Posted by Patti Wellington on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 @ 10:53 AM
A pearl has become synonymous with love, romance and tradition. Pearls have been given as gifts for weddings and cherished as a family heirloom for decades.
The most popular pearl is white, but they do come in black and champagne pink. Pearls are one of the most intriguing of all gems, however, they are also one of the most misunderstood. Here are three tips on selecting quality pearls for your wedding day.
Luster - It is the glow of the pearl and its brilliance to the human eye. For the jewellery novice, the luster of a pearl can best be described as a combination of a high, reflective sheen on the surface of a pearl combined with an almost three-dimensional glow that seems to radiate from within the heart of a pearl.
Surface condition - The fewer the natural markings or spots on the pearl's visible surface, the more expensive the pearl.
Shape - Round pearls are the most expensive because they are the hardest to grow. For a fine piece of jewellery, all the pearls in any piece of our jewellery should be perfectly round and matching.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 @ 12:34 PM
When someone close to you is getting married, it’s important to pick a special wedding engagement gift to show your delight and best wishes.
Engagement gifts don’t have to be extravagant and no matter what you give the happy couple, they'll appreciate the fact that you took the time to think of them. Your engagement gift should speak to the joy and excitement of their engagement and offer wishes of luck and happiness.
Here Are The Top Five Engagement Party Gift Ideas:
1. A book on marriage tips or how to have a happy married life.
2. For the couple that enjoys music, you can gift a good collection of music CDs, keeping in mind the genre and the artist they like.
3. You can create an engagement basket, which includes items like a watch set, perfume set, double-bed blanket and bed sheet set.
4. Purchase a scrapbook for the couple and encourage all the guests to write a few words about them, in it. This can be a lovely way of giving them memories related to the engagement.
5. Ring holder and photo frame - with a picture of the couple.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 @ 07:10 AM
As the Canadian wedding is getting more costly by the minute, trends are shifting toward personalization, which can also mean you have to pay a higher price for the things you like. Luckily, there is one wedding trend high on personalization, low on price - using an iPod for your wedding music.
The music at your wedding sets the tone for the event and shows off the life and personality of the bride and groom. While using an iPod for your wedding music may seem like the answer to your budget predicament, there a few things to mull over before making the decision:
Pros Save Money - With all the cash you save on a wedding DJ, you can purchase a new sound system for your home. Most couples already have at least one iPod between them, and if they don’t, they can use a new iPod long after their wedding day.
Unique entertainment - You can choose wedding songs that mean something to you both – whether it’s your first dance or the song that ends the night – this is one more way to put a personal spin on your wedding day.
Total Control - Some wedding DJs are all about getting noticed. Using bad jokes to cliché songs, you don’t want your friends and family cringing when they hear the “Chicken Dance” or the “Macarena”. When you create your own wedding song list, you won’t have to worry about any songs you don’t like being played.
Cons Supervising the iPod Station - Always check with the wedding reception location about what kind of sound system they have and if they’re going to charge you for using their system. You'll also need someone to keep and eye on the iPod Station to make sure the right songs are playing at the right time.
Predictable - This might in fact be a bad thing. You’ll know what each and every song will be and when it’ll be played. You won’t have the chance for a unexpected song to catch you off guard or for the wedding guests to make requests.
Wedding Master of Ceremony Still Required - Even if you don’t want a DJ, you still need a microphone and someone in charge of wedding introductions, making announcements for the cake cutting and bouquet toss.
According to Real Simple Magazine, 40 is the average number of songs needed for a three-hour wedding reception or party. Make a wedding mix that’s sure to please by signing up for a free account at songvote.com. Then let friends vote on and submit tunes they most want played at your wedding or special event. Once the votes are tallied, the site links you to iTunes or Amazon.com to purchase the chosen tracks.
Please note: Real Simple Magazine cannot be held responsible for any “Macarena” or “Chicken Dance” requests.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 @ 09:18 AM
Here is a some information to help you with sorting out all the details when ordering your wedding cake:
When meeting with your cake designer, bring photographs of cakes you love or fabric swatches of your color scheme to help them design the perfect cake for you.
Bring ideas for your groom’s cake. It should be designed to reflect a particular hobby or personality trait of him.
Here are some questions to ask your cake designer:
- Do you specialize in any certain styles or flavors?
- Do you recommend a certain type of cake for an outdoor or seasonal reception?
- Can you create individual cakes to be used as favors?
- Can you create specialized cakes for certain dietary needs?
- Do you offer a tasting?
- How much time do you need to prepare the cake at the reception?
- Do you offer instruction on how to cut the cake?
- Will you supply a proper container in which to freeze the top of the cake?
