WED 2005

With their roles as flower kids, bridesmaids, and ring bearer, children have been playing some integral parts in weddings. Whether the children are a part of the wedding party itself, or are simply attending the event as guests, it certainly calls for everyone enjoying the special day to its maximum. Creativity to a wedding could add to its charm, as it is just not limited to floral decorations and cuisines, but is also important when it comes to assigning different responsibilities to the family members in the wedding. For children, this decision is of the utmost magnitude and enthusiasm. At times, in this ‘adult’ business of wedding, the kids feel ignored. Therefore, make sure to keep these precious young things too actively involved in the process.
Areas of Kids Involvement in a Wedding
Below mentioned are a number of ways by which children can take part in a wedding:
By standing besides the bride and groom, the children can participate, thereby depicting a complete family.
They can help in selecting the colors and the themes of wedding arrangements. Their opinion can add a lot of value to the proceedings.
They could be made to perform a role-play, wherein a young boy can play the groom’s role and a girl can act as the bride.
Children can be a helping hand in attending the guests, though should be supervised if they are too young.
Teenagers can accompany the couple in the church too.
Children are very creative. Their involvement back stage can be definitely welcoming. Now in this context, creativity consists of the following:
To some extent, the decorations can be handed over to them.
Children can manage their counterparts very well in the wedding.
Things like table decoration and distributing gifts to all children can also be practiced.
Consult with the kids on specific details. Small contributions, like choosing a favorite flower or a particular color.
Children may display their, such as music, writing, subtle dancing, etc.
One of the marriages I attended lately had teenage girls handing out a single fresh flower to every woman, as they entered the church. This really impressed me and would have definitely made all those women feel special. These are just a few wedding ideas that include children. There can be many more, you just need to be innovative. Who says it has to be conventional? At times, it is nice to see things done a bit differently. This prevents the ceremony from get boring.

When planning a wedding you’re likely to experience a whirlwind of emotions; excitement, elation, joy, anxiety and stress. American culture focuses exclusively on the upside of getting married, but the truth is that along with the happiness comes a lot of work and some natural anxiety. Getting married means transitioning from your current (single) identity, to a combined identity (as a married couple). Here are the 5 types of stress you are most likely to encounter while planning your wedding:
1.) Money related stress- According to the the average wedding in the US (in 2010) cost roughly $27,800. Much of the cost of the wedding is related to the area of the country that you reside in (Urban areas tend to be more expensive). With more and more brides and grooms footing (at least part of) the bill, this can cause extra strain and conflict with everyone involved in contributing financially.
2.) Family Relationship stress- Because the more people you include in any venture the more complex it becomes- family members can unintentionally cause additional stress. In many weddings the bride and groom are trying to manage the wants and needs of several different families and family members. This task can be virtually impossible to handle; you can’t make all of the people happy all of the time.
3.) Wedding planning stress- The process of planning a wedding takes, on average, 16 months and 250 hours of effort. The intensity of wedding planning stress is different for everyone and largely depends on several factors: how flexible your work schedule is, how involved your partner is in the planning, the amount of social support/help (moms, sisters, friends, etc.) you have at hand, and the amount of money you have at your disposal (more money = less leg work). The amount of time spent planning a wedding can be similar to having a part time job (for the duration of your engagement). In modern times brides are often already pressed for time and the pressure to squeeze in all the wedding related tasks can cause extra strain.
4.) Partner related stress- planning a wedding with your partner can be incredibly romantic and fun, but also challenging and emotional. Because of all of the dynamics involved (especially extended family members and their needs/opinions) in this process, your relationship is likely to be prone to more conflict and disagreement than usual. This in turn may cause anxiety related to committing your life to a person that you suddenly find yourself arguing with more than ever before.
5.) Transition related stress- You are planning a ceremony that symbolizes you leaving your family of origin and joining with your husband to form a new family. In many ways this change is exciting and invigorating, however it can also be scary and unknown. Each of you is likely to have ideas about what it means to be a wife or husband and sometimes the thought of navigating this unknown territory together can be a little overwhelming.
Weddings are a time of excitement and celebration. But along with the joy there can also be additional stress and strain. The important thing is to be aware of your limits, and do what it takes to take care of yourself. If you are worn-out or overwhelmed planning your wedding won’t be any fun at all.

