How to Plan a Wedding, When it’s Not Your First Walk Down the Aisle

When it comes to today’s family, it seems there are no two families alike.  The rise in divorce rates has changed the face of the family all over the globe.  Don’t let this statistic worry you if you are about to experience the magic that comes with a wedding.  Today there are simply more and more people getting married a second time than there ever has been before.  In fact it has even been said that as many as 30% of today’s weddings are weddings with couples that have already experienced a previous marriage.  For many of these couples, they already know the pain of a marital breakdown, and their second marriage is even more meaningful than their first.  Finally they have found the soul mate that they want to spend the rest of their lives with.  Does this mean you shouldn’t have a beautiful wedding if it is your second? Of course not.  Let’s talk about that today.

Every marriage is a beautiful one, even if those moments of beauty become fleeting.  If this is a case where it is a first wedding for one of you, but a second for another, this is even more cause for you to make the celebration as big as you want it to be.  For the bride that is getting married again, she wants this wedding to be as unique as the first, as she should.  Every single wedding is one where joy should be experienced, no matter how many times he or she has been married before.  You can still have the My Wedding of your dreams if you want.  In fact, many brides want to make their second wedding even more beautiful than the last, especially if it didn’t go so well last time.  Grooms as well that are getting married again know better than anybody how important it is that their bride is happy during every step of the way.

In some cases, couples that are on their second marriage are blending families with children already in the picture.  Weddings are a family event, and this is a wonderful way to make the entire family feel like a family unit for the first time, by including children into your second ceremony.  Wedding songs that are especially made or sung for the children as they walk down the aisle with you will be another wonderful way to ensure that your children are honored in the same way that you are as you begin this new life.
Whether or not you wear white on this day for the bride to be is a personal choice.  If you didn’t get a chance to wear one the first time, or this is your first wedding, you have all the more reason to wear white again.  There was a time when this was considered a no-no, but today’s changing family is changing all of the rules on this one.  White is a traditional wedding color, and there is no reason you should not wear white if that has always been your dream.

As you get closer to counting down the wedding timeline, if you are getting married for the second time, the only thing you need to remember is the same thing that other brides and grooms are remembering.  There are no more rules on this day, as it is all yours, to make as big and as personal as you want it to be. You’ve waited just as long for this day as anybody else, and deserve the wedding of your dreams.

Related Links:

• Get a Free Wedding Countdown
• Get a Free Wedding Checklist

White gold, Yellow gold, Platinum? What to choose?

When it comes to wedding rings and bands, you are likely starting to think of heavy metals, and not the kind that you are considering to play at the reception.  These metals in this industry are actually referred to as precious metals.  Precious metals in terms of engagement rings all vary, with the most common metals used being gold and platinum.  Which one to choose is the most frequently asked question in the design your engagement ring process.  The only time you won’t have to concern yourself with this is if you have an engagement ring to start off with, in which case, your precious metal has already been selected.  Here we talk about what the differences between the metals are, to help you narrow down that choice.

The truth is, in many cases personal preference in her style will be a leading choice in determining which metal you choose.  The preference doesn’t always need to be dictated by budget either.  If most of the jewelry that she wears is gold, then your decision is pretty much made.  You want to get the metal that corresponds with her personal preference, because quite simply, you know she will love it more.  If she likes to wear more silver, than you know that platinum will pair well with her current preference choice and current style for accessorizing.  If she likes her accessories on the more copper side of things, you may also want to consider pink gold.  Sterling silver is often not recommended as an engagement ring band, as it is a very costly metal to maintain, and it is malleable with time.  If you are going to lose a diamond out of any band, it will likely be a silver band, and this will definitely cost you more with time, even if your ring is insured.

Thus, if she likes gold, your options are 14K gold or 18K gold.  If she likes silver your options are platinum or 14K white gold, or 18K white gold.  We do not recommend anything lower than 14K for a wedding or engagement piece.  Also, you may consider her skin tone if you are still unsure, so knowing whether her skin tone is cool or warm will help.  Cooler skin tones are the lighter shades of skin tones, and platinum and copper stands out better on cooler skin tones than warmer skin tones. On the other hand, with warmer skin tones gold creates a beautiful pop that makes it a very popular choice.
Now that you’ve narrowed that down, you want to talk budget, right?  There are advantages and disadvantages to each metal.

