There are two ways you can go for the music for your wedding.  You can either have live music, or you can have recorded music.  Traditionally live music has been the music of choice, but recorded music is becoming more popular.

Live music has often been preferred because it seems more traditional and romantic.  It may be seen as “cheap” to have recorded music at a wedding ceremony, and live music is often expected.

But sometimes the couple may not enjoy live music.  They may have very specific taste in music that would be better suited to recorded music.  In this case, the wedding will often hire a DJ to play instead of a live group.

If you’re going to hire live music, you should find an artist or group that can perform the kind of music the two of you both enjoy.  If you both hate classical music, don’t hire an orchestra!  It may seem like the “classy” thing to do, but the two of you should really enjoy the music at your wedding!  If you are both crazy for heavy metal music, go ahead and hire that wild thrash metal band!  It’s your wedding!  You can always have some recorded music thrown into the mix.

If you decide on recorded music, you can discuss the songs you want played with the DJ well before the wedding.  You might want to choose mostly romantic songs, or you might prefer having a few fun dance songs played to liven up the party.  Remember, it’s your wedding, so choose the music the two of you enjoy.  If you have to buck tradition, go ahead and do so!

I do recommend choosing at least one slow song for the first dance.  It’s traditional that the bride and groom share the first dance, and it may be videotaped for posterity.  You will probably want to give the guests that one dance to a slow, romantic song at the very least.  Then again, if you both hate mushy music with a passion, go for what you like!  It’s your wedding, after all!

Many brides love flowers and delight in planning the flowers for their wedding ceremony and reception. Fresh and healthy flowers really create a beautiful and polished atmosphere both for the wedding ceremony and reception. All those brides and grooms who have gardening and horticultural knowledge will be able to utilize their experiences when it comes to deciding upon which flowers and floral designs you would like for your special day.

I myself have been gardening for fifteen years and have experience working in a flower shop, so I will share my own tips for selecting bridal flowers.

1) Consider the bride and the groom’s favorite flowers and colors.

2) Consider the appearance, size, shape, color and fragrance of the flowers.

3) Consider buying flowers in season and locally grown, as this is cheaper and better for the environment as the flowers don’t have to be imported from another country or state.

4) It is recommended that the bride and groom make a consultation with florists at two or three different flower shops. Come prepared with your questions, your price range, and a list of your favorite flowers.

5) Select flowers with shapes and colors that compliment the bride’s complexion, hair color, overall appearance and wedding gown.

6) Choose flowers that flatter bridesmaids and their dresses, and the groom, groomsmen and their tuxedos.

7) Think about the style your want to achieve:

a) traditional
b) contemporary/modern

Think about the time of day of wedding ceremony, wedding photographs and wedding reception. The goal is to have the flowers remain fresh and healthy for the ceremony, photographs and reception. Flowers like roses need water picks to hold water and Gerbera daisies require a lot of water to remain healthy.

9) Keep in mind the location of your ceremony and purchase flowers to decorate that flatter the colors and lighting of the church or hall.

10) Think about the location of your reception and purchase flowers to decorate that flatter the colors, furniture and lighting of the reception site.

11) Get recommendations from family and friends on the flowers that they had at their own weddings.

12) Discover ideas for floral designs in wedding magazines and on bridal websites.

13) Remember to keep in mind the cost of each flower. Flowers that are readily available are cheaper than more exotic and hard-to-find flowers.

14) Reflect on all of your wedding floral needs:

• for ceremony; flowers for church pews, altar, registry table, front platform, outside church doors, church foyer
• for reception; floral centerpiece for each dinner table, special centerpieces for wedding party’s table
• bridal bouquet
• bridesmaids bouquets
• groom’s boutonniere
• mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom corsages
• groomsmen’s boutonniere
• boutonniere for father-of-the-bride and father-of-the-groom
• bride’s bouquet for bouquet toss
• flower girl’s flowers
• ring bearer’s boutonniere

Enjoy planning your wedding. Take time to smell the roses!

