The Tak Team Blog

Cruising down the river was always deemed by couples the ultimate romantic date. You can’t be much more together alone than when you’re separated from the rest of the world by sheets and sheets of water.

But who started the idea of a floating honeymoon is not hard to imagine. As in most wedding traditions, it was probably suggested by the action of the rich and the famous, or the royals who are usually one or the other; and often both.

The newly-wed royals themselves, keen for some intimate privacy, left the palace grounds soon after the wedding. Some showed a suprising lack of imagination. With the whole country at his disposal, Henry V111 chose the same honeymoon spot on three of his marriages. If the late Princess Diana thought there were too many people in her married bed, that seems to go double for that of Henry’s.

When going off on their own, the British royals never actually said that they were taking a honeymoon. Rather it was considered a wedding tour. And the means of transport was always the best available at the time.

In the last century it was the train. The Orient Express type of thing. But as private yachts became almost indispensable to anyone who was anyone, sea travel became a romantic option. Not surprising, many couples since then, have made a cruise their favourite honeymooning option also.

The ships at their disposal are many and varied. There are those impressive liners which not only resemble a floating hotel, but literally are floating hotels. Some are up to six stories in height - or should I say six decks in height - have bedroom suites with private balconies to remind you, in case you’ve forgotten, that you’re on the sea.

Like high-class hotels, these ships might even have a dress code where passengers are expected to dine in style - gentlemen in a tuxedo, ladies in an evening gown.

For a less formal getaway, there are smaller ships that carry only several hundred passengers, as opposed to several thousands. On the decks of these, casual clothes will be more appropriate, though even here jeans and working boots might raise eyebrows.

However, whatever ship you choose, whether it’s one of England’s “Queen” ships, or the USA “Princess” which started the whole business of “Love Boat” romance, you can expect one thing to be of high standard on all sea voyages. Excellent cuisine.

Perhaps it all started with all those mutinies on the high seas. But it seems maritime officialdom has learned to accept that people can put up with a lot of things when isolated on the sea for months at a time, but bad food is not one of them.

Vlady, an Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant, is an author of “The Complete Book of Australian Weddings”, “The Small Organisation Handbook” and an ebook “Honeymoon! A Sizzle or a Fizzle!” which you can see on her website http://www.vlady-celebrant.com

Society honors the tradition that following a couple’s
engagement, the man presents the woman with a ring, bearing a
solid commitment to each other with a forthcoming wedding. Upon
all the fanfare and celebration of the woman’s engagement, how
does the engaged man become glorified? He might receive a few
pats on the backs from his buddies leading up to an eventual
bachelor party, but unlike the engaged woman, he will usually
not be seen sporting a ring on his left hand during the
engagement.

It is on the wedding day that the new groom will finally bear
recognition that he is no longer a bachelor, trading in his
single hood for the new chapter in his life of marriage. It is
also recognition that his left hand will finally grace a wedding
band on his fourth finger.

Taking into consideration of the many types of wedding rings
that people prefer, does the groom wear a wedding ring matching
that of his bride? The bride may wish to have a yellow gold band
to compliment her engagement ring, but the groom prefers a
titanium band for his hand. How important is it to match your
spouse with a corresponding
wedding ring set?

Matching or not, wedding rings all comes down to what the couple
prefers. Keeping in mind of a matching
wedding ring set for the bride and groom will demonstrate
two important aspects developed in a marriage.

Compliments: The bride may desire a white gold band to
match her engagement ring, but the groom favors a yellow gold
wedding band. Whatever is your preference, you will be happy
with your choice. However, choosing a
wedding ring set to match your spouse will signify unity.
When you are together with your spouse, your matching wedding
bands will compliment each other.

Coordinates: A great example of a coordinating
wedding ring set is the Hawaiian wedding bands. On each band
is imprinted the name of the spouse in an Old English type font
and is surrounded by a Hawaiian floral design. Wearing your
wedding band with your spouse’s name and having your name on
their ring is a dedicated reminder of the commitment to your
spouse and to your marriage.

Whether it is your 1st, or 10th wedding anniversary, it is worth celebrating, and what better way to plan a celebration than with an anniversary party checklist?

The most successful anniversary parties start with an idea - how the event will begin, continue and end. Having a finite and concrete party checklist to plan in helps you to keep your wedding anniversary party right on track.

1. The best thing to do when creating any party is to develop a theme. By creating a theme you can set the mood, location, food ideas and attire as well as invitations. A theme doesn’t need to be fancy; it just needs to be something both you and your spouse / friends are interested in. Some ideas of themes that can be very fun are:

Decade parties - Fabulous 50’s, Swingin’ 60’s, Disco 70’s.

Famous Movie Themes - pick a movie you love and create your theme around it.

High school / Sock Hop

Pool Party

Pig Roast

Western Theme.