- Will you charge for any supports or bases on the cake?
- May I return the supports and bases for a refund? When?
- Are the cakes priced by the slice or by the cake? Do you have a price list?
- How far in advance must I book your services?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Is a deposit required? If so, when and how much?
Posted by Patti Wellington on Mon, Jul 05, 2010 @ 09:45 AM
Celebrity weddings are always a very hot item, whether in the news or fashion magazines. I always look to their weddings to get the best and brightest ideas when it comes to the details of the wedding day. Its not only the opulent budgets celebrities have, I also notice that they want to be the first to have something and they are very trend setting in their wedding styles.
Here are some ways for you to make your own wedding have that celebrity touch:
Browse through Brides magazines and watch all the celebrity shows - Magazines that deal with anything Hollywood can provide all the information you’ll need to see what’s in style and what your favorite celebrities are doing. This can inspire your planning and help you with the theme of your wedding
Choose your favorite detail – Look to the celebrity wedding for the details that you think you might like to incorporate into your wedding. Check out the design of the gown or the hairstyle of the latest Hollywood wedding, or maybe what centerpieces they are using.
Hire a wedding planner and consult them on your options - Preparing for a wedding can be a difficult task. It can get very complicated if you are eyeing a particular celebrity wedding to pattern from. Hiring a wedding planner can help you organize your plans and put them into action and the proper wedding coordinator will find the things you want – or be able to suggest better alternatives while still giving that celebrity feel to your wedding.
Pick a celebrity hairstyle - There are certain celebrities who are very well-known for their perfect hair styles. Look for pictures and present them to your salon to replicate the styles of the celebrity you admire. You deserve to look magnificent, that is why your stylist should be able to do exactly what your celebrity counterpart has on her head.
Copy that celebrity-wedding gown - You may not be able to get the services of Vera Wang to get your gown done, but with a picture of the gown you like and the proper help, you can have your own gown designed to look exactly like a famous designer.
There are many things to consider as you prepare for your own version of celebrity wedding. Just make sure that you get what you want. It is your special day. You deserve nothing less than perfect.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 @ 08:07 AM
In most cases, the centerpiece at a wedding reception should be something that is very attractive - making every guest hope that they'll be the one to take home the centerpiece. I've overheard many a conversation at the wedding as people notice the centerpieces on the table about who might take home the prize that night.
To decide the winner of the centerpiece, it would be wise to device a challenge in which the winner will be given the prize (aka – the centerpiece). If you think of any game, it should be something which every guest will not only take enjoyment in, but something which every guest will be keen on participating in. You can think of so many ideas, but try to come up with something unique or extraordinary that will delight the guests - they'll appreciate anything innovative and interesting.
Below are a few activities that you can use to involve your guests in the centerpiece game:
The bride and groom can affix a number to the centerpiece and the guests will then be given a number. When the centerpiece is decided to be given, the winning number will be called and the guest with that number is given the centerpiece.
You can decide to request something strange from the guests, kind of like "Lets make a Deal." The item will be made public and the guest who produces the item is given the centerpiece. But remember that it should be something that cannot easily be found.
You can also think of the game of dollar bills. This is one and the same thing like music chairs. But in this game, no chairs are used. Instead, a loonie (for our American friends - a dollar bill) is handed to the guests and the music is started. At some point, the music stops and whomever is holding the dollar will be given the centerpiece.
A few other popular choices are to find out whose birthday is on that day or the closest to the wedding day or the longest married couple and they would be given the centerpiece.
Just come up with something out of the ordinary and make sure everyone has some fun with it.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 @ 09:05 AM
Weddings are sacred occasions in which the nuptials confirm the couples into an eternal relation. A marriage cannot be completed without a wedding ring and in some countries a couple can only wed each other only by exchanging the wedding ring. It is a must in every wedding.
The wedding ring symbolizes love, fidelity and marital loyalty to each other and is often worn on the left ring finger, which is the fourth finger from the thumb of the left hand.
It is believed that the left ring finger contains the “vena amoris” or “vein of love” - a vein that runs from the heart to the fourth finger of the left hand. Henry Swinburne first used the term “vena amoris” in the year 1686.
But in countries like India, Chile, Venezuela, Spain it is worn on the right ring finger. The conservative Christians and Jews in Eastern European countries also wear the wedding ring on the right ring finger.
In Austria and Netherlands, catholics wear it on the right hand. Wearing the wedding ring on the right ring finger evolves from Roman tradition that is thought that the left hand is a negative one and right hand is a positive one. Wearing the wedding ring on the right or left finger mainly depends on custom and tradition.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 12:12 PM
This is an item I found while looking at another designer's blog and I just had to share it with you - I thought it would make the best add-on to the bridal shower or for the bride at the wedding in her drink - and what woman wouldn't want to walk around with a diamond this big!!
