A wedding toast can be a scary thing, especially if you aren’t used to standing up and talking in front of large groups of people.
To make matters worse, you will probably be delivering your wedding toast when you are tired and you might have had a little too much to drink.
Add this to the fact that the video camera is going to be zoomed in to catch every facial expression and every syllable you say and you’ve got one tough situation to deal with.
So how can you make sure your wedding toast will be one that will enhance the entire wedding experience and not make you look foolish? Three words are the answer:
Research, Preparation and Practice
Research - This means you need to check out many other toasts so you can pick something that matches your sentiments for the bride and groom.
Preparation - This is where you adapt a stock toast and personalize it for your bride and groom, parents, grandparents or whomever you want to honor.
Practice - This is the part where most people slack off. Your lips don’t always go where your mind tells them and you certainly don’t want to flub this up.
Plan in advance as far as you can and don’t skip any of the above steps.
You’ll rarely be the hit of a wedding because of your wedding toast and rightfully so. The bride and groom are the stars. But, poor preparation of your wedding toast certainly could make you the laughing stock.
Remember, you are going to perform your wedding speech live, but you’ll be on video forever. Take the time to prepare.
Tom Antion is a speech expert and author of “Wedding Toasts”. This immediately downloadable e-book gives complete wedding toast instructions and etiquette along with 200 pieces of wedding toast humor.
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How do you know whether the current romantic relationship, love affair, or even marriage is the ‘right’ one for you? For starters, ask yourself how you feel about 75% of the time. Be brutally honest. Would you describe your mood as predominantly happy or sad, your basic outlook as mostly positive or negative?
A healthy relationship doesn’t make you feel miserable. You don’t need to endlessly obsess about issues over which you have no control, such as “Will he ever leave his wife so that we can be married, even after his children graduate from college, like he promised?”
Why do so many people settle for being unhappy as a way of life? Often it’s because they don’t feel they deserve to be happy. But love doesn’t, or shouldn’t, make you feel bad. Can love actually be bad for you? Well, toxic love can — and may result in relentless anxiety about the one who holds your life, hopes, and well-being in the palm of his (or her) hand.
Desperate, worried people tend to be possessive, jealous, clinging, whiny, and/or unreasonable. So is it any wonder that this type of obsessive love can actually alienate the object of such an overwhelming, all-consuming love? Everyone needs some psychic space, and having such anxious demands placed on you can be suffocating. Who among us feels capable of living up to such high standards as making someone else deliriously happy?
Extremely needy people tend to be ‘high maintenance’ in a love relationship, sometimes even in a simple friendship. It’s not much fun to realize the person you care about (and once even thought you might want to marry) is constantly keeping score. It begins to feel as though you’ll never “pass Go” but will usually land “in Jail.” But love shouldn’t be a Monopoly game. There needs to be plenty of room for each partner to stretch, and grow. Gluing two separate people together is not just symbiotic but potentially dysfunctional.
So, how do you view your own relationship, to measure just how healthy it is? After evaluating whether you’re mostly happy and content, or mostly sad and worried, you might want to consider the basic ingredients or characteristics — all right, call them Strengths — of a healthy relationship, as follows:
(1) What each of us expects from the other is fair and realistic.
(2) We are happy with one another, as we are.
(3) Each of us listens to the other, and cares.
(4) There is ample room for each of us to have a separate life/self. We know we are two separate people who choose to be together and grow/nurture a wonderful, loving relationship.
(5) We can argue or disagree, and remain friends.
(6) Each of us has come to rely on the other, because we value our relationship as a top priority.
(7) Mutual communication and sharing is valued by each of us.
(8) Neither of us must be something or someone other than what we are, to please the other.
(9) Total honesty is a shared value, as well as kindness and sensitivity toward one another’s feelings.
(10) Our relationship works well now, not as an unfulfilled goal to be hoped for in the future.
(11) We are both committed to the relationship, and to one another. Neither of us threatens to leave.
(12) We love and care for one another, unconditionally
How many of those strengths does your relationship have? Remember, if yours seems to be lacking, it’s not necessarily time to end it all — because every relationship or marriage can be improved, if both parties are willing to work together to achieve that goal. Don’t settle for mediocre, when you can shoot for and really have Miraculous!
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Stephania edits a twice-monthly HTML ezine, Tidbits from the Pantry, that is currently sent to more than 11,000 opt-in subscribers. She recently retired after 40 years in the field of human services, and offers a free evaluation of a life problem to any subscriber by email.
