Tea Ceremony Traditions Are A Wonderful Tradition

Tea ceremonies are ritual ways of preparing and drinking tea, and the custom itself is one which has been strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism. Today, tea ceremonies are quite popular, and there are actually several different tea ceremony traditions that take place around the world. Still, one of the most well-known and respected is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

The ceremony itself takes place in a room that is designed and designated for tea, and it is better known as the chashitsu. This room is typically located within the tea house, away from the residence, in the garden area. In terms of guests, the preferred number is four, although this may vary depending on the particular tea ceremony.

One of the guests is chosen to be the main guest, and they are then led, with the main guest in front, to a water sprinkled garden that is devoid of any flowers. Here the guests rid themselves of the dust of the world, and then seat themselves on the waiting bench, or koshikake machiai, awaiting the approach of the host who has the official title of being the house master.

Once inside the tea house, each guest is served a meal known as chakaiseki, which is served on a tray with fresh cedar chopsticks. There are three different courses, and once these have been consumed and the guests are finished, the host removes the scroll and replaces it with flowers. This Japanese Tea ceremony is definitely one of complexity and detail, and one that has been revered since ancient times.

Chinese Tea Ceremony

This is another well known and incredibly respected ceremony, as the art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in China. The Chinese Tea ceremony is one which emphasizes the tea rather than the ceremony itself, and each step in the ceremony is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.

The teas that are typically used in this ceremony are particularly refined, such as oolong and red teas, and the style of tea drinking uses small cups to match the small, unglazed clay teapots that are used. These tiny cups are particularly popular in Fujian and Chiujao, in southern coastal China above Canton.

All tea ceremonies are significant and respected, and each represents a different culture, a different part of the world. Each is just as important as the next, even though the traditions carried out within are very different from each other.

Chris Jonas is a chef working in Soho, New York. Check out these great Cooking articles and resources or more specific Tea guides and resources.

How Wedding Poetry Brighten Up The Ceremony

It's always lovely to have the traditional best man and matron of honor speeches, as well as listening to the father's of the bride and groom tell a few funny tales. To really set the romantic mood and remind your guests what love is all about, why not select some beautiful wedding poetry to brighten up the ceremony and reception? Poetry is a lovely way to express what the union of marriage means to you as well as talk about love, commitment and happiness.

Poets such as Robert Graves, Stuart Macfarlane, William Cartwright and Dallas Fisher know how to capture the essence of love with words. It can be difficult for someone who is not a literary expert to come up with something romantic and poetic themselves, but what you need to say is likely to have already been written for you by another poet. Don’t let your wedding go without that special romantic touch because you can't think of anything to say; use wedding poetry instead so your partner knows how you really feel.

Your wedding day is a time to tell the world how you feel and why you are making a life long commitment to someone you love. There are so many wedding poems to suit countless situations and couples you are bound to find one that is right for you. Traditionally, poetry was always included in wedding ceremonies but over time the tradition has been somewhat lost and along with it some of the romance of ceremonies has been lost too. It isn’t too late, and you can make yours have that extra loving touch. You can buy a book of love poems or look on the internet where there are literally thousands of databases for love and wedding poetry.

If your wedding is in a church, don't be afraid to ask if you can customize the ceremony. While it is a lovely thing to be married by the same catholic priest who wed your parents and your cousins, you don’t have to have the exact same scripting. Find your favored poems first then approach the priest to let him know where you would like them added and who you would like to read them. In most cases, there will be no problem with putting pretty wedding poetry into the proceedings.

It is the flow and pace of poetry along with the tempting way the outcomes aren’t revealed until the end that can make them so pleasurable to listen to. Try not to pick wedding poems that are too complex or difficult for the average person to understand because you want everyone to enjoy them, and make sure the reader is well practiced and slow paced. It's a nice balance to have a poem at the beginning, one or two in the middle and one at the end of the ceremony, as a guide.

Whether poetry is your favorite thing or not isn’t the point, it's the mood created by reading wedding poetry that makes the concept so attractive. What better opportunity could there be in life to appreciate the flowing beauty of poetic words than on a wedding day? If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, spend some time getting lost in the words of some love poems and you will be sure to agree that wedding poems are a must for every ceremony.

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Wedding Ceremony Checklist - 31 Questions to Ask Ceremony Locations

A wedding ceremony is the most important aspect of your wedding day. You may already know the location where you will be married, or you may be considering several locations for the ceremony. Whatever the situation, you will need to ask the wedding location official some important questions before you book your wedding ceremony. Here is a list of questions you should ask. Not all questions may apply to you, or you may want to add additional questions to suit your needs.

Name and Location of Ceremony Site:

Name and Phone Number of Contact Person:

1. What dates and times are available?
2. How many guests can the location accommodate?
3. (If applicable) What is the denomination of the facility? Are their any restrictions?
4. Is an officiant available? And at what cost?
5. Are outside officiants allowed?
6. What type of ceremony will it be?
7. How long will the ceremony be?
8. Will there be special readings or passages?
9. Can we select the readings or passages?
10. Can we select the readers for the ceremony?
11. Can we write our own vows?
12. Are their any restrictions on our own vows or special wording needed?
13. Do vows need to be approved?
14. Are their any pre-wedding classes or counseling we will need to attend?
15. Are their any musical instruments available for use?
16. If yes, is there a fee to use them?
17. Are ceremony musicians included in the site fee or is there an additional fee?
18. Are their any music restrictions?
19. Are their any photography restrictions?
20. Are their any videography restrictions?
21. Are candle lighting ceremonies allowed (such as unity candle ceremonies)?
22. Are their any restrictions regarding rice, birdseed, confetti, bubbles or rose petal tossing?
23. What floral decorations will be available? Are flowers allowed?
24. When will the rehearsal be scheduled?
25. How many parking spaces are available?
26. Where is the parking located?
27. Is their handicap accessibility?
28. What rental items are necessary?
29. What is the ceremony site fee?
30. What is the payment policy?
31. What is the cancellation policy?

