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Tips for a Stress-Free Wedding Day

March 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Stressed BrideNeedless to say, the wedding day is often a stressful day for the bride. It is not only the culmination of all the preparation and planning but there is also some pressure to make it as perfect as she has imagined.

But with everything that has to be done on the day itself to make it perfect, it makes me wonder how brides can keep their calm on this very special day especially when they cannot afford to have anything go wrong.

I have done some research and here are some of the things that can help you keep your wedding as stress-free as possible:

Assign a special person who will act as the main person to go to should any member of the bridal entourage have any questions. Make sure that everyone knows who this person is. He/she could be a friend, a family member or even a member of the bridal entourage.

Whoever you choose should be able to make the decisions on your behalf. As he/she is going to be responsible for your big day, make sure that he/she knows what your idea of a perfect wedding day is so he/she can make the decisions accordingly.

It would also be to your advantage to delegate tasks that need to be done during the big day. When doing so, it would be advantageous for you to give no more than two tasks to each person. Keep in mind that this is a busy day for them too and giving them more than two tasks may cause them to “forget” something. You do not want this to happen on your wedding day. What you would like to do is to delegate to more than one person.

You can also assign someone to help you get all the photos you want during that day. His/her job would be to make sure that the photos you want will happen. Give him a list of all the kind of photos you want as well as a list of the people you want on it. For this task, it would be advisable for you to pick someone who knows most of the guests, has a loud voice and who can command people.

Finally, you need to give the members of your bridal entourage a schedule. At the rehearsal dinner, give them a basic outline or schedule for the wedding day. This will help everyone to feel they are in the loop on everything that will happen during the wedding day and they will help you run your big day smoothly.

Filed Under Wedding Tagged With advice, Wedding

Choose a Diet that Matches Your Lifestyle

March 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

A friend once came up to me and complained that her diet just doesn’t work. She was frustrated and could not understand how the same diet could work for another friend but not for her. She was feeling hopeless and out of frustration, has gone back to her unhealthy eating habits.

Surprisingly, this scenario is not unusual and happens quite often. Let me tell you my take on this. For one, people have a tendency to follow what works with others. If a friend they know is doing a diet which they saw has worked for the friend, there is a tendency to follow the friend’s diet without studying and analyzing why the diet works.

Dieting with FriendsWhen I asked her why she thought it was not working, she said it was just impossible for her not to eat anything after 6pm. She gets off work by 5:30 pm, gets home around 6:30 pm and can only take dinner at the earliest at 7pm. She said she was aiming to eat dinner before leaving the office but this was just not happening.

The thing is, everyone wants a quick fix. There is a tendency to think that “what works for Anna, would work for me too.” However, this could not be farther from the truth.

Choosing a diet is equal to choosing a lifestyle. The diet that you choose must be in sync with your current lifestyle. We all know that every diet program has some requirements for it to succeed and it is very important that you check them out before you commit to the diet program.

For example, if a diet requires no food intake after 6pm everyday, ask yourself if you can manage this requirement. If yes, good for you. If not, move on and research for more diet programs that are more aligned to your habits and your lifestyle. For people who like to eat during the day, the Medifast diet program works wonderfully for them as they are still able to eat six times per day.

Needless to say, choosing a diet that does not match your lifestyle is bound to cause you frustration. A diet that does not suit your lifestyle will eventually fail. You need to be aware of this and you need to keep this in mind.

Filed Under Health Tagged With diet, dieting, Medifast

Wedding Trends for 2010

March 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Wedding
With the warmer weather now here, we know that the wedding season is just around the corner.  And as always, we are faced with brides-to-be asking us questions on what the wedding trends are for this year.

So, let’s take a look at some of the trends that we expect to see more of this year -

1. Color Motif

If you are having a fall or winter wedding, the more popular colors to choose from this year are: deep red, teal, violet, mocha and sage. However, if you are having a spring or summer wedding, the trendier colors are turquoise, platinum, coral, pale yellow or champagne.

