I have not updated this blog for so long, and so many changes have happened since.

I married my beautiful wife more than 10 years ago and we now have 3 beautiful daughters. 

The journey I’ve had with my wife is nothing short of amazing. From newly-weds, we ended up finding out we were expecting our first daughter. My wish of being a stay-at-home father was coming true. I could now work and take care of my first girl at the same time.

Somewhere along the line, we also birthed another brainchild of mine – my Math coaching center called Learning Out Of The Box where my team and I now coach primary school students in preparation for their Math exams as well as PSLE Math.

Part of the reason why I opened this center was to fulfill a need that I saw many Singaporean parents faced. We struggle with keeping up with Math syllabus changes and teaching our children at home. I wanted to help parents like these – parents who didn’t like Math and primary school children who didn’t like Math. I wanted to turn the Math haters into Math lovers! Just like how I made my own first child love Math.

Since then, my wife and I have welcomed two more additions to our family. Our family is now a happy five-member team and I’m a proud father of all my daughters’ achievements.

One thing I have learned as a parent is that, no matter what result our children bring home from their exams, we have to recognise the effort that they put in. Many factors cause our children’s grades to drop or fluctuate. At the end of the day, it’s not so much about being top in the class, but being proud of them for putting in the effort and trying their best. We want our children to be good citizens with good values, not just children with good grades.

And this is what my coaches and I teach at Learning Out Of The Box too. There is so much pressure in achieving good grades that we forget to ask our children important questions like their likes and dislikes. 

Once, I was approached by a mother who was so upset with her child’s bad grades in Math. She wanted her child to score better marks in his Math exams. But I noticed her son was very hesitant to enter the classroom.

After getting to know him better and giving him time to adjust to the lessons, I finally sat down and asked him what he liked to do. He said he liked to play football. I paid attention to this and would use football as an example to teach him key Math concepts. He started enjoying the class. Eventually, he opened up to say that he was scared of Math because his previous tutor would scold him for the slightest mistake.

Almost every engaged couple dreams of having a wedding full of traditions and deep meaning. In order to accomplish this desire, many couples have adopted wedding traditions from their own ancestral celebrations or from other cultures.

Customs and traditions from Mexico or Latin America have become very popular in the U.S.A. and several other countries because of the deep symbolism and beauty of weddings from south of the border.

One of the major differences in a Mexican wedding is who pays for the wedding. Both families are involved with the wedding plans from the beginning and all help with the expenses, including parents, grandparents, godparents and friends. The bridesmaids and the groomsmen each traditionally pay for a specific item for either the ceremony or the reception.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen are paired and each pair is responsible for a different function in the wedding ceremony. One pair will provide the highly symbolic Lazo, effectively a ceremonial lasso that is a symbol of unity in this case. The Lazo could be a white satin cord or a large loop of rosary beads and is draped around the couple’s shoulders, or around their wrists, as they kneel for a wedding prayer.

As a symbol of their love, the couple wears the Lazo for the rest of the service. The couple who placed the Lazo around the couple removes it at the end of the ceremony and gives it to the bride as a reminder of their promise to always remain together.

Another pair of attendants provides the bride’s bouquet, while a third brings the Arras, 13 gold or silver coins in wealthier families and gold-plated in families who are not so wealthy. Traditionally, the groom gives the coins to his bride to show his promise and ability to support his family.
If there are only three pairs of attendants, the pair who provided the Arras also provide the pillows the couple kneels upon during the service.
The money dance originated in Europe and has become a very popular way to help start the couple out with some ready cash. At some weddings, there is a special purse or money bag available for collecting cash donations to the new couple’s future. The money dance, called the dollar dance in the U.S.A., is however, a different way to help the couple financially.
Male guests are expected to pay to dance with the bride. Different cultures have different methods of collecting the payment. In some, the bride carries a purse and the dancers put the currency in it. Some will pin the money on the bride’s wedding gown. Sometimes, the maid of honor will wear an apron with pockets to collect the dancing payments.
As in most weddings, the bride chooses her wedding colors and they will be prominent in all aspects of the ceremony, including the wedding cake. The automobiles used for transporting the attendants will be decorated with ribbon and paper flowers in the same colors. The church pews will be adorned with flowers and bows of the same colors. Petals from the flowers will continue the color theme on the bridal path to the altar.
If a piñata is included in the festivities, it will be heart-shaped and probably full of wedding candies and appropriate trinkets.

A wedding anywhere is a beautiful and symbolic ceremony full of traditions and meaning for all who attend. The growing practice of blending family traditions with a few from other cultures deepens the significance for the new couple.

Candles have become a popular part of modern wedding ceremonies, with the most popular being the Unity Candle rite. The Unity ceremony cannot be traced back to ancient traditions and is not a part of any religious tradition that can be pinpointed.

Its use in wedding ceremonies is approximately 30-50 years old, depending on who you talk to and is apparently most popular in the United States. While the ceremony, itself, is simple, its use can be a particularly beautiful way to draw the families and friends closer to the bride and groom.

The Unity Candle ceremony uses three decorated candles, two tapers and a large pillar in the center of the tapers. The color is usually white, but some brides have ordered candles that complement their wedding colors. Others have decorated the Unity Candle, the large pillar, with a copy of the wedding invitation or a picture of the couple. Flowers or strands of white pearls have also been used to create personal candles for the ceremony.

Since there’s no proof of historical ceremonial traditions for a Unity Candle rite, the actual wedding ceremony can be anything the couple wants it to be.
Usually, at the start of the wedding ceremony, the mothers of the bride and groom light the two taper candles. After the couple completes their vows, they light the Unity Candle together with the two tapers. The Unity Candle is usually saved and relit on anniversary celebrations.

The symbolism behind that simple ceremony represents the permanent merging of the bride and groom into one family. If the couple blows out the two tapers after lighting the Unity Candle, it symbolizes leaving their families and starting a new family together. If they don’t blow out the tapers, it has been said to symbolize continuing love for the couple from each family.

