This isn’t your Aunt Mabel’s wedding! You’ve got attitude and it’s your day to say it! colour your wedding! Vibrant, exciting? You don’t dress in pale colour and you don’t have to dress your wedding that way either! Here’s a list of colours and their meanings in our society. WHITE: Brides have been dressing in white since 1840, when Queen Victoria married in a white, opulent gown. Before that, brides wore any colour but black. White symbolizes purity, the innocence of childhood. In the Christian liturgy, it symbolizes the brightness of the day. GOLD: In Christian liturgy, gold, like white, symbolizes the brightness of the day. In our culture, it often symbolizes riches. As a trim or accessory to earth tones (brown, green, orange) it may give vibrancy and glow. It also works well with bright and full colours such as burgundy, deep green. BLACK: The traditional colour of mourning, but recently it has become the colour of sophistication. For a svelte wedding, it is perfectly acceptable to dress your bridesmaids in black, perhaps with white accessories and trim. It also can make a maturing accent with a bright or light main colour. PURPLE/VIOLET: Way back to early Egypt, purple has represented royalty. During the Renaissance, purple, deep red and black were royal colours and, at time, ordinary people could be arrested for using those special colours. But you can use them! Purple, in Christian liturgy, symbolizes the sovereignty of Christ and repentance of sin. In China, though, purple is the colour of mourning. RED: Usually a symbol of blood and fire, it is a conflicted colour: One side expresses war and violence, but the other side expresses love, warmth and compassion. Our brides don’t usually wear red, but in China it is the traditional colour for a wedding dress and symbolizes good luck. It is traditional in India, also. Consider using red, if you love it, at your wedding. GREEN: Symbol of growth. Combines the spiritual aspect of blue and the emotional vibrancy of yellow. It combines beautifully with other earth tones as well as gold tones. In China is represents the Yin, the passive and receptive principle. BLUE: colour of the sky, this colour is associated with spirituality, feminity (although it is true that boy babies often wear it,) fidelity, cleanness and freshness. There is very little negative aspect associated with this colour! PINK: This is a "new" colour, invented in the 17th Century to describe the colour of the flowers called pinks. We think of it as a feminine, sweet colour, but in Japan, adult movies are called "pink" movies. In Catholicism is symbolizes joy and happiness. YELLOW: Shine, light, knowledge, happiness, and joy. On the other side, it suggests deceit and cowardice. In Egypt it is traditionally associated with mourning, in Japan, courage. The Chinese connect it to the Yang principle of Yin-Yang–the active, creative male side. ORANGE: It is reported that people who love life like orange. It is stimulating but warm. It adds verve to earth tones and, when used with white, reminds people of those childhood treats, vanilla ice-cream wrapped in orange Popsicle. BROWN: Could be dull, but it is considered natural, down-to-earth, friendly, dependable. A neutral you can mix with many other colours to warm your celebration. So consider your wedding image: Vibrant? Responsible? Warm? Gentle? Compassionate? A forever, steady relationship? Think about what your colours are saying! About the Author: Sue Redman, Costumer/Owner of Costumes Galore at http://www.costumesgalore.com

Technorati Tags: wedding colours, wedding themes

Popularity: 100% [?]

Lillian Hammond, offers 10 tips to make savings on your wedding costs. Using the lessons learnt from her own wedding to help other people going through the same experience.

Tip 1: Schedule your wedding "off-season."

Nearly 70% of all weddings take place between May and October of each year. You will probably find yourself able to get better deals on virtually every wedding service if you schedule your wedding in one of the "off season" months. Also avoid late November through New Year’s, when hotels, caterers and bands are likely to be busy with holiday parties.

What is the best time to set your wedding?

I would suggest setting the date for sometime between October and mid November and between January and May (avoiding Valentine’s Day, when the flower prices peak). On setting up your wedding date off-peak, you will find yourself in a fantastic bargaining position and you will be able to get deals with virtually every vendor!

