<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562</id><updated>2011-04-21T14:26:27.080-07:00</updated><category term='Wedding Ring'/><category term='Honeymoon'/><category term='Ethnic Weddings'/><category term='Wedding'/><category term='Engaged'/><title type='text'>World of Wedding</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>8</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-7737424463320220663</id><published>2009-04-07T01:14:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-04-07T01:14:21.856-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Wedding'/><title type='text'>Funny Wedding Vows</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you're getting married and you want to share your humorous side, you might consider using some funny wedding vows. For example, perhaps you could use the traditional vows, but include a line such as "I promise to always make your "favorite banana milkshake," or "I vow to split the difference on the thermostat," as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston did when they married. Or, if you really want to make your guests laugh, consider writing a complete set of funny wedding vows, such as these inspired by Dr. Seuss. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Marty Blase, the author of these vows, writes: "My fiancee and I agreed a long time ago that we wanted to write our own wedding vows, and as a spur-of-the-moment idea, I suggested the following. To my disappointment, she didn't quite go for it..." &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you answer me right now &lt;br&gt;These questions, as your wedding vow? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I will answer right now &lt;br&gt;Your questions as my wedding vow. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you take her as your wife? &lt;br&gt;Will you love her all your life? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I take her as my wife, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I'll love her all my life. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you have, and also hold &lt;br&gt;Just as you have at this time told? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I will have, and I will hold,&lt;br&gt;Just as I have at this time told, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I will love her all my life &lt;br&gt;As I now take her as my wife. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you love through good and bad? &lt;br&gt;Whether you're happy or sad? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I'll love through good and bad, &lt;br&gt;Whether we're happy or sad, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I will have and I will hold&lt;br&gt;Just as I have already told, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I will love her all my life,&lt;br&gt;Yes, I will take her as my wife! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you love her if you're rich? &lt;br&gt;Or if you're poor, and in a ditch? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I'll love her if we're rich, &lt;br&gt;And I will love her in a ditch, &lt;br&gt;I'll love her through good times and bad, &lt;br&gt;Whether we are happy or sad, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I will have, and I will hold&lt;br&gt;(I could have sworn this has been told!) &lt;br&gt;I promise to love all my life &lt;br&gt;This woman, as my lawful wife! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you love her when you're fit,&lt;br&gt;And also when you're feeling sick? &lt;br&gt;Groom: Yes, I'll love her when we're fit, &lt;br&gt;And when we're hurt, and when we're sick, &lt;br&gt;And I will love her when we're rich &lt;br&gt;And I will love her in a ditch &lt;br&gt;And I will love through good and bad, &lt;br&gt;And I will love when glad or sad, &lt;br&gt;And I will have, and I will hold &lt;br&gt;Ten years from now a thousandfold, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I will love for my whole life &lt;br&gt;This lovely woman as my wife! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Will you love with all your heart? &lt;br&gt;Will you love till death you part? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Groom: Yes, I'll love with all my heart &lt;br&gt;From now until death do us part, &lt;br&gt;And I will love her when we're rich, &lt;br&gt;And when we're broke and in a ditch, &lt;br&gt;And when we're fit, and when we're sick, &lt;br&gt;(Oh, CAN'T we get this finished quick?) &lt;br&gt;And I will love through good and bad, &lt;br&gt;And I will love when glad or sad, &lt;br&gt;And I will have, and I will hold, &lt;br&gt;And if I might now be so bold, &lt;br&gt;I'll love her my entire life, &lt;br&gt;Yes, I WILL take her as my wife! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: Then if you'll take her as your wife, &lt;br&gt;And if you'll love her all your life, &lt;br&gt;And if you'll have, and if you'll hold, &lt;br&gt;From now until the stars grow cold, &lt;br&gt;And if you'll love through good and bad,&lt;br&gt;And whether you're happy or sad, &lt;br&gt;And love in sickness, and in health, &lt;br&gt;And when you're poor, and when in wealth, &lt;br&gt;And if you'll love with all your heart, &lt;br&gt;From now until death do you part, &lt;br&gt;Yes, if you'll love her through and through, &lt;br&gt;Please answer with these words: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor and Groom: I DO! &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Pastor: You're married now! So kiss the bride, &lt;br&gt;But please, do keep it dignified.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com" target="_blank"&gt;weddings.about.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-7737424463320220663?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/7737424463320220663/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/04/funny-wedding-vows.