Unique Color Combinations for Winter Weddings

When it comes to winter weddings, many couples choose to follow the traditional color combinations of red and green; however, there are numerous unique combinations that can honor the winter season without following the traditional use of hues related to that of Christmas or Valentines' Day. However, you can use these traditional palettes as sources of inspiration for your color scheme. When combined with your personal preferences, you can create a hue theme that is fresh and inspiring. First and foremost, you are going to need to ask yourself what your favorite holiday colors are. Will these work with the date or holiday you have chosen?

Your choices for combinations will only be limited by your imagination. For example, for a Christmas wedding, you might want to consider a monochromatic red scheme for a Victorian feel. With this type of theme, rich hues of red eventually bleed into pastel pinks. This holiday motif could also work for a Valentine's Day wedding. When choosing a color palette, you will also need to consider the types of flowers you would like to include in your wedding. For example, you could build a color scheme of silver, white, and lavender around the use of white poinsettias.

In order to choose a palette that will complement one another nicely, you should employ the use of a wheel. When two hues sent opposite each other, they provide unique and classic combinations. For example, on a the wheel, red and green are considered complementary colors. However, you can individualize this color combination by choosing shades (darker colors) or tints (lighter colors) that would look lovely with one another. Monochromatic color schemes, such as navy blue fading to pale blue, can often be combined with metallic colors, like silver and gold, to crate unique combinations.

If you choose to work with a color combination of intense colors, then less is going to be more. The dark color should be used as the focal color, but accent colors can be used to frame the main color. Accent colors can be chosen using the color wheel, or an individual can substitute the use of neutral colors. The list of neutral colors includes white, gray, black, beige, and metallic. For example, if you would like to have a wedding that honors Hanukkah during the winter season, you could choose a sapphire blue as your primary color with accent colors of silver or lavender.

How To Choose The Right Diamond Wedding Band

Wedding bands are the most exclusive piece of jewelry a couple can own. It reflects the love, commitment and the everlasting bond of a couple. Diamond bands seal the relationship as special. One has to choose the wedding bands with precision. Diamonds are supposed to be a woman's best friend. So, while purchasing a wedding ring always go for a shiny diamond and metal band. The best band metal is one made of clear cut diamond since it matches well with all sorts of stones. So once the day of your wedding is fixed, all you need to do is choose a perfect wedding ring with a perfect band. The first message to the would-be groom is to never go alone to buy a wedding band. Always take your fianc? with you to choose the suitable wedding band. Absolutely positively this is a golden rule and if you don't abide by this rule you will be in a fix on the D-day. So when you are buying a wedding ring, it's typical for you to go to the same store to buy a matching band or a band that complements the wedding ring.

By all means you should look around more because different shops offer a variety of diamond bands to choose from. Most stores have a nice collection and varied designs of wedding bands, so the fianc? will be involved in the decision as well. When you buy a wedding ring a lot of stores offer an inside band engraving. Always make sure to ask them if they would take an extra charge for that. One of the points to remember while buying a wedding band is to determine the size. Part of the consideration would be what kind of budget you have because that would determine the size and quality too. If you have a big budget then you should go for a bigger diamond cut ring with a heavy carat. And in case you have low budget then settle for a smaller ring with the basic diamond. There are lots of varieties in buying an engagement ring that allows you flexibility.

Using Picture Wedding Invitations to Personalize Your Wedding

Wedding is the most important day in a couple's life who loves each other than anything else. Just like their love is special, they want their wedding also to be a special event. To make the wedding an extraordinary occasion, the wedding invitation must be specially designed.

Many couples prefer picture wedding invitations as they have a personal touch. When you have your favorite photo or picture on your invitation card, you'll not only get a personalized request, but also something that your friends and family will preserve. You can also save it in your album as a token love for the coming years.

The digital photography and online uploading have made it easy to design wedding invitations you're your own pictures. You have to choose a picture, upload and apply to the designs you have chosen, and your wedding invitation is ready.

You can choose your favorite color, pattern and customize in the invitation as all this is easily done with the online help. If you think the beauty of the photograph lies in traditional black and white photos, you can use monochrome photos.

The picture wedding invitations need not always have photos of you and your spouse. They can have pictures of your favorite place, the place where you first met or a collage of many pictures that speak of your love and romance.

The pictures can be set in a contrast color set on the invitation cards or in the same color background. You can also use beautiful borders to make the card more attractive. The pictures can also be set amidst beautiful motifs like flowers, geometric designs or beaches.

You have a plenty of options to choose from. Take your own time, plan well and make the right choice so that it stays in everyone's heart forever.

Romance in a Card

There are so many wedding cards that are out in the market today that are just so overwhelming yet truly pretty and nice for this special occasion. Whenever I receive wedding cards I always feel happy for the marrying couple and just wish the best for both of them at that they may have a blissful married life and to be stay in love for always.

The announcement of marriage usually comes in wedding cards. Cards that are ostentatiously made and are very artistic and creative make the guest more than happy than excited over the upcoming big event. This is the occasion when family gathers together on this very rare occasion and think of how they can make the occasion best for the bride and the groom.

If you want your wedding card to be the best amongst all choicest make sure to get something that can easily be remembered because of its uniqueness and content. A nice card should always be aesthetically beautiful and really attractive to the recipients. The card must not be too wordy and should not be overpowering. Overpowering cards can be tad boring. Adding a little citation on how the relationship went through times can make the people realize how the romantic love story led to blissful marriage.

Wedding cards can be customized and created individually. For big families and huge weddings couples can opt to have the card printed from printing houses that can produce hundreds if not thousands of cards for you. They can also deliver and give these cards with free shipping right at your home. You can also have your pictures on the cover of the card to add that personal touch. Seeing your caricature or faces can be a good remembrance of the marrying pair especially for families and friends that are not familiar to the marrying couple. This can give guests ideas on how the wedding is going to be. A comical, formal, casual, romantic or even naughty and kinky theme can be posted on your wedding cards if that's what you fancy. There are some conservative couples that stick to the classic and elegant types of cards that can be described as formal and straightforward. Whatever cards you prefer, make the best choice that you will never regret get a card that can make everyone paint a smile and give glow in their eyes for this romantic and touching family event.

Finding Wedding Flowers For The Right Price

It can be difficult to find wedding flowers for a good price and still be happy with the results. Many people end up with flowers that they aren't as happy with, or they end up with a bill that they can't really afford.

Wouldn't it be nice to meet somewhere in the middle, and get great looking flowers for a price that is reasonable?

Sure it would, and believe it or not, it's possible to do.

The first thing you need to do is decide whether you want real or fake wedding flowers, or a mixture of the two. These days it's fairly common for people to use some of both. The next thing you'll want to figure out is how you want to have the flowers arranged. You can save money by doing the arrangements yourself. You could also end up with amateur looking flowers.

With some preparation and practice ahead of time, there's a good chance that you or a family member or friend will be able to handle the flower arrangement part with results that are more than satisfying.

To actually find the best prices on flowers, there are several ways to go about it. Perhaps the simplest is to find a flower wholesaler in your area and contact them about your needs. You'll pay a lot less with them than you would with your local florist.

You can also check local grocery stores and places like Wal Mart or Sams Club. Sometimes just finding the right person to talk to at these places will reveal a pricing that isn't advertised or some special you wouldn't have otherwise known about.

In the end, the best advice may be just to shop around and start well ahead of time to come up with a game plan that will give you the best wedding flowers for the best possible price.

Four Secrets To Creating Perfect Wedding Invitations

Every year, new wedding invitation trends arise. What was popular last year is outdated today. Trends can be very helpful for couples with little imagination. Selecting a popular style can be quite helpful and a big time saver. Nonetheless, using a design that was used by many others does not leave much room to show off your individuality. Creating your own design, does.

When designing your wedding invitations, include elements that you like. You can add a picture, ornamental decorations, or keep it plain and simple. Whatever suits your personality best is what you should select. You can always check out this online for ideas and guidelines. While some couples will cram all the wedding information on one card, other will compose a wedding package, with separate notes for the actual ceremony, the reception, and the gift registry. A picture of the bride and groom can also be included.

To create the perfect wedding invitations, you will have to pay attention to certain features.

1. Coloured fonts

Whether your font is bold, subtle, or Italic, adding colour can add a little spark to your wedding invitations. While modern printing techniques are generally used for promotional materials, they can also be incorporated into wedding invites. Colour can be added to both the envelopes and the card stock, and will separate your invitations from the traditional ones.

2. Extend the theme

If the wedding has a theme, it should be extended throughout the entire event. Western motif, beach party delight, Hollywood style, Sci-Fi, or formal, whatever theme you decide on, incorporate it into your wedding invitations as well. You should mention on your notes if you want your guest to dress according to the theme.

3. Destination weddings

The latest trend is to host weddings at a romantic vacation destination. Many couples want to get married on a tropical island and invite their family and friends to join them on location. Invitations for these types of weddings should have a special flair, as well as trip information, local lodging, and anything else that can help the guests prepare. Browse through the many invitations online to find samples.