Tip 2: Cut down on your food and drinks bill

The easiest way to cut down on your food and drinks bill is to cut down on your guest list. It may be painful, but the simple truth is that there is no quicker, easier way to control your budget than by limiting the size of the event. Again, your single biggest cost will be reception food and alcohol, so you can reduce that expenditure by paring down the number of mouths. Remember: Single guests who are not in a serious relationship can be invited solo. Also you may invite parents only; and you need not invite anyone who you have not been in contact with in the last five years, even if they invited you to their wedding.

Tip 3: Buy a non-bridal gown

Bridal gowns aren’t the only white dresses in the world. It may be that the perfect wedding dress for you is not found in a bridal salon, but among the women’s evening wear section of a department store (try the sale rack!). Especially during the last several seasons, while elegant, understated gowns have been in style, the line between bridal wear and formalwear has blurred. You might even find that the perfect gown for you is a more-affordable bridesmaid’s style, done in white or ivory.

Tip 4: Negotiate!

When buying anything marked "wedding" it always has a premium attached to it! So please negotiate! I suggest you start at half price and then work upwards.

Tip 5: Have your ceremony and reception in the same location

There will be no need for limos to take you to the second location. Many houses of worship have halls that are equipped to handle wedding receptions at reasonable fees, especially if you are a member. Likewise, if you are having a civil ceremony, many venues have got a hall, where you could hold the reception. By doing that, you will not need to buy arrival drinks, as this is often bought for people while they are waiting for everyone to arrive.

Tip 6: Selecting your photographer

Instead of selecting a wedding photographer, you will be able to make a saving if you choose an amateur photographer who is about to go professional and requires experience. Obviously, make sure you look at his/her prior work before making your selection. Ask friends and family and you may be surprised who they know. Going to photography colleges may be a good starting point. Obviously, you understand that by doing this, you will be taking a slight risk so if you are not prepared to do that, I will suggest you take a wedding photographer, and agree for him to stay for half of the day instead of the full day. This way, you don’t have to spend as much as if he stayed for the whole day!

Tip 7: Share the costs of the Church flowers

If you’re getting married in church, sometimes you can arrange with other couples getting married on the same day to share the cost of decorating the church. Ask the church who normally supplies their flowers - it’s usually someone local who does it for a hobby and may charge only a small fee to do your flowers. Also getting married a day or two after a big religious event usually ensures the church is well decorated.

Tip 8: Honeymoon

Ask for "honeymoon vouchers" on your wedding list - some travel firms now offer these. This way, people will be contributing to your honeymoon costs.

Tip 9: Hire the groom’s attire

No need to buy the attire, you can rent the groom’s attire between £60 and £90. If you decide to buy it, it would cost you about £200 or more, which the groom will probably not wear again.

Tip 10: Use a venue that doesn’t charge a hiring fee

For example, you could choose your local pub or favourite restaurant. This will save you on the hiring fee, and the cost per head would be cheaper than in a hotel. To find out more, visit http://www.yourweddingforless.co.uk

About the Author

Lillian organised her own wedding on a budget of 5000 pounds. She spent 6 months prior to her wedding researching vendors, comparing products and prices; meeting with photographers; hotel managers; and many more wedding vendors to understand how she could save on each wedding item. She realised that it is possible to have a fantastic wedding without breaking the bank and decided to share her tips with others.

Technorati Tags: Wedding Savings, Wedding Tips

Popularity: 87% [?]

