The WeddingLinks.com Wedding Coach

2011-11-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Tips For Planning A Trip To The South Pacific Islands of Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji

We just returned from a research trip to Hawaii, Tahiti & Fiji Islands for our new IPad and Kindle books, "Romantic Destinations". This will be released in late December along with our new "Romantic Destination - Wine Country Weddings & Honeymoons".
Please add your input to our list of Travel TIPS.

This area covers the (related size) land mass of Europe. There are hundreds of tropical islands and atolls with white sand beaches and black lava beaches, beautiful palm trees, the sweetest pineapple and exciting views. The memorable friendliness of the diverse cultures will live in our memories for years. There are awesome hotels and resorts waiting for tourist from all parts of the world seeking vacations, wedding destinations and romantic honeymoon spots. These areas are packed with extreme sports, surfing, diving, zip line, swimming with sharks or manta rays, wonderful tours and relaxing and awe inspiring venues.

Overwater bungalow or villas Tahiti Beach bungalows Fiji sunset travelbeach.org Hawaii surfing - HawaiiPictures.com

We are still getting our photos out of the camera..... Yes, you can believe the colors in these photos.

We found so many wonderful event sites and unique services, fun tours and great restaurants. We hope you can enjoy some time there soon. We met with many owners, managers and event coordinators for interviews (regarding the books) and some of the questions we asked surrounded travel concerns they experienced with their guests....here are a few to discuss.

#1. The islands take some time to get there. They saw honeymooners so exhausted from the trip they could not enjoy the first few days of their stay. They recommended couples come a week after their wedding day or later, so they were not so tired from the wedding preparations.

#2. The islands each have a north, south, east and west side to stay on. For no disappointments, ask which way the hotel/stay faces and if the beaches are swim safe and the sand coloration before you book them.

#3. Working up to the sun's rays is always a concern. They are close to the equator and people need to understand the sun blocks only block bad rays not the burns. Working from 10 minutes up to the next 5 minutes and on up - works best in achieving a non-red or peeling tan. They have had many a couples getting married be a bright red and many couples nursing a sunburn and destroying their honeymoon.

#4. Food prices are considerably higher than home. After all, they do have to ship in many items.

You will find many of the resorts, hotels and services already linked on WeddingLinks.com - Search the area and remember Tahiti is part of French Polynesia and Hawaii is United States.

LUXURY Ideas For the Ceremony & Reception

2011-09-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

Photos by Dennis Urbiztondo
Adding Luxury to Your Wedding Ceremony
Whether it is a beautiful church, cathedral or natural environment in the woods, beach, garden or vineyards, we find it is important to be heard and seen. A raised platform for the ceremony, good microphones, ample lighting, shade (when outdoors) a printed program with names of the presenters, languages, explaining ethnic customs. All allow the guest to feel included.

Select a location in a nice section of town with an impressive entry or drive and top the luxury with valet parking services.
With an outdoor environment, make certain there are no apparent car sounds or flight patterns overhead. Choosing a setting with fountain, waterfall or lovely stream, beach and waterway views can mesmerize your guests. Nature has a way of enriching every part of our soul.
Staging and lighting of the ceremony and/or reception are a real trend in luxury weddings. The outer building or interior lighting will excite your guests. Top the luxury with a light show during the reception music and or/ fireworks and sparklers (depends on the fire laws and your event site rules).
Outdoor weddings and evening weddings often have wine and cocktail services with canapes’ (hors d’oeurves) served prior to the party guests being seated with one or more instrumentalist to set the mood of the day. As ceremony time nears the seating or gathering time is announced. Waiting for newlyweds to arrive prior to serving food and drink is passé!Ceremony and Reception entry doors can be managed by persons to direct the guests to their seating...this adds to the glamour. The male ushers generally take on this task but we see luxury style weddings hire staff to complete this duty so the wedding party is exempt from these duties. Romantic outdoor evening weddings in full moonlight with flickering votives and oil lamps. Aisle decor, an altar cloth or arbor includes the use of the poly tulle that reflects twinkle lighting is a beautiful and romantic effect.

Luxurious Ideas For Your Wedding and Reception Venues
Most weddings require two or three venues and guest housing. While proximity may be important, we also see a high-end wedding can be a destination wedding to unique parts of the world. While finding an opulent site with beautiful wall hangings, frescos, crystal chandeliers, gold leaf trim, marble dance floors and velvet curtains rein high on the list, luxury and opulence can include renting a winery, wine cave, skyscraper roof garden with magnificent views, mansion or lovely beach house that has been well cared for. We see historic sites, unique museums, botanical gardens, observatories, aquariums all work allowing you to utilize the backdrop to its fullest while increasing the interest and enjoyment of your guests. A couple often chooses an event site that reflect their interests.

Find these locations in each county of California, the USA and parts of the world on WeddingLinks.com.

