Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the most special days of your life. It's also one of the few days where everyone comes to celebrate you, so naturally you want to stand out from the crowd. Everyone wants their day to be a day that people will remember, and your dress can play a large part in that. There are many different ways to make your dress be something that your guests will talk about for a very long time.

Naturally, when it comes to doing something unique with your wedding dress style, you want to start with the dress itself. The best way to have a completely unique dress is to make it yourself. If you are good with a needle, you could sew your own dress. There are also many seamstresses that can make a dress that you design, although it will cost a fair amount of money. Still, when you have a dress that you made yourself it is something that can be passed down through the family for generations.

There are many variations you can have for a wedding dress since the days are long gone when the dress has to be a standard plain white dress that touches the floor. Starting with the sleeves, decide what kind of style fits best with the rest of your ensemble. You can take your hairstyle, skin tone, and personal preference into account. The more unique styles tend to be asymmetrical sleeves, or a French Innocence neckline. You can still pick a common sleeve and neckline and modify the rest of the dress to make it unique.

You have a lot of options when it comes to the body of your dress. You can have a corset to enhance your feminine figure around the outside of the dress. This could also give you the opportunity to add some color to your dress as well. If you aren't comfortable with a corset, you could always have a sash around your waist instead. The bottom of your dress can be short or long and you can use different fabrics to make it stand out. Something with a pattern, especially one that has color, would really make your dress unique. Having lace ruffles over your dress adds elegance and will make you feel like a princess, if that is the look you are going for.

Whether you have a dress custom made or buy one from a store, you can use accessories to make your wedding dress style different from other brides. Sleeves have gone out of style, especially with younger brides, but they still can complete an ensemble and you can use them to make yourself stand out. Some accessories that aren't often used include cloaks and shawls, both of which can make your wedding dress truly unique. Rare pieces of jewelry will also pop, even on the plainest dresses, making you look stunning and your guests in awe at how beautiful you are on your wedding day.

Weddings and the way they are conducted, vary greatly from one culture to another and from one religion to another. Many couples who don’t practice a religion seem to want a religious or ethnic wedding ceremony. Here are a few wedding traditions from various cultures. If you find a tradition here that you feel has meaning for you feel free to adapt it for your wedding, without demeaning the culture it came from.

Chinese - During a Chinese wedding ceremony, the couple drink from goblets of wine and honey. The bride is fed jujubes, a date like fruit, to increase the chance of having a son in the near future.

Muslims – a Muslim wedding does not take place in a mosque as one might expect but in the office of an Islamic magistrate, and in the presence of three male witnesses. The contract is made between the groom and the brides father or closest male relative, with the girl’s consent. The groom is required to give the bride, money gold and gifts to insure her future. When all of this is completed the papers are signed and the couple is now married. The bride then returns to her parent’s home to get ready for the reception.

African-American – Many African-American couple today are opting for traditional east African wedding ceremonies but most have an American Wedding. However more and More couples are incorporating the “jumping the broom” ritual into their weddings. This practice originated during the era of slavery when slaves were forbidden to marry. Jumping the Broom, was a way of expressing their commitment to one another. Brooms were used in African homes to sweep evil away from the home and family. Some people believe that the ritual may have been a way of rejecting the evil that forbade their union.

Jewish - There are three different branches within Judaism, Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed. Orthodox grooms “Veil” their brides in a ceremony before the actual wedding to signify that they are betrothed. Then the groom signs the contract, called the Ketubah, a beautifully decorated document which details what the groom promises to provide the bride. Both men and women have to have their heads covered. The ceremony takes place under a canopy. After the vows are said, the Orthodox groom places a plain gold band on the ring finger of his bride’s right hand. The reformed bride wears her ring on the left hand. The Contract is read and the ceremony ends with the Seven Blessings. The Groom breaks a glass with his heel to remind the congregation of the Destruction of the Temple and other catastrophes that have befallen the Jewish people.

Native American There are many Native American tribes while some wedding traditions are shared by several tribes, some are unique to just individual tribes. We will only go into a few here.

Northern California Traditions -
A man of low social standing would pay only half the bride price and then move into his in-laws home and be under the rule of the brides father. The Bride’s family would allow this because they needed another man in the family.

Jewelry is considered a shield against evil and both bride and groom wear turquoise and silver jewelry at the wedding.

Hopi Tradition - Either the male or the female may propose, they do it by presenting food gifts. No marriage between members of the nuclear family are permitted.

Every culture has its own wedding traditions and they deserve to respected. Many young couple today are choosing to incorporate the traditions of their ancestors rejected by their parents and grandparents in an effort to become "“more American".

Why is a guest book so important for weddings? Why is it important for the wedding couple?

Guest books are important for the couple because it is the record of the guests and their wonderful comments for the bride and groom. It is considered a treasured memento of the couple's wedding that they can go back to year after year as they celebrate their anniversary. Many couples do this reminiscing thing while celebrating their wedding anniversaries to bring back the memories of the celebration- a get-together of families and friends who have given their thoughts and blessings to the couple for a new-found life together.

