1. Get a good night’s rest. According to a study from Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University, the less you snooze, the less leptin (a powerful hormone) your body is likely to produce. What’s that got to do with shedding pounds? Leptin helps promote weight loss in two ways: It discourages you from eating (by sending the message: “Hey stop munching — you’re full!” to your stomach) and it rouses you to expend energy. More evidence that sleep deprivation interferes with dropping pounds: The hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, is higher in people who don’t get enough zzz’s. If you don’t sleep soundly one night, try to squeeze in a nap the following day — the hormones are affected by how much shut-eye you get in a 24-hour period.)

2. Don’t store cookies and other treats in glass jars. If you keep fatty foods out of sight, it’ll be much easier to keep them off your mind. Experts at Cornell University determined that women ate more Hershey’s Kisses when the candies were on their desks than when they were in opaque containers or placed father away.

3. Get some sun. Your body needs sunlight to produce a very essential feel-good hormone called serotonin, which may lessen your cravings for sugar and other carbs. So when you start longing for sweets, go outside instead, even in the cold weather. It’s also a good idea to keep the drapes and shutters open during the day.

4. Turn off the radio. When a restaurant wants its customers to finish their food and go, it plays fast music — as quick as 120 to 130 beats per minute (which is the tempo used in most step classes). And for good reason: The speedier the tune, the faster (and the more) you’ll tend to eat. So before any meal, either switch off your stereo or put on a slow, soothing album.

5. Set your fork down after every bite. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send signals to the brain that it’s full. So when you eat too quickly, your body doesn’t have time to recognize that it’s satiated. The consequence: You consume a lot more. To slow down, you can also try switching to chopsticks (they make it much harder to eat huge bites). Or try this experiment in food appreciation: Using a 30-second timer, take a bite only when the bell rings. You’ll see how eating slowly will perk up your taste buds.

6. Leave the car behind. The numbers say it all: Your risk of obesity increases by six percent for every hour you spend in your car each day. Similarly, every mile you walk on a daily basis translates into an eight percent reduction in the risk of obesity. How to get the exercise in? When you’re on the phone, pace back and forth. To really knock off some calories, throw in a few lunges or squats. And when you’re watching TV, make sure you get up and move around the commercial breaks. Climb up and down a flight of stairs or speed-walk from one end of the house to the other. Going to the mall? Follow my shopping rule: no escalators, no elevators. Period.

7. Never skip a meal. Ever. Ignoring breakfast isn’t going to save big calories. Trust me. You’ll become so ravenous, you’ll likely gobble down whatever you can get your hands on at the following meal. The reasons: Physically, your blood sugar plummets, making you feel famished; emotionally, you may feel entitled to consume more. Plus, when you deprive yourself of food, your body thinks there isn’t a source of nourishment readily available. As a result, your metabolism moves at a snail’s pace. And we all know the slower your metabolism, the harder it’ll be to lose weight.

8. Lose the anger. If you don’t keep this emotion under control, it can make you fat. How? Getting riled raises levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in your body, and that increase can cause you to gain weight. Plus, research suggests that the angrier you get — and the more frequently you get angry — the more likely you’ll be to put on pounds around your waist. Hostility also ups your risks of cardiovascular problems. So the next time someone pushes your button, take ten breaths and ask yourself, “Is this really that big a deal?” Here’s a trick you can do: Close your eyes, slowly press your thumbs into your templates, and massage the frustrating moment away.

9. Flick on all the lights. The dimmer the room, the more you’ll eat. Why? One theory is taht low lights make you feel more relaxed and less self-conscious. On the flip side, research suggests that the brighter your dining area, the less food you’ll likely consume. Consider adjusting the lighting in places where you eat most often.

You might be at risk for breast cancer if: You’re older than 50; a first-degree relative was diagnosed with the illness; you got pregnant with your first child at age 31 or above; you’ve never given birth; your first period occurred when you were nine or younger; you experienced late menopause at age 51 or above; you were exposed to ionizing radiation during childhood; or there’s post menopausal obesity, among others.

