The Truth About Wedding Crashers

In every occasion, there is an invitation. In every invitation, there is an invited guest. However, for every party, there is bound to be a party crasher.

Take for example in wedding celebrations. For so many years now, there are people who come to the event without even an invitation or the mere fact that they were invited. These are known as the wedding crashers.

Wedding crashers are “unexpected guests” primarily because they were not invited in the first place. But because they think that love is in the air and they are not invited, they cannot help but attend the party.

So, for people who wish to know how to become a wedding crasher, here are some tips that you can use.

1. Try to become a long-lost cousin or somebody who is “within” the family.

In most wedding celebrations, the family is always included. In fact, most of the wedding invitations tend to be some sort of family reunions because the family members get together once again.

And because there are tons of relatives present in the celebration, the bride or the groom will not notice, who you are or where did you come from. So, it would be better to pretend as a long lost relative.

Best of all, you could extend the drama if you have a beautifully gift-wrapped package with you. Who could resist somebody who was known as Uncle Clemence’s long lost son and now he has come back (with your personality, of course).

2. Try being a staff member of the wedding caterer or wedding coordinator.

In order to be able to crash into a wedding, you could always pretend to be a staff member of something.

In a wedding, there are lots of people being hired in the planning and preparation. So, one way of crashing into the scene is to pretend that you are a staff member of the catering company or the flower arrangements.

It is just a matter of drama and actions. After all, you would want to eat a very nice meal, right?

3. If somebody asks you who you are, you could always say you are a friend of somebody who is also at the party.

Pick the name of your choice. You can always find someone else’s name when you are being asked why you are at the party or who is with you right now.

This is a safe tactic if you do not feel like choosing whose side of the couple will you take in order to introduce yourself. Besides, with this strategy, you can be pretty sure that with over a hundred or 200 guests in the party, who would dare verify that the name you have chosen really exists.

4. Dress to kill.

The best part of being a wedding crasher is to dress up a little bit in order to suit the occasion. Even if it means that you were “dressed to kill,” it would be better to dress appropriately in order to fit in the event.

After all, wedding crashing is not all about free food and wines. It can also be one way of finding the love of your life.

5. Timing is an essence.

One of the most important things one should remember when crashing into the party is to show up really late. This is because by the time you have arrived, everybody has started drinking, socializing, and getting so much into the details of the wedding that their defenses become relatively low.

So, when you arrived at the wedding, no one will surely notice your arrival, so, you can easily slip in and join the party.

Indeed, wedding crashers can be very unethical people to love with. But then again, some of these people are also worth your time and money because of the company that they can give to your other guests.

After all, for wedding crashers, life is, indeed, worth partying out that is why it is a great idea to attend to a party or wedding even if you are not invited.

Interesting Wedding Night Rituals from Around The World

Weddings are occasions of lasting traditions and rituals. All over the world, people’s beliefs, culture and history has affected this memorable event. It is common knowledge that wedding ceremonies are different all over the world, but did you know that the diversity extends even on the wedding night? Read this to know the interesting activities that couples, families and friends do before letting the newlyweds reach a night of wedding bliss!

It is customary in an American wedding for the bride and groom to hop into a get-away car with tin cans attached to the rear of the car, off to their secret honeymoon, immediately after the wedding. Did you know that this rooted from escaping a Celtic wedding night tradition?

In Gaelic cultures, it was a tradition for friends and family of the couple to mess with the couple’s wedding night. In the olden days, when couples spend their wedding night in a barn, girl friends of the bride would dress her for bed and ask each of the male guests to kiss her good night. The friends would do other things to prevent the groom from seeing her new wife. Even if the couple finally comes together, they would disturb the union by making noise outside the barn and even peep into the couple, while drinking the night away. The couple waits for everyone to get too drunk to eventually leave them alone. This kind of prank is something that newly weds want to get away from, thus, they keep their honeymoon destination a secret and speed away after the wedding.

More Celtic wedding night ritual come from Scotland: sleeping in the barn on the first night, sprinkling water on the marriage bed for luck and staying for a week with the bride’s parents before moving into the newlywed’s home.

The Germans and the French do a similar tradition of “disturbing” the wedding night, called Chiverie, known in the US as Shivaree. They make noise outside the place where the couple spends their first night together. Some even play around with the room where they will stay, like put plenty of balloons, spread food all over the bed, and hide alarm clock everywhere, just for fun.