BRIDES - FEND YOUR FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS!
When it comes to weddings, your girlfriends help you hold it together. Don’t let wedding planning ruin your friendships.
You’re planning a wedding, and emotions are high. Triumphs, upsets, smiles, tears, laughter, doubts - the emotional roller coaster will surely go full force as you prepare for the big day.
And so they’re by your side - your bridesmaids, that is - offering strength and support along the way to ensure a smooth ride on your journey towards “man and wife.” They’ve done a lot for you over the years, these special women in your life. They’ve wiped your tears through that difficult breakup, cheered when you landed that big promotion and supported you when you made the snap decision to move cross country on a whim in your early twenties.
In fact, your best girlfriends may have been the most important people in your life - up until now. Now you’re planning a wedding, and they’re not. And somehow, you’re no longer in the same place - no longer quite in synch. After the initial congratulatory exclamations subside, distress can erupt on the friendship front. From gripes about bridesmaids’ dresses and wedding planning logistics, to deeper issues of insecurity and envy, even the best support systems can collapse from the pressure.
It’s easy when wrapped up in the drama of wedding planning to lose the force that ties women together in that uniquely female impenetrable bond of friendship. Don’t. If you’re feeling the closeness slipping away amidst your wedding planning - do something about it. These are the people who have stood by your side through all of life’s most monumental transitions. You needed them then - you need them now.
Communication
..it’s the buzzword for healthy relationships. You’ve heard that you must maintain open communication with your fiancé and future husband in order to make your marriage work. The same goes for relationships with your girlfriends. Keep the lines of communication open, and avoid the tendency for tension and division when “one of the girls” gets engaged.
With the existence of email, there really is no excuse for losing touch with your friends. Of course, phone calls and face to face meetings are always better, but brides-to-be pushed to the scheduling brink can always send a friendly email. And no - every email can’t simply be a wedding update - ask them about their lives too; you remember how to be a friend, don’t you?
Girls Night Out
Arrange a girls night - and celebrate them for a change. You probably aren’t doing much wedding planning on a Friday night anyway, so try to round up your girls for a night out on the town. Don’t worry - you don’t have to plan anything (that’s the last thing you need). Just shoot an email (yes, email is fine) to your gal pals with a time and place to meet for a happy hour, movie or dinner. Your girls are busy too, so even if everyone can’t make it, your friends will appreciate your effort to reach out.
Involve Them In Your Plans
Some of your wedding plans can be a group effort; add a bottle of wine, some cheese and crackers, and you’ve got yourself a fun little get together. No - they’re not your slaves - and you shouldn’t demand your friends spend hours stuffing envelopes. But if they ask to help - take them up on it. Make it fun; chat about non-wedding topics while you work.
So yes, while it is YOUR day; don’t forget to nurture your relationships with your bridesmaids. They are by your side to offer support and friendship; make sure you do the same for them.
For a complete guide to creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit http://www.elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource.
Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for http://www.elegala.com and Elegala Magazine. Elegala is a new wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding vendors, with the planning tips to keep brides in the know on today’s planning trends and styles.
It’s wonderful news, the kind that absolutely must be shared. Feel free to spread the word and enjoy the fame. Everyone loves being in love and they appreciate lovers.
There are two kinds of announcements that you will normally make once you decide to get married. The first kind is to announce your engagement. The second is to announce your marriage.
When you register your intent to get married in your parish, your church will normally announce your upcoming nuptials for three weeks prior to the event. This is called posting the banns. The announcement is made in both the communities that the bride and groom belong to; not just where they will get married. This is to notify any and all parties, who may have a valid reason to stop the event from taking place, to come forward. For example, there may be a legal impediment such as your fiance may actually already be married and not divorced or single like he’s been saying. In some countries, the city hall will also post announcements in your place of residence for the same purpose.
The second announcement is the best! Let the world know that you have been married. Post an announcement in your daily newspapers. Some of them will post announcements, with a wedding picture, for free. Others may charge but the fee isn’t usually that costly. You can contact your local paper and inquire about their service if they haven’t included instructions in the section on announcements itself.
When we said let the world know, we meant it. Don’t forget to make your announcement online as well. There are hundreds of wedding announcement sites where you can share the good news. Let your far flung relatives share your happiness no matter where they are. I’m sure they would want to be with you, if only in spirit. Spread the word!
Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com - a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding. Visit Lesley-Ann’s wedding blog for more free wedding planning help and advice.
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To keep romance alive and nurture the intimacy in your marriage, you’ll want to know a number of ways to express your feelings to your spouse. There are certainly times when you’ll want to put a significant amount of time and energy into a project that shows your love for your spouse in a major way, such as planning a surprise birthday dinner party that includes family and friends or a new deck that you spend several weekends building.
But it’s also important for you to know a number of smaller gestures you can make to convey loving feelings on a frequent basis. Little expressions of love and appreciation add up over time and can help ensure that your relationship will keep its special sparkle and glow.
Here are fifteen ways to say “I love you” that you can easily implement even during a busy work week:
1. Blow your spouse a kiss as you walk through the room. Smile, and let your eyes twinkle mischievously. You might remain silent, or you could say something such as, “Catch!” or “This is for you!”
2. Surprise your spouse by kissing the back of his (or her) neck as he sits in a low-backed chair that gives you easy access to his neck, such as a dining room chair or a computer chair. (For an extra reaction, you might lick his neck one or two strokes with your tongue after you kiss it)
3. Give her (or him) a brief neck and shoulder massage.
4. Leave a sweet message on his (or her) voice mail.
5. Send a short but sweet email. (Don’t send your spouse a sexually explicit email at work. Save those for his or her personal email account.)
6. Write a one sentence note that describes a specific trait or quality that you love about your spouse, such as “I love your beautiful blue eyes that remind me of the sea.” Or you could write, “I love your fabulous shoulder muscles that make you look so strong and sexy.” Put this note in your spouse’s purse, lunch, or brief case, or on his (or her) bed pillow.
7. Give your spouse a lingering, wet kiss, accompanied by a full body hug. (Many relationship gurus advocate that couples do this at least once every day.)
8. Hug your spouse and scratch her back at the same time. If you’re lucky, your spouse will also scratch your back while you’re scratching hers.
9. Give your spouse a compliment. Be specific, such as “You look great in that new pulloverI love how that color looks on you!”
10. Tell your spouse once specific thing you appreciate that he (or she) does. For example, you might say, “I really appreciate how hard you work to bring in extra income,” or “You’re a great dadalways so patient with the kids!”
11. When you’re at the grocery store, pick up something special for your spousea favorite candy bar, a choice piece of fruit, a small plant, one long-stemmed rose, a special cheese, a festive balloon, etc. When you get home, say “I bought something special just for you because you’re so special.” Or wait until later and leave the item with an ‘I love you” note for her (or him) to find.
12. Look for some little act or chore you can do for your spouse to make his (or her) life easier. For example, without asking, Lee will often empty the wastebasket in my office for me when he sees that it’s full. Or I might offer to make a phone call for him to save him time on a busy day. These types of gestures say “I love you and want to show you that I care.”
13. The next time that you have to buy a birthday card for someone, also buy five or six cards that your spouse would like. They might be romantic cards, thinking-of-you cards, or funny cards. Once every week or two, drop one in the mail to your spouse to arrive at the office or home, or leave a card in the car on the driver’s seat or some other place for him (or her) to find.
14. When you get “take-home” food containers in a restaurant, later secretly take your spouse’s container out of the refrigerator and decorate it. You might draw two hearts linked together with your names on the hearts and write “I love you” on her (or his) box.
15. Look for poems or song lyrics that you can give your spouse to communicate your loving feelings. Check out http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/ to find lyrics to beautiful love songs, love quotes, and romantic poems. You’ll also find a great selection of love song lyrics at http://www.theromantic.com/lovesongs/main.htm .Just print out some of your favorites (use special paper to make it more special) and keep them back, ready to pull out and give your spouse with a note that says, “This expresses just how I feel about you.”
Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says “I don’t love you anymore!” This is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com, where you can also sign up for the free weekly Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine to get ideas and support for improving your marriage.
Imagine yourself getting married in a renaissance palace or a church covered in precious artwork. Instead of a limousine, have a gondola ride, watching the sunset together. Have your reception in a secret garden in one of Venice’s palazzos.
For those who feel that the canals of Venice do not invoke enough romance, a wedding in Florence is something to consider. Full of art, this area has remained true to its traditions and gives off an old world charm. Best of all, getting married in this area of Tuscany, the green heart of Italy, you have a wonderful backdrop to your wedding that is all natural.
