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From very humble beginnings back in 1973, a photography business was established in Wangaratta, which is a large provincial town in the hub of North East Victoria Australia.

Time has a habit of masking ones involvement in a certain career, and just recently the thirty-year mark was achieved in professional photography for the owner of this studio.

The survival secrets to a long standing career are many and varied, but the ones that have stand out features are; absolute honesty and fair dealings with your customers, being enthusiastic and having a genuine care for your customers needs…. no matter how small that need may be.

Sometimes it is just the small things that customers appreciate, it might be carrying heavy parcels, or framed portraits to their car, or giving them two or three complimentary prints… they are only small rewards, but most customers enjoy them.

Whenever a new business opens in a community, people tend to be a little curious as to the ethics of the people who are operating the business. If you happen to do one small thing wrong during that opening phase, you could suffer long-standing damage to the business as well as the owner’s reputation.

Small things can irritate people and make them have negative thoughts about you or your business.

We always had an in house joke with our customers; we’d say to them “if you really like our work, please tell at least TEN other people!” “But if you don’t like something we’ve done PLEASE tell
us first, we want to make sure that you are 100% happy with our product and service”.

And of course, good customers were always rewarded with bonuses the next time they came in, especially when friends came in and said that “so and so told us to come to your studio for a family sitting”…That is good referal business.

Doing business with people is a two-way thing… as a business operator you need to win to make a profit, but the customer should also feel they have had a win…. that makes them feel happy, and they will talk to others in a positive light about you and your business, you will get plenty of positive feed back.

One of the greatest compliments that photographer can receive is when the child of a parent that you once did work for, calls on the phone to ask, “Could you please photograph our wedding if you have the date available”.

Photography styles & equipment may have changed quite a bit from those early days, but the enthusiasm and challenge is still there, and the basic principles of doing business with another person is still the same as it was at the beginning, because you are really only selling to human nature. Photography is a ever-ending challenge to capture new and exciting images.

There is something very special about covering weddings, simply because there is just so much emotion around, an alert photographer can capture some magical moments of the bride and groom, the emotions are even stronger for the photographer if he also photographed mum & dad’s wedding a couple of decades earlier.

Photographers get an absolute buzz out of that. And that also speaks volumes about the reputation of being sincere, and transacting fair business dealings within your local community.

You should always constantly build absolute trust and credibility
with your customers, they appreciate your trust, and will remain loyal and repay you ten-fold.

Many first time brides simply don’t know how to choose a good photographer for their wedding, for many people it’s all based upon the question of “How Much will it cost me”. Buying photography is much, much more than just basing your decision purely on price alone.

To choose a photographer, the first thing a bride should do is look at a selection of the photographers work either at his place of business or take a look at his web site to get an idea of the different styles that he or she does.

Another important aspect for the bride to know is “what is the photographer like, are they friendly, honest, reliable, and what about on the day of the wedding, what kind of behaviour will he/she present? Unfortunately rude photographers do exist, make sure you don’t select one for your wedding day.

The wedding day belongs to the Bride & Groom; it is not put on for the benefit of the photographer. A good photographer requires good people skills, as well as photography skills to capture meaningful & evocative images.

If you have only had a short association with the wedding industry and your nature is caring, you will begin to understand that it is one of the endearing qualities that will help to promote you to a long-term survival in the wedding industry.

Experience really does count.

Col Croucher.

Creating & capturing images has been a big part of Col Croucher’s life…over thirty years in fact. Weddings & portraits represent a large part of it. But much of that time has been spent on commercial assignments photographing industrial plants, product photography, & aerial photography from helicopters. Col Croucher is the principle photographer of Coljan Photography.

Visit our web site soon: http://www.coljanphotography.com

We are based in Wangaratta. Vic. Australia.

Movies are rife with new places and circumstances for having sex. We watch our favorite actors copulating in elevators, on airplanes, in semi-public, in space, in the jungle, in a limo, on the floor, the kitchen table - anywhere that it is possible. At times thrilling, it also often looks uncomfortable or impractical. In fact, most of the sex we enjoy through life, after the cars and hidden places of our youth, is in bed.

Does using the same scenery mean that the play must be boring and derivative? Not necessarily. Without intending to hurt the feelings or egos of set designers, the focus of any production is on the characters and the action. Next to that, everything else pales.

So how do we inject some creativity and novelty into our sex lives to avoid endless repetition and an eventual decline in the level of our excitement?