The Romans believed that it was bad fortune when the bride stumbles when entering the newlywed’s house for the first time. Thus, after the wedding, male friends of the couple would carry her over the doorstep. At present, the groom is expected to do the job himself.

In Benin, western Africa, they value virginity. The bride’s mother rewards her with cash if she’s a virgin at their wedding night! In the morning, the sheets that the couples used are inspected for bloodstains. Some mothers even “fly the flag” out the window, showing off their daughter’s bloodstained nightgown. Seriously!

For the Chinese, at the night of the wedding, candles designed with a phoenix and a dragon is lit to drive the evil spirit away. The newlyweds will drink wine from goblets tied together with a red ribbon, while arms intertwined. Then the bride will be given half-raw dumplings, which symbolize prosperity.

Marquesasian (from Polynesia) brides have a notable wedding night ritual: they are expected to have sex with all the male guests and then saving the groom for last. Now that can make your wedding night … extremely unforgettable!

Professional Wedding Photographers

It is a must the one gets a professional photographer for her wedding day. Wedding pictures will last a lifetime, keeping memories of this very special day. It will live longer than the flowers and the catered food, therefore, you would only want a photographer who understands what you want and can be relied upon to capture every minute of this special day.

Hire a professional, look for the following:

1. A valid and legal sales tax license.

2. Ask latest proof of business insurance.

3. Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera).

4. Membership in any professional association.

5. A permanent studio.

Things to consider:

Level of experience. Check his background and ask for names of persons that he has photographed. Call them and ask if they were satisfied on the photographer’s work.

Personality. Is his ideas same as yours? Can you communicate with him easily? Meaning he understands what you want or what is your idea regarding the style of photography that you want to be achieved.

Style of photography. Do the images that are presented appeal to you? Do you like his style?

References. Ask for references and meet with them personally so you can take a look of his works as well as ask them if they were happy with the outcome of with his work. A person who is hesitant to give references is definitely not the photographer that you should hire.

Packages. Ask about each package that he presents to you. If you are not comfortable with the packages, can he make one to satisfy your needs?

Accomplished work. Ask how long will it take for him to finish your album, your bridal portrait and all the photos taken during the wedding.

Price. Can you afford his services? If not, is he worth the price difference as compared to others you’ve met? Take the time to ask all that you need to know and make sure you understand all services and photos include in the cost.

Payments and deposits. Should you cancel, can he give a refund? If he, in any circumstance, does not show up, what happens? Does he have a partner to take his place just in case? Make sure you clear all of this to him as well as discuss with him all your concerns. His answer should be able to convince you that he can be trusted.

Contract. Check and read it carefully before signing. If there is anything that you don’t understand, ask him or ask that he leaves you the contract overnight so you can study it. Be certain that everything you both had agreed on is in the contract.

When looking at the photographer’s work, look for the following:

1. Each sample album must consist of only one wedding. Does he have a lot of sample albums?

2. Does he have a recent actual wedding that he could have you look at? Look through his most recent wedding album.

3. Study each album well and see if the album is telling the story of the wedding and not just filling the album up with similar photos.

4. Are the portraits clear and did the photographer capture the subject’s mood?

5. Are all the photos done artistically? Is there a play of light and shadow?

6. Are candid shots taken? Are they clear and well composed?

Remember that photos will remind you of and will bring!

How to make wedding flowers

Catch that bouquet of flowers! It is always a thrill lining up in a pool of bachelorettes swarming to catch those bouquets thrown by the bride. Just being one of the audiences can be just as exciting. Tradition says that anyone who catches the bouquet would be the next bride.

Flowers play an integral part in any wedding ceremonies. They have been a symbolism of new hope and a good future ahead. The bride and the groom would surely feel like heaven with flowers blooming everywhere on their reception. More than a decoration, wedding flowers have now been a tradition. A wedding will be quite incomplete without these fragrant gifts of mother earth.

Hiring a wedding coordinator or a florist so that your bouquet will be professionally done can be considered as an option. But if you are on a strict budget, and have some creativity hidden deep inside you, there is no hurt in making them on your own. They can still look elegant and stunning as long as you know what color and kind of flowers to use. The tips below will help you in customizing your wedding flowers.

Choosing flowers
In picking what flowers to choose, keep in mind the theme and the color premise of the wedding. It should match and blend well with the entourage and the bride’s gown too. Another point to consider is the availability of the flower type. Depending on the season, you can order the freshest, the most available and the cheapest kind of flowers. Flowers like baby’s breath, orchids, gardenia and roses are readily obtainable no matter what time of the year.

