How to choose a vintage engagement ring

Jared from Erstwhile Jewelry is a fifth generation jeweler. His family opened their first jewelry shop in Russia in the 1800s, so "I've been surrounded by the business since I was little," he says. Here, he reveals seven tips for choosing an antique engagement ring...Read More >

First Impressions Lasts Choose Your Wedding Invitations Properly

How to choose your wedding invitation:

1. Set a budget and be creative.  As well as there are beautiful expanssive invitations, there are also inexpenssive but equally beautiful ones in the market.  You just got to be creative and know where to look.

2. Decide on a theme and color motif for your wedding.  Your invitation should suggest the theme or the color motif of your wedding.

3. Do your guest list so that you will know how many invitations to order.

4. Select a style that reflects your personality as well as it should give an idea of the wedding that you are planning.

5. Begin as early as eight months before the wedding.  This means that you will have plenty of time paying attention to perfect the wording, and should something goes wrong, you will have ample time to revise it and make sure that it is “the way you want it” before sending them out.

6. Before you order your invitations, make sure that all of your wedding details such as the date, time and place of the ceremony and reception are already confirmed.

7. Asking help from professionals on the look and style of your invitation will help you pull your ideas together for a more beautiful outcome.

8. With regards to the proper wording and etiquette, a professional should be consulted to make sure that everything in the invitation is properly placed.

9. Order more invitations than the amount that you really need.  This will give you a few extras in case you miss anyone out.

10. When giving the shop your wording, it is best that you give it to them typewritten, so they can clearly read it.

11. Do it with style.  Be creative and try to combine materials to achieve your own personal touch.

Invitation Etiquette

1. When the ceremony and the reception will be held at different locations, you can enclose a reception card along with your invitation.  The reception card should also be provided with an envelope and contain specific information about the reception.

2. Do not address envelopes as Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper and Family.  This is not proper.  The names of children under eighteen years old should be included in the invitation, while children over eighteen should be sent their own invitation.

3. You can use casual names such as “Uncle Henry and Aunt Beth” or “Grandma” to relatives that are close to you, in addressing the inner envelope as this will show how much you mean to them, even if you are planning a formal event.

4. Mail your invitation six to eight weeks before your wedding date.  If however, your wedding date is set on a holiday season or you are inviting a lot of guests that are from out of State, you should mail the invitations sooner to give them ample time to plan and make hotel reservations and organize their schedule.

5. Position the word “black tie” in the lower right hand corner of the invitation if you are planning for a formal wedding so that your guests can dress accordingly.

Don’ts when placing invitation wordings:

1. Don’t use nicknames.  Always use the first, middle, and last name.  Some people do not want their middle names included in the invitation; don’t use initials, simply do not include their middle names.

2. Don’t make abbreviations.  Only “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “Dr.” can be abbreviated.  All other titles should be written completely.

3. Don’t abbreviate dates, addresses and time.

4. Don’t write the word “and” as “&”.

Invitation assembly:

1. Place the invitation inside the large envelope along with its protective tissue and make certain that the invitation is facing you.

2. Place in the reception invitation on top of the invitation, also facing you.

3. Position the response card in, and leaning within the flap of the response envelope, which is facing down.

4. The last to go in are the directions or map which guides the guests.

5. When addressing the outer envelope, it is best that you use calligraphy.

6. For added touch, choose a postage stamp that well compliments the general appearance of your invitation.

7. If possible, bring your invitations to the post office and ask that they be hand cancelled, to avoid unattractive marks or scratches that a machine cancelling can cause.

How to Choose the Best Wedding Gown

In order to have a perfect wedding, it is important to have that perfect wedding gown, too. This is because the wedding gown is the showpiece of any wedding event.

The wedding gown is not just a mere dress that is worn by the bride. It is the substantial emblem of purity, love, and happiness that awaits the bride in her future with her groom. That is why finding the right wedding gown is as important as preparing the wedding celebration itself.

Therefore, for people who do not know how to choose the perfect wedding gown, here are some pointers that could help you out.

1. Use all the resources available in choosing ideas and design on your wedding gown.

Before, wedding magazines are the only resources where the bride-to-be can get some useful ideas on her wedding gown. However, with the advent of the Internet, she can now browse for more ideas and concepts of wedding gowns online.

There are web sites that will provide you with full details regarding a particular wedding gown, complete with prices, different styles, and fashion sense.

2. Make a budget and strictly conform to it.

Budget will never be absent in any wedding plans. However, the most common problem that arises concerning budgeting is the fact that people do not stick to it.

Hence, if you have a budget for your wedding gown, it would be better to stick to it and not be enticed with all the promotions of whoever will make your wedding gown. Otherwise, you will fall short on the other aspects of your wedding plans.

3. Be sure to have your wedding gown looking good in all angles.

Usually, the most neglected part of the wedding gown is the back. So, when ordering a wedding gown, be sure that you will also look good from behind. Most of the time, the guests will have a look at your back so you definitely have to look good from behind.

4. Be practical with the designs that you want to use.

Like any traditional wedding gowns, large skirts and long gowns are the typical styles of yesteryears. But in today’s modern world, there are cases wherein wedding gowns like these are not at all practical especially if the venue is just small.

Moreover, it can be burdensome for the bride to carry such a heavy dress throughout the wedding celebration. What matters most is to make the bride comfortable to what she is wearing.

5. Take into account the environmental condition of the venue of the wedding.

When choosing a wedding gown, it is best to consider the weather and the venue. This will have a great effect on the kind of material that should be worn by the bride.

For example, if the wedding will take place during summer, then, it is best to choose the materials for the wedding gown that will not make the bride sweat and perspire throughout the celebration.

