Tattooed Bridesmaid - Are Visible Tattoos Wedding Appropriate?

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It's wedding season again; I blinked my eyes and now it's here. Over the past few wedding seasons, wedding forum questions related to visible tattoos on bridesmaids have increased significantly. Many of the forum questions were from either: a) the concerned bridesmaid, wondering if she should cover her own tattoos during the wedding or b) the bride desperately wanting her bridesmaids' tattoos concealed.

Whether you are in the shoes of A or B, you are not alone. According to a January 2008 Harris Interactive Poll, 32% of U.S. adults age 25-29 have at least one tattoo. With the average age of a first marriage in the U.S around 25-28 years of age, a visible tattoo may be affecting the dynamics of your upcoming wedding.

You are the bridesmaid

If you are the concerned bridesmaid, it's fantastic that you are open to concealing your tattoo for your friend's wedding day. Horror stories abound illustrating passive aggressive brides who never speak directly to the bridesmaid about covering visible tattoos, yet simply opt to air brush the tattoos out of the wedding photos. Imagine what the bridesmaid must think when she finds herself staring at unrecognizable photos of herself right after the wedding.

The best way to gauge the bride's opinion regarding your tattoo is to ask her. Open up the dialogue, ask what the bride's preference is and be open to what she says. Tattoos are every bit a part of you and the bride definitely understands what your ink represents. But, for this one day, turn the conversation to what your friendship represents and how you would do anything for the bride; the friend you are seeing off into marriage.

You are the bride

Quite possibly you are the the bride-to-be, distressing over your maid-of-honor's sleeve tattoo ruining your wedding photos. Relax, you can handle the no-tattoo chat with your friend; if you have a tactful plan:

1) Be fair. Think about your wedding party, are you going to ask all of the members to cover their tattoos too? Better yet, are you covering your own tattoos? If yes, carry on. If no, think about why you are asking your friend to cover her tattoo. Is there something within the tattoo that specifically offends you? Possibly a topless Betty Paige? If you are not going to ask the other members of the bridal party to cover up, then you need to tactfully convey your message to the bridesmaid in question.

2) Tell your bridesmaid that you know how important the tattoo is to her.

3) Come up with a plan. Will a shawl cover the tattoo for the wedding? Or will you purchase a tattoo cover up product such as Tattoo Camo (tattoocamo.com)? With either option, go online and take care of the purchase for your friend. We learned about Tattoo Camo through a study conducted by Joan Kneller, a woman embarking on her 2nd marriage with her ex husband's name still tattooed on her shoulder! You can read all about Joan's experience at tattoomakeup.org.

How to conceal tattoos with cover up

How do you cover up a tattoo with make-up? The make-up experts recommend that you purchase two shades of tattoo makeup, one lighter and one a tad darker than your skin tone. Start with the darker shade and briefly go over the bulk of the tattoo, then take the lighter shade and blend into the darker. Set with powder and you are good to go. Good luck and enjoy the wedding!

Ms. Eckard is a wedding planner in Dallas TX.

Father of the Bride - Wedding Toasts - The Pressure is On, Are You Ready

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There may not be any more important event in your daughter's life than her wedding. As the father of the bride, wedding toasts are a key point where you can impact how she remembers that day. It's tricky though, because there are so many aspects that need to be crammed into a few short moments.

Of course you want to convey how you feel about your daughter. You want to let her know how much you care about her, how much she means to you, and how much you've enjoyed the years you had together. You want her to know that you are happy for her, but that you're also going to miss her.

You want to let everyone there know how pleased you are to have your daughter marrying her new husband. You want them all to know how grateful you are that they've come to enjoy this special occasion with you. You want your family to know that they are important.

You don't want to sound like you're rambling, which can happen even if you diligently planned out your speech. Sometimes emotions can get in the way, but often times the weight of trying to get so much into a compact format is just too much.

You don't want to sound like you didn't plan your speech. Of course you will have spent time going over it to try to make the toast as special for the bride as you can. But even with all the work you might still be left searching for words.

In perfect world, your speech would come off sounding professional and personal, practiced and natural all at once. It might seem that most of that is in the delivery, but even more it's about the writing of the speech in the first place. You can get the delivery part down through practice and repetition - use a mirror, and then a mini-audience if you can.

