Customized Weddings – How to do things your way, on your Budget

There's something ridiculous and slightly insulting about the idea that a wedding has to look like a magazine cover. After all, who's getting married, you or the advertisers? There's almost nothing worse than a "Brand X" wedding, conducted at hideous expense, and completely devoid of character. This is the Day of Days, and its not an off-the- rack event.

Anyone would think that there was some sort of law requiring newlyweds to put up with unbelievable prices, third-rate catering and getting gouged on a daily basis for even the most minimal requirements of their wedding. It's actually quite easy to create your own beautiful wedding, without people removing your bone marrow in the process.

Customized weddings are very easy to organize. These aren't "DIY" weddings. Customized weddings are based on giving control back to the wedding organizers and providing as many good options as possible for wedding planners. It is actually pretty easy to organize a wedding, and save a fortune while you're at it. 

Custom Weddings, Basics

Having control means controlling costs and controlling quality. Wedding planners operate on a strictly controlled budget, and so can you. It's really quite easy to pin down costs, when you know how.

The basic elements of a custom wedding are: 

Location: You can hold your wedding anywhere you feel like holding it, and that includes the reception. You can choose the most beautiful, meaningful place to hold your wedding ceremony and in many cases there is no cost at all involved apart from the cost of getting there. Marriage celebrants are usually pretty flexible, and unless you want to conduct your wedding vows while hang gliding, there should be no problem. 

Wedding guest numbers: The number of wedding guests is actually one of the main costs of holding a wedding. This number is scalable, and to avoid hurting anyone's feelings you can invite people left out of the ceremony to the reception. As a matter of fact, for the best effect, inviting fewer people is usually much better idea. Having a "wedding in a crowd" can be unnerving experience, and the bride and groom it rushed off their feet talking to large numbers of people. 

Catering: Catering really does not have to cost a fortune. Some of the most expensive catering is also some of the worst. If you've ever seen one of those "wedding dinners" in which a tadpole and a sprig of parsley are referred to as a meal, you'll appreciate exactly how much of a rip-off this type of catering actually is. Any competent caterer can provide good food and plenty of it, at reasonable prices. Shop around until you have pinned down exact costs and quality of food and drink. 

Wedding Dresses: One of the greatest wedding myths of all time is the one which says the bride must go broke to have a decent wedding dress. That's simply ridiculous. Any professional dressmaker can produce a perfectly good wedding dress, designed to your tastes, at a reasonable price, using the materials you want. The same applies to the dresses for bridesmaids.

Weddings are personal. So are the costs and quality issues. Just remember – You are entitled to get what you want. You don't have to settle for anything less.

Things to look at when marrying a person based Abroad

India is the land of arranged marriages where even modern and highly educated guys and girls prefer to marry the girl or guy of their parent’s choice. For such arranged marriages guys settled abroad are of great demand. But many times parents do not verify the credentials of the groom properly before entrusting the daughter in marriage. And majority of times such mistakes can result in getting cheated. A few days back there was an advertisement by the Ministry of Overseas India Affairs of Government of India in the Times of India newspaper to educate the general public so that they do not fall victims for such cheating by spreading awareness. So, what are the things to look at when going for an arranged marriage with a person based Abroad? Given are details some legal and background details to check before saying ‘yes’ for marriage with a man or woman settled abroad according to the advertisement.

Check the marital status of the person to ensure that he/she is single
Check about the Business or Job of the person and the location the person is based at.
Check the NRI Status as to whether the person is a Green Card Holder or not

One may get most of these details by checking the Passport, Bank Statement, Residence Proof, Appointment Letter and Visa details of the person for verification. Also if the person is a working professional it does not hurt to check the details of the company and his job profile to be extra sure that you are not being cheated. Is it not better to be vigilant and cautious than regret later?

For more assistance one may also contact Overseas Workers Resource Centre Toll Free Number (for BSNL and MTNL users) 1800 11 3090 or +91-11-40503090 or email at info@moia.nic.in or visit the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India website www.moia.gov.in

What’s Your Engagement Ring Style?

A person’s sense of style and the clothes they choose to wear can say a lot about them. It can also influence them in other areas of their lives. If you and your partner are about to get married and you’re choosing an engagement ring, odds are you want one that fits in with your wardrobe and your style. In fact, if you aren’t sure about the type or style of engagement ring that you want, taking a peak at your personal sense of style can offer the perfect jumping off point. Whether you are a modern, classic, or vintage woman, there’s the perfect engagement ring out there for you.

