Wedding anniversaries

• First year: Paper wedding
• Second year: Cotton wedding
• Third year: Leather wedding
• Fourth year: Wooden wedding
• Fifth year: Wool wedding
• Tenth year: Tin wedding
• Twelfth year: Silk or line wedding
• Fifteenth year: Crystal wedding
• Twentieth year: Porcelain wedding
• Twenty fifth year: Silver wedding
• Thirtieth year: Pearl wedding
• Fortieth year: Ruby wedding
• Fiftieth year: Golden wedding
• Seventy fifth year: Diamond wedding
  

Traditions and symbols

Throwing the bouquet or league:The female guest or male guest who gets the bouquet or the league, respectively are the next ones in getting married. This custom started in the 19th century in France, where they considered that the bride’s league brought good luck. Afterwards, the bouquet was added to the tradition.

Throwing rice:In wedding, rice is thorn over the bride and groom so they can have many children. This tradition started in Asia where this grain is considered a symbol of fertility. Nowadays it’s also used to throw petals or sunflower seeds since the birds get chocked with rice.

Wedding cake: This custom started in Ancient Rome. After the ceremony, a piece of cake was broken over the bride’s head as a symbol of fertility and long life. The falling crumbs are picked up and eaten by the guests. The Middle Ages, in England, the customs consisted on the guests bringing small cakes meant to be kissed by the bride and groom. For, these wedding cakes have many layers and floors.

Taking the bride to the altar :When a father takes his daughter to the altar is symbolizing the parents blessing to marriage. In the past, daughters were considered property of their fathers, thus it belonged to the father to give her to her husband.

Wearing something borrowed, something old and something new :Wearing something old is a symbol of the bride’s connection with the past. A new detail is a reflex of her new life to come, and something borrowed means friendship.

Flowers: Represent the bride and groom’s purity.

The rings: From Ancient Rome, the golden ring represents union, everlasting love and fidelity. The exchange ceremony is symbol of confidence. The wedding rings are put on the annular finger. They sued to believe that this finger’s vein reached right to the heart.

The bride’s veil: Represents the bride’s virginity and innocence.

The Wedding Invitations

The wedding invitations are much more than a nuptial announcement; is demonstrating to society (relatives, friends and acquaintances) our personality.

How to choose the wedding invitations

Budget: First of all check how much money you count; this will tell you if you can hire the services of a prestigious agency dedicated to the wedding invitations making, that will offer you exclusive designs, papers, typographies and decorations.

Design: based on the type of paper, this can be classic like the opaline which light colors and texture is smooth. These models will always be accepted for their soberness and simplicity, besides of being the most affordable.

Craft paper: if you are looking for something more original and your budgets allows you to you can choose a more elaborated type of paper whether industrialized of craft. Industrialized paper is very assorted since you can find a wide range of colors and textures.

Wording: You can make it as formal or informal as you like depending on the type of celebration and guests, but (never) start the name of the person with the abbreviation of her profession. For example: Dr. John Smith.

The participations

Names and last names of the bride’s parents must go on the right side, or if the wording is vertical they must be on the upper side.

The names of the bride and groom must go alone (no last names). The bride’s name on the right and the groom’s name on the right.
Name and address of the ceremony place
Date and hour of the ceremony (it’s convenient to consider half an hour ahead)

The reception
Name and address of the reception place
Personal: Make clear the invitation is for only one person.
Etiquette: If you wish ladies assist in long gowns and men in tuxedo. This is only acceptable if your celebration at night.
Confirm your assistance: The initials in French R.S.V.P. -répondez s’il vouz plait- and a phone number.

The envelope

Front side: The last name of the family you are inviting and if they are a couple the name of both.

Back side: traditionally there was indicate the address of the bride and groom, so the guest could send the presents to their house. But nowadays if you decide to register your wedding on a marriage list, this service will send it to you on the place and date you indicate. This must be done at least with 3 or 4 months of anticipation.
Important notes

It’s important from the beginning to know how much people you are going to invite. Many details depend from this, especially to know how many invitation you have to order. For this make a guests list and decide how many invitation you will send assign for them.

Give one invitation per family, along with the number of reception cards for each family member.

If you have two friends who are a couple you can deliver one invitation as you do with the married ones.

Always consider to order 10 to 20 extra invitations for last-hour guests.

Bridal make-up for perfect wedding pictures

The pictures of your wedding will last forever and are usually the most seen from the family album. Professional photographers and make-up artists and hair stylists know perfectly hot to make outstand your most suitable features in front of the camera.

Here we give you some make-up and hair tips you should take into account for the photo shoot.

Make-up base: Always remember that the base must be applied on your neck. It must be form a color similar to the tone of your neck’s skin. Choose yellowish tones; forget about the pinks and browns. If you have a perfect skin you don’t need to worry about this.

Always choose matte products: you have to try shades barely darker than your skin’s color, so it looks natural on the pictures.

Forget of the glows around the eyes and on the cheeks: Any skin imperfection or expression wrinkles will be remarked by the flash.