However, there are a lot of things that you must consider before you choose to buy a diamond ring. No matter how bad your taste is, you can definitely do justice when it comes to buying an eternity band. You can as well take guidance from your female friend. After all, we all know that nobody knows a woman like another woman does!
Overlapped Bezel-Set Diamond Eternity Band is something that you would have never seen before. This beautiful eternity band is meant for an eternal relationship between you and your spouse. The worth of this piece will never fade just like the evergreen love of yours. It will stay on her finger and remind her of you every time she would see it.
This particular eternity band comes with a flat-fit just like most other diamond eternity bands. One feature of this wedding ring is that it has alternate circular and squarer diamonds that are studded so aesthetically on the rim of the ring. The diamond set is of the bezel set kind. The elegance of this beautiful ring lies in its smooth and amazingly superb finishing. The gold bezel set is highly polished to give a peculiar shining of the gold that matches the diamonds’ lustrous appearance.
The diamond bezel set eternity ring is comfortably thicker which means that your spouse will not feel any kind of irritation or prickly-feeling when she wears it. The cost of the diamond is entirely dependent on the size of the wedding ring. It weighs just medium. It has a thickness of just 2 mm. This makes it lighter on your finger and she will definitely not sense any burden lapped over her finger. This exotic design is just right for the marriage occasion.
This eternity band is made up of white gold of 14k. It can also be made up of white gold of 18k. You can also choose platinum as the bezel set metal. The number of diamonds again is your choice. This ultra slim eternity band is so novel in its appearance and elegance that it is definitely going to grab all the attention. You don’t need to worry if your spouse’s finger size is not the standard one. You can always place an order. It will then be designed and given to you on your marriage occasion. This gift you could place it in a velvet box that comes along with the wedding ring. The jewelry box is also designed to reflect the beauty of the eternity band.

No matter how big or small your upcoming wedding is going to be, you have to have some type of wedding organizer to help you keep track of everything. You may think that a wedding with just twenty guests is something that you can do off the top of your head, but you are going to miss something or lose something if you don’t have anywhere to keep track of what you have done, what you have yet to do, and even how much money you have spent. The right organizer can make all the difference in your stress levels when planning your wedding.
You can usually find some types of wedding organizer for free, or you can go out and buy one. Most larger city areas have some organizers that are sponsored by wedding vendors in the area. In exchange for ad space in the wedding organizer, they pay for some of the cost of producing it. The organizer then goes out free to any bride that asks for one. If you do not want to see a bunch of ads while you are planning your wedding, you can buy an ad free one. Some brides find the ads annoying while some find they are useful to find the services and goods that they need.
If you are totally digital in your day to day life, you can also find some types of free wedding organizer online. You can also find some that have a fee, but again, you won’t have any (or as many) advertisements when you pay for one. The digital form also comes in software that you can buy, or you can even come up with your own lists and databases if you know a lot about using some of the programs that you already have on your home computer. What you use is not as important as how you use it. As long as you can find and record what you need, use what works for you.
The wedding organizer that you use should have some way to keep track of expenses, and not all of them do. Look for that feature before you choose to use or buy anything. Without that, you may easily go way over your budget before you have realized what you have done. A wedding organizer that keeps a tab for you (or at least a good estimate) can make like a lot easier for you as you plan your wedding. No one wants to have to go out to get a last minute and probably high interest rate loan because the budget was blown to bits.
One of the biggest problems that brides have is remembering each and every thing that goes into a wedding. If you have never planned one, you may not realize how many details there really are, even for a relatively small and simple wedding. A wedding organizer is a great way to not only record what you have done, what you have to do, and how much you are spending, but also to make sure you are not forgetting something. Most have sections for every imaginable. Tear out the pages you won’t need, and use the rest as a guide to planning your perfect wedding.

Your wedding day is most probably the biggest social event you’ll ever have to deal with in your entire life. Naturally, you’ll want it to flow as smoothly as possible, from start to finish. Every detail should be perfect, from the dress to the decorations up to the catered food. Because you will most likely be concerned about your personal needs more than anything, it would be best to leave the rest of the details involved in this event to the discretion of a competent and reliable events planner. From the moment you choose this person, he or she will become your right hand and will take responsibility for all the details you won’t be able to handle.
Even though the event is still months away, it is very important to get as much of the details right as soon as possible. Venue and the caterers are two aspects that need to be sorted out as soon as you decide to get married. Keep in mind that there could be many of you who will be competing for these two details, especially if you are vying for the most popular options in your area. Once you have a specific date in mind, your events planner should start making the calls to book with your first choices for venue and catering service.
The aspects of a wedding you can delegate to the events planner are usually the ones that will involve a lot of legwork and decision-making and which won’t require your personal attendance. When it comes to the venue and having it decorated according to your preferences, your events planner can go around looking for the florists and other decorators who can create the look you are aiming for. Usually, the wedding organizer will go to the venue itself and do an ocular inspection of the area you are going to use. This is the best way to get an idea of what kind of decorations and how much of it are needed.
When it comes to the catering aspect, you and your partner will have to taste the food yourselves in order to finalize the menu, but all details that lead up to that food-tasting session can be handled by the organizer. Keep in mind that there is only one thing that matters most to your guests, and that would be the food and drinks at your reception and how they are served. So, make sure to instruct your organizer to get this detail right by finding the best caterers that are known to serve the type of food you think most of your guests will like.
Your events planner will surely play a major role during the preparations, but it’s really in the last few days leading up to the wedding that he or she will be working the hardest. When you and your partner are both busy entertaining relatives flying in as well as dealing with the butterflies in your stomach, it is your event organizer who will have to man the fort and make sure every detail is in its rightful place. This person will ensure that your wedding is a seamlessly perfect and unified affair. So, choose your planner well, and all else will be well.

