts?

There are plenty of things that are big 'ifs' and since most of us only get married one time, it is rather difficult to actually determine what the right way to go is.

That's why you need to take some time now to determine what the right way to handle these and other circumstances for your wedding is. When you handle them correctly, no one has hurt feelings, has to do too much and you don't look bad.

Wedding etiquette also shows respect and understanding for others. By doing what you can to provide for these things, you show those that you are inviting how much you really do care for them.

Source: articlesphere

Looking for Wedding Packages

As your wedding plans get underway, you seek for good wedding packages that will serve you right. Wedding packages can prove to be very helpful. You will have your mind relax and let the worry out. Good packages can prove hard to find. However, with the right search, you will be in a position to get great offers and packages. The best thing to do is to look for an all inclusive package. It will save you not just a lot of heartache but your money also. An all inclusive package will need to cater for all the wedding vendors, coordination and handling of all event detail. You need to know the right time to look for good packages. For example, when there is a public holiday, you are bound to bump into good offers. Keeping your ear on the ground will ensure that you get to know of the new packages. When you have an all inclusive package, you will have dealt with florists, photographers, caterers, minister, locations, set up crew, cleaners, entertainers, servers, all rentals and the list goes on. I'm talking about every detail of your wedding being catered for.

However, all inclusive wedding packages may not suit all people. You still have the option of going for wedding packages that are partial. For example, you can have one that will deal with caterers and florists. You can also have a package that will cater for the reception alone. This is where they get to coordinate the venue, cleaners, music, food and many others. There are packages that will help you ease your burden in this regard. Therefore, look for information on them. The best place to start is online. Here, you will learn a lot at the comfort of your space. You will not just have the opportunity to learn about the great offers but, you will also compare different packages and go for those that please you most. For more information on this and more, you can visit Wedding Vendors. It is a site dedicated to providing you information on all packages that will suit you.

As you look for wedding packages, you will also have the opportunity to learn more about modern trends in weddings. This site will provide great insight and ideas on how you can make your wedding elegant. If you wish to learn about ideas for favors of centerpieces, this is your one stop shop. Plus, you will get to enjoy numerous tips on how you can make your wedding look fabulous for less. If you are about to wed, visiting this resource center will not just leave you inspired but, it will give you a list of packages which you can choose from. Many wedding companies offer the packages and, when you search for the companies near your area, you will get to know what is available for you. Therefore, put your mind to rest and look for packages that will suit you. The companies will assure you that success of your wedding will be achieved. Their experience will guide them to create something that will definitely please you and your guests.

Source: articlesbase

How To Look Amazing In Your Wedding Photos

For most of us, it's not the easiest thing to relax and look natural and gorgeous when you know there's a camera recording your every move. On your wedding day, you can be sure cameras will be clicking at you constantly. Those are the pictures you especially want to be fabulous, right?

Well here are ten easy tips on how to pose for your wedding photos:

1: Tilt your chin down a bit. For some reason, whenever people know their photo is being taken, they tend to lift their chin. This is rarely a flattering angle on anyone! You want to be sure to correct your instinctive tendency by just lowering your chin slightly; down to the angle you normally hold your head.

2: Straighten up! Although you don't want to look stiff, you do want to have good posture. The first step, even for photos where you're sitting, is to put your shoulders back a bit. For pictures where you'll be standing, straighten those shoulders and tip your hips forward just a little.

3: Angles are your friend. You know all those red-carpet photos of the stars? They're almost never facing the camera straight on. That's because it's a much more flattering posture to stand at about a quarter turn from the camera. Put one foot forward, straight ahead of you. The other foot should be turned to the side, in line with that shoulder you've already straightened! Although your body will be at an angle, your face can still be looking directly at the photographer.

4: It's a good idea to do a little practice first. Go online or look at some magazines with red-carpet shots or fashion shoots. If you're reading wedding magazines, the photos in those are also a great reference. Find the poses that you like and try them out in front of the mirror.

5: If you're one of those people who are always blinking in pictures, there's a neat little trick to avoid the closed-eye look: Ask the photographer to count and take your photo on 'three'. When you hear 'three', take a breath in. It sounds crazy, but it works. Odd but true, most people don't blink when they start to breathe in.

6: Assuming you've hired a professional photographer, be sure to arrange some 'alone time' with just you, your new spouse and your photographer. The portrait shots of you newlyweds can be really lovely and natural looking, but that doesn't tend to happen if you're trying to pose romantically while your wedding party and guests are looking on.

7: Don't hesitate to speak up. If the light is bothering your eyes, if there's a breeze making you chilly, if you're uncomfortable at all, say something! These pictures are of and for you. Remember, the person/people taking your photos really will want you to look and feel happy.

8: Interact with people. On your wedding day, you're surrounded by loved ones. When you're posing for photos with them, let that affection show. Whether it's a big, exuberant hug, a simple kiss on the cheek or a hand on someone's shoulder, an affectionate gesture can transform a photograph from ordinary to extraordinary.

9: Find something to do with your hands. This is especially true for anyone in a suit or not holding a bouquet. For those in suits, a nice, comfortable pose is simply to put one hand in a pocket and let the other hand hang by your side. Another is to put one hand on your lapel, holding it just below your collar bone, again with the other hand at your side.

10: Only smile if you feel like it! Even if you're gloriously happy, sometimes you don't have a big grin on your face. Don't worry about forcing a smile for pictures if you weren't smiling already. The look on your face, your true feelings on your wedding day will be so much more beautiful than a fake smile. Relax and just know that no matter what you do in your pictures, your happiness is going to shine through.

Author :Tamea Burd

Wedding Website is Fun and Helpful

In the past, it was close to impossible to start your wedding website yourself, but nowadays more couples begin to host their wedding website. If you perform a search on Google you will find out how many wedding websites there exist. Looking through such websites, you are for sure to learn from the others. Starting your own website will enable you to share your own experience with the others.

Here is the list of thing you can do if you have your own wedding website: let your guests know more about you and your partner; send your guests email about your wedding website; put the URL of your website on your wedding invitation so that your guests can visit it. And here is something everybody would enjoy about a wedding website: your love story, how you met, how you started dating and also how you engaged and even your proposal. If you don’t like the idea off all internet users other than your guest looking through your story, you may send your guests a password so that only your friends and relatives would have the access to your personal life.

There’s no doubt that you’ll put information about the wedding ceremony on the website. Moreover, you will also want to put your gift registry on your wedding website. Having a wedding website your guests will not miss any significant information about your wedding.

With a wedding website, you can guesstimate the quantity of visitors. You may even want to prepare online RSVP forms for guests to fill in which will help you to organize your guest list easily.

You would need to employ a specialized website designer to develop your wedding website in the past. However, you can register for free services so that you can create your personal wedding website without any charge. You can modify the arrangement and design of your wedding website with an assortment of ready made website patterns. If you are capable of writing HTML program yourself you will have even more options on the website design.

About the Author:
Dillan Sawyer having a great experience of editing and writing articles and academic assignments, which he gained while working in different service essay as a freelancer, is always ready to share with students his abundant experience of writing Security term paper and Argumentative Essay.