Thursday, April 14, 2005

 

Balance - Wedding Budget Blues

Let's think about what goes into your wedding budget. Your caterer/banquet facility will get the lion's share of it. If you are having 150 guests (an average number) and the banquet facility charges $100 pp. (typical high-end facility in New England area - including gratuity, tax, hidden fees) - that works out to $15,000 right off the top. If you have it and want to spend it - great. If you are trying to stretch your wedding dollars, then you really need to step back. Many couples get so caught up in the facility that they spend all their budget on it and don't have enough left over for quality entertainment or wedding photos.

If you took that same 150 guests and found a facility that only cost $75 pp, you now have an additional $4,000 that you can spend on your photographer and disc jockey. Why? When you walk away from your reception - if the music was a disaster - the entire event is a disaster. If you don't have quality wedding photos to cherish for years to come, it will just fade in your memory. The reality is - if the view wasn't so great at the facility and the food was just ok - people will not care as long as they had a great time. Think about that before you spend your entire wedding budget on the facility and run out of money for everything else. There needs to be a balance in your wedding budget.

In the New England Area average pricing for a quality disc jockey ranges between $1000-$1500. For a quality professional photographer, you should expect to spend at least $2,500-$4,000. Believe me, you will know the difference if you hire below this range.

LOOKING FOR EXCEPTIONAL WEDDING VENDORS? CHECK THESE VENDORS OUT.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

 

New Favorite Parent Dance Songs

There is a new wave of songs that people are using for dancing with their parents at wedding receptions - people are shying away from the traditional "Daddy's Little Girl":

1. John Mayer - Daughters
2. Ray Allaire—A Song for my Daughter
3. Boyz II Men - Mama
4. Kenny Loggins - Rainbow Connection
5. Mikki Viereck - Song For My Son
6. Lee Ann Womack—I Hope You Dance

LOOKING FOR OTHER WEDDING SUGGESTIONS? CHECK OUT THIS SITE

Monday, April 11, 2005

 

Doing Things Your Own Way

No one said that you had to follow the rule or etiquette. It is your wedding day. If you want to do the blessing AFTER the best man's toast, then it is your choice. If you decide that you don't want to intruduce in the wedding party, then don't do it. Back 20 years ago when wedding receptions were all the same - it would have been unheard of to do something different and unique. In this day and age, you can pretty much do anything you want.

What are some of the more unique things that we've seen in the past few years? We've seen clients opt to do a grand march into the reception hall v. formal introductions. The bridal party still lines up, but instead of announcing each person as they come in, the DJ would just play some lively music as background while they parade into the room.

Many wedding clients are deciding to be part of their cocktail hour - many times due to a lag between the end of the ceremony and the start of the reception. This is a great way to socialize with all your friends and family in a less structured format than the typical receiving line.

Dancing between courses is becoming more and more popular. Who said that you had to wait until dessert before people could get up and dance. With the right music, you can have your guests dancing straight through dinner. This is very important to consider during afternoon events where it's much harder to get guests up and dancing. We've even gone right from intruductions, into a couple's first dance and then broke into a 10-15 minute dance set PRIOR to the start of the meal.

Talk to your entertainment and ask them for suggestions on how you can make your wedding reception unique and all your own.

LOOKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT IN THE MA/CT/RI AREA? CLICK HERE.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

 

Grooming for the Groom

The big day is not all about the bride; the groom is also in the limelight and would like to look his best too. With the increase of men’s beauty products like Clarins, Lancôme, Nivea, Decleor, suggesting that men are paying more attention to their image then ever before. So the following are tips for keeping your husband to be in tiptop condition for those wedding photos.

Skincare

Men have been experimenting with our exfolients and moisturizer for as long as we can remember, this is better than using nothing at all but men need men-specific products for their skin. Their skin is a lot drier and oilier due to higher sebum levels and high moisture evaporation rates. Men’s skin is also thicker than women’s, has a more acidic ph, and has more defined eye contours not to mention fragile due to shaving. In other words our skincare products just wont do the job.

