Kids Wedding Reception Activities

Not all brides and grooms want to exclude children from their wedding. Many are happy to welcome children into their wedding both as members of the wedding party and as guests.

Having children at a wedding, however, poses a myriad of problems. Do you leave the children to their own devices and hope they behave and don't get in the way? Do you provide a room with childcare so they are "present" but not too much under foot? Perhaps the best solution is a simple mix of both, with a smattering of fun built in.

First of all, if children are invited to the wedding, take into consideration the ages of the children. Babies will have to stay with mom and/or dad, for a variety of reasons. So planning to have all the children in another room might not be feasible. But if the children are toddlers up to about age 12, you can provide a separate room for them with childcare and a make a number of activities available to them.

If the children will be in a separate room at the reception, you can provide a coloring table, perhaps a TV with an appropriate movie ready to roll, and some board games. That could probably be enough for the duration of the wedding reception. Be aware of a few things: there should be a ratio of at least 1 adult for every 5 children if the children are toddlers, or 1 adult to every 10 children if the kids are older. Don't expect the kids to take up the activities on their own, but rather tell the childcare provider to get the kids involved in the activities by doing them him or herself.

What if the children will be part of the reception festivities? What activities can be geared specifically to children at the reception? There are plenty of things you can do, really. You can certainly plan a coloring table at the back of the reception hall or room. There, you can provide loads of paper, coloring books, markers and crayons. Paints are not recommended, for obvious reasons, and moms will thank you if you remember to supply the kids with washable markers and crayons only.

The art table can be more than just coloring, however. Buy a huge bag of pipe cleaners. Kids can amuse themselves for long periods of time, making animals, odd figures and the like. Make sure you have at least 20 or more pipe cleaners for each child, however, as children can go through these quickly. Think about "clean" clay, the new products that don't stick to anything and don't leave a trace on furniture. With a few different colors, kids can create a variety of figures, faces or forms.

Many brides like to plan more formally for their small guests. There are several options if this is the route you want to take. One popular option is to have paid entertainment on hand just for the children. This can take place in a separate room or toward the back of the reception room or hall if it's large and the guest list is big. You can hire a clown or a balloon artist. You can have someone braid the children's hair and provide temporary tattoos. If there is a separate room available, you can even hire a children's musician to come and entertain the kids. The options are endless.

If no plans are made for the children, but they arrive at the wedding expecting entertainment, you'll have to make some plans. One option is a "child only" dance, which allows only the children on the dance floor. This is not only cute to watch, and could be entertaining as well, but it will bring a smile to the face of every grandma and grandpa present.

14k White Gold Men's Band Wedding Engagement

A reserve price is the minimum price the seller will accept. This price is hidden from bidders. To win, a bidder must have the highest bid and have met or exceeded the reserve price. 

View the original article here

Wedding Cake Activities

Upon arrival at the wedding reception, many guests head for the cake table so they can admire the cake. Some time later, the bride and groom come along for a picture opportunity and the grand cutting of the cake. Then everyone enjoys cake and it's gone. Believe it or not, there are many more activities that can make the wedding cake more about fun and less about tradition.

Of course, watching the bride and groom push cake into each other's mouths is a long-enjoyed tradition, but there are many more fun - and less messy - activities to consider as well.

One new option that's gaining popularity is to have cupcakes instead of a cake. This is a method that is usually more affordable than having a cake and it can be a lot of fun. Cupcakes are decorated in alignment with the wedding theme, just as a cake is, but the cupcakes are instead arranged on tiered cake plates and displayed on a cake table until it's time to eat them. The cupcakes can be simply handed out on plates to each wedding guest.

Now, what's fun about using cupcakes instead of a whole wedding cake is you can save money, certainly, as many reception halls and caterers charge a per slice fee to cut and serve the wedding cake, but you can also build activities into the cupcake presentation. For example, the cupcakes that are for the bride and groom can have a different decoration than the ones for the guests.

As an extra touch, you can have the baker include a special prize in one or several cupcakes. A small charm or tiny toy can be baked into the cupcake. Whoever gets the charm wins a special prize. These prizes can range from a gift basket or gift certificate to a restaurant to a dance with the bride or groom.

Some brides like to use a Southern tradition and have charms baked into the wedding cake. Similar to the idea above for cupcakes, this involves baking small charms or tiny toys (but usually charms) into the cake. Those who get one of the charms are said to have good luck. You might even consider having charm bracelet charms baked into the cake, which are then made into a charm bracelet for the bride.

Not everyone enjoys cake. How about an activity for those who won't be eating cake? They can be required to do the "Macarena" or the chicken dance during the time when everyone else is eating cake. If they manage to do the dance continuously while the other guests enjoy cake, they win a prize. Or they simply get to sit down, as now they are tired!

In keeping with the dance during cake theme, how about a requirement that in order to get cake, a guest must perform an impromptu dance first? Or there could be trivia questions about the bride and groom or about popular culture. Guests must correctly answer the questions before getting their cake. There could be competitions among tables or individuals for most questions answered correctly.

