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Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning wedding. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Engagement Announcements
January 20, 2008
Think of an impending inter caste marriage, and the first thing that comes to mind is a sobbing mother, an angry father and one rebellious offspring. Inter caste marriages in India have long been a reason for familial, and sometimes communal, discord. Seemingly innocuous love affairs have turned into law and order nightmares. All this while, today?s young generation thinks what this religious fuss is all about? The human genome may have been cracked, but understanding an average Indian parents? DNA still seems elusive. But things are changing for the better. Archaic mindsets are changing; parents are no longer very hostile to an inter caste arrangement. And Dr. Manmohan Singh made this happen. Surprised? Read on.
Love is like water, it finds its own way. Today, we see more intercommunity marriages taking place than at any other time. When Dr. Manmohan Singh opened up the floodgates of our economy in 1991, little must he have realized that his move will also help a thousand flowers bloom in the garden of love? When the Indian markets opened up, new jobs started coming into India. And this led to a large-scale migration of people within the country. You would find a Haryanvi & an Iyenagar, a Bengali & a Marathi manoos sharing cubicles and hobnobbing at office water fountains. And it included people of the opposite sexes, too. Young hearts and fertile minds, which could survive on love and fresh air, threw issues like religion and caste in the recycle bin. All they were looking for was compatibility and unconditional love.
The new companies that came into India were MNCs, and they brought their professional work culture along with them. That meant reward for good work, irrespective of the gender, and longer working hours. This spelt more opportunities for Indian women and extended time in the office and more interaction with co-workers of the opposite sex. Also, in a new city, an individual is all on his own and very lonely. A few loving words, and a warm shoulder, work like magic and bring strangers closer. Besides, in an unknown city, one tends to grow more adventurous, as the fear of being caught is left back in the old town. Offices became breeding grounds of romance.
Those who could not find love at their workplace resorted to the web. Lunchtimes in the office were spent surfing matrimonial websites. These sites replaced the friendly neighbourhood aunty who would arrive at the doorstep every alternate day with a new proposal. Instead of doing the rounds of marriage bureaus due to paucity of time, people could look for possible matches at the click of the mouse. More than the usual search criteria of religion, these websites offered criteria such as Education & Career, Lifestyle, and Location for searching for a life partner. Moreover they enabled a search of potential partners from across the globe. So an Indian in Gurgaon could find a life partner from the US or UK and vice versa. For a nominal charge, the websites provided a platform for people and enabled them to meet people belonging to the same mindsets, rather than religions.
Today, Indian Matrimonial websites, like Shaadi.com, have gone a step further and are offering a range of wedding services under one roof. The flowers, the venue, the catering? you name it and they will arrange it, not just in India but even abroad. For the young upwardly mobile generation of Indians with long working hours and globe trotting careers, this has proved to be a real boon. Thanks to the huge choice from across the world and ease of use, not only are the young flocking to these websites but also the older generation and specials cases such as physically challenged people. These websites are coming into their own, and becoming a very strong part of the marriage market in India. By bringing people closer, they are facilitating an exchange of new ideas, thus playing an important role in our society.
Today?s generation is headstrong and, yet, very thoughtful. It doesn?t hurry into taking decisions, but when it makes one, it sticks by it. Economic independence has led to a new boldness among youngsters who are determined to make their own paths and follow their heart and head. Their offspring is the product of people following different religions, and the ?mixed breed? grows up in homes where it is exposed to two different ways of life. It has allowed the young minds to imbibe the tenets of different religions, they worship different Gods and Goddesses, they pray with raised and closed palms at the same time. Young minds are like wet cement, they take the desired shape quickly, and it stays that way for the rest of their lives. These children mature quickly, and are more accommodative and understanding when it comes to the issues of caste and religion.
Even today, in India, in educated middle and upper middle class families, a large percentage of marriages are arranged, and mostly done within a caste or community.. The number of intercaste marriages though less, is growing at a fast pace. The 40?s & 50?s generation is realizing this, and is acquiescing to the wishes of its children, and is happily marrying off their sons and daughters into communities other than their own. The growing trend of intercommunity marriages is likely to have a significant and positive bearing on the social fabric of our society. People coming from such mixed family backgrounds are less likely to create communal disturbances and, in fact, act as shock absorbers in sensitive situations.