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Wedding Ceremony Etiquette - Do's and Dont's of the Wedding Ceremony

Despite their abundance in society, wedding ceremonies are of paramount importance. Care should be taken so that every single detail is observed to the effect that the wedding ceremony is carried out smoothly, properly and without any hindrance. Despite the number of unconventional wedding ceremonies occurring nowadays, most wedding ceremonies are still carried out traditionally. Also, different nationalities have different traditions and conventions for wedding ceremonies. Despite so many differences, there always exist a number of similarities among wedding ceremonies in different societies. Although the wedding ceremony etiquette tends to differ, it also remains largely similar between different communities.

Wedding ceremony etiquette is a term that covers several classes conventions at once. It basically denotes the set of decorum to be observed during a wedding ceremony, and does not necessarily imply a set of rites or rituals to be carried out. A set of what to do and what not to, largely constitute what are collectively referred to as ceremony etiquette. It is always advisable that the hosts of any wedding ceremony follow these norms – from organizing it to seeing it carried out till the end.

A synoptic perspective of the wedding ceremony is a set of dos and don’ts. As in most cases of the similar sort, the don’ts generally outnumber the dos. It is generally considered rude to ask directly not to bring children to the wedding ceremony. This can be taken care of by mentioning specifically the names of the adults who have been invited.

It is also considered against the etiquette to make direct references to wedding gifts in the body of the invitation letter. Moreover, gifts should not be opened during the ceremony itself. On the occasion of a cancellation or postponement, every guest has to be individually notified and the gifts (saving the personalized ones) have to be sent back.

It is not required for a bride marrying for the second time to have a train attached to her wedding dress, to carry flowers, and to don a veil. Gloves, on the other hand, should be worn except while putting on the wedding ring or while eating at the Wedding Breakfast.

Guests have to observe a plethora of wedding ceremony etiquette. It is not mandatory for guests belonging to a different faith to participate in the ceremony, but it is not prohibited, either. In case of lateness, a guest should not make a noisy entrance that might disturb the ceremony.

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Tips For Your Unity Ceremony

The Unity Candle Ceremony symbolic part of the wedding ceremony. The lighting of the candles symbolizes the union of husband, wife and their families.

The unity candle set is two taper candles and a large candle. The candles are usually placed in a candelabra. The larger of the three which is called the unity candle is placed where the ceremony will be taken place. Then the couple will take one of the taper candles each and they will light the large unity candle together which will symbolize the unity of their new lives together.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you customize your unity ceremony.

Before you begin your ceremony it is a good idea to make sure your candles light.

Have your best man and bridesmaid take part in the ceremony to symbolize the joining of new friendships and family.

Some couples will already have the taper candles burning before the start of the ceremony to reflect the bride and groom as individuals.

Have your parents take part in the ceremony with you. Have each one of your parents light the unity candles with you to symbolize the new union of families.

The groom can also light one of the tapers before the ceremony, and after the bride is escorted in, her and her father can light the other taper to symbolize her fathers approval of the union.

If you have children it is a nice idea to have them help light the unity candle.

When lighting the unity candle you should let your photographer and videographer know where and when that way you can get the best pictures possible of the unity ceremony.

Have one of your favorite love songs played while lighting the unity candles.

Exchange poems while your partner is lighting the unity candle.

Check with the pastor and make sure it is ok to have a unity ceremony.

Most of all remember it is your wedding and you can customize your unity ceremony any way that you like.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas wedding favors and wedding planner. She enjoys seeing all the different table decorations and wedding guest books that go along with the reception.

Wedding Ceremony - How to Save Money on Your Outdoor Ceremony

You can save a great deal of money by hosting an outdoor wedding ceremony in a beautiful park, at the beach, on a hilltop, or even in your backyard. The only downside to hosting an outdoor ceremony is the potential for poor weather conditions.

Following are tips for saving money on your outdoor wedding ceremony:

• Have the service in your backyard.
• Choose an open public forum that does not generally have a great deal of people trying to access it (get the necessary permits beforehand).
• Opt for an ordained minister rather than a priest, which is less expensive. Just be sure to check that whoever you choose can legally perform wedding ceremonies in your area.
• Forego the chairs and have the guests stand as long as you host a short ceremony. A nice white or themed linen on the ground for guests to stand on is an elegant touch.
• Opt for a portable arch because it is easy to transport and very elegant.
• Think of a fun wedding theme. Outdoor ceremonies open the door to many themes that can greatly reduce the cost of your wedding and reception. Hawaiian themes and beach themes can help you save money on formal wear, for example, because people having an outdoor wedding are often dressed casually.
• Save on travel. Outdoor ceremonies can immediately switch from ceremony to reception which saves money on travel fees, such as limos.

If you decide to plan an outdoor wedding ceremony, be sure to have a contingency plan in the event of poor weather conditions, such as the ability to set up a weather tent or to move the event indoors.

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find wedding planning tips and resources at http://www.myguidesusa.com/weddings

Wedding Ceremony Program Wording

Wedding ceremony is a special event in each individual's life and is the time of joy and merry making. The occasion will be a grand success only in the presence of the near and dear and kith and kin. The guests who are invited also will find a time to enjoy and have a diversion from the regular way of life. In such an occasion the wedding ceremony program plays an important role to make them feel comfortable and keep them informed regarding the schedule of events. Wedding ceremony program wording selection should be done with care so that it conveys the idea clearly.

