30
September
2009

Your honeymoon is going to be one of the most special and romantic nights of your life and so of course you want things to go over just perfectly. As there are number of wonderful options so it is not easy to choose the right honeymoon suite. This is certainly not a bad thing, but it can make it a bit overwhelming.
 
So there are a few things that you are going to need to think seriously about then, so you know that you are going to be choosing the right honeymoon suite and are going to have the best night of your life, as you should be.

Information about the price of honeymoon suite

One of the first things to consider when you are looking for a honeymoon suitein Las Vegas or a honeymoon suite anywhere else for that matter, is what you are going to pay for it. Of course you have just paid for your wedding and a lot of other things during this time and so you are not going to be able to go overboard and blow a whole bunch of money on your honeymoon.

One should not bother about money as this is a very special night in a couple’s life. Especially if you are planning on having children soon, this is probably one of the last times that you are going to get to relax.

Location

Location is also going to be an important factor to consider when looking for a honeymoon suite. Location is very important, especially considering what it is that you want to do while you are on your honeymoon. There are some couples who want to do nothing but sit back and relax and enjoy that time together, and who may want a beachfront location right by the water.

Then there are others who want to be the life of the party even on their honeymoon, and in this case you would want to make sure that your hotel or other accommodation was located in the middle of everything so that you can get to all the excitement easily and not have to worry about long car rides back and forth.

Features To Look For In A Honeymoon Suite

Checking to make sure that any honeymoon suite you are going to be staying in has all the features and amenities that you need is going to be very important. This is helpful way of getting all the needed items.


30
September
2009

Here are some standard and alternative ways to word your wedding invitations.

If you’re hosting your own wedding:
“Jane Porter and David Broadbent request the pleasure of your company at their marriage…”

Invitation to a wedding where the bride’s parents are the hosts:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Jane to Mr David Broadbent at St Michael’s Church, Wilburly, on Saturday, 26 th July 2010 at 3pm and afterwards at The White Swan Hotel, Wilbury…”

Invitation to a wedding, bride’s parents as hosts (alternative wording):
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of the company of (name of guest(s) written by hand) at the marriage of their daughter Jane Frances to Mr David Broadbent at St Michael’s Church, Wilbury, on Saturday, 26th July 2003 at 3pm and afterwards at The White Swan Hotel, Wilbury…”

When the bride’s parents are divorced and the mother remarried:
“Mr Federick Porter and Mrs James Culver request the pleasure of…”
Begin like this if the mother is not remarried:
“Mr Frederick Porter and Mrs Judy  Porter…”

Invitation to a service of blessing:
“Mr and Mrs Federick Porter request the pleasure of your company at the blessing of the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

Wedding reception only invitation:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at a reception following the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

Evening party only invitations:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at an evening party following the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

If you would like to read more articles and advise related to wedding invitations, please visit NZ Bride for more articles on wedding invitations. Click here more wedding invitation wording examples.

NZ Bride: New Zealand most comprehensive wedding website


29
September
2009

So your marriage is coming up, and you recognize that one of the most important effects is having a beautiful wedding cake. Everyone is going to see your cake, your wedding photography company that you hired is going to take lots of pictures of it, and so you want to make sure that it is just perfect for you.

Now first, before you even believe any company, you are going to want to figure out what a lovely cake means to you. Everyone has a different style and wants unusual things for their wedding, and so what may be a beautiful wedding cake to one pair, may not work well at all for you.

Selecting the Proper Company

Once you take a better idea of what sort of beautiful wedding cake you are looking for, now you will be able to commence your search of the proper company to get it from. When you are dealing with the good company, you know that you can put your believe in them and that they are going to come out with the mastered cake for your most special day, just what you are looking for.

One company that you may want to deal getting your beautiful wedding cake from is Cake Creations. Here they have been in the business for almost a decade now and so they certainly have a great deal of knowledge and experience to offer. They provide a kind of flavors and fillings for you to select from, so no matter what sort of food preferences you have, you can get the perfect cake for your wedding.

