If you want to follow tradition, you would probably go for the three tiered cake covered in icing. However, today, there are tons of choices to pick from. You can even let your creativity come into play and design your own cake! Here are some things to consider when thinking about your wedding cake.

Size. How big do you want your cake to be? How many guests are you going to invite? Aside from that, you should also consider if you are going to have friends who won’t be able to make it to the wedding – you may want to send them some cake afterwards.

Design. Once you have decided on the size, the design is vital to the “success” of your cake. As I mentioned earlier, you can follow the traditional design or you may opt for something else. Wedding magazines are a good venue to get some ideas. Visit different cake shops and look at their collection as well. If you have a specific idea of what you want your cake to look like, then it is easier for you. Just take your idea to the baker and see if he can make it.

Flavor. Of course, the wedding cake is meant for more than decoration. It is going to be eaten. As such, it has to taste good. There are really no restrictions anymore as to the flavor of wedding cakes. If you prefer a certain flavor then go for it. Though wedding cakes used to be white and thus vanilla flavored, there is no stopping you from having a chocolate cake. You can even have cheesecake, mousse, or any other flavor under the sun!

Just remember, decide on your wedding cake at least a month before the wedding. Many bakers require that orders be placed months in advance. Otherwise, you might have to settle for something ready made and not really to your taste.

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First and foremost, request for a tasting. This should not be a problem, especially if the baker specializes in wedding cakes. You should know what you will be buying and therefore should have a taste of what the baker has to offer. Many bakers will offer you a range of frostings and flavors to choose from – do not hesitate, taste all of them until you know which one you want for your own wedding cake.

If you have a specific design in mind, then inquire with the baker if they will accommodate your request. These days, one popular design for cakes is to put an image on the surface. Perhaps you want a picture of you and your partner imprinted on the cake – ask if that is possible. Better that you know if the baker is capable of carrying out your ideas on the outset than having to change your mind later on.

Also ask to see the portfolio of the baker. That is, see if he has pictures of the other wedding cakes that he has baked. This will give you a clear idea of his work and whether you like it or not.

Don’t forget practical matters such as cake preparation. When will he bake the cake? The best time frame is at the most 2 days before the wedding. Ask him if the offer delivery and set up services. This will lessen the load on you on your wedding day. Ask about extra charges, if any. These may apply for extra decorations on the cake such as cake tops and pillars. If so, make it clear whether they should be returned or not. If it is the former, inquire as to costs if the decorations somehow get damaged. Last, have your agreement in writing and signed.

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A wedding journal is one way to make your memories even more tangible. Later on down the road, you would certainly appreciate going down memory lane and revisiting one of the most momentous occasions in your life. How do you go about making your own wedding journal?

Why not start at the moment you get engaged? Go to your local bookstore or crafts shop and pick out a blank journal. Of course, you may not be able to carry this with you at all times so it would be a good idea to have a scratch pad handy to take around with you. This way, you can write your thoughts and feelings any time you want to. Later on, you can transfer these into your journal. You can even turn it into a scrap book and add photos and other memorabilia. You will be sure to have tons of these as you plan your wedding.

What can you write in your wedding journal? Starting from your engagement, you can write about the proposal and your feelings about that. Later on, you can write about events and happenings related to your wedding planning. From the choosing of the venue, the theme, the people involved, and more, you can jot all these down and document your activities.

So what is the point in keeping a wedding journal? After all, you may be thinking, the wedding ceremony itself will be well documented with videos and pictures. Still, a wedding is not a stand alone event. As you probably already know, a wedding is the result of months of planning. You would probably go through a lot – both good and bad – in the months prior to your wedding. Documenting these times may even be more precious as time passes by. More so, writing things down can help alleviate some of the stress that you will surely be undergoing. Much like other journals, let your wedding journal be your outlet in times of pressure.

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Another trend with weddings has something to do with giving back to the environment or humanity in general. We talked about organic weddings a few posts back – these fall under this trend. Awareness of social and environmental issues has grown over the years. Weddings have not escaped this trend. As such, we are seeing more of environmental weddings, weddings wherein favors and gifts are given to charitable causes and the like. If you are the type to lean towards good causes, then this trend is definitely the one for you.

