You would think that wedded couples would know what newly married couples want to receive. You may think that your single friends who know you inside out would know exactly what to get you and your new spouse. But you could be wrong – a LOT of people may have good intentions but get you something you don’t even remotely like, or postpone gift buying up to the last minute, or are just flat out clueless. The end result of which is you opening flat iron after flat iron after coffeemaker after coffeemaker. Hopefully they’ll find this article to point them to what new couples REALLY WANT for wedding gifts.

CASH

Who doesn’t need any? Following wedding etiquette (and society’s unwritten rules) though, soon-to-be-wed couples (or anyone else for that matter) should not ask for money. It puts people on the spot and, well, it’s just tacky. But fledgling couples could really use this, specially when it’s their first time on their own and would need quite a hefty sum to get started. Finding a place, buying furniture and equipment, and more can really squelch a bank account, or two, dry. It doesn’t even have to be cash or check, it could be traveller’s notes, gift checks and more.

Night at an Expensive Hotel

Wouldn’t it be great to spend the night of the wedding at a luxurious hotel suite? After that hectic wedding day, the couple could just leave the busy world behind, forget all those thank you notes to be sent, and just focus on each other. This would backfire though, if they already made plans–better check before booking at the hotel.

A Honey(moon)-sweet Surprise

Find out where the couple will be staying for their honeymoon, and get a thoughtful gift they could enjoy there. It could be something as simple as snorkeling gear, or gift checks at a popular restaurant there, or something as elaborate as a surprise welcome at their hotel from the staff, all orchestrated by you. It’s a thoughtful something the couple will DEFINITELY never forget.

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If you make it here, you can make it anywhere. New York is a great place to start married life. For many people, NY symbolizes new beginnings and fulfilled dreams. You can get anything you could ever want and need there (except maybe a Walmart store), which makes it a fabulous place for weddings to take place.

Insider Information
All soon-to-be-wed couples will not want for anything when it comes to NY weddings. But this blessing can turn into a confusing problem: sometimes there are too many things to choose from! If people planning the wedding are not familiar with the ins and outs of New York, you might want to consider getting an honest-to-goodness New Yorker to be your personal NY wedding guide. This person doesn’t have to be a wedding professional; it would be enough that he or she knows the best places to get everything the couple wants. A professional wedding planner would make things smoother for everyone involved though.

A Place for Us
There is an abundance of New York wedding venues where brides can fulfill their dream weddings, whatever that may entail. New York has a lot of interesting facets: aside from the bustling metropolis, it has idyllic suburbs and ethereal places where Mother Nature showcases her best in garden and seaside landscapes. Just be sure to think about your guests. If they are not familiar with the place, they might underestimate travel time, or decide to not attend the wedding altogether because of the venue’s distance from their residence. Although it’s the day of the bride and groom, not much celebration will take place without their family and friends.

Planning a wedding in New York (or anywhere else, really) will prove to be a bittersweet mixture of success, disappointment, joy and tears. But the moment you see the bride’s radiant face see the suddenly emotional groom, you’ll realize it’s all worth it.

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Getting engaged is something couples never forget. Receiving a heartfelt marriage proposal from THE ONE can make a woman go starry-eyed, feel like she’s floating on pink fluffy heart-shaped clouds, and hear soothing harp music played by cute little cherubs. Romantic marriage proposals set the tone not only for the couple’s wedding, but also for the rest of their married life together.

My Precious
The engagement ring symbolizes the man’s commitment to the relationship. People also see it as a reflection on how much the man values his gal. Conventionally diamond rings are the popular choice; but there are no strict rules on what stones or gems can be used. The woman’s birthstone is a good (read: cheaper) alternative to the more formal diamond. Or if the man has a treasured family heirloom ring (and Mom lets him have it), that precious treasure would make a very special engagement ring.

Pop the Question
There are many ways to get engaged. Traditionally, the groom-to-be goes down on bended knee, presents an engagement ring and asks the age-old question, “Will you marry me?” People have become really creative on this though, and have involved everything (and everyone) from chartered aircraft and billboards to the bride-to-be’s favorite rock band. But the marriage proposal need not be loudly extravagant: the goal is to get that “yes,” not to impress the rest of the world. The one “perfect marriage proposal” does not exist. It varies for every person and couple. Guys should bear in mind the things that their woman treasures most, as well as all the things which make their relationship unique.

Exhilaration, jubilation and titillation are a few symptoms of the newly-engaged. Don’t worry; you’re supposed to feel this happy. But don’t forget why you decided to get engaged in the first place: to begin your lives as husband and wife. Getting engaged is but a preface to the novel that is Married Life.

