Father of the Bride Speech

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Delivering a speech on various occasions has to follow a particular set of protocols respecting the functions etiquette. Especially in a wedding, the speech is delivered more or less with a specific format. In a wedding reception function it is very common for the father of the bride, father of the groom, the best man and the bride and groom themselves to say a speech in which they normally share their feelings and experiences with the present members of the family, relatives and friends.

The father of the bride speech usually commences with saying a few words to welcome everyone present in the function and appreciating the fact that they spent their precious time and energy to join the auspicious function and helped it in being a great success. So on behalf of you (father) and the family thank everyone for being present in the function and for participating in the celebration. It is also a part of good speech etiquette on the bride's father's side to thank the caterers, clergy members and photographers for their involvement in the function that made it even better and a memorable one.

The fathers should buy enough time to look at her daughter as a bride and appreciate and compliment her on the fact that she is looking extraordinarily beautiful (even though if it is an exaggeration). The father should apprise his guests about how proud he is of his daughter and summarize her life by mentioning her achievements and talents. You might also reminisce a sweet incident involving you and your daughter from the past, may be from her childhood days.

After talking about your daughter you can welcome the groom as the new member of the family and talk about his talents and congratulate him on his achievements. The father of the bride speech also demands some tips and important advices from your experience for the newly married couple which they might appreciate. It is recommended that the father of the bride delivers his speech in an interesting way, at times by being non-insolently sarcastic or by being cheerful and teasing at the same time which makes the speech capable of grabbing attention and avoid boredom.

In the end, the father of the bride speech must put forward a proposal to raise a toast to the newly wedded couple telling them how happy you are for them and also wish them a very delightful and happy married life for the rest of their lives.

Stylish Accessories For the Mothers of the Bride and Groom

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When your son or daughter is getting married, it is a very exciting time, and you will undoubtedly want to look your best. Once you find your mother of the bride or groom outfit, the next step is to make it really special with accessories. These are some tips on the most stylish accessories to give your wedding ensemble a perfectly polished look.

For many mothers of the bride or groom, finding a great dress to wear to the wedding is an agonizing experience. Finding something to wear that is not dowdy, does not compete with the bride, and yet still looks chic can be a challenge for even the most dedicated of shoppers. The good news is that once you get through dress hunting, you get to move on to the fun part of planning a special outfit: the accessories! The right finishing details will go a long way towards making your mother of the bride or groom dress live up to its full potential, so don't overlook this important last step.

Wedding jewelry is one of the most important accessories. Unless you have an extensive jewelry collection, you will probably need to pick out something new that really coordinates with your dress. When you have raised your son or daughter from an infant to an adult about to become married, you deserve jewelry that is sophisticated enough for your position in life. In other words, the simple strand of white pearls that you wore as a bride in your own wedding just won't do when you are the mother of the bride; let your daughter borrow your demure pearls, and pick out something more striking for yourself.

If you love the lustre of pearls, a fabulous option is a strand of gorgeous black peacock pearls, which have a style and elegance that cannot be beat. Another fantastic look for mothers of the bride and groom is very large mother-of-pearl necklaces which are both classic and chic at the same time. Faceted beads or crystals are also a great look, especially for an evening wedding. Add some sparkle to your ensemble with dazzling Swarovski crystals, which are not only beautiful, but are also affordable enough to fit into the wedding budget with ease.

Every woman knows that the right shoes can make an outfit. When you are choosing your shoes to wear to your son or daughter's wedding, you will need to make sure that they are stylish, practical, and easy to dance in. If the wedding will be outdoors, be sure to choose a flat shoe or one with a wide heel base so that you do not get stuck in the grass or sand. Gone are the days when every person in the wedding party had their shoes dyed to match the exact color of their dress. To do so these days can end up looking frumpy and old-fashioned. Instead choose a neutral or a metallic that complements the color of your dress. Silver metallic strappy sandals look fabulous with almost any color or style of dress, and you will find many other chances to wear them again after the wedding.

One more accessory that you will need is a little bag. The handbag that you carry to a wedding should be just big enough to fit the essentials like lipstick and a hankie (to dab away all those tears of joy). A clutch is a very chic style of special occasion bag, although many women do find that an evening bag with a fancy shoulder strap is more practical. Whichever you prefer, your bag should look nice with your shoes, but does not need to match it exactly. With all of your accessories in place, you will be ready to shine on your son or daughter's wedding day!

Laura helps brides with their wedding plans by offering advice on selecting bridesmaids gifts,reception ideas and other aspects of planning a wedding. Whether you are the bride or the mother of the bride or groom, treat yourself to some really fabulous new wedding jewelry You will be glad you did!

Special Ways to Include the Grandmother of the Bride

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There is a lot of focus on the role played at a wedding by the mother of the bride. But there is another very important family member that should not be overlooked, and that is the grandmother of the bride. Find special ways to include your grandmother in your wedding.

Some women are very close to their grandmothers, and other see them only once in a while. Whether you are one of lucky ones that has a close relationship or not, you will want to find ways to honor your grandmother at your wedding. There are many things that a bride can do to show her love and respect for the older generation.

A very simple thing to do is to give your grandmother a corsage to wear at the wedding. You should also ensure that she is seated at a place of honor during both the ceremony and the reception. This means that your grandmother should sit in one of the first few pew or rows for the marriage service, and at a table near the bride and groom's table for the wedding dinner. As a general rule of thumb, always seat elderly guests away from the music speakers during dinner so that they can hear the conversation at the table. These may sound like very obvious suggestions, but it would be very easy to forget to make the arrangements during the whirlwind of planning a wedding.

Often the bride and groom will give special gifts of jewelry to their mothers before the wedding. When shopping for wedding jewelry gifts, remember to pick up a little something for your grandmothers as well. Choose something that reflects her personality. If you are unsure, pearls are always a lovely and classic gift for a woman of any age. However, if your grandmother is anything like mine, she would prefer her jewelry to shine and sparkle!

A wonderful way to honor your grandmother is to incorporate a detail from her wedding into your own nuptials. If you are fortunate enough to have her bridal gown, it would be quite a tribute to your grandmother to wear it for your wedding. A talented seamstress will be able to refit and update a vintage gown to make it perfect for a modern bride.

Your grandmother will be touched if you decide to carry a replica of her wedding bouquet. She will no doubt recall her wedding flowers with great fondness, and would be tickled pink to watch her granddaughter carry those same blossoms down the aisle. Another way to honor your grandmother would be to dance your first dance to the same song that she and your grandfather chose for their song.

A very easy thing that a bride can do to make her grandmother feel included is to simply include her. Ask her opinion on the food or the flowers. Invite her to a gown fitting if she lives nearby; email her a picture of your gown if she lives far away. You could also ask your grandmother to take on a ceremonial role at the wedding, perhaps as the person in charge of the guest book.

Even if your grandmother is no longer living, it does not mean that you cannot still honor her memory in your wedding. One bride I knew decided to have her wedding on the birthday of her beloved grandmother. Other nice tributes include having her picture displayed at your wedding or lighting a candle in her memory.

Grandmothers are very special people. When you are planning your wedding, take the time to find ways to show your grandmother how much she means to you. Including your grandmother in your wedding will help to make a special day even more meaningful.

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget's experience helping clients select jewelry and accessories. Gifts of jewelry are a wonderful way to show your grandmother and mother how much they mean to you at your wedding.

Bride Speech Tips - Making the Perfect Bride Wedding Toast

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Making a wedding speech is a daunting task, even for accomplished public speakers. You and your groom are the main focus of the wedding celebration, so there is huge expectation on your shoulders, and added to this is your speech. The best speech makers face the same problems as you do, but overcome these pressures by preparing properly.

With so many things going on during your wedding day, not preparing properly for the brides speech can result in a poorly worded and poorly delivered speech. After all, you don't want to say to yourself afterward "If only I had prepared better..."