The wedding ceremony program wording is of great significance since it will be beneficial to many. It will be mainly useful for the guests who belong to some other culture or religion to understand the procedures of the wedding that takes place. Since the complete list of program is available to the guests they will know about the sequence of happenings that is to take place. It will also keep the guests prepared to wait till the events get over since they already know the agenda. The wedding ceremony program with proper wordings is really a souvenir that can be saved.

Wedding program ceremony wording used should clearly explain to the guests about all the details of the marriage. It should cover a brief introduction, which consists of the full names of the bride and groom, the when and where details of the wedding and also closure or special notes. It will also throw light on the sequence of the wedding ceremony. It will give details on prelude, solo, lighting of the candles, seating, procession, invocation, wedding message, exchange of vows, exchange of rings, announcement of marriage, presentation of the bride and groom, recession etc. It is not a must that all these details should be included but it may be modified accordingly.

The next important aspect that is explained through a wedding program ceremony wording is details regarding the wedding party. The preferable order is giving details on bride's parents, groom's parents, bride's grand parents, groom's grand parents, bridesmaids, flower girl, groomsmen, ring bearer, pianist, soloist etc.

Last but not least in the wedding program ceremony, wording should also mention the words of thanks to the guests, hosts of the wedding, dedication to the deceased family members and concluding poem. Some may also incorporate the instructions regarding reception.

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Catholic Wedding Ceremony

Catholics are the greatest denomination in number in the world. Their wedding ceremony has several procedures. The wedding takes place in a 'Catholic Parish' and held with the context of mass or wedding held outside the context of the mass. The most important things in the ceremony are the unity candles, cards, gifts and cakes. There are several procedures to follow for conducting a catholic wedding ceremony.

First, the place where the wedding should be conducted is fixed. Virgin Mary is honored. Then the parents of the children ask permission for conducting the wedding in their church. Approval and the processing come from the church higher authorities. They decide the conductor of the wedding. Preparations and classes are given to the bride and the groom. Then, they decide along with parents about reading wedding blessings, reading poems, papal blessings and write their own intercessions.

Choosing right music for the ceremony and selections of processional, prelude and recessional hymns and unity candle selection are done by the family members and is conveyed to the concerned people.

Basically, Catholic wedding ceremony resembles the usual Sunday mass except few features included. Ceremony within the context of mass consists of, the Liturgy of Word, which includes 3 readings from the scripture, a responsorial Psalm and a homily.

When the bride and groom get married Nuptial rite is given. The 3rd is the Liturgy of Eucharist.

The Catholic wedding ceremony or the mass begins with the processional hymn sung by the gathering. The ceremony may or may not include greeting which will be the next order of the mass. The gathering song is sung by everyone. The Liturgy of the Word is given. They first read scriptures from the book of Old Testament and this the 1st reading. Then, a responsorial Psalm is read or can be sung.

The 2nd reading is from the New Testament followed by the gospel acclamation (This is usually sung). The gospel reading and homily are followed after gospel acclamation.

The rite for the marriage is read, when everyone stands before the priest. The priest asks few questions about their faithfulness to each other, the acceptance of both, and about the upbringing of the children. Then the bride and the groom exchange vows. All the priests bless them. They exchange the wedding rings, which are blessed and given to them.

Liturgy of Eucharist is preceded. They sing hymns while preparing the altar. Gifts are presented and the Eucharistic prayer follows.

The Holy Communion and the nuptial blessing are given. The concluding rite is the final blessings given to everyone present in the Catholic wedding ceremony. Reception and introduction of the wedded couple takes place followed by feast.

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Plan A Themed Wedding Ceremony and Reception

Many times, a bride and groom-to-be share interests important enough to them that they would like something other than a traditional wedding ceremony and reception. Perhaps they share a common interest in Civil War reenactment, Medieval or Renaissance recreation, or Science Fiction and fantasy. To these couples, it may be more meaningful to hold the wedding ceremony somewhere other than in the church with a traditional pastor. What follow are a few tips to help you plan your themed wedding reception and ceremony.

First of all, you need to check with your local community’s laws as to who may or may not perform a legal wedding ceremony. If there are any legalities involved, this could be taken care of simply by having a quick civil marriage ceremony before a duly authorized official or justice of the peace just prior to the actual themed ceremony. Or, if you can find a member of the clergy who was willing to perform the wedding ceremony in other than traditional garb, this is also a possibility. Whatever the case, be sure this point is decided well in advance of the nuptials. Of course, if the bride and groom are not looking to formalize their union for various reasons, they can still skip this step.

If you do have a special interest like those listed above, take into account whether you have sufficient friends or contacts who can help you in the preparations of nontraditional clothing like costumes for the members of your family who will be attending with you. That should be done well enough in advance of the wedding ceremony so that any of those not already familiar with this type of wear can be appropriately fitted and given time to get used to be unfamiliar dress. The day of the wedding ceremony and reception is NOT the first time to have them try and walk in a mode of dress they've never dealt with before. Also, be kind to your wedding party and guests. Take into account the time of year you plan your wedding. Don't force them to wear multilayered long dresses for the women and a long suit coat and trousers for the men in 90° or better heat if you're getting married outdoors in the summer.

Try to scout out a reception hall or other location that might be appropriate to the era you're trying to represent in your ceremony. In the case of a futuristic or non-historical wedding, this may not be a question so much as where to hold an appropriate wedding reception afterwards which allow for the kind of decoration you might want to do. Try and secure the reception hall, location and/or church as soon as you can to ensure that you have it for your special day.

The last consideration to a themed wedding is what kind of food you intend to serve at the reception afterwards. Depending on your budget and needs, will you be having friends and family prepare historical recipes for a medieval banquet or Civil War type ball? Or, can you find a caterer who would be willing to work with you in the preparation of this type of recipe should you wish to offer a sit-down dinner. Or, would it be more appropriate to offer a sideboard containing finger foods that your wedding guests can take advantage of throughout the following festivities?