Starting age 20, you should perform a breast self-exam (BSE) on the seventh to the tenth day from the first day of your period. Women who have breast implants, are pregnant, or are breast-feeding should also perform a BSE. Menopausal women should ssign one day in a month for their BSE.

Ask your doctor to perform a clinical breast exam (CBE) periodically. For non-high risk: every three years from age 20 to 39, and every year beginning age 40. For high risk: every six to 12 months from age 20 to 35, and every tree to six months beginning age 35.

Have routine mammography screenings, too. For non-high risk: every year or two from age 40 to 49, and every year beginning age 50. For high risk: every one to two years beginning age 35.

Increase your chances of survival by keeping in mind the curable breast cancer equation: early detection = early diagnosis = early treatment.

First you have to know approximately how many guests you are expecting. This is basic, since the number of guests will dictate the size of the venue you have to book for your reception. There are many places you can find to accommodate small weddings. But as the number of guests rise, the harder it is to find a venue big enough and near enough to the church.

Talking about having a venue near enough to the church, it is very important that your reception venue is strategically located. This is especially true for city weddings as traffic should be a top concern. You would have to allot at least 30 to 45 minutes transfer travel time if the church is a kilometer away from the reception venue if the location is in an area where traffic is a daily occurrence. Make sure to have traffic jam escape routes on your maps for the guests.

Next, know the rates of the venues you have chosen. Remember that if you have set a certain budget, stick to it as much as possible. Compare the amenities and perks given by every venue. Weigh the pros and cons of each venue against the others. Narrow down your choices to at least three places then set a date for an ocular inspection so you would have a first-hand idea of what the venue is really like and what it has in terms of space, amenities, parking arrangements, comfort rooms, and possibly even service if you chance upon an actual even happening during your ocular.

Every venue now offers packages for big events such as weddings. Check out the packages that each venue offers. again, compare the packages against those of the other venues. Check the inclusion of every package. Don’t take things at face value. Ask questions and if possible, ask for concrete examples from the venue sales staff. By comparing the packages of various venues, you would get a good idea of just how much a good package would really cost.

Then you have to ask about the venue’s restrictions or if they have set limitations in their contracts. Restrictions or limitations could range from not allowing the use of fog machines to banning the release of doves inside the venue. Make sure to check the contract’s fine print before signing anything, check the contract for hidden charges and the like. Be sure to clear every detail of the contract and make sure the contracts are properly dated. Remember that many venues reserve the right not to return down payments after a certain time period has elapsed. So make sure your church date is he same as the reserved ate for your venue. If you have set a date, make sure to be able to stick to it to avoid losing your down payment.

Of course there is the decision whether to have an indoor or outdoor venue. Basically this choice greatly depends on when you’re planning to have your wedding. If the date of the wedding is during the dry season, then an outdoor wedding would be great. If the wedding date has been set during the rainy season, the most logical choice would be to have an indoor wedding.

Hotels are a very practical choice for wedding venues. They have all the needed facilities and are capable of seamlessly serving large groups of people. But if couples have had enough of hotel receptions, there are other types of reception venues that just might staisfy their taste. There are covered gardens with catering services, resorts, gyms, plazas, cluhouse of plush subdivisions, etc. But most of these other venues would need additional planning because these venues are not fully equipped to host a full blown wedding reception. But with a good wedding planner as your partner any venue is possible.

Wedding receptions can be unforgettable and exciting. As you plan to have a specific theme for your wedding, make sure that the venue of your choice can accommodate your dream theme. It would not do to have a disco theme by the beach or a garden party in a hotel ballroom. To ensure the success of your reception party, always go for authenticity. Make your theme as real as possible for all your guests to enjoy. But what if you are constrained to have your reception in a hotel but your theme, say a beachside sunset theme, is what you dream of? Then your next best option is to ask your wedding planner for a very innovative and reliable wedding or event stylist. Given time, a stylist will be able to come up with any theme in any venue of your choice.

Wedding reception venues are all good. Choosing the right venue for your wedding reception party really depends on the dreams and taste of the bride and groom. It is important but at the end of the day, all the magic and excitement will come from the bride and the groom. Never lose sight of this fact and have the best time of your life on your wedding day!