Many people believe that once the cake is cut, they are free to leave if they wish. Since cake cutting usually comes after the meal and after dancing and other traditional celebration activities, many people take the opportunity to leave the party after the cake is cut and enjoyed.

If the bride and groom want their guests to stay after the cake is eaten, it is worth some extra effort to build some activities into the cake-cutting event so people will stick around longer. This can be as simple as telling people not to leave, or can be more subtle and fun.

For example, each person could receive a slip of paper with his or her cake. These slips of paper could be prepared ahead and provided to the catering company with instructions that one folded strip of paper be placed on each plate with the cake. The paper might give an agenda for the rest of the evening or might ask its recipient to perform a little dance, to head over to give the groom or bride a kiss, or might ask them to take the flower girl out on the dance floor for a spin. The unknown will keep all the guests guessing and provide some entertainment as the instructions are carried out.

Post Wedding Activities

For many couples, the wedding is not over once the reception is. Depending on the location of the wedding and the couple's relationship with their families, often there are other activities that follow the main event.

One of the most obvious is a breakfast the day following the wedding. This is a time for everyone to touch base with each other, check in on how everyone did and perhaps share memories of the night before. This breakfast activity can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Some people like to have this breakfast at a relative's house because that is friendly and familiar and more conducive to everyone hanging out and enjoying themselves. It can be potluck style or catered. You can also meet up at a restaurant.

Many families like to have the bride and groom open presents the day after the wedding. There are many who believe the bride and groom are required to open presents in the presence of family for good luck. In that case, building in the opening of presents is essential. This can be a simple gathering of friends and family or you can turn the present opening into an all-out activity, where each item is opened, demonstrated or displayed and discussed in great detail.

Opening gifts doesn't have to a dry activity. You can add some silly fun. How about starting with the smallest and moving to the largest gifts? Or working in the reverse order? You might even create a game. Everyone has to guess what's in each gift prior to its being opened. (Of course, people can't guess on their on gifts.) Someone can be in charge of keeping a tally and whoever gets the most right, wins a small prize.

The women in the bride's family might want to help her pack up her gown (or send it to the dry cleaners) and preserve her wedding bouquet. This can easily be done at home and the women (particularly those who are crafty) might want to get started on preserving the flowers as well.

In the crafty light, some brides might want to plan a scrapbook party for after the wedding. You won't have photos back from the photographer, but you can scrapbook many other wedding events, such as pre-events like manicures, various parties and the candid photos take by wedding guests the night before. More than being focused on the photos, this activity gives the women a chance to reflect on the events of the wedding, laugh at all the fun ties and journal and preserve memories before some are lost. It will also help the bride feel as if she's partly in control of all those photos before she leaves on her honeymoon and takes yet more photos.

If gifts were opened on this "day after the wedding", crafty groups might want to make thank you cards. Choose a design long before the wedding, perhaps even making a prototype as well. Then have all the supplies on hand and give everyone good ideas about how the cards should be made. Even the men can get on this act, helping to fold the cards, perhaps handling any computer work and even getting their fingers on glue and scissors. Send the bride and groom off with these homemade cards so when they get back from their honeymoon, all they have to do is jot off a quick note.

Some brides and grooms plan activities the day fter the wedding that are designed to help everyone calm down, relax and unwind after what has likely been a busy weekend. In this light, you can plan a picnic at the park and bring along games to play. You might pack a football, a volleyball net or items to play baseball. You might bring along water guns or a dartboard. Whatever it is, the idea here is to have some fun and blow off steam. Make your own rules when playing the games. It really doesn't matter. Today is about relaxing, unwinding and spending some quality time with friends and family before the special weekend is over.

Nicole Richie, Joel Madden enlisted Rev. Run to officiate wedding

Joel Madden and Nicole Richie enlisted pal Rev. Run to officiate at their wedding on Saturday.

Even before the big day, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's wedding was expected to be intimate.

And it was, with their friend – and fellow celebrity – Reverend Run officiating over the winter-themed ceremony Saturday at Lionel Richie's Beverly Hills estate.

"Joel and Nicole have looked up to Rev. Run, so they wanted him to officiate," a wedding guest told UsMagazine.com.

Rev. Run, whose nickname dates back to his Run-D.M.C. days, is an ordained and practicing Pentecostal minister.

The newlyweds "both appreciate his family values and he is an inspiration for both," the source told the mag. "They both also respect his faith, too."

Also reportedly among the approximately 130 guests at the wedding were Madden's brothers, Benji and Josh, as well as Richie's pals, Samantha Ronson and Khloe Kardashian.

Richie, 29, and Madden, 31, reportedly had their 2-year-old daughter, Harlow, serve as flower girl. The couple also has a 15-month-old son, Sparrow.