4. Personalizing your stationery

Personalizing your stationery will impress your guests. With the assistance of today's modern technology, each invitation can be addressed by name to a single individual, or couple. In addition, pictures, ribbons and other trinkets can be added, as well as coloured fonts and fancy edges. Even if you prefer a standard type invitation, with the extra applications, your wedding invitations will look as though they were made for a magazine cover.

How and Where to Find Cheap Wedding Dresses

After the engagement, it is normally followed by a wedding and brides-to-be grab this opportunity to finally go to bridal stores and look for wedding gown; that is until they see the price tags. Wedding gowns can be really expensive, but there are cheap cheap dresses out there; you just need to know how and where to find them.

How and where can you find cheap wedding dresses?

* Bridal stores hold sales, so you better watch out for that. Since you are a bride-to-be, you should register in some bridal stores and have the store notify you if they're holding a sale.
* Second-hand stores. Don't worry; bridal dresses being sold at these places are usually only worn once and still looks new. There are also a lot of options and styles to choose from.
* You can also find this in department stores.
* You can always remake and old wedding dress, maybe from your mom or your grandmother. You can have it altered and styled differently with the help of a professional designer; it's a plus if you have an aspiring designer for a friend.
* If you know how to sew, then you don't need to look for cheap wedding dresses because you can make it all by yourself. You just have to find the right fabrics and other accessories for your bridal dress and you're all set.
* Check cheap wedding dresses on auction sites online.

If you don't have the budget to buy yourself a designer bridal dress, then these tips on cheap wedding dresses will help you. You just need to be more creative and imaginative and you can get yourself a cheap wedding dress or probably not spend a single cent on your bridal dress because you found a way to be able to get yourself one or even make yourself one.

You could also borrow the bridal dress from a friend; at least you are assured that the bridal dress is in good condition and has only been worn once. cheap wedding dresses are easy to find as long as you know the right places to look and how you can find these wedding dresses and then you're all set. All you need is the bridal march music and your man waiting for you at the end of the aisle. We all know you want to look good in your own wedding and you can even do so with a cheap bridal dress; it's all about how you carry yourself.

Glamorous Wedding Makeup

Your wedding is an opportunity to really shine. It is your chance to wear a gorgeous wedding gown and custom bridal jewelry. Even if your everyday style is fairly low-key, it can be a lot of fun to get really done up for your wedding. These are some tips on how to achieve glamorous wedding makeup that will make you feel flat out gorgeous.

Glamorous makeup begins with the perfect canvas. You want to achieve a flawless face before applying the color cosmetics. A glamor girl look is not intended to be very natural or understated, and the foundation used is typically a bit more full coverage with a slightly matte finish. Begin with a foundation primer to smooth out the surface of your skin, which gives a flawless look and helps makeup to last all day. Then use a foundation based on your skin type, such as a moisturizing formula for dry skin or an oil-free foundation for oily skin. Professional makeup artists often like to apply foundation using a wedge sponge or a brush, so you may wish to practice doing it that way if you plan to do your own wedding makeup at home. Dust on loose powder or used pressed powder to set the foundation.

Then it is on to the color. Since eyes and lips tend to make a statement in the glamorous look, keep cheek color light and subtle. Cream blush tends to have better staying power than powder; choose a sheer shade in a soft pink that matches the color of your natural flush. Dramatic eyes are always a part of glamorous makeup, although for the bride the smoky eye should be applied more delicately than you might for another occasion. You don't want to end up with "raccoon eyes" in the wedding photos, after all. A good way to create a softer smoky eye is to use colors like plum or espresso rather than pure black or gray. Three shades of eyeshadow are used: a medium tone on the eyelid, a deep color in the crease, and a light highlighting color along the brow bone under the eyebrows. Opt for satin or matte formulas for the deeper two colors; a shimmery eyeshadow would be okay for the highlight color.

After the eyeshadow is done, it is time to finish off the dramatic eyes part of the glam bride beauty routine. Use a dark eyeliner along the lashline. If you want to go for maximum impact, choose a liquid liner or use a smudgy pencil for a more blended effect. Brides whose eyes are on the small side may find that it is best to use eyeliner only along the outer edges of the lashline; sometimes applying liner all the way in towards the corners can make the eyes appear more closed. Several coats of waterproof mascara will finish off your gorgeous eyes. For even more drama, apply false eyelashes; use the individual clusters rather than the full strips which can be too obviously fake.

The last step in achieving an ultra glamorous bridal look is lipstick. Classic red is the obvious choice, although for a summer wedding, you could opt for more of a medium coral shade. If you have color like pink or purple in your custom bridal jewelry, you could pull that shade into your lipstick hue (without matching it exactly, of course). Prep your lips before applying lipstick by sloughing off any dry skin, then apply a lip liner in the exact color of your lipstick. The key to lip liner is lining the entire lip, not just making a line around the outside border. This will help your lipstick to last, and you will avoid the ring around the lip look people sometimes get with lip liner. Apply a moisturizing lipstick, blot, and you will be ready to dazzle your groom!

Custom Fabric Invitations for Your Wedding

Your wedding day is the most important day of your life and if you are like most brides, you have spent a large part of your life dreaming of what this day will be like. You have agonized over what your dress is going to be like, what flowers you will carry down the aisle and many other of the dozens of minute details that must be taken care of. One thing that you can do to make the day special is to order custom fabric wedding invitations to match your wedding dress.

Far too many brides tend to take care of all the big details and then end up running to their local card store for a box of standard wedding invitations. If you really want to make a major impression on your wedding guests, you should work with someone that can make a set of handmade wedding invitations for your wedding. This gives you complete artistic license to create one of a kind invitations that will match your wedding theme.

You will find that there are several types of cardstock and paper that resemble the look and feel of cloth to choose from. They are available in a rainbow of colors and textures including Damask and flocked papers. There is no reason to stop at a single layer; you can add several different layers to create your own very luxurious custom wedding invitations. Start with a base color cardstock and add two or three layers of different colors to complete the base for your invitation.

To complete the outside of your fabric wedding invitation, you can choose from a selection of embellishments including ribbons, gemstone and bows. On the inside you will need to add a card that has all of the information about your special day. You can select a colored paper to complement your card or use plain white. The background can be a ghosted image of you and your spouse to be or you favorite flowers. You could choose a picture of the church where you are getting married, the choices are endless.

Finish the entire custom wedding invitation project by including extra card such as an RSVP card and matching envelope for your guests to let you know if they are coming. Many people like to include a map or a set of printed directions explaining how to get to the wedding and then on to the reception. You can also add bus or trained schedules to help your guests plan their day so that they are not late getting to the church.

Planning A Wedding

You've been with your partner for a few years, you've moved in together, gotten to know all their weird habits, dealt with their moods and decided that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. If you thought that was a milestone, just wait till you finish dealing with the wedding plans, and costs (yikes) and you're happily resting on a beach, enjoying your honeymoon- you'll probably sleep the whole week!

So what goes into planning and wedding and why does it take so damn long? Well for starters you have to make your guest list, decide on the invitations and then send them out with enough notice for all your guests to start planning.

Making a guest list can be tricky, especially if you're hosting a small wedding. It means having to make cuts and that can be tough. A good start might be ruling out groups of people, like work colleagues (if they're not close friends).

The next part is choosing the venue. For some weddings there might only be one venue, for others multiple. Couples hosting blowout weddings often like to have a party the night before their wedding and a brunch the day after- these events are usually limited to family and out of town guests. It makes more of a weekend event out of it for people travelling from abroad. Moreover, it's a chance for guests to get to know each other before the wedding, and then regroup together after everything is over.

A church or religious institution is a popular place to host the ceremony portion of a wedding, and some even have big rooms in which guests are free to host the dinner and dancing portion of the night. Other popular choices include town halls, castles, villas, or private homes. If you're having your wedding in your private home or on a rented plot of land, you'll probably opt to host it under a large canopy known as a marquee. Marquees can be absolutely gorgeous and usually have a very enchanting feel. Moreover, they aren't permanent and therefore there's no need to worry about destroying the interior of a rented building or worse yet your own home.

After deciding on your guest list and where you're going to host the big day, you still have to make decisions about food, flowers, bridesmaids, groomsmen, honeymoon, music and more. Now you see why people start planning a year ahead!

Mother of the Bride Speech - Make Your Daughter Proud

Giving a Mother of the Bride speech at your daughter's wedding is a wonderful honor. You're having a big part on the most special day of her life as she embarks on married life along with her new husband, and you will be expected to support her both in public and in private. Having said that in addition to the honor comes an enormous sense of duty.

In the role of Mother of the Bride you're required to take up an integral part in both the wedding ceremony and then the reception that follows. During the stressful time prior to the big day you will need to dedicate a lot of time emotionally and physically helping your daughter.

You'll need to do everything it is possible to to make sure that your daughter finds the progress to her new life as simple and hassle free as you possibly can. As well as being her emotional supporter you'll also need to take a hands-on role with the more practical parts of the wedding.

