The Wedding Master

  When little girls spend their math classes daydreaming of weddings (instead of winning the World Series -- not to say you can't do both), what do they dream of first? The perfect wedding dress, of course: a gown in white satin with a bustle and sweeping train, the perfect embellishments, and the perfect shoes. There are few occasions in our modern world where a woman finds herself in a position to wear a no-holds-barred ball gown, much less a crystal tiara, and all too many where she's called on to wear to a neutral suit or uninspiring "biz-caz" combo. No wonder that with so many brides, their wedding plans start with the dress. Many of these brides are lucky. They may search high and low, braving chilly department stores and pushy bridal shops, but eventually they come face-to-face with The One. They know this is The One because they start crying, or their mother or friends all start crying at once. Suddenly the rest of the planning ... the theme, the tone, the

  With marriage proposals modernizing into an "anything goes" mentality, long-standing proposal customs are often considered optional, adding confusion to what's considered proper when it comes to proposing. In fact, a recent proposal survey conducted by Korbel Champagne Cellars revealed that 68 percent of Americans agree that there's no "right" way to propose. Korbel and etiquette expert Peter Post weigh in on some of today's most-discussed proposal etiquette issues: Meet the Parents * This is a common question and an area where the rules have slightly changed. The concept of asking your intended's parents' permission to wed may seem old-fashioned, but the modern equivalent isn't - discussing your plans and intentions with your future in-laws is still a sign of respect. On Bended Knee * Once considered a sign of servitude to the lover, this tradition dates back to the days of knights and chivalry and continues to evoke romance

  Are you getting married soon and need to write your wedding vows? Can't think of the right words to say or use? Do you need some sample wedding vows to jump start your thinking? Hey, we know what you're going through, so relax a little bit and check out these sample vows you can use for your wedding. Now, keep in mind that there are differing vows for each religion. Also, these are not set in stone, and can be changed around to your liking or combined with other vows. The choice is yours, just remember to check with your officiant before totally committing to whatever vow you choose. (Especially if you are getting married in a church or synagogue - they probably have set standards on what is acceptable.)   Common Sample Wedding Vow I, (Bride or Groom), take thee, (Bride or Groom) to be my lawfully wedded (wife or husband), to have and to hold from this day on, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or health, to love and to cherish, 'til

  For casual ceremonies, the sky is really the limit as to style. But most weddings follow a certain set of formalities in their invitations. Here is a template for a normal wedding invitation:            Mr. and Mrs. John Doe    request the honour of your presence     at the marriage of their daughter               Kathryn Marie                    and           Mr. James Henry Smith      on Saturday, the tenth of July          two thousand and five             at seven o’clock           First Baptist Church             222 Ellerbe Road               Paris, Texas   As for a formal wedding template, there are some rules of wording that are appropriate:   1.   Spell out every word, even the date and year. Street, not St. Road, not Rd. 2.   Use Roman numerals in titles, such as David Kenneth Williams III. Do not use "3rd" or "third". 3.   For weddings in a church, say "request the honour of your presence". F

  When they got married in 2002, Elizabeth Spees and Michael Robinson chose something different to put on their wedding gift wish list: farm animals. The couple asked their guests to contribute to an "ark" through Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that provides livestock and agricultural training to impoverished families all over the world. Creating an ark means collecting $5,000, which goes toward education and sustainable development of Heifer projects in any one of 50 countries, including the U.S. Their guests met that goal and more, which the Robinsons said was a joy because they wanted to help others rather than collect more stuff they did not need. Heifer International's new online "Giving Registry" allows people to set up wish lists for milestones such as weddings, anniversaries, Bar Mitzvahs and birthdays; school and church fundraisers; or memorials for loved ones. The Giving Registry is part of Heifer International's popular o

  It is my recommendation that you order your Wedding Invitations at least four weeks prior to mailing them out to your guests.   This will allow you plenty of time to receive your Wedding Invitations and double check your order to make sure you have received everything you ordered and no mistakes were made.   It will allow you enough time for a reprint is needed.   It will also allow you plenty of time to address all the envelopes.   Wedding Invitations should be mailed out so that your guest will receive them at least   six to eight weeks prior to the Wedding.   This will allow your guest enough time to make travel plans and return the respond card you included with your Wedding Invitation.   Typically the respond by date should be two weeks prior to your wedding date.   This should allow you enough time to make your final preparations. You will have many other things to take care of as your wedding approaches and the last thing you need is to have to rush to get your wedding i

  Many people are tremendously thrilled when they find true love.   One of the most wonderful time in a person’s life is when they are engaged and setting up a marriage.   Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful or a great experience, depending on how you plan it.   Here are some tips on how to plan a great wedding. It is important that you talk to your partner about what you would like your wedding ceremony to be.   Many times a lot of the stress comes from a couple not in agreement on what they would like to include in their wedding.   If you and your fiancé are on the same page, your wedding plans should run smoother. Make sure you have the proper budget.   Many couples run into the problem of funding their wedding.   Weddings can be very expensive and most couples starting out don’t have the kind of capital to invest in their wedding.   Make sure that you plan within your means; you don’t want to start your marriage off with a large debt. Be upfront with your family.