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Congratulations, bride-to-be, on your engagement! As you begin your journey towards becoming husband and wife, close your eyes and envision how you want to look on your wedding day. Long traditional bridal gown with cascading train? Knee-length strapless dress with short silk veil? Every little girl dreams about getting married someday and walking down the aisle in a beautiful dress.

Here are a variety of tips and suggestions for selecting the perfect bridal gown.

1. Talk to trusted friends and family about where they purchased their wedding dresses.

2. Ask to see photographs of friends, family and co-workers wedding dresses for ideas.

3. Research wedding dresses online. Ask friends and family to recommend bridal websites.

4. Purchase several good quality wedding magazines to search for ideas. Pay attention to the specific styles, fabrics, and colors that appeal to you. Cut out photos of wedding dresses that you like and place them in a notebook or scrapbook.

5. Have your mother and/or bridesmaids accompany you to various wedding boutiques. Try on various dresses. Avoid settling for first or second dress you try on. Don’t settle shopping in just one boutique.

6. Consider putting several possible dresses on hold and return to the wedding boutique several days later to try on the dresses again with a fresh perspective.

7. Consider the style that you want:

• with straps
• with long sleeves
• with short sleeves
• high-waist
• low-waist

8. Consider the length that best suits your needs:

• floor length dress with long train
• floor length dress with short train
• floor length dress with no train
• ankle length dress with or without train
• knee-length dress

9. Think about the head-piece that you desire:

• long veil
• short veil
• no veil
• tiara

10. Think about the color that you would like:

• shades of white
• shades of ivory
• shade of cream

11. Consider the material/ fabric that you would feel most comfortable in:

• silk
• satin
• lace
• chiffon
• brocade
• organza
• taffeta
• velvet

12. Consider your body type and what dress style best flatters your figure.

13. Consider the month of your wedding and the typical weather at that time.

14. Consider the destination of your wedding:

• local wedding – traditional theme – cold or warm
• destination wedding – casual theme – tropical or cool

15. Consider any cultural or familial traditions that you want to uphold.

16. Try on your bridal shoes with your gown:

• flats
• small heel
• high heel
• sandals

17. Purchase jewelry that compliments your body type, face and your wedding dress.

18. Practice good time management. Begin looking for your dress shortly after getting engaged, so that you allow for plenty of time to shop at various boutiques and getting necessary fittings and alterations.

You have finally discovered the woman that fills your heart’s desires and you are planning your romantic proposal. A man often has various questions, concerns and insecurities when it comes to presenting his girlfriend with her engagement ring.

Let’s first offer you some basic education about shopping for engagement rings. Consider the following decisions:

1) Select the metal of the ring:

• platinum – strongest, most pure metal – more expensive
• white/yellow gold – most common for engagement rings – less expensive

2) Decide on the setting style:

• Solitaire Settings – most popular for engagement rings
• Settings with Side Stones – diamonds or gems along the sides of the ring to add more sparkle and color
• Three Stone Settings – ring carries diamond to represent the past, diamond to represent the present and diamond to represent the future

3) Select the diamond shape:

• Round
• Princess
• Emerald
• Asscher
• Marquise
• Oval
• Pear
• Radiant
• Heart
• Cushion

4) Decide on your diamond size. Remember, quality matters more than quantity!

• 0.25 carat
• 0.5 carat
• 0.75 carat
• 1.0 carat
• 1.5 carat

5) Remember the Four C’s.

• CUT
• COLOR
• CLARITY
• CARAT WEIGHT

Tips for selecting the special ring that girlfriend will love and making it a surprise:

1) Consider her lifestyle and her personal tastes.

2) Carefully examine the colors of the jewelry your lady wears. Does she wear platinum or white gold or yellow gold?

3) Ask your girlfriend’s mother or friends if she talked about liking a specific type or style of ring.

4) The other option is shopping for an engagement ring together with your girlfriend. Then she can show you the exact rings that she likes and you can find the style that flatters her the most.
Remember to focus on making your relationship with your girlfriend as loving, strong and mutually-fulfilling as possible so that she will be so happy to accept your wedding proposal and she will not be envious of other women’s engagement rings because she is marrying you, the man of her dreams.