New Summer Designs from My Invitations

DIY Block Print Invitation

Commitment: 3 hours for 25

Cost: $45 for 25, $1.80 each

Supplies:

• watercolor paper cut to 5'' by 7''
• pencil
• linoleum block
• 4'' by 6''
• linoleum block cutter set
• block printing ink
• ink plate or a piece of glass
• brayer
• baren

Direction:

1. Start by printing a 5'' by 7'' invitation. Open WORD from the Page Setup Menu, select Custom Page Size from the Settings options. Set the custom page size for 5'' wide by 7'' high.
2. Set the margins spacing to 0.50'' for the left and right margins. For the top and bottom, set the margin spacing to 0.50''. this will give you some blank space to apply your block print design. Save and print on the watercolor paper.
3. Your next step is to create a design. You can create any style, but bold design with clear detail. It's important to note that your design will nedd to be in mirror image of how you will want it to print.
4. With a pencil, draw your design directly on the surface of the linoleum block. To help you determine where not to cut, color in the design with the pencil. With the linoleum cutter, remove all of the non-colored area around the design.
5. To cut away the linoleum, use firm, even strokes with the lino cutters. You need not cut too deep.
6. When you are done with the design, it's time to take it for a test print. Squeeze a small amount of ink onto the piece of glass or ink plate. With your brayer, roll the ink out into a smooth, thin layer. Carefully roll the inked brayer onto the surface of your block. All of the raised areas will accept the ink. Depending on how deeply you carved your design, you may end up with little carving lines showing the background when you print. If it is not to your liking, go back and carve away those areas.
7. Place printed invitation on top of the inking block. Using the baren, rub the paper with even pressure. This pulls the ink from the block onto the paper. Carefully peeled the paper from the block and allow it to dry.

DIY Embroidered wedding invitation

Commitment: 30-45 minutes per wedding invitation

Cost: $32 per 50, $ 0.64

Supplies:

crane lettra 110 lb cardstock in fluorescent white, 8 ½ '' by 11''

eggplant coloured cardstock, 8 ½ '' by 11''

paper cutter
rubber stamp

dye-based ink pad to match or coordinate with your floss color

piece of thick cardboard or a self-healing cutting mat

paper piercing tool

embroidery floss to coordinate with coloured cardstock

embroidery needle

scissors

single sided tape

double-sided tape

 

Directions:

1. start this project off by cutting the cardstocks to size. With you paper cutter, trim the white cardstock to 5'' by 7'' and the eggplant cardstock to 5 ½ '' by 7 ¼''
2. print your invitation wording on the white cardstock, leaving a 3'' margin on the bottom of the page. This blank area will be where the embroidery goes later on. Note: if your rubber stamp is smaller or larger than 3''. you will need top adjust your bottom margin accordingly. To set up your invitation for printing, open WORD and from the Page Setup Menu, select Custom Page Size from the Settings options. Set the custom page size for 5'' wide by 7''. Set the margin spacing to 0.25'' for the left and right margins. For the top, set the margin spacing to 0.25. For the bottom, set the spacing to 3''
3. enter your invitation wording and print it on the crane lettra cardstock.
4. In this step you will be adding a rubber-stamp image onto the invitation to serve as a template for your embroidery. To ink a rubber stamp, gently tap it several times on the surface of the ink pad to get the entire rubber image evenly inked. Firmly press the stamp onto the invitation where you'd like the image to go. Don't twist or move the stamp when press down; you will smudge the image. Lift the stamp straight off the paper.
5. Next step is to create holes for the embroidery with the paper piercing tool. Place the stamp invitation on top of the thick piece cardboard or self-healing cutting mat. You are creating some elevation so that the needle of the piercing tool has space to go all the way through the cardstock. Working your way around the entire outline of the stamp image, poke holes about ¼ ''. make sure not to get closer than 1/8 ''to the edges of the cardstock; you will risk ripping the paper if you do.
6. Next, thread your embroidery needle. Embroidery floss comes in long bundles of 6 strands that are twisted together, called skeins. Unwind 2 long strands of embroidery floss from the skein and thread them through the embroidery needle. Knot the ends as you would a regular needle and thread. You are ready to get embroidering.
7. Start by picking an area to concentrate on like starting from the bottom left and working upward and outward in small sections. Begin by passing the threaded needle from underside through one of the holes. Next, thread the needle down through the whole next to it. Pass the needle back up through the first hole. What you are doing is called the backstitch. It creates a solid line of stitching. Move through the remaining holes, using the backstitch technique until you run out of floss or finish an area of the design. At the points where you need to stop and rethread or move to another section, push the needle through a hole so that it's on the bottom side of the card. Snip the floss and use a bit of clear tape to hold the cut floss in place. Rethread your needle and start where you left off.
8. The back side of the invitation will be a little bit messy so we will be creating a mat so the back side is concealed. Apply strips of double-sided tape to the back of the invitation and firmly press the invitation onto the eggplant-colored cardstock, centering it from top to bottom and