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7737424463320220663'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7737424463320220663'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/04/funny-wedding-vows.html' title='Funny Wedding Vows'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-398033305458495596</id><published>2009-03-11T20:23:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-03-11T20:23:48.352-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Honeymoon'/><title type='text'>Honeymoon Planning</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SbiAPs99LoI/AAAAAAAAADo/55rR22_6kh8/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"&gt;&lt;img title="image" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="184" alt="image" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SbiAQ99RoXI/AAAAAAAAADs/7zVrTsknqOc/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" border="0"&gt;&lt;/a&gt; One of the most fulfilling parts of planning a wedding is the traditional trip or resort get-away taken by newlyweds once the wedding is complete and allows the bride and groom time to complete the marriage. Many couples celebrate honeymoons in warm and romantic sea side locations, sunny beaches and exotic resort locations such Hawaii, Jamaica and Mexico, while some may start as mountain themed destination weddings.  &lt;p&gt;For an engaged couple, planning the wedding ceremony and wedding reception are two very important items which must be tended to prior to the nuptials. In keeping with the planning for the big day, the couple must also decide what they are going to do in the way of a honeymoon. When planning the honeymoon, there are a few things which the couple should keep in mind in order to ensure that they choose the best resort location possible. &lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Time of Year&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;When looking into honeymoon destinations, it is important to keep in mind the time of year in which the couple will be going on their get-away. This enables them to consider factors such as weather, travel conditions and desired temperatures at their location. This will also help the couple to determine how much their honeymoon will cost as certain locations will cost more to stay during certain times of the year. &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Financial Considerations&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;It is also important to keep in mind how much money can be spent on the honeymoon. There are a few different reasons why doing so is important. First and foremost, by having an idea as to what type of money the couple wishes to spend for a honeymoon this will enable them to know what locations they can travel to for their vacation. Secondly, this will save time by allowing them to narrow down their options and focus only on those destinations which are realistic in the way of monetary possibilities.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Climate Preference&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;The engaged couple who is planning their honeymoon should also have a climate preference in mind. Some couples like to spend their time on a beach while others prefer staying in a cabin and taking part in some skiing while they are honeymooning. Whatever the desired choice may be, it is important to agree on this factor prior to starting the search for the perfect destination.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Resort Preference&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;It is also wise to think about what type of resort or accommodations the couple is looking to spend their honeymoon within. One should view the different amenities that are available and room styles to determine if what each resort has fits their honeymoon desires and preferences.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All-Inclusive or Not&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;Lastly, couples need to determine whether they wish to book an all-inclusive honeymoon or if they prefer to complete their honeymoon in an a la carte manner. Certain resorts are strictly all-inclusive and include everything from alcoholic beverages to motorized water sports. This allows the couple to enjoy themselves without really having to consider spending money the entire time.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt;The previously mentioned items are just a few things which the future bride and groom should keep in mind while planning their honeymoon to ensure that the trip is simply perfect. &lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-398033305458495596?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/398033305458495596/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/03/honeymoon-planning.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/398033305458495596'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/398033305458495596'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/03/honeymoon-planning.html' title='Honeymoon Planning'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://lh5.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SbiAQ99RoXI/AAAAAAAAADs/7zVrTsknqOc/s72-c/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-8409673471971538557</id><published>2009-01-14T01:57:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2009-01-14T01:57:10.076-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Ethnic Weddings'/><title type='text'>The Egyptian Wedding</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;By Dr. Maged El-Bialy&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img height="272" src="http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/wed2.jpg" width="417" border="0"&gt; &lt;p&gt;You may ask why am I writing an article about Egyptian weddings. You may think that an Egyptian wedding is like any other wedding, but I can assure you that an Egyptian wedding is a very special historical ceremony. It is the most important ceremony for Egyptian females. I am sure that there are certain rituals for marriage in many parts of the world but the Egyptian wedding ceremony has been carried on from generation to generation since the times of the Pharaohs. While there are many western aspects, the enthusiasm and grand festive atmosphere of an Egyptian wedding is simply amazing.