On the writing front, your best bet is to start with a pre-written speech from a professional and then customize from there. You'll be guaranteed something that's been carefully crafted to leave exactly the type of impression you'd like to make. It'll move along at a decent pace, but not skip any of the important things. And at the end of the day a professionally written speech will give you the peace of mind that you did the best for your daughter that you could. So do yourself and your loved ones a favor, check these out: Father of the Bride - Wedding Toasts

Your Toast to the Bride & Groom Should Be Original - A Brief Outline and Toast Suggestions

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Wedding speeches can make or break the mood of a wedding. Everyone enjoys the praise, jokes and tasteful jokes that are spoken at these events, except for maybe the groom, who is often the subject of most of the jokes. But that aside, speaking is also one of the hardest things to do well. This article focuses on wedding toasts specifically.

But what is a wedding toast?

A best man toast is someone or something in honor of which people usually have a drink, sometimes following the clinging of glasses together.For example, In a wedding, the bride and groom would be considered to be "the toast of the evening", for whom someone "proposes a toast" to congratulate and for whom the wedding guests "toast" in agreement. It is often thought of as a western culture type event to "Have a drink to..." with reference to a person or event in which to have a drink in celebration of. The toast is simply an extension of this cultural habit.

It is generally accepted that the practice of toasting first originated in Greece, at a time when fear of poisoning was a significant concern to the people. So to put guests at ease, the host would pour the guests' wine from a common decanter, take the first drink to demonstrate its safety, then raise his cup to the guests and invite them to drink in good health.

The word 'toast' became associated with the custom in the 17th century, based on a custom of flavoring drinks with spiced Toast. The word originally referred to the lady in whose honor the drink was proposed, her name being seen as figuratively flavoring the drink.

Now, it is often customary to have a number of toasts throughout an evening.

From an audience's point of view, there's nothing more boring, or laborious than doing the same toast over and over again. We watch television for entertainment and stimulus of our senses, and public speaking is a form of entertainment for the audience, so lets explore a range of toasts to help spice up your speech and keep it original. And again, I highly recommend having at least two different toasts memorized for your wedding speech, just in case your original toast is already used in a previous speech or toast.

They generally follow a brief speech or words about the bride and groom, or bridesmaids. It is also too often spoken, the most unoriginal toast is the only toast in the evening. That is, the words Here's to the bride and groom.

Here's a few ideas:

Here's to health, peace and prosperity. May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment, nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.

friends love says if you ever need something I'll be there. True love says You'll never need anything I'll be there.

May your love be modern enough to service the times and old fashioned enough to last forever.

May you live as long as you love and love as long as you live

To Happiness, Health, Wealth and Good Fortune

Gareth Berry is a toastmaster and has written wedding speeches that have been published all over the world. He has written and developed speeches, toasts, quotes and other speaking resources to assist with delivering memorable speeches. You can get a collection of his best mans speeches and speaking guides at http://www.ClassicBestManSpeeches.com

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.

DIY Wedding Makeup For Brides

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If you are looking for a way to cut costs, doing your own makeup can be a great way to can save you lots of money. Here are some tips for achieving a professional look on your own.

Go get a makeup consultation.

Most department stores have trained makeup artists who will give you a makeup lesson with a product purchase. This kills two birds with one stone. You can get the makeup you need and a professional demonstration of the product.

Here are some more tips on achieving a perfect look on your wedding day.

Start with clean, moisturized skin.

· Be sure your moisturizer and foundation have an SPF of at least 15 to protect you in the sun.

Use concealer and foundation to create flawless skin.

· Start with concealer (cream works best). Apply it under your eyes and to any red or dark spots to even your skin tone.

· Use a foundation that matches your skin tone exactly. Apply sparingly. Too much foundation can highlight skin imperfections. Apply to your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin, and then blend upward and outward.

Have perfectly groomed brows.

· Don't pluck or wax the day of your wedding. Do this a few days to a week before the wedding to avoid irritation and redness.

· Use a pencil the same shade as your brows to fill in gaps and to create a defined look. Use small, light strokes when applying brow liner.

· Tame wild brows with clear mascara.

Define your eyes

· Line your eyes along the lash line with a dark-colored liner. Black or charcoal smudged along the top lashes is a great look. Turn the point of your liner up at the corners to really open them up.

· For shadow, use three shades in coordinating colors: light, medium and deep. Use the light color on your brow bone and the inside corner of your eye. Put the medium color in the crease and along the lid. Use the darker color on the outside third of your lid to make eyes really pop.