We can manipulate our circumstances to break the routine of a few nights a week of sex before sleep. Change the timing of our intimacy and the routine dissolves. After the advent of a baby, for example, many husbands complain that their wives no longer concentrate on the action, one ear always cocked for a tell-tale cry. Time your moments together for when the baby sleeps longest, perhaps the early evening or Sunday morning. Take the baby to the babysitter’s house or to the grandparents and use the free time to rekindle the sparks that have inevitably been dampened by the demanding stranger who has invaded your lives.

If you have a fireplace, put on a log and start foreplay on a soft rug in front of the flames. You can move to the bedroom later, for the comfort, but the desire will be freshened by the fireside initiation. If you have older children or relatives living with you, often the only refuge available is your bedroom at night. See if you can send the kids to the movies and your mother-in-law to the local Church bingo and seize the opportunity to again act like a carefree young couple with only each other on your minds.

Most importantly, practice concentration on the “now.” We all have so many things on our minds that our thoughts flit endlessly to the problems at work, the financial stresses we are under, and the need to get chores done and things fixed. Men, for multiple physiological reasons, seem better able to concentrate on sex for the relatively brief time it takes for them to move from arousal to action to completion. Women usually take longer to arouse and longer to reach a climactic conclusion. It therefore requires more effort, for a longer period of time, for women to disengage from mental processing to bodily sensations and feelings.

A sensitive mate acknowledges this and helps the process by allowing for longer lead time, starting the intimacy and arousal foreplay long before the act ever starts. Failure to do so too often results in denial (”I’m not in the mood; I have a headache”) or limited engagement (”We need to paint this ceiling; I have to get up so early tomorrow”).

If both parties can communicate what works for them, and help to mold the behavior of the other in order to enhance the experience of both, then the routine becomes an eagerly anticipated event that allows for mutual sharing, enjoyment, and fulfillment.

When people hear the word Tantra, they usually think of kinky
sex, the Kama Sutra, something they saw on HBO or on Sex & the
City. That’s if they’ve heard of it at all.

I have found many unexpected benefits from practicing this
ancient form of Yoga that I’ll attempt to share with you here.

I began Tantra like anybody else thinking it would enhance sex
making it hotter and maybe even wilder. I had no idea back then
how powerful Tantra was to become in every aspect of my life.

Very soon, I became aware of the quieting down in the mind,
something I had been trying to accomplish for years to no avail.

Now, after 8 years of practicing Tantra, I am aware that I am
not suffering anymore about anything. Did I know this would
happen to me? No way.

Tantra translated means weaving body, mind and spirit. What this
literally means is that your whole being is expanded, increased
through awareness of your senses, feelings and energy. This
includes awareness of your breath - the basis of all forms of
meditation - with the addition of your sexual energy increasing
your ability to feel- specifically feel pleasure - different
from other forms of meditation.

So, what is the big deal about it? Why is Tantra, this ancient
science surfacing on shows like Oprah or being talked about by
Sting?

Well, people feel little if anything. They are mostly living
their lives inside of their thoughts, judgments, evaluation and
assessments: living in their heads. In terms of pleasure they
don’t feel very good. When people do feel, it seems like they
feel bad, sick, complaining, hurt, victimized. As a matter of
fact they feel little to no pleasure at all. Pleasure shows up
as anticipation rather than a sensual experience, one that can
be felt.

Remember really wanting something like a new car? Then when you
got it, the pleasure didn’t last very long, maybe until the
first scratch. It wasn’t the feeling you expected from acquiring
a new car was it?

The mind can imagine something or other will bring us a feeling
of pleasure, but it actually takes the body to feel it. For many
women, feeling strongly, passionately was discouraged. We were
told we were too emotional. Things were said to us like, “Why do
you feel like that? That’s not rational.” Or “What? Are you
having your period or something?”

So, we learned to bury our feelings and experience life in our
heads. Our bodies became useful for wearing decorative
adornments (attraction) and for getting us somewhere like from
meeting to meeting (movement). In essence our bodies have become
something we do to or use in certain ways, but not a source of
inner knowledge. Not bad, just not pleasurable; not healthy
either.

Many women have become automatons rushing to work, caring for
children and older family members, trying to be loving to our
partners - lovers, husbands, boyfriends. But when it comes time
to relax, take a breath, we cannot seem to do it. It’s a little
frightening to stop and focus on breathing.

We’re supposed to be focused on other people’s pleasure. When we
look to find our own pleasure, even erotic pleasure, there seems
not ever to be enough time. Or maybe, just maybe, all those
feelings we’ve been holding down are likely to come rushing up.