Finally, is the site you have chosen "wet" (allowing you to bring in alcoholic beverages) or "dry". Be sure to follow these regulations closely or you could find that you are in serious trouble with the site should any unauthorized alcohol be found.

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The Hottest Trends In 21st Century Wedding Ceremony, Reception And Bridal Accessories

Ask any engaged couple what they want their wedding to reflect and you can expect an almost unanimous answer. Today brides and grooms want their wedding to be very personalized and reflect who they are and what makes them special. So, what makes a wedding personalized? or What is a personalized wedding?

What was once the norm, is no longer. Gone are the days when all you chose were your wedding attendants, invitations and attire. When you hired a hall you expected them to provide the caterer, the decorations, the musicians, the cake and the flowers. This is how weddings were planned when I got married. Today, brides and grooms want and get involved in every aspect and plan both ceremony and reception.

A 21st century wedding includes many elements that when put together create the feel and the atmosphere and make it special and personalized. Whether they plan a most formal evening event or a whimsical afternoon wedding party, brides and grooms planning a wedding today give it their personal touch. You did notice that I said brides and grooms. The newest and most welcomed development is that today wedding planning is not merely the responsibility of the bride and her family. Today, most grooms actively participate in planning the wedding with their brides and are making creative choices as well. The majority, loves it!

They pay special attention to assure that rather than helter skelter, everything in their wedding, from its color scheme to the wedding theme and everything in between, will coordinate well giving the wedding an aura of wholeness. The possibilities for personalization are endless.

Many 21st century brides and grooms choose their wedding date to correspond with someting personal to them. Whether it is connected with a first date, engagement, a birthday, a specific season, a holiday, a numerical sequence like 777 (July 7, 2007) or 888 (August 8, 2008) or even The day their parents or grandparent got married, the date chosen often has a special meanning. They choose their wedding color scheme and follow with coordinating as many aspects of the wedding with it. When you attend a current wedding, look around. Is there a color that runs throughout? most probably.

Nostalgia has its place too. Thus the old tradition of - Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and... a Lucky Sixpence in her Shoe! is adhered to by most brides. It is emphasized because as part of who they are, it is becoming quite common for brides and grooms to get sentimental and either copy or use the actual wedding gown, cake top and other wedding related family heirlooms their grandparents or parents used at their weddings. Brides often carry family hankies and wear ancestral jewelry -Something old. Most such items are on loan so by using then returning it, the bride has fulfilled the - Something borrowed as well. Every bride purchases wedding accessories for her wedding - Something New. The something blue has traditionally been a blue garter however as part of the personalization, bride may choose a blue flower, a blue ribbon, a blue piece of jewelry even a blue hankie with a blue decoration. Though no longer in circulation, the Sixpence coin is available for purchase.

Attire

Wedding attire choices have become less traditional and more of personal preference. According to bridal salon owners, the current trend for brides calls for sleek and relatively simple gown or dress style. Favored are both plain yet elegant gowns or dresses and gowns or dresses adorned with crystal, pearls and lace. Silk flowers are entering the scene as gown adornments too.

The major contributors to pulling away from the fairy tale gown or dress styles, in favor of elegant simplicity as being the preferred choice for brides, can be contributed to:

• Today's working, price conscious brides who want to adhere to a budget, do not want to sacrifice style or beauty, but want a lot of value for their money.
• The growing popularity of destination weddings.

Brides appreciate that these elegant yet simple styles can safely be transported and look fresh and clean upon arrival at the wedding destinations.

The trend for men has also become more casual, offering a choice of a dark suit, or dark pants with a white dinner jacket instead of a tuxedo.

Theme wedding allow even more freedom of choice. For example:

• Western attire is quite common in western theme weddings.
• Victorian attire in Victorian theme weddings,
• Renaissance garb in Renaissance theme wedding
• Casual wear and sandal in Beach weddings, and so on.

Jewelry

Today's brides preferred to keep their and their bridesmaids jewelry to a minimum, choosing Swarovski crystal, classic pearls clusters and pearl strands necklaces, with matching earrings. Replicas of celebrity tiaras, as well as tiaras studded with crystal and - or pearls are most popular. Many brides choose jewelry as their gifts to the ladies at the wedding party. Some give jewelry that coordinates with their attire. However, it seems that the trend starts shifting and in the mode of personalization and making each one special, brides prefer to give jewelry with the birth stone of the recipient. Bracelets are very popular.

Theme Weddings

Currently, more and more couples are planning theme weddings that express their interests and uniqueness.

Theme weddings, whether they are based on heritage, religion, tradition, historical events, hobbies and interests, destination or simply something both favor ,are very popular. Most brides and grooms find it fun to use their creativity planning a theme wedding as central point of both ceremony and reception.

Just like the color scheme, the wedding theme is evident everywhere. attire, invitation, flowers, entertainment, favors and even the linens and food, The decoration, the wedding accessories, the wedding cake or alternatives with their theme cake toppers, the table centerpieces and even the wedding favors speak of the wedding theme chosen by the bride and groom. are coordinated to carry out a chosen theme. The most popular in the order of popularity are initials and monograms, the date especially if it is of consecutive numbers as mentioned above, personal heritage, seasons, flowers and butterflies, life style and holidays.

Family weddings center around the children and becoming a blending family. Thus, parents planning a blending family wedding, assure that their children will be a well represented part of the wedding theme. When age and ability appropriate, the bride and groom include the children in the wedding planning, with special participation in the ceremony, and inviting friends as well.