Wedding Reception Food

Whether you like it or not, food plays an important part of a wedding. Eating brings people together, and it is what turns the wedding ceremony into a celebration.

The food budget takes up easily half of the wedding budget. Whether you have a big budget or a small one, let your caterer know what you are working with. Give them specific figures, like how many people are expected and how much you are willing to spend per plate, as well as dietary restrictions, say low sodium for your grandparents, so they know what to work around.

Because food is such a big deal during the wedding, plan it well. Bad food and poor service can turn off your guests, and somehow prevent them from having a good time. First and foremost, choose a good caterer, or if the catering is part of the venue package (as in a hotel), consider its record of food service. Good food service means the food they prepare is delicious and well presented; they serve on time; their wait staff is courteous and efficient; and during the planning stages, they listen to and accommodate your needs.

There are basically three ways to serve wedding reception meals:

1. Sit down - Best for formal dinners because waiters serve each course to the guests at their respective tables. If you have an evening wedding and need to compress time by running the program during dinner, this type of service is recommended. You can control the program flow better because guests are seated the whole time.
2. Buffet - A good way to stay within budget, a buffet offers guests a variety of food all at the same time. It is flexible in accommodating a last-minute dip - or surge - in the umber of guests. You wouldn’t need as many waiters as in a sit-down dinner, so you can save on the wait staff’s tips. A buffet is great for a more relaxed atmosphere like in a garden wedding, and it allows guests to mingle.
3. Family-style - In family-style settings, courses are served per table, and guests at each table help themselves to it. This is a good cross between buffet and sit-down: Guests need not stand up to get food, but it still allows guests to react and mingle with each other. Be careful and stay away from heavy sauces, which might spill on your guests’ finery.

The Wedding Cake

The Wedding Cake is usually a separate matter from the food at dinner. You can hire a cake artist to create a custom-made confection just for you, order from a bakery, or choose a cake that comes with a the package from your caterer or hotel.

While cake is meant to be eaten and enjoyed, some cakes are used only for the ceremonial cutting and are made for decorative purposes only. Big-budget weddings usually have tall, intricately designed but inedible wedding cakes, which stand as the main centerpiece of the ballroom. Others keep one or more tier edible so it can be served as dessert, and other have personal-size versions given as dessert or as giveaways.

The most popular type of wedding cake is fondant, which is a type of rolled out sugar dough that creates a porcelain-smooth finish. Because it is versatile and it helps keep the wedding cake moist while keeping its shape for a long period of time, fondant allows the wedding cake makers to be creative.

Whatever wedding cake you choose, remember why you are getting it in the first place — is it for the ceremony, for decoration, or for consumption. Once you’ve decided on that, it’ll be easier to decide on the details of the wedding cake.

Back to Wedding Rings

One can’t get enough info about wedding rings. Because there are thousands of choices out there, we’d like to suggest a great place where you can get handmade designer jewellery. Love2Have is a UK-based company that offers a range of handcrafted wedding rings. With Love2Have, you don’t need worry about ordering the wrong size, they’re the experts you need!

Love2Have prides themselves in offering jewellery that’s something different from the other companies. Their goal is to feature modern and unusual designs with many pieces of unique jewellery. From mens jewellery to ladies jewellery — silver or gold — they can offer it to you at prices you’re gonna love. They’re also offering the in-deman UK-made titanium rings that usually make a modern, hard wearing alternative wedding or diamond engagement ring. Not only that, Love2Hate also offers a custom jewellery design service to suit your and your partner’s taste!

For more info, you may contact them directly at sales@love2have.co.uk

*This is a paid review.

Couples are now more conscious of how many kids they’d have. Parents want to make sure they can bring up their children well and provide for their needs. Fortunately, a wide array of birth control methods is now available.

1. Combined oral contraceptives.

Known as “the pill,” it has both estrogen and progestin. It stops ovulation and thickens the cervical mucus so sperm has a harder time to get through.

PROS: When you want a baby, just stop taking the pill. You may be pregnant as soon as the next cycle. Easy to take. Easily available.

