Beautiful Wedding

Choosing the right wedding ring is an extremely important decision. After all, this is the wedding ring that will grace your finger for the duration of your marriage and let the world know that you are taken and off the market. Not to mention the fact that wedding rings are traditionally the subject of much competition and conversation, at least among us ladies; that is! While traditional and classic designs in wedding rings will most certainly never go out of style, many couples today want unique wedding rings that are just as unique as their relationship and love for one another. If you have decided that unique wedding rings are the right choice for you, take a look at the following trends in unique wedding rings.

One way to obtain unique wedding rings is to go with a different finish that the ever popular yellow gold. Platinum and titanium have become very popular for wedding rings and are significantly different than the wedding rings our parents and grandparents selected generations ago.

The most popular stone for both engagement rings and wedding rings is still the diamond, but if you want something slightly different you might consider using a different gemstone. Sapphires and rubies are very complimentary as well as unique and a step away from traditional diamonds. Sapphires and emeralds are also taking center stage in unique wedding rings settings. Pearls, which had traditionally been thought to bring bad luck, are making a slow appearance in wedding rings and can be quite stunning.

Antique wedding rings are also becoming popular choices for couples who admire the sentimentality and romanticism of the past. Couples who are looking to stay within a wide range of budgets can find antique weddings rings to suit their individual circumstances. Estate sales are a great place to look for antique wedding rings. Depending on high the bidding goes, you may be able to find really great and unique wedding rings for not much money.

Many couples are opting to provide a tribute to their cultural heritage with Claddagh and Celtic wedding rings. Not only is this a sentimental choice, but they are also rather unique wedding rings. There are multiple styles and designs available in Claddagh and Celtic wedding rings, so you can be sure your wedding rings won’t look like anyone else’s.

Still yet, other couples want to make sure their wedding rings are truly unique. Handcrafted and customized wedding rings allow couples to design their own rings featuring many personalized choices. Most professional jewelers can either handle the job of handcrafting wedding rings or point a couple in the right direction to finding a jeweler who specializes in this craft. If you happen to be a bit on the creative side, you can even draw a picture of what you want your unique wedding rings to resemble and have the jeweler fashion them. A number of couples are re-using the metals and jewels from family jewelry to create customized unique wedding rings that are also quite sentimental. So, if your great-grandmother’s rings are just sitting around gathering dust, this may be a great option for you.

After you have made the decision to get married, one of the many parts of the wedding that you’ll want to plan for in advance is the photography. This is simply one aspect of getting married that is too important to leave up to chance or to risk by hiring someone who is less than a professional. Your wedding photos will be looked back upon for many years to come and they should be taken with skill and expertise to capture the joy of the day. To make sure that you have the very best wedding photographs possible, take a look at the photography wedding tips below.

You’ll need to begin by interviewing photographers. Don’t just settle on one and definitely do not leave your cherished wedding photos up to a hobbyist photographer or a friend. This is one area of your budget where it simply doesn’t pay to cut corners. While interviewing photographers be sure to ask about the following:

Ask for references in writing as well as to see examples of various weddings and the types of pictures that the photographer consistently shoots well. Discuss your ideas and specific wants and needs you might have. Will this photographer shoot what you want or will he/she wing it?

Ask what other products and services that this photographer might have to accompany the photographs. Items such as wedding albums, trinkets, eBooks, special gifts, additional packages, and even special effects such as wedding collages, blemish removal, or image softening.

Ask if the photographer handles any special techniques such as sepia.

Get back in touch with the photographer on a regular basis, a great photographer will set up pre-wedding shoots, attend the ceremony and reception, return phone calls, and will arrive early and stay late.

Be sure of what you will be getting for your money. Have a contract in writing and if necessary spend a little money as a deposit to reserve your professional photographer on the day of your wedding and/or photography shoots.

Check your photographer out with the Better Business Bureau and local Chamber of Commerce to see if this person is legit and professional.

Be sure to explain to your photographer what shots and poses you want. Here are a few of the most commonly requested:

Bride looking at her reflection in a mirror before the ceremony.

Groom before the ceremony.

Presentation of the wedding rings.

The bride and groom are kneeling at the altar or lighting candles.

The bride is being given away by her father.

First kiss.

First presentation as husband and wife.

Various shots and poses of the bride alone,

Various shots and poses of the groom alone

The entire bridal party.

Flower girls and/or ring bearer.

Bridesmaids.

Bride and bridesmaids.

Bride and maid/matron of honor.

Groom and groomsmen.

Groom and best man.

Bride with her parents.

Bride and groom with bride’s parents

Groom with his parents.

Bride and groom with his parents.

Candids of the reception.