India is a land of peace and tolerance. Buddha and Gandhi have walked this land. Followers of different religions, who faced persecution in foreign countries, made India their home, further enriching our society with their new thinking, ideals and culture. The practice of inter caste marriages has a similar effect on the society. This will lead to a more tolerant and accommodative India, an India that is colorful, peaceful and a kaleidoscope of happy faces.
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The author is a relationship expert specializing in Marriage and Family and has written authoritative articles on the relationships and marriage. He is currently assisting Shaadi.com andShaaditimes.com as a Family and Relationship specialist.
January 13, 2008
Traditionally, the father of the bride speech is the first speech that takes place at a wedding. Why? Because traditionally, it?s the brides parents who are paying for the wedding! But nowadays, this isn?t always the case.
But it?s still considered polite for the father of the bride to make the first speech at a wedding.
So if you?re going to be giving a father of the bride speech, here?s how it works:
First, the Master of Ceremonies (MC for short) will ask you (the father of the bride) to speak. And then it will be time to deliver your speech.
So what kind of things should you say in your speech?
Well first of all, you will probably want to thank all the guests for coming, all the people who have contributed, and you may like to make an extra thank you to the people who have had to travel long way to be there.
Traditionally after this you will talk about your daughter and what she means to you. You?ll also share your thoughts about handing her over to her partner to be cared for.
Here?s a few tips for what you could talk about in your father of the bride speech:
Firstly, be honest and open when you talk about how you feel about your daughter. Take some time to plan what you?re going to talk about. You can talk about memories, and about her life. One of the best ways of doing this is to focus on a particular story from your daughters past.
Take some time to find the best story you?d like to tell about her. Think of something that reveals her character, or something that makes a funny story, or something that shows how much you love your daughter.
Something to remember if you choose the funny story option is to make it meaningful in some way ? not just funny. Try to add some sentimentality to it. And don?t worry about being too sentimental. This is your daughters wedding day, when else is a better time to be sentimental and get away with it?
One thing you won?t want to leave out of your father if the bride speech is welcoming your new son-in-law into your family. A good way to do this is to tell a little story of when you first met your son-in-law and time you have spent with him or his family.
I hope you found this article useful. Good luck with your speech!
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For more information on wedding speeches, visit Carol’s
wedding speech blog
The father of the bride speech is one of the most important speeches at a wedding. So you?re going to need to have a few ideas of what to say. To help you with this, I have made a step by step plan for you to help you find ideas of what you should say for your speech.
So here they are:
Step 1: Make sure you thank the Master of Ceremonies for introducing you.
Step 2: Make sure you thank all the people who have contributed to the bill for the reception.
Step 3: The last thank you to make is to all the guests who came, especially the people who had to travel a long distance to be there.
Step 4: Now you?ve finished all the ?thank-you?s? it?s time to get into the content of your speech. One way of doing this is to tell a story about your daughter. You can say a few shorter stories, or one long one. It?s your choice. (If you do several shorter ones however, try to make them fit together well).
Step 5: In a traditional wedding speech by the father of the bride, you would now share some advice on love and marriage. However, nowadays, this can sometimes come across as too preachy. So it?s up to you if you do this bit. If you do, keep everything positive. Share only good thoughts on marriage.
Step 6: Here is your chance to say a few words about the groom. What are your thoughts of him and his family (all good, I hope!) You can talk briefly about times you may have spent with him or his family here.
Step 7: Now you will include your partner on wishing the bride and groom a happy future together. You may or may not need to include this part if your partner is also making a speech. But that will be up to you. There?s no harm in doing this step even if your partner is also making a speech at the wedding.
Step 8: And we have finally arrived at the last step! This is simply ending with a toast to the happy couple.
And that?s it! Your wedding speech will be finished. Good luck!
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For more information on wedding speeches, visit Carol’s
wedding speech blog
December 22, 2007
Every girl dreams of making a grand Cinderella-like entrance to the ball ? and her wedding day is the perfect excuse. Although not the most exciting task on your wedding to do list, planning your wedding transportation represents yet another opportunity to show off your creativity and personality. But at what cost should you be willing to sacrifice your wedding budget for glamour? With my sound advice, you can save and still arrive in posh style. Make an impression on a budget with these top five ways to save on wedding transportation:
Downsize Your Ride
You don?t necessarily need a stretch limo for an intimate bridal party. Traditional limos seat 6 passengers and are a perfect budget friendly alternative to their stretch counterparts. If scaling back the size of your bridal party isn?t an option, consider having a close friend or relative transport them to the wedding, and save the hired ride for you and your hubby.
