November 2021

Having Pets at Your Wedding?

Many of us share our homes and hearts with four-legged companions. The Canadian Animal Health Institute reports that around 58% of the nation’s households have dogs or cats. Felines slightly outnumber canines, with 8.1 million cats versus 7.7 million dogs. If you’re like many engaged couples, you want to include Max or Fifi in your wedding day. With a few health and safety tips, your furry companion can enjoy the festivities along with you.

Food and Beverage Safety Tips

Maybe you’re fortunate to have a well-behaved companion that doesn’t beg. Or your furry bestie steals food off your plate at every opportunity. Either way, food safety is important when it comes to your pets. You’ll have loads of delicious delicacies for your guests, but some can make your pet severely ill. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association lists several common risky foods:

  • Chocolate, tea, and coffee
  • Alcohol
  • Grape-derived foods
  • Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Salty foods
  • Raw bones, meat, and seafood

Many of these are toxic even in small quantities, thanks to your pet’s smaller size and body weight. Some, such as onions and garlic, contain compounds that can cause serious illness. Raw animal products may harbor bacteria and parasites. And as for bones, they can break into smaller pieces that can cut soft tissue. The Humane Society of the United States list many more harmful foods and beverages.

You don’t have to redesign your entire menu to ensure your companions’ safety. Quite frankly, it’s an impossible effort. Inform your guests that they should not slip Fido or Fluffy any table scraps. PetMD suggests asking a trusted friend to keep an eye on your pets – just in case their sad-eyed looks get the best of someone. Alternatively, you may want to have someone take your furry friends home after the ceremony.

Flowers and Green Décor

Just as some foods can make your pet sick, so can many ornamental plants. Popular wedding flowers such as lilies, gardenias, dahlias, and hydrangeas can literally poison your cat or dog. Toxic plants also include non-flowering greenery like laurel, eucalyptus, and palm leaves. Your pets may not chomp on your bouquets or boutonnieres, but curiosity could lead them to munch on centerpieces, altar arrangements, and other décor.

So what’s a couple to do? PetMD offers a simple solution: Choose nontoxic varieties. Working with your florist can help you figure out which ones to avoid. The ASPCA provides an exhaustive database with hundreds of entries on flowers, green plants, nuts, and produce.

Door-Dashing Dogs and Cantankerous Cats

Animals can be unpredictable, even if they’re your lifelong friends and you know them inside out. The cacophony of wedding day sights, smells, and sounds can excite or overwhelm your pet. The last thing you want is Spot crashing headfirst into a glass door or Luna cowering and hissing in a corner. Should your pet cause injuries to guests or vendor staff, you’ll be held liable.

Preventing pet-related catastrophes requires a few smart steps. Hire a pet sitter for the day, suggests Wedding Ideas’ Lottie Dainton. Not only will your furry friends be taken care of, but your sitter will also see to their safety and well-being. Dogs should be leashed trained, and if possible, consider leash training cats as well. Cat behavior expert Jackson Galaxy recommends clicker training to ease your feline friend into the practice.

Minding Your Four-Legged Guests

Your wedding is a monumental event, so it’s natural that you want to include your pet. Being mindful of your friend’s safety and needs is key. Keeping pets away from people food and choosing nontoxic plant décor can avoid food poisoning. A trusted friend or sitter can also ensure your four-legged bestie is taken care of. With these safety measures, your pet can stay healthy and happy on your big day.

Communication: A Cornerstone of Successful Wedding Planning

Effective communication was always an important part of wedding planning. Yet it becomes even more critical when planning your nuptials in the COVID-19 age. Virtual video platforms have made staying in touch a lot easier. But you’ll likely reach out to vendors, your wedding party, guests, and close family via email. With this in mind, you must make your words count. You don’t need to be James Baldwin to write great prose, but a few tips can help you craft clear, concise, and authentic language.

The Importance of Concise Writing

Ever visit a website and feel like you’re reading a dissertation? You don’t want to make your guests feel this way with your emails, social media posts, and wedding website. Grammarly explains concise writing: communicating an idea clearly in the fewest words possible.

This doesn’t mean your writing can’t have personality, but Grammarly’s tips can help you sharpen your message. Cutting out redundant and filler words makes your sentences more readable. Using strong adjectives paints a clearer picture, but these adjectives also reflect your unique voice. Vague nouns can slow your reader down, so toss them out. And using active voice produces shorter, stronger, and more direct language.

