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Another dilemma that often comes up when planning a wedding is who will walk who down the aisle. Although traditionally it is the father that does this, the plethora of step-families has made it a more difficult decision. This is especially true when the step parents have been in the children’s lives for a long time.

Breaking tradition

A bride that has both a step father and a biological father may opt still to have her biological father walk her down the aisle. This can be a way to show her family bond as well as stick with tradition. In the case of a bride that hasn’t been close to her father, she may opt to have her step father walk her down the aisle. This is a newly emerging sight at weddings, and quite touching.

Of course, if the bride loves both of the men and wants to include them, there’s nothing wrong with having both walk her down the aisle. It honours her relationship with both men and lets them have the chance to hold her arm.

This also holds true for the groom. He can choose to escort both a step mother and his biological mother down the aisle at the beginning is she should choose to. Or the best man can do so, as is tradition.

If the father has passed on, the bride may opt to have an older brother or an uncle walk her down the aisle. Likewise, if the mother of the groom has passed, then a sister or an aunt may want to walk with him.

Dealing with difficulties

While this all seems like a loving and simple solution to include everyone in the wedding, some parents may still have issues with their ex-spouses. And this can lead to bitter feelings about your choice in who walks who down the aisle.

Should you fight for what you want? That’s entirely up to you. If walking with both fathers makes you happy, then you should do that even if the opposite partners are not pleased for whatever reason.

If you feel that it may cause more trouble than it is worth, then you may opt to stick with tradition. Just be sure to include your step parent in some other part of the wedding so they don’t feel left out because of biological status.

In the end, remember that it’s your day and your decision.

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Social media has taken over pretty much every aspect of our daily lives . That being said it may be something that you want to include in your wedding. The idea of a hashtag is something that more and more couples are using . It is an excellent way to to keep all the photos and other posts in an easy to find format .
When creating your hashtag you definitely want to choose something that is unique but not too unique. You might be the only Jack and Jill that you know but understand that the world wide web is world wide and forever. Instead of #jackjill you might want to add the married last name or even the date or year. #jackjilljonesjune2015 is something that is specific without being too obscure.
We see all the time really long hashtags but in this case it might be something to avoid. Imagine your friends posting a picture they just took and taking five minutes to type in your hashtag. Chances are they will give up after the first two posts. 
Make sure that the hashtag you choose actually works . Keep it to simple letters and number combinations. Adding spaces, punctuation or symbols a no-no for hashtags.
Even if you believe that you have a unique hashtag that no one else will ever think of there is a good chance someone all ready has. Try your hashtag out on social media prior to sharing it. That way you can alter it if is already too popular 
Once you have the hashtag that works then spread the word. Add it to your invites, programs, signage,website and anything else that you would use as a communication tool. Then you are ready to go ! 

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Many couples are opting to pay for their weddings themselves. Some couples decide to pay for their own weddings because they have not other choice, some do so as a matter of choice. The best reason to pay for your own wedding is because you do not want to compromise on how, when and where you get married and you are ready to pay for it all on your own.

The average cost of a wedding in the North America is over $25,000, so financing your wedding requires a serious financial commitment. The sooner you start planning and saving for your wedding, the more time you have to come up with the necessary funds. The average time between the engagement and the wedding day is 12 to 18 months. Such time frame gives you an opportunity to plan and save for your wedding. The most important task you have is to determine the total amount you wish to spend on your wedding. Then, divide the amount by the number of months to determine how much money you need to put aside each month to meet your goal. If you estimate that your wedding will cost $25,000, and you have two years until your wedding, you need to save about $1042.00 per month. Realistically, not everyone can put aside a thousand dollars each month. If you are unable to save enough to cover all the costs, you may need to start cutting costs until you come up with a figure that you can meet. Aside from cost cutting, you can do a lot by saving one everything you do. You can save by taking your lunch instead of going out, spend less on clothes and entertainment. You could also, take on a part time job to help you with your budget. You have many options.

Opening a separate savings account for your wedding may help enforce the need to save. Even if you start with a modest amount a special wedding savings account should help you make the right spending and saving decisions. 

You can find ways to save money by learning as much as you can about the products and services you need for your big day. The more educated you become about prices, the more you can bargain with vendors to make sure you get the best possible deals in town.

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Are you trying to decide whether to hire a professional wedding planner or do it yourself? Take a look at this rudimentary collection of chores and details to be attended to in order to pull off a successful wedding. You'll probably want to run, not walk, to find the nearest professional wedding planner or consultant. 

There's the church wedding, and all it entails, from providing your baptism certificate to choosing between confetti and biodegradable rice. Then there are such items as who sits where, ushers, bridesmaids, best men, flower girls, music, wardrobe, hairstyles, flowers, and rings. Not to mention the vows. And all the rehearsals. 

There's the reception. Finding the right venue and the right caterers can be a really stressful task. Then you have to plan the menu, the bar and the service, all the while hoping against hope that everything comes out okay. Not to mention the wedding cake!

