Humans are curious and observant. We’ve been trying to make sense of our world for around 200,000 years. From this continual search for understanding, we’ve created philosophies, religions, cultures, and works of art. Feng shui is one such system, seeking to create harmony with nature for indoor spaces. As one of five elemental phases, earth plays an important role in modern feng shui practices.
A Brief Introduction to Feng Shui
Feng shui is based on traditional Chinese philosophy. Taoism contains many of its concepts, including qi – living energy that flows through everyone and everything. It also stresses the need for balance between yin and yang, opposite yet complementary forces. Since many energies exist within each space, feng shui seeks to create balance in ways that allow the positive flow of qi.
Qi plus yin and yang influence the bagua, an octagonal energy grid used in feng shui. Architect Anjie Cho explains that you superimpose this grid over your home’s floor plan to locate where certain energies lie. Many Western feng shui traditions place the top or north part of the grid at the front door. Others line it up with true north.
Earth as an Elemental Phase
Feng shui and Taoism include the concept of Wuxing – five elemental phases. How these phases interact can result in creation or destruction. Some texts refer to these as cycles of generation and overcoming. Creation happens when one elemental phase fuels the next, while destruction results from one phase overcoming another.
Earth is vital in both generation and overcoming cycles. In Taoist terms, earth comes from the fire that burns wood and leaves behind ash. Earth also helps form metal through geological processes. Yet earth can overcome water through physical barriers – banks that contain a river, or dams stopping its flow. And wood impacts earth by growing through the soil, breaking it apart and taking its nutrients.
Earth Energies and Symbolism
Feng shui associates elemental phases with colors, shapes, and directions. They also align with areas of human life – one’s career or family, for instance. Earth primarily lies in the middle of the bagua. Appropriately, the center is called “tai qi” and symbolizes one’s health and well-being. It’s also a vital area, since it touches the other eight regions in the bagua. Square and flat shapes are key. Yellow, orange, brown, and earth-toned neutral shades represent the earth elemental phase.
Earth appears in two other areas of the bagua. Gen, representing knowledge and wisdom, lies in the northeast part of the energy grid. Earth is its native element, associated with square and flat shapes plus dark-blue hues. You’ll also find earth in Kun, the love and relationships region in the bagua’s southwest corner. Pink is the key color here, along with flat and square shapes.
Bringing Earth Into Your Spaces
Feng shui focuses on attracting specific energies. That’s why colors, geometric figures, and physical elements are key to its practice. The wonderful thing is here is that you have a lot of flexibility in how you do this. If you’re working with the tai qi area, for example, you could use color – perhaps painting a wall yellow or gold. Bringing in a physical object like a stone statue or layered sand art also works. Squares are ideal for this area, so you could include a square rug in your décor.
Feng shui is gaining popularity in Canada. The idea of harmony and balanced energies appeals to many, but there are also aesthetic advantages. Earth is one of five elemental phases, complete with its own properties and associated energy. Working it into your interiors calls for creativity, flexibility, and a desire to reap its benefits.
With wedding costs rising as each year goes by, a DIY wedding seems more and more appealing. Thus, making sense that couples everywhere have taken an interest in the do-it-yourself approach to planning. The concept is simple: Instead of hiring professionals to take on challenges like decorating and creating floral arrangements, you will handle the details yourself. The goal of this option is to save money and take more control over the finished look of the event. Naturally, this is not always the easiest way to plan. To see success, look over these foundational elements of the process.
Start With Inspiration
Beginning the DIY process from scratch can be overwhelming. When you’re looking at a blank slate, you may feel nothing but stress and anxiety. Even creative people struggle to come up with good ideas when pressed. Thankfully, the solution is as easy as finding inspiration. Whether you create a mood board or casually browse blogs and Pinterest accounts, looking at images that invoke ideas can be a lifesaver. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places, so don’t limit yourself to only wedding-themed outlets.
Review the Practical Details For Your DIY
Looking at pretty pictures is only the start of the DIY process. To see results, you must also review the practical side of things. An idea might look beautiful in a picture and be incredibly difficult to execute. Looking at information like the materials required, time involved, and effort needed to complete each project can make a world of difference in devising a strategy. The biggest mistake people make when exploring DIY options is assuming a task will be easy and discovering too late that it is far more involved.
Source Materials
Understanding the practical side of the process also includes developing a better understanding of the materials involved. If you’ve decided to make your own invitations, for example, then you should start looking at how much it will cost you to source the cardstock and envelopes you’ll need. You should also factor in additional materials like stamps, ink, and whatever else might be needed. Failing to consider the costs of all supplies can throw off your budget, so be as realistic as you can when coming up with numbers.
Get Help
The truth about DIY tasks is that you and your partner will usually not be able to complete most projects on your own. In fact, you’ll benefit from as much manpower as possible. Before you set any of your projects in stone, reach out to close friends and family members to see if anyone is willing to lend a hand. By having access to help, you’ll be able to come up with a timeline of exactly how long it will take to complete everything you’re setting your sights on. Should you be unable to find people willing to assist, adjust your plan accordingly.
Mix and Match DIY
An entirely DIY event is not an easy feat to pull off. The best way to see success is by mixing and matching the do-it-yourself approach with more traditional methods. For some people, this means letting a professional handle floral arrangements while taking on the task of selecting unique vases as centerpieces. At the end of the day, DIY approaches are meant to make your life easier. For whatever is too difficult to handle by yourself, hire an expert to handle the job.
The DIY wedding can be a fantastic way to take more control over the look and feel of your event while saving some change along the road. Naturally, opting to do certain tasks yourself is not as simple as most people would prefer. Thankfully, as long as you put thought into your plan, you’ll have an easier time using this approach to the fullest.
There have been many shifts to Canada’s cultural landscape in recent years. While some areas remain immersed in tradition, there are regions where major changes are taking place. This is especially true when it comes to religion. Studies conducted over the last decade highlight a number of evolutions that have occurred when it comes to how Canadians view spiritual matters. Take a look at these facts and learn more about these changes and how they are impacting everyday life throughout the country.
Younger Generations Feel Less Connected to Religion
According to surveys conducted throughout the 1970s, most Canadians identified with some type of religion. In fact, more than half of the population was connected to different denominations of Christianity. Only about 4% of the population identified as being non-religious. When Canadians were surveyed again 40 years later in the 2010s, the percentage of the population who did not identify with any type of religion rose dramatically to 24%. The data suggests that younger generations have less of a connection to religion than previous generations did.
Immigration Is Impacting Religion in Canada
Canada has long been a place that has welcomed immigrants from all over the world. However, there have been recent changes to where these migrants are coming from. For many years, most of the people who moved to Canada came from European nations. Now, the majority of immigrants entering the country are coming from the Middle East and Asia. This change has had a direct impact on the religious makeup of Canada. According to research from 2018, about 8% of the population now identifies as being connected to Buddhism, Islam, or Hinduism.