&lt;span class="fullpost"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;p&gt;The ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to regard marriage as a legal relationship. Marriage in ancient Egypt was a religious imposition. The ancient Egyptian laws organized the marriage relationship and indicated all rights and duties for the couples. Many of the old marriage contracts have been found, and they were registered and signed by three officers. The ancient Egyptian laws gave the right of divorce to women as well as men, and the wife had great respect and a high degree of prestige. &lt;p&gt;Before marriage in ancient Egypt, there were many chances for men and women to meet in places such as the temples or at the common feasts. There was a custom in the Egyptian family which allowed the adult daughter to welcome guests who came to visit her parents. Even today there remains in some parts of rural Egypt a custom that the eldest daughter is to marry before the youngest. The ancient Egyptians had an engagement period in order for the couple to become familiar with each other. The groom-to-be and his parents would go to the bride’s house and meet the head of the family. They would negotiate an agreement where the groom would pay a dowry and buy the bride a gift of precious stones or gold. On the day of the wedding there would be a great banquet where all the guests would eat, sing and dance. Then the bride and groom would be led to their home and on the way, green wheat would be tossed in the air as a symbol of fertility. &lt;p&gt;&lt;img height="265" src="http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/wed1.jpg" width="407" border="0"&gt; &lt;p&gt;While time has altered modern Egyptian weddings, many of the traditions remain. Christian and Islamic custom now dictates that the official wedding must take place in a church or mosque. However, the reception after the official wedding remains much the same as in ancient Egypt.&amp;nbsp; Reception parties differ from place to place in Egypt but they all hold common features including singing, dancing, a banquet and a lot of guests. Most often the wealth of the family of the bride and groom dictates the number of guests invited to the reception. &lt;p&gt;Certain aspects of Egyptian weddings in urban cities are not unlike weddings anywhere in the the world.&amp;nbsp; The bride wears an ordinary bridal dress and the groom wears a black suit or a tuxedo. The ceremony starts with a car parade. The wedding car (as prestigious as possible) will be decorated with flowers and ribbons. Cars of both families move together in a noisy parade of continuous sounding of car horns to a wedding hall most often in a hotel. The honking is to announce that there is a wedding taking place. When the bride and groom reach the hotel they are received by a “Zaffa”. The Zaffa is another human parade of belly dancers and drummers surrounding the bride and groom, singing happy songs. The bride and groom will occasionally join in the dancing but the main aim is to walk as slowly as possible to the wedding hall. Some Zaffa’s will last an hour! &lt;p&gt;&lt;img height="304" src="http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/wed4.jpg" width="409" border="0"&gt; &lt;p&gt;When the bride and groom finally reach the their destination in the hall they sit in the “Kosha”. The Kosha usually consists of two comfortable seats in front of the guests where the bride and groom reign as though king and queen. As soon as the bride and groom are seated in the Kosha a rose sherbet drink is passed to the guests and all drink to their health. Then the bride and groom will switch rings from right index fingers to left index finger. This is probably an old&lt;img height="250" src="http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/wed3.jpg" width="140" align="right" border="0"&gt; Christian tradition but it is done whether the couple is Moslem or Christian. With this ritual, the festivities begin. The bride and groom have the first dance after which the other wedding guests join in. Usually a belly dancer or a singer entertains the guests but in more luxurious weddings there is more than one entertainer. Guests will dance and sing with the newly wed couple, and the groom will occasionally be tossed in the air by friends.&amp;nbsp; The more the tossing of the groom the more his popular! After the formal entertainment, a disc jockey is used to extend the festivities.&amp;nbsp; &lt;p&gt;Then comes the cutting of the cake. As elsewhere in the world, the bride and groom cut the cake, which is several layers high. The bride then tosses her flower bouquet behind her back to other hopeful females. Who ever catches the bouquet is lucky because she will be next to marry. Next, the couple opens the buffet for the guests, which is usually a wide variety of salads, meats, stews, and sweets. Actually the list might go on forever in some weddings. Food is considered one of the factors that reflect the wealth of the families of the bride and groom. After every guest has “stuffed” his or her stomach, the wedding party is over. In some weddings there may be some more entertainment. Then the bride and groom usually get a complimentary night or two at the hotel. &lt;p&gt;Modern urban weddings are obviously affected by western traditions. For example, the cutting of the cake and tossing of the bouquet. This is not the case with rural areas of Egypt. In rural areas, after the Zaffa, the wedding ceremony will usually take place in a big clearing of land where a huge Arabic tent called the “Sewan” is set up. Entertainment includes a belly dancer or&amp;nbsp; singer and sometimes both. Drinks are passed to guests and food comes in huge plates to be served to guests. The customary food is “Fattah” which is pieces of lamb meat embedded in rice and bread dipped in stew. The bride and groom will leave the wedding early but the guests continue the festivities. &lt;p&gt;Whether rural or urban, weddings reflect the image of the families that have come together. Both families show off their wealth to their wedding guests. From this, it would be concluded that Egyptian weddings are not just an announcement of marriage but also an announcement of the economic positions of the families.. &lt;p&gt;If you visit Egypt keep an eye out for weddings. In many seasons, there will be weddings almost every night in hotels such as the Nile Hilton. Do not hesitate to ask permission to join the wedding. I guarantee you that you will be welcomed. Sing, dance and enjoy the culture of Egypt.  &lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-8409673471971538557?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/8409673471971538557/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/01/egyptian-wedding.