Personal attention and care is given to each and every one of their matches and they desire to make sure that your wedding day goes just perfectly.

You can check out their past creations on their website, and call them for more info. They are going to walk you through the entire process and make sure that you are completely satisfied with what they present you with as an end result.

Some Other great choice for a beautiful wedding cake company is Cause for Celebration. Here they provide pretty wedding cakes but as well birthday cakes, and sculptural cakes for any different occasion that you may have coming up. They too will work hand in hand with you to make sure that they design and create your cake just as you want it and offer almost each flavor and style imaginable.


28
September
2009

When you think of a wedding, there are a few iconic images that instantly come to mind: the white dress, the veil, a bouquet of flowers – and a beautiful tiered wedding cake. With all of those beautiful images that come to mind, the bride could be sightly blinded by the cost of the cakes. Having a cake at your wedding could come with some unexpected costs. These expences are broken down to give you some money saving ideas for the big day.

The cost of the wedding cake depends on the design, ingredients and number of people you are planning to serve. The price of the cake is usually quoted by the slice. This can be deceiving –at a per guest cost, it might not seems so bad, but when you add it all together and realize this price is for a cake – it can be quite surprising:

  • Smaller, simple cakes are approximately $1.50 to $2.00 per slice.
  • At the higher end wedding cakes can cost up to $5 – $6 per slice(think buttercream frosting and special icing decor).
  • Fondant, creative can cost around $10 per slice.
  • With any of these options, should you choose to have an interesting filling or special sugar-based décor touches, the per-slice cost of the wedding cake would increase another $1 or $2.

There are other things that can add to the cost of the cake, these include fountains, cake toppers, flowers, layer separators, and the cake stand.

This means that if you were hosting an average-sized wedding – which is about 140 guests – you would be paying between $210 (simple, no-frill slab-style) and $1,700 (magazine quality).

But this is just the tip of the ‘icingberg’. Many tiered wedding cakes need to be specially delivered to the reception venue and sometimes assembled on location to ensure they’re presented intact. While some bakeries will include this service with the cake purchase, other brides have been charged upward of $150.

One of the most unexpected costs brides are faced with is the cake-cutting fee. Depending on your wedding reception venue, caterer or bakery, you may be charged a fee for staff to slice your wedding cake for guests to have. On average, this fee is between $1 and $1.50 per slice. And remember, if you’re paying for rentals, you’ll now need to get dessert plates and forks for guests to eat your wedding cake.

The avergage bride will pay between $500 and $700 for a wedding cake to be served at a wedding. And usually half the guest wont even eat the cake!

So what should the budget conscious bride do? Now that you know where the costs are, here are some ways around them:

  • If you’re willing to give them a chance, local culinary schools have students and teachers who are up-and-coming bakers. Thier prices could be quite alot less than other bakeries.
  • Square and rectangular cakes tend to feed more guests than round cakes. Consider this when placing your order, you might be able to save yourself a tier.
  • Because a good proportion of guests don’t eat the cake, place an order that will feed less people than your entire guest list – up to 25% less. Rest assured, you’ll still have leftovers!
  • Related to the above, consider faking your cake. See if your baker is willing to add Styrofoam layers instead of real cake layers. You’ll still get the visual effect of a large tiered wedding cake, but the cost of a smaller one (obviously, only the real edible layers would be served to guests!).
  • Taste-tests prove it: People actually like buttercream – one of the more budget-friendly icing options out there – best. Easily applied, easy to color, and also about $2 cheaper per slice than fondant.
  • For those who like feminine cakes, you could save by choosing a real ribbon instead of a edible fondant version.
  • When talking with your florist, see if they will provide complimentary petals or buds that your baker can use to decorate your cake with.
  • You may be able to supply your own cake toppers and decorative objects at a better price by searching on TradeMe, wedding forums and online stores.
  • Delivery and the cake-cutting fee are negotiable charges. Check if they can be removed completely. If you have your hall or caterer supply your wedding cake, you’ll have an even better chance of avoiding these costs.
  • You could consider serving the cake on napkins instead of using desert plates.

