The Charm of Homemade Wedding Favors

Homemade wedding favors come from a centuries old tradition of brides and grooms providing small gifts to wedding guests. Every culture across time has treated marriage as a wonderful event with the nuptials celebrated throughout the community. In many cultures the bride and groom are associated with good luck. A common thought among these cultures was, that every thing the couple touched would be charmed. By gifting members of the community, the couple would pass blessings to others for the rest of the year.

Initially all wedding favors were homemade, as the concept of mass produced items had yet to be conceived. Many brides would choose to redistribute their good luck by preparing a small gift of almonds beautifully wrapped in elegant fabric. The custom in the Middle East is for the bride to provide five almonds to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Today, the candied nut known as Jordan almonds, provides for one of the most common and traditional wedding favors, when they are wrapped in small bundles of delicate fabric.

The gifts a bride might create would be dependent on the culture and materials available. For years European and American women would crochet small bags or stiffen their work to create small boxes that would typically hold fruit, nut or candy treats. Crochet items are still an elegant touch for Victorian or country themed weddings. Today, a bride is only limited to her imagination when it comes to selecting the gifts that will show appreciation from the blessed couple.

The tradition of creating homemade weddings favors has continued as a means for the bride to reduce expenses on the wedding budget. Although today, many quality items can be mass produced for a relatively low cost, brides prefer to create homemade favors as a means of self expression. Homemade favors allow her opportunities for unique gift giving and personalization that can't be found in retail store.

Homemade wedding favors can be labor extensive or have a sense of simple sophistication. Time, talent and imagination are the only limits for the creation of wedding favors. Craft stores offer an extensive variety of materials from which to create a memorable item. Simple glass bud vases and candles can be adorned with paint or glass gems. Ready-to-paint bare wood birdhouses can be adorned to resemble wedding chapels. Something as simple as adding a photo of the couple, to a simple picture frame makes an excellent favor that will outlast the wedding day.

Home computers, desktop publishing software and quality papers make it easy to duplicate products that have only been available from professional printers in the past. Poetry can be added to beautiful backgrounds for unique bookmarks or framed works. Decorative placecards with the guests name in an beautiful script can later serve to replace a boring name placard on their work desk. Software to edit music and video recordings allow for the production of private CD's and DVD's.

Baked goods continue to make excellent wedding favors. Cookie cutters are manufactured in every imaginable shape allowing the bride to present distinctive, frosted and personalized delights. Miniature cakes, petits fours and even chocolates can be recreated in the home kitchen. Plastic molds for forming chocolate and other candies make it easy to produce delicacies that are representative of wedding themes. A fun twist on a common molded candy is to prepare it on a stick to create a lollipop from hard candies or chocolates.

Homemade wedding favors will continue to be a favorite for the bride and her guests. The opportunity to produce an item that genuinely expresses the heartfelt sentiments of the couple, will never go out of style.

Wedding Favors Info provides personalized, homemade, cheap, and unique wedding favors, including chocolate and cookie favors, wedding favor boxes, wedding shower favors, and more.

Cheap Wedding Invitations

Every couple has different priorities when it comes to budgeting for their wedding. For some, the dress is a necessary splurge while others focus their money into creating a memorable dining and entertainment experience.

Most wedding budgets allow for anywhere between 2-5% expenditure on invitations and other printed material such as thank you cards, place/seating cards, and programs.

Discount wedding invitations are available direct from the manufacturer through the internet at 25% to 50% off the regular retail price. You can even preview your invitation with your own wording shown in the exact lettering style and ink color of your choice. You can keep the costs low by opting for standard ink colors and using thermography instead of engraving.

Cheap wedding invitations are available to smart shoppers who understand the massive competition among printers and invitation specialists and their desire to secure your business. A couple can receive 50 or more free wedding invitations regardless of whether the order is small or large. Quality is not sacrificed for price with a selection of styles and wording available by well known makers of wedding invitations.

Another way to stay within your budget is free printable wedding invitations. Downloadable templates in Microsoft Word contain sample wording and are already formatted. All you need to do is insert your details and print. Various wedding fonts are also available for download and you can even print in silver or gold with the right RGB (red/green/blue) combination.

Special promotions for free wedding invitations are available through a variety of specialty shops supplying tuxedos, floral and decoration, and even jewelers. Dont forget to book your honeymoon early because some resorts offer free wedding invitations as part of their package. Although your tuxedo rental or wedding related purchase is specific and the card choices might be limited in style and quantity, the cards are from respected and quality wedding invitation makers.

If your main source of communication with family and friends is through email, consider Cybercard sites and resources offering a selection of free wedding invitations. Its not elegant, but its free and convenient and the ultimate in cheap wedding invitations.

Wedding Invitations Info provides information on cheap, unique, and do-it-yourself wedding invitations, plus wedding shower invitations, and advice on wedding invitation wording.

10 Common Wedding Reception Mistakes

Every bride wants a fairytale wedding. Therefore, this article is to try and minimize problems that may occur during a wedding reception. Listed below are the more common mistakes made by brides and grooms during your wedding reception. We will tell you what to do!

Dont leave early. Your guests came from near and far to see you on your wedding day. Not staying the whole time of the reception would be a slap in the face. This will be the only time most of your family and friends will be able to see you as you will be very busy with last minute preparations the days leading up to the wedding.

Setup all the tables. Your wedding vendors will need to know where to set-up. Be sure there is a table for the wedding cake, music entertainment, catered food, sign-in near the entrance, gift table, tables and chairs for all your guests to eat and any other tables you may have planned for specialty items.

Preplan with your vendors a day or two before the wedding. Be sure all your wedding vendors know exactly what you want. Clarify times and location so you dont need to worry about them.

Dont arrive late to the reception. It is customary that guests do not start eating until the bride and groom start the food line. Be sure to get as many of your pictures taken BEFORE the wedding. There are many ways to accomplish this. One is to have the entire brides family pictures taken. Then, have the bride return to the dressing room. Next, take pictures of the groom and his family as guests can see the groom before the wedding. This way you will not compromise the groom seeing the bride before the wedding. Therefore, all that is left after the ceremony are pictures of the happy couple.

Dont seat the young at heart directly in front of the music entertainment. Older generations are at a wedding typically to socialize with their family and friends. If they cannot hear each other talk, an unhappy situation may occur. So, if by choice, seat the young at heart near the wedding party but away from the entertainers speakers.

Dont have one particular type of music. There are many different types of people in the world. And yes, they include your family and friends. For example, the bride and groom may love country music. It doesnt mean you have to play country music the whole night. There is a lot of celebration music besides what you like.

Start the food line or meal as soon as possible. Guests plan their meal times the day of your wedding around your reception. Guest will not eat a big meal before your wedding because they know they will be eating at your reception. Dont starve them.

Know what it will cost you if the reception goes into overtime. Ask the reception facility exactly how long you have the hall to rent and what time you must be out. Please allow time for cleanup if you are the ones doing it. What is the overtime charge for the facility, music entertainment, photography, etc?

Greet and say hello to all your guests. Finally and most importantly, greet all your guests. Make an effort to have a conversation with each and every person. They are there to celebrate your marriage. Give them the common courtesy of thanking them for coming to your wedding.

Dont get drunk and obnoxious. Keep in mind the only time brides and grooms eat during the wedding day rituals are at the wedding reception. Theres not much food in your stomach and alcohol will affect you much faster. Try and eat throughout the day and watch how much you drink. You want your guests to remember how beautiful the bride looked, not how you acted.

About The Author: Matt Campbell is the owner and webmaster for Weddingmuseum.com. Weddingmuseum.com is a place to plan, book and rate your wedding day.

Choosing The Right Music For Your Wedding

Overview

I suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can be divided into 4 main sections and these are:

1. The ceremony
2. Pre-meal drinks
3. Wedding breakfast
4. Evening reception

I suppose about half of the weddings I come across have the ceremony in a church so this means that if they do require me to provide live music; it will be during the drinks before the meal and the wedding breakfast. Everyone's requirements are different so don't be afraid to discuss any special requirements with whoever your hiring.

As far as the choice of specific pieces of music is concerned - the only part of the wedding that you really have to think about is the wedding ceremony.

A) The ceremony

The church ceremony. I'm not going to go into any detail with the choice of music for a church ceremony there are so many religious denominations which all have their differences. A church wedding is easier from the music point of view in that you very seldom have to provide someone to perform your choice of music - unlike the civil ceremony. However, you won't have a problem with a church service - you'll be able to discuss everything to the finest detail with the relevant cleric and the resident organist if there is one.

The civil ceremony. One thing that has become popular over recent years is the civil wedding ceremony and I think that this is the reason that more and more musicians are booked for weddings each year. At one time you had to go to a registry office to have a civil ceremony. Things have changed as so many hotels and other venues have been able to apply for a licence to hold marriage ceremonies on their own premises. The main advantage to a civil wedding in a hotel is that everything to do with the marriage can be carried out at the same place. That means less travelling and less hassle for everyone. Although you will have to sort out the music for a civil ceremony yourself there is a bonus in that if you choose live music for the service, the musicians can provide music for the pre-meal drinks and for the wedding breakfast itself thus killing three birds with one stone. Your specific choice of music should be discussed with the musicians well before the event and they should be able to provide you with some ideas. If you don't want to pick each individual piece of music for the proceedings then just give whoever is involved, an idea of the style of music you would like or maybe a composer. For a civil ceremony you can have any music you want as long as neither the title or the lyric have any reference to religion. Most couples prefer to have music of a classical vein for the ceremony and the have something lighter for the rest of the day.

