The Wedding Doc

The History of the Wedding Ring

The use of the wedding ring as a symbol of the bond between husband and wife is familiar to us as the concept of marriage itself, but from where did this interesting tradition emerge? The history of wedding rings as they are known today is actually unclear. In an article dating from the July 1869 issue of Appleton’s Journal of popular Literature, Science, and Art, Edward J. Wood hypothesizes that the modern (modern as of 1869) use of wedding rings stems from the practices of ancient Hebrews. It was customary for the family of a prospective groom to give gifts to the potential bride and her family. The general assumption is that it is from this tradition that the use of wedding rings as we know them seems to have evolved.

Wedding rings are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but references do exist that suggest the aforementioned Hebrew practices. Genesis 24:53 in the King James Version reads, “And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things,” speaking of the servant of Abraham, the father of Isaac, who was to wed Rebekah. The wedding ring first came into use in Christian wedding ceremonies around 870 A.D.

The tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand also comes from the ancients. In ancient Greece it was believed that an artery from that particular finger led directly to the heart. While we now know this is pure mythology, it does serve as a rather romantic explanation for the tradition.

Although the concept of the wedding ring is obviously very old, the ring was almost always worn by the bride. Double-ring wedding ceremonies are rather new. Wedding rings for men were almost unheard of before 1940 and increased in use about the time of the Second World War. According to an October 1953 story in Hobbies, only about 15% of wedding ceremonies included a ring for the groom. After the start of World War II, the percentage jumped to 60%, and then to 70% after the start of the Korean war. Today it is more common than not for grooms and brides alike to wear a wedding ring.

So, why a wedding ring, as opposed to, say, a wedding bracelet or necklace? Religious ceremonies usually include a mention by the officiating clergyman of the ring’s unending circle being representative of both God’s perfect love for humanity and the marrying couple’s undivided devotion to one another.

While the precise origin of the wedding ring is unclear and lost to history, today we recognize the wedding ring as a symbol of the unity of marriage. The couples of today also generally choose their wedding rings together, thus adding to the personal symbolism that the jewelry carries for them. Additionally, the wedding ring serves as a social symbol in today’s world, signifying to others that this man or woman is “spoken for.”

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Marriage in the Virgin Islands: St. Thomas Weddings

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.

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Wedding Favors for Today’s Couples

When you’re planning your wedding, one of the decisions you’ll need to make is in the selection of wedding favors for your guests. These small gifts are a wonderful way to show your guests that you appreciate them coming to celebrate your special day and to say a small, personal “thank you” in advance for their attendance, their friendship, and their wedding gifts to you.

Wedding favors have come a long way from the days of your parents’ or grandparents’ weddings. No longer just a staple of weddings for the wealthy or well-to-do, wedding favors can now be ordered from a number of sources, including online companies, for a fraction of what they once cost. Even a modest or small wedding can be made that much more special by providing quaint and thoughtful wedding favors for the guests.

Wedding favors are typically small but thoughtful items that are meant to serve as a memento of your beautiful day. Traditional items include things like ornate bottle-stoppers, cake servers, and serving spoons. Such items are intended to be a keepsake for the wedding guests rather than something they will actually use in everyday life. Some couples, however, will choose favors that serve double duty as a reminder of the event as well as a useful item. Small picture frames, decorated place card holders, lovely candy dishes, pen and pencil sets, and other such favors fall into this category. Edible wedding favors such as mints or candies in an attractive tin are also available. The choices are truly limited only by your imagination.

Typical wedding favors come with traditional wedding theme designs including bells, doves, hearts, flowers, and flowing ribbons, but can also include more modern motifs like dolphins. With the more costly but far more personalized option of custom ordering, virtually anything is possible.

The most important consideration is selecting wedding favors is to remember that these are items meant simply to say “thank you.” You’re not going to find the perfect item that will please each and every guest at your wedding, but a little thoughtfulness will result in favors that will at least let your guests know that you’re thinking of them. The guests at your wedding are primarily your family and your friends; all of them will appreciate a small souvenir of the event.

Wedding favors should not be confused with the traditional gifts provided by the bride and groom to members of their wedding party. It is proper to provide the bridesmaids and groomsmen with a more personal and separate gift. Anything that says you appreciate their friendship and participation in your special day is appropriate for these close friends or family members.

