Posted on by — Leave a comment

Donations As Wedding Favors – The Perfect Way to Make Your Wedding Memorable and Helpful

Everybody likes to receive wedding favors from the couple, whether it is of the edible kind, the practical type, or the displayable variety. For your wedding, you are thinking along this line and looking at catalogs for wedding favours like cute wine bottle stoppers, quirky scented candles, sweet mints and candies, delectable cookies and cupcakes, sweet picture frames and fridge magnets.

However, you can make your wedding more memorable by giving donations to charitable causes of your choice. You can always provide for the above mentioned wedding favors if you have the budget for them and you want concrete objects to have and to hold; your guests will surely love your thoughtfulness.

Do Your Research

Before you make charitable donations to the organization of your choice, be sure to do your research. Organizations have different approaches to accepting donations and spending contributions, which you need to be aware of before you sign that check. You can check the Internet first.

You have to make sure that your choice of organization issues an official receipt for your donation, which could be used for tax deduction purposes. Otherwise, you need to start looking somewhere else lest you run into trouble with the law. With the problems you face in your wedding preparations, you definitely do not want trouble in your wedding favors where there is none expected.

Donation Ideas

First, determine who and what you would like to help. This way, you can narrow down your wedding favors cum donations to these choices:

* Environmental Causes

Visit the website of your favorite environmental group and make a donation through your credit card, which should take you very little time. You can check out National Arbor Day Foundation, Save the Elephants, Greenpeace or any local environmental group you want. For example, National Arbor will plant trees in the name of your guests.

For presentation, you can place a table card with an image of a tree, the guest’s name and your favorite tree quote. Your guests will be thrilled to know that a tree is planted in their honor!

* Disaster Causes

You can donate to organizations helping to assist victims of disaster rebuild their lives. Check out the Twin Towers Fund, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and any local organization helping your neighbors.

Furthermore, you can save on the cost of your wedding since you determine how much you donate. You can present this donation through cards with messages of thanks from the organization and from you.

* Cancer Research and Patients

You might have a family member battling the Big C. Your donation to cancer research will warm his heart and those of your guests, too. You can check out the hospitals that have cancer wards and ask around for the patients who need help the most. You can also directly donate to cancer research institutes.

The documentary requirements to make the contribution legal will be more complicated but it is worth the trouble. Check out the Make a Wish Foundation, The American Cancer Society and your local hospital.

These donation ideas are just a few but when you put your mind to it, you can find other causes to support. How about feeding the hungry? Or clothing the poor?

Whatever you decide on for your wedding favors, always remember that it is your thought that counts. If you decide to give both donations and concrete favors, then everybody gets to be happy on your most special day.

If you are looking for a bridal shop that can help you with discount wedding invitations and personalized wedding favors to help you achieve your dream wedding, visit BestforBride today!

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Fine Jewellery for a Truly Special Occasion

Traditionally, an engagement ring, like a wedding ring is an item of fine jewellery that is going to be worn on a daily basis by the majority of their owners. For this reason it is vital that the ring is liked by the wearer, it is not an occasional piece of jewellery that can be hidden away when not in use, it is something she will have to look at everyday so needs to be the perfect choice.

Selecting the perfect engagement ring is not an easy task, there are so many different styles and settings available, and also you have to take personal taste into consideration, it needs to be something the woman will enjoy looking at forever, I think for a man this is extremely difficult, while they may share their lives together, they may not share the same taste. For a woman an engagement ring is something she wants to show off to everyone, it is a symbol of their love and ongoing commitment to each other, and no woman wants to show off something she absolutely hates the sight of!

For me the actual “event” of ring shopping together, was a very special and romantic experience and I think many women feel the same way, you have your partners undivided attention, and you can try on as many rings as you like in various shops until you find “THE” one, the one you will be happy to look at on your hand every day. I feel if I had been told to go and choose it myself, then it would not have had the same impact, I would have felt he was disinterested and couldn’t be bothered, it would have lost all the romance of the occasion. On the other hand if he had chosen it as a surprise, for a romantic proposal, I can almost guarantee it would not have been something I liked, and I would have again felt a little deflated as I would have been expected to wear it regardless, in order to not hurt his feelings at his heartfelt gesture.

One way round a surprise proposal, may be for the man to select an inexpensive ring for the event, but to tell his then fiancée that they can go ring shopping together for the real one. That way they both get what they want, he the magic of the surprise proposal and she get the ring of her choice. Or maybe to ask the advice of his girlfriend’s best friend or mother, somebody who knows her true likes and dislikes, so he does not show up with a white elephant. If the proposal is something that has already been discussed together, but not actually happened, then perhaps they could go window shopping together, the woman could point out a variety of styles and price ranges and the gentleman could return at a later date to make the actual selection, safe in the knowledge that it is an engagement ring she truly likes and that is is a fabulous prelude to the wedding day.

