Getting Engaged Is Just the Beginning ... Now What?

Technology May Transform

(MS) -- Are you one of the thousands of couples who got engaged over the holidays? This is the time for you and your soon-to-be to get everything you ever wanted -- whether youre starting from scratch, upgrading, expanding or replacing. Turn a whole bunch of mismatched mine and yours into a lifetime of ours. When it comes to registering, relax, take your time and have fun, recommends Audrey Stavish, a Bridal and Gift Registry expert at Bed Bath & Beyond. Most brides update their registries online and go into the stores many times. There arent any rules that you must follow. Choose items that are right for you and your soon-to-be. Go through the registry process together and have fun! Here are some additional tips to make wedding planning a breeze: Plan Ahead: Start a bridal registry as soon as you say yes. That way guests will have lots of options for engagement gifts and showers. Periodically update your registry by adding more products if you need to, even after the wedding. Be kind to procrastinators. Do the Math: Experts advise registering for 2-3 items times the number of guests you plan to have. Close friends and family will rely on your registry for special events leading up to the wedding -- such as engagement parties, bridal showers, and holidays! Your guests will appreciate having lots of choices when they shop for you. Be sure to refresh your list regularly as gifts get purchased. Register Now, Because You Wont Buy it Later: You may think you will ... but you wont. Now is the time to let others get you the stuff youd never buy yourself. Your friends and family might even get together to purchase a higher priced group gift. Dream Big: Register for gifts in a range of prices and categories. This will give guests and group givers lots of options to choose from. Remember the Rule of Three: When it comes to setting your table, if you choose bold patterns for your china and flatware,

Weddings & Special Occasions

the Future of Weddings
Imagine sending out personalized, colorful e-vites inviting guests to a wedding ceremony and reception? How about recording the festivities on handheld video cameras and uploading data instantly to a social networking site? Some or all of these technological conveniences are already growing in popularity, revolutionizing the way couples plan and carry through with wedding plans along the way.

pick a more simple style of glassware. Prefer intricate stemware? Pair it with simpler patterns of china and flatware. So, its bold/ bold/simple or simple/simple/bold. Visit a Store: Its in YOUR best interest to visit a store and schedule an appointment with an expert consultant who can help you with your gift selections and share great tips like The Rule of Three, what cookware you will need to prepare your favorite dish, what knife to use when and much more. When making your selections, its important to touch the towels, heft the flatware, see everything in person! Cmon Back: Most couples dont make all their selections in a single spree. Plan on making multiple visits. Once youve set up your registry, take advantage of Bed Bath & Beyonds Bridal Toolkit(R), the complimentary wedding planning tools available at bedbathandbeyond.com, including your own Personal Wedding Web site, budgeter, task manager, guest list manager, gift tracker and even a seating arranger. This way, all of your information can be stored in one convenient place.

Many couples are choosing to eschew the formalities and traditions associated with weddings for the convenience that many digital or technological advancements can provide. Electronic wedding invitations are just one of the many aspects of the wedding that have begun to embrace the digital age. There are several advantages to enlisting the help of technology to execute a wedding. First and foremost is the cost factor. The number of items that couples can do themselves will greatly cut down on the expenses of hiring professional vendors. Budgetconscious couples may seriously want to consider sending e-vites, which can save several hundreds of dollars on printing costs and postage.

Technology can also help keep things organized. Instead of keeping receipts and papers inside of a folder, saving items in e-mail and conversing with vendors electronically creates a digital paper trail that can make loose ends a little easier to manage. Although there are some detractors who frown on employing technology when planning a wedding because of the improper etiquette implications, many modern couples are embracing the convenience and cost savings these technologies provide.