One beautiful variation of the simple candle ceremony involves all the guests and is a beautiful representation of the love and support that friends and family feel for the couple, their unity. A candle is given to each guest as they are seated. At the start of the ceremony, the first guest’s candle is lit and the flame is passed on to each guest in turn until all candles are lit. When the last guest’s candle is lit, the bride and groom light their Unity Candle.

This ritual is particularly beautiful because it makes every guest an actual part of the ceremony and not just observers. The backdrop of flickering candles while the couple recite their vows is truly something that will be remembered by everyone in the chapel that day. Candles draw people together and this Unity Candle Service is designed to do just that.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that some churches do not allow this
ceremony to be part of their service. Be sure to check with the church or
chapel before you book it for your wedding.

Many brides decorate their own Unity Candles and others purchase them from stores or candle makers. Some have elaborate setups, including a candelabra that elevates the pillar, symbolizing the strength of the new union. The candles can be simple or highly decorated or molded into meaningful shapes, depending on your tastes.

Adding the Unity Candle to a wedding ceremony is a special way to bring the families and friends of the bride and groom closer together on this special day.

Now that you’ve figured out the expenses, selected the wedding favors, ordered the invitations and of course – found the perfect wedding gown, it’s time to consider what bridal lingerie to wear underneath. If you are like many, you may have overlooked or completely forgot to consider what may be one of the most important pieces of your wedding day attire.

There are many factors to consider when selecting your bridal lingerie.  Do you want it to accent your shape?  Are you in need of additional support on top? Are you considering a Corset? Does your dress provide top support but you are in need of panties only? Will you be wearing hose that need to be incorporated with the set? And how sexy do you want it to be?  Does it need to be multi-functional and perform one or more of these?  While these functional aspects are important, equally as important is the comfort factor. Remember, you will most likely have this and your wedding dress on for several hours – if not all day long.

Some styles you might consider are:

• Shaper – These lightweight garments are more functional in nature but can create a sleek look underneath shaping/smoothing out some of the curves Mother Nature gave you. Remember, shapers may change the way your dress fits you so be sure to try them on together
• Corset – Perhaps the most expensive of the lingerie styles, corsets can also be uncomfortable to wear for long periods. Yet, they are sometimes as stunningly beautiful as the dress itself. If you don’t want to wear this piece all day, maybe select one as an alternate to put on the night of your wedding.
• Garters – Many brides wear matching hosiery and need a way to hold them up under their dress. Consider a matching panty and garter set to go with the sexy hosiery. These multifunctional and very sexy sets may be just what you are looking for. And when it’s time for the garter to be thrown you will have comfort knowing your hosiery is in place.

Once you have the bridal lingerie selected, take it along with you to one of your fittings. Make sure you take the time to try them all on for the best fit. Bring a friend or family member along to give you an honest opinion of the look. Ask yourself – will I be comfortable in this for the entire day and possibly night? The point of bridal lingerie is to make you feel and look your best. If you are not comfortable you will be miserable and that will not be fun for you or your groom on this very special day.

Something else to consider, while you may wear these pieces all day long, on your wedding night you may opt for something extra sexy for him. You might also consider having him pick out a few pieces for you to wear that night and on your Honeymoon. Either give him some guidelines or let his imagination run wild. It can be fun for both of you.

You can see there is a lot to consider when selecting your bridal lingerie for your wedding day. Being careful to consider the fit and feel and creating the look you want will go a long way in making your day the very best it can be.

Once you decide to get married and have a date set, the next big task is creating a reasonable budget for the big day. One of the early decisions will have to be the type of wedding you want: formal, informal, etc. Traditionally the bride’s father paid for everything, but that task is now being shared by both sets of families or the bride and groom alone, if they have money of their own. The rigid, traditional lines have disappeared.

Family members and friends with specific skills might contribute to the wedding ceremony by making the bride’s wedding dress or baking and decorating the wedding cake. Another with a very green thumb might create the flower arrangements or the bride’s bouquet. Weddings are happy occasions in most families and relatives and friends would be happy to be a real participant in the event.

Here are some traditional guidelines for the usual division of payment in traditional weddings. Again, these are only suggestions.

Normally, anything to do with the bride’s dress or appearance is the responsibility of the bride’s family. That includes the bride’s wedding dress, headdress or jewelry. Also the bride’s responsibilities, or that of her family, are the bridesmaid’s gifts and bouquets, corsages for their grandmother and the flowers for the ceremony and the reception.

The decorations for the ceremony, like altar baskets filled with flowers in the bride’s colors or portable arches, are the obligation of the bride’s family. These decorations can include candelabras and kneeling benches for the ceremony. If the wedding is taking place outside, a canopy and carpet for the walk to the altar would be part of the bride’s expenses. Simply put, any rentals for either the ceremony or the reception would be paid for by the bride or her family.

During the initial planning for the wedding the bride will select, order and pay for the announcements, invitations and wedding programs, including any special napkins, matches or printed materials for the reception.

Both the bride and the groom buy the rings for each other, along with the traditional wedding gift they each exchange.

Traditionally, the groom pays for the bride’s bouquet, his own boutonniere and those for his groomsmen and ushers. He is also responsible for the corsages worn by both mothers. The groom pays for the marriage license and carries it with him to the ceremony.

He is also responsible for paying the clergyman’s fee or that of the public
official that performs the ceremony, though often the Best Man actually delivers the money to the clergyman.

The bride pays the church or chapel fee for the ceremony and for the reception, including the church janitor for the cleanup after. The bride pays for any music or photography for either location, including the church soloist or musician and band or DJ for the reception.

The wedding cake and any wedding favors for the guests are the bride’s expenses.

Some weddings are loaded with breakfasts, luncheons and dinners to help celebrate some aspect of the approaching nuptials. Who hosts and pays for each one could get confusing. The traditional arrangement is the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner while the bride and her family are responsible for bridesmaid’s luncheons, the wedding breakfast, and the bridal brunch.

Finally, the groom pays for limousine service and the honeymoon details, while the bride handles accommodations for out-of-town guests.

While those divisions of responsibility are traditional and based on old habits carried down through the decades, today’s weddings are not so strictly traditional. Whatever works for the couple is just fine.

