Wedding Invitations|Cheap Wedding Invitations|Wedding Invitation

Moving house is a very busy time for even the most organized family. With all of the things that need to be done it's easier than you may think to forget something. Here are some common things that people forget to do before they move.

Gather All Your Records: We don't often think about how many records and documents we have until we are moving and have to get them all together in one place. School and work records, medical and dental records, vet records for your pets, and personal papers such as insurance policies, wedding and birth certificates and adoption paperwork all need to be organized and kept in a safe and easily accessible location while you move.

Know Your New Address: You may be surprised, but forgetting your new address or accidentally packing away the paperwork that has your new address on it is pretty common. Be sure to make a note of your new address in a few different places just in case something is misplaced.

Cancel Clubs, Lessons and Membership Cards: Don't forget to cancel health club memberships, library cards and return movie rentals. Be sure to ask if your memberships may be transferable to a location near your new home.

Return and Collect Borrowed Items: Items that have been borrowed from friends and neighbors are easy to forget about when packing up your home. Before you begin packing, go through your home and put anything you've borrowed in a designated area so that you will remember to return them to their owners. Also ask your friends and neighbors to return items they have borrowed from you so that they can be packed with the rest of your belongings.

Designate a Contact Person: Now that most people have cell phones, this can be overlooked sometimes, but it is still a good idea, especially if you are moving a long distance away. Your contact person will be the phone number that someone can call if they need to get in touch with you, but your cell phone isn't working. Be sure to give your removalist company this phone number, as well as your friends and family. Then call your contact person on a regular basis to make sure any messages are collected.

Leave Your Garage Door Opener and Spare Keys: Many times people move all the way to their new home before they realize that they still have their old garage door opener and the spare keys for their old home. Having to send these items back to the new owners of your old house can be a little embarrassing for you, and can be inconvenient for the new owners. Also be sure to collect any spare keys you've given to neighbors or friends.

Don't Forget Your Pets: Usually this complication isn't that you've forgotten your pets, but that when you're ready to load the last kid into the car and drive away, your pet has suddenly disappeared. Cats, of course, are notorious for disappearing at the worst moments. If your pet has run off and you just can't wait any longer, ask your neighbors to keep an eye out for him and make sure he's taken care of when he shows up again.

Ordering invitations for a wedding isn't exactly rocket science. Yet if you haven't done it before, it can be intimidating. Two terms that sometimes confuse first-time wedding planners are wedding reception invitations and wedding invitation templates. Cut down on event planning stress by learning about when and how to use them.

What are wedding reception invitations?

Getting married at a church but hosting a reception at a restaurant? With a ceremony and a party in different locations, wedding reception invitations give your guests the details they need to be in the right place at the right time. This itty-bitty card--usually about half the size of the ceremony invite--is included with the invitation, the reply card and, if necessary, the map card.

Wedding reception invitations could also be used as reception-only invites. Whether you got married in Las Vegas surrounded by a few friends or tied the knot in a private ceremony attended by the two of you and your kids, there are many reasons you might need to want to keep the marriage ceremony separate from the party.

The most important part of wedding reception invitations is the wording you choose. Avoid embarrassing situations by clearly stating the invitation is for the reception only. Online wedding stationery websites and wedding planning sites usually offer wording suggestions that will satisfy the manners maven in your family and prevent your "crazy" cousins from unintentionally crashing your intimate ceremony.

Find wedding reception invitations to fit any event style through online stationery specialists.

What are wedding invitation templates and when should I use one?

A template is a pattern for creating wedding invites, similar to the patterns you used to make aprons in high school home economics class. Templates allow you to print professionally designed stationery--from ceremony programs to map cards to wedding reception invitations-- from a home computer.

For a one-of-a-kind look, find wedding invitation templates that allow you to customize the pattern. If you want the option to customize, don't choose a template until you know the answers to these two important questions:

1) Can it be customized? Some templates come as they are, so if you're looking to get creative be sure you can do so.

2) If it can be customized, what computer software do you need to alter it? Don't spend money purchasing a customizable template only to discover you don't have the software needed to change it.

While there are free printable wedding invitation templates available, you can also buy designs created by graphic artists, which means you get a professional look with a DIY price. Find high-quality wedding invitation templates through online wedding stationery printers.

