Archive for the ‘getting married’ Category

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10 Must Have Gifts Ideas For The Wedding Party

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

It is traditional for the bride to give the groom a gift on the wedding day. Although the wedding rings that the couple exchanges can be considered gifts, many brides choose to honor their groom with an additional gift that suits his personality.

One unique gift ideas for your bridesmaids is an evening bag to be used as an accessory on the wedding day. This gift can be a lovely gesture and will serve the purpose of keeping the accessories of the bridesmaids’ uniform and will free your bridesmaid from the burden of searching for an evening bag that matches the dress. In this case you may choose to give the bridesmaids their gifts early in the wedding planning so that they don’t purchase a bag specifically for the occasion of your wedding.

A photo album complete with a picture of you and the bridesmaid or the entire wedding party can be another unique gift idea for the bridesmaids. You could purchase photo albums with the date of your wedding engraved on the front cover and start the photo album with a picture of you and the bridesmaid. This is a wonderful gift idea because the bridesmaid can place her photos from the wedding day in the album and will always have a precious souvenir from your wedding day.

Gift certificates to a spa or a salon also make unique gift ideas for your bridesmaids. Your bridesmaids most likely spent a great deal of time and energy in helping you to plan your wedding. The week prior to your wedding was also probably especially hectic with a great deal of last minute details to attend to and errands to run. While you will have your honeymoon to relax and renew your energy your bridesmaids do not have this luxury so by honoring them by presenting them with a gift certificate to a spa or salon you are giving them the gift or being pampered and the gift of relaxation.

A few more unique gift ideas for your bridesmaids’ gifts include handcrafted or homemade gifts. For example you could put together a CD of some of your bridesmaids’ favorite songs. You could make the CDs different for each bridesmaid and include a photo of the two of you on the cover and include a heartfelt poem on the inside of the CD cover. You could also create a scrapbook for each of your bridesmaids. You could either make the scrapbook a memory of your entire friendship together and include photos and other items from your various adventures throughout the years or if you plan ahead and take many photos documenting your wedding preparations, you could create scrapbooks as a remembrance of the wedding planning that you shared.

Personalized cosmetics bags can also be used as unique bridesmaids gifts. You could purchase attractive cosmetic bags and have them embroidered with your bridesmaids’ initials and the date of your wedding. Another nice touch with this gift is to include a few items such as lipstick or nail polish that complement each of your bridesmaids’ style and complexion.

Another unique gift idea for a bride to give to her bridesmaids is a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Assisting in your wedding preparations was probably extremely stressful and time consuming for the bridesmaids and they certainly deserve a night on the town and the opportunity to not have to cook for a night. This simple gift lets your bridesmaids know that you appreciate their efforts and that you want to thank them for all that they have done to support you.

Unique gift ideas for the bridesmaids can also stem from the wedding theme. For example if you are having a beach themed wedding you might want to give your bridesmaids a gift of a tote bag, a beach towel and a novel to enjoy on the beach. This unique gift idea ensures that your bridesmaids will remember your wedding fondly the next time they are at the beach.

Although the tradition of the bride and groom exchanging gifts on their wedding day is beginning to fade, many couples still wish to honor this tradition. Many couples spend so much money on their wedding and reception that they feel as though they cannot afford the additional expense of buying gifts for each other. While it may be true that the couple cannot afford one more extravagant gift it is also true that a truly thoughtful gift for the groom does not have to be overly expensive. If the couple is partaking in this tradition it is advisable that they exchange gifts that truly reflect the personality of their spouse.

Posted in Bride, Gifts, Groom, bridesmaids, couples, getting married, gift ideas, wedding party | 1 Comment »

Are Bachelorette Parties for Good Girls?

Thursday, December 13th, 2007

A lot of brides wonder, can I have a bachelorette party and still be viewed as a good girl? Many mothers and grandmothers advise their daughters that only “bad” women have bachelorette parties, and that a girl’s reputation can be tarnished by a wild night out on the town. So, these older women say, don’t have a bachelorette party at all.

However, for most modern brides, a bachelorette party is a right of passage, and a fair deal since the groom will undoubtedly have a bachelor party. Why should the boys be the only ones who get to celebrate the last days of being single?

