1/24/08

Planning An Interfaith Marriage


(MS) - While a person's wedding day is a time for celebration, as any bride and groom know, the day itself and the months leading up to the big event can be stressful.

Such stress is often heightened for couples in which each person is from a different religious background. Whereas such couples used to be rare, studies continue to show that interfaith marriages are on the rise. In the 2001 American Religious Identification Survery, nearly 25 percent of all couples responding were in Interfaith marriages.

Interfaith couples need to do extra work with respect to their wedding day, taking care of certain matters that, for couples of the same faith, needn't be discussed. For interfaith couples, the following tips should help ease the stress of the big day.

· Determine what's most important: Despite being raised in a particular faith, many adults either don't regularly attend religious ceremonies or consider themselves as practicing a particular religion. In fact, a 2005 survey titled "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns," found that 39 percent of Americans considered themselves either agnostics (claiming no belief or disbelief in God) or atheists (claiming disbelief in God). For interfaith couples about to get married, it's important to truly consider one's beliefs. Bride and groom should examine how meaningul their faith is to them, and what they can live with or without in a wedding ceremony.

· Attend a service, be it a wedding or weekly service, from each faith: Knowledge is a great mediator when deciding how to conduct an interfaith ceremony. Learn as much as possible about each other's faith and traditions. Attending a service or ceremony might even open your eyes to an element of your partner's faith that you find appealing and might want to include in the ceremony. In addition, knowing about a partner's faith will help you better understand their thought process when planning the ceremony.

· Consider two ceremonies: Sometimes one or both persons decide their faith is very important so that they insist on a traditional ceremony being performed. This isn't all that uncommon, and can appease the families of both people getting married, as couples won't run the risk of leaving something important out of the ceremony.
RECOMMENDED READING:

1/22/08

Finding the Best Caterer



Author:
Kathleen


Finding the best caterer is one of the most important parts of wedding planning. Recommendations from family, friends and co-workers are a good place to start. Then select a minimum of 5 to 6 caterers that you would like to interview.

A good place to start is to find their cuisine specialties. A caterer who specializes in Italian cooking may not be the best with an all Asian cuisine menu. Is he/she flexible enough to adapt to your needs? If the bride and groom, for example, are health conscious, can a large variety of pasta and vegetarian entrees be served? These interviews will help determine which caterer is the most professional, enthusiastic and experienced in their field.

Asking for pictures of past wedding receptions and a list of satisfied customers will also help your determination. Call the names on the list, making sure to ask if there were any problems, or food and service that was less than satisfactory. Look for attractive and creative buffet designs and table arrangements in the photos of recent events.

The ideal caterer will be able to offer you the following:

· Information about licenses, health permits, and insurance

· Written contract and guarantee

· A fixed price not subject to change

· Deposit and final payment dates

· Terms for refunds/postponement/cancellation

· Food tastings

· Cost of bartender, corkage fees, and liquor

· Cost-per-person of a buffet compared to a sit-down dinner

· Information about the number of staff, gratuities, and overtime charges

· Providing for the wedding cake

· Recommending other wedding related professionals

You can find more information about catering online. At
http://www.findcatering.com/, you will find a directory of major cities in the United States. Click on the appropriate city and you will find information on local catering companies. Posting a request on a bridal forum may also give you advice about reputable caterers in your area.




Fun Links Spotlight:

1/19/08

Wedding Dresses - How to Shop for your Wedding Dress


Wedding Dress Discount


Author: Cori Locklin

You have done the research. You're an expert on ballgown silhouettes and sweetheart necklines. Now the time has finally arrived wedding dress shopping day! But like the rest of the wedding planning process, shopping for a wedding dress is slightly more complex than shopping for your basic pair of slacks. Know what to expect before you hit the stores! First, you must decide where you are going to shop; here are the most common options:

Independently Owned Full Service Bridal Shops

These stores offer a full range of services for the bride and the wedding party, with designers and prices ranging from moderate to high-end. While off-the-rack is possible, these stores typically special-order wedding gowns for brides and attendants, so you should be prepared to wait a few months for your gown to arrive. You will mostly likely be able to purchase all of your bridal accessories, such as shoes, veils, undergarments and jewelry, and an in-store seamstress will consult with you on custom alterations.