There's the photographer. And do you want stills and videos too? What kind of transportation will you use? What about the invitations; how to know what to put on them, who to invite? What about all the other vendors? 

Are you getting the picture yet? The above list shows only the tip of the iceberg. The myriad chores involved in completing just one of those tasks is enough to make one elope to Las Vegas or Mexico!

In fact, the only reason you might hold back on hiring awedding planner is your budget, but that reasoning is not well thought out. A professionalwedding planner not only has the know-how and the contacts to get you the best deals around, but also will hold you to your original budget with an iron will and the experience to back it up. Without someone like this on your side, things can get out of hand pretty fast.

Make your dream wedding a memory to cherish forever, not a nightmare full of stressful problems to solve. Awedding planner will stick with you through thick and thin and be a shield and a comfort, so you can relax and enjoy the best day of your life!


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The image of nuptials on a tropical beach on the warm sand is a fantastic wedding picture. Having your closest friends and family multiplies that pretty picture to a masterpiece that many couples dream of. Being a mobile wedding dj for over 30 years I have come across many different scenarios that might not be considered when looking to hire a Toronto destination wedding DJ.

As with any of my potential clients I always suggest meeting with your wedding professional . If it a large company that has several different wedding DJs make sure that you are able to meet the dj that will be responsible for YOUR specific wedding. If you are unable to have face-to-face meeting there are still several internet streaming options such as Skype.

If you have met with your Toronto wedding dj the next step should be the music. For instance you should always book a professional event dj that specializes in all the music that you , your partner , your family and your guest will want to hear. In my biased opinion there is NOTHING more important than the right music for your ceremony, dinner , cocktails and reception. Leaving that up to a CD or iPod playlist is really setting yourself up for failure.

The cost of hiring a Toronto destination wedding Dj is a bit different than a local one. Locally the dj will have their transportation budgeted into you pricing . For a destination wedding a couple will be responsible for flight , transportation and a minimum one to two night stay at the resort.

Another cost that is sometimes forgotten is the cost of equipment. Your local Toronto wedding DJ has the same weight restrictions that you do so they won’t be able to bring all of their wedding dj equipment when they travel. They may have previously worked at you destination wedding venue and have procedures in place but usually it is clients responsibility to secure the equipment for the ceremony and reception. There are wedding destination resorts that sometimes inflate the pricing for use of their equipment. Be wary and have a contract to avoid any hidden fees.

When you are looking for an experienced destination wedding dj feel free to consider me 

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A destination wedding is a wedding that takes place in a location that is not home to the couple or their families. Couples may choose a location that they have always wanted to visit for the location of their destination wedding. The couple may also opt to have their wedding in the location of their honeymoon so that there honeymoon will start immediately after the wedding. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to having a destination wedding. One of the most defining advantages is the ability to have a wedding in a beautiful and exotic location. Another advantage to a destination wedding is that if you choose to honeymoon in the same location you will first of all already be at your honeymoon location at the conclusion of the wedding and furthermore you will likely receive a discount on your honeymoon stay because you have already had your wedding at the location. One of the distinct disadvantages of a destination wedding is that the planning process can be difficult and that you are often unable to fully enjoy the planning process. Another disadvantage to destination weddings is that they are typically not well attended due to the fact that travel is expensive. A destination wedding can be used as the opportunity to enjoy a trip with close friends in a convenient location. The following are a few tips for turning your destination wedding into a fun-filed extended weekend for your guests.

Choosing a scenic location for your destination wedding can offer your guests a variety of fun activities to participate in either before or after your wedding. The couple could choose to have their wedding on a resort, ranch or at a ski resort and there are a wide variety of activities available for the couple to participate in. Some of these activities include tours, skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing and hiking.

A destination wedding is basically a wedding and vacation combination. The key to hosting a great destination wedding is to choose a location that provides your guests with a beautiful background as well as a wealth of activities to keep them entertained for at least a few days. Although a destination wedding may sound perfect, it is important to realize that there are a few downsides to hosting a destination wedding. One problem is that many guests will decline your invitation because they are either unable or unwilling to travel for the wedding. This can also work to your advantage by limiting the number of guests as well. While you may be disappointed if close friends decline your wedding invitation, you are likely to be relieved that you do not have to pay for distant relatives or casual acquaintances at your wedding. The advantage, however, to a destination wedding is that the couple does not have to travel for their honeymoon and that the guests have the luxury of spending a few day in an exotic location.

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Quality is the first thing that you need to look for in an item that could potentially be an heirloom. Without quality construction, no item will last long enough to be in the family for generations to come.

Timelessness is another aspect to consider. When choosing items that you’d like to pass down to your children and grand children try to avoid fads and trends. Chances are, it will be a few generations before they will come back into style again.