The first step is to use an oil for shaving Decleors Aromessence Homme and L’Occitane Cade Travel Shaving Oil are two good examples. Applied to the skin before shaving will lubricate and soften the hair making for a more comfortable and closer shave, applying a few drops afterwards to sooth and calm the skin preventing in growing hairs.

Use an exfoliater once or twice a week to further prevent in growing hairs and brighten the complexion. Nivea makes a deep cleansing facial scrub for men that is quite effective; there are plenty of brands to choose from for both oily and sensitive skin. This is always to be followed by a moisturizer or the skin will quickly dry out. Find out what skin type he is (dry, oily, sensitive) and buy the appropriate moisturizer. Another good tip is to get “girlie free” body creams like E45 or Lubriderm for dry skin areas or all over the body, if it isn’t scented he will be more inclined to use it.

Treatments

A good idea is to go for a facial a few months before the wedding to pamper your skin. A facial will make a huge difference to your skin leaving the face thoroughly cleansed and fresh. If you can’t convince him to do this maybe a half hour facial will be more appealing letting the beautician know he’s a bit nervous before hand so she can put him at ease.

The Decleor Aromaplasty Facial is a great treat for the bride or groom, it starts with ten-minute diagnostic back massage, then the facial nourishes and revitalizes the skin aiding in the absorption of moisture and nutrients. There are also deep cleansing treatments for the body, if the groom has an acne prone area maybe the back or chest; this treatment can be a good idea. If the groom does not want to go to a Spa or Beautician by himself why not go together you could even make a romantic weekend out of it by staying overnight.

Hair

It is not a good idea to go for a drastic change in the months leading up to the wedding. However it is a good idea to get the hair cut one or two weeks before the wedding letting the hair settle and avoiding a too tight cut. If he is brave enough to try a back or chest wax preparing for the honeymoon this is the best time to try as a wax will last up to ten weeks. Waxing should always be done at the salon preventing any horror stories.

Hands and feet

Hand care just does not sound very masculine or appealing to men, so it’s likely that his hands are not in the best shape possible to say the least. Given that his hands will be on display during the wedding it is a good idea for him to start a daily hand care ritual to keep his skin and nails in top condition for showing off the wedding band. Using a rich moisture hand lotion every day and NOT chewing his nails is a start, a really good idea is for him to get a manicure but if he protests maybe you could take out your nail file and give him a helping hand.

I an assuming that that yours and not his feet will be on display but this does not mean foot care for him is out the window. His concerns might differ from yours slightly, with more emphasis on odour prevention.

Scrubbing feet daily with some tea tree oil or mint foot scrub and drying them completely should help. Also inserting odor control insoles into his shoes to absorb wetness and odor can also be beneficial. Some good products to keep in mind are California North Barbay coast hand and foot scrub and the Scholl range of products are still going strong.

Fitness

There is no better time to join the gym than when you book your big day, it will provide all the motivation you need, going to the gym three times a week and eating a healthy balanced diet should tone your body and keep the weight off. Why don’t both of you join together you can motivate each other to get off the couch and spend some quality time together. If the gym is not your scene then some daily brisk walking is good to clear the head and keep in shape. Do not forget to drink plenty of water and limit you intake of alcohol to keep your body healthy and in good shape.

Smile

This will be the most noticeable feature in all the photos so make sure your smile is up to scratch. Go for regular check ups and get your teeth cleaned and polished coming up to the big day. Brush your teeth twice daily using gentle whitening toothpaste and don’t forget to floss. If you need extra help than why not purchase a whitening kit you’re your local pharmacy and see the difference after a few weeks. If you really want to splash out you can opt for a procedure called “britesmile” which uses a laser treatment to whiten teeth 5 to 6 shades brighter. This procedure will cost between $600 to $700 and is available from some dentists.

