Wedding rings, a representation of a couple’s immortal love, have been part of marriage rites for thousands of years. ivory, glass, leather and bone have been used to fashion wedding bands, but precious metals are the most common material. Shopping for a ring can be one of the more enjoyable chores a couple must complete before the wedding day, though the decision won’t be easy with so many styles from which to choose.

According to most wedding planning timelines, you can wait to shop for wedding rings until 4 months before the actual wedding date. By then, most of the stress-inducing logistics have been taken care of enabling the two of you to relax for a brief period. And that’s what shopping for wedding rings should be a time relaxing, quite time for the two of you to regroup before things really spiral out of control and tensions flare!

Since a wedding ring lasts a lifetime, the choice of the rings should be something that not only looks pleasing but also fits comfortably, Have a budget in mind in advance before beginning the search. This will create a starting point from which to work.

Where do you begin your search for wedding rings? Trends are great, and the trendy rings will be placed center stage at the jewelers, but most people opt for tradition when selecting their wedding rings. Remember, the rings are going to be worn for a long time, hopefully decades, and today’s trends aren’t going to last that long. Be sure to consider what you both like. For many men, a wedding ring is the only piece of jewelry they’ll ever wear so let the guy have some say in the decision.

Do you prefer yellow or white gold or perhaps platinum? Do you want to include diamonds or other gemstones? Do you like filigree or scroll work? Perhaps you are more attracted to simplicity. Should the rings match or should each pick a preferred style? Non-matching rings are becoming a more common option.

A plain gold band, narrower for the bride and wider for the groom is a classic look. Do either of you have any cultural preferences? For example, traditional French rings are made up of of three interwoven rings which stand for “faith”, “hope” and “love”. In Greek and Anatolian cultures women wear “puzzle rings” which consist of intricate interlocking bands that are assembled to create a single ring. A traditional Russian rings are made of bands of three metals: bands of rose, white and yellow gold. Jewish wedding rings are usually inscribed with a Hebrew scripture.The popular Irish Claddagh rings symbolize the phrase “let love and friendship reign.” They are adorned with two hands clasping a heart surmounted by a crown.

After finally finding the perfect rings, you should decide whether to add an inscription. Engraving makes your rings truly unique and special, and there is often more room than you would think to add your inscription. Once you have made all the decisions, go over your receipt carefully before making a payment. Don’t forget to ask the jeweler about care and upkeep. You may also want to consider insurance. Before long you will each be wearing the rings you selected together as the outward symbol of your commitment to each other!

FOUNDATION: One of the most important things for a bride besides the dress, is looking great on her wedding day. A flawless complexion is very important in achieving this. Whether you are a make-up wearer or not, an even complexion is important. To bring into being this you can decide foundation, tinted moisturiser or just concealer. Foundation: - even if you don’t wear a foundation it’s a good idea to use a light weight one to even out your complexion, photos and videos tend to show every little thing. - don’t be tempted to apply a darker foundation to get a healthy glow it will look awful, opt for an all over false tan instead - keep it simple. If your complexion is fairly even, all you’ll require is a little concealer applied where needed ( spots, dark circles etc. ). Otherwise decide a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturiser.

How to choose the right one. Choosing the right foundation is one of the hardest things. Get it right and you’ll look fantastic, get it wrong and none of your make-up however good will look right. So before you get to the beauty counter, do the following that way you won’t be fearful by the huge amount of products to choose from. What type of foundation suits your skin type? Dry skin would benefit using a moisturising foundation, one that is semi-matte, one that has a dewy finish, light reflective one or even a cream to powder foundation. Avoid oil free and powder / foundation in one. Combination skin.This skin type is very lucky because they can use any type of foundation depending on the type of look they want. Problem or oily skin. A problem skin would benefit from an oil-free foundation, some cream to powder foundations (some of the new ones are oil-free) and powder / foundation in one. They should avoid any creamy, moisturising foundations or light reflective ones. Mature skin. A hydrating foundation or light reflecting one would be appropriate for a mature skin. A cream to powder could also be good. Look for ones with a semi-matte or dewy finish up that are not too heavy. Avoid anything too heavy, opaque or matte as this can be very ageing.

Different coverages and finishes Coverage: Sheer (hardly anything, Brilliant for young near best skin), Light ( a bit more cover Fantastic for someone who just wants to even out their complexion, good for dry, combination or mature skin), Medium ( moderate cover for a slightly less than appropriate complexion, good for all skin types), Opaque ( maximum cover for those skins which need it, i.e. scars, broken veins, birth marks, most suitable skin types apart from mature and very dry). Next decide the type of finish you would like: Shiny is perfect only on youthful Flawless skin. Dewy/Moist is suitable for all skin types other than problem/oily. Demi-matte this is a Fantastic for all skin types. Matte is appropriate for problem/oily and combination skin.