2. At this stage you have probably found your theme. Now it is time to create a guest list for your event. ‘Theming’ your invitations allows you to start the party them off right. Start your invites about three weeks before the event. Ask your guests to be creative and come with the appropriate attire if possible, and encourage them to be creative and have fun. Focus on people you correspond with often, and known people who are fun ‘party people’ (we all know who they are!) I find homemade (DIY) invitations are always more fun than store bought ones; however both do the trick

3. Create your menu. Search for serving dishes which correspond to your anniversary party theme. Finger foods are always a hit as they are light, easy to prepare and are a quick clean-up. If you wish for a larger event, organize your food preparation help, or even contact a caterer. Create your grocery list about three weeks before the event.

4. Party decorations are important. They help establish the mood and ambience. Again, we go back to the party theme for ideas here. Lighting is also very important. Search for lighting ideas that correspond to the theme i.e. 70’s themed parties should have at least one disco ball to be sure!

5. Games, games and fun stuff! Always plan for creative anniversary party games. Spin the bottle, famous dances and Twister are always a blast. If games are not your thing, consider live entertaintment -A D.J., live band, comedian all have worked very well in the past.

6. Beverages are an important part of the party. Decide (based on your personal preferences and location) whether there will be an open bar, BYOB, or virgin refreshments. Inform guests in their invites as to whether to plan to drive or take a cab. Cab services that drive your vehicle home for you (with you in it of course!) are a great alternative and allow you to make ‘on the spot’ decisions regarding transportation.

6. Most of all, sit back and have fun. Not everything will always go your way, but if you have followed your anniversary party checklist, your event should be very rewarding.

Three to four weeks before event:

Choose your theme
Prepare Grocery List
coordinate cleaning / after-party helpers
Select Caterer (if applicable)
Collect food preparation items, serving plates and utensils
Develop your guest list
Create or purchase your party invitations
Plan and purchase or create your decorations.

A couple of days before the event:

Contact any follow-ups for guests.
Begin preparing any food that needs to be done.
Run over your checklist again to ensure everything is in place
Set out your costume or attire

The morning of the party

Relax
Begin preparing food
Run over your checklist one last time
Sit back, have fun and enjoy your creation~!

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a free wedding planner. The above article is found in our wedding anniversaries category.

The rehearsal dinner is a time to bring your entire wedding party, your parents and your future in-laws together for a relaxing evening before the big day. Not only is in opportunity to thank them for all their support throughout the wedding planning process, but it’s also a great way to unwind. That said, it is often better to organize a low-key, casual dinner where guests can sit around in jeans and t-shirts than to plan something formal. If you decide to have a more casual affair, you may decide to order pizza, Subway or to organize a potluck. The objective is to keep things comfortable for the guests, to reduce costs and to make the affair as easy to organize as possible. You will have enough worries, so don’t try to make this a gala event.

Here are a few additional points you should consider when planning the rehearsal dinner:

Costs

Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is hosted and paid for by the groom’s parents. However, it is quite common for the couple to plan the shindig and cover the bill, so focus on bringing your closest friends and family together rather than throwing a huge party - i.e., be economical.

Time

When scheduling the date and time of the rehearsal dinner, keep in mind that the rehearsal dinner is held immediately after the wedding rehearsal. You should also know that the wedding rehearsal is about a half-hour long and is usually held the night before the wedding day.

Guests

Remember to invite everyone who was at the rehearsal, including the clergyman and significant others (e.g., boyfriends, girlfriends and spouses). Parents of any children in the wedding party should also be invited. Depending on budget constraints, you may also wish to extend an invitation to relatives who came from out-of-town to attend your wedding.

Now that we’ve covered the fundamental of the rehearsal dinner, it’s time for you to start planning. Use the http://www.groomgroove.com Rehearsal Dinner Checklist to make sure that you cover all your dinner planning tasks and stay on schedule. Enjoy, relax and have fun!

Nada Arnot is the owner and creator of http://www.groomgroove.com - the only online engagement and wedding guide for men. And if you are also an expectant father, then you’ll want to check out http://www.thefunkystork.com for male-oriented articles on pregnancy.

The most important day of your life is drawing near and you want
to plan it to perfection. Everything has to be just right, the
chapel, the dresses, the food and most importantly the wedding
reception. Specifically if you are planning a Dallas wedding
reception, there are many areas that you need to look into in
creating the right theme, the right ambience as well as to
ensure that all your guests’ needs are taken care of.

The first thing in planning Dallas wedding receptions is the
search for the right location. However, before you can make a
list of probable venues, you first need to determine your budget
for the occasion. If possible, it would be best if you could
breakdown your costs of the wedding reception to categories such
as food, hall rentals, wedding favors, flower arrangements,
music, etc. With this, you will then have an exact feel of what
you can afford to pay for in rentals. This will also put you in
a better position for negotiations.

If you are on a tight budget then perhaps you should consider a
Dallas wedding reception held in your own backyard. This way,
you save on hall rental costs and do not have restrictions on
catering your own food for the occasion. On the other hand, if
you do have an adequate budget to spare then you have more
choices in terms of the location.

A wedding reception in Dallas can be held in many types of
venues. If you prefer to plan everything from scratch, then you
could probably rent a basic hall. Then get relatives and friends
to help you with hall decorations and food preparation, and get
a separate vendor to rent your tables and chairs. With this, you
can probably consider renting a school hall or your local town
hall for this occasion.

