Owing to the fact that wedding invitations are the primary introduction your invitees will have to the mood, attitude, and style of your wedding, be absolutely certain that your invitations are as informative and unique as your wedding is slotted to be. Learn from these easy steps, and you'll be humanizing your invitations in no time.

It's nearly impossible to get more personal than a photograph, illustration, caricature, or picture of yourselves. Photographs are purported to be tasteless, classless, informal, and not as appropriate for weddings. Silhouettes, then, are the solution. Silhouettes were pioneered as a great solution because they're classy, posh, contemporary, minimalist - and the best part - still personal.

They're antique and old-fashioned, and they speak to your personalities without being overt or overly literal. Silhouettes are used in several high-profile actors' wedding invitations because of their movie star appeal and Hollywood imagery. Feel like the stars with your own silhouettes in your invitations.

Another way of humanizing your invitations is to include lines from your favorite love poem. A good line from a Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, or T.S. Elliott poem can evoke images of the deepest, sublime beauty and love in its listeners. Use symbols, wax seals, doodles, insignias, illustrations, monograms, or other sacred signifiers to set apart the poetry from the rest of the invite. It's important to separate message from massage. That old line is popular in certain advertising circles because of the viewer's need to have a certain message and a certain emotional massage. Both together work wonders on wedding invitations.

A third way of humanizing your invitations is to skip the computer all together and handwrite the text of your invitation. Scan it into the computer on high resolution, and your invitations will rock themselves silly with personal, relaxed, warm appeal. The invitations will almost beckon to your guests. Recipients will be pleased to see your handwriting, especially if they know you personally. It will be kind of like a personal invite just to them, and that's special under any circumstances. Plus, everyone will feel special about coming. People dislike computer-generated text on some sub-conscious level when they're supposed to be receiving a personal wedding invitation.

A fourth way of personalizing your wedding invitations is by including a real signature of you and your spouse at the end of the message that's in your own handwriting and was not scanned into the computer. The last point is critical. Use a real ink pen and personally sign each and every invitation. There will only be about 200 so it won't take more than an hour or so.
By Jeff Fain


check out may other post on wedding favor, wedding color and wedding trends

So you have everything nearly organized for your wedding. The dress is on its way, the cake has been picked, and you know what music you and your husband will dance to for your first dance. The register has been finalized for the presents and the honeymoon has been booked. But have you thought about your wedding favors?

Wedding favors tend to be the last thing that people think of getting when they are organizing their wedding, but they are still important in the overall wedding. Have you picked out ideas for your wedding favors and whether you will buy them or make personalized ones? You want to show your guest that you appreciated their attendance and you can do this through putting together a carefully thought-out wedding favor.

Distinctively You

Your wedding favor is supposed to symbolize who you and your fiancé are as a couple.

Unique ideas are always fun to come up with.Here are some ideas that you can use to have them personalized:

· One very inimitable wedding favor idea is to create a mixed song CD for your guests. Select the songs that you and your fiancé find significant. Of course put your first dance song on there, and any other songs that are used in the wedding. This unique wedding favor idea will be a hit among your guests!

· If you are having your wedding during the holiday season you could paint your names and the wedding date on an decoration.

· You could also put your names and the wedding date on a small plate, a keychain, or any other knick-knack.

· If your wedding is small a wedding favor idea is to make the gift personalized for your guest. Have their name put on the gift as an alternative of you and your fiancé's.

Budget Wedding Favor Ideas

It can be more than likely that you already have exceeded your budget on other important aspects of the wedding such as the reception, the reception hall itself, your dress, or the wedding cake. The wedding can really add up and before you know it you already have spend several thousands of dollars. If this is the case here are some wedding favor ideas for you if you are on a budget. You could bake cookies and wrap them in tissue paper that matches your color scheme. You could also wrap candy or chocolates in tulle and tie it with some ribbon. These are still good wedding favor ideas, but they will not break the bank!
by Gloria_Gangi

see also my other post on wedding event planning, wedding invitation and cheap wedding

If you are in charge of being the event planning specialist for a wedding reception, wedding rehearsal, or something else that goes along with being involved with the wedding then chances are that you know it is a huge responsibility.

Not only are the bride and the groom counting on you to make sure that every aspect of their wedding reception goes smoothly, but all of your event planning skills are being relied upon for the success of the whole event! Even though not many people will realize if a specific faux pax is made on your part throughout the reception or wedding event because it may be so small in nature, chances are that you realized that you have messed up.

Here are some things about wedding event planning that you should know about in order to create the perfect wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, and coordinating the cleanup efforts afterwards as well!