Luxurious Ideas For Your Reception Room Look:
Ideas for a luxurious appearance for a wedding are all around you today at this lovely location. Entries and ceilings are key to visuals. Room appearance is directly affected by the look of flooring, chairs, full-length tablecloths (or pooling linens) and overlay cloths of unique fabrics. We find larger rooms incorporating a furnished area near the bar and away from the music is enjoyable Complete dinner service, centerpieces and setting the table with specific folds to napkins for the dinner menu, and unique favors all enhance the table appearance. Candles, votives and favors enrich the mood.

Adding a Luxury Look To Your Wedding Attire:

2011-08-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

Having your dress created by a famous designer is the ultimate, but this still requires a lot of shopping to see the style and fabrics you are interested in. Your appointments need to be one or two years in advance of your wedding day. You can spend thousands on a dress but the neckline and color will give you the best results for spectacular.

BLING is in with crystals dripping everywhere giving the appearance of a bejeweled princess and her TIARA, SHOES and HAIR ORNAMENTS with feathers – are big touches of elegance.

We see the short dress making a comeback for a more casual, yet elegant wedding day.

Vera Wang is still a favorite along with many worldwide designers. You can find famous worldwide designer styles for the entire wedding party and men’s tuxedos on WeddingLinks.com in the Designer Gown Gallery.

Environmental and natural fabrics are a growing trend.

Many women enjoy wearing a vintage dress with exciting history they can share.

Giving back by purchasing a donated “Hollywood starlet gown” from BridesAgainstBreastCancer.org. Celebrity wedding dress styles and of course the royal weddings send a flurry of copies into the stores. But many of the delightful designs worn by stars are donated to the organization mentioned.

Highly luxurious weddings find the gown and the jewels set the stage for luxury.

Fabrics dripping with pearls, crystals and bejeweled party linens are setting the style.

Smaller groups of bridesmaid attendants using a variety of neckline styles in the same color.

The all-white wedding continues to be a luxurious look.

The luxury look for gentlemen includes a handsom tuxedo and gift of a very high end necktie.

Military attire and swords bring a unique luxury to every wedding day.

Adding Luxury Ideas To Your Wedding Reception - Part 2 of 3

2011-08-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

Photos by Dennis Urbiztondo - Written by Judith Rivers-Moore

A Luxurious Wedding & Reception Venue Can Be Chosen and Created

Ideas for a luxurious wedding and reception venue appear with photos in magazines and websites. Often these photos do not show the negative areas of a location and that is why you personally review the location prior to booking it. Some of the concerns in seeking the elegant location have a great deal to do with: The entry to a wedding site and/or views of parked cars from the gardens/grounds can be very distracting. The flow and access of the room to where caterers/staff enter and placing your head table away from EXIT signs and bright/light door entries.

The event room's ceiling is key to visuals. Room appearance is directly affected by the condition of flooring and any equipment in the room. The condition of chairs and linens that come with the event site. Your use of full-length tablecloths (or pooling linens) and overlay cloths of unique fabrics adds a luxury statement.

You tables set with complete and matching china, crystal or matching glassware as your table dinner service, the floral centerpieces and setting the table with specific folds to napkins for your personal printed dinner menu, and unique favors can all enhance the table appearance. While less is more was the old statement, we have entered a "new look of more". Creating a color theme of 2 to 4 colors will enrich your statment. Working with the new table fabrics can be so much fun.

Lighting with mood lights, display lighting and music lightshows all work toward a more elegant event. The use of candles and votives enrich the romance.

Luxury receptions will play softer music over the dinner hours so that people can talk. Smaller tables that seat six or eight instead of ten will enhance the visiting. Details, like the box of tissues in a bathroom to lighting over the bride and groom or dance floor, bring a reception room into focus. We are seeing delightful floral displays and unique color contrast swags added to the chair covers and canopies places over table arrangements, both inside and outside for shade and visual affects.

Tenting a site can be absolutly necessary with weather issues. But it can also be a very luxurious tent. Tents come with air conditioning, heating, sound systems and flooring. Amazing, and often very costly. Some locations with weather concerns often have their own tents for inclement day use.

Adding a Luxury Space -- Separate Areas...
Entry rooms sectioned off by plants and unique screening or actual rooms with high tables are set for cocktails and jazz or specific music is played for a stand-up area prior to dinner being served. As the couple arrives, they bring everyone into the main room. some form a reception greeting line.

We find larger event rooms incorporating a furnished area (couches, chairs, lamps & table conversation areas) placed near the bar and away from the music can provide an enjoyable space.

Adding a small Arabian style tent to an outdoor environment is pure luxury statement. Use it for pre-wedding cocktails or later with wine and cheese serving….posh with pillows, music and unique décor.