Many Canadians Don’t View as Religion Important
A Pew Research survey from 2013 highlighted that many Canadians did not engage in everyday religious practices like praying. What’s more, only about 25% of those surveyed admitted to going to any type of weekly religious gathering like church. However, this same study pointed out that a good chunk of the population viewed religion as important to the fabric of society. This data suggests that many Canadians feel connected to their religious ideologies without feeling the need to consistently engage with the rituals and traditions connected to these belief systems.
Canada’s Constitution Protects Freedom of Religion
Citizens of Canada are allowed to practice whatever religion they wish without fear of persecution from the government. Because freedom of religion is written into the nation’s constitution, it has directly impacted how tolerant many Canadians are of other religions. Still, there are situations where members of the public raise a fuss about certain religious practices. An example of this comes from 2018 when a woman was targeted in Quebec for wearing a hijab while in a courtroom. Though she was asked to remove her hijab, higher courts in the region viewed the move as unconstitutional.
Most Canadians Don’t Associate Good Morals With Religion
Around the world, many people believe that good morals stem from a strong religious background. A majority of Canadians don’t believe this. When surveyed about the topic, around 70% of participants stated that it was not necessary to believe in God in order to be a good person. This has remained a consistent belief among the population for many years. Surveys on the subject were conducted in 2002, 2007, 2013, and 2018, and the responses were similar across the board. The data suggests that the religious tolerance of the average Canadian shapes his or her views on morality.
Though Canada is a place where tradition is considered important, it is also a country that is happy to change with the times. As more and more people immigrate to Canada from around the world, it is likely that the religious landscape of the nation will continue to fluctuate to reflect the belief systems of new citizens.
Wedding traditions are constantly evolving to match modern couples’ ideas. The white wedding dress didn’t become a trend until 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. Brides in the 1920s wore a hat as part of their wedding attire. The pandemic gave us micro-weddings that are more intimate, which is a trend expected to stick around. Here are some trends to watch for 2025 weddings that you can incorporate into your celebration.
Guest Books Go Digital
Guest books can be impersonal and often don’t get looked at after the wedding. There have been some changes in guest books over the past few years, and now many guests can write a sweet note to the wedding couple instead of just signing their name. Today’s couples are getting creative with their guest books. Guests could sign a piece of fabric that will be sewn into a quilt as a reminder of the wedding. Voice messages recorded at the wedding are another great idea that is a little more modern. Maybe you could give your guests a place to record a TikTok greeting for your wedding, or you could ask all guests to take a picture in a photo booth for the record; one copy goes to the wedding couple, and the guest can take another copy home. Get creative.
Invites Also Go Digital trends
Digital invites are eco-friendly and easier to deliver in today’s technical landscape. You may want to print a few invitations for the more traditional guests and for yourself. Still, you can use digital info to give guests more information about accessibility, accommodations and detailed notes about your wedding to avoid having to print out pages and pages of stuff everyone needs to know.
Colorful Wedding Dresses
Wedding dresses don’t have to be all white in upcoming weddings. Wedding dresses of all colors are hitting the runway, with baby blue and pastel pink as two of the most popular colors. Floral prints with a white background are also making their mark in modern weddings. Be bold and do you with color for your big day.
Small Bouquets
Dainty and delicate flowers, like lily of the valley, lavender and violets, are taking the stage for small and elegant floral bouquets. This lets the bride and her dress stand out at the altar, without having the maid of honor needing an extra hand to manage a big bouquet. Many of these tinier flowers get lost amid roses and lilies, traditional bouquet flowers, so it’s fun to see them getting some attention. Brides are also choosing to use flowers from their own garden instead of spending money on flowers that won’t be appreciated for more than a day.
One Last Private Dance
Traditionally, the wedding couple opens the wedding reception with a first dance to get the guests out on the dance floor. In 2023, many couples are closing their reception with a private last dance after all the guests leave. The photographer and DJ stick around to let the couple enjoy a dance at their wedding without all eyes on them. Wedding receptions go by fast. This lets the couple have some time together to talk or gossip or just enjoy each other’s company.
Locally Sourced Food and Favors
Sustainability is one trend that keeps coming up. Every year, couples are finding more ways to be sustainable. Menus that focus on local foods are a great way to support community producers while having the best-tasting items for guests. Choosing wedding favors produced locally that guests can really enjoy when they get home is another trend that will hopefully continue. Get creative with your wedding by remembering that you don’t have to be traditional. Be a trendsetter with your ideas.
Canada has often led the way in North America when it comes to progressive policies and laws. The country has stricter regulations for firearms than the U.S. does and also has a more equitable health system. In 2016, Canadian lawmakers once again surged forward in what was considered a very progressive move by legalizing medical assistance in dying, also referred to as euthanasia, for people with serious, life-threatening illnesses. Since 2016, an estimated 30,000 people in Canada have requested and received medical assistance in dying in Canada. For Canada’s Christians, euthanasia is posing a critical religious dilemma.
What Is Euthanasia/Medical Assistance in Dying?
The term euthanasia has gone out of fashion among health advocates and medical practitioners, and medical assistance in dying (MAID) has come to replace it. MAID is a process that allows people with serious health conditions to work with nurses and doctors to stop living. When a request for MAID is approved, the person suffering from illness receives prescription drugs, including sedatives, at high dosages that lead to death.
Sometimes referred to as assisted suicide, advocates who promote MAID believe that people have a right to die with dignity and a right to avoid needless suffering at the end of life. However, Canada’s MAID laws are vague and have made it very challenging for Christian doctors and medical practitioners to work within the system to help people to die.
Who Can Ask for MAID in Canada?
In 2016, when MAID was fully legalized in Canada, only people with serious conditions who had a diagnosis where death was “reasonably inevitable” in the short term could request assisted dying. Two patients with degenerative diseases contested the law in 2021, and the government expanded the language of the law to include people who have serious illnesses even if the disease isn’t life-threatening or terminal.
As of 2023, the Canadian government is struggling with how to include or exclude people with mental illnesses from this law. Advocates for MAID argue that any person who has agency and is capable should be able to decide to die in order to avoid undue and cruel suffering. However, Canadian Protestants and Catholics, who have generally felt uneasy with this law, feel that Canada’s policies are too broad and will result in needless death.
Is Euthanasia a Religious Issue for People in Canada?
Euthanasia is a complex topic that is regularly brought up in religious communities and churches in Canada. Catholics believe that taking one’s own life is a sin because only God can decide when life ends. Protestants also see death by suicide as a very serious issue, but they don’t believe that the person who died is unworthy of salvation. MAID is a hot-button issue for Christians and Christian doctors who face difficult questions when it comes to the value of life. Is it better to follow religious tradition and allow people to suffer during terminal illness? Or is it worthwhile to consider MAID a compassionate solution for people who are already dying?
The Christian community was already finding it difficult to accept Canada’s initial 2016 law that legalized assisted dying, and now that the language of the law has become even broader, Christians are raising the alarm. The current language of the law seems to suggest that people who are suffering from mental illness can request and receive MAID quite easily. Christians and other concerned religious leaders worry that this puts already vulnerable people into even worse situations, essentially allowing society to reduce the burden of caring for those less fortunate by letting them take their own lives in hospitals.
