Writing your own Wedding Vows
Creating your own wedding vows for your wedding can be one of the most romantic and connecting parts of your wedding day.
In recent years more couples getting married have been electing to shun the traditional wedding vows, in favor of writing their own vows, which they have personalized for themselves as a way of expressing their love for their partner.
If you decide to write your own wedding vows, you should check with the official who is marrying you to ensure he/she will allow it. It is usually fine providing you include a couple of key phrases.
The main of advantage of writing your own vows is the way you can completely personalize the who ceremony, for example;
‘My darling John, you are my best friend and I knew from the moment i first saw you that I wanted to spend my life by your side, I promise to always love you, cherish our children and always respect, encourage and support you for the rest of our lives…..’
Writing your own wedding vows need not be difficult, write what you feel and I am sure you both will cherish these heart-felt words you have written and promised one another far more than you would had they been the standard wedding vows.
Here are a few nice words you may like to include, to add your own to this list please comment below, we would love to hear from you.
- My Best Friend
- I love you
- My Life Partner
- The miracle we share together
- From this day on…
- True love of my life
- You make my life complete
- You give me meaning
- Our lives are one
.. there are thousands of more phrases, but more importantly than that;
Write from the heart and you won’t go far wrong!
For more ideas on writing your own vows please Click here.
Good Luck!
Choosing a Wedding Dress
For most brides choosing the perfect Wedding Dress will be the most important thing for them during the whole of the wedding planning stage. As a bride-to-be, you will know how many different styles of gown there are available, and you will have had ideas on how it should look, probably years before he even got around to proposing!
The time of the year, venue, theme and style of the wedding will all play a role in you deciding what type of wedding dress you will wear on your wedding day. If you are having a destination wedding on a tropical island for example, you are unlikely to want to wear a full length heavy wedding dress, not that you can’t, but you may prefer to opt for a lighter chiffon dress to ensure you are more comfortable throught the day.
What color and style of Wedding Dress to wear
Tradtionally the bride would wear a white wedding as a symbol of purity, but in recent years it is becoming more common for the bride to choose a wedding dress that is slightly off white or ivory. You can have any color dress you desire, there are many brides who will choose deep red wedding dresses, silver or gold wedding dresses and pretty pink wedding dresses all so it ties in with a particular wedding theme.
The style of the dress will need to be considered, are you happy with your arms? you may wish to choose a wedding dress with sleeves or wear a jacket or wrap.
Do you want beading, embroidery or sparkle on your dress? You could have it the same color as the dress or in a different color as a contrast.
Do you want a full shaped tradional wedding gown, or a modern sleek column shaped dress? You will need to think about the neckline too, the neckline will draw more attention to your upper body so think whether you want a halter neck wedding dress, a strapless wedding dress or a wedding dress with a low round neckline for example. Again the choices are endless so you will be able to find the perfect dress to suit you.
“Dream-Wedding-Day.com” has partnered with Elegant Gowns to bring our brides high quality Wedding Dresses at affordable prices. The selection and prices can not be beat! Browse through their wide variety of wedding dresses, formal gowns, informal gowns, quinceanera gowns, and prom gowns, you are sure to find your perfect Wedding Dress! Most gowns are in stock and available for delivery within 3 weeks!
Pro’s and Con’s of Getting Married Abroad
Have you, or can you imagine getting married on a sandy beach in Mauritius? Does the idea of getting married by a beautiful lake in France or Italy appeal to you?
Getting married abroad is now easier than ever. There are dedicated companies which specialize in exactly this, making your dreams come true by working with you through every step of the planning and coordination of your special day.
If you are worried whether a wedding abroad is right for you then you may want to consider the following things:
Pro’s
It is usually cheaper to get married abroad than at home.
You can pick a dream destination abroad, you can have that idyllic tropical island if you wish.
Your wedding will always be remembered for being different, exciting and glamorous.
You can tie-in your honeymoon.
