The Bridal

How to Make a Bridal Shower A Memorable One.

The bridal shower is traditionally planned by the maid or matron of honor leading up to the wedding day, although other people such as mothers, bridesmaids and other family members often get involved. The bridal shower is meant to be an enjoyable party where the bride is showered with love, well-wishes and gifts by the bride's best female friends and family. Mistakes are sometimes made in the planning process that can take the levity and enjoyment out of the event for the bride and the attendees. There are some bridal shower ideas that reduce stress to making planning more enjoyable and make the shower more entertaining and memorable. This article will tell you how to make a bridal shower a memorable one.

One way of making the bridal shower a thing to remember is by reducing stress Speak to the bride before you begin planning to get her opinion of what she want or like. Traditionally, the bride is not involved with the shower, but if she is hard to please, it will be easier to talk through any worries or ideas she might have at the beginning of the process and avoid confrontations that could ruin the day.

Decide if a couple's shower would be more fun. You can co-plan with the best man and reduce the formality of the event, leading to a more enjoyable time.

Determine the budget for the shower to reduce any financial worries. Make sure that anyone who has a large say in what goes on at the shower, is also giving money toward its creation. Collect money in advance, if possible, to pay for reservations, catering or party favours.

The scheduling time should not be more than 2 hours long. It is hard to keep a fun atmosphere for a long period of time.

Invite the bride's closest friends and family. Make sure that everyone who is invited to the shower is also invited to the wedding. It can be a cause of resentment if people believe they are being solicited for gifts for a wedding that they won't be attending.

Decorate early on the day of the event, so that you and the other helpers are not rushed. Set up the shower layout to encourage mingling between friends and family of the bride.

Decide if there will be gifts. This is often a cause for worry. If the bride does not want gifts, be sure to say "No gifts" on the invitation. If the bride does want gifts, it is a good idea to create a theme around the gifts she most needs, like kitchen wares or lingerie.

The bride can also register for gifts, in which case you should include that information in the shower invitations.

Determine a theme for the shower based on the bride's personality or lifestyle. Possible themes include a tea party, craft night, picnic, wine and cheese tasting, girls games, bowling event, dance class, cooking or canning party, a hike, spa day, in-home yoga class or tiki party, etc. You can also theme your party around the type of gift the bride needs to receive. For example a kitchen, bar or entertainment shower.

Pick a fun location. For most weddings, the traditional home or hotel restaurant reception may not fit the bride's preferences. Fun locations include the park, the beach, the library, a backyard barbecue, a gallery, a garden, mini-golf course, pool, museum, boat or sporting activity.

Choosing Enjoyable Entertainment 

Provide plenty of snacks. Guests will enjoy themselves more if there is something to munch on. If you decide to serve alcohol at the shower, the appetizers are even more important in making sure the shower doesn't get out of hand.

Play background music to lighten the mood of the shower. Make a list of the bride's favorite songs or make a wedding playlist in the theme of the shower, like beach music.

A great wedding-themed playlist can include songs like "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups, "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, "Let's Get Married" by the Proclaimers, "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne, "With this Ring" by the Platters, "Not Too Young To Get Married" by Bob E. Soxx and the The Blue Jeans, "Wedding Bells" by Hank Williams, "Hotel Yorba" by the White Stripes, "Forever in my Life" by Prince and "Love and Marriage" by Frank Sinatra.

Choose an ice breaker for the beginning of the event, so that friends and family will get to know each other. Use the R.S.V.Ps that you received to make bridal shower bingo. Give everyone a card that has squares referring to people the bride knows, such as a colleague, childhood friend, sister or aunt. A guest gets a bingo if she meets people from different areas of her life and fills in the names of those people.

You can also do an ice breaker in the style of a scavenger hunt. Make a list of interesting facts and give it to the guests. They have to find who traveled to Mexico with the bride in 2000 or who gave her her first hair cut.
Pick games that reflect the audience that will attend the shower. For example, do not play bawdy games with the bride's mother in attendance. Do not play games that make people talk about their relationship, if you have invited many single people.

If your bride does not seem like the type to enjoy indoor games, play croquet or bocce ball instead. This is a great idea if she is sporty.

Popular bridal shower games include making a wedding dress out of toilet paper for the bride or for each guest, playing trivia about the bride's life, write poetry or limericks.