That’s right, feelings, emotions, senses, intuition, memories
will come up. And then what do we do? Who has time for that
anyway? What if we get out of control? Who wants to experience
that?

You do!

Why is this so important?

You want to feel all of those feelings so you can increase your
capacity for pleasure. It’s your birthright to feel pleasure and
it’s also the feminine aspect of life to feel. In essence, it’s
honoring yourself as a woman (in a world that really doesn’t do
so much of that).

When you start this way of breathing and sensing, you will
naturally feel better, happier, passionate, more alive. The
operative word here is “naturally.” It is our nature to feel.

Okay, how? Why does this have anything to do with Tantra?

In Tantra we learn to breathe along with doing Kegel exercises
and making sounds. So, we learn how to properly breathe. Then we
add sphincter muscle and PC muscle contractions to build a
charge in our own body using the vital life force - sexual
energy. This enables us to feel all our feelings.

Once we feel them, we learn to release stored feelings and
memories from the past. We also learn to transmute the sexual
energy into spiritual connection with our “higher selves.”

The result is eradication of feelings of shame and guilt as well
as any other trauma we may have experienced earlier in our lives
that’s has been stored in our cellular memory.

The outcome = pleasure, permission for unabashed life at it’s
fullest - body, mind and spirit connected working in union.

Remember I began Tantra thinking it would enhance sex. I had no
idea how my life would change. Had I known I would have become
interested in it earlier in life. Is sex hotter? Yes. Is that
all? No. It’s so much more.

The Benefits of Practicing Tantra*:

1. Feel great about yourself - more attractive, self-confident,
increase your capacity for more pleasure, experience joy and
fulfillment as a way of life.

2. Empower your well-being - eliminate toxins, eliminate stress
- accept yourself for who you are & release deep painful
cellular memories; feel safe and whole.

3. Focus - set your intentions, do the practices and watch the
laws of attraction bring what you want i.e. life partner, more
$, career change

4. Uplift your relationships - see others for who they really
are, relate to their deep divine nature and trust your intuition

5. Experience the expression of your deepest emotions. Know
rapture, love, passion and beyond! Become your own beloved!

*taken from a random sample of 500 Tantra students who have
participated in Butterfly Workshops’ programs.

Wedding Favors are basically small gifts that you put on your wedding guest’s tables and the will provide a wonderful memory for the day. You can choose from an incredible variety - so matter what you theme is you are sure to find a wedding favor to match.

Many choose a winter theme to go with the season in which the wedding takes place. The choices here are as endless as the snows rolling over the hills. Snowflake candle holders, frosty the snowman place card holders and much more are available.

Summer is among the most popular of wedding themes. The delightful warmth and bright sunshine put everyone in a festive mood. Select a favor that matches. Flowers are a fine choice of design element. Delightful tiny vases, rose-shaped candle holders and other small items will be a big hit.

Spring has to be first on your list for weddings and the matching wedding favors should you not care for the summer heat. The mirror the colors of the season choose wine bottle stoppers or tea lights in blue and green hues.

Fall is for you if you enjoy a brisk breeze and marvel in earth ever changing fall colors. Wedding Favors to take advantage of the outside stimulus would be cone shaped chocolate containers or maybe even small bottles of Vermont’s famous syrup

Maybe you feel more like beach wedding? In that case the sun and surf should get you inspired and evoke memories of romance and the day you got engaged. Why not go with sea shell or star fish tea lights.

Almost everybody considers at one point to get married in Las Vegas; or at least choosing it as a honeymoon spot. You can evoke the same feelings in your guests with some poker chips made out of chocolate to hold them over until diner. Equally popular are coasters with your name etched on it or you display some brass dice on your home office desk.

Have you ever had to deal with a jealous husband or wife? Most marriages at some time or another go through a period of mistrust and jealousy when their spouse does something to merit mistrust. Maybe they flirted or maybe they had an affair or it could be that they didn’t do anything at all to warrant distrust.

More often than not when a spouse is jealous of the other without merit it means they do not trust them selves. If they don’t trust them selves they usually are jealous, suspicious, controlling, and insecure. This can be a living nightmare for the spouse who has to take this sort of abuse. But it doesn’t have to be like this.

Ask your self. Why am I jealous? Why do I not trust my spouse? What have they done to merit my suspicions of them? Maybe you have good reason to feel the way you do. But more than likely your misgivings about your spouse have gotten out of hand. We need to be honest with our self about the actions we take in life. The heart of the matter is, we either trust our spouse or we don’t, there is no in between here.