A great gift idea, this whimsical ice mold is shaped like a diamond. These diamonds ice cubes would be great for any special occasion - especially anything bride related. Just fill as you would any ice tray and place one-of-a-kind ice diamond in a rocks glass for a dramatic look. The mold is made from food-safe silicone, is non-stick and releases ice effortlessly.
They can be purchased on-line at - Sur La Table
Posted by Patti Wellington on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 10:16 AM
Today’s Scottish wedding service is not as ceremonial or ritualistic, but many of the modern traditions still date back to the past. A week prior to the wedding ceremony the mother of the bride will hold a “show of presents” for her daughter – also known as the bridal shower in other cultures. During the show of presents the female guests bring gifts to assist the new couple set up a home of their own.
A somewhat more raunchy tradition is the groom’s stag night party. Just before the wedding the groom and his friends go out for a wild night of partying and drinking. Often the groom is so drunk by the end of the evening that he barely notices that his friends disappear and leave him in the street in front of his home, partly or even fully naked, sometimes they tie him up.
The contemporary Scottish bride will wear a traditional or modern white wedding gown, while the groom dresses in traditional Highland kilt, kilt jacket and sporran. The couple are either bag piped down the isle or traditional Gaelic hymns are played as they walk to the top of the alter. The Highland Wedding is played practically at all Scottish weddings.
Wedding couples may decide to recite their vows in ancient Gaelic or to recite them in modern English. Following the vows the groom often pins a strip of his clan’s tartan colors to the bride’s wedding dress to indicate that she is now a member of his family.
Following the ceremony the couple and all their honored guests head to a private home or to a restaurant for a bountiful reception feast. At the typical Scottish reception you can expect the bride and groom to be “piped” to the their wedding table, where the bride will cut the first slice of wedding cake using a dirk (a long-bladed knife) that is provided to her by the piper. As the bride slices the first piece of wedding cake, custom dictates that the hand of her new husband guides her hand. The wedding reception is filled with music, signing, much drinking and toasting to the health and happiness of the new couple. The partying can go on into the wee hours of the morning.
One custom that hasn’t changed for more than 700 years is the custom of the groom carrying his new bride over the threshold of their new home together. Today’s husband may not be aware that the custom originated to keep evil spirits from entering his wife through her feet, but the custom is performed nonetheless.
Modern Scottish wedding traditions are far more relaxed than they were in the olden days, but even today bits and pieces of the ancient traditions still make Scottish weddings the jolly and joyous occasions that they are.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Mon, May 31, 2010 @ 12:58 PM
If a wedding day brunch conjures up an image of low festivity and unexciting choices of sweet rolls, think again. From a sit-down meal served on elegant china, to a juice bar with smoothies and mimosas, a wedding brunch reception allows for just as many options as an evening wedding reception, without the high price tag. The benefits of choosing a wedding brunch reception over an evening affair include a greater likelihood in the availability of a space, inexpensive catering, and an opportunity to get an early start on your honeymoon.
Wedding Reception Site
Due to the low demand for wedding brunch festivities, many reception sites such as banquet halls, country clubs, and hotels, rent their space for a lower fee earlier in the day. Some even offer their reception rooms for free, charging only for on-site catering. The lack of demand for a wedding brunch reception surely gives the bride and groom more bargaining power.
Wedding Brunch Menu
To provide an stylish, fulfilling wedding meal for your guests, eggs in their a variety of forms, such as quiches and frittatas, are popular for brunch receptions. Include a selection of assorted cheeses, fruits, and croissants. If serving a heavy meal does not appeal to you, go for a informal buffet where guests can pick from a juice bar serving fresh fruit juices and smoothies and a separate serving table of tea and coffee with biscotti, muffins, and scones. At a classic brunch reception, guests are likely to drink fewer alcoholic beverages. A simple champagne toast or servings of mimosas adds the perfect celebratory touch for early in the day. Serving a wedding cake is still completely acceptable for a brunch reception; though a couple may feel inspired to choose a lighter cake, such as an angel food, lemon or carrot cake.
Wedding Brunch Celebration
For those who still wish to have a wedding dance party, there is no reason why a wedding brunch reception should stop that. A disc jockey and band may be even easier to book for an early afternoon wedding function than an evening. As the typical brunch is served between eleven o'clock and two o'clock, by the time your guests have enjoyed their meal and perhaps large amounts of coffee or cocktails, they are fair game for a dollar dance and the chicken dance.