About Relationships

So let’s say that you have decided to go with a small wedding with just a few members on your guest list. Just because you have decided to keep your wedding small doesn’t mean that you can’t have a very memorable event. While the Royal Riviera may be out of the question, you can still have your wedding at a very memorable location. Here are five options that you should consider.

1. Your Home Church – Yes, this has been done before. However, there is a reason that this is the most popular option. You are going to return to this place on a weekly basis. Every Sunday, well almost every Sunday, you are going to be at the site of your wedding. Memories of your special day will always be right in front of you. You are already familiar with the decor and that should be helpful in planning your wedding. Most of your guests are probably nearby and it will be more convenient to them as well.

2. Bed and Breakfast – This is a very romantic option and works very well for small weddings. This option also gives you the choice of having your wedding somewhere closer or further away. Many of them are surrounded with very beautiful scenery and make very good honeymoon locations. You can find them almost anywhere. They are near beaches, in the mountains, or even in the desert if you want. Also, you can make it a tradition of going back there on your wedding anniversaries since they are affordable.

3. At a Park – Parks and gardens can provide a very wonderful backdrop for your wedding. Parks are also a very affordable option compared to most facilities. Your guests will also have a great time. If many of your guests have children, they will have more space and won’t be as likely to get antsy and disturb the ceremony. Parks are also great for planning activities for your guests. Or perhaps you or someone you know has a lovely garden on their property.

4. Patios and Gardens – If you know someone who has a lovely patio or garden, then ask them what they would charge you. Otherwise, there are many facilities that have patios or gardens for the purpose of wedding ceremonies. Many times cottages will have patios or gardens. Many of them will also cater the wedding reception at an affordable price. One of the best reasons to go with a garden wedding is that they provide excellent photo opportunities for your wedding photographer.

5. Home wedding – Home weddings seem to an overlooked option. Most people don’t have a home big enough to accommodate all of their guests even for the smallest of weddings. However, most of us do know someone with a home nice enough to accommodate a small wedding. If you have a larger home or have a good enough of a relationship with someone who does then this is an option that you should consider. Many times people with nice homes love the opportunity to show them off. They are also easier to decorate than most facilities.

Kimberly Andrews is a writer for Wholesale Event Solutions, a company offering discount event planning supplies including wedding cake stands , bulk wedding tulle, 20 inch sparklers and much more.

Are you attending a winter wedding shower? You’ll want to get the bride something special. That truly makes her feel like a bride and especially something ideal for winter. Fortunately, there are many terrific winter wedding shower gift ideas you’ll love. Try some of our favorites!

The key to giving a winter wedding gift is to think of something ideal for the season. Some gifts simply lend themselves more easily to the season than others do. Giving the bride and groom a gift that is suited for the winter is something that is more thoughtful than you might at first think. If the bride and groom get married during the winter, your giving them a winter themed gift means that they will think of winter and their wedding every time they use it. Some gifts they may use year-round – but for special winter themed gifts they will use them even more during winter months and this will bring a special smile to their faces as they remember their wedding day and the moments they shared with you.

Hot chocolate machine. This is a sweet treat ideal for the bride starting a new life. A winter wedding means moving into a new house when it is cold and often snowy. A hot chocolate machine makes yummy hot chocolate at the push of a button. This tempting treat is sweet and also romantic. Chocolate is actually an aphrodisiac, ideal for newlyweds. Include all of the hot chocolate fixins’ with this gift like whipped cream and sprinkles.

Bread maker. A bread maker machine is a great gift for a new bride. What could be more delicious in the wintertime than hot, freshly made bread? Bread makers today are quite easy to use. A bread maker used to be a bit tricky to operate but today they are rather simple to use and create delicious fresh bread at the push of a few buttons. You can make many varieties of bread in a bread maker.

Ice skating lessons. Many say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. Often couples simply have to adjust to being with each other, and not “dating.” Giving newlyweds ice skating lessons is some romantic fun for them to look forward to. They can have fun on the ice and enjoy ice skating during this winter – and then for every winter following. Your thoughtful gift of ice skating lessons this year could mean they ice skate for the rest of their lives – thinking of you as they start of on the ice! Those couples certainly look happy as they skate side by side holding hands on the ice. We’re sure you’d agree.