Quilled Snowflake Save the Date Cards

Quilled Snowflake Save the Date Cards

Time: 5 hours per 25 cards

Cost: $48 for 25, $1.92 each.

Supplies:

white cardstock, pearl white 10'' by 5''

double-sided tape

silver cardstock 4 ¾ '' by 4 ¾''

blue cardstock 4 ½ '' by 4 ½ ''

lightweight white cardstock under 80 lb. 12'' by 12''

paper cutter

quilling tool

liquid paper adhesive

spray adhesive

glitter

1. fold the 10'' by 5 '' white cardstock in half to create 5'' by 5'' tented card. Apply double-sided tape to the back of the silver cardstock and adhere it to the front of the white card, centering it to top to bottom and left to right. Now, add double-sidedtape tape to the back of the blue cardstock and, centering it, adhere that to the front of the silver cardstock.
2. Cut a piece of the light weight12'' by 12'' white cardstock into ¼ '' wide strips. From these strips you will need to cut the following lengths: 5 strips of 6'' long; 12 strips of 3'' long; 4 strips of 2'' long
3. take a strip of 6'' by ¼ '' cardstock and insert the end into the opening at the end of the quilling tool. Bring the tool to the end of the paper and beginning rolling the paper around the end of the tool. Roll it all the way up and then let go. The circle will loosen a bit. Apply a tiny bit of liquid paper adhesive to the loosen end and glue it down on the body of the circle. Remove the piece form the quilling tool. The piece will serve as the center of your snowflake. The remaining quills will build upon it.
4. The next step is to create small teadrop shapes. This is done by creating circles and pinching one end. Roll one of the 3'' strips on the quilling tool. Adhere the loose end to the body and remove the piece from the quilling tool. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch one end of the circle to create a teardrop shape. Create 4 teardrop shapes for this snowflake.
5. You will now make a marquis shape. It's a circle with both ends flattened to create a shape that looks like an eye. Roll one of the 2 '' strips onto the quilling tool. Adhere the loose end of the body and remove the piece from the quilling tool. Using your thumb and index finger, pinch one side to create a teardrop, then pinch the other side. Create 4 marquis shapes for this snowflake.
6. The next step is to create scrolls. Gently fold a 6'' strip in half. Roll each end toward the fold. It'll end up looking like a fancy heart. You will need 4 scrolls.
7. Now we are going to create the arms. The arms are made from 3'' strips. Roll 1 end around the quilling tool, about 3 full turns. Release it from the quilling tool and roll the other end about 12 times, until the total lenght of the piece is about 1'' long. Release it from the tool. Repeat on another 3 '' strip. To finish up the arms you will need to glue 2 piece back to back to create single arm. You will need total 4 arms
8. it's time to assemble the rolled paper. Let's start with the center piece, the first round you created. Using liquid paper adhesive, glue the arms pieces at the widest end. To the center circle. The edges of the loops should be butted next to each other.
9. Next, take a scroll and glue it onto those small loops of the arms. Gently pull the scrolls out until it touches the arms. Glue the pieces together where they meet.
10. Take one of the teardrops and glue it to the middle of the scroll. Gently pull the scrolls over to meet
11. the teardrop, and glue them together. Repeat on all sides.
12. The final touch is to glue the marquis pieces into the indentations at the top of the loops of each arm
13. in a well-ventilated place, spray the snowflakes with spray aerosol adhesive and sprinkle with glitter. Shake off the excess glitter

