celebrity weddings and destinations

when we are all too focussed in choosing the spot where we will spend our days after the wedding, we may be guided by the celebrities’ top exotic wedding destinations in selecting the best place to go :
1. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner – Turks and Caicos
2. Kenny Chesney and Renee Zellweger – Island of St. John
3. Heidi Klum and Seal – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
4. Rachel Ray – Montalcino, Italy
5. Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese – Ireland
6. Jason Priestly – Bahamas
7. Alicia Silverstone - Lake Tahoe
8. Djibril Cisse (soccer star) – Wales
9. Sophie Ellis Bextor (British pop star) – Umbria
10. Diane Neal – Dominican Republic

When Choosing Your Wedding Gown

There are thousands of wedding gown fashions to choose from. Brides can choose a wedding gown with traditional embellishments like the bell-shape skirt with lace and a train, or a modern form-fitting wedding gown made of satin and decorated with sequins. Whatever the bride may decide, she will eventually have to visit some type of wedding gown dealer.

Selecting Your Wedding Gown
When you visit the salon of your choice, make sure that you have a clear vision of your wedding’s theme. Do not hesitate to let the salon know what you have planned for a budget. Bring magazine clippings of wedding gowns you like, and see if they have those styles or something similar. Keep in mind that with most bridal salons, you get some consultation for free. Take advantage of the advice you receive. The consultant will be able to offer suggestions on fit and style based on your age and body type. A wedding gown may look wonderful in a magazine (and most do), but it may not look good on you. Your consultant will help you find the right gown at the right price. You should visit a bridal salon even if you do not plan on purchasing your wedding gown through one. The advice you receive will more than pay for your time.

The Wedding Gown Costs
Don’t purchase a wedding gown that is out of your price range. Bridal gowns can range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Take some time to think about your selection. It may help to sleep on the idea and make a commitment on a different day. Remember that bridal gowns come with many unforeseen expenses. Don’t spend all of your allotted money on the gown itself. Save a little for alterations and accessories. Plan to spend approximately 5.5% of your total wedding budget on your wedding gown and accessories.

Get Fitted For Your Wedding Gown
When you go to get fitted for your gown, make sure that you bring your mother or maid of honor with you. If neither of these people can be there, take a friend whose opinion you trust. If nothing else, this friend can provide some moral support if you are in doubt. You should plan on at least six months to decide on and fit your wedding gown. It will take at least three months for your order to be placed and your wedding gown to be made by the manufacturer. Then you can plan on three fittings. The first when your wedding gown arrives. The second to correct any mistakes, and the third to verify that everything is perfect. You should expect your wedding gown to be perfect. After all, you will only wear this wedding gown once. If you do not have six months, relax. You can still get everything done in time. It will just cost a little more to rush your order.

Your final fitting should take place a few weeks before your wedding. The last thing you should worry about on your wedding day is whether or not your gown fits. So make sure your wedding gown is ready early. Your salon should hold your gown until the week before your wedding. They are better equipped to store your wedding gown than you will be, and proper storage is essential to prevent your wedding gown from wrinkling.
It would be a good idea to bring your maid of honor to your fittings. She will be able to learn her responsibilities for the wedding day. Sometimes, small emergencies come up right before the wedding is about to begin. Your maid of honor should know your wedding gown, and she should also know how to perform small alterations in a pinch. If your mother would handle this situation better than your maid of honor, you might want her at the fittings as well.

Tips to Make Your Wedding Meal a Success

The lights are lit, the guests are assembled, the minister is ready - but something is missing: food! Starving to death was not on your guests’ agenda when they came to your wedding - in fact, they expect to eat to a once the vows are exchanged and the “I Do’s” are said. Here are some wedding reception food ideas you can use to keep your guests full and satisfied.

If you already have some wedding reception food ideas in mind, you must first make sure that they suit the theme of your wedding. If you’re arranging a theme wedding reception in your backyard and want to convince your guests they’re in Hawaii, then serving Italian cuisine might not be the best idea. Instead, consider some traditional luau meals, such as lomi salmon, poi, and beer.

Any wedding reception food ideas you may have should also reflect the time of the event. For example, if you’re getting married early morning with the reception shortly afterwards, you can save a lot of money and effort by serving traditional morning snacks such as pancakes, fresh fruits and pastries. An evening reception gives you the most freedom in choosing what to serve - unfortunately, it also usually leaves a gaping hole in your budget since evening meals are usually more expensive that other meals. You also need to decide on the form of food delivery - for example, will the food be served to the guests or will they walk to buffet tables and get it themselves?

One of the most popular wedding reception food ideas is to have the reception in the afternoon. This allows you to serve traditional, simple lunch dishes such as sandwiches and pasta. This is a low-cost approach, which is why it’s so popular among the more budget-conscientious couples.

Always remember that your wedding reception food ideas should also allow for different dietary requirements of your guests. Some will eat meat, while others are strictly vegetarian and yet others are lactose-intolerant. Be sure to make special arrangements with your catering service provider to include a variety of choices to suit your guests’ dietary needs. Remember, your vegetarian guests will not appreciate meals that mostly consist of meat!