And the final cost-saving advice? You may want to consider not having a wedding cake. you could save a few hundred dollars If the wedding cake isnt that important to you. You might want to consider other dersert options. You can save money on your wedding cake by choosing something non traditional, like cupcakes, icecream, or even a chocolate fountain just as tasty and cheaper.

Click here for more wedding cake articles and wedding planning advice


23
September
2009

Beach Wedding Reception Table Decorations

The experience of having a beach wedding is in itself a blessing that the bride and groom together with family and guests will forever cherish. Keepsakes form an integral part of timeline of your wedding plan. These are small yet heart-warming tokens from the newlywed couple as a “thank you” gift to their guests during the ceremony.

Couples, who will tie the knot at a beach, should seek beach keepsakes, which entirely represent and express the vastness and beauty of the beach. You should not overlook a selection of wedding favors based on culture, budget, imaginations and personal styles.

Here are some suggestions for beach themed gifts that won’t hurt your budget too much. You can go elegant with silver coaters, wine stoppers and wine bottle openers. Hand out flip flop luggage tags, flip flop photo frames, flip flop playing cards or flip flops favors to beach loving guests. Sea shell toothpicks , sea shells gel candle favors or shell bookmarks are also cute souvenirs. Lovely dolphin wine bottle openers are appealing gift that they can use in their homes.

You can consider giving palm tree cookie cutters, seaside shells salt or pepper in toilet paper box favors. Other items are beach themed coffee keepsakes, beach sand pails and sand castles. Edible favors include personalized candy bars, shell mint packs, cookies and chocolates with island beach designs.

You can give a combination of the beach favors mentioned in a colorful beach pail. You can either hand your little guest presents at the end of the reception or when the guests are leaving.

Keepsakes need not to be expensive. In fact, couples can make unique personalized favors at home. They can add personal styles and touch by creating this items themselves by adding texts such as their names, date of the wedding, personal message or meaningful quotes blending in their chosen motif and beach theme. The best part of a beach wedding is that most items are inexpensive treats that won’t hurt your budget yet serves its purpose.

Make the seating arrangement of your visitors with their names placed in sea life place card holders. At every table you can leave a disposable camera with little fish or shells ornaments at the guests’ dispense for them to take snapshots. This beach scene will make your guests feel as if they are on a vacation and wedding reception in one.

The tradition of distributing favors truly commemorates the celebration of love and happiness between couples. Beach wedding decorations capture the symbolic meaning of blessings from the sea to the guests and the couple. It serves as memorable keepsakes to be treasured for a longtime by recipients, making it an affair to be remembered.


22
September
2009

Your honeymoon is supposed to be one of the most special and memorable nights of your life, so of course you want to make sure that you plan carefully so that everything turns out just right. Among the few steps of perfect honeymoon the most important is to select honeymoon destination.

The best honeymoon destination to one couple may not be the same for another, so you are going to need to talk to each other and make sure that you are choosing the ideal honeymoon destination for the two of you.

There are a few different honeymoon destination ideas in particular that are very popular, and which you may want to think more about as a honeymoon destination yourself.

How to Choose honeymoon destination

There are a few tips that will help you to choose the destination for your honeymoon. Setting a budget and following according to it is very important. A lot of couples get too excited and want to go somewhere tropical, but after they have spent all that money on their wedding they really have nothing left to spend.

You don’t want to blow a bunch of money that you don’t have on your honeymoon, because while you may have fun on your honeymoon you are going to come back to realize that you are in debt or otherwise struggling with your finances and this is the last thing that you want because it is really going to end up ruining your honeymoon.

You are also going to need to figure out where you want to stay. One has also to choose the mode of accommodation? These are things that you are going to need to figure out for your honeymoon.

