Great Bridal Shower Gift Basket Ideas!

Looking for a bridal shower gift idea? Have you considered a fun, unique gift basket filled with personalized merchandise? Theme gift baskets can be an exciting and budget conscious way to show the bride how much you care about her. Look no further than the following list, which outlines our top picks for unique bridal shower gift baskets.

1. Wedding day survival "kit": there is no better way to ease away the bride's wedding day jitters than by giving her this fun "kit" which contains a wedding planner, hair accessories, a miniature wedding dress sewing kit, and a bottle of lavender bubble bath to soothe away those wedding day worries. A survival kit is the perfect way to let the bride know that you'll be there for her to help her get through the big day.

2. Personalized candy gift basket: if the bride has a sweet tooth, give her these tasty bridal shower gift baskets filled with fun personalized candy kisses, chocolates, and miniatures. Don't forget to select a personalized saying that reflects the love between bride and groom. Add a pair of chocolate covered strawberries decorated to resemble the bride and groom for an even more delicious gift!

3. Home spa basket: sensual bath and "spa" treatments are just what the bride needs to get ready for her big day. This gift basket is stuffed with scented bubble baths, soaps, foot scrub, and luxurious massage lotions, as well as a miniature back massager, foot scrubber, pedicure kit, and lavender scented bath pillow.

4. Baking basket: if the bride loves to bake or wants to learn how, a baking basket is the perfect choice. Include a recipe book, an assortment of baking pans and cookie cutters. You can also throw in some pre-packaged muffin mixes for those times when baking from scratch is not an option!

5. Honeymoon survival basket: find out where the happy couple are going for their honeymoon, then pack up some travel necessities. Some possible items to include are: tote bag, sunscreen, tourbooks, travelling snacks, and travel games.

Remember to keep your gift basket contents family friendly, especially if the shower is going to include the family members of the bride or groom. You might think it's funny, but the bride might not think the same way when she opens a package of flimsy lingerie in front of her mother or future mother-in-law. Trust me, I've been there!

To make your gift basket even more special, you can decorate it with ribbons and tissue that match the wedding colors chosen by the bride and groom.

Transferring Risks With Insurances

Transferring risk refers to shifting the risk in whole or in part from you to another party. The most common form of transfer is the insurance mechanism whereby, in exchange for a predetermined premium payment, an insurance company will assume losses that you would've otherwise had to absorb yourself.

Here's an example: You transfer the risk of fire damage to your home to an insurer for $800 a year. Your home is destroyed by fire. The insurance company pays the entire cost to rebuild, the cost to replace all your destroyed belongings, and even the additional costs you incur to live elsewhere while your new home is being rebuilt.

The other type of transfer (the bad kind) occurs in just about every contract you sign in your daily life. "But I never sign contracts," you're thinking. Really? I bet you do - we all do. In any given year, you likely sign contracts for an apartment lease, a boat rental, a vacation condo, a rental car, a credit card, a real estate purchase, or a home-repair proposal. These are just some examples of the contracts you sign in your daily life. I could give you many more. It's almost impossible to be alive and not sign contracts in today's busy world. In just about every one of these contracts, someone is trying to transfer some kind of risk to you, often without your knowledge. If there's a problem, you're simply out of luck. Courts don't accept failure to read what you've signed as an excuse.
Take a closer look at two types of everyday contracts in which you assume responsibility unknowingly, and the surprises that can be waiting for you.

• Renting a chainsaw from a hardware store: You assume absolute liability for damage to the saw, even if it's not your fault, as well as all liability for injuries to another person (for example, a friend using the saw), even if the injury was caused by a defect in the saw. You also release the store from responsibility for your injuries, even if they're caused by a defect in the saw.


• Wedding reception catering: You assume all liability for injuries to guests, even when they're caused by the negligence of the restaurant (for example, food poisoning). You agree to pay all defense costs of the restaurant in such injury lawsuits and to pay any judgment against the restaurant out of your own pocket.

Can you imagine how upset you'd be if some dear friends at your daughter's wedding reception suffered serious illness or even death from contaminated food, and you were forced to pay to defend the restaurant? Plus, you had to pay all judgments against the restaurant, just because you innocently signed a contract to do so?

Does this scare you? I hope so. Fear is a good thing when it keeps you from hurting yourself. And if you don't start paying attention to the routine contracts of your daily life, you could easily assume a risk that can ruin you financially.

Themes for Save-The-Date Baby Shower Invitations

Save-the-Date Themes

Save-the-date baby shower invitations serve a variety of functions. The main thing is inviting guests to the baby shower. The secondary functions include scrapbook and album material, time capsule items, memory box collectibles, and anything else that mother can use it for to treasure with her children and grandchildren for many years. Simple themes are appropriate for these invitations, and there popular choices that will work for any baby shower.

- Teddy Bear

Traditional save-the-date baby shower invitations include one or more teddy bears on the front, and for good reason. Most babies love teddy bears, and guests coming to a baby shower love to give them as presents. Some ideas for including a teddy bear on your invitations are:

o A teddy bear sitting on a blanket
o Pink teddy bears if you're expecting a girl, and blue teddy bears if you're expecting a boy
o Teddy bear playing with or sitting in front of wooden alphabet blocks
o A real photo of a teddy bear, instead of a clip art or graphic image
o Black and white sketch of a teddy bear

The only way to ruin the teddy bear theme is to put too many bears on your invitation. If you must have a lot of bears, have the bears run along the borders of the front of the card.

- Bassinet

A classic theme for save-the-date baby shower invitations is a bassinet. The irony is that many parents have moved away from using bassinets, and have chosen to use cribs instead. It's still a popular choice for baby shower invitations though, especially if you want to host a classic style baby shower. A few dos and don'ts for using bassinets on your invitations are:

o Run small bassinets along the bottom border of the card, alternating between blue, pink and green
o Include one large image of a bassinet in the front and center of the card
o Don't include a picture of another baby in the bassinet, because you or the mom will save these for years to come
o Don't use abstract bassinet graphics, stick to the plain styles

It's great if you can find a picture to match a bassinet that the mom owns or will receive as a present. That may not be possible, but a picture of any bassinet works just fine.

- Photo of Mom

The option of taking a photograph of the mother and using it on save-the-date baby shower invitations is the most expensive option. Printing and the card stock you use for it will cost more, but if it's within your budget, then it's a great option. A pregnant photo is best to use, because the mother will keep and cherish it, along with her child. Some options for pregnancy photos that would work well are:

o A photo that clearly shows that the mother is pregnant
o One action photo that shows mom preparing for the baby's arrival
o Mom standing in the nursery holding some clothes

Any photo that will express the amount of joy that the mother feels as she prepares for her little one is touching to include on an invitation. Leave abstract photography for other occasions.

Encourage people to RSVP when you send out your save-the-date baby shower invitations. It's one more reason for them to hold on the cards.

A Career As A Florist

Simple at it may sound, a job as a florist is not all that easy. It is not simply throwing together a bunch of flowers that makes an arrangement. You need to know the simple color combinations and special flowers that go with certain occasions. Some flowers symbolize the making or breaking an arrangement too. You ought to know it all before harboring the thought of becoming a florist.

Job Of A Florist

Being a florist is not a glamorous job. You have to deliver flower arrangements according to the occasion. It could be a funeral or a wedding. Keeping in mind that the customer may not be aware of the various flower arrangements, a florist must be able to make suitable suggestions. On an average day, you may have to make wreaths for funerals and various other types of arrangements. Posies or sheaves are mostly put together in front of the customer.

The duties in a florist's shop include:

o Unwrapping the flower stock

o Spraying the flowers and conditioning the plants

o Pricing merchandise and displaying it in an attractive manner

o Attending to customers and phone calls

o Completing and delivering orders and creating designs for the shop

o Keeping the shop clean and tidy

o Keeping a work record

o Putting up new arrangements in the shop window display regularly

Training

Some community colleges conduct classes in floral designing. However, if you are really set on becoming a florist, all you need is the passion and hands-on experience. Many florists start off as apprentices in flower shops. After years of working in the industry, some move on to setting up their own shops. The American Institute of Floral Designers offers aspiring florists the opportunity to earn a certificate that specifies 'Accredited in Floral Design'. Potential members are asked to submit pictures of their flower arrangements. Live demonstrations are conducted by AIFD judges.

The institute also offers grants for student research in the area of floral design. An AIFD accreditation is said to be of the highest standing in the world of floriculture.

Associated Careers

Typically, florists are small-business owners. Other jobs that need similar skills include wedding and party designing, gardening and landscaping.

If you wish to be a florist, you can begin by making small arrangements for your family and friends. Take up small flower arrangement tasks at family functions or birthday parties. Click pictures of these arrangements to give your prospective employer a brief peek at your skills.

Besides the training, an aspiring florist needs to build a healthy rapport with customers. This helps in developing a strong client base for future business. Your care and the personal attention paid towards each flower arrangement, adds to the personal touch desired.

Most florists enjoy their jobs because they love plants and flowers. Additionally, they are aware that they add color to everyone's life.

Wedding Invitations - What You Need For Do It Yourself Wedding Invites

Do it yourself wedding invites will save you money. What do you need to make your own wedding invitations.Get the information you need for the wedding announcement wording.

First you need to decide what type of wedding announcements you will make.

