Everything about Wedding

Writing your own wedding vows can be a way to ensure that your vows express your exact sentiment. Many vows commonly used in weddings are very lovely and express your love for each other but they are usually not specific to the couple. While it is not necessary to write your own vows, many couples opt to do so in order to make sure that the vows that they recite at the wedding are meaningful to them as a couple. It is not important that you be an eloquent writer to write beautiful wedding vows. What is important though is that you write from your heart. This will ensure that your vows express your feelings adequately and in a way that your partner will understand.

The first tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure that both you and your partner are committed to reciting original vows. Many couples are not comfortable expressing something so personal in front of others. While the love that is expressed in pre-written vows is also personal, it does not leave the couple feeling so vulnerable. There are plenty of existing vows available and a couple should realize that they are free to use these existing vows and are under no obligation to write their own vows.

Once you have decided that you would like to write your own wedding vows you might want to consider whether or not you want your vows to have a theme or themes. Love is sure to be an underlying theme in any vow but you may also want to incorporate other ideas in your vows as well. Virtues of trust, understanding, friendship and honesty may be a few themes that you may want to include in your vows.

Another tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure the vows are written well before your wedding date. It is important not to procrastinate with writing your vows because if you put it off until the night before the wedding you are likely to become stressed out and have a great deal of difficulty writing your vows. Writing your vows well in advance of your wedding helps to eliminate stress and allows you time to really think about what you want your vows to say to your partner.

Writing your own wedding vows can be difficult. The most difficult part of writing your own wedding vows is just getting started. Chances are that once you get on a roll you will be able to write freely but getting started can be difficult. For this reason, you may choose to read through a number of existing vows. This will help you to get a feel for the language that is used in vows and can give you some ideas about how you want your vows to read.

An important tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure that you have plenty of quiet time to work on your vows when you do sit down to start writing them. This may be a long arduous process and it is important to allow plenty of time to write your vows. If you know that you have an appointment in less than an hour, it’s probably not a good time to start working on your wedding vows.

Considering co-writing your vows with your partner is another tip for writing meaningful vows. You may choose to write your vows completely on your own to ensure that they are a surprise for your partner but you may also wish to work on your vows with your partner so that the two of you can enjoy the process of writing your vows together. This can be a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and remember the good times that you have shared.

Still another useful tip for writing your wedding vows is to avoid talking about the bad times. While you may wish to include these to demonstrate how you and your partner have persevered and overcome many obstacles, this type of talk can be upsetting to your partner and your guests. Sticking to the happy memories helps to make the vows more light-hearted and does not make them any less meaningful.

It is also important to not worry about the length of your vows. You may feel compelled to shorten a long drawn out vow because you feel as though it may bore those in attendance or you may feel as though you need to add onto vows that are concise but this is not necessary. All that truly matters is whether you think you have adequately conveyed the desired sentiment in your vows.

Another tip for writing your wedding vows is to not be afraid to use language from a song that is special to you and your partner as a couple. Chances are that the two of you enjoy a meaningful song because it is symbolic of your relationship. In this situation it is appropriate to recite a portion of the lyrics as part of your vows.

A final tip for writing original wedding vows is to first make a list of all the things that you love and admire about your partner. You might want to create this list and then set it aside for a few days before you begin writing your vows. When you are ready to start working on your wedding vows, you could read the list that you had previously written to remind you of all the wonderful characteristics your partner possess and to get you really thinking about your partner.

Writing original wedding vows can be difficult but many couples believe that original vows are more meaningful than pre-existing ones. Following the tips above will help to make the vow writing process a little easier by providing you with a few basic guidelines for writing your vows. It is important to remember the original vows are not obligatory and that it is perfectly acceptable to use existing vows if you choose to do so.

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on informal wedding dresses.

Inviting children to take part in your celebration can make it even more special. However, the last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is your little flower girl and ring bearer becoming impatient, restless or fidgety on the day of your wedding. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that the day goes smoothly and without any surprises.


1.As a general rule, when choosing children to take part in your wedding as a flower girl or ring bearer, it is usually best (or at least more predictable) to have children ages four and above. Of course, each child is different and you’ll want to consider their individual personality (very shy vs. outgoing) and maturity level as well. If a child is so nervous about going down the isle, do not push the issue, simply find something else in the wedding for them to do.

