The Wedding Doc

Literary Readings Make Weddings Special

There are so many options available today to help make weddings special that the happy couple planning their marriage ceremony may have to make some difficult choices as far as just what features to include. One semi-traditional aspect of the wedding ceremony that can help lend a spark of romance to the event is the literary wedding reading. Recitation of romantic poetry, heartfelt prose, or Shakespearean verse during the wedding ceremony can add a refined touch to an already beautiful occasion.

Selections of wedding readings can run the gamut of available literature; from writings as old as Biblical passages to the more modern works of authors and poets like Amy Tan and Maya Angelou. Any piece that relates a theme of love, devotion, or commitment can be appropriate as a wedding reading. The choice, really, is up to the couple as far as what they’d like to have as a wedding reading. Following are some traditional, modern, and more unusual wedding readings.

Love Poems/Prose

Poetry and prose about love and devotion make for wonderful wedding readings and it is selections from this category that you will hear most often. Favorites here include Shakespearean sonnets, the famous How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and selections from The Prophet by Kahil Gibran, but can, again, include virtually anything that the couple would like to include. Thoughtful, insightful, and moving passages are the key to having your wedding reading stand out in the minds of your guests.

Inspirational Readings

A favorite of religious wedding services, inspirational wedding readings are also quite common. The Bible is a fantastic source for these types of readings and certain passages have become standard fare in many church wedding services. Most familiar here is the instantly recognized “Love is patient and kind…” reading from I Corinthians and the “husbands love your wives” passage from the fifth chapter of Ephesians. Inspirational poetry can be used here as well as quotations from inspirational speakers. Anything that is spiritually uplifting and appropriate for the occasion will work here.

Out of the Ordinary Wedding Readings

Some wedding readings can be very creative, while others are just plain odd. I attended a wedding between two aspiring actors. Both the bride and the groom as well as several members of the wedding party were active in community theater. They used their wedding ceremony as an opportunity to perform for their guests and actually acted out the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, complete with Elizabethan costumes. Another wedding experience featured the bride and groom reciting the lyrics to Meat Loaf’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light which, while certainly an inappropriate selection for most weddings, seemed to fit their personalities and got quite a laugh from the guests. Clearly readings like this are not going to work for every wedding, but the examples do serve to show that the choices in wedding reading selection are really unlimited. The choice of whether to include a wedding reading in your ceremony, as well as what material to use, lies entirely with you.

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Planning For Your Second Wedding

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.

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What Is A Wedding Checklist and Why Do I Need One?

With everything a future bride and groom have on their minds getting ready for their big day, it is almost impossible to keep it all in order. To help you remember everything and minimize the headaches related to even the smallest of details, it is a good idea to prepare a wedding checklist.

Having a wedding checklist, which can be altered to fit your specific needs, will lessen the stress load each time you cross off a completed task. A wedding checklist will also ensure that when your big day comes, you haven’t forgotten anything and you can relax and enjoy your day.

Some things that may be included on a wedding checklist are reserving the date with a florist, photographer and disk jockey; set the time and date of the wedding, and reserve your church and reception location. These starter steps should be done about six to 12 months before your date.

More ideas to add to your wedding checklist include establishing a wedding budget, choosing the wedding party and ordering invitations and announcements. You may also want to consider picking out your dress and hair piece, visiting a boutique to look at attire for the attendants and ordering your wedding rings. All of these things should be done as early as possible to save you time when the small details become a necessity.

Closer to your date, the wedding checklist you create should have reminders for you to order wedding flowers, address invitations, plan a rehearsal dinner with friends and family, select the music and order the wedding cake. These things should be done about four months prior to your big day.

About four to six weeks before your wedding, you will need to go over your wedding checklist and began mailing invitations, do a final fitting for your gown, select your groom’s gift, be sure that thank you notes have been written and sent out for any showers and receptions that were thrown in your honor, and place your announcement in your local newspaper.

As you continue crossing tasks off your wedding checklist, it will become smaller and you will have a feeling of satisfaction and organization. The final details come two weeks before your wedding when you will need to make a final appointment with your florist to approve your flowers, go to the courthouse for a marriage license, change names on accounts and official documents and begin a list of wedding gifts and senders so that you will be able to send them thank you cards later.

Although these are just a few things that should be included on your wedding checklist, it gives you an idea of how many details you will be covering throughout your planning. If you stay organized with a list and give yourself plenty of time to complete each task, you will reap the rewards of having a peaceful beginning to your new life.

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Take Advantage of a Free Wedding Planner

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.