A wedding brings together a diverse audience. This can make wedding speeches a little more difficult to write than speeches aimed at a specific type of audience. Therefore, you want to tailor your speech to suit as wide an audience as possible, so that it is appreciated by all of the guests. You should be sincere, but also add touches of humor where appropriate. This helps you become more confident, and you speech becomes more enjoyable for the guests.

Preparing for a wedding is a stressful time for those directly involved, especially the bride. After spending months planning and organizing your special day, you want it to be remembered for all of the right reasons, and this includes delivering a great speech. It does not come naturally to most of us, but help is at hand through online guides that will give you the confidence and tips to make the perfect brides speech.

Want more tips on how brides can prepare for their wedding day? Click HERE For FREE Information!

http://www.WeddingPreparations.net

Mother of the Bride Speeches and Toasts

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More and more the mother of the bride is being asked to deliver a speech at her daughter's wedding. If this is you then what should you say and how can you be sure to deliver a confident speech on the day that reflects well on you and your daughter?

Consider why you have been asked to speak at your daughters wedding. It may be you are speaking in place of the father of the bride. If this is the case then you will need to cover this traditional role and incorporate traditional father of the bride content in your speech. If you are speaking as well as the father then you should make your speech additional to and flow from the fathers speech but as the mother you can let your more feminine side and the special relationship a mother has with her daughter show through.

You should start off your mother of the bride speech by introducing yourself then you can perhaps tell a humorous story about the bride. Be very careful around this point though, do not make jokes at the expense of the bride. This is her day. Although you are a very important part of the day and your daughters life you need to do enough to make her proud but nothing to detract from the bride on her special day.

Talk about how your daughter first met her husband or when she first told you about him or first introduced him to you. Thank the grooms parents for having such a wonderful son and also welcome them, especially if they have had to travel.

There are always many special guests and people who will have helped make the day special by supplying flowers, catering, dresses or transport for instance that should be thanked and of course a mention of the brides father may also be appropriate.

Of course you should close with a toast. Take some time to think about a beautiful statement for the toast, even a short poem, as this will sum up and end your speech on a high note and trigger a rapturous applause.

How do you ensure that you will be on form on the day and make your daughter proud? The fact is that there are many tips and tricks to help with public speaking but the only good and sure way is to practice. It doesn't matter even if your mother of the bride speech has not made its final draft. Still practice. Start by reading the written speech out loud from the paper. After a time you will find that whole thing can be broken down into small sections. Don't try and read the speech from paper on the day, this never comes over well. Instead write the headers and the first few words of each 'small section' on small prompt cards. Then you will have a prompt for each short section. Keep practicing using the prompt cards. You will not get it right first time, don't worry this is perfectly normal and you may need to tweak the prompt cards as you get better.

One good trick is to record the speech and replay is when you are in the car or out walking but ensure you talk along with it - out loud. Also make sure you practice in front of someone as this will always bring out the bugs in your speech and give you some positive feedback.

Ensure you start this process at least some weeks before the wedding, earlier if possible, so that you have plenty of practice time. By the time the big day comes around you will have the speech firmly burned into your mind. Do not ever try to wing it on the day as that will always show through.

The truth is that as the mother of the bride you will already likely have many weeks or months of wedding planning to take care of and will have little time to spare. You will very likely benefit from some help with your wedding speech so I recommend that you take a quick look at the help available for your mother of the bride speech by clicking on the link above. Whatever you decide I hope you and your daughter have the fantastic day you wish for.

Father of the Bride Toasts - Exceptional Hints Toward Creating Funny Wedding Speeches

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One of the really fabulous aspects of attending a wedding festivity is the father of the bride speeches which bring laughter to the spirits of people listening. When we speak about a wedding, we typically relate this with joys and celebrations. Presenting a father of the bride speech and toast well-balanced with good humor and content is a very good way to make such an event more special!

Here are reminders to help you pen a humorous father of the bride toast easily:

Guidelines in Writing Funny Father of the Bride Toast

• There is a remarkable distinction between a funny bride's father delivering a speech and watching a performance of stand-up comedy. The audience will surely discover if too much effort is exerted just to deliver a hilarious father of the bride speech and toast. Planning ahead of time really helps in making the funny parts of that speech as natural as achievable.


• Humor isn't everything in father of the bride speeches. No father of the bride-to-be desires to be remembered as delivering a humorous speech without substance whatsoever. The preparation you provide will reflect to the quantity of humor and meaning found in your wedding speech. Whatever you wish your daughter and her groom to treasure in their married life, put it in your priority and all else will follow suit.


• Being invited to speak during the celebrations doesn't warrant a speaker to be careless about the sort of humor presented. As you plan your father of the bride speech, remember that you don't want to be remembered as one who makes fun or offend a certain person, group, race, religion or ideology.

Of course, you want only the most remarkable Father of the Bride Wedding Speeches and Toasts to prepare you for your daughter's special occasion! And so you must visit http://www.bestfatherofthebridespeeches.com/ - the home of 25 professionally written and splendid samples of Father of Bride Speeches. I am sure you'll go looking nowhere else! Access the Exclusive Package of Father of the Bride Wedding Speeches and Toasts right away!

Bride & Groom Toasts - A Celebration of Love

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It is a good thing that a lot of people still believe in marriage. A wedding celebrates the power of love and togetherness. In attending a wedding, it is always a delight to listen to bride and groom toasts. These are wedding speeches that are full of positivity and hope for a good and fruitful future for the newly wed couple.

When you are invited to give out a toast to the bride and the groom- it is always a great pleasure. This simply means that you are a special person to the life of the couple. If you are tasked to give out a wedding speech, the first thing that you have to do is to prepare. Create an outline of the things that you want to say. In the first part of your wedding toast, tell the audience who you are and your relationship to the bride and the groom. You can get say your words of good luck and wishes to the couple.

Turning the table around, if you are the bride or the groom, then you have to write a bride's toasts or your groom's toast. A bride wedding speech would contain grateful words to the key players of the wedding and the special people who attended the event. She would of course address her husband as well. The wedding speech can contain words of thanks, tribute, or anything relevant that you would like to impart to the audience of the event.

The groom wedding speech is not anything different from the bride's toasts. It can contain words of gratitude and of course, words of endearment addressed to his new wife. You can always kick off your groom's toast with something hilarious that would get the audience listen to what you have to say.

Learn more about bride and groom speeches at EasyWeddingToasts.com.

Get instant access to Speeches for the Happy Couple at iDoWeddingToasts.com.

My Colombian Bride - Beautiful Colombian Women Waiting For You!

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Any man who has had the opportunity to date a Latin American woman can tell you that they really are everything you can ever want in a potential mate. These women are true to their values, including a stronghold on family life. In addition to this, they are also very beautiful, curvy, and sensual.

My Colombian Bride is a dating agency that uses the internet as its premium advertising medium. This dating agency has hundreds of beautiful women who are just waiting to get to know you. Could you be the man of their dreams? On this website, you will be able to browse through hundreds of women from Colombia, including women from Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Medellin.

The unique aspect of My Colombian Bride is that it offers tours to prospective men who are interested in finding a Colombian woman to date or marry. This website offers a wide range of features which will help you find the woman of your dreams. It is recommended that you get to know some of these women online before you take a tour, but sometimes men want to get right to the point, so you do have the option to take one of the regular tours.

The great thing about this website is that you actually have the ability to take a tour and meet Colombian women. One of the most common tours is the Cartagena Singles Tour, and this tour promises to connect you with beautiful Colombian women that you will never forget! You get the unique opportunity to meet hundreds of Columbian women in person, and one of them could be your future girlfriend or bride.

In addition to this fantastic and unique Romance Tour, My Colombian Bride also offers tours to other cities, such as Barranquilla and Medellin. So, no matter what prominent Colombian city you want to visit, you can be sure that My Colombian Bride will give you the experience of a lifetime.

