There are two fundamentals of expressing gratitude. First, every gift-whether a tangible item, money, a social event in your honour, or a gift of time or talent- should be acknowledged in writing. And second, your acknowledgment should be prompt.

Personal, handwritten thank-yous remain the gold standard of courtesy in this age of cell phones, pocket computers, and instant messaging. Written notes demonstrate that the writer cares enough about the giver to compose an individualized message and put the words on paper.

Unless you’ve been planning your wedding since you were five years old, there could be several factors in your wedding planning that can be a tough choice. One of those choices is choosing your wedding colors. They are the whole foundation of your wedding, and nearly every decoration, flower and wedding favor will be based off of the wedding colors that you choose. Your wedding colors could be based off of your favorite color combinations, but if you don’t really have one favorite color, then instead you could opt for some of the most trendy wedding colors that are being used today. Here are some of the top wedding color combinations of the year that you can use.

Deep Chocolate Brown

A rich chocolate brown has become probably one of the most popular wedding colors that brides are using today. In the past, brown was thought of as a cooler color for fall and winter seasons, but not anymore. Now brown is seen widely in spring and summer weddings as well, paired with a cooler color. You can pair brown with pale pink, light blue, lilac or mint green to create a striking color combination that will really make an impression. Plus it’s easy to add brown accents to your wedding decorations through the use of hang tags, ribbons, linens, flowers and even coffee beans.

Black and White

Black and white is another popular combination for wedding colors. Paired together they can put together a really elegant and attractive wedding. If you put your bridesmaids in black, they will really stand out next to you in your beautiful white wedding dress. Choose wedding decorations that are white with black accents, and you’ll find that this classic color combination will add so much elegance to your wedding that people will be talking long after it’s all over.

Various Shades of Pink

Pink is another widely popular choice for wedding colors. I mentioned pink and brown above, but pink lends itself well to many other color combinations that can make for a really beautiful wedding. Pair pink with black, brown, greens and blues, and you’ve great some great color combinations for spring and summer weddings.  If you love pink, you don’t even have to add another color – but instead have a totally pink and white wedding.  There are lots of great color combinations for wedding colors that sometimes it can be really hard to make up your mind. You can talk to your groom and see if there are any colors that he prefers over the others, as well as your bridesmaids to make sure that the wedding colors you choose won’t clash with their skin tones.

You wouldn’t think of asking someone to pay for a cocktail in your home, so don’t have a cash bar at your reception.  When you invites guests to your reception, they are just that-your guests. If a bar is not in your budget, serve soft drinks, wine, or champagne. Or perhaps you’ll cut back on the size of your guest list and serve a full array of drinks. Just do not let the hotel or club or reception-site manager talk you into selling tickets for drinks or having guests pay their way! 

If you serve liquor, carefully estimate the amount of alcoholic drinks likely to be served. If you plan a seated dinner, your needs will include drinks for the cocktail hour and also with meal. The two basic ways a caterer or a reception site can charge are:

Open Bar: The host pay a flat fee for drinks served during a specific time period-either during the cocktail hour or for the entire event.

Consumption Bar: Drinks are charged at a per-drink rate, and a running tap is kept for the time the bar is open. The hosts are charged for what is actually served.

If you will have a beautiful little flower girl and a dapper young ring bearer in your wedding, they will certainly become one of the highlights of the ceremony!  If you prepare your little helpers correctly and ensure that they know their roles, they will be more confident and ready to walk down the aisle before you.  Here are some tips and important information on flower girl and ring bearer roles which will help you prepare the youngest members of your wedding party?

Choosing Your Flower Girl and Ring Bearers 

Keep in mind that the younger your flower girl and ring bearer is, the higher the risk of a crisis. Young kids are frightened easily and may decide at the last minute that they are not walking down the aisle, they need to go to the bathroom or they'd rather watch a video.  If possible, choose slightly older children to act as the ring bearer and flower girl, so they will better understand their roles and will not be as afraid.

Flower Girl 

The flower girl follows the last bridesmaid, carrying a basket of flower petals to scatter across the aisle.  She is usually a girl with a special connection to the bride and groom - whether related or family friend, and is usually between the ages of 4 and 10. 

Typically, flower girls wear beautiful dresses - either small versions of the bridesmaid dresses or the wedding dress.  Typically, brides have the flower girl wear a ring of flowers in her hair or a tiny tiara.  After walking down the aisle, your flower girl will take her seat to watch the rest of the wedding.    

Ring Bearer 

Your little ring bearer comes behind the flower girl, carrying a pillow with the wedding rings tied to it.  He is usually related to the bride and groom or the son of close family friends.  The ring bearer is also usually between the ages of 4 and 10.

Many brides prefer that their ring bearer wear little versions of the groom's tuxedo, but you can have your ring bearer wear whatever you want.  From slacks and a little velvet jacket to suits which match the groomsmen - he's sure to look absolutely adorable no matter what you put him in!  Your ring bearer can either stand next to the groomsmen or be seated with his family depending upon his age. 