DIY crystal-accented wedding table number

Time: 3 hours

Cost: $46 for 20, $2.30 each

Supplies:

• white card-stock cut 4'' by 6''
• pencil
• rhinestone adhesive
• tweezers
• 4-mm to 6-mm clear flat-back rhinestones, about 80 pieces per table number, depending on your design.
• Double-sided tape
• pattern paper, cut to 4 ½ by 6 ½ ''
• black card-stock, cut to 5 ''' by 7 ''
• hole punch
• ¼ '' wide ribbon, 12'' long

Directions:

1. Open WORD and from the Page Setup menu, select Custom Page Size from the Settings options. Set the page size for 4'' wide by 6''. Set the margin spacing to 0.25 '' for the left and right margins, for the top set the spacing to 0.25 '' and for the bottom to o.50''.
2. Enter your table number in a pretty font, center it on the page. Print
3. with a pencil, lightly draw a design on the card-stock where you would like to add your rhinestones bling. Do make sure the design is open and wide enough for the rhinestones.
4. Trace the design with rhinestones adhesive, using small dots along the pencil lines you created.
5. With tweezers, pick up a rhinestone and gently set it onto the glue. Press down to secure it in place. Let the glue dry according.
6. Add strips of double-sided tape to the back of the white card-stock piece. Center it over a piece of the patterned paper and press down to secure it in place. Next, add double-sided tape to the back of the patterned paper stack and center it over a piece of black card-stock. Press it firmly in place.
7. The final step is to punch a hole near the top of the table number with a hole punch, centered about ½ '' from the top edge. Thread a length of ribbon through and tie to your flower arrangement.

DIY Accordion Fold Invitation

Craft Time: 

30 – 45 minutes per invitation

Supplies:

• 1 sheet of chipboard, 8 ½ by 11
• Rotary cutter or paper cutter
• Ruler
• Satin fabric in white 1 yard scissors
• red-lined double-sided tape, available at most craft stores in the adhesive aisle
• 2 sheets of pink card-stock, 8 ½ '' by 11''
• bone folder
• 2 sheets of white card-stock, 8 ½ '' by 11 ''
• 1-in wide ribbon in pink, 12 in. long

Directions:

1. cut the chipboard sheet into 5 '' by 7 '' pieced using the rotary cutter and ruler or a heavy-duty paper cutter
2. from the satin and the beaded tulle, cut two 6-in by 8-in pieces. You will end up with a front piece and a back piece for the top and bottom covers of the invitation.
3. Place a chipboard piece onto the center of one of the white satin pieces of fabric. If your chipboard has a brown side and a white side, make sure the whiet side is facing the white fabric. You wouldn't want the dark brown showing through on your invitation cover.
4. Fold the corners of the fabric inward, diagonally, toward the center.
5. Apply a small strip of double-sided tape on the underside of the corner to hold it in place. Do this for all 4 corners, making sure the fabric is taut and wrinkle free. Fold in the sides of the fabric toward the middle of the chipboard. Again, use a strip of double-sided tape to adhere the fabric.
6. Now place the satin-covered chipboard onto the cenetr of the beaded tulle. Repeat steps 4 and 5. Set your covers aside and move on to creating the accordion. The accorion will serve as the abse for you to attach individual panels with your wedding information in a later step.
7. Cut 2 pieces of pink cardstock to 7'' tall by 10 ½ '' wide.
8. With a bone folder and ruler, score the cardstock at the measurements: 5'' score, score ½ '' from the edge, place double-sided tape. Do that for both pieces of paper, all together 20 '' long.
9. Using double-sided tape, adhere one of the two ½ '' pieces on top of each other. This creates a single piece of cardstock that's 7'' tall and 20 '' wide.
10. Apply a liberal amount of tape on the back side of the left-most 5'' by 7'' panel of the pink cardstock. Align the cardstock on the back side of the front cover of the invitation. Align the cardstock on the back side of the front cover of the invitation. Press it firmly in place, burnishing it with the bone folder to make sure it's permanently stuck in place.
11. Fold the 12'' long piece of ribbon in half. At the fold, tape it down onto the back side of the back cover of the invitation, centering it from side to side and top to bottom.
12. Apply a liberal amount of tape on the right most 5'' by 7'' panel of pink card-stock. Align the back cover panel and stick it down. You will now have a lovely fabric covered accordion-fold book that's empty inside.
13. Create a WORD document . From the Page Setup menu, select “Custom Page Size” from the “Setting” options. Set the custom page size for 5 '' wide by 7'' high.
14. Set the margin spacing to 0.25'' for the left and right margins. For the top and bottom, set the margin spacing to 0.25.
15. Using your favourite fonts, enter the invitation information, dedicating each page to a different section. The second page is perfect for for displaying the wedding invitation. The third is suited to travel information or other wedding-related events. The final page could be RSVP. Print the invitation onto the white card-stock 5'' by 7''.
16. On the back of the wedding invitation page, apply double-sided tape. Line the pages up to their corresponding spots on the inner pink panels of the accordion fold and adhere them together.
17. Close the book and bring the ends of the ribbon to the front and a tie pretty bow.
    
    
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DIY Beach Layered Invitation

Time: 5-10 minutes per invitation 

Cost: $0.69 each

Supplies:

• White cardstock, 8 ½ '' by 11 ''
• Moss green cardstock 8 ½ by 11
• Kraft cardstock 8 ½ by 11
• Paper Cutter
• Scalloped circle paper punch, 1 in. diameter
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Small dried starfish, available through online retailers
• Double-sided tape

Directions:

1. Precut the card stock to its finish dimension before you start. For this invitation, the white cardstock should be cut to 4 ¼ by 4 ¼. The green cardstock should be cut 4 ½ by 4 ½ and the kraft cardstock to 5 by 5.
2. The next step is to create the star-in-circle embellishments. From a sheet of kraft card stock, punch several scalloped circles with your paper punch. Using the hot glue gun, applying a tiny bit of hot glue to the back of a starfish. Quickly press it, glue side down, in the centre of one of the punched circles. Set them aside for the final assembly.
3. Now it's time to create the printed portion of the template. Open WORD and create a new document.
4. From the Page Setup menu, select “Custom Page Size” from the “Settings “ options. Set the custom page size for 4.25 wide and 4.25 high.
5. Set the margin spacing to 0.25 for the left and right margins. For the top and bottom, set the margin spacing to 0.25 as a starting point for your margins. Depending on the size of your shells and the length of your wording, you will need to adjust the top margin to fit all of the embellishments and information.
6. This step is where you get to showcase your creativity. Using your favourite fonts and best wording skills, enter the invitation wording. Save and Print the wedding invitations invitation on the white 4 ¼ card stock.
7. On the back of one of the printed invitation pieces, apply double-sided tape. Turn it over and adhere this piece of cardstock to one of the green 4 ½ pieced of card stock, centering it from the bottom and from side to side. On the back of this stack, apply double-sided tape and adhere it to the front of the kraft cardstock piece.
8. To finish of the invitation, apply double-sided tape to the back of the starfish circle embellishment and adhere it to the front of the invitation part of the stack, centering it from side to side.
   
   
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Protestnat and Catholic Weddings

Protestant Wedding
Love, Honour, Cherish. "In sickness and in health". The service can be as short as 15 minutes, and can include Holy Communion. Because the marriage is considered holy, but not a sacrement, you can usually hold it outside of a church.

