If You’re Looking for Beaches
It’s hard to beat Hawaii. With amazing beaches with surfer-quality waves and romantic scenery, you can hit the surf by day, and still turn up the romance at night. When you’re ready for more adventure, ride a mountain bike down a dormant volcano, or witness the amazing scene that is an active one.

Mexico also offers amazing waves, a sophisticated culture with artwork and amazing food, and can be more affordable than other beach honeymoon destinations. In fact, it is overall one of the most cost-effective places to travel, especially if you can find a good flight deal.

Avoid the touristy Cancun, and instead head for surfer hotspots like Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta or Tulum.

If you’re looking for a spot where every day is a great beach day, head for Aruba. The desert-like atmosphere and location far south of the hurricane belt means that you’re practically guaranteed to have every day be sunny and beautiful. The hundreds of miles of white sand beaches, and turquoise waters will help you enjoy sunbathing and watersports, while at night you can hit the nightlife in Oranjestad.

And don’t forget Fiji, a great choice for October brides, when you can go scuba diving and see the coral reef system bloom. You’ll also get the wonder of leaving wintery weather behind for Fiji’s 80 degree temps.

The Most Romantic Honeymoon Spots
You’ll feel like you’re on a movie set when you’re in Tahiti sitting on the deck of a resort looking out over stunningly-blue waters while drinking fresh pineapple cocktails. In fact Tahiti, along with its sister islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, is a favorite vacation spot of Hollywood couples. While you’re there, eat delicious tropical fish, watch Polynesian dance performances, walk through rainforests and waterfalls, before falling asleep in an overwater bungalow.

Paris usually gets all the credit for romantic European spots, but I recommend honeymooners check out the beautiful cities of Italy, where the piazzas of Rome and Florence are full of lovers eating at al fresco cafes with strolling musicians nearby. Spend a few days a short trip away in Venice where you can be serenaded by a Gondolier, and set a goal to kiss on every bridge in the city. Or visit Tuscany where wine tours can be combined with seeing Renaissance churches and lush countryside.

Closer to home, upstate New York is brimming with romance in fall, when Mother Nature puts on a show, or in winter where you can find reasons to snuggle on a snowy sleigh-ride. New York now boasts some world-renowned wineries, and a wine tour is tailor-made for lovebird honeymooners.

Or for a change, see the world’s most spectacular sunsets from the private terrace of your hotel room in Santorini Island, Greece. Perched on the crater or caldera, formed when an ancient volcano erupted, there’s hardly a bad view in the house. For the most romantic vacation, avoid the tourist-packed months of July and August.

From Nina Callaway

The couple, in turn, will have the opportunity to be the ones to say “thank you” in what is called the “return toast”. Since the groom and the bride are not allowed to initiate a toast in their honor, the return toast enables them to offer a toast to those people whom they would like to thank such as the parents of either the groom or the bride or both, the wedding entourage and even to all the guests who witnesses their formal entry into the life of a married couple. The wedding toast is done with gorgeous glasses hand picked buy the bride and groom.

Aside from the wedding toasts, the distribution of the wedding tokens or the wedding favors to the attendees is another way of saying “thank you” after your wedding. In any given wedding, guests are excited to receive these favors or tokens since serve as a remembrance of the memorable occasion.

During the wedding preparation, the bride and groom are expected to personally handpick or decide on what favors or tokens to give out. In some cases, the word “thank you” is written on the favors or tokens, but this is not necessary. As long as you give each guest this memento, it already symbolizes the couple’s appreciation.

Guest books can be used as a great way to make sure you have the right address to send your thank yous and a cherished way to read the thoughts and well wishes of your guest.

Since guest books often get over looked, not just well you are planning but as guests enter it is also a good idea to ask someone to be your guest book attendant. This job is a great way to include a special someone in the wedding party and they can be very helpful in pointing guests in the right direction as they enter your wedding destination.

Make sure you have a pen for guests to write with as well. Plan on having your guest book table placed as guests enter the party and often they are near the gift table so guests can drop off gifts at the same time.

You have to consider if you want your party to all match. Do their dresses, shoes and hair all match? If they do you may want their bridal jewelry to match as well.

“Less is often more,” especially when it comes to your bridal parties jewelry. Keep things simple and elegant. Make sure that your party’s jewelry doesn’t outshine yours as the bride is the main focus of the day. You will want to keep the jewelry simple, beautiful and coordinate it with the rest of the wedding.