Formal bridal portrait (usually taken several weeks prior to the wedding).

Choosing a wedding caterer is as easy as choosing the meal that will be served at your wedding reception. Depending on the ethnicity of the meal that you have planned or whether the meal is gourmet or buffet, you will make your decision based on the wedding caterer, your budget and your tastes-literally.

Your best bet on choosing a wedding caterer is by finding one that someone you know has used and raves about. If you have a friend that used a great wedding caterer, you should interview that wedding caterer and find out if they can prepare the meal that you want. Many banquet halls, country clubs and the like have their own staffs that will prepare the meal for you. Knowing exactly what you want and what your budget for the meal is important in your selection of a wedding caterer.

Your meal will be billed based on the price per plate. For example, you may find one wedding caterer will charge $3.99 for filet mignon per plate while a hotel’s service charges $2.99. The hotel has more buying power, so they can sell the same meal for less. This is how you will compare wedding caterer service charges with each other.

If your meal is an ethnic meal, your wedding caterer may need specialized training. For example, if you are of Hispanic or Italian decent, your family may be your wedding caterer. But if you are looking for a wedding caterer, you should find someone who specializes in Mexican or Italian cuisine or Greek or whatever the ethnic delectable treat is that you want to serve at your wedding reception.

Feng sui and zen influenced weddings make Chinese carry-out seem the perfect fit for dinner served up by a wedding caterer. You could also hire a Japanese wedding caterer and have the “Benihana” style wedding dinner that would be a show in itself! The chef with the incredible talent with a knife will dazzle your guests and the food will be as much a star as any band or disc jockey that you can hire for your special day.

You will also have to decide whether to have a sit down dinner or a buffet. Sit down dinners are more expensive than buffets, so you will want to check pricing with your wedding caterer. The rule of thumb is that sit-down dinners are more formal than buffets, but it is not set in stone. Some believe that by having a buffet, you nudge people into talking with each other, even if they do not know each other. Your wedding caterer should be able to advise you on these decisions, but if you are set on a sit down dinner or want to have the buffet, follow your heart!

You can also select a hotel that comes with a wedding caterer service or a nice restaurant with a banquet hall and catering. The more options that you check into, the more satisfied you will be with the final result.

A growing trend among many brides and grooms is the beach style wedding. Most couples opt to have their beach wedding actually at a local beach or at a romantic location somewhere else on the globe. If this is the type of wedding that suits your fancy, you’ll probably be looking for a beach wedding dress soon. More traditional wedding dresses aren’t really suited for the beach and all the sand and obviously don’t fit the mood and theme of the wedding.

One of the benefits of a beach style wedding is the easy planning and lack of major expense. Unless you’re having your beach wedding at a private resort, you can usually quite easily be married on a public beach and not have to worry about paying a rental fee for the location. Another benefit to a beach wedding is the fact that a beach wedding dress will cost thousands of dollars less than a traditional style wedding gown. Yes, you read it right. A beach style wedding dress can easily be found for under $300 and some of them even cost less than $75. If you’re thinking that this type of beach wedding dress looks cheap because of the price, think again. A beach wedding dress can be absolutely gorgeous, not to mention sexy.

Depending on what you prefer, you can easily find a beach style wedding dress in a variety of styles, colors and fabrics. If you’re looking for something sweet, feminine and romantic, look for loose fitting dresses constructed of lace and accessorized with a stole or shawl or maybe even a parasol. Mermaid dresses are always popular and appropriate for a beach wedding and lend just a hint of sensuality on your big day. Of course, if you’re getting married in a private ceremony and really want to surprise your honey go for something a bit more risqué with a midriff baring triangle scarf top or even a bandeau top. If you’re unfamiliar with a bust wrap or bandeau top, it looks a lot like a strapless bikini top. Pair it with a sarong style skirt that rides just at the navel and you have an incredibly sensual and sexy beach wedding dress. Accessorize with some beach themed jewelry such as coral and you’ll be radiant as you walk down the ‘aisle’ to meet your intended at the water’s edge to exchange vows.

You can usually find your beach wedding dress in all colors of the rainbow. Of course, white and ivory are always popular but you can also find many styles that feature gowns down in white or ivory along with a trim in an exciting color like aqua or coral.

If you’re planning to have a destination wedding you can either shop for your beach wedding dress before you leave for your romantic wedding or you can take care of this detail when you arrive. Be sure to ask your wedding planner for recommendations on where to shop for a beach wedding dress.

So you’ve made through 25 years, congratulations. The silver anniversary is a milestone anniversary. Spending a quarter century in love with one person is to be celebrated. But, how are you going to celebrate? Well, here are some time-honored traditions that will turn your 25 year celebration into a memorable one.