Preparing the materials
The bouquet that the bride carries on the aisle is where the flowers play a major part. It is very easy to create your own. First, gather up your materials. You will need about three dozens of your chosen flower, a sharp scissor, florist tape, and ribbons.

Making a bouquet
It is advisable to order your flowers on the day of the event and get the freshest pick possible. Start by choosing three roses that you would use as the centerpiece of your arrangement. Puff air into the center of each flower to give it a fuller look. Put them together, creating a triangle. Stack each flower unevenly; each one should have a slightly different level of height. This technique adds dimension to your arrangement. Just continue adding up two to three flowers at a time until they form a dome. After which, you can tie them up with a florist tape at least 8 inches below the flowers.

Be sure to ask some help taping the stem, you might have a difficulty holding all 36 flowers and tying them together at the same time. Finally finish out with a suitable ribbon that matches the color of the flowers and your wedding dress. You can tie them up in a bow. Be sure to cover all the florist tape with ribbons. Carefully cut the excess stems with a sharp scissor approximately an inch below the ribbon. Place the bouquet on a plastic container or a vase with a quarter inch of water or you can store them inside a fridge covered by a loose plastic bag. Finally, spray the flowers with water avoiding the ribbons.

That’s it! That’s how you can customize your bouquet. Remember to check your arrangement in a mirror with you holding it so you would picture how it would look like to someone else’s view. Wedding flowers can still look stunning without sacrificing your budget. Now you are ready to walk down the aisle with that pretty and personalized bouquet of flowers in your hand.

How to Plan for a Wedding

Planning for a wedding is not an easy task. It could be an extremely stressful, and trying time, especially as the big day approaches. When couples worry about coordinating all of the details of the wedding, just to make sure everything goes according to plan.

Probably, one of the most important details of the wedding that a couple has to decide on is the actual date of the wedding. This is usually the detail that is taken care of first. Factors in choosing a date include: the availability of the venue where the wedding will take place. Availability of friends and family on the assigned date.

Some venues where weddings are held offer discounts on days when traditionally, weddings are not held. Also, the time the wedding takes place also become a factor in the expense. For example, mornings, and afternoon receptions are somewhat more cheaper that receptions held at nighttime.

It is also advisable to set a budget, even before a couple start to make plans. This way they’d be able to organize the details according to the budget they could afford.

Once you’ve done this, you can now choose a venue for the wedding. Some places offer discounts, depending on the time of year. Just after the holidays, would be a good time to hold a wedding, if you are considering the cost. This time is not considered a ‘peak time’, therefore the price tend to be less expensive.

For couples who are about to get married, it is important to talk about the size of wedding they both have in mind. The dream wedding of one person might not be that of the other. So it is necessary for couples to discuss details regarding the arrangement of the wedding, such as: the location of the venue/reception, the number of people who get invited to the wedding reception, and the choice of entertainment.

It is important to reach an agreement pertaining to the guest list and the entourage. Whether you want to keep the wedding an intimate affair, in which case the bride and groom will just invite their family and friends; or maybe, they’d want to make this affair, into the wedding of the century. In which case, the bride and groom get to invite the whole neighborhood, long lost relatives, high school buddies, etc., in addition to their friends and family. When making the guest list, consider the space capacity of your chosen venue.

Hire a professional to capture this momentous occasion. Sure you friends can take good pictures, and most of them own a camcorder. But for this special occasion, you would want something special, lasting, and visually presentable. So you’d have something to remember this occasion by. This way you could also share them with your friends and family.

Don’t forget the cake! It’s best to have a tasting first, before settling on a cake. Invite your family and friends, for the cake tasting. This way, this task becomes fun for everyone!

Order wedding invitations. If you want to get creative, you can always print your own invites. This way, you can customize them, and add a more personal touch to the invitation.

Don’t forget to start looking for a wedding gown months before the wedding. This way, the bride has plenty of time to make a selection. Also, the groom should make arrangement to rent or buy a tuxedo, preferably in advance also. Just in case you encounter some trouble with the fitting, you’d have some time to make other arrangements.

Couples who don’t have enough time on their hands, or just find the preparations that go into planning a wedding too overwhelming, can always just hire a wedding planner! This way, everything gets organized and coordinated for them.