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/8409673471971538557'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/8409673471971538557'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2009/01/egyptian-wedding.html' title='The Egyptian Wedding'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-7521190466377960692</id><published>2008-12-22T03:24:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-22T03:24:09.598-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Wedding Ring'/><title type='text'>14K White Gold Created Moissanite &amp; Diamond Engagement Ring</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SU941DuodbI/AAAAAAAAACw/S5_QJN2RjHc/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"&gt;&lt;img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="288" alt="image" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SU942FlT_GI/AAAAAAAAAC0/lrGkYoUCNLA/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="288" border="0"&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;h4&gt;Price: $2,224.88&lt;/h4&gt; &lt;h5&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Product Description&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;This 14k white gold bridal ring makes a great addition to any jewelry collection and can be worn on different occasions. This ring is prong set with 10 round shape diamonds. The diamonds have a total carat weight of 0.05 carats. The diamonds are GHI color and SI-I1 clarity. This ring is also set with 1 round 6.50 mm wide prong set moissanite. The moissanite has a total carat weight of 1.00 carats. The total metal weight of this ring is 6.80 grams. This ring is part of our moissanite jewelry collection of jewelry. Moissanite is a dazzling unique jewel created by Charles &amp;amp; Colvard that has more fire, brillianceand luster than any other. In addition, moissanite is incredibly durable, which ensures peace of mind. Moissanite has exceptional fire and brilliance, with almost 2.5 times more fire than diamond. Moissanite resists scratching and is harder than both ruby and sapphire. Moissanite is tough and does not break or chip easily. Moissanite can be cleaned the same way you care for you other fine jewelry. This moissanite jewelry is offered with a warranty that moissanite jewels will maintain their fire and brilliance. This beautiful sparking jewel is the perfect self-purchase reward or indulgence for a woman celebrating important moments in her life.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Can't find the ring size you need? No problem. Contact us at Service@DivaDiamonds.net with the ASIN number found just below this text and we'll be more than happy to direct you to the ring size you need.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This ring ships with a complimentary jewelry box, certificate of authenticity, and a jewelry polishing cloth. If this ring is not available, you will be contacted within 2 business days with other options.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This is DivaDiamonds item number 64599:280012.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-7521190466377960692?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/7521190466377960692/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/14k-white-gold-created-moissanite.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7521190466377960692'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7521190466377960692'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/14k-white-gold-created-moissanite.html' title='14K White Gold Created Moissanite &amp;amp; Diamond Engagement Ring'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SU942FlT_GI/AAAAAAAAAC0/lrGkYoUCNLA/s72-c/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-1142975433833273026</id><published>2008-12-10T18:28:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-10T18:30:18.858-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Ethnic Weddings'/><title type='text'>Ethnic Chinese Weddings</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;On the surface, ethnic Chinese wedding receptions may seem more similar to western weddings, due to the &lt;img style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px" height="182" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.expat.or.id/images/bridegroom.jpg" width="283" align="right"&gt;adaptation of western wedding dress and the wedding cake. But that may be the extent of the similarities.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;About a week before the wedding, the family of the groom will go (without the groom) to the house of the bride bringing various gifts that are arranged in red baskets or red boxes or other red containers. Red symbolizes happiness and prosperity for the Chinese. Each basket should be carried by a member of the immediate family of the groom. The contents of the basket determines who should carry each basket.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The baskets from the groom should all be carried by males. They contain various items, such as fruit in one basket, clothes in another, gold jewelry for the bride in another. Some are gifts from the groom and others are gifts from the family of the groom. Another basket contains '&lt;i&gt;uang susu&lt;/i&gt;' (milk money). Depending on the wealth of the family the gifts will be more or less generous.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The bride. s family then accepts the baskets and takes them off to another room. Then ... this is the good part ... they sort through the gifts. Normally half of the gifts are placed back in the baskets and returned to the family of the groom. The basket is then returned to the person that brought it and everybody goes home.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Three days before the wedding, the bride's family returns the favor and brings red baskets to the groom's house.&lt;img height="155" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.expat.or.id/images/ballroom.jpg" width="325" align="right"&gt;These baskets are carried by females of the bride. s immediate family. The baskets normally contain clothes for the groom, shoes and fruit. Basically, things that he would use everyday.