The Bride and the Groom

Even though the person charged with event planning for the wedding reception or the rehearsal dinner may feel overwhelmed at the great responsibility that he or she has, an important thing for the event planner to realize is that the wedding and everything pertaining to the wedding is all about the bride and the groom. Even though a lot of what's going on will feel like it has to do with the event planner him or her self, chances are that it will only feel that way because there is added pressure on the individual to make sure that things go off without a hitch!

Coordinating the Rehearsal Dinner

The rehearsal is just one aspect about wedding event planning that definitely should not be taken lightly! Even though all of the wedding attendants are not required to go to the rehearsal dinner for the bride and the groom, it would be a good idea if the wedding event planner were to convince everyone to attend! In addition, another very important thing that must be thought about when it comes to the wedding rehearsal dinner is where it will be held, what food will be eaten, and how long it should last. Of course, a lot of these things will be chosen by the bride and the groom itself, but the wedding event planner will obviously have to help them make some of the more important decisions, such as where it will be held and also to make sure the reservations are in place!

A Successful Wedding Reception

Perhaps the best thing about event planning for a wedding is witnessing the marriage ceremony and wedding reception to make sure that it all happens successfully with no real downfalls! The wedding reception is an important part of this; making sure that the bride and the groom have agreed upon the food that will be there, what type of cake they'll have, and where it will be held are very crucial issues to making sure everyone is satisfied! In the end, however, it all comes back to realizing that the whole wedding event is about the bride and the groom, and that is the secret to making sure that your wedding event planning efforts don't go to waste!
By Barbara Thomas

check out my other post on wedding color, wedding trends and cheap wedding

Looking your best on your wedding day is essential to ensuring that your day is successful. As a bride, we want to ensure that we experience not only the best day possible, but that we also look our best. Our wedding dress is considered the prized and most valued commodity to our wedding. Whilst weddings are not primarily about the bride, many of us highly regard the bride to be the 'highlight' of the wedding. As a result, we encounter the pressure and stress of ensuring that we shine on the day.

Often when we commence our wedding preparations, the very first thing we attempt to organise is our wedding dress. This alone can be an extremely difficult task. With an abundance of dresses to choose from, we can often become overwhelmed by the variety available. So, whilst it is a case of trying on the dress and experimenting a little, there are a few simple tips available that can take the edge off this taxing task. As a general rule, the dress you choose should reflect your personality whilst complimenting your figure. The following should also be considered:

Quality and Workmanship

Check the workmanship of the dress and ensure that it is of good quality. You don't want the dress falling apart on the day; Sourcing designer dresses from overseas may seem customary, but Australian designers also provide elegant and stunning dresses.

Finding the right dress for your figure

Make the best of your figure and chose a dress that compliments your shape. Full-figured brides should select a dress that skims the body as opposed to hugging it. If you're pear-shaped, then choose an A-line dress to hide the hips and thighs. Thin and tall brides should select a dress that accentuates the feminine curves, as opposed to looking thin and straight.

Getting an honest opinion

Ensure that you bring someone with you who will provide you with an honest opinion. Your best friend, maid of honour, mother or anyone else that has known you for a long time will be the best person to offer that constructive advice.

Budget, Budget, Budget!

Remember that your dress will only be worn once, so if you're on a tight budget, then don't overlook the possibility of hiring your dress. You will probably find that you will be able to have that gorgeous dress you dreamt of without the price tag attached. Many websites advertise pre-loved wedding dresses for you to purchase. You may also want to have a look at this option.

Skin Tone and tanning

The shade of your wedding dress should accentuate your skin tone, and not make you look washed out. If you plan on tanning for the wedding day, bear in mind that the tone of your skin could alter the colour of the dress. Tanning can also remove the eye away from the dress and your groom as the tan becomes extremely noticeable in photos. So if you want to be seen on your wedding day, ensure that you don't go overboard with the fake tan.

Accessories and the Comfort factor

Accessories are great, but a good rule of thumb is the fancier the dress, the simpler the jewellery should be. If you are wearing large and dramatic earings, then forget the necklace. Instead, try a bracelet. If you wish to wear a dramatic necklace, then opt for elegant but less dramatic earings. Bracelets are not recommended if wearing earings and a necklace. Consider the length of the dress. Envisage the type of shoes you will wear on the day and determine whether or not you will require dress alterations.

