Once you have decided to get married, the next possible question is whether to have a wedding religious ceremony or to have a civil ceremony, to exchange the vows and get yourself certified as a married couple.
You can choose to get married in a chapel, a museum, a church, a hotel or an art gallery as per your personal preference. You can even opt for your home, a park, a ranch or even a beach.
In case you are unable to make up your mind, you can ask your friends to refer some good places to get married. Also, take the help of the references from your friends, on who should preside over your wedding. You need to decide whether it is to be a minister, a rabbi, a justice of the peace, a priest or some other official.
In case you and your partner belong to different faiths, you can opt for an interfaith wedding. Now the clergy in both the faiths might not exactly be very liberal about officiating together over your wedding ceremony, although it would be a great idea if they can. In such a case, you can contact some lesser conservative religious officials, who would like to oblige you for the service. Alternatively, you can search the internet to find people who can give you the service.
In case you are not opting for a religious service and want to go ahead with a civil ceremony, you must have a qualified official to do it for you. It can be a mayor, a county clerk, some committee chair or a clerk of a court, magistrate, judge or a civil justice.
Most of the couples go with the set language of the marriage vows. In case you are innovative and want to say your vows in your own words that are different from the clichéd words, you need to talk to your officiant well in time and inform him/her about that. If you are going to have a religious service, you can inform them and take their consent for the same in advance. You must inform them of any special readings and the type of music that is going to be included in your ceremonies.
It would be a good idea to meet and rehearse what you would say at the time of your ceremony. You both need to go over the ceremony with the officiating priests or officials. You can also attend some premarital counseling sessions.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Music at the Wedding
Every couple that gets married loves music to go with the ceremony of exchanging vows and every couple has a different choice. Hence, when you are planning to hire a wedding DJ or a group of musicians to play music while you get into the most precious relationship of your life, you must give special attention to the kind of music they will produce.
Some religious places, churches or other such places where weddings takes place, forbid some particular type of music. While deciding what kind of music should go with your wedding, you must respect the rules and the restrictions that these religious places have imposed. If you do not honor that, you might have to make some awkward changes in your wedding plans.
If you are choosing to play some recorded songs or music, and if the venue of the wedding allows it, ensure that, you play this recorded music in some good music and sound system. Not only would it produce a great effect, but would also feel good to the ears of all present.
You can even opt for a local musician or organist at the place where you are getting married. Almost every church or temple has its own resident musician. Even the choir of the local church can perform at your wedding.
If you intend to play the songs on a music system, and are choosing your own songs, you must pay attention to the selection of the same. You can download music from the internet or go to the local music shop to get your favorite music.
In case you are in touch with a band for your reception music, they can also give you references on who can perform the music best for the wedding ceremony. If you are happy with the band that you have hired for your other parties and ceremonies, you can ask them to play during your wedding ceremony.
After you have decided upon who will play music and what kind of music will go with your wedding ceremony, you should see to it that the sound effects work in your favor. Usually the design of the places that people choose to get married is non-acoustical to work best for playing of music. You can modify the effects by using amplifiers and other devices. In case you have chosen to take the vows outdoors, you will have to take into consideration the outdoors sounds of birds, the buzz of aeroplanes and traffic noises.
Some religious places, churches or other such places where weddings takes place, forbid some particular type of music. While deciding what kind of music should go with your wedding, you must respect the rules and the restrictions that these religious places have imposed. If you do not honor that, you might have to make some awkward changes in your wedding plans.
If you are choosing to play some recorded songs or music, and if the venue of the wedding allows it, ensure that, you play this recorded music in some good music and sound system. Not only would it produce a great effect, but would also feel good to the ears of all present.
You can even opt for a local musician or organist at the place where you are getting married. Almost every church or temple has its own resident musician. Even the choir of the local church can perform at your wedding.
If you intend to play the songs on a music system, and are choosing your own songs, you must pay attention to the selection of the same. You can download music from the internet or go to the local music shop to get your favorite music.
