Saturday, May 31, 2008

Wedding Anniversary Presents

The Importance of Wedding Ceremony Songs -
Wedding anniversary presents dont have to be elaborate, expensive, or painstaking to find and buy. Especially now that we have access to all of the products, services, ideas, and guidelines the internet affords, we can get the most traditional or most unusual of wedding anniversary presents. For starters, we can consult the traditions list, searching for the wedding anniversary presents that meet the appropriate material criteria: 1st First year: paper 2nd Second year: cotton/straw/calico 3rd Third year: leather 4th Fourth year: fruit/flowers 5th Fifth year: wood 6th Sixth year: candy/iron 7th Seventh year: wool/copper 8th Eighth year: bronze/pottery 9th Ninth year: pottery 10th Tenth year: tin 11th Eleventh year: steel 12th Twelfth year: silk/linen 13th Thirteenth year: lace 14th Fourteenth year: ivory 15th Fifteenth year: crystal 20th Twentieth year: china 25th Twenty-fifth year: silver 30th Thirtieth year: pearl 35th Thirty-fifth year: coral 40th Fortieth year: ruby 45th Forty-fifth year: sapphire 50th Fiftieth year: gold 60th Sixtieth year: diamond Next, we can consider all of the possibilities that fall within that range if we want to buy a gift already produced and packedone that is generic, but still thoughtful, that is. BUYING WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS Given the above list, it is easy to find the gift that is best for the hallmark anniversary. For instance, a silver frame, to include a photo of the anniversary couple, is classic for the 25-year anniversary. Or a money tree is still a great no-brainer for the first yearnot only because money is made of paper, but the first year marrieds can likely use that extra money! So accordingly, here are a few of the many possibilities for wedding anniversary gift ideas: 1st First year: paper okay, besides money, how about tickets to something? 2nd Second year: cotton/straw/calico how about pretend straw? One company makes a thatch bowl that is actually ceramic but looks like straw. 3rd Third year: leather faux leather might be better these days, so what about a leather stuffed animal? 4th Fourth year: fruit/flowers do you really want your inlaws to hate you for sending cases and cases of prickly pears, that arrive every month for a year? How about a lemon tree for the back yard? 5th Fifth year: wood What culture does the couple identify with? A wooden menorah in December or a pair of decorator dutch shoes filled with potpourri might work nicely. 6th Sixth year: candy/iron The couples favorite candy, arranged in an iron (or simulated iron) vase? 7th Seventh year: wool/copper Mittens with the surname initial? A copper engraving by their favorite artist? 8th Eighth year: bronze/pottery Find the local potter; can he/she craft something special for the anniversary couple? IDEAS for MAKING WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS If you go with more personalized, home-crafted items, you may wish to still use the traditional materials but customize the gift (or have it customized if you dont feel all that artsy): 20th Twentieth year: china get the signatures of the guest book (signatures of all the guests at the wedding who are now at the anniversary party) by handing them a glass marker (pen that marks on anything and doesnt eraselike a Sharpie) and having them sign the china platter you bought. 25th Twenty-fifth year: silver use silver embroidery thread to embellish one of their favorite materials/clothing items/bedding items. 30th Thirtieth year: pearl you could buy an Egyptian-made mother of pearl backgammon board, or you could buy the pearl (opalescent paint and cover the pawns of a chess game with it. Neatly, of course. 35th Thirty-fifth year: coral How about buying a painting of coral reefs (or of anything, really) and gluing to it some lovely coral from the pet fish store or arts and crafts storemaking a beautiful 3-D piece? 50th Fiftieth year: gold - There are gold yarns and threadsgreat for matching gold sweaters, mittens, or throws. What else could you use gold yarn in? How about gold flakes? What could you put the flakes in? On? You get the idea. Now have fun coming up with more of your own!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Wedding Cards