Whatever type of bridal jewelry you choose, remember that it is your special day so you can personalize it as much as you want. Also you will want to take into account the skin tone, piercings, and dresses of your bridal party when making your selection.

A great thank you gift to your bridesmaids may be to purchase their jewelry for them. Not only does it show your appreciation to them and all they have done but makes sure you get the look you are going for on your wedding day.

Flower girls usually shower the wedding aisle with flower petals for the bride to walk on. Although dropping petals from her flower girl basket may seem like a simple task, depending of the age of your flower girls, it may seem daunting.

The ring bearer is a young boy who walks the wedding aisle to bring the fake or real wedding rings. The wedding rings sits on a wedding ring bearer pillow. He may bring the fake or real wedding rings. For the real wedding rings, the wedding rings are sewn or tied on the pillows.

The wedding ring bearer pillows dates back from the Roman and Egyptian old traditions. The pillow is use to carry silver and gold stones. Today, the pillow carries the wedding rings.

At a young age, a simple walk and ring bearer duty is a big role. You may work with the parents. So, the ring bearer can understand the role. The parents of the ring bearer can also sit on the wedding aisle to keep an eye and cherish the big role of him.

The significance of the unity candle is present in many ceremonies and religions. Now also come in a variety of designs, colors and with special phrases and looks that may hold special meaning for the newlyweds. Couples are now picking a very individual way of saying how they are united into one with their choice of unity candle.

When it comes to choosing the right set of candles for you, make sure that the look for a set that best matches your personality and style of wedding.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you customize your unity ceremony.

Before you begin your ceremony it is a good idea to make sure your candles light.

Have your best man and bridesmaid take part in the ceremony to symbolize the joining of new friendships and family.

Some couples will already have the taper candles burning before the start of the ceremony to reflect the bride and groom as individuals.

The Tradition of Wedding Flowers

Carrying flowers by the bride is not something new; it actually has its roots in ancient times. Strong smelling herbs and spices were used to keep away evil spirits during the wedding celebration. Later, during the Roman era, flowers were used to symbolize fertility. Eventually, flowers were given different meanings and used as a way of sending “love notes” in the form of bouquets. Soon, the tradition of the meaning of each flower trickled down and was adopted for the bride’s bouquet.

By tradition, the groom wears a flower that appears in the bridal bouquet in his buttonhole. This custom originates from the Medieval tradition of a knight wearing his lady’s colors as a declaration of love.

So it seems that a wedding without flowers is like, well, it’s like a garden without flowers!

So Many Choices

Have you ever considered how many different kinds of flowers there are? Hundreds of beautiful blooms are available to create the romantic elegance your wedding deserves. You may even feel like author Phoebe Cary, who said, “I know not which I love the most, Nor which the comeliest shows, The timid, bashful violet Or the royal-hearted rose: The pansy in purple dress, The pink with cheek of red, Or the faint, fair heliotrope, who hangs, Like a bashful maid her head.” So, how do you choose?

One way is to consider the different meanings of the flowers and create a bouquet that is not only beautiful to the eye, but also meaningful to the heart. Another way is to consider the time of year. Many flowers are more common during one season than another, so finding off-season flowers may be difficult!

Based on tradition, here are some of the more popular wedding bouquet flowers and what they mean, along with when they are in season:

Red Rose – Love, All Year

White Rose – Unity, All Year

Yellow Rose – Joy, All Year

Orange Rose – Passion, All Year

Pink Rose – Secret Love, or Grace & Sweetness, All Year

Alstroemeria – Devotion, All Year

Baby’s Breath – Innocence, All Year

Calla Lily – Magnificent Beauty, March through September

Carnation – Devoted Love, All Year

Daisy – Innocence & Romance, All Year

Ivy – Fidelity, Marriage, All Year

Lily Of The Valley – Happiness, March through September

Myrtle – Joy , All Year

Orchid – Love & Beauty, All Year

Stephanotis – Marital Happiness, All Year

Tulips – Love & Passion, January through April

Zinnia – Affection, All Year

The best way to get the right flowers is to choose the right florist and one of the best ways to find a good florist is by word of mouth. If the florist’s service and work comes highly recommended, chances are they will do a good job for you. Select a florist that listens to you and really grasps the look and feel you want. Be open to the florist’s ideas and suggestions. In the long run, it will be the value of their experience, talent, and expertise that you have purchased.

Don’t Forget the Flowers for the….