Whatever the projected budget for your wedding, it is worthwhile to consider engaging the services of a professional wedding organizer. Of course, at first glance it might appear to be an unnecessary extra expense (probably 10% of your budget, perhaps more), but in many aspects of planning for the big day it could actually save you money, or at least help to ensure you get full value for your outlay.
A good wedding organizer should be able to offer a wide choice of suppliers of all the necessary specialist services you are likely to require for your wedding and reception (along with some not-so-necessary extras!) together with the reassurance that everything will be smoothly co-ordinated on the day. It is above all this relative peace of mind that you are paying for. He/she will often be able to negotiate discounts from certain key service providers, and should have the expertise and experience to cater for your specific personal requests regarding what you want and what you don’t want for your special day.
Of course, the wedding organizer doesn’t have to be involved in every aspect of your wedding. There may be several items you wish to arrange yourself (the music, for example, or the flowers). Having a wedding organizer to sort out all the other worrying and time-consuming details will allow you to concentrate on personalizing your chosen responsibilities. If you already have clearly-formulated plans regarding the areas you would like to mastermind yourself, an initial consultation should define the aspects you wish to be handled by the wedding organizer.
You may already have a reasonably clear idea about the style of wedding you are seeking to achieve, maybe even a specific theme. A good wedding organizer will be able to empathize with your ideas and help to develop them into a well-co-ordinated and memorable occasion. Outline your personal vision as fully as possible, so that the wedding organizer has a clear overall picture of what you are looking for. Translating your ideas into an action plan, and executing that plan in all its detail seamlessly on the day, is the organizer’s challenge. And don’t worry if you don’t have a particularly clear vision or plan for your wedding – a good wedding planner will have enough experience and expertise to be able confidently to make suitable suggestions for you to consider, based on your initial projected budget.
Finally, take advice from your chosen wedding organizer on setting up a team (best man, maid of honour, ushers, bridesmaids etc.) to share out the various small yet important tasks on the day. These little details are easily unforeseen or overlooked (e.g. the string quartet don’t have chairs to sit on, or Nigel’s left his notes for his speech in the car), yet in the hands of a skilled wedding organizer they will not present a problem. Always work on the basis that if something can go wrong, then it probably will:- and then everything will probably go right.

If you don’t want to be bothered with all the planning that a wedding has to go through, you can just simply hire a wedding planner to do the job for you. Although you will need to pay her a certain fee, the benefit of not worrying about anything at all is a good payoff. You must keep in mind that there are tons of things you need to consider in planning a wedding from little things as invitations to big decisions like caterers and venues. All you need to do is talk to you wedding planner about the specific things you want and she will take care of everything including the transportation of your family members.
What are the key qualities to look for in a wedding planner? One is the wedding planner’s competence. You can gauge her competence by simply asking for referrals or client testimonials about her performance. Since you are meeting her for the first time, a good background check can give you an idea of her competence. Next is to ensure that your wedding planner is very professional and trustworthy. You are handing out all your wedding plans to a specific person and you expect her to do a good job at planning the best day of your life.
Next, your wedding organizer should listen to you carefully. Although wedding planners would like to give their advice and creative input, it is best that they listen to what you have to say first. It is your wedding after all and the concept, motif and elements should come from you and she should openly listen to what you want. Beside her listening skills, she should be able to communicate well with you and the other people who are taking part in the wedding like suppliers and caterers. Since she is the one handling everything, she should be able to talk properly and communicate effectively with everyone.
At the initial part of the planning process, you must be able to give your wedding planner the overall budget for the whole wedding because all the expenses will revolve around how much you can spend. She should immediately accept your budget and work her way around it to give you the best wedding possible for the money you can afford. You shouldn’t hear a wedding planner complain to you that it is impossible to get something done if the budget is too low.
You would also like to have a planner that can meet deadlines. If both of have talked about a certain date where suppliers should be decided on, she should already present all estimates and options for you on the date you both agreed on. Deadlines are very important to meet since you do not want to delay the planning process.
Lastly, your wedding planner should be both friendly yet firm at the same time. On the day of the wedding, she will be the one to talk to your guests and also talk to everyone involved in the wedding. Even though she is under stress, she should still be friendly in dealing with people. However, if something has gone wrong or out of plan, the wedding planner should also be firm enough to deal with it and settle the matter immediately.

