Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Planning A Stress Free Wedding

By: Wendy Yeager

Congratulations, you have a wedding to plan! You've decided to take the plunge into holy matrimony!
Ok, now take a deep breath. You can make the wedding planning process as easy or as difficult as you want. Whether you are planning a small wedding or a large one, you've got some work to do. You'll need to arrange for rings if you don't already have them. Some people like the traditional diamond wedding band, while others prefer another beautiful gem such as a sapphire or a ruby. You'll also need to arrange for a wedding dress, attire for the groom and wedding party, invitations, flowers, a wedding cake design, the location for the wedding ceremony, the wedding reception site, a color theme, the honeymoon, etc.
It all sounds overwhelming, doesn't it? It doesn't have to be. You just need to be organized. Start taking care of details as soon as you can. You want to have as much accomplished by the last week before the wedding so you will not be stressed out and can enjoy yourself. You can begin by making a wedding planning checklist. Make lists and categorize tasks. Purchase a notebook and a binder with pockets. Write down all pertinent information in the notebook. Save a sample wedding program, invitation and thank you card samples, etc. in your binder pockets. Enlist the help of friends and family. Assign them tasks, such as planning the reception or coordinating rehearsals. Be sure to include the groom in all the plans and give him some tasks also. You will make things much easier on yourself by asking for help from those around you.
Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life. Everybody wants their wedding day to be perfect, and with luck it will. But, you have to be realistic about your expectations. You must be flexible if everything isn't going exactly the way you planned. Be prepared mentally for any unforeseen problems. Stay calm and go with the flow. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a back up plan ahead of time that you've prepared with friends and family just in case a mishap should occur, such as a no-show photographer, a cake that is dropped on the floor, or the flowers don't arrive in time. Remember to keep a sense of humor and a positive attitude. After all, your main goal in the first place is to be married and for "two to become one". If you achieve this, you will have a successful wedding.

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Ring

By: Samantha Taylor

Traditionally, a wedding band was worn on the ring finger of the left hand because it was believed that the vein in that finger went straight to the heart. A wedding ring is a piece of jewelry which will be worn everyday of your life to signify your love and fidelity to your significant other. That being said, you want to ensure you choose the perfect ring, which can be difficult for someone who is inexperienced in this area. Luckily we can help you through the steps of finding the perfect wedding ring for the special person in your life.

The first thing to consider is the kind of metal you want for your wedding rings. Most wedding rings are found in yellow gold, white gold or platinum. These forms of metal vary in price and most likely this decision will be quite easy since most women already know what kind of ring they want.

The next step is choosing the stone for the ring. You will need to decide which kind of stone you want as well as the shape of the stone. Diamonds are still the most popular choice when it comes to stones for wedding rings however colored stones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires are becoming more and more popular.

The last step is to find a reputable jeweler who you will be comfortable purchasing such an expensive piece of jewelry from. Perhaps it is best to use a jeweler who one of your friends or family members have already used and would recommend for you because of such great results.

If you are like most couples who are marrying, you will likely choose a diamond wedding ring. If you are doing so, you may want to keep the four C's in mind while doing so. The four C's are the diamond's color, cut, clarity and carat weight.


Color - Diamonds are available in number of colors and shades including white, yellow, green, blue and pink. The color range starts at D and moves through the alphabet towards Z. The scale moves from white to yellow as it makes its way through the alphabet.

Cut - The cut of the diamond is what gives the diamond personality. Diamonds which are cut well will be bright and sparkly, however diamonds that are cut poorly may end up looking dull and boring. Choosing and making sure the cut is perfect is a crucial step in the overall outcome of your wedding ring.

Clarity - An inclusion in a diamond is an imperfection inside the stone which will greatly affect the overall worth of the ring. The size, color and position of the inclusions in your ring affect the clarity of the diamond. You want to ensure the diamond has good clarity.

Carat Weight - A carat is divided into 100 equal parts (also known as points). Therefore a one carat diamond equals 100 points; half carat equals 50 and so on. When the diamonds are loose (before they are mounted on the ring), the weight is easy to determine, however, after the diamond has been mounted only a gemologist can determine the weight of the diamond(s).