• If you are going traditional you will need two sizes of cards and envelopes. You can get these from most office supply stores or your local craft store. It can save a lot of money by buying these. You can also customize your invitations this way.You will need two sized because one if for the invitations and the other is for the RSVP card. You can use just blank stock if you want to add a reception card.


• Making a single sheet card is less expensive. With this set up you can use standard #10 envelopes and card stock cut to 4 x 9. To make these less expensive you can make the RSVP a postcard at 4 x 6. Again you can opt for a reception card at 3 x 5.


• If you choose you can get one of those wedding invitation kits. It is almost getting generic to use those as they don't seem to have a lot of variety. Making your own gives you more options but these can be a good alternative if you like them.


• The other option is a seal and send wedding invitation. With these all you will need is a single sheet of card stock. I would not use anything smaller than 5 1/2 x 12" and preferably a 6 x 14" sheet. You can usually get card stock cut at any office supply store that has printing options. This would be Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and the like.

Now that you have made a decision on which one you want you need to get your guest list together. This will give you an accurate count as to how many do it yourself wedding invites you will need. You always want to have extra. The nice part is you can print what you need and if you need more you can print those as you need them. By having extra you can be prepared for those guests you forgot about.

With card stock envelopes and a list you are ready to start. A good word processing program will work great. I use Microsoft Works. This comes with almost all new PCs. You can make the invitations and address your envelopes all in this program. It is a nice option.

You will want some nice wedding clipart and make sure you have a nice font to use. Once you have all of these. Learn the software and test some samples. Find what you like and print them out. It really is fun to make your own wedding invitations.

The best part is after you learn the do it yourself wedding invites, you can do other stuff too. Make a complete set of wedding cards, wedding RSVP cards, return envelopes and reception cards. After you have just what you want. Proof it and let someone else proof it again. When you have what you want print several of each one and then go to the next item and print those.

I hope this gives you an idea of how easy it is to make your own wedding invitations. Go For It..

Hen Parties in England

Hen parties are groups of bachelorettes who help a bride-to-be say goodbye to being single and saying hello to married life. The purpose of hen parties is very similar to the purpose for celebrating stag parties. There are no two hen parties that are the same. They could involve a variety of outdoor and indoor daytime activities, and they can include an evening of fine dining, dancing, and being tempted by hot men.

Hen parties usually occur in England as well as other countries of Europe, and are very similar in nature to American Bachelorette celebrations. They often include the consumption of alcohol and limo rides, just like the American parties. There are many locations that Hen parties can take place in Europe. However, one of the most popular places would be in the UK, particularly in England. Some hen parties are planned on the town while others take place in a home.

Often hen parties involve the use of handing out memorabilia, such as a t-shirt or hat that party attendees can take with them. Usually people who attend these parties are wedding party attendants, single women that the bride knows, and female members of the bride's family. One idea for hen parties at home in England would include those such as pampering parties. These would include giving and receiving messages, and the presentation of a mail-order gift registry from which party attendees pick from the list to purchase for the bride-to-be. This could also be done at a bridal party as well.

Similarly organized parties could take place for groups of ladies at health spas where massages can be given by pros. Furthermore, other facial and body treatments may be given at events such as these. Other activities that females may enjoy at hen parties would include outdoor ones, such as swimming, or lying on the beach to work up a healthy tan. Some of the more risqué hen parties may include at least one male stripper, who is meant mostly for looks and show. Traditionally, this male stripper being presented to the bride-to-be and wedding party is to see if the bride can rise above all temptation and remain faithful. However, to many it is mainly just a matter of a "last hurrah" without actually "going all the way" with the extremely sexy male model (or more than one model).

Not only can a hen party in England be an important celebration for an engaged woman this could also be the time for singles attending the hen party to socialize with new men that they have never met before. Usually everyone wins when they go to one of these parties. If driving while drinking is a concern, hen party attendees can rent a classy limo service to serve the transportation needs of the group. In fact, inside a limo may be the place for the "surprise" would be one of the idea places to present a sexy half-dressed male. Many bachelorette groups will leave the driving to someone else so they can enjoy themselves. Entire hen parties can be planned online without even picking up the phone in some cases. However, it is possible to speak to a live person if a hen party group has any questions at all.

Ten Reasons a 20 Year Old Truck Is More Efficient Than a Prius

Have you ever wondered if you should get rid of your old truck for something smaller and more efficient? Chances are you usually only think about this when you are pumping gas into your truck. Here are ten reasons why you are better off than trading it in for a little gas sipper. If you don't have a truck, then see below what you are missing out on.

1. No car payment.

That fifty miles per gallon comes with a surcharge of 22,000 dollars for a new Prius. Thanks to their cult-like following used vehicles are commanding nearly the same prices. A 20 year old pickup really, really should be paid off by now. A truck getting 15 mpg will cost 4200 dollars in gas a year; chewing tobacco and cowboy hat are optional.

The Prius uses 1400 dollars worth of gas, and makes a typical monthly payment of 400 for 5 years. (22k + tax + interest / 60 months) My math is terrible and I did not calculate APR, but instead just tacked on interest based on initial loan value, but anyway I digress. Four hundred a month plus gas puts the pick-up cleanly ahead to the tune of 166 dollars a month.

2. Maintenance is cheaper.

I know some of you out there might already be getting defensive and saying that my math will never work because at some point the Prius will be paid off. The current economy has changed things slightly but in my experiences as a mechanic, once the car is out of warranty most drivers will run to the dealer to trade in a vehicle before paying costly repairs. But even if the Prius was paid off, the cost of batteries and labor to repair the vehicle is substantially higher than the truck.

The 20 year old parts are plentiful at the local auto parts store, and are typically much cheaper. A new engine: 600 dollars, new transmission: 400 dollars: differential: 300 dollars. Take care of the engine with proper maintenance and get 200k miles. Replace the transmission every 100k or so, sooner if required. The rear end is good for 400k. The rest of the truck consists of parts that cost less than 100 dollars each.

3. Trucks last forever

Toyota likes to claim that its cars last forever. How many mid 70's Toyotas are running around? How many mid 70's Hondas? How many mid 70's pickups are still running around and being used daily?

4. Insurance is cheaper

An old truck is paid off and the driver is not required to pay for full coverage. Full coverage would not matter anyhow, as any claim whatsoever would likely total the vehicle. For full coverage on the Prius I estimate the figure approximately 400 every 6 months. The truck's cost I will roughly estimate at 280 or less.

5. No deliver fees. Ever.

As a proud owner of a truck you will not need to pay for delivery of furniture, or lumber, or anything really. A truck can tow a boat, help the cute neighbor move, and haul rocks and dirt. The Prius can fold down the back seat. A truck can carry a Prius.

6. Your kid can fix your truck

A degree in engineering is not required to fix it yourself. A 20 year old vehicle was made in simpler times. Fixing a twenty year old truck is much easier than fixing anything on a Prius. You can fit the trucks motor, plus two small four cylinder engines under the cavernous hood to keep your V8 company. Even if you don't fix your vehicles yourself, repairs are faster, and cheaper. See number two for parts.

7. Trucks look great

I can appreciate that not everyone loves the look of a truck. I usually don't consider those people normal, but that isn't relevant at this point. This is America and people can buy whatever they want. But reason number seven is because the truck has a timeless classic design. The Prius has a timeless interrupted design. Does it look pinched off to anyone else?

8. Traffic

Traffic is easier to navigate with a truck. Sure in the city the Prius will find parking spots easier, and is more maneuverable around tight spots. But the age old rule of bigger is better definitely works with a truck. The added benefit of an old truck is that 20 years worth of rust and dents lend a "I do not have insurance" appearance to the vehicle, thereby causing the smaller vehicles to yield.

9. No Depreciation

A 20 year old truck will never be upside down. It will not depreciate. A 1975 Chevrolet bought today for 2000 dollars will be worth 2000 dollars when you sell it. A Prius also has good resale value due to the cult-like following, but a Prius will still suffer depreciation at some point.

10. Camping

Camping is not only possible in a truck, but there is an entire industry built around the notion. Load up the truck with firewood, beer chest, lawn chairs, spare change of clothes, and some food and meet your buddy at the lake. The same buddy that drove alone in his Prius without wood, lawn chairs, or food, or beer.

*Bonus*

In case of the end of the world all drivers, while fleeing from nuclear radiation, zombies, foreign armies, or cross-Canadian bird-pig flu, will inevitably flock to the highways. A truck can take the median, the field, the curb, or the sidewalk. A truck can drive out of situations where it is completely buried in dirt, drive through molten lava without issue, and drive down mountain sides without roads (source: Lone Wolf McQuade, Dante's Peak, and Commando.)

As you can see a 20 year old truck is clearly superior to a Prius in every way. Not only will you have much more utility with the truck, but it is cheaper to own as well. So I only ask that the next time a Prius blazes down the highway at ludicrous speed, firm in the belief that they are saving the world, take a moment and truly think how much more awesome and efficient your truck is.

All About Engagement Parties

When you get engaged, there will be lots of parties and events in your honor. The first of these is typically the engagement party. This fun bash is a party hosted by the bride's parents to celebrate the news of the engagement.

The engagement party should take place fairly soon after he pops the question. Usually somewhere between one and four months. If you hold it fairly soon after the engagement becomes official, this gala can be when the announcement is officially made to your extended circle of family and friends. Keep in mind, though, that just as with a bridal shower, anyone invited to the engagement party should also be invited to the wedding.