As the parameters for assisted dying begin to expand beyond terminal illness, conversations about euthanasia in religious communities are heating up. Canada’s courts and policymakers will be weighing the arguments for and against these proposed changes in the months to come.
The holidays are a busy time for many, so something to keep in mind if you are planning for a big event. Once you or the one you love has accepted a marriage proposal, one of the first items of business is deciding on a wedding date. There are so many things to factor in when choosing a date. Your individual and collective schedule, venue availability, convenience for others, season, and budget are just some of the details to consider. A major holiday such as Canada Day, Canadian Thanksgiving, or Christmas can present some benefits and challenges to scheduling your nuptials. Here are some things you should think about.
Making The Holidays More Special
For most people, the holidays are a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate events of great significance. Your wedding will be a celebratory affair. Combining it with a holiday will make it even more so. Holidays that are about togetherness, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, are already a great opportunity for you to spend some quality time with your village. A wedding is all the more reason to gather.
An additional benefit is that future holidays and anniversaries will also be memorable. There will always be a connection between the sights and sounds of a particular season and your nuptials. The chance of you forgetting your anniversary is greatly reduced if it occurs on or near the holiday. Win-win!
Theme Inspirations
You’ll have to make a lot of decisions when it comes to theme, décor, colors, attire, and more. You can draw inspiration for these details from the holiday. While white is still a go-to for things such as a bridal gown or a cake, you might consider incorporating red, green, and gold if your wedding is during the Christmas season. Imagine having your reception tables inspired by the bright-red velvet of Santa’s suit. You may build your palette around orange, brown, and other autumnal colors for a fall wedding near or on Thanksgiving. Take your cues and aesthetics from holiday visuals to make your nuptials more special.
Guest Availability
One advantage of scheduling your wedding on a holiday is the availability of guests. Visitors from out of town may have to miss work and use PTO to be at your event. Many Canadians get time off of work for major holidays, freeing up their schedule for your special day. On the other hand, some guests may not be able to attend your celebration if it’s on or near a holiday. Before picking a day, think about the type of event you want to have. A Christmas wedding may not work for some families.
Travel Accommodations Holidays
It should come as no surprise that the holidays are busy times for airports, hotels, and other travel-related services. High demand for seats and rooms can drive up prices for travel and lodging, making a holiday wedding difficult for loved ones to participate in. It may also be difficult to book a block of rooms for out-of-town guests during Christmas, Thanksgiving, and certain other times of the year.
Vendors and Venues During The Holidays
Certain venues and vendors may be harder to book, as you’re competing with other weddings as well as holiday-related events put on by individuals, organizations, and businesses. For example, a caterer who would usually be available to prepare your reception menu may be booked solid by families and companies needing food for a New Year’s Day party or a Labour Day picnic. The availability of the desired venue or preferred vendors may cause you to push your ceremony to another day or year!
The Carpenters once sang “holidays are joyful,” highlighting the way something like Christmas or Halloween can put you in the mood to celebrate. Weddings are also joyous occasions, so combining your nuptials with a major holiday might seem like a no-brainer. There are advantages and challenges to combining these celebrations. Consider these carefully as you plan.
Since throwing a wedding often involves months upon months of planning, many couples experience higher levels of stress during this period. This is compounded by the fact that marriage is one of the biggest milestones a person can experience in his or her life. When it feels like a lot is riding on this decision, you may find yourself looking for all kinds of signs to help highlight whether you’re making the right choice. This is far from a modern practice, with wedding superstitions dating back as far as history allows.
While it is always best to take “old wives’ tales” with a grain of salt, it can be interesting to hear about some of the beliefs people have held over the years. Look over these superstitions and learn more about the myths that have governed marriage.
Superstitions Of No Knives, Please
Many people purchase household essentials as wedding gifts. Though a new set of cutlery seems like it would be a perfect present, this has not always been the case. Across the world, a number of cultures believe that a knife as a gift is an omen of bad fortune. The basic idea is that anything used as a tool for cutting acts as a symbol of severing the ties of the relationship. While a widespread belief, plenty of modern couples still ask for knives, scissors, and other sharp instruments on their registries.
If you’re worried about this superstition and receive a knife as a present, there is a way to counteract the bad luck. By giving the gifter a penny in exchange for the knife, you are technically purchasing the item. Many cultures believe that this small step will dispel any negativity surrounding the gift.
It Tolls for Thee
Bells are often associated with marriage. When a couple starts to get serious about dating, it is common for friends and family to ask if they “hear wedding bells.” Though it might seem like a normal part of many Christian weddings, ringing bells was once considered a way to keep bad spirits away from the couple. Beginning as a Celtic tradition in Ireland, bells would resound at the end of a ceremony in order to frighten away any supernatural entities looking to cause harm or mischief to the union.
Odd Superstitions
Nowadays, many couples will delegate the task of presenting the rings during the ceremony to either a young child in the family or a member of the wedding party. While it might seem like a small task, one superstition suggests it should only be completed by someone with a firm grip and excellent balance. According to some beliefs, dropping the rings on the way to the altar signals bad luck for the couple and the person who dropped the jewelry.
Though this superstition can be shrugged off, there are instances where dropping the rings can be problematic. Should a ring roll into a vent, between floorboards, or under a heavy piece of furniture, retrieving it might cause major delays.
The Old Switcheroo
In modern times, bridesmaids are usually the women who have a meaningful connection to the couple. However, this position actually came about due to superstition. In Ancient Rome, it was believed that a woman who was about to be married was likely to attract the attention of evil spirits. To trick the spirits, other women would be dressed in a similar fashion as the bride and would stand near her to act as decoys. While many bridesmaids complain about the dresses they’re asked to wear at weddings, most would prefer this problem to being used as lures for malicious entities.
Superstitions surrounding weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Though there is little merit to some of these beliefs, you may still feel compelled to follow them just to give yourself some peace of mind.
Have you thought of who will be apart of your wedding party? Once you and your significant other have agreed to tie the knot, it might seem like the pressure is off. After all, you’ve gotten past the pre-proposal anxiety of “Will they say yes?” and now it’s time to plan your nuptials. One of the most important things on your to-do list is asking people to be in your wedding party. If you’ve got several close friends or siblings, this next step might be a no-brainer.
If you or your partner proposed, there were probably special arrangements made for the occasion. Asking someone to marry you isn’t like asking them to help you with a back zipper or feedback on an outfit. While not as critical, asking people to stand with you and your partner on your big day is a special request as well. Finding special ways to ask loved ones can be part of the pre-wedding fun as well as a contributor to fond wedding day memories for the future. Here are some ideas to consider.
1. Plan a Special Meal
What better way to ask someone to be a bridesmaid, groomsman, or another participant than over a great meal? Canadians love having a special reason to get together, and asking someone to be in your wedding is as good a reason as any. Depending on who you’re planning to ask, you can have one big get-together for everyone or do it on an individual basis. You can save some money by asking everyone at one time, but if there are loved ones who can’t readily accept, a group meal may be awkward.