Where does trust come from? Having trust for your spouse is not just a feeling but an action as well. It is through our actions that we show our spouse that we trust in them. It means we feel confident and assured enough to regard them with our trust. Trust is actually a great virtue of character that a person holds.

Everyday and everywhere the issue of trust comes up, not just in marriage. Sometimes we just need to trust people otherwise we might not accomplish our goals in life, or believe with the faith that we are supposed to. There might be times when we will need to regain back trust for someone who has hurt us and this entails that we hold the virtue of trust within our character.

In marriage, unless otherwise merited, trust should already be an established commitment by both spouses. Without trust and faith in marriage there would be so much insecure behavior floating around such as, distrust, doubt, suspicions, lying, jealousy, possessiveness, and control issues that divorce would even start to sound good. Divorce over the issue of jealousy and mistrust?

It is important that couples get to the bottom of why a spouse feels suspicious of the other. I can tell you what I think and you’ll probably shrug it off. But I have to tell you anyway. When we do not know who we are, we have no purpose or connection to the source of who we are, we tend to live upon our own feelings, ideas, beliefs, and such; those things become our purpose, which is to gratify self. We don’t have any real wisdom and understanding as to why our feelings make us feel bad or why we do the things we do.

In a peapod we are connected to self and what our feelings tell us, and disconnected from our source and what our source tells us. But our source is where our life giving spiritual food and water come from. Our source is where we learn to grow out from the selfish person we are and into the loving person we were meant to be.

The inability to trust our spouse stems from the lack of Christ in our life. It is really that simple. We don’t have to be religious fanatics to be the loving people God meant for us to be. What we do need to do though is accept and allow Jesus Christ into our life by whatever means is easiest for us. What’s so hard about that?

Here is how it works. You give Jesus your vices and He will then give you the virtues of His nature. The fruits we bear come from the living spiritual Christ in our life. In other words a person’s moral fiber originates from what he believes, and what he does with those beliefs.

There are many great virtues a man can live by, and there are many bad vices a man can live by. What I’m trying to say is if you mistrust your spouse and often feel possessive and jealous over them it is because of your own insecurities taking over your mind. This doesn’t have to happen.

Where do insecurities come from? They don’t come from God that is for sure and they aren’t a fruit of the spiritual self either. They come from self. If we doubt self, we will ultimately doubt others as well. If I feel bad about who I am, I will often be critical, envious, judgmental and jealous of others. These are the insecurities that we create in our own mind.

It is not fair that we radiate our insecure behavior upon those we love. That is why God has given us a most special gift called the Holy Spirit. This is Christ’s Spirit within us. We have the choice. We can either choose to lean on our own understanding for guidance and behave selfishly, or we can grow out from the vices of self and become one with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the virtues of character that I have been talking about.

[The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the life. I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, gentleness ands self control.] Galatians 5:19-22

The question we ought to ask our self then is would I rather doubt my spouse and feel bad about my self and marriage, or trust my spouse and feel good about my spouse, my self and my marriage? We have choices.

~~

Angie Lewis offers spiritual enlightenment tips for couples in marriage, and is the author of new release book JOURNEY ON THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED.

This unique book is about love, life, marriage, addiction, temptation, and understanding the power of spiritual awareness for your marriage.

In her book, Angie reveals her own journey of overcoming addiction and battling with her negative emotions that she allowed to embrace her life and marriage.

To find out more about this new book click here, http://www.spiritual.journeybooks.4t.com/
ISBN 1413788904
Avaliable Amazon online!

Angie Lewis counsels couples and writes a monthly newsletter where she reveals her secrets on how YOU can stay happily married for life!

Subscribe to get your FREE monthly newsletter so you can stay happily and forever married!
http://www.heavenministries.com/

Traditional weddings are rapidly making way for more off-the-wall innovative weddings. Sugared almonds and bomboniere are being replaced by alternatives such as CD wedding favors. Also, as many more couples are choosing to tie the knot abroad, beach theme wedding favors are becoming increasingly popular. For some couples, the choice to marry abroad is driven by the cost of a huge wedding not to mention the time they have to wait to secure a venue. For others, it is purely to tie the wedding in with the honeymoon. Some couples base their decision on family feuds and choose to marry alone, overseas without family members “interfering” with their big day.