Wedding favors are popular at wedding receptions or parties almost everywhere. Their historical origin is unknown but there’s evidence that they have been popular around the world for a very long time.

There are many theories about what generated the tradition of giving wedding guests a favor for attending the service. Some say the tradition originated with the Romans in the 8th century. Another states that the Romans, during 400 B.C. started the practice of throwing rice and giving wedding favors to guests.

Almonds have been a traditional symbol of good luck and assurances for successful marriages for centuries. Originally, only the titled families followed this practice and their favors were often made of silver or gold. When the custom filtered down to the other social classes, by the end of the 19th century, almonds were distributed in golden paper boxes.

Supposedly, when the groom gave his friends walnuts, he was saying goodbye to his bachelor ways. Walnuts were thrown at the couple during the ceremony and eventually evolved into today’s practice of throwing rice at them.

There are reports from English royalty during the 15th century that they usually handed out symbolic almonds in small boxes of precious metal to guests. Across the Channel, during the Napoleonic era, friends exchanged boxes of almonds as a wish for good luck.

In Russia, the Czars celebrated the christening of their children by giving their relatives and friends specially designed boxes of gold filled with sweets.

Middle Eastern weddings today use Jordan almonds at most weddings to continue this ancient symbolic rite. Guests are given 5 Jordan almonds to represent traditional wedding wishes of fertility, health, wealth and a long life together full of happiness. The candy coating on the almond is said to represent both the bitter and the sweet side of marriage.

In Malaysia, the groom is likely to send wedding presents to his future bride. Children are the traditional bearers of the gifts, which usually include elaborately decorated trays of food, including origami made with currency that represent flowers and cranes. A Korean marriage custom of each guest receiving a beautifully decorated hard-boiled egg to represent fertility is a welcomed wedding favor.

Party Crackers were popular as wedding favors during the Victorian Era and are still used today as favors or for other festive occasions, particularly for the British Christmas season, but not exclusively. They are a popular treat for parties of any theme, especially at children’s parties.

Apparently they were invented by Tom Smith, a London pastry cook, in the 1840’s. On a trip to Paris he was fascinated by a French holiday practice of placing sweets and sugared almonds in a bit of twisted colored paper. He called his creation “Kiss Mottos” and did not have much success with them until he made the paper container pop or crack when it was pulled apart.

Today’s wedding receptions continue the practice of giving wedding favors to guests. Some are traditional, but it has often evolved into themed practices, like wine, hearts, flowers, etc. Seasonal themes are very popular at certain times of the year and are a perfect theme to use around Valentine’s day.

Personalized favors have a strong following and guests might receive a set of pens and pencils engraved with the date of the wedding or a shot glass engraved with the details. One thoughtful gift might be a small silver, engraved frame with a picture of the bride and groom.

The wedding favor tradition has definitely evolved into a successful industry that has provided a solution to the wedding favor quandary and the time-consuming task of choosing the right favor for your wedding.

Now that you have booked the hall, met with the official who will be marrying the two of you, and picked out your dress, it is time to prepare the wedding invitations.  Whether you order them from a professional stationery printer or print them at home, there are many factors that must be considered.  Many stationery shops can prepare your order in a week or less – but this should be confirmed when you place the order.

Essential information

The invitation sets the tone of the wedding.  Is it going to be formal and proper, or is a casual backyard affair?  The wording and the design will give your guests important guidance on how they should dress and what they should expect at your ceremony and reception.  There is specific wording in a formal announcement that sets out the names of the parents of each, the host and most importantly, the date, time and location.

Tactful wording

Some couples prefer not to have children at their wedding reception, due to the higher costs that can be incurred.  It is not proper to state phrases on your invites such as ‘Please, no children’. Instead, you would simply say something such as ‘Adult Reception to follow the ceremony’.

Budget options

There are many ways to save money with your wedding invitations; this includes using thermography instead of letterpress for the printing.  Thermography still gives the same look of letterpress, but is available at a fraction of the cost.  Many couples are using postcards for reply cards instead of having to fill out a reply card and stuff it into an envelope.

Careful planning

One very important thing to remember is that once you have your invitations assembled and stuffed, you should take it to the post office and have it weighed to ensure that you have the proper postage.  Nothing is worse than getting all of those invitations back in the mail, marked ‘insufficient postage’.  Take the time to hand address each envelope, and enlist family members or members of your wedding party to assist.

At times, people can be distracted or busy and may forget to write their names on the reply card before they send it back to you.  To avoid any confusion, add a small number to each reply card with a corresponding list of names so that if this happens, you will still know who sent you the card.

Timing it right

Although it can be exciting to get your wedding invitations into the mail, be sure that you do not send them more than 6 weeks ahead of time.  If you mail them out too early, people can put them aside and forget about them, leaving you anxiously awaiting replies.

Practical touches

If you are having your ceremony or your reception in a location difficult to find, be sure to include map sheets for your guests.  It is also a nice touch to contact a local hotel for any out of town guests and reserve a block of rooms for them.  You can add this information to the map sheet with the contact information of the hotel.  This will indeed come handy when your guest arrives.

Have you ever been to a wedding reception where guests sit around in little groups of people they know and no one mingles or looks like they’re having a very good time? And it’s all slightly awkward? Yep, I have too. This is not how you want your wedding reception to go. You want people to mingle and get to know each other, especially both sides of the two families involved. Plus, you want everyone to have a good time.

Let’s explore ways to help your guests feel comfortable so they’ll relax, open up, and enjoy themselves.

1. Start the bonding between families and friends at the bridal showers and bachelor party. That way the people at these events will have some common ground with each other when it comes time for the wedding reception. Even if they didn’t previously know each other, they will now have some shared history.

2. Music is important, even if you don’t plan to have dancing. Keep it loud enough so that people can hear it, but not so loud they have to shout to be heard over it. The type of music is important too. Make sure it’s light and uplifting.

3. Have a slide show running on one wall featuring the bride and groom from babies to adulthood, lots of shots of friends and families, and as many funny (and potentially embarrassing) pictures as you can find. This opens everyone up for a good laugh and brings out the conversation as the bride’s mom tells the groom’s sister the story that led up to a certain picture, etc.