2. Wedding Dresses

When choosing your gown, it will come as no surprise that strapless wedding dresses continue to be the more dominant style for this year. In addition, we are seeing the off-shoulder look for brides. This look accentuates your neckline and draws attention to your jewelry.

When it comes to the length of the gowns, floor-length styles remain to be the popular choice although it seems like a shorter-than-floor-length style will make a comeback this year. Gowns with crystal, cubic zirconia, and/or pearl embellished bodices are also very popular at the moment.

3. Bridesmaid Dresses

More and more brides now are letting their bridesmaids choose their own dress. The bride just chooses the color and then, lets the bridesmaids choose the style of dress they want. In some cases, the bride even lets the bridesmaid choose their own colors. This provides variety as well as an element of fun.

One advantage of following this trend is that you are guaranteed that your bridesmaids like what they are wearing and that they are likely to use the dress again. A word of warning if you choose to follow this trend – Be sure that your bridesmaids are clear as to how formal you want their dresses to be. You do not want to end up with one casual bridesmaid and one bridesmaid with a fully beaded gown. Make sure they are clear on what your requirements are.

4. Flower girls

While the basket of flowers are still the popular choice for flower girls, we are seeing more and more flower girls who are opting for fairy wands and fairy wings. Whichever option you prefer, you can finish off the look with a floral head wreath or a nice, sparkling tiara.

5. Bridal Bouquet

A big majority of the wedding bouquets now have flowers wrapped in wide satin ribbons. You can choose to dress up your plain, satin ribbon by putting beads, pearls, crystals or brooches. Some also opt to have the ribbon monogrammed. The rose continues to be the most popular and elegant bouquet flower while lilies, peonies, hydrangeas, tulips and orchids represent the trendier choices.

You may also prefer the “just-picked” and looser casual look compared to the more tightly-bound bouquet shapes of previous seasons. Colorful and vibrant flowers also continue to remain popular. And more and more mothers are carrying small posies rather than wearing the traditional corsage.

6. Wedding Favors

You will notice that more and more couples are opting for useful and personalized favors instead of the decorative pieces which will likely end up in the trash anyway. Choose favors which you think your guests will appreciate and actually use.

In some cases, you can also opt for favors that serve two purposes. For example, favors that act as placecard holders which the guests can also take home with them. Or you can put all the favors together to make a nice centerpiece for the guests’ table.

These are just some of the wedding trends we see this year. If you are having your wedding this year, all you have to remember is to get creative and to follow the choices that would make your wedding the best one there is.

Filed Under Flowers, Wedding Tagged With 2010, bridal bouquet, bridesmaids, color motif, flower girls, Wedding, wedding dress, wedding trends

What Flower Colors Mean

March 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Flowers always have a way of cheering women up.  And no matter what any woman says, all of us love to receive flowers.  Flowers are a great way to show your appreciation or your love. It is a great way to say thanks or to show your admiration.

But did you know that the color of the flower is equally as important as the type of flowers that you choose?

Flowers are said to convey what we feel and over the years, the symbolism behind the color of the flowers has been ingrained in tradition. Every color has a meaning and each color has a way of conveying what you feel. Understanding these colors can help you choose the perfect color to express your feelings.

Here is a guide which you can use to decide which color is perfect for you:

Red FlowerRed: There is no better way to say “I love you” than a bouquet of red roses. Red has always been the color of passionate love. It knows no boundaries and exudes an energy like no other. It symbolizes beauty, courage and heat and has the power to transform any flower into a symbol of desire and strength.

White: White flowers conveys purity and innocence. It is a popular choice for bridal bouquets and is also perfect for mixing in with the red flowers to add innocence to the passionate love of red. White also symbolizes innocence, humility, modesty and reverence. Above all, it exudes pure and simple beauty.

Pink: If you find that red is too powerful for you, pink may be a better option as pink is the youthful counterpart of red. It symbolizes innocent happiness and shows a love that is both caring and carefree. Pink flowers conveys joy, youth and innocence.