Your Wedding Website

For many of your guests, your wedding website is the first point of contact. They’ll look for important details such as your dress code, driving directions, and COVID safety measures. You don’t want to make them wade through a bunch of text to find what they need. Wedding Wire Canada’s Alice Prendergast mentions some vital details that should appear on your site:

  • Time, date, and location
  • Driving directions
  • Lodging and local attractions
  • Registry information
  • Driving directions
  • COVID-19 info

A wedding day FAQ can be a great resource. In another article, Prendergast lists some questions you’ll want to answer in this part of your website. Providing these answers should save both you and your guests some time.

Keeping in Touch With Guests

Your wedding website is an awesome tool, but you’ll need to sometimes communicate through emails. Your friends and family are as time-poor as you are, so concise and friendly wording go a long way. After all, you want to balance clarity with a positive tone.

The Knot offers a few templates to help you craft your messages. You can cut, paste, and adapt these to your audience. Even if you don’t, you can use the key points they cover to guide your own emails. If you must deliver bad news, communicate it with empathy, and if applicable, point the reader to possible alternative solutions.

Communicating With Vendors

Time is a non-renewal resource. Once you spend it, you can’t get it back. And with COVID-19 changing the wedding industry, vendors are busier than ever. They’ll appreciate clear and effective communications, so try Honeydew’s tips for contacting your pros through email. Drafting a template saves you time, but it also helps you polish your message. Asking a standard list of questions lets your vendors quickly provide the information you want.

Even after you’ve hired your pros, keep writing those succinctly worded emails – but be mindful of how your words sound. Alice Prendergast suggests keeping your language light and upbeat with vendors. That way, you don’t risk sounding rude or accusatory, and you’ll still hopefully get what you need.

Messaging for the COVID-19 Era

Communication is the glue that keeps relationships together. Whether you’re dealing with vendors, guests, or family, understanding is key. We’re all adjusting to a new pandemic reality, and many are still trying to find their feet. Concise communication conveys your ideas clearly and respects your audience’s time. Coupled with a positive and empathetic tone, your words can help pave the way to achieving your wedding vision.

Things To Look For When Buying a Family Car

As a newly wedded couple, you’ve promised to move forward in life together. As part of the pledge you’ve made to one another, you will face major decisions as a pair. One of these decisions may involve choosing a family car. Whether you already have children to transport or will in the near future, you will likely require a vehicle that accommodates the needs of an active family. You’ll need to consider the usual items such as price point, fuel economy, maintenance costs and reliability, to name a few. Here are some considerations for you to chew on.

Prioritizing Space in a Car

It goes without saying that the more people in your household, the more room you’ll need in a family car. That sports-car coupe with the convertible top may have worked when you were single, but now you likely need an automobile that comes with more space. Over the past years, wagons, minivans and sports utility vehicles have been the autos of choice for those looking for a people hauler. Larger vehicles such as minivans and SUVs usually have second and third rows for carrying your smallest and most precious cargo. Look for autos with second and third rows that are not only spacious but also easy to get into for loading and unloading the kiddos.

In addition to carrying passengers, the best family vehicles also include ample cargo space. From hauling groceries to feed an entire family to transporting luggage and essentials for a road trip, the trunk or cargo area is important, so you’ll want to check to make sure it’s adequate. On some SUVs, there will be a trade-off between leg space in a back row and the cargo area.

Putting Safety First

Because you’ll be transporting the ones you love, it’s important to look for vehicles that have high safety ratings. A quick internet search can help you see the specific ratings for a certain vehicle make and model. Not only should you make note of safety performance, but you should also look for features that make a family car safer to operate:

  • Side airbags: Cushions that deploy in the event of a collision
  • Blind spot monitoring system: Warns you of cars that are in the blind spots of your side mirrors
  • Lane keeping or lane departure warning: Notifies you that the car is drifting into another lane or actively steers the car to stay in a lane
  • Forward collision monitoring and alerting: Alerts you of a potential rear-end collision and may apply brakes to prevent a crash
  • Tire pressure monitoring: Notifies you when tire pressure is below the recommended level
  • Adaptive headlights: Headlights that turn in the direction of steering for improved roadway illumination
  • Rearview camera: Shows a wide view of what’s behind you when the car is put into reverse

Other features such as facial recognition, proximity sensors and other types of cameras help boost the safety performance of some vehicles. Automotive technology is always evolving, especially with respect to safety. The latest features may inspire you to go with a new family car over a pre-owned option.