This could incorporate helping to settle on the right wedding venue, helping choose the all-important bridal gown along with bridesmaids' gowns, and also handling the wedding reception aspects - for instance adornments, seating plans, as well as the menu. Furthermore you will need to liaise with the in-laws and cope with the guest list as well as the invitations, while making sure that it all stays within the overall wedding budget.

Then again it isn't as a rule the thought of all the above obligations that concerns the Mother of the Bride most, because the majority of Mothers have the experience of handling that sort of situation on a daily basis. No, her main worry for sure is the thought of being required to do a speech on her daughter's special day, this alone is enough to start the nerves jangling.

Studies demonstrate that the fear of speaking in public is usually the main cause of fear and anxiety an individual is likely to experience in their daily lives. And to help make things worse, making a wedding speech is even thought of by expert public speakers to be one of the worst types of public speaking job that exists.

For the reason that the wedding reception guests are from such a widely varying background as to make it near impossible to please everybody at the same time, whilst not alienating or annoying at the very least a few people.

There's an extreme of age groups to contend with which range from the quite young to the very old, there can also be many different religions and social classes to contend with. There are also two distinctly individual families to take into consideration, as well as the many different associations the wedding guests have with the Bride and groom, and because of this many people don't know each other.

There are close and not so close personal friends, close and not so close family members, along with work colleagues along with other acquaintances. Additionally the attendees will be in different stages of being affected by drink.

The pressure on the Mother of the Bride from her other obligations could be substantial, but adding having to give a speech on top of all that can make it look like a bit of a nightmare.

The secret is to plan in advance and prepare the speech well in the first place, and to craft it early enough allowing enough time to fine-tune and improve it. Realizing that your speech is the best it can be will let you present it in a self-assured and competent style, helping to make your Mother of the Bride speech one your daughter will surely be proud of.

Hen Party Dares To Spice Up Your Big Night

The inclusion of dares games at a hen party is by no means compulsory; however, it will surely liven things up significantly. And it is as easy to do as popping a pack of dare cards in your purse before you and the rest of the hens hit the town. Let us take a look at just how it helps make the event more memorable.

The cards are simply pre-printed truth or dare cards. Gather your party guests together and draw a card each from either the truth or the dare pile. Then it is a case of carrying out the dare or telling the truth. However if you do not fancy telling the truth you can take a dare as a forfeit.

Using dare cards at a hen party put a racier spin on things and his form of the game can get in to serious, and sometimes embarrassing, questions and often boasts amusing dares. It is up to you how far you will go though keep it reasonably clean and nobody should be forced to do anything they do not want to do.

But if you are attracted to the idea of spicing up your hen night with the use of dare cards there are a number of ways you can do this. The easiest way is to purchase a pack of pre-printed dare cards which are designed just for hen parties. Or you may feel like creating your own using simple index cards to make it unique to your night.

Dare cards are fantastic icebreakers which can really get people to get to know each other and enter truly in to the spirit of the occasion. In most cases the questions and dares are slightly saucy but ultimately harmless.

If you do want to add a little more fun to your hen night party then consider using dare cards though please bear in mind that not all the questions or dares might be deemed appropriate for all situations. You can always edit a ready-made pack before the festivities start or create personalised cards just for the occasion.

Hen party dares are extremely popular and may include for example telling the truth about something that happened at a previous party you went to or being dared to get the guy at the bar to buy you a drink.

Keep it all in moderation and dare yourself to make your hen night the best it can be.

How to Find the Best Bridal Dresses

Wedding holds a special place in the heart of every woman. When you are getting married, you should obviously have the best bridal dresses in your wardrobe. However, before you select the dresses for the special day, it is important to keep a number of tips in your mind. When you want to find the best bridal dresses, you should try to begin your shopping venture early. There are a lot of women who begin their wedding shopping late and in course of doing so end up in picking the imperfect dresses. It is necessary to have time on your side. Normally, the search should begin right after the engagement. A time period of around six months would be appropriate.

You may or may not be from a fashion designing background but it is important to know the various features that are associated with bridal dresses. You should be familiar with some of the terms like trains, sleeves, bodice, neckline etc. You should also know the term gown silhouette according to which the overall size of the costume can be estimated. When you are selecting your bridal dresses from a bridal store, it is also quite important to consult with the designers in the shops. As wedding is one of the most important occasions in your life, you should have a talk about what kind of individual styles you are looking for.

There are various dresses like sheath or ball gowns, which may feature in your list. You should also select the wedding or bridal dresses as per your marriage venue. For example if you are getting married in an ambiance of a beach, the floral wedding dresses can be one of your best picks. You should also know the most suitable places for the different kinds of bridal dresses. You can find them in the retail and online bridal salons that have a huge collection of these kinds of dresses. With the emergence of the web medium, it is better to scout for the various dresses online. You get a variety of dresses on offer with product descriptions.

How to Plan a Wedding Budget: Useful Tips for a Great Wedding

Plan a grand wedding with the aid of wedding budget planner

All the brides want to have grand and lavish weddings unless it is one of those runaway brides. One of the most essential tasks that make a wedding majestic and successful is planning. You should try and lay your hands on wedding planning books so that you know all about the ideas to host the gala celebration.

However, planning a wedding is not at all easy especially if you are a working professional. There is so much to be done and if you have little time then you should work smart. Hiring the services of wedding budget planner will help you sail smoothly through the entire process.

Wedding is once in a lifetime event and all the near and dear ones are busy celebrating and busy in various tasks you should search the internet and learn about wedding budget planner in your city so that you can surprise the guests by throwing a regal and magnificent wedding party. One of the best ways to enjoy the wedding is to ensure that wedding budget planner shoulders all the responsibility. You must ask your married friends and cousins for references so that you waste no time in hiring the right talent.

Right from selecting the invitation card to decorating the venue and hiring the apt caterer is done by a wedding budget planner. But, if you have decided to be the taskmaster then you should have a comprehensive knowledge about planning weddings. This can be attained by reading various wedding planning books. This is a time consuming task so if you have lots of time then you can actually plan and host your wedding in a grand manner. You should take notes and write down all the innovative ideas and then if the budget permits you should implement it while planning your impressive wedding.

Weddings are extremely happy and memorable occasions for the bride and the groom. If the family is incessantly involved in making the wedding a grand success then they end up missing a lot of fun. So, if you want your friends and family to enjoy your wedding you should delegate all the tasks to be done to a responsible and reputable wedding budget planner. Since, they know the right florist, caterers, and decorators and so on why you should be stressed in planning your wedding. You should sit back and enjoy the fun. You must ensure that people are comfortable and have a great time so that your wedding is a striking success and the talk of the town.

How To Get Cheap Diamond Wedding Bands

Are you getting ready for your marriage? When we are planning out our marriages, we all want everything to be perfect till the last detail. From the best wedding photographer in town to the best designer for the gown, we want it all. As a result wedding becomes quite an expensive affair. So you would obviously be looking for ways to cut down on your wedding expense. Here we are going to deal with how you can cut down costs on your wedding ring. While choosing our wedding rings, we all prefer to stick to the traditional and exquisite diamond wedding bands. Yet these are one of the most expensive choices that were there. Does cost cutting mean that you would have to give up on the diamond ring?

The answer to that is a simple no. You do not have to go about replacing diamond wedding bands with other cheaper varieties of gemstones. You can simply shop for your diamond ring smartly to reduce cost. How can you exactly do that? We all know that diamonds have 4 important Cs which make up how valuable the diamond is. These are cut, carat, color and clarity. In case you are looking for a diamond which is relatively less expensive you could compromise on one of the Cs.

Another simple way to get a cheaper deal as far as diamond rings are concerned is shopping from the right place. You can never get a good deal from the retail store. The best place to shop for diamond rings are the online stores. The advantage with these stores is that there is no cost of housing the jewellery. At the same time there is no retail mark ups as well. This leads on to considerably reduced cost. As a result it is possible to get these wedding rings for a real good rate. So shop smartly. Once you know how to do that, you would soon find yourself with the best deal possible.

How To Choose Diamond Wedding Bands For A Man

A wedding ring is something very special and unique. A couple about to get married are as excited to purchase the ring as preparing for their wedding. This is their turn to get some bling for themselves. Days are gone by when the wedding ring for a man was just a simple narrow band of gold metal. Today the choices are endless in terms of rings and bands, men really grace it up by the way they wear it. Simply put, a wedding ring is an attractive piece of band. Nowadays men are wearing all types of wedding bands. Wide ones, sleek ones, plain, or polished. Diamonds or no diamonds engraved or not engraved and intricately designed. But if you have to choose amongst these Diamond wedding bands is the hat trick choice. Of course in this instance it's a man's world and since a man's going to wear, the woman has to see what his choice and preference is.

Men mainly like a plain ring, but one or two diamond studs on the diamond wedding bands would grace up the look of the ring. Girls like a sheen in their rings while men go the other way round. There is a wide range available from traditional to modern to the inexpensive ones. It's up to you, to select from the range. If you really want to dress up, then why not wear nice suits, drive a good car, wear a terrific watch. And more than that get the chance to wear a fancy diamond band that would give uniqueness to your relationship. These days more and more men are sporting little diamond wedding bands. They are generally not the big ones like in India, but they are a series of smaller ones, five or seven diamonds arranged on the middle of the band, or spaced out across the band. The prices range from the number of diamonds engraved in the bands. If chosen with care your ring could be a cherished treasure that you would last for years.