The civil ceremony has four main part's as far as a musician is concerned and they are:

1. The gathering of the congregation (sometimes called 'the prelude'.
2. The Procession
3. The signing of the register(sometimes called 'the interlude.
4. The recession

1) The gathering of the congregation.

This section doesn't really have a time span - so when a couple does select music for this part of the ceremony, they must accept that either you won't be able to have all of your chosen pieces, or more frequently the performer will have to play extra music of his choice.

2) The Procession. The next section is the entrance of the bride and traditionally this is carried out to Verdi's Bridal March. Although most people stick to the Verdi; you can have any music you like. The one thing you must consider when looking an alternative is that it doesn't take long for the bride to walk down the aisle. I think that it is wiser to stick to the Bridal March.

3) The signing of the register. There never seems to be a problem with this part. A piece of up to five minutes is usually fine and anything goes really. I suppose that if you did choose something that was too long there would come a point where the musician would have to stop playing however, the piece would have to be excessively long for this to occur.

4) The recession. This is where everyone leaves the place of the wedding ceremony and traditionally this was always carried out to Mendelssohn's Wedding March. In this day and age wedding couples seem to request everything but the Wedding March. Anything seems to be appropriate for the recession and there isn't a problem with the length of the music. As soon as the last person has gone; the musician or musicians finish.

That's it! The ceremony is over and everyone can start the celebration.

B) Pre Meal Drinks

After the ceremony everyone usually starts making a lot of noise. They have so much to say because they've had to keep so quiet throughout all the serious bit. I said earlier that you needn't concern yourself about the music after the ceremony but it is a good idea to discuss the style of music you are looking for and maybe give them a couple of requests.

C) The Wedding Breakfast

At one time I used to consider it a novelty if a wedding had live music for the wedding breakfast - now you often get jazz pianists, string quartet, harpists or even flamenco guitarists. It's always nice to have music while everyone is eating and chatting as long as the music isn't intrusive. Most of the time musicians just go with with the crowd: playing more mellow music if everyone's quiet and the more lively stuff if everyone starts making more noise. One of the most important thing to be aware of is whether the music is interfering with the conversation of the wedding guests. If it is; then there's something wrong. For most weddings you need the music to carry on right up to the speeches and that's where it finishes until the evening reception.

D) The Evening Reception

Most people will opt for a disco at this point but there are other alternatives. In a sense a marriage is the merging of two families and for most of the guests there will be a large number of people at the wedding who are complete strangers. I think that the wedding day should be geared to making things easy for everyone to get to know each other unfortunately a disco doesn't always achieve this and as discos are getting more expensive; live music is rapidly becoming a viable option. Very often a couple fail to realise that quite a large percentage of the guests are going to be elderly and probably won't be into the latest music trends so your choice of music should cater for these people. Also, the term disco seems to be synonymous with high volume levels so this is something else that you ought to take into consideration when you make your final choice.

Whichever way you go; you won't please everyone. If it is a big wedding you'll probably have to hire the services of a disco or a function band, but make sure that whichever choice you make; that they can provide music to cover most tastes. If the wedding is a small affair you will be able to be a bit more adventurous as there won't be the same pressure to have the dance floor packed with their people in their suits and party frocks. You will be able to try something a bit more subtle maybe something a little bit more specialised. A soul band is a great idea but don't expect them to be able to play anything let them stick to what they do best If it is a small wedding there is a better chance of knowing you guests more intimately and maybe you could find something more to their taste.

There is a lot of scope in what you choose; here are a few ideas: soul band, jazz quartet, steel band, salsa, ceilidh, reggae etc. One of the best weddings I've ever been to had a ceilidh band and they filled the floor for the entire evening. The bizarre thing about having a ceilidh is that hardly anybody likes the music but it's main advantage is that you don't need to be able to dance in order to get up and join in. There is usually someone to show you each dance and there's no need to feel embarrassed. Another plus is that you usually swap partners which helps get people together and helps with the merging of the two families.

I suppose to sum up this last section I would say that that the obvious choice of a disco isn't necessarily the best. Think about the numerous alternatives and maybe you'll make your wedding a little bit different from the norm and more memorable in the process.

About The Author

Eugene Portman is a Surrey based jazz pianist who works throughout the UK both as a soloist and as an ensemble player. His blend of cocktail piano and jazz seems to provide a type of music that is intricate, exciting, and yet easy to listen to. He has provided music and entertainment for thousands of weddings, trade shows and other events.

11 Things to Remember in Planning Your Wedding

Every woman dreams of her own wedding. May it be a small gathering in a picturesque orchard, a grand ball in a gigantic castle or a funky wedding along the coastline, she wants it planned and tailored to her wishes. Planning your wedding would take time, effort and energy but it's worth it. For brides out there, here are some things you can't forget to look into.

1. Payments

Of course, planning your wedding will need sufficient amount of cash. Establish who pays for what. This is usually worked out between the couple and their families.

2. Marriage License Requirements

There are different requirements for each state, so be sure to look into yours. Remember that you can't even start planning your wedding without a license so make it high priority.

3. Booking the ceremony and the reception

Choose a place to hold your wedding. It'd be great if both parties talk about it. Also, planning your wedding means planning the reception well so that there won't be wrinkles in your wonderful day.

4. Reception Ideas

Planning your wedding by yourself might become tiring, so set up a brainstorming session with your friends and relatives to work out the details. List the ideas in a piece of paper and deliberate on them carefully. Properly laid out plans are wonderful to work with.

5. Invitations

The invitation should be simple yet elegant. An overly decorated invitation just turns people off. Remember to include all the people involved in the wedding itself and address them properly. Be sure to indicate if you're inviting the children of the family too because most parents don't take them to weddings if their presence is not specifically requested.

6. Catering

Oohh... the success of every party more often than not relies on its food. Make sure that what you serve is of good quality and that they taste good. Go over the menu with the head chef and ask him for suggestions. Not only that this will give you great ideas, it will form a bond between you and the chef. Keep in mind that when planning your wedding, it pays to be in good terms with most of the staff.

7. Photos and Videos

Talk to the personnel and clarify what you want done. Sometimes, they just do things their own way and the couple ends up with really crappy results. Professionals are your best bet and they understand the need of planning your wedding to perfection.

8. Attendants

List all the people you want to have as your attendants and notify them as soon as possible. Just because you're marrying doesn't mean that the world will stop spinning and watch you in all your splendor. Take into consideration that people may have to rearrange their schedules to make it to your big day. Yes, planning your wedding take tremendous effort not only on you but on your attendants too.

9. Showers

No wedding is complete without showers. Since the bride is busy planning her wedding, this duty might fall into the hands of the mothers or the maid of honor.

10. Wedding speeches

In the midst of planning your wedding, take time to stop and list all you want to say on the day of your wedding. An impromptu speech is sincere, yes, but you might feel put out that you neglected to put emphasis on some people that really helped you a lot.

11. Maps

If your venue is in an area that is not so widely known, a map will be very useful. It will lessen the guests' aggravation on not finding the place and asking for directions.

12. Nitty Gritty Details

These are often overlooked in the chaos that is called "Planning your wedding". These are the little things that you might forget like having your gown cleaned and pressed ( if it's an heirloom), wobbling in your high heeled wedding shoes, delivery of gifts, your honeymoon itinerary, gifts and thank you cards. Try listing all of them and have someone look into them for you.

I hope you enjoyed these tips! If you would like a FREE wedding budget planning spreadsheet, please visit www.wedding-budget-planner.com

Are you looking for some help planning your wedding? My Wedding Planning ebook is packed full of tiups and ideas - visit http://www.wedding-budget-planner.com for details. If you would like a FREE wedding budget planning spreadsheet, please visit http://www.wedding-budget-planner.com

Who Should Get A Gift At Your Wedding?

Planning a wedding is hard enough without having to think about who you should be giving gifts to. After all, youve a ceremony to plan, a reception hall to decorate and the perfect dress to find!

But, its important that you tell each of the special members of your wedding party just how much their presence means to you. After all, theyve spent their time and money to help ensure that you have the perfect wedding day. Convinced that more than just a passing thought should go into the process? Okay, so lets add one more thing to your wedding to-do list. Just to make it easier on you, weve made a list of those people that you need to consider when planning your wedding gift list.

The Parents

In recent years, more and more couples have been honoring both sets of parents with a special gift, presented to them at the reception. The gift should be unique, and selected just for them. To make the best impression, dont give each set of parents the same thingthat will only take meaning away from it.

Each Other

You will need to select just the perfect gift for your husband or wife to be. It should something personal that speaks to their heart. You should still be talking about that gift on your 50th wedding anniversary!

Wedding Party

Your bridesmaids, maid of honor, groomsman and best man all deserve special recognition for the part that they played in your wedding affair. For the bridesmaids and groomsman it is appropriate to choose something related to your wedding theme. For example, if you are being married on a beach, your gift could be anything from a seashell candle to an extra night at the resort hoteldepending on your budget. Your maid of honor and best man should receive a wedding gift that is a little different, but still along the lines of your wedding theme. For example, if you gave the rest of your wedding party a seashell candle, you could give your maid of honor a basket filled with beach related items. Be sure to choose the wedding partys gifts keeping gender in mind!

Flower Girls And Ring Bearer

Those little ones who participate in your wedding shouldnt be left out of the wedding gift giving! Depending on their age, you could give them special toys, little girl jewelry, or even special mementos of the ceremony. Youre only limited by your imagination!