Save the Drama
Determine what point in the day your mode of transportation will have the greatest effect ? and hire the fancy ride for that one way trip. Do you really need a chauffeured limo if you?re showing up in a t-shirt and jeans? Perhaps you would rather make a dramatic getaway at the end of your reception. Sign up for the hourly rate instead of the entire evening, and enjoy considerable savings.
Designate a Driver
Ditch the chauffeured ride, and opt for a rental car that is equally as glamorous. Recruit someone reliable (and sober) to drive your rental.
Omit the Amenities
A television and sunroof might seem like an enticing add-on when booking your wedding transportation. But consider the circumstances - just how much TV are you going to watch on your wedding day? Take our advice ? lose the pricey extras ? and put the savings towards more noticeable wedding details.
Have an Off-Peak Gala
Again, there is no rule that states that your wedding has to be held on a Saturday in June. If you hold your event on a day when rental vehicles are in less demand, chances are you can negotiate a considerable discount.
For more articles and advice to help you plan your wedding transportation, visit Elegala.com’s complete Wedding Transportation Planning Guide.
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Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for Elegala.com and Elegala Magazine. Elegala is a new wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding services, along with planning tips, photo galleries and checklists to keep brides in-the-know on today’s wedding trends and styles.
For a complete guide to creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit Elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource.
November 22, 2007
When organising your wedding, it?s all a bit of a minefield especially when it comes to the photographs and photographer. You already have so many choices to make about your big day without having to think about whether or not you want your wedding filmed, have black and white prints, sepia prints, classic or modern style?
Phew!
The best advice is to choose a photographer that has been recommended by someone. Ensure you see the wedding photographs of the couple who have recommended the photographer as their idea of great photographs may not be the same as yours. If it is not possible to have a photographer recommended then ask them to show you their portfolio. Looking at photographs shot by them will give you an idea of what their style is like. You also need to like the photographer you select. Now this may sound silly but actually wedding photographers are central to the wedding day and will be there for most of it. Why not request to see one in action? This will then help you decide whether or not you could get on with him/her on the big day. Good photographers are decisive, clear and professional; the good ones manage to round everyone up successfully without bossing wedding guests and without upsetting anyone.
When it comes to style, the best thing to do is to not pick one! Yes, that?s right, don?t pick one. The best wedding photographs are often a different style from the ones you thought would be the best. So, when you meet with your photographer say that you want a range of photographs. These are to include set ?stiff? posed photographs with various family members/wedding guests. In other words, ensure that you get the usual shots; Father of the Bride and the Bride, Bride getting out of the car, Bride and Groom saying vows, Bride and Groom with his family, Bride and Groom with her family, Bridesmaids, Bride and Groom with friends etc etc. These are so important and will form the basis of your wedding album. Also request some ?arty? shots e.g. black and white prints of your bouquet, the marriage certificate, the church, your wedding shoes, your dress hanging up etc etc. Why not also request some church shots in sepia to give them a gentle feel? When it comes to the reception, make sure shots are taken of the room before the guests enter. With even the most civilised of guests, reception rooms always look messy once people are eating, napkins are used, plates dirtied and glasses used. This is also an opportune time for that all-important shot of the cake too.
With regards to the rest of the reception, ask your photographer to take 1 shot of each of the tables with your guests. This will be a posed photograph and a great memento for your album. Later, the photographer can then take some random pictures of guests enjoying themselves. You could also put disposable wedding cameras out on the tables for your guests to take pictures of each other. Quite often, shots taken on these cameras are really liked by the bride and groom and end up in the album. If you can afford to keep your photographer into the evening, ask him to take lots of shots of people dancing, drinking, chatting and laughing. These ?fun? style pictures will give a really different twist to your wedding album.
So, in essence, try not to go for anything too rigid when it comes to choosing your photograph style; best to go for a range of styles, themes and colours for an album to remember. And, remember that you will only get one chance to get the photographs right so it?s one of those areas that you can?t really afford to cut back on.
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This article is brought to you by ‘World of Wedding Favours’ - Offering brides high quality wedding favours and bomboniere at low-cost prices. To view our vast range of wedding favours to suit your special occasion please visit: Wedding Cameras
November 21, 2007
Believe it or not, feathers are making a serious comeback when it comes to wedding style and if you are a bride who wishes to make a statement, then base your wedding theme on feathers and you won?t go wrong.
