Planning Your Memorable Wedding
April 29, 2009
You have finally said, “Yes.” This is the start of your life as a couple. And prior to that much-awaited big day, you, both the bride and groom have so many decisions to make and wedding-related tasks to complete.
Preparing for your wedding day need not be stressful. On the other had, it should be fun and memorable. And to do this, start off by putting together a wedding timetable.
A short list of wedding-related tasks as well as a rough estimate of when the activities should be done follows. It presents tips and guidelines to keep you organized and help you think of all the matters that you must take into consideration in the course of planning for your big day. Of course, these are mere suggestions. All activities and schedule are still up to the couple to decide on depending on their priorities.
At the Time of the Engagement
- You must tell your parents the happy news as soon as possible that is if they don’t already know. If you were having an engagement party, it would be good to keep your close friends and relatives in the know, too.
- An organizer would be best to have in handy. This will help you keep track of all the appointments, payments and other wedding-related activities that you must attend to.
- Have your engagement photo taken. This would be nice to have as a keepsake of this wonderful occasion.
6 to 12 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should have already picked and decided on the wedding date. Do the reservation for the venue where the ceremony and reception is to be held.
- Set an appointment with the wedding officiant.
- Establish a budget for the wedding, and try as much as possible to stick to it.
- Prepare a wedding guest list. You wouldn’t want to leave somebody uninvited unintentionally.
- Look around for a photographer, florists, musicians, and a caterer. Obtain estimates for these services.
- Register at the bridal gift registry.
- Pick a wedding dress and accessories to go with it. If you are having a seamstress make you one, this is the time to have it arranged. Several fittings may be required for this.
- For the bride, select your bridesmaids. Set a date for ordering dresses for them.
4 to 6 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Have the invitations, stationeries, and thank you notes ordered.
- The photographer, florist, musician, and caterer should have already been chosen. Go over details with each of these services to make sure that everything is as agreed upon.
- For the groom, select attire.
- Honeymoon reservations should be made already at this point.
- Confirm the delivery of the bridal gown.
2 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Plan your rehearsal dinner.
- If you are having out-of-town attendants, arrange for their lodging.
- Make an appointment with your chosen photographer for the shooting of the bridal portrait.
- Order the wedding cake.
1 Month In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should decide on a wedding band set.
- Mail the invitations.
- Check the apparel for the wedding party.
- The couple attends showers.
2 Weeks Before the Wedding.
- It is time to apply for marriage license and attend to other legal matters, especially for the bride - name and address changes on bank accounts and other official documents.
- Plan a wedding hairstyle and make-up with your stylist.
- Check with the caterer and the reception venue for last minute changes.
1 Week Before the Wedding
- Do your honeymoon packing.
- Wrap gifts for the groom and attendants.
- Schedule the wedding rehearsal.
- Remind the wedding party of the exact time and place for the occasion.
On Wedding Day
- Take breakfast! Fainting on the aisle wouldn’t be cool.
- Have your hair and make-up done.
- Shake off all your wedding details worries and enjoy your day.
Things You Should Know About Wedding Cake Toppers
April 28, 2008
Centuries ago, there was a bakers daughter who was about to be married had wished to have a perfect emblem of her marriage. She asked her father to help her find that perfect symbol in order to indicate the love that has transpired between her and her groom.
After some series of careful deliberation, the father finally came up with something that he thought would best signify the kind of love his daughter has for her husband. And so, when the wedding day came, the bakers daughter was so happy because there stood, in the middle of the wedding cake, two miniature, but lovely figurines perfectly dressed for the wedding.
The father said that this is the perfect symbol of their marriage, in which the couple is the main attraction of the ceremony.
This could have been a fiction or a true story, but nobody can really tell if this is the start of the wedding cake topper history.
Nevertheless, since its inception, the wedding cake toppers had long been the traditional symbol of married couples as they were symbolically placed above the wedding cake for everybody to see.
Wedding cake toppers are available in a wide array of designs, colors, and styles wherein couples can choose whatever they think would best portray their marriage.