Ultimately, I do not feel either party should select an engagement ring without consulting their partner, it is definitely too risky for a man to choose a ring alone for the woman in his life. While he may be a romantic at heart, he does not want to saddle his bride to be, with a piece of fine jewellery that she dislikes but has to wear every day for the rest of her life. If on the other hand the woman is sent to select a ring alone, while it will be a ring she loves, there is no special occasion, and he is sending a message that she is not worth the effort of a romantic gesture.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Simple Tips for Budget Wedding Planning

Every bride dreams of having an amazing and memorable wedding. Yet, planning out the perfect wedding can be quite costly. In order to save some money while still having a dream wedding, you might want to implement some simple wedding planning tips.

Go Secondhand

One of the best moneysaving tips you can follow with your wedding planning is to purchase a secondhand dress or to use the dress a family member wore. Some brides are apprehensive about wearing a secondhand dress because they fear that it won’t be quite so special if it was worn by someone else. Remember, it is now up to you to create new memories with this dress and the memories of its past don’t taint the memories you are creating in any way. You can actually purchase a very extravagant dress that you may not otherwise be able to afford if you choose to go with a secondhand dress.

Let the Family Pitch In

One of the biggest expenses of a wedding is the food and the cake. By enlisting in family members to help with the cooking, however, you can save a significant amount of money on your wedding day. You might also want to consider having an early afternoon reception so you can serve finger foods rather than a sit down dinner, which will be much easier for your family and friends to prepare for you.

Bypassing the DJ

Rather than hiring a DJ, you might also want to consider preparing your own mix of music and setting up your MP3 player to play the tunes for you. With the help of your MP3 player and a good sound system, which the venue may be able to provide for you, you can shave hundreds of dollars off your wedding expenses.

Reducing Your Guest List

By reducing your guest list, you can save a great deal of money while also making your wedding celebration cozier and more intimate. In fact, by eliminating your 2nd cousin’s best friend from the list, you may find that your guests enjoy your special day even more.

Choosing Your Venue Wisely

Selecting the right venue is another great way to save some money. Having your wedding outdoors at a beach or in your own backyard are two options that can save money while also making your wedding unique and romantic. You might also ask a family member or friend if you can have your wedding at their home.

By following these simple budget wedding planning tips, you will easily be able to have an incredible wedding while keeping more money in your pocket.

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Tips for Selecting a Wedding Photography Expert

When it comes to hiring someone to complete your wedding photography, you want to be certain to hire a professional that will be able to do the job right the first time. After all, there are no second chances for capturing your precious wedding memories and moments. Therefore, you should take the time necessary to carefully select the person that will conduct your wedding photography by following these simple tips.

Tip #1: Find the Right Style

The style of your wedding should be considered when selecting the person to fulfill your wedding photography needs. Photographers have their own style of photography, so be certain to select one whose style fits the style of your wedding as well as your personal photographic tastes. Ask your photographer if he or she considers his or her style to be classic or modern. A classic photographer will pay more attention to balance, lighting, angles and details while a modern photographer will use a more informal and experimental approach. Don’t just take the photographer’s word for it, however, ask to see a portfolio so you can be certain the photographer’s style is a good match for you.

Tip #2: Stay Within Your Budget

While you certainly want to get great pictures of your wedding, you don’t want to blow your entire budget on hiring a photographer. In order to get a good price, consider looking into photographers that have recently started their own businesses. If the photographer has a good reputation and a solid portfolio, you may be able to get a great photographer at a reasonable price. In general, the best approach is to determine your budget first and then choose a photographer from those that will work within that budget.

Tip #3: Communicate Clearly – And Put it in Writing

Before you actually sign a contract with a photographer, be certain to discuss the exact duties you expect the photographer to complete. Do you want the photographer to focus on posed pictures or on pictures showing your guests in action? What tone or feel do you want the photographer to establish? Are there any specific shots that you absolutely want to be included? Make certain these expectations are clear and that the information is included in your contract before you sign it.

Tip #4: Find Someone You Are Comfortable With

Lastly, the person you select to complete your wedding photography should e someone you eel comfortable with. Not only should you feel as if the person is actually listening to you and understanding your needs, you also want someone that you will feel comfortable having attend your wedding.