Your wedding is undoubtedly one of the most important days in your life and all of the planning that goes into this momentous event reflects that importance, helping to make your special day a beautiful experience for all involved. Selecting the perfect wedding favors can help make that dream of beauty and perfection into a reality.

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Choosing a Wedding Invitation

Choosing wedding invitations has become just as important as choosing your bridal gown, because it is your official announcement that will beautifully display your names together and the date of your upcoming union. An invitation could be cherished forever in a frame or scrapbook and will be seen for generations to come.

The most important detail to pay attention to when choosing a wedding invitation is the company who will be making them. Is it a respectable company? Are they capable of doing good work and paying attention to even the smallest details? Do they have a good reputation of getting the invitations sent out at a reasonable time and are their fees acceptable? Once you have found a good stationary company to order your invitations through, they will be able to help you decide the wording to use and the etiquette to use in unusual situations.

Choosing a wedding invitation will be based on the tone you want set for your wedding. It should match the style and theme, whether it is casual and light or a more formal ceremony. You may also think about applying wedding colors to the ink of invitations. This will give guests the hint of your wedding colors when they want to buy you gifts that reflect your special day.

For unique styles when choosing your wedding invitation, think about having your stationary company put a black and white photo of you and your soon to be groom on the invitation. There are also many different types of clip art you can add. For a more formal wedding, add ribbons and bows to the invitation, which can be tied on by you after printing is done.

When choosing your wedding invitations, think about what information you will want to include. Be sure there will be ample room for what you want to say. A typical invitation includes the bride and grooms names, parent’s names, date and time of wedding and the name and address of the church. You may also want to include any plans of a reception with times and address. Response cards can be added with the invitations for an additional fee which will ask the guest to send back an answer to whether they are attending and how many there will be in their party.

Once you have chosen your wedding invitations, give yourself plenty of time to order them so you can proofread the writing and have them corrected if necessary. Be sure to have an accurate guest list so that you do not run short on invitations when sending them out. They should be sent out no sooner than a month before the wedding and no later than two weeks before. By sending them out too soon, guests may lose the invitation and forget your big day and by sending them out too late, many people will have a hard time attending because of prior obligations.

When choosing invitations remember to pick the one you feel fits your wedding and style, pay attention to wording, order early, and proofread. Always save an invitation back for yourself for you and your spouse to read in the years to come.

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Titanium Wedding Rings: Wave of the Future?

Amongst all of the traditions we use in matrimonial ceremonies and celebrations, none is more familiar or meaningful than the wedding ring. The time honored tradition of couples wearing bands to signify their unyielding love and devotion for one another goes back perhaps farther than recorded history. In modern tradition, the wedding ring is typically a band of 18 karat gold, but that tradition has changed in recent years. Today there are many more designs in wedding rings available than there were even as recently as when your parents were married. The traditional plain gold bands are still available, of course, but so are more intricate and ornate designs, as well as bands made of white gold, platinum, and a popular new choice: titanium. In fact, titanium wedding rings are getting more and more popular and there are several reasons for this phenomenon.

Most certainly a part of the reason for the steady increase in the use of titanium wedding rings is the price. Titanium wedding rings cost considerably less than gold or platinum rings but are every bit as beautiful. A titanium wedding ring can cost hundreds of dollars less than comparable rings made of the other precious metals. This is an important consideration for many couples who, due to budgetary limitations, may have had to buy the poorest quality gold rings or do without wedding rings entirely. Titanium rings are a good choice for the budget conscious.

Titanium wedding rings are also more durable than the traditional gold rings. Titanium becomes scratched less easily than gold and can stand up to more of the wear and tear that can result from a person wearing the ring all the time. This is especially true of the men’s rings as men tend to be much harder on their wedding rings than women are. Titanium is more resistive to heat and cold and extreme pressure than gold or platinum are. Think about it. Titanium is used in the space shuttle. It is an alloy that can take a beating.

Titanium is a very smooth alloy as well. Due to this, titanium wedding rings tend to be very comfortable and there is less chance of skin irritation. Also, there are some people who, due to an allergic reaction, can not wear gold jewelry at all. In the past the only option for them has been the far more costly platinum rings. Now titanium wedding rings are a viable alternative for these people.

When it comes time for you to choose wedding rings for yourself and your intended spouse, you may want to look into titanium. Many jewelers as well as online marketers carry an impressive array of titanium wedding rings that are every bit as lovely as their more traditional gold, white gold, and platinum counterparts. In an aspect of life that is full of tradition and similarity all through history, it’s nice that there are now more choices available. Titanium wedding rings are now just one more of those choices that may be right for you.