Whatever people’s rationale behind their choice, a wedding is as individual and unique as a person and this should be very much reflected throughout. Whether marrying abroad alone, with friends and family or having a reception on your return, you need to think about wedding favors for your guests. Beach theme wedding favors come in a huge variety and their popularity continues to increase as more couples opt for beach weddings. You may choose to give them to your guests on the day or you may choose to give them to guests back home who could not travel to enjoy your special day. By giving beach theme wedding favors, family and friends can feel very much a part of your beach wedding, even if they were not there to experience it in person.

CD wedding favors are also a fantastic way of involving guests in your special day. For those who attend, you could put together a sound track of you and your partner’s favorite songs, or perhaps the song that you have for your “first dance.” Alternatively, if you choose to marry without family and friends present, you may record your vows on a DVD. On your return home, you can give your CD wedding favors to your nearest and dearest who will instantly feel a part of your wonderful day.

My husband and I chose to marry abroad and there was nothing more fantastic than saying our vows with sand between our toes. We took family with us, and because of the nature of the wedding, we opted for beach theme wedding favors for our small party on the day. Of course, many loved family members and friends were not able to join us on our special day so we supplied them with beach theme wedding favors and a CD wedding favor of the event.

This article is brought to you by “World of Wedding Favors” - Offering brides high quality wedding favors and bomboniere at low-cost prices. To view our vast range of elegant & unique wedding favors please visit:
http://www.World-of-Wedding-Favors.com

It is a tragedy that in modern world that divorces are in increase and marriage life is becoming quite unstable. Trying one more partner is not the solution. It brings insecurity in partners as well as in children. According to Barnett R. Brickner Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.

1. Have Faith in Each Other

A marriage life become successful only if a couple has faith in each other. One should understand feelings of other partner and they must respect the feelings of each other. In modern world both husband and wife go out side for work and mix with variety of people. If we become suspicious even on simple friendly relations marriage may become full of trouble. If we are committed we need not worry. It is a saying that if a character is lost everything is lost. So, a couple never lose confidence or faith from each other.

2. Mutual Respect

They must talk politely and respectfully in front of others. They should consult each on every topic. Respect opinions and suggestions. Don’t impose your ideas on your partner. Many partners disrespect their spouse wherever they go. It becomes emotionally crushing for the other.

3. Be Open-Hearted

Never hide anything from each other even if you are having good friendly relations with others. You must tell each other any happening of your life. Never hide anything from the partner because marriage life depends on transparency in relations. If a partner hide something from the other partner, he or she may lose faith. If a partner knows any secret from the outsider, it shocks his/her feelings. Even a single lie can break the marriage life. A single lie means losing faith.

RaniKulwant
http://www.newsofindianet.blogspot.com

The most powerful romance doesn’t begin with physical action, but rather with mental contemplation and expectation. It starts with a simple idea or fantasy that develops into closer intimacy between two connected partners. Having a satisfying romantic relationship with your husband or wife takes some thought and leg work, but it doesn’t have be burdensome. In reality, becoming a romantic person can be fun, exciting and fulfilling for you and your spouse.

And if you’re truly committed to making it work, romance will become second nature for you. All you need is:

a willing heart to invest the time,

access to a computer,

and maybe a little creativity.

If you’re a little skeptical, don’t worry, I started with only one of the three too. Here are three keys that have worked for my husband and me.

1. Romance of the mind begins when the sun comes up, not after it goes down. If you want have a successful romance with your husband or wife, start the day thinking about what your partner likes or wants most. Maybe it’s a specific request, a deed, or a special gift. Doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be relevant to your relationship. Drop hints throughout the day to build expectancy. Some suggestions are short and sweet (or sexy) notes, photos, or voice/text messages. The idea is to show that you’re listening, to give your honey a sense of desirability and to build up his/her receptiveness for affection. (Notice I did not say sex per se.)

2. Romance of the mind is ritualistic, not boring or repetitive, but endearing. I recently read an article about couples who love having fun with each other. (http://women.msn.com/a460717.armx?GT1=6920) The one thing that they all had in common was that they had certain rituals that they enjoyed doing together. When you have a certain ritual that you and your partner share, it gives you something to look forward to throughout the day, week, month or year.

Something my husband and I do to wind down our day is chat over tea, coffee, or chocolate (in the winter) and smoothies (in the summer). Sometimes we have music in the background, sometimes not. Sometimes it leads to more, sometimes not. But this practice has gotten us through some tough times spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally and even professionally.

3. Romance of the mind is well-planned but has a feeling of spontaneity. One of the movies that I truly enjoyed this year was Hitch. He had a way of making romance look easy, but he wasn’t perfect. He planned, but he wasn’t rigid. And when his plans fell apart, he could go with the flow. If only we all could be so talented. I’ll let you in on a little secret: the good news is that we can.