· Use a thickening or lengthening mascara in a waterproof formula to really define lashes. Add fake lashes for real drama. Be sure to practice before your wedding day.

Create a soft glow.

· Gain that blushing bride look with a large blush brush. Smile a big, goofy smile to define the apples of your cheeks. Sweep blush upward into your hairline.

· Sweep a soft layer of bronzer across the spots where the sun naturally hits you: cheeks, forehead, bridge of your nose, and chin.

Create soft, luscious lips.

· Use a stay-put formula with a gloss for long-lasting lips.

· First define lips with a pencil that matches your lipstick shade exactly.

· Top with the lip color. Let set for time specified.

· Add gloss.

· For real staying power, purchase a lipstick sealant. This will make your lipstick last much longer.

· Don't go too extreme in color. Define your lips with a natural color like berry or nude that complements your skin tone.

Finish it off.

· Add some translucent powder to your entire face (excluding your lips and lashes) to lock in the look.

Touch up tips:

· Keep some shine control papers handy. Press them on your face to remove excess oil. Don't pile on powder. It will cake.

· Touch up gloss periodically through your reception to keep lips moist and pretty for pictures.

Ashley Rader is the owner of Moments of Elegance, an online wedding boutique specializing in wedding party favors and a huge collection of bridal jewelry that will truly make your event unforgettable. Event planners can receive 10% off their order with coupon code: saveonfavors10.

Bridezilla Syndrome - You May Be A Bridezilla If...

The bridezilla syndrom has seemingly got the best of many brides today. What are the symptoms to look out for when a bride is en route to becoming a bridezilla?

1. She will complain more than give thanks.

This sadly is a symptom of many unhappy people, but it is more visible in a bride-to-be. Brides have to deal with a lot of details when preparing a wedding. If they are not careful they can forget to be thankful for the people helping them in the process.

Even if a bride is doing it all alone, that is no reason to be unthankful. Being overwhelmed is never fun, but being thankful gets more done. Complaining is never gaining.

2. She shouts unnecessarily.

Loud, boisterous, and unruly the bride-to-be who shouts unnecessarily will become a bridezilla quickly. Noise pollution is never pleasant. Shouting causes people to hate and resist helping you. Bridezillas need friends not enemies. Help them get a grip and speak gently.

3. She is all stressed up with nowhere to go.

Stress is the quickest way to deplete your energy. Bride's who freak out all the time will not only prematurely age and be inwardly miserable, but they will be also branded a bridezilla.

4. She cannot manage her emotions well.

Poor emotional management weighs heavily on a person individually, but it also hinders their relational capacity. Unchecked emotions gone awry will lead to irrational reactions that hurt those we most love. This perpetuates emotional wear and tear, recycling more emotional implosion and outbursts.

5. She is a perfectionist.

A perfectionist cannot be happy with a good effort, neither an excellent performance. She incessantly scrutinizes herself beyond reason, which leads to utter exhaustion. Such a person needs to lighten up and simply live.

6. She is a control freak.

A control freak has to always hover over everyone to make sure everything is done just right. According to her standards, nobody can do anything as she does. This gives her a sense of importance. Her fragile self-esteem and poor self-image necessitates that she degrade others performance so she can exalt her own and continually be needed.

7. She is very demanding.

Demanding people are usually very self-righteous and proud. They are quick to belittle others and boss people around. Such a quality immediately ruins any woman's ability to elegantly be a lady. Pushy brides qualify for the bridezilla designation for their demanding nature.

8. She is impatient and impetuous.

Impatient and impetuous people easily anger those who would have happily helped them. Because they are easily annoyed and unable to wait for good things, they attract poor service and bad attitudes.

Remember a cake out of the oven half-baked doesn't taste good, neither does it fully rise. If you want quality people and products, practice patience.

9. She is demeaning and disrespectful.

When you demean and disrespect someone you create an enemy immediately. Even if it is not outwardly obvious, inwardly and subconsciously he who you've disrespected will naturally shun you. Brides who bulldoze over everyone en route to getting what they want are sure to experience backlash and blowback in the end. Bridezillas always reap what they sow and the disrespect they endear does eventually show.

10. She worries and cries often.

Worry is interest paid in advance on something you may never own. Ninety percent of all that we worry about never occurs anyhow. Brides who endlessly worry about something going wrong subconsciously program themselves to fulfill their own internal imagery, prophecy, and neurological programming.

