Communication: Keys to the Wedding You Want

Communication seems to come up in everything we do.  Especially, when planning a wedding.  Communication will be the key to whether you create the wedding of your dreams or the wedding you wish you could forget.  Here are some key elements to remember about communication:

• Be sure to listen first…give the other person the complete opportunity to express their ideas or suggestions before you answer. Listening will give you as much information about the vendor, as you are giving the vendor about your ideas for the wedding.

• You may be excellent at communicating with other people… BUT… that does not mean the person you are communicating with is.  If there seems to be a communication gap…Ask the vendor…”What is your specialty?”  This generally opens up the communication by allowing people to talk about the aspects of their business that they are most passionate about.

• If people are expecting immediate answers from you that you can’t give…take a break…set a deadline of when you will make the decision and give them the answer by the deadline.

• Ask lots of questions, assuming you know exactly what the other person is saying creates an opportunity for a gap in communication. So open up… and ask the questions…”I am not sure what you mean, could you show me a sample?”

• To communicate what you want, you have to know what you want…Take some time and explore the details that you want to see in your wedding.   If you are shopping for details let the vendor know…”I am open to some details or ideas.”

Jodi Wilson is the owner, success coach and consultant of Mountain Springs Professional and Organizational Services, LLC.  Jodi’s clients define, discover, dream, design and deliver the success they want in their lives.  Visit their website at www.mountainspringsprofessional.com for more information on their services.

Should I Elope?

With the economy putting a dent into everyone's pockets alot of couples are contimplating skipping the big wedding idea and eloping. There is nothing wrong with this idea but still show respect to your family and friends by announcing your recent marriage and possibly invite close friends and family for a dinner gathering afterwards. You can still have a good time and manage your budget closely.

Something to keep in mind if you do decide to elope-
Will you have photo's to remember your special day?
Will you purchase a special gown to elope in?
Are you able to go on a honeymoon?
Will there be a cake?
Flowers?


What is important to you should be taken into consideration before making this decision and it should be mutual you don't want to have any regrets about your special day. Keeping your parents in mind is always important, will they understand or will they be devastated?

Think about these decisions and make sure you don't compromise what is truly important to you on this day.

If you feel you are giving up way more than you had planned to get married, than the other option is WAIT!! You can always postpone your big day so that you can afford it. If your relationship is solid there is nothing that is going to come between you and your wedding day. Why not make it a day that you will never forget...

Best Wishes -

Grand Opening - A Portrait Boutique

For those of you who live in the Chicagoland area Love To Promote is excited to share that we will be displaying our gift items at A Portrait Boutique.

A Portrait Boutique is a new Photography Studio they are opening their doors October 11th with a big bash!! We will have an actress from PBS television singing, free hot dogs, a local caterer will be bringing goodies, face painting, pumpkin decorating for the kids and a local DJ - Groovin Greg will be there. If you are in the Plainfield area and want to stop by we will be launching this fun-filled event at 11AM until around 3PM.

We will have excellent door prizes and free bandanas for all doggie visitors. Bring your friends neighbors, children and pets to this FREE family fun event.

A Portrait Boutique/Love To Promote (Displayed)

www.aportraitboutique.com

14722 S Naperville Rd. - Suite 106

Plainfield, IL 60544

Feel free to visit my website to learn more about my business www.LoveToPromote.com
We sell a full line of accessories, personalized gifts, promotional products, invitations, and announcements.

A Portrait Boutique's owner Lesa Zonsius takes pride in what she does, she will be offering pet portraits, outdoor photos, as well as family portraits. She has several backdrops and is great with children. You will have fun taking pictures at her lovely boutique.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PHOTOGRAPHER

When planning a wedding there are many choices you have to make and it may seem overwhelming which is very common. However, when looking for the right photographer to capture your memories it is not as complicated as you may think. First ask friends and family members if they have a recommendation of a photographer. Also look online for other bride's feedback of their photographer at places like The Knot etc. Visualize your photos and how you want them to be. That will help you decide if the photographer can achieve what you are looking for when viewing their portfolio. Make a decision what type of personality you are best suited with. It is very important that you feel comfortable with the photographer as you will be with them all day long and so will your family and friends.

Here are the basic questions you may want to ask when interviewing photographers:

• How long have they been in business?
• What are some locations they have worked at?
• Are they a member of a photographer's organization?
• Who is the photographer you are hiring and are you able to meet or talk with them before the big day?
• Look at the photographer's samples not samples of other employed photographers.
• What type of photography style do they offer - candid, traditional or both?
  Candid is not posed and usually non-invasive. Traditional is staging shots and is a hands on approach throughout the day. Both is when traditional shots are staged mostly during house coverage after you are dressed and after the church as well as park coverage. The rest of the evening is usually done in candid style and you are left alone except for a few traditional shots during the cake cutting, garter/bouquet toss, etc.
• Can you speak with their former clients for references?
• Do their packages include albums and if so what exactly are you getting?
• Do they offer the digital negatives?
  You may want to be sure they are the high resolution images as they sometimes may not offer that. High resolution is the highest quality as they were taken which ensures that you can print a large photo without loosing quality.
• Make sure there are no hidden costs. Sometimes there is a pricing method that is just a starting point and may not include certain things such as all day coverage, upgraded albums, print quality and or sizes.
• See if they can throw in an engagement photo if you go with their high end package. Some photographers are more than willing to include something with their highest package. It doesn't hurt to ask.