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Wedding Videography - Remember it With More Than Pictures

It wasn’t long after the first video cameras were available to the general public that the concept of wedding videography was born. Weddings are one of those life events that we want to remember as well as we can and a wedding video is able to do so much more than a photograph in terms of keeping the memories of your special day alive in your heart. Wedding videography allows you to see and hear everything exactly as it happened, something a photograph will never be able to do, no matter how stunning or professionally created.

The earliest wedding videography usually consisted of a friend or family member that happened to own a video camera volunteering to tape the ceremony and reception. As technology advanced and video cameras became the smaller, less costly, and higher quality devices we now call camcorders, this became more prevalent. Professional wedding videographers are available everywhere now, and at a similar or sometimes lower cost than traditional wedding photography. If you do choose a video recording of your wedding, it is definitely a good idea to use a professional videographers rather than taking the “my friend has a camcorder approach.” Certainly the amateur videographers has the ability to capture all of the events at your ceremony and reception, but a professional will supply perfect lighting and sound and is able to perform editing duties to make your wedding video as beautiful and memorable as possible. Many professionals also have the ability to add beautifully detailed animations to your wedding video, making it a joy to watch your wedding moments again and again. Professionals are also adept at making sure they can capture every moment in the ceremony and reception without being overly obtrusive to the wedding party and guests.

One of the nicest things about the advancing technology of today’s world is the availability of DVD burning devices. Most professional providers of wedding videography are now able to supply you with your wedding video on DVD disc, complete with interactive menus and chapter selections. DVDs last longer than video tapes and with their inherent interactivity you’ll be able to see the part where Aunt Mildred loses her slip doing The Chicken Dance without having to watch or fast forward through the whole ceremony and reception. Wedding DVDs are also much easier to make copies of as long as you have the equipment and software on your computer to do so.

If you do decide to save some money and use the friend with a camcorder method, it may be wise to at least find out how much of a hobbyist your friend is. If he has a DV camcorder and decent editing software along with a DVD burner, your friend may be able to do a pretty good job with your wedding videography. It won’t be quite the same quality as that which a professional could provide, but a hobbyist friend is a viable option when money is a deciding factor in your choice of wedding videographers.

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Guidelines for Wedding Announcements

Getting married is one of the most exciting things that a person can do. While the process of planning and executing a wedding ceremony takes a lot of time and attention to detail, once it’s all over it is obvious that all of the stress involved was well worth it. Once the wedding is done, however, there are still a few details that should be looked after. Wedding announcements fall into this category.

Wedding announcements are intended to let people know that you are now married. The responsibility for creating them typically falls upon the bride or her family and there are a number of ways of completing wedding announcements.

Newspaper wedding announcements are quite common. If you choose to announce your wedding in the local newspaper, you’ll want to contact the offices of the publication for information on how to do this. Check the paper’s wedding page as well since many newspapers print their guidelines for wedding announcements right there. Different publications will have different ways of going about this, so it’s important to look into each one if you plan to submit wedding announcements to more than one newspaper. Some papers charge a nominal fee to publish wedding announcements and some will do it for free. Some will also print photographs with the announcement if you so desire. Again, check with the individual publication to see what they will and won’t do.

The information to include in a newspaper wedding announcement will depend on how much you want to print and how much the paper is willing to print. Some papers will ask that the bride fill out a simple form, others will ask that the information simply be submitted. Some of the information that you will want to consider including is the bride’s full name, the names of the bride’s parents and their place of residence (the city or town, not their street address), the names of the bride’s grandparents (both sides of the family), what school or college the bride attends or graduated from, the bride’s occupation, the name of the groom and his place of residence, the names of the groom’s parents and their place of residence, the occupations of the groom’s parents, names of the groom’s grandparents (again, on both sides), where the groom attended school or college, the groom’s occupation, and details about the wedding itself such as the date and location, the names of those in the wedding party and their relationships (if any) to the bride or groom, where the couple has gone for their honeymoon, and any other information you may deem pertinent or interesting.

Personal wedding announcements are also appropriate to send. These will typically be sent in the names of the bride’s parents and will go to friends, relatives, and acquaintances who were not invited to the wedding itself. It is customary to send these wedding announcements immediately following the wedding date. If the wedding were held on, say, Saturday the first, the wedding announcements should be in the mail on Monday the third.

