I Now Pronounce You Paid In Full: Who Pays for What During the Wedding

Celebrations

There’s no two ways about it: weddings are expensive. Paying for every detail is enough to drain

any family’s financial coffers and – even worse – leave them wrestling with debt. Especially for new

couples paying their own way during the wedding, the expenses quickly add up.
The following is a traditional guide to dividing expenses equally and fairly among the four major

participants in planning the four main parts of the wedding celebration: rehearsal dinner, ceremony,

reception, and honeymoon. These are guidelines more than rules, and are intended to show tradition more

than carved-in-stone etiquette.

The Bride’s Family

There’s a popular misconception among the unmarried of the world that the bride’s family foots the

entire bill. That’s not entirely true, though unfortunately it may feel that way for the father of the

bride! Traditionally, the bride’s family finances the reception dinner with all its facets: the food,

drink, venue, service staff (including tips), flower arrangements, wedding favors, and any other miscellany.
The bride’s family also pays for many of the necessities leading up to the ceremony: these usually include

the bridal gown, the wedding

invitations and save-the-date reminders, as well as the engagement and wedding photographs.
Finally (!) the wedding ceremony costs, the photographer and videographer fees, the cost of the ring bearer

and flower girl accessories, the transportation costs and bridesmaids bouquets are all picked up by the

bride’s family. Honestly… if you’re the parent of a young girl, start saving right now.

The Bride
Compared to her family, the bride gets off relatively easy. Brides traditionally pay for the

groom’s wedding band, gifts for her

bridesmaids, the bridesmaids’ luncheon, her blood test fees, and the wedding day lingerie. In the

strictest traditional sense, the bride should also pay for her out-of-town bridesmaids accommodations.

The Groom
Okay, guys. Time to pony up. Following the engagement ring (that two-month’s salary guideline is passé, by

the way) you’ve still got a few things left to buy. You’ll pay for the honeymoon, the marriage license, and

gifts for your groomsmen. The gentleman

groom, however, also pays for the bridal bouquet and corsages for your mother and your new mother-in-law.

You’ll also pick up the boutonnieres, ties, and accessories for the groomsmen, and finally the bride’s

wedding ring. Gifts for the ushers and for your parents go the extra distance to showing your class. You

should also pay the honorarium for the judge, justice of the peace, or clergyman who officiates the

ceremony, too.

The Groom’s Family
Besides their own attire, the groom’s family is responsible for the rehearsal dinner and all its

details.

The Maid of Honor

Bachelorette parties and wedding

showers are the responsibility of the maid of honor. This includes all the details, top to bottom.

The Best Man
The best man is master of ceremonies and godfather of the bachelor party, from the planning to the

execution to pouring all the guests into cabs at the end of the night. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got

to do it.

The Groomsmen and Bridesmaids
Most of the attire – for example, the tuxedo rental and costs of the gown – are the responsibility

of the individual wedding party member. They also give a gift to the newlyweds. Groomsmen arriving from

out-of-town are also expected to pay for their accommodations.

My Wedding Favors has a complete selection of elegant yet

inexpensive wedding favors to fit any taste and style. We also carry a complete selection of groomsmen and

bridesmaids gifts. Visit us online at www.myweddingfavors.com

to browse our complete catalog.

Wedding Planning – Your Wedding Planning Guide

If you’re not the most organized person in the world, prepare to change your ways. You’ll need every ounce you can muster to plan your wedding. It can be great fun, but it does require keeping track of a lot of elements. Those elements often have dependencies – you have to set the date before you can reserve the caterer, for example. Set it all down and tackle it one by one and you’ll do fine.

Step 1 – 9 months to a year or more ahead of The Big Day

‘Prepare your preparation’. What that means is gather the tools you need to plan well. If you’re familiar with how to use a spreadsheet, it makes for an excellent tool to keep track of things. You can list events and/or items and costs. With more sophisticated tools, which aren’t hard to learn, you can build in dependencies so that you’ll be aware of what has to be done in what order.

Book a photographer.

Step 2 – 6-9 months or more in advance

Use the tools.

List, off the top of your head, what you know you’ll need to do. Prepare to revise it many times, filling in gaps and including things you didn’t know about up front.

That will include such things as: buying rings, reserving a venue for the ceremony and reception, renting and/or buying clothing, and many more. If the wedding is catered you’ll need to make arrangements, usually months in advance. That can turn into as long as 2 years ahead for larger weddings that hire a very busy catering company.

Associate with each of these items and/or events a date or date range. You don’t have to get rings on a specific day (until the wedding, that is). But you should have them by an approximate date months ahead so you can move on and not worry about it. Ditto with the wedding gown, the bridesmaids’ dresses and more. The more time you allow, the lower your stress level will be.