A wedding can be one of the most joyful things in a woman’s life. Whether small or large, it can bring joy with its uplifting atmosphere, but wedding planning is not a picnic. While the actual wedding might be a joyful breeze, wedding shopping is not quite as easy. It requires time and dedication. During wedding shopping, one needs to address certain topics including: the amount of money being contributed, the theme of the wedding, the wedding attire, and the wedding stationery.Money can help tremendously in a wedding. With a lot of money, a soon to be bride can choose an experienced wedding planner. Wedding planners help take some of the crushing stress that wedding shopping can cause. A great deal of money contributed to the wedding may even cause a bride to feel more relaxed when planning a wedding. Even though money can help a bride achieve a beautiful wedding, lack of money is not an obstacle While it is imperative that a wedding is planned with enough of a time gap, it is even more important when saving money. A bride will need time to look at a lot of different prices when wedding shopping. There are many ways to cut corners. One way is buying a small wedding cake for display and having a large sheet cake to eat. If it is possible to rent something, one should rent it instead of buying it. While flowers from professional florists are lovely, a bride should check to see if there are any local floral design schools in her area. Checking out the work of the schools, she may be impressed, and their price is drastically lower than a florists. The date of the wedding will even drop the price. The bride should consider having the wedding on a Friday instead of a Saturday. When wedding shopping, the theme of the wedding is very important. The theme of the wedding can determine the wedding stationery, the decorations, the attire, the food, and even the location. The theme should reflect both the couple. There are numerous themes. Most themes are from a time period, ethnic tradition, or from something that the couple admires. Some examples of themes are The Seaside, The Renaissance, A Night in Paris, or an African Celebration. If the couple chooses, they do not have to go with the traditional themes. They can create their own atmosphere. The theme wholly depends on the couple. The wedding attire is one of the most exciting things during wedding shopping. It includes the wedding dress. Often it is one of the main things that women dream of that is related to weddings. Shopping for the perfect wedding dress can make the stress of wedding shopping worthwhile. It is okay for a bride to bring her family and friends when shopping for a bridal gown, but she should not bring them with her when she is shopping for the first time. While their opinions are interesting and important, the bride’s opinion is even more important. Her family and friends should not alter her viewpoints. She is the one who has to wear the dress down the aisle. The groom’s tuxedo should match the bride’s elegance. While the bride’s dress has to look the best, the bride maids’ dresses should be beautiful too. Their dresses shouldn’t look like they were just last minute additions. Wedding stationery is a very important aspect of wedding shopping. It includes invitations, programs, Thank You cards, envelope seals, and many other things that go along with these items. Invitations are one of the first types of stationery that is needed. Thank You cards are one of the last things that are needed, but they are just as equally important. The stationery can be made or ordered. Depending on the numbers of guest coming to the wedding, the stationery can be a big task. With so much to buy the plan carefully, build a budget and try and stick to it. Take the money side seriously but have some fun while you shop.

Technorati Tags: Wedding Shopping, Wedding Planning

Popularity: 50% [?]

Photography becomes a very important part of your wedding. Afterwards, reminiscences locked and archived on paper do help you remember your special day. Nostalgia has always been one of man’s weaknesses, and photography has helped to fulfill this needs.

Deciding on your wedding photography is crucial and it is very important to exercise some wisdom in doing so.

The first pointer is not to allow any of your friends or relatives to take up the responsibility for taking the photos. Although they mean to help, it is advisable to appoint a professional photographer to do the job. If a friend does something wrong, you will not only lose out on the most important remembrances of your life but may break a friendship.

Photographic styles

Photographic styles have developed greatly over the previous few decades.

Traditional photography that included family photographs, group photographs, photographs depicting signing the register, cutting the cake etc. have given way to modern styles that see more individual or couple shots, memorable shots etc. Many photographers also offer photographs that are at par with your family albums, exactly the way your father or your grand father’s marriages were shot with all the works Black and White and sepia.

Reportage style involves a sort of photo journalism style that runs like a story. You could look at these photographs and rebuild the whole wedding. Although reportage is a little hard to master, it has evolved in recent years. Very few photographers can do justice to this style of photography. Good reportage style of photography involves composition, emotion and a skill for good storytelling. They are the corner stone of becoming a good reportage style photographer.

Always arrange to see photographers at their studios so that you can assess their work. Ask them for complete sets of weddings shot. This will help you decide whether the quality of photography is consistent through out the event or not. See the expressions on the faces of the photographs. Do they look natural, if so, the photographer has a knack of putting their clients at ease.

Make sure the samples you are seeing are the photographs shot by the photographer who would be covering your wedding.