This article was written by Lesa Zonsius of ZonCom Productions Inc..
Visit their website at www.Zoncom.com for more information on their services.

Most Popular First Dance Songs

First Dance music: First dance as husband and wife.

• Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
• Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
• Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)
• The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
• It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)
• What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
• Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)
• I Cross My Heart (George Strait)
• I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)
• A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
• As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)
• When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
• Faithfully (Journey)
• No Ordinary Love (Sade)
• Here And Now (Luther Vandross)
• I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)
• Power Of Love (Celine Dion)
• Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)
• Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)
• When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)
• All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
• I'll Be There (Mariah Carey)
• On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)
• At Last (Etta James)
• Don't Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
• From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
• Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)
• Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)

*These are the most requested songs, but there are many others. Ask your DJ.

7 Great Tips Before You Get Married!!

1. The most important: Marry the right person. I didn’t say the perfect person since they don’t exist but marry the right person for you. Marry your soul mate. Someone who makes you laugh, that comforts you when you are down, who loves you for who you are now what you look like . Someone you want to grow old with.

2. You can never be over-prepared. Read books. Prepare. Befriend married couples and ask them lots of questions. Take pre-marital counseling classes.

3. Make the planning process easy - Keep it simple and ask for help when you need it.

4. The Wedding isn’t a show. It’s a worship service and celebration. Don’t do stuff to impress people but rather, make choices that are meaningful and reflect you and your relationship.

5. Honor your parents. The wedding isn’t just for you. It’s an opportunity to honor your guests, your family, but especially your parents. Carve out time during the actual wedding ceremony to speak heart to heart to your parents and let them know how much you appreciate them.

6. PLEASE do not go into DEBT to just put on a fancy party. The location, food, and glitz in the end it will be a memory - Save your money for a down payment on a house or go on a great Honeymoon.

7. It only happens once. So ENJOY!

How To Choose A Wedding Ring

Teddy Shattock, managing director of Aldridge Jewellers on London show us how to choose a wedding ring. The selection of a wedding ring could be one of the most critical decisions of your life; so get it right with VideoJug's assistance. To see this video or more like it visit this site at: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-choose-a-wedding-ring

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Step 1:

Determine your ring size

Before buying your wedding ring, make sure that you know your ring size. Use a ring sizer that you will find at a jewellers to determine your ring size. You can also watch our film, "How to work out your ring size" for some helpful tips.
You should allow enough time, about eight weeks, before your wedding for the ring to be fitted or altered in any way so it is ready for the big day.

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Step 2:

Match your engagement ring

The most helpful starting point when choosing a wedding ring is to remember that it should complement the engagement ring. Choose the same metal for your wedding ring as that of your engagement ring. Traditionally, the wedding ring goes on first. Try them on together to see if the wedding band needs to be specially shaped to fit the engagement ring. It is not essential to wear the wedding ring on the same finger as the engagement ring. You may prefer to move your engagement ring to your right hand once you are married to make space for the wedding ring on the left hand, especially if it is elaborate in style. This allows each ring to stand alone and shine in all their glory.

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Step 3:

Which metal?

Wedding rings are usually made from yellow gold, white gold or platinum. They can be 9k, 18k or 22k gold. The higher the karat number, the softer the gold so if you work with your hands, buy a lower karat to avoid scratches. White gold is a popular choice as it can also be worn with silver or platinum jewellery. Platinum is the hardest metal and does not need to be mixed with an alloy so it is safe for allergy sufferers. It is a more expensive choice than gold.

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Step 4:

Gem set rings

Although some cultures only allow plain wedding bands, gem set wedding bands have become very fashionable. These can sometimes overpower the engagement ring when worn on the same finger. If you do decide to buy a diamond set wedding band, you may find it looks best worn alone on your left hand.

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Step 5:

Wedding Rings for men

Although this was not always the case, it is now very common for men to wear wedding rings. The man's ring usually matches the woman's and is made from the same metal. It should be a slightly wider band to suit a more masculine hand shape. The most common choice for men's wedding rings are plain bands. If you are not used to wearing a ring, a comfort fit ring is recommended. This is oval in cross section and has rounded edges so allows more flexibility.

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Step 6:

The right choice

Whichever wedding ring you choose, make sure it is one that you are happy to wear for the rest of your life. It can be any design you like as long as it reflects your personality and style. The right wedding ring will be as timeless as your relationship.