At the Counter Having chosen the best foundation, based on skin type, preferred finish up and coverage, you are now ready to find the perfect colour. To discover the right colour, apply a stripe of foundation on your clean jaw line, not on the back of your hand. The colour is NEVER the same. Leave it to settle for a couple of minutes to see if the colour changes when the foundation reacts with your skins natural oils. Now check it in natural day light, this is the only true light. The foundation colour that you DON’T see is the right one. Don’t be tempted to alter your skin colour with foundation, it will just look false-mask like. You may find that you have to mix two foundations together to the best shade for you, don’t worry Make-up Artists do this all the time.

Tips for a flawless complexion. Foundation shouldn’t have to look or mask like if applied properly. Although all foundations are slightly different, the method of application is similar. Start with a cleansed face, allow your moisturiser to absorb. Then prime your skin (If needed) Now you are ready for foundation. Place a little foundation in the palm of your hand, this helps warm it to skin temperature, so it goes easily. Using either your fingers, a latex sponge (these feel damp even though they are dry) or brush apply foundation to the cheeks, nose and chin. Always apply in a downward motion starting in the centre and blending out toward the edges. You needn’t wear foundation all over your face like a mask, if the colour and texture are right then use it only where you need it (most don’t need any on the forehead).

Quick Tips: Choosing the right Foundation. a) First determine your skin type, the coverage you need and the finish (matte, dewy etc.) you’d like. b) Next choose your colour, test along your jaw line wait a couple minutes for it to react with your skins natural oils. Check in day light, the one you don’t see is the one for you. c) Using either a latex sponge, fingers or a foundation brush apply only to the areas that need it, since you’ve chosen the right one you don’t need to apply it all over like a mask. And there you have it a flawless complexion. Powder: - in photos too much shine looks sweaty, even if you want a dewy look keep your t-zone mat. Use either one of the many mattifying products patted on the t-zone over foundation or some translucent powder. To make your make-up last, you could try long lasting foundation or a make-up primer.

BLUSH Let’s commence with classic way. Apply your blush just slightly neath your cheek bone, from the apple blending up ward towards the ear. This will give a slightly sculpted effect. Brilliant if you want bring out your cheek bones, and/or thin your face. You can also apply blush to the apple of your cheeks. To find your apples simply smile, and put your blush on the ’roundy’ bit. This gives a really fresh glow, which looks Fantastic on almost everyone.

Tips If put on too much blush don’t worry, you don’t have to take it all off. If it’s a powder one just take a little yellow powder on a puff or brush and dust it over, this will soften it. If you’ve used a cream blush, get a bit of foundation or tinted moisturiser on a sponge and smooth it over the area. Now you can leave it or replace it. Add any blush a little at a time to build up the colour, that way you avoid making mistakes.

There are four different formulations of blusher. a) creams: a cream blush is just that, it has a soft creamy texture and is best applied to bare skin or one that only needs a tinted moisturiser or light weight foundation. It doesn’t blend well on a skin using a matte/powdery foundation. Cream blushers will give the skin a dewy, sheer fresh look. It is Fantastic on dry, normal or combination skins. And should be avoided by oily or blemished skins. The perfect way to apply a cream is either with your fingers or a dry latex sponge. Dot the blush on the apple of your cheeks and blend along the cheek bone. b) cream to powders: these are the newest formulations of blush. They combine the sheerness of a cream with long lasting wear of a powder. This formulation seems to be the favourite with most make-up artists at the moment. If gives a soft slightly sheer semi-matte look, which is very wearable. It is easy to apply using either fingers, sponge or even blusher brush. Going on anything from bare skin to one requiring foundation and powder. It is fab for all skin types. c) powders: in the past these have been the most popular. They can offer a more matte finish off, although some may contain shimmer. They tend to be longer lasting. Powder blush is suitable for most skin types, especially oily skins. Though really dry/flaky skins should avoid powder blush as it can sit on the surface and make the skin look parched. Some find powders easier to apply and blend. They should always be applied to a matte or semi-matte skin using a proper blusher brush otherwise it will look blotchy. d) gels/stains: these are sheer oil free formulations with a high concentration of pigment. They give a sheer but intense colour with a modern feel. They are appropriate suited to an oily or combination skin. They tend to be the more difficult of the blushers to apply, because you have to work quickly and exactingly using your fingers or sponge otherwise they can look very patchy. Apply to bare skin or one needing a tinted moisturiser / light weight foundation. Don’t use over powder or a matte foundation. When applying a powder blush it is vital that you use the right size brush, otherwise your blush will look patchy and uneven. Never use those little ones that come with the blush. - When choosing the colour remember it is perfect to stick to pinky-browns, soft apricot/peach or soft red-browns depending on your skin tone if you want a natural look. For a long lasting effect: Try layering, that is apply a cream or cream to powder blush first followed by a matching powder.