Tanning sessions. This might look funny on a winter wedding shower gift list, but the fact is that many winter wedding couples go to tropical destinations for their honeymoon. It is so important to get that base tan for protection before you go into the sun. A nice tan also looks wonderful in your wedding photographs. If the bride and groom enjoy tanning, tanning sessions could be a thoughtful gift they would enjoy. A little imported summer sun for the wintery weather.

Lawrence Reaves writes for a leading authority on loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Do you want a wedding planner? Many brides dream of having a wedding planner who can give them the wedding of their dreams. But with some planning, preparation and a little creative thinking – you can be your own wedding planner. You’ll save on costs and best of all you will have exactly what you wanted for your own wedding.

Stay organized for the fairytale wedding. When you are trying to coordinate an event that can have up to 300 guests and a wedding party with 20 or so people in it, staying organized is critical. But don’t make staying organized more difficult than it needs to be. One of the best tips is to simply keep everything related to your wedding in a single place. Create or purchase a wedding organization binder to keep your planning, receipts and other materials in. When you can easily put your hands on “the wedding stuff” you’ll find your stress level goes way down – and your fairytale wedding is that much easier to plan.

Put time on your side when planning your wedding. The “typical” wedding can take 1 to 2 years to plan. That is “if” you can get the site you desire and everything in place. Brides and grooms who have their eye on a special venue or site may have to wait a little longer – or if you want to get married in a specific season you will simply have to wait for the calendar pages to turn. Use this time to your advantage when planning your wedding to organize everything and do things in advance. Many bridal magazines give a timeline – consider your own personal desires. Some brides may need additional time if they have more responsibilities to juggle. Other brides may have help putting together their wedding and can do things quicker.

Use your strengths and know your weaknesses as a planner. We all have our talents and we all have our weak points. What are yours? Maybe you are a foodie or a fashion plate. Maybe you are a black belt bargain shopper. Make a list of your wedding planning skills. Then sit down and make a list of the skills you may be lacking in. Are you not good at details? Do number or budgets drive you up a wall? With these skills you will need reinforcement. Ask family, bridesmaids and your groom for help in planning the wedding of your dreams. You may have a bridesmaid who is a foodie when you don’t understand menus as well. Or your mother-in-law may love fashion when you don’t enjoy shopping for clothes at all. When you know your skills and weaknesses, you get things done quicker and with more confidence. Best of all, you have more fun planning your wedding!

Take inspiration from life, bridal sites and other brides for the wedding of your dreams. Your fairytale wedding is a combination of what you always dreamed of as a little girl and what makes everyone happiest today. Many brides have specific things they “must” have at their weddings and that’s okay. You can get great ideas by connecting with other brides to learn today’s bridal trends and hot ideas for your wedding. Or take your own passions, inspirations and include them in your wedding. A wedding should be about the joining of two lives and including things about your two lives gives your wedding truly a polished and complete look. Ask your Groom for ideas about adding to the wedding too!

Lawrence Reaves writes for a leading authority on loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

My Darling, Dearest Love Puppet,

As you know, I am not one for words so I thought I had better put my thoughts and feelings into words in a letter to you, my chosen one.

First of all, I apologize for making you cry the other day when we were at the church and you got upset over the flowers. Well, you didn’t get upset over the flowers, it was because you thought I didn’t care what color the flowers were when you asked me. I guess I’m just an insensitive redneck when it comes to this girlie stuff. It never occurred to me that there was a difference between lilac -pink and pink-lilac. I knew I’d done something really bad when I saw Sebastienne and Enrique, the wedding planners your cousin with the nipple ring recommended, crying and all upset too. I only thought girls had mascara runs when they cried, but I guess I’m learning something new every day. I guess I should have said something along the lines of, “I care about making you happy my little, hunny, bunny wunny, and if it costs $300 more, well heck, I’ll just take a third job!”