Generally you wouldn’t have the large number guests – which is what pushes the cost of weddings up at home.
Wherever in the world you decide on, there is usually a specialist company which will work with you to overcome any difficulties you may encounter.
Con’s
You may not be able to have all of your family and friends with you on your big day.
Such items such as flowers or favors will be sourced in country by the wedding company (You should still be able to have an input though). You may have to put your trust in local suppliers.
You need to do your homework, some countries have stricter laws than others and you need to be familiar with what is required i.e documentation or whether you are required to have been in the country for a certain period of time before the wedding.
If you do invite members of your family and/or friends you may not be able to escape from them if on a secluded island for example.
Some hotels abroad may have more than one wedding per day, do you mind sharing your day with another couple? Can you afford to make it more exclusive?
Some wedding packages abroad are fairly basic, so be aware of any hidden costs for things you would want included.
Remember, it’s your special day – have it like you always dreamed…
Wedding traditions
What does it all mean?
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Have you ever wondered where some of the more popular wedding traditions have come from? What the thinking is, or was, behind them. These traditions have evolved over last hundreds or thousands of years since people began to join in matrimony.
Whichever tradition you look at they all focus one the underlying theme of love or good luck and convey the messages of happiness, prosperity and unity.
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
It is traditional for the bride to have ’something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’. This is an old Victorian popular rhyme. The ’something old’ represents the bond to the bride’s past, her family and the old life she is leaving behind; the ’something new’ represents the couple’s new life together and their future hope for happiness and prosperity; the ’something borrowed’ is meant to be from an already happily married woman and will impart similar happiness to the bride; and the “something blue” signifies fidelity and constancy.
The White Wedding Dress
The wearing of the color white dates back to Victorian times when Queen Victoria once changed the royal tradition of wearing a silver gown, instead she chose to wear white. Before this time the bride would simply wear her best gown, rather than a special dress . The colour white also symbolizes purity and virginity. Another theory often mentioned is that the color white was also thought to ward off evil spirits in days gone by.
The throwing of confetti / white rice
The throwing of rice over the happy couple is also an ancient tradition. Rice is a ‘life giving’ seed so it is believed that by throwing it over the couple they will be bestowed with fertility and have many children.
Wedding Cake
Sharing the first piece of wedding cake comes from the Romans. They believed that eating the wedding cake together forms a special bond between the couple. The wheat which was used to bake the cake was symbolic of fertility, while the sweetness of the cake was thought to bring sweetness to all areas of the couple’s new life together.
The Kiss
Again during Roman times the kiss ’sealed’ the couple’s agreement to join into a life-long commitment to one another. The ceremonial kiss that concludes the wedding ceremony represents the couple sharing and joining their souls together for eternity.
The button-hole and flowers
The wedding tradition of the groom wearing a boutonniere or button-hole originates from medieval times as a knight would wear the colors of his lady as a statement of his love.
In addition to adorning the bride with flowers to promote good luck and good health the flowers allow the bride to express her own feelings for the groom. Orange blossoms signify purity, Daisies signify loyalty, violets portray modesty and of course red roses signify true love.
If you know of any other reasons why we do what we do, please comment below!
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35 Ways to save for your Wedding
May 26, 2009 by Admin
Filed under General, Wedding Plans
Whoever you are, your wedding will be one of the most expensive single outlays of money of your life.
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The average cost of a wedding today in USA today is between $25,000 – $30,000. The majority of people do not have this kind of money available to them, so they basically have three options.
1. Borrow
2. Save
3. Get someone else to pay!
There are a lot of couples who decide to go down the first route, getting a loan. This means you can get married sooner rather than wait till enough money is saved up. For the amount of money we are talking here the monthly repayments can be steep and interest over extended periods usually adds $1000’s to the overall repayable amount. If you are happy to do this and don’t think starting married life with huge financial debts is a problem then all the best to you.