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Making a Wedding Speech

Sooner or later, at some point in your life, you may be called upon to speak at someone’s wedding. Perhaps you’ll be the proud father of the bride or someone’s best man. Whatever the case may be, it can be a good idea to know how to make the appropriate wedding speech. Some people may think these points are obvious, but they’re not the ones that are giving the speech. If you’re not much for public speaking, you may find these tips helpful if you ever have to speak at someone’s wedding.

Keep it Short

The worst part of any wedding celebration is when some long winded buffoon drones on and on during his opportunity to make a wedding speech. No one wants to listen to your ramblings for forty minutes, no matter how interesting you may think they are. People are at the wedding to share in the couple’s joy and have a good time. No one will be able to do either if you talk for too great a length of time. Try to keep your speech under five minutes long if possible.

Save the jokes for Henny Youngman

Public speakers often like to try and break the ice with a joke, have you ever noticed that? Have you also noticed that the jokes are usually bad? These people have professional speech writers working for them. You do not. Unless you are truly a funny person (your name is Robin Williams, for example), steer clear of the jokes. If you do have to make jokes during your wedding speech, try to make them appropriate for the occasion. Jokes about weddings in general or the people in attendance will always work better than jokes of the “a guy walks into a bar” variety. Also remember that jokes at the groom’s expense are funny while those at the bride’s expense are not. That’s just the way it is.

Sentimentality Works

People get all warm, fuzzy, and gushy at weddings. Sharing sentimental stories about the couple and how in love they are, about your own wedding, or any other appropriately smarmy topic will have them eating out of your hand. Make the focus of your wedding speech the subject of love and roses and good feelings and puppies and you can’t go wrong.

This Day is Not About You

This is perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when preparing and making a wedding speech. No matter how popular you are, no one is there to see you. The wedding day is all about the bride and groom. This is their day in the sun, so to speak. Keep your stories and anecdotes focused on the happy couple so that they can stay that way while you are speaking.

Keeping these topics in mind will help you be successful when making a wedding speech. With the right ideas and a minimal amount of preparation, even the most tongue tangled individual can come off like The Great Orator at least for five minutes or so when speaking at a wedding.

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Choosing Stunning Wedding Graphics

Our modern technological age has changed the ways in which we do numerous things in our lives. One thing that has changed drastically in the new millennium is how we present and preserve our weddings and the photographs, videos, and other memories from those events. Even just five years ago it was almost completely unheard of for people to create interactive and graphical web sites announcing their weddings, stating where they’re registered, and then uploading the photographs and videos to the site after the event so Great Aunt Agnes can see the wedding pictures without having to leave her trailer in Duluth. Today it is so common that everyone’s doing it and the practice is being popularized even further by celebrities like Star Jones. Additionally people are now using their computers to cut wedding costs by designing their own invitations and thank-you notes and printing them at home. It’s fun, cost effective, and allows a person to really let their creativity shine. It’s easy to jump on the do-it-yourself wedding bandwagon if you have a PC and a connection to the Internet. To do so one of the things you’ll definitely need to get a hold of are some impressive wedding graphics.

The Internet can be your best friend when searching for wedding graphics. There are many sites that specialize in low or no cost graphics. Most of these feature wedding graphics and include directions on downloading the images to your own PC, allowing you to get to work immediately being a computer wizard.

In order to start producing your web site or invitations you’ll need a decent graphics editing software. Adobe Photoshop is the application of choice for most digital artists and graphic designers, but if you’re not expecting to launch a graphic design company of your own you may find Photoshop’s cost a bit on the high end at approximately $800.00. There are many other graphics editing programs available, however, with price points ranging from about $50.00 to $100.00. Any of these will help you get started in editing and designing your wedding graphics without breaking your bank account.

Once you learn the ins & outs of your chosen application and have gathered some wedding graphics that you’re pleased with, you’re ready to get started. If you’re designing a web site about your wedding, it can be done without any knowledge of HTML (the computer language that web pages are written in) by choosing a web host that includes page design features. There are many of these on the Internet and once you’ve found one, designing your web site is as easy as uploading your graphics to your new host and designing the page using their tools. For invitations, flyers, thank you notes and other printable items, all you need to do is visit your nearest office supply or computer electronics store and pick up a set of the appropriate printable material for your printer. You’ll be making your own items with the beautiful wedding graphics you’ve chosen in no time.

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Inexpensive Centerpiece Decorations

When planning a wedding, most brides focus first on the church, lining it with flowers and ribbons. By the time costs for the wedding are taken care of many couple’s find that they are skimming close to their budget. It’s good know that the centerpiece decorations at your reception can not only be inexpensive, but tasteful and original.

Try this idea and score a perfect ten for creativity when planning your centerpiece decorations. Start by buying cute small frames as you see them on sale. Insert photos of you and your groom growing up through the years. Guests will not only love the originality of the idea but they will also get to see what you both looked like when you were younger. Of course, if they have known you your entire life, then this will give them a chance to reminisce about you.