Dull lips: Avoid using gloss, but apply a hydrant before painting them if you have dry lips.
Avoid places with too much sunlight or direct light: Places with shadows or sifted lights are ideal.

Black and white: If you go for black and white pictures, get them after the pictures in color, since the make-up with the first ones is totally different and more remarked, pastel colors look very well in a color picture, but practically fade in a clack and white picture. Try to remark your make-up with brown tones and red for the lips.

Watch the eyebrows: Most times, in short shots they look messy and artificial, use shadows and a fine brush to retouch them. Never use pencils.

Simple does: Never apply to many products on your hair; they make it look too rigid. If you like to wear it tied up, nothing like a chignon.

Relax…To look perfect on pics. Having a massage the day before is a good idea.

Natural bridal bouquet: if your bouquet is made from natural flowers, you should have two of them: one for the photo shoot and another one for the ceremony.

Sleep well: Taking a good rest the bight before is fundamental for beauty and especially for pictures.

Bridal dress color

Choosing the color of your wedding dress is as hard as choosing the dress itself. The diverse tones of white make complicated the election; if it is not cream, it is ivory or champagne.

With this brief guide you’ll have the best idea about the best type of white that will make you look better, according to your skin color.

The color tones

The key to choose your color is your own skin color.

Natural white or almond-like: it’s a tone less than the pure white. The 80% of brides look better with this color, besides looking good on pictures.

If you have dark skin, you are lucky. Almost all kinds of white match with your skin. But if you have yellow or olive skin tones it will not look as good on you as a shiny white or champagne would do.

Ivory: some ivory gowns have yellow tones that make them look creamy. If your skin is white color ivory and natural white or almond-like are the best options for you. Avoid white brilliant or pure.

Champagne: this color has rose tones that make it look almost white on pictures. If you have white skin with yellow tones, choose the white almond-like or champagne.

White-white: it is the most clear and brilliant of all whites. Looks spectacular on dark skins. If your skin is white with rose tones, go for the creamy colors.

Bridal beauty tips

You must get a face cleaning with at least one week in advanced, so any redness or irritation caused by the facial treatment disappear.

Make sure of having a good breakfast. Nerves may put you in bad mood and not eating will make it worst.

Remember, on your wedding day you are the most important person, so take your time at the beauty saloon.

Preferably, take the first or last appointment to make sure they will dedicate your time enough. Bring a photo camera to the test date. Tell your hairstylist to take you pics from all the angles. With this technique he/she will make you the same do on your wedding’s day. Do the same with your make-up stylist.

Don’t’ forget getting a manicure and a pedicure. The day before the weeding is the best time to do it, so the color will be perfect for the wedding day. During this appointment give yourself the time to check your haircut, color or style so they will be perfect for the wedding.

Review magazines and cut pictures of does and make-ups you like and hate. Take them to your hairdresser; in this way, you could give him/her a clear idea of your personal style. Your hairdresser will be able to concentrate on styles that go with what you like.

Show your hairstylist a pic of your dress, veil and tiara. This will help him/her to determine if it would be better to use the hair partially or completely tied-up. Arrange a hair test appointment with your hair stylist, so you’ll have time to explore other options.

Use a blouse with frontal bottoms when going to the saloon, so you won’t ruin your hair when taking it off. Spare time to be alone and relax at least for half an hour.

Rose petals carpet

Now is very “in” using an original rose petal carpet at church for the awaited bride’s entrance.

Nevertheless, sometimes, results a bit complicated, since some churches do not allow the use of this type of carpet, because they don’t want to take the risk of having the floor deteriorated or with the mess around. Therefore, if you want to realize this ides, you will have to previously get the corresponding permission of the church. Besides, keep in mind the church you select should not be so big, it’s recommendable putting the rose petals carpet at small churches, where the entrance path is relatively short.

Another point to take into consideration is the petals color. We suggest you to use white roses; due to their elegance and meaning you never miss!

Finally if you love this ides but the church forbids it, you could use this idea at the newlywed’s entrance to the reception. In this case, the rose color is freer, could be white, rose or a combination of these.

Ask a flower specialist to make you a wonderful rose petals carpet and dare to make a stunning entrance to the ceremony!

The bride’s schedule

3 months earlier

• Doing the paper work for the civil or religious marriage
• Ordering the rings
• Ordering the presents for the guests
• Buying the accessories for the bride’s dress: veil, shoes, lingerie…etc.

2 months earlier

• Choosing the music for the church ceremony and the buffet
• Hiring photographers and video makers
• Doing the course for the religious ceremony
• Sending the invitations

1 month earlier

• The bride’s bouquet
• Hair and make-up try outs
• Taking stuff to the couple’s new home

Bridal bouquet according to your sign

The wedding day is unforgettable, unique and social; the brides want to look beautiful and astonishing. The bride’s bouquet is indispensable in that happy moment. And a zodiac touch that emphasizes the qualities of the bride’s sign will not only be beautiful but also will be reflecting the harmony with universe that day and foretelling a successful union.