One of our staff members had a boy who was terrified to walk down the isle with the pillow, so we simply re-designated him to hand out the wedding programs before the ceremony. He was thrilled and relieved that he did not have to do this task and was very happy that he was still a part of the wedding. Also, an idea for a girl would be to hand out the rice or bubbles for the celebration as the bride and groom leave. These are great ways to involve family children without hurting anyones feelings by not having them as the ring bearer or flower girl. It always makes for great pictures of the bride and groom surrounded by a bunch of children.

2. In the weeks before the wedding day, start talking to your flower girl and ring bearer about the events that will take place before and throughout the wedding day. Get them excited! Explain what they will wear, where they will go, where they will stand and what they will have to do. The better young children can visualize their role in the wedding, the better prepared they will be to cooperate and participate as you would like them to. Children want to please, so make sure that the bride, planner or parents teach the children what is expected of them before the big day.

3. Most importantly, choose outfits for the children that are comfortable. Choose comfortable fabrics – - ones that don’t scratch or irritate the skin. Just know how you feel when you are wearing something you want to tear off! The most important tip that we can give you is buy something that the child LIKES to wear. Do you remember how you were when you were a kid? Involve them in the selection of their wedding attire. If they feel pretty or handsome, it will show in their attitude and behavior. Be sure the children wear comfortable shoes, and if the shoes are new – that they have a chance to “break them in” prior to the wedding day.

In August, one of our staff members attended a wedding in Florida (hottest month) and the child was dressed in tights and a long sleeved dress. The bride had chosen it because she too had long sleeves on her dress. However, what she failed to realize is that her dress had the removable jacket (for the ceremony) and was strapless for the reception and the childs DID NOT. The child was wanting to get undressed before she went down the isle and ended up being taken home to change right after the ceremony. This is the last thing that you want. Think about what you choose for them!

4. Purchase some wedding books- – there are some wonderful books that not only inform flower girls and ring bearers of their role in the wedding, but also welcome and celebrate them as a very special part of the bridal party.

5. Invite all of your children involved and their parents to the rehearsal. Let the children practice walking down the aisle several times so that they will feel more comfortable of their role on the “big day”. If the parents or the bride or groom are able to practice with the child before the rehearsal, the more the better. Remember, the night of the rehearsal there are a lot of things going on and the children may need extra practice ahead of time.

6. If you are not having your children stand with the wedding party during the ceremony and want them to sit with their parents, make sure that the children know exactly where their parents will be seated. Depending on the length and style of the ceremony, you may want the children to go and sit with their parents. Additionally, make sure that the parents know when to send them back up to walk out with the wedding party.

7. The parents of the flower girl and ring bearer should be invited to the rehearsal dinner. However, many rehearsal dinners can go as late as 10:00 pm or even later. Therefore, it is recommended that the children not attend the dinner, especially if it is the night before the wedding. Think, think, think! Do you want a grumpy child the next morning who didn’t get enough sleep? Its not fair to the child nor the event. Talk with the parents to see if a babysitter could be arranged ahead of time.

8. You may not feel as though it your place to intrude, but find a way to ask the parents of your flower girl and ring bearer to make sure their children are well rested before the wedding. A good night’s sleep the night before, or even a nap the day of, can help little ones get through the day.

No Sugar Before The Ceremony. Anyone who has been around a child on sugar knows that this is worth not repeating. No matter how much you may be tempted NO SUGAR BEFORE THE CEREMONY. Make sure that the child has had a good breakfast and take some snacks, we all know how long weddings can run.

9. Assign a bridesmaid to each child in the wedding party. Have each of your helpers keep a goody bag handy. Fill it with nutritious treats (dry cereal, crackers, carrot sticks), crayons and paper, a bottle of water and small travel games. These kid supplies will come in handy while traveling from the church to the reception, while waiting for photographs to be taken, or during the reception itself.

10. Take your pictures with the flower girl and ring bearer as early in the day as possible –preferably before the ceremony, if you can. There is less chance that their outfits could get dirty, torn, or wrinkled… you know how kids are! We’ve seen some Kool-Aid stained children go down the isle because children were left unattended. Try to take their clothes to the site and put them on there so they stay fresh. Your child will appreciate that they only have to be dressed up as little time as possible.

11. Be sure to express your heartfelt appreciation to the children in your bridal party. Photographs make a cherished gift for flower girls and ring bearers of all ages. They will enjoy reflecting on pictures of themselves and remembering the special role they played in your wedding. Remind them when you see them as how they made your wedding day special. Kids at this age remember these things for the rest of their lives, so make it a good memory!