The natural beauty and unmatched demeanor of a Latin American woman is something that you are going to notice right from the start. In addition to this, you may be surprised and excited that your Colombian woman is educated, intelligent, and full of laughter and happiness. These women are very attracted to men who can provide a stable lifestyle, and who are looking to settle down for a serious relationship and possible marriage. The also do not mind dating or marrying older men. This is fairly common.

So, if you think that a Colombian woman is just what you would like, then I advise you to visit My Colombian Bride and take one of the tours, it is an unforgettable experience that will stick with you for a long time.

Garrett Williams writes about his experiences in Latin America and has a web site which features reviews of international dating sites like My Colombian Bride. Check out all the Latin Bride site reviews.

Matching the Attendants' Attire to the Bride and Groom

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The bride and groom are the focus of attention at a wedding. Well, okay, mostly just the bride. Nevertheless, your bridesmaids and groomsmen will also play an important role in the look of your wedding. You want to make sure that their attire will complement the style of what the bride and groom are wearing, as well as the theme of the wedding in general.

Getting the men in the wedding party coordinated is really quite easy. Whatever the groom wears is what the groomsmen should wear. If the groom wears a tuxedo, his attendants will also wear tuxedos. If the groom wears a navy blazer and khakis, then the groomsmen will wear that too. Some couples think that they should dress the groom a little bit differently to make him stand out from the rest of the men, but this really is not necessary. Everyone will recognize the groom, since he will be the one standing up at the altar kissing the bride!

There may be some additional touches that you want for the men in the wedding. If they will be wearing shirts with French cuffs, a very nice wedding gift from the bride would be a pair of cufflinks. You can have them engraved with his monogram, or perhaps your wedding date. A really fun idea is a pair of locket cufflinks with a picture of the happy couple inside. The groom can use this same concept when he is looking for gifts for his groomsmen. These days, a lot of young men do not own any cufflinks, and a silver pair makes for very handsome groomsmen gifts, indeed.

The bride and her bridesmaids will not wear the same dresses, of course. You do want the style of the bridesmaid dresses to be in keeping with what the bride will be wearing though. In particular, it looks best when the attendants match the bride in the degree of formality. If the bride will be wearing a satin gown with a cathedral length train, it would look very odd for the bridesmaids to wear above the knee cocktail dresses. On the other hand, if the bride is wearing a simple linen gown for an outdoor wedding, putting the bridesmaids into long silk gowns would also be a mismatch.

In addition to formality, the bridesmaids should match the style of the wedding and the bride's gown. If you are having a very romantic garden wedding, then you don't want to dress your bridesmaids in black sheath dresses that would be better suited for an urban loft ceremony. Not would you want to dress the bridesmaids at an urban loft wedding in flowery sundresses. For religious ceremonies, propriety is also a consideration. In certain churches too much skin is a definite no-no, so be sure to check on the specific requirements of your church before ordering the dresses for the wedding party.

The wedding party should also complement the look of the bride and groom in terms of accessories and grooming. This applies more to the hair and makeup of the ladies, but the groomsmen are not exempt. For example, if you are having a barefoot wedding on the beach, it might not matter if the best man shows up with three days worth of stubble on his face, but for a ceremony at the Ritz-Carleton, he had darn well better have a fresh shave and a haircut!

Once you match the attendants to the bride and groom in general terms, you will find that you still have plenty of freedom in choosing their attire (well, for the bridesmaids, at least). You can pick out dresses in any number of beautiful colors, flattering cuts, and luxurious fabrics. And when all is said and done, you will have a bridal party that does you proud.

Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Groomsmen gifts can be customized to fit the interests of your attendants.

Getting a Hand on Glove Etiquette: 4 Essential Things Every Bride Should Know

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Gloves add dignity and grace to your wedding ensemble. The proper gloves will lend an air of elegance to this special occasion. However, because modern women do not wear gloves as often as perhaps our mothers or grandmothers did in the past, choosing the proper gloves and knowing the rules of wearing them can be intimidating.

Glove Style

Glove etiquette is a reflection of the times. Historically, the length of the glove was directly related how formal the affair and the time of day. Today, however, with more relaxed social rules, the length of the glove is a more adequate reflection of fashion-the color and style of your dress are the most important factors in choosing the proper glove. Your wedding gloves should complement your dress. Choose simple gloves to wear with an ornate gown. Conversely, a simple gown allows for fancier gloves. Remember the goal is to enhance not to overwhelm. While the traditional color for gloves is white, your wedding gloves should match your dress in color and texture-white with white, ivory with ivory. The texture of your gloves should be similar to that of your dress. Silk gloves go perfectly with a silk gown. Other materials such as kidskin, satin, or lace are also appropriate, depending on the style of the dress.

Glove Length

Glove lengths range from 1-button, ending at the wrist, to 20-button, ending at the shoulder. The length you choose should complement your sleeve length. Generally, the shorter the sleeve, the longer the glove-a sleeveless or strapless gown would dictate a glove that comes to the upper arm. Elbow length gloves (12-button) should be chosen for dresses with either cap sleeves or elbow length sleeves. Shorter gloves (6-button and shorter) are reserved for dresses with longer, more fitted sleeves. It is important to remember that while the sleeve of the gown and the glove may meet, it is never proper for a glove to cover the sleeve of a dress.

Exchanging of the Rings

During the exchanging of rings, you may either remove the glove from the left ring finger by slitting the fabric underneath and lifting it over the finger or you may choose to remove the glove altogether. If you remove the glove, simply give it to the maid of honor at the same time you pass your bouquet. It's a good idea to practice removing your glove several times before your wedding to ensure a smooth transition. After the rings have been exchanged, simply pull the glove back down over the finger. If the glove has been removed, leave it off until after the ceremony. Remember to put your gloves back on for photographs.

During the Reception

At the reception, your gloves should be kept on in the receiving line and for special dances with your groom and your father. As it is never acceptable to eat or drink while wearing gloves, you should remove your gloves before cutting your wedding cake. As the more formal aspects of your wedding are now complete, you may wish to take off your gloves, relax, and enjoy your party!

For inspirational ideas for both reception and ceremony, visit http://www.WhereBridesGo.com

Sherrie Thompson is an Assistant at WhereBridesGo.com and MSW Interactive Designs LLC (MSW-ID), purveyors of complete online solutions for wedding professionals. Thompson’s work on the bridal storefront WhereBridesGo.com has given her first-hand knowledge of the latest trends and sought-after products in the wedding industry. Follow Brides in-the-know to WhereBridesGo.com. http://www.WhereBridesGo.com

Plus Size Dresses For the Lovely Bride

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The sound of the familiar wedding march has not changed through the years. Even with the incorporation of more modern ideas, a wedding and the wedding dress are still the same. The crowd turns their back to await the bride's arrival and with the music's cue, she will march following the rhythm of the instruments and face the crowd. Every woman has dreamt of this scene. Every girl has imagined herself walking down the aisle.

For this reason, every woman has only one wish for her wedding, and that is to look absolutely fabulous. And if you are planning a wedding, then you probably understand this. Looking your best is the main goal and if you are a plus-sized woman, this does not have to be difficult at all.

Most women who become engaged head to newsagents first. Wedding magazines and other publications will help you make the right decision, so more often than not the dresses on the glossy pages become their inspiration. Visualisation is the key; you need to be able to see how the gown will look like and to see if it matches the one you have seen in your dreams.

The next thing you need to do is to decide whether you want to buy a ready-made dress or to have one tailored just for you. Ready-to wear-dresses are always a lot cheaper, but you will often encounter problems with the fit. This can be easily remedied by simple alterations so in the end, you still save some money. The beauty of tailored dresses on the other hand is that they will suit your body best.

Buying plus size dresses can be really tricky, picking a plus-size wedding dress or gown will be even harder, no doubt! Always remember that the key is to know the type of body you have, because if you do then shopping for the right wedding dress will be easy.

1. An hourglass body will have smaller waists and wider hips and chest areas. V-necks and low neckline will be best for women of this particular body type, as well as an empire-cut dress.

2. A rectangular body shape on the other hand will have their weight evenly spread out, with straight figures. Wearing a corset will be a great idea as it will create the illusion of having curves.