Accessories for Theme Weddings

Whether dictated by the couple's interests, background or location, the bride and groom like to have their photo album, guest book, unity candles, pen set, flower basket, ring pillow, bridal purse - money bag, garter, cake top, centerpieces, flutes and cake servers as well as their and decorations present their theme. In fact, the trend is to have as many accessories actually match as a set or a collection, rather than just complement.

Where to buy wedding accessories and Choices

There are many options to purchasing wedding needs, from attire to accessories. The most obvious and traditional being bridal salons. Yet, according to couples we interviewed, shopping on the Internet is definitely the most profound wedding trend of the 21st Century. Most went googling to find exactly what they want, often finding unique items they did not know were available. The general consensus was that they do not know how they would have planned or pulled their wedding together, without the Internet. Brides and grooms, as well as those looking for wedding gifts and bridal accessories for them, use it and find it easy, convenient and safe. Quite a few interviewees said that they actually count on the Internet because they are just too busy. Brides and grooms actually enjoy getting together, sitting in front of the screen, to read articles to get ideas and choose what they want.

Once decided, they found that purchasing on line not only saves them money, gasoline, travel, running from store to store, standing in lines and aggravation but their orders are delivered directly to their homes or work. The majority said that they love it! especially since the Internet offers high security shopping carts, that can be checked before any purchase is made. The trend by most shoppers is to check and comparison-shop online first even if they intend to buy in a brick and mortar store. The Internet also introduces items available only on-line.

Some items are so unique they can be purchased only on a specific web site.

It is interesting to mention that we have experienced a surge in gift givers buying wedding items, including complete accessory collections, to be shipped with a gift card to a bride.

Whether you are a trendsetter or follow the current trends, I hope you gained some insight from this article.

Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser, of A-wedding Day at: http://www.a-weddingday.com" and Gan Publishing

Nily Glaser, the CEO of A-wedding Day. She writes important articles, and has presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA.
To read more of her articles CLICK HERE Her web site is very popular for its discount wedding gifts, bridal accessories, print your own invitations, favors and the very unique items offered including the exclusive line of wedding Accessories By Nily.

Creating Your Own Wedding Ceremony

At first the task of designing your own wedding ceremony may appear to be an overwhelming campaign. There really are so many choices that you need to get clear in your head before starting to make the preparations. It could be that you want a large wedding with all your family and friends, or a small service attended by just a few people. The cost, which can be substantial, will no doubt be an important controlling factor in many people’s considerations. However the first items to consider will be

• The size of the wedding that you want
• The theme of the wedding
• Whether the service would be civil or religious
• The time of year and time of day you want to have the service

So the first thing is to write these down with a few notes of what you want. Spend some time on this as everything else will flow from these early decisions. Getting this right at the outset will help save you a lot of time and effort in the future.

For the personalisation of the wedding service, get a copy of the standard wedding service, be it religious or civil. Many of these have areas where you can insert your own customization. The Anglican Church for instance has a traditional service from the Common Book of Prayer but also have ‘Alternative Service Book’. Other non-conformist churches have no set service and may just have guidelines. There are however certain minimum legal requirements for a marriage ceremony and it is best to make sure that these are included! If you want to make a major change then speak to the official or minister concerned and ask about it early. Would they have any objection for instance of the bride arriving by parachute from a plane (it has been done!).

Typically there are various choices that the bride and groom can make for their service; these include music that is played, the hymns that are sung, clothing, rings, location and vows. There is also the choice of transport to and from the service, be it a traditional Rolls Royce or something a little different, such as a Harley Davidson motorbike. You will have to think practically however as you can’t really wear a flowing wedding dress whilst on a tandem!

The vows you make in a Church of England or Catholic Church are however very strict. There are options on whether you choose to ‘obey’ or not, and can exchange ‘respect’ for ‘honour’. For these churches the vows are also near the beginning of the ceremony. An idea maybe to move an extra hymn towards the beginning - making the vows more central to the service.

The key to a successful wedding is to get clear what you want in your own mind, plan well and then enjoy it. There are many publications on wedding planning both in printed and on the net. Look at lots of them for inspiration and hints and tips. You may also want to involve the services of a wedding planner to help you – but make sure that you have your own ideas or options and let them build on them and help fill in the finer details. Enlist the help of reliable family and friends to help organize the wedding. There is a lot to think about and certain tasks such as booking cars, writing wedding invitations, checking on progress can be easily delegate once you know what you want and need. Break it down into small pieces and take each one in turn. And the main thing - try to enjoy organising it!

Paul Klein lives and works in Loughborough. He is currently undertaking a project to create a wedding resource just for Loughborough. The work todate can be seen at Loughborough Wedding which to date has information on venues, photographys, florists , wedding stationery and wedding gift ideas.

Wedding Ceremony Checklist - 31 Questions to Ask Ceremony Locations

A wedding ceremony is the most important aspect of your wedding day. You may already know the location where you will be married, or you may be considering several locations for the ceremony. Whatever the situation, you will need to ask the wedding location official some important questions before you book your wedding ceremony. Here is a list of questions you should ask. Not all questions may apply to you, or you may want to add additional questions to suit your needs.