Ideas For Adding Luxury To Your Wedding Day - Part 1 of 3

2011-08-12T10:41:00.001-07:00

Photos by Dennis Urbiztondo

Wedding Coaching and Wedding Planning have a great deal to do with assisting the bride in her desire to complete ideas and concepts the way she wants them done. This can be everything from understanding what works well together, the current trends and within their budget.... be it clothing, table decorations, the wedding venue and the style wedding the couple wants. Join, author Judith Rivers-Moore on Facebook for Wedding Coaching.

Several brides have requested LUXURY STATEMENTS made in specific parts of the wedding day and a few who had high profile and celebrity weddings requested LUXURY throughout. The ideas you read in the next 3 postings will include both ways to add luxury statements to the various elements of your day.

LUXURY FOR THE BRIDE
Luxurious Ideas For Wedding Attire might include: having your dress created by a famous designer is the ultimate, but this still requires a lot of shopping to see the style and fabrics you are interested in. Your appointments need to be one or two years in advance of your wedding day. You can spend thousands on a dress but the neckline and color will give you the best results for spectacular.

BLING is in with crystals dripping everywhere giving the appearance of a bejeweled princess and her TIARA, SHOES and HAIR ORNAMENTS – are big touches of elegance.

We see the short dress making a comeback for a more casual wedding day.

Vera Wang is still a favorite along with many worldwide designers. You can find famous worldwide designer styles for the entire wedding party and men’s tuxedos on WeddingLinks.com in the Designer Gown Gallery.

Environmental and natural fabrics are a growing trend.

Giving back by purchasing a donated “Hollywood starlet gown” from BridesAgainstBreastCancer.org.

Highly luxurious wedding find the gown and the jewels set the stage for luxury.

Fabrics dripping with pearls, crystals and bejeweled party linens are setting the style.

Smaller groups of bridesmaid attendants using a variety of neckline styles in the same color and floor length dress.

The all-white wedding continues to be a luxurious look.

The gentlemen should be outfitted with tuxedos and have very high end neckties.

Military attire and swords bring a unique luxury to every wedding day.

YOUR WEDDING INVITATIONS & MAKING GUESTS EXPERIENCE AN ENRICHED WELCOME

Luxurious Ideas For Wedding Invitations: Invitations set the tone of the wedding. Very high style custom-made papers that include eco-friendly types with beautiful, hand–written calligraphy are available and add a special touch on wedding invitations. The gold leaf border (or a copper wax seal) might be enough trim. Create a personal monogram or watermark on the paper with your initials.

The style chosen can be used as a unifying element for your invites, reply card, menu card, envelopes and ceremony programs. Conveying your theme or the wedding colors on all the paper products including your Thank You Notes will add that touch of luxury. Whatever design you choose, make it's eye-catching. Be sure to indicate if your wedding celebration is a black tie formal affair, or a themed wedding with costumes etc. and/or is cocktails and dinner following and/or any uniqueness.

There are specialty services to assist with this and some brides have the invites addressed and mailed by the services with special LOVE stamps or hand canceling. When weddings are in major cities the added touch of messenger delivery is a possibility. We have seen:

Fabric boxes with the invitation set inside can be an outstanding delivery through mail or messenger. These may also be placed on the tables at the reception as an added display.

Gold Florist Boxes with your theme colored-flowers and invitations being personally delivered by a messanger.

Wine or champagne bottles sent by messenger with the invitation affixed as a label or attached in the envelope to the neck.

Boxes of candy or chocolates mailed with the invitation inside.

LUXURY TREATMENT FOR YOUR WEDDING GUESTS
Out of town guests can be very important for brides who want to make them feel welcome, they often order or create special welcome baskets with soaps, fruit or regional special items for each guest room.

Meeting & Greeting the Guests can be everything from a personal website (with your growning details), save the date cards, list of local hotels, maps to your event sites in the invitation to providing a location(s) with ample parking and good signage on where to go in a major hotel or larger event site.

Transportation in complicated areas leads to less-frazzled guests. An Entry Host to direct the guests and the serving of labeled water bottles (or a water or ice tea service) are especially appreciated on hot days. Making certain seniors and infirmed guests have someone assigned to pick them up and deliver adds to their luxury and welcome. An exciting luxury are the Parking Valet Services to assist the guests.

We also see couples deciding on a pre-ceremony bar set up or cocktail bar and canapes between the ceremony and reception.

Give us your input on what gives you a luxurious feeling at a wedding day celebration.

Reception Desserts - Wedding Cakes & Alternatives

2011-08-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

After having a fun discussion regarding wedding cakes with a friend, we came to the conclusion that there are many new ideas and ways to serve dessert at a reception. The following ideas may assist you in your wedding planning. Join Judith Rivers-Moore on the WeddingLinks.com Bride’s Blog or FaceBook to add your input on this subject.

#1. Reception trends are growing for cupcake tiers, beautiful cookies and tiny fruit tarts. These are colorful and presented beautifully for wedding celebrations. They can be served individually on dessert plates or placed at food stations in your room and the cost factor may be about the same.