3. A pear-shaped woman will appear smaller on the bust and waist area, but wider from the hips, down. Halter tops and high-neckline will not be good for this body type, but A-line dresses and empire-cuts will look great.

4. An apple body type will have wider bust, waist, and hip areas but very slender arms and legs. To be able to deflect the attention away from the midsection, an empire cut dress would be best.

Plus size dresses are now available for all occasions. If you wish to buy them ready-made it will not be a problem anymore. A great selection of gowns is available online, too, all you need is to know what you want and everything will be perfect.

Spirito di Artigiano offers a wide collection of stylish Italian plus size clothing for women. The collection includes plus size women's trousers and plus size dresses in sizes 14-28. Browse the entire Spirito collection of plus size clothes at the Artigiano website.

Father of the Bride Speeches - Telling Superb Wedding Speeches From the Ordinary Ones

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How can you tell which father of the bride speech is ordinary, and which one is superb?

It's easy to separate ordinary father of the bride speeches and toasts from the top-notch ones. Most of the time, both sets of wedding speeches are easily recalled. But the reasons they are remembered greatly differ from one set to the other.

For one thing, the audience has to courteously endure the average wedding speech. It's just regarded as a part of the program (this, too, will pass). In reality, the listeners are bored and disgruntled. Many people may be looking at something else just to spend the time. All this time the speakers somehow embarrass themselves.

On the other hand, top-notch father of the bride speeches are a different matter altogether. These speeches effectively get the attention of the audience. These also grip the listeners, because they are equally amusing and full of meaning. These wedding speeches are ones which are lovingly recollected even after years later. People even remember a wedding because of the really awesome speeches!

Of course you want to come up with spectacular wedding speeches like these! Check out these tips.

Writing Outstanding Father of the Bride Speeches:

First, thank all the people for gracing your wedding.

It is wise to make a handy list beforehand. You may write down the names of people you want to acknowledge.

You may even jot down the outline of your speech. This is to be certain you're not forgetting anything important.

Don't hesitate to show what you feel. Although, you have to be reminded that you are not in a theater performance. Express yourself as natural as possible.

Father of the bride speeches and toasts are not research papers. Just be brief and straight to the point. This allows good practice of creativity from your listeners.

Do you want to have a father of the bride wedding speech which will be talked of in years to come? Are you looking for a detailed guide on composing and delivering unique father of the bride speeches and toasts? Are you in search of handy and useful tips and tricks on boosting confidence in public speaking?

Visit http://www.bestfatherofthebridespeeches.com/ to access 25 professionally written and excellent father of the bride wedding speeches which you can use as models or even as inspiration. You may also apply very little modifications to these samples or use portions as part of your own! The website also offers lots of exclusive wedding quotes, humorous one-liners, and plenty of other stuff addressing the needs of fathers of brides-to-be. Get your exclusive father of the bride wedding speeches and toasts package today!

Being a Bridesmaid

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Bridesmaids are the faithful, caring attendants of the bride at weddings. Usually, they're girls or young women that bear some relational association to the upcoming bride, either a close friend or relative. They attend to the bride before and after a wedding ceremony. They're usually the ones in the movies that buoy the bride, listen to her fears, cheer her on, help her with preparations, and pass on the collective excitement. The maid of honor is the most esteemed bridesmaid, and she plays a principal part. There is no fixed bridesmaid quantity because the decision has historically been left to the bride. The size of the bridesmaid group is sometimes associated, as a reflection, with wealth, success, or, obviously, how popular the bride is.

The term has wrought an idiom in modern times that glumly says, "always the bridesmaid, never the bride." This phrase is set aside for those delegated to a role of prime importance, yet they always fall short of the high honor or central import of an event.

The history of bridesmaids dates back to Roman times when an army of similarly clad bridesmaids would accompany the bride to the new husband's locale or village. In essence, these guards would protect the bride from robbers and bandits. In later times, the Romans made it a law to have 10 witnesses present at a wedding in order to ward off evil, magical spirits that were determined to destroy the marriage's fruitful conception and progress. These attendants, both bridesmaids and ushers, dressed in identical wear to the groom and bride, thus confusing the evil spirits that wished harm on the couple-to-be.

Bridesmaids are customarily given gifts for their efforts and the bride's appreciation of their inherent qualities. After all, they're the ones the bride has chosen to publicly accompany her on the most important day of her new life. Some good gifts are necklaces, earrings, stark white & long gloves, and the wedding day attire itself. Personalized gifts that commemorate the day's special events and the bridesmaids' participation, especially ones that are valuable too, are particularly appealing. They mark a feeling of togetherness and shared experiences. It's much more personal than a gift certificate. If the wedding is at a tropical travel destination, consider a bounteous gift of a day's treatment at the spa. Just make sure that someone is there to take a picture afterward. Have it framed specially and send a copy to all the bridesmaids for their children and their grandchildren. Make an impact with your gift choice that won't be forgotten. Handmade scarves, bracelets, wine glasses, chocolates, bottles of wine, bath salts, body products, scented candles, etc. are all genuinely good too.

Dresses for bridesmaids are a particularly important element, and they come in Bella Satin, Chiffron, Crystal Chiffron, Duchess Satin, Matte Satin, Nu-Georgette, Organdy, Renaissance Satin, and others. They come in royal blue, midnight, mocha, ginger, flame, sage green, forest green, frosty white, rose, ruby, sapphire, sorbet, sugar plum, tangerine, taupe, ruby, perwinkle, and bright pink, plus many more colors.

Mark Clayson is a professional, home business entrepreneur, mentor and speaker. Visit Start Work at Home for more information on starting or developing a home business or his official site to find out more.

Wedding Day Blues - The Bride Diet

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With love passion and harmony floating all around, wedding day plans and arrangements are a symphony of joy and bliss for all involved, or are they? The wedding car and cake are chosen, the minister booked and brought up to speed, invitation cards sent out, catering catered for, what could possibly be overlooked... Did we mention the Wedding Day Blues the Bride Diet.

The Bride Diet can be a very real issue or possibly one that is simply brought on by an inner desire to wear a gorgeous wedding dress that was obviously designed for a top model, added to the fact of wanting to look absolutely stunning on the big day. Either way the Brides Diet can be a very blue moment for any well planned wedding.

If the dress is a real must then providing the bride to be is not the size of a small house then the bride diet can be made possible. As with any diet there are many different possibilities for achieving a more streamlined and stealthier figure. Trouble is some may take far too long to create the desired effect, while a lot of others simply fall short of enabling even the smallest amount of weight loss right from the word go.

For the Bride Diet to be effective and produce that rapid weight loss that is so often required there are such few genuine methods and systems available, one such system is the "Strip That Fat Diet System." Claiming to shift 10lb in as little as 14 days make it a five star target, not only as the number one system for the brides diet, but for totally getting rid of those Wedding Day Blues.

It is never easy finding the right diet, let alone finding one that is specifically designed to meet the requirements of a specific day or event in someone's life. Some might say, "So There Is A God After All", while those that already have a belief might add, "Thank God For Small Miracles."

Don't walk down that aisle carrying unnecessary pounds! Use a specifically designed Bride Diet and learn how to lose some quick weight before your big wedding day.

Here Comes the Bride Showered with Fun

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A Bridal Shower is a fun event! Traditionally this is a party for the girls to outfit the bride-to-be's kitchen. A Bridal Shower can have a theme, such as a Tea Party, a Garden Party or a day at the spa. Brides might already have a fully equipped kitchen, so your party depends upon your bride!

A traditional bridal shower includes a luncheon of some sort. Have each guest bring a salad or finger food entrée to share. An afternoon shower serving desserts is also a fun way to celebrate the Bride's day. As a bonus to the bride, have each person bring a recipe card with the dish they share to build the bride (or future groom's) cookbook. Another way to build the cookbook is to have each guest add a favorite recipe, no matter if they bring it or not, in the card.