In addition to flowers for the wedding party and family members, you will need flowers for the church, arrangements for the reception tables, head table, and guest book table. You may even want flowers for the cake and a small bouquet for the ladies’ room. To make sure you don’t forget any of your floral needs, here is a list of possibilities:

Bride’s Bouquet

Maid/Matron of Honor

Mother of the Bride

Mother of the Groom

Bridesmaids

Flower Girl

Grandmothers

Groom

Best Man

Father of the Bride

Father of the Groom

Ushers

Ring Bearer

Grandfathers

Flowers for the Wedding Ceremony

Altar Arrangements

Aisle Markers

Candelabras

Aisle Runner

Canopy or Archway

Kneeling Bench

Flowers for the Reception

Bridal Table

Cake Table

Guest Table

Buffet Table

Bandstand

Gift Table

Guest Book Table

Bouquet to Throw

Fresh flowers underline the importance and elegance of your wedding day. They enhance any setting and can literally transform an average looking room into a beautiful scene. If you’ve planned well, your flowers will be exactly what you want, and you’ll be free to focus on what your day is all about.

By: Claire Bowes

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of Online Wedding Planning.

Article Source: http://www.bestweddingarticles.com

Weddings are becoming more and more about the style of the individuals getting married. Themes for the big day are becoming a big deal but if you aren’t keen on a wedded day of renaissance wear, Hollywood limelight or sock hop you may just want to plan your day around a special location.

Destination wedding planning can make your big day an enjoyable and memorable experience for you and the guest. Often a beautiful destination isn’t any more expensive then a local hall you just have to plan ahead.

If you combine your honeymoon and ceremony a tropical wedding may be just what you are looking for. My favorite wedding was one in which my girlfriend and her cowboy hubby got married in a very scenic barn.

Pick a place that you love and your wedding is sure to be a day you’ll remember forever.

Setting the emotions aside, wedding receptions are remembered for the sheer grandeur of the arrangements made in terms of food, drink, music, the wedding site, and the ambiance. No wonder people are willing to spend lavishly on wedding receptions to make it a memorable one. Wedding entertainment has an endearing importance, as the bride and the groom are interested in entertaining the guests to make the day memorable. Variety is being added to songs, dances, food and decorations. Jugglers, fire-eaters, magicians, stand up comedians and professional band have all entered the scene as a part of wedding entertainment.

Wedding entertainment mostly means music entertainment that can be live or otherwise. Wedding music bands, wedding DJs, solo wedding musicians, solo wedding singers, and wedding music ensembles all comprise the wedding entertainment schedule. Depending on the mood and atmosphere of the day, these performers can be hired to perform. While a DJ would play music as per planned, he also would ask the guests to request for songs of their choice. Music entertainment also means performance either by musicians and singers, solo or in groups. A pianist playing your favorite music while the guests enjoy the delectable food can be very soothing. If you wish, your guests to dance chose such music as Latin, Swing Band or even Rock and Roll. A Jazz or Cover band would give a more sophisticated feel. As far as live music entertainment is concerned the band selection offers choice across the spectrum that include Country, Cover, Dance, Jazz, Latin, Motown, Oldies, Reggae, Rock, Steel Drum, Swing, Top 40, and the periods like 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s band.

While live music entertainment limits the music to a particular genre once the selection is made, a DJ offers a mix of whatever you want, from any era, any musician and any song. You should make up your mind to what tune you would love your guests to enjoy and dance to, whether slow and romantic, or hip and exciting. Whether it is going to be Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a wonderful world’ or a Whitney Houston romantic song. The results are the guests would be left with an unforgettable wedding experience and treasure it forever.

One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning is sharing your happiness with family, friends and other guests. And the best place to start your wedding planning is by talking to friends and family about their wedding experiences. Wedding planning is crucial to the success of your day.

The key to any wedding planning is making a checklist and following it in an organised fashion. The top thing on your checklist should be your wedding date. Without that there won’t be a wedding day. Other items that may be on your wedding checklist are, choosing a minister to officiate your ceremony, the wedding rings, the bride’s dress, who you want to be in your wedding, where the wedding will be held, invitations, the reception, flowers, music, photographer, wedding favors and more.

If you plan on having an outdoor wedding you need to consider the time year or location so that it will not be too cold or rainy. Also, if your wedding is anywhere near the national average it will cost you or your parents around $3000. Typically, the wedding reception accounts for 50% or more of the total wedding package. This makes the RSVP on your invitations very important.

The time leading up to your wedding day is a very special time but it will go very quickly. And the best part of all that comes from your wedding day is your honeymoon which brings us to a whole other subject for a future article.

By Kathy Crawford