Take a good look at your make-up and the bag you keep it in. If they are not looking their perfect - that is to say if products are missing lids, brushes are matted and puffs & sponges are in need of a clean, if you have make-up in there that you haven’t used in ages, then it’s time to reassess and de-clutter your make-up bag. Even the perfect, most expensive make-up won’t look wonderful if it’s past it’s sell-by date. Or applied with dirty brushes, sponges and puffs. Worst yet these products could cause loads of problems that perhaps you weren’t even aware of.

Initially your new /clean make-up will only become contaminated if put into a dirty make-up bag. So give what ever make-up you love and want to keep a wipe before putting it back in. If you’ve got makeup brushes then keep them in optimum working condition by cleaning them regularly. Make-up artists invest in good brushes which with proper maintenance last for years, mine are over 10 years old and still look good and work wonderfully. But if your brushes look more like a cat’s chew toy then it’s time to throw it away. Dirty, grubby brushes, sponges & puffs could be the reason your foundation, eye shadows, blushers and powders may not look as good as they could. It will cause your make-up to go on blotchy, uneven and discoloured. They could also be the main cause of some skin irritations, as a result of bacteria breeding on them. Skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, rashes and conjunctivitis can develop, become worst or constantly reoccur as a result of using dirty tools and products past there sell by date. The other problem that arises is you can sensitise your skin to any future products you buy if your actual make-up bag is looking grubby then either clean it or invest in a new one.

I clean my ‘working’ brushes each time I use them but my own ‘personal’ brushes once every 3 to 4 weeks. Which is what I would suggest you do as well. Sponges and foundation brush really should be washed after each use. It’s easy to clean your brushes, just wet the bristles thoroughly with warm water. Then wash them with what ever shampoo you use (as long as it’s not a dandruff one). That way too you’ll know that you clean your brushes with won’t irritate your skin. Once they’re debris free rinse them in lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Now gently squeeze out the excess water ( I find using paper towel works well). Reshape and lay flat on a paper towel to dry. I usually wash my brushes in the evening so that they’re ready the next day. Alternatively you can invest in brush cleaner. These are now widely available.

Now for the actual makeup. You may have noticed an open jar label on your make-up, this means that once opened that product will be at its optimum appropriate for how ever many months it says. Once opened: - Mascara should be replaced after three or 4 months or sooner if it’s lost it’s ‘pop’ when opened. Remember not to pump your mascara, this pushes air into the tube making it dry out quicker. Old mascara can harbour bacteria that causes eye infections. Never share your mascara.

- Foundation (oil-based) around 18 months, (water-based) up to 12 months. - Concealer 18 months - Blusher (powder) 2 years, (cream) 18 months. - Lipsticks & Glosses should last a couple of years, but keep them out of the heat this changes their consistency, colour & texture. - Eyeshadow (powder) 24 months, (cream) 18 months, as long as you shut the lid tight. - Lip & Eye Pencils about 2 years as long as you keep them out of the sun and sharpen them regularly. - Liquid Eyeliner 12 to 18 months. - Face Powder 36 months. As long as the brush or puff you use to apply it is kept clean. - Nail Polish about 12 months, longer if you keep it in the fridge. REMEMBER when applying make-up with your fingers make sure your hands are clean.

Top Tips: If it’s lost it’s top/lid throw it out!! If it smells odd throw it out!! If you’ve got a cold sore don’t use your lip colour straight from the tube or wand, use a clean cosmetic bud each time. If you’ve got an eye infection do not use any eye make-up.