How To Find Cheap Wedding Items

When you decide to get married, everything is exciting and you probably have all sorts of wonderful ideas about what life with your significant other will be like.

Then, you realize how much actually goes into a wedding, and you might start to get a little stressed!

There are seemingly countless details that go into weddings including (but not limited to) the various wedding items that must be purchased, rented, or otherwise obtained.

The first thing to realize if you are on a tight budget is that there is no shame whatsoever in finding your wedding items used. Anything from centerpieces, to fake flowers, to wedding decorations, to wedding dresses can be found used for relatively cheap (or even free) if you know where to look.

I'm going to give you one method today that can drastically reduce the overall cost of getting the wedding items you need.

Here is how it works:

First, find your local "freecycle" club or yahoo group. If you do an internet search for "freecycle" you can find the website, from which you can locate a freecycle club near you.

Next, Join the club, and sign up for emails from them. If they have the option of sending an email for every posting listed, then DO THAT.

Third, set up your email filters to set aside emails containing certain keywords that you might need. (Words like "wedding" or "flowers" might be a good place to start.)

Now, you should get an email whenever an ad is posted that includes your keywords. You'll only get emails for the keywords that you add to the filter. This is a GREAT way to find FREE wedding items that other people are done with, but are still in great shape.

The fourth and final thing you should do is to post a "wanted" ad on the freecycle service describing what you're looking for. You'd be surprised who might end up having just the wedding item you need. And it's free, so you can't beat the price!

Wedding Speeches As A Father

If your child is getting married soon, it is necessary to give wedding speeches as the father of the bride or groom. Parent style wedding speeches should be more than an inspiring talk more than wishes and blessings that can be given by the majority of older relatives.

As the father of the bride or groom, you should address his speech to the groom as a way of man to man advice, but never too hard to create negativity or bad feelings during such joyous celebration. Especially if you are the father of the bride wedding speech should be full of happiness despite the hidden sadness and longing he feels for his daughter to sit down to a quieter life.

Parent style wedding speeches can be found in several references such as books, websites, magazines and other reading materials. However, when you are thinking about what is going to give talks as a parent, you should always ensure that what you are saying is in your heart. Never use prefabricated templates or speeches, because it can not address the true essence of his speech, and will not be able to deliver the message you want to share with your daughter or son. The important thing to give a speech or toast is giving from the bottom of our hearts and say the most sincere congratulations and best wishes that you can give your child a newlywed.

By giving the the toast in the original form that fathers do, the first thing that you can talk about is the child of your son or daughter and the simple things that only you two do together, and now can not do because he / she is already married. You should also advise the couples in maintaining their relationship and peaceful coexistence. Finally, the parent style to wedding speeches, being bossy, but speaking in a gentle and loving.

Remember, in giving these speeches father style, the first idea that you can talk about is the childhood of your son or daughter and the simple things that only you two do together, and now you can no longer do because he/she is already wed. You should also give advice to the couple in maintaining their relationship and living together peacefully. Finally, in giving speeches father style, be authoritative but speak in a gentle and loving way.

What to Look for to Make Sure Your Wedding Goes Without a Hitch

Planning a wedding can be the most important task in a person's life. Every couple hopes for the best but are forced to put their trust in third parties. From caterers to transport, everything must go without a hitch. You have to trust each company responsible for every part of the big day and to many the wedding catering is, above everything else, the most important factor.

It is the food that guests tend to talk about after the event. It is often said that a person will remember if they were hungry at a wedding and that if the food is good, the day will be enjoyed by all. It is therefore, extremely important to choose your caterers wisely! Again it is important that you meet with your intended caterers before you secure the date. This way, you can talk to the team who will be responsible for making sure your day runs as smoothly as possible. Questions that should be asked range from...

How much experience the caterers have, how many waitresses will be attending to each table on the day, whether or not the company uses agency staff or their own bank of trusted employees? From past experiences, it is always important to have a higher ratio of waiting staff employed by the caterers. Agency staff, although sometimes necessary, are not always as knowledgeable and as experienced as those with experience of working with your chosen caterers.

So you've chosen your wedding caterer. What do you do next? Any company worth their salt will draw up a schedule. This will act as instructions for the big day and should contain information on your chosen menu, the amount of guests attending including children and a menu specifically created for them if necessary. It should also contain contact details including an emergency out of hour's phone number for the person in charge of your day, special requirements including dietary needs and specific requests i.e. no salad garnish for the best man etc etc. You should also have a comprehensive list of timings from when guests arrive to when the last guest leaves. The information compiled here will put your mind at ease and will ensure that both you and the caterers are singing from the same hymn sheet.

With your schedule completed and a dedicated member of the team at your beck and call, there is little else you can do to guarantee that it all runs smoothly. There has to come a point when you put your trust into your chosen caterers, leaving all the finishing touches to them. If you have done your homework, checked their business insurance, testimonials, food hygiene certificates etc etc, you will have little to worry about and you will be able to relax in the knowledge that you have done everything you can to ensure that your big day runs as smoothly as possible! Well, at least when it comes to the wedding catering!

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Which Is the Fairest Wedding Season of Them All?

Of the four seasons, summer weddings are the most popular. However, there are individuals who choose to become married in alternate seasons for numerous reasons. Each season has its advantages and disadvantages, and by considering several points in the decision process, a couple will be able to select the season that will fulfill all of their desires. First and foremost, you should think about the months that are in a season. For example, the month of June is considered a part of spring; however, the weather in June is going to be much warmer than it would be in April.

Along a similar vein, you will need to think of the activities in your wedding that are important to you. If you would like to be married in an out doors ceremony, then the winter season, will be eliminated for you. Similarly, if you would like a certain type of flower to be featured prominently throughout your wedding, that flower will only be in season for a few months, like the poinsettia in the winter. Additionally, it can only be beneficial for a couple to consider the location where they would like to have their honeymoon.

Certain honeymoon locations are best enjoyed within a certain season. If you and your significant other are attempting to save money, then you may wish to opt for an autumn or winter wedding. These seasons are considered "off seasons" for most wedding venues and vendors; therefore, they generally tend to have discounted rates on their services. However, if you simply must have your wedding in the spring and summer months, then you will need to secure a location and vendor services early. If you wait too late to book these services, then you may not be able to secure the services of your preferred providers.

When you are choosing a season to have your wedding in, you are also going to have to consider the holidays that will be going on during the season. For example, if you plan a winter wedding, you will have to work your wedding plans around the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's holidays. The amount of time you have to plan your wedding can also affect the season in which you choose for your wedding. In order to choose the ideal season for their wedding, a couple will need to prioritize their desires first. Ranking what it is important to you will allow you to choose the ideal wedding date.

Of the four seasons, summer weddings are the most popular. However, there are individuals who choose to become married in alternate seasons for numerous reasons. Each season has its advantages and disadvantages, and by considering several points in the decision process, a couple will be able to select the season that will fulfill all of their desires.

DJs Or Wedding Bands - Who Wins The Toss Up?

Planning a wedding can be an exciting, but also exhausting activity. You will have to make a lot of important decisions; many of them will influence the outcome of your special day. When you start planning your musical entertainment, think about the advantages Rhode Island wedding bands have over DJs. These benefits include:

1. Better interaction - Your guests will feel more comfortable with a nicely dressed band playing their favorite songs, than watching a DJ play a few music tapes or CDs. Watching musicians in action is far more personal than one person standing behind a table loaded with equipment. Musicians also tend to dress better, which is far more appropriate for a wedding, then showing up in jeans and a t-shirt.

2. Songs can be personalized - When a disc jockey plays music, he has no opportunity to change the lyrics. The singers of Rhode Island wedding bands have no problem adjusting a few words here and there to personalize the bride and grooms favorite song. They can slow down a tempo or speed it up.

3. Better sound quality - There is no doubt about it; even with the best equipment, the music produced by a DJ will not sound as good as that of a live band.

4. No technical problems - When Rhode Island wedding bands take the stage you know that you will enjoy music all night long. Even if the power goes off, a singer can still sing, the drummer can still use his sticks and the guitarist can still compose a nice tune. When a DJ has technical difficulties, you may have to spend the evening without music. Do not let that happen to you!

Learn Why Blue Weddings Are Taking The Bridal World By Storm

Blue is one of the most selected colors in the wedding industry. A hint of it can be seen in every bride as wearing "something blue". There is something in blue that appeals to most people, it is a very calming color and gives tranquility at the same time. The vast shades of blue can be paired with any color in any occasion and it is a dream come true for most event / wedding planners. Using a color palette in your wedding will give what atmosphere you wish to portray to your guests. The following color schemes will give you great ideas on how to create your own blue palette and make your wedding day the most cheerful and elegant wedding.

Blue on blue - it is a monochromatic color palette using different shades of blue ranging from sky blue, navy blue, azure blue, turquoise to ultramarine blue that can create a cool and serene ambiance. This color palette is best used for your beach or destination wedding, as it blends well with the ocean surrounding your wedding. It is also a good palette for your palace theme wedding.

