Hiring a wedding coordinator was once a luxury. Today, for many couples, it's a necessity. Planning a wedding can be a complicated endeavor, especially now that most prides and grooms don't meet and marry in the same hometown. And though both the bride and the groom usually want to be involved in making the arrangements, they are often busy with...
Wedding Invitations, Stationary & Thank-You Cards
There's more to wedding stationery than the requisite invitations. Before those are sent out, you may want to mail engagement announcements and save-the-date cards. For your wedding day, you will likely have printed programs, menu cards, seating cards, and other decorative accents. And after the event, there are thank-you notes and announcements...
Wedding Registry Basics
Wedding gifts are intended to be substantial and long-lasting. By putting items on a gift registry, you help narrow the field of choices for your guests. Best of all, registering for gifts means that you will receive items that you really want and, in some cases, really need.
The Wedding Reception
Choosing the Site
If your ceremony and reception will not be at the same location, try to choose places that are no more than a half-hour drive apart. If you are getting married in a church or synagogue, for example, you might take a look at the facilities there; some have a stately room on the ground that could meet your nee...
Working With a Wedding Florist
The term "florist" can refer to anyone from a neighborhood-shop owner to a floral designer who oversees every detail of the decorations. Even if you plan to arrange your own flowers (only advisable if you have experience and will have a lot of help), it's wise to consult a knowledgeable wedding florist who can offer advice and provide varieties ...
Buying a Wedding Dress
Most brides find their wedding dress at bridal salons, but you can also look in vintage-clothing stores, consignment shops, and outlet stores. Customarily, a bridal salon will require an appointment to ensure that you get expert personal attention. Take someone with you, but not an entourage; too many opinions detract from the most important one...
Wedding Favors
Giving a favor is a joyful gesture, expressive of your gratitude and happiness for your guests' presence on this special occasion. The best wedding favors are exercises in elegant simplicity, beautiful things that are not too taxing to plan, make, or fit into the budget. They are among the wedding's most appealing elements and one of the easiest...
A Guide to Wedding Cake
Ideas for Cakes
The designs of the wedding cake can reflect the style of the wedding as much as the couple's taste. In planning its appearance, you might take inspiration from the details of your wedding (seashells, ferns, or autumn leaves); the flowers of your bouquet or centerpieces; or your monogram. Of course, the inside ...
Paying For Your Wedding
It doesn't quite seem fair: Planning the most romantic event of your life begins with the least romantic detail - establishing the budget. Before you sample a single hors d'oeuvre, figure out just how much you can spend. Traditionally, the bride's family should almost all of the financial responsibility, but today the groom's family and the coup...
Rowing
A good way to get an aerobic exercise is to use a rowing machine. And rowing while watching TV can be fun. Rowing moves one’s body through a wider range of motion than most other activities. It allows one to stretch his muscles and rotate his joints. Exercise rowing machines build muscular strength and endurance by working out muscles in arms, legs...