This look is just best for someone who doesn’t wear much make-up but wants to have a look which is polished on the day. Or for someone who wants an understated look. Celebrity example - Jennifer Anniston Commence with right foundation for your skin tone if you need it, or skip straight to the Concealer Palette To give your complexion more radiance apply Skin Illuminator in Champagne before foundation or concealer. EYES - Apply Crystal Taupe Eye Shine just to the lids. - Place in the outer corners of the eye with the Powder Pencil in Brown Suede. - Highlight below the arch of the brows with the lightest shade from the Toffee Trio. - Finish off with Waterproof Mascara in Black CHEEKS - Using the Face Trio in Toffeedot the middle shade from the Trio along your cheekbones and blend with fingertips. Now using brush #2 from the Brush Set, sweep the powder from the Trio over the cheeks. This really helps your blush look perfect all day. Use the lightest shade from the Trio to accent the tops of your cheekbones. Add Waterproof mascara in Black. LIPS - Apply Lip Base first to keep your lip colour on longer. - Define the shape of your lips with the Natural Lip Pencil - Finish with a touch of Not Too Nude lip duo. Apply the Not Too Nude liquid lip colour first then continue with a touch of gloss. The look can be completed with a dusting of Universal Yellow Powder just on your t-zone.

SUN KISSED This look is beautiful for a summer wedding. Celebrity example: Jennifer Lopez Begin with right foundation for your skin tone or skip straight to the Concealer Palette. Help with complexion by a glow mix a little Shimmer Tint in Bronze with your foundation or the Concealer Palette. All you’ll need is the Summer Glow Trio. The carefully sel;ected shades of this Trio have been specially made to compliment and favor your complexion. The (matte) Bronze adds warmth to your complexion without looking shiney. The Bloom (apricot/pink) does just that, brings a gentle flush of colour. And the Glow (shimmery soft gold) accents and highlights with a subtle sheen. It comes with a uniquely designed multi retractable brush. The brush offers two settings so that you can get a variety of effects from your Trio.

How to get a Sun Kissed Look: - Start by applying a hint of colour to your complexion with the bronze shade Use the Multi brush open to the maximum setting to lightly dust all over your face. Don’t forget your neck. Put a little extra where the sun hits naturally, cheeks, bridge of the nose, above the arch of the brows. Now set the Multi Brush to demi and add a little on your eye lids.

To create sculpted cheeks - keep the brush on the demi setting and apply the bronze shade just down below your cheek bones. Using bronzer on its own can look great but I wanted to give that extra Wow! which is why I’ve included the other 2 colours Bloom & Glow. - Add a hint of colour with Bloom. Using the Multi Brush set on full, smile and sweep Bloom over the apples of the cheeks.

Eyes- Then set the Multi Brush to demi and add a little Bloom to your eye lids. -Next use the Multi Brush on the demi setting and sweep Glow neath the arch of brows, along the top of the cheek bone and along your nose. Finish off with Waterproof mascara.

- Complete this look with a touch ofIncognito Lip Shine or one of the delicious shades from the Fudge Flip Kit.

Top Tip: To keep your brush clean simply swipe over a tissue.

EVENING or Glamorous LOOK A great look, that’s glamorous and striking without being over the top. Celebrity example: Catherine Zeta Jones. Commence with right foundation for your skin tone, or skip straight to the Concealer Palette. Help with complexion by added radiance apply Skin Illuminator in Champagne before foundation or concealer. EYES - Eyes are dramatic yet easy to achieve, using a mix of soft shimmers and charcoals. The key to this look is BLENDING. Use either the applicator or your fingers to apply the Caviar shadow just to your lids. A light application will give you a soft charcoal effect while layering will create a more deep dramatic look. Put a bit more emphasis on the outer corners and way along the base of your lower lashes for a smoky look. If your eyes are deep set then extend the charcoal shade slightly above the lids to get that soft smoky look. Now add some Wow!! with the Black / Silver Glitter Pencil applied over the Caviar Shadow and blended with your finger to achieve a twinkling effect. Next sweep the Champagne Shadow just below the arch of your brows to accent and lift. Finish off with a generous amount of black Waterproof mascara. CHEEKS - Cheeks are subtly sculpted with a flush of colour. Apply three dots of Cinnaberry just under the cheek bones and to the apples of the cheeks. To achieve a more chiselled look, accent the top of your cheek bones with a touch of Champagne. LIPS - Lips are emphasised with a seductive red. Using the lip brush apply Cranberry Crush a sheer red for a beautifully defined pout.DIRECTIVE LOOK

This look is a directional make-up, that offers the bride a wearable catwalk feeling. Celebrity inspiration: Victoria Beckham This season there are a lot of brights around.