So, for those who want to know some tips regarding the right way to choose wedding cake topers, here are some tips that you may use:
1. Never use wedding cake toppers that are made of plastics, especially the cheap ones.
Even if you are tight on a budget, it is best not to choose wedding cake toppers that are made of plastics. Usually, these are the ones that are readily available in the department stores.
Wedding cake toppers should be as exceptional as your wedding cake. Therefore, it is best to use wedding cake toppers that is out of ordinary and never before seen in any wedding. This may cost a little bit more than what you have intended to spend with but would definitely convert your wedding cake into something wonderful, one that would definitely make your wedding truly a memorable event.
2. Be creative.
It is best if the wedding along with your wedding cake and cake toppers are all personalized. This means that the designs and styles are creatively made by the couple. This will add more romance and glamour on the wedding itself.
Best of all, do not be constrained with the traditional and classical designs of wedding cake toppers. You may deviate from the customs and have your very own wedding cake toppers.
Today, there are many contemporary designs that the couple may use. In fact, they can even have their own ideas. All they have to do is to ask their baker to make the concept and use it as their wedding cake topper.
3. For the budget conscious couple, you can use your parents wedding cake topper if it is still available. This will truly make your wedding cake very special because of the hand-down generation.
The point is, whatever designs or styles of cake toppers you choose to have on your wedding cake, the fact that it symbolizes your marriage is already a special concept that no other item can replace.
Wedding cake toppers are not just sheer embellishments in a cake but more of an emblem, one that best represents the love that is flowing in the hearts of the couple.
Some Tips When Buying Wedding Cakes
April 18, 2008
When you want to knock their socks off; when you want them to stand up and cheer; when nothing but the best will do because it is your wedding day; that is when you serve a spectacular wedding cake.
Do not let the vision of confetti, the crash of cymbals, or the fanfare of trumpets deter you from attempting to come up with such remarkable wedding cakes.
Generally, wedding cakes are is the conventional cake being dished up to the guests at the breakfast after the wedding. It is characterized as a huge cake, different from the usual cakes we have on ordinary occasions. In most cases, wedding cakes are layered or multi-layered and are heftily decorated with icing, beads, and other embellishments that would reflect the grandiose of the event. On the top is a small image of a bride and groom.
Wedding cakes can go from the simplest to the most complex decorations; each has its own artistic distinctions depending on the creative juices of the baker. They should conform to the main purpose of the cake, that whatever embellishments it possess, it can still be edible and can be eaten.
Because the wedding cake is such an important part in the wedding celebration, here are some tips you need to know in case you will be buying a wedding cake in the future.
1. Check on the length of time required for you in ordering your wedding cake.
Time is such an important factor when making wedding plans. Of course, you would not want your wedding be hurriedly done or rushed. Because the wedding cake is a part of the wedding plan, it is important to devote an appropriate time in ordering wedding cakes.
It is best to ask your favorite bakeshop on the time frame that they usually give with regards to wedding cake so that you can make early orders if it will take such a long time to create your wedding cake. In this way, you will not be in a hurry coming up with a wedding cake to be served on your wedding day.
2. Verify the details of the cake and its cost.
A lot of couples are so fascinated with the luscious treats that go with their wedding cake. What they do not know is that each embellishment and every twists and turns embedded in the cake has a price.
Therefore, it would be better to clear it out with your baker how much will be the cost of every decoration are added features you wish to add on your wedding cake.
3. Tell your baker about the details of your wedding.
In todays modern world, weddings are not just done in the church. A lot of ideas had come up in terms of wedding venues. Therefore, if ever you have any plans of having your wedding by the beach or anywhere else where it is open, it would be better to inform your baker about this.
In most cases, icings are vulnerable to environmental hazards. So, if the baker knows that your wedding will be a garden wedding or a wedding by the beach, he could make such arrangements with your cake in order to endure the environmental conditions where it will be placed.
4. In a budget? Why not decorate your own wedding cake.
It is not so uncommon nowadays to find somebody decorating his or her own wedding cake. In fact, it is a feasible idea especially to those who have a very tight budget.
All you have to do is to order a plain wedding cake and buy the decorations from the retail stores.