4. Make the room on the smallish size. If the room is huge and the number of guests small, they have plenty of room to go hide in the corners. You want the room size to force them to be closer together so they will mingle.

5. Group dancing such as line dancing, the Stroll, the Hokey Pokey, and even the Bunny Hop get people together. The more ridiculous dances are usually good during the latter half of the reception after the ice has been broken.

6. The dance with the bride (money dance) is a tradition for some families and one you should consider doing as it’s lots of fun and gets everyone involved. Basically everyone lines up to dance with the bride and puts some money in the hat for the privilege to do so.

7. A tango contest or limbo contest is another activity to try half way through the reception. This can be hilarious and entertaining for everyone, not just those who are involved. Be sure to have someone video tape it as you might end up with some footage suitable for the America’s Funniest Videos show.

8. Give the loners at your reception a job to do. You can assign these guests disposable cameras and ask them to be in charge of getting some candid shots during the reception.

These are some ideas to help you have a reception where your guests feel comfortable and have a good time. Keep these in mind and your reception may be talked about fondly for years to come.

Bride & Groom have been trading since 2003 and bring you a wide variety of products and services that you will need for your big day. They offer personalised and affordable wedding invitations and stationary, whether you need Save the Date cards, menus or even an order of service.

Bride & Groom is a part of the Taylor Corporation, which is a company in the US. Since 2006, they have spread across to the UK by buying CCA Occasions so they can offer stationary and wedding invitations across the Atlantic.

The stationary are able to fit all budgets, whether you just have less than 100 dollars to spend on your items or whether you have thousands. They can also be created in a personalised way, which will suit your tastes and your wedding. You can give information about your theme and the designs will be made to fit that.

The cards are all finished with detail, ranging from traditional artwork designs in the corners to ribbons being placed on or around them. There are also packages to help you with the cost and the different types of cards that you will need. 2012 is set to see the introduction of designer cards, which will be made by Elizabeth Harvey Jones and Pear Tree.

A line was also introduced in 2011 called “Make Your Own Invitations”. This line includes a set of 50 invitations and 50 cards that are designed to be folded in varying colours from white to cream. So you get to design your own wedding invitations. Everything is blank, except for a few patterns and details, such as roses or hearts depending on the invitations chosen. This gives you the opportunity to add exactly what you want on the cards and in your own handwriting.

Bride & Groom do not just offer stationary and wedding invitations. There are also a variety of accessories available for purchase. Flower girl baskets and ring bearer cushions are among the hundreds of items available. There are also favour or cake boxes that can be personalised and excellent ideas for gifts for the bridesmaids, best man and even the ushers as a way of saying thank you for being a part of your big day.

Bride & Groom is currently sitting at number one for Wedding Invitations in the UK on Google searches and the brand is expected to grow throughout 2012. This is because they offer affordable wedding invitations and something for everyone. Brides and grooms are able to use the standard cards, wordings or fonts that the site offers or they can make their cards as personalised as possible. This is your big day and you have full control of what you want.

Some engaged couples don’t want to have a traditional wedding; they want something a little different. Perhaps you don’t like to do what everyone else is doing… or you want your wedding to reflect your unique personalities and interests. Whatever the reason, theme weddings can be as different from traditional weddings as you want, and lots of fun too!

Here are a few theme wedding ideas:

Motorcycle Wedding
Invitations should be motorcycle-related and programs can feature a picture of the happy pair on their motorcycle.
Have a Harley Davidson cake topper on your cake.
Table decorations or party favors can be temporary biker tattoos, tire gauges, toy motorcycles tied with biker ribbon, biker-shaped chocolate, etc.
Wear leather motorcycle jackets over the white dress and in place of the tux jacket.
The wedding reception can be at your favorite biker bar.
The food can be more casual.
Leave the wedding or reception on a motorcycle – complete with a tin can train.
If you’re getting married in Las Vegas they have a total motorcycle wedding package!

Beach or Tropical Wedding
Use invitations with a sunset over the ocean background or in the shape of a beach ball or palm tree. There are many choices available.
Party favors can be small seashells and polished rocks, or leis. The table can be decorated with small fish bowls with sand and shells.
Have plenty of drink umbrellas available for the reception beverages.
Slip in several Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, or IZ to the music line up.
The wedding cake can have tropical flowers on top, or even artfully carved tropical fruit.
Instead of the usual attire, the bridal party might wear tropical sun dresses and the men can wear matching (or not) tropical shirts. Appropriate footwear would be sandals.

Sports Wedding
Whether you participate in a sport or are ardent fans, choose your sport and you’ll find many props to go along with it.
Wedding cake toppers – They come in just about any sport you might want.
Include your team’s uniform by wearing it at the reception.
The reception decorations should be in your team’s colors including the tablecloths and napkins.
Try decorating the tables with a piece from your sport, such as an upside down small football helmet, filled with flowers.
Wedding favors can be posters, shot glasses, balls (such as tennis balls if your theme is tennis) or anything you can buy in bulk from your favorite fan shop.

Mardi Gras Wedding
Use colors that symbolize Mardi Gras – like green, gold, and purple in your reception decorations. Don’t forget the balloons and confetti too.
Even if the bride wears a white wedding gown, she can be playful and wear the symbolic beaded necklaces. The groom’s party can wear vests in Mardi Gras colors as part of their formal tux attire.
Masks for party favors would be a big hit, as well as bead necklaces and gold coins too.
Go all-out with the food and offer gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, or beignets.
For the music – New Orleans jazz, of course!

These are just a few ideas for themed weddings. There are as many themes as there are interests so choose whatever theme you want and start thinking creatively.

Soughting out the perfect wedding dress can be quite a challenge when there are so many amazing wedding dress designers. Each designer, with their own unique style and approach, showcases a different range of bridal wear and more often than not, each one of them are renowned in their own special way; some are known for their intricate beading, some for their cutting edge and avant-garde designs and some for the way they create magical gowns that flatter the female form in an ethereal manner. Listed below are just a few of the many established and famous wedding gown designers.

