Become a Wedding Planner!!

The wedding business is booming! Every year, almost 2.5 million couples tie the knot in the United States, spending an average of $20,000 a couple -- making it a $72 billion industry. Planning and organizing a wedding is still a major undertaking and many couples simply don't have the time to devote to it -- and are more than happy to leave the planning to a professional.

The demand for wedding planners is booming too -- an estimated 15% of couples now use the services of a professional wedding planner. Being a wedding planner allows you to be your own boss; it's a profession that most people consider to be fun and rewarding -- and there are no particular educational qualifications or requirements. Around 10,000 people in the United States claim to be professional wedding planners.

As a wedding planner, you are responsible for every aspect of the wedding -- flowers, photography, food and perhaps accommodation for out of town guests. You also have to enjoy dealing with people, as that is essentially what you will be doing much of the time, as a wedding planner. And perhaps one of the most important qualities is simply to be well organized and efficient -- you don't want to find that you forgot to book the caterers for the big day!

Starting a wedding business is not much different from any other business -- although start up costs tend to be minimal. You will need a small office to work from, or a quiet space in your home -- keep in mind your clients may meet with you there. You will need such basics as a separate phone line, fax machine and business cards and you may need to register your business in your county or state. Having your own web site is an essential too.

A portfolio is also an excellent thing to show potential clients. If you aren't sure where to start, offer your services to family and friends in exchange for being able to take and use photographs. Your portfolio should contain photographs of any weddings you have helped to plan -- anything from the flowers and the table settings to the catering and the choice of venue. Reference letters from some satisfied clients are always a nice finishing touch.

The best way to become experienced as a wedding planner is to learn all you can about weddings -- and what makes them successful. Attend weddings, talk to those people involved such as caterers, photographers and florists. Try to get as many contacts as you can -- you will need them later. It's also worth trying to negotiate discounts with some of your contacts. And if you want to go back to school -- you can take classes that teach you all about the profession.

So now you are a wedding planner -- but where do you find your clients? One of the most effective ways to find potential clients is through your network of contacts in the industry. Make sure your business cards are visible at caterers, florists and bridal shops. You may want to advertise in the local newspaper and display your business card at such places as libraries, community centers and workplaces. And as every small business owner knows -- word of mouth is often the most effective advertising.

And one of the best things about being a wedding planner? You have the satisfaction of helping to plan what many people consider to be the happiest day of their lives.

Beauty Tips For Your Wedding Day

What did I learn from my own wedding? Work out a time schedule and stick to it. Plotting out your beauty details months before your wedding will help you remain calm and collected so that your big day goes off without a hitch.

Two Months Before

• A good skin care regimen is important to get ready for your big day but don't do anything too extreme. To bump up your normal routine, try adding I-Skin Intelligent Microdermabrasion System. 

•  Moisture is so important for healthy glowing skin. Apply an oil-free moisturizer each morning before your makeup and after you take if off each night. I suggest Beyond Belief ABH Oil Free Moisturizer for your face and throat. 

Four to Six Weeks Before

•  Make your appointment now to have your hair and makeup done. Schedule a consultation and try several different styles with and without your veil and experiment with more dramatic makeup. Remember the waterproof mascara. 

Two Weeks Before

• Time for a trim and to touch up your hair color or highlights. Keep hair healthy with a deep conditioner twice a week. Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque is made to repair any damage and make your hair super shiny. 

One Week Before

• Schedule a pedicure but keep feet fabulous until the big day with some extra pampering. The Soothing Lavender Foot Soak can be handy if you plan on dancing the night away at your reception. 

• Don't leave any waxing until the last minute. You could end up with shiny, red skin and that isn't what you want for your wedding photos. 

Day Before

• Slip an eye mask in the freezer for a few minutes and use it to minimize puffy eyes. 

• For an always-classic look, try Sally Girl polish in Mellow for fingernails and a fun red for toenails. The small-size bottles are excellent to have on hand for touchups and the polish dries quickly. 

Wedding Day

• Help the day go smoothly by keeping a small bag with beauty basics such as clear fingernail polish to stop a run, bob pins to help hold an unruly curl and toupee tape for a fallen hem.

Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

Few people realize that having a beautiful wedding does not require spending their entire savings.

If you're planning a wedding, learning where to cut costs and how to budget will leave you with money to spare.

"There are many ways to have the wedding of your dreams without the nightmare of huge bills," said Anna Griffin, wedding industry expert and designer of the Wedding Studio line of wedding products. "You just have to be resourceful."

Here are some tips from Griffin on how to create a designer wedding on a budget.