Unfortunately, there is a tension between a traditional bachelorette party that may include strippers, random strangers at bars hitting on the girls, suck-a-buck tee shirts, and other penis shaped party favors, and maintaining some sense of dignity. For a lot of women, the thought of a wild bachelorette party with a male exotic dancer seems too risqué for it to be a fun night, and would make it a tedious exercise rather than a memorable adventure. Instead, many women opt for a stay at home, low key bachelorette party. This may be a great solution for girls who worry that they aren’t being a “good” fiancé if they go out and have guys hit on them all night, buying drinks for the bachelorette and making lewd comments. Instead, a bride-to-be can have a bachelorette party that is focused more on celebrating being a woman and having the women around her who mean the most.

This type of bachelorette party should be specifically requested if a bride is demure. No need to take a chance that one of your bridesmaids will think you want to go out to clubs and bars, if what you really want is a quiet night in. For a more simplistic, “nice girl” bachelorette party, it is great to focus on time with the girls in a way that seems more infused with class and propriety.

The party can be planned with pink as the theme – pink decorations, foods, and party favors, and guests wearing the girly hue. You can plan activities such as spa treatments, at home pedicures, or lighthearted games that are not bawdy as many bachelorette games tend to be. Another option is to host a bachelorette party slumber party, complete with pizza, sleeping bags, and girly movies. The point is that you can remain a “good” girl, and still celebrate your womanhood and fleeting single status with your girlfriends. Bachelorette parties don’t all have to be about wearing tight fitting clothes and flirting with strangers. Instead, the focus can remain on what makes the bride feel comfortable, supported, and loved by her bridesmaids and other female friends.

A small, intimate, at home bachelorette party may be the perfect solution for making the bride feel as though this right of passage has upheld her beliefs and allowed her to remain true to herself. Bachelorette parties can be whatever you want them to be!

Posted in Bachelorette, Bachelorette Party, Before The Wedding, getting married | No Comments »

The Wedding Party

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007

You are getting married! Congratulations. There are many, many plans to make, and of course, you need to choose your wedding party. Who will be the best man? Who will be the matron of honor? Whose feelings are about to get badly hurt?

Choosing the wedding party can be very excruciating for both the bride and the groom. Ideally, the groom would choose his best friend, his brother, or his father as the best man. Either of these choices would be fine will all involved. However, for the bride it is usually much more difficult.

The bride usually chooses her best married friend as the matron of honor…but which ones consider themselves to be the brides best friend? The chances are good that when you attend the wedding, every bridesmaid you see considers herself to be the brides best friend.

It almost never fails. Somebody’s feelings will be hurt when the bride and groom announce who will be in the wedding party. You can’t allow this to force you to make selections that you would not have made otherwise.

It is important to realize that this is your special day. You should have the people that you want standing up for you, and standing beside you. The fact is that if somebody else doesn’t like this decision, and they get mad to the point where they want nothing to do with it, you can’t really consider them a real friend anyway.

If the bride and groom are not careful, the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen can grow to large numbers – all because the bride and groom want to include, or feel forced to include, everyone that they consider a friend. You can’t allow this to happen. You have to pick an affordable number of bridesmaids and groomsmen, and stick with it.

If you really have no preferences as to who the best man and matron of honor are, let them pick straws. Let them know that they are all equally important to you, and that you just can’t decide. Also, let them know that no matter who is chosen as the matron of honor and the best man, it is not an indication that these people are liked or loved more than others.

Posted in Before The Wedding, getting married, wedding party, wedding plans, wedding preparation | No Comments »

Unique Weddings

Wednesday, June 27th, 2007

Your wedding should not only be special, it should be unique in the same way that you, your loved one, and your relationship are unique. Your wedding should show the guests who you are as a couple. Unique weddings range from traditional to the not-so-traditional.

You’ve heard of couples marrying in mid-air, while sky diving. You’ve probably heard of couples marrying under the surface of the ocean. These are unique ideas, but they may be more than what you are trying to accomplish.

Start by planning the wedding of your dreams. This is the wedding that you’ve always seen yourself at, as the bride. Use that dream as the core for your wedding, and then look for ways to make it unique.