Oscar De La Renta

Not only is De La Renta one of the world’s leading fashion designer in ready wear, his name has long been established as one of the biggest and best in bridal wear. Renowned for his high quality gowns and excellent workmanship, he continues to push the fashion and style boundaries with his avant-garde designs. His gowns capture the very essence of femininity and have been characterized by full and flowing skirts.

In his latest Spring 2012 bridal collection, De la Renta marries classic silhouettes with spring patterns as well as Southern belle influences. Featuring pant suits, cocktail dresses and floorsweeping gowns, his entire collection is breathtaking and just goes to show how he has always been at the pinnacle of good taste.

Jenny Packham

This British fashion designer has an extensive clientele that includes artists such as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel and Beyonce, as well as a very impressive portfolio to boot; she regularly dresses Kim Catrall in the Sex and the City series, has clinched a number of awards such as the British Bridal Dress Designer in 2008 and has had her pieces won by the Duchess of Cambridge, Katherine Middleton, during a tour of Canada of Los and Angeles.

Her signature gowns are often slinky and heavily embellished, and while her dresses are more fashion forward, her dresses, including those from her Spring 2012 bridal collection, are guaranteed to make brides feel like royalty on their wedding day.

Monique Lhuillier

Lhuillier started out on her design path at the young age of 11 in Philippines but it was only while searching for a gown for her own wedding in 1995 did she seriously considered the idea of having her own bridal line. Surprised by the lack of fashion-infused bridal options, she then went on to launch her first and very own bridal collection in the following year. Since then, she has become a favourite amongst celebrities for both wedding and red carpet dresses. Her dresses are modern yet romantic and the usage of beautiful fabrics and high quality lace has certainly helped in making her very popular with brides.

Her Spring 2012 bridal gowns exudes romance and softness with their rich texture, full skirts and beautifully embellished corsets. There are certainly many reasons to fall in love over and over again with her latest collection.

Steven Khalil

Recognised as one of Australia’s leading bridal couturiers, Khalil combines classical elements of the olden days with that of the modern era to produce designs that are beautiful and elegant. Being a Steven Khalil bride equates to working very closely with him and his team of talented designers because he believes that each gown should be tailored to suit the individual bride to perfection. Khalil establishes a working partnership with his customers that date as early as eight months prior to their wedding dates so as to produce one-off creations that embodies the personalities of each bride. His signature style includes flowing skirts, flattering cuts and beautiful hand-stitched detailing; all of which sets his gowns apart from the rest. His latest collection, Peony, is certainly no exception.

Collette Dinnigan
This major Australian fashion icon used to work for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s costume department before deciding to take the risk of designing her own line and opening her own store in 1992. Her risk definitely did before of as she now has her designs exported to major retail outlets worldwide and is constantly head hunted to dress celebrities. Her wedding gowns are innovative and stylish, complete with a touch of vintage glamour. Each season she continues to
wow the bridal industry; she has certainly done that and more with her latest Resort 2012 bridal collection which features intricate details as well as plenty of lace and embellishments.

Whatever their area of expertise may be, we can all agree that these designers have certainly earned the right to be immortalised in the bridal hall of fame.

We have all grown up with the wedding poem, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” But did you know the next line is “And a silver sixpence in her shoe”? A sixpence is a British silver coin minted from 1551 to 1967.

All these items – old, new, borrowed, blue and a sixpence are supposed to be tokens of good luck for a happy marriage. And knowing that, don’t you want to follow this nice tradition and enhance your own wedded “luck”?

Old
Something old has to do with the bride’s family continuing on and on; from the past and present into the future. It can also mean you are leaving your old life and joining your husband in a new life together.

* A lace handkerchief from your grandmother that you can carry tucked in with your bouquet up the aisle. It will come in handy if you become joyfully teary.
* An old piece of jewelry from your mother or grandmother. For example, you could wear an old wedding band on your other hand, or wear her brooch.
* Use your parent’s cake topper on your wedding cake.
* Wear your mother’s wedding dress or veil.

New
Something new represents hope and an optimistic outlook for the bride’s new life with her husband.

* Many of the items you are wearing are probably new – your wedding gown, your veil, your shoes.
* Wear new silky undergarments.
* Purchase jewelry just to go with your wedding gown.
* Get a new charm bracelet with charms that represent all that you and your fiance have experienced together so far. Then you can add to it over the years and you’ll always remember where it came from.

Borrowed
Something borrowed should be something loaned from a happily married person – family or friend. They are loaning you the item with good wishes for your own happy marriage. It also reminds you that you can depend on them in the future.

* Ride to the wedding in your grandfather’s antique roadster.
* Wear a garter that your best friend wore.
* Borrow your mother’s pearl necklace.
* Use the hairpins your sister used in her wedding hairdo.

Blue
Something blue has a variety of meanings, but the color blue has been associated with weddings through the ages. Blue represents the Virgin Mary and virginity, staying true to your loved one, constancy, and modesty.

* Jewelry set with sapphires.
* A blue garter.
* Pale blue undergarments.
* One blue flower in your wedding bouquet.
* For fun, paint your toenails blue.

As far as the sixpence, it means a blessing for prosperity and future wealth.

* Tuck a symbolic coin into your shoe.
* Slip the coin into your purse.
* Or put it in the shoes you will wear upon leaving the reception.

Some items may fit into a couple different categories and that’s perfectly fine. They should still bring you luck. Here’s an example that could cover the first four categories: wear an old, borrowed, blue garter and tie a miniature picture frame to it with a new picture of you and your beloved.

We’ve got a list going of our all time favorite wedding movies. We thought we’d share it with you in case you want to watch any of them before your big day. They’re in no particular order and there’s no rhyme or reason as to why they’re our favorites. Some are so very romantic, some tickle our funny bones, and still others are just plain old feel-good movies.

Father of the Bride
1991 (PG)
Starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams, Martin Short.
Funny, touching, update of a classic.

Double Wedding
1937 (NR)
Starring Myrna Loy, John Beal, Florence Rice, William Powell.
Lighthearted comedy where plans fall apart.

The Wedding Date
2005 (PG13)
Starring Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney.
Romantic, beautiful scenery, gorgeous leading man.