• For something old, wear a vintage wedding dress. You can save hundreds on a wedding gown by shopping in consignment or vintage shops, in newspaper classifieds and on the Internet. You also can update your mother's, grandmother's or aunt's wedding dress with a new neckline or hemline, beading or lace.

• Print your own invitations. There are many wedding accessories that can be made instead of bought - the veil, the centerpieces and even the invitations. Do-it-yourself kits are available to help you create designer looks without the designer price tags.

The Wedding Studio, for example, is an entire line of paper-related wedding accessories - from invitations to menu cards to guest books and photo albums - designed for brides who want original and elegant paper goods. The invitation kit comes in four styles in three color options and includes envelopes, reply cards and printing instructions.

• Use an antique or classic car instead of a limousine. Contact a local antique or classic car club to rent a luxury vehicle, such as a 1939 Rolls-Royce or a 1952 Cadillac DeVille. Most of the owners will be thrilled to loan out their cars and you'll have more than enough room for the married couple at a much lower price. And, whereas a limousine is rented for a couple of hours, you have the benefit of keeping the antique vehicle for 24 hours or longer.

• Keep the flowers simple. Instead of hiring a florist, contact a floral-design school and hire students to provide you with flower arrangements. You also can create your own flower arrangements. Buy one color of flower in bulk. It creates a visual impact while saving money. Contact a wholesale florist; many will sell flowers directly to the consumer.

Beach wedding!!

One of the public health nurses that I work with has been talking about getting married for several years. She has been engaged for three years and recently gave birth to the second child that she and her fiancé have. Several months ago she announced that they had set a wedding date. They decided that they were going to get married on the fourth anniversary of meeting each other.

As she started making calls for the wedding she discovered that she could not find a place for the reception. Rather than change the date the couple decided that they would have a beach wedding instead. The couple lives close to a large public beach. There is a pavilion close by in a large park. They decided that the ceremony would take place by the water and the reception would be catered in the pavilion. The bride’s uncle is a minister and he did agree to perform the beach wedding, however he warned the couple that this arrangement does not always work out the best because the beach is a public place. The couple felt that he was exaggerating. They thought that strangers would respect the privacy of a gathering of people attending a beach wedding. The plan was to have an early evening ceremony followed by a light supper and dancing.

The day of the beach wedding was beautiful. The temperatures were warm and there was only a slight breeze coming off the ocean. The moon was close to full so the evening promised to be lovely also. Due to the warmth of the day the beech was very busy. The day was so nice that many of the sunbathers and swimmers were reluctant to leave. There was a problem finding parking for the wedding guests, this was one thing that the bride and groom had not considered. Another thing they did not consider is that strangers would move the ropes of the area where the ceremony was to be held. It took time to find a space on the beach that was large enough to accommodate the wedding guests. Once we were all in place the minister signaled the musicians to begin playing. Their music could barely be heard above the radios, talking and screaming of the beach dwellers. The bride made her appearance and the ceremony started. Many of the people that were spending the day on the beach came over to watch the ceremony.

The reception went much smoother and everyone had a very nice time. The bride admits that she should have listened to the minister regarding the beach wedding. She did not like how many strangers were standing around as they were trying to say their vows. She had wished for a nice weather day, but did not realize the amount of people that would stay on the beach to enjoy the nice day.

Beach Wedding Party Favors For Summer Bridal Weddings

Beaches can be one of the most romantic settings for a wedding. Many girls (and boys) dream of a wedding at an exotic location such as a beach or a mountaintop. And what better season than the summer to hold your wedding outdoors in such exotic locations. Beach wedding parties could be among the most enjoyable and memorable. Imagine the cool moist breeze blowing across your face and caressing your hair, the roar of the waves, the splashing water droplets and the sand castles and dunes, and you have an idea of how exciting and memorable it could be.

A beach themed wedding requires its own planning to make it really good. Among the things that you will need to bestow a lot of attention are your party favors. You should select your party favors to suit the theme of the beach wedding.

Party favors as a custom date back several centuries. In our present society, these have blossomed into a beautiful expression of appreciation for the presence of our guests. People select wedding favors that reflect their culture. Wedding party favors also make a personal style statement. To make the entire event harmonious it is important that the favors are in sync with the theme that you have chosen. It should also be something that can be preserved over the years and related to with pride and joy. The selection of party favors is thus a very important part of your planning for the wedding.

What are the possibilities for beach wedding party favors that will incorporate all the above considerations?