Modern : While some people might call your wardrobe “trendy” you prefer the term “cutting edge”. Either way if it’s the current hot style, then odds are it’s on your back. When it comes to where you live, you prefer clean, crisp lines and minimum fuss. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t like the finer things in life, just that you’d rather have fewer things that are more valuable. With its geometrical band, the modern engagement ring is a perfect fit for you and your life. Modern rings offer you something different from your run of the mill band. Maybe a unique cut of diamond with other stones surrounding it, or a clunky platinum band. Regardless of the modern ring that you choose, it will be much more than a ring: it will be a piece of art.

Classic : You prefer to have staple pieces in your wardrobe rather than the latest trend. The little black dress, a white cardigan, and navy pea-coat – these are all things that can be found in your closet. You wear timeless pieces that will continue to be in fashion from year to year. Don’t get me wrong: you’re still stylish. You just don’t go along with the current trends. You prefer neutrals with small splashes of color in both your wardrobe and your home furnishings. A solitaire with a simple setting is the perfect ring for you. While other may consider it a bit boring and on the safe side, you recognize it for what it is: a timeless, beautiful piece of jewelry that will look stylish and gorgeous for the rest of your life.

Vintage : Ninety percent of your wardrobe comes from second hand and vintage clothing stores. The other ten percent you purchase online at vintage clothing websites. Your personal motto is “Everything old is new again.” Whether it’s your own wardrobe or the furniture around your home, your style is best described as eclectic, a mix-match of different styles and eras. You love colorful and playful pieces and you don’t always worry about whether or not they will fit in with what you already have. You love the look and feel of old jewelry and aren’t opposed to having an engagement ring with something other than a diamond for the stone. An oval shaped ruby or amethyst surrounded by smaller stones on a delicate band is the perfect choice. If you can’t find your perfect vintage ring in a vintage or antique jeweler’s, don’t worry. You can always opt to buy a replica of your favorite vintage ring. It might not be true vintage, but will still give you the look and feel that you’re going for.

Regardless of your own personal style, the perfect engagement ring is out there for you. If you can’t finds it locally you can always check out online jewelry stores. Online stores will usually have a wider variety and better pricing than their brick and mortar counterparts.

About the Author: Diane Ferraro is the Advertising Director for Robbins Brothers. Robbins Brothers provides a huge selection of engagement rings, and you can also find the wedding ring that you are looking for. Started back in the 1920′s, the core value of the company is still “love the customer.”

Why should I get Married? Is Marriage a Necessity?

The other day I was talking to a friend who is 35 and still unmarried when he is plans to get married with his live in girlfriend he asked me, 'Is marriage a necessity?' I replied, 'No, You can be Single and Happy too.'

The institution of marriage is increasingly threatened in our society because of live in relationships where a guy and girl live together under one roof without the ties or responsibilities of marriage. Let us not forget that Marriage is not a new concept but has been around for thousands of years as the way of celebrating the love and commitment between a man and a woman. I am of the opinion that if an individual is not ready to take up the responsibilities which comes along with marriage he or she should not attempt it.

Marriage is a 'lifestyle choice' and not a 'default option'. However, there are several benefits of Marriage. So, why marriage is so important? What is it that makes Marriage a necessity for many?

Unmarried Women, after a certain age, are not treated well by the society. So it becomes a necessity for them to get married to gain the acceptance of society. Moreover, men in love would not want to lose their girlfriends so they would prefer to get married to them.

When you want children you do not want them born out of wedlock. How much ever the society is advanced children of unmarried parents is not treated well. So it is not wrong to say that marriage promotes the common good by building families and raising children.

When you are single you tend to get into immoralities and bad habits. Marriage can make an individual more responsible and also help to be a better person because you know that there is someone who cares for you and whose life is depends on you.

Marriage helps one to gain social acceptance and legal rights apart from the feel of security that there is someone for you who cares for you and with whom you can share your happiness and sorrow.

By getting married you get a steady and loving life partner who has social and religious acceptance. With the number of sexually transmitted diseases and dangers it is better to have only one partner for sex.

It is known that married people have a longer life expectancy than someone who is Single.

The above given are a few Benefits of Marriage to prove that the institution of marriage is worth safeguarding. However, many people tend to be scared of getting married because they have seen the unhappy marriage of someone who is known to them. Just because there are miserable relationships does not mean that you would have an unhappy marriage too.