Alternatively, you can also enquire with halls that have been
designed and built just for hosting wedding receptions. For
example, the Cityplace is a great unique Dallas wedding
reception location. They have incorporated a choice of classic
design décor or a garden atmosphere during the daytime which is
transformed into a starry night theme at night.

Especially for couples who have the right budget and have a
preference for grandeur. Hall of State would probably be the
most romantic venue to host both wedding ceremonies as well as
wedding receptions in Dallas. This elegant hall boasts of
facilities which are fit for royalty. It is truly the ultimate
wedding venue for a grand wedding. The Grand Hall with the high
ceilings and pillars flanked by wall art painting is just
exquisite for wedding ceremonies. In fact, the Hall of Heroes
can be configured for a wedding reception after the wedding
ceremony.

Finally, a common venue for a wedding reception in Dallas would
be in a grand hotel, with accommodation provided for the out of
town guests attending the wedding. For example, the Hotel Zaza
in uptown Dallas is famous for their cuisine by their Dragonfly
restaurant and spectacular room setups. Truly, a wedding
reception here will be a Dallas wedding reception that you will
never forget.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Your wedding should be the happiest day of your life, not a frightening remembrance of the past. The difference between a successful wedding and a disaster greatly depends on planning. Successful planning the various details of your special day is crucial. You should worry about not only the large details such as the wedding gown but about the smaller ones such as your wedding favors.

Once you determined what method you’d like to use to announce your engagement or wedding, you should start researching the details. For example, if you’d like to announce your wedding in a newspaper, you should find out about the procedure to submit your ad. It is usually best to call the newspaper or visit their Web site for more detailed information about wedding announcements. By the time you are ready to place your add you should have the following information available:

* your wedding date,
* wedding location,
* the bride’s maiden name,
* your parents’ names and where they live,
* where you will live when you are married.

Depending on how much space is allocated by the newspaper, you might include some additional information such as:

- names of your bridesmaids or made of honor and their cities of residence,
- your honeymoon destination,
- information about the bride’s and groom’s place of birth,
- education such as schools attended and place of employment or business.

Hopefully, your wedding day will be a smooth affair, but you should be prepared for emergencies on your special day. Your made of honor should be sure to have the following small but significant items available for emergencies:

- Band-Aids,
- clear nail polish,
- needle and thread,
- painkiller,
- a complete list of phone numbers of all the involved parties such as caterers and vendors.

Planning your wedding is a huge undertaking, and you deserve a break. When you feel stressed by planning your wedding, try to relax with some of your favorite music or read a good book. Put your feet up and just relax. Just closing your eyes, meditating can be a revitalizing experience. Clearing your mind can be a great stress reducer.

Your wedding reception is one of the most important components of your wedding day, so don’t mess it up with a cash bar. Cash bars are a sure sign of bad taste. Don’t do it. Inviting people to your wedding and then asking them to pay for their drinks is impolite. If cost is an issue, invite less people or make other arrangements. If you are on a budget, you might provide a limited selection of alcohol.

If wedding planning is not your favorite pass time or you just don’t have time or afraid you might miss something important for your wedding day, you may want to consider hiring a professional wedding consultant. A wedding consultant can make the wedding planning process not only easier, but also perhaps more fun. After all, your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life.

George Meszaros is affiliated with Sweet Reflections; a leading provider of wedding favors www.sweet-reflections.com

Many relationships break despite lot of love between the partners. It seems that love is not enough to sustain a relationship. To keep a relationship on a high much more than love is needed. Talking about love let me ask you - do you feel loved? Your partner may have lot of love for you, but do you feel it? Do you experience it?

How about your partner? Does she/he feel your love? Do you show with many gestures that you love your partner? Let us go through a quick questionnaire. How many times in a day, do you say i love you? How many times in a month you go for dinner together? How many times during a week you talk with each other without any disturbance? How many times you go for a walk without any reason? How many gifts do you buy for your partner in a month? How many roses did you give on last Valentine’s Day? Do you go for work no your partner’s birthday or enjoy the whole day with them?

These are few questions I have raised to find out whether you express your love. It is good to love and better to express it. Please find out answers for all these questions about your partner also. If you find that they don’t express love, you will get a clue to why you may be getting little dissatisfied in your relationship.

Expressing love is very important. The variety that you use to express your love will bring more excitement to your relationship. Unexpectedly announcing a holiday and a outing can give a thrill that is difficult to be matched by words. Actions speak louder than words and words express what is in our heart. Express and show to your partner that you love them and you care for their happiness and quality of life.

The author C.D. Mohatta writes articles, advice and ideas at http://www.yourromanceguide.com/ on topics like love, dating, marriage, relationships, break-ups, etc. He also writes for screen-savers and desktop wallpapers at http://www.screene.com/ on topics like nature, spirituality, motivation, love-romance, holidays, animals, etc. The third site associated with the author is http://www.yourfungames.com/ - it has free flash games which one can play online.