Groceries are expensive and building up a pantry is a daunting task. To help stock a kitchen, have guests buy ingredients that go with the recipe they are giving. To take this a step farther, skip the wrapping paper and bow, and buy non-perishable foods instead! There is a poem to attach to the invitation that reads:

Save the paper, save the bow,

Buy a box or can of food

And watch (name)'s pantry grow!

Without wrapping paper, guests can get creative with gift displays, such as wrapping the gift in a plastic, reusable tablecloth or cloth napkins. Some people simply use the store bag the gift was bought in. The possibilities are endless.

Cups, plates, napkins and silverware can be purchased at the party supply store to match your chosen theme. If decorations are needed, balloons, streamers and wall hangings are made to coordinate. A party planning specialist will be happy to assist you with any need you may have.

Mrs. Party Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible "Party Supplies" party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Here is a fun resource for "Bridal Shower Party Favors" Bridal Shower Party Favors free games, decorations and party ideas.

A Guide to Wedding Expenses - Who Pays For What?

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As a bride, you envision your dream wedding with every detail you imagined. Along with those details comes a price. Traditionally the bride's family pays for the majority of the wedding but now the groom's family is helping out with the costs. Traditional roles in wedding expenses are beginning to fade away as we become more modern as a society.

Many couples are getting married later in age and are already established in their careers and find it inappropriate to have their parents pay for their wedding and instead are responsible for the costs themselves. Some couples decide on a budget and go to each of their families to see how much they will contribute and either readjust their budget based on that or find creative ways to pay for what their families cannot pay for.

If a traditional division of expenses is right for you below are the various expenses each family should pay for:

The Bride and Her Family:

• Invitations and announcements


• Wedding dress and accessories


• Flowers for ceremony and reception, bridesmaid's flowers, bride's bouquet


• Photographer/videographer for wedding


• Music for church and reception


• Transportation


• All expenses of reception


• Groom's wedding ring


• Fee for services performed by sexton

Expenses of the Groom and his Family:

• Bride's engagement and wedding rings


• Present to his bride


• Boutonnieres for groom's attendants


• Bride's corsage


• Marriage license


• Honeymoon expenses


• Rehearsal dinner expenses


• Bachelor dinner

This list include some of the basic expenses when planning a wedding. Depending on how simple or elaborate your wedding may be, there could be more or less costs than the ones listed. As mentioned above, it is best to come up with your available budget and then work backwards to determine how much you will be able to spend on each item.

For more help, use this wedding expenses calculator which will help you configure the average amount to spend on each cost for your wedding. It will help you so you do not spend more than you need to for each item.

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Sister of the Bride Wedding Speech

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The Sister of the bride wedding speech serves to offer congratulations to the bride. Thus, this speech should be from the heart to accord it the level of emotion and connection it deserves. This makes certain that the invited guest and the gathering as a whole feel the connection to the bride. Since the sister to the bride in a majority of weddings doubles up as the maid of honor, the sister of the bride wedding speech also serves as the maid of honor speech. Hence, it is for these reasons that this speech should portray the gravity of the purposes it serves. Thus, though short wedding speeches are encouraged, combining brevity with totality in the delivery makes certain that the overall purpose of the sister of the bride wedding speech is realized.

Ensuring the sister of the bride wedding speech is heartfelt is important because the deliverer has a personal connection to the bride. Thus, as much as humor is to be used to engage the guests, the speech should be kind and sweet to pronounce the speech as a sister of the bride wedding speech. This speech is used to describe the bride from a sibling's point of view. It is for this reason that the entire deliver should be portrayed in an emotional manner. This helps to show the emotional connection between the deliverer and the bride, thus making certain that the guests are able to connect and relate to the bride. This connection is further emphasized by a brief narration of a childhood occurrence that further depicts the bride in a positive light. The sister of the bride wedding speech should sound personal, hence if it were to be delivered by someone else; it would lose this personal touch. Therefore, delivering a personalized speech that is straight from one's heart gives a sister of the bride wedding speech its character. This coupled with the fact that the content contains details shared by the deliverer of the speech and the bride guarantees its personal nature.

An excerpt from a sister of the bride wedding speech could sound like this:

"...we've shared everything since we were young. Yeah! We have had our share arguments, but I guess that is just sibling rivalry. We might have argued, bickered or even fought as kids, but we always found a way to make up. I think the love we had for each other and the love we still have for each other has taught us a lot on forgiveness and the utter need for each other. Its funny, the older we get the stronger our bond grows, both as friends and as sisters, and I know now that though she is married we will always have that special connection with her. I am so happy to be part of this special day and I know she has found her soul mate..."

Wedding ceremony speeches and in particular the sister of the bride wedding speech is aimed at portraying the bride from a sister's point of view. This gives the invited guests an idea on the brief history of the bride and her overall relation to the people she loves most. Thus, it is important since it vocalizes the emotional and personal ties the bride has maintained with her sister.

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How to Pose a Bride and Groom

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Of all the pictures taken at a wedding, the one most important is the portrait of the bride and groom. Some wedding couples depend on a relative or a friend to take a few good photos for their album and others reserve a professional photographer to do the honors. This article is for both the real and wanna-be photographers at the wedding.

A good time to photograph the bride and groom is after the ceremony and before the reception. Ideal is an open lawn away from any building. Other photogenic locations are at the edge of a treed area, under an arcade or
at home in the backyard. Important is to choose an evenly lit background: one that does not contain light and dark areas. Place the couple in the shade at least thirty feet away from any background objects with their faces toward the main source of light.

Turn the bride thirty degrees away from the camera and fluff the train behind her so that only half of the train is visible from the camera position. Never pull the train around to the front of the bride since this is most unnatural and would never occur in real life. Pose the groom slightly facing the bride and have him offer his arm for her to pass her through. Make sure her ring is visible. The groom's outside hand can be in his pocket or touching the bride's hand. The bride should shift most of her weight to the foot furthest from the camera and the groom should have his weight evenly distributed on slightly spread feet. Never let his hand drop straight down at his side. The bride may hold her bouquet in her outside hand at a level below her waist with some daylight or background showing between her elbow and her waist. An alternate place for the bouquet is on the ground next to the groom's feet. Turn their faces toward the camera but not fully straight on, but at a slight angle toward each other. Their expressions should show their happiness, but not laughing.

Angles other than the view straight on without changing their positions often present another good composition for a portrait. Consider also a view from behind the couple, requesting them to turn their heads directly toward each other, giving the photographer a profile of their faces. A variety of shots are possible with this pose. A medium shot (at the knees) with their faces closer together and an even closer pose with the cheeks almost touching make wonderful portraits. Try having them look into each other's eyes with his arms around her. Natural light from the side is the most beautiful source as long as the reflector of some sort balances the light. Watch your cropping in the viewfinder carefully and leave some space over their heads. Pay attention to the position of the feet (no soles showing) and be sure only the sides of the bride's hands are presented to the camera. The groom's coat collar should fit snug to the neck.

A beautiful portrait of the bride and groom can be their most treasured reminder of the most important day in their lives. You can make it happen.

Comments Welcome.

Bride Speeches and Toasts - Smart Pointers on Bride Speeches and Toasts

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Congratulations on your decision to tie the knot!

There is none which can compare to the sense of fulfillment of finally getting married, knowing for yourself that you're already mature and sensible enough to take greater responsibilities.

It is this feeling of total delight that is expressed through bride speeches.

Bride speeches and toasts are the heart of wedding celebrations. A bride wedding speech is the bride's first message as the lawfully wedded wife of her groom. And because of this, it is best to be ready. With the right direction and assistance you can have an excellent speech, more than what guests expect.

As the most important lady in this event, it's rather essential that you make the most out of this once in a lifetime moment. This is your chance to show your love for your parents, relatives and friends who have helped you grow into a fine woman. It will be easy if you have some concept about what bride speeches and toasts should have.