I had a good talk with my dad last night and he told me I had to make a stand on these issues with you and show you who is going to wear the trousers in our marriage. Dad says it’s important I put my foot down right from the start, or else I’m going to catch hell later in married life. Then mom told him to go make himself useful and trim his nose hairs before she got the garden shears out to do it for him. Dad told her to go put her head in the oven. He sure handled that one well.

What it all boils down to is, I may be insensitive but then I am a guy, and I’ve never felt this way before about anyone until I met you. All the other girls used to think I was just a lovable hunk, but within minutes of meeting you I knew, I mean I just knew you were different from Tracey, Kate, Shannon, Joanna, Alison, Rebecca, Mrs Robinson, Jordan, Jordan’s twin sister and that girl I met at the Super Bowl 2008 party just after I met you. I just want you to understand how much I love and care for you darling, and despite all my faults, you are the one for me.

Don’t worry, sweetness, I will try to be different but I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that all I care about is making you happy. Whatever you want is fine by me, but please, just remember who I am – I’m just a guy who drinks beer and enjoys watching the big game with the guys.

Remember you’re the one for me and I’ll do my best to be caring and sensitive, so I’m the kind of husband you want me to be. My mom has already ordered a year’s subscription to several magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vogue, which apparently have lots of good information on make-up and clothing. Mom says it will help me get in touch with my feminine side, which will be good for you, because then you won’t have to go through everything she’s had to cope with over the years with my dad.

Please just bear with me and be patient too darling, I’m just a big lug and sometimes my mouth works before my brain. I have to close this now sweetness because mom is sharpening the gardening shears and asking where dad is.

All My Love,

Hugsy Bugsy

Lawrence Reaves writes for a leading authority on loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

I love going to weddings because I enjoy the event; it’s a good chance to get all my bff’s in one place so we can catch up with what’s going on in our lives. I also love it because I’m almost the last of my crowd who is single, and being 6 feet tall and having played volleyball for state, I’m the favorite when it comes to catching the bouquet!

Catching the bouquet has become something of a pastime for me; not because I want to get married – I don’t!

Of the last seven weddings I’ve been to, I caught the flowers five times. I only lost out on one occasion because my heel snapped as I made my move, and the other time was because my date really does want to get married and I couldn’t risk the complications.

The reason I love this pastime is because there is definite electricity in the air, ambient nervous tension and anticipation amongst the singles. The girls are all wishing they are going to be the one to grab the blooms so their long term boyfriend gets the message that it’s time to take things to the “next level”. Meantime, the guys are all tense and nervous, cracking jokes and swaggering around, usually near the bar, hoping someone else’s girl proves she’s a good at catch.

Once the ritual is over, things relax somewhat. You see a sense of disappointment in the women, while the victor emerges with excited glee but if you focus on the men, you start to see them all smiling and a look of relief comes over them. The rest of the single guys can now relax, and enjoy the spectacle and discomfort associated with the guy whose girl is supposed to be getting hitched next – if the tradition is to be followed.

You also can see some of the married guys shaking their heads and thinking, “Poor sap!” and I agree with them to some extent. I’ve seen how some of my girlfriends have changed since they got wed; some for better and some for worse. For the most part though, people just seem to go along and I’m all right with that too.

I play this game because I just love introducing some tension into the lives of my dates. I’m single and have no intention of getting married – as my grandmother keeps telling me, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride!”, but then I’m fine with that.

Being one of the last single women in my group makes me a target for more than just a little encouragement and helpful hints. I’m happy as I am; I have a career where I make more than many men, I have a cat who is faithful and I don’t have to worry about a big hunk, snoring and farting on whatever side of the bed he thinks is his.

For these and many other reasons, I’m fine with always being a bridesmaid and never the bride!

Lawrence Reaves writes for a leading authority on loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

I was invited to the wedding of a member of my boyfriend’s family, down in North Carolina last year. The experience taught me that when it comes time for me to tie the knot, at the top of the list of things to do and buy will be wedding insurance!

Wedding insurance is not the most romantic of subjects, in fact it ranks somewhere down near halitosis and planar warts, but I learned to look at the subject in a completely different light.