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Weddings & Special Occasions

WEDDINGS ANNIVERSARIES ALL SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Invite Only Pare Down Your Wedding Guest List

Couples are faced with many decisions when planning a wedding. One often overlooked decision concerns the guest list. Ideally, couples would love to invite all their friends and family to share in their special day. Realistically, however, budget often dictates just how many guests a couple can invite. That reality has led to a disagreement or two over the years, as both the bride-to-be and her future husband make their case for who makes the cut. To help avoid such disagreements, couples should consider the following tips when paring down their guest list. * Make a master list as early as possible. Its impossible to pare down a guest list if theres no list to begin with. Once the planning process begins, couples should separately write down all the guests they would like to invite. Once each is nished with their list, the hard work of paring that list down can begin. * Consider whos footing the bill. If Mom and Dad are paying for the wedding, then their suggestions for the guest list should carry most of the weight. Weddings are very expensive, and if Mom and Dad are paying they should have a signicant say who will in attendance. The same principle can be applied if the couple is paying for their own wedding. If the costs are being split down the middle, then both the groom- and bride-to-be should be allowed to invite the same number of guests. * Ask that kids stay home. Many couples request that their guests leave the kids at home. While nieces and nephews might make the cut, its perfectly acceptable for couples to state their preference that children not attend. This can be noted on the invitation, addressing friends as Mr. John Doe and guest or Mr. and Mrs. John Doe. Guests should take the hint, but if any RSVPs with their kids, be sure to call them immediately and explain the situation. Friends and family should understand the preference, particularly in the current economic climate. * Its not a reunion. Couples are often tempted to invite long-lost friends to their wedding. But cost-conscious couples must recognize their wedding is not a reunion. If the goal is to keep the guest list under control, only invite close friends and family members who have kept in touch with over the years.

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* Stick to your guns. Couples vary greatly with what they want out of their wedding. Some want a grandiose affair they can share with their whole family and all of their friends. Other couples want a more laid-back affair with only those closest to them in attendance. Whatever their preference, couples should remain rm and not feel guilty no matter how many guests they choose to invite or not invite. * Cut back in other areas. If its proving simply impossible to agree on a reduced guest list, consider inviting everyone and cutting back in other areas. Before signing any contracts, closely examine each one for items that can be removed without drastically changing the ceremony and celebration. Chances are there are savings to be had, and those savings might make the difference between inviting and not inviting another friend or family member.

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August 17, 2011

Gift Your Groomsmen for Under $50

(MS) -- When it comes to planning a wedding, grooms often take a backseat to their blushing brides. While men no longer serve a strictly spectator role when it comes to planning a wedding, much of the ins and outs of the wedding remain the brides domain. One area where men maintain complete control is gifting the groomsmen. A tradition that dates back decades if not centuries, gifting the groomsmen is the grooms way of showing his appreciation to those frequently overlooked but trusted friends who stand by his side on his wedding day. Groomsmen are often overlooked in a wedding party even though they play important roles, says Mark Walerstein, founding of GroomsOnline (www.groomsonline.com), an informational Web site offering tips, pointers and a host of unique gifts tailored to grooms with budgets big and small. Understandably, many of todays grooms are working with budgets smaller than they might have been in years past. Fortunately, GroomsOnline.com boasts a bevy of gift ideas under $50, all of which will ensure lasting memories for years to come.

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Be it a personalized locker room print, a stainless steel hip ask or a stadium fan framed print, grooms have a host of choices under $50 that wont break the bank but groomsmen will be proud to display every time they turn on the big game.

Thanks to GroomsOnline, grooms can show their groomsmen how much theyre appreciated with thoughtful gifts that wont break the bank.

Whats your style?

Seemingly since the beginning of time, men have bonded over sports. Be it football, baseball, hockey, or hoops, grooms can nd sports-specic gifts their groomsmen will love. At GroomsOnline.com, grooms can peruse an extensive catalog of personalized sports gifts, complete with all your favorite MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, and even NCAA teams.

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No man cave is complete without a fully stocked bar, and grooms can help their groomsmen transform their basement into a Mecca of man caves with a carefully chosen gift thats sure to prove a proud addition to their groomsmens home bar. Grooms can choose a personalized Pewter Medallion Glass Mug that says Best Man, Groomsmen or Usher and personalize each mug with up to two lines. For the groomsman who already has his own beer mug, consider a personalized 5-piece Decanter Set thats ideal for the man who loves to entertain. Whats more, this uniquely personalized set makes a timeless reminder of the grooms big day whenever he visits his groomsmen to share a drink and a few laughs.