Mamma Mia!
2008 (PG13)
Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Stellan Skarsgard.
Romantic musical based on the songs of ABBA. Beautiful location.

The Wedding Singer
1998 (PG13)
Starring Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore.
A touching romance with some comedy. Very 80s hairdos.

7 Brides For Seven Brothers
1954 (NR)
Starring Howard Keel, Jane Powell.
A rousing musical with lots of old-fashioned humor.

Royal Wedding
1961 (NR)
Starring Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill.
A classical musical comedy. Plenty of dancing.

Wedding Crashers
2005 (UR)
Starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams.
Funny, a bit rough and heartbreaking, but with a happy ending.

The Wedding Planner
2001 (PG13)
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras.
The wedding planner and her client’s fiance fall for each other.

The Princess Bride
1987 (PG)
Starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn.
Very Monty Pythonish fairy tale that makes you laugh.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding
2002 (PG)
Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine.
A Greek girl falls in love with a handsome non-Greek. A comedy with touching moments.

Bride Wars
2009 (PG)
Starring Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Kristen Johnston.
Best friends getting married on the same day = romantic comedy for sure.

The Wedding Dress
2001 (NR)
Starring Tyne Daly, Neil Patrick Harris.
A wedding dress that changes lives. Romantic drama.

Corpse Bride
2005 (PG)
Starring the voices of Johnny Depp, Emily Watson, Helena Bonham-Carter, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee.
An animated tale set in the 19th century, Tim Burton style.

The Engagement Ring
2005 (NR)
Starring Lainie Kazan, Tony Lo Bianco, Patricia Heaton, Vincent Spano, David Hunt.
An old romance complicates a new relationship. Touching.

Runaway Bride
1999 (PG)
Starring Julia Roberts, Richard Gere.
Romantic, and perfect for Roberts and Gere fans.

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
2004 (G)
Starring Anne Hathaway, Heather Matarazzo, Julie Andrews, Chris Pine, Hector Elizondo.
A royal romantic comedy.

I Love You, Man
2009 (R)
Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jaime Pressly, Rashida Jones, Jon Favreau.
You can call this one a bro-mance since it’s about the groom and his best man.

As the weather turns warmer, some couples do not want a traditional chapel wedding with all the formal decorations and traditions. This desire is especially popular with older couples or those planning a second marriage. The setting for these weddings can be a park, beach, hot air balloon or even a deck in a backyard garden.

One simple solution that maintains the beauty and splendor of traditional ceremonies is an outdoor wedding in your own backyard. While the setting might be casual, decorations will still be a primary concern of the couple.

Before you do anything, pick your theme and color scheme and work from there. Coordinated weddings and receptions, even those in backyard gardens, need to look not only festive, but organized around a theme or color scheme. Your theme doesn’t have to be fancy or formal, like Victorian, but can easily be a simple and beautiful free-flowing ceremony.

Check out the backyard and notice the major colors there. Do you see lots of flowers or mainly green bushes, trees and grass? Are there patches that need a little sprucing up? With a little creativity, you can transform a normal backyard into a magical wedding site.

Prior to the wedding, visit florists and choose your flowers and order any arrangements you might need. You will want an abundance of flowers to maintain the festive atmosphere.

The day before the wedding have the yard professionally mowed and raked by a trusted garden service so it will look fresh the next day. A day or two ahead of time, cover those bad patches with shredded cedar or some other colorful mulch and put a pretty pot of flowers on top of each one or plant a blooming bush as early as you can. If your backyard is contained inside a fence, decorate it with ribbons and bows that match your colors. Hide anything you don’t want to be part of your celebration behind screens, rented bushes or trees. Wrap the pots they come in with pretty foil or wrapping paper.

Wedding rental companies will deliver and pick up arbors and even gazebos for the actual ceremony. Have the gazebo delivered a few days before the wedding and decorate it with flowers and ribbons. Make sure your florist delivers your floral choices when you need them for your pre-wedding rush of decorating.

You can also rent chairs for the guest’s comfort during your ceremony and the carpet to walk down on your way to your groom waiting at the gazebo with the minister. If it is particularly hot in your part of the world, add a canopy to shield your guests from the sun to your list of rentals.

You reception can be held in an open-sided white tent decorated with tables draped in white tablecloths and holding baskets of flowers and candles. If your reception is at night, hurricane lamps might be a better choice than candles because the nightly breeze won’t blow them out. Outside lighting in the yard will be necessary for safety. Use netting if mosquitoes are a problem.

Many outdoor weddings have an outhouse delivered for guests to use. Don’t forget to decorate it. Rent another arbor, decorate it and place it in front of the outhouse. Place a large, colorful ribbon bow on the door. Inside, add a few sprigs of flowers in the corners or some silver wedding bells.

Finally, make sure whatever music you have chosen for your reception and your wedding, can be heard by your guests. If you hire a DJ or band, discuss volume with them. You need it to be pleasing in the background during the reception and just loud enough to be heard by your guests and at the gazebo, but not so loud your neighbors call the cops. That problem could be avoided by inviting them to your backyard wedding.

These decorating suggestions should give you a starting place. Use your own creativity and make your backyard wedding be something you will remember everytime you look out your kitchen window or sit on your deck.

If you’ve ever attempted to buy pearls, you’ll already understand the muddle you can soon find yourself in. Purchasing pearls isn’t an insurmountable task, but for those just starting out, it would be nice to have someone with a little expertise guiding one through what can and should ultimately be a pleasant time. For more in-depth coverage into buying pearl jewelry you will need to consult other sources, such as our Learning Center, but read on for some basic hints to help you through your first pearl buying experience.

First thing to know

Unless a set of pearls is labeled as natural, you can assume they are “cultured pearls.” If you’ve ever thought of freshwater pearls as cultured, and any other pearl not cultured, well, that’s not correct, since Akoya, Tahitian, South Sea and Freshwater pearls are all cultured. Consult a knowledgeable dealer or jeweler who will refer to pearls by their correct pearl type if you want to avoid confusion.