12. Kids are unpredictable! All the practice and preparation in the world does not mean that they will perform their role “flawlessly”. Don’t expect perfection. Remember, if it doesn’t go just as planned, it will make for entertaining clips in your wedding video. The most important thing to remember is that they are human, and just because they don’t do things perfectly, doesn’t mean its the end of the world.

At our company owners wedding, she had asked her flower girl not to just “drop” the flowers down the church isle, but rather to “scatter” them all over. Well… when she came down the isle, she “threw” the flowers up in the air and all the way down the isle! There were flowers everywhere- on the isle, in the pews, and all on the guests! What seemed like a disaster turned out to be one of the most memorable highlights of the day. And it didn’t hurt to break the ice and put a smile on everyone’s face!

Sally Hudson is a designer having a blend of French, British and US taste. She designs and sells blended design collection of Flower Girl Dress on his online store at http://www.flowergirldressforless.com

Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world, yet no books tell us what wording to use on a Las Vegas wedding invitation, until now. An e-book titled “101 Las Vegas Wedding Invitation Wording Ideas” has just been released.

The new Las Vegas wedding invitation book features 13 pages of jam packed wedding invitation verses specifically for couples getting married in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas wedding book was released on September 10th with a promise from its author to write a second one.

The second Las Vegas wedding e-book will be released next spring with even more Las Vegas style wedding invitation verses.

The author, VegasWedlock Invitations, is the largest retailer of Las Vegas wedding invitations in the world and they realize the large demand for the Las Vegas wedding wording help since no other company has released such an e-book.

Also, VegasWedlock is offering a $5.00 discount on future orders of any professionally printed Las Vegas wedding invitation when someone purchases the e-book.

The Las Vegas wedding e-book comes in a PDF format, easily read by anyone who owns Adobe Reader or their Internet browser has PDF capabilities.

Here are a few examples from the e-book of Las Vegas wedding invitation verses:

Verse: VW1
We’ve rolled the dice and hit lucky number 7
So we’re being married in Las Vegas!
BRIDE
and
GROOM
DATE
LOCATION
Las Vegas, Nevada

Verse: VW2
What happens in Las Vegas …
Stays in our hearts
Join us in Las Vegas!
BRIDE
Daughter of Bride’s parents
and
GROOM
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
Las Vegas, Nevada

Verse: VW3
It could have been the time,
Maybe it was the place
We thought you should
Know in any case
We,
BRIDE
and
Groom
were married
DATE
LOCATION
in Las Vegas, Nevada

Verse: VW4
We’ve Eloped!
for further details
you must attend a
Dinner celebration in our honor
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

NAMES

Mr. and Mrs. NAMES

Verse: VW4
A Las Vegas weekend turned into
the perfect place to say
“I do”
So We did!

Announcing the marriage of
BRIDE
and
GROOM
on DATE
LOCATION
CITY, STATE

Verse: VW5
… and they lived happily Elvis after!

Announcing the union of
BRIDE
and
GROOM
on DATE
LOCATION
CITY, STATE

“101 Las Vegas Wedding Invitation Wording Ideas” can be purchased exclusively at VegasWedlock and can be found online at vegaswedlockinvitations (dot) com.

More free examples of Las Vegas wedding invitation wording can also be found on VegasWedlocks Web site.

VegasWedlock has the largest selecetion of Las Vegas wedding invitations with over 200 Las Vegas themed wedding invitations available.

Find http://www.lvweddingmusic.com

You’ve actually made it. You’ve survived another year of marriage and now it’s time to pick out an anniversary gift for your spouse. The traditional list of gift ideas is there for a reason. Some of us just have a hard time thinking of something to buy. Those of us with a limited imagination will fall back on what is comfortable. Ultimately what happens, especially if you’ve been married a long time, is you end up getting your spouse the same thing year after year, especially if you happen to know your spouse has a preference for certain things.

For example, if your husband is an avid sports fan, you’re more likely than not, going to get him something sports related, maybe a jersey of his favorite sports team. Maybe he’s a card collector. In that case, you might get him a 1957 Mickey Mantle card. Maybe he loves auto racing so you get him a poster of the Bobby Unser and each year that goes by, you get him something similar, playing it safe and not really using much of an imagination. This is not to say he won’t like his gifts. He’s just not going to be very surprised.