Crying is something anyone with a heart does. There is nothing wrong with it whatsoever. We should empathize and show compassion when someone is suffering. Crying non-stop however is a reason for concern. When a bride has gone over the edge and stepped off the cliff emotionally, psychological counseling and Pastoral ministry is recommended.

Fear can be overcome. Fear is self-centered. Love is selfless. Perfect love casts out fear. Be rooted and grounded in love, by which you can conquer any fear.

These are some subtle symptoms of a bride being bombarded with the bridezilla syndrome. Family and friends take courage as your bride (or bridezilla) desperately needs you.

Don't hesitate to gently speak a word of confrontation to deal with your bride's situation. You can never correct what you refuse to confront. Nevertheless use tact, tenderness, and gentleness. Like everyone, your bride simply seeks love and happiness.

Paul Davis is a wedding minister who officiates marriage ceremonies and vow renewals. Paul has been in ministry for over 15 years, blessing people around the world. He has traveled to over 50 countries and 6 continents having a worldwide impact.

As a relational coach, Paul's compassion for people and passion for transformation makes him very successful. His depth, understanding, experiential wisdom, and disarming sense of humor makes Paul a personal favorite of many couples. Highly celebrated and sought after, Paul has authored several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart and Are You Ready for True Love?

Paul’s organization Dream-Maker Ministries is making a difference throughout the world building dreams, breaking limitations, and reviving nations. Paul’s interpersonal and unprecedented experience engineering breakthroughs for individuals and organizations is revolutionary.

Contact Paul to officiate your wedding and more!
RevivingNations@yahoo.com
407-284-1705; 407-967-7553

http://www.itietheknot.com
http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV

Wedding Gifts For Bride's and Groom's Father

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After you're done preparing gifts for your participants, of course you don't want to forget giving a special gift for your parents. After all, these people helped you a lot, from pre-wedding preparation to the wedding ceremony itself. The support of parents is immeasurable, therefore you want to thank them for all the great things they've done for you. The bride and groom's fathers for instance, are very important participants, not only because they unselfishly give financial assistance to the couple, but also they are there to show love and emotional support. However, to find an ideal gift for dad is quite tricky. So, here are top favorite wedding gifts that any father would appreciate:

Cufflinks

Cufflinks are ideal gifts especially for men, and so as with the bride's and groom's father. There are different kinds of designs and styles cufflinks have. For a special person like your father, you may want to consider personalized or themed cufflinks. Personalized cufflinks are perfect gifts to surprise dad with sentiment of thanks. They are made personalized by engraving initials on it. You may opt for a personal touch of Father Of The Bride Cufflinks to proclaim he's a true father of the bride! He can wear this endearing cufflinks to accentuate his wedding day outfit with style! Or perhaps a classic style of Jared Textured Cufflinks to complete a perfect and distinctive appeal of dad during the ceremony.

Desk Accessories

Business-minded dads would love desk accessories that can add accent to his office. Like other gift ideas, desk accessories come in a wide selection also. You can find such accessories from simple to elegant. For specialized options, look for personalized desk accessories where you'll be able to monogram your dad's initials on the item. Included in your option list are personalized desk clocks, business card holders, bookends, paper weights, legal letter opener, desk organizer and the like.

Sporty Accessories

Sporty gifts are perfect to boost the adrenalin of sporty and energetic fathers. There are different sporty gifts you can choose from. Sporty gifts don't have to be real sports accessory. Consider sports-themed items like miniature basketball, engraved baseball, NFL Emblem Money Clip, sports-themed pub signs and more. If he is into golf, hand him Golf Set Gifts, Monogrammed Golf Shoe Bag or a Personalized Hole In One Golf Plaque.

Refer ideal gift ideas to his other pastime and hobbies. There are great choices of cooking wares for daddies who love to experiment different dishes. Consider giving Rockin' Dad grill Tools, a cool way of saying thank you to your ever dearest father. Or perhaps an Elegant Japanese Rice Bowl & Chopsticks Set if he is a Japanese cuisine enthusiast. There are still other unique gifts to suit your dad's hobbies. Such items are cigar accessories, barware, cooler bags and the like. You can find these gift ideas at your nearest local gift shops and online stores. Make your daddy proud and let him enjoy your wedding day with cool mementos that he will cherish for the rest of his life.

Jnet is an author for a variety of lifestyle issues and topics. For more information on father of the groom gifts, visit the website Mygroomsmengifts.com and choose from their products. Get a wedding gift idea online!