Take the strain out of trying to remember everything you need to do for your wedding by using this simple twelve month check-list.

12 MONTHS

Decide what sort of wedding you want.

Do you want a traditional wedding in a church or a civil ceremony in a registry office or licensed wedding venue? Some venues may not be suitable, to big or too small, so you need to make a shortlist and visit them all - remember to get their available dates!

When do you want to get married?

Have you a special date in mind or have you dates that you need to avoid because they clash with something else? Don't forget the sporting calendar, as a special event could ruin the day. I forgot to check and got married when England were going for the Triple Crown! No-one was available for photos as all the male attendants were sitting in cars listening to the radio! I did put Jerusalum on the hymn list which was sung heartedly.

How much do you have to spend?

Work out what you can afford and stick to a budget, (add 10% for contingency for that thing you "just must have").  How many guests will you be inviting?  Allocate a cost to each individual item, eg. dress, reception, music, flowers - you will find some items for less than budget and some over - so don't fret when some things break the budget - there will be savings elsewhere.

Book the Reception

Have you already got a place in mind?  Look at it from the point of view of a wedding venue and not the Xmas party!!  What will you do if the weather is bad - where will the photos be taken? The venue may have a portfolio of previous weddings, so ask to see it. They can usually recommend photographers and entertainment for you, they may also have their own in-house wedding planner.

10 MONTHS

Catering

If your reception venue is not providing a caterer, get a short-list of preferred caterers and sample taste some menues before finalising for your big day.  Popular caterers get booked up way in advance, so sort this out 12 months before, if you can.  Same for the Wedding Cake - these usually need to be ordered 10 months before the day.

Wedding Dress/Bridesmaids dress

Choose your bridesmaids, best man and any ushers.  Start looking at wedding dresses and bridal gowns, also for your bridesmaids. Some dresses need to be ordered at least 6 months in advance so they can be made, and then fitted personally to you.

Photographer

You should book early if you want a particular photographer. The best get booked up early. They should be able to present you with a gallery of their work, and you need to decided if you want contemporary style photos or traditional poses. A mix of the both usually works well - traditional satisfying the parents so they can display photo on mantlepiece, and the wacky ones for your bedroom wall!!

Music- Entertainment

Do you want live music, a band or string quartet for the ceremony?  Start thinking about music for when you walk up the aisle, during the signing of the register and your first dance.  Disco for later in the evening. Or perhaps a magician to keep the children amused through the wedding breakfast. If you are getting married on a Saturday, you will need to arrange this fairly early on in your wedding preparations so avoid disappointment.

6 MONTHS

Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Once you have your dress and your bridesmaids, there will be a colour theme evolving.  Order wedding invitations at least 6 months in advance - be sure you proof read them, and then get someone else to check before the final print.  You can have your invitations, place cards and table plan based on your colour theme of your wedding.

Honeymoon

If you are having a honeymoon, look at some brochures and if you are getting married in the school holidays, you may need to book early to get your ideal honeymoon.  There can sometimes be cost-savings by booking early too.

Florist

Now you know what you dress and cake will look like, find a florist and discuss what type of flowers you want (within your budget).  These include not only your bouquet, but buttonholes, corsages for the Mothers and and table arrangements.

Wedding Transport

Book your transport to your wedding venue and reception.

Wedding Rings

Don't forget the rings!  They may need several fittings to get it right.

3 MONTHS

Passport

If you are thinking of changing your name, allow adequate time to get your passport reissued.  The UK Passport Office will postdate your new married passport to the date of your wedding.

Wedding Wear

Buy wedding lingerie and honeymoon outfits

Beauty

Make an appointment with a beautician to have a hair and make-up trial.  You may want to book them on the day - costs can be reasonable, and it means you don't have to leave the house to get your hair and make up done.

TWO  MONTHS

Send out Wedding invitations at least 8 weeks before

Work out a seating plan

Finalise your Wedding Breakfast

Have a full dress rehearsal to be sure it all fits (including the rings!)

ON THE DAY

Smile, Smile Smile - don't stress, nobody will notice if there are a few hiccoughs - vow to enjoy every moment.

Happy Wedding.