Going back to clothes and decorations, one of the most popular themes includes the use of embellishments such as embroidery and lace. The more intricate and delicate the décor, the better it is. However, these decorations are not only limited to the bride’s and bridesmaids’ gowns but can also be applied to table cloths, runners, and even to invitations and other decorations used in the wedding. Along these lines, dresses used for weddings tend towards having sleeves. This is because sleeves can be made from lace and other similar materials.

What about entertainment? This is the trend for this year as well. Usually, the cocktail hour is spent for photography sessions and guests milling around. Now, it is made more enjoyable by having live music and other forms of entertainment. Some of the more interesting forms of entertainment that have been used for this purpose are flamenco dancers and other traditional or exotic performances, impersonators, fortune tellers, and even fire eaters.

A note before we end, these are only trends. It does not mean that you have to follow what other people are doing. If you have your own ideas in mind, then put them into reality by all means!

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding trends, 2007 weddings, destination weddings

First trend: glam. Yes indeed, glamorous weddings are in this year. Say goodbye to the simple and quiet wedding. The trend this year is to shout it out to the rest of the world and let everyone know about your wedding. Elegance and sophistication are the themes for this year’s weddings. Then again, this is just a trend and it does not mean that you should follow it. Good for those who have a taste for the glamorous, though!

Second trend: pay particular attention to the back of the wedding dress. Common sense will tell us that most of the time, the wedding guests will be seeing the back of the bride as she will be facing the minister. As such, the trend is for embellished backs. No matter which style you choose for your dress, try to add a little more detail and flair to the back of your gown.

Third trend: go for something that will make a statement. This is in regard to the color theme for the wedding ceremony. From the bride’s gown and the groom’s suit to the flowers and decorations, the trend is to use rich and bold colors such as purple, gold, orange, and the like. Gone are the days of cute and sweet pastels. Of course, you have to choose something that you actually like. More than that, make sure the color of your gown will suit your skin tone as well. Making a statement does not mean that you should not take your aesthetics into consideration as well.

Fourth trend: be square! Being square is a good thing, when it comes to tables that is. Round and rectangular tables for the reception are not the in thing this year, mainly because square tables facilitate interaction among the guests better. More than that, it is easier to plan the layout of the reception area when using square tables. Adding decorations are also better with square tables.

Let us take a look at some more trends in the next post.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding trends, 2007 wedding, June wedding

Of course the first thing should be which beach to hold your wedding at. There are thousands of beaches all over the world but you can only make use of one. As such, you have to choose the perfect location for your wedding. If you live in Florida or California, or any other place with good beaches, then you are in luck. If you live inland then you would have to consider traveling to the beach you favor. That would make your wedding a destination wedding. Whatever you decide on, the important thing is that you pick the location which suits you perfectly.

Another thing that you have to consider is the cost. This actually stems from the fact that you might have to hold your wedding at a place quite far from your home. This would apply especially to those who are going to hold a destination wedding. Travel expenses, lodging, licenses and permits, and of course the food, flowers, and other normal wedding expenses are all part of this consideration.

You also have to put a little more time into planning the whole thing. The time is one important consideration. Do you want to say your vows under a perfect beach sunset? Or maybe you want to hold it early in the morning under the soft rays of the sun. Whichever you may prefer, check the local weather patterns and other related reports so as to avoid any inadvertent events.

Your outfit – and the rest of the wedding party’s as well – would have to be tailor made to suit a beach wedding. Getting married on the beach may be one of the most romantic things on earth but there are other practical considerations too. Try walking on the sand in high heels and you will know what I mean. That is only one thing, actually. In the next post, I’ll share some more tips for a beach wedding in detail.
[tags]weddings, destination weddings, June weddings, beach weddings[tags]

The main theme revolves around three concepts: recycle, re-use, and reduce. It is pretty much a wedding exalting the environment. We have to admit, with the environmental crisis that we are all facing, this is a very way to go about planning a June wedding.