Checking for Kid-Friendly Features

Have you ever struggled to install a car seat in a vehicle? Not all backseats are created equal when it comes to seat belt configurations. If you have more than one young child, you may find that some cars don’t cut it with respect to multiple car seats or booster chairs. Many newer vehicles will check to see if a rear door has been opened and send a warning to check for a child or pet when the engine stops.

The right family automobile is out there. It’s important to find something that works for you and your household. In addition to your budget and gas mileage, pay special attention to the interior space, safety features and kid-friendly details when narrowing your options.

How To Rent a Tent for Your Wedding Reception

If you’re getting hitched in the great outdoors, you’ll probably need to rent a tent. They offer protection for your guests, vendors, food, drink, and equipment. But there’s more to renting one than making a phone call or sending an email. Before you book your outdoor tent, there are a few important details you should know.

Will a Tent Work at Your Venue?

Just because your prospective wedding site is outdoors doesn’t mean that you can install a tent there. Wedding Wire Canada’s Alice Prendergast explains that you’ll need solid level ground that’s not too soft. A few small dips and bumps are no big deal, but avoid sloping, pitted, or uneven areas. You’ll also need flooring with your tent. Most providers already include it, so you can choose between wood, canvas, or carpet.

Besides ground quality, you should also think about power needs. Unless you’re near an indoor building with a reliable power source, you’ll likely need a generator. It ensures that lighting, sound, HVAC, food service, and other equipment stay on throughout your event.

While you’re at it, don’t forget about parking and restroom access. Your desired venue should have enough space for guests to park. Depending on available facilities, you may have to rent portable toilets. Make sure that your rental bathroom provider can include accessible toilets for guests with disabilities.

What Type of Tent Do You Need?

Outdoor event tents are not one-size-fits-all. You should consider your site, guests, desired style, and typical weather patterns when choosing your tent. In another Wedding Wire Canada piece, Prendergast lists the seven common types you’ll find on the market: frame, pole, marquee, stretch, sailcloth, transparent, and yurt. Each type has a distinctive design:

  • Frame tents pair a canopy with a metal frame.
  • Pole tents include sturdy poles at the center and sides.
  • Marquee tents use a frame that includes a peaked center without using a central pole.
  • Stretch tents extend large pieces of material over several evenly-spaced securing poles.
  • Sailcloth tents incorporate several poles at the base and one in the center to hold up a canopy.
  • Transparent tents include frame tent bases to support see-through canopies.
  • Yurts are circular tents with lattice walls and wooden ribbed roofs supporting fabric canopies.

So which type of tent should you choose? Frame, marquee, and transparent tents are ideal for most types of terrain. Yurts are limited in size, so they’re best for smaller weddings. Pole and sailcloth tents require a center pole to anchor into the ground. Stretch tents can work well at unusual venues – think large decks or rooftops.

How Much Will a Tent Cost?

A Practical Wedding reveals that tent prices also include sidewalls, flooring, lighting, catering accommodations, and a stage for entertainers. Added together, these can equal or exceed the base tent rental price. The example figures from author Meg Hotchkiss are in U.S. dollars, but they should give you a rough idea. Get a detailed quote from each prospective vendor. These should be detailed with delivery, setup, any required permit fees, and tent breakdown.

What Other Details Should You Consider?

Before you go all in on a tent – or even book an outdoor venue – you need to know if your plan is feasible. Writing for Brides, event expert Anna Price Olson suggests checking your prospective site’s rules. It may prohibit staking into the ground or limit noise past a certain time. You should also inquire when your tent provider can come and set up. Keep in mind that this can take one to four days.

Renting a wedding tent doesn’t just shield your guests, food, and equipment from the elements. When properly set up, it helps you create the right mood and atmosphere. Your budget, event needs, and site feasibility should guide your decision to rent.

Being the Best Wedding Guest

Most people would agree that a wedding celebration is all about the couple preparing to say “I do.” But one might argue that weddings are really all about the invited guests. After all, most Canadian citizens can make things official with a visit to a municipal court. A wedding and reception provide the opportunity for those who are near and dear to witness and celebrate with the newlyweds. You’ve probably been invited to a wedding or two. Here are some tips to remind you of your obligation as a great wedding guest.