But the most talked about guest was probably the one with four giant legs: an elephant, which was spotted on the grounds before the wedding started.

View the original article here

Cliff Wedding For Moots and Vanessa Chong

KUALA LUMPUR: The wedding bells are ringing for Moots, the lead vocalist of rap-rock band Pop Shuvit and The Amazing Race Asia star, Vanessa Chong.

The couple are set to say ?I Do? in a private cliff wedding in Bali on Oct 15 next year.

?We haven?t chosen the exact venue in Bali yet,? Moots tells The Daily Chilli.

?But it?s definitely going to be a fun outdoor wedding in the remote area of Ulu Watu. We?re going to pick one of the villas owned by my business partner there. It?s next to the place where Julia Roberts shot Eat, Pray, Love.?

Vanessa finished second in the hit TV challenge with her younger sister Pamela in 2008.

She is also the eldest sister of Akademi Fantasia winner, Vince. And it was through Vince that the lovebirds first met in 2004.

?Vince and my band were label-mates in EMI,? Moots recollects.

Vanessa was his manager then.

But love didn?t happen until last year.

The rock star DJ of Hitz FM only realised that he had a ?thing? for Vanessa when he met Japanese-American magician, Cyril, who was filming his magic show here and (unintentionally) confided in Cyril about his feelings for her.

?Cyril said `If you like her, why not you ask her out?? I took his advice and asked Vanessa out on a date and she said yes,? he beams.

?It?s quite cool how it happened,? she adds.

?Maybe it?s our age. Both of us are already in our 30s. But it?s not desperation. It?s just that we?ve been through a lot in life.?

No one could be happier for them than Vince, who always joked about having a macha (brother in Tamil).

?Vince has a lot of close Indian friends and he likes to say `I want to have my own macha,? laughs Moots. ?Now I?m really going to be his macha.?

No issues with the big boys of Pop Shuvit either. AJ (bassist), JD (guitarist), Rudy (drummer) and Uno (turntables) adore Vanessa.

?They?re so glad she?s taking me off their hands,? he jokes.

Moots and Vanessa will celebrate their union in Chinese, Indian as well as English styles - starting with their engagement party on Jan 21 in Petaling Jaya.

?It?s themed Bollywood kungfu,? Vanessa quipped.

View the original article here

Wedding Toast Activities

Giving a toast is a responsibility that puts fear in the speaking hearts of most members of a wedding party. While it's not usually something that is particularly long or involved, it's public speaking (which doesn't sit well with many people) and really puts people on the spot.

If you are planning a wedding and know that most members of this wedding party are hams who won't mind the whole "public speaking" thing, then by all means keep the toasts traditional with dad, the best man and others taking their expected turns at the microphone.

But if you're looking for something different, either because you want to save putting people on the spot, or you simply want to do something different and fun, read on.

First, you can certainly take the whole toast thing off the agenda if you wish. There are no rules requiring a toast at any wedding. Weddings should be unique events and reflect the personalities of the bride and groom.

But if you want to do something a little different, there are options. You can go the video route, which asks people to essentially make a toast on camera and then the video is given to the bride and groom later. This isn't a particularly unique idea, but it does solve the issue of not wanting to put people on the spot and still gives everyone a chance to say something special to the bride and groom.

If your guest list includes many outgoing people then consider "pass the microphone". This can work in several ways. You can either be silly with it, or deadly serious. Most people like silly. Say dad takes the microphone first. His last name ends with T (so, let's say dad's last name is Smith). He must find someone whose first name begins with a T (Tom? Tony? Tina? Theresa?) and pass the microphone to that person, who then gives a toast.

This method of giving toasts does put people on the spot (certainly before the fun begins you can warn them so if they are really uncomfortable, they can escape to the restroom or bar) but it can also be a lot of fun. Getting people when they least expect it and then asking them to remember something funny or meaningful about the bride and groom can result in interesting, funny and truthful results.

You might also decide that one person at each table be required to give a toast. Number the tables and at various intervals, have the MC or DJ call a number, which will require guests at that table to decide amongst themselves who will give the toast at that table. Certainly, more than one person can if they like, but there will likely be at least one ham at each table who will enjoy standing up and toasting the newlyweds.

Say you have plenty of public speakers in the group, and finding willing toast participants won't be a problem. But you think the subject matter might be. There's an easy solution to this problem. You can provide open-ended topics for the toast speakers. Say you are providing an "open mike" toast arrangement, where anyone can request the microphone and offer a toast. The DJ, MC or someone else in the wedding party (perhaps the maid of honor or best man) can offer the speaker a surprise topic, which might be pulled from a champagne flute or drawn out of the floral arrangement on the head table. There might be slips of paper to choose, or just one sheet of paper with several ideas.

The speaker might choose to finish this sentence, "I remember when (groom's name here) was a little boy, he always ..." or answer this question, "When was (insert bride's name here) at her silliest? Tell us the story". You might have to give each speaker a minute or two to collect their thoughts, but you're sure to have some interesting stories, some unique anecdotes and some different perspectives on the bride and groom.