#2. Chocolate Fountains with fresh fruit, cookie and marsh mellows find people meeting and socializing at weddings in a fun way. Continuing to return to the chocolate fountain is an exhilarating habit!

#3. Ice Cream sundae-making stations can be fun for all ages.

#4. Dove Bar serving and frozen yogurts from a decorated freezer station

#5. Decorated Wedding Cakes can still be set on a dessert table and photos taken. There are bakers and caterers who will create the foam base with the cake choice in the top tier(s) to cut for your wedding photographs. Elegant, and nobody knows.

We understand there are excellent vegan bakeries in most regions, and the sugar free and gluten free ideas may be important to include at the reception. You will find many of these businesses linked throughout www.WeddingLinks.com .

We are posting this on FaceBook, if you have found this information useful –Let Us Know. Become a Friend with Judith Rivers-Moore

Favorite Wedding Destinations

2011-07-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Many couples decide they want a destination wedding. For some, it is to cut the cost, while other couples want a private wedding and honeymoon together and reception at home at a later date. There are those who met in a unique area and want to take their wedding day to that location. Every state and country we have reviewed appears to have favorite wedding and honeymoon destinations. We have scoured the world to find some of the favorites and you will find these included below.

Thank you for joining Judith Rivers-Moore on the Bride's Blog on http://www.WeddingLinks.com. Please let us know your favorite ideas on wedding and honeymoon or elopement destinations.

With weddings, it is best to learn the local marriage laws prior to making your plans and find out if you need your passport or visa travel papers. You will find thousands of links on our www.WeddingLinks.com web portal, providing unique weddings and honeymoons in all parts of the world. We even have a link to the Orient Express.

Along the East Coast we find Kennybunkport, Cape Cod in the New England regions for weddings and the lovely Myrtle Beach, Virgina Beach and Hilton Head have amazing resorts, vacation rentals and great things to do for honeymooners along the south Atlantic seaboard.

Niagara Falls and the New York wine country region provide two beautiful backdrops for the Eastern weddings and honeymoons. There is not enough to say about the fine hotels, beautiful views, wineries and services for couples wanting a memorable wedding or honeymoon

The blue Smokey Mountains and Gatlinburg, Tennessee appear to provide exceptional services to couples for weddings and honeymoons. The views, bbq houses, music and interesting history bring couples in high numbers. There are a few luxury resorts too.

Burmuda and The Caribbean Islands extensive and exceptional resorts, awesome diving, excellent food and seafood. So many are tropical with rain forests while others are dry - almost desert-like. Some encourage very strong environmental attitudes and beautiful underwater preserves. There is something for every style wedding you choose. Reggae, clypso and steel drums fill the sounds of the islands and you will find highly trained wedding professionals at most of the resorts.

Yes, Las Vegas is touted as the Wedding Capital of the USA. Same day weddings are everything from drive-through, to elegant lakeside resorts. You can be married in Venice and honeymoon in Paris with breakfast the next day in another superior hotel along the strip and be entertained constantly.

The Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii Islands - White sand beaches, over water bungalows and Polynesian themed wedding ceremonies on the various islands of the South Pacific provide a memorable backdrop for weddings and honeymoons. There are various styles to your stay. Authentic experiences and non-luxury hotels, private islands, luxury resort with all the amenities. Disney recently opened the Auluni Resort on Oahu Island (Honolulu area). If you love to snorkel, the South Pacific Islands are the locations of your dreams.

The Sonoma and Napa Wine Country of Northern California is now the second favorite area for weddings and elopements. The hillside vineyards, boutique hotels and amazing restaurants allow for exploring and enjoying the vines, wines and beautiful countryside. You experience views of oaks, vineyards, redwoods and in Sonoma County, the Pacific Coastline. Bustling San Francisco is just an hour away.

Lets talk other countries for a moment. .... Venice, Italy is very popular, Monte Carlo, Paris, France and Thailand's Puhket Island with more wedding ceremonies in Instanbul, Turkey than anywhere in the world....While all of these answer the call of the eloping and honeymooning couples, they each have a different situation - where often it is best to hire a wedding planning professional at the other end or go to a resort with a professional on staff....and contact a honeymoon expert.

Honeymoon Fun

2011-06-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Subject:
Selecting a honeymoon location agreeable to both of you is a lot of fun. Just looking at the areas of the world and the exciting ideas for exploration they provide adds to realm of possibilities. We find couples want a range of activities from extreme sports to quiet lagoons, rain forests to safari resorts. The world has a lot to offer, and of course there are ideas available for less expensive honeymoon trends to the luxury. We encourage you to take a good look at the Honeymoon Gift Registries that make your honeymoon part of your gift list for your wedding invitation guests.