Wedding Cards -
We all know you have to give a gift when you attend a wedding. Even if you were invited but cant make it, you still have to give the bride and groom something to wish them well with their new life together. I know, its a racket all right, but this is just the way it is and has been for a very long time. Because couples are older now when they marry, and many of them have their own households, gifts are becoming harder and harder to choose. Many people opt to simply give a wedding card with a little something tucked inside. Most choose a wedding card based on their feelings for the couple. Close friends and family tend to buy romantic or mushy cards, while those who arent quite as close often chose things that are more silly or comical in nature. For the most part, as long as the wedding cards you give are from the heart, the happy couple will love and cherish them. While a lot of people like to put cash in wedding cards, others like to put gift certificates. Cash can go for anything. It can go towards a down payment on a house, to help pay for the honeymoon, or can be just because. If you want to give a gift certificate, make sure it is for something they will love. If you get certificates for gym memberships for people who arent into working out, you are going to offend them. Keep their lifestyle and hobbies in mind when choosing gift certificates to include with wedding cards. If you are the bride, you probably want to save all of your wedding cards. I have done this, and I am glad I did. Even though I have only been married for five years, I have already lost someone near and dear to me since my wedding. The shower and wedding cards she got me for my special day are still in my scrapbook, and these are memories that I cannot replace. Any time I really miss her, which is quite often, I can go back and see the wedding cards and remember what she said to me at that time, and how special she was in my life. Wedding cards are more than memories of your wedding; they may be important memories of those you love and may lose sooner than you think.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Fall Wedding Invitations

If you are planning to marry in the fall, you have many things to consider.

Though fall in the northern part of the US is beautiful, there is something to be said for the unpredictability of the weather. You may think that getting married with the fall foliage as a backdrop may be beautiful even though you run the huge risk of ruining your ceremony.

I recently went to a wedding in October that would have been beautiful had it not been windy and spitting snowflakes. The ceremony went off, but it was a horrible experience. Perhaps you might want to save the foliage for your fall wedding invitations and take the ceremony indoors.

The great thing about fall wedding invitations is that they can easily reflect the season yet remain classy and beautiful. There are many ways you can go about getting the right invitation, though you don't have to get a fall theme if you don't want to. Many companies have fall wedding invitations. You just have to go through and pick out the ones that you feel fit your wedding the best. Some can be customized if you cant find exactly what you want. You can also make fall wedding invitations rather easily.

If you look through your favorite craft store, you can find fake leaves used for scrapbook purposes. These can easily be the front of your fall wedding invitations. They will look great, and will give your guests a great idea of what your wedding colors and ceremony will be like. You can use fall colors if you want, and you can carry this theme through to your reception as well. If you do this in October, you will have plenty of stuff you can use that can be found locally.

If you are going to brave a fall wedding outdoors, make sure you have an alternative in case of bad weather. When you print up or make your own fall wedding invitations, you can include information for the alternative. That way, when the wedding has to be moved, your guests will know where to go without having to tell everyone on that day. This will speed things up very nicely. Remember that they will not be happy, and you may have a lot of grumpy guests, but at least they were warned of the possibility when they read your fall wedding invitations.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Wedding Flower Arrangements

When my husband and I decided to get married, I took care of many of the details on my own. We did not want to spend a lot of money on our wedding, as we figured it was one day of our lives, and that there was no need to spend a fortune on that one party. Luckily, I had a sister who was a florist. All of the flower arrangements for weddings that I wanted for my special day were very inexpensive. Not only did I get a huge discount, I also got some things completely free.

Quite often, flower arrangements for weddings are quite stunning. You can get something great even if you don't have a lot of money to spend on this. If you have a relative or a close friend who is a florist, you may be able to get a huge discount on flower arrangements for weddings like I did. If no such discount is available to you, you can still get great arrangements if you know what you are doing.