A very easy way to start a tradition that will stay in the family is with jewelry. Do you know a woman who doesn’t own a piece of jewelry with a story behind it? A good story is the start of a lasting heirloom. It’s a perfect place to begin.

Just imagine yourself in 10 years, sitting on your couch with your children while you’re flipping through the photo album from your wedding day. And in all of the photos, you are wearing a Swarovski Three Point Necklace , a stunning pair of cufflinks or even a tie pin that sparkles beautifully, and is the finishing touch that really makes your day prince or princess for the day .

Now imagine yourself in 30 years, standing with your child on his or her special day. Both of you are absolutely overwhelmed with anticipation for the events to come and cherishing every moment. You have tied each bow and buttoned each tiny button they are almost ready to go down the aisle when you present your gift that you wore on your big day ,NOW everything is ready !

You can make these moments happen starting today and lasting for a lifetime, not only for you but the people that you love the most!

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A proposal would never be complete without an engagement ring. Engagement rings have been part of the tradition of countries all over the world. Engagement rings symbolize love and commitment to the person given with it.

Most engagement rings come with diamonds from various sizes and no other stone can be placed with it. It has been interpreted that the round and never ending shape of the ring symbolizes the never-ending love and devotion to a partner. It is also a sign of offering ones commitment to the other .

There are many types of engagement rings that are sold in the market. However, there are things that need to be considered before buying one like the type of ring, the diamond, the trends that are in the market and even the value. When choosing an engagement ring, these are the things that buyers need to check on.

The diamond of the engagement ring should be considered before all things. There are four areas to look for in a good diamond. They are the cut, clarity, colour and carat. 

When the cut is considered, it simply means the number of angles that are in the diamond including their proportions. The cut gives luster to the diamond. The fire or the shine of the diamond will depend on how many cuts are in it. The more cuts in the diamond, the more costly it becomes.

Diamonds are coloured yellow in nature. The colourless ones are considered to be the most expensive and the most sought for diamonds. These colourless diamonds are very rare, which is why they are priced higher than the yellow ones. When considering an engagement ring, it is better to choose one that has a colourless diamond.

Clarity of diamonds refers to the impurities that are in them. These impurities resulted from pressure, heat, and rock sedimentation for over thousands of years. Clarity of a diamond could not be judged using the naked eyes. However, those diamonds that are priced higher are considerably high in clarity.

Acquiring an engagement ring may be done through cash or credit in jewelry stores. There are various types that are sold and some may come in installment plans. When buying from a jewelry store, the name and the credibility of the store should be considered. This will ensure that the engagement ring is authentic and has a very good quality. There are also engagement rings that can be found in pawnshops where great savings are guaranteed.

There are also some who use an inherited ring as engagement rings. These may be rings that were passed over generations. Those who have inherited these rings are considered fortunate since they surely saved thousands of dollars plus, they were able to impress their partner with this romantic approach.

Engagement rings come in different trends and styles. This will depend on the taste of the person who selected a specific engagement ring. There are some who prefer the classic or the antique types of engagement rings. On the other hand, many prefer the trendy ones. The trend nowadays includes platinum and white gold for rings.

You should not forget the commitment that comes with an engagement ring, no matter the price, the style or how large the diamond is in the ring. The symbol engagement rings carry should not be forgotten. It does not matter whether a ring is expensive or not, what matters is the commitment to love and devotion that should be kept once a ring is offered your partner. 


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Dreaming of having the perfect wedding is what every couple wish for and why wouldn’t they with all the time and effort they put into the preparations. Wedding plans and what goes on behind the scenes is very time consuming. Things like ordering the wedding bands, gown,suits and securing the date for the reception hall and chapel can all prove to be an ordeal, but if carefully thought out instead of leaving arrangements like this to the last minute then you can be sure of a smooth road ahead. 
Sometimes it is the little things that are overlooked that can cause the whole event to go pear shaped and one being is the absence of a centrepiece. Wedding centrepieces are beautiful embellishments that are extremely important. These eye catching pieces of work will add beauty where ever they are placed.
Centrepieces do not have to be the centre of attention on the day but if displayed with perfection in mind then expect surrounding areas to send out volumes of high tone attractiveness especially if the centrepiece is flowers.
Classical yet simple wedding centrepieces intend to evolve round flowers and ornaments. Flowers without doubt are a hot favourite for couples tying the knot because of the way the nature blooms add colour and project a lingering natural fragranced aroma. Check availability on flowers because they are seasonal and therefore your choice may have to be shipped in from another country.
Have an organizer come in early to arrange all flower displays; this will give you time to satisfy your curiosity of how they will look. Remember wrong blossoms can do more harm taking away beauty instead of enhancing it. Other ideal options for a wedding centrepiece are silver candelabras. If you are considering floating candles in a glass bowl then you have a guarantee of a pretty enough sight to take the limelight.
Depending on where you marry centrepieces will differ, if the wedding ceremony is to be held in the garden then consider nature for your theme. Miniature birdhouses and flower baskets are fabulous items that can be used.
If after all those months of scrimping and scraping and you find your self still counting the pennies then budget wisely but do not freakout. Have fresh fruit, just as sweet smelling as flowers but this way you get the best of both worlds where you have a centre piece juicy enough to eat.