Take your time when choosing a wedding ring for yourself or for your significant other. A wedding ring is a sign of your everlasting love to one another and is something that will be cherished for the rest of your lives.

Save Money on Your Wedding Dress

By: Samantha Taylor

Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of your life and you've probably been dreaming about it since you were about 12 years old. The dress you choose is ultimately going to be what people look at and remember about your wedding. That being said, you want to find the perfect dress that will make your guest's and husband's jaws hit the floor when you walk down the aisle. Are you thinking that may be unrealistic with your wedding budget? Think again! We have some of the best shopping tips in order to help you save money on your wedding dress. This way you can enjoy your wedding while maintaining a reasonable wedding budget.

1. Shop Around – Don't assume the first dress you try on is going to be the best deal or look the best on you. There are many dresses to try.

2. Discount Bridal Salons – Discount bridal salons often have sales of up to 75% off (especially on last year's merchandise) which can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you hear of a discount sale, make sure you know what you are looking for since many women go crazy at these events and dresses are often gone in a matter of minutes.

3. Have Someone Make Your Dress – If you have a talented friend or family member who you trust to make your wedding dress for you, you can save an enormous amount of money and still have a great dress for your big day.

4. Look on the Internet – the Internet is a great place to search and explore the many options of styles for your dress and you are guaranteed to find dresses which do not cost a fortune.

5. Bridal Salons – normal bridal salons (as opposed to discount) sometimes have sales which offer around 30% off last years merchandise. The salons near where you live are definitely worth looking into.

6. Borrow or Rent – Some women cringe at the thought of borrowing or renting a wedding gown, but others may not take it as seriously. Wedding dresses are really only worn for one day and renting or borrowing can really save you a lot of money.

7. Seamstresses – Contact a seamstress and ask for a quote. It's unlikely that a seamstress is going to charge you as much as a bridal salon. If you do this, make sure to ask about their experience in this area or past brides who you can contact. This will ensure they are reputable and there won't be any "mishaps" with your dress.

Finding the perfect wedding dress is important, but paying a ridiculous amount for one dress can be a waste of your money. Finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect price, now that's a wedding dream come true!

6 Ways to Save Money on Wedding Invitations

By: Dulce Azogue

Inviting your possible guests on your wedding day can be costly. You have to give them traditional wedding cards to inform them of the date and venue, and possibly those cards are made of elegant or high quality papers and other materials that might cost a lot. If your goal is to save money, then you should think of cost – effective alternatives to send out cards to your guests. Here are some tips.

1. Make a list of possible guests first. Invite only your closest friends and relatives so you’ll know the number of cards to make. Sometimes cards are made in excess and are thrown away.

2. No RSVP, please. Who cares about RSVP cards? Chances are they’ll just tell you in person that they will attend, so don’t include RSVP cards. This is especially true when they are your closest friends and co – workers whom you see everyday.

3. Have a friend, relative or hobbyist make DIY cards. If you know someone talented in making cards, then have her come up with a design instead of hiring a company doing that for you.

4. Print them yourself. Just use a cheap ink and your own printer. No one will notice anyway, or they won’t care too much.

5. Send them ecards. Send your relatives living far away an ecard and add an audio to it. You will save on postage stamps and won’t take too long, too. Tell them to reply early.

6. Shop on cheap materials. Go to local bookstores and see those cheap papers and laces. Compare prices of these materials before making a decision.

Think of more ways to save more money on wedding invitations by being creative and delegating tasks to the people you know. Save on other things, too, like wedding cakes, music, photography and attire. You don't have to spend a lot to make your special day a success.

10 Common Wedding Reception Mistakes

By: Matt Campbell

Every bride wants a fairytale wedding. Therefore, this article is to try and minimize problems that may occur during a wedding reception. Listed below are the more common mistakes made by brides and grooms during your wedding reception. We will tell you what to do!

Don’t leave early. Your guests came from near and far to see you on your wedding day. Not staying the whole time of the reception would be a slap in the face. This will be the only time most of your family and friends will be able to see you as you will be very busy with last minute preparations the days leading up to the wedding.