We had to travel down to the Blue Ridge Mountains two weeks before the wedding day, right down in the western part of the Tar Heel state, sandwiched between Georgia and Tennessee. Beautiful mountain country with crystal clear skies but none of us knew about the storm clouds on the horizon.

We had two wedding rehearsals to go to, I didn’t have to go but I wanted to show my boyfriend my support, just in case he got an idea about doing it for real himself. The first rehearsal went well and then a couple of days later we had a second rehearsal, with everyone dressed up. Now I thought it was bad luck for a bride to be seen in her wedding dress before the wedding, but she seemed to think it only applied on the day of the wedding itself. I think she got it completely wrong because as she was getting out of the car, her dress caught on something and a huge tear got put in it. More than that, the train got trapped in the door and ended with a huge, very ugly, oily stain – no dry cleaner was going to take that mess out!

Undeterred, the wedding was to continue and everyone was making preparations until a couple of days after the dress incident, there was a series of terse phone calls being made. It turned out that the venue for the reception was going to have a problem hosting the event – the hotel had been undergoing a refurbishment and delays in the work meant it would not be open in time. Nothing like having a wedding reception for two hundred and nowhere to put everyone!

Several days go by and a new venue is found; one of the family has a country place with a huge barn which was turned into a suitable venue, and the caterers were able to cooperate with delivering the food and preparation equipment there, though it cost something extra. By this time, I think I would have been a bundle of nerves, but unfortunately, there was worse, much worse to follow!

The big day arrives, the bride is beautiful and the weather was perfect though a little chilly with the altitude. Something about the mountains leaves you breathless, but it is the thinner air and not just the view; this had a role to play in later events I’m sure.

Every wedding is not complete unless there is a wedding photographer snapping away, and sure enough, there was this wizened, old guy with jet black hair you just knew came out of a bottle. He followed the event through the day, taking the photos outside of the church and later at the reception he sure seemed to be doing a great job. Until he started yelling at a bunch of people and started getting very upset – it turned out someone had stolen his bag, which not only contained a few thousand bucks of equipment but also most of the wedding photographs he’d been taking throughout the day.

One thing led to another, and the groom’s mom started yelling at someone on the bride’s side and before you know it, there was this huge shouting match between the two sets of families. That is until the bride’s dad decided he had chest pains and fell over – I did mention the thin air at high altitudes didn’t I?

I remember the music playing at the time – Things Can Only Get Better – after that wedding, things could not get any worse!

Lawrence Reaves writes for a leading authority on wedding rings , engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Bridal showers are perhaps the most fun and exciting part of the activities that precede a wedding. They are an opportunity for the bride and her friends to spend quality time with each other prior to her moving on to her new life with her partner. The following tips will assist you in planning an unforgettable bridal shower:

1) Start planning early. To reduce the stress involved, begin your preparations well in advance. Do not have the mindset that you will be able to do everything in a few days. Most aspects of it should be taken care of at least a month prior to the date it is taking place so that you can be sure that you can get all the supplies you need and that all prospective guests will be free. Create a list of things that need to be arranged and aim to tick off a few of them every week in the run up to the bridal shower. Involve as many people as possible as others will love to help.

2) Simplicity. Try not to go overboard and have too much going on to the extent that the focus is drawn away from the bride to be. Use activities and decorations reasonably so as to keep the event elegant and classy. As for decorations and activities / games, utilize them reasonably so as to keep the event elegant and classy. You want to avoid the look and feel of a teenage birthday party at all costs.

3) Opt for an indoor venue. Though an outdoor event can be a nice touch, you are putting the success of the bridal shower at the hands of the often unreliable weather which is not advisable for such a special event. It is best to use the home of one of the guests or rent a venue, for instance, a restaurant or bar. It is best to use the home of one of the guests or hire somewhere, for instance, a restaurant or bar. If cost is an issue, you do not even need to hire the whole of a place – just a room or corner of a large venue will do just fine.

4) Pick a theme. Choose something, such as commitment or love, and base the activities, decorations, and even the food, around that theme. Picking out a special color as a theme will likewise add to the event and result in the photos being even better. Picking out a special color as a theme will also add to the occasion and result in the photos being even better. There is no need to automatically choose red or pink though, unless they happen to be one of the brides favorite colors.