Here are some valuable tips on honeymoon planning:

* Leaving the country? You will need to apply for the passport and maybe a visa months in advance. Some country require you get immunization shots, so line that up also after inquring from a travel agent or checking with the local tourism board where you plan to visit.
* Prepare your packing with any medications needed, sun blocks and liquid items in small containers within zip-lock-bags - packed inside your suite cases.
* Bring an address book with prescription numbers and medication names. Sometimes our flights are delayed. Bring any medical/insurance cards and do NOT carry your social security number.
* Saving money on a trip? Get a hotel room with a kitchenette so you can prepare a few meals. Drive a short distance to the honeymoon area. Enter contests to win a trip. Look for two-for-one deals on cruises. Find resorts that give your the 4th night free. Look for cruises that include the airfare. Ask your wedding guests for pre-paid-Visa gift Cards. Consider a house rental at a beach or lake.

Finding a resource that allows for exploration of tourism bureaus - to see what an area is like and offers excellent travel companies, popular spots and all types of activities is now available with our remodeled http://www.A-Honeymoon.com

Join -- The Wedding Coach with Judith Rivers-Moore on Facebook and the Brides Blog to give your input on the subject above..

New Trends That Can Throw a CURVE BALL Into A Wedding

2011-05-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

We are seeing so many creative ideas from brides who want to save money on their wedding planning. Some work out very well for some and they become a TREND while other ideas can be luke warm in the affects they have on a wedding day.

1. Having a Friend or Relative marry you. This has backfired for many a bride. We have seen the officiant faint, get sick, not say nice things, be silly or rude and at forget to fill out the proper paper work to make it official - leaving couples un married legally. There are non-denominational officiants, religious clergy, retired clergy, judges and men and women who are trained in creating personalized wedding services for couples at a modest price....best of all you will be legally married with the documents to prove it.

2. Doing your own wedding flowers. This can work very well if you have refrigeration to store a few days ahead, but lets face facts, our hands and finger nails really take a beating when working with table centerpieces, aisle decor and gazebo flowers and creating bouquets and corsages. Our hands and nails need to look nice with our gowns and for our photos.

3. Deciding to not hold a rehearsal prior to the wedding has seen increasing popularity. The friskiness of the wedding party and management of the wedding day can be smoothed out at a rehearsal of one hour or hour and a half. It has been proven statistically and through bridal surveys......That...Involved People feel less insecure on what they should do and when and the couple will sleep better the night before the wedding. It lowers wedding stress.

4. Lack of ....Day-Of Management of a wedding can create higher bills by your event running overtime for your site and wedding services. Couples experience hassles - as people ask the bride and groom excess questions and sometimes accelerate arguments over settling bills properly at the event. You will find a huge amount of help on http://www.SuperStarWedding.com in wedding management.

There are many methods to cut costs. If you did not receive your Money Saving Tips when you signed up at a bridal show or at our contest area, then e-mail Nancy@weddinglinks.com and ask for this four pages of Money Saving IDEAS.

Add your input regarding this subject:
Join Judith Rivers-Moore on FaceBook and on the Brides Blog on WeddingLinks.com

ANNOUNCING THE NEW LOOK TO
http://www.A-HONEYMOON.COM

Are Wedding Movies - The Same As Real Life Weddings??

2011-04-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Give us you input on this entry.

Wedding Movies today emphasis complaints found in the wedding industry. The movie writer wants something funny or a disaster that occurred to ruin a wedding and will complete a good movie plot. Sometimes they mock tradition and the people involved to build the characters in the wedding planning. There are now TV shows aired weekly on wedding disasters. These concerns can dull the viewers opinion and set the bride up to think all will be a disaster or you will become a bridezilla......So un-needed and unrealistic. Remember, 95% of the weddings are carried off without a problem and here are some tips on not taking their "scenes" so personally!!

1. Hiring Your Services....and asking friends or family to complete parts of the wedding services, can lead you down an un-marked trail. Ordinarily, we review wedding services recommendations, know how long they have been in business and interview them to find out what exactly they will do and sign an agreement with dates, times and outline of services....With a family/friend, we are not as inclined to do this.....think ohhhh it will be o.k., but they can let you down - leaving you with hurt feelings regarding your wedding.

2. Family Interference In Your Wedding Plans......There is always a certain amount of input from everyone. But I find busy brides are inclined to turn over their wedding to sisters-friends and then find they are having the same wedding over and over again. Same vendors, same flowers. same...everything and pretty soon, it is not your wedding at all. If you are working with someone like this, it is vital you put the time in to say how you want it to be your wedding, your ideas and create the wedding day of YOUR dreams. Working with a professional wedding planner can help with this.

3. Asking far too much out of one or two people....This is a touchy subject. Realize they may be working full time too, live in another city, have little children, ailing parents, or not appreciate the extra stress levels. Often we consider our maid of honor to be our work horse, and there are some things we do not have to ask her to do. I have seen movies where the wedding planner or maid of honor completing a bridal registry.....she and the groom need to accomplish this. Everything asked for takes an element of time and organization to get it done. Exhaustion and resentment can set in for these people.