Two people in love who decide to get married can start a series of activities that involve a lot of their friends, family, relatives, and yes the wedding organizer to regulate a series of before and after parties for the wedding celebration. The series of preparations would require the wedding organizer to orchestrate just the right resources for the dream wedding of the couple.
But before the hustle and bustle of the wedding day, most people would not think about the other events tied into having a wedding. You might receive a wedding invitation along with the other invites from the family of the groom and bride. You are not exclusively invited for the wedding ceremony or reception only – you will become witness to pre and post parties celebrated around a wedding. So you might want to ask, just how many wedding parties are there?
First party prior to a wedding would be the engagement party. At this point, both the family of the bride and groom to be would want to host a large gathering of friends and relatives to introduce their entering new member of the family. This could be hosted by either of the couple’s parents in the hope of meeting and greeting the other clan or getting to know their soon to be in-law. This is usually celebrated on or after a day when the engagement news has been announced publicly. Some rich families even hold lavish formal parties complete with some champagne fireworks for the guests to enjoy.
Shower parties might sound to be more connected with the bride but nowadays, the presence of the groom is generally accepted. The concept of the shower is to do something helpful for the bride or couple. This is usually thrown by close friends and relatives who would want to express their support and appreciation for the couple. This is an almost intimate gathering with family especially as they bid good luck and depart their wishes to the bride and groom.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties might seem modern in context and are getting popular. These are parties hosted separately by the respective friends of the bride and the groom on two separate occasions. Younger generations become more creative and liberated in celebrating these parties and some even resorting to fire lantern nights to add fun to the party. These are all done in fun spirit with some prelude honeymoon ideas expressed in gifts by the guests and other presents symbolizing a goodbye to being single.
Wedding rehearsals are actually not parties but a practice for the actual wedding event during the ceremony and reception. The wedding organizer usually hold this activity to brief the guests and the couple in the series of events during the big day.
Actual wedding ceremony and reception follows where the event finally takes place. A few hours is spent in the marriage ceremony and then the reception follows usually. This is the time when friends and relative finally welcomes the bride and groom as a couple and give them their best wishes. Wedding sparklers are even visible especially for evening receptions.
Gift opening party often happens after the honeymoon of the newly weds. At this time, fewer people and guests are invited to witness the finding out of the gifts of the wedding guests and the family. This is often an intimate get together for both the couple’s families.
These are all the events that happen to center around a wedding. As you can see, there is so much more about the wedding than any event in your life.

Every wedding has a budget. And some necessary steps should be kept in mind while planning any wedding. All your preparations and arrangements should be covered in decided budget. The only way to keep your wedding expenses to go out of control, is to create a realistic budget for every element of your plans about the wedding. Sticking to a budget is not so easy, with a wedding, but you can take the sting out of controlling your expenditures by taking these smart first steps in setting up a budget that will work for you instead of against you. While planning any wedding you should thing as a professional wedding planner.
You my start planning your wedding with the below given steps:-

1. Make a final list of things you need most importantly. Think about that what is most important for you, such as the venue, decoration, catering or a designer wedding gown, the flowers, a great photographer. Those categories are going to be where you’ll devote a greater part of your available budget, since they are vital parts of your dream wedding.
2. Make a list of what is not very important. Keep them in the list of less necessary things. If at last you save some money you can add to these less important things.
3. Check out the cost of each and every thing. No need to rely on others. Try all the costs by yourself and from different places and then final the best based on quality and reasonable cost.
4. Divide all the items on your budget list according to who is taking on which portions of the plans, and then find ways to get the best product or service for less. You can share the information with family and friends.
5. Venue decision is the main part of wedding planning. Venue should be easy to find, comfortable to enter with a wide entrance and a nice decoration as per your budget. A good parking space is necessary. Sitting arrangements should based on number of guests.
   Creating a smart and flexible wedding budget is a team effort, so work on it together with your family and friends. Just make all the arrangements with a confidence that you can arrange and manage everything within the desired budget. Do not take wedding planning with stress, instead you can enjoy it.