Blue and pink - a romantic and feminine like color palette. The calmness of blue combines with the softness of pink resulting in a romantic color combination.

Blue, silver and white - this trio is the best choice for a winter wonderland theme wedding. The crispness of blue gives color to the snowy environment outside and the silver color adds a whimsical effect on the decors.

Blue, red and white - a color combination that reflects the celebration of 4th of July! It has a feeling of being patriotic. A lovely arrangement of these colors can actually make you feel like greeting your new life with sense of freedom.

Navy Blue, Light Blue and pastel yellow - a summer wedding in a country-style. Creating this palette gives you a twist of having a country atmosphere and old-fashioned style. A color palette that is not too loud and infused with a vintage feel. A subtle summer color palette.

Aqua Blue, light green and chartreuse - a color palette perfect for a garden wedding. It is the best color palette for a spring wedding as it looks like your wedding shares the blooming season. The pop of color light up the celebration and it will definitely give your wedding a cheerful note.

Blue, Navy Blue, Green and chartreuse - a peacock wedding theme! This color combination gives out the elegant and lovely colors of the peacock feather. You can use the different color all over your wedding, and makes it the best example of a peacock wedding, and exaggerate everything by accentuating it with a faux peacock feather.

Tips on How to Look Great for Your Wedding Photos

Weddings don't occur every day, so the still photos of this memorable event are very important. No bride wants to look anything less than elegant, on or off camera. However, a common misconception of wedding photography is that in order to not look like a china doll, a bride must wear layer upon layer of heavy foundation. Or to avoid the vampire look, eye shadow must be caked on so dark that she looks as if she has black eyes in real life. Wrong! This effect can be avoided by using a photographer who knows what he's doing. A simple adjustment of the flash and exposure, and a bride can look as amazing in the photograph as she does walking down the aisle.

On the other hand, if you are intending not to put on any makeup, please reconsider. At least, pat some powder on your face for oil absorption and to avoid shine. Even if your skin is dry, it will give you a softer appearance and an even skin tone for your pictures. For greater coverage and convenience use a creme or powder makeup. A tiny bit of blush is alright too. Use a pale pink or choose a brown tinted pink so you can have a natural appearance. Do you have darker skin? Your colors should be brighter. If your eyebrows are naturally dark with long lashes, then you don't need to put any makeup on your eyes at all. As an option, an eyebrow pencil can be used with or without mascara.

When dealing with lips, I realize people typically advice wearing clear lip gloss, however I think this is not really the best option. Brighten up your lips with a little color, especially if your skin tone is light to avoid a pale appearance. It doesn't have to be a dark color, just enough to highlight the area and make it stand out a little. As a matter of fact, I believe if you decide to put on two makeup items, you should choose lipstick plus a creme or powder foundation. And certainly, try all of these suggestions to be sure you feel good about the way you look BEFORE your special day.

Finding Elegant Wedding Favor Ideas

Many couples are interested in finding elegant wedding favor ideas. The couple usually is looking for an opportunity to show their appreciation to the individuals that have attended the ceremony. People do not need to spend a lot of money in order to find very attractive ways to give gifts to the guests who have attended their ceremony.

Many times there is the option of having a personally engraved picture frame with the couple's initials at the bottom. The couple can select the material that they want to frame to be constructed from and have multiple different designs if they so choose. There is also the option of putting a photo in the frame of the happy couple.

Having soap and other custom items made can also be a great gift. Choosing a fragrance that guests are sure to love is very important. Sometimes people choose to have a bride and groom made from soap to commemorate the occasion. Having a golden wine bottle opener is another option for individuals that are trying to go for an upscale feeling with the gift they are presenting to people that attend the function.

Another option is having small bottles of perfume or cologne available for guests to take home. Having a small bottle of perfume or cologne can be extremely appealing to people that are concerned about their public perception. Making sure that people are not allergic to the sand that has been selected is imperative.

Sometimes many centerpieces are given to guests to commemorate the occasion. People that are very interested in flowers will be appreciative of this gift. Making a small amount of flowers available to individuals to commemorate the occasion is a beautiful touch. Sometimes people in the bridal party will have custom cufflinks or other articles of clothing made to commemorate the day.

If the couple has a lot of money they can have wine glasses made with their initials on them. There is also the option of having towels that are monogrammed made as well. Consideration should be given to choosing colors that are appealing to the people that are receiving the items.

Couples have many options when they are looking for wedding favor ideas. Finding something that will capture the personality of the couple getting married is extremely important. It is also essential to find products that can be made available in larger quantities at an affordable rate. People often have a great deal of fun locating the perfect item for the once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Tips For Buying Your Plus Size Bridal Gown

Shopping for a wedding dress is a challenge for any bride because it will be used in her most memorable day, so she wants it to be perfect. This task has proven to be more difficult for plus size gals who are looking for plus size bridal gowns.

My suggestion for the plus size bride is to be patient when looking for the right wedding dress. Because many bridal shops do not offer sample plus size dresses, you do not have the opportunity to see various styles of dresses in your size.

One other challenge facing plus size brides is to look for a style of a wedding dress that will suit your figure. To start your research for the right dress, you should browse bridal magazines, including Modern Brides or Brides, and look for bridal gowns you like. You can also use the Internet to search for bridal gowns on the websites of the The Wedding Channel and Knot.

Also, several fashion designers now design plus size bridal gowns and some even design lines that are specifically for these women.

Here, I will help plus size brides find the style that will flatter their body shape and which ones they should avoid.

Make sure that you choose a bridal gown that would not add weight or width to your body shape; instead you should look for a style that will help you look slim. To achieve a slimming look, experts recommend that you should choose a bridal gown that has asymmetrical front details. Additionally, the bridal gown silhouettes that will look good on plus size brides be are the a-line and princess wedding gown styles.

Other bridal gowns that will compliment plus size brides are the empire style, mermaid style and the sheath style. Specifically, the empire style is for brides who are not breasted because the style's aim is to put a spotlight on the bust. The mermaid style is suggested for tall brides who have balanced proportions. The sheath style is for those who have a balanced and defined waist.

Aside from style, plus size brides should also check if the dress' patterns, which can be lace motif, embroidery, or beadings, are scaled to their size. You should not choose wedding dresses that have small details because they could look dainty. Moreover, you should not select a style that will add width, like tiered skirts and ruffles.

Adding details on the hem or in the bodice adds interest in the gown and not on the bust if you have a large one.

Pear shaped women will look beautiful if they will wear an off shoulder gown for their gown because the off the shoulder neckline and surplice v-neck will help slim the bust line.

Looking for the right plus size wedding gowns should no longer be a problem after you read some tips I have offered here. I hope that this will guide you in your quest for that perfect gown that will help you stand out during the most special day of your life.

Groom's Speeches: By Far The Most Difficult Wedding Speech Of All

Giving a speech before a large crowd during any occasion can be daunting at the best of times. Giving a speech at a wedding reception is one challenge that even experienced and expert speech-makers dread, and giving groom's speeches far more so.

The issue is that the wedding audience is extremely diversified, which makes it a very tough crowd to create a speech for that every person will enjoy and no one may be upset by.

The crowd consists of people of a very wide age bracket - from the extremely old to the quite young and all of the ages in-between, of various backgrounds, diverse social classes, different beliefs, and all at different levels of inebriation!

The crowd also have a variety of distinct relationships with the happy couple, there are close personal pals, close relations, remote relatives, work colleagues, and other associates. Not surprising that even the professionals dread delivering a speech at wedding receptions.

Additionally bear in mind that many Bridegrooms are not really assured and professional speech makers. In addition they have typically gone through one of the most frantic and most nerve-racking periods of their lives in planning a wedding, a reception, a honeymoon, and possibly a new home, and at this time they are supposed to furthermore give a speech of a lifetime.

Along with lots of other things happening in their life up till that stage is it any wonder that the bridegroom's speech very often ends up being almost an afterthought, fairly typically not even considered until the big day is right in sight.

Groom's speeches are infamously tough to get right. There are that many individuals to say thank you to that if you are not careful it can easily seem as if you're reading out a grocery list. You have to say thank you to people for attending, for providing gifts, for assisting with the planning and organisation, for undertaking specific tasks, and for being available whenever you needed them.

Virtually all Grooms will want to deliver a decent speech, one which is cheerful, purposeful, tender, witty, entertaining, and that shows the significance of the event. The groom will want to produce at least a few decent belly laughs from the attendees. They will also prefer to rise above their natural anxiety and incapacity to put their genuine sentiments for their new Bride into words. This is no mean task for any guy, not least when you are doing this in front of folks that you hold so dear.

The key to a successful speech, and indeed the wedding day as a whole, is in preparation and attention to detail. This most definitely shouldn't mean sitting down to write your speech the night prior to the big day!

No, the key to making a worthwhile groom's speech undoubtedly lies in allowing for sufficient time to plan and research exactly just what you intend to say. This way you will have plenty of time to fine-tune and better the speech until you are completely satisfied with it.

