Lord Thompson Manor Reception

Author: Allison Campbell

If you’ve begun to research reception venues, photographers, and other “high-ticket” items on your wedding to-do list, you’ve undoubtedly experienced a good case of sticker shock by now. You may find yourself thinking: “How can they get away with charging this much?!!”

It’s a fact. The wedding industry is huge, and anything with the word “wedding” attached to it is likely to mean “expensive”.

So is it feasible to hire a photographer who doesn’t necessarily focus on weddings, or a band that wouldn’t be found in your local bridal magazine? Absolutely!

To get started on this road less traveled, begin by asking recently-wed family, friends or colleagues for any good wedding leads. Perhaps they’ll know of a fabulous bakery that was less expensive than all the larger ones in the area. Or an art student who just graduated from college and is looking for work as a calligrapher. Maybe there’s a friend of a friend who’s an aspiring photographer and would be able to capture fantastic wedding photos for you on your big day.

Next, move your research online and check out the local wedding chat boards in your area at TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com. Look for posts like “Rave Reviews” and “Highly Recommended” - and be sure to also take note of any vendors that received negative reviews from other brides and grooms. Another excellent free resource is Craigslist.com. Musicians, photographers and other artists post their services regularly here in areas across the country. If you see a post that catches your eye, just send a quick email to the poster to get more information, or submit your own ad describing exactly what you’re looking for.

Finally, head to Amazon.com or your local book store and buy at least one good wedding planning book. This will be your trusty reference book and will help you know just which questions to ask, so that you can make an informed decision about a particular wedding vendor. For example, knowing the various costs that are typically associated with catering will allow you to ask for only the items you NEED, and avoid paying for anything you don’t. In fact, knowing a bit about each type of wedding service vendor - caterers, musicians, DJs, etc. - will actually help save you money no matter which vendors you talk to, “professional” or not.

Author: Melissa Burton

Women like to look glamorous, elegant and sexy on their wedding day so they usually take the time to choose an extravagant dress, stunning shoes and make up, and then there is the hair style. Whoa boy! Women usually have a stylist visit them when they are getting ready for the wedding, which costs a fortune, or they visit the parlour early in the morning before their wedding to get their chosen hair style done.

A woman’s hair may be her crowning glory, but getting a new ‘do’ just before a big event in your life can be a major mistake. Plan ahead with any chemical treatments - bleaching, colouring, streaking, perming or straightening - and if you’re considering any radical changes in length or style do it at least six to eight weeks before the big event, this way it gives you and your hair time to adjust together and get a “working relationship” on the go.

On your wedding day, hundreds of eyes will be on you, and your chosen wedding hair style can either complete the picture or detract from it. That is why it is so important to choose the perfect formal hairstyle well in advance of the big day so that you and your stylist can get it right and make custom additions to your wedding hair style. Nothing is worse than a hastily crafted coif decided upon only minutes before the ceremony, take the time with your stylist to go over what looks suit you and what looks don’t, obviously avoid the looks that don’t suit you. Larger figures should wear their hair up as this draws attention and slims the face down, slimmer brides should look at curls which accentuate the face and shoulders.

Men may seem as though they don’t care about their wedding hair style and women are none the wiser to it, but in fact the bride groom spends at least 15 minutes making sure all the gel is in the correct plane and he has no sticky up bits!!

Author: Alan Detwiler

You can make your relationship better. A few basic guidelines will make your relationship more enjoyable and more beneficial for both of you.

A romantic relationship has important benefits: companionship, being inspired by someone else’s example, and stimulation by the other person’s ideas. Keep in mind that those benefits are there and that they are important.

Don’t use a relationship as a way to solve your problems. Dating and marriage are not ways to overcome unhappiness, escape from boredom, and improve self-image. You must do those things for yourself. Using a relationship for those reasons puts burdens on the relationship that make it less pleasant and less rewarding.

Your gotta be tolerant. A relationship is a place for honesty and openness. Those principles allow a couple to share ideas and to gradually change in ways that let them more enjoy living. Your attitude should signal the other person that you will try to patiently work through each other’s shortcomings. If that’s too much strain, decide that separation is best and graciouly part company without bitterness.

Romance and love will more likely happen if you allow them to happen instead of making them a goal. Making the relationship better should be the goal. Pay attention to treating each other fairly and helping each other. If love happens, it will be based on believing that both of you can continue to build a good relationship.

Don’t expect a perfect relationship. That happens only in fairy tales. If you expect too much, it makes your relationship less valuable by comparison. Problems will occur. You will get hurt. Don’t be so concerned with minor problems that you loose awareness of what is good in the relationship. When appropriate, offer advice not the threat of disapproval. You want to develop a spirit of mutual benefit.

Respect each other’s attitude about physical affection. Be patient. Your partner is not a mind reader and may not be aware of the problem. If something about the physical part of the relationship is a big issue for you, let your concerns be known. Being aware of a problem is the first step in solving a problem. Anxiety about a problem can be lessened just by knowing that the other person is aware of the problem.

Take time for mutual interests. This can be in many forms including hobbies, conversation, recreation, an interest in art, and family activities. Mutual interests keep a couple from gradually becoming uninvolved in each other’s lives.

Encourage your partner to act and make decisions. Both of you will be able to accomplish more with the other’s support and encouragement. When there is a disagreement, don’t automatically think it is necessary to correct the other person. Your encouragement will produce more good results than will your objections.