One of the first things that come to mind when we talk of beaches is a seashell. Objects made of seashells are among the obvious choices. A seashell bookmark is something that your book loving guests are sure to appreciate and keep with them for a long time. You could attach these to the placeholders or keep them in a tray for the guests to pick up.  Seashell wine bottle stoppers form another good item that is made of seashells, blend with the theme and will be useful to your guests.

Talking of seashells, you could also consider them, in their own right, as party favors. You could select attractively colored and shaped seashells and pack a few of them in small bags, making each of them a gift by itself. There are stores that can give you attractively packed seashells that you can use right away.

Starfish tea light candles can make for an attractive decoration that fits into your theme as well as form a unique gift item. You could combine these two ideas, and decorate the tables with these and also give them away as gifts, so that your guests get what they see!

Another thing that you could consider is a bag of artificial sea creatures. It could be a charming gift that would add to the fun, accentuate your beach theme and is sure to be maintained as a memento. Crafted pieces that contain other sea creatures, and are utilitarian, can also be considered. For example, a dolphin wine stopper would provide good utility value and be an attractive sea based theme for the gift, involving one of the most loved and talked about sea creatures. .

Cookies and mint tins that blend with the beach theme are other things that can be considered. For example, a carefully designed tin that has beach scenery, or pictures of items found along beaches, could make for a very useful and artistic item.

There are many other themes and items that you can consider. You can use your imagination and come up with something unique yourself. We hope that the few examples that we have given above will give you a lot more fresh ideas to help you in this.

Beach Wedding Invitations - 5 Musts for Wording

Destination weddings to Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Maui, Jamaica and more are becoming more and more popular as destination wedding planning online has become easier and easier. The beach is the most popular destination wedding theme these days and many brides want to start their wedding theme off right with a beautiful beach theme wedding invitation.

Many beach wedding invitation sites like BeachWedlockInvitations.com exist to offer hundreds of beach wedding invitations, but beach brides aren’t worried about finding the right beach invitation as much as they are worried about their beach wedding invitation wording.

Every bride wants her wedding to be unique and her wedding invitation is no different. Finding the perfect beach wedding invitation wording is as important as finding the perfect beach wedding invitation itself, so here are 5 beach wedding invitation wording tips.

1. Know yourself and your spouse to be - Your beach invitation wording should reflect you and your future spouses personalities, love and quirkiness … yes, quirkiness. Wedding invitations have been done for millions of years, if you want to be original, you are going to have to capture what makes you and your  beach love different than other couples.

2. There is no wrong wording - Certain wedding invitation wording ethics exist, but most people don’t know them and wouldn’t notice if you went according to the rules or not. Besides, more and more brides and grooms are throwing the rules to the wind these days and just writing what they want. Don’t worry about trying to follow all the rules. The reason you’re probably having a beach wedding is because you didn’t want the traditional wedding ceremony anyway, so have your beach wedding invitation reflect the same free flowing spirit that the beach has.

3. Know your audience - Even though we just mentioned that your beach wedding invitation wording should be about you and your future beach spouse by placing your quirkiness in your beach invitation wording, remember who your audience is. If you are sending this invitation to an 80-year-old grandma, you probably don’t want to use profanity or other inappropriate language.

4. Beach phrases - Find a single beach phrase that fits you and your spouse but also suits the beach setting you will be married in. “Once upon a time on a beach …” or “What happens on the beach … stays in our hearts,” are just some examples. More examples can be found at BeachWedlockInvitations.com.

5. Match your wording to your invitation - Simple beach weddings with simple beach themes should have simple beach wedding invitation themes as well. A beach wedding with 10 - 50 people is an intimate setting and the invitations should reflect that. Don’t bog down the wording with a 20 line poem to begin the invitation. A beach wedding with over 500 people can be reason for the 20 line poem.

Good luck with your beach weddings, your beach wedding invitations, and your beach wedding invitation wording.

Beach Wedding Dresses

Wedding is the most auspicious occasion. Instead of the normal wedding party, some of you might prefer your wedding at an exotic location with an ocean view. Organizing wedding on a beach would convey your message to your beloved how romantic and thoughtful you are. Although it may sound a very unique concept but many beaches around the world are witnessing the vows of two hearts. Now days it has become very common for a couple to fly down to tropical island and take their vows on the surface of beach and sand. The wedding at beach doesn’t let you wear long flowing gowns. The wedding is very informal which makes it important to wear something comfortable and casual. Keeping this in mind, varied ranges of beach wedding dress are available which provides refined and classy look. Some of the wedding dress that could be worn is strapless dress, halter, one-shoulder dress and ones with sleeves as well. Avoid wearing headpieces and full formal skirts as this would look out of place.