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There are two aspects of wedding music that need to be addressed when planning your big day. First, you may wish to select certain music or arrange for professional DJ or musicians to play during the actual wedding ceremony. But at the wedding reception, it’s pretty much anything goes when it comes to selecting wedding music, provided it’s tasteful.

Right away is the time to plan your wedding music. Good talent gets booked fast and you don’t want to end up having to select the brand new DJ with only a few weddings under his or her belt or something even worse. Booking your music entertainment a full year in advance is advisable but at a minimum, you should know who will be showing up and what he or she will be playing at least six months prior to the wedding date.

For most weddings, selecting the music for the wedding ceremony isn’t that complicated because most often, has been planned by the wedding couple. When you’re researching your wedding ceremony options, be sure to inquire about any guidelines with respect to wedding ceremony music as these could possibly impact your decision. If the ceremony is being held outdoors, check for electrical hook-ups at your venue or book live musicians.

Wedding music during the ceremony is basically secondary to the ceremony itself so the music is really meant to sort of ‘fill in the gaps’ during the non-speaking periods such as while guests are being seated, during the procession, while lighting the unity candles and of course the recessional. Of course, it’s your wedding and it can be custom-designed.

The music that’s played at the reception, however, is going to mean the difference between a successful reception and one that’s ho-hum. And this is where things can start to get complicated. When you begin searching for wedding reception music, you’ll realize rather quickly that you have a lot of options. You can book a live band, or a DJ that’ll play pre-recorded music, or you can buy that CD full of top wedding songs and have someone act as the DJ. The later leaves little or no control and isn’t really suggested since the person is not actually a professional.

It’s important that you both agree on the type of wedding music you want played at your reception. There are ‘traditional’ songs that almost always are played at certain points during the reception such as the father/daughter dance, the cake cutting, the dollar dance and so on. And then there is all the music in between. Do you want Jazz, Country, R&B, New age, Italian, Latin, Jewish-inspired, or a little bit of everything? That’s an important decision to make because the DJ you select has to be able to deliver what you want or you won’t be happy.

Try to book experienced professionals for your wedding music. If booking live talent, arrange to hear a live performance before booking. Scrutinize the contract before signing to make sure all parties agree on the number of hours music will be provided and that everything that has been agreed to is in writing. Find out the cancellation and refund policy, too. At the end of the day a contract will clarify all parties roles and protect everyone involved.
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It is my recommendation that you order your Wedding Invitations at least four weeks prior to mailing them out to your guests.  This will allow you plenty of time to receive your Wedding Invitations and double check your order to make sure you have received everything you ordered and no mistakes were made.  It will allow you enough time for a reprint is needed.  It will also allow you plenty of time to address all the envelopes.

Wedding Invitations should be mailed out so that your guest will receive them at least  six to eight weeks prior to the Wedding.  This will allow your guest enough time to make travel plans and return the respond card you included with your Wedding Invitation.  Typically the respond by date should be two weeks prior to your wedding date.  This should allow you enough time to make your final preparations.

You will have many other things to take care of as your wedding approaches and the last thing you need is to have to rush to get your wedding invitations addressed and mailed out.  There will undoubtedly be last minute names to add and address changes to deal with so please allow yourself plenty of time to accomplish this task.
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The announcement of your engagement to your future life partner is the precursor to the wedding itself. For a person who is deeply in love, the importance of the engagement ring takes on a great significance as the engagement ring is a forbearer of sorts for the wedding ring. The engagement ring does not and should not be relegated to an inferior ring when compared with the wedding ring.

So when you are getting engaged, it is important for you to consider some tips on getting your best engagement ring.

What then is the best engagement ring?

Your engagement is a declaration to the whole world that you are a couple in love, and are making a public announcement that you are serious or going steady with a view to getting married shortly.

Most if not all couples getting engaged would like their engagement ring to represent such a beautiful declaration of love. Many take the engagement ring as the surety of commitment, and as long as the engagement ring is on their finger, they are keeping themselves solely for each other, and can appear as an "item".

In choosing their engagement ring, they would have to decide on the material they would want their engagement ring to be structured from. Some would like to have it in gold, with diamonds, or some in white gold or silver, but by and large, this would be decided based on the question of affordability.

An engagement ring can be of any precious metal with infilled gemstones, including jade or diamonds, but more important than that is the design of the ring. Connotations of love, symbols of enduring love can be designed on the ring. 

If the engagement ring is a pre-made or jeweller's designed engagement ring, then it is important to buy that engagement ring from reputable jewellers to avoid being overcharged by unscrupulous dealers who treat this as a once-off purchase, and so take the opportunity to jack up the price.