Setup all the tables. Your wedding vendors will need to know where to set-up. Be sure there is a table for the wedding cake, music entertainment, catered food, sign-in near the entrance, gift table, tables and chairs for all your guests to eat and any other tables you may have planned for specialty items.

Preplan with your vendors a day or two before the wedding. Be sure all your wedding vendors know exactly what you want. Clarify times and location so you don’t need to worry about them.

Don’t arrive late to the reception. It is customary that guests do not start eating until the bride and groom start the food line. Be sure to get as many of your pictures taken BEFORE the wedding. There are many ways to accomplish this. One is to have the entire bride’s family pictures taken. Then, have the bride return to the dressing room. Next, take pictures of the groom and his family as guests can see the groom before the wedding. This way you will not compromise the groom seeing the bride before the wedding. Therefore, all that is left after the ceremony are pictures of the happy couple.

Don’t seat the young at heart directly in front of the music entertainment. Older generations are at a wedding typically to socialize with their family and friends. If they cannot hear each other talk, an unhappy situation may occur. So, if by choice, seat the young at heart near the wedding party but away from the entertainer’s speakers.

Don’t have one particular type of music. There are many different types of people in the world. And yes, they include your family and friends. For example, the bride and groom may love country music. It doesn’t mean you have to play country music the whole night. There is a lot of celebration music besides what you like.

Start the food line or meal as soon as possible. Guests plan their meal times the day of your wedding around your reception. Guest will not eat a big meal before your wedding because they know they will be eating at your reception. Don’t starve them.

Know what it will cost you if the reception goes into overtime. Ask the reception facility exactly how long you have the hall to rent and what time you must be out. Please allow time for cleanup if you are the ones doing it. What is the overtime charge for the facility, music entertainment, photography, etc?

Greet and say hello to all your guests. Finally and most importantly, greet all your guests. Make an effort to have a conversation with each and every person. They are there to celebrate your marriage. Give them the common courtesy of thanking them for coming to your wedding.

Don’t get drunk and obnoxious. Keep in mind the only time brides and grooms eat during the wedding day rituals are at the wedding reception. There’s not much food in your stomach and alcohol will affect you much faster. Try and eat throughout the day and watch how much you drink. You want your guests to remember how beautiful the bride looked, not how you acted.

About the Author
About The Author: Matt Campbell is the owner and webmaster for Weddingmuseum.com. Weddingmuseum.com is a place to plan, book and rate your wedding day. You can email him at matt@weddingmuseum.com or visit http://www.WeddingMuseum.com

How to Lower a Wedding Cake Price

By: Nina Romanov



Have you wondered why wedding cakes costs hit the roof? Why do they cost so much? You will be amazed to know that the prices could touch $15 per person or more?

I recall how Mrs. Ingridman taught me invaluable lessons on how to lower a wedding cake price while still going for the classiest of cakes. After her successful wedding, she told me how she managed to treat her guests with a mouthwatering cake which was bought at reasonable price.

She told me the reasons why most wedding cakes turn out to be expensive are because the cake pans used to bake them are expensive. I will list some of the ways by which you can lower a wedding cake price and choose the best cake for your wedding:


1. Before you agree to give an order to the baker, make sure that the decoration and design is the right kind to suit your taste. Go through referrals and see what prices are being quoted. Look through the samples first before deciding on your cake. A supermarket could offer a wide range of cakes at a lesser cost than your bakery.

2. Decide on how you want to decorate your wedding cake…whether you want to keep it simple and cute or splendid and rich. Avoid over decorating the cake. It is not necessary to have a five tiered cake. You can have your cake stacked if you want.

3. Bakers who are not specially into wedding cakes could still bake the best cakes and cost less. Home bakers too do not charge much and could make lovely cakes.

4. You can borrow the pillars. There are disposable pillars available with your local baker or rental companies which are a better alternative than those crystal pillars if you want to cut down on the cost of the pillars. Let the baker or your local rental company helps you with the disposable pillars instead of the crystal ones.

5. Another great idea would be to find prices at a cake making or culinary school near your place. Students have baking and decorating cakes as part of their curriculum. You can be assured that you will get gorgeous cake and have your wedding cake made at a very low price.