With this wedding trend becoming more popular, the designers are coming up with innovative and unique ideas perfect for the occasion. For the beach wedding, its utmost vital to consider the quality of fabric as you might have to travel a lot and also the fabric should not be out of place in high humidity. The destination brides should spend some time in market research for their wedding dress so that they can look trendier yet they should feel like a bride and not like a guest in a party. The beach wedding dress should be a perfect merge of elegance and simplicity. The beach wedding can let you enjoy the sun tan in your comfortable wedding outfit. The wedding becomes more personalized with only few of your close friends and relatives attending the ceremony. This involves more frolic and enjoyment. After the small celebration, the newly wed couple skips off to honeymoon in their pre-arranged accommodation.

Even though the beach wedding is very informal, make sure to pick the right accessories with your wedding dress. The bride will look magnificent by plugging some fresh flowers in her hair. It will not only make you look fresh but also will complement the wedding theme. Try not to tie up your hair completely, instead allow it to flow naturally. Proper care should be taken to cover up your lovely feet. Go for flip-flops or sandals instead of shoes, which will go right with an informal beach wedding dress. This would be the most appropriate decision yet it will come in your budget as well. Also, inform your guest well in advance that it would be an informal party otherwise they will end up in formal outfit. To make the wedding livelier, the invitation card should also relate to the theme of the party. It should be vary casual and to provide a more personalized touch give a hand made invitation card. Also plan what you are going to give to your guest as favors. A pair of flip-flops or sandal to ladies would be a great as well as an inexpensive idea.

One of the unique selling points of a beach wedding is that you don’t have to much thoughtful about your wedding attire. In fact, the wedding dress could be picked off the rack for the couple with short engagement. You might even be lucky to get a perfect fitting beach wedding dress without any need for alterations. Even if alterations are required it would be normally minimal and wouldn’t take much of your time. One important factor to consider is the weather. Even if you have planned your wedding in a beautiful day, the breezes at the ocean might blow off some loosely fitted part of the dress. Look for some better options to avoid such inconvenience. Make sure to pin your hat properly, if you consider wearing one. Besides, opt for the dress as per the season as well. If you are uncomfortable to carry a floral bouquet with your wedding informal frock, take few long stemmed lilies or white roses beautifully laced with a ribbon. A small basket filled with roses, lilies or daisies look good too. In fact, flowers perfectly complement your beach wedding.

While giving the order for your beach wedding dress make sure to ask about the expected delivery time. Make sure that your wedding attire is handover to you few days well in advance. This will give you enough time for trial and making some alterations if required. If possible ask them to give in writing about the arrival time of your dress. Most important thing is that it’s the most important day of your life so try to make it as special as you can. The perfect location, perfect man and your perfect dress, there could be nothing more that you could have desired for.

Be Prepared For Wedding Emergencies

Having a little bag that you can carry (or have someone in the bridal party carry) with you throughout the wedding day can keep you from worrying about things that may happen, and dealing with them when they do.

Medicine

Although everyone is feeling wonderful on the wedding day, it’s amazing what a few nerves can do to the body. Headaches, upset stomachs, and dizziness can all rear their ugly heads right when you are feeling the most pressure.

And that’s not just the couple.

You may want to keep on hand a few things to keep everyone feeling good, or at least keep them upright throughout the ceremony. A chewable or liquid antacid is a great way to calm any nervous stomachs. Crackers and ginger ale are good though too. For headaches, you can keep some acetaminophen on hand. This is usually gentler on the stomach than ibuprofen, and can be taken without food.

If the bride or bridesmaids should feel dizzy, then have them immediately sit down. Dizziness can be caused by a lot of things—low blood sugar, nerves, and more serious conditions. If the bride or groom should faint, smelling salts can help to revive them.

Bandaids are good too for sore feet in too tight of shoes.
Beauty fixes

For the women, you may want to have a few beauty tools to keep everyone looking their best. Spare lip gloss and balm are good to keep the lips looking good. A translucent face powder will keep the nose and forehead from shining. Always keep a small bottle of clear nail polish as well. This is good for fixing rhinestones that have fallen off dresses to sealing tears in stockings.

A small brush and mirror can also help, while hair spray and extra deodorant are also nice to have on hand. Bobby pins can help most hair crises, but a curling iron can be an asset too.

Miscellaneous

It’s amazing what you may need and never think of. For example, did you think to bring extra straight pins for the corsages or in case the bouquets fell apart? A small sewing kit is good to in order to fix up any small emergencies.

