Beijing Bridal Photos

The other day, I passed a small store on a side street full of wedding dresses. I thought it was a dress shop, but it turned out to be a photo studio, where brides- and grooms-to-be can rent tuxes and gowns, and take their photos. The salesgirls explained to me that it’s becoming more and more popular for a Chinese couple to take their wedding photos before the wedding, so they can have a blown-up photo as a centerpiece, or give smaller pictures as favors.

The shop assistant showed me the range of possible costumes and sets. Couples can dress up in Victorian finery, traditional Chinese wedding clothes, old-fashioned qipas, “western-style” outfits (think 1980’s prom gear) or almost anything else. The studio also provides props like flowers or traditional instruments to complete the effect.

Think it’ll catch on with American brides?

No Wedding Bells For This Duo

A New York Craig’s List poster, claiming to be 25 and “spectacularly beautiful”, wrote an ad looking for a husband who makes over $500,000 per year, or any way to meet wealthy men. The post has seen been removed, but the gold digger describes herself “articulate and classy”. I’m not sure that looking for a sugar daddy on Craigslist is a particularly classy move, but let’s leave that one alone for now.

An anonymous responder, who claims to be a Wall Street banker in her required income bracket, explains why this is a bad deal for him, or any other man in a similar position.

“So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Let me explain, you’re 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!”  Meanwhile, his salary and his earning potiential will just keep increasing each year, making him a better and better marraige prospect.

“It doesn’t make good business sense to “buy you” (which is what you’re asking) so I’d rather lease,”

Wal-Mart Wedding

I have to admit that I spend a lot of time shopping at Wal-Mart, but for an Ohio couple, it was the perfect place to have their wedding. Why would anyone want to have their wedding at Wal-Mart?

The couple both work at the Springfield Wal-Mart and actually met during orientation. Chet Eldridge even asked his future bride, Danna Hornback, out on their first date at Wal-Mart. Since Wal-Mart holds great memories for them, they decided to tie the knot there on a Thursday afternoon. Business did continue as usual with the wedding being interrupted only once for the patented speaker call, “Attention Wal-Mart shoppers.”

While Wal-Mart wouldn’t be my venue of choice, if a place holds a lot of memories for the couple, then it would be a good place to have their wedding. Besides having a Wal-Mart wedding will give your guests a chance to pick up a few items they might need around the house after the ceremony. All kidding aside, couples should pick the venue that they want and not worry what others might think of their choice.

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Getting Married at Home?

When my brother married his first wife, it was a very simple affair. In fact since it was so simple, they just opted to have the wedding at my parent’s house. While some brides might shiver at the idea of getting married at home, it does have some advantages.

Getting married at home, especially for a small wedding, can be a good way to saving some money. By choosing a home as your venue, it can be a cheaper solution than renting a church or other place. I wouldn’t want to get married in my home since it’s way too small but my aunt has a lovely home that has a beautiful backyard. It would be a nice, charming place to have a wedding. In fact, she and her husband renewed their wedding vows at their home. So, even if your home isn’t the perfect location, you might have a relative who would be willing to open up their home for your wedding.

Having a home wedding or reception can save big bucks and give those relatives who keep asking if there is something they can do for your wedding a job. It will be the time to call in favors to help with cleaning and preparing the home for the arrival of your guests. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help from relatives or friends who have offered to help. Just because a wedding will be at home doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of work to be done.

A home wedding can save money but will mean there will be a lot of work to be done before and after the wedding. Furniture will have to be moved as well as decorations will have to be put up and taken down. Line up your helpers well in advance. A home wedding can be a beautiful affair and can be the perfect solution for tight wedding budgets.

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A Plan to Plan

When we got married, we were officially engaged for six months. So, we planned our wedding in half a year. While it was quite stressful, it can be done. I wouldn’t recommend it though. It can be quite stressful to plan a wedding in a few months.

So, when is the best time to start planning for your wedding? This school of though varies but a lot of sources will say at least one year. If you plan on having a long engagement, then planning even for a year or more won’t be hard to do. While planning to plan for a wedding over the course of one full year can sound tiring, exhausting, and overall unappealing, it does have some advantages.

First you will go through every season of the year. This means good end of season sales will make it a great deal to find decorations, flowers, centerpieces, and even bridesmaid/groomsmen gifts. Taking time to plan will help cut that overall wedding budget by quite a bit.

Having a wedding date set early will help to make sure you have your first venue of choice for the wedding and the reception. Some places book up really fast or don’t take next year reservations until the beginning of the year. This way you are prepared to reserve your date when they are accepting reservations.

Planning ahead can make it easier for out-of-town guests to make arrangements to come to your wedding. Also with plenty of time, you might can even find a hotel that will give a discount to your guests since you may have a lot attending if they know well in advance of the date.

While planning a wedding in a year or more might sound like overkill, there are some very good reasons to do so. You can save money, secure your first venue, and give your guests time to clear their calendar to attend your wedding.

A Halloween Wedding

Every bride and groom wants to make their wedding a day they will never forget. Some couples opt to get married on a holiday like Valentine’s Day while others throw caution to the wind and wed on Friday the 13th. For others, getting married on their favorite holiday just adds to the joy it brings each year.

I have a friend who loves Halloween. He throws a big Halloween costume party each year, inviting tons of people and encouraging everyone to dress up in their most creative costume. When my friend announced his intentions to marry, it didn’t surprise his close friends that he and his wife-to-be chose to get married on Halloween. She also loves the holiday and since she loves her husband agreed to the unusual wedding date.

The date might have been a touch unconventional but the ceremony was very much a conservative occasion as they didn’t want to alarm family members with a glimpse of their darker side. Still they were able to add subtle touches to give it a Gothic feel without being too over the top.

I believe that if it is your wedding then you should do what you like. It that means decorating with cobwebs instead of greenery then so be it. Although I can understand the need to keep a traditional feel to the wedding for the sake of family. You should feel free to add the spooky touches that draw you into wanting a Halloween wedding in the first place. Whether it’s using the colors orange and brown or having the bride of Frankenstein sit atop the wedding cake, it is your wedding, so do what feels right.

A Halloween wedding might not be every bride’s dream wedding, but for some it can be a real scream..er..um..an event to remember.

Children in your Wedding Party

If you are planning to have a young child in your wedding party, as they say on a popular reality TV show “expect the unexpected.” Having children in your wedding party could be stressful to some brides, but take it all in stride. Be prepared for things to not as go as planned but it doesn’t mean your day or the ceremony will be ruined.

My four-year-old niece was our flower girl. At the rehearsal, she refused to take part in the practice, not even attempt to go down the aisle. We were worried she wouldn’t make it down the aisle for the wedding. Well for the wedding she did walk down the aisle; she just didn’t toss any of the flowers. I was just glad she made it down the aisle that I really didn’t even notice there weren’t any rose petals until after the ceremony. She wasn’t the only one with a little performance anxiety. The ring bearer -my husband’s four-year-old nephew- was wearing new shoes and really didn’t like standing in front of a crowd of people that he didn’t know. He spent most of the ceremony in his Mom’s lap.

Having kids as part of your ceremony can be a great way to include family into your special day. It can also be a great opportunity to show off just how cute your and your husband’s kids might even look one day. Just remember to not be disappointed if they don’t take part in the ceremony as planned or if they run their own agenda during the actual service. Those memories will be something that the family can laugh about for years to come. Plus it will be great story to tell when they are planning their wedding.

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