4. Taking the nervousness and bridal stress out on others and not taking it to the gym. This can lead to lost relationships and sometimes lost grooms. Lots to learn here to stay out of the bridezilla factor.

5. Understanding the larger the wedding and reception, the more help you will need - especially the day of. This is where odd mistakes can occur. Flowers left in the sun because no one was there for the delivery. Reception set up taking much more time than you have. People not told what time and where to come for the rehearsal.....and on and on.

While there may be a concern or two on a wedding day. Understand the movies and TV shows are there to show - over reactions and over-state problems that might occur. Circumventing pitfalls and problems is what the wedding planning classes on http://www.SuperStarWedding.com are all about. - The first 90 minutes is free..

Table Linens For The Reception

2011-03-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

You can quickly upgrade the look and feel of your reception with use of linens. The following are tips regarding their use. Specific tables that must be completed first for the wedding and reception are: Entry to the Ceremony, the guest book and a gift table. (some people still insist on bringing presents to the wedding). The reception room, the cake table prior to the cake delivery time.

1. The Cake Table. Full length round or square cloth makes a huge difference on the presentation of this very important centerpiece to the reception. Visually we see this table from many parts of the room. When the legs of a table show, it distracts from the cake's beauty. White works well, but if you have bright colors on the cake, you can select one of the shades for the cloth you use.

2. The Head Table. So often we see feet legs and purses under the table if it is not clothed to the floor. Consider the view and rent the linens if you do not own them.
Understand the hotels and restaurants will have clothed these and you may request - clearly - ahead of time - your preferences on length.

3. The Banquet Tables. We are seeing some very exciting linens and table settings. The ornamental sheer cloths over a solid shade are awesome. Some of these fabrics have metalic threads and vibrant colors. The chair covers and bow ornaments add to the elegance. Here again the full length cloths enrich the look of your wedding. Outdoor events have a wind factor for blowing the lighter fabrics off....so consider this if you are having an outdoor reception.

4. Paper & Plastic Cloths. We see these used for more casual outdoor celebrations, but not that often for a wedding reception. Weight them down on the top to make it easier to keep them on.

5. Use of Color. Your reception colors do not have to match exactly the colors of your ceremony flowers. The look of your reception room can be completely opposite of your ceremony area. Understand your ceremony flower colors may not move on into the reception room as well, but flowers usually transition. We see the use of cloth color changes from table to table to add interest to a reception room. All white is still in style. Black linens tend to be more for an evening affair. Evening is also where the metalic sheer overlays shine. You will find many Party Rental Companies on WeddingLinks.com

Short Wedding Dresses

2011-02-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Do You Like The New Trend Toward Short Wedding Dresses?

SHORT wedding dresses do go in and out of style - as do all dress lengths and shoulder/neckline looks. But the designers certainly have come out with some cute styles.

Let me know what you think of this merging trend. Review the designers photographes on the WeddingLinks.com Gown Gallery to see some of the newest trends.

Useful Website Tools For Brides

2011-02-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

Let us know what you think are the BEST useful website tools for brides and grooms.
Useful Tools To Look For In A Wedding & Honeymoon Planning Portal on The Searches

Ever notice as you surf the web seeking wedding dresses, wedding venues, how-to information or linked services and ….different information is on the page that opens up – NOT what you thought would be there.

Google and other search engines have picked up various pages. They have done this to promote their AD- sales and push you back to the first page selections.

So look for the guidance bar or search system in the website you opened and use it. It is helpful to your planning to open up a portal of information.

Stay & Explore these PORTALS, they often give you links to:

§ Wedding Planning Classes

§ Designer Gown & Tuxedo Galleries

§ Articles on various wedding concerns

§ Specific area links to venues and services

§ Access to honeymoon or getaway and travel

§ Links to FaceBook, Blogs and Social Networks

§ Ability to create a SAFE wedding website

§ On-line Magazines to open up

§ The newest Trends

§ On-line Shopping with Major Stores

§ Gift Registries

§ Honeymoon Contests

Love your input and questions on FaceBook or in the Brides Blog on WeddingLinks.com

Best Wishes, Judith Rivers-Moore

7 Great TIPS on Selecting Your Wedding Venue.

2011-01-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

Because wedding venues come with or without many different inclusions and extras it is difficult to understand their exact value when comparing them one to another. Please know the number of guests prior to reviewing locations. Determine the type of ambiance you want and select 3 to 5 sites on the web or from a magazine before you personally go to review them and compare.

