Planning and organizing a wedding can be an incredibly stressful, albeit rewarding, job to do. When you’re involved in such a massive undertaking, it is advisable to obtain help and assistance from wherever it is offered. One place that such assistance is offered is one you may not have considered in the past as a source of assistance with wedding planning: online. The Internet actually can serve as a tremendous resource for all things related to planning a wedding and several web sites exist to act as a wedding planner. Many of these are completely free to use.
The Internet is primarily an advertising tool, remember, so your “free” wedding planner online may not really be free. Anytime you get something for nothing on the Internet you can be expected to be bombarded by advertising. For all of the assistance something as simple as an online or printable wedding planner provides, however, being targeted by a few ads (and the ads are obviously related to something you’re interested in at this time anyway: wedding related services and merchandise) is an acceptable trade off for most people.
Free wedding planners typically consist of useful things like checklists and other organizational tools to help you keep track of everything having to do with your wedding. They may be in the form of a simple downloadable or printable planner or a more complete online service that you must register for. These services, sometimes referred to as wedding channels, offer numerous planner type features. They often include individual tools like guest list managers, service ordering managers, RSVP trackers, and the like to assist you with always being on top of what’s happening with the planning stages of your wedding.
One piece of advice for those using a service that requires registration of some sort is to make sure that the service really is free and not some kind of a trial version or a site that offers very basic services at no cost but charges for the more useful features. For those services that really are free, you’ll want to create an email account (probably with a web-based email provider like Hotmail, Bigfoot, Yahoo, etc) for use as your contact email with the service. A big part of the advertising for these free services comes in the form of email and, unless you don’t mind receiving wedding related email advertisements for the rest of your natural life, these web based email accounts are the best way to provide an alternate address that you will use for the duration of the wedding planning stages only.
If the advertising is an issue, you can probably find similar services that do charge a fee. With these you’re likely to see and receive far less advertising. Advertising is simply an Internet fact of life, however, so even a pay service is likely to have some ads.
A free wedding planner available through the internet can be a great way to keep your sanity while planning a wedding. As long as you don’t mind being targeted for advertising while you use the free service you’ll find that you can save time, energy, and often money by using a one of these free wedding planners.
April 30th, 2006
Every bride and groom who decides to have their wedding outside of a church usually already have a good idea of where they want their ceremony preformed. Many couples have planned their wedding in a park or beautiful garden area. If you are trying to decide where you want to make your memories, here are a few considerations to think about if a garden wedding is on your list.
Many things should be thought about before planning your garden wedding; however the biggest factor that could ruin your dream garden is the weather. It’s okay to go ahead with your plans as is, however you should have a backup location chosen or be prepared to set up a tent in the event the weatherman has made a mistake! You can also talk to your florist about weatherizing flowers and helping to protect them in the event bad weather should become a factor. Mother Nature cannot create magic, so using common sense is necessary.
When planning a garden wedding, remember that the weather can also take its toll on food. If you intend to have dairy products, such as butter, cheese or mayonnaise, hot weather may spoil them and leave you with hungry guests. Think about serving hot food that will stay preserved in hot weather. You can also create ice bowls, in which you place dishes in bowls of ice, keeping them cool and helping them to last longer.
Another factor to take into consideration when planning a garden wedding is the noise level. Visit the garden and listen before making your decision. Is traffic going to cause a problem? It is not romantic to say your vows while horns are honking and tires are squealing! Also, is the garden located in a busy park? Will there be children playing close by and families picnicking? Stop and listen for sounds that may become a problem in making your day special.
Wedding attire is another thought to be considered when planning your garden wedding. While choosing attire for yourself and your wedding party, keep in mind that with hot climates and sticky temperatures, heavily lined dresses may not be suitable for the outdoors. A sweaty wedding party will not compliment your big day and will create misery for those who want to help make this day special. Also keep away from heels, which can sink into grass, making walking down the aisle awkward for everyone.
The guests also need to be thought about when planning your garden wedding. Although they will be sitting comfortably listening to you and your groom exchange vows, think about restroom facilities. Are the restrooms clean and free of unpleasant smells? If not, you may think about renting clean, portable facilities for the day.
Even if you take all of these things into consideration when planning your garden wedding, mishaps may still occur, however using these tips can help to make your day just the way you want it to be: memorable.