Engagement parties will often be much larger events than a bridal shower. The idea of a shower is for the bride-to-be to have an afternoon spent in the company of her closest female relatives and friends. The engagement party, on the other hand, will involve a much broader spectrum of guests. Your good friends will be there, but so will your dad's golfing buddy and your mom's old collage roommate. Depending on the size of your parents' social circle, it can really end up being more for their friends than yours.

It is customary that no gifts be brought to an engagement party, but this tradition is not always followed these days. Because an engagement party really is not the same as a shower, you might consider putting "no gifts, please" on the invitation. If you decide to leave it up to your guests, be sure to get your bridal registry done before the party. When people bring engagement gifts, they also know that they will be buying a wedding present down the road, so this gift is generally going to be from the less pricey end of your wish list.

The party itself can be any style that suits your family. Engagement parties are often done as cocktail parties with appetizers. The guest list is usually too large to lend itself to a seated dinner in a home, so a mix and mingle type of event makes more sense. Besides, it really is not the food that matters at an engagement party; it is the Champagne! Expect plenty of joyful toasts in your honor.

The bride-to-be will definitely want to get a pretty new dress for her engagement party, no matter how formal or informal it may be. Certainly keep it line with the general flavor of the party, but also feel free to indulge in a really gorgeous frock - you are the guest of honor, after all (well, you and your fiancé are). Get your hair done for the party as well, so it will look fantastic in the pictures - nothing too fancy is required, but at least have your hair blown out by a professional.

Although it is not always done, the bride's parents might want to make a special gesture for the couple or at least the bride during the engagement party. Certainly, the father of the bride should make a toast welcoming his future son-in-law into the family. It would also be very thoughtful for the father of the bride to present his daughter with a beautiful necklace or other piece of bridal jewelry. By the time she wears the bridal jewelry on her wedding day, it will already have great sentimental meaning for the bride.

Beyond the basics, the rest of the engagement party is really about what suits the newly engaged couple and their families. If you love to dance, you can have a band. If you prefer to keep things more relaxed, you can have a barbeque in the backyard. The type of engagement party does not matter; what matters is the celebration of the upcoming marriage.

Marriage Requirements in the Dominican Republic

When getting married, many foreigners choose the Dominican Republic as their destination. Beach settings are the favorite locations. Some resorts even offer marriage packages for couples wishing to tie the knot in a tropical paraside.

There are requirements that must be fulfilled to be able to perform the marriage. Therefore, if you are planning to get married in the Dominican Republic, to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is good idea to have all the points clear prior to traveling. Making a checklist is highly recommended.

First of all, take into consideration that all documents presented must be in Spanish, which is the official language of the Dominican Republic. Therefore, if the document is in a foreign language it must be translated in to Spanish for it to valid.

If the translation is made in the Dominican Republic, it must be translated by a certified translator, whose signature must be legalized at Procuraduria General de la Republic.

If the document is translated overseas, the translation must be legalized at the closest Dominican consulate, otherwise the translation will not be valid. Likewise, foreign documents from a country that is a signatory of La Hague Convention must include La Hague Apostille.

The required documents are the following (all in Spanish or translated into Spanish):

1. The birth certificates of the groom and the bride.


2. Personal IDs of the groom and the bride and a copy thereof.


3. The passport of the foreign groom and/or bride and a copy of the page with the personal information.


4. A notarized Single Status Affidavit of the person who is not Dominican.


5. A divorce certificate, if the groom and/or the bride has or have been married before.


6. Two witnesses with their personal IDs and a copy thereof.

Fees

If the marriage is performed at the Civil Registry Office (Oficialia Civil):

• Foreign groom and bride (non-resident) [Both are foreign and non-resident in the Dominican Republic]: 15,000.00 DOP


• Foreign groom or bride (non-resident) [One is foreign and non-resident]: 7,000.00 DOP


• Foreign groom and bride (both are resident) [Both are foreign and resident]: 2,500.00 DOP

If the marriage is performed outside the Civil Registry Office (Oficialia Civil):

• Foreign groom and bride (non-resident) [Both are foreign and non-resident in the Dominican Republic]: 20,000.00 DOP


• Foreign groom or bride (non-resident) [One is foreign and non-resident]: 10,000.00 DOP


• Foreign groom and bride (both are resident) [Both are foreign and resident]: 6,000.00 DOP

How Do You Address A Wedding Invitation To An Unmarried Couple Living Together?

Addressing a wedding invitation to an unmarried couple can create some concern. Today we have many different situations that may challenge our etiquette rules.

If a couple are living together but not married, should both names go on the invitation. There are several couples who live together but aren't married. How do we address those invitations.

The best way to address a wedding invitation to an unmarried couple is to put both names on the envelope. If one is closer to the family than the other use their name first. That means that if it is an aunt living with a man, her name goes first. You can use Ms or Miss. if you are going formal. The second line will be the name of her live-in. He would be Mr. so and so.

This would mean that the first line is Ms. Tammy Jones. The second line would read his name. When a couple is not married you use the names on two separate lines. There is no "and" at the end of the first line. So both names are on the envelope but since they are not married you don't put the and on.

If a couple living together have children, list the kids names oldest to youngest that you feel comfortable inviting. Although you risk hurt feelings, you may choose not to invite everyone. It is your wedding and only put the names of those you want to attend. You are not obligated to invite small children.

If you are sending to same sex couples who live together you can opt to put the and in if they are married. This can be tricky. But if they are not married by law the rules of an unmarried couple would be best to follow. Some states have made this legal. Use your intuition to determine what you think will work best. The closest family members name would be the first name to use.

If a couple are not living together but are a couple in the families eyes you can use this same rule. If you have 2 envelopes you would use the first one to only address the single member and the inside envelope would have both names. This is just if they don't live together.

There are several situations that you may come across when addressing a wedding invitation. I hope that this will help with some of those questions. You have lots to take care of so relax and follow some of the proper wedding invitation etiquette rules. This will give you a basis to follow and avoid hurt feelings.

Wording Ideas For Bridal Shower Invitations

Your bridal shower is a very special occasion and you will want all the details to be perfect. Of course you most likely won't be involved in the planning of your own bridal shower, but if you have some influence you might want to discuss wording ideas for your bridal shower invitations. It would be cool too if your shower invitations could tie in or reflect your wedding invitations as well. A fun way to word shower invitations would be:

John and Amy's wedding is on the way

let's help them prepare for the big day

Please join us for a

Bridal Shower

in honor of the happy couple!

Afterwards you would include the names of the bride and groom, date and location of wedding shower, and any places the couple registered at for gifts. A more straightforward type of wedding shower invitation might be worded:

Please join us for

A Bridal Shower

honoring the bride-to-be

Amy Jones

That's if the shower is just for women and you aren't planning on including the groom on the invitation. Again, information on the location, time, and date of the wedding shower are also very important to include.

Remember the type of wording you used on your wedding invitation cards because you will want to use the same type of wording on your wedding shower invitations in order to keep everything uniform and appropriate.

Keep in mind that when you are coming up with wording ideas for the invitations there are a lot of resources to help you. First of all the Internet has myriad wedding invitation examples and shower invitation examples to help you decide what to use. Also, if you don't want to use something that isn't original then you can hire someone to write something for you or you could give writing the invitation a try yourself. You just might find that it turns out sweeter and more personal than you ever imagined!

Whatever you decide to do when it comes to the wording of your invitations just remember that you are the most important one along with your soon to be spouse and if you two are happy with the wording then that is all that matters. Don't let anyone else's two cents come into play if you have already made your decision.

Display Fridge For Use in the Commercial Setting

There are many different types of display fridges that can be used in a commercial setting such as small shops, large restaurants, deli's and any where else that needs to keep items of food and drink chilled for the customer. Commercial vending machines with a front window even fit into the bracket of display fridge as they offer a commercial presentation of the items in the fridge and they also allow hygiene standards to be maintained.

Grocery stores are a very common place to find a commercial display refrigerator and they often come in the form of large chest fridges, or front facing fridges. These allow the consumer to browse the food for choice and price without the need to open the fridge, meaning better efficiency and consumer knowledge that the items they are buying have remained chilled for a period of time. Other shops, such as convenience stores and pharmacies also use clear fronted fridges near there counter area for things like drinks and chocolate bars to coax you into a last minute buy when paying for your items.

Fridges with display windows are not very common place in a residential setting but there are two types that are available for use. The first of those is a wine cooler that has a clear window on the front to show of your wine collection. They are usually sensitively lit and are a nice object to look at and indeed show off. They do have a function though, rather than just being a decorative piece, and that is to keep your wine at an optimum temperature whilst remaining efficient. Constant opening and closing of a fridge is not efficient and a display model negates that inefficiency.

Another popular display type fridge, especially found in college dorms, is the mini beer fridge. These use the same rules as above for the wine cooler but usually have some specific alcoholic branding and are wonderful for male bravado!

You can also use display fridges as an interior decoration or to add styling to your shop? As well as adding function, they can also add form and allow to shop to be partitioned up nicely, especially if your purchase a commercial counter top model from which your customers can choose items from one side whilst you can serve from the other.

Wedding Guest Book Alternatives and Custom Greetings Are More Than Just Gifts

The larger majority of the population can expect to attend numerous weddings or anniversary celebrations throughout their lives, and many with larger families and groups of friends may attend several in a particular year. While these are wonderful occasions that bring joy and happiness to everyone involved, finding a unique gift suitable for each of these events can be challenging at times.