Other Special People

If anyone else participated in your wedding, be sure to include them in your wedding gift giving. This could be an Aunt who helped you dress prior to walking down the aisle, or your neighbor friend who volunteered to make all of the bridesmaid dresses. Choose these wedding gifts according to your wedding theme as well.

If you like this article on Who Should Get A Gift At Your Wedding?, then visit our site at http://www.gift-ideas-tips.com for more gift ideas for every occassion.

Selecting Mens Formalwear For The Wedding

Have you ever noticed that weddings seem to be all about the bride? There's information available for the wedding dress, shoes, makeup and accessories. But...what about the groom and his ushers? After all, they need to wear something to the wedding too!

So, what should the groom (and his attendants) be wearing to a wedding? In most cases, it depends on the time of day that the wedding is to take place. If the wedding is to be a very formal evening affair, a tuxedo is required. For a morning or afternoon wedding, the attire of the men will depend more upon a combination of preferance and the type of wedding theme you've chosen.

For example, the groom should not be showing up in a formal black tuxedo for a wedding on the beach. A lightweight and lighter color suit would be more appropriate. If you're planning a very casual wedding, then lightweight dress pants, shirt, tie (optional) and blazer would be appropriate as well.

The groom, father-of-the-bride, and groomsmen should all visit a professional formalwear shop for guidance and information on the type of attire that is available. Most men don't realize just how many decisions go into choosing a wedding suit or tuxedo. You'll need to choose from single-breasted and double-breasted jackets; collars that are peaked, notched or shawl; cummerbund or vest; bow tie, ascot (these are double-knot ties with ends folded over) or a casual tie.

Also, it's very important that everything coordinates with the attire of the bride and bridesmaids, so make sure you know exactly what they will be wearing and the colors chosen. (Take a fabric sample or a picture of the dresses).

Unless you plan on attending a lot of formal occassions after the marriage, most men are better off renting their formalwear as opposed to buying it. There are a lot of men's stores that carry large selections of wedding attire and they will do alterations on rented suits. However, before you rent anything, make sure you know what comes with the package. Do you need to buy the cummerbund and/or vest? Are the shoes included? What about the tie and shirt? Make sure you get a written receipt that states what is and is not included in the rental.

The groom and other gentlemen should be measured for their suits approximately three months before the wedding. For any groomsmen who live out of town, they can go to a local shop for measurements, then send the information to the groom so he can set up the rental. Please make sure your ushers understand that they are not to make their own rental arrangements in another city. You will have no way of knowing if they actually picked the correct suit, color, or accessories until they show up for the wedding, at which point you will have one very unhappy bride - not a good thing!

The groom should look after all the rental arrangements at one store only. Any groomsmen coming from out of town should arrive at least 2 to 3 days before the wedding for final measurements in case there needs to be last minute alterations done.

Most rentals can be picked up a day or two in advance. Check the suits/tuxedos over carefully before leaving the store with them. Look for any stains, rips, snags or possible cigarette burns. Everyone should try their suit on to be sure it fits properly and the length of the pants and jacket sleeves are correct. Be sure to wear the shoes you will be wearing at the wedding for this. Check the cuffs and collar for frayed material, and make the jackets don't have any buttons missing.

After the wedding, the bestman usually returns his own and the groom's suit to the formalwear shop by the next business day. The groomsmen are responsible for returning their own suits, also within the next business day to avoid late charges. Small food or beverage stains can usually be removed easily enough, however if a suit is heavily damaged, be prepared to pay for it. So fellows, be careful during the wedding!

Rose Smith is the owner of Wedding Themes and More, a website designed to help you discover your perfect wedding theme. Find more great ideas, resources and articles regarding wedding tips for the bride and groom, visit http://www.wedthemes.com/bride-groom-tips.shtml

How to Plan Your Wedding and Honeymoon

1. Weddings typically can cost you anywhere around $15,000 or more. The big question is: who foots the bill?

The 21st century has heralded a shift in the way these costs are handled. We have moved away from the days when the family of the bride would pay all costs associated with the wedding ceremony . Today it may come down to who can afford it or, who can qualify for the personal loan from the lending institution.

Weddings may, in most cases, be a one time special event deserving of all the pomp and pageantry associated with the memorable day. However, there are ways to cut costs and still maximize the moment. Careful planning and budgeting are key to getting the most out of this experience at a reduced cost.

What should go into a wedding plan? When is too much, too much?

There are many things which makes a wedding a wedding. The old adage, "Something New, Something used and something blue, is a reliable guide to save.

Knowing what you need and how much it cost compared to your allotted budget for each item is essential. Your check list should include: Bride Gown and accessories, Groom's wedding attire, wedding rings, flowers, wedding cake, wedding site, reception site, photography/video services, limousine, ceremony fees, decorations, licence, honeymoon/travel, music/entertainment services, invitations, wedding consulting fees, beverage/drinks and type of wedding.

Generally, all of these items should be carefully itemized and an actual cost should be obtained from the service providers. Your budget fro each service or product should be include to help guide you and/or your wedding consultants. From this list you can determine things like the size of your guest list, bridal party and reception, cake and amount you can actually allocate to each specific area.

A good example is: if you are purchasing a wedding gown and accessories which can easily run into $1,500 or more and your budget is $600, you can opt to rent a gown and accessory which typically at the high end is around $400.

Knowing where you would like to host your wedding and the type of wedding you want is also very essential. Many people typically choose a traditional wedding (religious). These can go into many different cultures i.e. African, Jewish, Islamic, Irish etc. Different types of weddings typically carry varying price tags depending on the culture and how complex the ceremony or extravagant it is.

Honeymoons can be a another costly expense. Honeymoons can extend from that drive to another state to the extended Bahamas vacation or Carribean cruise. Many companies are now incorporating wedding and honeymoon packages in their vacation packages. This has its upside and downside. Marriage laws also vary from country to country.

June typically is noted as the wedding month. So, expect costs to be higher. However travel this and hotel charges during this time of the year to many destinations including the Bahamas may be less expensive.

If you know your budget then it may be beneficial to allow a wedding consulting firm to handle the arrangements. Statistics show that couples are so tired and stressed after the wedding 705 do not have sex on the first night of the honeymoon.

Hiring wedding consultant doesn't mean you lose control of your ceremony. It just saves you the hassle and stress of coordinating and implementing each individual activity and duty.

Your honey moon can be like any other vacation as far as proper planning is concerned. In order to save money, you must know what you want to do? Where you want to go? What you want to see? Consult with travel consultants in the country or area you plan to visit. Research well. Your trip does not have to be robotic or mechanical, but it can be cost effective and well organized.

TIPS

Below are a few cost saving tips for your special day:

Trim your guest list
Reduce the number of attendance in your bridal party and reception
Budget your honeymoon well
Choose the kind of wedding you like but can afford
Research: at least 6 months in advance
Book in advance: try the internet
Stay near home: try a friends remote cottage, town house or timeshare
Shorten your vacation stay
Travel and wed in the off season
Go on a Cruise: They are usually all inclusive

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About The Author

Sidney Strachan is a young entrepreneur. In 1998 he and Rudolph started resource Marketing Services a B2B service oriented company. He has written many articles and is presently about to release a book of poetry entitled On and On. His website is entitled Bahamas Aficionados. It is a site promoting vacations in the Bahamas while providing services for the pleasure or business vacationers. Services include organizing and arranging Bahamian weddings, specialty tours and seminars/conferences, providing business equipment for rental and many other business and vacation oriented services.

Help is Here for Your Wedding Ceremony

When it comes to your wedding services, nobody wants to spend too much and yet have to foot the bill for the reception. Really it depends on where you want to your wedding to be and what type of service that you are hoping to have.

There is a way to satisfy all types of weddings as long as you know what your options are. Lets take a look at the different types of ceremonies that you can choose from that can save you a great deal of money.

Church Ceremony:

When you want your ceremony to be in a church, you will often have to pay for the rental and the priest or minister to perform the ceremony.

Some churches will decorate for you while others will not. If this is an issue, be sure to ask first. How much money you will pay for the ceremony will vary and will depend on how the policies of the church.

Here are some tips on how you can save money on a church ceremony.

Look for a church that offers complete services or all inclusive packages rather than separate fees

Try to bargain deals for outdoor weddings

Rent the church alone and hire your own minister

Have your services on a day where there are no church services because it may be cheaper

Decorate the church yourself

Offer to volunteer at the church for awhile in exchange for a discount

You can save some money by hosting your ceremony in the church basement rather than in the worship center.

Churches will often offer more inexpensive prices if you are a member of the church.

Outdoor Ceremony:

You can save a great deal of money by hosting your ceremony outside like in a beautiful park, at the beach, on a hilltop or even in your yard.

Of course, having the ceremony in your backyard is the cheapest. Here are some of the formalities that go with having an outdoor ceremony that can save you money all around.

The best way is to have the service in your backyard

Choose an open public forum that does not generally have a great deal of people trying to access it, and get the right permits etc. beforehand

Opting for an ordained minister rather than a priest etc. is often cheaper. Just be sure to check that whoever you choose can legally perform wedding ceremonies in your area.