If you are saving all of the money for your wedding yourselves then the 35 tips below will help you get to your desired total far quicker and easier.
35 tips for saving money for your Wedding
1. Open a savings account with your bank.
2. Start a savings jar.
Any spare change you have in your purse, pockets or wallets at the end of each day should go into this savings jar. You can even get some that you have to smash open to gain access, this is a good idea incase you get tempted to dip into it.
3. Shop smarter
Consider getting your groceries from the market rather than the supermarket.
4. Make a Shopping list.
Before you go shopping write out a list of everything you need. Do not be tempted to buy unnecessary items.
5. Use your list to Shop Online.
This way you won’t be tempted by all the shiney things!
6. Buy the stores own brand products.
7. Plan your meals each week beforehand.
This way you wont end up throwing away unused perishables.
8. Overcook
By that I mean make more food than necessary and put it in the freezer for next week.
9. Buy cheaper cuts of meat
Although it will take longer to cook so tender, cheaper cuts still offer plenty of flavor.
10. Stop buying expensive coffee on the way to work
Instead of paying the high prices, invest in a coffee maker and a travel mug, you will soon be in profit.
Mr. Coffee ISX46 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
11. Take sandwiches into work instead of using the canteen or eating out at lunchtime.
12. Limit your eating out meals out to one every two weeks.
If you do eat out regularly then you will save a fortune by limiting it. When you do go out it will be even more special.
13. Put a ban on all takeaways – or use it as a monthly treat
14. If you regularly buy a magazine, take out a subscription.
15. If you regularly buy a magazine and don’t read it – stop buying it.
16. Use a local library or second hand bookshop instead of buying books.
17. eBooks are also cheaper than the hardcopy versions.
Get 20% Off Featured Authors at Ebooks.com!!!
18. If you have an expensive gym membership consider stopping it and buying low cost exercise equipement and working out at home.
19. Or you could take up free activities like jogging or walking.
20. If you like to unwind with a glass of wine, why not try making your own or you could even save by buying in bulk.
21. Try and cut down on going to bars and paying the high pub prices.
22. If you smoke, quitting now will save you a fortune and also do wonders for your health.
23. Have a look around your home for any items or clothes that you no longer require, then sell them.
24. Only buy new clothes if they are in the sales.
25. Use price comparison websites to always find the best deal.
26. Try switching home energy companies.
27. Never leave a tap to drip.
28. Replace all of your light bulbs with the energy saving versions.
29. If it’s dry outside, use the line rather than the tumble dryer.
30. Do not use your credit card to take money from an ATM, the costs are usually high.
31. Pay off your credit card each month by direct debit avoiding missed payment fees.
32. If you do need a large sum of money for a home repair etc. consider taking a low cost loan rather than use your credit card.
33. If you get a bonus from work or somewhere unexpected, put it all in your wedding savings account – you werent expecting it anyway.
34. Budget how much money you need to live on and withdraw just that each week. Any money you didnt spend goes into the savings jar. Any money left in your account at the end of the month goes into your savings account.
35. If you can’t do without a holiday this year try a low cost operator – if you can do without that would be better.
For even more money saving ideas (127 pages)
Click Here
Always remember your final goal, a bit of sacrifice will bring you closer to
YOUR WEDDING!
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Remember, this is only my advice on how you can save money. I will not accept any liabilty for your actions.
The Basics: Your Wedding Concept
Firstly we would like to take this opportunity to Congratulate you on your engagement!
Congratulations!
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From here on in the fun really starts, if you like planning that is, there are many things you will need to plan, organize and coordinate, we will help you cover each base along the way so don’t worry! Relax, enjoy yourselves and prepare yourselves for the rest of your lives!
This is going to be part of the backbone of this website, a step by step guide to planning the perfect wedding, your idea of perfection will vary greatly from other peoples ideas, so feel free to dip in and out of articles you feel may apply to your dream-wedding-day!