So, set aside some special decisive moment when it comes to your wedding cake because there would be no better way to glamorize your wedding than to have a perfectly made wedding cake.
How to buy wedding cakes
April 7, 2008
Wedding cakes are the main attraction in any wedding reception. More than something that you can feast on, wedding cakes has become an essential decoration in the wedding venue. The first thing guests would buzz about is how magnificent your wedding cake is. Choosing the right cake should be meticulously done. With a little patience and the quick tips below, picking the best cake should as easy as walking down the aisle.
Choose the right bakeshop
If you have an idea on where the best bakery is in your city, then head to that place immediately. You can ask suggestions from your friends or family members also. Get a reservation at once. Do not procrastinate. The availability of cake decorators might be restricted. Be sure to drop by the bakeshop to talk about the designs, flavors and other things you wanted to add to your cake. Be sure to give a detailed description of exactly what you want your cake to be. Give the vendor ample time to prepare, approximately six months ahead of your big day would do. You may need to pay a deposit fee for reservation.
The right taste
Aside from the look of the cake, keep in mind that cakes are made primarily for eating. They should taste good as well as they look good. The texture and flavor of the cake itself is important. When scouting for a bakeshop, dont hesitate to ask for cake samples of the flavors you want. If they do not allow this, jump to the next store.
Check on your budget
Wedding cakes ranges from $300 to $1000 or so. Cost primarily depends on the cake design you want. You have to pay for the cake decorators fee on top of the cost of the cake itself. Know what your budget is ahead of time. Some shops may give you free delivery too. Most bakeshop has a standard number of servings for each cake type. Know how many guests would attend your wedding so you would know more or less how much money you would allocate for the cake.
Flowers as decorations
Flowers have been a traditional thing on weddings. You can well put them in cakes too. You can either choose from fresh flowers or artificial ones. Fresh flowers are beautiful addition to your cakes. But it is very important that you choose fresh flowers wisely. Be sure that they are free from chemicals. Just to be on the safe side, sugar flowers are safer. These are edible gum paste decorations that have wire or toothpicks on them.
Where to place the cake
Most cakes, especially on summer, might end up melted under the heat of the sun. They can also cause flowers and flavored curls to dry up. Not to mention the possibility of flies gathering on your priced cake. Just be sure, always have a back up site where you can store your cakes to preserve its look and taste. Never place your wedding cake near the dance floor or where there is a heavy flow of traffic. You might just see your cake fall down. Thats not a good sight at all! Be sure to check the sturdiness of the table you would place your cake.
Buying wedding cakes can be fun and hassle-free. Remember that your wedding cakes needs to be presentable, most of the photo opts are done beside the cake. Its always nice to give out that bright smile beside youre well decorated cake that brings out your personal statement.
Weddings: Some Odd Traditions
February 18, 2008
And for the rest of their lives, the man and woman shall be together.
Doesnt it sound romantic? For the man and the woman to leave their families to be as one, to form a new family? It has been like this from time immemorial. And throughout the millennia, the concept of family and marriage have been so closely knotted together that it is sometimes impossible to separate one from the other.
Marriage is present in every culture in some form. Although the laws, norms, and cultures may differ, they all still recognize the union of man and woman under one roof.
Marriage has evolved in so many ways from the different cultures all throughout the world throughout the ages. For each culture, there are diverse ways of celebrating something like marriage. But in each culture, there has always been one thing that has remained the same that in every culture, and every tribe, marriage has always been one to be celebrated with the utmost of festivities, with singing, eating, and celebrating.
Along with these festivities, man has also adopted a growing, and evolving number of traditions each filled with meaning and believe it or not shocking origins.
The Wedding Cake
Todays tall, elaborated, and delicately crafted wedding cakes evolved from the simple grooms-cakes made by family members for the bride. Before the wedding day, one of theses cakes was put under the pillow of the bride. The bride would then sleep and dream of the groom, and yes, squish that cake into oblivion.
The real wedding cake would be a pound cake that would be pound up and crumbled and tossed at the couple as a sign of fertility. That is where we get todays custom of sprinkling the couple with rice after the wedding.