Once you reach this point you will be certain that you have a speech that your guests will enjoy and that will go down well with them. This belief will give you the self-assurance to deliver your speech in a positive and self-assured manner, that will make it go down even better.

Groom's speeches are actually rather more tricky to write and perform than the various other wedding speeches, yet with a bit of thought, preparing, and energy the results can certainly be very well worth the energy.

Key Points For Your Hen Party Planning

If you are asked to organise a friend's hen party you have a big responsibility and you have to get it right. If you put enough care and attention in to the task then you can enjoy the fruits of your efforts along with the rest of the party attendees. But just how do you put things in place to ensure that the party that goes smoothly.

The good news is that with a little forethought you can pull it off. Here are some important things for you to consider and build in to your hen party planning.

Firstly consider the bride's wishes as it's about her after all. The style of the party may range from a simple get together for ladies to somewhat racy and more spirited activities. Always ensure that you understand and comply with the bride's as to how her hen party should be and what should and should not be included.

Next think about who will and will not be invited. You will want to consult with the bride to be about this. There may be particular people she wants (or does not want) to attend or there may be a limit on numbers. If they are to be invited, keep this in mind when setting entertainment for the event.

How long will the party last. Is it a night out or to span an entire weekend. Longer hen parties are becoming very popular and often start on a Friday night, take in say a sporting event on the Saturday morning before another night on the tiles before finishing up after breakfast on Sunday morning. Decide on the duration and format of your party and plan accordingly.

Always have in mind the cost and any budget that you may be working to. And think about of the guests can afford anything extravagant. Not all might be comfortable with something very expensive. For example a long weekend pampering in a spa resort may be beyond the reach of some people.

And of course do not forget the date. Usually the hen party will take place the weekend before the wedding so know what is happening when and build your plan around that. This is of course essential for the invitations and for booking reservations at restaurants, venues, transport and hotels if required.

Hen party themes are big business these days so if the bride wants the event to take a particular theme (nurses, wild west or whatever) then confirming it in advance and including the details on the invitations to allow invitees to get their outfits is very important.

Taking your hen party planning duties seriously will be surprisingly rewarding when the celebrations go without a hitch and that will be down to you. Sure, take a little credit for that but always remember that you are planning the bride's last big bit night as a single woman and you will be fine.

Bridesmaids Gifts to Express Gratefulness to Your Ladies and Make Them Jovial

It is the idea that counts, they exclaim. The cost does not matter that much. Whether the piece is cheap or pricey, it will surely make somebody joyful. This is the whole idea behind gift giving. A gift is a method for us to reveal our devotion and thankfulness to a person. This is particularly true for a couple-to-be. For all the reassurance and assistance their family, friends, and colleagues have extended to make a wedding a success, it is just fitting that the couple present these people with offerings, which would remind them too of the extraordinary day where the twosome made their vows. The bridesmaids, for example, could receive bridesmaids gifts for standing with the bride on her wedding day.

There are various kinds of gift ideas obtainable in the market nowadays. All a bride needs to do is to look around and surely she will get some presents perfect for her bridesmaids. One choice is to go to the neighboring stores that deal gift items. If the objects she prefers are not found in these shops, she can go visit online shops, which present a wider array of choices. Online shopping is a practical medium because one does not have to move out of the house or office to order goods. As long as she has Internet link, she can order her needs and pay online.

When buying bridesmaids gifts, it is significant to note the likes and preferences of the ladies. It is a good idea if the gifts reflect the character of each bridesmaid. This goes to show that you sure know them well and have taken some time to consider their varying lifestyles. You can modify these gifts to make them lovelier, and definitely the ladies will be glad about them. These customized objects do not have to be expensive, however. There are many shops online that give customized gifts at low-priced rates.

One good quality you should look for when purchasing gifts is functionality. It is much better if you provide something that the ladies can utilize in their day-to-day life. For example, you can bestow them with bags. There are various types of bags to pick from. Cosmetic bags are a good idea. They can be used to carry makeup and other grooming objects so that the ladies appear beautiful all the time. They are great for roaming, be it a business tour or a holiday, as they can be certainly accommodated in the baggage. They can also be modified by putting the name of the bridesmaid on the bag.

Another selection is jewelry. Jewelry is truly an excellent pick because they last for a long time. So even several years after the wedding, you would likely catch your ladies still sporting the items you have given them as gifts. Jewelry sets are expensive, many believe. But actually, there are some reasonably priced ones, which are perfect as bridesmaids gifts. You can go for less pricey stones, which you can customize to get the designs that fit your ladies. You can also personalize them further by having the name of your bridesmaid carved on the jewelry.

The Best, Best Man Jokes - Secret Sauce

The best, best man jokes are short humorous one liner's that can be injected throughout the best mans speech. Successful speeches achieve the right balance between humour and sincerity. Your speech may contain some of the best, best man jokes the wedding guests have ever heard but if you do not tell the groom that you are honoured to be his best man or if you fail to complement the bride your speech will not be remembered for its moments of comic genius.

Humorous best man speeches do take a little more research, preparation and practise but the results of your efforts will be clearly visible on the wedding day. Let's be brutally honest, you are either good with jokes or you're not. If you are the type of person who was at the back of the queue when the humour was dished out you should consider creating a more sincere speech with a few words spoken from the heart which can be just as effective. The important thing to remember is that your best man speech is about you and it should match your personality.

The best, best man jokes are short one liner's or anecdotes. An anecdote is a shot tale that narrates an amusing incident that has happened in real life. Jokes from a joke book do not usually fit well into wedding speeches and if you forget the punch line you could end up looking like a real bone-head. If however, you use humour in moderation and show you have put a little thought into your speech the guests will be very forgiving should you experience a mind blank.

What to Say

During your speech you can use the best, best man jokes to inject a sense of humour and grab or maintain the guest's attention. The introduction should capture the attention of the crowd and should include a joke early to let them know they are in for a treat. If you are nervous you can use this as part of the humour by saying something about the sound of your 'knees knocking' or your legs 'turning to jelly'. In a previous speech my introduction included the following line:

"I have to tell you I feel very nervous speaking here today. It's been a while since I spoke in front of a number of people and even then it was only to confirm my name and address".

What not to say

When creating your best man speech remember that it can be difficult to make somebody laugh but it is very easy to make somebody cry. Avoid matters that are sensitive such as ex partners, weight or health problems, family feuds, pregnancy and the cost of the wedding. Don't say anything which will offend the bride and if in doubt - leave it out. You should also avoid private in jokes that most people will not understand. There may be a variety of guests at the wedding ranging from young children to elderly relatives so never consider using foul or offensive language.

Props can be used to enhance the delivery of the best, best man jokes. As an example you could say: "Last night the groom told me he wants to be a model husband and a model lover". Then pull out a dictionary, turn to a page and pretend to read the line: "Model, a small miniature replica of the real thing" You can use the best, best man jokes to inject a sense of humour throughout your speech and the key to achieving success is to maintain the balance between fun and sincerity. The best, best man jokes are short one liner's or funny anecdotes. Long winded jokes and foul language should be avoided at all cost. Here are my top five crowd pleaser's:

1. I was married by a judge, I should have asked for a jury

2. Wedding rings, the world's tiniest hand cuffs

3. Marriage is defined by three rings - engagement ring wedding ring suffering

4. There were three words on brides mind as she entered the church this morning "Aisle", "Alter", "Hymn"

5. A honeymoon couple should be like an old TV set, four wobbly legs and a worn out knob!

How to Send Out the Perfect Wedding Invitations?

While planning a wedding can be quite an over whelming experience for the bride and groom, sending out the perfect wedding invitations does not involve much time or effort if done the right way. All one has to basically do is to sit down and decide on the content and order in the invites from a professional printer well in time.

The perfect invite for a wedding event should be worded just right as this card will be going out to all your friends and family members and will remain with you as a loving memento of one of the happiest day of your life. But before you start working on the text and design of your wedding invitations you need to prepare a list of people with whom you would like to share the event as well as the good news about your marriage.

Once you have prepared an invite list you will have a clear idea of the number of cards that need to be printed. At this point you should keep a safe number of additional wedding invitations as a reserve as there is always a chance that you might have forgotten to list a few names. Now you can go ahead and get in touch with a printer who can do custom texting for your invite. This will give a special feel to your cards and make them much more unique and personal.

When it comes to deciding on the wording of your wedding invitations the very first thing to consider is that whether the invites are going out from the bride and groom or their respective parents. The cards should also clearly specify the names of the couple, the full names of both the parents and the day, time as well as the venue of the ceremony. In case you might want a small gathering for the reception then a separate leaf should also be included for the selected invitees.

In case you and your spouse are sending out cards to announce your recent marriage it is very important to specify your new home address amongst other details like the date and place where the wedding took place. It is also a great idea to include a photograph of your wedding day which will make the announcement a truly moving gesture especially towards your friends and family members who could not attend the event.