Getting married in Italy is easy. For one, there is no residency requirement and you can get married on any day of the week (of course, special permission is required for Sunday weddings). Wedding planners and coordinators would be a great help to get everything done especially if you are not living in their town. They would know who the best vendors are for the area, and can help get your wedding details ironed out so that as when you arrive, practically all you’ll have to say is, “I do”.
This beautiful country is an absolute favorite for wedding destinations. There are so many options of where you can hold your ceremony - aside from Venice and Florence, there is Sicily, Rome, Sorento, Capri or even the Amalfi Coast. No matter where you choose, would be in one of the most romantic places in the world. Everywhere there is beauty under the blue Mediterranean sky.
Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com - a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding. Visit Lesley-Ann’s wedding blog for more free wedding planning help and advice.
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An Indian wedding is completed only with the traditional Indian bridal wedding dress that symbolizes the rich culture that the people have. Since wedding days are a special occasion that is celebrated religiously by the Indian people, it is only right that the bride should look her best in her Indian bridal wedding dress.
Today, you will be able to find a selection of Indian bridal wedding dress over the Internet. Many websites are already catering to the need of the brides to look their best. The collection of the Indian bridal wedding dress that they have is meant to make the bride shine on this special day.
Indian bridal wedding dresses have been through many different changes and development over the years. Nowadays, there are more shops that can cater to the choice and color of the cloth that will be used to make the Indian bridal wedding dress. The competition among textile companies is making the prices more and more affordable.
Many designers are combining the look of the modern world to the traditional Indian wedding dress designs. Do not be surprised if you see one or two designs that appear very Indian but reflect some western influence. These Indian bridal wedding dresses are now rampant. It can be noted that the blend only emphasizes the beauty and the elegance that the wedding dress projects.
Planning on your Indian bridal wedding dress should take as much time as any other preparation needed for the event. You definitely want to look your very best during this occasion. To ensure that, you need to have the perfect Indian wedding dress.
One of the aspects that you should consider in your Indian bridal wedding dress is the design. You can opt to go with the traditional ones or the ones that are already a combination of other modern influences. The choice is entirely up to you. You just have to make sure that the theme and color that your dress will have will match the ones that is used for the wedding.
Remember that this is your day. And the Indian bridal wedding dress that you should choose will make sure that you will be brought into the spotlight. It needs to make you look as radiant and as good as the feeling that you have on that day.
If you are not sure about the design that your Indian bridal wedding dress will have, you can always seek expert advice. Look for a designer and let him or her tell you what color will complement you best.
You can also ask for suggestions of wedding dress design based from what it you like is. You can even look up catalogs and magazines during your search. You might come upon a design that you like. From that, your designer can add some additional unique and distinct color and design to achieve that original look.
Keep in mind that not all Indian bridal wedding dress will be perfect for you. This is why you need to make sure that your chosen one will suit your perfectly. Take the time to try on different colors and styles before choosing the one that will suit you best.
Your wedding day is meant for you. That is why you need to shine and look your very best in your Indian bridal wedding dress.
Michael Louis has many friends and family members that are in the process of getting married. To aid himself, his friends and others, he has created and become a successful publisher of the-wedding-stop. This site will be helpful for online wedding planning. At the-wedding-stop, you can research bridal outfits, wedding favors, and wedding venues.
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Your wedding ring is a symbol of eternal love between marriage partners - it shines in the wedding photographs, and it is the first thing your guests will want to look at. Sadly most wedding rings do not stay shiny and new - after ten years, many gold rings are dented and scratched with no shine. Did you know that titanium is an option for your wedding ring?
Titanium was first discovered in England in 1791 by Reverend William Gregor. It is named after the Titans, a race of powerful deities who ruled during the legendary Golden Age. The metal is produced in its highest quantity in Australia, and is prized for its strength and light weight. This makes it very suitable for anyone involved in manual work, as it will stand up to wear much better than gold. It is also a hypoallergenic material, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
Until recently, Titanium was most likely to be used in high tech fields such as space and medical fields - if you wear lightweight glasses, they probably contain Titanium. In jewellery, the use of titanium is a new innovation. Jewellers are just learning that the metal is easy to work with and makes for some very beautiful jewellery. You should be able to find Titanium wedding rings in a variety of designs and styles, set with stones and also inlaid with other precious metals. If your Matchmaker found you a rich spouse, you can set your titanium ring with diamonds or emeralds.