Just plan around what you and your wife or husband like doing. If you like elaborate evenings for two, go for it. If you love to travel, there are plenty of romantic places to see. If you like staying home and playing board games– there are plenty of nice (and some naughty) ones out there.
Just plan and see where you’ll end up.

When we lived in Brooklyn, my husband and I used to plan walking dates in Prospect Park (the Central Park of Brooklyn) or near the water along lower Manhattan. We’d have our meeting time and place, but no specific agenda in mind. Sometimes we heard musicians. Sometimes we just enjoyed nature. One time we even had an unexpected fireworks show. It was spectacular against the purple glow cast on the water. I was certain that he knew about it. He denies it to this day.

Hope this post inspires you to make an effort and draws you closer to your spouse.

Keishia Lee-Louis is the Editor of http://www.Married4Good.com (Launching November 2005). Her work has appeared on iVillage.com, BibleResourceCenter.com, and in numerous other publications. Currently, she is writing a book on marriage and relationships(Spring 2006). If you’d like to see more of her work, visit http://married4good.blogspot.com

No one knows for sure how it all got started, but story has it
that hundreds of years ago when the Bride and Groom decided to
join hands and become one, in order to make official their
commitment to one another, the witnesses which of course now a
days better known as wedding party guest who attended this unity
in marriage as proof of this unity took home a memento or
wedding keepsake.

In this keepsake, or back in the day “scroll” was the Bride and
Groom’s name and date of their unity as record and confirmation
that the ceremony indeed took place and made legal. The purpose
of these wedding
favors or bridal favors were simply to confirm the unity of
the marriage and to offer these witnesses or wedding reception
guest wedding favors as part of the ceremonial and reception
party procedure. It was thought that it was not just a gift of
celebration but more of a ceremonial tradition that was required
in order for it all to be legal and binding.

Of course there is no facts that this was the case but there
appeared to be some type of tie between weddings ceremonies and
wedding reception traditions. For example unity candles play a
big roll in ceremonial church weddings.

We can all agree that these unity or ceremonial candles are used
to symbolize the unity of marriage when two hearts become one.
This is the same thought that goes behind every wedding favor.

Wedding Favors
are to symbolize the celebration of love and marriage but even
more its a part of a tradition an acceptance of a wedding
tradition where guest party favors are as much a part of
marriage as the ceremony and legality itself. Favors are a part
of marriage as is marriage a part of wedding favors. Think about
it for a moment. If you were to get married and had a wedding
party of two hundred or so guest, the day was lovely and
everything went very well, except for one thing, favors were not
offered to your guest.

Wouldn’t you feel like there was something missing at the end of
the day? Your guests would definitely feel the same way if there
was no type of personal wedding party favors or unique wedding
favors to take home with them to remember your special day. The
reason for this is because wedding favors has now become a big
part of the bridal party wedding tradition and also has become a
fact of life. This tradition was believe to have started
hundreds of years ago and to this day wedding favors are alive
and doing very well.

Joe’s Handy Tips For Your Reception

Have Fun!

One of the most important tips I can offer potential newlyweds is to have “fun” above everything else. Don’t waste your energy on expecting everything to be “perfect!”

Something unexpected can certainly happen! These are usually unfortunate occurrences, but not real tragedies that you want affecting your perception of your Wedding Day! Newlyweds who simply focus on enjoying their Wedding Day and having fun instead of insisting that everything be perfect will be more flexible when something unfortunate or unexpected happens.

Get It In Writing!

Be certain to have all agreements with wedding vendors in a written form!

These written agreements should contain the complete agreement to prevent misunderstandings in the future. According to statistics, the Clients who didn’t fully understand their contracts cause 40% of all wedding-related problems!

Don’t Over-Plan. Be Flexible.

Listen to the suggestions from your wedding professionals. These experts can offer solid advice based on many years of experience at wedding ceremonies and receptions. They have first hand knowledge! I’ve included links and contact information of many of the area vendors that I frequently associate with.

Have A Good Time!

On your Special Day, plan to relax, smile, laugh, visit, eat, drink, dance, celebrate, and have fun! Your Wedding Day is a special time that you will want to savor every minute of, make sure your number one goal is to have a good time!

Nervous? Try These Suggestions . . .

Many newlyweds share that they are nervous. I offer you the following suggestions to help this your day be effortless:

* Simplify. Remember, the more things you plan for your special day, the more things can go wrong.

