I think of the last time “Happy New Year!!!” We shouted out loud Thinking of all the shouts That shouted it unanimously Undoubtedly dreaming of the new beginnings That were beginning at that time so passionately So many so massively unaware Of the year of pain to be shared By all those so ready, so naive and unprepared By all that lay ahead in the year 07 Through all of the hell Some may have gained heaven Some may have lost leverage With God due to sin And I find myself wondering which group I reside in How I managed to slide in To the new year while more worthy beings have been slain While more women and men’s bodies have been plagued By disease and by pain Broken hearts and slit vains At their own hands At the demands of a twisted unforgiving government Letters unwritten and flowers unsent And all of those who never made it past 07 1/1 And never got to witness who they may have become And now I sit alone at a small gray laptop Writing a poem dedicated to all those heart stops All those deep meaningful laughs and jaw drops To all the broken hearts, and those who can’t help but to break them Those who love love and all the cynics who hate em To all the tears cried, And the shoulders on which they fell To all those who felt the need to lie And all those who gained hundreds of stories to tell This is to all men and women on earth who rung in the new year Farewell to 07 because 08 is now here…

www.originalpoetry.com

The purpose of a wedding shower is to celebrate the bride and provide her a moment to share with family and friends before the big day. Traditionally, the bridal shower is hosted by the maid-of-honor or the bridesmaids. Sometimes it is co-hosted to save on costs for a large number of guests or hosted by a family member.

Wedding shower invitations reflect the theme of the shower, not necessarily the wedding, and are usually more whimsical and colorful than wedding invitations. A honeymoon planned for Jamaica might inspire the host to serve an exotic buffet and use a tropical decoration for the invitations. If you can’t find the right creative wording to fit the theme, try a freelance writer to custom pen the perfect poem.

Themes for wedding showers vary from spa experiences and lingerie fun to a proper afternoon garden tea party, so follow your imagination in creating your wedding shower invitations. Like wedding invitations, the shower invitation also ranges in price and ability to custom design or do-it-yourself.

Ultimately the wedding shower host is the decision maker for the invitations, although traditionally the invitations for the shower were coordinated with the printing of all wedding material. Today the ideal situation involves the host coordinating with the bride for certain aspects of the shower while creating a fun environment that even surprises and pleases the bride or couple, depending on the intention of the wedding/bridal shower.

The wedding shower invitation is the ideal forum to print bridal registry information or a personal wedding Web site for guests to access and keep their tech-savvy friends and family up-to-date on the ongoing changes in wedding plans.

Stepping outside of tradition today we have the less formal bridal shower hosted by coworkers who, depending on the situation, are probably not invited to the wedding. These events are typically held in the office or during a luncheon at a restaurant. Invitations are either very casual or by word-of-mouth.

Wedding Invitations Info provides information on cheap, unique, and do-it-yourself wedding invitations, plus wedding shower invitations, and advice on wedding invitation wording. Wedding Invitations Info is the sister site of Wedding Favors Web.

Although a lot of wedding magazines and planning books will tell
you that the bride needs to relax a lot on the wedding day,
let’s not forget about the groom either.

Ways to relax when you don’t think that you can

The unfortunate part of getting married is that you will be
pulled in many different directions on and leading up to the
day. Not only will the planning seem to take up your free time,
but family member may feel that they need to put in their two
cents as well.

The combination can be torture.

But since you’ve gotten to the actual wedding day without major
damage, why not have a little fun? For the women, have a little
champagne at the salon when you get your hair done. Joke with
your friends and laugh. This is supposed to be a joyous time.
And really, anything that you would need to do at this point
will be taken care of by someone else.

You just need to get dressed and to the church.

And for the men, why not spend the morning at the golf course
with some of your groomsmen? This is the perfect time for you to
kick back before you have to get ready. Since getting ready
won’t be nearly as complicated as your soon-to-bride, why not
sleep in too?

Other ideas to relax on your wedding day include joking (at
non-serious times) a lot and smiling as much as you can. Funny
enough, just the act of smiling triggers a reaction in your
brain to relax. Seriously.