Bride speeches and toasts should contain the right mix of substance and wit. It must be able to elicit emotions from the audience and express in a nutshell your happiness and acknowledgement for all the people who deserve so. What is vital here is successfully being able to compress all those that you want to say in a few proper, well-written words.

Handy Tips on Bride Speeches

• Start by composing several drafts of your speech and refine it up to attain your final speech.


• Your wedding speech should be divided into an introductory part, middle part and concluding part. Unify these parts under one theme.


• Bride speeches should have an interesting opening which will immediately connect the wedding speakers with the audience.


• Make use of amusing stories. You should relate one or two entertaining stories about your experiences with the groom. If you wish, you can also talk of any unusual occurrence which has taken place during the groom's courtship or the wedding preparations. Real life accounts always keep the listeners interested.


• Using some wonderful and carefully selected wedding toasts and quotations will add meaning to your speech. The quotations and toasts should be in union with the theme you have.


• Give extra emphasis to the groom's family and thank them for their blessings. To add effect, welcome your husband's family as part of your own.

Who does not plan on getting the greatest wedding speech and toast for that once in a lifetime occasion? You must visit http://www.bestbridespeeches.com/ today to get 25 professionally written samples of Bride wedding speeches and toasts. Along with that, you will also have access to exclusive wedding quotes, one-liners, a step by step guide to help you write your own speech and priceless tips on overcoming public speaking fears. Get your bride wedding speech and toast samples today!

Can the Bride Have Her Father and Step-Father Walk Her Down The Aisle

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No longer are there constraints and hard and fast rules to what a wedding should and should not be. In this modern age, brides and grooms are planning their weddings to suit their unique style and personalities. In this day of blended families, it is certainly proper for the bride to be walked down the aisle on the arm of both her father and her step-father if that is what she desires.

If everyone in the family gets along, this won't be a problem. Most men who are fathers to girls will do anything to make their little girl happy, and if that includes both of the important men in her life walking her down the aisle, it is perfectly acceptable.

A step-father may have played an important role in the upbringing of the bride. She may feel that he is just as vital to her wedding as is her own father. As long as both men agree and there is no tension between the two of them, it is a lovely gesture having them both walk the bride down the aisle to the new life awaiting her.

Many brides may be concerned that people will talk. Don't let that be a concern. Let them talk if they want. This is a special day for the bride and groom and whatever makes them happy on this momentous occasion is what is important.

A bride should not worry that it will look odd or strange to be walked down the aisle by both her step-father and her natural father. More and more people are arranging their wedding to please them and not those who are attending.

A step-father that has been around since the bride has been a child may be hurt if he is not included in the wedding in some special capacity. If the two men are finding it hard to reconcile the fact that the bride wants them both to walk her down the aisle, they should make the effort to get along for this one day as someone they both hold near and dear in their heart needs their cooperation.

Making the bride happy on her wedding day is paramount. This may be the last time she is to be first in everyone's mind. After the wedding, children take center stage, and the bride should be indulged on her most special of days.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding favors such as, love glass coasters, two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers and many many more. Yolandas Wedding Favors also carries many different wedding accessories and wedding gifts such as guest books, unity candles, ring pillows, bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts and many many more.

Top Online Internet Marketing Techniques - The Top Three

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If you are able to learn and master the top online internet marketing techniques, you will build a business that will provide you and your family success and financial freedom for years to come. Even though it does take some trial and error to learn these strategies, they are relatively simple once you go through the learning curve. The key is to be consistent. Pick two or three marketing techniques and focus on them only. Set goals and duplicate your efforts on a daily basis. Consistency will create the rewards you are working towards.

For the purpose of this article, I want to focus on 3 of the top online internet marketing techniques.

Article Marketing:

Article marketing is a great way to promote your business. Write a short article that pertains to your business and publish it on a syndicated article website. Remember to write good quality articles. You will have a difficult time appearing to be a subject matter expert in the minds of others if you have a ton of grammar or spelling mistakes. Also, ensure that you are including keyword research into your efforts. If you do not use good keyword research, then you will not be able to consistently have your articles ranked in the search engines. If your article can't be found, then your article will not reach the eyes of your readers. If your article is not getting viewed, then your article is pointless. Research your keywords and publish your article accordingly.

Video Marketing:

When an individual goes to the internet, and types a problem statement into the Google search bar, a list of results will appear. If the user is scanning down the page, and sees a thumbnail to a video, they will most likely click on that video first above anything else. It is human nature. We, as human beings desire to be entertained, and would rather watch something than to read something. Posting a video to the web that pertains to your business can prove to be very beneficial. Again, keyword research still applies. If you are unable to get your video to rank in the search engines, your video will not be seen. You have wasted your efforts if your video does not reach your targeted audience.

Social Media:

Social Media consists of websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. You already use these sites for your personal use, why not use them to promote your business? You do have to be careful though. You have to walk a fine line of using these sites for both business and personal use. You do not want to come across as a spammer. If you are blatantly advertising your business on a daily basis, you will push people away. Do not try to hard sell people who are on your friend lists. You only want to create curiosity.

To learn more of the top online Internet Marketing Techniques, visit my site. Fill in your information, and watch the two videos on the 2nd page. Those videos can literally change your life.

Dave Fennell is an Internet Marketing Coach and Corporate Mentor for one of the Internet's largest marketing schools. Specializing in Article Marketing, Social Network Marketing, and a multitude of other Marketing Strategies, he trains both total beginners and seasoned professionals from all over the globe to achieve financial freedom through proven business techniques and continuing education to keep ahead of trends and remain on top of the competition.

Bridal Games: Entertainment for the Bride-to-Be!

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Bridal games for showers and bridal parties vary greatly, but it is easy to find suggestions, if you look online, in bride magazines, and party planning stores. Bridal games add fun and laughter to the party!

As the guests arrive, they get a clothespin clamped to their clothing. They are instructed not to say a certain word, such as 'bride' or 'wedding', and if they do, the person who catches them, gets their clothespin. The one wearing the most clothespins at the end of the party wins a prize.

Create an original list of 15-25 wedding items then photocopy the sheet for your guests. From that list, choose 10-15 wedding items that would be good to use for words scrambles, and write them on a piece of paper. (For example wedding gown - could be scrambled to read dinwged nowg.) Give the guests the sheet, and allow them 5 or 10 minutes to unscramble the words. Whoever unscrambles the most is the winner.

Here's how the "Millionaire" game can be played as a bridal game. Rather than a million dollars, the prize is a mystery gift in a nicely wrapped box. Come up with 15 questions about the bride and the groom that will lead to stories about the future couple. Then, add 3 incorrect answers and the correct answer for each question. Before time to open gifts, everyone gets a pen and paper, and the 1st question is read and 4 answers are given. Each guest writes down what they believe to be the correct answer. Those who answer correctly continue to play. Now the bride-to- be can expand on the question (How did you first meet?) while opening the first gift. The questions continue until there is just one person playing, and that person wins the gift.

A really fun game to play at any party is "Pass the box," and it works especially well at bridal parties. Take a small gift, like a pretty candle, place it in a box, and then wrap it with layer after layer of different colors of paper. Play some music while passing the present around, when the music stops, the guest left holding it unwraps the first layer of wrapping paper, then the music starts again and the box is passed, then every time the music stops, another layer is removed until someone finally unwraps the very last layer, and wins the bridal game.

A great bridal game to get everyone involved is to divide up into several groups, and give each a roll of toilet paper. The teams are told that they must create a wedding dress using only the roll one toilet paper. One member of the team becomes the model and the rest decorate. Give them 3-5 minutes to create the dress. The bride gets to judge the results, and declare a winner. Be sure to take photos of this bridal game.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has a huge selection of free party games, coloring pages, word find, word scramble, printable baby and bridal shower activities. Free Bridal Shower Games, printable activities, party planning tips, menus, recipes, and party supplies to help complete your bachelorette party.

Things to Be Kept in Mind by a New Bride

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Indians and Indian culture both have always been very finicky about the rituals and customs to be followed in each and every religious practise. The best example in which one gets to see all the customs of the Indian origin being practised sacredly is the Indian marriage. Indian marriages have always been the true depiction of the values possessed by the people of India.