* Do not worry about the little things. Don’t sweat the small stuff!

* Leave the important details to the Professionals. If you’ve hired wisely, they know what you want and how you want it.

* Arrange for a calm individual outside of your immediate wedding party to handle last minute details. Do you have a favorite Uncle or special friend who can handle details such as distributing checks to your wedding specialists, run to the store for nylons, etc.

* Enjoy a quiet the day before your Wedding such as a massage, yoga session, or spa visit.

* Take as many photos as possible before to the Wedding Ceremony to allow more time for fun afterwards

Your Wedding Ceremony and/or Reception Site

Once you have selected your wedding date, immediately make reservations for the location of your wedding ceremony and reception. Some locations are reserved more than two years in advance.

Many newlyweds are having both their wedding ceremony and reception at the same location. This is a win-win situation for newlyweds because it usually results in fewer expenses. It is also a plus for their guests who welcome the convenience.

Music For Your Wedding Ceremony

The Music you choose for your Wedding and/or Reception will set the pace for your entire event. Your music selections are usually determined by personal preferences. Religious attitudes of clergymen can also play a role in your selection.

There are five categories of music at wedding ceremonies:

The pre-wedding music sets the theme for the actual ceremony. This usually begins approximately thirty minutes before the ceremony and is scheduled to begin while guests are being seated. The music selections are often light and lively, and played in a low volume allowing guests to speak with each other.

Music for the entrance of the Bridesmaids is usually more formal, and presented at a higher volume than the pre-ceremony music. Although marches are popular, other beautiful classical selections such as Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and Pachabel’s “Canon In D” are often selected.

The first notes of the processional music announce the arrival of the Bride and inform the guests to stand! Because of this, processional music should be joyful and triumphant. Wagner’s “Here Comes The Bride” is the overwhelming choice of Brides to enter their wedding ceremony area. Brides who are marrying for the second time often select a less formal musical selection.

During the ceremony, a soloist may sing or play a musical instrument just before the actual wedding vows begin. Sometimes a reading by a guest may substitute for music. This activity allows the Bride and Groom time to pause and catch their breath!

The recessional music usually begins immediately after the official introduces the new couple to the guests as husband and wife. Like the processional, this music is generally joyful and triumphant. It is often accompanied with the ringing of church bells or chimes. Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” is the music selection chosen by most newlyweds at the conclusion of their wedding ceremony.

Wedding Reception

1.Receiving Line vs. Bridal Party Introductions

Traditionally, newlyweds have followed their wedding ceremony with a time consuming “receiving line.” Today, many newlyweds choose to have the Digital DJ introduce the entire Bridal Party (including parents of the newlyweds) as they first enter the banquet room. This practice often frees up more time for fun later during dancing, which is what your entire day has been leading up to!

2. To Assign Seats or Not?

Why do newlyweds agree to assigned seating for guests at their wedding reception? Although this idea may sound good in theory and provides some control over their guests, it’s not always popular with the guests! Some newlyweds and party planners sometimes spend hours and hours trying to figure out the perfect seating arrangement only to face the disappointed attendees who were hoping to sit next to friends or relatives. Head tables are a great idea for the bride and groom and possibly the wedding party, but you may find it easier to allow general seating for the rest of your guests. It will also create a more relaxed environment.

3. Toast The Happy Couple!

What would a wedding reception be without your toasts? At many receptions, additional toasts follow these remarks from the Maid/Matron of Honor, Parents of the Newlyweds, or the Bride and Groom. After the meal, additional speeches and/or live entertainment by special guests (singers, dancers, etc.) may also follow. This should all be prior to your dance.

4. After Meal/Before First Dance

After the newlyweds finish their meal, they usually visit their guests while passing out optional favors. Brides may want to ask one of their Bridesmaids to carry the actual basket of favors to allow Brides to more easily converse with guests. This post-meal time is also sometimes used by professional photographers to capture a few additional photos before the start of the dance.

5. Your Special Dance

The Happy Couple should always select a slow song for their first dance. It may sound more romantic to dance the entire song alone on the dance floor, but many newlyweds like to have the Digital DJ invite the rest of the Bridal Party to join them on the dance floor halfway through this First Dance. This takes some of the pressure off the Bride and Groom, and allows their Bridal Party to share some of the spotlight. This is also an awesome photo opportunity for the photographer.

6. The Last Dance

After the Last Dance is finished, the reception is assumed to be over except for last minute congratulations. Make your Last Dance a special song selection for all to enjoy.