Passing the buck

A lot of letting you relax on your wedding day does come down to
good planning. If you’ve delegated and thought of everything,
there’s no need to worry and you can enjoy the moments as they
come.

If something should go wrong (and honestly, something will),
don’t worry too much about it. Your wedding party and family
will want to make sure everything goes smoothly, so if something
should happen, enlist one of them to take care of the problem.

This is your wedding day and you want to look happy in your
pictures, rather than relieved. Take some time for yourself on
the actual day. You can either step out of the room for a
moment, or just sit down with a book for a few minutes. Find
just five minutes of quiet, and you’re sure to have a relaxing
wedding day.

One of the first decisions you and your fiancé will make following your
engagement will be the location of your wedding. There are so many locations
available that the decision can seem overwhelming. Many couples decide to have
their wedding ceremony in a church, followed by a reception at a different
location. Others have their ceremony and reception at the same location. It is
very popular today for wedding ceremonies and receptions to be held in private
homes, at poolsides, in a garden, a hotel banquet room, and in a natural scenic
setting. To assist you in selecting a location, we will take a brief look at each one
of these. However, I am certain whichever location you choose your wedding day
will be the most beautiful day of your life!

At Home:
Wedding ceremonies that take place at the home of a special friend or family
member are truly wonderful and are usually filled with a cozy warmth you may
not find elsewhere. Just remember to first check with your religious institution to
make certain it will recognize a non-church wedding ceremony. Also pay attention
to the number of invitations you plan to send out, since the seating will be
limited. I would also keep the decorations and refreshments to a minimum since
the setting may be more confined than other locations, and these items usually
take up a good deal of space. Keep it simple, and it will be magnificent. Make
certain to use your local bakery and catering service for your home wedding, as
the entire community will want to be a part of your celebration. To thank your
guests for sharing your special day with them I suggest wedding favors, which
are very popular today, but are not always easy to find within smaller
communities. A very large and popular collection of wedding favors is found at
Royal Wedding Favors, an Internet based wedding favor business that offers
unique and elegant wedding favors to fit every budget. Please take a look at our
wonderful collection located at www.RoyalWeddingFavors.com

At Poolside:
A reception planned for the poolside will truly be a special event. This allows you
to bring out all the tropical and beach themed items on the market today, and
there are many to choose from at www.RoyalWeddingFavors.com. You will
definitely want a bar set up serving tropical drinks. Your decorations should be
bright and breezy. Float tropical flowers in the pool, or hand out leis to your
guests, and when evening comes float lighted candles in the pool and on your
reception tables in bowls. Make certain to anchor lightweight items with shells or
other item of your choosing, so the wind will not blow them away. I believe buffet
style food stations will be best for your poolside event, using non-breakable
items if possible. Then, relax and enjoy! This is one of the most fun and creative
settings you can choose, and your guests will remember it forever.

In a Banquet Room:
Banquet rooms are the perfect location for weddings and receptions for larger
crowds. Banquet rooms whether they are located in hotels, country clubs,
mansions or museums are very popular, so it would be best to book this location
as early as possible. The good thing about these large rooms is that it is quite
easy to decorate using just about any theme. You can choose to be as simple or
as elegant as you want; however, a good rule of thumb is the larger the room
the more extravagant the decorations should be. A sit down dinner is ideal for a
banquet room reception, especially when there is an on-site staff ready to handle
all the details. Fully stocked bars are popular at these locations, as well as a full
menu and a lively band. Though this type of wedding and reception site may
seem daunting in size, it can actually turn out to be a warm and cozy setting with
the proper decorations and seating arrangement. So don’t hesitate to select a
banquet room, and invite as many guests as you want to help you celebrate the
most special day of your life.