5) Use a food service that delivers. Making use of such a service frees you up for other preparations on the day of the bridal shower. You do not necessary have to use an expensive one, and sandwiches and cakes are the only absolutely essentials that you need. Also, remember to cater for a range of needs and ensure that all invitees will be able to indulge. At a minimum, you will need some non-vegetarian food.

Read On : Honeymoon Ideas

1. First of All Don’t Be A ……… well, you know (rhymes with ditch)! – I know that planning a wedding is a very stressful ordeal. There are tons of things on your to do list. You have dreamed about this day since you were a little girl. However, the quickest way to ruin your wedding day is by forgetting to treat others with respect. Don’t mistreat anyone who is volunteering to help (bridesmaids for example). These people are taking time out of their busy schedules to make your special day special. Also, be nice to the wedding planner. Yes, your wedding planner may have ideas that you disagree with and don’t want to use. But, keep in mind that this person is a professional. It is ultimately up to you what you want to do, but at least show your planner that you respect his or her ideas. Also, don’t yell at any merchants over small things. Believe it or not, merchants are your friends. They also want referral business. Most of them will do more for you if you don’t offend them.

2. Don’t Overextend Yourself! – You are only one person. Don’t be such a control freak that you forget to delicate simple tasks. For instance, stuffing wedding invitations into envelopes. You can enlist help with your wedding invitations. You can even make a small party out of it. Your closest friends really do want to help with whatever they can. Don’t hesitate to send them on errands. You will make your life a lot easier and less stressful.

3. Don’t Forget That We Are in a Recession! – Even though you may not be feeling the recession, your guests and everyone else may be. This is where you need to set priorities. For example, your wedding destination versus whom you want to attend! Hawaii may be a beautiful place for a wedding, but if you and most of your guests live in Maine you may lose a lot of guests who can’t afford to come. Keep this in mind when choosing your bridesmaids dresses. Some of your bridesmaids may need financial help with their dresses. Just be considerate when planning your wedding.

4. Don’t Skip The Traditional Wedding Dance! – I know many of you are thinking, I can’t dance or the groom can’t dance and won’t dance. Almost anyone can learn to dance one dance in a short period of times. Take dancing lessons. Plan the song and the dance you want to do and get someone to teach you. Lessons aren’t as expensive as you may think. Also, for that shy bride or groom that doesn’t want to learn in front of people, there are private lessons. If you make time to practice, you will get it down in no time at all. It will really impress your guests, especially if either you or your fiance is known for not being able to dance.

5. Don’t Do Something Cheesy! – Recently, I saw a groom on the news who pulled out his cell phone and updated his Facebook status as soon as the minister pronounced them man and wife. I don’t know about you but I though that was the tackiest thing that I have ever seen. If you are thinking about doing anything unusual, talk to a few people close to you about it first. If you do something stupid, you won’t be able to undo it later!

Kimberly Andrews is a writer for Wholesale Event Solutions, a company offering discount event planning supplies including feather centerpieces, polyester tablecloths, sparklers in bulk and more.

My nineteenth anniversary will be here in a week and a half.

So what’s so exceptional about that in Mormon Utah? Just this: I have a mail-order husband. He has a mail-order bride.

Nineteen years ago, there weren’t any dating sites online; in fact, there wasn’t any online to put them on.

So I bought a copy of the Mensa directory and went systematically through every male in the book, looking at the coded information for men within five years one way or the other of my age, widowed or divorced (because a man who is 40 and has never married has something wrong with him), shared my religion, shared at least three interests, and was in biorhythm sync with me at lest half the time.

I wound up with ten names.

I prepared letters to each of them and, despite my fourteen-year-old daughter’s “Mom, you’re not going to MAIL those letters. MOM, you’re not going to mail those letters. Mom, you’re NOT going to mail those letters,” I mailed them.