Couture Bridal Shops

Couture bridal shops represent a subsection of independently owned full service bridal shops. Offering the same range of services, they carry exclusive designer labels at higher-end prices. These bridal boutiques are usually found in major cities.

Department Stores

Department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and JC Penny offer wedding gowns, while others such as Lord & Taylor and Hecht's only offer bridesmaid dresses. These gowns are usually bought off-the-rack; however, your wedding dress may be specially ordered from another store if your size is not in stock. Most of these stores offer in-house alterations.

Discount Bridal Outlets

Discount bridal outlets offer a mix of discontinued national brands and privately labeled merchandise at reduced prices. While you will not find the same level of service found at privately owned bridal shops, you may be able to find the designer wedding dress of your dreams at an affordable price. Dresses are bought off-the-rack, so you may take the gown home the day your purchase it. Since these stores typically do not offer on-site alterations, make sure you can find a trusted seamstress.

Nationwide Bridal Chain Stores

Bridal chain stores manufacture, import, and sell their own private label wedding gowns. While the style selection is more limited than in other types of stores, the prices are usually lower. Be prepared for a lower level of service and little sales assistance, but the ability to buy off the rack at a reasonable price can be a good option for short engagements.

Custom Gown Designers

For a one-of-a-kind wedding gown, you can collaborate with a custom gown designer to specially create a wedding dress just for you. You can find such gown designers in most major cities. Be sure to select a designer whose vision you appreciate and trust.

What to expect once you're in the shop:

� Make an appointment, and, if possible, try to shop during a weekday. You will receive more attentive service if your sales associate can dedicate his/her time especially for you.

� Consider bringing the lingerie that you will wear at the wedding. This will help you determine exactly how the wedding dress will look and feel on the big day.

� Bring someone with you whose opinion you respect and trust, but avoid bringing an entire brigade of "experts." Too many opinions will distract you.

� Many bridal boutiques will not simply allow you to browse through the selection of wedding dresses; rather they will bring gowns to you one at a time. At these boutiques, a sales associate will sit down with you to discuss your style and will bring you dresses that reflect your vision.

� That said, allow them to bring you many styles. While you may have an idea of what you want, you never know what looks best on your body style until you try it.

� Most likely, you will not try on dresses in your actual size. Stores typically carry sample sizes (8-10), and the sales associate will pin it to your body.

� Remember that you will have to be fitted - up to 3 times - before your wedding dress fits perfectly. If the store has an in-house seamstress, ask for an alterations estimate.

� Wedding dresses tend to run small, so be prepared to order a size that is larger than you normally wear.

� Go with your gut! If you need to be convinced that a wedding dress looks good on you, it's probably not "the one."

� If there is a specific feature you want changed, you can usually request it. Keep in mind that any design changes will increase the cost of the wedding gown.

� When determining the cost of your wedding dress, remember to factor in the cost for the veil, which can run up to $500 and beyond, and other accessories such as shoes, headpiece etc.

� Sleep on it. Most stores have a no return policy, so you need to be sure before making your final decision.

� Once you have found "the dress" and made your final decision, you will usually pay a 50% deposit on the dress.

� Afterwards - the store will take your measurements to order size - don't be tempted to order one too small in hopes of losing weight.

� Remember that the dress usually takes a few months to be made, so make sure you leave enough time for alterations.



My Favorite Wedding Resouces:

Create your own Wedding Website!

Buy Bridal Lingerie at HerRoom.com

Wedding Dress Discount- Learn how you can get 75% off your wedding dress.


More Great Wedding Advice articles
Merry Brides
Ultimate Brides
Fun Weddings
Weddings by Ashlee


For a complete guide to creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit http://www.elegala.com/, your ultimate wedding planning resource.


This article is free for republishing Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_63129_41.html
Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for Elegala.com and Elegala Magazine (and a recent bride!). Elegala is a new wedding planning resource offering a comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and their recommended vendors, along with planning articles, expert advice, checklists and photo galleries. http://www.elegala.com