One way to be unique is to request that people not bring or send wedding gifts. Instead, you can make arrangements through a local charity, and ask your friends and relatives to donate whatever they had intended to spend on your gift. This is not only a loving gesture, but it eliminates clutter when you and your spouse to be combine households. This is a good idea when you really already have everything that you need to set up and run a household.

You can choose a theme. Theme ideas include a spooky theme, a theme related to an old classic movie, a theme related to a holiday, or a theme related to a sport or hobby. You can get really creative with your decorations, and even ask the guests to come dressed in a certain way.

Most wedding receptions focus on the bride and groom. Why not move some of that focus to other married couples. For instance, if your grandparents have been married for sixty years, this is an accomplishment, and it should be recognized. There is no better time or place to do this than at your own wedding.

Remember that you are only limited by your imagination, and even though you want a unique wedding, you must also consider the comfort of your guests. When you are skydiving and getting married at the same time, the chances are good that the guests will not be jumping out of that plane with you!

Posted in Before The Wedding, getting married, unique weddings, wedding preparation | 1 Comment »

The Legalities of Getting Married

Friday, June 22nd, 2007

If you are getting married, you most likely feel like you are on top of the world. This is how you should feel, however getting married is a big step, and there are many legal issues involved.

First, of course, you will need a marriage license. These are obtained through your County Clerk’s office, or the equivalent, depending on where you live. You will most likely need photo identification, a birth certificate, and divorce papers (if you are divorced) or a death certificate (if you are widowed). These will be required for both the man and the woman.

You may be required to take a blood test before obtaining the license as well. The cost of the blood test and the license will vary from one location to another. There may or may not be a waiting period as well. For example, if there is a three day waiting period, you will obtain the license, but not be free to marry for seventy-two hours after that point.

The person who performs the ceremony must have the authority to do so in your state. You can ask the person that you select about that authority, and they should give you enough information to check to be sure. However, in most cases, you will have personal knowledge of the wedding official, and be comfortable with them.

The bride has many legal issues to address. She must determine whether or not she will keep her maiden name, or use her husband’s surname. If she will be using her husband’s name, she will need to contact the Social Security Administration. She will also need to have her driver’s license changed, and credit cards changed.

The couple needs to take a serious look at insurance policies that already exist. The bride’s name needs to be changed, and the policy plan may also need to be changed to ‘employee and spouse’ or ‘employee and family.’

Finally, the couple will need to open bank accounts, both checking and savings, in both of their names. Some of these things will not be possible until after the marriage has taken place, however, some of these things can be addressed before the wedding as well.

Posted in Before The Wedding, getting married, wedding preparation | No Comments »

On Your Wedding Day…

Thursday, June 21st, 2007

Your wedding day should be as special, unique, and as beautiful as you are. It should be a dream day. There is nothing ordinary about it, and it should never be fraught with problems and crisis. There are many things that you can do to ensure that you do in fact have the wedding day of your dreams.

First, start by assigning someone capable the task of handling any problems that may crop up. This is vital if you don’t have a professional wedding planner. If you do have a wedding planner, you don’t need to do this. But if you don’t, there must be someone – other than you – that can deal with any problems that may pop up. Good choices include the matron of honor and/or the best man.

A day or two before the wedding, take the time to confirm all plans. Call the caterer, the florist, the baker, the photographer, the band, and the transportation professionals that you have lined up. Make sure that they are on track to arrive where they should be on time, and that there are no problems. Confirm plans for the honeymoon as well.

The day of or the day before the wedding, try to get a professional massage. This will serve well to relax you for your big day. Planning a wedding often means months of built up stress, and you want to look beautiful and rested for your wedding. This is essential for both the bride and the groom.

The day of the wedding will be busy, but it should not be stressful. The bride will typically have appointments to get her hair and nails done. Schedule these early in the day. Appoint or hire someone to do your makeup as well, although this should be done later, after you have donned your wedding dress in most cases.

Spend your day with family and friends, in a relaxing atmosphere. This may be at home, or even at a spa. Just be sure that the atmosphere is one in which you feel perfectly comfortable.

Posted in The Wedding Day, getting married, wedding preparation | No Comments »

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