You can forego the chairs and have the guests standing as long as you host a short ceremony. A nice white or themed linen on the ground for guests to stand on is an elegant touch

When going with outdoor ceremony, people often opt for the portable arch because it is easy to transport and just as elegant

Of course, you can always host your ceremony at city hall and save your money for the reception. Record the ceremony and host a viewing during the reception

Outdoor ceremonies open the door to many themes that can greatly reduce the cost of your wedding and reception. Hawaiian themes and beach themes can help you save money on formal wear, and decorations etc. because people having an outdoor wedding are often casually or island dressed.

It makes the ceremony more comfortable for the guests too because they are also dressed casually.

Outdoor ceremonies can immediately switch from ceremony to reception which saves some extra money on travel fees too, such as limos etc. The Hawaiian theme will be a great way to have a luau or pig roast reception. You might want to consider a theme that lets you have a picnic for your reception party or a beach party or bonfire, but I will get into themes in more detail in a later section.

All of these tips were designed to help you find deals and discounts. You can also choose to have your ceremony at a courthouse or city hall building; record the services and play the recording during your reception instead. It is a nice way to share your vows with your friends and family without spending a fortune on the ceremony.

Wedding Chapel:

When most people think of wedding chapels they think of Las Vegas style chapels, but that is not all that chapels are. If you are a religious person, it is very easy to solve the question of a wedding chapel because you can choose to get married in your usual place of worship.

This may be a church, synagogue, mosque or other religious temple. However, if you have not had a religious upbringing, are marrying someone of a different religion or culture, or simply would rather select a different venue, it is important to discover what wedding chapel options are open to you.

If you would still like a ceremony in the style of a particular religion, most chapels have a host of different officiates who can provide the appropriate wedding ceremony to suit your own specific needs.

The majority of wedding chapels are designed in the style of churches. Most couples seek this traditional type of scene, even if they do want a non-denominational ceremony.

Chapels advertise features, such as stained glass windows, oak flooring, historical buildings, chandeliers and more. If you would prefer a modern building, it is possible to find chapels that are less traditional, such as those that are located in art galleries but you will need to research them well if you want to get a good deal.

Wedding chapels come in various sizes, and you must calculate how many guests will require seating at your wedding before committing to a particular chapel.

The majority of chapels seat between a hundred and a hundred and fifty guests, but there is one to suit every size of wedding. In Las Vegas, for example, there are chapels just large enough for the Bride, Groom, officiate and witness.

The location of your wedding chapel is key. There are numerous choices in cities and towns, but you may opt for a more natural or dramatic position. There are wedding chapels located anywhere from the Smoky Mountains to Hawaiian beaches, from Lake Tahoe to Disneyland!

If you have connections to the military, you could consider holding your wedding in a military chapel on a military base. There are long waiting lists for these facilities, but they are usually free (except a charitable donation).

Some facilities offer a choice of chapel depending on your religion, and it is possible to find Protestant, Catholic and Jewish chapels. However, there may be restrictions on decoration or numbers of guests.

There is also a vast array of novelty, or themed, wedding chapels springing up everywhere these days. The first themed chapels originated in Las Vegas, but it is now possible to find outlandish chapel designs anywhere.

Aside from the ubiquitous Elvis chapels, there are options such as a neon wedding at the luminous chapel in New Orleans, or a Cowboy chapel in Nevada. Try to incorporate the theme into other aspects of your wedding, such as your attire, the music and food. Some chapels even supply costumes for the guests which can really make your day a great deal of fun.

Mia LaCron is the founder of Cut-Wedding-Costs.info - http://www.cut-wedding-costs.info - devoted to helping individuals live out the wedding of their dreams on a realistic budget they can afford.

Wedding Dresses - What To Wear

You have begun to plan your wedding and you want your wedding to be special and unique to your and your future spouse. There are traditions and superstitions that have grown around the wedding ceremony, the bride, and what the bride wears in particular. Lets take a look at some of them.

Q. Does the color of the dress really matter?

Most brides wear white to symbolize maidenhood. White also is the symbol of purity and virginity. Cream and Ivory are also acceptable colors and they carry the same symbolism as white.

Q. Are there rhymes about wedding customs?

There are several but lets look at just two of them. There is the well known

1. Something old, something new; Something borrowed, something new, and a six-pence in her shoe.

This rhyme talks about different color wedding dresses and what they mean.

2. Married in white, youve chosen right. Married in blue, your love will always be true. Married in peaRl, you will live in a whirl. Married in brown, you will live in town. Married in red, youll wish yourself dead. Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow. Married in green, ashamed to be seen. Married in pink, your spirit will sink. Married in gray, youll go far away.

Q. What types of dresses are appropriate for different times of the day?

A formal daytime wedding is when the bride wears a white, ivory or pastel colored floor length gown with a train and a long veil.

For a formal evening wedding, the bride would wear the same type of dress as for the daytime formal but with more elaborate train and fabric.

For a semiformal daytime wedding, the bride usually wears a white or pastel colored floor or tea length dress with an elbow length or shorter veil.

For a semiformal evening wedding a more elaborate fabric and trim can be used but the dress and the veil is the same as for the semiformal daytime wedding.

For an informal wedding the bride can wear a white or pastel colored floor or tea length dress. She could also wear a dressy suit. A short veil or a hat is optional.

Q. Why does the garter get thrown by the groom?

It was thought to be good luck to get a piece of the brides clothing or flowers, you would receive good fortune. In the 14th century Europeans gathered around the bride to try to remove her garter for good luck. In order to get away the bride would throw her bouquet into the crowd. The groom removes her garter and tosses over his shoulder to the crowd. The single man who catches the garter gets the privilege of putting the garter on the single woman who caught the brides bouquet.

Q. Do traditions exist in reference to the brides shoes?

One tradition said that the father of the bride would give the groom a pair of the brides shoes to symbolize the passing of the responsibility of the care of the daughter to the groom.

A bride puts a penny in her shoe to ensure that she and her husband will have good luck and wealth.

Q. Why is it bad luck for a bride to wear pearls?

An old superstition from Mexico says that the bride should not wear pearls on her wedding day because they are the tears she will cry during her marriage.

Q. What is the Dorothy Bag?

The Dorothy Bag was originally called the Dolly Bag and was carried by the bridesmaids. They were full of confetti to throw at the bride and groom after the ceremony. In more modern times however the bride carried the Dorothy Bag as a small purse with some personal effects. Most brides now carry the bag with a bridal handkerchief a penny or quarter and it is used to carry cards and money in, so they can use it on their honeymoon.

Q. Why is it that the groom should not see the bride in her outfit before the

ceremony?

The groom should not see his bride before the wedding because it is believed to mean that the marriage is doomed. Years ago, marriages were arranged and the couple didnt set eyes on one another till after the wedding ceremony. It was after the ceremony that the veil was lifted and the groom and bride were able to kiss which is the symbol of a beginning of a physical relationship. The reasoning was that if the groom saw his bride before the wedding and didnt like her looks he might cancel the wedding. This had the potential of dividing two countries or regions because marriages were often between tribes or countries.

Q. Why do some brides leave the last stitch undone until just before she is ready to leave for the wedding?

This stems from the superstition that it is unlucky for a bride to wear her complete outfit before the big day. Some brides leave the last stitch undone to ensure good fortune.

Q. Do I have to adhere to any of these traditions or superstitions?

No of course you dont have to use them you can make your wedding your own. It might be interesting though to look at your cultural history and see what superstitions or traditions might be unique to your heritage. The Celtics have many superstitions and traditions surrounding weddings and brides in particular. The worlds religions often have their own traditions, rites, or superstitions. If you and your future spouse have a different heritage it might be fun to see if you can use some from each of your cultures. This would make your wedding unique and probably fun.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Wedding Dresses which includes Informal Wedding Dress, Discount Bridal Gowns, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

A Heavenly Wedding - Courtesy Wedding Loans

You always dreamt of walking down the aisle in style. Marriage for you meant including all pomp and show. Marriage, like for many others, is a time to show off your standing in the society. The personal resources being deficient to meet the requirements of the wedding, you are even ready to take high interest debts.

But, have you ever thought about the life after the marriage? Is your marriage to stand on the pillars of debts from day one? With such high interest debts, will you be able to enjoy the married life? There are many simple joys that the newly wed couple are exposed to after marriage. With the narrowing down of the finances, it becomes difficult to enjoy such moments and may even lead to breakage in marriages. Wedding loans can however cause a drastic change in the scene.

The dwindling finances after marriages can happen to any person, whatsoever be his financial status. However, certain important steps taken before marriage can save you from being one of them. The planning to finance the weddings must start from the very beginning. This however, does not mean thinking more of the finance than your spouse. Wedding finance will need decision on some important points. Difference of approach between the couple must be welcome so as to be aware of all aspects of the case.

The very first decision will be regarding the budget of the wedding. The ultimate burden of the heavy expenditure on wedding will have to be borne by the couple. They can either hold a modest wedding and have enough savings for the life time, or conduct an elegant wedding with no savings to fall back on in cases of emergencies. Listing down the expenses as necessary, unnecessary but desired, and completely unnecessary will be helpful. The classification of the items to the various sub-categories must however be a unanimous decision, to avoid any ill-will.

Once the decision on the budget is made, the borrowers will be thrown into a dilemma as to use the personal resources or wedding loans. Both have equally strong advantages to attract decision in their favour. The personal resources put no obligation on the individual. He can get an easy finance without having to pay towards any extra cost. But, it can severely limit the marriage plans because of its limited stature. Credit finance can be helpful in this case. There is no limit to the amount that one can qualify for wedding loans, provided they fulfil the criteria regarding income, collateral, or credit history. These are easily available through banks and financial institutions.