You don't want to be falling on the day. If you want minimum fuss on the day, take into account the amount of time it will take you to get into your dress. Dresses with zips are great; you can jump in and get zipped up with minimal fuss. If you don't mind preparation time, then you might like the look of the lace up back. Whilst wearing a veil used to be traditionally part of the wedding attire, today it is strictly optional. If your dress is flamboyant, then you might like to keep it simple and not wear a veil. If you would like to formalise the dress a little, then the veil would be great. Wearing gloves may look stunning and accentuate the dress further (Cinderalla look), but consider the difficulties you will have when exchanging rings.

Often you find that your wedding ring will not fit over the glove. Handbags should be small and should match your wedding dress. Ensure that you arrange for someone to hold your handbag during the critical times on your day. You don't want to be managing a bouquet whilst holding a handbag. Your certainly don't want to have your handbag in your hand during the wedding photos as it will make your look 'cluttered'.

Great Hair compliments the dress

If your dress is simple and elegant, then you might want to have your hair in a dramatic up hair style. Alternatively, if your dress is extremely flamboyant, then consider a simple hairstyle. You don't want to look overdone.

Departing Attire

If you want to change into another outfit when leaving your reception, ensure that your outfit compliments your wedding dress. You want to be remembered as the beautiful and stunning bride, so don't leave your guest with a last bad impression. Wear an outfit that is elegant yet comfortable. This is vital especially if you are travelling straight to your honeymoon venue.
By: Vanessa Taylor


see also my other post on wedding guestbook, white wedding and wedding invitation

Years and years ago, a wedding guestbook encouraged and assisted newlywed couples in remembering who attended their wedding, organizing thank-you notes, and beginning a formal address book for all future contact. In today’s crazed and frenzied modern world, the majority of wedding guestbooks end up being set aside in some dirty old nook. If you want to make your guest book something special, significant, and memorable for all parties, then follow these wonderful tips and ideas.

First of all, be certain that everyone who enters signs the guestbook. That’s a pretty surefire thing to do, but a lot of people forget to do it. Have an attendant on hand to assist in the signing process. A member of the bridesmaid or bridal party is a good person to assist in the sign-in process. Bring the guest book around to the rehearsal dinner, reception, and dinner. Make sure everyone signs it no matter what. This sacred memento will stay in your family for years.

Another savvy tip is to make your guest book personal. This is simple. Instruct your guest to write down their names, addresses, and a short congratulations speech. Have them write down their favorite memories, advice, or even use your invitations to request guests to bring photographs of your previous shared times together. Guest books can be the culmination of years of friendship, and you can peruse it later on in life.

Don’t limit your wedding guestbook to simple words. Make sure that photos and such are included too. Slots for Polaroid pictures are great. Snapshots of your guests are super fun to look at in later years. Polaroid instant photos are the route to go here. Your guests should be aware that they’re having their photos taken. Wedding invitations can contain photographs of the couple. Make it a photo-friendly event with lots of super snapshots from your friends, family, and relatives.

Wedding invitations don’t have to be boring. Spice them up, imbue them with your personality, and make them as beautiful as you and your prospective spouse are going to be. There are only so many ways that you can personalize a guest book, but the whole process begins when you send out personalized wedding invitations. People need to know that your wedding is more about family and less about formal procedures. There’s nothing quite so poignant as a loving story.
By Jeff Fain


see also my other post on white wedding, wedding day and wedding favor

The white wedding dreams of every young girl are the driving force that creates a “bridezilla” out of a gentle and sweet mannered woman. If you are planning your wedding, it would be a great idea to stop and take a deep breath. Weddings have a way of spinning out of control when no one is looking. Suddenly, what began as a simple event to celebrate a lifelong love becomes a wildly expensive, out of control party that has a mind of its own.

Organization Is Fundamental To Remaining Focused On Wedding Budget

As you begin to plan your wedding, the very first day, make sure that you are focused on the wedding budget. The budget is going to be the only way you have to monitor the direction in which your wedding is moving. As your wedding begins to grow into an actual event rather than a simple concept in its planning stages, the wedding budget will be the best thing to help keep the spending focused.

Friends and family will not try to prevent you from buying the many different expensive extras that so many brides believe they need for their white wedding. These are the people that love you and want your dreams of the expensive white wedding gown, individually, hand-caligraphied white wedding invitations and the expensive white wedding decorations that will tie the entire theme together; not the individuals that are monitoring your spending habits or raining on your parade.

If you keep a close eye on your wedding budget you will always have a good idea of how expensive your wedding actually is becoming and how to keep the white wedding dreams alive without turning the wedding into a money pit.

Watch the Dollar Signs When Building the White Wedding of Your Dreams

It is no secret that weddings cost a great deal of money but they don’t need to send you to the poor house. With a bit of research, an eye for sales and the willingness to put effort into finding ways to cut costs, you can have an expensive wedding for very little expense.