If you are planning on a fall wedding use baskets and terra cotta pots to add a fall touch to your centerpiece decorations. Fill the baskets and pots with tiny pumpkins, apples, corn stalk and gourds. This will add that little extra touch to the season while filling your table with inexpensive decorations.

For a more romantic look, use inexpensive single fish bowls. Fill these centerpiece decorations with water, which can be colored with liquid dye, and add a floating candle. You may also find inexpensive artificial flowers that can be snipped at the tops and laid around the candles. This will create the mood of romance and add candlelight to each of your tables.

For a Christmas time wedding, use poinsettias and gold ribbons for centerpiece decorations. If you have extra money to spend, buy miniature Christmas trees and decorate them with lights and wedding charms for ornaments, which can be found at most bridal decoration stores. Place the trees in the middle of the table and let the guests try and guess what meaning each of the charms hold!

Let your guests get involved in your first day as man and wife by using paper and pens as a centerpiece decoration. Buy decorated paper and pens, placing them at each sitting. Leave instructions for the guests to give you the best marital advice they can. You may also have the guest make up a love poem to give you. This will get them involved and also give you a keepsake to read on your honeymoon. You may also add a long-stemmed rose at each place setting that they can take home with them.

A popular trend added to centerpiece decorations are disposable cameras with ribbons and bows tied around them. You can also type a note to hang from the camera letting guests know to take pictures throughout the night and then place the cameras inside a designated box as they leave. Just imagine the different photos you will have once the film is all developed.

No matter what you choose as centerpiece decorations, you can create a mood and atmosphere that represents your style, at an inexpensive price. So, hang balloons from the ceiling, let the cameras start clicking and begin your life together with friends, family and a lot of good times.

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Making the Most of Your Wedding: The Wedding Vows

There is no doubt that planning a wedding can be one of the most daunting tasks a person can undergo. Since the majority of the work traditionally falls upon the bride and her family (let’s face it, the guys, largely, just don’t care if the flowers are yellow and pink, canary and magenta, or goldenrod and cherry) it is always a good idea to have the assistance of a professional wedding planner or at least a trusted friend or relative to help keep all of the details in order. That assistant can take care of everything from ordering the cake to making sure the reception seating arrangement is in order and Uncle Herbert is as far from the bar as possible while Aunt Helen and Aunt Gertrude won’t come in contact with one another at all. One thing that will be entirely up to the happy couple, however, is the decision on the wedding vows. This is one aspect of the event that the groom will have to participate in as well.

The traditional wedding vows are immortal and familiar to us all. We’ve all heard the phrase “to love, honor, and cherish,” a million times before and, regardless of race, religion, or nationality, we all immediately associate these words with the marriage ceremony. There is nothing wrong with that. The traditional wedding vows are powerful words of love and commitment and, if you like those vows and they hold a special place in your heart, then you should feel free to include them in your wedding ceremony.

Many couples write their own wedding vows. The practice is now so common that original wedding vows have almost replaced the traditional vows as the norm for weddings, but that does not mean that the time-honored vows are any less meaningful.

For those that do wish to write their own wedding vows, the options are limitless. Some couples pen their wedding vows completely from their hearts and minds, using this portion of the wedding ceremony as an opportunity to express their love and devotion to one another in a very personal way. Others borrow literary quotes, song lyrics, poetry, or other non-original material that expresses their feelings for their beloved, to incorporate into their wedding vows. Anything that says how you feel is acceptable.

A young spouse-to-be may sometimes experience writer’s block when composing the wedding vows. This stems from anticipation of the pending event and is perfectly natural. The best way to overcome this anxiety is to slow down, close your eyes and think about your fianc�e. Imagine what you would say if he or she were right in front of you, with no one around. Find the best way to tell that person how you feel, how deep your love is, and what you promise to do and be as a husband or a wife. The words will come in no time and the result will be a beautiful wedding ceremony that is highlighted by beautiful and personal wedding vows.

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Wedding Dress Fashion For 2006 Crystals and gemstones make this year’s wedding gowns sparkle. Taffeta and accessories add appeal without adding weight.

(NAPSI)-Today’s bride looks best when she’s expressing herself and showing off her own unique style. Whether you’ve imagined your wedding gown for as long as you can remember or you only know the size and color, there’s something out there for your special day.

Today’s modern bride loves the look of the couture runway, but not the price tag. According to Wedding Channel.com editor Marilyn Oliveira, “Making your dress stand out is all about the details, not the cost. Find a dress that you love and that accentuates your figure.”