Amazon.com: wedding in

AmazonWireless
Cellphones &
Wireless Plans Askville
Community
Answers Audible
Download
Audio Books DPReview
Digital
Photography Endless
Shoes
& More Fabric
Sewing, Quilting
& Knitting IMDb
Movies, TV
& Celebrities Shopbop
Designer
Fashion Brands Small Parts
Industrial
Supplies Warehouse Deals
Open-Box
Discounts Woot
Never Gonna
Give You Up Zappos
Shoes &
Clothing

View the original article here

0.40 Ct Round Eternity Diamond Wedding band Ring Gold

A reserve price is the minimum price the seller will accept. This price is hidden from bidders. To win, a bidder must have the highest bid and have met or exceeded the reserve price.  Los Angeles, California, United StatesN. and S. America, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany

View the original article here

Outdoor Wedding Reception Activities

If you are having your wedding reception out of doors, that opens the door for many activities that would be hard to pull off indoors. You can plan games and activities based on the outdoor theme and carry that theme indoors if part of the reception is inside as well.

Depending on where the reception will be held, you can plan many activities based on the setting. Whether it is the park or on a farm, there are a myriad of activities you can plan.

Let's start with some basics based on popular wedding locations. One fun game for a winery wedding is a blindfolded wine tasting game. If the bride and groom are wine drinkers, this might not a game the bride and groom should be a part of, but instead guests and wedding party members. Blindfold perhaps a half dozen volunteers and have them do a blind taste test (provide something to clean the palate between sips). The volunteers should guess which wine is the pinot noir, which is the Cabernet, and so on. A bottle of wine is the obvious prize for the winner of this game.

Say you are having a reception at a country club on a golf course. It's possible your theme will include golf elements, so why not include golf in some reception activities or games? You certainly could head to the golf course for a "hole in one" contest, or have a driving contest to see which guest has the best stroke. As a simple, "who gets the centerpiece game", you could have people guess how many golf balls there are in the floral centerpiece (which could decorate a plain large glass vase filled with flowers). Similarly, there could be a large vase or other clear container filled with golf balls at the reception somewhere and guests could guess how many golf balls are in the vase.

A silly game could be made on the dance floor by asking everyone to include their best golf swing into their dancing for one particular song.

Now, if your reception and ceremony are both to be held outdoors and guests will be milling outdoors, think about games or activities that can take place outdoors and still keep to your level of formality or informality. For example, if the reception is being held at a park, perhaps guests might enjoy a "walk down memory lane". Prior to the reception, someone can use potted plants or arbors to create a little private lane, which guests can walk through. Along the path, guests will find pictures of the bride and groom at various stages in their lives. There should be a place for guests to record their thoughts and memories along the way as well.

If your wedding and reception are fairly casual, you can always tell guests ahead of time to prepare for a ball game or some other fun outdoor activity. Women can bring a pair of sneakers. Just imagine the fun photos you'll get out of a rousing game of football or baseball played by women in dresses and sneakers and men in suits and sneakers!

You can provide a challenge activity involving barefoot dancing in the grass or a Frisbee toss in the backyard. Is there a pool in the yard where the reception will be held? Why not have a swimming activity for after the whole of the reception is done?

Fun Wedding Photo Ideas.txt

Pictures are an integral part of any wedding. Newlyweds are usually thrilled to get their pictures back from the photographer so they can relive their special day. But there are many special activities you can build into a wedding that involve photos.

One fun idea that many brides employ is to take photos of everyone as they arrive at the wedding, almost like you do at a high school prom or company Christmas party. You can provide a backdrop and couples can pose either for a paid photographer or for whoever happens to pick up the camera. These pictures can be taken with a Polaroid camera for instant fun or with a disposable camera. If you want slightly higher quality photos, go for a digital camera.

This can be an excellent way to keep guests busy and happy until the "official" reception begins with the arrival of the bride and groom.

As an extension of that idea, you can take instant photos and create scrapbook pages or memory book pages with the photos. There can be supplies on hand so guests can create pages on site, or pages can be pre-made and photos simply placed into the prepared spaces. If guests don't want to create pages on site, or the bride doesn't want this particular activity going on, the photos can be saved for later. As a gift for the bride and groom, someone can create memory books with these photos.

If Polaroid cameras are used, another option is to have the people in the photo sign the Polaroid photo and place that in a basket somewhere. The bride and groom will enjoy looking at the photos later.

While it's not a particularly unique idea, many brides like to provide disposable cameras on each table at the reception so guests can capture candid shots of the reception and the table guests. These photos can be added to the newlyweds' wedding album or they can be placed into a separate album showing the wedding from the guests' perspective.