March 20th, 2006
During the course of planning a wedding, one aspect of the event that doesn’t seem to get enough thought is the selection of a wedding ring for the groom. The hopeful husband may spend weeks or even months trying to find the perfect engagement ring for his fiancée and then take her to shop around in as many jewelry stores as may be needed to find the perfect wedding ring. Granted, men’s wedding rings are often purchased along with women’s, the couple desiring rings that match, but that is often the only consideration. The fact is that the selection of men’s wedding rings is every bit as important as that of women’s rings and there are some important factors to consider when making such a purchase.
Does His Wedding Ring Match Hers?
This may not really be that important in the great scheme of things, but most couples want their rings to match. If that is the case, it’s usually an easy requirement to meet when selecting men’s wedding rings. Jewelers are accustomed to selling women’s and men’s wedding rings as a set and will usually have men’s wedding rings in stock that complement their selection of women’s wedding rings. This makes it easy to choose a matching design for both rings, as well as choosing a similar weight and the same color of ring. Jewelers tend to recommend 18k gold, platinum, or titanium for wedding rings. Whichever precious metal is chosen, both rings should be the same material and the same karat weight.
Durability
Obviously, all wedding rings should be designed to last. That said, durability is still an important factor in men’s wedding rings, especially if the man in question performs some form of physical labor or works with his hands in some way. Traditionally, men are simply tougher on their wedding rings then women are. A woman will typically take her ring off before doing any kind of work with her hands and replace it afterward. Men often forget this step. The chosen ring should be heavy and durable enough to stand up to the beating that the man is likely to give it.
Comfort
A man’s wedding ring is most likely going to stay on his finger from the day he gets married until the day he dies. In the days before men’s wedding rings were commonplace, there were few choices in them and several of the rings designed for men were quite uncomfortable. They could dig into the skin, cause the finger to perspire and the skin to itch, and could even be partially responsible for chaffing and cracking of skin as well as fungal infections. Men’s wedding rings have come a long way where this is concerned and most jewelers offer “comfort-fit” wedding bands that are designed specifically for such long-term wear. Keep this in mind when choosing men’s wedding rings.
Deciding on a wedding ring for the groom still doesn’t require a lot of thought, but when the couple is shopping for men’s wedding rings, adhering to these simple principles will help them make the right choice and select the right ring. Wearing a comfortable and durable wedding ring will help make for a happy husband.
March 11th, 2006
Whether it’s the Great Gatsby or the look of gangsters, a roaring twenties wedding theme can add a fun and unusual spin to any wedding. If you are interested in being united in the look of the twenties, here are some different ideas to get you started.
The 1920’s had a style all its own and with a twenties wedding theme, planning will be enjoyable and memorable. Start by transforming your wedding party into an era of “speakeasy” with costumes resembling Eliot Ness, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Malone, and John Dillinger. You and your future husband can also think about dressing yourselves up as Bonnie and Clyde.
The bride’s dress should fit into the twenties wedding theme. Have a seamstress design one with an intermission hemline, making it shorter in front and long in the back. Dropped waistline and pleated skirts were a popular look in the twenties and would make a beautiful wedding dress. For headdress, try a Juliet cap, coronet or a simple band of silk flowers worn lower on the forehead. Don’t forget stockings (pantyhose) that have noticeable seams. These were a big look for women of the twenties.
The bridesmaids of the roaring twenties wedding party can dress in flapper dresses with long, dangling bead necklaces, feather boas and seamed stockings. Remember the bright red lipstick. No twenties rendition would be complete without it!
Zoot suits, English driving caps, suspenders and wing tip shoes were the craze for grooms and groomsmen in the roaring twenties. Most tuxedo shops will either carry great selections from this era or know of another shop you can visit to find this great attire.
For a roaring twenties wedding theme, think glittering lights, rough men, and romance. Although known for its crime age, the twenties also became known as the Jazz Age, with the likes of flappers and the Charleston. Music was upbeat and enjoyable, skirts were short and the economy had everyone in high spirits. This is the feel you want to incorporate into your wedding theme.
Think about your invitations and what you want them to say. These will initially set the mood of your guests before they even attend your big day. Include passwords on the invitation and have two friends stand at the door of the reception and ask guests to recite the password if they want to enter. Be original. Use different passwords on different invitations, depending on the guest. If it is an old school friend, use your nickname from high school as the password. If your grandma had a name she called you, use this as her password. Also on the invitation, let your guests know that although they are not required to wear attire fit for the theme, it is welcomed and would be fun.
Name your reception tables when seating your guests at your roaring twenties reception. Have an ‘Al Capone’ table, a ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ table, which can be used for the wedding party, and a ‘Lucky Luciano’ table. Attach guest names to long cigarette holders that were used in that era.