Name and Location of Ceremony Site:

Name and Phone Number of Contact Person:

1. What dates and times are available?
2. How many guests can the location accommodate?
3. (If applicable) What is the denomination of the facility? Are their any restrictions?
4. Is an officiant available? And at what cost?
5. Are outside officiants allowed?
6. What type of ceremony will it be?
7. How long will the ceremony be?
8. Will there be special readings or passages?
9. Can we select the readings or passages?
10. Can we select the readers for the ceremony?
11. Can we write our own vows?
12. Are their any restrictions on our own vows or special wording needed?
13. Do vows need to be approved?
14. Are their any pre-wedding classes or counseling we will need to attend?
15. Are their any musical instruments available for use?
16. If yes, is there a fee to use them?
17. Are ceremony musicians included in the site fee or is there an additional fee?
18. Are their any music restrictions?
19. Are their any photography restrictions?
20. Are their any videography restrictions?
21. Are candle lighting ceremonies allowed (such as unity candle ceremonies)?
22. Are their any restrictions regarding rice, birdseed, confetti, bubbles or rose petal tossing?
23. What floral decorations will be available? Are flowers allowed?
24. When will the rehearsal be scheduled?
25. How many parking spaces are available?
26. Where is the parking located?
27. Is their handicap accessibility?
28. What rental items are necessary?
29. What is the ceremony site fee?
30. What is the payment policy?
31. What is the cancellation policy?

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Wedding Ceremony Songs

The music chosen at the wedding ceremony sets the mood for the rest of the wedding day. No matter the type of wedding, large or small, formal or informal, the mood of the wedding can most often be characterized by the selection of music during the ceremony.

There are various ways to go about choosing songs for the wedding ceremony. You can choose classical, traditional, or contemporary music, depending on your mood. Most couples these days choose songs that are meaningful to them together. A good idea to keep in mind while selecting wedding ceremony songs is to think about the audience.

Selecting a song that everyone knows allows the crowd gathered to bless the couple and join in with the songs, thus creating a different ambience altogether.

Some popular choices for music during the wedding ceremony are traditional classical pieces like “The Wedding March”. Musical ensembles like string quarters and even chamber music groups are also popular for weddings.

It is increasingly common for couples to choose contemporary songs that hold a special significance to them, but traditional wedding ceremony tunes are still among the most popular: Wagner’s Bridal Chorus, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, Widor’s Toccata, Bach’s ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ etc.

It is important to begin making arrangements to hire musicians as soon as the wedding date and location are confirmed. Often popular musicians are booked as much as a year in advance. About a month before the wedding date, you should meet the musicians and confirm all the details. Often a place of worship will have guidelines about the kind of music that is allowed to be played and it is important to ask.

Wedding Songs provides detailed information on Wedding Songs, Christian Wedding Songs, Top 10 Wedding Songs, Wedding Ceremony Songs and more. Wedding Songs is affiliated with Wedding Reception Music.

Wedding Ceremony Decoration

Wedding ceremonies are the most intimate, special part of the wedding. As it goes, wedding decorations are reflective of the couple and their personality. The wedding ceremony is where the attention will first go, and gives a preview of how the reception will look like.

Wedding ceremony decorations should be kept simple and within the theme of the entire wedding, so that the focus will all go to the event itself, and to the bride and groom. At most, churches or ceremony decorations should be muted and should enhance the location, and not be too loud or distracting.

Here are some tips for wedding ceremony decoration that you can use, for both indoor and outdoor wedding ceremonies.

1. There are many ways a ceremony can be made to look extra special for this special day, and one way is adding flowers. Place bouquets of flowers around the pillars of church, carefully tied with delicate and sheer ribbon. Flowers are also placed along the aisle in the church, by the entrance, and hung in various strategically chosen areas of the ceiling. By the altar, pillars can also be wrapped with lace and tulle, and touches of flowers but not too extravagant.

White is an excellent choice for wedding ceremony decoration flowers; it adds to the innocence of the whole event. You can add subtle color and make white the dominating theme with greens to enhance it, or using the two or three colors of your wedding theme. The colors used for venue decoration should never be too far from the colors of the bouquets used, so that there is harmony.

If you are getting married in Christmas, use Christmas wreaths to decorate the ceremony as well. Seasonal themes are a great way to decorate your wedding. Place wreaths on doors and a few on walls, so as not to overdo it.

2. Use soft lighting to give a romantic atmosphere. You can use Christmas lights to light the aisle, and use colorful metallic ribbons to cover the wire. Go ahead and use lights for a contrast, or use them in complementing colors with the rest of your theme.

Large candles are a great way to add lighting to the wedding ceremony. If the church is large, big candles are a good idea, to minimize small candles falling and accidents.

Torches should be kept at a minimum during wedding receptions, placing them in strategic places such as entrances and exits. Altar torches are a great idea to light up the ceremony.

Lights can also be hung on strings or thin ribbons to make outdoor venues more romantic. Tie Christmas lights to light up dancing areas, dining areas, and along the buffet table.

3. Colorful ribbons and lace in various colors can enhance the mood in the church. Use gold, ivory, or silver to drape around flowers, walls, and pillars. More contrasting colors such as deep purple, magenta, red, forest green and dark blue can be added in small amounts. This can be done using two strips of ribbon at the same time, with the gold one being the dominant, thick ribbon, while a thinner colored one is attached with it. Place them around chairs, behind pews, and to tie flowers onto the aisle.

4. Large ribbons in doorways make for a grand entrance and exit. From the outside and inside, ribbons can frame doorways or entrances.

5. Balloons are also a great idea to decorate wedding ceremonies. Balloon bouquets in soft colors such as white, pink, blue, yellow and mint green add touches of color to the venue. Balloons can also be tied to the backs of chairs or sides of pews. In indoor venues, you can also try letting some balloons float in the air.

Balloons can also be tied to a wire to form an arch over the wedding cake. Simply use wire to form a dome over the cake area, and tie small balloons around them. Corners of rooms and indoor venues can also use a bunch of balloons.

For outdoor weddings, balloons can be a minimal part of the entire design by tying balloons to pillars, gazebos, or tent poles.

When designing your wedding ceremony decorations, remember to keep it simple and use things that are reflective of you. This is your special day after all, and planning decorations does not have to be difficult if you keep these pointers in mind.