When money is tight, you have to consider what type of flowers you are going to use. Flower arrangements for weddings vary in price depending not only on the florist, but on what type of flowers they are going to use. When you go in to talk about your flower arrangements for weddings, talk to the florist about your budget. If you tell them that you're on a very tight budget and that you do not have a lot of money to spend, they may be able to discuss with you which flowers would work best to lower your final bill. Also remember that flower arrangements for weddings should not have to be very elaborate. You can get a stunning look with a few simple flowers. There is something to this saying less is more, and if you go to the right florist, they will be able to give you great flower arrangements for weddings without breaking the bank.

Though a florist is in business to make money, they are also in the business of making customers happy. They know that if youre happy with your first order or purchase through them, you will always come back for more. People are stubbornly loyal to florists, so this means florists are very accommodating when you first visit. They want your business just as badly as you want a good price.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

A Las Vegas Outdoor Wedding

More Celebrity Weddings -

What could be more romantic than a marriage ceremony in Sin City? A Las Vegas outdoor wedding could be more romantic. Many couples entertain the idea of eloping to the famous city but some of these couples want to do something a little more original than the over visited traditional halls and drive through cathedrals. These couples may want to look into a Las Vegas outdoor wedding ceremony instead.

When we think of eloping we automatically picture an Elvis imitator standing in front of a couple in last-minute marriage gear. Although the very thought of any union can be quite romantic no matter how spur-of-the-moment it is, some couple may want to look into a Las Vegas outdoor wedding instead of the tried and tired indoor ceremonies.

There are great benefits to the great outdoors especially in such a beautiful town. You can arrange your ceremony to accommodate your love for being outside in the clean, fresh air while still feeling the excitement of last-minute nuptials. A Las Vegas outdoor wedding can be arranged in no time at all but some couples like to plan the event anyway.

Planning ahead is usually the best approach to marriage. It may not be the most romantic but it is good practice at least for the first time around. Planning a Las Vegas outdoor wedding can help you combine the appeal of freedom by being outside in the open with traditional elements as well.

I recently attended a Las Vegas outdoor wedding that was the perfect combination of modern free spirits and traditional ceremonial practice. This was not your run of the mill Sin City marriage ceremony. The couple planned their special day for a long time. In fact, I know couples who spent less time planning for a traditional wedding in their hometown.

First of all the couple had to arrange a date that was suitable for 40 friends and family to fly from Pennsylvania to the nuptial destination. The Las Vegas outdoor wedding was organized with the 40 guests in mind. Even though we had to find our own accommodations and we had to make our own flight arrangements all 40 of us attended the Las Vegas outdoor wedding.

I have to admit that it was one of the most impressive ceremonies I have ever attended and we had plenty to do after the reception. This couple managed to turn the celebration of their union into a vacation for their friends and family. The only complaint I have about the Las Vegas outdoor wedding is that Elvis didnt attend.

Monday, May 26, 2008

California Beach Wedding

Having bonfires on the beach is somewhat of a state passion in California. Everyone does it. Teenagers do it to sneak away with their friends and drink beer. Their parents do it to catch up with old friends or have family outings. It is legal in many California beaches, and tolerated on most of the rest of them. As long as you are willing to keep your bonfire contained and take precautions to make sure that it doesn't become a runaway forest fire, the Rangers will be happy to let you have it.

Because of the state passion for beaches, California beach weddings are extremely popular. I have been a California beach wedding planner for almost a year, and I have never had more business. It's funny, but when I was a wedding planner without a specialty, people were hesitant to come to me. Now that I plan California beach weddings almost exclusively, however, people are flocking to me in droves. They assume that, because I specialize in California beach weddings, I am much better at throwing them than anyone else. I let them believe what they want. It gets me lots of business.

The only major drawback to my job is that I have to spend so much time driving. I have become somewhat of an expert in the field. I have been called on to plan Laguna Beach weddings, Santa Cruz weddings, and San Francisco weddings. I have done weddings literally from one end of California all the way to the other. I love doing it. The accommodations on California beaches are great, and they are really reasonable. All I have to do is make the necessary arrangements. California beach campgrounds are always affordable, and beach access in California is ubiquitous and free.

