Factors To Consider When Choosing A Wedding Venue; How To Make The Wedding Reception A Success
Author: John Stronack
You have made the most important decision of your life, to get married, and most importantly, you have found the right partner to share your life with. Great! Now you have to decide on the perfect venue for your wedding, which is not as easy as it seems. For any event to be a success, meticulous planning and foresight are pre-requisites. We have thought of everything for your D-day and have a few ideas to share with you:
The Wedding Scene!
When choosing where to hold your wedding reception, keep in mind the number of people you plan to invite. Always make it a point to visit the venue before finalizing the terms of the agreement and don’t be shy to ask questions and to look all over the place to satisfy your curiosity. Preferably, choose a venue not too far from where the wedding ceremony will take place, a matter of convenience for you and your guests.
In order to facilitate all this, you must make it a point to book the venue in advance. Compare the various choices available to you based on factors such as:
• rent;
• square footage;
• food;
• ambiance;
• reputation;
• parking;
• accessibility; and
• décor.
There are many additional factors that need to be considered depending on your circumstances. The best way to evaluate a reception hall is based on value. Ask yourself this question: Do you feel you are getting your money’s worth?
Value for Money
One reception hall may seem to have a higher price per meal, but it may include all sorts of services that a lower-priced hall does not offer. For example, be sure to find out whether the price includes table linens (there may be an extra charge for colored tablecloths or napkins), glass barware (some facilities use plastic cups to save money which could look tacky!), china, table centerpieces, etc. Finally, value for money can be relative and depends on what you consider most important. It helps to have a well-defined set of criteria when evaluating and comparing potential wedding venues.
Bar Area
Another aspect that requires consideration is the bar area. After the ceremony, your guests will probably be thirsty and will want something to drink. Decide whether to offer alcohol or just soft drinks. You will also want to decide what to serve during the toast and how to serve it. Some locations will have a built-in bar. If the location doesn’t have one, you will want to make sure you can serve alcohol there. With bars, costs can soar high. Be sure that you have an accurate handle on the costs of an open bar or set a limit on the amount of alcohol to be served. Since receptions can last a long time, you might want to have a limited bar period and then serve other beverages for the remaining of the reception.
Sure-Fire Success Formula
Your wedding reception could be a smashing event with careful planning:
The More, the Merrier!
Wedding receptions are marked by large numbers. If your budget permits, ensure that you have more than 100 guests.
Gastronomical Experience
An elaborate wedding menu with too many choices can be mind-boggling and the guests may not be able to savour the experience after all. Keep the menu simple.
Ensure Suppliers Stick to Their Commitments
Arrange proper contracts with your suppliers like bands, DJ, florists, caterers. Make sure you have everything in writing from your suppliers and give them in return written confirmation. Inquire about any additional costs that could be charged for such things as accommodation, traveling, and meals.
On a final note, make it a point to consult with the groom and try to take into consideration his preferences. It will give him a sense of participation and, after all, he is getting married too!
Men’s Wedding Rings, A Recent Phenomena, Or Should A Man Wear A Wedding Ring Or Not
Author: Peter Crump
Strange as it may seem the use of a wedding ring by men was not common until recently. Whereas women have worn wedding rings for eons, men have not. The use of rings as a symbol of everlasting love enshrined in marriage can be traced back thousands of years. But not so much for men.
It was, in fact, during the second world war that the use of wedding rings by men became more common. (Note that mens wedding rings and mens wedding bands are interchangeable, both meaning the same thing.)
It became the custom for US soldiers going to war to publicise their marital status by the wearing of a man’s wedding ring. They were happy to make public their commitment to their wife by the wearing of a public symbol that declared that commitment to all. Given that this habit of wearing mens wedding bands was reasonably new it was all the more creditable that these men were willing to forego the marital obscurity available to them from not wearing a ring and actively chose to make a public statement about their choice.
Men’s wedding rings have become increasingly more common since that time. Today it is probably as common for a newly married man to wear a ring as not. This may be due to several factors. The modern man may consider it his duty to choose to make the same public marital statement as his wife will. And his wife may well consider it a condition of the marriage that he do so. After all, in these days of equality, if she is prepared to make a statement then should he not do so as well?
Despite the fact that the wearing of a ring by a woman is a matter of choice, it is in fact almost obligatory due to the fact that it is so common. Many women do not even consider the possibility of not wearing one. Often, however, a man usually considers the wearing of a man wedding ring very carefully.
There are a number of issues to consider. Firstly, is he concerned about a public display of his marital status? Some men, whether rightly or wrongly, are threatened by this. Others are not in the least concerned.
Secondly whilst the wearing of jewellery by women is so common as to go unremarked that is not necessarily the case for men. For many men the wearing of mens wedding bands is just a case of being asked to wear jewellery. Men often do not feel comfortable wearing jewellery and in many cases have never done so before. Whilst some men see their wedding band as different to wearing ordinary jewellery, others feel just the same as if they were being asked to wear ear rings. “It’s just not done by men”. The author, for example, wears a man wedding band, but would never consider wearing any other form of jewellery.
And as many men have never worn any form of jewellery before they have no idea what it will feel like to have something permanently on the finger. Is it heavy? Does it rub? Silly as it may seem to women this can be of concern to some men.