Responding Promptly

Anyone who’s planning a wedding will need an accurate headcount as soon as possible. Whether you get a handwritten card in the mail or an electronic invitation, it’s your duty to respond as quickly as possible. You may need time to confirm whether you’re available, especially if the celebration will be held at a vacation spot. Make note of an RSVP date and respond in accordance with the request. A phone call to RSVP to a mailed invitation is not a good idea. You should call only if you must change plans after confirming.

Being Punctual

Arriving fashionably late to a party may be socially acceptable, but not so for a wedding. Often a venue or certain vendors have a limited time frame for the ceremony, so it’s important for things to proceed according to schedule. Plan to get to the venue early so that you have time to figure out transportation, parking and getting to your seat. If you arrive after the ceremony has started, be mindful of how you enter a venue. You’re there to be a loving guest, not a distraction or a nuisance.

Minding the Kids

Pay careful attention to details surrounding bringing children. Some wedding plans for various reasons cannot accommodate kids, so if you’re advised not to bring them, then don’t. If you can’t make plans or don’t want to be away from children, decline the invitation. If you can bring the kids, make sure that they’re well behaved. It may be worth checking to see if other guests are bringing young children. Consider hiring a babysitter or two to supervise the tykes.

Respecting the Pros

From the clergy to the caterer, there will be several people there working to make the occasion special. Please show respect to vendors and other people who are on the job. This includes the servers, the photographer, the DJ, live musicians and even a wedding planner. If they’re not able to do their jobs, this can add stress to the couple and ruin the mood. These pros are working on behalf of the happy couple, so be agreeable and cooperative to rules and requests.

Giving Appropriately

Many couples create registries at their favorite stores, taking the guesswork out of gift-giving. If a registry has been provided, follow instructions if you can. Your loved ones have taken time to identify things that they need for this new chapter. If you cannot afford gift registry items, consider pooling funds with friends or buy a gift card to that particular store or retailer. If the spouses-to-be have requested donations to a charity or funds for a honeymoon, give accordingly.

Getting invited to witness two become one is an honor. This is a special moment in two people’s lives, and it’s important to them that you are there to help celebrate. You don’t need a degree or certificate in partying to be a great wedding guest. If you’re not actually in the wedding party or in the program, there’s not much more for you to do beyond showing up; however, being a great wedding guest helps contribute to a great day for the newlyweds.

Creative Ideas for Saving Your COVID-Era Wedding

Many couples are getting creative to salvage their weddings during the COVID-era of social distancing and outdoor and virtual gatherings.

Many couples are getting creative to salvage their weddings during the COVID-era of social distancing and outdoor and virtual gatherings.

May through October is normally Canada’s peak wedding time. The beautiful weather and summer fun make for a perfect atmosphere to tie the knot–but not during the COVID-era. In April, Canadian officials banned large gatherings due to COVID-19 concerns. Since then, the country has seen over half of scheduled weddings cancelled or postponed. While data showed a decline in COVID cases over the summer, there has been a surge in cases this fall.

If 2020 was supposed to be your year, you joined thousands of other couples who are revisiting the drawing board and rescheduling, redesigning, and rethinking their plans during the COVID-era. Wedding planners encourage moving small weddings to larger venues that will accommodate proper social distancing. Larger weddings may create health risks for you and your guests. It may be best to postpone or re-vision these big events. Before you make your decision, consider going ahead with a wedding redesign that honors your original vision while keeping everyone safe.

Backyard Micro-Weddings in the COVID-era

Even prior to the pandemic, a “micro-wedding” trend had begun to emerge across North America. For reasons ranging from saving time and money to reducing the carbon footprint, couples have begun choosing smaller venues with fewer than 25 guests. Paring down your guest list to just the essentials and choosing a backyard venue with plenty of space may be the perfect solution for preserving your wedding. You can add a larger virtual reception to include your original guest list.

Virtual Celebrations in the COVID-era

You are undoubtedly familiar with the virtual options for gatherings through Zoom and other platforms which have become the norm during the COVID-era. A few creative touches can make your virtual wedding extra memorable.

In addition to the ceremonial elements you want to include, you can involve your guests in the ambiance of the celebration by sending them a pre-wedding guest package. This could include items such as your wedding favors, non-perishable hors d’oeuvres, Jordan almonds, place cards, table decorations, themed napkins or tablecloths, and of course, champagne. Include items that are specific to your original theme and personalities.