Another fun activity sure to be entertaining is to create a "silent photo guess" area. Here's how this works: before the wedding, someone close to the bride and groom collects pictures of the bride and groom at various stages in life. The photos should depict the bride and groom doing things, not at Christmas or with their first birthday cake. In other words, the photos should include some action, but it shouldn't be obvious in the picture what has taken place or where the person is.

Much like a silent auction, people will come along and look at the photos, then take a silent guess as to what the photos show. They can write their guess on a piece of paper and put it in a numbered basket that corresponds with the number on the photo. Reading these guesses during the reception is entertaining and sure to be amusing. The bride or groom can provide the real answers. This is a particularly fun activity at a relatively small, family wedding where the participants know the bride and groom very well.

If you want to provide an area for guests to have their photos taken but aren't thrilled with the "prom night" idea, how about having a photo corner set up somewhere in the reception hall or facility. Here, the wedding photographer will take candid shots of wedding guests. They might be couples, but could also be entire families, friends having a good time, or the groom being carried on the shoulders of the best man. Whatever the pictures end up being, they provide a fun, "let it all hang out" area for the wedding guests and a surprise for the bride and groom. Since they will likely be busy with all the reception details and having the time of THEIR lives, they might appreciate knowing their guests had a pretty good time too, as evidenced in the photos.

Wedding Guest Book Activities

Traditional brides don't have to have traditional guest books. Certainly you can purchase a standard guest book and ask your guests to sign it, but there are so many more guest book-like activities that are more unique.

Let's move from the popular to the less well known. One very popular option allows guests to sign a picture of the bride and groom. Simply take a picture of the bride and groom and have it matted in a mat several inches larger than the photo itself. Place a frame around this, but don't include the glass or Plexiglas frame. You'll add this later. Some people prefer to use "bulldog" clips to keep the mat together instead of putting the picture in the frame. The picture can be framed after the wedding.

Most couples choose a nice photo of themselves for this picture/guestbook option, although if there's a formal engagement photo, this is an excellent way to preserve that photo and show it off to friends and family. If photos are taken before the wedding with the bride and groom in their wedding attire, you can certainly use this photo. Many couples opt to either leave the mat empty or they place a temporary picture in the mat and add a wedding picture later.

Be sure to have a nice Sharpie marker handy and place the picture on either a sturdy easel or on a table where guests are sure to see it.

Another option is instead of providing a picture of the bride and groom to sign, the guests are provided with a picture of themselves! Simply provide a Polaroid camera and assign someone the job of taking pictures of the guests as they arrive at the reception. Once the picture is dry, provide a Sharpie and they can sign the picture, make a note to the bride and groom or hand draw a silly picture. It can be whatever the guest wants it to be. This is a unique, and personal, way for guests to "sign in" at the wedding.

Whoever handles the taking of the pictures should also handle putting them in an album of some sort. A scrap booker might provide a special memory book with the Polaroid pictures in it, or the pictures can simply be placed in a nice album and presented later to the bride and groom.

Many guests don't give a great deal of thought to the guest book. They whiz by the guest book table more concerned with getting their cocktail and hitting the dance floor. If this is a concern, provide a "traveling" guest book. Send each guest something either to sign or decorate before the wedding.

In this "traveling" guest book scenario, there are several options. One of the easiest is to send each guest a small piece of paper and ask them to write something meaningful or thoughtful for the bride and groom on it. The pieces of paper are returned prior to the wedding (to ensure a better response, provide a self-addressed stamped envelope with the paper) and can be compiled in some meaningful way for the bride and groom and presented to them on their wedding day.

If the guest list is a creative or particularly close group, there is one other option that is even more meaningful. Again, in a scrapbook fashion, send each guest a piece of paper to sign or decorate. The paper should be the size of a photo album, so it might be a 6 x 6 piece of paper, an 8 x 8 piece of paper, or even 12 x 12, if the guests are up to that larger size.

In a letter that arrives with the paper, the guests are instructed to create a memory page for the bride and groom. They might include photos, quotes, little anecdotal stories, or combine all of these with stickers or embellishments. It's thoughtful, meaningful and personal and it's an excellent way to include guests who might not be able to attend the wedding, but would still like to be a part of it.

Wedding planning goes on the Web

With friends and family headed to her California wedding from all over, bride-to-be Carrie Shields decided that online organization was key.

?Really the wedding website was one of the first things we did,? the 32-year-old public relations director from San Diego said. Shields is marrying R.J. Jones, 36, who was born and raised in Wales. Their April wedding in Napa Valley comes four years after they met through friends.

?I knew people were going to have a lot of questions about what to do and how to get there,? Shields said. ?I wanted to make it fun and personal. I kind of jumped right on things, because people were traveling so far.?

Wedding experts at TheKnot.com and its partner, WeddingChannel.com, say this year?s annual survey found 64 percent of brides now have a website to share details with guests about ceremony and reception logistics, registry information and travel accommodations. Web companies exist that allow couples to host wedding sites for free, while others charge a fee for access to fancier templates and tools.