It is easy to see how important choosing a honeymoon destination is and how important it is for you to talk with your partner about this and make sure that the two of you are making the right decision here. You want to have the time of your life on your honeymoon and remember the most important thing is that the two of you are getting to spend quality time together one on one.

This is the first time that you are going to get to spend time together as a newlywed couple and enjoy your time with one another.


21
September
2009

There are a few different things that you can do, ways to save when you are planning for your honeymoon, but one of the best things that you can do is find honeymoon packages. A couple gets all in one with honeymoon packages. This is the best way to save money and making things convenient.

One has to do lots of planning and work at the time of wedding after which they need to spend some times with each other. Well with honeymoon packages you are not going to have to worry about getting everything separately and know that you are going to get taken care of on your trip, whether you are interested specifically in honeymoon packages in India or anywhere else for that matter.

Get it All Included In Honeymoon Package

The basics tend to remain the same for honeymoon packages. There is a facility of the flight, the hotel accommodation in honeymoon package. However there are also other packages that are going to offer more or less than this, so it all depends on what you are looking for, what you want to have included, and how much money you have to spend.

A lot of people want to have a vehicle when they go on vacation and so if you want to have this on your honeymoon, you are going to want to get a car rental included with your package deal. These are all things that you can talk about with your travel agent while you are working out your trip so that you can make sure that everything is going to go smoothly and your honeymoon is going to be as wonderful and relaxing as you want it to be.

At least you know now that you can save yourself quite a bit of money just by making sure that you use honeymoon packages instead of getting everything separately. You are also going to be very surprised at how easy planning a trip is when you are getting everything included together, so you are probably going to want to keep doing this whenever you are planning another trip in the future.

All travel agencies offer these package deals, so you can still go through your favorite travel agency company as long as you get a package deal to your destination.


19
September
2009

The choice in a wedding florist is an important one.  The wedding flowers can be very expensive and can take up much more than the traditional seven percent of the wedding budget if the bride and groom are not careful.  There are some rose wedding bouquets that can be used for the bride only and can take up that much of the budget, depending on the type of arrangement and the time of the year that the wedding will take place.  There are other rose wedding bouquets that are not as expensive because they are made from silk flowers.  Even though they are silk, if the florist is good, the silk rose wedding bouquet will be hard to distinguish from a live arrangement.

Styles Of Rose Wedding Bouquet

Rose wedding bouquets can be found in a variety of different colors.  Since roses come in an assortment of colors, the rose wedding bouquet can be made in any color available.  Often the roses are the primary flower in the bouquet and other flowers will accent it along with the greenery.  Sometimes the roses will be placed in a pattern so that one color of rose is in the center surrounded by another color of rose in a circle around it.Rose is the first color here or again a completely different color around that circle.This arrangement can be very expensive as it has basically flowers rather than being filled with the greenery to help offset some of the expense.

There are rose wedding bouquets that are arm bouquets.These types of bouquets are also called presentation bouquets since it looks as though the bride is presenting the bouquet to the audience.  These bouquets lay across the bride’s arm as she carries them and are made with the stems of the roses cut long so that the bouquet drapes properly.  There is usually a ribbon that keeps the flowers all together as the bride cradles it in her arms as she goes to meet her groom.  It is usually recommended that the dress that the bride wears to go with this type of rose wedding bouquet is form fitting rather than having a full skirt.

A bride that will have a full skirt on her wedding gown should usually carry a crescent rose wedding bouquet.  This bouquet is wide and is in the shape of a crescent moon as its name implies.  The flowers in the bouquet and the greenery that is used will arch from side to side, often with one side slightly longer than the other.  This type of bouquet should be carried just below the waist line, about at the hips so that it properly accents the dress and highlights the colors in the bouquet.