Cakes during weddings are usually stacked up in large layers. The higher the stack, the more glamorous the cake. People usually regard these arrangements are mere style. However, they were done so in the past as a symbol of fertility. Couples would stack these cakes to symbolize how many children the wished to have. So in the past, the higher the stack, the more the children.
Tying the Knot
Now the truth can be told. Tying the knot did not necessarily mean getting knotted together. During ancient tribal times, the bride would usually be wrapped in a sheep with a knot out in front. This was to symbolize virginity. Untying the knot was the grooms privilege after the wedding the night.
Best Man Secret Agent
And startling enough, the best man used to play a different role in the early days. During tribal times, it was the best mans duty to abduct potential brides from other tribes. He would usually do so by clubbing the poor damsel over the head and drag her back home just like those comic skits about cavemen seem to suggest. It was also the best mans job to ward off the angry relatives of the bride. So in the early days, it was the best man swinging his axe while the groom got hitched.
Today
Although we are a little less barbaric than earlier times, we still see an evolution of the wedding ceremony and its tradition. These traditions are filled with meaning and can only serve to make your wedding day more memorable.
The most heavily populated city in Nevada, Las Vegas is
January 23, 2008
The most heavily populated city in Nevada, Las Vegas is considered not only as a major vacation and shopping destination but also the center of gambling in the United States. Although it is often called Sin City because of legalized gambling and prostitution, availability of alcoholic beverages, and various forms and degrees of adult entertainment, its glamorous and enchanting image has made it a popular setting in the movies and television programs.
Dubbed as “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” Las Vegas is not only known for its tourist attractions, but also for its infamous ‘Las Vegas Weddings’.
Las Vegas is by far the most popular destination-wedding spot in the United States (and perhaps the world). About 120,000 weddings are held in Las Vegas every year, and it is a perfect place for couples (especially celebrities) who want to get married in a quick and different (or unusual) way.
A lot of couples prefer to have a Las Vegas wedding because of the following advantages:
It is affordable. Las Vegas weddings cost less than traditional wedding ceremonies.
It can be held on short notice. Most chapels in Las Vegas allow couples to book for their wedding right away - others even accommodate walk-ins!
It is convenient. Hotels in Las Vegas usually have their own wedding chapels, with a wedding coordinator that takes in charge of all the preparations - from the flowers and music to the officiant and the souvenirs - and can get in touch with the couple on the phone or even online.
It is fun. Las Vegas weddings offer couples with a fun and amusing way to get married - even with an Elvis impersonator as their officiant!
It allows couples to start their honeymoon early. After the wedding, there is no need for couples to board a plane and head out of town - Las Vegas is a great honeymoon destination in itself!
Are you (and your partner) thinking of having a Las Vegas wedding? Below is a step-by-step guide that will help you get married in Las Vegas:
1. Set a wedding date.
2. Decide on a Las Vegas wedding chapel (check out the chapels in casino-hotels).
3. Speak to a wedding coordinator to know about the information on wedding packages.
4. Book for the date and time of the ceremony that you desire.
5. Make plane and hotel reservations for your friends and families who will come over (and for you if you are not yet in Las Vegas).
6. Make reservations for a festive lunch or dinner (don’t forget the wedding cake!)
7. Obtain a marriage license at the Clark County courthouse at least a day before your wedding.
8. Slip away after the ceremony and the celebration.
Aside from these guidelines, below are the things that you also need to consider when getting married in Las Vegas:
The holidays. Watch out for ‘peak seasons’ that result to busy wedding days, such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.
The weather. An extremely hot weather in Las Vegas can be uncomfortable when you are in a tuxedo or a heavy gown (not to mention your makeup and the icing on your wedding cake).
The dress. There are a number of places in Las Vegas where you can rent wedding dresses for that ’spur-of-the-moment’ weddings.
The legalities. Make sure that you meet the legal requirements and that you are issued a marriage license before you hold the wedding ceremony.
Now you are ready for the wild and wacky experience of a Las Vegas wedding. Just remember that the most important thing is to recite your vows from the heart, and live them all throuh your marriage. All the best!