CONS: Some may gain weight or have headaches. Regular OB-GYN checkups a must to see how the baby responds to it. Pills do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

EFFECTIVENESS: 99.6%

GOOD FOR: Women who don’t mind the routine of taking pills every day.

2. Progestin-only contraceptives.

Also called the “mini pill,” it thickens the cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to get through. It stops ovulation in about half of menstrual cycles.

PROS: Won’t affect milk supply. Easy to take. Easily available.

CONS: Regular OB-GYN checkups a must to see how body responds to it.

EFFECTIVENESS: 98%

GOOD FOR: Breastfeeding moms.

3. Injectable.

Delivered via intramuscular injection on the arm or buttocks, one dose is good for three months to prevent ovulation.

PROS: Convenient.

CONS: If stopped, it may take a while for a woman to get pregnant.

EFFECTIVENESS: 99.6%

GOOD FOR: Those who don’t want to take pills everyday.

4. Contraceptive Patch.

Marked as Ortho-Evra, this contraceptive patch can be placed on the arm or abdomen to prevent ovulation.

PROS: One can do regular activities and even go swimming. Easily available.

CONS: May cause skin rashes. Patch needs to be changed every week.

EFFECTIVENESS: 98%

GOOD FOR: Those who don’t like taking pills every day. Not good for smokers, and those with a history of blood clots, stroke, and heart attack.

5. Condom.

It is a sheath made of thin latex rubber that is fitted over an erect penis. Female condoms that fit over the vagina are also available.

PROS: Easily available. Cheap. Easy to use. Helps prevent STDs. May be used with other birth control methods.

CONS: May cause allergies. May decrease sensation during sex. May break.

EFFECTIVENESS: 90% to 98%

GOOD FOR: Men who are open to it.

6. Bilateral Tubal Litigation.

This is a semi-major operation. Fallopian tubes are cut to prevent the egg from meeting sperm.

PROS: More or less a permanent method of birth control.

CONS: Discomfort and pain after surgery. A small percentage of BTL may need microscopic surgery when tubes find their way together. Our cells have magnetism. In some cases, the cut tubes become connected again. this may result in ectopic pregnancy.

EFFECTIVENESS: 99% to 99.5%

GOOD FOR: Women with high-risk pregnancies. The stress of labor and delivery will put these women at greater risk if they become pregnant again.

7. Vasectomy.

A small cut is made in the scrotum to cut tubes that carry sperm from testicles. Once done, a man’s semen will not contain sperm anymore.

PROS: Vasectomy will not decrease a man’s libido; it is merely a permanent form of birth control.

CONS: Pain after surgery.

EFFECTIVENESS: 99% to 99.5%

GOOD FOR: Men who do not plan on having children anymore.

8. IUD.

This small flexible plastic frame with copper wires inserted in the vagina makes it hard for the sperm to move in the woman’s reproductive tract; may prevent sperm from meeting the egg.

PROS: Provides birth control for three to five years.

CONS: Must be inserted by a doctor in a clinic; may cause heavy periods.

EFFECTIVENESS: 97% to 98%

9. Diaphragm.

A dome-shaped rubber disk with a flexible rim that covers the cervix, it prevents sperm from entering the uterus..

PROS: Safe. Helps prevent some STDs.

CONS: Has to be fitted by a doctor in a clinic. Has to be inserted before sex. May cause toxic shock syndrome if left inside body for more than 24 hours.

EFFECTIVENESS: 94% when used with spermicide.

GOOD FOR: Almost everyone.

10. Cervical Cap.

Smaller than a diaphragm, the cervical cap is also made of rubber. It blocks the sperm from entering the uterus.

PROS: Safe. Helps prevent some STDs.

CONS: Has to be inserted before sex. May cause toxic shock syndrome if left inside the body for more than 48 hours. Prolonged use may also cause foul odor or discharge.

EFFECTIVENESS: 94% when used with spermicide.

GOOD FOR: Almost everyone.