In case you are in touch with a band for your reception music, they can also give you references on who can perform the music best for the wedding ceremony. If you are happy with the band that you have hired for your other parties and ceremonies, you can ask them to play during your wedding ceremony.
After you have decided upon who will play music and what kind of music will go with your wedding ceremony, you should see to it that the sound effects work in your favor. Usually the design of the places that people choose to get married is non-acoustical to work best for playing of music. You can modify the effects by using amplifiers and other devices. In case you have chosen to take the vows outdoors, you will have to take into consideration the outdoors sounds of birds, the buzz of aeroplanes and traffic noises.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Bridesmaids on a Budget
If you are not the bride, and are going to act as a bridesmaid for someone else, you need to watch your own expenses of attending someone else’s wedding. While you feel honored and are excited about your friend’s wedding, you might find the expenses bogging you down. You might have to spend on your dress, shoes, hairstyle, manicure and travel to the wedding etc. Also, add bridal shower, girls’ party, gifts for the bride and some miscellaneous expenditure. In an estimate, it is an established fact that a bridesmaid might even spend somewhere close to a thousand dollars before the wedding.
However, it is not very wise to go on spending, if you cannot afford it. The best way to handle such a situation is by talking it out with the bride, whose emotions are already on the high.
Otherwise, you can spend wisely and still be a graceful bridesmaid, if your friend surely wants you in her bridal party.
You can start by saving on your dress. If the bride is open in her approach then she can allow you to wear a regular dress that you are comfortable wearing or one that is available on sale or at an economy price.
However, if the bride insists on a traditional formal gown, you can opt for a designer who does not charge exorbitantly. The trick is in ordering the gown immediately once you make up the mind and the discussions are over. You must avoid last minute rush to avoid spoiling your friend’s wedding. One way to economize on the dress is by preferring it shipped along with the dress of the bride if your designer is the same. You would not only avoid sales tax, but would also cut down shipping costs.
Alterations in a dress cost a lot, so be attentive in giving your accurate body measurements when ordering. The bridal shop seamstress would charge a lot more than a normal shop seamstress.
Shoes to match with the dress are also expensive. Use dyeable shoes that you can use later also. Else, try to get your previous bridesmaid shoes dyed with this dress, if it is possible. If the bride is not very particular about the color of your shoes, you can go for good black shoes. Alternatively, go for a cheaper option available at many stores.
To save on the makeup, let your own makeup and hair styling talents come to the fore and let all the bridesmaids come up with ideas for each other. In case the bride wants a proper hair style and a professionally done look, go hire students from a beauty school, who would be happy to have free subjects to try their hands on different hair styles and would not charge much either.
However, it is not very wise to go on spending, if you cannot afford it. The best way to handle such a situation is by talking it out with the bride, whose emotions are already on the high.
Otherwise, you can spend wisely and still be a graceful bridesmaid, if your friend surely wants you in her bridal party.
You can start by saving on your dress. If the bride is open in her approach then she can allow you to wear a regular dress that you are comfortable wearing or one that is available on sale or at an economy price.
However, if the bride insists on a traditional formal gown, you can opt for a designer who does not charge exorbitantly. The trick is in ordering the gown immediately once you make up the mind and the discussions are over. You must avoid last minute rush to avoid spoiling your friend’s wedding. One way to economize on the dress is by preferring it shipped along with the dress of the bride if your designer is the same. You would not only avoid sales tax, but would also cut down shipping costs.
Alterations in a dress cost a lot, so be attentive in giving your accurate body measurements when ordering. The bridal shop seamstress would charge a lot more than a normal shop seamstress.
Shoes to match with the dress are also expensive. Use dyeable shoes that you can use later also. Else, try to get your previous bridesmaid shoes dyed with this dress, if it is possible. If the bride is not very particular about the color of your shoes, you can go for good black shoes. Alternatively, go for a cheaper option available at many stores.
To save on the makeup, let your own makeup and hair styling talents come to the fore and let all the bridesmaids come up with ideas for each other. In case the bride wants a proper hair style and a professionally done look, go hire students from a beauty school, who would be happy to have free subjects to try their hands on different hair styles and would not charge much either.
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