Indian weddings are in a way the mirror image of the ancient India. Though a lot many changes can be observed in the practices followed in the Indian weddings, but the essence of the wedding remains the same. Indians still consider marriage as the life long bond, the decision of which is taken by the god and is to be resumed for the other seven lives by a couple.

Indian families inspite of their modernised approach always have a number of expectation from their daughter- in- law. According to them, the bride from the very first day should be perfect and adapt all the values and rituals of their house. This is because; people generally do not implement things in their life, the lectures for which they keep on giving to others.

One can find an old man suggesting his friend to adopt the modern approach to have a smooth and calm atmosphere in his house, so that clashes do not arises between different generations. But, on the other hand, the same old man can be seen giving lectures to his new daughter- in- law about the meanings of marriage and the harms that the modern thinking can have on her new married life. This is really hypocrite, but one can't really help it. At the end it is in the hand of the bride, what contributions does she make to let the journey of her marriage life move happily and smoothly.

Following are few of the things, which should be kept in mind, by a newly wedded Indian bride, which can help her in leading a smooth married life and also to maintain a healthy balance between her personal and professional life:

The new bride first of all should be very polite and humble in her attitude towards each and every single person she comes across. She needs to be instilled with the values of not loosing her temper in any of the extreme situations.

The new Indian bride should try and understand all the customs and rituals of her new house and should gradually implement things into her daily life practises. The family members should also give her time to adapt the changes and mould herself accordingly.

The new bride must be able to gel well with all the other members of the family. She should have an extrovert attitude and be able to form a bond with each member of the family slowly.

She should give time to herself and to the family to understand each other well. There are many things, which one does not like, but in order to have a normal lifestyle, adjustments need to be made between the bride and her new family.

In case, if the new bride is working, then she should have the capability to maintain a balance between her personal and professional life. Time and care are the things, which are most importantly required to nourish a healthy married life. It takes time to understand the housing practises of the new family, but making little adjustments can actually add to the smoothening of the married life of the couple.

So, by keeping, these small things in mind, a newly wedded Indian bride can succeed in having a hassle free, cheerful and a happy married life

Gurleen Kaur writes on behalf of Jeevansathi.com, which is India's fastest growing matrimonial website, provides online Indian matrimonial classified services. Jeevansathi.com enables users to create an Indian matrimony profile on the website and allow prospective grooms and brides to contact each other. Users can search for profiles through advanced search options on the website. Users can avail free registration and make initial contact with each other through services available on Jeevansathi.com via Chat, SMS, and e-mail.

Chubby Susie Dreamed of Losing Weight For Her Wedding

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When Susie was growing up, she was what one called a chubby child. And as she grew, Susie was never able to shed those pounds and became a chubby woman. But now Susie is getting married and she desperately wants to lose weight for her wedding.

There are three phases she must go through in order to be successful with her wedding weight loss.

These are desire, education and action.

Why desire? Because if Susie doesn't want it bad enough, she won't be successful, plain and simple. And I don't mean just wanting it because it will make her look good either. I mean the kind of wanting Susie has to commit herself body and soul to making it happen.

However, before Susie can make it happen, she needs to educate herself as to what the market place has to offer. The weight loss industry is filled with thousands of products that can boggle the mind and a lot of these products can actually do more harm than good.

Sure, Susie wants to lose weight quickly and that's why education is a crucial 2nd step if she is to succeed in losing weight for her wedding and beyond.

Susie will have to learn that magic pills don't work. Sure they sound great, and there is weight loss but if the underlying cause of the weight gain is not addressed success will turn into failure.

Studies have shown that our body works hard at protecting us from harm. It does this by insulating the toxins we are exposed to with fat.

So, fat cells surround the toxins and if toxins aren't eliminated, then neither is the fat. How many diets have you tried only to end up gaining more weight after the initial program you followed was over?

That's why it is so important to eliminate the toxins within the body. There are certain cleansing programs that allow you eliminate toxins while building muscle without going crazy exercising every day like a madman. And these programs work safely and quickly and offer you the option of maintaining your achieved weight loss goals until you die.

The third phase of Susie's successful wedding weight loss plan is to take action. If she doesn't start, she will never finish. That goes for you too.

As Susie puts desire and education behind action, she will be ensured that losing weight for her wedding will happen and she can proudly walk down the isle forever saying goodbye to that chubby child who grew into a chubby woman.

Get your free ebooks on losing weight for your wedding by stopping by Marie Leonard's site where you can find out all about safe and quick wedding weight loss and what it can do for you.

Bride Wedding Speech - Why Should I Give One?

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There are several reasons to give a bride wedding speech: To add to the occasion's entertainment, to thank those who helped you make this wonderful day possible, to follow a tradition. Before you even start setting the first words of your wedding speech on paper, stop for a moment and think about your motives for giving a bride wedding speech. Not that you need a certain kind of motivation to write the right speech, but rather, your kind of motivation will flavor the kind of speech you will end up giving.

If entertaining your audience is your main motive, you should go with a funny bride wedding speech. If you are funny and easily pull of jokes, this is a great way to make a lasting impression. Keep the speech short and to the point and lightly move from one funny anecdote to a wedding joke to the next hilarious moment from your past with your brand new husband. Just be careful not to overdo it and not to step on anyone's toes. Funny stops being so if it hurts someone.

You are planning on giving a traditional bride wedding speech. Well, the tradition of the bride speech isn't all that traditional yet. In days gone by the groom would give a speech for the both of them and brides usually wouldn't give any kind of speech at their reception. But that's a thing of the past. Nowadays plenty of brides prepare a speech for their wedding, which most of the time includes thanking everybody who helped make this day possible, and some personal thoughts and anecdotes of your relationship with your new husband.

Your main motivation is to thank everyone involved in your wedding? Then the thankful bride wedding speech would be your way to go. You'll structure your speech around the list of people you'd like to thank. Make sure you include your husband, your parents and in-laws, the wedding party and (if the list doesn't get too long) the people involved in organizing and executing all the details for your wedding. Weave in a funny anecdote or two that might have happened during the preparations, since it's the little mishaps we often remember best about great celebrations and which add the special flavor.

You want to make sure you've got all your bases covered? Then the all-in-one bride wedding speech would be the right way to go. You will mention your husband, how smashing he looks, how much you love him and the special things about your relationship. You will also give thanks where it's due, but keep it on the shorter side here. You will weave in a joke or funny anecdote here or there to keep the whole speech flowing lightly. And most importantly, you'll speak straight from your heart and express how important this day is for you, especially since it's the official starting point for your life-long relationship and happiness with your husband.

So whichever approach you choose, make sure it expresses you as a person and comes from your heart. No elegant and great words can express and show who you are as a few simple and sincere words that let people see who you are and what you think and feel. Keep it simple and fairly short (around 10 minutes should do fine) and enjoy yourself while giving the speech, that way everybody else will enjoy it too.

Felicity Porter's own wedding hasn't been very long ago and she likes to share her own experience with her bride wedding speech and what she's learned in the process about writing wedding speeches with fellow brides to make their stressful preparation times just a little easier. If you'd like some more information on how to get your own bride wedding speech, visit her website.

'Blushing Bride' Hydrangea (PPAF)

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The Next Endless Summer Hydrangea

In 2003, Endless Summer Hydrangea was introduced by Minnesota's Bailey Nurseries and blew the gardening industry away! It blooms on both old and new wood for repeat-blooming color all season long. Since Endless Summer was introduced, three more repeat blooming hydrangeas have been introduced by Zelenka Nurseries - 'Forever & Ever', 'Forever & Ever Double Pink' and 'Forever & Ever Red.' Now, Bailey Nurseries is introducing an Endless Summer derivative - 'Blushing Bride.' This, the fifth of the new repeat blooming hydrangeas, each one distinctly different, was bred from Endless summer by Dr. Michael Dirr, our nation's preeminent woody plant authority. It will have only limited availability this spring.