Play purse bingo, where you get points for common items found in a purse, like a hairbrush, safety pin or pen. Each person allots themselves points according to what they have in their purse and the one with the highest score wins.

Make recipe cards and have each of the guests write down their idea of a recipe for a perfect relationship. Bind the cards together with pictures afterward and give them to the bride.
Ask guests to sign a guestbook and include their favorite memory with the bride. 

Source from here

I DO

Questions You Need To Ask Your Partner Before Your Say "I DO"

Getting married is such a wonderful thing. When you fall in love with that special person in your life and you are ready for the next step, to be fully committed to one another. There are certain things couples need to ask each other to ascertain that they are working towards the same goal and each person is willing to sacrifice for the other. But without couples assuming that their partners knows what they want, they like or do not like.

These are some of the questions you need to ask your partner,

1) Do you want to have children and if yes how many. I know this might sound rubbish to the ears of some, but believe you me, I have see some couples that fight over I want a baby and the other do not. Or if they do want babies, one might just want one and the other might want four children or so. So, it is good to discuss this before hand.

2) Who is going to help with the house-chores? I know we are in the 21st century but believe it or not, some men still believe that it is still the duties of the woman to do all the house work even if she comes back home late from work and he is already home before her. And she is almost knock out. My believe is that house work needs to be shared among the couples because marriage is a union where you work together as one and where you share your work load.

3) Who is going to deal with the finances. This is a big one... Click here to know more.

4) How often are you both going to go for a date? This is very important to keep the communication line open at all times. This is because most often couples are busy running after their day jobs or may be busy doing other things like taking care of the children and both partners neglect each other and do not have time for one another to just spent on their own without interruption. I would advice at least take time to sit without any disruption from anyone else once a week to have a heart to heart discussion.

5) Who cooks the meal and/or washes the dishes?

And many more

Venues For That Wedding

How to Plan a Destination Wedding

You have agreed to get married to that special one. Now you will need to decide on where to hold your wedding. Should it be local or somewhere far away? If the idea of destination wedding has crossed your mind, you need to consider three important factors, which will help you relieve stress and unneeded anxiety.

1. Consider whether you are able to cope with leaving much of the planning to someone else. If you like to control everything you do, including the small details, a destination wedding may not be right alternative. If you are going to have a wedding away from your home location, you need to build a relationship of trust with people handling your wedding arrangements at the destination you have chosen. 
2. You might have to give up planning every single detail and enlist the help of a wedding coordinator to take on the most taxing tasks. Or, opt in for an all-inclusive option which is likely to be offered by the hotel you are having the reception at.
   
3. Think about the size of your guest party. A destination wedding may not be suitable for couples who want a large affair that includes many members of their families, distant relatives and friends. You will need to keep in mind that some people will not be able to afford the plane tickets, hotel stays, or even taking time off from work to fly out to the destination where you are having your wedding.
   
4. Go for it. If you have decided that you won't have issues giving up some control of the details to somebody else and are thinking of smaller weddings, then start organizing your destination wedding. Prepare to enjoy the fun the destination wedding offers. Imagine all you can do with your loved ones while you are there.
   
5. Determine a location on where you would like to have your wedding.
   
6. Ask about how many days or hours you need to be in the country before you can have the ceremony and buy your tickets with that timeframe in mind.
   
7. Contact the right people. Spend some time searching for the right people to help plan your wedding by looking online and in the Yellow Pages. People you will need to depend on include:

The wedding venue organizers

The celebrant

The caterers

The cake baker

The decorators

A wedding planner specialist (who can be a good go-between for everything)

Transportation

Security if needed

Music providers

Dressmaker (if not doing locally)

Miscellaneous such as making up gifts for guests, organizing guest accommodation, etc.

Wise Wedding Plan

How to Plan an Affordable Wedding

Nowadays, many busy couples find that they are rushed for time and short on cash when comes to planning and financing their wedding. Many weddings offer a sensible yet elegant solution to the expense and headache normally associated with a traditional wedding. Typically, any wedding is easier to plan, cheaper to pay for and a whole lot more fun - for everyone - including the guests! There are some 'special issues' though that must be considered when planning a wedding.


The Bridal Dress Up

1. Choose your location wisely.
   
2. Decide how many guests will be attending. Check with local authorities to be sure.
   
3. Find a wedding officiate local to the your choice to perform your wedding ceremony. Wedding packages are becoming very popular and are ideal for busy couples. Often they include everything you need from the bouquet to the photography to the filing of your marriage license.
   