One of the best ways to ensure a gift, greeting, or any salutation is truly original is to use a custom creation including the couple's new last name or initials. Up until a few short years ago, having a gift like a wedding guest book or even a greeting card customized was prohibitively expensive and out of the price range of most typical gatherings. Today, there are hundreds of outlets for, and alternatives to, traditional gifts that can make any gift or greeting more memorable and meaningful.

Alternatives to Traditional Gifts and Greetings That Won't Break the Bank

Some of the best ways to liven up common and frequently presented wedding gifts and greetings is to include something personal to the lucky couple, like their initials, into the greeting. Wedding guest book alternatives including photos, custom graphics, or artwork are now much easier and cheaper to produce than ever before. Options like having a hard-back book designed with themes matching the couple's beliefs, cultural heritage, or just a familiar phrase or wise quote are great alternatives to the traditional guest books, and often become some of the most cherished keepsakes.

The same ideas for wedding guest book alternatives can be applied to just about any greeting or salutation, and can often make expressing the appropriate sentiments easy and even fun. Humorous thank you cards, invitations, and even decorations are now as easy as choosing the right layout from the many selections online and adding your own message or photos. The advances in card and greeting programs have enabled just about anyone with a computer or connection to the Internet to produce stunning results from their own home.

Insurance for the Unknown and the Expected...

While the Internet and its associated technologies have made creating the most unique greetings and gifts a snap, using these technologies for the planning side of these events can save a lot more than just face. Many clever individual planners have learned that no matter how carefully you may have planned things out, something will inevitably go wrong eventually.

Using the reach of the web, individuals can make a list of contact information for providers of services that are common contributors to last minute problems like floral arrangements, fashion issues, and even the directions for the guests and wedding party. Finding plus size formal dresses on short notice that match a current theme and can be there in time is just one example of what this strategy can help prevent. Having this information before hand has enabled more than one planner or organizer to avoid disaster and having the event remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Wedding Decorations Wholesale Means Affordability and Quality

Are you planning your big day? What kind of items are you looking for? By purchasing wedding decorations wholesale you will find exactly what you need to make any space look and feel amazing - to create the perfect atmosphere...

You will save loads doing it this way, its money you could use on dresses, shoes, hair and make-up, and the hiring of the ceremony and reception - by going online or purchasing direct from the manufacturer will definitely save, without sacrificing quality. eBay does amazing deals on wedding decorations wholesale. Most people know how to use services like this but for those who are not sure they are very user-friendly and also very safe and secure.

What kind of products can you find when buying wedding decorations wholesale? Floating candles, wedding guest books, latex balloons in loads of colours and designs, metal canopy stands, candle holders, white lanterns, ceramic frames hand painted, iron pew stands, a variety of favors, wedding curves, centre pieces, and sprinkles.

There are so many items available when buying wedding decorations wholesale - these are just a few. Just know what kind of theme you're going for and how big the ceremony and reception is going to be, and you will be able to find anything. Also, it is a much cheaper way than going to a regular outlet.

Most wedding decorations wholesale sites are user-friendly and will show you pictures and information in regards to products and recommendations. You will get ideas and links to special occasion planning services, should you need them. Payments are very secure and can be done via PayPal, credit or bank card.

Read customer testimonials, the company's privacy policy, the companies 'About Us' section, details about shipping, and if you have any further queries or questions leave your details in the 'Contact Us' section. There will also be a return policy should you be unsatisfied.

It's you that create the perfect atmosphere for your big day, you know what you would like everything to look like; the decorations are going to bring it to life. You only need as much as you need, no more and no less, but if you do end up with more than expected you've not over spent, and you have some for the next wedding you're involved with, or you could just give them to someone else or sell them on.

So your big day is on the way, you need to organise the look and feel of the ceremony and reception. If you have a clear idea in your head about what you want you will find it when you look for wedding decorations wholesale. It is the best way to combine affordability and quality to make your big day all the more memorable.

Congratulations!!
Enjoy!!

Terrific Bachelorette Party Gift Ideas

Finally, a night out with the girls, and what a better reason to go out with the girls than an opportunity to celebrate a friend who is getting ready to tie the knot. A lot of brides today are having bridal showers where they can receive gifts from the registry and possibly more personal gifts from people like their mother, grandmother, or mother-in-law, but they are also having bachelorette parties which is time for a bride to get together with her best gal pals and not only have a fun time, but receive some sexy gifts she didn't want her mother-in-law to see. So, if you want to get your bride a sexy gift that she will truly appreciate and enjoy, here are some great gift ideas.

1. Lingerie. This is usually at the top of every bride's want list when it comes to gifts for their bachelorette party. Some bride's are even creating wish lists for lingerie on popular lingerie sites such as Victoria' Secret and Frederick's of Hollywood to give their guests a better idea of what they want. If you feel uncomfortable purchasing actual lingerie, you may consider getting them a gift card to a lingerie store.


2. New perfume or body lotion. Nothing will help your bride to feel sexier than a seductive new scent. This is a great gift, especially if you know your bride and her perfume tastes pretty well. There are lots of great places online to purchase perfumes and body lotions such as Beauty.com or Sephora.


3. Candles. Why not get your bride to be just the right little something that will set the perfect sexy mood in her home or bedroom. Candles are always a great gift and they come in some many great scents and sizes. If you decide to purchase pillar candles instead of candles already in vases, be sure to purchase something for the candles to sit on to help make the purchase more convenient for your bride.


4. Gift certificate for a massage or facial. A great gift to help your bride feel sexy is to give her the gift of pampering. A massage or facial will be the perfect stress relief and break for your bride's hectic wedding plans. You can take the gift certificate for a massage to the next level and purchase a gift certificate for a couples massage, maybe even at the place where the couple will be spending their honeymoon.


5. Indulgent treats. A gift of chocolate, gourmet coffee, or other treats loved by your bride is guaranteed to be a welcomed gift. A gift basket of goodies is another great idea! Get a basket and fill it with all your bride's favorite treats to give her a little something that is just for her and help ease the stress of all her wedding planning.


6. Bath gift basket. A relaxed bride is a truly sexy bride, and nothing will help your bride feel sexier than a few little things to help her feel relaxed and pampered in the bath. You can get a basket and fill it will some bubble bath, bath gel, lotion, face mask cream, and even a soft robe. These gifts are sure to help her relax and recharge.


7. Bachlorette party scrapbook. Wondering what to do with all those great pictures you took at the bachelorette party. Well, why not create a crafty and unique scrapbook with all the pictures? A scrapbook is sure to be the perfect gift to help your bride never forget such an exciting and fun night.

Free Printable Wedding Invitations - How To Save Money On Wedding Invitations

If you have wedding bells ringing in the air, then you are among the many who will be tying the knot soon. Planning a wedding can be challenging to say the least. But rest assured, there are many things you can do to make the whole event run more smoothly.

One of the first things you have to decide on is the wedding invitations. This could be one of the easiest decisions that you will have to make and you can do it inexpensively, saving a great deal of money by choosing free printable wedding invitations.

There are many different websites that offer free templates to choose from to create your own wedding invitations. This allows you the freedom to do whatever you want with the invitations, making them truly your own. For something as important as the invitations, you want them to be special and something that expresses your love for each other, letting your friends know you wish for them to join you in your wondrous celebration.

The first thing you will need to do when choosing your free printable wedding invitations is to choose the paper that you will print them on. There are many office supply stores as well as craft stores that offer a wide range of papers and card stock to choose from. If you want some other options of what styles to choose from, then the internet has an almost unlimited amount of designs and styles to choose from. Most often the websites that offer the free templates for the invitations will have a good selection of paper and cards stock to choose from, all geared toward weddings.

Next, you will want to choose the template that you are going to go with or perhaps you have a computer at home and you want to create something of your own. Maybe with a picture of the happy couple and a special poem that symbolizes your love for each other. You may even want to combine two different templates to make something truly unique.

If you are trying to do a great wedding on a budget, then you can start by saving money with your wedding invitations. Free printable wedding invitations will save you a great deal of money and give you the personal touch and quality that you want. You will be sure to have great invitations that have that extra special touch, making them perfect for your special occasion. Free printable wedding invitations are a great way to go when planning your wedding. You can choose every detail from the quality, to the design, to the card stock. You can make the planning of your special day as simple and cost effective as possible.

Summer Wedding Favors - Cheap, Fun & Unique

Planning a wedding can not only be expensive but it can also become extremely stressful ensuring that all the locations are free for the date you want. This is a day that both the bride and groom and their family and friends want everything to fall into place for this very special day. 

The majority of couples like to get married in the summer months this is usually because of the weather and the longer summer nights. The other reason for this time of year being popular is that when writing the wedding invitations many of your family and friends who have children are more likely to attend because the schools are closed for the summer holidays. 

The most popular summer months are between May through to July, so the months leading up to the big day are very busy months getting everything prepared and ready for the actual wedding day. One job that can be taken care of and then crossed of in the list is deciding what type of summer wedding favor you are going to get that are nice but not too expensive.

Having a summer wedding is great because it gives you so many choices regarding wedding favor gifts. Most people feel happy and refreshed after the long winter months, and enjoy the freedom of wearing summer clothes. One idea for wedding favors is cute little mini flip-flops; there are so many different novelty flip-flops you can get, like refrigerator magnets, candles, magnets, and note pads.