Embrace Everyones Inner Executive

For older grooms whose groomsmen are all established businessmen, perhaps no gift will be more proudly displayed than a personalized Executive Silver Plated Card Case and Pen Set. A gift no rising corporate baron can resist, this unique set is professionally engraved and can hold business cards and an executive pen. Executives on the rise will also love the personalized Executive Money Clip and Pen Knife Set, tailor made and personally engraved for the executive whos always on the move. For more great gift ideas and tips on everything from wedding planning dos and donts to valuable timesaving tips leading up to the wedding, visit www.GroomsOnline.com.

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Weddings & Special Occasions

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Wardrobe Options for Second-Time Brides

Remarriage rates continue to increase, and many vendors are now catering specically to couples entering second marriages. A bride getting married for the second or third time has just as many attire options as she did for her rst wedding. Research indicates that more than half of all marriages end in divorce. The silver lining to that cloud is that 54 percent of divorced women remarry within 5 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Furthermore, 75 percent of divorced women remarry within 10 years. These statistics show that the need for bridal gowns for women entering a new marriage remains strong. When choosing a gown for a second wedding, brides-to-be can use their discretion. Gone is the stigma of wearing white. However, brides still may want to choose an alternative color to bright white to be more complementary to their skin tones. Off-white, pale yellow and pale pink can be attering shades. If second brides do choose to wear white, they may want to avoid a at white color. Instead, they can opt to wear a shimmery shade of white and a gown with a little more pizzazz. The gown -- just as with rst-time weddings -- should be as formal or as casual as the wedding itself. At afternoon weddings it may be acceptable to wear a tea-length gown or even a cocktail dress. Enhance beachside or casual affairs with less elaborate gowns. Formal second weddings should still feature a gown that is formal in nature.

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(MS) -- Be it a lavish ceremony and celebration with hundreds of guests, or a more intimate affair attended by only close family and friends, weddings are never easy on the bottom line. Thankfully, cost-conscious couples can take some creative steps to ensure they still have the wedding and honeymoon of their dreams without breaking the bank to do so. * Calling all sponsors! With the economy still on the mend, couples can rest assured knowing there are deals to be had with regards to all aspects of their pending nuptials. One increasingly popular trend is to have the wedding sponsored by local vendors. In exchange for discounted services rendered, couples agree to mention contractors in their wedding program or display business cards at the reception table. For example, wedding photographers often make their money through word of mouth, so a reference in the wedding program might be enough to garner couples a discount on the photographers services. Such sponsorships will need to be agreed upon before the big day, but can

A more mature bride may feel more comfortable wearing a welltailored pantsuit rather than a gown. Again, the choice is up to the bride regarding what she wants to wear.

save couples a signicant amount of money. * Get help with the honeymoon. Unlike couples of yesteryear, todays couples often live together before walking down the aisle. This has made traditional wedding registries somewhat obsolete, as couples often already have everything they need. We already lived together and had all the kitchen gadgets, towels and bed sheets we could possibly need, says Sarah, who lived with her now-husband Patrick prior to getting married. Thankfully, Sarah and Patrick discovered Honeyfund.com, a free online honeymoon registry catering to couples who could use some help planning and paying for their perfect honeymoon. The ideal solution for couples without the need for a large traditional registry, Honeyfund enabled Sarah and Patrick to plan their dream honeymoon while allowing guests the satisfaction of giving a gift the newlyweds would truly enjoy. Wedding guests can conveniently choose from a host of activities listed by the newlyweds themselves. From dinners and hotels to ferry and gondola rides, even airline and train tickets, Honeyfund offers a wide selection of gifts for wedding guests while helping savvy and creative couples signicantly reduce the cost of their rst getaway as a married couple. * Save, save, save. Traditionally, the brides family foots the bill for the wedding. With that tradition fading and todays couples now baring more of the burden of paying for their wedding, saving is critical. Couples can get some relief by directing their friends and family to gift registries like Honeyfund.com, where guests can contribute to a down payment for the young couples rst home, or a general savings fund that can be used for projects, furnishings or anything the couple needs. Guests often love knowing how their nancial contribution is being spent, be it for a home down payment, home improvement projects or other savings. To learn more visit www.Honeyfund.com.

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