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Some of the baskets contain makeup and personal things for the bride, such as nightgowns. This symbolizes that the groom's family is accepting her into their house. On her wedding day when she moves in, all of her personal belongings will already be in the groom's house. Again the gifts are sorted through and about half are returned.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Different ethnic Chinese groups will have variations on these proceedings, some more strictly adhered to than others. For example, Hokian, Cantonese or Kai have slight variations on these customs. For some, the groom's family will be invited into the new couple's bedroom after the bride's gifts have been received into the house and they will be invited to have a 'closet inspection'. It is expected that the bride has placed her things neatly in the closets indicating that she will be a good housekeeper.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;img height="147" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.expat.or.id/images/car.jpg" width="275" align="left"&gt;&lt;b&gt;On the morning of the wedding day, the groom is symbolically dressed by his parents (helping him put his jacket on and his flower on his lapel). Then the groom and his parents would go to the house of the bride. The wedding couple would serve tea to both sets of parents while kneeling down in front of them. This symbolizes paying their respects as well as asking permission of their parents.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The bride and groom would then go to the church, together in the same car, for the service. The church service is not really considered that important and only immediate family normally attend. The more important event to attend is the reception.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;After the church service, the newlyweds proceed to a professional photo studio and have their picture taken in 20 different poses so they have something to show their children 20 years later. After the photo session, the newlyweds go on to the reception that is usually a standing only event.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The reception is run by an MC, usually someone who is hired to do the job and has perhaps met the couple once on a previous occasion to ask them some very informal questions so as he can pretend to know them. The reception begins with a speech of welcome from the MC.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The speech is followed by cake cutting ceremony. The wedding cake is usually a monstrous size. Normally it is &lt;img height="300" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.expat.or.id/images/cake.jpg" width="167" align="right"&gt;&lt;i&gt;lapis Surabaya&lt;/i&gt; (a layer cake) as the layers symbolize a ladder that you can climb up to success. It is also for this reason that some couples will cut the cake from the bottom layer and work their way upwards rather than starting at the top and working their way to the bottom!&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The cutting of the cake is usually the only event at the reception. The bride and groom cut the cake together and then feed the cake to each other with entwined arms, trying not to destroy the bride's elaborate makeup in the process. Then a piece of the cake would also be cut for each of the parents and grandparents and they too would be fed by the bride and groom holding the cake together.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;After the cake cutting, and sometimes a toast, the guests are invited to shake hands with the newlyweds and their parents on the stage. In all weddings there is some musical entertainment as the attendees line up to shake hands. This could be as simple as a man with a keyboard up to the Jakarta Symphony or Twilite Orchestra. You would also shake hands again when you are going to leave.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;At more elaborate ethnic Chinese weddings, there could be a sit-down wedding reception. If this is the case, expect an elaborate 9 to 10 course meal. It could feature Chinese cuisine only, or be mixed with western dishes as well. There could be a female singer or two, usually from Taiwan. Occasionally, friends or family members will get up from the audience to sing for the wedding couple. The head tables will usually get a bottle of cognac or whiskey. At the weddings of the very wealthy, beer, wine or champagne maybe served to the guests.&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Most of the ethnic Chinese customs that a decade ago would have been compulsory are being ignored by the younger generation today. Most of the customs that are carried out are done so to satisfy parents.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-1142975433833273026?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/1142975433833273026/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/ethnic-chinese-weddings.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/1142975433833273026'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/1142975433833273026'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/ethnic-chinese-weddings.html' title='Ethnic Chinese Weddings'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-2738665135347131306</id><published>2008-12-10T17:16:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-10T17:16:32.316-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Engaged'/><title type='text'>Newly Engaged? First ten steps for brides and grooms</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SUBp7Bx3oDI/AAAAAAAAACY/Gshd7tMPPMw/image%5B4%5D.png"&gt;&lt;img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="169" alt="image" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SUBp7xzrdrI/AAAAAAAAACc/sXXZ5Xlzi4Y/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png" width="154" align="left" border="0"&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Congratulations! You're about to embark on two amazing adventures - the first, of course, being your life as a wedded couple and the second being the exciting, yet often overwhelming process of planning a wedding. A wedding will probably be the biggest and most involved party or ritual either of you have ever put together. Before you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath, then do these ten things.