Catering Can Make Or Break Your Event

You have three common choices for most receptions.

The buffet meal allows guests to line up and select their own food. Try to have both sides of the banquet tables available for guests to line up to minimize time standing in line. If a large number of guests are expected, consider more than one series of banquet tables, or even “food stations” placed in various areas of the reception area. This prevents your attendees from clustering and creates a mood of chaos while the food is being served.

A formal meal usually consists of three or more courses. Waiters or waitresses then serve guests.

A family style meal is a combination of the previous two. Guests are seated at their tables, and plates of food are passed around among the guests.

Capture This Moment On Film

A growing trend is for newlyweds to take pictures prior to their ceremony. This allows more time after the ceremony for visiting with friends and relatives. It can also be a huge relief that will ensure that you get to actually enjoy the event you’ve worked so very hard to plan.

When choosing a photographer, check samples of their previous work. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the price and payment schedules. Also remember that a professional wedding photographer should be an active participant in the wedding day activities, yet not intrude or dominate the Bride and Groom’s available time. If you’ve selected wisely, you’ll have a participant who blends in well with the other personalities of your wedding.

The Cake

Wedding cakes are available in a variety of flavors and should have the personalities of the newlyweds represented as not only on top of the cake, but within the theme as well.

The Bridal Party’s Flowers

Flowers are used to add beauty and fragrance to a wedding day. Flowers at the ceremony should establish a theme and direct the attention of the guests to the Bride and Groom.

Flowers carried by the Bride and her Bridesmaids should continue the floral theme at the wedding ceremony. Good taste and the particular season will play an important role in the actual floral selections.

You should consider the architecture of the room when selecting your flowers as well. If you have a small room, don’t over power it with outrageous, large floral arrangements

Bridal Party Hair and Makeup

For continuity, I suggest the same makeup professional for the Bride and all of her Bridesmaids. Photographs will look better if everyone is similar in appearance. There are a lot of affordable alternatives as well as professionals who can bring a “cutting edge” look for a little more money.

Honeymoon

The honeymoon is simply vacation time allowing newlyweds an opportunity to relax and allow for quality time between the bride and groom. There are a lot of fun and affordable options for Honeymoons.

On a Final Note . . . The Emergency Kit

I like to recommend an Emergency Kit containing some of the following items be readily available “just in case.” It’s better to be prepared so you can enjoy your day. This is a great job for the Maid of Honor or a trusted friend.

Aspirin/Tylenol/Advil, etc

Antacid

Antihistamines

Band-Aids

Bottled water

Camera/camcorder/new rolls of film/fresh batteries

Cellular phone/phone cards/pager

Credit cards/checks/cash

Deodorant

Directions to wedding ceremony/reception

Disposable Razor (not just for shaving, removes lint balls as well)

Extra Earring Backs

Feminine Hygiene Products (Pads, Tampons)

Gum, mints or portable toothbrush

Hair Spray/Brush/Hair Items Such as Bobby Pins

Hand Lotion

Handi Wipes or Baby Wipes

Makeup Bag With Commonly Used Items

Masking Tape (Great for Emergency Hems)

Nail Polish & Remover

Nylons (one size fits all)

Pen & Notepad

Perfume

Phone numbers of all bridal party members (Cell #’s Included)

Phone numbers of all wedding vendors (ceremony/reception locations, wedding officiator, caterer, photographer, DJ/band, florist, bakery, etc.)
Give this list to your emergency back up person as well.

Safety Pins

Sewing Kit

Smelling Salts

Sitting Stool For Bride (In case her train is too long for a chair)

Talcum Powder

Tissues

Underwear (you never know)

Visine, not just for your eyes, but good to put on those surprise zits that pop up.

In Conclusion…

Hire and entrust competent wedding professionals to handle your wedding details, and leave the details to them. That’s their job. You need only to enjoy your perfect day. I’d like to be a part of that special day, contact me and give me the opportunity to earn your trust and your business.

Music has been my career for over 30 years. Many of you, and/or your parents, grew up listening to me in Omaha on Z-92 or CD 105. I have been providing music for special events since the late 1970’s.

No matter what the event: wedding receptions, corporate holiday parties or other special events, Joe Blood - Digital DJ delivers the music you want on a state-of-the art digital sound system. You can rest assured in my experience as a wedding reception coordinator, master of ceremonies, and music entertainer to smoothly organize your entire reception or special event.

You can learn more by visiting our website at http://www.joeblood.com