Catholic Weddings
The ceremony follows a strict set of rules, but the structure is similar to the Protestant weddings. The main difference is that the a traditional ceremony included a nupital mass after the exchange of rings. which means the ceremony last about an hour.
After the marriage rite, the priest makes everyone to shake hands with their neighbours.
Catholic ceremonies must take place in a church or chapel and you must announce your intention to wed by publishing banns(wedding announcements) in the church bulletin for 3 consecutive Sundays.

Religious Ceremonies-Hindusim, Mormonism and Islam

Hinduism

A traditional Hindu wedding can last for several days, but North American ceremony typically lasts about an hour and a half. The wedding is conducted by a hindu priest or pandit. The groom wears white, while the bride wears red and gold sari. Under the mandap, a flower-bedecked canopy, the bride and groom exchange floral garlands to wear for the duration of the ceremony. After the father of the bride gives his daughter away, the priest ties the couple's right hands together. The heart of the ceremony, the mangalfera, also involves a binding ritual, wherein the grooms' scarf is tied to the bride's sari and the couple circles a sacred fire seven times. With each round they pray for a blessing-from food and prosperity to strong and virtuous children. Once the steps are completed the marriage is sealed. The groom puts a red powder on the bride's hair to show that she is a married woman.

Mormonism

There are 2 kinds of ceremonies: a temple ceremony takes place within a Mormon template and can only be attended by mormoms; civil ceremony, ususally in a church or at home.

Islam

Though muslim ceremonies are short, celebrations might last for a week. Muslim weddings are similar to hindu weddings. Generally, the offer of marriage is extended by a male representative of the bride, called a wali;to the groom. If accepted, a mahr is negotiated between the two sides; it's a specific sum of money or other valuable gift that the groom gives the bride to guarantee her security and independence within the marriage. The first part of the mahr is paid at the wedding and the deferred part of the mahr is paid during the marriage.
The only aspect of a wedding specifically prescribed by Muslim tradition is the nikah. During this ceremony, the bride and groom are separately asked if they agree to the marriage  and to the mahr.  The marriage is made public by a celebration with a large feast called a walima; at many weddings guys and women celebrate in different rooms.

Religious Ceremonies-Episcopalianism and Judaism

Episcopalianism

Episcopalianism consider marriage a sacrament, so the marriage ceremony must take place in a church, unless you are able to get an exemption from the local bishop, and the music must be religious in nature. Those weddings are similar to Protestants' weddings in many respects, they tend to hew closer to what you would expect from a Sunday service. Rings are blesses before being handed to the couple. If the couple wishes, the ceremony may include the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and all baptised Christians may receive communion.

Judaism

First, the couple, rabbi, parents, and designated witness gather in a chamber to sign the ketubah, the Jewish marriage contract. then comes the bedeken, in which the groom veils the bride in order to symbolically ensure her identity; the roots of the ritual come from the biblical story of Jacob, who was tricked by a heavy veil into marrying the wrong woman. The bride and the groom are escorted down the aisle by both of their parents. At the front of the aisle stands the chuppah, a canopy attached to four poles under which the couple is married. The chuppah represents the presence of God and the couple's first home. Toward the end of the ceremony, the bride may circle the groom seven times; this tradition symbolize the centrality of the groom in the family. At the very end the groom stomps on a glass and all the guests shout " Mazel tov". Then the festivities start. 

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Planning Religious Wedding Ceremonies-Buddhism and Eatsern Orthodoxy

Religious Ceremonies

Some religious give you opportunity to personalize the vows, readings, or music but limit your choices to sacred material. Others, let you diverse the ceremony, a nice option for couples struggling to find a religious service that meets interfaith needs.