When you purchase your engagement ring from a reputable and honest jeweller, you can be sure of a realistic price as he will want to be your choice dealer when it comes to your actual wedding, and hopefully can be your family jeweller, and to supply all your jewellery needs in the future.

So when it comes to the engagement ring, first settle on the design, then settle on the expenditure, then make sure you purchase your engagement ring from the most reputable jewellery in town.

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One of the most challenging things about getting married is finding and hiring the wedding vendors.  However large or small their roles may be, they will have a significant impact in the overall outcome of your wedding day. Because of this, it is imperative to take your time and follow some very simple steps to ensure you are hiring quality and reputable wedding professionals that you can trust. As you will soon discover, there is really no shortage of wedding vendors in any given category. The goal is finding the professional that is right for you, not only with product, service and price, but with personality as well. The search for wedding day vendors can begin in a number of places. Knowing where to look and what to look for will assist you in your search. The following are suggestions as to where you may begin the search for your vendors.
Bridal Shows 
The greatest value in bridal shows is the opportunity to meet with a large number of wedding vendors and view many products at one time, in one location. There are many categories of vendors represented at the shows, making it an invaluable tool for doing research and for gathering wedding-related information. When you find vendors you particularly interested in, make a note of it and call soon after the show to book a personal one on one appointment. 
Ceremony and Reception Location 
The locations you select for your wedding day are quite familiar with particular vendors, and usually have a preferred vendor list. The vendors on this list have worked at that site many times before and are familiar with the logistics and rules of the location. 
Friends and Family 
You will usually get honest no nonsense answers and opinions regarding products and services when you ask married friends and family members (even co-workers) about their own weddings. Ask them about their vendors, the services they used, what they liked and didn’t like, would they hire them again, etc.? 
The Internet
The Internet is an easy access, easy to use, anytime resource. You can find a wealth of vendors on the web. Checking out a vendor’s web site can give you a good idea of pricing, packages, and type of work they do before making a personal appointment.
Local Bridal Magazines 
Using local wedding magazines and directories can at first seem overwhelming, as there are a large number of advertisements in these publications. You can, however, find excellent vendors in the magazines, but it will take some calling around to acquaint yourself with these vendors. 
Wedding Planners/Consultants 
Wedding consultants have several pre-established relationships with local vendors. If you are working with a consultant, she should be able to provide you with preferred vendor list. However, if you are not working with a consultant, you can still benefit from this knowledge, as most consultants will share their preferred vendor list with you for a fee. 
Conclusion 
Once you have made your final decisions, you must get a written contract. Call the vendor to confirm the details and ask for a contract to be sent to you. A contract is the best way of ensuring you and the vendor understand what is expected, as it should outline specifics such as dates, times, names, and types of services/products provided. It will also spell out payment plans, refund and cancellation policies. It behooves (I always wanted to use that in a sentence) you to read and understand the contract. Do not assume you have secured a vendor for your wedding day until you have a contract that is signed by you and the vendor. And finally remember, part of getting the most from a vendor’s service is also being a good client and providing the vendors with the payments and other requested information in a timely manner. 

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The question of who will get to take home the centrepiece can sometimes be a central discussion at reception dinner tables, particularly if the centrepiece is particularly pretty or original.

Making an Interactive game of who gets the centrepiece can be an amusing diversion and one many guests will enjoy participating in. Here are some ideas for giving away that reception table centrepiece :

How about a game of 20 questions? Give each guest a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. The MC or DJ asks a series of 20 questions, but first gives the guests the basic background information, that is, that the answer is an animal, place, person or thing. Once that’s taken care of, people can shout out questions and the MC or DJ will answer yes or no, and whoever figures out the answer first gets the first centerpiece, and that particular table is done playing. The game is repeated until one person at each table has won the centrepiece.

One of the most popular ways brides give away the table centrepiece is to put a number on the bottom of the centrepiece and give each guest a number. At some point in the evening, a number is called, each guest checks his or her number and whoever has the called number gets the centerpiece. There are many ways to put a twist on this traditional activity.

For example, you might provide each table with a number, but make it a lower number (ie. between 1 and 10) and theDJ or MC could move from table to table and have each guest do something a certain number of times. So, at the first table, for example, the guests might need to do “head, shoulders, knees and toes” six times and whoever does it first gets the centrepiece. Or, at the second table, the guests might be required to sing the alphabet 3 times or sing “twinkle, twinkle, little star” three times and whoever does that first get the centerpiece.

Another fun activity for divvying up the centrepieces is to require guests to produce a certain item. The DJ or MC moves from table to table, announcing what guests at that table will be required to produce in order to get the centrepiece. Maybe it’s a American quarter or a mint, or a doctor’s appointment card. Whatever it is, the guest at each table who produces the requested item will get the centrepiece.