Visit here for more information on how to plan your wedding

Traditional weddings have always been the preferred choice of couples, in which the image of a victorian steepled church, a red carpeted entry way, and a blushing white bride. Today, however, many more young newlyweds are exploring new environments to exchange vows. Among many new contemporary settings to celebrate the special day include beaches and gardens. While both offer the benefit of fresh air and a large crowd capacity, there are several reasons why a beach is most definitely the best choice for most weddings.

While garden weddings are aesthetically pleasing and offer a paradise-esque atmosphere with many perks and luxuries, there are several reasons why a garden wedding might have some disadvantages. Food cost and venue arrangements are just some aspects to consider when comparing beach and garden weddings.

Newlyweds might expect to pay a small fortune for just the bare essentials of a garden wedding. A small fee will be required for utilizing a garden located on both public and private property. Expect to pay hundreds of dollars for just a few hours of use if choosing a garden wedding theme.

Another important ingredient that should be considered is the cost of food and alcohol. Catering services costs can range in the thousands of dollars when including brunch and the dinner reception, not to mention potential costs of serving alcohol or wetbar services. All in all, newlyweds can expect to pay about a fourth of the total costs in food service for a garden wedding.

The wedding venue arrangements are another critical factor in planning a garden wedding. Most wedding receptions should be in close proximity to the wedding site. Couples need to make sure that a reception site is conveniently located for a garden wedding and that all guests are adequately prepared for changes in weather such as rain.

While there are several drawbacks to garden weddings, beach weddings offer many advantages. The best part about having a beach theme weddings is that it's free! There are no fees to holding a beach wedding as long as guests are responsible with their trash and pick up after themselves.

Barbeques are an excellent alternative to food catering services at a beach wedding. If feeding a large crowd, steaks, hamburgers, or baked potatoes can be served on paper plates on picnic tables that face the ocean. The bride and groom can cut their food bill in half by using such a simple approach.

Beach theme weddings just give wedding guests so much more freedom and independence to roam, mingle, or just enjoy the beautiful scenery. The only problem the bride and groom will have is wearing themselves out sending all of those beach wedding invitations!

While both wedding styles are a nice departure from a traditional church wedding, a beach theme wedding allows newlyweds to really step out of their comfort zone as well as cut venue and other costs in half. The next time you plan a wedding, consider a beach theme for ultimate convenience and breathtaking scenery.

Okay, lets get started.

Many people just plug there camera in and a supplied programme downloads the images, but what if you can't do that, how do you go about it?

1.Open your card slot in your camera and take the card out.

2. Place the card in the card reader......

Whats a card reader I hear you ask......most modern computers have a card reader in them, there will be a slot marked SD/XD/....if your computer doesn't have one don't despair, any computer shop will sell them for about $20 & they plug into your USB port.

3. The card only works one way up so if at first you don't succeed try again!!!

4. Now click on the start menu....that's the round circle on the lower left hand side of your screen, with a windows symbol on it.

5. Go to My Computer...you will see it on the pop up window....left click on it.

6. When the window opens you will see a list of drives, such as C:/, D:/, E:/DVD, SD/MMC(or similar) with a card image next to it. This is the one you will click on.

7. Double Left click on card icon....Now either your pictures will appear(Go to step 10) or a small folder with writing next to it, ie DCIM

8. Double left click this folder.....Now either your photos will appear (Go to step 10) or another folder will appear with writing next to it, ie 159_Fuji or similar depending on the brand of camera.

9. Double left click folder.....your photos will now appear!!!

10. Left click on "edit"...this is found on the top bar of the box next to 'file'

11. Go to "Select all" and left click.

12. Go to "edit" again and now you can left click on either "Move to folder" or "copy to folder". At this stage I would recommend copy.

Move deletes the images off your card and puts them onto your computer whereas copy transfers them onto your computer but they are still on the card. Then if anything goes wrong, you still have them.

13. A new popup box appears and it says "select where you would like to copy these images to"........ Most people copy them to "My Pictures"

14. If My Pictures or Pictures folder appears then left click on it, if it doesn't don' despair!!!! Click on the My Documents folder instead.