When sending out wedding invitations it is also important to order the cards a good number of weeks prior to the main event. This will allow you to get the printing done on time which will give you a sufficient amount of period to address the cards and send them out to your friends and family. You should also keep in mind that your invites might be going out to people located in distant places and you should therefore give them sufficient time to plan out their travel arrangements. Timing is therefore a very important factor when it comes to deciding on the subject matter, the printing as well as the mailing of the invites.

So get ready to send the perfect wedding invitations by keeping your list of invitees ready along with the right number of cards and sending out the invitations on right time.

June Wedding Invitations Mark the Start of Wedding Season

June has long been considered to be the most popular month of the year for weddings. The weather is mild and the flowers are as beautiful as the bride to be. As with any wedding, June weddings can take a lot of planning if you want everything to come together successfully. One part of the planning that always seems to get left until the last minute is deciding what type of wedding invitations you are going to be sending to all of the guests you would like to be there for your special day.

While you can go into most retail card stores and choose from a variety of standard wedding invitations, why would you want the most important day in your life represented by a generic wedding invitation? If you really want to go all out for your wedding, you should consider having custom wedding invitations made. This will give you the chance to have complete creative control over every aspect of your invitations, which is not something you are going to find with brand name card manufacturers.

When you choose handmade wedding invitations, you will work directly with the creator of the invitations covering every aspect of them. You will start out by choosing the types of paper you want used to make the basic invitation and can then add layers of colors or varieties of paper such as flocked or embossed designs.

Once you have the basic invitation design set, you can put together the information part of the card. Typically this is a computer printed sheet that includes all of the pertinent information regarding your wedding. This information should include both the bride and grooms name; the date and time of your wedding as well as where it is to be held. You might also want to include the details of your reception as well.

To make you wedding invitations more appealing this sheet can have an image ghosted into the background. I like to use a picture such as flowers or perhaps even the bride and groom. You can choose from dozens of different fonts in any color to make everything standout. All of your custom wedding invitations should include an RSVP card, return envelope and where needed maps and/or directions on how to get to both locations.

When you take the time to order handmade wedding invitations, you are letting everyone know just how special your wedding day is. Each invitation will become a treasured memento of your special day for all of your guests and of course for you and your new spouse.

Wedding Cards In a Blast

So you are in a hurry and there shouldn't be any wasted time anymore. You make your final Yes! And you are just so excited to tell the world that you are getting married. There is just so much joy and overflowing excitement to someone getting married. There is that sheer happiness from the couple and the family of the marrying couple. Getting married is best announced through the classic form, and that will be through the good old wedding cards. Wedding cards definitely make the occasion more special and more heat felt. There is that joy that can be elicited from those that will receive and read the cards. Today there are over thousands of card makers that can help you with your dilemma. You only have such months to prepare and you are pressed for time to send the message to family and friends and there are just so many other things to attend to. This is the time when you can ask help from your family and your wedding planner to choose the best wedding cards for you. The best part of choosing the card is that there are online options to check out that can trim down your choices. You need not go to stores and go through the rigors of choosing the best wedding card. Make sure to set the greetings or vows in a decent and romantic way. Always consider the elders that will be receiving these cards. There is no harm is adding a little humor that can make the card a little casual and light.

There are different designs of wedding cards there are those typical or classic cards that come in individual sheets or card form. There are listings of members of the entourage listed, in different sheet of paper. Then there is the contemporary card that can come in one card with films of paper or other accessories. Then another version will be the paper fold. This is just a one piece version of wedding cards that contains messages, announcements and entourage all in one piece. If you are having a short notice for your wedding, you need not worry anymore. Most makers of wedding cards can work on your budget and your schedule too. Gone are those days that you have to book and inquire months in advance. A good 30 day notice will be good enough before the time of distribution. Seek for referrals; your married friends can give you suggestions on how to pick the best card that can start up a lasting commitment. This card will definitely seal the deal.

The Meaning of Wedding Favours

The practice of handing out wedding favours has been part of the wedding related tradition for hundreds of years and it is widely followed across the globe. In fact people have been giving out wedding favours since the Middle Ages, but while back then the favours tended to be beautifully packaged candies and sweets in specially crafted trinket boxes, nowadays wedding favours range from exquisite chocolates to small silver trinkets and everything in between.

Back in those days sugar was a very powerful symbol of wealth and royalty because it was extremely expensive. The trinket box was something special as well, made of metal or porcelain and usually decorated with precious stones, it was meant to act as a reminder of the happy moment. As time went by, sugar became more easily accessible and this meant that the tradition of giving it as a wedding favour started to migrate to the lower classes as well.

The wedding favors were meant to be more than just keepsakes, and while they did that very well, reminding people of certain happy events, they were also meant as a thank you from the bride and groom to their guests.

Nowadays however, anything and everything can be a wedding favour, anything from personalized golf balls to disposable cameras.

Some of the most common wedding favors are the edible kind. These are usually personalized chocolates, but can also be almonds, specific types of coffee or tiny honey jars.

On the non-edible front, there are the scented candles that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, or natural items like sea shells or engraved stones - as far as the nature theme goes, anything the couple deems important to them or to their union can be used as a wedding favor, maybe something like specific flower seeds.

If silver is your thing then there is no shortage of silver items that you can give out as wedding favours: drink coasters, cookie cutters, bells, wine stoppers, ice cream scoops, small figurines, the sky is the limit.

Wedding favors nowadays tend to revolve much more around the personality of the groom and the bride, rather than pure tradition. Of course they follow the tradition of giving out the favours, but what they give out nowadays can be extremely personalized within a particular theme that is either important to their event or to themselves. Currently engraved and marked favours are very popular, marking the name of the happy couple and their wedding date on favour boxes or personalizing wine bottle labels are seen as offering something unique and special to one's guests.

This tradition has also spread to other important events such as birthdays or baptisms, but just as it is with the case of the wedding favours there are no clear or formal guidelines as to what the favours should be.

Money-Saving Suggestions When It Comes To Wedding Supplies

Wedding is the most important and meaningful day of anybody's life and therefore it should be planned with utmost care. But let's face it, planning a wedding requires a lot of work and of course money. Aside from a long list of things to do, there is also a long list of things to buy and these two are enough to make you go gaga. But before you went crazy over your wedding supplies, fortunately there are some ways to help you save money. In this article you will know some money-saving suggestions when it comes to wedding supplies you need for your big day.

It is very important to consider all the necessary supplies that your wedding will need. They should be purchased or made in an efficient manner. Also, if you will purchase them, make sure to keep in mind the theme of your wedding, your venue, your guests, and of course your budget. Don't buy anything yet without a proper research especially when it comes to the prices of the items you need.

There are different wedding supplies that you need to have including flowers, table decorations for your reception, candles, wedding favors, wedding invites, and a lot more. These all come at a wide range of prices so it is up to you to select the right price for your budget.

If you are looking for ways to save money on your wedding supplies, one practical idea is to go DIY. There are many parts of the wedding that can actually make by oneself. Be creative! It doesn't mean that you have to be like a real professional maker though. Sometimes it takes guts and a bit of creativeness to make something that looks like crafted by a professional craftsman. You can make your own floral arrangement, wedding invites, or wedding favors perhaps. These are just a few that can be create easily. Just bare this in mind that time can be a problem if you want to DIY some of your wedding supplies, so start way in advance. Better to be advance than late! So instead of spending big for your wedding supplies, if you can make them at a cheaper cost, then why spend a lot?

Another way to save money if you can't do the DIY stuff is to purchase everything online. Online shopping has been a trend not just for internet savvy people, but also for brides and grooms who plan to make their dreamed wedding come true out of their tight budget. Why? Because online stores usually offer products at cheaper rates than local shopping malls and stores. They don't have plenty of overhead expenses and mostly they offer wholesale goods that is why many people find online shopping as the most practical way of buying things. Today, there are plenty of online stores that specialize in wedding supplies and other wedding related items from bridal gowns and tuxedos, wedding bonds, tiaras and bridesmaids jewelry to wedding invites, wedding favors, wedding gifts and etc. that price these items lower than you expect.

Wedding Toasts - Funny Ways To Write Your Wedding Speech

Weddings are an incredible occasion and will be filled with future warm memories. If you're fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to deliver a toast, this is your chance to really share your heartfelt warm wishes.

Funny Wedding Toasts are sometimes hit and miss, so make sure that the occasion is right. Make your decision to give a funny wedding speech based on the tone of the wedding and the relationship you have with the bride and groom. If the couple has a great sense of humour, Wedding toasts that are funny can be a great way to liven the reception up!

First, talk with the bride and groom about what they feel would be a good idea for your toast. Wedding Toasts-Funny are sometimes inappropriate for the style of the wedding.

Learn some details about the bride and groom for your funny toast. Even if you're lucky enough to get your hands on an ebook about writing funny wedding speeches, you'll want to tailor it to the couple. Ask others for details so your your wedding speech can be exciting and surprising.

Look around the web and check out ebooks for ideas for your wedding toast funny. There are plenty of books and sites that are devoted to making sure your toast is funny! This can aid you in writing your very own toast that is sure to be a hit.

Write or choose a couple of toasts that you can choose between. This will help if you start to have second thoughts about the first draft! When you've written your toasts funny things can be added later if they come to you.