2. Send Gifts
Some couples will buy gifts for the people in their wedding party either leading up to the event or afterward as a thank you. Consider sending a gift along with a handwritten letter making the request. The gift can be something as simple as a coffee mug or a custom T-shirt that acknowledges the recipient as a bridesmaid, groomsman, etc. If you have the budget and a flair for drama, fancy accessories such as jewelry or cuff links can add an extra special touch.
3. Take a Trip
If you can afford a weekend escape, consider inviting your loved ones on a short getaway. Before this, consider the people you’re going to ask and the type of trip they’ll say yes to. For example, if the person you’re asking to be a best man isn’t into the great outdoors, an overnight camping trip might not be the best idea. You’re getting ready to embark on the great adventure that is married life. This getaway is a metaphor for the adventure ahead. Make the connection and set the tone before you pop the question(s).
4. Buy an Accessory
If you’re fairly confident the people you’re going to ask will respond affirmatively, consider making the request with an accessory that is significant to the big day. For example, if you’re planning to have the groomsmen wear the same thing, you could send each person the necktie or bow tie they’ll be wearing along with a handwritten note. This idea might work especially well if you’ll be doing a themed wedding that involves special attire or accessories.
5. Send a Scrapbook or a Digital Photo Album
If you have several pictures of you and the invitee from over the years, consider sending a scrapbook or a digital photo album. Though marriage is the next major milestone in your life, you can honor your history with pictures spanning your relationship. Wrap things up by asking them to be a part of your future by standing with you at the altar.
When you’re ready to begin assembling your wedding party, get creative with it. Weddings are special times to cherish the one you love with the ones who have loved you. Consider these ideas to make the request special for you, your partner, and your nearest and dearest.
As soon as you make the decision to get engaged, you start a subconscious countdown to your actual wedding day. Even if you won’t be walking down the aisle anytime soon, you still will feel a bit of pressure to get the ball rolling. There are countless tasks involved in the planning process, and waiting too long to start some of them can limit your options. Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can pursue to make the overall experience less taxing.
Since organization is key to planning any event, you’ll find certain tools and resources invaluable. Look at these tips and see how you can bring about some order.
The Timeline
One of the earliest tasks that couples need to sort out after engagement is picking a date for the nuptials. Once you’ve gotten this out of the way, you have a clear idea of how much time you have to work with for the planning phase. Most people find that thinking about large chunks of time in an abstract way can make the date more of a looming deadline than an event to anticipate with excitement. To give the timeline a concrete feeling, you want to bring it into the tangible world.
Whether you mark a calendar, download a timekeeping app, or design a poster that you can use to monitor progress, there are plenty of ways to make your timeline feel ordered. Think about the pros and cons of each approach, and it will do wonders to offer insight into which path will help best.
The Budget
Outside of the date itself, the budget is the other major thing that couples need to figure out early. Knowing how much you can afford to spend on your wedding will dictate a large chunk of other details. Naturally, not everyone is an expert when it comes to balancing a budget. If you and your partner both struggle with financial matters, you might need some extra help. Apps meant for managing personal funds can be a great place to begin.
Budgeting applications come in handy in a multitude of scenarios. While you might find one is useful for planning your nuptials, you can use what you learned and apply it toward bigger financial decisions you will need to make later.
The Contracts and Documents
As you get into the process, you’ll start to deal with more vendors. The more interviews and consultations you attend, the more paperwork you are likely going to find in your possession. From documents detailing services to contracts that you have created, losing even one paper can lead to some major setbacks. In this scenario, you don’t need any complicated applications or programs on your phone. Though digital solutions are available, a classic binder or folder is the safest bet.
Learn how to code your binder in a way that makes accessing documents a quick and effortless experience. If you can pull open a folder and spot the exact item you need, it can make you feel more on top of the process overall.
The Messaging Timeline
Coordinating with family members and friends is a big part of planning a wedding. However, you can’t always rely on a mass text message or email blast to get important details across. When you’re trying to keep all members of the wedding party in the loop, a phone app like WhatsApp or Signal can be a great solution. Regardless of service provider or location, all people on the chain can come together and receive updates in a straightforward and efficient way.
Though it might seem like planning a wedding is a process that has too many moving parts to keep track of, there are some easy steps you can take to make sense of the madness. Look at all of your options and see which works best for your planning style.
People opt for destination weddings over local affairs for a variety of reasons. For some, this option offers a chance for a more intimate gathering of close family and friends. For others, destination events provide an opportunity to explore a location they’ve always wanted to visit. No matter the exact reason, there are plenty of problems that can come about when putting together this type of wedding. To make the experience as easy as possible, look over these basic suggestions and learn what experts have to say about this popular choice.
Find a Planner At The Destination
One of the biggest mistakes a couple can make with a destination event is selecting a planner who has no knowledge of the area where the wedding will be held. Though it might seem sensible to hire someone in your home area, you will have a much easier time working with a planner who is local to the destination. A person who is already familiar with the area can offer personal insight into everything from what to expect from the weather to which vendors will save you the most money.
Inform Guests Early Of A Destination Wedding
The moment you decide to have a destination wedding, you need to start working on a plan to inform your guests. Your family and friends need ample time to take care of travel tasks like booking a flight, making arrangements for children or pets, and telling their jobs they will need a few days off. The sooner you let people know, the easier it will be for the people you love the most to guarantee that they can be present for your big day.
Send Essentials Ahead of You
If you plan on using specific pieces of decor in your wedding, then you must ship these items to the destination ahead of time. Waiting until the last minute increases the odds of the packages being delayed or lost entirely. Work with your local planner to learn the safest place to have these items delivered, and create a timeline that ensures everything arrives with plenty of time to spare. You should also opt for extra insurance on the packages in the event that something becomes lost or damaged while in transit.
Avoid Popular Dates
Booking a wedding for the time of year when the destination sees the most tourists is an easy way to spend a small fortune. What’s more, picking a popular date also means you and your guests will be dealing with endless crowds throughout the whole experience. Since you have more flexibility with a destination wedding, consider booking your event for a weekday when you are least likely to deal with swarms of travelers. Your planner should be able to provide a selection of dates that will keep costs manageable.
Show Your Thanks
The people you invite to your destination event will be taking on a number of financial expenses in order to be present on your big day. Show your thanks to loved ones by giving something back to them. Some couples achieve this by providing thoughtful gifts to guests, like welcome bags that include a variety of samplings from local businesses. Others will take all of their guests out to dinner the night before the event, which is a perfect choice when you’re working with a very small crowd.
Expect People To Say No
Finally, expect that some of your guests will decline your invitation. If travel is not in someone’s budget, you need to be understanding. You don’t want to sour important relationships because you take offense that someone can’t afford to attend your wedding. While destination weddings are a popular alternative to traditional gatherings, there are still a number of pitfalls to consider when putting together this type of event. As long as you start the planning process early, you’ll have ample time to work out the kinks.