15. Scroll down till you come to the "My Pictures" or "Pictures" folder and left click on it.

16. Now in the bottom left hand corner of this box there is a button with "Make new folder" on it, click this.

17. A new folder will appear and next to it the words New Folder will be highlighted. just type in the name you want to call this folder. ie Denmark trip then press the "enter" key on your keyboard.

18. the photos will now begin transferring. A little pop up box will come up saying where it is transferring the photos to and approximately how long it will take.

19. When this pop up box disappears, all your photos are now on your computer.......Well done, you did it!!!!

20. I recommend you now check that the images have transferred properly. To do this, click on "my pictures" and click on the file you named and "ta da" the pictures should all be there!!!!

21. If they are not or if you have any problems, please feel free to contact me. My details are on my webpage which there is a link to below.

22. Hang on a minute I hear you say, what about the photos left on the card...I want to clear the card so I can take more pictures....Easily fixed....

23. Remove card from your computer or card reader and place back into camera, turn camera on and go to Menu. Under menu you will see a delete or erase, go to this and it will say Delete all? click YES and "ta da", photos deleted and you are ready to start again.

Have fun taking pics and if you would like to check out some of my images click on the link below.....I would recommend you make yourself a drink first, you deserve it, you've done so well....then sit back and enjoy some of my travels with me.

The bride and groom are so excited. They have put so much into the planning of their wedding: Their hearts, money, and months of their precious time. Of course, brides are squarely focused on their special day- not on what could go wrong. They have made every effort to ensure the perfect day, but what about all the things that are not in their control? Suppose someone gets ill, a hurricane sets in, or a vendor goes bankrupt. Wedding insurance can protect your wedding day and give you the peace of mind that everything is covered.

What does wedding insurance do for you? Wedding insurance is designed specifically to protect the consumer by offering financial protection if certain unfortunate, unforeseen events should occur during the period leading up to and including the wedding day. It provides protection for vendor deposits, wedding gown loss or damage, photography problems, and much more. Specifically, you can get repair or replacement cost on the gown or tuxedo lost or damaged. You can get your deposit refunded if a vendor declares bankruptcy or simply does not show up. If severe weather (hurricane) causes you're wedding to be postponed, you can get your non-refundable deposits reimbursed. If your photographs are defective, you can get reimbursed to reconvene the wedding party to take new photos. Wedding insurance also provides the ability to purchase additional liability and property damage from claims arising out of the wedding itself to protect the couple.

So, are you still asking yourself why should I purchase wedding insurance? According to a 2009 survey by Conde Nast, the average cost for a wedding in the United States is $28,082. You would get insurance to protect your car, wouldn't you? Why not protect the investment you have in your wedding?

As the economy worsens, wedding claims continue to increase. Companies are going out of business causing many couples to lose their deposit. According to Travelers Insurance, about 40 percent of their claims come from issues with caterers, photographers, and other vendors. Additionally, they state that the most common issues were that vendors failed to show up on the wedding day, suddenly went out of business, or experienced some type of financial setback. It typically will not cover loss due to a "change of heart."

The best part is that these policies are very affordable. They can be bought for as little as $190. They are specifically tailored to the needs of the bride and groom. And, they work well for large and small events. So, unless you can afford to fund the same event twice, you may want to consider this valuable protection.

Hiring the right wedding DJ is as important as hiring the right wedding photographer. They must be able to, not only play any type of music comfortably, but also offer it in an appealing way. Moreover, they must have an exceptionally outgoing personality. This is because they will be talking between music selections. Considering the fact that wedding DJs take up a significant amount of money in a wedding expenditure, it would be a wise move to make a careful selection when hiring one.

When interviewing a wedding DJ, it is important to know the right questions to ask, for instance concerning their practices and get a feel of their personality. Do they have the kind of personality that guests would find interesting? Interviewing several DJs will ensure one gets the DJ he is most comfortable with. This also offers several packages, that one is able to distill and generate the best choice. Having several offers at one's disposal offers a varied spectrum of choice. Hence, having prior experience offers a good precedent for this activity.

