Wording – Wedding Invite

The invitation is most often issues by those paying for the wedding.  Traditionally, that means the parents of the bride, and thus their namers usually appears on the 1st line:

Mr. and Mrs (bride’s parent’s name)
request the honour of your presence
at the marraige of their daughter
name of the bride
to
name of the groom

Our joy will be more complete
if you can share in the marriage
of our daughter
name of the bride
to
name of the groom

the Invitation

You are planning the day you have dreamed of since you were a child. Everything has to be perfect from the very start, including the weeddig invitationsinvitations. From handcrafted specialty invitations to formal, engraved styles or cards with raised letting, there are beautiful wedding invitations available to help make planning your special day an enjoyable process. Whether you choose stock invitations or decide to have them custom made, invitations an important part of setting the mood for your big day.

Engagement – Proposal Ideas

Ready to pop the question? In a recent poll, 85% of women stated they were disappointed in the way they were proposed to. Keep in mind as you plan your approach; this will be one of the most significant moments in both your lives, so make it a day she will remember and treasure. 

Be Romantic.  Be Creative. Plan ahead. Unique… Be Original… Personalize.  Here are some great proposal ideas. Best of luck to you and yours from Shaadi Guru

 

1. Take her to the place where you first met her
2. Have a banner hanging over the garage with Will You Marry Me and be waiting in the garage with the ring.
3. During a romantic movie(where the actor asks the actress to marry him) you pop the question the same time
4. At someone’s wedding.  Whisper on her ears, ask her to marry you
5. Make a video; talk about the day you met her and how your life change.
6. Cook and set an elaborate candlelight table.  Quiet romantic dinner for two at home. Serve her a glass of champagne with the diamond ring in the bottom or ribboned to the stem.
7. Invite her for some games at home. Use Scrabble letters and spell out “Will you marry me?” Have the diamond close by.
8. Bring home an enthusiastic new pet with a ribbon for a collar. Have the ring in the bow for her to find as she cheerfully greets the new pet.
9. Radio dedication –  If you know she listens to the radio at a certain time everyday, making a dedication will work charms with her. Except that this one will have the disc jockey asking your girlfriend to marry you. A good follow-up is to call her while the question is being asked.
10. Create a personal Web page with her name and your proposal with a picture of the diamond in its velvet presentation box, and send her the Web address. Or sit down together to surf for good vacation sites, and visit a site or two before you type in the site address.
11. You’ve got love mail.  The Internet era is upon us, driving us to adapt to the technology. So why not send her a love note by email along with the big question?
12. Have a plane sky-write your proposal. Plan it for the day of a family picnic, boat ride or other outing; so she is sure to see it. Have the ring ready when she sees your proposal.
13. Take her for a surprise picnic at the beach or in the woods. At the picnic spot, spell out “Marry Me” with stones, flowers or seashells. Put the diamond in her hand when she says yes.
14. place the ring box inside several different size boxes.  She’ll think she’s opening up a large item, but she’ll keep opening successively smaller boxes until she gets to the one box that matters.  Be ready with your engagement at just the right moment.
15. make an ornament for your Christmas tree with your engagement ring in it.
16. Decorate a Christmas tree with lights and only one ornament — a ribbon or bow tied around a velvet ring box. Ask her over for a Christmas celebration for just the two or you.
17. Arrange to have dinner together at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Have the waiter give her a special fortune cookie with “Will you marry me?” in it. Or you could have it say, “You will receive a diamond in the very near future.” And present the diamond in a box.
18. During dinner at your favorite restaurant, arrange with the waiter to have the diamond in a box as one of the choices on the dessert tray. Tell her she is the sweetest thing you know and you can’t resist her any longer.

The Ring – Engagement

A diamond ring maybe a gift from the heart, but also remember its a big investment & what it represents.  When you are ready to purchase a ring; look around.  Know the four Cs.  Carat weight, Clarity, Cut and Color.