You can always make it easy and offer the centrepiece to the oldest person at the table, or the one who took the most number of years to finish college. Perhaps you could create an activity where the person who has the strangest talent (as voted on by the tablemates) wins the centrepiece. Then, if possible, that person might show off the talent for the entire reception party.

If you like musical chairs, you can play a game of musical dollar bills in order to give the centrepiece away. Someone takes out a one-dollar bill and music begins playing. Everyone at the table passes the dollar bill around the table and when the music stops, whoever is left holding the bill gets the centrepiece. Or this game can be played a bit more traditionally with the person with the bill being eliminated, and the game continuing until only one person is holding the bill. That person can then be awarded with the centerpiece. Or, for a fun twist, the bill can be passed around and when the music stops, the person holding the bill is told to return it to the person who first supplied it. That is the person who gets the centrepiece.

Some fun, and fairly traditional, ideas include the birthday person getting the centrepiece. At each table, the person who has a birthday closest to the wedding gets the centrepiece. Or if there are married couples at the table, the couple who have been together the longest can get the centrepiece, or the couple who were married most recently. Perhaps the centrepiece should go to the person with the longest hair, or the strangest shoes (again, this would be voted on by tablemates).

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If you’re not used to public speaking, then making a wedding speech can be very daunting. With this in mind, I have prepared a few important tips to help you overcome your nerves and deliver a great wedding speech.

1. Remember these people are on your side. They aren’t secretly hoping you’ll mess things up. The reason you’re there giving a speech is because you are connected with the wedding couple and so are the audience. Bearing this in mind, you can rest assured that anything you say in your wedding speech will be listened to and respected fully. Also, people listening to speeches at weddings are wanting to laugh as this breaks the tension. So any vague attempt of a joke will get you a response.

2. Practice your wedding speech thoroughly. The more your practice, the less nervous you’ll feel on the actual day. Remember to practice the intonation of your voice and the pauses. By showing you’ve put effort into your preparation, any mistakes you may make on the day will be easily forgiven.

3. Learn your speech by heart. Whenever you have some spare time, in the car on the way to work, in the shower or wherever practice your speech. Repeat it over and over again as many times as you can before the big day. You will feel much calmer on the wedding day as you’ll know the whole speech inside out.

4. Remember to breathe. As simple as this sounds, it is often overlooked. Practice where you’ll take a breath in the speech, and learn to breathe correctly. Diaphragmatic breathing, as used by singers and public speakers, will help you here. If you’re unfamiliar with this, a quick search on Google will show you.

5. Think of a funny story before you stand up. Nothing so funny that you lose your focus, but something mildly titillating that will bring a smile to your face. This will loosen you up, and give a nice energy to your wedding speech that will improve the delivery immensely.

6. Have a banana 20 minutes before you make your speech. This tip is often used by professional public speakers, and helps the nerves of many people. It also gives a nice energy boost which also helps reduce your nerves.

7. Speak slowly and clearly. If you are nervous, you will feel the urge to speed up and your speech will become unclear. So try to consciously slow yourself down and speak clear so people can hear what you say.

8. Make eye contact with people in the audience so it feels like you're just chatting with everyone who is there.

9. Lastly, remember to simply enjoy yourself! Your life isn’t going to end if you make a few mistakes and the speech will be over in just a few minutes. Have fun!

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Have you ever wondered if what you know about Bridal Shower Games is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Bridal Shower Game. The bridal shower is an opportunity for the women in the future brides life to honour her with a simple luncheon or get together filled with good food, fun and games. Many bridal showers feature a series of games that are not only a great deal of fun but also allow a bonding opportunity for all of the women at the party and sometimes serve the purpose of completing a task for the bride to be. A game that encourages the participants to get to know each other is always a fun game with which to start the party. 

One game you can play is known as the Name Tag Game which encourages guest to mingle with the other guests. In this game, the hostess writes the name of each of the guests along with a word related to weddings such as veil, favours, groom, etc on a name tag. The rules of the game are that you are not allowed to say the word on your name tag or else you lose your name tag to the person who got you to say the word. If you acquire one or more additional name tags you are tasked with not saying any of the words on either your name tag or any of the other tags. If you say the word on your tag, you have to relinquish it to the person who got you to say the word and if you say the word on one of the other tags, you also have to give that person the tag plus you have to introduce them to the person from whom you had acquired the tag. There is usually a pre-determined time limit for this game and the person with the most tags when time runs out is the winner.
 
The Purse Game is another popular bridal shower idea. This is a simple game where the hostess draws up a list of items likely to appear in a womanís purse and assigns a point value to each item ranging from 1-5 depending on how unusual the item is. For example car keys might be a 1 on the scale, a mirror a 3 and an eyelash curler a 5. The hostess might also choose to allow 10 bonus points for the woman who can produce the most outrageous item from her purse. The woman with the most points wins the game. Another variation of this game is to have a list of items and call out the items one at a time. The first person to find each item and hand it to the person judging the game wins one point. After the entire list has been completed, the woman with the most points is proclaimed the winner.