Some couples also include optional participation items, such as writing prompts or questions for the guests to answer about their connection to you. You might ask them to share their contributions during the ceremony and then send them to you for your memory book. Virtual weddings involve less physical celebration, so you can be creative with guest participation games and exercises that focus on you — the happy couple.

Stoop Weddings

This COVID-era idea involves supportive neighbors and a ceremony out on your stoop or in your front yard. You can ask your close-in neighbors to lend their front porches and yards to small groups of your friends and family for an evening. Your wedding march may be up the steps instead of down the aisle, and a catered meal can be served to tables spread out on the sidewalks. You may want to use a microphone and speaker to amplify your voices and for the music. Tie it all together with mini-lights and themed yard décor, and enjoy that first dance. You won’t even have to leave the house for this in-person, socially distanced idea.

The Great Outdoors

If you are nature lovers, that outdoor wedding you once considered may be a solution. Outdoor celebrations can be beautiful and memorable. You will want an adequate plan for rain or wind. Multiple pop-up tents will help with distancing. You can begin by researching outdoor wedding venues in your area. From Vancouver Island to Halifax, the Canadian outdoors may be the perfect backdrop for your wedding redesign.

If you’ve concluded that the show must go on even during the COVID-era and you are forging ahead with your wedding, that’s half the battle. Maybe the date is particularly relevant, or a beloved family member is only in the country temporarily. Whatever your reason, redesigning your wedding day can become a fun puzzle for you and your beloved. You never know — your wedding remix may be even more fun and memorable than the original plan.

Wedding Tasks That Can Wait Until Later

couple looking at a mapPutting together a wedding is no small job. Even the most intimate of affairs with short guest lists require effort. With so many different responsibilities to keep track of, you may find yourself a bit stressed out by all the wedding planning. One way to relieve some of this frustration is by thinking about which tasks need to be taken care of right away and which can wait until later. The most pressing matters like time-sensitive decisions are the ones on which you should dedicate your energy. Everything else can happen when you have more time and mental space.

Take a look at these responsibilities that don’t need to be addressed with any kind of immediacy. Putting off these tasks until a later time allows you to focus on the more pressing decisions that need to be made.

Buying the Outfit

After getting engaged, plenty of couples want to rush out and find the outfits they will wear when they tie the knot. Though brides are usually painted as being obsessed with finding the right dress, an equal number of grooms are quite particular when it comes to the look, cut, and style of their tuxes. People like to take care of this task early when planning a wedding, but it actually does not need to happen until later. The reason many couples jump into this right away is because it can be fun to shop.

Instead of running to a boutique or scouring online shops, use the earliest part of your engagement period to research different style ideas. Tasks like setting a date, selecting a venue, and speaking with caterers all take priority over picking your wedding attire. Dedicate your energy to more pressing matters, and in the meantime keep yourself tuned into interesting blogs related to wedding style. This will give your later search for your outfit a bit more direction.

Arranging the Seating

Here’s the thing: Seating charts are waking nightmares for many couples. If you both are lucky enough to come from families that get along, then this might not be the case. However, most people have to do some acrobatics when it comes to creating a layout where guests will be sitting far away from individuals who might cause conflict. Despite how involved this task can be, it is far from one of the first things you should be thinking about while planning your big day.

In truth, you need to have your venue booked before you even start thinking about the seating chart. What’s more, you really can’t start creating a layout until you know how many guests will be able to attend. No matter how stressed you are about making the perfect seating arrangement, put this job off until a bit down the line.

Planning the Honeymoon

This might seem like a given, but you really shouldn’t plan out your honeymoon until you’ve taken care of a majority of your wedding tasks. The honeymoon traditionally happens right after the wedding finishes, but this doesn’t mean it needs to be connected to the planning process. A discussion about where you would like to go and how much you both want to spend on the trip is fine. However, you should really delay making any concrete plans for your honeymoon until you feel confident that your nuptials are all set and ready.

After getting engaged, it is natural to feel a rush of excitement and anticipation for all that is in store. In order to maintain your drive and not get overwhelmed by all the tasks that need to be taken on, be sure to focus only on the most pressing matters at first. Pacing yourself in this way will help you see better results and keep your stress levels in a manageable place.

2020 Wedding Trends To Inspire Your Big Day

Many couples are still planning to tie the knot this year despite COVID-19, so take a look at these 2020 wedding trends to inspire your big day.

Many couples are still planning to tie the knot this year despite COVID-19, so take a look at these 2020 wedding trends to inspire your big day.