For more information on wedding planning, please go to:
http://www.your-best-wedding.com/wedding-ceremony-decoration.html

Popular Wedding Ceremony Music

It used to be that all brides walked down the aisle to the strains of the traditional “Here comes the Bride.” Wagner’s classic wedding music, “dum dum da dum” is a piece of music most Americans have heard at least once in their lives. Many brides are choosing different music not only for the wedding ceremony, but for the traditional bridal walk down the aisle as well.

What Should You Choose?

If you are a bride that walks to the beat of a different drummer, you will want your music for your wedding ceremony to reveal that. Your unique personality can be reflected in the music you choose for your service. Music is powerful when it comes to setting the mood or eliciting emotions and what you decide to play at your wedding ceremony can begin the ambience of the whole event.

Traditional favorites might include Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.” Another popular wedding ceremony selection is “Guitar Concerto in D Major” by Vivaldi, and Handel’s “Air” is something you will often hear at wedding ceremonies.

Classical music selections for your wedding ceremony can include Mozart pieces such as “Romance from String Quartet,” or “Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major.” Johann Sebastian Bach is well known for his lullabies, but he has beautiful wedding ceremony music too such as “Sinfonia,” “Cantata No. 29” or “Prelude and Fugue in C.” Choosing classical music for your wedding reception will have the elegance and sophistication start as soon as the guests enter.

Songs that are appropriate for a wedding ceremony that are considered contemporary are Nat King Cole’s classic tune, “Unforgettable,” “The Look of Love” sung by Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach, and “Storybook Love” from the film the “The Princess Bride.” You can find many selections that will bring about the ideal mood for your special day.

You can always let the venue where you are having your ceremony choose the music as they often have a predetermined list of preferred songs to play at weddings. This can ease your mind if you are the bride, as there are so many other details for you to see to. But if you want to be more involved in the selections, do your research and listen to some samples of songs and instrumental music that you may be interested in playing at your wedding ceremony to help you choose the perfect music for your perfect day.

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Sample Wedding Ceremony Program

A wedding ceremony program is the most important feature of all the wedding preparations. Wedding ceremony programs are printed documents presenting the order of events during the service. These wedding ceremony programs add a personal touch to the wedding. It is provided for the convenience for the guests to know who the officiates, musicians and attendants are at the wedding ceremony. It is usually handed over to the guests at the entrance by ushers or it can be arranged neatly in a basket at the entrance of the church for the guests to take them as they enter.

A wedding ceremony program serves as a very significant and practical reason of giving the guests a basic idea of the order of the wedding events. It provides various details that unfold at the day of the wedding ceremony. It also serves as a lovely souvenir of the most important events of the wedding ceremony. You can also make a simple, elegant and cost-effective one. A sample wedding ceremony program would help you plan and design the wedding ceremony program efficiently.

A sample wedding ceremony program guarantees the provision of the perfect details of the location and time of the various programs that will take place at the wedding ceremony to the prospective guests. It basically elaborates the nature of the event and incorporates several small events that are going to happen on that day.

Preparing a wedding ceremony program is somewhat easy and consists mainly of preparing listing of events in order for the forth coming event. But there are certain intricacies that go inside while preparing an excellent one. There are many available styles and ways of choosing wordings for writing wedding invitations. One has to choose the right pattern and set of words that would best match their wedding ceremony. This is where the sample wedding ceremony program would help, providing details of the basic guidelines into which the individual events can be incorporated.

The sample wedding ceremony program usually is divided into three basic sections. They are the introduction part, the event order part, and the acknowledgment part. The details that are provided in the Sample Wedding Ceremony Program are only basic guidelines to design a wedding program and are subjective to change according to the personal preferences and wedding ceremonies.

The introduction part of the sample ceremony program contains the full names of the bride and the bridegroom, wedding date and location. The step-by-step description serves as a guideline to the wedding ceremony from processional to recessional. There will be space to include special customs or traditions that will take place at the ceremony.

The last section of the wedding ceremony program contains the lists of the wedding party. It elaborates the relations of the bride and the bridegroom. Apart from these other items can also be included like thank you note, memorials of the deceased ones, etc. Thus a Sample Wedding Ceremony Program would be useful to make wedding ceremony program special and memorable.

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Who Performs Your Wedding Ceremony

After we have determined who can be married and who can officiate at a wedding, the couple still has to deal with the question of who will marry them. A full-blown fancy church wedding ceremony requires, in most cases, the couple to pass some more rigorous testing than the State does.

Many clergy, or the religious institutions they belong to, require that the couple be adherents of that denomination or religion and, more often, be members of that specific congregation. Variation from that requirement may require sworn agreements as to the religious education of any and all potential offspring prior to securing the clergy's agreement to marry you. Some religions require marriage classes for one or both of the bride and groom. Some religions require a more thorough proof of eligibility to be married than the civil authorities might.

In cases where the bride and groom who desire to be married are both eligible, are both of the same religion, both agree to the dictates of that religion, and want to be married by the same clergyman, the questions of "Who officiates?" and "Who participates?" are pretty much settled. There are of course, some glitches even in this simple scenario, but we will deal with them later.

The problem of deciding who will officiate may arise when the prospective bride and groom have different religious affiliations but still want a religious wedding. Not all religions approve of their clergy marrying people who are not both members of that same church.

A small amount of searching should uncover a clergyman who will not only agree to officiate, but will also be acceptable to the couple. Sometimes it takes more work getting the parents on board than finding clergy. One of the recent solutions to the problem posed by people of different religions is the use of multiple clergymen to officiate.

While this solution may cause a bit of extra searching, since not all clergy are amenable to joint or multiple officiating, remember that no clergy is required to perform a wedding by their church and you will find that it is a bit easier to negotiate an amicable solution. A small amount of planning and research should make it one of the easier challenges in getting your wedding together.