1. Understand your budget and what you can afford prior to shopping. It is very hard on you to fall in love with a venue and not be able to afford it.
2. Understand the locations can come with their own caterer and recommended vendors list....so do not hire these prior to looking for your venue.
3. Anytime you can gain the tables, chairs and/or linens in the rental, it will be an asset only if they are in good condition and you like them. We can spend a great deal covering up chairs and adding linens.
4. WeddingLinks.com provides a paragraph with links that give you an understanding of whether the site is indoor/outdoor and the number of guests. This make your reviewing sites go much faster.
5. A destination wedding is best completed with a person in the area you are planning your wedding. A professional wedding planner, a friend or family member is very helpful.
6. Some venues require you to have a wedding planner/coordinator.
7. In order to hold the date for you, a 50% deposit is required from most venues.

Join Judith Rivers-Moore "The WeddingLinks.com Coach" on Facebook and the Brides Blog on WeddingLinks.com - We want your questions and your input.

7 Great TIPS on Attending A Bridal Show

2011-01-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

1. Winter shows are housed indoors. Wear garments you can peel off as you become warmer. Wear comfortable shoes to walk around in and bring a pen to write notes on who you meet..

2. Taking your camera in is not a good idea. Do not take photos of flower arrangements or designer dresses.....

3. Most shows ask a fee at the door to come in and require a registration of your name and wedding info at the door.

4. Fill out the booth registrations, you might win a prize that could cut the cost of your wedding appreciable.

5. Most shows will give you a bag to carry items in (brochures).

6. Booking a wedding professional at a show is not always a good thing to do, until you have had time to check the references and know you want the professional at you wedding.

7. Understand if you are trying to cut costs or find lesser priced vendors, they do exist outside of a wedding show. Often the wedding professionals you meet at a show have several priced packages to choose from.

TAKE THE FREE ON-LINE 90 MINUTE "WEDDING PLANNING CLASS" on http://www.WeddingLinks.com and join the Wedding Coach on Face book.

FIND YOUR LOCAL BRIDAL SHOPS QUICKLY BY USING THE GLOBAL SEARCH ON WeddingLinks.com

Dating During The Engagement Period

2010-12-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

Often something happens to a woman as soon as the engagement ring is placed on her hand. A frenzy of do this and do that! What do we want in a wedding? Where will it be? How do we set a budget? Select this and that. Interview this vendor and that vendor. Pretty soon the grooms tell me "They often become forgotten and no longer have the lady they intended to marry." While some of this is probable, there are ways to circumvent the larger problems and reduce the stress between the couple....that can prevent the "Throw Away Groom".

1. Go on a date. Just the two of you or with friends. Be who you were while courting. Set rules to NOT talk about the wedding during that time and just have fun together as a couple. I know your friends will ask questions - but politely say - we're on a date and not discussing it tonight, give me a call, Ill fill you in.
2. Dating during the engagement period can be exploring fun dining places or as simple as cooking dinner together or stopping by a food take-out. It can be local parks, music clubs and city events.
3. Dating can include being a local tourist. Look up your region on the web. You will be amazed at the areas you have never explored in your own neck of the woods or the city next door.

Understand couples can set specific times to work on the wedding or share the concerns that develop. The date - night or day - is the time to be "the two of you" and not abused by airing concerns or leveraging deals. On http://www.WeddingLinks.com you will find in the right column of your regional menu an area marked "Area Activities & Dining" also Convention Bureaus (CVB's) and Chambers hosting links to the area activities. Enjoy!

NEW ARTICLES: for the Caribbean Islands on WeddingLinks.com. Articles on Granada, Aruba, Dominica, Jamaica, Bahamas.

The Wedding Coach - WHAT Is A Wedding Coach

2010-12-07T14:53:00.000-08:00

Over 80% of the brides do not hire a professional wedding planner. They ask a sister or friend to assist and that can lead to huge problems in relationships. We also see the mother-daughter relationship dissolve over the wedding. Worst of all, the bride who is a control freak attempts to make every tiny decision and handle every problem themselves - leading to huge amounts of stress. We sometimes see...this undo pressure and it can undo the engagement.

There is an old saying, "Hind-sight is often better than fore-sight." This is one situation where a little fore-sight goes a long way. You have this "one wedding and honeymoon" so why not make it happen smoothly.

Intelligent women understand they may want to do it all, but with this they know there will be the dynamics of new, uncharted territory, lost funds over something that could have been averted (if they had only known) and last minute details. Many ladies get on the internet, in blogs, and the social networks asking "who knows" and this can lead down a path of problem solving or lead into murky waters - depending on who is answering.

LETS FACE IT...Isn't it better to put yourself in line with experienc and gain the tools you need from an expert who knows how to communicate. Take advantage of me...go ahead it will be fun. Join me on facebook for immediate answers and check the blog for friendly input - we hope by many brides-to-be. PS grooms are welcome too.

The Wedding Coach - Where Wedding Stress Comes From

2010-06-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

You are correct, there are bound to be some disagreements during the planning of a wedding. Believe me, they can come from every angle. They frequently cause brides or couples to become stressed out. The end result of a loving, beautiful experience becomes ridden with bad memories. The following will give you some insights to these concerns. Please take a few minutes to analyze the following and let us know your thoughts on the subject. After thirty years of working with brides....Here are a few of mine...