(If this genuinely is of concern it is quite possible to find a cheap jewellery shop, buy the cheapest ring available and wear it for a while. See exactly what it feels like. And find out your size at the same time.)
Men’s wedding rings are, in the eyes of some men, effeminate. “Real men” don’t wear rings or jewellery at all. This is becoming less of an issue as the wearing of a man’s wedding ring becomes more common, but is still an issue with many men.
Culture is also a consideration. In many cultures the wearing of wedding rings by men would never be considered. Men must think about how their particular culture, and also their religion, would view the wearing of a wedding band.
There are also practical considerations. Many men are engaged in trades where the wearing of a man wedding band would be downright dangerous. Although unlikely it is quite possible for a ring to get caught in machinery. In some jobs a ring cannot be worn on the job, and must be removed. This can also apply to women.
Ultimately though, the wearing of a men’s ring is just one of the many choices the man will have to make once he makes the commitment to marry. And it is often a choice made by the couple together, maybe one of the first they make in conjunction about their wedding.
Which finger is the ring worn on, and why?
Generally a man’s wedding band is worn on the ring finger, the same as for women. The ring finger, for those unmarried men not familiar with the concept, is the fourth finger of the left hand. This is considered to be the finger closest to the heart.
This notion came originally from the ancient Greeks who believed that this finger had an artery which flowed straight to the heart. Whilst anatomically incorrect this makes for good fable.
So you have both decided that he will wear a men’s wedding ring!
Once the man or couple have made the decision to purchase a men’s wedding ring for him there are still choices to make. Do they want to wear a matching set? Or does he prefer that his ring looks quite different to his wife’s. It is perfectly possible for a couple to buy a ring set where the style of the rings match perfectly, or even with matching engraved messages of love.
Generally though, even where the couple are to wear a matching ring set, the two rings are different. It is more common for the man’s wedding ring to be wider than the woman’s. This is because men’s hands and women’s hands are different. A woman usually has narrower finer fingers, and so a narrower band suits her hand. A man on the other hand has wider chunkier fingers and so a wider man wedding band is more suited.
This often results in the mans ring costing more than the woman’s ring even with matching styles, as the mans ring uses more, often expensive, material.
There are many innovative styles available now. Many men prefer a simple unadorned band, however others enjoy highly decorated styles which make a loud statement. The wearing of, for example, very wide and highly adorned Celtic rings is becoming much more common.
When considering the styles of men’s wedding rings it is well worth thinking about the personality of the individual. While different men have very different personalities different rings will suit different personalities as well. A loud outgoing man, for example, can wear a loud outgoing unique men’s ring.
There are many different ring materials which also reflect the personality of the individual. Titanium or Platinum are both becoming much more popular. Whilst diamonds are not, of course, as popular with men as with women, they do make a clear statement which pleases some men who choose them. Diamond men’s rings clearly say “I can afford it” or at least the big ones do. But it can be a brave man who chooses to wear a large diamond band.
Wedding Planning Tips Make A Plan To Spend Fewer Than $1000 On Your Own Wedding
Author: Jennifer Walter
Your wedding has been decided but you have to do all in just $1,000.00. Only detailed planning coupled with strong analysis shall protect from going over budget. If few things are taken special care of then you can do this without losing a sweat. If planning a wedding under $1000 then it requires that you take some hard and crucial decision at an early stage.
Preliminary points of planning an under $ 1000 wedding -
First and foremost, this wedding will be planned and executed by you. Forget the thought of hiring a professional wedding planner as its not permissible in your budget. Buy a guidebook that would give you inputs as well as get things organized for you. Then search the net extensively for sites that help you in the process and give definitive details of everything from starch to end all free.
Enter keyword “free wedding planning” and you will have all the information required. Online software such as ezweddingplanning.com or then theknot.com will help. You can always visit your local book store to find kits and books. The best way to control expenses would be to spend more on items that can be sources for free and spend miserly on things that burn a hole in your pocket.
Cake ought to be there!
Would you believe that a caking could cost you as much as $500, that’s one half of your total budget. But if carefully spent then options are aplenty. If you can locate a culinary school close by then what better, ask a student to do one exquisitely for you and it shall cost you a dime against a privately made cake You could also offer the school some thing in return if they have it made for you for free. What if an aunt or a friend knows how to make one then you relax instantly.
If that were to happen then it lets your aunt/friend take part while you celebrate a special day in life. This will be of great help as ingredients and toppings and icing can cost $100 for a made for 100 people. A cake can be made to look priceless sans multiple tiers or heavy icing. Like if you have a 3-piece cake holder it will resemble the look of 3 tiers cake. It is easy to do this, have 3 cakes made (one medium size, 2 small size) place them on top of the holder and it spells elegance. Chocolates cakes are usually ordered by the groom and guest would enjoy coco flavor.
Few important things to know
When you start out you would like to have all different pomp and gaiety for your wedding for example, DJ, caterers, live performance, photographers etc, but these could really spiral up the costs so decisions have to be taken with the mind and not with the heart when you are planning your wedding with $1000 in hand. Yes a glorious wedding can take place with $1000 but planning is must.
If you want to save on cost them organize the wedding from a friends or relative’s place also formal evening wedding events are tad expensive than afternoon or morning ceremonies. Dresses are expensive to say the least, so look for one online or buy from a resale shop.