Humans are curious and observant. We’ve been trying to make sense of our world for around 200,000 years. From this continual search for understanding, we’ve created philosophies, religions, cultures, and works of art. Feng shui is one such system, seeking to create harmony with nature for indoor spaces. As one of five elemental phases, earth plays an important role in modern feng shui practices.
A Brief Introduction to Feng Shui
Feng shui is based on traditional Chinese philosophy. Taoism contains many of its concepts, including qi – living energy that flows through everyone and everything. It also stresses the need for balance between yin and yang, opposite yet complementary forces. Since many energies exist within each space, feng shui seeks to create balance in ways that allow the positive flow of qi.
Qi plus yin and yang influence the bagua, an octagonal energy grid used in feng shui. Architect Anjie Cho explains that you superimpose this grid over your home’s floor plan to locate where certain energies lie. Many Western feng shui traditions place the top or north part of the grid at the front door. Others line it up with true north.
Earth as an Elemental Phase
Feng shui and Taoism include the concept of Wuxing – five elemental phases. How these phases interact can result in creation or destruction. Some texts refer to these as cycles of generation and overcoming. Creation happens when one elemental phase fuels the next, while destruction results from one phase overcoming another.
Earth is vital in both generation and overcoming cycles. In Taoist terms, earth comes from the fire that burns wood and leaves behind ash. Earth also helps form metal through geological processes. Yet earth can overcome water through physical barriers – banks that contain a river, or dams stopping its flow. And wood impacts earth by growing through the soil, breaking it apart and taking its nutrients.
Earth Energies and Symbolism
Feng shui associates elemental phases with colors, shapes, and directions. They also align with areas of human life – one’s career or family, for instance. Earth primarily lies in the middle of the bagua. Appropriately, the center is called “tai qi” and symbolizes one’s health and well-being. It’s also a vital area, since it touches the other eight regions in the bagua. Square and flat shapes are key. Yellow, orange, brown, and earth-toned neutral shades represent the earth elemental phase.
Earth appears in two other areas of the bagua. Gen, representing knowledge and wisdom, lies in the northeast part of the energy grid. Earth is its native element, associated with square and flat shapes plus dark-blue hues. You’ll also find earth in Kun, the love and relationships region in the bagua’s southwest corner. Pink is the key color here, along with flat and square shapes.
Bringing Earth Into Your Spaces
Feng shui focuses on attracting specific energies. That’s why colors, geometric figures, and physical elements are key to its practice. The wonderful thing is here is that you have a lot of flexibility in how you do this. If you’re working with the tai qi area, for example, you could use color – perhaps painting a wall yellow or gold. Bringing in a physical object like a stone statue or layered sand art also works. Squares are ideal for this area, so you could include a square rug in your décor.
Feng shui is gaining popularity in Canada. The idea of harmony and balanced energies appeals to many, but there are also aesthetic advantages. Earth is one of five elemental phases, complete with its own properties and associated energy. Working it into your interiors calls for creativity, flexibility, and a desire to reap its benefits.
With wedding costs rising as each year goes by, a DIY wedding seems more and more appealing. Thus, making sense that couples everywhere have taken an interest in the do-it-yourself approach to planning. The concept is simple: Instead of hiring professionals to take on challenges like decorating and creating floral arrangements, you will handle the details yourself. The goal of this option is to save money and take more control over the finished look of the event. Naturally, this is not always the easiest way to plan. To see success, look over these foundational elements of the process.
Start With Inspiration
Beginning the DIY process from scratch can be overwhelming. When you’re looking at a blank slate, you may feel nothing but stress and anxiety. Even creative people struggle to come up with good ideas when pressed. Thankfully, the solution is as easy as finding inspiration. Whether you create a mood board or casually browse blogs and Pinterest accounts, looking at images that invoke ideas can be a lifesaver. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places, so don’t limit yourself to only wedding-themed outlets.
Review the Practical Details For Your DIY
Looking at pretty pictures is only the start of the DIY process. To see results, you must also review the practical side of things. An idea might look beautiful in a picture and be incredibly difficult to execute. Looking at information like the materials required, time involved, and effort needed to complete each project can make a world of difference in devising a strategy. The biggest mistake people make when exploring DIY options is assuming a task will be easy and discovering too late that it is far more involved.
Source Materials
Understanding the practical side of the process also includes developing a better understanding of the materials involved. If you’ve decided to make your own invitations, for example, then you should start looking at how much it will cost you to source the cardstock and envelopes you’ll need. You should also factor in additional materials like stamps, ink, and whatever else might be needed. Failing to consider the costs of all supplies can throw off your budget, so be as realistic as you can when coming up with numbers.
Get Help
The truth about DIY tasks is that you and your partner will usually not be able to complete most projects on your own. In fact, you’ll benefit from as much manpower as possible. Before you set any of your projects in stone, reach out to close friends and family members to see if anyone is willing to lend a hand. By having access to help, you’ll be able to come up with a timeline of exactly how long it will take to complete everything you’re setting your sights on. Should you be unable to find people willing to assist, adjust your plan accordingly.
Mix and Match DIY
An entirely DIY event is not an easy feat to pull off. The best way to see success is by mixing and matching the do-it-yourself approach with more traditional methods. For some people, this means letting a professional handle floral arrangements while taking on the task of selecting unique vases as centerpieces. At the end of the day, DIY approaches are meant to make your life easier. For whatever is too difficult to handle by yourself, hire an expert to handle the job.
The DIY wedding can be a fantastic way to take more control over the look and feel of your event while saving some change along the road. Naturally, opting to do certain tasks yourself is not as simple as most people would prefer. Thankfully, as long as you put thought into your plan, you’ll have an easier time using this approach to the fullest.
There have been many shifts to Canada’s cultural landscape in recent years. While some areas remain immersed in tradition, there are regions where major changes are taking place. This is especially true when it comes to religion. Studies conducted over the last decade highlight a number of evolutions that have occurred when it comes to how Canadians view spiritual matters. Take a look at these facts and learn more about these changes and how they are impacting everyday life throughout the country.
Younger Generations Feel Less Connected to Religion
According to surveys conducted throughout the 1970s, most Canadians identified with some type of religion. In fact, more than half of the population was connected to different denominations of Christianity. Only about 4% of the population identified as being non-religious. When Canadians were surveyed again 40 years later in the 2010s, the percentage of the population who did not identify with any type of religion rose dramatically to 24%. The data suggests that younger generations have less of a connection to religion than previous generations did.
Immigration Is Impacting Religion in Canada
Canada has long been a place that has welcomed immigrants from all over the world. However, there have been recent changes to where these migrants are coming from. For many years, most of the people who moved to Canada came from European nations. Now, the majority of immigrants entering the country are coming from the Middle East and Asia. This change has had a direct impact on the religious makeup of Canada. According to research from 2018, about 8% of the population now identifies as being connected to Buddhism, Islam, or Hinduism.