One idea that is on a more personal level is to have a photo of the bride and groom in small miniature picture frames next to the place cards of the guests. Or the same idea could be used for coasters, or different themed place card holders. This adds a personal touch to remind family and friends of your wedding day, and on a lighter note, at least they won't forget your anniversary.

If you wanted something that is a little more elegant  as a  wedding favor, why not choose something like the Unique Summer Wedding Favor Margarita Gel Candle in Gift Box. This is a great summer favor  for both big and small weddings it is very affordable unique and festive. All the guest are sure to love this unique wedding favor.

Candles are a very popular choice for a Summer Wedding Favor; these may be popular because at this very expensive time of organizing wedding candles are a great cheap wedding favor. Nearly everyone likes candles whether it is for practical purposes or simply for decoration. Candles are a great choice for wedding favors because they come in a variety of styles, shapes, colors and costs.

If you choose candles, you could by the colors to match your wedding theme and maybe tie a small card around the candle to thank your guest for coming. If there is a member in the wedding party who likes a joke, remember you can also get fun candles as well. These are just a few ideas to help you organize a little something as a wedding favor.     

Let Your Love Take Flight With Love Bird Wedding Accessories

Looking for the perfect theme for your wedding? If you and your fianc矇 have ever been called two birds of a feather or a couple of love birds, you may want to take those terms literally with the hottest new trend for wedding accessories and decorations this season: love birds! This simple, yet delightfully romantic and charming, theme is perfect for any couple flying on the wings of love towards marriage. Read on for some of the best love bird wedding theme ideas.

Get The Party Started

What better way to get your guests in the mood for your wedding than with themed invitations? There are many options available for wedding stationery featuring love birds in a variety of color schemes - one for any season! Bold damask style patterns are especially popular right now. Many love themed damask patterns can be found with flowers that twist into delicate little hearts interspersed flawlessly within the pattern. You can even combine both damask and love birds with patterns that merge flowers, foliage and birds into a seamlessly beautiful design.

When ordering your wedding invitations don't forget to order additional blank invitations, card stock or stationery for bridal shower invitations, rehearsal dinner invitations, wedding programs, and/or wedding gift thank you cards.

Love Bird Wedding Cake Toppers

Keep the theme going once the reception starts, with a love bird wedding cake topper. Look for love birds with feminine and masculine features to depict the bride and groom, or for a more contemporary look, opt for two porcelain white doves nestled together in an embrace. If you aren't having a wedding cake, you can also use these wedding cake toppers as a centerpiece or guest wedding favors.

The Finishing Touches

Although incredibly cute, it's important not to go overboard with the theme. Using birds to decorate everything can start to lose its charm, so just remember: less is more. Think outside the box with a decorative birdcage as a card holder, or use multiple birdcages as table number holders. Think of hanging bird's nests around the perimeter of the reception area or use them as wedding favor holders. There are also many candy or favor dishes available that make the perfect finishing touch for your theme. These adorable dishes do double duty holding mints or candies the day of the wedding and providing many uses long after the wedding day.

The love bird theme is so fitting for any young couple embarking on their journey through life, and makes an especially good theme for spring and summer weddings. Find beautiful love bird wedding accessories and favors online and start planning your wedding now!

Do It Yourself Wedding Invitations for Budget Brides

Looking for the perfect wedding invitation? Or trying to save money on wedding invitations? Either way, Do-It-Yourself Wedding Invitations are easy, fun, fast...and cheap! For my wedding I have been looking for any way possible to save money. Even saving $10 on something gets me excited, so when I thought about making my own wedding invitations, I was thrilled. There are 3 easy steps to follow and it's so easy, a caveman can do it (hope I can write that).

Step 1: Go to your local superstore or craft store, whether it be a WalMart, K-Mart, AC Moore, or Michaels. Each of these stores have a bridal/party section. This department is filled with wedding invitation kits. Many of these kits can cost $40 for only 25 invitations, so make sure you look carefully at the amount of invites included. You also must make sure you look for wedding invitation KITS! These kits oftentimes include 50 invitation, 50 envelopes, 50 response cards, and 50 response card envelopes. Again, this can get tricky, so make sure you read what it written on all boxes to make sure you have the amount of invitations you would like, as well as the kit that makes printing these invitations at home a cinch!

One more tip in this area - go to these stores with an open mind. You can usually find a really cheap box of a fairly plain wedding invitation kit, and just remember you can spruce up the invite later. From past experiences, I would recommend Wilton Wedding Invitations. Very easy directions to follow and I felt as though I couldn't make silly mistakes!

Step 2: Search the internet for different wording you would like your invitation to read. I had found so many different ways to invite people to our wedding and all were lovely. We were having a very casual, but nice wedding and I steered away from the more conservative wording and stuck with a softer, sweet, and casual invite. However, making all these decisions alone was not easy, so I sent the 3 different types of wording I liked most to my maid of honor, mother, and friend, and had them help with this decision. All 3 types were very similar, but sometimes you need someone to make that final decision.

Step 3: My favorite part! This is when you get to be a little creative and you will have to run back to superstore/craft store to look for a little piece of pizazz! I found my invitations at Walmart on clearance for $10. They were cream colored with a gold braided border. Very boring, and even bordering on the ugly side, but for $10, how could I say no?? I picked these up and made several trips to AC Moore and Michaels to find the perfect bow to tie on the top to liven up these invitations, however, after my 4th trip I realized a bow just wouldn't do it.

I started looking in the scrapbook section. I had no idea there were so many beautiful pieces of art that would look perfect on my invitation, while tying in my raspberry red color. I found a flower with a little piece of pearl right in the middle. I chose to place this 1' flower on the upper left corner of my invitation, bordering the gold border. The raspberry, gold, and cream looked great together. I couldn't be happier with my invitations, totaling about $20!

AC Moore is a store that you must bring your coupons to! Every weekend there is a 40% - 60% off coupon on one item, and my little flowers came in packages of 18, so I went back three times to get 40% off each packet. It takes time to save money, but if you are willing to commit to saving money, you can certainly save a bunch of money on invitations!

The Groom's Wedding Planning Duties

In the past grooms took a backseat when it came to planning a wedding, preferring to let their bride-to-be do the majority of the work. However, times are now changing and more men want to be involved in the planning process. The problem is that most men really don't know how to plan a wedding so they need your guidance.

Here are some responsibilities for the groom:

1. Gather Paperwork

Make it his responsibility to apply for the wedding license, research blood-test requirements, and coordinate passport applications if needed for travel. In addition, add the bride's name to financial accounts, wills, insurance policies, if you have mutually decided this will be in your best interest.

2. Arrange Transportation

Interview Limousine companies or arrange for other transportation to the wedding, and reception hall. Make sure to provide the transportation company with accurate directions and with a time schedule of the days events.

3. Plan the Honeymoon

Once you both decide upon your locale, he should go about booking the trip and securing transportation to and from the airport, which could be provided by the best man.

4. Coordinate Groomsmen Attire

In addition to the grooms attire, set up fittings for tuxedo rentals for the wedding. He should make sure everyone has the necessary accessories (i.e. vest, tie, matching shoes & socks). He should also arrange to have the tuxedos returned to the store the next business day after the wedding.

5. Help the bride set up a budget, write the guest list, and pick out the invitations.

If the groom's parents want to contribute financially to the wedding, he should speak to them privately (without the bride). That way they will not feel any pressure. (Remember, his parents are going to be a very important part of your life so you do not want to alienate them!)

The groom should ask his parents who they would like to invite to the wedding. Again, the groom may want to do this without his bride. Before speaking to the parents, make sure you know exactly how many people they are allowed to invite.

Ready to Live Together? - Signs Your Relationship is Ready For the Next Step

How soon is too soon to move in together? Family, friends and society in general wants to know whether or not you are preparing for marriage at some point or playing house. Couples moving in together face complex legal, economic, and psychological obstacles that married couples will never face. Unmarried couples living together should always establish a cohabitation agreement or domestic partnership agreement so that each person clearly understands and agrees to the relationship parameters and agreed upon long-term outcome.

For couples moving in together seeking advice on relationships on how to recognize the signs that their relationship is ready for the next level this article will cover the most important issues that must be resolved before couples move in together.

Couples moving in together should establish how long they plan to live together in terms of when or if marriage is an option. No couple should move in together without an absolutely clear idea of where the relationship is headed legally.

Moving in together is a bigger decision than deciding to get married in my opinion because if both parties don't share the same relationship goals and values, one person is being taken off of the dating market risking their opportunity to find the right person who wants the same things out of life. When a couple decide to move in together they must ask themselves whether or not they are temporarily putting off finding their ideal dream partner.

If you and your mate are moving in together for economical purposes as a way of saving money on living expenses this is a very rational and logical decision that does not include the emotional aspect of being introduced as a boyfriend or girlfriend at a relative's funeral 5 years down the line.

You don't need to set a wedding date in order to move in together, but you definitely should set a 2 to 3 year time-line to re-evaluate your living arrangements and to determine if both parties in the relationship are having their needs met.

If one person wants to eventually get married and the other person doesn't do not move in together. A sign that you are ready to move in together is when both partners agree upon the time frame of living together and whether marriage is in the future.

Unlike men, women only have a biological window of opportunity to have children. Older women are at a higher risk of having a child with a disability than younger women. If you or your partner do not have children this issue must be resolved before moving in together.