Another common bridal shower game is the Television Couple Game. In this game the hostess will read out the first names of a television couple and the guests try to guess the last name of the couple. A few examples clues along with the answers are George and Jane Jetson, Al and Peg Bundy, Ward and June Cleaver, Fred and Wilma Flintstone etc . One point could be awarded for each correct answer or a point system could be established to award more points to more obscure references.
 This game is also sometimes called the Famous Couple Game and includes references to celebrities or political figures and their real spouses such as Bill and Hillary Clinton.
 
Bridal Shower Bingo is another simple bridal shower game. This game is played just like regular bingo except that instead of using letters and numbers for the spaces, each space is filled with a word or words that relate to weddings, love or marriage such as wedding dress, favours, eternal, true, rings, etc. The host makes up the bingo cards ahead of time and puts a piece of paper with each word used on the cards into a large bowl. During the game, the hostess will draw out a word and read it allowed and each participant will mark that square on their card. The first person to complete an entire row, column or diagonal wins the game.
 
One bridal shower game that can be a real benefit to the bride to be is a simple drawing. The hostess may purchase a few inexpensive gifts for the drawing and ask each participant to fill out an envelope with their name and address to enter the drawing. The hostess then picks out a name for each prize. This is a fun game because it offers the participants a chance to win a prize plus it really helps out the guest of honor because she can use the envelopes to send out her thank you cards after the party. You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Bridal Shower Games. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?
 
The Who Am I Game is another bridal shower game that encourages guests to interact with each other. In this game, the host prints out pictures of characters from romantic books or movies and tapes one character to the back of each guests so that other guests can see the picture but the person wearing the picture cannot. The point of the game is to ask other guests questions where the answer is either yes or no to try to determine who is on the picture on your back. At the end of the party, each guest takes a guess at who is depicted in the photo on their back.
 
The Wedding Jumble is another fun bridal shower game. For this game the hostess will prepare a list of words related to a wedding day such as toast, limousine, receptions, and vows. Next the hostess will scramble each word so that the letters are out of order and provide each guest with a copy of the scrambled words. The guest will be given a set amount of time to unscramble the words and the person who unscrambles the most words wins. If more than one person gets all of the words correct then the person who did so in the fastest time is the winner.
 
The Wedding Day Obstacle Course is another game that can really help out the bride. In this amusing game each guest is timed individually on how fast they can complete a series of tasks such as wrapping a wedding favour, addressing envelopes, filling out a place card, assembling a centrepiece, or whatever other projects the bride has in progress that can be incorporated into the game. Not only is this a game that is both fun to watch and participate in but it also helps the bride to complete some of the tasks on her list.
 
The Bridal Shower Memory Game is also very popular. The typical way to play this game is to have a tray filled with various household items. Bring out the tray and allow the guests to study the items for a few minutes and then take the tray away and ask questions about the items such as, where the spoon was and what colour was the spatula. This game could also be modified to have one of the guests bring the tray out and then leave the room to take the tray away. You could then catch the guests by surprise by asking questions about the person who carried the tray such as what colour shirt were they wearing or on which finger was she wearing a ring instead of asking questions about the contents of the tray.
 
The Price is Right Game can also be a great deal of fun at bridal showers and can serve to benefit the bride as well. For this game the hostess will purchase about 10 different items that will be useful for the couple such as towels, soap dispensers, household cleaners, etc. and have the guests try to guess the price of either all the items combined or each item individually. This is not only a fun game but the bride also gets to keep the items which makes it useful for her. All of these games are a lot of fun to play at a bridal shower and they encourage the guests to get to know each other in a casual atmosphere. Some of these games even serve the purpose of helping to complete some of the brides last minute projects. The fun of these games is that they help people to get to know each other better which is helpful especially if the bride and grooms’ families don’t know each other well. You can’t predict when knowing something extra about Bridal Shower Games will come in handy.
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Becoming a wedding planner involves more than just planning a wedding. You must understand the business aspect of your service and learn to manage your time to earn the most profits. You will be the face of your business and your own public relations representative. Every day you will have the opportunity to build — or damage — your reputation as a businessperson. As your business and your expertise grow, you will probably begin planning multiple weddings at once. It is essential that you strive to provide the best, personalized attention to each couple when planning their big day, without losing your sanity. 

No one said that becoming a wedding planner was a job for the faint of heart. Not everyone can succeed as a wedding consultant. A good wedding planner is: – 
Calm: You will be the wedding couples rock. From miscommunications with vendors to major meltdowns at the ceremony, you must be able to keep your cool in the wake of a calamity. A wedding planner should always have a Plan B ready for action in case of an emergency. 