The first thing brides-to-be think about is the wedding gown–finding THE DRESS can be a daunting task. What some brides don’t know is that the gown will not be enough to make people say, “Here comes the bride.” You’ll just be a girl in a gorgeous dress, without your bridal wedding accessories.

Wedding Bling
Bridal jewelry need not be overly expensive. Granted, designer bridal accessories are gorgeous–but won’t it be better for your guests to remember how radiant you looked, instead of wonder at how much those diamond earrings cost? Heirloom pieces would also look great on both simple and elaborate gowns: you’ll have your something old, as well as something elegant. Costume jewelry, if styled right, can also highlight your wedding look’s best features. If a friend knows how to make these accessories, you can even have them customized to whatever you prefer. Just be sure to coordinate your whole look–you wouldn’t want to buy bridal accessories that would clash with your prized wedding gown.

Everything Else
Bridal accessories are not limited to jewelry. The veil, bridal bouquet, hair adornments, gloves and other accessories also jazz up the bridal look. Aside from that, the look of the wedding entourage is important. Styling the wedding party just right sets the tone for the event. One stray groomsman, bridesmaid, or flower girl can make the whole bridal party look uncoordinated. Just be sure that the bride’s accessories, as well as her party’s accessories, look great with the bride, her gown, and her groom. And don’t forget about the weather! Warm shrugs are great for the female bridal company in winter, and flowery accessories will look great in summer.

Never ever underestimate the power of a good accessory. For brides especially, accessories can truly make or break the look. Everyone wants to look great on their wedding day. Don’t leave home without your best bridal accessory: your warm, beautiful smile.

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There are times that no matter how hard you try to take control of the situation, problems still arise. Not to sound so negative but bad things can really happen as some of them are beyond our control. The best we can do is anticipate any issues and formulate a back up plan just in case things go awry. No, I’m not talking about national security. I’m talking about weddings. And when it comes to wedding day disasters, there’s nothing more humiliating than a wedding dress fiasco.

Don’t let anything ruin the most special day of your life. Check out some common wedding dress problems listed below along with some tips on how to keep yourself from figuring in such uncomfortable situations.

• The wedding gown doesn’t fit come wedding day
  • This usually happens when the bride gains a little weight during the period between the fitting and the wedding day. If you tend to gain weight easily, try following a strict regimen to maintain your figure.
• The bride chose to wear the wrong undergarments
  • Do not wear a regular bra. A corset-style undergarment should be more appropriate.
• The bride tripped on the gown train (ouch!)
  • If your gown has a long train, make sure to have someone attend to it whenever you move, especially during your walk down the aisle. You don’t want to risk the embarrassment for certain.
• The gown is missing some buttons or pearls
  • Details such as these should be checked during the fitting. Moreover, dry cleaners can also accidentally damage a gown this way. If your wedding dress has delicate decorative details, it’s better to keep them away from dry cleaners.

You can also avoid any wedding dress problems by asking for inputs from friends and families. Let some of them tag along when you shop for your dress and during the fitting. Be open for some suggestions and comments. Who knows, they might save you from any of the above wedding dress fails.

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Making a wedding guest list can be somewhat stressful. Compiling a wedding guest list that everyone is happy about? That’s not just stressful, it’s also nerve-wracking. Relationships are on the line when you put together a master list. One small overlooked detail could cause a conflict between parties involved. To avoid any unwanted tears and hurt feelings, consider the following wedding etiquette tips for compiling a wedding guest list.

• Stick to your wedding budget. Determine how much you can spend on food per guest at the wedding reception. The amount will help you decide on the number of guests you may invite.
• Work with your spouse-to-be, your parents, your in-laws-to-be in compiling a master list that is based on each of your respective lists. Make sure that the reached number of guests fit into your wedding budget.
• Come up with a system of “must/should/could invites.” When you are sure that the budget covers the “must invites,” move on to the “should invites” and then to the “could invites.” This will ensure that everyone who is important to all parties are in the list.
• Invite family first. If you are inviting a single friend or family member who is in a long-term relationship, invite his or her significant other as well.
• If the budget covers it, let the single members of your wedding party and single family members bring a guest. If this is not possible with your budget, address it appropriately by not putting “and guest” in the invitation.
• You are not obligated to invite co-workers. You have the option to do so, but make sure that your budget allows it.
• Have an adult reception if it’s not appropriate to have kids running around the place. If it’s a casual garden wedding and it’s okay for you to have kids present, then you may allow your guests to bring their kids. Again, make sure that your budget can cover this as children are counted as part of your final number.
• If you’ve decided to have an adult reception, don’t forget about your flower girl and the ring bearer. They are part of your wedding party, so you still have to invite them. If you or your spouse-to-be already has children, you should include them as well.