If you both have children from a previous relationship it is important that the children are able to get along. Whatever issues that exist prior to moving in together will escalate exponentially once families move in together. If you and your partner agree on whether or not to have children and or if you both have children and everyone get along fairly well, this is sign that moving in together is a good idea.

If you and your partner see eye to eye on how to manage and budget money for the household this is a sign that not only should you move in together, but you should have done it, yesterday. Money management is the number one reason that couples separate. So if you found someone who matches your financial style and spending habits you are in very compatible relationship.

Couples moving in together should agree on the frequency of sex. Many therapists refer to sex as bonding glue in a relationship. Each time you and your partner climax during sex you release the hormone oxytocin which makes you feel emotionally closer to a person. Couples who can't agree on how often to share intimate relations break up more frequently than couples who share the same sex drive.

Religious beliefs and how chores will be divided are some other issues that should be discussed before moving in together. If you and your boyfriend or girlfriend have negotiated and agree upon whether or not you will get married in the future; how the money will spent in the home; whether or not you should have children or if you have children they get along with your partner; how often to have sex; whether or not to go to church and most importantly whose turn it is to do dishes-these are signs that it is time to move in together.

Photography Fascination About Doors and Windows

There is something about doors and windows. Doors and windows tell us so much about the streets, about history, about culture and they are everywhere. Doors and windows are big, small, plain, colorful, old, new, modern, antique, they come in all shapes and forms. Sometimes you will find open doors and windows, sometimes closed, with or without people, and even some times the door or the window are gone, but you know where they were suppose to be.

Doors and windows beg us to be opened. You are supposed to open doors and walk through them. You are supposed to open windows and let the breeze come through. Doors and windows are intriguing and fascinating.

Doors and Windows are there and they are full of patterns, textures and designs. They call us to be photographed. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Some are huge and some are intimidating, some are small and just there. Some doors and windows are famous and some are also art forms. These and more certainly bring the fascination of capturing images of doors and windows.

Capturing an image of a door or a window might seem like an easy task. What can be so difficult about it, they are flat, so nothing to worry about 'Depth of Field'. They do not move, so nothing to worry about 'Shutter Speed'. But wait, doors and windows too have their challenges.

Most of the times doors and windows try to avoid the sun, they are patiently waiting under awnings, doorways, trees... oh, shadows. Sun might be hitting them, so there is reflection, that you might not like or that you might want to take advantage of. Doors and windows in the shade tend to have a cool, low, blue tone light, so sometimes the use of warming filters come into place.

As with most photographs, early morning and late afternoon is the best time to shoot doors and windows, not only due to the warmth of the light but also because porches, awnings, doorways, are out of the light path and no shadows are present. Side lighting is also interesting it will enhance the texture of the door or the window as well as its details.

The use of the tripod is usually required to capture the details of doors and windows, since you will be shooting in medium to slow shutter speed. Usually natural light is adequate but if you are not using a tripod then you might need a flash to fill in.

When you find a door or a window that you want to capture. First thing is to remember your first impression, think about it and review it. What was it that caught your attention? The color of the door or window, the overall scene, the wall surrounding it, to door or window itself, the doorknob, the texture, or the window drapes. What ever it was, make sure you capture that detail, without it the image might lose its magic.

Another important point to focus on is to move in close enough to remove all distractions and isolate your main focal point, the one that caught your attention. Watch the lightings and keep the back of your camera parallel to the door or window to keep everything sharp and in focus, maximizing the depth of field as well.

If what caught your attention was the texture, rusting, peeling paint, the carvings, then move in closer and consider using a macro lens, you really want to capture as much detail as possible. Side lighting can accentuate those details, use the shadows to add depth to the texture, capture an image in two dimensions.

Doorknobs are interesting details to capture. Depth of Field plays an important part in your image composition. If you want to capture the whole knob then use a smaller aperture so that everything is in focus, is you want to capture only the end of the knob and blur the back of it, then use a larger aperture. Think about other distracting elements involved in doorknobs, like keyholes and other highlights, make sure you know what you want your image to look like.

After capturing what caught your attention, move back and study the rest of the door or the window. Change your position, your angles, get down, get high and look around. You might find that there is more, capture different perspectives your choices are fascinating.

When capturing images of doors and windows take your time, remember the door and the window are going nowhere.

Nine Super Gift Ideas For Your 9th Wedding Anniversary

Did you believe that only landmark anniversaries need to be celebrated? Think again. Each year together is a cause for celebration. And, look at it this way; the ninth wedding anniversary is just one year shy of the landmark 10th year. So, that makes the 9th very special indeed! And, all things considered, nine years of being married to the same person is certainly a milestone in its own right, given the blink-and-miss nuptials that have become common these days.

As with all significant occasions in one's life, giving gifts to celebrate the moments is an inescapable ritual. And the husband who is staring at the wrong end of the gift giving stick (so to speak) has to combat stress concerning giving the appropriate gift and trying to better the previous year's record.

Even if you consider yourself creatively-challenged, fret not. All anniversary years have a handy list of traditional and contemporary gifts along with the distinctive flower and gemstone for the year. Choose one theme or let your creative juices flow and do a bit of everything for her this year.

Here are nine super gift ideas for your 9th wedding anniversary:

1. The traditional gifts for the ninth year are willow and pottery. Willow represents a delicate strength while pottery symbolises beauty and creativity. So, how about commissioning the local wood craftsman and getting a specially designed willow chair or table or even a bookshelf, if she's into reading? Personalise a willow gift by having a tender message carved for her on it.

2. Or, if willow isn't quite your style, then get funky with pottery. If she's into collectibles, give her a whole array of beautiful and exquisite clay pots of all shapes and sizes and painted in colourful motifs. Or, give her a customised ceramic vase, with her name written on the outside and nine ceramic roses inside.

3. Whisk her off on an exotic holiday to Tuscany, Italy. Delightfully romantic, picturesque and the home of some of the most exquisite ceramic pottery in the world. She can actually see the artisans at work and pick up some locally made pieces to flaunt in her living room.

4. Okay, so we all have our likes and dislikes. If neither of these two does it for you, fall back upon the modern alternative - leather. Always, classy, always elegant and never out of style, leather is the texture for all seasons. In fact, you'll be spoilt for choices when it comes to leather. Leather handbags, purses, clutches and jewellery boxes - all a perennial favourite for most discerning women (and she is one of them). Leather-bound organisers are a life-saver for the working woman.

5. You are lucky in the jewellery department as well this year. The ninth year has not one, but two, distinctive gemstones - Tiger Eye and Lapis Lazuli. Both are attractive gemstones and look great when teamed with sterling silver. Maybe a lapis lazuli pendant set in the shape of a nine or a tiger eye bracelet imitating the number nine would look superb.

6. Nine customised chocolate bars for her, each with a special message carved on it for her, ranging from 'I love you', 'You make my life complete' to 'Thank you for being in my life', are all guaranteed to get her all misty-eyed.

7. Nine hand-made cards, scattered in strategic locations all over the house and where you know she'll see them. Stick memorable photographs on each, use colourful, glitter ink to write your feelings for her. Place one under her pillow, one in her handbag, one on the kitchen counter and so on. A trail of nine heart-warming surprises will definitely set the tone for the day.

8. A nine-course meal for her. Either cook for her yourself, or make arrangements at her favourite restaurant and have the chef line up nine of her all-time fav dishes for that special dinner you have planned for her.

9. Nine days of unadulterated romance. If you have the mooloah, take her on a slightly extended mini break that lasts nine days. Spend that time to savour each other's uninterrupted company, sans irritating office emails, official phone calls and social networking urges. Give her your undivided attention and recapture the magic and romance of the early years.

Romance is always the key to put a smile on your woman's face. No matter how silly it may seem to you, serenading under her window even after nine years of marriage will have her over the moon!

Do You Need Wedding Insurance?

With the average wedding costing upwards of 瞿10,000 these days, insurance can be a canny thing to have, just in case something goes wrong. Most wedding insurers offer a range of packages for weddings in the UK and abroad, and allow you to pick and choose which elements you need in your policy. Wedding insurance usually starts at about 瞿15, so it's really not a great expense when you think about how much money and stress you could save if the worst happened...

Wedding insurance can cover you if...

...you need to cancel the venue, reception, ceremony, accommodation, travel etc, or if any of your suppliers cancel on you.

...you lose any non-refundable supplier deposits because of cancellation, or if suppliers fail to provide services.

...you need public liability insurance for accidents or injury to any of your guests or damage to property and equipment.

...your wedding transport breaks down, is involved in an accident or doesn't turn up!

...there is damage to or loss of your wedding photographs/negatives/equipment.

...any of your wedding gifts are damaged or broken.

...you damage/lose your wedding rings, flowers, cake etc.

...anything goes wrong with your wedding decoration, marquees etc.

...you or your partner have an accident or injury during the wedding.

...you need to cover legal expenses due to disputes or other claims.

...you damage your wedding dress (eeeeek!) or any other wedding attire, including damage to rental garments

...you lose/damage your wedding documents, passports or honeymoon tickets.

...your honeymoon flight/accommodation is cancelled or delayed.

Of course, accidents relating to your honeymoon can also be covered with travel insurance, which is another necessity in my opinion - one-off insurance is so cheap nowadays that it's pretty silly not to bother with it. This is especially true if you are getting married abroad, as the legal system and other organisational systems may be completely different to back home - having the back up of insurance can help you in a potentially stressful and traumatic situation.