18
September
2009

After the hectic pace of wedding planning and the actual event itself, it’s no wonder that newly married couples are eager to take time for just the two of them on their honeymoons. Many newlyweds look forward to splurging on a bit of luxury, relaxation and T.L.C., but the budget isn’t always there to pay for V.I.P. treatment. Getting complimentary upgrades and perks on your honeymoon cannot be guaranteed, but hopefully with these tips, couples can score a few getaway extras.

Find honeymoon-friendly service providers
When honeymoon planning, research to find out what accommodations in your preferred area (and airlines that service those cities) have either a history of treating honeymooners or a dedication to providing high-quality customer service. Use travel review websites, speak to your friends and family or chat with a travel agent.

Show your loyalty
Hotels, airlines and restaurants encourage repeat business through the use of loyalty programs such as frequent flyer miles and memberships. If you don’t already belong to them, sign up as they are usually free. The hospitality industry is geared toward pleasing individuals that show an interest in becoming long-term customers, and members of their programs tend to get front-of-the-line service. Always reference your relevant membership numbers when completing your honeymoon booking forms.

Bring it up at booking
As you make your reservations, mention that your trip is a honeymoon. Many online booking forms have a field that asks if you have any special requests. This would be the place to make one. If there is anything specific you would like for your romantic getaway (i.e.: a certain view from your hotel room, a spa treatment at the resort), say so. It’s your best bet to make these requests early.

Use your charm
When a couple seems genuinely happy and enjoying each other’s company, people might ask if they’re celebrating a special occasion. It is natural for you to mentioning that you are on your honeymoon. It’s a great opportunity for brides and grooms who aren’t very comfortable asking for free upgrades to bring up the subject.

Try to be positive and not pushy when you do speak about potential upgrades. Show them that you can understand the limitations and handle rejection without giving any attitude. Often if you’ve been non-demanding, friendly and courteous with hospitality staff, they’ll try to give you the next best thing to an upgrade during your vacation or trip. While it might not be a first-class ticket, some free bubbly, a welcome package or some other perk are certainly better than nothing at all.

Bring proof – or wear it!
It is not uncommon, especially for hotels, to want to ensure that the people asking for honeymoon upgrades really are honeymooners. Remember to bring a copy of your wedding license with you just in case it’s requested.

Some couples have had luck in getting free honeymoon perks without even having to ask by wearing “Bride”, “Groom” or “Newlywed” hats or T-shirts. Observant airline attendants have been known to bring complimentary champagne or wine to honeymooners when they notice they’re onboard. This is perfect for people that aren’t confident in making special requests – you can let your gear do all your talking for you.

Asking the right people
Besides letting people know about your newlywed status at the time of booking your trip, the following individuals can also provide some sway on your stay when you mention you’re honeymooning:

  • Airport ticket agent:  If a class upgrade isn’t possible, see if you can get better seats (window or roomier emergency aisle) within the same section. However, don’t press the issue – the ticket agent likely has a long line to deal with and not much room to wiggle in.
  • Gate agent: The gate agent at the airport has the most influence when it comes to moving passengers from economy to business or first class. When you arrive at your gate, you could ask the agent if there’s any room on the flight for some seat shuffling. Be kind, understanding, patient and flexible. If you’re lucky, they’ll call you over just before boarding to give you some good news.
  • Airline attendant: After everyone had boarded, ask if it’s possible for you and your new husband to enjoy any unoccupied first-class seats. Due to regulations, this isn’t always possible, but if you’ve asked nicely (and handled the rejection well!), you’ll often find that airline attendants can give you a little something extra (like a congratulatory drink!).
  • Hotel front desk: When you booked your trip, the hotel or resort should have noted your honeymoon status and hopefully already put an upgrade request in place. In any case, when you arrive, don’t forget to mention it to the front desk. The check-in attendants can see if there are last-minute upgrades that can be arranged. You could mention the things that interest you, for ex: a free excursion, free breakfast, a larger suit, a beach view, etc. If they know what would specifically make you happy, if it is available – and if you’ve been pleasant – they’re usually all too glad to make it so.
  • Waiter/ Waitress: Just by mentioning to them that you are on your honeymoon, a free dessert, a bottle of wine or champagne could be on the house. When you leave, don’t forget to thank your waiter or waitress and leave a nice tip if you are honeymooning in North America!).