Begin with right foundation for your skin tone, or skip straight to the Concealer Palette EYES - Apply a wash of colour to the lids using Crystal Amethyst Eye Shine. - Next add a sweep of Glitter Pencil in Purple / Silver to the base of the top lashes. - Finish off with a generous coating ofWaterproof Mascara in Black. CHEEKS - For a flush of colour, apply the middle shade from the Angelic Face Trio to the apples of the cheeks and top with the Shimmer Stick in Bermuda for a healthy glow. - Highlight the cheek bones and below the eyes with a sweep of Neath Eye & Face Brightener. LIPS - Apply Lip Base first to keep your lip colour on longer. - Lips are kept fresh and sheer with Damson Lip Glaze or by mixing any of the colours from the Bon Bon Flip Kit.

Classic Timeless Bride

Classic Timeless Bride Begin with the right foundation for your skin tone if you need it, or skip straight to the Concealer Palette To give your complexion more radiance apply Skin Illuminator in Champagne before foundation or concealer Then create your entire look with the: Timeless Face Palette I have chosen each shade in this palette to compliment every skin tone, eye colour and age so you can wear them with confidence. The palette consists of 5 products: 1 powder blush in Rose Glow, 3 eye shadows in Chiffon, Sheer Taupe and Bitter Chocolate and Lip Tint Plus in Hint of Tint. The palette also comes with a double ended brush for eyes and lips Let’s Commence with eyes. I’ve brought together 3 timeless shades. The palest called Chiffon is a beautiful cream shade with a slight sheen. Use this as a wash of colour over your lids up to the brow bone to brighten and refresh your eyes. It’s also the perfect base colour for a professional eye make-up look. The mid-tone shade `Sheer Taupe’ is one of those chameleon like shades which takes on it’s own individual shade to suit you. Simply brush it over the lid to the socket line, then blend it upwards and outwards to give your eyes a touch of subtle colour. The darkest shadow of the three is `Bitter Chocolate’ especially chosen for its sheer texture. This means you can wear it as subtly or strongly as you want - just simply layer to the intensity of colour you want. This shade is also ideal for defining your socket line or lining your lashes. 5 steps to classic eye make-up You can wear each of the eye colours alone or blend them together for a more sophisticated look. 1 Dust the surface of your eyelid with Universal Yellow Powder to ensure an even, oil-free base. 2 Apply Chiffon over your eyelid up to your brow bone. 3 Smooth Sheer Taupe over your lids up to the socket and blend this upwards and outwards with the brush. When you look straight ahead this shade should appear just above your socket line and disappear into the Chiffon shade. 4 Take the darkest shade Bitter Chocolate on the brush and make a C shape in the outer corners to open up your eyes. Then, blend this shade lightly along the socket line, so the colour fades away at the inner corners. Take a cotton bud and smudge Bitter Chocolate along your lower lashes. Again, graduating from dark in the outer corners to invisible in the inner corners. 5 Use a cotton bud to dot Chiffon in the inner corners of your eyes and Finish up with Lush Mascara. Rose Glow Blush This is the perfect colour for giving your face a lift. Over the years, I’ve found that women of all skin tones benefit from warm pink blush. It gives a healthy look like you’ve been out for a brisk walk. Tips on where to apply your blush * Let’s Begin with classic way. Apply your blush just slightly neath your cheek bone, from the apple blending up ward towards the ear. This will give a slightly sculpted effect. Great if you want bring out your cheek bones, and/or thin your face. You can also apply blush to the apple of your cheeks. To find your apples simply smile, and put your blush on the ’roundy’ bit. This gives a really fresh glow, which looks great on almost everyone.

* Don’t put blusher too high up because this can go onto the eye area and close up the space between your eyes and cheeks. Lip Tint Plus Lip Tint Plus in Hint of Tint completes the Timeless Face Palette. This sheer lip treatment that has a hint of rosy colour and is packed with vitamins A, C & E to protect your lips from damage and Avocado, Camomile, Jojoba and Sweet Almond Oil to condition your lips as you wear it. Smooth it on anytime with your fingertip or with the lip brush. Wear it alone for just a hint of colour or with any of the gorgeous lip glosses. Finish up with Waterproof Mascara.