Of course, for California beach weddings it can help to reserve a section of beach, but you can get by with just driving to a remote location. Since I started planning California beach weddings, I have one of the easiest jobs that there is. The catering can be a bit of a pain in the neck, but coming up with the right California beach wedding decorations is always fun and easy. Best of all, California beach weddings always put people in a good mood. There is something about having the ocean, along with good friends and good wine, that makes people feel happy with each other. And making people happy is what my job is all about.

Fall Wedding Invitations

If you are planning to marry in the fall, you have many things to consider. One would be location. Though the fall in the northern part of the US is beautiful, there is something to be said for the unpredictability of the weather. You may think that getting married with the fall foliage, as a backdrop may be beautiful, you run the huge risk of ruining your ceremony. I recently went to a wedding in October that would have been beautiful had it not been windy and spitting snowflakes. The ceremony went off, but it was a horrible experience. Perhaps you might want to save the foliage for your fall wedding invitations and take the ceremony indoors.

The great thing about fall wedding invitations is that they can easily reflect the season yet remain classy and beautiful. There are many ways you can go about getting the right invitation, though you dont have to get a fall theme if you dont want to. Many companies have fall wedding invitations, and you just have to go through and pick out the ones that you feel fit your wedding the best. Some can be customized if you cant find exactly what you want.

You can also make fall wedding invitations rather easily. If you look through your favorite craft store, you can find fake leaves used for scrapbook purposes. These can easily be the front of your fall wedding invitations. They will look great, and will give your guests a great idea of what your wedding colors and ceremony will be like. You can use fall colors if you want, and you can carry this theme through to your reception as well. If you do this in October, you will have plenty of stuff you can use that can be found locally.

If you are going to brave a fall wedding outdoors, make sure you have an alternative in case of bad weather. When you print up or make your own fall wedding invitations, you can include information for the alternative. That way, when the wedding has to be moved, your guests will know where to go without having to tell everyone on that day. This will speed things up very nicely. Remember that they will not be happy, and you may have a lot of grumpy guests, but at least they were warned of the possibility when they read your fall wedding invitations.

Wedding Favor Ideas

When planning a wedding there are many things to consider wedding dresses, location, how many bridesmaids, etc. The list goes on and on. One of the things that is foremost in the minds of those planning the wedding, whether it is the bride and groom to be or a hired wedding planner, is making the wedding memorable for both the bride and groom and for those who will attend. One way to make your wedding an occasion that no one will forget is by having wedding favors that are unique.

Why are wedding favors so important? Because they are something physical that guest can take home as a souvenir of your special day. Finding good ideas for wedding favors can make the difference in how your guests remember your occasion. Great wedding favors can show your guests that their presence at your wedding event was important to you and can make them feel all the more appreciated for being part of it.

If you are having a hard time coming up with ideas for wedding favors, you may want to get the advice of a professional planner. It is a planners job to make your event memorable and that includes the wedding favors. However, weddings are expensive enough as it is and not everyone has a budget that can include the costs of a planner. So where should you find ideas for wedding favors now?

You can find a huge selection of high quality ideas for wedding favors online. There are businesses that specialize in providing unique and creative wedding favors that can reflect the personalities of the bride and groom. Some business may focus on things like dress wear or menu planning but there are many wedding sites that can provide you with a vast array of ideas for wedding favors as well. You don't have to settle for the common wedding favors of other weddings you've been to when you can custom design your wedding favors online. Online stores that specialize in weddings can give you ideas that will make your wedding remarkable.

Wedding favors are not one of the small details that you can leave until the last minute. If you want to have something that is special and unique, you may choose to have a wedding favor that includes a line from your favorite poem or is inscribed with the date of your wedding and your names. You can include the colors of your wedding theme or your special song. There are so many ways that you can custom design your wedding favors so that they reflect the special qualities that you and your partner have in your relationship. There are many ideas for wedding favors that can contribute to making your union a momentous occasion.