For the men buying the gifts, it’s the same thing. If the man knows his wife loves jewelry and what woman doesn’t, then he’s going to get her a bracelet one year and a necklace another year, maybe a ring another year and the string of gifts alone those lines will just continue year after year. And again, while she may like the gifts, there’s not going to be much of a surprised look on her face when she gets them.

An anniversary is very special. The day you celebrate it is very special, so the gift that you buy for the anniversary should be special as well. Part of that gift being special is the surprised look on your spouses face when he or she gets it. That’s why we have a list. Because for each item on the list there are a number of options for the gift itself, which we’ll go into in more detail in future articles.

Some people might think that having a list makes the anniversary gift even less of a surprise. For example, if it’s your first anniversary and you know that the first one is paper, you’re going to expect something made out of paper. So where’s the surprise? Well, for starters, how many things are made out of paper? If you sat down and really thought about it, you’d discover that there are quite a few things made out of paper. So ultimately, your possible gift ideas turn out to be greater than if you just thought about what your spouse likes. In addition, there is always the chance that your spouse will disregard the list one year. Now, wouldn’t THAT be a surprise, especially if he or she stuck to it for the first 17 years?

In the next article in this series, we’re going to discuss some normal and not so normal gift ideas for your first anniversary. No, anniversary gifts don’t have to be predictable.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to http://anniversary-gifts-guides.com/“>Anniversary Gifts

The hooked and booked man is like a forbidden temptation. That’s what makes him irresistibly attractive to a woman. He stirs a challenge in her. She feels a sense of power in attracting a man who is already taken. What makes him the catch for her is his confidence, experience and authority. The excitement stems from the fact that he’s already taken.

The golden rule here is: you want what you can’t have. Soon, this man becomes an overwhelming obsession for a woman. I call it the ‘forbidden fruit obsession’.

According to me, there are two reasons for women falling for married men. Firstly, wild attraction. And secondly, vulnerability. For a woman, a married man represents a certain security she craves. A woman feels that a married man – compared to a bachelor – can meet her emotional and material needs in a better manner. Getting a married man signifies a triumph of one woman over another woman. He’s a trophy catch. To have him, is about making the impossible.

If a woman wanted a fling, she could have had it with anybody. But a married man at her beck and call makes her value herself more… that he’s willing to throw it all over for her. It increases her self-esteem. Mind you, she’s enjoying this fantasy, as much as his wooing, his experience and the way he makes her feel extra special.

Sometimes, she likes the fact that he doesn’t go weak in the knees in front of her. He’s a symbol of authority. This relationship is about adventure and fun. But this is dangerous fun. There’s a risk of running another person’s life.

Married men love playing games. They give out the vibe – ‘I’m married but I’m game’. Married men are always on the lookout for fun. These are men on the prowl. For a woman, it might be difficult to resist the vibes of attraction from a married man. He makes himself so indispensable.

A married man can give you a great time. There are times when this forbidden attraction transforms into love and romance, especially if the man doesn’t have a happy marriage. Not all married men are jerks, some even leave their wives and get married to women they love. But the fact is, men and women love playing power games with each other. This is a dangerous game. It can take you through highs and lows, like you’ve never experienced. Human beings are fragile and one learns from trial and error. So it’s you have to decide, whether it is a viable option to have a relationship with a married man.

Michael Douglas is a relationship expert who provides healthy relationship tips. He also offers free marriage advice and help people finding the secrets to building healthy relationship.

If you have a pretty good idea what you want your centerpieces to look like and you know how much you’re willing to spend, the it’s time to start scouting for supplies! Unless money is not an issue for you, you’ll need to be getting the best bargains you can find. Don’t expect to get everything during one shopping trip or even the first time you start looking. You’ve spent this long trying to find the perfect partner, don’t rush into buying your centerpieces!

Here are some ways to find great prices for your centerpiece supplies…

- Consider the resources already available to you. Do you know anyone in the floral business that could provide flowers at a discount? Do you have any friends working at the local craft shop who get an employee discount? Do you know a business owner who can get you into wholesale decor stores? I think you get the idea… if you’re looking for something more rustic those old mason jars sitting in your parents root cellar just might come in handy after all!