11. Spermicide

.It kills the sperm with the use of a chemical. Available over the counter as cream, jelly, foam, film, vaginal suppository, or tablet. It may be used with the condom, cervical cap, and diaphragm for added protection.

PROS: Safe. May help prevent STDs. May increase vaginal lubrication.

CONS: Messy.

EFFECTIVENESS: 93% when used alone

GOOD FOR: Almost everyone not allergic to it.

Pour Femme, the great classic fragrance for the woman that embodies understated luxury, opens with fresh, crystalline top notes that develop into the predominantly Sambac jasmine middle note, delicately mixed with Mimosa of Grasse and prelude rose and violet notes, and ending with powdery-musky aromas that include Florentine iris. Available in 30, 50, and 100ml eau de parfum and 50 and 100 ml eau de toilette.

Voile de Jasmin, the fresh and light soul of this series, evokes a refined femininity that unfolds with a tingling hint of Mimosa of Grasse and bergamot, builds up to the sweet freshness and transparency of Sambac jasmine, prelude rose, and wild lily of the valley and ends with Florentine iris with a musky base. Comes in 50 and 100 ml eau de toilette.

Finally, Rose Essentielle, which is dedicated to the charming sophisticate, is an exceptionally sensual combination that opens with the fullness of the ottoman rose merged with the pureness of prelude rose and light Sambac jasmine. This combination is exceptionally sensual, perfectly fusing into the delicate lightness of Sambac jasmine, the fruity notes of blackberry, and the refined tones of violet leaves, and closing with the dense nuance of sandalwood and the sensual aroma of patchouli. Available in 50 and 100 ml eau de parfum and accompanied by a 200ml body lotion.

Top this all off with having that familiar container adorn your dresser top, it’s gold-embellished exterior playing with the new colors and nuances of its precious contents.

Though thinning hair in women may be attributed to several causes, such as hormone imbalance, pregnancy or genetics, the stress of a hectic lifestyle can also have a traumatic impact on hair. It causes the tiny capillaries that feed the follicles to constrict, thus reducing the amounts of oxygen and nutrients that reach the hair. Prolonged periods of stress also affect the muscles at the point where the hair grows out of the scalp, and leads to excessive hair loss. Losing up to 100 strands a day is normal, but when you start shedding clumps of hair, here’s what you can do.

Topical hair treatments

Topical hair preparations work by stopping hair loss, stimulating hair regrowth and blood circulation in the scalp. The only FDA-approved treatment for thinning hair is 5% Minoxidil (also known as Rogaine), but thinning can recur once treatment is discontinued. Other commercially-available topical treatments such as Phytocyane Revitalizing Lotion, Phytoaxil Fortifying Intensive Care, or Kerastase’s Lipo-Recharge treatment have been getting rave reviews from several women.

Nutritional supplements

According to experts, biotin is an important component in the hair manufacturing process. Together with topical treatments, dermatologists often recommend 3 mg of biotin daily. What may be important for women to take, however, is the nutrient known as methylsulfonylmethane or MSM, a substance vital to the life of hair and skin. Aside from the supplements mentioned, your diet also plays a role in maintaining a healthy head of hair. Recommended are foods that are high in protein, low in fat, and low in carbohydrates. Iron, vitamin B12, and essential fatty acids (found in foods like walnuts, canola oil, fish, and soy) are also important to healthy hair growth.

Mesotherapy for the hair

A treatment that injects micro doses of vitamins, minerals and amino acids directly into the mesoderm (the middle layer of the skin, mesotherapy stimulates hair growth and blood circulation in the scalp. A typical treatment may involve dozens of small injections in concentrated areas using a very small needle (0.4 to 0.6 cm). Treatments are quite costly compared to over-the- counter methods (weekly treatments are required for around 5 to 10 sessions), but these injections deliver vitamins and minerals directly into the skin, and thus produce faster results.