All you need to do is decide which wedding favors are right for you.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Celebrity Wedding Dresses

Personalized Wedding Gifts -

If you want to look like a star on the day of your marriage ceremony, why not choose a celebrity wedding dress? These bridal gowns are the cream of the crop in formal design. You can opt for a contemporary look or for a classic winner. The best way to find a celebrity wedding dress would be to find a reputable gown designer.

The hottest name in celebrity wedding dresses is Vera Wang. Her creations seem to pop up out of a young girls dream and into a womans reality. You can find her designs on well-known stars like Jennifer Lopez who is known for her particular nature. Vera Wang has also made celebrity wedding gowns for Sharon Stone as well as Jessica Simpson.

You probably have seen a Vera Wang celebrity wedding gown on people like Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey as well. Whether a singer or an actress, celebrities love Veras work. How does one bridal gown designer get such lofty clients? She simply creates amazing gowns.

The secret to this famous designer to the stars appeal may be in her simplicity. She sticks to traditional foundations while adding a touch of modern style in the mix. Vera Wang also encourages sensuality in each celebrity wedding dress. The sensuality appeals to people who dont want to appear uncomfortable, confined or just plain over laced on their special day.

You can find Vera Wang on the Internet in a click or two but you want to check out another fantastic gown designer, Monique Lhuillier. This designer has received a lot of attention after creating one celebrity wedding dress for Britney Spears. However, Britney wasnt her first famous client. Kevin Costners wife was the first famous person to purchase a Lhuillier celebrity wedding dress.

Monique Lhuillier is a relative newcomer to the scene and she is making great headway. Her gowns tend to be sleeveless so those who are looking for a celebrity wedding dress that has long sleeves may want to look elsewhere. The designs are flawless and include intricate detailing with crystals and beads.

No matter how intricate the design, no Monique Lhuillier wedding dress is overdone. You wont find ridiculous embellishments on these gowns. Most are well decorated with romantic design elements but none are over-the-top in their style. The usual celebrity wedding dress produced by this designer is sleeveless with a classic A-line skirt. You cant go wrong with that.

If you are considering either of these designers for your celebrity wedding dress get ready to pay a hefty price. But when it comes to your special day, you may find that this bridal gown is worth every red cent.

American Wedding Invitations

Possible Wedding Reception Sites -

Me and my wife get along pretty well on everything. We have had very few fights since we first got together. Even when we were getting ready for marriage, we had very little to argue about. We are both pretty strong willed, but we have learned how to work together flawlessly. There is, however, one area in which we disagreed and sometimes argued: wedding invitations.

I was a big fan of all American wedding invitations. I wanted our invitations for wedding to sparkle. I wasn't really into calligraphy or soft colors, and I certainly wasn't into a crafty, homemade look. I wanted something that was direct, bold, and to the point. If it was clever, all the better. Most importantly however, it needed to have a slick and straightforward design.

My wife, however, had much different ideas about the ideal American wedding invitations. She was all about do it yourself wedding invitations. Of the two of us, she is definitely the artist, but I am the businessman. She thought that her idea of American wedding invitations was better than mine because it showed more art. On the other hand, I thought my ideas were better because they showed greater propriety. To me, American wedding invitations should look professional and well made. The ones on so-called fancy paper with uneven grains have always looked cheap to me. I know that they are actually quite expensive to buy, but that is hardly the point. I have always thought that American stationery should dispense with the quaint and crafty in favor of the sleek and modern.

Finally, we compromised on the American wedding invitations. I got to chose the paper and the layout, and she got to choose the font and the content. This allowed her to get the formal lettering that she likes so much, while allowing me to have the straightforward and modern design that I have always admired. It made us both pretty happy, but to this day we do not discuss the fight we had over American wedding invitations. After all, we are getting along so well. Why bring up an old scuffle, no matter how small. Before that point, I could never have pictured myself getting into an argument about the look of American wedding invitations. It just goes to show you that you never know until you try something. Weddings are very stressful, and it is always surprising how the stress boils over.