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;1. Tell your parents&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;You should tell your parents of your impending nuptials before anyone else. (Unless of course, you are estranged.) Both of you should be present and ideally you will tell them in person - they'll have a chance to see your happiness up close, look at the rock, and start talking about the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents know before the groom's do, but any order is really fine. Then share the news with a few close friends - the ones who are likely candidates for maid/matron of honor and best man, or definite attendants in some capacity. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;2. Tell your parents&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;You should tell your parents of your impending nuptials before anyone else. (Unless of course, you are estranged.) Both of you should be present and ideally you will tell them in person - they'll have a chance to see your happiness up close, look at the rock, and start talking about the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents know before the groom's do, but any order is really fine. Then share the news with a few close friends - the ones who are likely candidates for maid/matron of honor and best man, or definite attendants in some capacity. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;&lt;b&gt;3. Purchase a journal if you don't already have one&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;This will be a time of ten thousand moments you won't want to forget, as well as some frustrating times that you'll need to vent about, and not necessarily to your partner. The journal you keep while planning your wedding will not only help you through this time, but it will be something you cherish for the rest of your life. If you're internet savvy kinds of folks, you may also consider doing this journaling online at a site such as &lt;a href="http://www.livejournal.com"&gt;Livejournal&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;4. Announce Your Engagement&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Tell everyone the good news! There are many ways of doing this, and no way is more correct or better than another. Consider:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; *) Announcing your engagement in print publications&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; *) Mailing announcements to your family and friends&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; *) Creating a wedding website &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;5. Set the Date&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;One of the most important decisions you will make as you plan your wedding. Not only will it be the first question everyone will ask you, but you'd be surprised how difficult it will be to make any progress on planning your wedding without knowing the date. Check out &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/pickingadate/"&gt;my page&lt;/a&gt; on setting your date for tips on how do to so. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;6. Set the Tone of Your Event&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;This is the time to decide if you're having a formal wedding, a casual affair, or a theme wedding. It's also the time to decide on having a religious or secular ceremony. In short, you need to decide what you want your wedding to feel like. A good way to begin is to sit down with your partner and do some free writing about your ideal wedding. Look at the adjectives that each of you write and use them as a starting point. You should also check out &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/style/"&gt;my wedding style pages&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesandgrooms/a/Interfaith.htm"&gt;Should You Have a Religious Wedding?&lt;/a&gt; for some helpful hints. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;7. Set the Budget&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/library/blbudgetworksheet.htm"&gt;Start off by using a printable wedding budget worksheet.&lt;/a&gt; Look at your finances and figure out how much you already have in savings, and how much you can save each month. Talk to each of your parents and ask them if they'd like to contribute to your wedding, and either how much they'd like to give you, or what specific things they'd like to pay for. Lastly, decide how much you feel comfortable going into debt. I strongly advise couples to avoid debt as much as possible. Since married couples fight about money more than anything else, why start marriage with debt on your backs? At this time you may consider opening a new credit card just for the wedding that will earn you airline miles, cash back, or other incentives. It's a good way for you to keep track of wedding expenses, and can help you pay for your honeymoon. Just try to pay it off in full each month. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;8. Choose Your Attendants&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;As your attendants do a lot more than just stand next to you on the day of the wedding, now is the time to get them involved. While some couples opt not to have any attendants at all, especially if they're having a casual event, most choose between 2 and 12 members of the bridal party. Look over these lists of responsibilities for &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddingparty/a/bridesmaid.htm"&gt;bridesmaids&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddingparty/a/Groomsmen.htm"&gt;groomsmen&lt;/a&gt; before you make your final choices. If they live nearby, its nice to ask someone in person, but a phone call is fine for those who live far away. You may also want to read &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesandgrooms/a/numofattendants.htm"&gt;How many bridesmaids and groomsmen should you have?&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesandgrooms/a/toomanyattendan.htm"&gt;How many bridesmaids and groomsmen is too many?&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;&lt;b&gt;9. Start Looking for Venues for Ceremony and Reception&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;Many venues are booked a year in advance, so the further in advance you start looking, the more likely you are to get the time, date, and cost that you've planned for. &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/od/weddinglocations/index.htm"&gt;Read more about finding your venue.