Another great idea for your roaring twenties theme is to include on the invitations that there will be contests held during the reception. Have the disk jockey play jazz music, swing music and organize these contests. You can include a contest for best dance and best costume. You can also set up a booth for your guests to have their photos taken as a souvenir to take home.
With a roaring twenties wedding theme, your wedding is sure to not be forgotten by your guests and will make long lasting memories for you and your ‘Clyde’.
March 6th, 2006
You are planning your second wedding and are not sure about etiquette and what is or is not acceptable, right? The truth is that the second time around can be just as memorable and special as the first. Here are some different tips to help you make your second wedding a day to remember.
When planning for your second wedding use heartfelt, common sense before announcing your new engagement. Some couples who have previously been married may have children and previous family members who need to be informed personally of your new future. Inform them first before announcing it in a newspaper.
Also think before registering for gifts at department stores. When registering for your second wedding, think about the things you need, as a couple. You may already have items that would commonly be bought for first time marriages, such as towels and dishes. Instead think about registering for those things that will help you bring your new home together, such as new curtains, bedding or items you can use to remodel the home that you’re moving into.
Many years ago, attire for a previously married bride meant absolutely no white. That is not the case anymore. When planning your second wedding, if you decide you want to wear a flowing white gown, it’s considered perfectly acceptable. One thing to avoid is a veil, which represents virginity. Instead of a veil, think about adorning your head with a crown or tiara or a beautiful new hairstyle. Whichever you choose, keep in mind that although it is a second marriage, you can feel and look just as beautiful as you did the first time.
When choosing a destination for your second wedding, some couples choose to make it different from the first by having a small ceremony with a huge reception, inviting friends and family on a trip with marriage in mind or having a surprise wedding, by sending invitations out for a birthday party or holiday event and instead being prepared to get married. You can also just go with a traditional church wedding. Whichever you choose, make the decision together. After all, you are committing yourselves to each other and both of you should be happy with the decision.
If children are involved from previous marriages, let them know that they also are an important part of your second wedding. Rather than the ceremony joining a man and woman together, you will be joining families. Why not include the children in the ceremony? Let your son walk you down the aisle to give you away, have your daughter be an honorary attendant or let the younger children be a miniature bride and groom. The important thing is to make the children feel welcome in this new union, letting them feel that it is not just a marriage of man and wife, but of the family as a whole.
Although second weddings can be done the same as a first time wedding, let this be your opportunity to make it different while keeping it sacred. Make it known to everyone that this is the man you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with and your two families are now to be joined as one.
March 3rd, 2006
A sandy beach, the sound of waves, the smell of fresh air and a gentle breeze blowing through your hair. Although romantic and memorable, there are details to pay attention to if you are planning a beach wedding.
Before choosing a specific location for your beach wedding, check weather climates for the date you want to get married on. It would be more than a memorable wedding if you reserved your wedding date for hurricane season!
When you decide on your beach wedding location, check whether it is a public or private beach. There may be limitations for either when holding weddings and receptions on the premises. Be sure to ask a county or city clerk if there are any permits needed for your wedding and apply for them several months ahead of time.
Think ahead when planning a beach wedding. For instance, sitting chairs directly on the sand is not a good idea, because they will eventually start to sink. Instead, consider renting special flooring to place the chairs on. Also consider renting canopies to shelter any wind hazards that may come up suddenly, providing umbrellas to shade your guests, if having a day wedding, and offer bottled water if the temperatures are hot.
Be sure to let guests know what to wear to your beach wedding. Depending on the weather, you may consider having them dress casually to keep them comfortable in the midst of the hot sun and suggest them bringing jackets in case a chill is in the air at night.
Parking is another consideration to take in when planning a beach wedding. Some beaches place their parking a large distance from the beach itself. If you are having elderly couples, young children or individuals who have limited mobility, you may want to rent golf carts and have “ushers” drive the guests down to the beach. Portable restrooms are another good idea for your guests if there is not a close restroom location near your wedding site.
As is with anything, have a backup plan when planning your beach wedding. Rain and winds can play havoc on a beach wedding and upset the entire ceremony. So, find a nearby building that can be rented, church or hotel. Usually if you are planning a wedding on a resort beach, they will have a party room, specifically designated for weddings and receptions.
If you are planning a reception for your beach wedding, use these ideas to create lasting decoration memories. Buy pail and shovel sets from a local toy department. You can find these very cheap and usually will come as sets. Fill them with bright flowers, fruit or candy. Buy candles with embedded sea shells already molded into them and set them on a dish, surrounded by sand. Another great idea is buying different shaped bottles. Fill with colored sand and stick tapered candles from the tops.