TEN MUST HAVES 1) Skin Illuminator in Champagne This is one of my all time favourite products. What a fantastic product. 2) Conceal & Contour Palette This fabulous multi-functional yellow based palette contains 3 shades of concealer that you can custom blend to suit your individual colouring all year round. Complete with a brush for precise application, the yellow shades work beautifully to counteract the blue hue neath the eyes and the redness of blemishes or thread veins. The texture has been specially formulated to effectively cover blemishes and red veins, yet is soft enough to work under the eyes without emphasizing fine lines. An absolute must. 3) Face & Body Bronzer This is wonderfully versatile instant feel and look marvellous product. It can be use anywhere on the body to add instant colour and shimmer. It helps boost a fading tan real or false. You can mix it with moisturiser to give your face subtle sunkissed glow. Or apply to the body for an instant bronzed sheen. 4) Neath Eye & Face Brightener A bright `pick me up’ for those days when your skin could do with a little extra help. The combination of matte pink and lilac works to enliven and illuminate the face. Dust the lilac shade under the eyes to counteract any dark shadows and brush along the cheek bones to brighten. Swirl the pink and lilac together and dust lightly over the face to add instant radiance. 5) Natural Lip Pencil Shape and define your lips with the Natural Lip Pencil. The closest colour you’ll get to your natural lip shade, this soft textured pencil is the best partner for all your lipsticks. 6) Waterproof Mascara An absolute must have for everyone. 7) Mini Universal Yellow Powder & Small Retractable Brush. A truly universal powder specially formulated to suit any complexion. Its unique yellow shade has been balanced to be invisible on all skin tones. So whether you’re black, asian, olive-skinned or porcelain pale, this one shade will work brilliantly for you. It’s best for diffusing shine and giving a velvet matte Finish off to the complexion. Timeless Face Palette 9) Crystal Taupe or Crystal Amethyst Eye Shines. This stunning long-lasting, crease resistant, cream to powder shadow is beautifully packaged in a clear twist-up unit with a unique shower head applicator. Making beautiful eyes has never been easier! 10) Powder Pencil in either Brown Suede or Ebony. The fabulous ultra-soft texture of these powder pencils makes it incredibly easy to add shape and definition to the eye. Colour glides on effortlessly and blends beautifully.

Often, young couples will quickly find out that popping the question may indeed be the easiest part of getting married. And while we all can’t have a wedding planner like the one played by Martin Short in the “Father of the Bride” films, some help will probably be necessary in order to have a successful and somewhat-less-stressful ceremony and an eminently enjoyable after-party. A local wedding guide or directory can go a long way towards simplifying the enormous task facing an amateur wedding planner. Most people will only have to plan two weddings in their lifetime at the most: their own and, God willing, that of their children. Even for a simple event, a whole slew of details must be sorted out to ensure the day goes smoothly and everyone has fun. Wedding guides will help the wedding planner consolidate the tasks of coordinating the clothing of all the different parties involved, from the flower girls and ushers, to the groomsmen and bridesmaids, to the bride’s mother, to the bride herself. Moreover, very specific arrangements must be made to enable everyone to get fitted for and pick up their garments before the big day arrives. A local wedding guide will provide a directory of all the businesses in a region that service wedding parties so you can compare price and styles.

Not only will a wedding guide help in finding the services you need to make your dream wedding a reality, most will provide a wedding planner where you can enter all the important names and numbers, keep track of who is wearing what, monitor the total cost the whole event, and outline a detailed schedule for the wedding day itself. Most people use a daily planner to manage their daily task and to ensure they stick to a schedule. It seems only natural that a detailed wedding planner should be kept to manage the tasks and schedule for what will be for many, the most important day of their lives. Not only will a wedding planner help to keep track of all the tasks to be done, appointments to go to and rentals to make before the big day, it will also help to maintain a budget. Those few with the luxury of a big budget will think this is less important, but then again, those with a large budget will probably just hire a professional wedding planner to take care of the details. For the rest of us, we want to know just how much the special day will cost us. It is best to decide what is really important to you and not get lost in the details. A wedding guide can assist you to find out what exactly your various options are and making sure you get the things that are important and forego the extras that will really make no difference either way. In addition, most wedding guides suggest some form of wedding insurance, as the cost for rescheduling can often postpone a wedding several months or even a year.

With so much riding on good preparations, it is folly for an amateur wedding planner to proceed in a helter-skelter fashion. A local wedding guide has all the latest industry advice as well as common conventions you may not have been aware of. Remember, this is, hopefully, a once in a lifetime event for the two people involved. Good planning can be the difference between disaster and the realization of a dream. Consolidating your wedding planning will reduce your stress level and increase your ability to enjoy yourself.

Part I of this article discussed several important points to keep in mind when shopping for your flower girl dresses. We’ll cover more to help you here.