- Does the hall provide a caterer? If so, ask the caterer if they have any contacts where they normally shop for their catering supplies or if they know where the best prices are. We ended up getting classic glass bowls for $2 each from a shop recommended by our caterer that normally retail for $15, and our guests had no idea.

- Start checking the sale flyers early and collecting those coupons. Sooner or later almost everything goes on sale. If you start watching for sales well before your wedding date you should be able to get at least some of your supplies for less than retail price. Before purchasing anything on sale, make sure to ask about the store’s return policy for discounted items. If you think you might change your mind about your centerpiece idea later you will want to have the option of returning the already purchased merchandise.

- Ask friends where they purchased their centerpieces. Often just-married couples know the best places to get things on sale! They’ve already been through it and have already done the leg-work you’re just starting to do. Save some effort and benefit from their discoveries.

- You might be able to find some good prices online, just remember to check the seller’s return policy in case you don’t like what you get.

- Consider items that are cheaper during a certain time of the year, such as fresh flowers when they’re in season.

Finding the cheapest supplies doesn’t have to take a lot of time, possibly just a few minutes when the weekly sales flyers are delivered. These ideas may sound like a lot of work, but they aren’t. You’ll be in contact with most of the people we’ve suggested anyway, so why not ask a simple question about centerpieces? One final thing to remember is to have fun. Start early and you will save time and money while ending up with the centerpieces you want.

Looking for great wedding reception decoration ideas ? How about some wedding table decoration ideas ? You’ll find lots of decorating ideas at www.decoratefor.com

MONOGAMY seems to be the word for all seasons. And the fact that its definition is continuously stretched to accommodate the changing morality of the times is par for the course. The latest addendum in the monogamy lexicon is ‘managed monogamy’, which is all about being together long-term, but allowing yourself and your spouse ‘other’ sexual encounters. In this age of ‘open’ and ‘transparent’ relationships, New Age couples are defining their out-of-marriage encounters as part of managed monogamy, where the spouse approves all external romantic and sexual encounters.

According to a report in The New York Metro, couples shouldn’t take monogamy for granted. Instead, they should take the urge to stray for granted. For couples who want to be in the ‘happily-ever-after’ category, this is the new truth, the report reiterates. Managed monogamy or this new monogamy follows the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell policy’ where you know what your spouse is doing, but you can happily do without knowing the gory details.

Managed monogamy is rampant not only in big cities but in small towns as well. One spouse doesn’t hide his or her attractions or sexual encounters from the other. It’s a positive trend, as it allows couples to look at the inadequacies in their relationship and seek sexual and romantic partners who can fulfil them. The problem arises at a later stage, when feelings of guilt and jealousy emerge.

Old-fashioned monogamists may recoil with shock at the emergence and acceptance of this new monogamy, which endorses the ‘death-do-us-apart’ belief, except every weekend, when you might want to have some fun with that hot babe or guy. Like Judy Gaman, 32, an architect, and her 35-year-old journalist husband, John Pico, both of whom practise managed monogamy. Says Judy, “We’ve been married for six years now. Yes, I’m having an affair with my colleague. I discussed this with my husband and he’s okay about my dating this guy. John has a crush of his own, so he’s actually quite preoccupied with her. We both understand our ‘other’ attractions as for us it is a mutual decision to date other people and yet remain married to each other.”

However, one wonders whether this new, managed monogamy spells a threat to the traditional bonds of marriage. On this account, we’re not emotionless. When we flirt and get physical with other people, we bond with them somewhere. And when that bond makes you start questioning your primary relationship – your marriage – then it becomes a threat.

Couples who follow this new monogamy don’t describe this emotion as ‘cheating, as for them, cheating is a secret romantic or sexual activity. Most couples explain that they’re switching to managed monogamy as short-term adventure will prevent them from straying away forever. There’s a lot of stress being with just one person. So, couples seek permission of their spouses to date others.

It seems, even in its mildest form, managed monogamy is about joking about your other temptations with your partner. For instance, London based Don and Laura Jones often tease each other about their attractions in their respective workplaces. “We talk about our attractions. We’ll have a three-week affair, some adventure in our lives… But then, we come back home and talk about it. And these days, couples discuss the concept of monogamy before they tie the knot. Everyone likes the idea of an open marriage, even though it is tough not to get jealous.

Michael Douglas is a relationship expert and marriage counselor who offers free marriage advice for common marriage problems and healthy relationship tips to help save your marriage from divorce.