Round Brilliant: This shape has resigned as the most popular for engagement rings. More than 75% of engaged women wear this style.  It appeal is due in no small part to the way light bounces off of its facets, creating a particularly brilliant sparkle.

Oval: An oval traditionally a more common shape for other precious stones, namely rubies and sapphires, but since  the last century, when diamond-cutting techniques improved; ovals have also graced diamond engagement rings. They look particularly pretty when ringed with tiny diamonds.

Emerald: Developed in the art deco period.  This rectangular shape has long glamorous line with lean facets extending down the sides. No shape more aptly fits the diamond nickname “ice” than the emerald.  The large “table”, flat surface on the top, shows off stones’s clarity better than any other shape, though this means that any flaws will appear more magnified.

Marquise:  Legend has it that the elegantly tapered marquise with its rounded sides and points at each end.  Contemporary versions have a hexagonal surface with faced on top and bottom to reflect light.  It’s the perfect ring for women who like to make a statement.

Pear:  This sensual teardrop shape is one of the most femine and also one of the most flattering.  It tapered silhouette gives the illusion of elongating the finger.  It’s also one of the most difficult cuts to excute, so pears while quite sparkly, thanks to thier brillant cut facets are fairly rare.

 

Always check out online stores as well as retail stores to see what you want. Great online jewelers:
Ice.com (http://www.ice.com)
Mondera.com (http://www.mondera.com)
E-Wedding Bands (http://www.e-weddingbands.com)
Zales (http://www.zales.com)

Bridal Shower Survival Guide

Easy steps for a great shower.  Showering the bride with friendship & love is the purpose of a bridal shower. 

Who will plan: Typically, the host of the party is the bride’s maid. The bride’s maid and bride work the details together. If it is a surprise shower, then the bride’s family helps out.

Budget: The bride’s maid is traditionally responsible the expenses. The bride’s family often helps by providing the location and/or invitations. Determine how much the shower can cost.

Guest List: Organize your guest list by asking the bride and groom who they would like to have at the shower. Usually the bride and groom’s mother will have a list of who they would like to invite. Get address, phone numbers and email addresses. Decide if it will be a “girl’s only” shower or “couples”.

Invitations: Invitations  can range from the casual (a phone call) to the most formal (printed invitations). You decide what will work for your shower. Be sure to include all necessary information on the invitation.

Theme &  Decorations:While you may feel intimidated about choosing a theme, just consider the couple. If they have lived together, they may not need a kitchen shower, but the bride would love pretty lingerie. If they are moving right after the wedding, cash will allow them to choose what they need.

Selecting the menu:Although your menu should reflect your theme, the time of day is as important, as well as the number of guests. Do not try to outdo the last shower you attended. Make this a day of relaxation for the bride, her guests, and yourself. Consider the amount of time and room available for the shower, as well as any special dietary needs of the bride and her guests.

Location:Choose a location that is easy to get to and will accommodate the needs of the party. If you are planning a theme, consider matching the location. Have an idea of how many people you expect before arranging any final details.

Select the date:The bridal shower is normally around eight weeks before the wedding. Showers are held on weekends and during the week. Try to make the time and day convenient for everyone including any out-of-town guests.
Folklore:”marry in July…”

Selecting the time:If most of the guests attending the shower work, then an evening or weekend shower will probably work best. Consider a weeknight for a change of pace. This will give everyone a night out, rather than a weekend day away from their spouses or boyfriends. If the weekend is the only time that will work for you, try to plan your shower early enough in the day for all who must travel to attend.

Games:Every fun bridal shower includes at least one game. And don’t forget the prize!

Entertainment:Make sure as guests arrive, they are introduced to one another. One way to break the ice is to provide name tags with a small note, such as, “I attended grammar school with Susie”. This is a sure way to start conversations. Make sure to offer your guests liquid refreshments and whatever else you have provided. Set the mood with lighted candles, flowers, and decorations. You want your guests to enjoy the day (or evening) as much as the guest of honor.

source: http://www.bridalshower.com/planning/quicktips.html