Figure out your parameters

You’ll need to decide what sort of pearl you need before you begin looking. Think about how you’ll be wearing them, whether at formal affairs or to the workplace. Your personal style will inform you, as well as how much you want to spend. A strand of pearls can range from thirty-five dollars, to thirty-five thousand dollars, so you’ll want to look among the choices you can afford.

Cultured pearl types

• Akoya: These are the classic white pearls which are known for their metallic, almost mirror-like luster, and their perfectly round shape. Although they are usually thought of as white pearls, they are also offered in dyed “black” versions, in a range of hues. They range from sixty-one to three thousand dollars.
• Tahitian: The only naturally “black” pearls, which range in color from silver to dark green, with multicolored peacock hues being the most popular choice. They can be seen in perfectly round to more commonly off-round shapes, and are mostly larger sized, from eight to sixteen millimeters. They can go for one hundred twenty to more than ten thousand dollars.
• South Seas: These large pearls, which range from nine to eighteen millimeters, can be anything from a silky silver to a deep gold, and are the most expensive of all the cultured pearls. Since they are so large and so valuable, they are often showcased in pendants, rings and earrings. They range from four hundred to thirty thousand dollars, the latter being for a full strand of them.
• Freshwater: Because of their long history and their recent rise in popularity as their culture has evolved this past century, this category of pearls is perhaps the most interesting. Long considered costume jewelry, due to inferior farming methods, they were widely available, but poorly regarded. Since the Chinese have improved culturing techniques, we now find Gem Grade Freshwater pearls commanding the prestige of Hanadama grade Akoyas in quality, and South Sea pearls in size. People who know and love pearls now consider high quality Freshwater pearls to be the cultured pearl of choice. They come in sizes from two to eighteen millimeters in size, and they can have colors from natural lavender to pink to bright white, so there can be one style found to suit anybody. They range from forty-five to fifteen hundred dollars.

Think about colors
Now that there are so many colors to choose from, this aspect of how to buy pearls can be a challenge. Anything from white to lavender, gold, pink, green, blue, purple, and every shade in between can be seen in natural and in treated form. If you only purchase one pearl necklace, then many think it should be the classic white. It goes with everything, and can go everywhere with you. It’s a good one to start out with. So-called “black” pearls aren’t really black, but their dark surface reflects with shades of gray, green, and blue, working well with darker skin tones and lending themselves to an exotic look. The pink, peach and lavender shades are always fun, and can be both appropriate for the younger flirty style, or matched well with an outfit, transform themselves into a sophisticated look for an older woman.

Color is such a personal choice, and since it doesn’t affect the price of the pearl, you can let your imagination and taste lead you to any color you desire. Check out our pearl color page to see some of the choices.

Determining Value
You’ll be wondering what factors determine a cultured pearl’s value, and there are a few things to consider.
• Shape: Round pearls are more expensive, but that doesn’t mean the unique oblate shape of a baroque or off-round pearl isn’t also cherished.
• Surface: If there are few imperfections, the pearl is more valuable. Since a pearl is a natural gemstone, it is expected to have minor dimples or rings, but these shouldn’t be perceptible when it’s worn.
• Luster: The hallmark of a pearl, this quality defines what most people think when they think of the word. You want it to be shimmering, not dull, and its surface quality can impact this happening. You will be looking for a pearl with almost a mirror-like appearance, as this is what makes a pearl jump out at you and look amazing.
• Size: Unlike some things in the world, when it comes to pearls, size matters. This is the most important quality when considering what you want. Traditionally, larger pearls must be earned as a right as a woman matures, with smaller pearls reserved for young girls and teenagers. Anything larger than seven millimeters will be appropriate for an older woman.

Some handy tips when buying pearls
• Purchase from a company with a solid return policy. While pearls may look great in a catalog photo or even a showroom, when you get them home and try them on, you don’t want to be disappointed and not be able to return or exchange them if you want.
• Purchase from a retailer who specializes in pearls and only pearls. So many jewelers are simply uneducated, misinformed or merely ignorant about the subject of cultured pearls. You don’t want to be part of their learning curve.
• You may think a better brand name will mean a better pearl, but not only Tiffany’s and Mikimoto carry quality merchandise. If you want to save a few thousand dollars, you’ll probably want to shop around and do a little research.
• The tooth test can be a useful method to check if a pearl is real or imitation. If you slide a pearl against the front of your tooth and it’s real, it will feel gritty, due to the minor imperfections we mentioned before. If it feels like glass, lay it back on the table and walk away.

America is truly a melting pot of people from every country in the world, mostly from Europe. Along with the influx of immigrants over the centuries, came wedding traditions and superstitions that endure today.

From the Victorian weddings comes the old saying: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” Family heirlooms, like a bride’s mother’s earrings or necklace are traditionally worn for the ceremony as “something old.” Some bride’s carry their grandmother’s Rosary beads or silver cross. Obviously the “something new” would be the bride’s dress.

Friends or relatives would be happy to lend the bride something to fill the traditional requirement for “something borrowed.” The actual borrowed item can be anything the bride wants it to be, usually a tiara or special hair decoration. And the “something blue” has been focused on the blue garter that the groom removes and tosses to the crowd of guests.

The ancient belief about the color blue stems from a Victorian connection to the Virgin Mary and a belief in the purity of the bride. During the Victorian era, brides would often decorate their wedding gowns with blue satin ribbon or wrap their bouquets with blue ribbons. Even if it isn’t visible, some brides will have a small piece of blue cloth or piece of jewelry tucked into their garments.

The ancient tradition of tossing rice at the newly married couple as they are leaving the ceremony, is believed today to only represent an ancient wish for fertility, along with prosperity and long life. There is a lot more than that behind this simple act.
The practice is centuries old, dating back to both the Roman Empire and to some primitive tribal cultures.

Primitive marriage ceremonies bound the couple together when they ate rice together at a meal. A more colorful primitive use of rice at a marriage was to feed uninvited evil spirits who always were invisible guests at ceremonies so they would leave the happy couple alone.

In the Roman Empire, wheat was the symbol for fertility and the bride carried a “bouquet” of wheat or garland of wheat in her hair to show her virginity. In a reverse of today’s traditional toss of the wedding bouquet, the wedding guests tossing grains of wheat at the bride. Young girls would grab the grains that bounced off the bride, believing the grains would guarantee a wedding of their own soon.

