Engagement Rings

When you're engaged, one of the first things people ask is to see the ring.  Engagement rings have been around since the 1400's and are still the most important pieces of jewelry a woman will wear.

When picking out a ring it is typical to spend two months salary.  This mayseem like alot, but rings usually average around $3,500 to $4,000 in a jewelry store.  Depending on your financial situation and the brides style, rings can range in price.  The media is showing celebrities getting five carat rings, but that does not necessarily make it reality.  Choosing a ring should be a romantic, personal choice that should be decided solely on the couples taste. 

Some tips to take before shopping are to have a budget in mind so you don't get overwhelmed.  Having a price decided upon will make the shopping experience much easier and will guide the salesperson in the right direction.  Also, while choosing a ring, think about the "Four C's".  Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat size are very important while choosing a style.  Make sure you know what the brides style is and have an idea of what she wants, because this is a piece of jewelry that she will wear for the rest of her life. 

Another key aspect that you should keep in mind is the metal type.  Some couples like to match metals for their wedding bands and some want the complete opposite.  Three of the most popular metals are yellow gold, which are the most traditional, white gold, which will match both platinum and silver, and finally, the platinum.  While this metal is the most expensive of the three, platinum is in high demand.  Being the hardest metal and allergy friendly, brides are falling in love with the platinum sets. 

All of this may seem overwhelming, and many of the grooms out there are probably feeling clueless of what to get.  One solution to all of these problems could be to bring the bride along.  Keep an open dialogue and ask what she wants.  It's even okay to bring her along for the shopping process.  Bringing the bride along will help with any confusions and will help you pick out the perfect ring!

If this doesn't seem like the thing for you, tattoo wedding bands are the newest trend that you may....or may not want to look into. 

Staying on Budget While Planning Holiday Events

Staying on budget while planning your holiday event is easy!

The first step to stay on budget is to plan ahead. Giving people plenty of time to R.S.V.P gives you a better chance of receiving an accurate guest list. Knowing how many people are attending is key to knowing how much food and beverages to be purchased.

The next step is to create a list of all the party essentials and basics. Price out everything on the list so price tags don’t become a shock, then you can filter through the items and decide what’s really needed.

Another great way to stay in budget would be to throw the party at home. If the event can be held at the comfort of your own home then that is a sure way to save some extra cash.

The last and most important is to compare prices and find the better deals. Alcohol is one of the top expenses when throwing an e vent. Going non-alcoholic would help you save, but if that’s not a possibility just limit the amount and brands of alcohols you use.

 

Just because you have a budget doesn't mean that you can't still have a fabulous party.  You just have to think outside of the box!

Winter Themed Weddings

Winter themed weddings are a hot trend in the bridal world, but many brides want something new. Creating a menu and venue that resemble the holidays will send guests home in the spirit.

To create the wintery feel, choose different shades of whites and silvers to set the mood. Then by adding candles or flickering lights it will create the ambiance of a lifetime.

As for cocktails and menus; peppermint, butterscotch and cranberry are a few holiday favorites. Adding extra spices such as cinnamon, rosemary and almonds help you achieve the perfect winter taste.

The wedding cake flavors should be rich with colors reflecting the Christmas theme by using whites, blues, deep reds, or rustic greens and browns.

To have the perfect flowers at your winter themed wedding, try some calla lilies or red roses to get that romantic feel.

After the party is over the main goal is to send the guests home with the great memory of your winter wedding. Gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate or mini ice wine bottles are great wedding favors that will have guests remembering forever.

Destination Weddings

Do you feel like getting away?  Do you want to start your honeymoon early?  Destination weddings are a great way to accomplish both!  What is a destination wedding?  A destination wedding is a planned ceremony and reception that is done away from home.  There are many types of wedding locations, such as the beach, woods, church, or boat.  Depending on your preference, a destination wedding may be the way you want to go.

Destination weddings are great for an intimate, easy and less expensive trip.  It may seem a little strange or out of reach, but destination weddings can sometimes be much easier than the traditional. 