The best way to get maximum impact is to go for a pure white wedding theme filled with bundles of pure white feathers. These can be used in bouquets, on the wedding cake, in hairstyles, attached to napkins and favour boxes and even scattered on tables! And don?t think you can go overboard with feathers, especially if you are sticking to one colour, or maybe 2 colours depending on their shades. So, if you wanted to introduce some baby blue or baby pink feathers to the white, that would look fine. But, if your colour theme is green and you want to start adding orange feathers, this could end up looking gowdy. If your colour theme is more exotic in nature, best to stick to just one colour of feather and make this your only accessory ? no scattered petals or foil confetti on tables, keep floral arrangements simple and ensure shoes and jewellery are plain and unfussy.
Feathers are making such a come back because a feather themed wedding really brings purity, love and romance back into a wedding day. By nature, feathers are gentle, soft and warm ? just like the perfect marriage. They represent peace and purity which forms the great basis of a wedding theme. Even as early as the wedding invitation stage, why not send guests arty invitations finished with a simple feather? This will give them a taste of things to come. Then, when it comes to the big day itself, it?s up to you how far you want to carry the theme. Personally, I feel that feathers entwined with floral bouquets, soft marabou feathers in hairstyles and plenty of loose feathers for use around the reception rooms is adequate. When it comes to feathers, less is most definitely more!
When it comes to the wedding cake, if you are going for a pure and simple theme, ask for your cake decorator to ice the cake simply. Why not go for a pure white iced wedding cake scattered with feathers to match your theme? So, if your theme is baby pink and white, locate a scattering of soft marabou feathers in pink and white across the cake. Keep some spare for scattering around the cake table. Ensure the theme is continued on the guest tables and scatter more of the feathers around crisp white table linen. If you are having central floral arrangements, speak with your florist and see if feather sprays can be inserted into the arrangements. It might be a good idea to show her what you mean first, so that it?s in keeping with your other design ideas.
To complete the look, fill delicious favour boxes with yummy favour fillings to complement your theme. Top them off with a simple feather decoration and simple favour tag. Name the tags and these will make stunning place settings for your guests!
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This article is brought to you by ‘World of Wedding Favours’ - Offering brides high quality wedding favours and bomboniere at low-cost prices. To view our vast range of wedding favours to suit your special occasion please visit: Feather Sprays
October 30, 2007
Recently, I went to my home town to help my Mother and my Sister with the final planning for my Sister?s wedding. Every member of my family is a ?Do-It-Yourselfer?, so we had an unbelievable amount of flower arrangements, pew decorations, garlands, candles, silver, you name it, we had to set it up. We were working with a total of four hours to decorate the church, a huge reception hall, a large lobby and two gazebos.
When I arrived at home I felt a little bit overwhelmed with the amount of time that was allotted and the sheer volume of decorating that we had to execute within the tiny window. But we were able to pull it off with time to relax and enjoy the beauty of all of the work that gone into it during the many, many months prior.
The first thing that had to happen was to figure out how many people were able to come and help us to decorate. It really helps, but it is not totally necessary to have a group of people that have an eye for design. Anyone that is willing is completely capable to come and lend a hand.
My mother and I set up all of the arrangements in my parents? basement, just as they would be set up in each of their locations around the hall and Church. With a digital camera, we snapped a photo of each so that if necessary, we had a visual reference for all of our helpers and our intentions for the finished product. A digital camera and a computer with a color printer are the handiest tools to have at this point. But regular, 4×6 photos are just as helpful, it will just cost a bit more and take a little longer to get them printed.
While everything was arranged in the basement, we numbered each piece with a small piece of masking tape and a number so that the set up on the big day of hustle and bustle always started at one and went from the left to the right.
Then we packed everything for transport in banana boxes that we got from the local grocery store. You may be saying, ?Why banana boxes?? They are very strong and also very light, so you can fill them with just about anything and not have to worry about the bottom dropping out. The top of each box was labeled with the exact location of its contents, ie: On top of the piano in the lobby. We then loaded all the boxes in a logical order, with similar decorations grouped together, into a rented box truck.
When we arrived on the morning of decorating, there was crew of 12 waiting for us, so we hopped out of the truck and handed out instruction sheets to each person stating how everything was labeled, what the general layout would be, what to expect once they opened the boxes, and who they could come to if they had any questions at all. From that point, everyone was off and running. It went like clockwork, and everyone let us know that they were very thankful that we were all on the same page.