Most Mississauga weddings employ DJs rather than bands. This is of great convenience for couples planning a wedding. Most DJ companies have website information that one can look at during the hiring process. One can also check out a DJ's custom page to ascertain that that particular DJ is free for the event at hand. With so many weddings and events in Mississauga and the GTA, Toronto and Mississauga DJs are always on the go and booked in advance. Some websites offer a comprehensive directory of the major Mississauga DJs together with contact information, website addresses and phone numbers. These websites are very convenient because they show a DJ's availability, specialization and sometimes the kind of equipment they employ.

Experienced Mississauga wedding DJs know what most wedding planners look for, and will be willing to accommodate them. The ability and flexibility of a DJ to accommodate the requirements they are to be hired for, increases their chances of a successful hire. Since all Mississauga weddings have some form of dancing, it is also important to make sure that wedding DJ can involve everyone in dance sessions. A good Mississauga wedding DJ should have insurance. This is because accidents happen at weddings. He should also be a member of the DJ association. This ensures that their professionalism is carried fourth in everything they do during the event.

Many Mississauga wedding DJs that offer wedding packages are always ready to discuss specific details of the event. A good DJ should thus be available and flexible. They should be willing to accommodate changes that may occur prior to the wedding even after signing the contract. Many of them will also be willing to give an array of previous Mississauga weddings they may have offered their services. This information can be helpful in determining the credibility of a Mississauga wedding DJ and his cooperation in other Mississauga weddings.

By using the above guidelines, a good and an experienced Mississauga wedding DJ is easy to find, that will make the wedding occasion memorable.

DIY seal and send wedding invitations are an excellent way to save money. You can make your own invitations easily.

Here is a good example of how to make DIY seal and send wedding invitations and make your wedding programs too.

Purchase a ream of 67# white card stock in tabloid size. Tabloid size is 11 x 17". You may have to order this but it won't be that expensive. You might check at the copy department of your local office supply store. Many times they have these sizes and will sell them to you.

Now once you have one ream of 11 x 17 card stock, you have 250 sheets of paper. If you need 200 invitations open the ream and ask them to cut half of it to 5 1/2 x 14 inches. You can get it cut to 15" if you need the extra. Once you have those cut ask them to cut the other half to 8 1/2 x 11 inches.

This will give you approximately 250 sheets for you invitations and you can use the other 250 sheets for your wedding programs. Now you have two projects for one small cost. The rest will just be your ink and time.

Set up your invitations in a good word processing program. You can add graphics and use a nice font. This will make a very nice DIY seal and send wedding invitation. If you know how to make your data base you can even address them to match.

Print out one complete seal and send wedding invite. Now by using a tracing wheel you can add a perf to this card stock. That will allow your guests to tear a postcard RSVP off and mail it back to you. Now add two score lines with a bone folder and you have a cheap invitation that looks good. I bought a tracing wheel in the sewing section at Walmart for less than $2. I got the bone folder in the craft section for $4.

You will need to have a good ruler and straight edge method to get an even mark for you folds and perf. You can make dummy cards to line them up too. It really is easy to make your own DIY seal and send Wedding invitations.

Not only will you be able to make these with this idea, you can also get enough paper to make your wedding programs also. By making both your DIY seal and send wedding invitations and your wedding programs you will save more money. I am sure you will find another use for that money!

Congratulations on your wedding. After all the excitement has died down and preparations have come to an end there is only one thing left to do; change your name. If you have tried searching for changing name or change of name you probably have found there's not much information around for married name change. That's because every company sets their own procedure for changing names in their records.

When you get married you basically have four options. Say you are Angelina Jolie and you marry Brad Pitt, you can take your husbands name (Pitt), or use a double barrelled surname (Jolie-Pitt or Pitt-Jolie). You can also use a combination of names, where you may keep your maiden name at work but change over your paperwork to your husband's name. And finally you can leave your name as it is and take no action (Jolie).

Although there is no legal reason to take your husband's surname, it is still the most popular option with around 85% of UK bride's still ditching their maiden name. Having the same name as your husband often makes life easier, especially if you have kids down the track. Where the whole family has the same name there is less chance of your names being mixed up. All UK companies will let you change your name to your husband's on presentation of your wedding certificate.