If you’re not sure what type of gown would look best on you, consult a bridal gown professional. Choose a professional who offers a wide variety of styles, fabrics, sizes and prices, so that you will have lots of options. Odds are they can select quite a few dresses that are flattering to your figure. Bridal Web sites are also a useful resource for information. WeddingChannel.com, for example, features more than 35,000 bridal fashion images to inspire brides.

Strapless dresses continue to be a timeless choice for many brides. This look provides an air of elegance and prestige that is flattering on most figures. This style can also be accessorized in many ways and is available in a multitude of fabrics to fit your specific taste.

Bridal designers are delivering fresh new takes on wedding fashion that look fabulous now and forever. Here are a few tips to make your gown dazzle:

• Brides are glamming up their wedding dresses with metallic thread embroidery and trails of tiny buttons.

• Bows, feathers, lace, ruffles, and tiers of fabric are ultrafeminine and sexy.

• Strategically placed rhinestones, pearls and beads create spectacular designs to make you look and feel glamorous.

• Luxurious as satin yet light as a cloud, taffeta rustles up high drama without getting heavy.

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Wonderful Wedding Tips From A Celebrity 

Event Planner

(NAPSI)-If you want to create a wedding to remember, say “I do” to the advice of the person who created dream weddings for clients such as Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Heidi Klum and Seal, and Trista and Ryan from “The Bachelorette.”

Event planner Mindy Weiss is happy to help. As Linens ‘n Things exclusive new Bridal and Gift Registry expert, Mindy Weiss offers some of her favorite ideas for creating a once-in-a-lifetime event and a one-of-a-kind new home.

Registering For Gifts

Give guests lots of choices and price ranges. To make it easier on yourself, wear comfortable shoes and clothes when choosing your gifts. Take along some water and snacks. If your fiance doesn’t want to be involved, do most of the legwork yourself and reinvite him once you’ve narrowed down the choices. Let him be the one to wield the scanner that logs in your selections

Personalize Your Registry

Let the registry reflect your personality and style. Think about your entertaining style and develop plans around that. If formal is your style, consider place settings as a good option along with stemware and silverware.

If you’re a novice cook, think about a good stainless-steel cookware set. If you’re an aspiring gourmet, consider the performance of hard anodized, tri-ply stainless.

Wedding Ideas

The Cake

Get personal. Give each guest his or her own miniature wedding cake or cupcake-a work of art to win over the toughest critic. Have a larger cake created so you can have the fun of slicing it. If you’re on a budget, stick to cupcakes.

Add a special touch with your monogram, a special flower or color that makes the guests think of you two.

Flowers

Take a cue from nature. An “unkempt garden” is a popular look with tall centerpieces overflowing with beautiful flowers, branches and leaves. Candles all over the table are a great way to give the room a warm, inviting finish. The idea is to make your guests feel as if they’ve entered a beautiful garden.

To save money, you can put the centerpieces together yourself. To cut costs, buy lots of filler pieces such as branches and greenery and fill in with selected flowers for pops of color.

Home Decor

Don’t forget to feather the nest before leaving for your honeymoon. When registering for gifts, Weiss and the design experts at Linens ‘n Things recommend signing up for timeless pieces in whites and neutrals with pops of color. Add trend items through decorative accessories such as toss pillows and throws that can be inexpensively changed seasonally.

Living and Dining Space: Dazzling Classic Whites

Comfort is key. Look for comfort in seating with sectionals made to fit your space, layered with decorative pillows in classic whites with navy accents.

Table linens, plates, glassware and flatware should all be traditional in style but with a personality that reflects the both of you. Let the color come alive in the food and flowers.

The Bedroom:

Affordable Luxury

Create a private retreat. Layer beds with a down comforter, duvet cover and plenty of pillows. Mix decorative pillows of different shapes and textures with tone-on-tone color and touches of white.

The Bathroom: Personalize It

Make it yours. Add color and personality to the bathroom-monogram your bathrobes, towels and guest towels.

The Kitchen: Function and Design

Equip yourself. Take an inventory of what you own and take this opportunity to upgrade your existing appliances. Remember that technology has changed how these tools perform. The hottest items are hot beverage systems, grill pans and stand mixers. The hottest trend is making your kitchen have the look of a commercial kitchen. Start with stainless-steel appliances and add some personality with colored appliances and the latest in kitchen gadgets.

The Outdoors: Bring The Indoors Al Fresco

Think outside the house. Place some cable knit throws in baskets on outdoor seating to create a cozy conversation area.

Remembering to include something for every room in your home when you register can make it even sweeter to return from your honeymoon.

For more information, go to www.LNT.com.

A few details can make a world of difference whether you’re designing your wedding ceremony or decorating your new home.

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