Keep versions of your list and back it up to email or a flash drive. You don’t want to lose it after weeks or months of effort. Keep the versions straight by naming them, v1, v2 or some such scheme.

As you build and modify your list, keep a running budget. You may have an initial target. That will change as the guest list shrinks or grows, and as many other items come and go. Always have a buffer, or be prepared to forego items you had planned.

Make a guest list.

Step 3 – 4-6 months or more ahead

Make arrangements.

Reserve the locations. Anchor it so you know your target. The same applies to the caterer, the priest or pastor or Justice of the Peace. Naturally that doesn’t apply to those who just go down to City Hall, but even then reservations are sometimes needed.

Check in with the photographer and caterer.

Have a backup plan in case someone you depend on doesn’t follow through. Have in mind a second caterer, or another wedding ceremony official. People get ill. Accidents happen. Don’t go crazy trying to ensure against every contingency, but knowing of alternatives gives peace of mind.

Revise your budget as you execute these steps.

Send out invitations at least two months in advance and keep track of how many are coming. Keeping track of who is helpful, but can drive you crazy. Worry only about the ones who absolutely have to be there.

In most cases guests will have to make transportation arrangements, hotel accommodations, arrange their own plans and so on. Give them as much notice as possible.

Step 4 – 2-4 months or more ahead

Buy stuff.

Ah, now we’re approaching the fun part! Buy that wedding dress. Purchase those rings. Put down money for a honeymoon trip. Make a deposit with the wedding cake maker and so on.

Revise your budget again.

Step 5 – One month and counting

Execute your final steps starting a month before the big day.

Get that final wedding gown fitting. Check with the wedding party, but don’t drive everyone (or yourself) crazy asking over and over again if they are ready. Allow for the fact that some things will go wrong. You don’t have to control every step, but don’t allow chaos to reign either.

Step 6 – The Big Day

Go there. Get married. Enjoy your big day to the fullest!

 

Pick up your copy of Amazing Wedding Planner

See, wasn’t that easy?

 

Debra Garrison, DVM

22732 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, Tx 77373, USA

Santorini: The Greek island of love

Wedding in Santorini

The Greek Islands, a destination that conjures luxury and beauty, mystery and adventure. What better place to take your wedding vows and begin your new life, surrounded by spectacular views of ancient cliffs and the sparkling Aegean sea?

The volcanic island of Santorini is considered one of the most beautiful of the country’s 227 inhabited islands. It has become a popular wedding destination simply because its people are eager to have you. From whatever country you call home, there are wedding planners in Greece who make it their business to cut through the mound of red tape foreigners generally face when getting married in Greece. Send these folks the required documents, and they do the rest.

A popular option is choosing a complete destination wedding package that best fits your taste and your budget. Letting an experienced wedding planner take care of the stressful details while you sit back and enjoy your special day.

Your first decision is whether you want a civil ceremony, a Catholic wedding, or a Greek Orthodox wedding.

Santorini has over 300 churches and chapels, most of which welcome weddings. For Catholic weddings, the Aghia Irini Chapel has a beautiful cliffside courtyard. The majestic Aghios Minas Greek Orthodox Chapel’s large terrace overlooks the volcano and the sea. Nearby is the Selene Restaurant, renowned for its fresh and authentic Greek food and a favorite spot on the island for receptions.

Civil services can be held at wineries, on one of Santorini’s black-sand beaches, or at one of the many luxurious hotel resorts. Many of the hotels offer large, private balconies overlooking the island’s famous crater, or Caldera.

If you really want to splurge, check out the five-star Vedema Resort. Designed around a beautiful 15th-century winery, the Vedema has several spacious suites and villas for intimate ceremonies, some with private outdoor pools and Jacuzzis. The resort will also throw a wedding and reception featuring a bonfire dinner on the beach.

You can choose to include several Greek customs in your wedding experience. While traditional wedding songs are sung, the dressing of the matrimonial bed includes a parade of guests giving their best wishes and throwing money, rose petals, and sweet almond candies on the bed to encourage a prosperous marriage. A baby is also placed on the bed for the promise of fertility.

Greek Orthodox weddings traditionally include stefana, or wedding crowns, which are hand made by island woman. The crowns, made out of grape vines, are wrapped in a satin white ribbon with gold thread and adorned with flowers. The two crowns are attached by the satin ribbon, symbolizing the couple’s union, and placed on the heads of the bride and groom during the ceremony.

Don’t forget the donkeys. In the Greek tradition, the bride and groom ride beautifully decorated donkeys through town after the wedding ceremony. Guests are joined by people along the road that follow the newlyweds and cheer them to a good life. Your dress, hair, and makeup may need a touch-up after your ride, but it’s quite fun and exhilarating.