Purple: Purple flowers are great when you want to show your admiration. Purple has always been tied to royalty and as such, symbolizes dignity, pride, accomplishment and success. Whether they are grouped together or mixed with other colors they do well to provide depth and contrast.

Lavender: If purple is the color of royalty and pink is the color of youth, lavender is a symbol of femininity all grown up. Lavender flowers have a way of reflecting the grace and feminine beauty of those who receive it. It shows respect and is perfect for letting others know how much you appreciate how well they put themselves together.

Blue: While blue flowers are hard to find, blue flowers have a calming effect on those who receive them. It symbolizes peace, serenity and openness. When mixed with other colors, blue flowers can help create a sense of tranquility and a gentle ambiance.

Yellow: Yellow flowers are a great choice for cheering up your friends. The color yellow brings happiness, new life, and is guaranteed to make anyone smile. It evokes feelings of joy and lightheartedness and symbolizes friendship, new beginnings and happiness.

Orange: Orange flowers mixes the passion of red with the happiness of yellow. It is a vibrant color and symbolizes warmth, energy and enthusiasm. Orange also conveys a passion for life, satisfaction and complete confidence.

Filed Under Flowers Tagged With flower colors, Flowers, meaning of flower colors, Send Flowers

Keeping Weight Off After Your Diet

March 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Your diet is over, but the hardest part comes right away. Do you need help to control your weight after getting rid of the extra pounds? Then these guidelines will offer huge help in maintaining your brand new look with little effort. Read these idea that will change your life and spare your from panic attacks for gaining weight.

Following a strict diet and workout plan is a real achievement, however you can do it for eternity. When you get to the finish line it would be wise to keep a kind of order in your nutrition and activities that will help you in keeping your initial shape. The best way to do it is to skim through these principles designed to keep extra-pounds away after the critical weight loss.

Learn how to win the battle against munching and sloth with some simple ideas. Make the best of your day with finding the right schedule that will improve both your mood and new figure. Find out more on the rules of keeping weight after diet.

  • Don’t forget about exercising. You might got bored of an exhaustive daily workout plan. However this time you won’t have to make huge effort, instead opt for less and regular physical activities.
  • Devote at least 20 minutes per day for a refreshing aerobic or cycling to keep the pounds from coming back. Walk instead of opting for the car, choose the healthy option.
  • Mix the exercise plans. The best way to rule out monotony is to experiment with several workouts, that would make both your mood and figure pleasant.
  • There are so many plans that can be done with great ambition and fun, think about aerobic, dance lessons, or other social activities.
  • Weighing is essential. During your diet you might have weighed yourself on a daily basis. There’s no need to go on with that freaky habit, instead make it weekly.
  • Check at the end of each week whether you gained weight or you managed to keep it. It is worth choosing a pair of pants that will show you whether you got bigger, put on this tiny weight-watcher to calm your doubts.
  • Don’t skip breakfast. This meal is essential to get your metabolism on the right track. Especially if you start the day very early, the nutrients will help you in getting surviving the day without munching and extra-treats. As the main source of energy choose healthy and nutritive foods.
  • Check the portions. You don’t want to overeat yourself right on the first day. As soon as you establish a regime in your life, you’ll learn how to consume only the necessary food to feel satisfied. Be careful, avoid eating until you feel stuffed, obey the golden rules especially on the first days after the diet.
  • Don’t wait till starvation. It is vital to eat as soon as you’re hungry. It would be an extremely bad idea to wait until you starve and then have a nice meal. It will with a 100% chance lead to overeating. The key to success is to control your hunger and body functions. Your metabolism will also suffer if you torture it with huge and un-digestible food.
  • Keep a colorful diet. There’s no need to go on with the same diet that made you lose so much weight. Instead try out more recipes that presuppose the eating of healthy foods, vegetables and fresh fruits. Plan your meals beforehand and ease your job of making up new dishes.

If you are worried you may struggle doing it on your own also consider taking part of the Medifast Maintenance Program which is designed to help you maintain a healthy weight while learning how to do it on your own.

Filed Under Health Tagged With diet, management, off, weight
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