If you want to give yourself a fright, then take a look at your budget and see how much money you could potentially lose if something went wrong; if you or your partner had an accident before (or during) the wedding and you had to cancel; if one or more of your suppliers/venues cancelled on you or failed to deliver; if you or your partner were suddenly made redundant or were unable to pay for bookings you've already made; if - horror of horrors - something were to happen to your precious wedding dress!

When you look at it like that, it seems like there are a lot of things that could go wrong during your wedding day! However, the majority of weddings go absolutely smoothly and there's no reason to panic... Still, for peace of mind and for an extra 瞿15-30, you can purchase wedding insurance to cover most eventualities. If you have a wedding planner then ask their opinion on the best deals, or shop around online to find a policy that suits your requirements.

And always make sure to read the small print and especially the exclusions on your wedding insurance policy to make sure that it includes everything you need, and there are no loopholes or clauses that could leave you out of pocket.

Invitations to Wedding Ceremony Or Reception Only

Weddings are generally divided into two very distinct parts, the ceremony and the reception. In most cases, everyone who is invited to one part is invited to the other, but this is not true for every wedding. This is a look at the question of whether it is acceptable to invite certain guests to attend the ceremony or reception only or whether invitations should always be issued for the entire event or not at all.

In general, it is not acceptable to invite people to the wedding ceremony but not the party to follow. Some brides might think that it could be a way to trim reception costs, but it is actually quite insulting to those who do not make the cut for the reception. Think about how you would feel if you were told that you were welcome to send a wedding present, get all dressed up in your prettiest dress and festive Swarovski crystal bracelets, come to the ceremony, and then go home while some of the other guests got to attend a fabulous party. Talk about all dressed up and no place to go - how awkward would it feel to stand there on the church steps after the ceremony watching the newlyweds and their "A list" head off to celebrate while you were left in the dust? Like junior high all over again, right? This is why it is improper to invite some guests to attend the reception but not others.

There is one exception to the rule that some guests can be welcomed to the wedding ceremony but not the reception. In some church communities, it is customary to announce weddings in the church bulletin, with the understanding that any member of the congregation is free to attend. Some people just want to put on their best dress, and their Swarovski crystal earrings and necklaces and see a beautiful wedding, especially if the bride has grown up in that church. For this type of public invitation, there is no expectation of attending the private reception to follow, nor is the attendee obliged to give a wedding gift. If they wanted, the couple could opt to have a brief reception in the church fellowship hall with coffee, punch, and pastries to have a few moments to visit with those from their church who attended the ceremony. The standard reception for invited guests would then follow at a different location. The bride and groom would issue invitations to their immediate family and friends for the entire wedding, both ceremony and reception.

While it is not usually polite to invite a set of guests to your wedding ceremony but not the reception, the same is not true in reverse. It is considered proper to have a small wedding ceremony attended only by immediate family and friends, followed by a much larger reception, either the same day or at a later date. There can be many reasons to do it this way. Perhaps the bride and groom are members of a religion which only allows people of the same faith to attend a marriage ceremony or maybe they simply prefer to say their vows in front of a very small group of their nearest and dearest.

The thing to do in this case is to issue a formal invitation to the wedding reception, and for those select few whom you wish to have attend the ceremony as well, you also send a ceremony card. The ceremony card is about half the size of the main invitation, and is placed on top of the invitation as an enclosure before being stuffed in the envelopes. It is more common to see wedding invitations issued in the reverse form (a large invitation to the ceremony with a separate small card detailing the reception location), but this the reception invitation with ceremony card is absolutely the correct and proper form for a small ceremony with a large reception.

Pottery Barn Outlet Online Store - Shopping Made Easy!

The internet has pervaded almost every aspect of our lives and shopping is certainly no exception. Shopping at a pottery barn outlet online store is an exceptional experience. With easy navigation, affordable prices and uncomplicated checkout process, it is truly an online shopper's dream come true.

The first thing to do before shopping at any of the Pottery Barn online stores is to establish a budget and a list of items, which you want to purchase. It is important to make this list to avoid missing out on an item later. Next, visit the online store and browse through all available items. All the items will have thumbnail images and a larger image is available upon clicking. It is vital to peruse all the details and description of the item in question. Many of the online stores will have discounts available, especially on older stock. Color of the furniture should be factored in while purchasing an item since it needs to blend in with the home d矇cor.

The company outlet online store has several sections, which make it easy to find what you're looking for. For example, there are sections such as furniture, rugs and windows, bath, bedding, outdoor, accessories and pillows, lighting, tabletop as well as gifts and wedding registry. Be sure to check the sale section because this is where the majority of discounts will be.

One of the advantages about the site is that it has thoughtful ways to search for appropriate d矇cor items for the home. For example, you can shop by rooms such as dining room, family room, kitchen etc. or choose to browse through the latest sale items. The site also offers limited period offers, which typically provide the best bargains of the lot. Some items come with free shipping while others come with delivery discounts.

Pottery Barn has interesting furniture and home d矇cor items, which also serve as very thoughtful gifts. Make sure to check the online store for details.

Do I Need Wedding Insurance?

"Man proposes, God disposes."

With weddings all over the globe getting more elaborate and more expensive, you may be hesitant to add to your costs by opting for a wedding insurance policy. However, the increased expense of modern weddings is the main reason why you should go in for insuring it.

Planning a wedding is a huge responsibility. For several couples, the anxiety of arranging the event is made even deviant by their consistent fear of something going. A wedding insurance policy can reduce a lot of that tension.

Here are some information you want to know about wedding insurance in order to create a adequately informed decision:

What all does it cover?

Whether the groom gets sick the day before or a fire ravages your venue, the wedding insurance will compensate your losses. Most wedding insurance policies protect cancellations due to family illness, salvage and thefts of wedding presents, damages to hired clothes, losses on the day, incapacity of suppliers to fulfill their contracts (in cases of double booking or bankruptcy) and personal liability (guests being pained), etc. Other aspects that are covered comprise deficiency of transport - whether as a outcome of supplier exhaustion or defect, damage or loss to flowers at the venue or while in transit and loss or breakdown to your luggage on that day.

Do I need a wedding insurance policy?

If you are organizing a small celebration with few suppliers who could let you down, then a wedding insurance may not be necessary. You should have a look at how much capital you may lose if you were let down by the supplier (for example, your venue) or you had to call off the whole occurrence. If that comes up to a total of more money than you would like to lose, then wedding insurance is, in all possibility, a extremely adequate choice. It is significant to consider some areas that might be insured by other policies - for instance, theft of your wedding gifts might be covered by the home insurance policy.

What does it cost?

The charge is dependent on the level of insurance you require. It is noteworthy to take a look at few different wedding insurance companies and compare the premiums and the amounts they will protect you for. You may easily get proper quality insurance from a policy which does not cost you an arm and a leg. You must directly compare the sum covered for each aspect to ensure you are getting substantial amount of cover. Also, make sure that you get this without having to pay more than you need to. You will have to pay more if you wish to add optional extras like honeymoon insurance, a wedding in a foreign country or marquee insurance.

How can I buy it?

There are some companies that offer wedding insurances. The wedding insurance policies are available with your local high street companies as well as websites that allow online purchases. Whoever you choose, it is necessary to make sure that the insurance is underwritten by a company which has a reliable reputation.

Your wedding is the most important day in your life. Ensure that you account for all contingencies so that everything goes off without a hitch as you get hitched!

How To Get And Use Cheap Wedding Tulle

You are having a wedding and you want it to be great, ensure it has some wedding tulle. The tulle will help create an ambiance atmosphere which you need in your wedding. Just try it and your wedding will be like the great movie scene weddings. It is made of some synthetic material that is soft, easy to cut and it doesn't need to be sewn afterwards. It is normally used to decorate wedding venue especially the tables, flower pots, and even rope of the walking ways. If you are having a wedding, you could result to buying your own tulle or go for the rental one. In some instances, the tulle could be used to make the veil as it is a net like material; or make trims of the wedding dress.

Wedding tulle come in three different types. The first type is the stiff tulle which is used in making some squared shaped dancing skirts. If you want a good one for your wedding uses, settle for the medium tulle. However, for hanging purposes the soft tulle will be the best. The type you should buy depends on the function you intend to use it for. The tulle fabric, just like any other fabric, comes in bolts which are around 60 to 80 inches. You could buy any size you need as it is sold per yard.

If you are looking for wedding tulle, you could go to the local vendors and check out various qualities and prices. The prices greatly vary and you will certainly get the one that will please you. If you want to make a saving on the tulle you are buying, it is advisable to buy a huge roll and you will get some discounts. Alternatively, check on the online store for the prices and compare them with the local ones. You could then settle on the one which fits your budget. Tulle comes in different colors and if you want to get one at the very reasonable prices, you should settle for the white one. They are always available in reasonable prices.

If your intention was decoration, the cheap wedding tulle will work magic making your ceremony colorful. You can use the tulle to make bow decorations from one end of the church to another or as it pleases you. You could them add a few flowers on the bows you have made. In addition to that, you could also use your tulle to decorate the tables especially the ones which will be holding your gifts and wedding cakes and it add some charm on the table. However, you should be keen to ensure that wherever you have used the tulle, there will be no flames as they will greatly affect them. Chairs will also look great with tulle decorations.