Tips for Your Ring Bearer and Flower Girl 

If the ring bearer and flower girl are prone to restlessness, have them sit with their families rather than standing for the wedding. You can even provide them with a coloring book or something else to keep them occupied for the wedding. 

If your ring bearer is fairly young, you may want to put fake rings on the pillow and have your best man hold the real rings.  Also, if needed, have the parents bring a change of clothing - most young boys don't want to stay in stiff clothing for too long!

By preparing your ring bearer and flower girl for their roles, you can ensure that the wedding goes smoothly and that they understand what they're supposed to do during the ceremony.

As a soon-to-be bride, if you want to break away from the traditional – there are many ways to do it. From choosing a unique wedding dress and bouquet to finding things that have never been done before with the wedding cake, it’s fun to think of new ways to spice up old traditions. Unique table settings are another way to make your   wedding stand out.

 Below you will find a couple of great ideas for unique table settings that you can use at your wedding. At the very    least, these suggestions will stimulate your imagination to create your own unique table settings.

 Sticks and Natural Items

For a wedding outdoors or with a floral or natural theme, you can get a lot of use out of sticks and other natural items – especially for unique table settings. Imagine centerpieces made from beautiful branches, pinecones, berries and candles for an autumn-themed wedding. For your table settings, you can take small, flexible branches and craft wire to create custom napkin rings. Simply wire them together and hot glue a few berries or some ribbon on top of the craft wire.

You can also use beautiful leaves as place markers by writing your guests’ names on the leaves! By using natural items, you can create beautiful, unique table settings for your reception.

 Themed Weddings

There are a great many ideas for unique table settings when you’re having a themed wedding. Spend some time thinking about your theme and the different items you could use. For instance, if you’re having a Renaissance wedding, use silver goblets rather than wine glasses and pewter table settings.

If you’ll be having a garden wedding, place tiny silver flower pots by each table setting for your reception. If you can find dinner plates with blossoms or greenery, it would be perfect for your reception table. There are all sorts of unique table settings for themed weddings – just use your imagination and creativity to determine what's best for you.

How to Find Inspiration

If you aren’t sure how to come up with unique table settings for your wedding, there are a few things you can do to find inspiration. Consider your wedding theme and location and think about things that go along with your theme. For instance, if you’re having a beach wedding, what could you do with seashells or small containers of sand? Flip through magazines and see what other brides are doing – is there anything unique that you could change around a little bit and make your own?

It’s always fun to break away from tradition and create something fresh and beautiful. The same goes for unique table settings – so spend some time finding inspiration to create a scene that you and your guests will really enjoy.

Choosing your wedding invitations can be as involved and overwhelming as choosing wedding dress!  The sheer choice of styles and designs alone is enough to send any brides head into a spin. As with many things in this world, fashion can dictate our choices and wedding invitations are no exception.  It simply isn’t a matter of traditional over contemporary anymore; wedding invitations have to coordinate with styles, themes, color schemes and the latest trends. Here are some trends for wedding invitations for 2010:

Incorporate the Seasons - a seasonal wedding theme was not a popular choice in the past, perhaps the only exception was for a fall wedding where brides would incorporate fall colors into their weddings. However, seasonal wedding themes are a big trend these days and are reflecting colors and motifs, patterns and designs relating to the four seasons.Typically, seasonal themes will look like this:

Spring - pastel shades, daffodils

Summer - vibrant shades and some pastels

Fall - reds, oranges, golds, browns and yellows

Winter - white, blue, silver, purple and festive holiday colors - red, green

Straight Lines and Borders - simple invitations are incorporating straight lines and thick borders into their design. Some will have embossed borders, whilst more contemporary styles will have on thick line down one side, perhaps printed with the couple’s names or the words – “wedding invitation”

Bright Colors - it seems that couples are being bold with color these days. Gone are the traditional pastel pinks and pale creams and instead couples are opting for muted shades of green, blue, red and orange. Whilst others are even bolder, choosing vibrant shades of aqua, hot pink, bright red and chartreuse. A combination of bright colors and exciting designs can lift a wedding invitation from ordinary to unique and will give your guests a real wow moment when they first open the envelope!

Unique Fonts - Experimenting with different fonts is a big trend this year. Instead of traditional script, couples are choosing more modern and contemporary fonts, perhaps incorporating two very different fonts into their invitations, maybe using larger letter sizes for the first letters of each word. Whilst traditional invitations will still use scripts and calligraphy styles, modern and contemporary invitations look more like slick advertisements than wedding invitations! Choose a font that will reflect your wedding style.

Re-wording - This means to play around with the wording of your wedding invitations to fit the style of your wedding. Most invitation templates will have wording for a formal, traditional wedding, probably hosted by the bride’s parents. However, these days it is far more common for the couple themselves to be the hosts and for the wedding to be a more relaxed affair.

The wording of your invitation sets the tone for the entire affair. So, what will your invitations say?