What? Do the Full Monty in front of your partner? Are you completely nuts? There are some things best left hidden, best left to imagination. While integrity is key in any relationship, be it with a spouse, business colleagues, lover or child, the whole idea of “total transparency”, is a load of rubbish. Do partners act as a little? Should they? Is it dishonest to fake it? Feign surprise or delight in place of boredom and irritation?? Whyever not? Get real. The whole business of being “one hundred per cent true” is baloney.

Even in the best of relationships, there is a small level of hypocrisy and playacting involved. Unlike most people, I see this as essential to the health of the relationship. It’s not insensitivity that drives it, but actual and active sensitivity. Sounds paradoxical? Let me give you an example. Supposing your partner gets home tired and zoned out. Is it “hypocritical” or “sensible”, to greet him/her cheerfully even if what you actually want to say or do is, “Oh, please… snap out of it… I’m tired too…” Actually speaking, the later response would be more “honest”. But it would also be more hurtful.

Relationships are too delicate to decode all that easily. Most couples believe it’s easier to compromise. And they may be right. A little bit of playing dumb charades or “let’s pretend”, does not harm anybody. Nor does it fool anyone. Most mature relationships recognise the positive aspects of a little role playing. There is absolutely nothing wrong in the occasional white lie, the silly fib. To go on a guilt trip over that, is to waste guilt itself!

Too many men think exactly the opposite when it comes to themselves. Being naked in front of your partner (emotionally and physically) is to say, “I trust you completely.” But it does not mean there is no private space left for yourself to retreat into, ever again. At the end of the day, a solid relationship is based on the confidence levels you share with your partner

Michael Douglas is a relationship expert and marriage counseler who is dedicated to help couples save marriage from divorce and he also offers successful marriage tips to solve most common problems in marriage and relationships.

It must be great. You work on Saturday night for 5 hours and make $1,000 or more. What a life. It has been equated to selling drugs – the lucrative wedding disc jockey business is not what it’s cracked up to be. The reality is – this is far from the easy money that a potential wedding client thinks it is. They are shocked when they first hear the price that professional DJs charge and think that they are being ripped off because “wedding” was in their vocabulary when they called for a quote.

Here are some interesting facts to understand better what the life of a wedding disc jockey really is like:

Clients call at all times of the day – the phone rings from 8am until around 11pm virtually every day. For the most part, you must be available to answer the calls because most people won’t leave a message if you don’t.

Most weekday nights are spent away from home meeting with clients or potential clients.

Most weekends are spent away from friends and family working at your events. Forget the 4th of July picnic and New Years Eve.

Wedding Disc Jockeys are booked a year or two in advance – so that last minute call from your friend asking you to dinner or to a concert is a wasted call. You’re already booked.

Your daughter’s concert that is on a Friday in May – you will most likely miss. Again, you are already booked.

Try standing for 5 hours straight and see how your legs and feet feel.

Did you know one of the most feared things to do is speak in public? As a wedding disc jockey, that is what we do every weekend.

Most people bring a cup of coffee to work – a wedding disc jockey brings over $15,000 worth of equipment and another $20,000 or more in music to most events.

A wedding disc jockey will haul in about 1,000 pounds of equipment into and out of the reception – that means up stairs, across rickety stone paths and through parking garages, through kitchens and in the cold and rain.

A typical wedding lasts for 5 hours. Your wedding disc jockey will arrive an hour early to setup, will be there after guests leave tearing down and typically drives 30 minutes to 60 minutes each way to the event. They have to spend time preparing equipment before they leave the office. They have to unload and put away gear when they return. That adds up to between 8 and 10 hours on the day of the event alone invested in your wedding.

A wedding disc jockey will typically meet you prior to booking (pre-sales meeting) for about an hour. Most disc jockeys will drive to meet their clients. Presales and travel to and from this meeting will add about 2 hours of their time into your event.

When it’s time to discuss details, your disc jockey will again drive to meet you and spend another hour with you going over details, they’ll return to the office, type up this information and send you a copy. They’ll spend a couple hours organizing music, talking on the phone and sending/receiving emails from you over the course of the two months prior to your wedding. You can figure they’ve just invested another 5 hours into preparing for your event.

The total time invested per event will be around 17 – 20 hours when it’s all said and done. That $1,000 for 5 hours is now really $1,000 for 20 hours of time.