By using common sense and planning ahead, you can create a beautiful, lasting memory that will give you and your new husband a new start to a lifetime of happiness.
February 26th, 2006
Whoever said that planning a wedding had to be serious and stressful? With a western themed wedding, you can experience a whole new idea together while making it as unique as you want it to be.
For a western themed wedding, location is everything. Think about having your wedding in an “old west town”, which are located throughout the Midwest and usually offer wedding packages at a cost. You can also find an open prairie and use tents and backdrops that you have designed yourselves. Or just decorate an old country church and reception hall. The important thing is to find your own style and preferences and then incorporate them into your wedding.
Decoration will be your visual focal point for this type of ceremony. To create the ambiance of a western themed wedding, use gold bows, which can be found at Christmas time. You can also use hay bales for guest seating, drive away in a horse drawn carriage and use country music or western movie themed music at your ceremony.
Once you have the ceremony details worked out and you know for sure this is what you both want, began thinking about your attire for your western themed wedding. Watch old western movies to see what brides wore, such as heavy fabrics, long sleeves and a lot of lace. For the groom you could go simple with blue jeans, a brown vest and a brown jacket, of course worn with a hat, boots and spurs. For the bridesmaids, western themed weddings are known for keyhole, dark dresses usually worn with lace up boots. Instead of having them hold a big bouquet of attendant flowers, hand-make headbands adorned with flowers and ribbon.
To decorate your guests’ tables, use your imagination to create the western theme. Buy cowboy hats and line the insides with fresh flowers and baby’s breath, or buy old cowboy boots at a thrift store and let sunflowers dangle from the tops. Adorn small items on tables with things like sheriff’s badges or replicas of old medicine bottles.
Incorporate your western theme even on the dance floor by using kerosene lamps or lanterns hanging from posts instead of the usual string lighting. You can also hunt through antique shops and flea markets to find old wagon wheels and wooden trellises, which can be lined with wildflowers and rope.
Another original idea for guests to enjoy your western themed wedding is to have a corner of the reception hall set up for photos. Find western clothing at thrift stores or western supply stores. And instead of a dollar dance to raise money for the bride and groom, offer them black and white western photos of themselves to take home as souvenirs. You can pay your own photographer an extra fee to take the photographs.
While planning your western themed wedding, have fun and enjoy. The more fun you have planning your wedding as a couple, the more memories you’ll be making that will last a lifetime.
February 21st, 2006
Sun, sand and surf on a tropical island paradise is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The Hawaiian Islands have it all and the island of Maui has it in spades. Maui is the perfect place for a vacation, the perfect place for a honeymoon, and the perfect place for a wedding. What could be more romantic, exotic, and exciting than a beautiful Maui wedding? In fact, with the costs of destination weddings dropping steadily, many couples are choosing to travel to this beautiful island specifically to get married in this amazing tropical location. Maui weddings are as breathtakingly romantic and astounding as anyone could ever hope their wedding could be and they’re much more affordable than you might think.
Should you choose to have your wedding in this fun and exciting location, the first thing you want to do is search for a Maui travel package. The price of travel and hotel accommodations may surprise you once you start looking into them. Contact a travel agent to see what kind of a package deal you can get on air travel and hotel rates. Booking your airfare and hotel stay together this way is bound to save you money as compared to purchasing them separately. All too often people will find what they think is a great price on a hotel room only to find that they can’t afford the airfare, and vice versa. Using a travel agent to book them together can save you a considerable percentage. Remember that booking far in advance will usually get you the best rates and that you’re always going to get a better price during the off season.
Once you have the hotel and travel arrangements out of the way, it’s time to start planning the actual wedding. Maui has become such a popular destination for weddings that several companies that specialize in planning Maui weddings have popped up all over the island. Most of these companies offer to hold ceremonies in a number of uniquely beautiful Maui locations. The majority of them also have web sites that detail the wedding packages that they have to offer. These packages include things like the wedding cake, photography, a minister or other official to perform the ceremony, and a number of other wedding related details. Some will even make an appointment with the state’s marriage licensing department so you can obtain your marriage license. The cost of the Maui wedding packages vary, of course, depending on the company making the offer and exactly what you want to include. Most of the prepared packages range in price from about three hundred dollars for the most basic to nearly three thousand dollars for the most exquisite.