Simple Ways to Cut Costs When Planning a White Wedding

Choosing to hold your wedding day is an easy way to save an incredible amount of money. Afternoon Sunday weddings or evening weddings on a Friday night are both economical alternatives to the Saturday night sit-down wedding. If you are not concerned with the specific date or the day or your wedding, you could choose a less expensive alternative to allow you more money to spend on other aspects of the wedding.

The most important part of planning your white wedding is to remember the love that created this wedding and focus on the importance of keeping that love as strong as possible and less about the expensive white wedding shoes that you cannot live without.

see also my other post on wedding favor, sample and creating wedding invitation

In any Indian wedding, the look of the bride and the groom on the D-day is very important. Especially, the look of the bride, her clothes, her jewelry and make-up are given a lot of stress. In fact, in Indian matrimony, brides find it a very special thing to get ready for the ceremony. To look her best on the day of her wedding is every bride’s dream. Since marriage is the most important day of her life, she doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. Be it Hindu matrimony, Punjabi matrimony, Gujarati matrimony, Rajasthani matrimony or marriage from any region of India, the bridal look is generally very bright and colourful.

People can splurge up to any extent these days for the perfect wedding look in Indian matrimonials. But sometimes spending less can also get you the look of your dreams if you style yourself smartly.

Right from the outfit of the bride, to her make up, jewelry and hair-do, attention is given to even the smallest detail to make her look perfect on the matrimonial day. Brides have a lot of variety of wedding dresses to choose from like lehengas, saris, salwar-kameez or ghagara choli. However, the most popular outfit is lehenga choli. There is a whole market segment catering to the bridal demand of different types of lehengas. This outfit is worn on the main wedding day as well as the engagement ceremony and the other pre wedding rituals. It is an ancient dress and is available in traditional as well as modern form.

In Indian Hindu matrimony, red is considered the most auspicious color so red colour dresses for brides are very popular. But these days, variants of red colour such as maroon, pink, magenta, fuschia and wine have also become popular. Some brides also wear green or blue colour. The bold ones are experimenting with colors such as white, deep purple or other shocking colours. The right colour for lehenga is very important. Generally, the colour is chosen keeping the complexion of the bride in mind. For day time wedding ceremonies, one can choose colors like peach, lilac, pink, sky blue, sea green and for the evening wear, bright colors can be chosen.

Not just the colour but the style and the cut of the lehenga are equally important. It is the cut, style and colour that come together to make the perfect wedding dress for the bride For saris, these days, there are very different drape styles that make this ancient outfit look absolutely trendy and cater to the taste of the new age bride. The threadwork and the embroidery on the sari or lehenga should be carefully chosen too. The embroidery can be heavy or intricate, monotone or in different colours but it should suit the style of the bride.

Apart from lehenga, make up and hair do are also equally important. On the matrimonial day, brides ask their beauticians and stylists to give them the perfect make up which makes them stand out in the whole gathering. A glowing skin gives extra edge to beautiful skin. So, it is important for the bride to take care of her skin days in advance before the actual wedding day. Days preceding the marriage, she should avoid spicy, oily and junk food. Basically, anything that could give skin an allergy, irritation or swelling should be avoided. Obviously, drinking 8-10 glasses of water everyday will help. It not just flushes out toxins from the body but helps in giving a glowing skin.

Once you have a radiating skin, you are ready to decorate yourself for your special day. Preceding the matrimony, all care should be taken to keep feeling happy because it will reflect on the face. Sometimes, the beauticians conduct the mistake of overdoing the bride make up. If the clothes and jewelry are heavy, make up should be light. The bride’s face should look sober and beautiful and not overdone.

These days, the trend is to do glossy and shimmering make up. Once the make up is matched with the skin tone, it can make even the average looking girl look really gorgeous and attractive on her wedding day. The wedding get-up is not complete just with the dress and the make-up. Jewelry, footwear and hairdo are the other important things. Pearls, diamonds and the evergreen gold are the hot favorites of the brides. Indian matrimony is incomplete without loads of jewelry. Lastly, hair do should be given utmost importance. Generally, high buns are preferred by brides. Head accessories are also used to give extra style to the bun.

Taking care of all these things, an Indian bride is ready to walk the aisle and catch attention of all. Evan average and below average looking girls become the beautiful Indian brides on their wedding day. Thus, India matrimony is not just about show and celebration but also looking and feeling your best.
By Geetika Jain of Jeevansathi.com


see also my other post on wedding invitation, wedding favor and wedding event planning