Many Canadians Don’t View as Religion Important
A Pew Research survey from 2013 highlighted that many Canadians did not engage in everyday religious practices like praying. What’s more, only about 25% of those surveyed admitted to going to any type of weekly religious gathering like church. However, this same study pointed out that a good chunk of the population viewed religion as important to the fabric of society. This data suggests that many Canadians feel connected to their religious ideologies without feeling the need to consistently engage with the rituals and traditions connected to these belief systems.
Canada’s Constitution Protects Freedom of Religion
Citizens of Canada are allowed to practice whatever religion they wish without fear of persecution from the government. Because freedom of religion is written into the nation’s constitution, it has directly impacted how tolerant many Canadians are of other religions. Still, there are situations where members of the public raise a fuss about certain religious practices. An example of this comes from 2018 when a woman was targeted in Quebec for wearing a hijab while in a courtroom. Though she was asked to remove her hijab, higher courts in the region viewed the move as unconstitutional.
Most Canadians Don’t Associate Good Morals With Religion
Around the world, many people believe that good morals stem from a strong religious background. A majority of Canadians don’t believe this. When surveyed about the topic, around 70% of participants stated that it was not necessary to believe in God in order to be a good person. This has remained a consistent belief among the population for many years. Surveys on the subject were conducted in 2002, 2007, 2013, and 2018, and the responses were similar across the board. The data suggests that the religious tolerance of the average Canadian shapes his or her views on morality.
Though Canada is a place where tradition is considered important, it is also a country that is happy to change with the times. As more and more people immigrate to Canada from around the world, it is likely that the religious landscape of the nation will continue to fluctuate to reflect the belief systems of new citizens.
Wedding traditions are constantly evolving to match modern couples’ ideas. The white wedding dress didn’t become a trend until 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. Brides in the 1920s wore a hat as part of their wedding attire. The pandemic gave us micro-weddings that are more intimate, which is a trend expected to stick around. Here are some trends to watch for 2025 weddings that you can incorporate into your celebration.
Guest Books Go Digital
Guest books can be impersonal and often don’t get looked at after the wedding. There have been some changes in guest books over the past few years, and now many guests can write a sweet note to the wedding couple instead of just signing their name. Today’s couples are getting creative with their guest books. Guests could sign a piece of fabric that will be sewn into a quilt as a reminder of the wedding. Voice messages recorded at the wedding are another great idea that is a little more modern. Maybe you could give your guests a place to record a TikTok greeting for your wedding, or you could ask all guests to take a picture in a photo booth for the record; one copy goes to the wedding couple, and the guest can take another copy home. Get creative.
Invites Also Go Digital trends
Digital invites are eco-friendly and easier to deliver in today’s technical landscape. You may want to print a few invitations for the more traditional guests and for yourself. Still, you can use digital info to give guests more information about accessibility, accommodations and detailed notes about your wedding to avoid having to print out pages and pages of stuff everyone needs to know.
Colorful Wedding Dresses
Wedding dresses don’t have to be all white in upcoming weddings. Wedding dresses of all colors are hitting the runway, with baby blue and pastel pink as two of the most popular colors. Floral prints with a white background are also making their mark in modern weddings. Be bold and do you with color for your big day.
Small Bouquets
Dainty and delicate flowers, like lily of the valley, lavender and violets, are taking the stage for small and elegant floral bouquets. This lets the bride and her dress stand out at the altar, without having the maid of honor needing an extra hand to manage a big bouquet. Many of these tinier flowers get lost amid roses and lilies, traditional bouquet flowers, so it’s fun to see them getting some attention. Brides are also choosing to use flowers from their own garden instead of spending money on flowers that won’t be appreciated for more than a day.
One Last Private Dance
Traditionally, the wedding couple opens the wedding reception with a first dance to get the guests out on the dance floor. In 2023, many couples are closing their reception with a private last dance after all the guests leave. The photographer and DJ stick around to let the couple enjoy a dance at their wedding without all eyes on them. Wedding receptions go by fast. This lets the couple have some time together to talk or gossip or just enjoy each other’s company.
Locally Sourced Food and Favors
Sustainability is one trend that keeps coming up. Every year, couples are finding more ways to be sustainable. Menus that focus on local foods are a great way to support community producers while having the best-tasting items for guests. Choosing wedding favors produced locally that guests can really enjoy when they get home is another trend that will hopefully continue. Get creative with your wedding by remembering that you don’t have to be traditional. Be a trendsetter with your ideas.
Canada has often led the way in North America when it comes to progressive policies and laws. The country has stricter regulations for firearms than the U.S. does and also has a more equitable health system. In 2016, Canadian lawmakers once again surged forward in what was considered a very progressive move by legalizing medical assistance in dying, also referred to as euthanasia, for people with serious, life-threatening illnesses. Since 2016, an estimated 30,000 people in Canada have requested and received medical assistance in dying in Canada. For Canada’s Christians, euthanasia is posing a critical religious dilemma.
What Is Euthanasia/Medical Assistance in Dying?
The term euthanasia has gone out of fashion among health advocates and medical practitioners, and medical assistance in dying (MAID) has come to replace it. MAID is a process that allows people with serious health conditions to work with nurses and doctors to stop living. When a request for MAID is approved, the person suffering from illness receives prescription drugs, including sedatives, at high dosages that lead to death.
Sometimes referred to as assisted suicide, advocates who promote MAID believe that people have a right to die with dignity and a right to avoid needless suffering at the end of life. However, Canada’s MAID laws are vague and have made it very challenging for Christian doctors and medical practitioners to work within the system to help people to die.
Who Can Ask for MAID in Canada?
In 2016, when MAID was fully legalized in Canada, only people with serious conditions who had a diagnosis where death was “reasonably inevitable” in the short term could request assisted dying. Two patients with degenerative diseases contested the law in 2021, and the government expanded the language of the law to include people who have serious illnesses even if the disease isn’t life-threatening or terminal.
As of 2023, the Canadian government is struggling with how to include or exclude people with mental illnesses from this law. Advocates for MAID argue that any person who has agency and is capable should be able to decide to die in order to avoid undue and cruel suffering. However, Canadian Protestants and Catholics, who have generally felt uneasy with this law, feel that Canada’s policies are too broad and will result in needless death.
Is Euthanasia a Religious Issue for People in Canada?
Euthanasia is a complex topic that is regularly brought up in religious communities and churches in Canada. Catholics believe that taking one’s own life is a sin because only God can decide when life ends. Protestants also see death by suicide as a very serious issue, but they don’t believe that the person who died is unworthy of salvation. MAID is a hot-button issue for Christians and Christian doctors who face difficult questions when it comes to the value of life. Is it better to follow religious tradition and allow people to suffer during terminal illness? Or is it worthwhile to consider MAID a compassionate solution for people who are already dying?
The Christian community was already finding it difficult to accept Canada’s initial 2016 law that legalized assisted dying, and now that the language of the law has become even broader, Christians are raising the alarm. The current language of the law seems to suggest that people who are suffering from mental illness can request and receive MAID quite easily. Christians and other concerned religious leaders worry that this puts already vulnerable people into even worse situations, essentially allowing society to reduce the burden of caring for those less fortunate by letting them take their own lives in hospitals.