Assess at least three photographers by visiting them before you make your decision. Always make sure you know the itinerary of the photographer on your wedding day. Select a photographer who does only one wedding a day, that way, he will be fresh and at his creative best.

Ask if the photographer is a member of any clubs or organisations. Memberships with organizations like BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photography) or MPA (Master Photographers Association) indicates that the photographer is a qualified professional who has reached a certificated standard.

The photographer should also keep abreast touch with the latest trends in photography. Make sure that the photographer carries backup equipment in case of failure on the site.

Cost of Photography

The quality of Photography you will get is directly proportional to your budget. However, a budget between £500 and £1000 should get you a good quality album full of photographs. If you are not keen on a budget, you should look for a photographer above the £1500 threshold for a photographer who can get you artistic quality wedding photographs.

Booking

Book your photographer as soon as you fix your dates for wedding and reception. Good photographers are generally booked for 12 to 24 months.

Looking for recommendation across your friends or relative network has greater chances of landing you on a good photographer.

Technorati Tags: Wedding photography, reportage wedding photography

Popularity: 29% [?]

Do not forget the wedding ring a saying famously drummed into the best man before the wedding, well that goes for the future bride/Groom as well. With all wedding preparations it is quite easy to slip your mind to buy the most important item that makes the wedding ceremony a memorable one. The wedding ring is so important because it bonds two people together and it is the exchange of wedding rings that finalize the vow (I do). Do a check list of all your wedding plans and be sure that choosing a perfect wedding ring is one of your top priorities besides turning up on the day? Choosing a wedding ring is not as simple as you think, much thought is needed behind your chosen design. What you have to remember the wedding band binds the happy couple together forever. This ornate piece of Jewelry with so much meaning will be worn every day so we need to choose something pretty special. Back to your budget which will play an important role when making your choice, because of the penny shortage does not mean that you can not have that piece of warm gold or cool silver, if precious stones were to be embedded or mounted in your actual design then don’t expect to many diamonds with just a fist full of dollars. Jewelry materials like what is used in wedding rings have evolved over the years. Popular is the 14K/18 yellow gold which you will find more of a favourable option worldwide. Close on its heels is the white gold gaining more popularity by the day. Why not consider platinum, known to be one of the hardest metals and once again a fine choice in a wedding ring. Platinum is a durable material and therefore able to hold up to any wear and tear. Platinum wedding rings look very similar to rings made of white gold which many can be excused for the mix up but at the end of the day both look stylish and elegant. However, platinum wedding rings are more expensive. For the man it has to be Titanium which is becoming a favourite among the male species. It is light and long lasting and far less expensive as platinum. Once again Titanium wedding rings can be mistaken for the white gold in appearance. Styles and what to choose is where you come in, only you know what you are looking for therefore it is wise to shop around before making the final decision, you would never forgive yourself if you see a cheaper ring around the corner and more beautiful. There are so many designs and styles to choose from. You have traditional plain bands to more up market exquisite ones. Modern society designs are worth checking out. Why not opt for a two-tone wedding band. Celtic wedding rings are famous these days with couples where they bond their marriage with highly carved and engraved work of a craftsman. In some cases the bride matches her wedding ring with the design of her engagement ring. This also has to be taken into consideration when mixing and matching especially when both rings are worn on the same finger. It is best to know the ring size if shopping out of a catalogue or online. By going into a jewellers for the wedding bands will cause you less stress where if the rings are ordered they may not be the right size or wrong design when delivered therefore all the heartache of having to send them back. Now we dont want more heartache than necessary as you have that to come with married life (Only joking) Online shopping is an easy option just be sure to have the right measurements etc and all should be hunky dory just like the hunk you are about to marry. About The Author: Kacy Carr Dress to impress on your wedding day with the help of this fabulous site. Everthing you could possibly need when planning your wedding can be found here at http://www.your-wedding-planning-help.com

Technorati Tags: wedding rings, gold and silver wedding rings

Popularity: 57% [?]