Previously, you both have always hosted your anniversary parties. This was fine up until now. Parties to celebrate the later anniversaries, such as the 25th wedding anniversary, are hosted by your children. For these parties, guests should bring gifts unless specified on the invitation. The theme of your party should be the memories that you have built up over the 25 years together.

Here are some 25th wedding anniversary ideas and symbols to help you choose gifts associated with the 25th silver marriage anniversary that will be both personal and meaningful. The color silver is associated with the 25th anniversary year because of its radiance and brilliance. Traditional gifts for this anniversary year are silver. You want to use sparkly silver glitter on all flowers, cards, centerpieces, gift wrap, balloons, etc… You can set the table with paper silver tablecloth. Rent or use china or crystal with a silver or chrome trim. Use silver looking candles and place flowers in silver colored vases. Some modern day alternatives are tsavorite and green garnet. The flower associated with the 25th anniversary is iris.

On your 25th wedding anniversary, it is sometimes customary to renew your vows or toast one another with champagne. Filling a time capsule with newspapers, pictures, movies, and trinkets is a wonderful way to celebrate your 25 years together. Gifts for the couple should be wrapped in silver paper, include a silver bow, or placed in a silver box. Gifts could include silver photo fames, silver paper weights, or silver jewelry. Vacations to Silver Springs in Maryland or Florida, Silverstarand Beach in California or Ireland, or a silver mine are perfect gift ideas. You could put together a CD with songs from the era of the marriage date. Write a poem in silver ink and display it in a silver frame. Put together a family quilt comprised of squares done by each member of the family or close friends. Make a wish tree out of big silver branches and decorate it with silver ribbons, ornaments, etc… Fill the tree with pictures, travelers’ checks, gift certificates, or anything the couple would like.

The celebrating of anniversaries has been a popular custom since mankind began and notes eventful dates in the course of life. The convention of assigning traditional presents for particular years was well established by the mid 19th century. The logic of such designations is that of hierarchical value, based on market prices. The idea is that stability deserves rewards, and the more stability the greater the reward. The most important thing is that couples are rewarded on their wedding anniversary. Marking the 25th wedding anniversary is definitely deserves a reward.

Fall is my favorite season of the year. The trees and foliage are collages of majestic and vivid colors of crimson, golds, greens, and oranges. It’s so easy to choose a sweater and a pair of jeans to wear. But, this fall I was invited to a wedding. My first thought was what can I wear to a fall wedding? Well, with a little interrogating and shopping around, I was able to find out what to wear and where to buy it.

Honestly, I’d rather be part of the wedding party, as they don’t have the tedious job of looking for a wedding outfit. The bride does it all for them. But, because I am one of the guests at the wedding the challenge is greater for finding appropriate fall wedding attire.

I checked many of the clothing stores with no luck. Most of them had casual and professional fall clothing, which had nothing to do with the occasion to which I was invited. But, fortunately one of the employees shared with me that I would be better off going to a department store and checking out their semi-formal attire there. Should told me that the appropriate thing to wear to a wedding is a lovely gown.

I was able to find some great gowns in a department store that was already preparing themselves in advance for the holidays. The colors of the dresses were complementary to the season. Beautiful navy blues, butter scotch, browns, and even some gorgeous greens.

I chose a beautiful midnight blue gown with spaghetti straps. The gown fell against and complemented my shape quite well. I then went off to buy a pair of sheer panty hose and a gorgeous pair of satin midnight blue shoes to match my dress.

I can’t say I was the hit of the party. Because the bride definitely was sensational! But, I definitely was wearing that dress!

So, when you’re trying to find the best fall wedding outfit, hit the department store’s semi-formal clothing department. Chances are, you will find some beautiful gowns in gorgeous fall colors!

There was time when only women dreamed of a beautiful diamond wedding band. When you really think about it, it’s almost a tradition for a woman to receive a wedding band infused with a diamond. It is not often you will see a woman sporting a basic wedding band. For the most part, it is true when they say a diamond is a girl’s best friend. But, times have changed, and it seems more and more men are beginning to prefer a diamond over a basic wedding band. Men’s minds are changing as to how they view wedding bands. It has come to pass that now diamonds are a man’s best friend, as well.

Interestingly enough, not only do men prefer diamonds, but it has been duly noted that many men prefer the well respected metal, platinum. Both men and women prefer platinum because the metal is an undying material that can be worn in almost any industry, from the board room to the boiler room. Diamonds and platinum will exceed the life of their owners.

One thing is for sure, you won’t find very many men wearing elevated diamonds in their rings. The diamonds will more than likely be embedded in the ring itself. This is where the boundary is set for most men. It may even be preferred that a series of diamonds frame the circumference of the ring, like begets. But, you will hardly ever see a raised diamond above the band.