Buddhism

In Buddhism, marriage is a secular arrangement, so there is no prescribed ceremony or liturgy. This has made those weddings increasingly popular, as it leaves a lot of leeway for the couple to make the ceremony personal to them, as long as it doesn't contradict the spirit of the dharma or the teachings of the Buddha. A priest of Buddhist preceptor usually conducts the ceremony, though in some cultures, the union may be blessed by a monk. You will find that most Buddhist officiants-priests and monks-are flexible as to where the ceremony takes place. But wherever the marriage occurs, incense is typically offered to the Buddha at the beginning of the ceremony, which may be announced by the sounding of a gong. Usually a shrine holds flowers, a candle, incense, an image of the Buddha, and possibly a bowl of fruit. In most ceremonies, you'd hear at least one sutra chant-a means of expressing gratitude to the Buddha.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Those ceremonies overflow with rituals-many of which are represent in threes to represent the Holy Trinity. Marriage is a sacrament, so weddings take place in a church and last about an hour. The bride and groom generally do not recite any vows. The ceremony begins with the exchange of rings, which go back and forth between the couple three times and are actually placed on the ring finger of the right hand. After the priest initial blessing, the couple' hands remain joined for the remainder of the ceremony. The highlight of the ceremony is the crowning, wherein the best man swaps the crowns 3 times between the bride and the groom. As soon as the priest removes the crowns, the couple is married. The bride and groom takes sips of wine from a shared cup as a reminder that they will henceforth share everything, and the priest leads them in walking three times around the altar for their first steps together as a married couple.

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Be a Lucky Bride

Here are some traditions from around the world for bringing luck.

1)Put a sixpence in your shoe.
A tradition with English brides, who tuck a sixpence into their left slipper and the saying "something old" goes like "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe". There are retailers that specialize in sixpence just for that purpose, but many people substitute a U.S. dime, even though they are no longer made of silver. Swedish bride slip a silver coin from their father in their left shoe, and a gold coin from their mother in their right; the coins ensure that the bride will always have money.

2)Carry a horseshoe.
Irish brides believe carrying a horseshoe will bring luck to the marriage. Some wear a horseshoe charm, but you could also attach a horseshoe pin to the cuff of the bouquet. A horseshoe should always be positioned so that it's open on the top-that's how it holds the luck it catches.

3)Wear an eye charm.
At Greek weddings,the bride, her attendants, or guests often wear a mati, a blue glass bead shaped like an eyeball, to ward off evil spirits. It's usually a charm or pin; some brides slip it inside their dress.

4)Carry a lump of sugar.
Greek brides slip a sugar cube into their glove, believing it will bring them a sweet life.

5)Get henna tattoos.
Mehndi is the Hindu word for the intricate henna designs painted on a bride's hands and feet. Henna has been heralded for its magical properties since ancient times and is believed to ward off evil spirits. It's customary for Indian, Pakistani, Persian, North African, and other muslim brides to have a mehndi party a day or two before the wedding.

6)Kiss a chimney sweep.
Easier said, than done but it's considered lucky for the bride to kiss a chimney sweep on her wedding day. It sweeps away evil spirits.

7)Have 1001 cranes.
Cranes, symbol of peace, happiness and longevity, are thought to live 1000 years; at Japanese weddings, the presence of 1001 white paper origami cranes is said to make a wish come true or to wish the couple good luck more than 1000 times. The cranes can be placed at the ceremony or reception.

8)Get sprinkled with sugar.
At Iranian wedding ceremonies, happily married women hold a cloth over the bride and groom, the scrape elaborate sugar cones over them, letting sugar rain down on the cloth for good luck.

Honeymoon Hot Spots

The Caribbean-Punta Cana or Playa Dorado, Dominican Republic; Pal Beach, Aruba; Grand Caymans, Cayman Islands; Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos; Shoal Bay, Anguilla; Gold Coast, Barbados; Negril Jamaica; St. Croix, Nassau, Bahamas; Diamond Beach, Martinique; Luquillo Beach, puerto rico; Tortola, British Virgin islands; Grand Anse Beach, Grenada; St. Jean Beach, St. Barthelemy; Pigeon Point, Tobago; Trunk Bay, St. John;

Mexico-Los Cabos, Baja California,Isla de Cozumel,Cancun,Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa Guadalajara,Tulum,Maya Riviera

South Pacific-The Marquesas and Tahiti

Europe-Greece, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland,England,France, Italy, Monaco, Germany

United States-Alaska, Hawaii,Grand Canyon National Park, Disneyland, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket

Savvy Skin Care for your wedding

Look radiant on your big day with glowing, beautiful skin

Washing your make up off evey night keeps pores from clogging.