Finally, in your invitation cards, you could add some small pieces of the wedding tulle. It will give them an alluring look. Using hot melted glue, you can put them on the ages of the cards. For this purpose, you could go for the glittery tulle as it won't be needed in large quantities. Wedding tulle is very important for your wedding but there are far more tips you have to know for planning your big day. I have married two years ago and searched a long time for the best ideas that saved tons of money.

Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette - Bride and Groom Inviting

Wording your wedding invitation the right way is a something you need to get right the first time. Costs of reprinting your invitations are an unnecessary expense that you don't need, on top of everything else, and a little research and planning could make all the difference. Who is paying for the wedding? The major bill payer for the event is always mentioned first. Nowadays many couples contribute the majority of costs themselves and therefore should be the names mentioned as 'hosting' or inviting the guests to witness and celebrate their wedding with them.

Make your wedding invitation personal and sincere and set the mood you are hoping for with your wordings and verses. A comprehensive wedding invitation will show all the information necessary for your guests to attend your wedding such as date, time, location, addresses, dress code and R.S.V.P. information.

Ideally your wedding invitations should be sent at least 8 weeks before the wedding date, however your may need to send out invitations or Save the Date cards to overseas guests well in advance, up to six months, before the wedding date so they may arrange flights and accommodations. Save the date cards are a great idea if you would like to inform your friends of your wedding date but as yet have not finalized the specific arrangements.

Wishing well or gift registry information should never be included in the main wording of the invitation. Separate cards are available for this which can be included within the envelope.

If a Bride and Groom are inviting only, wording example follows;

Bride name and Groom name requests the pleasure of the company of Guests names to the celebration of their marriage on Saturday 25th February, 2010 at St. Anne's Church, 25 Church St Sydney, NSW at 4.00pm and afterwards at Diamond Reception Centre 345 Pacific Hwy Hornsby, NSW ETC.

OR

Guests names The pleasure of your company is requested at the marriage of Bride name and Groom name on Saturday 25th February, 2010 at St. Anne's Church 25, Church St Sydney, NSW at 4.00pm and afterwards at Diamond Reception Centre 345 Pacific Hwy Turramurra, NSW ETC.

It may be the case that you would like to include parents names within the information and such wording could be as follows;

Bride name and Groom name Together with their parents Bride parents names and Groom parents names invite Guest names to their wedding at St. Anne's Church Church address and afterwards at Reception Venue and address. ETC.

A simpler version without mentioning parents actual names may be;

Together with their parents Bride name and Groom name would love to invite Guest names to their wedding at St.Anne's Church Church address and afterwards at Reception Venue and address. ETC.

Of course you can use a left hand margin as above, or more traditionally centre your text down the middle of the invitation.

Example of and informal letter style invitation follows;

Bride name and Groom name

C/- Reply address.

Dear Guest name,

We would be pleased to have you join us to witness and celebrate our marriage on Saturday 25th March, 2010 at St. Anne's Church, 25 Church St Sydney, at 4.00pm.

Please also join us at a reception to be held following the ceremony at 6.00pm at The Diamond Reception Centre, 345 Pacific Hwy, Turramurra NSW.

We look forward to having your company and ask you to honour us with your reply by 25th February, 2010 to the address above.

Dress; Black Tie

Yours sincerely

Bride name and Groom name.

Of course there are many versions and options to choose from depending on you own situation, and our examples should be used as a base only. Add your own special sentences and words as you see fit to make it personal and unique to you. It should be from your heart, and because you are setting a scene with your wedding invitations, it should be as casual or formal as you wish your wedding to be. This is a day you will remember for the rest of your life, and many friends and family members may like to keep their invitation as a keepsake along with photos in an album, so spending time to get your invitation right is important.

DreamDay Invitations can help with all your invitation and stationery needs with an amazing range of designer inspired wedding invitation designs and suggested wordings that can be changed or modified to suit any bride and groom in any situation.

Cafe Timer - 10 Dos and Dont's For Installing Cafe Timer Software

Anywhere you have unattended computers like Internet caf矇, public kiosk workstation or computer class, many times you need to use a caf矇 timer.

Now, if you are asking: "Cafe what? huh?", caf矇 timer is simply a program, installed on all your computers.

This piece of software locks and unlocks your workstation according to how much time people can to use your computer. For example in any Internet caf矇, you would usually approach a cashier and ask to use a computer for a certain time. Most of the time, cashier will give you a code, that works like one of those telephone calling cards. You punch in the code and it will let you work for say 10 minutes and then lock you out.

I would say this software is a must, because you don't want to run around counting how much each person has to pay you, by hand. It's horrible. What's even more horrible is have to pay somebody to do it for you manually.

Guess what you will be doing all day, if you do not have this software?

One of these two things:

1. Running around after people and


2. Arguing about the charges you need to apply to their credit cards.

Perhaps it is fun up to some point, if you have two computers and you like talking to your customers all the time.

If you have twenty... Forget it.

Now, that we got this out-of-the-way, let's look at what you should and should not do with caf矇 timer.

Definitely use a professional software specifically designed for this purpose.

It is very convenient and saves you a lot of problems.

I mean, I don't even know how to do it any other way to be honest. How can you efficiently lock people out of your computer after some time without a special software. So you do need that... Check!

Do configure your workstation with a strong security in mind

Always make sure your Windows user that executes everything does not have any admin or power user privileges. You do NOT want that. There is never any justification for that, any software should run under a regular user. In fact, create the most limited user you can make and do not let any access to your disk except read only access to Windows system directories. I show you how to do it in my caf矇 software secrets email series.

Do NOT rely entirely only on your caf矇 timer.

I mean it's good piece of software, but it doesn't replace an anti-virus. Nor does it replace a backup. Trust me, nothing replaces backup, because If you are like me and you never do any backups, you will be very, very, VERY sorry one day. I have been there, I know.

Do check and clean your registry from time to time.

Running timer software and other programs will clutter your registry. I show you a good, free registry cleaner in my email series, so go sign up, download it and use it. There is no excuse not to.

Do use screen lock feature of your caf矇 management program.

This feature provides a more secure option for controlling your systems and does not allow users to use the computers at all without the screen-lock being deactivated. This golden feature will allow you to sit planted on your chair instead of running around.

Do lock your computer box in a table.

There are "shut down" and "restart" buttons there usually. Although caf矇 software will recover from lost power, why risk it? I found my clients had less hardware problems and service interruptions when you lock your computers up. Make sure you have adequate ventilation in the box, otherwise, you will fry your computers very quickly. So give then a breather.

Do consider installing a close circuit camera in the room where computers are...

At least keep this in mind for the future. I do know a few people, where it came in very handy (they asked me not to go into details about their stories, but lets just say it saved them many fees in lawyer's fee). You do not have to watch and record every computer, but at least the room is nice. No need for minute details.

Do integrate your timer software with your cash register.

Use it, you will not regret it. When the client pays for everything, it will just generate a key for him to unlock a workstation.

Do use up-sells and cross sells.

This is a sneaky trick all marketers use. You can literally double or triple the value of each of your customer by using that single trick. They bought a cup of coffee? Excellent! How about a doughnut to go with it? And since you will be drinking coffee and eating your doughnut, would you like to check your email or access the Internet while you are at it?

See where I am getting at? Offer a price cheaper, than he would otherwise get buying those items separately.

Do buy a rugged keyboard and mouse.

Even if your sign says: "No food and drinks beyond this point", be ready, that a lot of people will ignore it. If you invest in rugged keyboard and mouse, you will not even have to put up a sign. If they spill coffee or juice on your keyboard - no problem. You can just wash it with soap and in 5 minutes it's gone.

Finding the Perfect Invitation Card That Rises to Any Occasion

The perfect invitation card will fit any occasion, weddings, birthday celebrations, anniversary events, holiday festivities and many others types of celebrations or observances. They are a great way to share with friends and family important special days. Versatility is the mark of the perfect card because it can rise to any occasion. Normally, there are different types of cards representing different important occasions:

The traditional Wedding card is a written communication from the bride and groom to the guests which has all the necessary details of the nuptial event to which the guests must respond. Typically, it is formal and mailed to each recipient five to eight weeks before the wedding day. However ethnic wedding invitations are becoming very popular these day because they are unique and largely differ from the traditional invitations.

The Birthday card, whether for a one-year old or a centenarian, will always be festive and vibrant. The missive contains the name of the celebrant, the invited guest, time and place of the party and additional information like RSVP and the theme of the party.

Christening or baptism invitation cards are usually sent to godparents, friends and family. Regardless of denomination, in this special day the child is officially named. It gives everyone the opportunity to welcome the child into the Family, the Church, and the Community. The invitation includes the baby's name, and the date, location and time of the christening. It may also state the place for the reception afterward.

Holiday Party Cards - Festive holidays like Christmas or New Year's Eve are always celebrated with parties so all kinds of cards are sent out. Such times are reasons to be jubilant and throw a party. People just love celebrating any event, milestone or holiday with a bang. No matter what the occasion, an invitation card is always important. Unlike wedding invitations, the holiday cards are usually very informal and don't need to be delivered weeks ahead.

Cards for a bachelor party or bridal shower are sent to friends or acquaintances of the engaged couple. The party is held before the wedding day to collect money as a gift to go toward wedding or honeymoon. Unlike a wedding invitation, anyone can attend - the more guests the merrier! The card highlights all the information needed by guests who want to join in the festivities.

There are many companies in that you can contact to help you create invitation cards. Whether it is a wedding invitation or other type of celebratory occasion, the perfect invitation card is within your reach.