A beautiful and romantic Maui wedding is definitely within your reach. By choosing to marry in such an exotic and romantic location you are basically guaranteeing yourself a wedding ceremony that you will remember fondly forever and promising yourself a wedding experience that you may have thought could only happen in your dreams.
February 18th, 2006
There’s a new method of keeping your wedding memories alive that is gaining popularity among the young couples of today: the wedding web site. Wedding web sites are an online collection of images and stories detailing every facet of a wedding. Everything from choosing bridesmaids’ dresses to ordering the cake and hiring the band is recorded and included on the wedding web site. Many couples keep their wedding web sites up and running after the wedding to serve as a sort of interactive online wedding album, hosting pictures from the ceremony, reception, and honeymoon.
One of the nice things about creating a wedding web site for yourself is the flexibility that the process offers. You can include as much or as little information about your wedding as you like. The site can be used as an electronic go-between, keeping family and friends updated and informed about the tasks you’re completing in preparation for your wedding day, informing your guests of any last minute changes in planning, and letting everyone know details such as where you’re registered for wedding gifts. The site can include a “blog” that you can update as often as you like, allowing you to share every detail of your wedding experience if you so choose. You can also offer your guests the ability to R.S.V.P. online, put up guest lists so everyone knows who’s coming to your special event, and post an interesting history that describes how the two of you met, how long you dated, how he “popped the question,” and any other amusing or romantic anecdotes you desire.
If you choose to create a wedding web site there are a number of ways you can go about it. There are web hosting sites online that specialize in setting up and hosting wedding web sites. Most of these offer easy to use do-it-yourself web site building tools. If you’re proficient in web design or own web design software like Front Page or Dreamweaver, you can get even more flexibility by designing the site yourself. You can also hire a professional web designer to create your wedding web site for you.
The wedding web site concept is just one more way that weddings are stepping out of the realm of ancient traditionalism and into the information age. Modern technology has created a wonderful way for you to be able to share your wedding memories anytime, anywhere with anyone that has a computer and access to the Internet. Now you don’t have to worry about whether Aunt Edna in Sioux City will ever be able to see your wedding photographs. You can just send her an email message and give her the URL of your beautiful wedding web site. Your wedding web site is timeless too. As long as you keep paying the hosting (prices for web hosting vary greatly, but can be very low for this type of site), your wedding web site will remain online forever, allowing you to look back many years from now and remember your wedding like it all just happened yesterday.
February 15th, 2006
To say that St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is a beautiful place is akin to saying that Cindy Margolis is a beautiful woman. You get an idea of what the person making the statement is trying to convey, but the term “beautiful” doesn’t quite do the subject justice. St. Thomas transcends beauty and supercedes even our best definitions of the very concept. St. Thomas is home to sparkling waters, breathtaking tropical landscapes, and wonderful weather year-round. Can you think of a better place to get married? A St. Thomas wedding is an experience that will leave you reeling in romance for years to come and give you beautiful memories for the rest of your life.
As with any destination wedding, the key to your perfect St. Thomas wedding is in finding the best experience at the best price. Dealing with a travel agent to put together a package for hotel and travel arrangements is always the best and least expensive way to go. The agent can find deals that simply are not available to the general public, getting you to the islands for much less than you would have thought possible. Be sure to try and arrange for one of the impressive air or sea tours of the islands while you’re at it, the US Virgin Islands possess a beauty that simply has to be experienced.
For your St. Thomas wedding ceremony there are a number of options available, but a package deal will again get you the best prices on everything you need for a memorable wedding experience. Wedding planning companies on St. Thomas offer packages that include everything from photography and flowers to private ceremonies on a secluded beach and bottles of Dom Perignon. Pricing for the wedding packages varies based upon what the package includes and range from about five hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. The most extravagant packages will cost you the most money, of course. Even a package worth over seven thousand dollars is less expensive than what many people pay for traditional weddings at home however, and the amenities make it well worth the cost. You don’t have to be Donald Trump to enjoy your St. Thomas wedding; however, even the least costly wedding packages make for a romantic wedding that is unlike any wedding experience you could get in your own hometown.
If you’re planning to enjoy a fabulous destination wedding, St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is well worth a look. The island offers everything that a couple could possibly desire in an exotic and romantic wedding destination while still being a part of the United States of America. For a fraction of what you might pay for a wedding here at home you can live and be treated like a celebrity for a few days surrounding the most special and romantic day of your entire life and return home with stories to tell of your incredible wedding adventure and memories that will stay with you forever.
February 12th, 2006
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