If you are planning for your wedding, it is an important task to look for unique wedding guest books that you can choose from to make your wedding celebration unique and complete. This task should be personal and you are obliged to pick yours according to your preferences as a couple and as a complement to your wedding.

1. Themed Wedding Guest book

Themed weddings usually call for tie-ups of other elements such as invitations, attire and many others. If you don't have a particular theme for your wedding, the usual thing to do is to tie your wedding guest book to the color scheme or motif.

A classic and elegant wedding calls for an elegantly designed one with either white or ecru pages, and a motif hardbound cover. You may also want to personalize your guestbook by ordering it from an online stationery store or wedding accessories shop. Finding these personalized guestbooks are easy as the click of your mouse.

 2. Photo Wedding Guest Book

There are two types of photo wedding guestbook that you can use during your wedding. The traditional way of taking Polaroid photos during your wedding is one way to have instant photos of family, friends and guests. Take some snapshots of you and your partner with each of your guests [an individual or group or family]. However, in this day and age, the digital camera is a handier piece of gadget that most people are fond of using. However, printing the photo could only be done after the wedding if this is the case; so make sure that your guests sign on specific pages especially for them.

The other type of photo wedding guest book is where the book itself has photos of you and your partner. Normally, photography studios offer this service as an inclusion to their normal photography services. This is apart from the wedding album itself, but this guest book contains photos of the wedding couple during the pre-nuptial photo shoot. The guest book is usually a magazine-type and hardbound, and each page has photos of the couple which appear to be part of the design. This is passed on to the guests during the wedding reception where they can write their well-wishes and congratulatory notes.

3. Wedding Guest Book Plate/Platter

A ceramic plate or platter is a fun and very unique way of having your guests sign and wish you on your wedding day. A large plate/platter is better for weddings of more than 50 guests and you can keep this as a home decor [usually a focal point of a particular room]. Don't forget to provide a fine-point marker to your guests to ensure that their messages will stay permanently on the ceramic surface. You can order these guest book plates/platters online and some stores may also include special markers as well.

4. Monogrammed Wedding Guest Book

This is another personalization method that you can apply to your wedding guest book. You can order a custom-made wedding guest book which bears the monogrammed initials of the bride and groom. This is a simple addition to your personalized or themed wedding guest book that doesn't cost too much but adds a unique touch to it all in all.

5. Quilted Wedding Guest Book

Quilts by tradition are a great way to involve family and friends to create an entire piece [i.e. blanket or tapestry as the most common] out of patches of fabric that are sewn together. Taking this tradition to create a wedding guest book is a unique and interesting way of involving your family, friends and guests to piece together their wishes and good lucks.

Provide your fabrics of choice to each of your guests and make sure to provide also some fabric markers. You can ask you groomsmen and bridesmaids to hand out the fabric pieces and markers to your guests. You can also task them to collect the completed pieces and keep them in a box so you can take all of their wishes with you after the reception. The task of sewing the fabrics together can be done by you and your partner or you can ask family members to help out. You can frame the quilt once it's sewn and display it on the wall of your home.

These are just a few of the many ideas that you can apply when you are planning for a unique and interesting wedding guest book. Use your imagination and picture how you would like your wedding guest book will look like. If you are stuck with ideas, you can browse the internet for more info, samples and ideas from wedded couples as well.

Retail stores have sections devoted to all things wedding, from do-it-yourself invitations and favors to table decorations. But for the largest selection of themes and colors, all you have to do is shop the World Wide Web. The Internet has everything you need to decorate specifically for your wedding. Any item you need, cocktail napkins, mints, or matches can be imprinted with your names and wedding date.

If you want to see your decorations before purchasing a large quantity of them, some online retailers will send sample swatches of colors for fabric items or a small sample item. Check out a bridal expo, they usually come to larger cities a few times a year, so one may be near you.
Before you by every decoration you think you might need, find out what is included at the church, if they have their own decorations and especially your reception site. Some venues actually include centerpieces of silk flowers or candelabras in the price of the reception. Also determine a color scheme so you only get what you need and think about how it will look with the colors that are already in the room where your reception will be held.
For decorations that are really personal or unique try home goods stores or craft shows. Craft shows are a great opportunity to find artists with unique talents that you could showcase at your wedding, and might even be something that you can keep to decorate your home. Finally, think thematically, color, season, and personality. If your groom proposed to you somewhere special and you can bring some of that décor to your wedding, it would be a great, individualized touch.
Make a list of everything you need and the amount. You will probably have more pews to decorate than reception tables, so you want to be sure that you have enough of each decoration. If you are going to be making anything yourself, purchase a few extra supplies...just in case!