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Wedding Planning - Pack for the Ceremony

Do not forget the license! It has happened. Would not you be embarrassed if at the rehearsal or the run-through the day before your wedding you were asked about the license and you did not have it. In the enthusiasm and the excitement of the coming event it is easy to forget such an important item and it has happened, with great embarrassment to the bride and groom. Most states will not let you carry out a ceremony without a license".

The best laid plans a mice and men can go astray. Some couples have even forgotten the rings. Now they say that love can be blind, it can also be forgetful. These crucial things should be high on your list of what needs to be packed it your imaginary luggage that you need to take to your ceremony.

So lets imagine that we are going on a journey, which really you are, but we aren't packing your clothing we are making sure that you bring the things that are really important for the ceremony. Forget the dinner and the bridal waltz; they will not happen if the ceremony doesn't go to plan. You cannot imagine the anxiety and the stress that forgetting something such as these can cause.

Imagine if you will the embarrassment that you will suffer while your are waiting for someone to go and get the marriage license off your bureau or the rings that you left on the mantle.

So what to do? Lets imagine we are going out of town for a day or two and we need to pack. Lets take a small bag and make sure that we have the licence, the rings and perhaps the candles. Leave yourself a note attached to the bag for those last minute things like the wine and the flowers. You could ask someone trustworthy to be in charge of this for you, but it needs to be organised early and these things need to be at the ceremony.

Do not think that it is not easy to forget these simple things in the hustle and the bustle of planning the main events. Get ahead of yourself, my advice in all things to do with your planning your own wedding. This little bag filled with all your ceremony items will help you get through the blindness that could otherwise make your ceremony a very distressful event.

You can get more great tips on how to plan your wedding HERE.

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Wedding Unity Ceremony

Celebrate your union with a wedding unity ceremony, because it will be an appropriate way to include and welcome children into the new family being formed. It stresses the importance of a child and his cooperation in the unity of a new family.

There are 3 versions of celebrating wedding unity ceremony, the first one is called the Rose Unity Ceremony, the second is the Candle Unity Ceremony and the third one is Sand Unity Ceremony.

In a candle unity ceremony, both the bride and the groom will light 3 candles symbolizing the bond shared by a wife and a husband. Bride followed by the groom lights each other’s candles. Then the couple will light the third candle together, that symbolizes their eternal unity

Such a ceremony may be planned at any indoor place of your choice (breeze will not cooperate with candle unity ceremonies so they should be planned indoors).

In Rose Unity Ceremony, a rose that symbolizes love is the given by the bride to the groom and by the groom to his bride. This ceremony is placed at the end of a wedding ceremony usually, after the couple being pronounced as husband and wife. The Rose Unity Ceremony gives a special identity to the new and most honored husband and wife.

A single rose is always given away to convey several things such as ‘I Love You’, ‘I am Sorry’, or ‘You are My Love’, etc. If there are children who would be included into the new family, they may be given a rose and a kiss by the newlywed couple. This sends a message to the children that their union will bind the whole new family with love. This ceremony can be planned indoors or outdoors.

In a Sand Unity Ceremony, sand is used to symbolize the unity of the bride and groom. Two vials of sand are taken from under the feet of the wedded couple (if the ceremony happens on a beach). After the exchange of rings, the bride and groom then come together, and pour sand from separate vials into one unity vial, reflecting they are no more separate individuals but think and behave as one. The single vial is usually kept as a wedding keepsake by the newlywed couple.

Children too, can be included in this sand unity ceremony and children are made to collect sand from the bride and groom and add to the unity vial. However, children are allowed to do this, after officiate asks the children to render support and extend love to the newly formed family.

So make sure your wedding ceremony is followed by one of the unity ceremony and there would be no debate that a wedding would be incomplete with unity ceremony.

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Music For Wedding Ceremony

A bit of music is excellent for any occasion to celebrate. Weddings are no exception to this fact. A bit of music is essential not just during the ceremony, but also during the reception. Music for wedding ceremony is extremely significant in creating the atmosphere that is unique to weddings – of volatile emotions, fluttering hearts and wondering expectations. A wedding ceremony without music would be so utterly bland an occasion that it would hardly seem like a wedding. Without the resonating sound of the harpsichord or the accordion, all that one would be able to perceive during a wedding ceremony would be a confused din of whispers, claustrophobic sounds of shuffling feet and the uncomfortable shifting of people sweating due to discomfort and nervousness. In harsher terms, without music for wedding ceremony, the wedding ceremony would seem just like a step towards the divorce.

Music for the ceremony has primarily four categories. The Prelude songs are to be played right before the bride enters. Processional music should follow after this, with the bride slowly proceeding up the aisle towards the groom and the priest. After this, Recessional music is the next step. Finally, the Unity Candle concludes the ceremony, declaring the couple as now being lawfully wedded.

Depending on the ceremony and the taste and choice of those hosting it, the music might also differ. Musical tracks from different genres of music, for instance, may be played on each occasion. These genres and sub-genres include everything from blues and electronic to traditional wedding music. However, deviations from traditional wedding music are normally rare. It is to be remembered that popular music is mainly played not during the ceremony itself, but at the reception.

Important landmarks of a wedding ceremony and the events following it are the first dance of the married couple, the bride’s dance with her father, the cutting of the cake and the dance of the mother with the son. These dances are integral parts of the reception that follow the wedding ceremony. These highlights not only entertain the bride, groom and their parents, but also the bridal party enjoying the wedding ceremony.

Music for the ceremony, therefore, plays as important a role in creating the atmosphere for the wedding ceremony as the wedding ceremony accessories themselves, or even the attire of the participants in the ceremony.

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