The latest technology: the anti-hair loss patch

A revolutionary product that addresses thinning hair, Revlon’s unique Intragen 5 patch contains a multi-active compound that acts on hair loss, reduces excess oil in the scalp, increases blood circulation in the scalp, and stimulates growth of healthy hair. Similar to nicotine patches, the Intragen 5 patch’s transdermic technology allows penetration of ingredients into the deepest layers of the skin. How it works? Upon contact with the skin, pores open and sweat allows ingredients to be released slowly into the deeper layers of the skin. Worn daily for 24 hours for a 30-day period, studies show improvement in hair density in just six weeks.

How not to look too thin:

1. Opt for blunt-cut styles to lend the illusion of thicker hair.
2. If you color your hair, opt for lowlights or dark shades of hair color — these make the hair look richer and thicker, as opposed to blonde highlights, which give the opposite effect.
3. For at-home styling, you can use a volumizing mousse or gel to plump up the hair shaft. If your hair isn’t too weak, salon stylists can also recommend a body wave perm to give hair a thicker, fuller effect. Results last for a few months.

Floral prints come oversize or small; loud or quiet; abstract or classic. Colors are extreme, from black / white contrasts, a mix of brights, to soft pastel or deep tonal shades and even a total monotone effect. Looks vary from flirty and youthful to the more subdued, always feminine.

Soft and layered at Louis Vuitton; decayed glamor at Alexander McQueen; understand elegance at Dior by Galliano; true romance at Yves Saint Laurent; hand-crafted chic at Chloe.

The fabrics mimic the sensation of the blossoms, with strong use of soft and flowing materials achieving the needed delicate effect — silk satins, chiffons, lace, organzas, the lightest cottons, rich taffetas — through the use of layers, gathers, ruffles, or an exaggerated sleeve here, a bubble skirt there.

The shift dress is key for the season in different silhouettes, notably the trapeze mini, the empire, the waisted dress, the maxi dress, and the bubble dress. The more romantic and soft or deep the color, the more disarming the application of the floral creation, the more elegant for an evening out.

As for skirts, with the mini making its come, there is no lack of fun and flirty prints and floral appliques to choose from. From a level of sophisticated maturity, there are also minis full of grace, with a softness and fragility to them.

Jackets are, interestingly enough, not floral in print, but more in detail, with a rose emerging at the shoulder or collar, or belted at the waist.

Bodices are divine in fit, with a bouquet emerging at the neckline for pure seduction.

Surprisingly, there are few historical references in design (other than a few pieces at McQueen). Overall, the pieces are clean and modern in silhouette and refreshingly pretty.

This vision of loveliness, although common in theme, is a complex mix of interpretations from each designer. It makes for a more interesting garden of Eden, with each piece unique in its own way, much like each of us.

How to wear the look

The dress
Day: Best as a mini, worn with platform / wedge heels, charming flats, or strappy sandals and a chunky bead necklace.
Night: Ss a mini, knee-length, or maxi dress with sexy strappy heels or embellished metallic flats/sandals, and a jeweled clutch, oversize ring, and simple earrings.

The top
Day: Wear a floral top with a clean and solid-colored mini, skinny pants, or shorts. Get top-quality wholesale blank t-shirts today to mix and match your wardrobe!
Night: A sophisticated blouse with exaggerated sleeves is best with a sleek mini, knee-length skirt, or skinny pants; a sexy bodice or jacket with floral appliques at the neck looks best with a soft gathered or bubble skirt or skinny pants.

The skirt
Day: Wear a sport tee or tank with a soft-layered or gathered bubble mini-skirt.
Night: Try a fitted jacket, or silky blouse with little or no embellishment, with a petal mini skirt or a floral hem skirt.

Hair / makeup
Day: Keep it soft and fresh, with shimmery eyes and glossy lips in more natural shades; hair, down and flowing or swept up in a soft ponytail; accessorize with a flower behind your ear or in your ponytail.
Night: Hair / makeup: use darker natural shades on the eyes and deeper berry lip color; hair swept up and soft or pulled back clean; accessorize with ribbons / bands wrapped in hair.

Balancing work and home

I manage my time carefully — making sure no one and nothing is left out. Writing one’s plan gives a solid reminder of what to do. My family comes first, of course. Being a wife to one of the busiest persons is hard. All of what I am and need comes next to my husband, and I’m happy to take the backseat.