Technorati Tags: wedding budget, wedding etiquette, wedding guest list, wedding reception

Simple budget weddings are not that different with any lavish, expensive ceremonies. Both are centered on two people making a commitment to each other and celebrating that occasion with people who are close to them.

Not much difference, well, except for the budget, obviously. But at the end of the day, whether the wedding is budgeted at a few dollars or costs tens of thousands of dollars, what’s important is that the bride and the groom has made their vows to each other and are set to embark on their new lives together.

What makes a wedding special is the couple themselves, not the expensive venue nor the grand reception. So as you plan your wedding, especially if you are on a budget, consider the following things:

Celebrate Your Individuality

As you celebrate your union, showcase your individuality as well by breaking out of bridal traditions and organizing an individual celebration. For example, you can do without the cutting of the wedding cake (which costs hundreds, even, thousands of dollars). Instead, serve sheet cake and do the ceremonial cutting on a smaller cake.

Alternative Reception Venues

Speaking of breaking tradition, a picnic or a backyard barbecue offers a great alternative to the usual restaurant or ballroom reception. You can enjoy the intimacy of the camaraderie as you hold it on a park or a friend’s backyard.

Avoid the Hype

Many people will tell you that for your wedding to be truly special, you need to purchase, rent or hire all kinds of things. Do not get caught up in the hype created by the flowery words of bridal catalogs, magazines, websites, shops, and planners. You can make your wedding special on your own terms. You are the one who’s going to decide what’s important to you.

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It has become a tradition that the bride and groom should give each other gifts on their wedding day. With considerable time spent as engaged couple, each may already have some ideas on what to give to the other. But if you are the bride and you still can’t decide on what to give your groom (probably because your head is still reeling from all that wedding planning) then these tips are for you.

If you are on a budget, then why not try any of these:

• a bottle of wine with a love note
• a money clip
• a CD of your favorite songs
• a personalized bathrobe or hanky

If your man is a techie and you have the budget for it:

• a digital camera
• the video game system his been eyeing
• an iPhone
• an iPod or MP3 player

If you want something sentimental, these are nice gifts for your groom:

• a scrapbook of your photos as a couple
• a customized calendar with photos of the two of you

Or why not something that will let you spend some time together:

• a weekend trip to the spa
• concert tickets of his favorite performer
• tickets to watch his favorite sports game

While you can choose from any of these ideas, it’s better if you can determine his interests first. Take note of what are his likes, and dislikes, so you can come up with the perfect wedding gift. Men aren’t that complicated. You can surely think of something.

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Planning a wedding is not easy. There are so much to think about, so much more to be done. But you can make things a little less complicated by focusing on the priorities and going from there. You may simplify things by using these 5 steps as a guide.

1. Base on your budget, decide on how formal your wedding is going to be and envision the theme that you like, then choose the possible place for the wedding and reception venue.
2. Pick your maid of honor, then have her join you and your mother when shopping for your dress. Since you have envisioned your theme, you already have an idea on the dress that you like.
3. Complete the members of your wedding party and finalize the guest list.
4. A month before the wedding day, decide on the food for the reception, choose your flowers and send out the invites.
5. Two days before the big event, make sure that the necessary arrangements for the reception are finalized.

More or less, this is how you are going through the whole planning stage. Remember, this is just a guide to help you visualize everything. You may insert or add some details or you can make your own. The point of this is to keep you from feeling so overwhelmed. No drama, baby!

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In planning a wedding, the invites you choose will set the tone of the occasion. So why not make your own invitations and create a more personal and intimate atmosphere? Other than that, here are several advantages of making your own unique wedding invitations.

1. Making the wedding invitation yourself gives the invites a unique style and character. This reason alone beats the idea of choosing from a wide variety of template to design your invites. In making your own invites, you get exactly what you have in mind.
2. Creating your own design frees you from being limited to templates that have been probably used too many times by others. Let your originality and creativity show in your own unique wedding invitations.
3. Do it yourself wedding invitations have a certain appeal to people with a sentimental side. They might even treasure your invites as mementos, making your invites as special as the big day itself.
4. Most of all, you save a lot of money. Print them yourself on specialty paper, cut them and you got yourself instant wedding invites.

If you are worried about the time, then enlist some help in every aspect of making the invites. Say, you can ask someone to print them for you once you are done with the design. Surely, everyone would be glad to lend a hand to make your wedding more meaningful and special.

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