So, if you go to a wedding, don’t forget to observe the bridegroom’s hand while he is waiting for his wife-to-be to stroll down the aisle. Chances are you might see that perfect diamond on his left hand. Smile and remember where you learned about it first.
So, move over ladies, and share the wealth. Men, it seems, love diamonds too.

You want to look your best for your big day. And you definitely want your hair to be beautiful, as well. You’ve already bought your magnificent dress and the lovely dresses for your wedding party. You know how many have RSVP’d yes or no, and you have chosen the delicious dinner for the wedding, as well as who will sit where. But, what about your hair? How will you style it? Should you do it yourself or have someone else do it? What are your choices?

Selecting hairstyles for your big day can be exciting, yet high pressured. You want to look your best. So you have to make sure you pick the perfect hairstyle for your perfect day. What to do?

Well, depending on the type of hair you have: long, short, curly, straight, coarse, or whatever the state of your hair, you must choose a style that fits your face and the occasion. It’s best to make an appointment with your hair stylist in advance to discuss hairstyles that would be perfect for your perfect day.

If you prefer to chase down a few hair magazines, try some that have issues on weddings. Or better yet, try wedding magazines. Wedding magazines will have a myriad of hair styles, many that will fit your face and your day perfectly!

Just remember that your hair style should complement not only your face, but your wedding dress. If your dress is sophisticated and classy, you want a hair style that will sophisticated and class. If your dress is trendy, you might want to go for a trendy hair style.

It’s all up to you. But, try to do your hair style research well in advance to reduce the pressures of the last minute to-do’s before your wedding day!

Here’s wishing you the best on the most unforgettable day of your life!

Searching for that special wedding band that represents the anticipation of love and commitment can be fun.  But, depending on the type of band you choose, you may have to dig deeper into your pockets. For many people platinum is the metal of choice.  But, it can be very expensive and can hit your budget hard.  We will discuss three different types of wedding band metals:  Titanium, Palladium, and Tungsten.  Learning more about these types of metals will help you choose the right ring for you and your budget.

The Hard and Light Side of Titanium

Titanium is a very strong, yet light metal that can be set with diamonds and stones.  This type of metal is available in greens, blues, black and grays.

Palladium:  Platinum’s Cousin

Palladium is related to platinum, sporting the same natural, shiny appearance.  It does not need to be plated.  Palladium is light in weight and on your wallet, by about 25 percent of the cost of platinum.  The benefit of choosing this band is that it has the same 9k white gold karat standing, but does not need to be rhodium re-plated.

Tough Tungsten

Made from one of the hardest metals in the world, Tungsten metal is virtually indestructible.  It is 10 times harder than a gold wedding ring and four times the strength of platinum and titanium.  Try and bite that!  Its weight is about the same as platinum, but cannot be resized or altered in any way due to its rigid and solid material.  So, if you want to set diamonds in this band, don’t buy it.  It won’t work. Although, you can get is lasered with a design of your choice.  Tungsten wedding bands comes in colors like dark gray, shiny metallic, and white.

The most expensive metal of the three mentioned above is the Palladium metal, because of its close kinship with Platinum.  Yet it is still cheaper than platinum.

There!  You are now an educated consumer on alternative wedding band metals!

Planning a wedding doesn’t have to be hectic. With the right resources and a little research, you can have the wedding of your dreams without breaking a sweat. There are many resources you can choose from to plan a wedding. But, the one of subject here is called an online wedding planner software. Never heard of such a thing, huh? Read on to learn more about this software and how it can make planning your wedding easier!

An online wedding planner is web-based software that helps you plan your wedding. It contains great features that will help you manage your wedding, like guest list and seating, a to-do checklist, budget tracking, and more. These types of features can alleviate the hassle of doing extensive research on your own.

In addition to these great features, once you information is entered into the software, you can generate a report that will contain the number of guests, your budget, the date of your wedding, and how much you still have on your agenda before the big day!

There are so many different online wedding planners out there, that you may be overwhelmed at which one to choose. Just go to a search engine like Google or Yahoo and type in “compare online wedding planners.” A few choices of websites that compare and suggest online wedding planners should populate. Choose a couple and see which one you prefer!

Depending on your need and your budget, online wedding planners may be the way to go. Getting an actual wedding planner can hurt your budget, if your budget is limited. They require anywhere between 10% and 15% of the cost of your wedding. So, if your wedding runs $20,000 get ready to come out of your pocket $2,000 to $2,500.

The money and time you’ll save using an online wedding planner will be tremendous. Just thank me later!