The page Shields created has a personal and creative flair. It features a blue and orange frame with a brown background. The happy couple smile from behind sunglasses on a beach. A counter below them lets visitors know it?s ?151 days until our wedding!?

?A lot of the people coming over, they?ve never been to America,? Shields said. ?I?m going to add a little bit about things to do in San Francisco, trying to take the guesswork out of it.?

Experts at WeddingWire.com recommend that couples launch their website at least six months before the wedding date to give guests as much information as early as possible. That allows enough time to make travel arrangements. WeddingWire also offers other online tools, including a program that lets guests RSVP directly from the website.

Carley Roney, editor and founder of TheKnot.com, said her site and WeddingChannel.com together host more than 500,000 wedding websites for couples.

?It?s a simple, easy way of communication,? Roney said. ?It?s really like going to the website for a restaurant or a concert event. Everything is in one place.?

That?s why more wedding website addresses are appearing in fancy fonts on the bottom of printed invitations.

?You?re going to want to give the same information you always needed to have on an invitation: the name, location, time of event,? Roney said. But things like dress code or baby-sitting services can be saved for the website.

Some sites let couples upload music or an audio track of their voices, video, animated graphics, or polls asking guests what songs to play or which appetizers to serve.

To personalize her website, Shields added a glossary of Welsh and American words, and photos of the 20-member wedding party.

Couples who choose WeddingChannel.com to host their websites can choose from templates by high-fashion designers like Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang.

?You still want to make the investment in it to make it uniquely you,? Roney said. ?Just like you do on the wedding day.?

Roney offers three tips for setting up a wedding website:

Don?t assume your audience is only younger friends, and remember your etiquette. ?You want to keep things ?wedding- and older-people friendly,? ? Roney said. ?You don?t want to go on and on forever. You don?t want to put things like, ?please ship our gifts to.? Some of the etiquette that is wrong for wedding invitations is wrong for this too. To be making specific demands of your guests isn?t appropriate.?

Include your registry information. According to TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com survey, about 61 percent of guests find out where a couple is registered from their wedding website ? a figure that has grown from 47 percent in 2008. ?It really is becoming the absolute de facto way that guests are going to find out where you?re registered,? Roney said. ?It used to be that brides were worried it was tacky, but it?s simply not tacky. It?s how it?s done now.?

Get the word out. Don?t just create and publish the website and assume everyone knows it exists. ?Send the information directly to your guests,? sometimes more than once, Roney said. ?You can?t assume that something you put on your website was acknowledged by all.?

Online: http://www.theknot.com

View the original article here

Wedding and rumor

By: Mike Sommer

Yesterday was Nick Swisher’s wedding day. I had to laugh when I read one comment that stated something like this— “Instead of the wife  mashing his face with the wedding cake, was it A.J. instead?”. Mrs. Swisher is the actress Joanna Garcia.

Nick with the now Mrs. Swishalicious.

Regarding Swisher, could you see him like that at the wedding,
with the cake plastered in his face, courtesy of Burnett?
Considering his beautiful wife, he’d probably raise his arms in
triumph exactly as he is doing here. I would.

Rumors all day yesterday. Twitter was nuts with people saying Lee staying, Lee going, press conference at this time, etc. The only thing is, when you went to a legitimate source, there was nothing. Nada. Nothing from Madden, Feinsand, Sherman, Rosenthal, Davidoff, Gammons, Yankees PR, Jack Curry, Murti, Kim Jones —you name it. Nada.

But some bozo says he knows the details and there will be a 5:45 CST press conference to announce blah, blah, blah? Of course said bozos list no sources and have no credibility. But Twitter goes nuts.

How about waiting for a legitimate source to tweet something?

Meanwhile, the wait is making this Yankees fan nervous. I mean, if you don’t want to jump at 7, $160 (or whatever), what are you waiting for? It seems like Lee is trying to find a way to stay in Texas, but having trouble doing so. Just my opinion though. Like I’d know what he’s thinking. I obviously don’t and neither do the Twitter Clowns.     

I wouldn’t take too much out of Washington’s statement that in his gut he thinks Lee is staying. I mean, what do you want him to say? He’s Texas’ manager. Did you really expect him to sit there and break down crying like a teenage girl whose boyfriend dumped her the night before the prom?  

Sommer Frieze is a blog dedicated (mainly) to the Yankees. I'll touch on other things as well and the blog (as much as possible) will not only have Yankees news but also follow the Yanks' farm teams. Come visit at Sommer Frieze.

No comments yet.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

View the original article here

Facebook funds a £20,000 wedding

13 December 2010 Last updated at 13:38 Shaun and Emma were engaged for 14 years before tying the knot on Saturday A couple have got married after a friend's Facebook campaign raised £20,000 to pay for their wedding.

Emma Collins, 31, and Shaun Parsons, 38, from Abertridwr near Caerphilly, were engaged for 14 years but could not afford a big wedding.