Having a destination wedding is very romantic.  You can make this trip a dream that you’ll remember forever.  Whether you go an island or the countryside, a destination wedding is something that will definitely leave your guests wanting more.  Many times brides think that a destination wedding will cost more than a normal reception, but that may not be the case.  Planning a wedding on a tropical island is great because there are often deals and all-inclusive resorts which save the bride and groom some cash.  Also, this could be good or bad, but destination weddings often result in a smaller guest list which helps the money situation. 

The one tip of advice that I would give to anyone planning a destination wedding would be to plan way in advance.  Weddings usually take up to a year or more to plan.  With a destination wedding you may want to leave yourself with a little more time.  Since your location is no longer close to home, it often takes longer to get simple tasks done quickly. 

Planning ahead of time not only gives the bridal party more time for preparations, but also helps the guests.  To ensure a decent amount of guests, planning with extra time will allow them to have more time to plan their trips.  The bride and groom are not the only people planning a vacation, the guests will need to take off from work, find babysitters, get transportation, etc. to attend a further location. 

Although it may seem like a destination wedding is harder, to be honest, a wedding is hard and time consuming to begin with.  Even if you feel that a destination wedding may not be the right decision for you, it’s definitely something fun and new to look into!

FACTS:

Popular Destinations 

-Disney World

-Martha’s Vineyard

-Europe

-Caribbean

-Grand Canyon

-Hawaii

-Las Vegas

-Space Needle

-Cruise Ships

Celebrity Destination Weddings

-Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner – Turks and Caicos

-Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes – Italy

-Heidi Klum & Seal – Puerto Vallarta

Pnina Tornai

Pnina Tornai dresses are becoming a “must have” for many brides.  Not following the traditional, conservative gown, Pnina Tornai jazzes up her dresses to match the 2010/future fashions.



Photo Credit: Kleinfeld Bridal



Pnina Tornai is a remarkable designer from Manhattan, NY who is well known for her corset bodice that “screams” fashion.  Whether you’re looking for a ball gown, A-Line, empire, column, or mermaid style dress, Pnina has a chic, sexy, one of a kind gown.

 Pnina dresses can range in price from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the style and customs.  Featuring her dresses in Kleinfeld of Manhattan, Pnina Tornai has made her debut on the show “Say Yes to the Dress”.  Using fabulous fabrics from Europe, Pnina dresses are designed for all types of brides who feel that they have the personality to pull off these outrageous creations.



The great thing about Pnina dresses are that they are made to fit many sizes and are taking the original wedding gown style to the next level.  With her fantastic crystals, beading, and stitch work, these dresses are in a category of their own.  Because these dresses are so elegant and unique, brides find themselves dreaming of wearing one on their special day. 

It takes a certain kind of girl to wear Pnina Tornai designs.  You have to be confident, sexy, fashion-forward, and bold to consider pulling these dressed off.  If you feel that you don’t have these qualities, Pnina dresses pull them out! Slipping into a Pnina gown transforms a young girl into a independent, glamorous individual.

WEtv

Weddings are a hot new trend.  WEtv is a great channel for wedding finatics like you and me.  If you love watching and learning about weddings, WEtv is definately the channel for you.  Some of the shows that they feature are Amazing Wedding Cakes, Bridezillas, The Cupcake Girls, Girl Meets Gown, My Fair Wedding, Platinum Weddings, Rich Bride Poor Bride and Wedding Specials.  If you're looking for entertainment, bridal fashions or wedding cake ideas, this channel has it all! 


Platinum Weddings, My Fair Wedding and Girl  Meets Gown are a few of my favorites.  Watching these shows gives you great ideas on how to put together the perfect wedding and how to find that dream dress.  Designing the perfect wedding can be stressful, but there are so many different media outlets that are wedding targeted to help out any confused/frustrated bride.  Wedding shows, bridal magazines and wedding-based websites are full with information that brides-to-be would be looking for. 


So if wedding planning seems to be too overwhelming, then watching WEtv may be the best solution.  These shows have top wedding coordinators and famous wedding designers from all over the world giving their insight and opinions to everyday brides. 


Whether you're looking to be trendy, sophisticated or old fashioned, WEtv targets all types of brides and wedding themes depending on what you're looking for.  To get great ideas and tips on  how to make your special day a dream come true, WEtv is definately a great place to start!