Your wedding invitations will be the first inkling your guests have as to what sort of wedding they will be attending.  Of course, the main purpose of your invitations is to ask your friends, family, co-workers or other individuals to help you celebrate one of the biggest days of your life.  However, there is a slew of different ways to say the same thing – so, with your invitations, what will you say?

If your wedding will be very traditional, you probably want to go with the traditional wedding invitation.  The variation in wording depends on who is paying for the wedding.  The accepted rule is that the person paying for the wedding is mentioned first on the invitations. If the bride and groom are paying, their names come first: “You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of John Groom and Jane Bride.” If the bride or groom’s parents are paying, their names come first: “Mr. and Mrs. Bride request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Ms. Jane Bride…” Of course, this information is followed by the date, time, location and reception details.  While it’s perfectly fine to use the accepted and traditional wedding invitation wording, more adventurous couples may prefer wording with a twist.

If your wedding will be very relaxed and casual, you will probably want to soften the wording on the wedding invitations.  By following the traditional outline, but your own casual message – you can provide the necessary details and still put some of yourself and your future spouse into the invitation wording.  For instance, for a very casual, laid-back wedding, it may go something like this: “John Groom and Jane Bride ask that you share the celebration of love and happiness at their wedding…” Of course, for a casual wedding invitation, the wording is entirely up to you. Keep it fun and light, humorous but most of all – allow it to reflect a bit of you and your sweetheart!

If your wedding will be a themed wedding, such as a fairytale wedding or a tropical beach wedding – you can set the mood with your invitation wording.  For instance, a fairytale wedding invitation could include the following: “Join the royal princess and her knight in shining armor as they join in marriage and begin their storybook life together.”For a tropical themed wedding, the wording may go something like this: “Aloha!  John Groom and Jane Bride ask that you be present at their wedding celebration…”

Wedding invitations should reflect the styles and personalities of the bride and groom.  Whether you go with the traditional style wedding invitations or opt for more unique wording – allow a bit of yourself to come through as your family and friends read them. The wording of your invitation sets the tone for the entire affair. So, what will your invitations say?

The simple word “invitation” is somewhat misleading for a wedding invitation is often more than just a single card or piece of paper.  An invitation set or ensemble, as they are called, might include the main invitation, a separate card with reception or ceremony specifics, some form of reply card for guests to post back, and an envelope or two, not to mention assorted enclosures bearing various bits of information regarding anything from special seating to travel arrangements.  For presentation’s sake, all of these elements are generally printed in a coordinating style using the same method, paper, type, and ink color.  Each item is not always essential for every wedding, and your individual needs will be the driving force behind determining exactly which of these pieces are required.  To help you decide, keep in mind whether you plan on inviting your entire guest list to both the ceremony and the reception, and whether you will need to provide anything beyond the invitation basics such as maps or accommodation cards. At Precious Invitation, we hope to provide for all of your wedding stationery needs.

These days, most of us no longer have the time - nor the inclination-to seriously memorize etiquette manuals to learn rules on how to live our lives. Edicts such as whether a man should guide a woman by the elbow when they are walking down the street seem almost quaintly out of date and have little to do with most people's everyday lives. That being said, there is an established etiquette for wedding invitations and it is worth following. Designed to communicate various bits of information (both directly and subtly) surrounding the wedding, this specific etiquette extends to the wording on the invitation as well as the wording on the envelopes and response cards. Etiquette also offers guidance with regards to the timing for the sending of invitations, and, thankfully, etiquette can also help you address any sticky situations that may arise with your guests. Visit our wedding invitation etiquette for a complete guide.

Tucked among the usual contents of the mail-bills, catalogs, flyers, magazines, perhaps the old postcard or letter-is something special. Judging by the pretty envelope, the shape, or maybe even the handwriting or return address, it is unmistakably an invitation. And though birthdays and dinner parties are fun, it's even more wonderful if the invitation occasion is something as joyous as a wedding. Now when you are the one getting married, chances are your close friends and family know all about it long before you post the invitations. Good news travels fast! So why is it necessary to carry on the tradition of sending them?

At its most utilitarian, this document presents the facts of time and place so your guests know when and where you want them to go. On another level, it sends the message to your family and friends that they are so dear you wish them to be present at one of the most meaningful events of your life. Besides, who could deny guests the pleasure of receiving a beautiful invitation in the mail? A wedding is a celebration like no other, and the invitation heralds the event and helps build the excitement leading up to it.

By sending invitations you are joining other brides and grooms in tradition throughout the ages. Wedding selection of your invitation is an important step as the invitation sets the stage for the event for your guests and directs the look and feel on many other elements of the day. Know to that not only are you providing guests with the details and giving them a hint of what to expect, you are making a bold and very public first statement about who you are as a couple. What will your wedding invitation say about the two of you?

A wedding invitation is so much more than jus a simple piece of paper. It heralds the good news of two people making a commitment and can also reveal the style and tone of the highly anticipated day. Gone are the days when the major invitation decision was choosing between white  or ecru paper- today's invitations come in an incredible array of materials, colors, textures and sizes. In Precious Invitations you'll find  traditional and modern designs that will make your invitations an extension of your personal style as a couple.