Weddings in Florida can be anything from a romantic ceremony on the beach to a lavish wedding at a private island resort. Florida is considered the sports fishing capital of the world. It is also famous for its perfect, aqua blue waters. This makes it an ideal location for a beach wedding. The Florida Keys is filled with exotic locations to tie the knot. They have some excellent resorts and waterfront venues.

Marathon Key, which is the largest island in the Florida Keys, is known for its serene beauty and tropical breezes. This can be a great place for many who wish to have a quiet and private wedding. This island is famous for its sunset weddings. Many people consider getting married in the Lower Florida Keys because it offers the perfect setting.

There are wedding coordinators, commonly known as wedding planners, who arrange many of these weddings. They make all the decisions and make sure the entire event runs smoothly. It is always recommended to have a wedding planner plan out the event. Individuals planning on a wedding can also hire photographers and video shooting professionals. They help people capture the special moments. Many restaurants and catering companies offer their services. Seafood is the specialty at Florida Keys weddings, but there should be caterers who can handle any sort of food requests to suit specific needs and desires.

Florida Keys guides provide you with complete information on weddings. It includes wedding gifts, justices of the peace, wedding shopping, florists, photographers, hotel and banquet packages and jewelry. These guides assist people in making their weddings a delightful experience.

There are online guides also available that can assist in arranging for a wedding chapel or wedding location, musicians, catering, flowers, photography, the wedding ring as well as take care of chores like marriage applications and licenses. This makes it convenient for people to sit back and enjoy the wedding. A wedding in Florida is a spectacular and romantic event.

Looking for some unique winter wedding favor ideas that have individual charm and elegance? Those snowflake bottle stopper favors are everywhere now and every store in town seems to run out of them by November. The chrome snowflake bottle stoppers are undoubtedly elegant as well as multifaceted because they can be used for Christmas or after Christmas in January. However, to add more creativity and warmth to winter wedding favors there are several more charming ideas for winter themes and favors.

If you have a knack for sewing and arts and crafts, then this is a beautiful Christmas ornament wedding favor idea. Make heart shaped lace pillows with tiny roses hot glued to the top and a ribbon with your names and wedding date tied on. They make wonderful Christmas tree ornaments for a December wedding. Decorate a tree with these ornaments and have your wedding guests take one as they go home. Your wedding guests will have a special remembrance of your anniversary as they decorate their own Christmas trees every year with your winter ornament wedding favor.
Another great ornament wedding favor idea that can be a little more expensive is to have ceramic ornaments made with your names and wedding date painted on them. Hang the ornaments on a small pine tree that can be near the bridal table. Have the DJ announce that guest may pick their favors from this tree. Another sparkling ornament favor is the glass blown snowflake ornament wedding favors. You can add personalized ribbons to these winter ornaments to create an intimate detail to your favors and it is more inexpensive than engravings and paintings on the actual ornament. The glass blown snowflake ornament is elegant, yet inexpensive and it works for both December and January weddings. Snowflakes can work as wedding favors well into February, since it is so wintry. Place the glass blown snowflake ornament favors simply on each napkin at each place setting at the reception. They can also be placed in an organza bag and personalized with a personalized ribbon.

A nice edible winter wedding favor idea is truffle boxes. Each little truffle box can be wrapped like a Christmas present. It adds to the whole Christmas mood of the reception and your wedding guests will receive miniature Christmas presents as wedding favors. The truffle boxes can also be filled with other Christmas edibles, such as snowballs or fill it with a fun Christmas surprise. Another great winter wedding favors idea are English Crackers. They fit into any holiday season party and they can be filled with winter wedding favor trinkets, such as a snowflake ornament wedding favors and Jordan Almonds. If you don't want to do a lot of wrapping and you are not looking for a Christmas look but a winter themed wedding favor, then take white bon bon boxes and fill them with snowballs, Jordan Almonds, or a wintry mint truffle and embellish with a ribbon that coordinates with your winter wedding colors. The bon bon box winter wedding favor idea is simple to make, yet it shows that you put in the effort to hand make your winter wedding favors.

Other great favor ideas for the winter are winter snow globe favors. Snow globes are always a favorite with guests young and old. The new "Mr. & Mrs. Snowman" globes are so adorable you can't help but smile! Mini Snow globes would be a sensation at any winter wedding and can be found at Chic Wedding Favors. Winter snowflake guest soap favors are great as winter wedding favors or winter bridal shower favors that sparkle as an accent to your winter wonderland. If you are looking for personalized favors, there is a great line of winter hot cocoa mix, coffee, tea, and cocktail mixes. The little packets come in winter designs and can be personalized with names and wedding date. Winter Mint Tin Wedding Favors are also very nice and useful. The tin will be a lasting memory even after the kosher mints are gone.
Be creative and don't be afraid to bring out your craft talents for your winter wedding favors. Your winter wonderland wedding will come alive when you use creative winter wedding favor ideas to make your favors for your special guests. If you don't have time to make favors, then there are many creative and designer favors available that will charming and impress your guests.


Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Wedding-Favors-For-Winter-Weddings&id=2878481