The best part of a wedding in Santorini is you’re already at a perfect honeymoon destination. Stay on the island, soak up the sun, and sample the many wines produced at its vineyards. Board a cruise ship to hop the islands, or travel to Athens to see the Acropolis and the Parthenon. The mythology that once ruled Greece lives on in its rich culture, and in Santorini or throughout Greece, you will be welcomed to share it.

This was taken from Wedding Guides of Europe

Destination Weddings In Greece

Wedding in Greece

A destination wedding in Greece offers some of the most beautiful wedding locations in Europe, with pristine beaches and the classic blue and white scenery.

Greece is a paradise for lovers of stunning natural beauty, architecture, the theatre, philosophy, history, mythology, music, and cuisine.

The Aegean Sea kisses the sand to the east and south of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the west. Both regions of the Eastern Mediterranean basin offer a dozens of beautiful wedding locations from fascinating islands, gorgeous islets and rustic white chapels.

Greece, which has a population of about 11 million, also holds its own when it comes to history and culture as ancient Greece is generally thought to be the cradle of Western civilization. The land is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama and comedy. Of course you don’t have to work all of those themes into your wedding!

The famous city of Athens is the nation’s capital while Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Larissa, Volos, Ioannina, Kavala, Rhodes, and Serres are all interesting and vibrant cities on their own and tourist hotspots.

Greece is also home to many well known islands such as Corfu, Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Santorini, Mykonos, and Chios, all of which make beautiful wedding locations for a destination wedding. The country is a haven for sun, sea, sand and water enthusiast as it features the tenth-longest coastline in the world at 9,246 miles.

Eighty-per cent of the land consists of mountains and hill, making it one of the most scenic countries in Europe. The famous Mount Olympus, which has been a focal point of Greek culture throughout history, is the highest in the country at 9,570 feet. The peak was once considered the throne of the Gods, and is now very popular with hikers and climbers. Western Greece includes numerous lakes and wetlands and is dominated by thePindus mountain range.

There is plenty to see while in Greece for a wedding, as the country is rich in archaeological sites and prestigious and charming monuments. These include various monasteries, castles, churches, temples, medieval cities and traditional settlements and villages. And of course what would a trip to Greece be without witnessing the amazing Acropolis of Athens.

The country also has a vast wealth of cultural tradition and folklore which extend to various festivities, and your wedding planner in Greece will be able to offer you some ways to incorporate some Greek wedding traditions into your ceremony.

This is from the Wedding Guide of Europe http://www.weddingguide.edu

Wahm Addicts Will let Anyone Win the Jackpot!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Event

Wahm Addicts Will let Anyone Win the Jackpot! But like the Lotto You got to be in it to Win.

Brooklyn, New York – March 21, 2009. Wahm Addicts starts its giveaway kick off on Saturday, March 21, 2009, with a jackpot full of merchandise stemming from electronic products to hand made items! A sure fire way to capture the attention of many that support the work-at-home business sector and beyond.
Wahm Addicts in conjunction with Doodlebug & Peanut Creations, a premier childrens and baby online store; decided that it was time to step it up and truly support the work-at-home business sector by putting together a huge giveaway valued at over $3,100.00. The goal is to bring together those that are working at home and unite them together for a greater good. There is no purchase requirement for this giveaway at all, and anyone can enter at this location: www.wahmaddicts.com.

This giveaway kickoff will run from March 21, 2009 all the way through July 3,2009, with the winners being drawn on July 4th. Two, lucky winners will win either the business package or the family package, but rest assured that any winner will really have something to celebrate on this coming July 4, 2009. “Since economy has yet to be stabilized, people everywhere, from all walks of life, and all kinds of businesses have been hit hard both online and offline.” Ellen and Krista said. “The time has come to step it up a bit, and really support the work-at-home business sector, with something to look forward to; to unite everyone; shop from one another, and most importantly support each other in times of hardship. Tired of the doom and gloom the world is talking about, it was time to work differently. It is not about us, it is about everyone out there working harder than ever to achieve success. We are a work-at-home community that is giving back and giving to each other, you just can’t get much better than this.” Ellen Levinas, Executive Team Leader/Partner, Krista Clyburn, Founder, www.wahmaddicts.com.

If you want to win, and win big, all anyone has to do is enter. Giveaways take place all of the time, but not on a grand scale such as this one. Just like lotto you got to be in it to win, and with no purchase requirement, anyone has a chance to win this Jackpot!

For additional information contact:
Krista Clyburn
kristac@wahmaddicts.com
717-817-6462
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