White Blooms Repeat Throughout the Season

The blooms produced by 'Blushing Bride' are pure white, maturing to a blush pink or blue, depending upon your soil acidity. It has glossy, deep green foliage. 'Blushing Bride' has even faster re-bloom that its parent, Endless Summer. In addition to repeat blooms, 'Blushing Bride' Hydrangea is unusually hardy, at least through Zone 5.

'Blushing Bride' has the incredible repeat blooms that we love. Hydrangeas macrophylla always set their buds reliably in the fall, but these hydrangeas tend to go into the winter with soft and tender tips and that's where the buds are located. Even if the buds survive the late fall frost and winter cold, they start to grow early in the spring and are subject to late spring freezes. As normal Hydrangea macrophyllas do not produce flower buds in the spring and summer, if and when these fall-produced buds die (or are eaten by deer), there will be no bloom that year. On 'Blushing Bride', flower buds are formed not only in the fall, but also in spring and summer. As the 'Blushing Bride' grows, it is continuously forming buds that will flower all season long. Prompt removal of the faded blooms will encourage new growth and even more new blooms.

Planting and Care

'Blushing Bride' Hydrangea will mature at four feet tall by four feet wide, perhaps a little larger. Unlike other Hydrangea macrophyllas which can only be pruned just as the flowers fade, 'Blushing Bride' can be pruned at any time - although late summer is probably still preferable. 'Blushing Bride' prefers moist soil (not wet) in a place with afternoon shade and morning sun. It makes an excellent choice for foundation planting, as a specimen and in shrub or perennial borders.

For best results plant in early spring to late summer.

Plant in well-drained soil. If you desire blooms that age to soft blue, add iron sulphate or garden sulphur; use lime for blooms that age to pink.

Performs best in moist, but not wet, soil. Add Soil Moist if you think the soil is too dry.

Plant so the top of the root ball is a half inch below the surface of the soil.

Prefers an area with morning sun and afternoon shade.

Use a handful of fertilizer at planting and again in early December and early March.

For blooms that will age to blue, use Leaf Gro compost at planting and fertilize with Holly-Tone.

For blooms that will age to pink, use Chesapeake Blue Crab Compost at planting and fertilize with Bulb-Tone.

Hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Click here to view 'Blushing Bride' Hydrangea on the Carroll Gardens website.

What Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Are Suppose to Do at a Ukrainian Wedding?

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If you are going to be a bridesmaid or groomsman at a Ukrainian wedding, I think this story will help you. No one does a rehearsal of a wedding ceremony in the Ukraine, so you had better prepare in advance. Therefore, I want to explain some things about the role of the bridesmaids and groomsmen at a wedding in the Ukraine, especially in Western Ukraine, where I originally come from.

I was a bridesmaid so many times at weddings in the Ukraine that my friends started to joke that I am a professional bridesmaid. Then after a number of prayers "Oh God, send me a husband" I was blessed to have my Big Day and my own bridesmaids.

Usually a Ukrainian bride or groom will ask their closest relatives, such as a sister, brother, cousin, or even a close friend, to be the bridesmaids or groomsmen. The important thing is that the bridesmaids and groomsmen at a wedding in the Ukraine are required to have never been married before. At the time of my wedding, all my relatives were already married but, thank God, I still had two girlfriends who had never married and they agreed to become my bridesmaids.

Speaking about quantity of bridesmaids and groomsmen at a Ukrainian wedding, the most popular number is two of each. In some regions a bride will choose four, six or even eight bridesmaids. At one wedding I was a bridesmaid with four others.

Bridesmaids get a special rank chosen by the Ukrainian bride and groomsmen get a special rank chosen by the groom as well. The ranks are to be first bridesmaid (like a maid of honor) and second bridesmaid; for the groomsmen the ranks are to be first groomsman (like a best man) and second groomsman.

The first bridesmaid and first groomsman perform the most important customs and traditions at a Ukrainian wedding, such as unfolding the ceremonial towel in front of the bride and groom at the church or in a marriage office in the case of a civil marriage. Another custom is the holding of the crowns over the heads of the bride and groom at the church. Most of the traditions at a Ukrainian wedding require the participation of both bridesmaids and groomsmen. They also help the bride and groom with most of the preparations for the wedding. Bridesmaids will purchase corsages for themselves, groomsmen and all the guests but not for the bride and groom. Also the bridesmaids will spend the night with the bride before the wedding. They prepare the bride's wedding attire and then they have a girls' party. The groom and groomsmen have their boys' party too, on the same evening, which is the last bachelors' party for the groom.

Oh, I almost forgot one more important detail about being a Ukrainian bridesmaid or groomsman. What should be worn? Is it required that identical dresses be worn by all the bridesmaids and the same suits worn by the groomsmen? No, they can wear what they wish, preferably a nice gown by the bridesmaid and an elegant suit by the man. If you will be a bridesmaid or groomsman at a traditional Ukrainian wedding, you are expected wear an embroidered shirt which can be purchased at any local market in Ukraine. Also the bridesmaids in Ukraine do not have bouquets as they do in North America or Western Europe, but here a corsage is enough.

Well, now is the Big Day! I have to explain that Ukrainians do not have the tradition of the father giving away the bride, but instead they have many different customs and traditions before the marriage ceremony on the day of the wedding. First of all, the groom along with the groomsmen and the groom's guests, come to the bride's home "to buy the bride" from the bride's guests. This humorous custom takes place near the entrance of the home. When the "purchase" is done, the bride's guests allow to the groom's guests to enter the bride's home.

Next, the bride and bridesmaids bow three times to the groom and groomsmen and the groom and groomsmen perform the same ritual. Then the bride gives a corsage to the groom and the bridesmaids give corsages to the groomsmen. Each groomsman is supposed "to pay" his bridesmaid for the corsage; not in money though, but by some small gift such as a box of chocolates.

After the parents' blessing at the bride's home (another tradition!), the bride and groom are ready to go to the place of the marriage ceremony. If the church is close to the bride's home, the bride and groom and all the guests walk to the place of the ceremony in a procession. The two groomsmen walk with the bride and the two bridesmaids walk with the groom. If the church is too far from the bride's home, the bride and groom will be taken by separate cars as tradition does not allow them to be together on the way to the place of ceremony. The leading car of the wedding procession carries the bride and groomsmen and the second car carries the groom and bridesmaids.

At the entrance to the church, a priest greets the wedding procession and then walks the bride and groom down the aisle. The bridesmaids, groomsmen and all of the guests follow them.

The ceremony now begins. The first bridesmaid and first groomsman will now perform their main rituals. First is the unfolding of an embroidered ceremonial towel onto the floor in front of the bride and groom. The bride and groom then step on the towel. It is a sign, it is said: "Whoever steps on the towel first, will be the boss of the family."

Another very important mission of the first bridesmaid and groomsman is to hold crowns over the heads of the bride and groom. It is a little difficult, because they have to hold the crowns for a long time, for about 20 minutes or so depending on the length of the church service. They can change their hands but must not allow the crowns to fall down! It would mean bad luck for newlyweds.

In some churches, however, the bridesmaid and groomsman do not hold the crowns because the priest puts the crowns directly on the heads of the bride and groom as was done at my own wedding. Then the bride and groom must be very careful not to have their crowns fall off. My husband and I did very well, our crowns stayed on!

When the church ceremony is over, the newlyweds can finally walk together to the reception or they can travel in the same car, if the distance is too far to walk. Now it seems that the job of the bridesmaids and groomsmen is over, but not at a Ukrainian wedding The bridesmaids and groomsmen have to participate in a few more customs at the reception, which is another exciting story.

About the author.

Mariya Klachynska is a freelance journalist. She worked for the local Ukrainian newspapers and online news agencies for many years. Her hobby is matchmaking With help of online dating agency Mariya has found husbands for two her friends-journalists. Mariya is married, she met her husband in Internet too.