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Japanese Wedding Theme

Japanese weddings, although very expensive are very elegant and serene. If you are choosing a Japanese theme for your wedding, think about ways to achieve the authentic look at a fraction of the price.

For a Japanese wedding theme begin with the bride’s attire. Traditionally, a bride in Japan wears a white silk kimono, which can cost up to twenty five thousand dollars to purchase. With a good seamstress, a kimono can be made from white silk. A groom wears a haori on the top and a hakama on the bottom, all in black. The bride will usually change into different kimonos up to five times during the wedding day. Although not required, some Japanese brides wear wigs as part of the tradition of the kimono wedding dress. The wig is heavily decorated in artificial flowers, gold combs and pearls. The wedding party will also dress in kimono’s, usually in a color chosen by the bride.

At the ceremony of a Japanese themed wedding, the bride and groom traditionally enter the ceremony from different sides of the room while drum and flute music are being played. A sacred tree, made from paper streamers is then waved over the couple in belief that it will keep evil spirits away and unite purification. After vows are said, the couple then drinks wine, or sake, and exchanges their glasses nine times to symbolize their bonding.

Some accessories to look for when uniting in a Japanese themed wedding include white fans for the bride and bridesmaids to hold during the ceremony, bonsai trees to display as centerpieces on the reception tables, a decorated parasol for the flower girl to carry, and bowls of bamboo to set around the reception to give a more authentic look of Japanese culture.

When deciding on lighting for a Japanese themed wedding, look for paper lantern lights, which can also be made. Hang them at the reception location and use for lighting rather than candles. You may also think about buying miniature fans to use as place settings for guests to take home as souvenirs. Chop sticks are another great item to add to the theme of the wedding. Whether your guests know how to use them or not, they will have fun trying and taking them home.

In a new modern era, couples are beginning to incorporate the traditional Japanese wedding with more of a modern Western culture, which makes the wedding more understood by those who are not familiar with Japan’s culture.

When planning your Japanese wedding theme, read up on the cultures and traditions of Japan and include all or a few of them in your wedding, using your own style. If you pay attention to the detail of your attire, reception decorations, music and flowers, you will have a beautiful wedding with the feel of Japanese culture.

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Working as a Wedding Photographer

One of the most rewarding aspects of a photographer’s career can be capturing moments and memories from the weddings of loving and happy couples. In fact, making sure that each and every shot, whether candid or posed, is just right can be both amazingly difficult and uniquely rewarding at the same time. As a wedding photographer you carry an awesome responsibility. The events that you are recording on film will occur for these two particular people only once and the way that they remember their wedding will be directly affected by the job that you do. Because of this, the wedding photographer’s task, while not as glamorous as that of a fashion, sports or news photographer, may be the most important in the craft of photography itself. Photographs like those of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, the unnamed sailor kissing his unnamed girlfriend after the end of World War II, and the New York firemen raising the US flag on 9/11 may have dramatic impact on the entire world, but the wedding photographer has the ability to impact the lives of individuals in a unique and profound way.

Wedding photographers must learn to be able to catch the smallest details of the wedding occasion in a way that will create lasting memories. The focus, of course, is always the bride and groom, but the wedding photographer is also charged with recording those moments that the busy couple may not even have been aware of. While the couple is sure to cherish the photographs of themselves at the altar, reciting their vows or stuffing that traditional first piece of wedding cake into each other’s mouths, it is the photos of a happily drunken Uncle Jack trying to do The Chicken Dance or of a small child’s reaction to the sheer enormity of the event that will be looked upon and remembered fondly by the couple and their family for years to come.

The key to being a successful wedding photographer lies in two concepts: ability and invisibility. The skilled wedding photographer will use her ability to set up poses that result in beautiful and memorable images, to use correct lighting and filter effects on the final product that create breathtaking images, and to make everyone she photographs look better than they do in life. She will use invisibility to be able to catch all those candid moments and get incredible shots of the ceremony in process while remaining unobtrusive and almost completely unnoticed by the wedding party and guests. Mastery of these skills takes time, training, and a certain amount of instinct, but the best wedding photographers have it down to an art.

If photography is your field of choice, you could certainly do worse than opting to work as a wedding photographer. You’ll get to see people at their happiest moments; looking as beautiful and radiant as they can, the memories you help to create and maintain will last for their entire lifetimes, and they will always remember the incredible work of the photographer at their wedding.

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Plan a Western Themed Wedding

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.

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