6. Investigate prices at a culinary school near you. If students are baking and decorating wedding cakes as part of their curriculum, the per person charge may be greatly reduced.

7. You can even save on your wedding cake topper prices. In Mrs.Ingridman’s case her uncle asked her what she would like to have as a wedding present. Her quick answer was a wedding cake topper. Often relatives and well wishers would ask you to ask what you need as a gift.

8. Another good thing which Miss. Ingridman did, which you may want to do, is that if you buy a multi-tiered cake, see that you decorate it yourself or have the florist do it for you. If you want flowers on your cake but the cost of the artificial flowers isn’t fitting in your budget, let your florist put real flowers on the cake. Just make sure that they are non toxic. Check the price of the organic
edible flowers.

As Mrs. Ingridman put it, before you meet with any baker, look around for the best samples.

Expect to pay per slice of the cake as the cake cost depends more on style than flavors.

Before sign up with your baker, shop around or decide what is the topper you would like, what style you would want for you cake, what flavor is the taste of the season for you and how tiered it should be…but the most important see that your mouthwatering wedding cake comes at mouthwatering price.

What is important to get what you want, at a price which does not tug at your purse strings.


About the author:

Nina Romanov
Cake Decorator

Find more wedding cake tips, recipes and supplies at CakeChannel.com

Hundreds of Wedding Cake Pictures:

http://www.cakechannel.com/wedding-cake-pictures.html

Tips for choosing the right wedding cake

By: Sher Matsen

The job of choosing the right wedding cake style is the responsibility of both the future bride and groom. The style of cake you’ll choose will largely depend on the wedding theme and the size of the wedding. You’ll want to be sure your cake is large enough for all attending guests to receive a piece. If you’re having a super large wedding you can always have two cakes. In fact, a new trend is for there to be a bride cake and a grooms cake.
It can actually be quite a fun event where you can let a little bit of creativity flow. The solution to a "no stress" cake selection is simply knowing what you need and doing your research before hand. The information below will assist you in making sure you've got your icing covered!
The wedding cake is usually cut into small slices, packaged and tied with a ribbon for your guests to take home. You can also serve your cake for dessert. A cake large enough to serve all your guests may cost more but by the same token you eliminate the cost of dessert from your catering budget.
Choose a cake that you both enjoy. The size of the cake is directly related to the size of your wedding and your budget..
If your budget for your wedding is low or you just do not wish to pay very much for your cake. If your budget is small, check around with friends and family – there may be someone who has the expertise to do your wedding cake for a fraction of the cost. Friends, family, magazines, your local bakery, and the internet are all great places to get ideas about the types of cakes available. Or go crazy and get the cake you’ve always dreamed of having.
Types of Wedding Cakes
There are many types of wedding cakes you can choose for your wedding depending on your budget and size of your wedding. Here are just a choices
Small or large round cake
Small or large sheet cake
Single level wedding cake
Multi level wedding cake
Themed wedding cake – for example for a beach wedding you might tie seashells into your cake, or have a sandy textured icing.
Fresh flowers on your wedding cake
Icing flowers on your wedding cake
Silk flowers on your wedding cake
Match your cake with the colors of your wedding theme – the colors of the flowers or the color of your bridesmaid dresses are popular choices
Traditional wedding cake is fruit cake with white icing
More traditional choices are chocolate or orange cake, sponge cake or carrot cake. To be able to keep the top layer of the cake it must be a fruit cake.
Order your wedding cake 6 months to a year in advance. The month you are getting married in is important because the type of cake you choose may not work well with the season. For example, mouse in wedding cakes does not work well during the hot month of August. Winter wedding cakes have fewer restrictions.
Questions to ask your Bakery and or Baker
1) Are samples available to try before you buy? Just because a cake looks good doesn’t mean it will taste good, or not be as hard as a rock. Best to taste test so you’re not disappointed..
2) When is the last day I can make changes? By finding out when the last day you can make changes is, you will most likely be getting the answer as to when they will be starting your cake..
3) Do you deliver? Cakes do not ship well, so unless you’ve made arrangements for someone to pick your cake up and bring it to the reception, it is best if the bakery can deliver it.
4) How do you ship your wedding cakes? 80% of wedding cake damage occurs during shipping. Shipping is also your friend picking it up in their car. The cake needs to be packed properly to ensure it arrives at the reception intact.
5) Should something go wrong what is your back up plan? Many will say that they either have no plans or that nothing will go wrong. Not a good enough answer. When it’s the day before your wedding and something goes wrong it’s too late to come up with a backup plan.
6) How much would it be for regular cakes the same size as the wedding cake? This will determine if you are being gouged or not.
As with all elements of your wedding planning and preparation are important. Decide the type of cake, get pricing, and order early. Then you can place another nice big fat checkmark on your “to do list”.