Understanding what flares anger will help calm and sometimes dis-spell emotional armament -- because it arms you with a CHOICE on whether you RESPOND or REACT.

Most ANGER comes from Blocked Goals, Someone's Lack of Integrity, Lack of Money and Dealing with other people's Critiques, Our Self Doubts, Other people's Self-Centered Attitudes and Hormonal Emotions plus good old Wedding Envy. This leads to Stress Issues surrounding a wedding day....and when it is your wedding day - who needs it.

Who is in charge? Couples are often afraid of letting any decision go because of family or friend interference. It is difficult to get the reigns back from a stagecoach out of control. Brides fear turning over one decision to another person...because they might take over the entire project. This can really exhaust a bride, especially if she has never completed a wedding before.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PERSONAL ANGER...
Notice if your anger builds as your goals and ideas become challenged? Often a Bride's Goal is to get the wedding plans completed - her way...yet she has to speak up in a very loud chorus of voices who are telling her what to do.... and be cheerful about it!

Also keep in perspective the dynamics of family and friends expectations, rifes, closeness, disloyal sisters, brothers and mothers who raised you both. If you tend to be a people pleaser - please stop - they can derail your personal goals. Pretty soon couples are carrying a huge backpack of people's concerns and input....that can lead to your feeling far to responsible for others. This leads to frustration, sleepless nights and stuffed anger that can come in on the days of your monthly cycle to haunt you.

Suggestions: Make Choices ahead - on how you will respond to people. Stand as a couple - a team of two - for the strength to say what WE WANT if the situation occurs. You're not playing football where the best defense is an strong offense. Offense is part of the word offensive -- there are alternatives.

Sadly some brides grab the overused sentence of, "Its My Wedding!" which turns others off - like a switch. Being in charge of your wedding can be an excellent platform to show leadership skills - not dictatorial skills.

Alternative Statements "We value your input regarding our wedding, we will discuss this, and if we can use it (the idea) we will." OR... "Thanks for the helpful idea, I will discuss this with......"

What statement would you make??

TIPS...
When you begin feeling upset, analyze where the feelings are coming from and create a log. Set up your best way to respond to issues and honor your stated values.

Ask one friend or your groom to be your sounding board on concerns - everyone does not have to know the problems that come up in the planning process or who did what to whom. Find methods to get rid of your stress as the wedding comes closer. Trips to the gym's punching bag or kick boxing and walks or running have high merits on lowering stress.

The wedding videos, movies and t.v. shows often give us reactionary brides -- most do not deal or show you how to be a "responsive bride". Real Bridal Preparadness comes from reading wedding articles, good wedding planning books.

P.S. Join us on The free online 90-minute SuperStarWedding.com Wedding Planning Class and enjoy the articles on wedding and honeymoon planning written by experts.

The Wedding Coach - Honeymoons - Suggestions & Tips

2010-06-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

We’ve been on location in the Caribbean to interview and write special wedding and honeymoon articles we will release on-line this fall. So much to share with you about the upcoming “Caribbean Islands” and updated “Beautiful Weddings & Events ~ California” .our on-line magazine. Enjoy the many new links – Worldwide - to exciting wedding and honeymoon planning businesses and locations on http://www.WeddingLinks.com

Considering how the world has become smaller, the Honeymoon is often planned with as much detail as a wedding. Here are a few suggestions for creating a fun time together.

1. Budget a third to a half more for excursions, tips and restaurants if the location is not all-inclusive. It really helps to lower your costs if the hotel serves you breakfast as part of the cost.

2. Several of the big name resorts for honeymooners are offering the airfare included through bonded travel agencies or a free wedding package

3. Booking online can be a “blind purchase” unless you have been there previously. Believe me, their websites can include the best photos and leave out the section of town they are in – which could be unsafe. Travel agents have often been to the resorts and know the type of service they deliver.

4. Discounted cruises can be a bargain but you will need funds for tips and a few excursions and served drinks while aboard.

5. Couples can be exhausted after planning a wedding. Getting on an airplane and flying through two or three airports of 6 to 12 hours will add to your honeymoon exhaustion. Many couples are opting to begin their honeymoon a week or so later after the wedding day.

6. Check the web for discounted excursion or entry fees grouped for the area or check with the Visitor’s Bureau for important things to see while visiting.

Final tip - first few days of sun can be disaster to cuddling if you burn easily. General rule - 15 minutes first day and build to half hour – then maybe up to one hour a few days later….even sun block will not help with over-exposure to the sun.

Free Access to Thousands of wedding and honeymoon ocations and wedding professionals linked on WeddingLinks.com. You are welcome to Sign up for our Honeymoon Contest - we often have four or more trips up a year on WeddingLinks.com