Ensure your toast is funny, but also tasteful and in line with the vibe of the wedding reception. Remember this is a special day! Your wedding toast-funny, shouldn't upset or offend anyone.

Make sure you find a sounding board for your toast, funny toasts can sometimes be amusing to you, but questionable to others. Recite your wedding toast-funny to a friend and make sure they laugh. Ask what they think of your wedding toast, funny or flop? Take their opinions into account and make sure you're writing the best and funniest toast you possibly can.

4 Wedding Ideas To Reduce The Cost of A Wedding

With the average wedding costs easily exceeding $25,000.00 and this does not include the engagement ring or the honeymoon. I am sure that like most couples getting married you are looking for wedding ideas that will help you reduce the cost of a wedding.

Well here are 4 wedding ideas that you can use to reduce the cost a wedding.

1. Have Your Wedding During The Off Season

Having your wedding during the "off season" is probably the best way to reduce the cost of a wedding. By simply avoiding the peck season for getting married you will be able to save substantially on everything from banquet catering and photography to travel and accommodation for your honeymoon.

And when is the "off season" you maybe asking. Well it really depends on where you are planning to have your wedding.

In North America, most person get married during the months May through October. So you may want to consider getting married during January through March.

While most warm weather destination weddings usually take place between January and April. So your best times will be before or after this busy period.

2. Right Size Your Guest List

"Right sizing" your Guest list is another area where you can significantly reduce the cost of your wedding. When you consider the impact of the cost for items such as invitations, party favors, table centerpieces and the reception you can significantly reduce the cost of a wedding by simply limiting the number of wedding guest.

And you can easily do this by making your wedding an intimate affair for close family and friends.

3. Share the Cost with Other Brides

It is not usual for you to have other friends and acquaintances that are getting married around the same time of year or even on the same day. So you may want to talk with them about sharing some of the cost associated with things like decorating and flowers for the reception venue.

Or if you are really game - you may even consider having a double wedding.

4. Rethink Your Wedding Dress

Your wedding dress can easily be one of the most expensive things on your shopping list but you can substantially reduce this cost by your fabric choice. Simply choosing a cheaper fabric can reduce your wedding dress cost by a much as two thirds. And most designers have these cheaper design wedding dresses readily available.

And if you really want to flatter your mother you could decide to use her wedding dress. A gesture that will make your special even more memorable for both you and mother.

So there you have it 4 wedding ideas that are guaranteed to help you reduce the cost of a wedding.

And you can reduce the cost of a wedding even further with these wedding ideas. Ensuring that you can have your dream wedding.

The Known Customs Of Weddings

Weddings are celebrated with some kind of ceremony almost everywhere in the world. The ceremonies vary greatly among different nations and religions. But whatever the form of a marriage ceremony, it serves the important purpose of announcing to the community that a man and a woman have been joined in matrimony. The wedding ceremony may be a religious one performed by a clergyman. It may be a civil ceremony performed by a civil official, such as a judge or a mayor. It may be only a couples declaration before witnesses of their intention to marry.

Some people today chose to write their own marriage ceremony, or perhaps have a favourite poem to read. In some places a transfer of property makes a marriage binding. In other places blood is drawn from tiny scratches made on the hands of the bride and groom. The blood is mingled, sealing the union. Among some people the marriage rite consists only of the bride and groom sharing the same food.

Many of the customs associated with wedding ceremonies are based on neither church nor civil law. They developed from wedding customs of the earliest times and come from many lands. The wearing of the bridal veil may have come from a superstition dating back to early Greek and Roman times. The veil was thought to conceal the bride from evil spirits. The veil is also believed to have been worn as an indication of the brides innocence and purity.

The ring is the most widely used symbol of marriage today, as it has been for centuries. The word wedding comes from the old English word wed, which means promise or pledge. During Anglo Saxen times a betrothal, or promise to marry, was sealed when the bride or groom to be gave the sweetheart a ring. The ring, a circle with no beginning or end, was considered a symbol of eternity. The fourth finger of the left hand was chosen as the ring finger because of mistaken beliefs that a vein or nerve runs from that finger to the heart.

The best man and the groomsmen, or ushers, have been explained as a survival of the ancient practice of wife capture, in which the bridegrooms friends helped him in his struggle to carry off his wife. The brides attendants were supposed to protect her from being captured.

In ancient times people drove off any unfriendly spirits around the bridal couple by making noises, brandishing weapons, lighting fires, and waving torches. Many practices that were supposed to prevent bad luck and bring blessings to the bridal pair have come down through the years.

Throwing rice after a newly married couple is a very old custom. The ancients threw rice at a bride and groom to distract evil spirits. Rice, a symbol of fertility among some people, expresses the hope that the couple will be blessed with children.

Every state and nation has its own laws and requirements governing marriage. There may be regulations concerning the ages at which a couple may marry, the procedures for a license to marry, the recording of the marriage, or the type of ceremony.

What to Do With You Wedding Gown After the Wedding

Every Bride is now asking "What do you do with your wedding dress after the wedding?" So here are a couple of ideas that will allow you to preserve, reuse, or let go of your wedding dress.

Selling your wedding dress: Lots of brides are choosing this option. After the wedding brides can sell their wedding dress, usually at a lower price, to other brides. This is a good option for modern dresses, classics that never go out of style, and antique wedding dresses as vintage is the newest trend. Your dress should be dry cleaned and kept in bag to preserve it while on the market. There are a lot of online sources in Toronto where you can resell your wedding dress. eBay, Craigslist, and Weddingbells.ca are good places to start. Check through the listings and price your dress accordingly.

Donation: The Brides' Project in Toronto allows brides to donate their gowns and also receives large donations from corporate sponsors. The donated and designer dresses are sold to brides looking for their perfect wedding gown. All proceeds are donated to charities helping to fight cancer. Not only are you helping brides buy their wonderful dream dress on a budget but you are also taking steps to help fight cancer. There are other great places to donate across Toronto. Here is a great 'How To' article that will help you find a great place to donate your dress.

Preserving: Keeping with the old tradition passing your wedding dress on to your daughter here is a great way to preserve your wedding dress for future use. Courtesy Gown in Toronto offers a cleaning, preserving, and restoration service. To preserve they clean the gown, allow you to inspect it to be to your standards, and then they preserve it in special made bags or chests to protect against discolouration, moisture, and fumes.

Re-use: There are ways to keep your dress for another occasion. You can make it into a cocktail dress, or strip the layers to make it into a ball-gown. You can also use the dress for different projects. Some brides have used their dress for photo albums, napkins, curtains, table cloths, and etc. Re-using your wedding dress allows it to be in use and not go to waste. It also allows the memory of your big day to be kept in sight.

For the bride who doesn't want to think about the aftermath there are now stores you can go to rent a wedding dress for the day. Best for Bride and Gown Go Round are shops that offer rental designer bridal gowns. They allow you to purchase packages with accessories which you are then able to return after the big day. There are things you have to remember when renting a gown. Dresses have to be rented as is with little to no alterations allowed. Some places don't offer their prices up front so be sure to ask the right question and check for underlining fees.

Wedding Cufflinks Should Be Special

Marriage is in your cards and you want to make your marriage a special occasion. You are not the only one, who wants to make marriage a memorable affair. When you want to make your marriage an unforgettable affair, you need to give due importance to everything that is related to the occasion. You should not only give priority to the marriage venue or the wedding dress but also you should give due importance to every little accessory that is related to the occasion. In many a cases, people feel that beautiful wedding accessories are only for women and men just need to think of their manly charm. This is not completely true. Men also need to give due attention to accessories related to the dress they wear.

When it comes to different types of accessories to pair with your dress, you should give due importance to your cufflinks. They play a great role in determining the ultimate appearance of a groom. So, select your cufflink with a little intelligence. Purchase one that speaks of quality as well as beauty. You can find a range that is specially for marriage occasions. Depending on your choice and your budget, you can select the cufflink material.

Someone who can afford to shell a little bit extra money can surely opt for the diamond cufflinks. Beauty and style comes side by side in them and can surely add a grace to a man's attire. The elegance of the cufflink becomes even greater when the diamonds are studded in white gold. However, there is nothing to be disappointed if you cannot afford the price of the diamond. You can opt for gold and silver ones too.

Nowadays, many are searching for cheap wedding cufflinks, as they cannot afford the price of the high value materials. You can also follow the same suit. However, before searching for any cheaper ones, check out the reputations of the stores selling these types. To make the cheap priced praiseworthy,, you can get it customized. There are several tips and tricks by which you can get your cufflink personalized. You can engrave your name in them or the initials of your name in the cufflink. If you want, you can also get your small photographs attached..

There are several tricks and tips by which one can add some extraordinary elegance to any cheap ones. However, one thing that he can never afford to compromise with is the quality of the cufflinks. They should be affordable in your range but without making any sort of compromise with its quality of elegance. If you get the quality compromised, it will ruin the entire purpose. A poor quality cufflink may also affect your entire appearance in an adverse manner. So, give due importance to each and every intricate details related to your cufflinks whether you decide to purchase it from online stores or from a shopping mall close to your house.