Getting the Basic concept right first.
We are the start of a very special and memorable journey. We need to make sure that your big day is one which goes smoothly and allows you to look back on it in years time and think ‘what a wonderful day we had – we did everything right’.
Where to Start; PLANING PLANING PLANING!
The basic concept of your wedding will be something you should be able to decide on fairly quickly, you may already have some ideas, you may have been planning it secretly for years!
Three important questions
1. When
Grab yourself a notebook and start thinking now. Is it feasible you can get married next year? Think about finances and work commitments and also any family issues which may affect your decision.
Do you want a spring or summer wedding? If it is not that important to you then you should consider an autumn or winter wedding – this can dramatically cut the costs down and you should find more venues have openings during these quieter seasons.
Do you want to get married at the weekend? If work commitments allow then maybe you could consider a weekday wedding, again this should work out cheaper and be more available than a weekend wedding – consider your guests though, depending on who really have to have present will also influence your decicion making, you may have an understanding boss, but will everyone be able to take a day off work mid-week?
You should also consider what time of day you are looking at getting married.
All of this prior planning, you should try to get ’set it in stone’ as early as possible as it will make all future decisions a lot easier, and hopefully all of the other things will start falling into place around this basic concept.
2. How?
Do you want a church wedding or a civil wedding? Everyone has their own views on this. If you do opt for a civil wedding you must ensure that the venue is authorized to conduct a wedding ceremony and that a registrar is present to make it legally binding.
3. Where?
Is there a particular venue you already have in mind? Is it available on your chosen date?
Do you want to get married in this country at all?
With rising costs of weddings at home many people are choosing to fly overseas and tie the knot abroad. I will be writing a whole section on this soon, but again take into account how many people will be able to attend if you are going long-haul.
There are many considerations you will have to make in order to get the basics pinned down… don’t wait though, once you have this concept sorted, moving on will much easier.
If you are trying to stick to a very tight budget (and who isn’t nowadays!) I highly recommend this downloadable pdf ebook. Wedding planning on a budget
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Wedding Photography
May 21, 2009 by Admin
Filed under General, Wedding Photography, featured
Wedding Photography
Choosing the right wedding photographer for you is a very important decision that you will be taking.
If you are on a very tight budget, you might want to ask someone that you know that is experienced with photography in general and owns a very good camera however for most people, they really want to fork out the money to get someone fully qualified in wedding photography for this all important role.
It goes without saying that your wedding day is a one off occasion, so you want to capture the memories of your very special wedding day just as well as you possibly can. There is really no substitute for using a highly qualified professional wedding photographer compared to Read more
Stress Free Wedding Planning
Stress Free Wedding Planning – Taking Time Out
Planning for a wedding at the best of times can be stressful, especially if you have not left enough time to organise everything properly.
Assuming you have laid out wedding plans well in advance of your big wedding day, remember that it is ok to just forget about it all for a day, every now and then.
Take some time out, relax, have fun, enjoy yourself, do something different, go for a beautiful walk or whatever you enjoy doing the most. This brief respite time from making wedding plans can really help your Read more
Wedding Planning Remain Calm
May 20, 2009 by Admin
Filed under Remain Calm
Wedding Planning Remaining Calm
If you get stressed out on your wedding plans, and you will at times, it’s inevitable, do your level headed best to remain calm at all times.
Try to remember that their are no problems, only solutions. Sometimes, even the best wedding plans can go awry, that’s the nature of the wedding planning game, one just hopes that it doesn’t happen to you.
If by some unfortunate circumstance, something does go Read more
Wedding Services
May 20, 2009 by Admin
Filed under General, Wedding Services
Hiring Wedding Services
When you need to think about hiring outside wedding services, go on the personal recommendations of others.
For example, for your choice of wedding cars or the wedding day photographer.
If you cannot go on the personal recommendations of family or friends first, always ask to see a personal portfolio and examples of Read more