As this concept is fairly new, it would be a good idea to get hold of a wedding consultant who has had some degree of experience in planning green weddings – which is actually an alternative term for organic weddings. They are basically wedding consultants who know all about the traditional ways of planning weddings with the plus of being environment conscious.

One other important consideration in planning an organic wedding is the venue. More than looking for a romantic venue, a couple wanting a green wedding should also consider other factors such as the presence of recycling containers, the use (or actually the “un-use”) of chemical pesticides for the lawn and other greenery, and the like. You can also further contribute to the conservation of the environment by arranging transport for your guests so as to cut back on fuel consumption and emissions as well. Other ideas for a venue would include places that promote the environment. Museums, botanical gardens, and eco-friendly resorts are a few options.

You should also take into consideration the materials to be used for your wedding rings, jewelry, and wedding gown. Fair trade diamonds, traditional crafts, antique jewelry are a few ideas. As for the wedding gown and the groom’s attire, you can consider local designers or dressmakers who make use of natural materials. Keeping in mind the concept of re-using, why not consider wearing your mother’s old wedding gown? If you want to take it one step further, go to eBay and find a used one (this might not be a very attractive idea for some, I know).

The fact is that there are so many ways in which you can apply the three concepts mentioned above. It is up to you and your creativity.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding planning, wedding themes, June wedding, organic wedding, green wedding

For one, the Romans placed special attention to June weddings because that month was the time when they paid special obeisance to Juno, the goddess of marriage. As such, getting married in June was deemed lucky. We all know how the gods of the ancient times were very much involved in day to day living. On the other hand, it was not all luck and superstition that had it going for June weddings. It also had a practical aspect to it. If a couple got married in June, it meant that if the wife conceived, she would give birth before harvest time. This translated to the fact that she would be well enough to work the fields come harvest time.

There you are – the nitty gritty stuff about June weddings. With time, however, these reasons faded into the background. People of the modern times merely held on to the tradition that June is a good time to get married and that there is no other more romantic month than this. I have been trying to come up with modern reasons for June being the wedding month. I have done research and racked my brains but to no avail. Unfortunately, I think it is all based on the age old tradition which many do not know about now.

No matter what the reason may be though, June weddings are still quite popular today (though probably not as much as before). With the month of June just peeking around the corner, countless couples are probably getting ready for their own wedding. Their reasons may vary but the fact remains that June is still the prime month for weddings. In the next few posts, let us look into different topics relating to weddings held in June. Though it may be a bit late to plan your own wedding for this June, it will only be a matter of time till the next June comes around.

Technorati Tags: weddings, June weddings, wedding planning, wedding tradition

You need not be a rocket scientist to figure out that your personal computer and the Internet will be quite useful when it comes to planning your wedding. Planning your wedding using your PC can be as simple as getting ideas from various sites (such as this one). Your research can be general or very specific, depending on what you want and need. One thing that you can do online when planning your wedding is to get passages for readings, vows, invitations, and the like. You can get these passages for free or even modify them to suit your tastes better.

One very useful thing that the Internet has to offer when it comes to planning your wedding has to do with wedding gowns, tuxedos, and even the whole wardrobe of the wedding party! You can get ideas for designs and themes from various web sites online. You can then either order clothes online or print out the designs and have someone else make them for you. Other vital elements of a wedding can be found online as well. These include wedding singers, bands, DJs, ministers, venues, florists, caterers, and more.

More than these resources mentioned above, you can also find online wedding planner software that will make your planning much easier and more organized. Some of the programs are free while others may cost a minimal fee. What can these programs do for you? Different software have different features of course, however, the general idea behind wedding planning software is to give you a calendar and a check list by which you can monitor the tasks that you need to complete before the wedding as well as the time frame that you have.

It is true that countless people have planned weddings over the centuries without the help of the computer and the Internet. Yet it would be playing ostrich not to recognize what technology has to offer the bride and the groom. Just imagine how much easier and more organized it will be for you. So why not do some research and see if there is software that can help you?