Wedding loans however need to be distinguished from the high interest debts that people take from the high street lenders in haste. Wedding loans are comparatively cheaper because of the low rate of interest. A wedding loan offers more flexibility than a high interest debt. Borrowers may choose the interest to be charged in the manner they desire. High street lenders, on the other hand may try to force their terms on the borrowers. The repayments to the high street debts could become burdensome and expensive. The repayments to a wedding loan on the other hand, are decided by the borrowers himself.

If deciding the finance option was difficult, selecting the lender will be much more difficult. Had the offers of all lenders been similar, the borrower would have been rid of time taken in the selection process. But, they are not. Except for a few basic features, each lender has a different offering. Borrowers need to be alert to escape the trap laid down by the overcharging lenders. Because of the interest rate being dependant on so many factors, lenders get an excuse to peg the interest rates high. Groundwork for the wedding loan in the form of an appropriate lender will have to be prepared beforehand.

The search process has been simplified substantially because of the loan providers employing the internet to advertise and market their financial products. Though the personal visit to the lenders will be ever-necessary, online search can heavily lower the list of loan providers. Given a chance, no loan provider would talk modestly about his services. It will be through the intuitive powers inherent in an individual that he will be able to make a distinction between hollow promises and promises meant to be kept.

The approval of wedding loans may be time taking. However, the time taken will vary with the lenders and the individual case factors. Borrowers must provide for this time period. Borrowers must take all steps from their side to speed up the approval process. Online application and keeping all documents in place will include such steps.

So, what are you waiting for? Did the lack of funds force you to stall the wedding plans to the next year? With a wedding loan to finance your wedding, your dream of a memorable wedding can really come true.

Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the Secured loan web site ukfinance world for any type of uk secured and unsecured loan please visit http://www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Wedding Planning Tips

A 2006 wedding is just around the corner, which means planners are finalizing invitation lists, choosing wedding gowns and securing the budget. The 2005 weddings season is winding down, but there still may be loose ends to secure.

The following are wedding planning tips gathered from various experts and featured in the ArcaMax Publishing weddings guide (http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/channel/1038):

For those still in search of the perfect gown:

Choosing a gown is a science that requires many parts to come together to create a harmonious dress. Not only is the shape of the gown itself important, but also there are important choices to make regarding the gowns neckline, waistline, sleeves, train, and veil.

Women with smaller chests should consider neckline styles with straps such as the Bateau or Sabrina over a strapless neckline like the Sweetheart.

Shorter or heavier women should go with and Empire or a Basque waistline on their dress. These waistlines de-emphasize the hips and have a slendering affect.

Brides can choose to go sleeveless, short-sleeve, 3/4 length sleeve, or long sleeve with their dress. Long sleeve dresses offer the most variety. They vary from the fitted long sleeve that ends at the wrist, to the Juliet a looser long sleeve with puffy shoulders.

Trains come in varying lengths for the bride to choose. The shortest length a train is available in is about 3 feet called a court train. Other trains are as long as 12 feet. Remember that trains start at the waist when deciding if you want a train on your dress and if so, how long it should be.

Veils also offer a variety of lengths. The birdcage veil is attached to a hat and ends at the brides chin. A mid-length veil is the fingertip veil, which ends conveniently enough, at the brides fingertips. Long veils include the ballet, which ends at the ankles, the chapel, which ends at the floor, and the cathedral, which extends as much as 9 feet.

For those securing the wedding budget:

Some budget buffering techniques include getting married on a day other than Saturday, having your wedding ceremony at a friend or relatives house, and having the wedding reception during the day instead of in the evening. This way you avoid the expense of renting out a church and you limit the cost of the reception, as daytime receptions tend to run shorter and inspire less alcohol consumption.

When calculating a wedding budget, the reception and catering for the big day will account for 40-60 percent of the total cost, whereas the grooms attire makes up only one percent of the damage, according to the ArcaMax.com wedding budget calculator at http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/channel/1038.

Buying a Diamond:

There are four Cs involved with buying a diamond: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight.

The cut is the most important because it gives the diamond its shine. Color is also an easy way to distinguish a diamonds value.

Colorless diamonds allow more light through than colored diamonds, but colored diamonds are more valued i.e. red, blue, pink, etc. valuable.

The clarity of a diamond is difficult detect because most flaws are not discernable simply by looking at the stone. Those that are visible severely decrease the value of a diamond.

The carat weight is the size of the diamond, and although size difference among diamonds is detectable to most anyone, the cut of the diamond can still play visual tricks on you. Shallow cut diamonds appear larger, while diamonds that are cut too deep add extra weight to the diamond.

Wedding Themes:

Some people decide to try a themed wedding themes allow for creativity on the part of the planners, while also allowing the guests to feel more involved. These weddings add an extra element of fun to the wedding, and can enhance or drift from traditional expectations -- its your choice. Wedding themes run everywhere from a Hawaiian Luau complete with torches, grass skirts, and palm trees, to a setting of mistletoe, bells, and gifts for a Christmas theme. See a list and description of many more potential weddings themes at http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/page/1038/themes. Color and Flower Arrangements:

The color scheme and flower arrangements of a wedding must complement what the bride and bridesmaids are wearing. If the bridesmaids dresses are green, the bride might have green flowers in her bouquet.

The time of year that a wedding takes place has a large barring on what flowers are available, the cost of particular flowers, and also on what colors are chosen colors are darker in the winter and fall and lighter in the spring and summer. Colors are also symbolic green is said to represent fertility and red signifies luck.

Hiring a Wedding Planner:

The average wedding takes 20-30 hours to plan, which is why many people choose to hire help. Although pricey, wedding planners often save the bride and groom enough money on the other wedding expenses that the price to hire the wedding planner evens out. A planner who has been in the business for awhile will have established connections that will provide you with deals you could not receive planning a wedding on your own.

ArcaMax Publishing, a family-friendly online newsletter company, has provided the following information to you. For a more in depth synopsis on planning or attending a wedding, visit www.arcamax.com. You can find information on weddings, but also vacation planning, online scam prevention, back to school, and much more at www.arcamax.com.

Picking Out the Mans Wedding Ring

Picking out the mans wedding ring can sometimes be more difficult then picking out the womans ring. Lets face it; it is just not manly for a man to wear jewelry. So how in the world are you supposed to pick out a mans wedding ring? Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing your mans wedding ring.

1) What is the Price? Men do not like to spend money on jewelry. Money can be spent on a tool set or a big screen television perhaps, but not on a mans wedding ring. Most men are not going to be impressed if you spent a lot of money on their wedding band. They would much rather hear that you got a killer deal on it. Definitely do not feel obligated to spend a lot of money on your mans wedding ring. Anything that doesnt turn his finger green will probably work just fine.

2) What Size? How large does you man want his wedding ring? The width of the wedding band is something you should think about. Some men like just thin bands while others like very thick wedding bands. This is something that you need to consider when picking out your mans wedding ring.

3) What is His Style? What does your husband-to-be like? Is he more of a traditional person or does he like things that are new and unique. This is usually a good indicator of what he wants in a wedding ring. Some men are completely satisfied with the standard gold wedding band; however, others like to find what is new in the market such as a tungsten ring (with a tungsten ring, your husband can basically put his finger through a meat grinder and their ring will survive without a scratch). A mans wedding ring should reflect his personality.

4) Is There a Way to make it Meaningful? It is always nice to make the wedding ring meaningful. For example, you can pick the style of his fathers or your fathers wedding. Possibly there is a family heirloom that can be passed on to him or maybe there is something that you can engrave onto his ring. If possible, try to give significance to the mans wedding ring.

5) Should it match my Wedding Band? In most cases, the mans wedding ring matches the womans wedding band, but this is not always the case. If you are not sure what to get, it is always safe to get matching wedding bands but make sure to talk to him about it, he could possible have something else in mind.

6) Does he want to be Part of the Process? This is probably the most important question. Maybe he knows exactly what he wants for his wedding ring and you are worrying about picking one out for him for no reason. It is traditional for the man and the woman to select their wedding bands together. While he may be completely disinterested, let him have the chance to be a part of the decision. This ring will be on his finger for quite some time, so he should get a say in the matter.

Dont let picking out your mans wedding ring become too difficult of a task. Just remember to pick something that fits him and his personality and make sure to invite him to be a part of the process. When picking out your mans wedding ring, it is time to think about what he likes (since he is the one wearing it) instead of what you want for him. Make him happy. The bottom line here is to know your man.

Kaitlin Carruth is a client account specialist with10x Marketing. To find more information about the man's wedding ring or another type of man's ring, visit Harris Michael Jewelry.

Catering to Your Wedding

Wedding catering has always been one of the most crucial aspects of planning a wedding. Besides choosing the food menu items for the palette, you also need to think of other factors could there be potential allergies to certain types of wedding food, will the food arrive on time, and will it taste great? For all these reasons and more, it is very important that you take the time to review the details of providing great cuisine through a responsible and reliable wedding caterer. Ideally, you will find someone who has experience in catering wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, theme weddings and bridal showers. If the caterer is a custom designer, baker or Chef, they might also help you plan your stunning wedding cake or cake tops. Here are some tips we have found that might help make planning your wedding catering easier than you might think:

1. Meet the Caterer(s) in person with questions.

Many local wedding florists, planners and coordinators know the industry well. Ask them about potential caterers for your event. If you contact a caterer, ask to meet with him or her in person. You will want them to provide references in terms of their abilities and experience. Make you sure you also contact the BBB (Better Business Bureau, bbb.org) to see if they are listed there or are in good standing. Ask your potential caterer about the largest number of guests they can handle and when their last wedding catering took place. Other important details are whether they are insured, have health permits, and whether they are licensed. Without a health permit a caterer cannot provide your wedding food needs.

