Archive for August, 2009

When it comes to planning your wedding you want to find information anytime, anywhere, and fast. That is the beauty of the Internet. You can find the latest styles of bridal gowns and other wedding attire with the click of a mouse. However, Google isn’t without flaws, and searching for local vendors can become a bit tricky if your sole reliance is on a search engine. That is why websites that specialize in weddings are probably your best bet!  All your information, one website. Here are the best wedding information sites.

The Knot.com
Chances are you’ve seen (and maybe even purchased) a local edition of The Knot Magazine, but the website version is much more comprehensive, as they offer a mix of local resources, wedding ideas from recent brides, honeymoon information, and more. Essentially The Knot’s website is a wedding portal. They also have videos and a community with message boards.

Brides.com
Like The Knot.com, Brides.com is a wedding portal owned by a magazine (well, in their case, three including Brides, Modern Bride, and Elegant Bride). The highlights of this website include their Essential Guide, which are easy-to-follow guides to help you plan everything from selecting a wedding gown to planning a destination wedding. And, as an added bonus, the Wedded Bits Blog is chock-full of fascinating and useful wedding information.

Weddings from About.com
Now this is not a website per se, it is a section of the larger About.com information search portal. Here you will find plenty of interesting articles and information tips from experienced experts on the topic. On this website you will find much more detailed information on planning the whole event.

In the end,  you will want to visit all three of these websites for the vast and varying  information that each one offers. Of all these websites, which one do you like the best?

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Okay, so we don’t think you are clueless by any means, but we got your attention, right? Here we look at the basic facts about getting a marriage license, the specifics of such are dependent upon the state you will be getting married in.

Apply for your marriage license at least a month before your wedding date. Don’t delay as you need the license to tie the knot! After the wedding the license will be recorded with the county where it took place, and you will be issued a marriage certificate.

In most areas a marriage license is valid for a period of 30 to 60 days. That means that your window for getting married is one to two months. If for some reason you are not able to get married within this span of time, then you will have to apply for another license (and pay the fee for it again!).

To apply for a marriage license you need to know your Social Security number and present a valid driver’s license for the state that you wish to marry in. If you are new to the country and are not a citizen yet, then you need to provide your birth certificate. If necessary, have it translated into English and then certified. It is also helpful if you have your passport with you. In most cases, you do not have to be a resident of the city or town in order to get married there.

If you have been married before, then you need to provide documentation that you are free to marry again. Certified documentation, such as a final divorce decree or a death certificate, will show that your previous marriage is over. If you recently have gotten divorced, in some areas there is a waiting period required before you can remarry. The meaning of “recently divorced” is not the same everywhere you go.

Some states in the U.S. are such that a waiting period is imposed between the time a marriage license is issued and the date on which the wedding ceremony will be held.

If you wish to get married and are younger than 18, then you will need parental consent to do so. This is true not just in the United States but throughout the globe.

How much you will pay for a marriage license varies from place to place. Be prepared!

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The old fashion wedding vows that commonly are recited during a traditional wedding ceremony are beautiful. But today’s bride and groom often seek ways to personalize their wedding, and one of those ways is to write your own meaningful wedding vows. Whether they are used as a supplement to the classic vows, or are used to replace, the choice is up to you and your fiancé. Get inspired with these helpful tips on how to create the perfect custom wedding vows.

Get creative with your choice of words and how you will say them. There is no need to get poetic, just find a way to express your feelings on a piece of paper that can be said beautifully and meaningfully. If you struggle with this, relax. You just need to write from your heart and the words should come naturally. But if you have any doubts about what you write, it might be wise for you both to rehearse the vows ahead of time.

Don’t tell all. While writing your own wedding vows is very personal for couples, don’t forget that they will be recited at the ceremony. Anything that could mortify you or your fiancé (or even the guests), should not be written in the vows. Also try to keep them short and sweet, like above, there is no need to go on and on, write some honest yet simple vows, and try to keep it under ten minutes.

Personalize  the wedding vows and the ceremony in which you recite them. For instance, you might want to begin the ceremony with a few of your favorite songs, and mention in the vows why these songs have such importance to you as a couple. Another good idea is to incorporate a little bit of your favorite poetry or book excerpts that mean something to you into the vows. Make sure to give credit to the poetry/excerpts in the program.

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Are your parents divorced, and they don’t get along? Perhaps they have not spoken in years (out of choice). Do they both have new significant others who further complicate the family tree? Are you feeling wedged in the middle and afraid that a quarrel or an all out family feud could break out at your wedding?

If yes, then before you decide to call off the wedding and elope, read on for some ways to help you cope with the potential for family outbursts on your big day.

Accept and indeed expect that there will be some arguments, conflict and turmoil along the way. While the wedding planning and the build-up to the big day are exciting and often exhilarating for everyone involved, it is also a time when a lot of emotions are stirred up in a family. Not all of the emotions are good, so prepare yourself for some riffs along the way.

Be as sensitive as you can to the concerns of family members even if they seem foolish, trivial or unreasonable to you. Although this is your wedding, it is also a family affair that brings family members together that may not be used to being under the same roof all at once. As well, you are joining your spouse in matrimony and creating a bridge between two families.

If there are individuals who threaten to not come to your wedding unless they can be kept apart from someone whom they do not wish to see, then do everything you can to make it happen. Seat your estranged parents apart in the church, and seat them at opposite ends of the head table. If that is still too close for comfort, then make other arrangements. Your objective must be to make your loved ones feel as comfortable as possible at your wedding.

If the warring parties do not like your suggestions, then ask each one of them for their input. Ask them, “What do you suggest? What can I do to make this work for you?” Whatever you do, do not let yourself be manipulated by a family member and realize that your parents (or whoever it is) are responsible for their own behavior before and during your wedding.

You deal with your own family’s issues, and let your spouse-to-be do the same. You are not married yet, so at present you have only your own family to worry about.

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