When choosing the style of a flower girl dress, the location of the ceremony and reception should be considered. An outdoor venue will subject the dress and your sweetest little party member to the cold and the heat and she will likely act accordingly. Keep this in mind and make provisions, such as a shawl, sweater or wrap that can be added or removed as needed.

Thinking the flower girl dress should hit the floor just because everyone else’s does isn’t a valid assumption. Flower girls are likely not experienced in posture and walking techniques to reduce a tripping disaster. Particularly if your flower girl is very young, keep the hemline above her shoes if you want to prevent an untimely fall.

Sometimes when shopping for a flower girl gown with the entire wedding party milling around with their own taste, a little girl may not feel like she can say anything and you may end up with a dress that she HATE and may fuss and fume about having to wear in your wedding. Shopping on line makes this SO easy as you can use Tell A Friend to share styles with her, her mother, etc. Once you decide on the style, she can see it and get excited about her beautiful new dress for your wedding day!

Flower girl dresses can be fun to choose from and a great opportunity to make a favorite little girl in your life feel special. Always keep the basics in mind - Be the venue, the style of your ceremony and the appropriateness for age of the child when selecting from the many flower girl dresses available.

You’ve just been asked to make a wedding toast at a special friend’s wedding. It’s a wonderful honor to be asked but you have never paid attention to what people actually say during wedding speeches. You also are more afraid of public speaking than rattlesnakes, earthquakes and broccoli soup with quiche combined.

At the same time he asked you to be his best man, which includes making a wedding toast at the reception for about 375 people. Public speaking is your worst nightmare, but you can’t let your buddy down so you said you’d do the job.

You feel honored to be asked but also so far out of your comfort zone that you can’t even picture your old security blankie! But you’re a take-charge kind of guy who always steps up to the mark. Where do you start when making a wedding toast?

Learn from these suggestions on how to make an excellent wedding toast.

* The key to success is starting early and being totally prepared. Do your research by talking with others who have given wedding toasts and check out web sources and library books too. Don’t go with “off-the-cuff” remarks. They simply won’t cut it when the time comes, trust me!

* Face the fear and use it. It’s only energy after all! When making a wedding toast, it can be very valuable to have extra energy at hand that you can use to captivate your audience and make your wedding toast memorable. A speech without the energy of performance anxiety is lacklustre and totally lacking in passion.

* Allow for several drafts. We’re not talking beer here, but rewrites of your speech. Don’t expect to nail it right off the bat. Write the wedding speech, let it sit for a few days and look at it again with fresh eyes. Then make some changes. Repeat this process until you feel comfortable with the results.

* A bit of laughter, some smiles, these are what you are aiming for when you use humor in a wedding speech. Never tell intimate stories, use crude language or off-color jokes. Never!

* Share how you met the groom, how long you have known each other and one or two of your exploits. Talk about when he introduced you to his bride, how beautiful and talented and perfect for him she is and how you believe their marriage is bound to be wonderful. Make your wedding toast remarks tasteful and sincere.

* Shorter is better. Try for three to five minutes for your wedding speech.

* Practice makes perfect. Practice your wedding toast in front of a full-length mirror and time it, allowing moments for audience response.

* Grab the mike. Not literally! Try to find a few moments and stand exactly where you will be giving the wedding toast. It will help you feel more comfortable when you take the mike for real.

* Raise a glass. This is the actual toast of the wedding toast. Make eye contact with the bride and groom when you toast them. Lift your arm from the shoulder, toast with a full glass. This takes place at the very end of your wedding speech.

* Move to the bride and groom and hug them when your wedding toast is complete. Then it’s back to your seat amidst well-earned applause.

Many couples opt to give personalized wedding favors to their guests because they are a good idea and will often include the names of the couple as well as the wedding date. Not only will they feel a little bit special but your wedding guests will go away with a personal reminder of the day and they will be able to recall it more easily even five years from now.

Many things happen over the years and often people lose touch but a personalized wedding favor will ensure that wherever the person is if they look at the favor they will remember. It is surprising how the memory works and even little details like the bride and grooms name plus the place and date they were married can bring the whole day back to the person who was given the personalized wedding favor.

As with other parts of your wedding day which require the personal touch as they an individual request that is relevant to your wedding then the same situation relates to the favors which will need to be ordered as soon as possible. Sometimes it is possible to use a supplier who has a ready made stock of favors that can be customized without to much trouble but that does not mean he will not be carrying out this self same service for many other weddings close to when yours is arranged so place the order early. Even for this type of wedding favor supplier, you would do well to order as soon as you have made your decision on the wording as you never know what delays you might be unfortunate enough to experience on top of the wedding.