I got four responses: a gay man, a man who had been excommunicated for being caught in bed with his sister-in-law, a teacher who had been in the Peace Corps in Africa and wanted to go back to Africa and “Gee, you must make a lot of money writing mysteries.” The fourth was Tom.

I sat down in the living room laughing as I read the letter from Tom.

When my father asked what was so funny, I said, “Daddy, I think I’m going to marry this man.”

Ten years ago online dating services still weren’t available.

But my favorite college student, out of all the students I taught, met a man from Australia on a science fiction website. They were married five months later. Heidi moved to Australia and so far, has lived happily ever after. I met her husband a few months ago, and I think she’s going to continue to live happily ever after.

Two years ago, online dating services were going great guns. A neighbor of ours, getting ready to move to Alaska and knowing the male-female ratio there, signed up for the dating service. He and his bride headed for Alaska two weeks after getting married and are still there.

What do I think of online dating services? I think good ones are great.

I often hear people say “I fell in love at first sight.” But they didn’t. What they fell into was lust. Good arranged marriages during Medieval and Renaissance times worked better than most marriages spawned in our modern age – online or offline.

A good dating service can do just what I did, only a lot faster because it can use the computer. It can match people for what they identify as important to them. It can screen out pairs that look surface compatible, but have underlying incompatibilities.

When Tom and I married, we were not yet in love with each other. But we knew that we had enough things in common that we could build a workable marriage. That is what we did, and we grow more in love with each other every day.

An online dating service can’t provide someone you can love at first sight, but it can provide someone with whom you have enough in common that you can build a workable marriage. You just have to do the work.

Denice Ritter lives with her husband Tom in Utah. She teaches at the local college and writes freelance in her spare time. If you are looking for online adult dating opportunities, she recommends the website: http://www.nsadatingsite.com/

India accommodates people belonging to many religions, caste and greed. They exist with one another as good friends and foes without discrimination or racial aversions. Still, our religious roots are so strong that we are hesitant to marry our son or daughter into another caste or religion. Only a few broad minded people look do not mind a inter caste marriage.

The main reason for this aversion is the difference in the culture or belief system. People today are well educated and they don’t limit themselves to any set boundaries or categories of people. They are broad minded and don’t look at fellow human beings as a personification of a religion or caste. Although the caste system has minimized when it comes to marriage some parents are still very hesitant. It is mainly the elders in the family who cannot digest this inter caste marriage.

New generation youngsters are very broad minded and they move along with everyone irrespective of caste or greed. It so happens that they might meet someone interesting who might not belong to the same religion. But they don’t mind this difference as much as they parents would. But times are changing and parents are realizing that their kid’s happiness is more important and try to accept this change with open mind. First it is important to realize that we are all human beings basically. Our belief in God or the spiritual system might be different but we all share the same flesh and blood.

For successful marriage both the families must forget their religious differences and try to get into a common ground where they can relate to one another as humans. They should not try to push in their own beliefs with the others and mutual respect for one another’s religion is a must. Try to sit together and finalize as to how the marriage should be conducted. To avoid misunderstanding it is best to get into a registered marriage followed by an elaborate reception. No particular religious formalities need to be followed. A general wedding unbiased by religion is a smart way to avoid unnecessary tension. Some people may prefer to perform the customs from both side and marry twice to keep both side of parents and family happy. But this brings burden of extra expenditure and it is more like wasting money and effort. Some couple prefers to go with register marriage and then throw lavish reception. This defiantly reduces the expenses and may keep everyone equally happy.

Today when we look at matrimonial columns and ads it is very encouraging to see many ads with “caste no bar”, inclusion. It reflects the transformations in the minds of people who are ready to embrace all people are equals. Habits and beliefs can be altered if only we can alter our attitude in life. Today’s changing time is defiantly helpful to bring this change about. New generation is inching towards making society liberal in real sense. Wedding are made in heaven and should we now question which religion’s heaven. Times have changed and so must our attitude towards life.

Deepa Mehta writes on behalf of matrimonyhouse.com, India’s fastest growing matrimonial website. matrimonyhouse.com enables users to create and search Indian matrimony profile on the website. Registering, Searching, and Contacting prospective groom and bride are absolutely free.