2. Check to see if a Caterer is included in your wedding package.

Many couples choose to have a destination wedding and find that special place to hold their wedding ceremony and reception. If this is in your plans make sure you check that catering is not included in a wedding package if you chose one. If catering is included, make sure you still ask the appropriate questions.

3. Tasting

Ask about food tasting. Many caterers will allow a tasting in advance of the wedding so that you can choose cuisine that meets your needs. Some charge a fee for this, while others dont allow it at all. Use discretion, and if possible, ask about bringing others to the tasting.

4. Write up a well-detailed contract

A business contract is always necessary in any business transactions and catering is no exception. The contract can be written and signed by you, the contractor and a witness (if possible your fianc or friend) and should include even the smallest of details to ensure there are no misunderstanding as to what is expected by both yourself and the caterer. Assume you will need to put down a deposit.

5. Wedding catering menu ingredients

Ask about the ingredients used in preparing your meal. Are the ingredients high quality, does the caterer bake in-house or order out (especially for bakery and dessert items)? All of this will play a role in pricing out the ultimate professional caterer for your wedding.

6. Inquire about the cancellation policy

Always inquire about the cancellation policy. Read the fine lines in any contract as there may be stiff penalties / taxes involved if you need to change your event date or cancel altogether.

Another suggestion is to put some thought into a backup plan. Although its rare and highly unlikely a wedding caterer or catering company would leave you high and dry, stranger things have happened.

In the end, your choice of wedding cuisine should match you and your fiancs personal preference and style. By planning your wedding catering thoroughly and wisely months in advance, one of the most important aspects of you wedding will be thoroughly enjoyed by all. Bon appetite!

Catering to Your Wedding By Jen Carter

Wedding Cake - Bakery Tips

Wedding cake bakeries will have a cake portfolio to look at and that will help you decide if they are able to make the cake you want.

Have an idea of how many guests you will have at your reception, this will help determine the amount of wedding cake you will need or number of cupcake wedding cakes. The pastry chef/cake decorator may ask how many invitations are being sent to how many people and how many are from out of town or from more than a certain number of miles away.

The pastry chef/cake decorator will use this information to calculate how many people will actually show up at the reception and how many of those will actually eat a piece or more of cake.

By this time several people, such as the minister and caterer, will have asked for this information. They will have calculated and told you how many people they think will actually attend your wedding and reception.

You will have been appalled at the low number they came up with. You know that everyone you invite is waiting breathlessly to attend your wedding and that only those who are ill or incapacitated or on Moon will pass up the chance to wish you well in person on your big day. When the baker comes up with a similar number, believe him because its true.

Many people will simply forget and others can think of no way worse to spend a summer Saturday than at another wedding. Thats just the way it is. And you can believe it and save some money, or you can believe that everyone will come and then have to decide what to do with the leftover cake.

Do whatever will do the most to put your mind at ease for the next six to eight months. Saving money by ordering only a sufficient amount of cake based on the years of experience of your baker is no good if you are going to fret over it and be nervous about it for more than half a year.

Sleeping well, feeling good and setting your mind at ease before your big day is a lot more important than saving money and having no leftovers. You will have enough to go crazy with as your wedding approaches.

When in wedding cake bakery, be clear about the date, time, and location of the wedding and receptions; set deadlines for changes to the cake design and size and for delivery; provide the address of and a map to the reception.

Make sure that the cake can be delivered at a time convenient to you or whomever you will have to receive and inspect the cake.

There should be a written contract with the wedding cake bakery to specify the size, shape, flavor, color, decorations, delivery day, delivery time, delivery place, and price of wedding cake.

Such a contract, of course, does not need a special form or a lawyer to draw it up. It can be a simple list with this information. The list should be dated and signed by both the baker and you, and you should each have a copy.

Many wedding cake bakeries have their own form for such orders because it is as important to them that you remember exactly what you asked for and dont remember asking for something that you never mentioned as it is to you that they deliver what you did ask for.

If they have their form, use it and add any items or information that you need to. Make sure you take a copy of their form.

Bring swatches of material to match the cake to your wedding colors because colors in pictures are often slightly off and a pictures colors can fade with time. (But again, dont forget the picture of the wedding cake.)

Below you will find list of questions you should ask the pastry chef, baker, or cake decorator at the wedding cake bakery. It is your special day you have every right to ask questions!

Questions to ask at the bakery:

(Suggestion: print these questions, you will certainly need them)!

1. Can pastry chef/cake decorator create custom cake from your instructions and to look like your wedding-cake picture.

2. What flavors of wedding cake and icing are available? Or if you already have an idea what you want, ask "Can you make a (type of cake) with (flavor of icing)?"

3. Ask to sample some of the bakery's cakes. If you don't care for any of the cake samples offered by the bakery, ask for additional samples or as what other choices are available.

Even if you have to order a small cake to try the baker's version of what you want, it is a small price to pay for satisfaction.

4. In case you want to use fresh flowers to decorate the wedding cake, ask if the bakery can provide them or if you or a florist must deliver them.

5.Request to see pictures of wedding cakes from their photo gallery. Take a look at their album and see if you like the looks of the cakes. Ask how old the pictures are and if the person who baked and decorated these cakes is the same person who will create yours.

6. Does the bakery, baker, pastry chef, or cake decorator has the required licenses and has passed health inspections. Licensing varies from state to state, but a bakery is probably required to be licensed as a retail food establishment or as a food preparer.

The health department of the city, county, or state probably issues licenses. The baker, pastry chef, and decorator may also be required to be licensed or qualified as a food handler.

You can go to most states' web sites and find out just what licensing is required so that you know what to ask for.

Most bakeries will gladly let you look at the kitchen to see where the cake will be mixed, baked, decorated, and stored; this is probably as satisfying as seeing the licenses.

You should probably ask to take a peek at the kitchen after asking about the licenses. You can also ask to see the results of the latest health inspection.

7. If you simply don't like frozen food and don't want it served at your wedding, ask if the wedding cake will be frozen. But understand that some people believe the taste of several cakes improves after freezing.

8. Ask how long before the wedding date the cakes will be prepared and how they will be kept until time for delivery. If you think the time or the method of storage will result in the bridal cake not being as fresh as you want, express your feeling to the person you are talking with.

He or she either will explain or demonstrate that this will not be a problem or will negotiate a shorter length of storage. She may let you sample some cake kept for that length of time. Some cakes keep well when frozen, and others do not.

Pound cakes and some carrot cakes seem to improve with freezing. If you are not satisfied and cannot reach some agreement, you must use another bakery.

9. To find how much time and attention will be spent on your cake, ask how many orders the bakery typically has for the weekend of your order and how many of those your pastry chef might be producing.

A large volume can be an indication that not a lot of time and attention can be devoted to your cake. But a very busy bakery also indicates that many people like its products and trusts its work. Wedding cake bakery that no one likes will have plenty of time to dedicate to your cake, but that alone will not guarantee good results.

Neither will a very busy bakery guarantee good results all the time. For one, you may need to check with them during the week of production to make sure that things are going well.

For the other, you may want to check to make sure that your order has not somehow been overlooked among so many orders. In either case verify that your cake is in the process of being prepared.

10. Ask if the decorator is experienced and good and if he or she decorated the cakes pictured in the bakery's gallery.

The point of such a question is to find out whether you will be getting the best the bakery has to offer and whether you will be served by the same personnel that did the work seen in the bakery's photo album and for the references you will contact.

You may be satisfied that all decoration is supervised by a master decorator with long experience and excellent references, even though the actual work may be done by one of several less experienced decorators.

11. Ask to be introduced to each of the people who will bake, decorate, and deliver the cake. You may have questions you want to ask. If you do, ask them.

For example, you might be concerned with the experience each one has. If so, you might ask how many cakes they have baked or decorated. I might be more concerned to simply ask whether they did the cakes in the bakery's album of cakes.

If you have no questions, ask to meet them anyway. Introduce yourself and try to make it easy for them to remember your name and your face. Show a great pleasure at meeting the people who have created the wonderful masterpieces that have come from this bakery and tell them that you look forward to having them create your wedding cake.

What you are creating is a personal relationship with these artists at the wedding cake bakery. Like all workers and artists, these people like being appreciated and will do their best work for someone who has praised them and treats them as a master of their craft.

This goes as well for the person taking your order, whether it is the owner, manager, or just the order taker. I suggest that you work to make as good an impression on them as you expect them to try to make on you. Dress well when you are shopping for a bakery.

You don't have to dress like you're meeting the Queen or the First Lady, but don't be dressing like you're about to be hitting the bars with your friends on your bachelorette party--not unless you dress a lot better for that than most of the young women in my neighborhood.

Please try to time your visits so that the bakery is not crowded with customers. This is particularly important in smaller bakeries.

12.If you are concerned, ask whether the cake be made from scratch or from packaged mixes. Packaged mixes are so much more expensive that few busy bakeries would use them. And if they produce the wedding cake you want and it tastes good, do you care whether it's from a mix or from scratch?

13. Ask what the price will be. If the baker can give you an estimate but not the final cost, ask how much the final cost might vary from the estimate.