The wedding veil has a lot of history behind it, including to help dispel evil spirits before the ceremony. The same could be said for the bridesmaids that decorate any fancy wedding ceremony today. Apparently, ancient evil spirits were easily confused and surrounding the bride with several ladies would make it difficult for those spirits to determine which one was the bride.

In political marriages that joined two families together for protection or to increase political power and standing, the couples normally didn’t see each other prior to the arranged marriage. The veil kept the bride’s looks concealed from the groom until the ceremony was at a close and he lifted the veil off her face. That’s when he discovered who he had just married and the bride’s homeliness was not a prior consideration.

Almost any rite practiced today has roots dating back several centuries. Today’s wedding ceremonies are full of ancient superstitions and legendary beliefs that have been forgotten over the centuries.

Commonly the Mother of the Groom is unsure what role she plays in the wedding of her son. Traditionally, there are several responsibilities you, as the Mother of the Groom, can fulfill and become an important part of the preliminary wedding preparations.

* Your first responsibility is to contact the bride’s family and introduce yourself to them, if you don’t already know them. This doesn’t have to be formal. Just a happy phone call will suffice. A dinner invitation at your home or one at a nice restaurant will be a welcome gesture of friendship.

* If the bride’s parents live far away, making a dinner invitation impractical, some photos of the groom during parts of his life would be a nice gift to receive. Perhaps you could suggest that the bride’s mother exchange a few photos of her daughter’s life with you.

* Your guest list has to be sent to the Mother of the Bride as soon as possible. It has to be accurate and include the correct zip codes. If you have been given guidelines for the number of guests you can invite, be sure to abide by them.

* You are responsible for making reservations for your out-of-town guests. You can probably get suggestions for likely hotels or motels near the wedding site from the bride’s mother. As soon as you know who will be attending the wedding, you should make your reservations.

* The rehearsal dinner is your responsibility. It doesn’t have to be fancy and catered. A simple backyard buffet or barbecue will do the job. You need to invite everyone involved in the wedding ceremony, including their spouse or significant other. If children are taking part in the wedding, their parents need an invitation also.

* If you are going to attend the bridal shower, buy a gift and offer to assist the Mother of the Bride. If you cannot attend the shower, send your gift early enough to arrive for the party.

* If your son wants to blend some family or ethnic traditions into his wedding day, help him choose them.

* Since it is not considered good manners for the couple to solicit gifts, find out where they are registered and tell your family about it.

Weddings are joyous occasions for all involved. The planning can take
months to accomplish and make the wedding day a glorious event for all involved. As the Mother of the Groom, you will have a special place in both the ceremony and at the reception. Offer to assist the Mother of the Bride in anyway you can. Otherwise, enjoy the start of a new family and dream of your future grandchildren.

There are many factors that come into play when deciding where to go for your honeymoon. You want to go somewhere fun and possibly exotic, but especially romantic. You also want a destination that has activities you two like to do, whether it be scuba diving, bargain hunting, beach walking, or museum visiting. The decision has to be made whether to go somewhere near or far and usually the amount of time you can take away from work plays into this.

One other big factor is the cost of the honeymoon. If you have your heart set on going somewhere that’s farther away than the other side of town, then consider the “high season”, “low season”, and “shoulder season” of your possible destinations.

High season is the time of year when your destination is the most popular. Consequently, it’s also the time of year when the airlines and resorts can charge the most money because everyone wants to go there then. It’s an example of supply and demand. Think spring break time in Florida, Palm Springs or Hawaii in the winter, or many parts of Europe in the summer. You have to carefully consider whether you want to pay bigger bucks to go to the popular destinations during high season, and if you can handle the crowds that will be there at that time.

Low season is when a location is at its cheapest price. This is Europe in the winter or Arizona in the summer. There is a reason why it’s less expensive at these times – people are not inclined to go there, usually because of the weather. Also note if it’s hurricane season during low season, or if it’s the time for monsoon, high winds, etc. Otherwise, this can really be a perfect time to go if you’re into winter sports or like really steamy heat.

Another time to consider is the shoulder season. This is the time between high and low season with either fall or spring-like conditions. As you might have figured out, the cost will be somewhere less than high season but more than low season, and the crowds should be in direct ratio with the season. Europe in the spring or fall is still perfectly nice, although not necessarily tanning-in-a-bikini weather. In fact, you may need to wear a light jacket and carry an umbrella, but at least it shouldn’t snow on you.

The bottom line is that you will be able to afford more honeymoon if you pick a destination during the less popular months. It may be that your first choice of perfect locations is too costly. What you can do is go with your second or third choice, or if it’s still early in the wedding planning stage, you can change the date of your wedding to a month that coincides with the best prices of your first choice for your honeymoon.

Silver is a very valuable metal and has gained immense popularity in the recent times. The value of silver seems to be going up steadily and more and more people are investing in silver these days as this is also the right time to invest in silver. The price of silver keeps fluctuating owing to the demand and hence most people look at silver as a good investment option. To get the best deals in silver the smart shoppers prefer to purchase silver jewelry wholesale from one of the many online stores.

Purchasing silver jewelry wholesale from any of the online stores has its own advantages. You need not go from one place to another looking for great pieces of jewelry. It is easier to sit within the comfort of your home and make your selection online and order for the jewelry of your choice. Purchasing directly from the wholesalers has its advantages. All online purchases are secure and you are assured of the quality as well. However, you must check on the reputation of the seller prior to making a purchase.

While shopping for silver jewelry wholesale, all that one has to look for is the genuineness of the product and it should come with valid authentication. Most wholesalers will not risk their reputation or compromise on the quality of the products that are being ordered. But you must be doubly sure as there are also lots of fraudsters in the market.

Wholesalers generally ensure that the products are dispatched properly from the warehouse to the retailers or to the individuals who have ordered it. But it is important to doubly sure about the dealers and their reputation in the market. You could check on their websites and see the product reviews. Customer reviews will help gain a lot of insight into the reputation of the seller.