In a Garden:
Garden weddings and receptions are simply gorgeous. There is nothing more
divine than to be married in a garden setting surrounded by flowers, birds and
your friends and family. Whether it is a friend’s manicured lawn or a lush
botanical garden, this is an ideal setting. Don’t overdo the decorations with a
garden wedding or reception; let the beauty speak for itself. This is actually the
perfect setting for the budget minded bride, since the scenery will be so
beautiful, and is usually free. It would be a good idea to set up buffet style food
stations under tents if you are concerned about the weather. Otherwise, a
seating arrangement of white tables and chairs would be perfect for your guests
to enjoy the menu you have planned. You can go with our without tablecloths,
using only a small arrangement of flowers as centerpieces. As evening comes
lighted candles will be the perfect touch. To keep the atmosphere romantic you
can hire a strolling violinist to wander among your guests playing soft music. And
when it is all over, you will be amazed at how beautiful your wedding
photographs are with the beauty of flowers in bloom, green grass and fresh air in
every shot.

In a Natural Setting:
The beauty of an ocean or the majesty of the mountaintops is just a few of the
many dramatic sights available for your wedding. If you are interested in a
natural setting you will need to plan well in advance of your wedding date,
especially if you have a certain location in mind. More than likely, there will be
guidelines and rules you will need to follow in order to secure a location such as
a national or state park. For example, what are the park hours and beverage
restrictions? Are there cooking facilities available, or must the food be prepared in
advance? How will you, your guests and the caterers get to the location, and is
there ample parking as well as overnight accommodations nearby? A natural
setting can be an economical choice for a wedding or reception because of the
abundant nature available. This makes elaborate flower arrangements and other
decorations unnecessary. For refreshments a simple menu will work best, and
you might even consider a picnic-style reception with baskets and Mason jars. For
the wedding ceremony select the best possible view and make certain you
discuss all the beautiful photograph opportunities with your photographer.

These are only a few of the many locations available for your wedding and
reception, so select one that fits your personal style and enjoy the wonderful
ambiance throughout your wedding day!

Brenda Daube is the founder and CEO of RoyalWeddingFavors.com, a supplier of elegant and unique wedding favors, including a beautiful collection of homemade wedding favors and wedding party gifts, all at affordable prices. Please visit us at http://www.royalweddingfavors.com

Imagine this scenario. You have worked very hard to build up a small business for yourself. You are your own boss and your business is running quite successfully. The only thing missing from your life is someone to share it with. You finally meet that special someone and choose to get married. But before you make that step, you start to wonder about this life you have built for yourself. Does she really love me? Is he only after my money? These questions race through your mind. What can you do to make sure that you don’t lose everything you have worked so hard for? The answer lies in prenuptial agreements.

In this day and age, owning a small business is not all that unusual. But the work behind it is just as hard now as it was in the past. And there are also more single people out there especially older people who have had longer to build up assets. There is also an increased amount of people out there who are looking for the quick buck and that, coupled with the higher divorce rate and ease of divorce, can make for a costly marriage.

The best thing that a man, or woman, who has built themselves a successful business prior to meeting the right person can do is have their future spouse sign a prenuptial agreement. These agreements protect the owner of the business against gold diggers and anyone who is confident that their marriage will survive should have no problem signing one. On the other hand, if the person you are about to marry happens to be after you for your money as you so much feared, then they will likely refuse to sign and this will let you know that this “right” person is not so right after all.

Now, imagine, working so many years making a name for yourself and putting aside money for your retirement and then meeting the woman of your dreams. You are swept off your feet and rush off and get married to a woman that you are so deeply in love with. Your marriage is so perfect and you couldn’t ask for anything more. Then several years down the road, she hits you with the request of a divorce. It seems to come out of absolutely nowhere and you are completely heartbroken. You go to court and end up having to fight for the one thing that you have worked hard at. You end up losing half of your money and your business to the woman whom you thought loved you. And she is laughing all the way to the bank. This was in her plan all along. Sacrificing a few years of her life meant nothing to get all that money.

This doesn’t have to happen to you. You can do prenuptial agreements several ways, so consulting an attorney and getting it done the way that is right for you is important. Some prenuptials will allow the spouse to acquire some of the assets earned during the marriage years while others will leave all the assets to the business completely off limits. Make sure that you do your research so that the prenuptial agreement is done properly.