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font color="#ff00ff"&gt;10. Get Support&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;The successful bride and groom do not plan their wedding alone - they get help! This may be from professionals, respected publications, or trusted friends who've planned their own weddings. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;*) Consider hiring a &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddingcareers/a/weddingplanners.htm"&gt;wedding planner&lt;/a&gt; or consultant. Especially if you are a busy person, or just feel a little lost, a professional can be invaluable in putting together your ideal day, and can often save you money. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;*) Visit &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/mpboards.htm"&gt;our forum&lt;/a&gt; to chat with other engaged couples, the &lt;a href="http://marriage.about.com/mpboards.htm"&gt;marriage forum&lt;/a&gt; to get advice from couples who've already walked down the aisle, and &lt;a href="http://honeymoons.about.com/mpboards.htm"&gt;the honeymoons forum&lt;/a&gt; to plan that trip of a lifetime. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;*) Use &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/od/getorganized/"&gt;online checklists&lt;/a&gt; - they're free, and especially helpful if you're planning with your mother or future spouse in another state. The most important of these forms is the &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/blchecklist1.htm"&gt;overall wedding checklist&lt;/a&gt; which will help you stay on top of all of your important todos. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;*) If you're like most couples, you'll come home from the bookstore with a few thousand pounds of wedding magazines - why not throw in a wedding planning book as well? While the internet offers many useful tools, a book is portable when you visit vendors and can accommodate the many brochures, swatches and other items you'll be collecting. If you are budget conscious, purchase a three ring binder, and build your own planner with &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/get%20organized/"&gt;printouts from the internet.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Now that you've made all these decisions, you have a solid foundation for your wedding! It's now time for the fun stuff - &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/dresses/"&gt;dresses&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/groomstyle/"&gt;tuxes&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/flowers/"&gt;flowers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddingmusic/"&gt;music,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/favors/"&gt;favors&lt;/a&gt; and more! Remember to use a &lt;a href="http://weddings.about.com/cs/getorganized/l/blchecklist1.htm"&gt;checklist&lt;/a&gt; to help yourself stay organized and on top of it all.  &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-2738665135347131306?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/2738665135347131306/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/newly-engaged-first-ten-steps-for.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/2738665135347131306'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/2738665135347131306'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/newly-engaged-first-ten-steps-for.html' title='Newly Engaged? First ten steps for brides and grooms'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/SUBp7xzrdrI/AAAAAAAAACc/sXXZ5Xlzi4Y/s72-c/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-7542580604355076286</id><published>2008-12-10T02:01:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-10T17:23:55.379-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Wedding'/><title type='text'>How to Create Your Dream Destination Wedding</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Dreaming of a getaway wedding but unsure of where to start? Well, you’re in luck. Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of TheKnot.com, was invited to appear on “Today” to share some tips on how to plan a destination wedding. Here's her advice:&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;What was once an unusual idea is now an overwhelming trend. In the past decade, the wedding industry has seen a 150-percent to 200-percent growth in destination weddings. In fact, nearly 10 percent of all weddings are now destination weddings. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Why choose a wedding location that's far from home? Couples want their wedding to be memorable, and an idyllic setting — a vineyard in Tuscany, a cruise ship, a Caribbean resort — creates a unique, exciting experience. And many couples have family and friends scattered around the country. Since guests have to travel anyway, a fabulous locale allows a wedding to double as a vacation or a family reunion. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Costs &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* A destination wedding often involves hosting more parties and providing activities for your guests. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Traveling to plan the details of your event can become costly. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* If you want all of your guests to come, you may have to foot some of the travel bill. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Conversely, the cost may prohibit some guests from attending, which automatically pares down your guest list. * Some resorts and hotels offer destination-wedding packages, with flat fees, wedding packages or a free honeymoon as a bonus. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Location &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* When choosing your location, decide whether you envision romance in an Italian villa or a sunset on the beach. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Many hotels offer virtual tours of their facilities, so do your initial research online. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Consider the accommodations. Are there fun activities and relaxing spa services for you and your guests? Is there enough room at the location, or nearby, for your guests? &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* If package deals are offered, find out what's included and what choices you have regarding the key elements: officiant, catering, flowers, music, cake, photography, videography, salon services. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* As with any wedding, consider your budget and your guests’ budget. If they cannot afford to come otherwise, decide whether you can pay for some or all of their trip.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Planning&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* When choosing a date, check seasonal weather trends and plan accordingly. Also, it's best to avoid high season, special events and conventions. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Send your guests a save-the-date notice as soon as you can. Keep guests in the loop with a wedding Web page where you can list details and updates. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Many destinations offer an on-site wedding planner. Ask about easy access to wedding services: local photographers, videographers, caterers and florists. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* If an on-site planner is not available, hire your own wedding planner — critical for a stress-free event. Destination weddings often mean added complications, such as dealing with a foreign language and communicating with vendors only by phone. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* Ask about marriage license requirements — there may be a waiting period or a residency requirement. Many resorts and cruise ships can help you with the paperwork and arrange a meeting with the marriage bureau. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-7542580604355076286?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/7542580604355076286/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-create-your-dream-destination_10.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7542580604355076286'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/7542580604355076286'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-create-your-dream-destination_10.html' title='How to Create Your Dream Destination Wedding'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207316647074840562.post-8709000007568644697</id><published>2008-12-10T01:53:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-10T01:53:19.861-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Honeymoon'/><title type='text'>How to Make Your Beach Honeymoon Extra Romantic</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/ST-Rit5bIsI/AAAAAAAAACI/TGJNErJPBw0/image%5B3%5D.png"&gt;&lt;img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="188" alt="image" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/ST-Rjdpi64I/AAAAAAAAACU/u-BEFW6F_ro/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png" width="295" border="0"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It is easy to set your honeymoon and it is easier to find a location for this provided that you have an idea where to go, what to do, and how much money you want to spend. However, this does not automatically mean that you can get a romantic honeymoon. All your money, place, and things you have prepared are all useless if you and your partner would not make them work for.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;So how to make your beach honeymoon extra romantic? Let us count the ways…&lt;/p&gt; &lt;span class="fullpost"&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you set your honeymoon at a beach (which a normal couple would do), make it extra romantic by booking for an exclusive night at a villa on a secluded island. Some resorts and hotels have this amenity where you and your couple can enjoy. An overnight stay in an island with no other people around you will surely give you the privacy and the freedom to do everything you like and enjoy each other’s company both of you have all been dreaming of.  &lt;p&gt;Set a romantic dinner where your favorite music is played. You can also arrange for dinner beside the beach with musicians at your side. The open air, the calmness of the sea, the sound of the waves, and the clear night sky plus the romantic music would all conspire to create the most unique and romantic dinner for both of you.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Instead of letting one of the staffs of the hotel to bring your breakfast at your bed, wake up early in the morning and request the chef to let you help for the preparation of the food. Personally deliver them to your room and great your partner with a warm kiss and sweet words.  &lt;p&gt;Have her favorite flowers to be delivered to your room everyday so that every time she wakes up, she can see different sets of flowers. No lady can resist the thoughts of you bringing her flowers every morning.  &lt;p&gt;Book for the most romantic suite and pamper her with the best services you can give. Treat her like a baby. Treat her the way she wants to be treated. Women are very emotional so letting her feel that she’s being treated with outmost care is greatly appreciated.  &lt;p&gt;These are some of the things you can do to make your honeymoon at the beach extra special. One more thing: Let your partner become clueless on your actions and surprise her with something sweet.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/span&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/207316647074840562-8709000007568644697?l=worldofwedding.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/feeds/8709000007568644697/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-make-your-beach-honeymoon-extra_10.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/8709000007568644697'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/207316647074840562/posts/default/8709000007568644697'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://worldofwedding.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-make-your-beach-honeymoon-extra_10.html' title='How to Make Your Beach Honeymoon Extra Romantic'/><author><name>Admin</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7S6D5Zsr6dI/ST-Rjdpi64I/AAAAAAAAACU/u-BEFW6F_ro/s72-c/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