Of course you could ask for a rush order but do not expect this to be supplied free of charge which could see each personalized wedding favor double or even treble in price because you delayed. Just what can be printed will depend on how much you have budgeted for each favor and of course the size of the wedding favor but the more printed on the favor the more it will cost. Some of the favorite items that are personalized range from candles, to picture or photo frames and even candy wrappers although it is not always necessary to place the names of the couple on the favor as there are other ways for them to be personalized.

Another popular option for purchasing personalized wedding favors is to give edible favors and many different kinds of edible favors can be personalized; photo cookies are just one example. Bakeries can produce these cookies based on a photo you submit to them although they may require you to submit the photo electronically or work from a scan you have created.

There is no reason once the image is printed on the cookie that the couple’s name and wedding information can’t also be placed on it as well. If you want to give something edible that is going to last as well then why not have the printing done on the wrapper or ribbon instead as they can at least eat the wedding favor but will still have a reminder to keep. If you decide to have a personalized ribbon, keep it plain as it is more effective and to help the person who is wrapping the wedding favors, have the ribbon pre-cut.

Wedding etiquette has been explained in a variety of books for many years, and these books are not just for snooty socialites at their sometimes gaudy weddings. A wedding is a complicated event to arrange for all concerned but it should run smoothly and by using wedding etiquette, this is normally the result.

With the large numbers of guests who attend weddings, it is not surprising that there are many who have never met before and may feel a little awkward even though the happy couple will most likely know almost everyone. The wedding etiquette guide was developed over many years of experience gathered at weddings and for sure can help with the smooth running of so many unfamiliar faces thrown together at a gathering like a wedding.

It would not be fair to expect a couple getting married to know how to deal with every situation at a wedding after all this may be the first time they have ever been married unlike writers of wedding etiquette books. They know what problems arise at the normal wedding, and they know how to solve many of them.

On a day that can be wrought with problems doesn’t it make sense to use the advice of experts on the subject of wedding arrangements? Any bride and groom who are serious about how they want their special day to go will probably use the information from more than one book.

If you are really serious then but a quality wedding etiquette book which will show how to organize your wedding step by step. These guides also ensure you do not overlook important matters and provide a time line by which you can gauge how long it will take to arrange each particular part.

Wedding etiquette provides information on all aspects of a wedding ceremony and the events leading up to the special day plus this information includes tips on who should be invited and where they should sit when they get there. The idea behind this is that no-one should seem more favored than another on a day when people can be easily offended.

There are many hurdles that will need to be overcome before the wedding day (and during) but deadlines are important if you do not want to have last minute problems to deal with. Each bride and groom will put their own stamp on their wedding, but a good knowledge of etiquette will help them with their basic plans. If they follow a good etiquette book carefully, their wedding will probably be much smoother.

Bridal Showers give alot of credibility to the word bonding and allow for the traditional values that are usually possesed before the big day along with fun memories that will last forever.The total focus is on the bride to be and the big day that’s approaching.Together with the bride ,activities can be arranged by a selected professional or wedding party member to organize some of the activities.

Today there are interesting ways in which the bridal shower can be organized and its not to hard to believe that the bride may want to organize most of the elements of the shower herself instead of opting to have others create a surprise with all the bridal shower fun stuff and favors etc.To be involved in the outcome may be more exciting anyway!

Some of the common ways to bond the bridal shower together is through having everyone participate in certain activities together such as a manicure or pedicure also messages are great for relaxing too.If your one that likes a game or two,then having something for the party to do while getting the day started can be fun.How about a spa treatment for the party or a beauty salon?,Oh yeah now were talking!There are salons in every city that can be rented for after hour usage.

We are all somewhat amazed at how we looked in the past so bringing out some old pictures will either polarize people or make them laugh and that can be nice either way!

Should these activities be reserved for the closest of friends or family members and if so you may want to set this aside for a while and come up with another option.Ultimately the bonding affect that your looking for will be yours to administer.

Female members of the bridal shower are usually the selected few to organize it.Usually the arrival of the bride is the first to occur and the most obvious.Gift giving is a popular next step in the sequence of events.There are ways of using themes for the shower that work with different parts of the home or certain rooms in the house.If for instance the bedroom is the theme then the gifts may be centered around items that can be used in the bedroom etc.

The actual opening of the gifts is much more fun than figuring out the themes and planning . Taking down the names of the gift givers and the items given will allow you to send a thank you card at a later date.