The good news is that it usually costs less than the equivalent version in other precious metals. Matrimonial experts will normally advise against trendy wedding rings - as anyone sporting a wide wedding band from the seventies now realises. However, the look of a Titanium wedding ring is not radically different from gold or platinum but it has so many advantages - lower or average cost, high tensile strength, scratch resistance, and it is hypoallergenic.
Of all the things in your wedding day budget, your wedding ring is the most permanent. The bridal dress will probably gather dust in a box or go to a charity shop, flowers are gone in a few days, the cake might last until the birth of your first child. The ring, however, is here forever as a reminder of your love match. And if your matrimonial arrangement does go wrong, remember that titanium is a stronger material as you take aim to throw it at your beloved!
Adrienne Davis Internet Marketer, eBook Publisher http://www.homebusinessadvisers.com Find your love match http://www.myasianpartner.com Online Matchmaker Matrimonials Worldwide
There is something to be said about buying a unique wedding gift. First of all, it better be unique and creative enough to go beyond the traditional gift of money. Most couples prefer cash as it helps with wedding expenses and the honeymoon. However, if you have it in your head that you want to give a truly unique gift as opposed to money, here are some ideas that you might consider.
If the couple you are buying for have purchased a home hire an interior decorator to come in and give suggestions or redo a room. Or put together a unique new home gift basket with tools, how-to-do-it books, wine, cheese and crackers for the newlyweds who probably need all the home advice they can get.
If you know the couple’s creative preferences, buy a piece of art that they can display in their home. A special painting, unique vase or rare antique piece will hold a special meaning for the bride and groom. You could also make your own piece of are buy making a collage of photographs of the couple, family and friends.
If the couple enjoys the outdoors give them a gift certificate for a hiking or whitewater rafting getaway weekend. That would be quite a unique surprise for them. If they’re just plain, old-fashion romantic send them on a weekend adventure to a beach or ski resort. Plan the trip for several months after the wedding. The newness will be wearing off, and they will need and appreciate the break.
Unique Gifts provides detailed information on Unique Gifts, Unique Gift Ideas, Unique Baby Gifts, Unique Wedding Gifts and more. Unique Gifts is affiliated with Unique Gifts Online.
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What a hassle and tedious task wedding planning can be especially if left till the last minute. Leading up to the wedding if crucial wedding plans are not adhered too then you can expect to run into problems. Overlooking things like the sending of invitations, booking a caterer or flowers are easily forgotten so therefore careful planning in advance is vital to ensure no last minute hic ups. A checklist with certain days and dates allotted to different jobs will make all preparations a lot less stressful.
By doing it this way you can tick off each job as you go along. Your wedding checklist should also include choosing your perfect wedding ring.
Simple sounds easy but when choosing a wedding ring it is not as simple as you would imagine. Much detail has to be taken into account to claim the perfect wedding bands. Careful thought needs to go behind the scenes before making a decision. This is a Jewelry piece that denotes together forever and is worn for that length of time - so choose carefully.
Most crucial matters to be addressed is your budget when buying wedding rings. Check your bank to see if the balance allows you to purchase your jewelry piece. Because of the penny situation you may be limited on choice of precious metals.
Just because less in price does not mean less in loveliness, cheap cut gold or silver wedding rings hold as much beauty as that of the more expensive kind.
Most regular materials used are yellow gold. Gold rings still uphold the number one position for popularity in wedding and engagement rings but hot on the heels is white gold which also comes in stunning and unique designs. White gold can be very complimentary to other materials particularly platinum.
Material like platinum is commonly exchanged at the altar by happy couples in todays modern society. It is one of the hardest durable metals which makes it apt for his and her wedding rings. Platinum wedding rings symbolize endurance of love. However and take note, wedding rings made of this material are more costly. Bear in mind its durability where savings can be made if this is to be a lifetime Jewelry piece.
Precious metals will always come at a price but one worth considering is titanium which is noted as the wedding ring for the male species. Titanium is long lasting and a lot less expensive than platinum. Titanium wedding rings can be very deceiving in appearance and is easily mistaken for white gold.
Choosing wedding rings can prove to be an ordeal due to the vast variety of stunning and elegant designs so take your time and plan ahead.
Whether the perfect wedding ring sits on the finger or through the nose take the bull by the horns - now go get your man.
A site that comes highly reccomended by past present and future brides for wedding essentials is http://www.wedding-organizing.com. Need to relax after all that wedding planning. Need to shape up for the special day http://www.want2yoga.com.
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