If the baker says that they will charge by how long it takes because they charge by the hour, ask how many hours it will take and do the calculation yourself.

Again, if it's an estimate of hours, ask how far the hours might vary from that estimate. If you feel uncomfortable with the bakery's commitment to giving you a number, maybe you should find another bakery.

14. Ask for customer references so that you can talk to with them. Then actually contact them and ask about their experience with the bakery.

While they were probably very pleased with the bakery (otherwise you'd think the bakery would not be giving them as a reference), they may give you some pointers about how best to deal with the bakery.

15. Request a written proposal that includes the size of the cake, the flavor, the icing type and flavor, the description of the cake: Number of tiers or number of cupcakes or miniature cakes, decorations, the date and time the cake would be ready, whether it would be delivered and where and when, and the price.

Some bakeries will put all of this in a proposal and some will commit to just the basic items. Press for commitment to everything that is important to you.

Wedding Reception Made for You

No matter how well you plan all the aspects of the wedding, one deciding factor on how well it goes is based upon the wedding reception-site. All kidding aside, having it rain on your special day is certainly not the ideal wedding reception environment for most people. Taking the time with wedding planning in advance, and brainstorming location ideas will go a long way towards creating your perfect wedding location.

Wedding environment and Weather

Weather, environment and setting are the three most important aspects when planning the wedding location. Consider the location and the elements in order to make the environment as comfortable as possible. Hiring a wedding planner will do wonders in taking the wedding ceremony and reception planning stress off your plate, but there are many elements of the planning you will want to choose yourself. Will the wedding be indoor perhaps a hotel, golf and country club, local community hall? These places are generally easier to plan weddings for because they are designed to accommodate larger groups of people, and often have easy access to washroom facilities and power requirements for the D.J. or band. Do you like the outdoors if so consider a large gazebo, garden setting, ballpark or other unique locations. Larger gazebos work very well in that you can have a fun time decorating, and spending less money on flowers if the space is smaller. Other examples of luxurious wedding locations are Ski lodge weddings, Boat and Cruise Ship ceremonies and camping cabin weddings. The choice you make is only limited by resources and your imagination.

Scoping and Planning

The real key is to not place all of your eggs in one basket. Plan to select at least 4-5 locations for review. Meet with the appropriate persons (owners, city trade or hall) in order to establish the bottom line of what you will need to run your event there. Dont be discouraged! All good wedding planning takes flexibility, perseverance and creative energy! If you have an outdoor venue booked for your wedding ceremony, always have a backup plan, preferably an indoor location in case of bad weather (unless you are lucky enough to live in a very sunny locale!) Draw out a setting map a way to keep track of arrangement, where everyone will be seated, where particular elements will be. Search online for some great wedding planning ideas, as there is a host of great wedding planning websites available to help you stimulate some great ideas.

Always Get Things in Writing

Write up a contract, or read thoroughly through the document provided for the venue you choose, if there is one. Look in particular at elements such as time allowed, start and end times, maximum occupants, and damage deposits. It is usually a good idea to have a personal friend or relative with you when signing any contractual agreement.

Make It Your Own

Great, personal wedding ceremonies dont necessarily come from great wedding planners. The idea wedding planner takes your idea of your perfect wedding, and translates it for you helps to make it happen and allows you to enjoy the event to its fullest. If you choose a wedding planner, find one who augments your style, is flexible and willing to look beyond the box. Some of the best wedding ceremonies were created by everyday people like you and I who were willing to chance to create their own unique wedding theme, and follow it through.

Wedding Reception Made for You By Jen Carter

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Copyrights 2004 All Rights Reserved My Wedding Blog
Jen Carter is team member and owner of My Wedding Blog, a wedding and bridal articles and planning guide. Complete with a wedding directory, and resource links to shopping, gifts, favors and accessories.

Please send an email to us if you choose to use one of our articles: info @ my-wedding - blog.com

Selecting Your Wedding Centerpieces

Wedding centerpieces help tie together the look of your entire table setting. The wedding centerpieces will affect the linens you choose, the size of the tables and even the number of guests you seat on each table. It is important to discuss beforehand with your decorator and caterer the wedding centerpiece options available to you.

Things to keep in mind when selecting wedding centerpieces:

• The size of the wedding centerpiece is of utmost importance. The wedding centerpiece should not be so small as to get overlooked. However, if it is too large there may not be enough room for other things like the place cards, cutlery, and crockery and in general the table may become too cramped.
  
• The height of the wedding centerpiece also needs to be carefully considered. If the wedding centerpiece you choose is something thin like a beautiful candle, the height won't matter. In fact you may need it to be really tall to get noticed. On the other hand if the wedding centerpiece is a floral arrangement, ensure that it is short enough that guests can see each other over the arrangement. Often people choose wedding centerpieces that are so overwhelming that guests cannot even see each other across them, let alone hold a conversation!
  
• Your budget will of course determine the wedding centerpiece you choose. Wedding centerpieces can be very affordable or very extravagant. It is up to you to decide how much you want to spend.
  
• You could also choose a wedding centerpiece that doubles as wedding party favors. This is a great idea because it allows you to combine your budget for the wedding centerpieces and the party favors and afford something better.

Wedding centerpiece options:

• Floral arrangements are the most common and traditional wedding centerpiece options. They can vary from small exotic arrangements to large effusive ones. If you want the wedding centerpiece to double as a party favor, think about placing a small potted plant that also acts as the place card holders. After the party guests can take their plant home. This works very well and merges with the wedding decoration for a garden theme party.
  
• Tabletop fountains make for exotic wedding centerpieces. They can certainly add an Asian feel to your entire wedding reception. Place votive candles around the fountain to give an exotic feel.
  
• A crystal bowl filled with rose petals floating in water makes a smashing wedding centerpiece. You can add floating candles if the wedding reception is at night. The roses not only add romance to the atmosphere, but their fragrance will enhance the entire wedding decoration.

There are many options available when choosing your wedding centerpieces, and they are a big part of the overall wedding decoration, so give them the attention they deserve. You'll be surprised how much they bring to your reception.

Copyright Andrea Britt, 2005. All rights reserved.

Reprint Rights: Feel free to use this article on your website or online publication. Please remember that you must include the author's copyright, resource box and live URL links, exactly as shown below, to the authors website at the end of the article.

Andrea Britt is owner of http://www.CharmingWeddings.com where you can find elegant, unique wedding favors, bridal shower favors, and wedding planning tips for your wedding reception and bridal shower.

Tips for Choosing the Right Wedding

The job of choosing the right wedding cake style is the responsibility of both the future bride and groom. The style of cake youll choose will largely depend on the wedding theme and the size of the wedding.

Youll want to be sure your cake is large enough for all attending guests to receive a piece. If youre having a super large wedding you can always have two cakes. In fact, a new trend is for there to be a bride cake and a grooms cake.

It can actually be quite a fun event where you can let a little bit of creativity flow. The solution to a "no stress" cake selection is simply knowing what you need and doing your research before hand. The information below will assist you in making sure you've got your icing covered!

The wedding cake is usually cut into small slices, packaged and tied with a ribbon for your guests to take home. You can also serve your cake for dessert. A cake large enough to serve all your guests may cost more but by the same token you eliminate the cost of dessert from your catering budget.

Choose a cake that you both enjoy. The size of the cake is directly related to the size of your wedding and your budget.. If your budget for your wedding is low or you just do not wish to pay very much for your cake.

If your budget is small, check around with friends and family there may be someone who has the expertise to do your wedding cake for a fraction of the cost.

Friends, family, magazines, your local bakery, and the internet are all great places to get ideas about the types of cakes available. Or go crazy and get the cake youve always dreamed of having.

Types of Wedding Cakes

There are many types of wedding cakes you can choose for your wedding depending on your budget and size of your wedding.

Here are just a choices

Small or large round cake

Small or large sheet cake

Single level wedding cake

Multi level wedding cake

Themed wedding cake for example for a beach wedding you might tie seashells into your cake, or have a sandy textured icing.

Fresh flowers on your wedding cake

Icing flowers on your wedding cake

Silk flowers on your wedding cake

Match your cake with the colors of your wedding theme the colors of the flowers or the color of your bridesmaid dresses are popular choices

Traditional wedding cake is fruit cake with white icing

sponge cake or carrot cake. To be able to keep the top layer of the cake it must be a fruit cake.

Order your wedding cake 6 months to a year in advance. The month you are getting married in is important because the type of cake you choose may not work well with the season.

For example, mouse in wedding cakes does not work well during the hot month of August. Winter wedding cakes have fewer restrictions.

Questions to ask your Bakery and or Baker

1) Are samples available to try before you buy? Just because a cake looks good doesnt mean it will taste good, or not be as hard as a rock. Best to taste test so youre not disappointed..

2) When is the last day I can make changes? By finding out when the last day you can make changes is, you will most likely be getting the answer as to when they will be starting your cake..

3) Do you deliver? Cakes do not ship well, so unless youve made arrangements for someone to pick your cake up and bring it to the reception, it is best if the bakery can deliver it.

4) How do you ship your wedding cakes? 80% of wedding cake damage occurs during shipping. Shipping is also your friend picking it up in their car. The cake needs to be packed properly to ensure it arrives at the reception intact.

5) Should something go wrong what is your back up plan? Many will say that they either have no plans or that nothing will go wrong. Not a good enough answer. When its the day before your wedding and something goes wrong its too late to come up with a backup plan.

6) How much would it be for regular cakes the same size as the wedding cake? This will determine if you are being gouged or not.