When the couple lost a radio competition for a free wedding friend Jenee Gatehouse set up a Facebook group to appeal for help.

Donations ranged from rings, reception, stretch limo to the wedding cake.

Emma, who tied the knot on Saturday, said: "It was absolutely fantastic."

Teaching assistant Emma, 31, and truck driver Shaun, 38, got engaged on Emma's 17th birthday in 1996.

But the pair, parents to 13-year-old twins McCaulley and Paige and 10-year-old Chloe, could never afford the big wedding Emma had always wanted.

They even entered a radio competition for a free wedding and made it to the final.

Shaun and Emma were engaged for 14 years before tying the knot on Saturday

But when they were pipped into second place they were devastated.

Best friend Jenee Gatehouse said that when she decided to set up a group on the social networking website Facebook to raise funds for the couple to have their dream wedding.

'Dream wedding'

"I thought every girl should have her special day, so why not try and do it for Emma."

Donations flooded in from across the community including the offer of regency building Llancayo House near Usk, Monmouthshire as a reception venue.

Further donations included catering for the wedding, photography for the big day, the wedding cake, a stretch limo to ferry bride and groom on the day, a wedding DJ, disco and marquee.

Speaking to ITV's Daybreak, the new Mrs Parsons said: "I've always wanted the big dream wedding, a Christmas wedding, a big dress. It was perfect."

"I keep signing Emma Collins and it's meant to be Emma Parsons now!"

View the original article here

Overnight Wedding Reception Ideas

Some brides these days are turning wedding receptions on their head and creating super long receptions that run through the night and into the morning. If this is you, planning some activities for those long nighttime hours is essential.

Generally, if an all-night reception is planned, it goes something like this: the wedding is held in the early evening and reception follows. By about midnight, many of the guests will have left and the group that is remaining (generally the younger guests, but not always) will continue to dance and party and revel into the early morning hours. At some point, breakfast will be provided and everyone will go home to crash.

Why do you need activities for such a reception? The answer is simple. You want to keep people entertained through the nighttime hours, you want to keep them at the reception and not let them give in to driving home to crash and sleep and you want to provide them with a real party. Let's face it: if they are willing to hang in with you for the duration, they deserve something for their effort.

First, you need to be fairly organized about the activities you plan. Consult with your DJ about these activities and leave it to him or her to keep things on a schedule. Do not plan to cut cake in the middle of the night. That activity should take place during the more traditional evening hours, so those not intending to stay all night can leave. However, if you're determined to keep your guests all night, you could hold one activity back with the hope it will keep guests in the house longer.

Depending on your guest list, you might hold off on the father-daughter dance until after midnight, or you could save a few toasts for the late night hours. In any event, having some other fun events is a great idea.

As guests begin to fade, bring in a piñata, which you can find shaped like a wedding ring, a bridal dress or a champagne flute. Fill it with a variety of goodies. Candy is always popular, but you could also fill it with silly toys found in the carnival section of the party store. Have the DJ play a spirited song and let everyone have a chance at the piñata. Do this on the dance floor and really let people have a swing at it. There should be plenty of room. Once the piñata breaks, everyone can enjoy a taste of sweet candy or can enjoy some silly little carnival game or toy.

People who stay for the duration of the wedding are going to need a rest. Plan a photo presentation or video viewing for this purpose. You could have someone who's familiar with PowerPoint create a photo presentation or have someone put together a video of photos. Do this around 2 or 3 am and have it last a good half hour to 45 minutes. This gives everyone a chance to sit down and relax and also gives the DJ a chance to sit, have a rest and rejuvenate for the next round.

In that same vein of allowing the guests a little relaxation, one activity that some brides employ is a non-activity. If the weddig is outside, you can provide inflatable mattresses and have some torches lit. If guests ant to sit down and relax, they can do so on the mattresses and still be part of the activity while resting. If it's been a long day and someone needs to rest, those reception room chairs don't seem the most comfortable. If the reception is indoors, think about providing large pillows for guests to sit on or create a corner with inflatable mattresses and lots of fabric. This can be a chatting area where people can go to rest but still be part of the fun. They can chat and catch up with other guests and then head back for more partying when they're rejuvenated.

Memorial's Logan Wedding flips script, beats Pike Central rival

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press Memorial wrestler Logan Wedding, top, tries to turn Pike Central's Cody Kendle during the final 119-pound match at the Reitz Memorial High School Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday in Evansville. Wedding won the match by a 10-5 decision.

Logan Wedding's 119-pound final with Pike Central senior Cody Kendle wasn't going to mean much in the team chase at the Memorial Wrestling Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

With 10 wrestlers in the finals, Wedding's Tigers were a lock to hold off Louisville (Ky.) Saint Xavier for the title.

But it mattered greatly to Wedding, a sophomore, because the undefeated Kendle was a measuring stick on many fronts.