Washing too often, or with water that's too hot, can strip natural moisture from your skin and dry you out.

Gel-based cleansers do a better job at removing makeup, but cream-based cleansers are more moisturizing for dry skin.

A depp-cleansing facial can work wonders, but leave at least a few days for your skin to recover before your wedding day.

A regular exfoliating routine will help you look the best and glow with happiness on your wedding day.

Gentle scrubs with tiny particles and microdermabrasion are great for removing dead cells from your skins's top layer.

Alpha and beta hydroxy acids and retinoids go one step further, exfoliating as well as helping the production of collagen.

Use toners that act as humectants, which help your mositurizer penetrate your kin. Avoid products that contain alchocol.

For daytime, choose a moisturizer SPF30 to protect your skin form everyday sun damage.

Treat acne on your body with acne fighting body or facial wash. Stress can wreak havoc on your skin.

Picking a location for your Wedding-Hotel, Restaurant, Off-side, Destination?//

Hotel
It's easiest to arrange. One of the biggest advantages of a hotel is that nearly everything you need is already there, from the tables to the dance floor t employees who will staff the wedding. Aside from the catering and the bar you can bring in your own vendors.

Restaurant
Best suited to wedding of 125 or fewer guests, restaurants are often chosen for superb food, a distinctive setting, or a special  ambience-all of which can make for a chic and intimate wedding.

An Off-Site Wedding
A Wedding is considered off-site if the place doesn't have commercial kitchen or stock items like tables, linens, china and flatware. The setting could be anything from an estate, a beach, or a park to an urban loft or cultural center. A home wedding is almost always considered off-site, unless it is such a small event that you don't need to bring in rentals.
Off-site wedding can be gorgeous, but can come at a high price.

Outdoor Wedding
Can be absolutely magical. It won't look like any other wedding and there's no space more sacred than nature. Another bonus:no photographer's trick can match the glow of a sunset.
The rule for outdoor wedding is to have a backup strategy for rain, winds, heat or cold.
Before you commit to an outdoor wedding, consider your personality. Make sure you can handle the uncertainty that comes with an unpredictable location. If you can't stand frizzy hair, last-minute changes, mud stains, you'd probably be happier with more controlled environment.


Home Wedding
A sentimental favourite, the home wedding is personal and intimate. You can choose any day and time you like. But home wedding tend to have hidden costs. You are going to need equipment-tables, chairs, glassware, tent, lightning and so on. The biggest budget bonus is the liquor. Buying your own alcohol is cutting the bar bill in half.

The Destination Wedding
Since destination weddings involve some amount of travel, they also tend to last longer than the average wedding. Festivities might go on for 2-3 days.
Typically, you are essentially taking care of guests from the moment they arrive until they depart. You might be coordinating everything from airport transportation to a welcome party, activities during the day, the wedding itself, reception and a day after brunch. You might find yourself negotiating airline and hotel rates, assembling gift baskets, booking spa appointments and so on.
Full information packets should go 6-8 months before the wedding and you should get the save the date cards even earlier.
While a destination wedding tends to be pricey for the guests, it isn't necessarily super expensive for the host. And if you like to include personal touches, nothing will let you do it better than a destination wedding.

10 Best Ways to Cut Costs

1)Trim the guest list. Your cost per head is your biggest expense.
2)Choose a great site to save on decorations.
3)Skip the off-site location and go with a reception site that comes with tables, chairs, flatware, and staff.
4)Start the wedding earlier in the day. Breakfast, lunch cost less than dinner, and earlier in the day, people drink less, lowering your liquor cost.
5)Limit the alcoholic offering to beer and wine and a signature cocktail.
6)Make your wedding on Sunday or a weekday. Vendors lower their fees for days that are less in demand.
7)Eliminate the champagne toast.
8)Instead of a band hire a DJ or use iPod
9)Opt for inexpensive printing method on your wedding invitations
10)Skip favors. Write a personal note instead.