About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice on purchasing a variety of Wedding Dresses which includes Wedding gowns, Designer wedding gowns, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your wedding interests.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/


Wednesday, April 06, 2005

 

28 Things That Really Do Matter In Marriage (Short Shots On Living An Exceptional Life)

In my opinion, these things matter...

1. Valuing commitment over instant pleasure and faithfulness beyond short term displeasure.

2. Telling less than I feel for the purpose of learning more than I know.

3. Choosing to have mutual conflict become the playing field where we celebrate victory as opposed to the battle field where the only winners are division and discord.

4. Delighting in the dream of another -- not necessarily because I share the dream but because I'm in love with the one who owns it.

5. Appreciating what I do well in the face of what the other does better -- and doing so without downplaying either.

6. Calling it a night before calling it off.

7. Reinforcing habits that heal and breaking habits that make healing necessary.

8. Misplacing grudges more often and finding praises more often than not.

9. Making honor a way of seeing,
10. Gratefulness a way of speaking,
11. Listening with the heart a way of hearing,
12. And responding in self-control a way of emoting.

13. Striving to win as a team instead of simply striving to win.

14. Saying "I love you" more often -- without saying it.

15. Keeping a better score of what was done right than what wasn't done "as right as I would like."

16. Misplacing "You should have" more and finding "I'm glad you did" more often.

17. Developing and maintaining our own mutual admiration society.

18. Helping when I can,
19. Stopping when I should,
20. And listening a whole lot in between.

21. Speaking truth without a hurtful agenda and laying aside conflicting agendas for the sake of loving in truth.

22. Hating the word "betrayed" and choosing to join forces in waging a war against all it represents.

23. Loving for all the relationship is worth -- because it really is worth it all.

24. Working hard at words that work well instead of making it hard because "working hard at the relationship" is not in my vocabulary.

25. Realizing that forgiveness doesn't automatically make everything right -- it simply creates a more solid foundation for the remainder of the journey.

26. Learning how to laugh, cry, struggle, shout, pout, fight, celebrate and rejoice as a couple that cares as opposed to one that cares not at all.

27. Realizing there is no such thing as a "50/50" relationship in marriage. It's a "110/110" deal. We give our all -- and then some -- in order to make it all work out.

28. Choosing to make laughter, encouragement, joy, and mutual expressions of love permanent residents in our home instead of guests we hope will some day arrive.

____________________________________
© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute
this article. The copyright and this resource box must be
included. http://abeautifulmomentintime.blogspot.com

Avoid pain/create pleasure. For A Beautiful Moment In Time
go here --> http://www.motivation-for-daily-living.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/


Monday, April 04, 2005

 

Procrastination

Procrastinating and wedding planning do not go hand in hand. The lead time on certain things (like your dress, or booking your banquet facility) can be upwards of a year or more. The longer you wait to make a decision could jeopardize the success of your wedding day. The banquet facility that you had your heart set on might be booked on the date you wanted or the church and the banquet facility do not have the same Saturday available in September. The wedding industry is a huge supply and demand conglomerate.

Think about it - there are only so many Saturday night's available in the prime wedding season between May - Oct. It only reasons that the best DJs, Photographers and Banquet facilities would be booked up quickly for those key dates. Spring is now here. If you are getting married in 2005, hurry and book your key vendors before they are no longer available.

LOOKING FOR GREAT WEDDING VENDORS? CHECK HERE.

Sunday, April 03, 2005

 

Unique Ideas

So, you're not that close to your father - what do you do about the parent dance at your wedding reception? It is perfectly acceptable to dance with your stepfather instead. You could opt to skip the whole father/daughter dance thing altogether to avoid family politics. You could just dedicate a slow song to your father in the midst of the activities and take the spotlight off of the situation.

Receptions are filled with opportunities to aviod sticky situations. Ask your professional disc jockey for suggestions on how to get around family politics.

LOOKING FOR A WEDDING DISC JOCKEY IN THE NEW ENGLAND AREA? CLICK HERE.









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