¿How should be the bridal bouquet for each bride according to her zodiac sign and why? Combining styles, sizes and colors each bride will be expressing in that happy day of her life her most outstanding and determining astral character.

Suggestion: not only for he wedding day but for any special occasion requiring a flower arrangement this could be used as a guide to balance and harmonize your home. Flowers are always a detail of good taste, happiness and beauty in every house and a well-made bunch of flowers is a masterpiece that reflects the personality of the person who prepares it and who receives it.

The bride of…

Aries: this bride is impulsive, passionate, and always different! Nothing could be best for her than a big bouquet with striking and strong-colored flowers. Red should predominate. It matches very well with violets and begonias.

Taurus: she is quiet, serene, tender and home-loving. A simple bouquet, not so big, with country flowers with subtle colors. A very tight rose bouquet, daisies or gillyflowers with a touch of green leaves complements the bouquet.

Geminis: Talkative, magnetic, nervous, dynamic and a little unsteady. Witty and sometimes unpredictable! The right bridal bouquet is magnetic as her, eye-catching, cheerful and juvenile. Go well sunflowers, gladiolas, tulips, narcissus and orange flowers.

Cancer: the bride of cancer is tenacious, intuitive, attached to the spiritual and home, smart and maternal. Her flowers are delicate as white roses. A very discrete flower arrangement, not so striking, with some oriental touch or Buddhist touch.

Leo: this bride is impulsive, sexy, showy and temperamental. She needs big flowers, red, pink, fan-like palms, crottle leaves.

Virgo: she pays attention to the details, modest, natural, loving and serene. A delicate bouquet, juvenile, compact and tidy with tiny flowers like gillyflowers and daisies, and small straight leaves will be wonderful for her.

Libra: This bride is elegant, balanced, with a very special appeal. Her bouquet must be elegant, subtle and delicate, with roses, violets and organza bonds. All with good taste details.

Scorpio: she has a strong character and personality, magnetic, mysterious, the Scorpio bride are intuitive and discrete. The bridal bouquet must be exotic and compact with orchids and violets to give her a mysterious touch and some wild flowers to evoke something magic.

Sagittarius: The bride of Sagittarius is straight-forward and austere, free-will, independent, active, sporty she doesn’t like to show off. For her, a pure and simple bouquet with completely white flowers, jasmines, nards hold by a silk ribbon. Nothing neither exuberating, nor exaggerated.

Capricorn: The Capricornian bride is hardworking, home-loving, dedicated, serious, affective, and intuitive, with many aspirations. This bride wants to make a big impression that day. Her bouquet should be abundant flowers and leaves, lilies, paradise birds and Hawaiian flowers.

Aquarius: Creative and independent, the bride from this sign are also very spiritual, humanitarian and modern. An unusual a non-traditional bouquet is for her. Something modern and original with striking and exotic flowers, Africans or weird ones.

Piscis: Tender and sincere, able to love sacrifice, romantic, cheerful and delicate. For her a juvenile bouquet, delicate and cheerful, simple with roses and tulips; colorful but not too much.

How to choose the right bridal gown for you

Getting in the dressing room with a bunch of dresses of the same size is not the most important thing about choosing a dress.

The style and the cut determine how good it looks in a person. And dressing are not the exception of course, it implies changing and looking very well till deciding which style is the right one for that picture perfect day.

Wedding dress designers recommend the style that stylizes your body the most. They also recommend a little trick when trying in the dressing room. Just put on the dress you like and get in front of the mirror, close your eyes and open them quickly. Notice where your eyes lay on first, if they look to a part of your body you don’t’ want to see, and then pick another dress.

Accessories and details have a great importance at the moment of trying the dress and how looks the whole set. So here are some recommendations to take into account before buying your bridal gown:

- For a bride who want to minimize the size of her breast it is suitable a model with minimum details on the torso and many details in the borders and the skirt. This takes the looks downwards.

- For a bride who wants to minimize her hips the dress must have more details in the torso. Short sleeves are also suitable.

- For a bride who wants her bust look bigger, must go for a dress with details on the torso in a way to attract looks to that part.

- The bride who wants to hide her belly should consider en empire style gown. This model is not tight, avoiding looks going to that problematic zone. Princess styles are stylizing and suit most body types. These have a slimming panel on the frontal and back side of the dress.

- A bride with a short neck may go for a V-neck dress to extend the neck’s length.

- Alternatively, a bride with a long neck who wants to make it look shorter will find the solution in high neck gowns like a Sabrina, bateau or a sequin stylized gown.

- For the bride who doesn’t want a dress with borders we recommend a heart-shaped dress instead of those of short cut along the chest.

- For a bride with thick arms she should avoid short-sleeves or wavy leaves. Long sleeves or ribbon-like sleeves are more recommendable in this case.

- If the bride wants to minimize her shoulders she should avoid long or wavy sleeves.

- Make sure the color chosen matches and smoothes your skin tone. According to wedding experts, choosing the wrong color makes every defect of your face come out. White and light colors go for brides with fair and tanned tones, while the shinny whites and fresh colors go for skins with pink tone.