Engagement Party II-Toast and After Party

After most of the guests have arrived at the engagement party, it' time for the father of the bride to make a toast. Either wine or champagne can be poured for the toast.

When the person giving the toast asks everyone to raise their glasses, don't raise yours. You are also not suppose to drink to yourself after the toast, but today, many couples clink their glasses and take a sip.
After the toast the bride and groom should briefly address the gathering to thank the person who gave the toast, the host of the party, and the friends and family members who came out to celebrate their party event. If both sets of parents haven't been introduced to everyone, it's time to make the introduction.

After the Party you have to send a note and a gift to the host. If a parent hosted the party, you don't have to send a gift. Flowers make a wonderful gesture for any occasion. Candles, chocolates, soaps, picture frames, wines also make fine gifts.

The Engagement Party I

The first public celebration of your new status is the engagement party. There's no obligation to have one, but it's a lovely way for both families to know one another. Cocktails at parents' home, dinner in a restaurant, a Sunday Brunch, would all fit the bill.
Traditionally, the parents of the bride gave the engagement party. The cornerstone of the event would be the moment when the bride's father stood up to announce the happy news and propose a toast to the couple.
There are no rules about when to hold the party, but usually it takes place at least 2 months after the engagement and no later than six before the wedding.
The gold of your engagement party is to get the 2 sides mixing and mingling. The better people get to know one another, the easier all of your prewedding events and the wedding will be.
Activities during the party are a way to bring people together. If you are having a backyard barbecue, set up croquet and volleyball. Consider having a quiz about the bride and the groom, and have prizes for the highest scores for each side. If you opt for a small dinner at a restaurant go around the table and have all the guests introduce themselves, or say a little something about each person yourselves.

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Excerise and Nutrition for your Wedding

Celebrate this special time in your life by getting into shape and feeling great.

• Look for brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, which are rich in heart-healthy antioxidants.
• Protein keeps you fuller longer, so start your day with eggs, yoghurt.
• Dark green vegetables like broccoli, green beans are packed with vitamins, high in fibre and low in calories, so you will stay satisfied longer.
• Get quick energy from powerful carbohydrates in whole grains, wild rice, whole wheat and oatmeal.
• If you live in northern area and don't see much sun take vitamin D.
• Calcium is important for bone strength, eat dairy products, dark leafy greens, beans.
• Woman of childbearing age benefit from getting foliate in her diets. Consider supplements.
• Salmon, walnuts and flaxseed are fantastic sources of Omega-3-fatty acids, which are essential for good health.
• Yoga will strengthen your body as well as calm your mind during this busy time. Use exercise as a stress reliever if your schedule begins to feel overwhelming. Think about the areas of your body that your wedding dress is going to accentuate and target your strength training so you will be excited to show them off.
• Take small stretching and movement breaks throughout your workday to maintain good circulation, posture, and strength and ward off fatigue.
• Stay active together. Biking, roller-blading and hiking are great activities to do as a pair. Encourage each other to get enough sleep. Being well rested supports physical and emotional health in a big way.

Something Old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and silver

Bring a little magic to your big day with these traditional good luck charms that many of today's brides still use. 

Something Old signifies a connection to the past, including our family values and family history. You may want to wear a piece of heirloom jewellery or your mother's wedding veil as a sign of this bond, or you may choose to incorporate into your ceremony a favourite photo, childhood story, a song that has sentimental value to you and your family members. 

Something New indicates hope and an optimistic look at the road ahead. This can be represented by any new item you purchase or be a gesture of what you hope for the future. 

Something Borrowed denotes the respect you have for others who have been role models in your life. Choose something of significance from someone who exemplifies that traits of a good partner and let a little of their wisdom rub off on you. 

Something blue is a sign of fidelity and true love. For many years before the white wedding dress came into vogue, brides were married in blue as a symbol of their purity.