Due to the extra time that we put into organizing before we arrived, we finished early and were able to enjoy all of the work that we had done and got a few photos of the venue that was decorated beautifully, before any of the guests arrived.
The day of the wedding was very relaxing since we didn?t have to go back for last minute touch ups. We could spend the time casually with our family and friends until it was time to get the show on the road that afternoon.
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Penny Olson is the owner and designer for Brilliant Wedding Jewelry
Swarovski Crystal Monogram Cake Toppers
Swarovski Crystal Stems
Flowers seem to be a significant part of every wedding. The decision to have flowers usually isn’t the hard part, as is deciding which kind to have. There are many different options for wedding flowers. Having real flowers or silk flowers and deciding on type, color and arrangements can be a daunting task.
Deciding on the types of flowers may be one of the most challenging aspects. Some things you may want to consider are between real flowers and silk ones. Real flowers are beautiful but also expensive. You also have to put them all up and take them down again. Knowing what flowers are in season at the time of your wedding and going with them could save you a lot of money.
You also have to decide on colors, if your colors are the same as some flower then you could save a lot of money not having to dye them. Silk flowers on the other hand are easy to dye and will be something to keep forever if you wanted. You could use them in arrangements around your house after the wedding.
Another point to keep in mind is where to get the flowers. You need to shop around well in advance since wedding flowers have to be ordered and possibly dyed. Some places to check for the best deal are grocery stores, farmers markets, always check flower shops last since they are the most expensive way to get flowers.
If you are planning an outdoor wedding you may not even need the flowers. If you plan to wed in a park for example, you probably won’t need flowers. Try just tying ribbons or making the most of the flowers already in the park. If the park will allow some arrangements you could consider donating them to the park after the wedding.
Most churches allow flowers with some restrictions. It is important to know far in advance what is expected. Some churches will allow flower arrangements along the aisles as long as they are removed promptly. As for flowers around or on the altar, it is imperative that the instructions for decorations are clear. Some churches will not allow any flowers or decorations on or near the altar. Another point to keep in mind is what the plans are for the flowers after the wedding. Some churches will appreciate a donation of some flower arrangements while others may not.
When planning a wedding the flowers are a very important part and very time consuming. From the decision making to the actual wedding, flowers may consume a lot of the planning time, however they are a special piece of the wedding and you will treasure the memories for years to come. Walking down the aisle to your new life together, don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers.
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Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Flowers Delivered at http://www.flowersandgiftsdirect.com
Wedding are very expensive occasions, and saving money becomes a challenge. As you look at dresses and decorations, churches and dance halls the dollar signs get larger and larger. Everyone wants to find ways to save a bit of money without cutting too many corners on their wedding. Flowers are one way you can change the amount you will have to spend without sacrificing the beauty.
Some people go to extremes with trying to save money by opting for no flowers at all. If you aren’t ready for that big of a sacrifice there are other options to save money. A new trend is to have a single flower instead of a traditional bouquet. Having only one flower does have a bit of romance especially when the bride carries a calla lily which is a very elegant flower. If it is hard for the bride to give up the full bouquet a single flower could be given to each bridesmaid.
Once the wedding is over and you move on to the reception the bridesmaids could put their single flowers in a vase to use as a bouquet for the table setting. Silk flowers are another less expensive way to go. You can get them in advance and store until the wedding. After the wedding the silk flowers can be given away or put in flower arrangements to decorate your home.
Another way to save on flowers is to use what flowers are in season but then you may need to be a bit more flexible on your decorations. The grocery store and farmers markets are a good way to get a lot of flowers for little money. Grocers buy flowers in bulk making them cheaper and farmers market is fresh but may lack in selection.
When doing the centerpieces for the tables you could also consider houseplants, if they are healthy and arrange right they would look very nice. The house plants could be then raffled off at each table and sent home with the lucky winner.
Another way to save on flowers is to have the wedding in a park. You wouldn’t need to have many flowers since you could pick a garden area for the wedding. Then you would have the beauty of the flowers without the price.
There are so many different ways to save money on flowers at your wedding. Although they are beautiful at any wedding people who attend rarely remember the flowers. When asked guests may remember you dress or the vows or the ring bearer. So when considering the price spent on flowers remember that the flowers are only a part of the wedding decorations. The guests and the groom will all be looking at you so maybe you can spend less on the flowers and splurge on your dress and hair!
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