As the parameters for assisted dying begin to expand beyond terminal illness, conversations about euthanasia in religious communities are heating up. Canada’s courts and policymakers will be weighing the arguments for and against these proposed changes in the months to come.
The holidays are a busy time for many, so something to keep in mind if you are planning for a big event. Once you or the one you love has accepted a marriage proposal, one of the first items of business is deciding on a wedding date. There are so many things to factor in when choosing a date. Your individual and collective schedule, venue availability, convenience for others, season, and budget are just some of the details to consider. A major holiday such as Canada Day, Canadian Thanksgiving, or Christmas can present some benefits and challenges to scheduling your nuptials. Here are some things you should think about.
Making The Holidays More Special
For most people, the holidays are a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate events of great significance. Your wedding will be a celebratory affair. Combining it with a holiday will make it even more so. Holidays that are about togetherness, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, are already a great opportunity for you to spend some quality time with your village. A wedding is all the more reason to gather.
An additional benefit is that future holidays and anniversaries will also be memorable. There will always be a connection between the sights and sounds of a particular season and your nuptials. The chance of you forgetting your anniversary is greatly reduced if it occurs on or near the holiday. Win-win!
Theme Inspirations
You’ll have to make a lot of decisions when it comes to theme, décor, colors, attire, and more. You can draw inspiration for these details from the holiday. While white is still a go-to for things such as a bridal gown or a cake, you might consider incorporating red, green, and gold if your wedding is during the Christmas season. Imagine having your reception tables inspired by the bright-red velvet of Santa’s suit. You may build your palette around orange, brown, and other autumnal colors for a fall wedding near or on Thanksgiving. Take your cues and aesthetics from holiday visuals to make your nuptials more special.
Guest Availability
One advantage of scheduling your wedding on a holiday is the availability of guests. Visitors from out of town may have to miss work and use PTO to be at your event. Many Canadians get time off of work for major holidays, freeing up their schedule for your special day. On the other hand, some guests may not be able to attend your celebration if it’s on or near a holiday. Before picking a day, think about the type of event you want to have. A Christmas wedding may not work for some families.
Travel Accommodations Holidays
It should come as no surprise that the holidays are busy times for airports, hotels, and other travel-related services. High demand for seats and rooms can drive up prices for travel and lodging, making a holiday wedding difficult for loved ones to participate in. It may also be difficult to book a block of rooms for out-of-town guests during Christmas, Thanksgiving, and certain other times of the year.
Vendors and Venues During The Holidays
Certain venues and vendors may be harder to book, as you’re competing with other weddings as well as holiday-related events put on by individuals, organizations, and businesses. For example, a caterer who would usually be available to prepare your reception menu may be booked solid by families and companies needing food for a New Year’s Day party or a Labour Day picnic. The availability of the desired venue or preferred vendors may cause you to push your ceremony to another day or year!
The Carpenters once sang “holidays are joyful,” highlighting the way something like Christmas or Halloween can put you in the mood to celebrate. Weddings are also joyous occasions, so combining your nuptials with a major holiday might seem like a no-brainer. There are advantages and challenges to combining these celebrations. Consider these carefully as you plan.
Since throwing a wedding often involves months upon months of planning, many couples experience higher levels of stress during this period. This is compounded by the fact that marriage is one of the biggest milestones a person can experience in his or her life. When it feels like a lot is riding on this decision, you may find yourself looking for all kinds of signs to help highlight whether you’re making the right choice. This is far from a modern practice, with wedding superstitions dating back as far as history allows.
While it is always best to take “old wives’ tales” with a grain of salt, it can be interesting to hear about some of the beliefs people have held over the years. Look over these superstitions and learn more about the myths that have governed marriage.
Superstitions Of No Knives, Please
Many people purchase household essentials as wedding gifts. Though a new set of cutlery seems like it would be a perfect present, this has not always been the case. Across the world, a number of cultures believe that a knife as a gift is an omen of bad fortune. The basic idea is that anything used as a tool for cutting acts as a symbol of severing the ties of the relationship. While a widespread belief, plenty of modern couples still ask for knives, scissors, and other sharp instruments on their registries.
If you’re worried about this superstition and receive a knife as a present, there is a way to counteract the bad luck. By giving the gifter a penny in exchange for the knife, you are technically purchasing the item. Many cultures believe that this small step will dispel any negativity surrounding the gift.
It Tolls for Thee
Bells are often associated with marriage. When a couple starts to get serious about dating, it is common for friends and family to ask if they “hear wedding bells.” Though it might seem like a normal part of many Christian weddings, ringing bells was once considered a way to keep bad spirits away from the couple. Beginning as a Celtic tradition in Ireland, bells would resound at the end of a ceremony in order to frighten away any supernatural entities looking to cause harm or mischief to the union.
Odd Superstitions
Nowadays, many couples will delegate the task of presenting the rings during the ceremony to either a young child in the family or a member of the wedding party. While it might seem like a small task, one superstition suggests it should only be completed by someone with a firm grip and excellent balance. According to some beliefs, dropping the rings on the way to the altar signals bad luck for the couple and the person who dropped the jewelry.
Though this superstition can be shrugged off, there are instances where dropping the rings can be problematic. Should a ring roll into a vent, between floorboards, or under a heavy piece of furniture, retrieving it might cause major delays.
The Old Switcheroo
In modern times, bridesmaids are usually the women who have a meaningful connection to the couple. However, this position actually came about due to superstition. In Ancient Rome, it was believed that a woman who was about to be married was likely to attract the attention of evil spirits. To trick the spirits, other women would be dressed in a similar fashion as the bride and would stand near her to act as decoys. While many bridesmaids complain about the dresses they’re asked to wear at weddings, most would prefer this problem to being used as lures for malicious entities.
Superstitions surrounding weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Though there is little merit to some of these beliefs, you may still feel compelled to follow them just to give yourself some peace of mind.
Have you thought of who will be apart of your wedding party? Once you and your significant other have agreed to tie the knot, it might seem like the pressure is off. After all, you’ve gotten past the pre-proposal anxiety of “Will they say yes?” and now it’s time to plan your nuptials. One of the most important things on your to-do list is asking people to be in your wedding party. If you’ve got several close friends or siblings, this next step might be a no-brainer.
If you or your partner proposed, there were probably special arrangements made for the occasion. Asking someone to marry you isn’t like asking them to help you with a back zipper or feedback on an outfit. While not as critical, asking people to stand with you and your partner on your big day is a special request as well. Finding special ways to ask loved ones can be part of the pre-wedding fun as well as a contributor to fond wedding day memories for the future. Here are some ideas to consider.
1. Plan a Special Meal
What better way to ask someone to be a bridesmaid, groomsman, or another participant than over a great meal? Canadians love having a special reason to get together, and asking someone to be in your wedding is as good a reason as any. Depending on who you’re planning to ask, you can have one big get-together for everyone or do it on an individual basis. You can save some money by asking everyone at one time, but if there are loved ones who can’t readily accept, a group meal may be awkward.