Stain remover and chalk are also good to have on hand. If there should be any stains that need removing, the stain remover is there. If there’s something on the bride’s dress, then you can lightly cover it with the chalk—it works great and won’t hurt the dress.

Bamboo Wedding Favors – The Good Luck Favor

Bamboo wedding favors are perfect for those looking for a really unique favor to share with their guests. A symbolic gift that is said to bring good luck, bamboo wedding favors represent perfectly the good wishes and gratitude the happy couple want to share. For those seeking a stylish favor embedded with mystical eastern symbolism, bamboo wedding favors are the perfect choice.

Chinese spirituality is filled with meaning that is relevant even to those raised in the western world, and bamboo wedding favors are an ideal way to translate these meanings into our western traditions. Said to be filled with positive energy, or chi, bamboo wedding favors will bring good luck to all your guests.

And available with a beautiful range of ceramic pots, bamboo wedding favors will be sure to raise a multitude of smiles too! Whether you choose a single bamboo stick, or a small arrangement, bamboo wedding favors can be presented in myriad ways.

Choose colored stones that match your table settings, or sticks of contrasting heights and widths for a really dramatic look. Bamboo wedding favors are available in a great range of styles, so whether you choose a uniform arrangement for all your guests, or prefer to mix and match, bamboo wedding favors offer a choice that will suit everyone’s tastes.

Bamboo is also the ideal fall wedding favor. At a time of year when the evenings are closing in, and the temperature is quickly dropping, the year-round greenery of a bamboo wedding favor can be a charming reminder of warmer climes. And with their message of hope and good luck, bamboo arrangements offer a fall wedding favor that reassures your guests that the impending winter can bring good things.

But whether you choose this ancient Chinese plant as a spring, summer or fall wedding favor, you can be sure that your bamboo wedding favor will be a truly unforgettable gift.
Bamboo wedding favors make the perfect unique wedding favors.

Bachelorette Party Ideas

While bachelor parties are a tradition dating back to the 1800s, bachelorette parties have become popular only recently. Bachelorette parties seem to be more about the bride-to-be bonding with women friends than the male tradition of enjoying a final night of freedom before marriage.

A New Tradition

Some brides choose a night of frivolity, such as male exotic dancers and lots of alcohol, much like the groom's bachelor party. But the majority of women opt for other activities. The theme of most bachelorette parties is to tease the bride in a fun way, while sharing a memorable evening with her best friends.

The Nightclub Scene

This is 1 of the most popular bachelorette activities. Parties often start with dinner at an elegant restaurant, followed by drinks and dancing at popular nightclubs. Hiring a limousine to drive everyone together from destination to destination is a great idea. First, it allows all the women to travel together and party in transit. Second, it adds a touch of class to the evening. And perhaps the best reason is to ensure that everyone arrives safely at their destinations.

The women in the bachelorette party will often create a veil for the bride to wear on that night. The style of the veil isn't important, so long as it is conspicuous and calls a great deal of attention to the bride. It's also typical for this type of party to send the bride on a scavenger hunt. The other women get together ahead of time to create a list of activities for the bride to accomplish or objects to find. This type of bachelorette party is a great way for the bride to enjoy a night of dinner, dancing, drinks and fun with her best friends.

Retreat To A Spa

Spa retreats have become quite popular as bachelorette party ideas. The bride-to-be and her friends get together at a spa to enjoy relaxing massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and other treatments. A steam room, sauna and/or hot tub adds an extra element of relaxation.

Some spas provide great meals from a selection of healthy dishes. This type of bachelorette party lets the bride relax and connect with her friends while leaving behind the stress of planning a wedding. Many brides get so caught up in the details of wedding planning that they forget to enjoy the wedding. A spa retreat bachelorette party is a great solution.

Exotic Dance Lessons

A little more risque, but lots of fun, is exotic dancing lessons. These parties are becoming more common now that pole dancing classes are beginning to spring up in health clubs. For these parties the women gather at a private home or a dance studio, and a professional dancer comes in to teach them the art of exotic dance. This can be a great way for friends to let loose and have fun.

Night Of Feature Films

Another unique bachelorette party idea is for the maid of honor to host a movie night. The hostess rents plenty of movies to select from, and stocks up on movie theater style goodies or creates a menu of hors d'oeuvres. This could be the bride's last chance to sit around with her friends watching "chick flicks" for a good long while. This is a fun, safe, and relaxing way for the women to get together to talk and have a good time.

Female Bonding

Although a new phenomenon, the bachelorette party is quickly catching on. It does not have the same feel as a bachelor party -- instead of a last night of freedom, it a night to bond with women friends.