Be thankful
If you receive special service on your honeymoon, be sure to thank those who give it to you – during and after your trip. Positive and grateful remarks tend to stand out amongs hospitality staff and it’s surprising how many of those are logged officially. If you’re lucky, you could get the royal treatment on your return visit!

Do remember to enjoy your honeymoon regardless of the perks and upgrades you may or may not get. It’s your first vacation as husband and wife and should be treasured.

Click here more more artilces on Honeymoon Destinations in NZ


18
September
2009

Has your friend been nice enough to invite you to be the best man at his wedding and asked you for a speech or a wedding toast?  Crap.Another $120 tux and maybe even the responsibility for a speech.  Just kidding.It’ll be a blast.It’s as close as best men can get to the giddy feeling all ladies share when it’s the day to say ‘I do’.

I’m going to try to give you some helpful advice from my years as a corporate speaker and trainer.I’ll have you sailing through this toast thing in no time, with the audience left wanting more.Don’t worry about anything…you’re in experienced hands.  It’s an art I call “wedding toasts best man style”.

Okay, let’s get to the heart of this.When you think about how to give wedding toasts, best man to be, think about how you and the groom met.This will become a key part of the story you’ll be telling with the toast.

The basic breakdown of wedding toasts, best man centered, is a) the intro, b) a story, c) the ‘toast’.I say section c) is the toast, but in reality the entire thing is, it’s just that part c) feels like an official toast.

Let’s examine these sections a little closer:

In the intro, you’ll simply be telling everyone there who you are.This is usually done by stating your name, acknowledging that you’re the best man, and announcing your intentions to say a thing or two.

Then comes a tale.This will be the gateway to the audience’s mind, allowing you to paint from a wide palette of emotions. All the way from fear to sadness , content times, heartache, comedy …it’s all available to you here.In all your preparation for wedding toasts, best man style, Remember this:  there is something in us all that loves to hear a story.THEY LOVE TO.There is nobody on this Earth that won’t stop like a deer in headlights when you start telling them a story.A story is just a series of events, hopefully livened up with a little action to keep it amusing.Why is this so influential then?Psychologists think that because when we were developing as people on this planet , before we developed languages where we could actually communicate well…we told stories to each other to convey our ideas.This behavior is hardwired into humans as a survival device.Don’t believe so?Try beginning to tell anyone you are acquainted with a tale and see how right away they melt like putty, listening to your every word.

Then, there’s the official toast.Recall I said this whole thing, intro, story and this section are the toast.I continue with that, just that this is what you’ll believe feels like the toast.  You’ll raise your glass and offer a toast, out loud, to everyone, reflecting on some of the good qualities from your story.This is just like magic!  When you tell a story, then wrap it up with a toast that reflects on a quality conveyed in the previous story, it’s like you’re giving the toast with evidence that’s grounded in facts from the past.This is hugely powerful stuff!

Wrapping it all up like this will leave the audience feeling VERY good, bride and groom included.  It’s as if the audience’s brains want a logical conclusion to bring together the meaning of why they’ve been sitting there listening to you talk.  This does that for them.I still can’t point to any one hypothesis to this day as to why this works so well, all I can tell you is that it very much does.  All I can say is that everyone likes a compliment based in fact.When you offer a toast to the future based on a flattering quality of a person’s past , it’s almost as if the future that you’re toasting to seems to be even than much more likely , and therefore more credible.   Combine that with the sense of logical completeness, and there’s your winner.

 

I know this article was brief.  For more detailed information, see my site on wedding toasts best man style.And remember, you’ll do fine!  You’ve found the best info I use, and I know it works for me.  (I’m at 3 weddings in 2009 to date, twice as best man!)  Here’s to your success!