According to national statistics, more than 150,000 weddings take place each year in Canada. While this might seem like a lot, nations like the United States see close to 2.4 million in the same time period, though obviously COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in many couples’ plans. With so many couples normally tying the knot on an annual basis, it comes as no surprise that wedding trends come and go quickly. If you want to stay on top of the latest fads sweeping the world of nuptials, note that there are some interesting options on the horizon. Consider these 2020 wedding trends to inspire your own big day.

Ring Flings

Experts in the jewelry industry have noted a number of significant shifts in how couples have been purchasing wedding rings over the last few years. While it was once commonplace for one person in the relationship to select the engagement ring, for example, it is now typical for the couple to make this selection together. This is largely due to the decline in popularity of the “surprise proposal.” Couples more often want to feel prepared to tackle marriage and will come to the decision together.

When choosing your wedding band, note that a popular option at the moment is to opt for yellow gold instead of platinum. Many people are also turning away from generic rings in the search for unique pieces that have interesting histories. This has led to many jewelers offering customized options instead of the standard cuts and settings.

Sustainability Requirements

The world has been through some rough predicaments in recent years, including the current pandemic. From catastrophic fires in Southern California and Australia to massive garbage islands floating in the oceans, more people than ever are concerned with how their choices impact the global environment. Weddings are no exception to these concerns, and among the wedding trends popular now is the idea of the eco-friendly event. There are a number of ways people are going about this, including using recycled paper for invitations, going plastic-free for the reception, or working with caterers to eliminate food waste.

Flower Power

Wedding trends this year also include what floral arrangements couples are investing in. So far, florists have stated that 2020 is unique because it is all about local options. Instead of preferring a specific type of blossom, couples are more likely to work with gardens and flower shops in their communities to discover what’s in season. Outdoor weddings have also become very fashionable, especially to maximize social distance and reduce the risk of COVID-19, with a number of couples deciding against flowers altogether to allow the natural scenery to shine through. If you’re on a tight budget, these floral trends can be a great way to save money on your event.

A Piece of Cake

Cake preferences also tend to change from one year to the next. In 2020, a number of wedding planners are reporting that couples are switching away from the idea of having a single cake as the crowning dessert piece. Instead, it is more common for a wedding to feature a number of smaller confections. Not only does this add some nice variety to the event, it also provides couples with the chance to offer dessert options to individuals with dietary restrictions or severe allergies. Last but not least, it minimizes the likelihood of food contamination during the age of COVID-19.

Social Media Influence

The growing popularity of social media has also had an impact on wedding trends in 2020. Plenty of couples fall under the spell of influencers and the illusion of perfection created through Instagram. Using sites like Pinterest can also be a useful way to feel inspired and discover some clever DIY ideas. Whether you use it sparingly or go all out to copy a particular style, social media can definitely prove invaluable while planning.

Staying abreast of the latest trends can be useful when planning a wedding. Understanding the biggest fads helps you understand what you like and what you don’t want involved in your big day.

Easy Ways To Save for Your Big Day

One of the best ways to spend your time during quarantine is to think about ways to save for your wedding, especially if it was postponed.

One of the best ways to spend your time during quarantine is to think about ways to save for your wedding, especially if it was postponed.

The last few months have forced many people to postpone or cancel their wedding plans. While this might be upsetting, it is also an opportunity to take a step back and rethink some ideas. Whether you had your plans pushed off due to the current global pandemic or you were just starting to talk about ideas with your partner before the quarantine began, extra time to plan is really a blessing in disguise for some. One of the best ways to spend your time is pondering how to save money.

A wedding is an expensive event. If you want to come out of the pandemic with a clear plan and a pocket full of cash, take a look at these easy ways you can save money for the future.

Evaluate Your Current Expenses and Budget

If you want to save money on the wedding you need to have a plan. You can’t formulate a plan if you don’t have information. When it comes to money, all the information you need can be found in your life and daily habits. What is your income? What is your partner’s income? How much do you spend a month on expenses, and how much can you realistically afford to set aside without tapping into crucial funds? Knowing the money you are starting with and what you’re likely to see from your job can help you forecast.

A wedding budget is also a vital component. You need to set a limit on your spending and stick with it. This will help you control what funds you are applying to which services and evaluate whether or not you are spending too much or too little on anything in particular. The budget will depend entirely on the preferences you share. If you don’t care about the venue but love food, then put the bulk of your funds behind the catering service. Work on this part of the plan in advance, and you’ll see better results with the rest.