Just because you have spent so many of your years building a successful business does not mean that you have to either spend your life alone or risk losing it all. Trust is a very important thing in a marriage, but there are so many people out there who are good at making you believe something that isn’t true. Everyone always says that it can’t happen to them, but truth is, it can happen to you and is more likely to if you are not prepared.

Hannibal Whitestone makes it easy to find out if a prenuptial agreement makes sense for you. Visit Prenuptial Agreement Info today and get the facts… because you’re worth a lot more than you think.

Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting things any couple
will ever do. It takes lots of hard work and planning to make
the perfect wedding come off without a hitch.

Everything takes time, from ordering the cake to finding the
wedding bands, to getting the perfect wedding dress and
bridesmaid’s gowns. It is easy for something like finding the
perfect wedding invitation to get lost in the shuffle.

=Picking The Right Wedding Invitations Is Vital To The
Success Of Your Wedding=

Make no mistake, however. The right wedding invitations are a
vital part of wedding planning. The first reason for this is
obvious - your friends and family will certainly not be able to
attend your wedding if they don’t know about it.

Ordering, addressing and mailing the invitations must be done in
plenty of time to receive your RSVP responses and gather your
guest list.

== Make Sure You Have A Good Idea About How Many Guest You
Are Inviting ==

Another reason why the wedding invitations are a foundation of
wedding planning is that knowing how many people will attend
makes other parts of planning the wedding.

For instance, until you have a good idea of the number of
guests, it will be hard to order food from the caterer or choose
the right wedding cake from the bakery. In addition, an accurate
guest list will make renting the reception hall a lot easier.

==Finding The Perfect Wedding Invitations ==

There are lots of places to find the perfect wedding
invitations, and all these sources can be right in the proper
circumstances. Local printers are often good places to shop for
wedding invitations.

In addition to the wedding invitations they have in stock,
printers are often able to special order additional invitations,
so if you don’t see what you want be sure to ask.

The internet also offers an interesting choice when shopping for
wedding invitations. There are a growing number of web sites
catering to wedding planning, and it may be possible to find a
huge selection of wedding invitations online.

== Personalizing The Wedding Invitations ==

Many couples these days like to personalize their wedding
invitations with a special photograph, or a favorite poem or
line of scripture. This is a great special touch, but it is
important to remember that it will take more time for these
customized wedding invitations to be created.

It is therefore important to order early. Doing so will ensure
that your special wedding invitations arrive in plenty of time
for addressing, mailing and responses.

So, you want to have your wedding videotaped? I tell you what―you better think long and hard about it. Talk to your friends about it or to anyone who has had it done. Videotaped weddings are not for everyone! I know, I’ve videotaped countless weddings, childbirths, parties, and special events. During the course of shooting for the public as a self-employed videographer, I was able to see the before, during, and after effects of the events I serviced.

Do you sense skeptism from me yet? If you did, you correctly targeted my feelings about shooting real-time live footage. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it worked out, but more times than not, I strongly believe that my presence while shooting dampened and detracted from the events I went to. Now, don’t blame me for being too intrusive either! I tried my best to produce quality footage in a dignified way, but there is a price to pay.

Not only did my services cost “an arm and a leg,” but there was a larger price attached to it than that. People who are videotaped lose their personal privacy. They are on stage ALL THE TIME. Sometimes, there are cordless microphones attached to the garments of bridal couples or the key players.

Videographers hear just about everything. We see just about everything. We never stop looking at the people we are videotaping. If that is not bad enough, sometimes videographers even prompt you or your friends to perform or communicate.
Then, after it is all said and done, the videographer finally hands over the footage. As a rule, people do not see themselves as they really are. In knowing this, when editing, my main objective is to edit out unmentionable, unattractive footage. Even so, what I think is admissible, many shutter in self-condemnation, sad to say. So, be careful what you ask for, you might feel like your video footage is mirroring you back in ways you are not emotionally prepared for. (revised 2/15/2006)

Debbie Jensen, Graphic Designer and Photographer http://www.debjensendesigns.com