This is my Article Published on EzineArticles.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anamika_S 

16 Wrong Reasons to get Married

Many people stay married for the wrong reasons and many get married for the wrong reasons. Whatever the case there is nothing worse than a bad marriage. 

Here are 16 such wrong reasons for getting married.

Fear of staying Single and Lonely

Liking the Idea of Marriage

Family and Society Pressures

You are getting Older, and most people your age is already married

Accidental Pregnancy

For the sake of Children or To have a baby

Marrying for Money, Property or someone for support

Marriage as an escape route from own family or troubles

Marriage out of pity for the guy/girl

To fill the void in life

To get revenge or out of anger or wanting to get even with someone

Marriage for Visa or Citizenship

Sexual Hunger

Because he/she loves you

Marriage because of blackmail

Because of the beauty of the person

Because of the wealth or family status of the person

… And more

Related Article

Top 10 Wrong Reasons to Stay in a Marriage

Why Being Single is a better option than getting married

Many people are these days preferring to be Single than getting married. Some of the reasons which make being single or having a live in relationship a more attractive option than marriage are lack of responsibility and freedom. Many of my Single friends swear that there are more benefits of being Single than there are in getting married.

So, what are the benefits of being Single? Why being single is a better option than getting married? Some of the reasons for being single are listed below.

Fewer Responsibilities

More Freedom

More time for friends and Hobbies

Fewer Expenses and more money in hand to spend

Less Stress

No sharing of Space or belongings

More time to concentrate on Career or Studies

No one to interfere with life

No one to be answerable for

No need to be conscious about appearance or looks

No need to compromise with choices.

Freedom to do whatever pleases you.

No need to bother about forgetting important days or using birth control.

No one would feel threatened or insulted if you use a Vibrator.

…

There is nothing wrong in being Single. Being single does not mean being lonely, depressed or being a failure. At least by being Single you can be happy with who you are, not what he or she wants you to be. But many of those who prefer ‘being Single’ and do not want to get married are those who have witnessed people staying in an unhappy marriage. There is no doubt that Single life can be exciting but there is no guarantee to that. In the same manner just because someone you know have a miserable relationship does not mean that you would have one too. One on my Online friends commented on my article about Being Single and Happy that “Single and young, yes. Single and old, no.  Single and sick, no. Single parent, never.” I should agree that his observation is quite right too.

Related Article


Is Marriage a Necessity

Divorce of a Generation

No one gets married with the expectation that they will divorce. While overall divorce rates continue to drop, young marriage divorce rates are increasing.  For the fourth straight year, the 20-something demographic had the highest rate of divorce out of any other age group. There’s even a name for it – the “Starter Marriage.”

There is a trend of dismisiveness. High profile marriages of celebrities and their own dismissive attitudes contribute to the whole, certainly. Anyone, including those young twenty somethings, will come through divorce with scars. They represent the consequences of a young marriage ending. They carry that baggage throughout their life and future relationships. If there are children in the relationship, they now have to face single parenthood (as well as attempting to be role models for healthy relationships.) The social stigma of divorce has dissipated, but many of the young divorcees are reporting feeling shame.  Civitas, a think tank, took a survey that gauged young people’s attitudes and ideas towards marriage. They found that 76% of those aged 20 to 24 were strongly in favor of marriage.  Part of the pull of marriage is the fact that these people are a product of divorce. They idealize what could have been, but also see divorce as a way out, also exampled for them. Wanting to do things different than your parents could be a good thing, but it is not a reason to get married and it is not the way to stay married.  It sets a couple up for failed expectations, exacerbated by celebrity marriages, divorces, and attitudes.

When the parents and grandparents of these 20-somethings got married and created families, they had vast familial and societal networks. They had the support necessary to build relationships and sustain them. There was life experience in those networks, along with examples of what worked and didn’t.  Today, society is more fragmented, and those examples just aren’t there. What’s the answer?  Many of these 20-somethings just don’t have enough life experience to know what they want, much less how to sustain a we. Some young marriages do stay together, so that is only a part of the problem.  Certainly one answer would be premarital and marital counseling. That could take up where the lack societal examples leave off. Another solution may be a break period before a divorce can happen. Perhaps jumping into divorce is the problem and a cooling off period would be a relationship saver.

The truth is relationships and marriage are hard work. We need to teach the current (and future) generations how to do the work.