As we get married later in life many women form an attachment to their maiden name. Keeping your maiden name and married name together means you get to have the best of both worlds. Traditionally the husband's name goes last, but you can put this in any order and you can either use a hyphen or space (Jolie Pitt or Jolie-Pitt). Most name change companies will say that you need a deed poll to use a double barrelled surname, but this is not always the case. The Passport office and DVLA will let you take your choice of double barrelled surname with just your wedding certificate. You can then use these documents as evidence of your new name with subsequent companies.

A combination of married name and maiden name is also acceptable. If you have built up a reputation within your industry you may still chose to still be known in professional circles by your maiden name, however you might take your husband's name on paper and in social circles. If you do this you will need to ensure that your legal documents, such as passport, bank account and National Insurance are all consistently in the one name.

One of the new trends in name change is to take a new name entirely. You can pick any name you like, or combine both names into a new name (Jolitt). Here you will need evidence of your new name by deed poll or statutory declaration if you want your records to be updated.

What ever way you decide to go name change kits can really help. Sites such as http://www.easynamechange.co.uk/ have name change procedures for popular UK companies. In just minutes you can know who you need to call, and where you need to send a letter with your wedding certificate. If you want to save a few pounds you can spend a few hours making a list and calling around yourself. There's usually no timeframe to change your name over, but once you start you should aim to have all your documentation and accounts consistently in the same name within a few months.

In this day and age of trying to do your wedding on a budget, many brides are going for the ultimate "cheap wedding photographer" which amounts to a friend who "loves photography", an aspiring photographer who wants to create a portfolio and will work for "free" (or close to free) or worse yet, Uncle Bob with his "great camera" who takes all the photos at the family gatherings.

While I do understand the economic times well and the need to cut corners like never before, I strongly advise against any of the above options unless you, the bride, are willing to lower your photographic expectations to equal your financial expectations. You simply cannot expect consistently beautiful representations of your day for free, or next to free. You are not going to be happy, trust me. "Free" may be your friend when budgeting, but when all is said and done, it isn't and may result in a loss of a friend.

Let's look at this - when you begin to look for an affordable photographer on a restricted budget, are you considering talking to the photographer who's work you like about what they may or may not be able to do for you or are you immediately going for the big three freebies named above? Most seasoned, experienced wedding photographers are dropping their prices due to the economy. But, you have free wedding photographers, so.....let's review:

The "friend who loves photography" isn't going to love you, nor are you going to love her when it is all said and done. She likely has absolutely no idea what is entailed in shooting a wedding for one thing. Another big point is she doesn't understand that she is no longer "part of the party" but must be the outsider looking in, and she has to be good. Very good, under these circumstances. She has to know that you need photos of you and great Aunt Susan, even if you don't think of it. If you want to be the director all day, fine. But haven't you had to play director for this day for a whole year? Wouldn't it be nice it the photographer knew what needed to be done without your input? And when she realizes that she has hours upon hours of "fixing" the photos combined with your anxiousness to see them and she fails to deliver what you expected and she "worked so hard" - where is the friendship now?

The Aspiring Photographer is a crap shoot. They obviously know the gear, have had some experience, usually as a second photographer to a pro and are launching on their own. Will trade for Portfolio is the song they sing. The inherent problem with this is that while they may have (and probably do have) some weddings under their belt, they are underestimating the lead photographer who tells them where to be, what to shoot and sets everything up. They think they can do that too. Maybe they can, maybe they can't. I have launched two of my second photographers' careers. I've had 8. Only two have worked hard enough and long enough with me that I would trust them to be lead photographers. Both of them had 100 weddings under their belts as my assistant before I felt they knew what to do. The words "I assisted so and so a couple times" are not your friend. This is a once in a lifetime deal.

Does Uncle Bob drink? Is he expecting to work all day and night without really socializing with anyone else from the family? That is what your professional photographer does. Its not a party for us, our "socializing" is in the form of making other people comfortable, but not distract us from capturing the moments you love and will likely forget. Ah - the meaning of "capture the moment" - one must actually be aware enough to "see" the moment to capture it. Experience. And poor Uncle Bob; he's trying to do something lovely for you to save you money, and he's going to disappoint you at the very least or worse, miss half your wedding.

Free is not your friend. Affordable wedding photography of quality is out there. It can be found. It takes some research. Like I said, many of us are lowering our prices quite significantly because we don't want to see it all go up in smoke.