About the Author
Sher from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

Wedding Cake

By: Tom Tsatsos


The wedding cake is one of the most important features of your reception. In fact, it is the centerpiece of your reception. You should begin shopping for a baker 6-8 months before the wedding. If you plan on having your reception catered, ask your caterer if they will bake your wedding cake. However, you do not have to choose the caterer to bake your cake. You can also buy cakes from commercial and boutique bakeries, custom wedding cake designer, a culinary school or someone you know who makes cakes from home.
Begin by calling bakeries or cake decorators in your area to check for date availability. If they are available, make an appointment to go in and check out the designs, taste and skill level of the business. Many specialty cake decorators require that you book six months to a year in advance to reserve your date, whereas commercial bakeries may require 3 months due to larger staff and their ability to do a larger quantity of cakes.
Since most weddings are on the weekends, baker's deadlines also coincide with that timetable. A phone call to make an appointment to visit with the individual or bakery about your cake will be appreciated. If you just walk in and expect undivided attention, you may be disappointed if they do not have time to visit with you at that time.
Ask the baker to provide samples of the cake flavors, icings, fillings, etc., during your interview. The taste, flavor and texture of the cake itself will be the most important decision you will make when you order your cake. The outside beauty of your wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement, but the inside of the cake is what you will be serving to your guests. You want a cake that is flavorful, moist and good to eat.
Before your meeting with the baker, collect pictures of wedding cakes that appeal to you. Be sure to take those pictures with you on your interviews so that you can give your baker an illustrated idea of what you are looking for in a wedding cake. Here are some key questions you need to ask them:

Flexibility-Will they bake a cake according to your specifications?
Is the cake made from scratch or is it from a cake mix?
Request to see pictures of their work. Most bakers will have a portfolio of their cakes.
Certain cakes are not good for particular seasons. For example, if you are planning an outdoor wedding in August, you want to avoid cakes with mousse, meringue, whipped cream or buttercream filling. Ask the baker what cakes are in season.
What is the price per serving? Prices can average between $1.50 a slice to $15 a slice depending on the cake you choose. The price depends on frosting, decorations, architecture, etc. Understand that the more elaborate the cake, the more expensive the "per serving" price will be.
What are the extra charges? Most bakers charge for renting the pillars, columns, cake toppers, delivery and set-up. There may also be extra charges for certain cake fillings, flavors, styles, etc.
Who will be setting up the cake?
What do they provide in the set-up? Talk to your baker about how you'd like the cake table to be set up.
If you plan on using fresh flowers on your cake, who is responsible for providing the flowers, the baker or the florist?

When interviewing the baker, make sure you know the number of servings required, your desired type and design, and your budget for the cake. Be up front with the baker about the maximum amount you are willing to spend on your cake and ask them if they are willing to negotiate. Click here to see how you can save money on your wedding cake.
After you have decided on a baker and all the details, make sure to get everything in writing. Your contract should include the following:

Detailed description of the cake type, style, and description of the decorations.
The number of layers and fillings for each layer if applicable.
Type of frosting.
Wedding date, time and location of delivery
When, how, where and by whom the cake will be delivered (or picked up). Make sure to include the complete address where the cake is to be delivered.
Name and contact information of the baker
List of rented items (pillars, cake stand, cake table, etc.)
Delivery and set-up fees
Total price
Deposit amount
Balance and due date
Baker's cancellation and/or refund policy
If you do your homework, buying your wedding cake will be a smooth process. Remember to be realistic, and don't spend your entire wedding budget on your wedding cake.