Charming: You are the face of your business and your clients representative. Impeccable communication and social skills are imperative. Your reputation as a wedding consultant depends on your ability to network and maintain great working relationships with vendors and venues. Wedding planners must know how to communicate and work with all personality types. Not everyone you encounter will be pleasant and easy to please. You must be able to diffuse any situation to get the results your client desires.

A Great Negotiator: Your couple will be counting on you to order flowers, hire the band and photographer, recommend a caterer, and help find venues for the ceremony and reception. You must be able to find the best service for the lowest price. This becomes easier as you create a reputation for yourself and develop professional relationships with vendors and venues. Your connections will get you better deals, which you can pass on to your customers. 

Good with Money: Starting a wedding planner business requires that you be able to manage your own expenses and stick to a budget, as well as be responsible for someone else’s money and budget. Previous experience with money management is vital — even if your only experience consists of controlling the household finances. 


Organized: A wedding consultant might be responsible for almost every aspect of the big day: the venues, theme, flowers, food, refreshments, attire, photography, honeymoon, and other details of the wedding. Keeping track of all the nuances, contract dates, and deadlines requires an enormous amount of organization and attention to detail. Your calendar will be your new best friend.
 
A Plethora of Knowledge: A good wedding planner has fashion sense, good taste in music, and an eye for colour, flowers, and themes. You must be able to keep up with the latest bridal trends and fads, hot honeymoon destinations, and of course, traditional wedding etiquette. Many wedding consultants also learn about different religious ceremonies and traditions so that they can accommodate couples of any faith.

Able to Maintain a Sense of Humour: From indecisive or emotional couples to controlling parents and absentee vendors, your work is cut out for you. When you are dealing in dreams, the ability to keep things in perspective is essential. Beginning your own wedding planning business will be a learning experience. No one knows everything from day one, and as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. 


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The day you get married is one of your most important days of your life. Some people tend to have a budget wedding to save their money. What is important to know is that a budget wedding does not mean a cheap wedding. It all depends on how smart you plan your budget wedding. There are many aspects that can the cut cost of your wedding. However, you should pay attention to certain aspects so that you don't sacrifice the quality of it.

Wedding Photography and/or Videography
A professional wedding photographer can charge you anywhere between $1000-$3000. You might think that you can just ask your friend or relative to take your wedding pictures. That's a No-No. Wedding pictures and videos are the only things that you can see or view to re-live your wedding moments in future. If you really need to cut your budget, try asking around from some photography clubs. There are some members out there who a hobbyist and wouldn't mind giving lower prices. One good practice is to pay them first to do your engagement or pre-wedding picture or video. If you're satisfied with the results then you can contract them again for your wedding day.

Wedding Venue
If you think that you could save money by having your wedding money in your house for free of charge, make sure that your house is comfortable enough for guests to gather around. You would like the guests to be comfortable enough to want to stay longer. In the end, how could the wedding reception be fun when guests are leaving early? Try to find good venue that match your theme. Some venues could have off-season and weekday wedding discount pricing.

Flowers
​Have you asked about prices for wedding ceremony flowers? You be might shocked at the pricing for that. Some flower vendors might give you cheaper pricing but be careful. Vendors might show you a great sample of flowers, and when it is time for your wedding day, he/she will arrange the flowers with some “less fresh” ones. You can always cut your cost here buy ordering the flowers that are in season. Or, you can have a garden wedding without adding costs to your flower budget.

DJ / Entertainment
The first complaint after wedding is usually about the food or poor entertainment . Do yourself a favour and don’t cut corners.Hire a professional entertainer. A professional disc jockey, band or entertainer doesn't have to be a full timer. There are many people who are experienced and do it at a part time basis. They may be able to give you the same level of service without sacrificing quality.

There are many other aspects to consider for your budget wedding. Overall, the important thing is to have proper planning for your budget wedding. You can cut cost up to 50% and still have a great wedding. 

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We have all heard the endless horror stories about mobile events , weddings and many Toronto wedding djs . There are those that think that since they have a laptop and a itunes library that they can dj an event. Sometimes they may even be able to squeak by but more times than not the event is a dismal failure.Here are a few ways to make sure to protect your once in a lifetime event .

Meet your DJ 
You will know if they are the one for you. If they are professional and honest they will know if they can fit into exactly what your vision is. Sometimes a personal connection just can't be made.

Hire a Professional DJ
Professional full or part-time dj is fine. Many take pride in learning and growing within the craft .There are those that may be cheaper but will NOT give you 

Have a binding contract.
A contract helps to clear up any misgivings or misunderstandings .All parties know what is expected.

Have professional equipment as well and staffing for your function.
Again ,quality equipment mean no surprises. You don't have to worry about something not working at the last minute. Plus most professionals have backup equipment and staff on standby to protect you

Have an insured entertainer
To protect you and all your guest if the need arises . Why leave things to chance ?

DJ XTC Entertainment Services gives you all of this plus more . Guaranteed to bring you an event that you and all your guest will be raving about for years.


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