Memorial wrestler Logan Wedding flips Pike Central's Cody Kendle onto his back during the final 119-pound match at the Reitz Memorial High School Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday in Evansville. Wedding won the match by a 10-5 decision.

Kendle had finished seventh in the state as a junior and had beaten Wedding last year in the Memorial Invitational finals at 112.

"It was 20-11," said Wedding without a second's hesitation when asked the score. "He was up 6-4 going into the third period and I started trying to throw him. I let him get into my head and I didn't wrestle my match. I couldn't let that happen again."

After a scoreless first period, Wedding started the second period with an escape and a 1-0 lead. Then he got in on a leg for a takedown and a 3-0 lead.

"I hit a low (John) Smith single," said Wedding. "After that I knew I just had to stay in good position when we were on the mat because he's real physical and stay low (when they were on their feet) because he's a good thrower."

Kendle got two reversals to keep the match close, but Wedding tipped him early in the third period and went on to earn a 10-5 decision.

"Once you get two or three points behind a talented and experienced wrestler you're in trouble," said Pike Central coach Billy Hewig, the former Reitz standout. "All props to Wedding. He looked good out there.

"But we're OK. Cody tends to start slow and then gets better as the season progresses. He's needs to pick up on a few things he missed, work harder and come back stronger. Chances are, we'll see (Wedding) again."

Wedding became one of eight champions for Memorial, which also won with Hunter Arney at 103, Ben Johnson at 125, Matthew Bevers at 135, Roy Whetstine at 145, Matthew Prasek at 152, Ryan Sandwith at 189 and Ryan Guerrettaz at 215.

The only other local winner was Harrison sophomore Mathew Mastison, who won by pin at 112.

"We were pretty happy overall," said Memorial coach Larry Mattingly. "We don't see a lot of these teams anywhere else so you really don't know what to expect.

"But we knew we needed to wrestle better than we did Wednesday when Mater Dei came in here and handed it to us pretty good (in a 52-10 loss). But coach (Matt) Coughlin ran some pretty good practices Thursday and Friday to show us what we needed to work on and it helped today."

Wedding credited the coaches, too.

"They gave us some goals coming in like scoring more than 275 points (Memorial finished with 288.5 compared to 215.5 for St. X) and recording 25 pins as a team," said Wedding. "We were able to do those things because they kept us focused between rounds and everybody responded."

View the original article here

Sarah Palin, tigers for Auckland's own big fat Indian wedding

MICHAEL FIELD - Sunday Star Times

A big fat Indian wedding is being staged in Auckland next month, complete with lions, tigers, perhaps an elephant or two and a guest list that includes American right-wing idols Sarah Palin and Donald Rumsfeld.

The wedding of Auckland doctor Pooja Chitgopeker to Chicago industrialist Vikram Aditya Kumar will also run to a four-horse chariot, one of India's leading singers and cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble.

It will be carried on one of India's top television programmes, My Big Fat Indian Wedding.

Pooja's mother Aruna, who admits she is being seriously stressed by the organisation of it all, has no doubt it's the perfect thing to do for the eldest of her two children.

"It is good to have something unique and special," she told the Sunday Star-Times.

"We don't just want an ordinary wedding, we wanted something totally unique."

They've hired the Formosa Golf Club for January 6-8 and have had designers create a Rajasthan setting in which the groom will ride in on the chariot to meet his former beauty queen bride.

"He arrives like a king or a prince," Aruna said. The 40 groomsmen will arrive in nine helicopters flying in formation over Auckland. "Ideally, we wanted to hire an island for three days because we've got up to 400 people coming from overseas," Aruna said.

They couldn't get an island close enough with accommodation, so the guests have booked out the Langham instead.

They are having trouble finding an elephant. "We have tigers and lions. We have all that sorted. There are rules and regulations, they are not going to be let loose, they will be in special cages.

"It is quite overwhelming, it is all exciting and there is so much to do. There is a bit of a nervous feeling, being such a high-end wedding, as well."

Pooja, who graduated last month from Auckland University medical school, was born in England but spent most of her childhood here. As a teenager she won an Indian beauty contest here, going on to take the international titles in India. Hoping to become a plastic surgeon, she is now with her husband-to-be in Chicago.

It's not an arranged wedding. "It's a love marriage. We are in this century."

It will be a Hindu wedding, and the families are praying furiously for fine weather after they ruled out alternative venues in Jaipur or Miami.

Pooja's father, Mohan Chigopeker, is a doctor who served as team doctor for both the Indian and New Zealand cricket teams.

Kumar, who was born in Chicago, is CEO-in-waiting of family-owned Autotech Viktron Group, a Bangalore-based world leader in computer circuit boards.

As for the guest list, Aruna was not too sure who had RSVP'd yet. Palin and Rumsfeld – Kumar family friends and supporters – had received their invitations, as have PM John Key and mayor Len Brown.

In a rare change for exclusive weddings, the media is also invited.

michael.field@fairfaxmedia.co.nz

View the original article here