As with all elements of your wedding planning and preparation are important. Decide the type of cake, get pricing, and order early. Then you can place another nice big fat checkmark on your to do list.

Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry, and wedding help. So stop by and visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/ We'll help you make your fashion statement! Remember looking good doesn't have to cost a fortune!

Online Wedding Dress Shopping!

Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique wedding dress.

Getting married is no longer a case having only two options, church or court house, as it used to be. These days it is possible to get married just about anywhere you like, so whether you want a fairytale wedding or something a little more unconventional, you can arrange to have your wedding just about anywhere.

You might want to step out of a horse and carriage and step through the doors of an elaborate church in order to say your vows. You may prefer to hire a room at a posh hotel and enjoy a civil ceremony to declare your love and intentions. You might even want to shout out your vows as you leap 200 feet down from a crane as part of a bungee jump ceremony - the possibilities are endless.

Designers and retailers have realized that weddings are not what they used to be, and people like to use their imagination more and do some pretty wild things as part of the ceremony. And because of this, you can now get some stunning wedding dresses and bridal gowns to suit every occasion and type of wedding.

Beach Weddings

Beach weddings have become really popular over recent years, with many couples opting to escape to lush, tropical surroundings for their special days, with a selection of close friends and family members gathered around them on the warm, sandy beach, with the lapping waves of the turquoise sea as their background.

The popularity of beach weddings has sparked a rise in the range of beach wedding dresses available for these occasions. If you are going to get married in the hot midday sun on an exotic beach, it is not always practical - or comfortable - to buy a full-on bridal gown with all the trimmings. Having to lug a heavy gown around in that sort of weather and environment would probably result in you fainting! However, understandably, you don't want to get married in a pair of shorts and a bikini top either!

This is where the range of elegant and highly suitable beach weddings dresses come in. You will find some incredible beach wedding dress styles, which are both classy and practical. You can enjoy wearing something light and cool for the ceremony, and still have the peace of mind that you look every bit the stunning bride. The simple elegance of some of the beach wedding dresses available today creates the perfect look for a hot, steamy, tropical beach wedding.

If you're planning to jet off to sunnier climates for a beach wedding, you will find a wide range of beach wedding dresses available online. You can choose from a selection of light, airy, yet stunning fabrics, and there are styles available to suit all shapes and sizes. You can also enjoy some really low prices on beach wedding dresses online, so you can get the perfect look for the perfect setting and at the perfect price!

Traditional Weddings

If you are a dedicated follower of tradition as well as a dedicated follower of fashion, you may have decided to enjoy your special day with a church ceremony followed by a classy reception. However, you may want to set the scene with an absolutely stunning dress for your memorable day.

The great news is that you can now get some spectacular designer wedding dresses and bridal gowns for the occasion, and at really affordable prices. Your wedding day is one that you will hopefully never be repeating, so you want to make it something really special - in terms of where you hold it, your guests, and of course what your wear. With a stunning designer wedding dress, you can look proudly back on your photos for years to come, and you can even pass your wedding dress down to future generations.

Designer wedding dresses are no longer reserved for the rich and famous; these days most people can enjoy the luxury of wearing a unique and gorgeous designer bridal gown for their wedding day. You can get these designer wedding dresses in all style, sizes and colours, so whatever type of theme you want for your wedding - from medieval to fairytale - you can help create the perfect look with a classy, designer bridal gown.

Where to Find Discount Bridal Gowns and Wedding Dresses

Whether you decide to go for a romantic traditional wedding or a sizzling beach wedding, you'll want to ensure that you get the right dress for the occasion and at the right price. Some people search far and wide in order to try and get the perfect dress, traipsing from one shop to another and still finding a very limited choice coupled with high prices. This type of hassle is the last thing you need when you have so many other preparations to worry about.

The Internet is a different matter altogether. You can browse a wealth of fabulous wedding dresses and bridal gowns from the comfort of your own home, and you will have access to outfits from all over the world, so you can be sure of getting plenty of choice as well as a unique and stunning bridal gown. You won't even have to leave your home to find the wedding dress of your dreams, and once you have found and ordered the one that really catches your eye, you can enjoy fast and convenient home delivery.

You can find some excellent deals on wedding dresses online, and if you are after fabulous styles at affordable prices you will be delighted with the choice of discount bridal gowns available. Whatever you shape, size, taste or budget, these discount wedding dresses will ensure that you can look really amazing on your special day and without breaking the bank!

There are wedding dresses to suit every theme and setting online, so it doesn't matter where you plan to hold your ceremony and what your planned theme is. You can find the perfect bridal gown to really fit in and set off the theme for the day, and whether you are getting married on a tropical beach or in the local church, you can still look and feel like a million dollars.

About The Author:
Reno Charlton is an award-winning author and freelance writer from the West Midlands, England. She has written many articles providing consumer information on such topics as discount wedding dresses, discount bridal gowns, and wedding dress shopping.

Online Wedding Dress Shopping!

Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique wedding dress.

Getting married is no longer a case having only two options, church or court house, as it used to be. These days it is possible to get married just about anywhere you like, so whether you want a fairytale wedding or something a little more unconventional, you can arrange to have your wedding just about anywhere.

You might want to step out of a horse and carriage and step through the doors of an elaborate church in order to say your vows. You may prefer to hire a room at a posh hotel and enjoy a civil ceremony to declare your love and intentions. You might even want to shout out your vows as you leap 200 feet down from a crane as part of a bungee jump ceremony - the possibilities are endless.

Designers and retailers have realized that weddings are not what they used to be, and people like to use their imagination more and do some pretty wild things as part of the ceremony. And because of this, you can now get some stunning wedding dresses and bridal gowns to suit every occasion and type of wedding.

Beach Weddings

Beach weddings have become really popular over recent years, with many couples opting to escape to lush, tropical surroundings for their special days, with a selection of close friends and family members gathered around them on the warm, sandy beach, with the lapping waves of the turquoise sea as their background.

The popularity of beach weddings has sparked a rise in the range of beach wedding dresses available for these occasions. If you are going to get married in the hot midday sun on an exotic beach, it is not always practical - or comfortable - to buy a full-on bridal gown with all the trimmings. Having to lug a heavy gown around in that sort of weather and environment would probably result in you fainting! However, understandably, you don't want to get married in a pair of shorts and a bikini top either!

This is where the range of elegant and highly suitable beach weddings dresses come in. You will find some incredible beach wedding dress styles, which are both classy and practical. You can enjoy wearing something light and cool for the ceremony, and still have the peace of mind that you look every bit the stunning bride. The simple elegance of some of the beach wedding dresses available today creates the perfect look for a hot, steamy, tropical beach wedding.

If you're planning to jet off to sunnier climates for a beach wedding, you will find a wide range of beach wedding dresses available online. You can choose from a selection of light, airy, yet stunning fabrics, and there are styles available to suit all shapes and sizes. You can also enjoy some really low prices on beach wedding dresses online, so you can get the perfect look for the perfect setting and at the perfect price!

Traditional Weddings

If you are a dedicated follower of tradition as well as a dedicated follower of fashion, you may have decided to enjoy your special day with a church ceremony followed by a classy reception. However, you may want to set the scene with an absolutely stunning dress for your memorable day.

The great news is that you can now get some spectacular designer wedding dresses and bridal gowns for the occasion, and at really affordable prices. Your wedding day is one that you will hopefully never be repeating, so you want to make it something really special - in terms of where you hold it, your guests, and of course what your wear. With a stunning designer wedding dress, you can look proudly back on your photos for years to come, and you can even pass your wedding dress down to future generations.

Designer wedding dresses are no longer reserved for the rich and famous; these days most people can enjoy the luxury of wearing a unique and gorgeous designer bridal gown for their wedding day. You can get these designer wedding dresses in all style, sizes and colours, so whatever type of theme you want for your wedding - from medieval to fairytale - you can help create the perfect look with a classy, designer bridal gown.

Where to Find Discount Bridal Gowns and Wedding Dresses

Whether you decide to go for a romantic traditional wedding or a sizzling beach wedding, you'll want to ensure that you get the right dress for the occasion and at the right price. Some people search far and wide in order to try and get the perfect dress, traipsing from one shop to another and still finding a very limited choice coupled with high prices. This type of hassle is the last thing you need when you have so many other preparations to worry about.

The Internet is a different matter altogether. You can browse a wealth of fabulous wedding dresses and bridal gowns from the comfort of your own home, and you will have access to outfits from all over the world, so you can be sure of getting plenty of choice as well as a unique and stunning bridal gown. You won't even have to leave your home to find the wedding dress of your dreams, and once you have found and ordered the one that really catches your eye, you can enjoy fast and convenient home delivery.

You can find some excellent deals on wedding dresses online, and if you are after fabulous styles at affordable prices you will be delighted with the choice of discount bridal gowns available. Whatever you shape, size, taste or budget, these discount wedding dresses will ensure that you can look really amazing on your special day and without breaking the bank!

There are wedding dresses to suit every theme and setting online, so it doesn't matter where you plan to hold your ceremony and what your planned theme is. You can find the perfect bridal gown to really fit in and set off the theme for the day, and whether you are getting married on a tropical beach or in the local church, you can still look and feel like a million dollars.

About The Author:
Reno Charlton is an award-winning author and freelance writer from the West Midlands, England. She has written many articles providing consumer information on such topics as discount wedding dresses, discount bridal gowns, and wedding dress shopping.