Take Down Your Debt

Extra time is a blessing for many reasons. Maybe your credit score is not exactly where you would like it to be. Improving your rating takes time, and time may be all you have right now. If you have existing debt preventing you from getting your financial status into a better position, try to pay down some of this right now. Make higher payments to pay off the premium over the interest, and see if you can work with lenders to get better rates based on good habits you have established over the years.

The reason this is helpful is you might want to consider opening up or using an existing credit card for wedding expenses. If you have a specific card that you use to cover a good chunk of the payments, then you will have a really easy way to both track your budget and know exactly how much you have spent and on what. While this is a great step to take for some, it might not be right for you. Putting money toward your debt when you need it for other expenses is also a fine and sensible decision.

Look for Local Deals

Going local with your vendors is a smart move because it helps you engage with your community in a meaningful and productive way. What’s more, you might be able to save money by doing this. Ask one of your vendors for recommendations, and this might lead to you finding an array of other excellent vendors that offer great rates, all because you asked a person with connections who likes to connect others.

It can be difficult to find ways to save for a wedding, but it can be a little bit easier when you have a quarantine keeping you from going out and spending. Think about your strategy and develop a plan that works for your future nuptials.

A Few Fun International Wedding Customs To Make You Smile

Even if you are not planning a wedding, it can be interesting and joyful to learn about the wedding customs of other cultures around the world.

Even if you are not planning a wedding, it can be interesting and joyful to learn about the wedding customs of other cultures around the world.

Wedding ceremonies can definitely look bizarre from the outside. From tossing a bouquet of flowers into the air to smashing a glass under a shoe, there are all sorts of interesting rituals involved that can make someone not familiar with the local traditions feel a bit puzzled. The one thing all wedding customs share is that they all have some type of meaning to the cultures of the people getting married. Learning about your own traditions can be interesting, but there is something even more rewarding in dedicating time to learning about unfamiliar customs from other parts of the world.

If you have an interest in wedding customs, now is a great time to expand your horizons. Explore these international traditions and learn something that will make you smile.

Customs On the Skin

Across the Middle East and parts of Asia, henna has been used as a dye in all sorts of customs and traditions. For brides throughout this region, henna plays a crucial part in various activities related to the wedding. It is common for young women to host “henna parties” before a wedding, which is similar to the traditional American bachelorette party in some respects. The women gather together to celebrate the bride with a party that involves food, dancing, and drinks. They will also draw temporary henna tattoos on the bride and other guests.

The beautiful and intricate designs drawn on the skin are worn with pride as a representation of the love shared between the friends and family. Some brides will wear these exact same henna designs on her wedding day; others will hire photographers to take pictures at the henna party to commemorate the event. Though common in the Middle East, these customs have spread outward and can be found in communities across the world.

Bring in the Happy Couple

All cultures have some variation of introducing the married couple after the official ceremony has ended and the reception and celebration are about to begin. In America, for example, the bridal party will often be announced by an emcee before the reveal of the new Mr. and Mrs. Another interesting custom comes out of Lebanon, where a dance called the zaffe is conducted. This dance is also done in anticipation of the couple’s entrance, often by a group of professional dancers instead of wedding-party members.

There are variations on the zaffe all around the Middle East and surrounding areas. In Saudi Arabia, where men and women celebrate the event in separate halls, the dance might be conducted twice by two separate troupes of dancers. However, this is often the only time of the night when the bride and groom are seen together by the guests. Instead, the bride spends much of her time with her female guests, who are allowed to wear more extravagant garb than normal due to the segregation of the wedding and lack of need for religious coverings.

A Quick Dip in Some Skim

Weddings can be stressful. In Morocco, some customs help brides-to-be take rest and self-care routines to another level. The Moroccan milk bath is an old tradition and one that may date back to the days of Cleopatra. On a symbolic level, the bath is meant to purify the woman and her body. On a scientific level, the fat of the milk softens the skin and helps to relieve tension. Flowers and other fragrant items are added to the bath to create an aromatic experience that allows for a bit of true serenity.

Wedding customs around the world might vary wildly, but all center around celebrations of love. Whether you’re planning for your own nuptials or simply curious to learn more about the weird and wonderful habits of the human race, there are plenty of interesting tidbits to discover.