Indeed, deliberating on the details of the wedding gown can be a daunting task. That is why it is important to provide a hefty amount of time in preparing, designing, and ordering the wedding gown. In this manner, there will be plenty of time for any changes and modifications without the tendency to come up with a rushed work.

More importantly, the bride should always consider her comfort when choosing a wedding gown. Looks and designs will only be put to waste if the bride is not comfortable wearing it.

As the old cliché goes, you are what you wear. Therefore, it would be better to wear a wedding gown that would reflect the happiness and love that is within the bride. In turn, the wedding gown will appear before the audience as the most beautiful centerpiece of the ceremony.

Choose Your Wedding Bouquet

Bouquets of flowers have always been one attraction at any wedding. Bouquets are already part of the wedding tradition on all races. A bouquet of flowers symbolizes a blossoming maiden and reflects her emotions. Therefore, wedding bouquets should be carefully selected and planned the same way you plan for your wedding gown. Here are just a few tips in choosing your wedding bouquet:



1. It is recommended that you choose a flower that is on season to save money and time. This will not give you hard time trying to order the flower as well.

2. You can choose other alternatives like silk flowers especially if the flower you would like to use is not in season.  Silk flowers are also suited in formal weddings; fresh picked flowers may not fit a very formal party.

3. Your bouquet should not drown you. Be sure that it will not cover your figure. If you are petite, the weight of the flower might be too heavy for your built and may affect your posture and how you carry your gown. Remember that your bouquet should not be too big so as not to cover your elegant gown and should be easy to carry.

4. The flowers you chose should last for the entire day. Make sure that your flowers still hold up even at the end of the day so that you will still look glamorous when taken pictures. Using a bouquet holder is suggested to keep the flowers fresh during the entire day. Also take the advice of your florist on which flowers easily wilt so that you can avoid choosing them.

5. Don't let your florist imagine the flower design you like. You may take a picture or a printed copy of the bouquet style you prefer. Also bring a sample fabric of the gowns so that the florist can choose the correct shade of flower that will match the color of the gowns. Some bouquets may be decorated with ribbons, lace and silk materials. You can advise the florist on what specific designs would you like to add for your flowers.

6. Why not choose a flower that has special meaning? That will not be difficult since most flowers have their meanings. Stephanotis stands for happiness in marriage, Rose means love and being true, and Tulips stand for perfect love and declaration of love.

7. One of the first things to consider when opting for a bouquet is the style. Choose the bouquet style that will suit you and your personality. Bouquets are more personal nowadays and reflect the brides' personalities. For Nosegays, where flowers are clustered in a round form, can vary in sophistication and will fit any personality. In Cascade bouquets, flowers are arranged in a descending form. These bouquets are voluptuous and can be the center of attention.

They are recommended for traditional weddings. There are flowers where stems are wrapped around in ribbons and they are called Hand-tied bouquets. These bouquets bring a casual aura and are recommended for garden weddings. There are also Contemporary bouquets where flowers are arranged in style but with no geometric form. These arrangements of flowers represent the individuality of a bride and are mostly used in sophisticated weddings.

8. The top wedding flowers are Rose, Lilly, Orchid, Hyacinth, Tulip, Stephanotis and Daisy. You may want to follow the trend and choose these flowers for your bouquet.

How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Bands

So you want to seal the deal. You've already proposed, she has accepted. Now, it's time to get down to business and make it official.

Aside from your vows, there's nothing more that makes it official than the exchange offering of wedding bands.  These are the rings that the bride and groom will be wearing forever, 'til death do us part! So it is important for the bride and groom to purchase a wedding band that they both like and feel good about.

One thing that you should consider when buying a wedding band, is both the personal style of the future husband and wife. This is a joint effort, so both parties should agree. It is essential that both are comfortable with the rings that they choose, because they'd be wearing these rings for a lifetime.

There are a variety of wedding band to choose from, made from different materials. 14 karat white and yellow gold being still two of the most popular choices. A 14 karat gold wedding band is not entirely made of gold. It is mixed with an alloy of gold and other metals such as copper and silver.

Wedding bands also come in silver and platinum. Platinum is heavier than gold. It is considered to be  the most precious of all metals. It makes for a beautiful wedding ring because of its stunning white metal that shines after it has been polished.

Silver is not considered superior in quality. Silver metal tend to be very soft. Wedding bands made of silver are prone to discoloration. But they are very inexpensive. So those who are shopping on a budget might want to consider this as an option.

In choosing a wedding band,  the thickness of the band must be considered, and whether the bride and groom would want a wedding band with a design, or just a plain set of wedding bands.

Now, it is common for couples to choose the same wedding band. Except, that the woman's wedding band is slightly smaller. It is advisable for couples who are shopping for rings to visit a number of jewelry stores. This way, they'd have a wide selection to choose from. They could also compare prices. If you have any questions regarding the rings, you can always ask a professional jeweler to assist you. He or she can also offer you an expert opinion when it comes to your selection.

If couples chose to have an engraving in their rings, they should already have a dedication in mind. Also, they should be careful in choosing the type of engraving they will put in their wedding bands, because these engravings are lasting.

Most couples chose to have their initials brandished inside their wedding rings. While others chose symbols, or dedications as a gesture, or profession of their love and devotion to each other. Engravings are a wonderful thing, because they make the rings more meaningful and special.

Ask your friends and family who are blissfully married to recommend some names of places where you can acquire the wedding bands of your dream.

If you cannot find a ready made ring that suits your style, you can always have them custom made. A lot of jeweler specialize in making wedding bands. Having your wedding bands made, actually is less expensive than purchasing in store wedding bands. The great thing about this is it also adds a personal touch to the ring selection process.

But in the end, it's not really just about the rings, so couples should not stress over the whole ring selection process. Rather they should enjoy and relish this special time, when they are about to be made future husband and wife, and bonded for all eternity.