This is a Guest Post from Sarah Harris.Her Wedding Planning Advice is a blog for brides that helps them stress less and enjoy the planning process. If you are looking for the perfect wedding dress, or if you need advice on how to plan a bachelorette party, Wedding Planning Advice has you covered.

Is Marriage Toxic for Women?

Many are saying that marriage is toxic to the modern woman. Due to that general idea, many people are beginning to live together rather than marry. Elizabeth Gilbert, an author, claims that her research shows that marriage causes women to be less successful, less healthy, more depressed and more likely to die a violent death. She calls it the “Marriage Benefit Imbalance,” because men, on the other hand, benefit both physically and mentally from being married. This comes from the argument that women are not valued, like men, for their work inside the home. Men are valued for their paid work outside the home. Even Gilbert, however, ends up getting married. The “marriage Benefit Imbalance” idea was first introduced by Jessie Bernard in 1982 in The Future of Marriage. Did this book create a myth, or is it the truth? We know for sure that she thought marriage was great for men, awful for women.

Women are taking things into their own hands in response. Living together instead of marriage is one option women are choosing. Developing their “outside” careers is another. Promoting their own independence in terms of future planning and current finances. Women today are going so far as to have children via sperm donation or adoption in order to avoid the complications of  romantic relationships. All of this leads to “needing” marriage less.

Many women, however, still want to be married. They are, in general, waiting for an older age to marry. True, abusive marriages are wrong – but they are not the rule. True, many single women have wonderfully fulfilling lives. Is marriage a bad thing? Not if you know what you are getting when you marry. You need to know what marriage will and won’t do. You need to know, as a couple, what marriage will be like. What are the expectations in terms of housework, children, religion, and money? Both parties need to communicate what they want, and what they think they’re getting. If there are differences they must be worked through prior to the marriage. Getting married thinking “we’ll work it out later,” or “I can change his or her mind later,” just won’t fly. That is a recipe for disaster. A great idea would be premarital counseling to work through the issues. If you can’t agree on the issues, don’t get married.

Is marriage toxic for women? Possibly. It’s possible that it’s merely toxic for those who don’t prepare with their potential spouse properly.

This is a Guest Post from Sarah Harris. She is the Marketing Manager at Adiamor Engagement Rings. Adiamor offers a large selection of engagement ring settings, affinity diamonds and other fine diamond jewelry at affordable prices.

Are you Happy being a Single Woman?

There are several single men and women who are just happy the way they are and do not want to get married. Jennifer Schefft even have a wonderful Book written on this subject titled Better Single than Sorry where she says that being single is definitely not a curse and that how no woman should settle for anything less than Mr. Right. Many women feel worthless if they do not have a boyfriend or they could not get married in the mid twenties. I do not think there is anything bad in being Single. In fact there are numerous advantages of being Single.

You are not accountable to a Boyfriend or Husband.

You do not have to worry if your spouse is cheating on you.

You can spend your money the way you like.

You do not have to worry about the responsibility which comes along with being in a relationship.

You do not have to share your things with anyone.

You can wear what you like.

You can do or eat want you like.

You have more time for your hobbies, likings and interest.

Nobody would question you if you want to be with your family or friends.

The list can go on…

Do not think that I am saying that all women should stay single. My point is just that there is nothing to feel distressed about being a Single no matter what your family or society has to say about it. You can be alone and be happy too even if it is for the rest of the life, it is not that bad. But it is definitely a bad idea to sacrifice all of the benefits of being single for a guy who isn't worth it. I think women should aim at getting educated and empowered first than thinking of walking down the aisle as soon as attaining the marriageable age. Marriage is just not the magic remedy to all your problems.

Another friend of mine who had a painful divorce fully agrees with me. She even goes a step further and declares that if you are thinking of marrying for sex then Vibrator is a better choice than a Man.

As I write this I can’t help remembering a college friend of mine who married the guy she loved against the wishes of her parents at the age of 18. She was a very brilliant student at school and college and did not continue her studies. After 10 years and 2 kids later the guy she got married to abandon her for another woman. Her parents accepted her back but she and her children now live at the mercy of her parents. Her own brothers and sister in laws are not very supportive of her. I only wish if she studied further or learned something to enable her to earn a decent living.

Related Article Links

 

Why a Vibrator is a better choice than a Man

Being single and happy, is it Possible?

Ten Reasons to get married

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10 Great Gift Ideas for Single Women on Valentines Day

I am Single and I am Happy