A wedding disc jockey will spend about $2,000 or more each year on music updates. They might invest $2,000-$6,000 in equipment, repairs and upgrades each year. They will spend $1,000 – $10,000 in advertising, bridal shows, printing, etc. They will spend $5,000 – $20,000 for office supplies, computers, and business services. They will spend $500 – $1,500 on liability insurance policies. They will spend $2,000 to $5,000 on postage. They will travel to one of the national DJ conventions to keep up to date with the industry and spend around $1,500 doing so. They will have a 800 number, cell phone, fax and voice mail services costing them around $5,000 each year. They will spend $5,000 each year on health insurance. They will spend $5,000 in gas getting back and forth to meetings and events.

A wedding disc jockey will drive 25,000 – 35,000 miles each year between meetings and back and forth to their events. That will be approximately 750 hours away from home each year just in travel time.

The reason that wedding disc jockeys charge the price that they do is simple. It is the cost of doing business. The value that a professional disc jockey brings to your event is priceless. Take away the music and you’re just inviting friends and family to eat and drink. That accounts for about 2 of the typical 5 hour wedding reception. Your professional wedding disc jockey is responsible for coordinating all the details of the flow of the event – from introductions to the cake cutting. They are the middle man between the banquet staff, your photographer and videographer. They are your wedding coordinator. Without proper quality entertainment – guests will leave soon after dinner. If a typical wedding reception costs around $25,000 (or $5,000 per hour!), and your guests leave 2 hours before the end due to poor entertainment – you’ve just wasted $10,000 of your wedding budget. If you’re debating between a cheap $500 DJ and a professional DJ costing $1,500, the decision should be easy. Trying to cut corners on entertainment could cost you $10,000. The additional $1,000 is money well spent when the big picture is in focus. The time and effort a true professional disc jockey puts into your event will be worth every penny.

Rob has been a professional mobile DJ since 1983, performing at hundreds of events each year including weddings, corporate events and school functions.

While some people can afford large, opulent weddings, others have to stick to smaller events that are on a tighter budget. If you’re the latter, don’t worry-there are a plethora of resources online geared towards helping you throw a beautiful but inexpensive wedding.

Buying cheap wedding supplies is probably one of the most important elements to think about when you’re planning your wedding. First, figure out a budget. Without a budget, you’ll get lost and open yourself up to numerous problems.

Set a realistic budget and stick to it; this alone will help you immensely in planning your wedding. Get the help of friends and relatives, especially those adept at doing online research. There are some great deals to be had if you look in the right places.

One of those places is in the clearance section of online stores like americanbridal.com. There are often excellent deals on wedding favors, decorations, invitations, and more. Another thing to look for is coupons or special deals, especially around holidays. Often, merchants will list coupons on their site to get you to buy; this works to your advantage because you’re there to buy something anyways.

Another thing to think about is buying in bulk. This is the most cost effective way to buy things, especially wedding favors and similar decorations. If you want to do something personal, keep in mind that some stores offer personalization free with certain items, and others charge it as an extra service.

If the store is good, they’ll have a section for you to browse by price, so you can find items in or near your price range. Examples of cheap wedding supplies under five dollars include candle sets, bud vases and card holders, candy, cookies, and other edibles, bride and groom miniature photo album favors, coaster sets, soaps, mini album, ‘love’ rocks, bottle stoppers, satin edged ribbon, and a bottle opener favor with free personalized tags.

For fewer than ten dollars, you can get all of the above, including items like themed place card holders, luggage tag favors, miniature cutlery, elegant, simple and decorated picture frames, and much more.

Cheap wedding supplies under twenty dollars (jewelry is clearance) include items like a set of twelve packets of flower seeds, often offered in a heart, rectangle or other shape, an engraveable martini shaker, photo albums, cake and knife set, earrings, necklaces, flower girl tiaras, beaded clutches, gloves, a twelve set of decorated aluminum containers, perfume bottles, jewelry boxes, incense, money clips, purses, items sold by the dozen, and more.

Thus, there really is something for every budget, and there are numerous choices of excellent, cheap wedding supplies and favors. There are also excellent bulk options available that often save you a good amount. Stick to your budget, do the research, and find the best deal; you’ll have the wedding of your dreams at a price you can afford.

Whether you are having a large or small wedding you will find what you need at AmericanBridal.com. It is an online resource for great wedding deals and ideas. Shop 24 hours 7 days a week and check out their vast selection of wedding supplies.