Of the three metals, platinum is the most expensive, but you get what you pay for.  It is considered one of the rare elements, thus the price range, but is also extremely resistant to wear and tear in terms of corrosion.  You can wear your platinum for a very long time without seeing any of its luster fade.  As such, platinum has become a leading choice and considered worth the investment for many young couples today.

Gold is also a very common choice as well, as a gold band or ring is the traditional metal of choice and has been for centuries.  The most common alloys used are the 14K and 18K, taking note that the higher in K you go with gold, the purer your gold will be. The higher in K in the gold family are more expensive, as in that range you are getting more gold and less alloy. Thus the purer your precious metal is, the more expensive it is going to be. This is true for either yellow gold or white gold, with the most common choices for those metals being 14K or 18K gold.

White gold has become extremely popular for both men and women getting married.  It looks very similar to platinum, but does not come with the price tag.  Stunning beside a diamond solitaire, or for a man’s wedding band, you can’t go wrong. Because white gold is made with yellow gold, you will see some yellowing with time.  This will mean you will need to have it treated with Rhodium as maintenance over time when white gold begins to yellow.  Rhodium will keep your ring brilliant in order to preserve the beauty of your ring over time.

In the end, whichever metal you choose, if you are sticking with her personal preferences, you can never go wrong as there is a metal for every preference in every budget available today.

Comparison between Gold, Platinum and White Gold Ring:

• Gold Ring
  Weight: 2.26 grams
• White Gold Ring
  Weight: 2.24 grams
• Platinum Ring
  Weight: 3.72 grams

Related Links:

• Learn more about Precious Metals and add links to Gold and Platinum.
• Search for Gold Setting
• Search for Platinum Setting

Do I need a wedding planner for my wedding?

If you are planning a wedding, you may be watching all of the reality television shows to get some ideas. It seems today that just about everybody is using a wedding planner to help them out with the process. In fact, the idea has become so trendy that even movies have been made about it. But when you consider the cost of a wedding planner which can average anywhere from two to five thousand dollars, it may not be an expense you can afford. Here we talk about advantages and disadvantages of a wedding planner when you are creating your wedding timeline.

A wedding planner is certainly a huge asset if you have a big wedding planned. Who wouldn’t love to have a personal assistant of sorts on hand to tackle every menial task? This is a great idea if you have a big wedding with a lot of little details in play. There is no event more stressful than planning a wedding, and today’s bride has a lot on her plate. She also probably needs to go to work every day to pay for the wedding! Having a wedding planner is a great advantage if you need someone to take care of things for you, or if you anticipate a high stress wedding.

Another advantage to hiring a wedding planner is the issue with the in laws. No doubt, in laws will play a role in your wedding planning, whether you want them to or not. The bride today has to keep a lot of people happy, and this is one of the most stressful parts about having a wedding at all. A wedding planner works as a good buffer between you and the in laws to ensure that all people are indeed happy, without letting the bride feel any of the stress at all. It is a good investment if you think in law stress is a big deal for you. Delegate it to your wedding planner!

As well, an advantage to having a wedding planner is their contact list and source of networks. Many people have personal elements they want to include in their wedding, but they simply don’t know how to execute those ideas. A wedding planner is excellent for this. He or she will know exactly how to do what you want done. For example, if wedding songs that were played at your parent’s weddings are going to be a part of your wedding, but you aren’t able to find those old hits anywhere in the world, very likely your wedding planner will be able to save the day on things like that.

The only disadvantage that comes with having a wedding planner is the cost. But if you interview around, and get quotes from at least three wedding planners, you will get a good idea on what kind of cost you can expect. You might also find that a wedding planner could save you money on some areas of your wedding, in which case that cost will pay for itself through your savings. If you are however having a simple wedding that you think you can handle yourself, something as simple as Facebook Wedding Countdown will be the only wedding planner you need.

Looking for a Free Wedding Countdown?

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Free Wedding Checklist:

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