4. Minimize your reception expenses by planning a sunset ceremony followed by a simple but elegant wine and cheese reception.
5. Rent an outdoor canopy to protect your reception area from rain showers and uninvited seagulls. For a tropical flare, decorate the canopy with tulle and twinkling mini-lights and silk flowers. Use hurricane candles for lighting.
   
6. Remember your guest's comfort and safety. Provide seating for the elderly as well as sunscreen and insect repellent just in case. If some of your guests have mobility impairments recognize that it's nearly impossible to push a wheelchair in the sand, and it's very hard for people who have difficulty walking to negotiate sand as well. Many beaches have walkways or platforms. Use these accordingly.
   
7. Thank your guests for sharing your day by presenting them with wedding favours such as personalized sand-dollars, seashell candles or Hawaiian Silk Leis.

ALL KINDS OF WEDDING SPEECHES FOR YOU

Speeches For Father of the Bride

How to Make The Father of The Bride Speech

If someone close to you is getting married, you're probably going to want to make a toast at their wedding and show the couple how happy you are for them. But if you've never made a toast before, and your tongue gets tied and palms get sweaty just thinking about it, you might be looking for some guidance. While what you say on their special day is up to you, there are some common conventions as to how it's said.

1. Write the Speech. This is your chance to honor the couple, so don't wait until the night before the wedding to think of what you're going to say. Even if you want to be spontaneous, it's good to have a toast written in case your mind goes blank. The toast should be short, sweet, and personal. A humorous quote or story can add a nice touch, just keep it tasteful. Anecdotes that involve nakedness, drunkenness, or ex-significant others of the couple could make the moment very awkward for yourself, the couple, and the guests!
   
2. Make notes. You might get flashbacks of making presentations in school, but putting notes on index cards really is a good idea, especially if you're not confident in your public speaking abilities. Don't write your entire speech out word-for-word...You don't want to spend the entirety of the toast staring at your index cards and sounding like a robot. Instead, include short quotes or key phrases like "Talk about meeting bride for first time, mention how comfortable they were with each other." The idea is for the note to jog your memory, but the actual wording should be off the top of your head, provided you follow the next step.
   
3. Practice your speech. Get a kitchen timer, a mirror, and an audience (any combination of people and stuffed animals will do, as long as they have eyes and can sit still like attentive wedding guests). Rehearse your speech in its entirety as if you were at the wedding. Modify your index cards as needed. Keep practicing until you feel at ease with the toast.
   
   • Go through all the motions. Imagine where the audience is sitting, for example, and pretend to make gestures and eye contact in that direction.
     
   • Insert strategic pauses to add emphasis. Doing so will also help prevent you from rushing through the speech.
     
   • Keep your speech to around two minutes. If you find yourself talking quickly (which is likely if you're nervous) make a conscious effort to slow down.
   • Stand up. Look around and check that all glasses (including yours) are full before making the toast. There should be wine, champagne, or something that looks like wine or champagne in your glass, as toasting with water is offensive in some cultures.
   • Mastering public speaking. And how your new-found skill can enhance many other areas of your life – not just wedding speeches.
   • The seven secrets of great speech making. Seven is a lucky number and you’ll feel very lucky to be privy to these vital secrets.
   • Myths about public speaking. Here’s where you get the truth about four damaging myths that could harm your performance.
   • Unshakeable confidence. How to summon up diamond-hard confidence in an instant.
4. Raise your glass to the person you're toasting. While many people associate making a toast with tapping the side of your glass with a utensil, consider that you might damage fine crystal at a formal affair. To play it safe, say "I'd like to make a toast" in a firm voice and wait.
   
5. Announce your relationship to the couple. Some people at the wedding might not know who you are, so making this clear at the beginning will avoid any confusion. Bring your glass down as you start to speak, but continue holding it in one hand (unless you're holding both a microphone and notes).
   
6. Give the speech. Look at the person you're toasting to, but also shift eye contact towards the guests occasionally.
   
7. End the toast on a positive note. Include a formal indication to inform them of the ending of the toast and what to say next. For example: "Let us now toast the happiness of Jill and Jack. To Jill and Jack!" As you say this, wave your glass to all, then tip it towards the person you are toasting to, or clink their glass if you're close enough. Then clink your glass gently with those around you and sip (don't gulp or chug) your drink (wikihow).