2. Send Gifts
Some couples will buy gifts for the people in their wedding party either leading up to the event or afterward as a thank you. Consider sending a gift along with a handwritten letter making the request. The gift can be something as simple as a coffee mug or a custom T-shirt that acknowledges the recipient as a bridesmaid, groomsman, etc. If you have the budget and a flair for drama, fancy accessories such as jewelry or cuff links can add an extra special touch.
3. Take a Trip
If you can afford a weekend escape, consider inviting your loved ones on a short getaway. Before this, consider the people you’re going to ask and the type of trip they’ll say yes to. For example, if the person you’re asking to be a best man isn’t into the great outdoors, an overnight camping trip might not be the best idea. You’re getting ready to embark on the great adventure that is married life. This getaway is a metaphor for the adventure ahead. Make the connection and set the tone before you pop the question(s).
4. Buy an Accessory
If you’re fairly confident the people you’re going to ask will respond affirmatively, consider making the request with an accessory that is significant to the big day. For example, if you’re planning to have the groomsmen wear the same thing, you could send each person the necktie or bow tie they’ll be wearing along with a handwritten note. This idea might work especially well if you’ll be doing a themed wedding that involves special attire or accessories.
5. Send a Scrapbook or a Digital Photo Album
If you have several pictures of you and the invitee from over the years, consider sending a scrapbook or a digital photo album. Though marriage is the next major milestone in your life, you can honor your history with pictures spanning your relationship. Wrap things up by asking them to be a part of your future by standing with you at the altar.
When you’re ready to begin assembling your wedding party, get creative with it. Weddings are special times to cherish the one you love with the ones who have loved you. Consider these ideas to make the request special for you, your partner, and your nearest and dearest.
As soon as you make the decision to get engaged, you start a subconscious countdown to your actual wedding day. Even if you won’t be walking down the aisle anytime soon, you still will feel a bit of pressure to get the ball rolling. There are countless tasks involved in the planning process, and waiting too long to start some of them can limit your options. Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can pursue to make the overall experience less taxing.
Since organization is key to planning any event, you’ll find certain tools and resources invaluable. Look at these tips and see how you can bring about some order.
The Timeline
One of the earliest tasks that couples need to sort out after engagement is picking a date for the nuptials. Once you’ve gotten this out of the way, you have a clear idea of how much time you have to work with for the planning phase. Most people find that thinking about large chunks of time in an abstract way can make the date more of a looming deadline than an event to anticipate with excitement. To give the timeline a concrete feeling, you want to bring it into the tangible world.
Whether you mark a calendar, download a timekeeping app, or design a poster that you can use to monitor progress, there are plenty of ways to make your timeline feel ordered. Think about the pros and cons of each approach, and it will do wonders to offer insight into which path will help best.
The Budget
Outside of the date itself, the budget is the other major thing that couples need to figure out early. Knowing how much you can afford to spend on your wedding will dictate a large chunk of other details. Naturally, not everyone is an expert when it comes to balancing a budget. If you and your partner both struggle with financial matters, you might need some extra help. Apps meant for managing personal funds can be a great place to begin.
Budgeting applications come in handy in a multitude of scenarios. While you might find one is useful for planning your nuptials, you can use what you learned and apply it toward bigger financial decisions you will need to make later.
The Contracts and Documents
As you get into the process, you’ll start to deal with more vendors. The more interviews and consultations you attend, the more paperwork you are likely going to find in your possession. From documents detailing services to contracts that you have created, losing even one paper can lead to some major setbacks. In this scenario, you don’t need any complicated applications or programs on your phone. Though digital solutions are available, a classic binder or folder is the safest bet.
Learn how to code your binder in a way that makes accessing documents a quick and effortless experience. If you can pull open a folder and spot the exact item you need, it can make you feel more on top of the process overall.
The Messaging Timeline
Coordinating with family members and friends is a big part of planning a wedding. However, you can’t always rely on a mass text message or email blast to get important details across. When you’re trying to keep all members of the wedding party in the loop, a phone app like WhatsApp or Signal can be a great solution. Regardless of service provider or location, all people on the chain can come together and receive updates in a straightforward and efficient way.
Though it might seem like planning a wedding is a process that has too many moving parts to keep track of, there are some easy steps you can take to make sense of the madness. Look at all of your options and see which works best for your planning style.
People opt for destination weddings over local affairs for a variety of reasons. For some, this option offers a chance for a more intimate gathering of close family and friends. For others, destination events provide an opportunity to explore a location they’ve always wanted to visit. No matter the exact reason, there are plenty of problems that can come about when putting together this type of wedding. To make the experience as easy as possible, look over these basic suggestions and learn what experts have to say about this popular choice.
Find a Planner At The Destination
One of the biggest mistakes a couple can make with a destination event is selecting a planner who has no knowledge of the area where the wedding will be held. Though it might seem sensible to hire someone in your home area, you will have a much easier time working with a planner who is local to the destination. A person who is already familiar with the area can offer personal insight into everything from what to expect from the weather to which vendors will save you the most money.
Inform Guests Early Of A Destination Wedding
The moment you decide to have a destination wedding, you need to start working on a plan to inform your guests. Your family and friends need ample time to take care of travel tasks like booking a flight, making arrangements for children or pets, and telling their jobs they will need a few days off. The sooner you let people know, the easier it will be for the people you love the most to guarantee that they can be present for your big day.
Send Essentials Ahead of You
If you plan on using specific pieces of decor in your wedding, then you must ship these items to the destination ahead of time. Waiting until the last minute increases the odds of the packages being delayed or lost entirely. Work with your local planner to learn the safest place to have these items delivered, and create a timeline that ensures everything arrives with plenty of time to spare. You should also opt for extra insurance on the packages in the event that something becomes lost or damaged while in transit.
Avoid Popular Dates
Booking a wedding for the time of year when the destination sees the most tourists is an easy way to spend a small fortune. What’s more, picking a popular date also means you and your guests will be dealing with endless crowds throughout the whole experience. Since you have more flexibility with a destination wedding, consider booking your event for a weekday when you are least likely to deal with swarms of travelers. Your planner should be able to provide a selection of dates that will keep costs manageable.
Show Your Thanks
The people you invite to your destination event will be taking on a number of financial expenses in order to be present on your big day. Show your thanks to loved ones by giving something back to them. Some couples achieve this by providing thoughtful gifts to guests, like welcome bags that include a variety of samplings from local businesses. Others will take all of their guests out to dinner the night before the event, which is a perfect choice when you’re working with a very small crowd.
Expect People To Say No
Finally, expect that some of your guests will decline your invitation. If travel is not in someone’s budget, you need to be understanding. You don’t want to sour important relationships because you take offense that someone can’t afford to attend your wedding. While destination weddings are a popular alternative to traditional gatherings, there are still a number of pitfalls to consider when putting together this type of event. As long as you start the planning process early, you’ll have ample time to work out the kinks.