What I appreciate most in this situation is that I can work at home. Multitasking is one job I do best — baby-sitting and making business calls in the comfort of my house.

Saving up

Because I know that money doesn’t grow on trees, I try to save as much as I can and budget our expenses properly. My husband and I keep an emergency savings account that we deposit a portion of our income every month. It takes a lot of patience and discipline to be able to do this.

Looking for ways to save is always a smart thing. If you spend most of your time online, you’d be happy to know you can still buy stuff on the web and save a lot money! Savebuckets offers a variety of products at very low prices. Their website is user-friendly, so non-techie Internet user like myself can easily navigate around with no problems. Check out the site to do some price compare sometime!

Balancing work and family should be easy. Like I said, it only needs patience and discipline.

Church wedding

In planning a wedding, the first thing that must be secured is the church, but booking one can be cutthroat. The most popular churches get booked as early as one-and-a-half years prior. If you’re Chinese and follow Feng Shui, see an expert or consult the Chinese calendar as soon as possible so you can hold down an auspicious date for your wedding.

It is also important to secure the church early so you can work on your requirements early enough. It also gives you a chance to work out any possible problems arising from such things as inter-religious unions, second marriages, etc. With inter-religious marriages, it’s best for the couple to consult ministers, of both religions before deciding in which church to get married.

where you stand before God, family and friends, and commit yourself forever to the love of your life. This is where you make your union official in the eyes of society and of the law.

Planning the ceremony

There are several advantages to keeping the ceremony concise. First of all, venues especially the popular ones, run a very tight schedule. Some have weddings every hour, on the hour. Others have overtime charges. Second, even if they love you with all their hearts, guests do get bored (and sometimes annoyed) at ceremonies that drag on and on. And when it happens, the meaning and beauty of your wedding gets diminished amidst the yawns and blank stares of your loved ones.

To keep the ceremony tight, discuss ways to edit and simplify the service with your priest or minister. Here are some suggestions for Catholic weddings:

1. Omit parts that are otherwise repetitive. For example, you only need either the Kyrie (”Lord have mercy”) or Act of Contrition, not both.
2. Keep the sermon short, about five to seven minutes. After all, the main theme and message of this mass is your marriage, and there’s a lot of that in the Marriage Rites.
3. Sign the documents during Communion, after you and your sponsors have taken it and while the rest of the congregation is taking theirs. You immediately save five to 10 minutes of otherwise dead air.

Short but personal

Keeping your ceremony short doesn’t mean breezing through the mass in an impersonal fashion. There are many areas where you can personalize the service:

1. Write your own vows.
2. Verbalize your prayers. In Catholic masses, sections like the Kyrie and Prayers of the Faithful are the best places to write your own intentions. When you verbalize your own prayers, you take the whole congregation with you.
3. Choose a priest or minister with whom you have a relationship. If you don’t know one yet, try to get to know the one who’s officiating your wedding.

Getting to the church

These days, people don’t just hire a car for the bride, they hire for the whole family or the whole bridal party. This helps ensure that everybody gets to the church and reception on time and without a hitch.

Car rental companies offer wedding packages that include the bridal car and a couple of extra vehicles (usually vans or sedans). Naturally, the bride gets the most special one - available for hire are vintage cars, stretch limousines, and luxury cars. Hotels also include the bridal car in their package.

Before the I Do’s

Picking out the wedding rings may have been fun but when the actual exchange of wedding rings take place between the bride and the groom, it’s gonna be much more exciting!

MyJewelryBox offers the best jewelry you’re bride needs to wear on your wedding ceremony. They have a lot of choices of jewelry for you to choose from such as diamond pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and diamond stud earrings that would go perfectly with the bride’s wedding dress.

Since it’s your wedding day, and it’s just a once in a lifetime event, there’s no point cutting back on expenses. Give it your best shot!

But why wait for your man to give you jewelry when you can also buy them yourself? After all, you’re an independent career woman with a head for making the right financial investments for your family. If you have extra cash, instead of gambling it on say, the stock market, then buy good pieces of gold jewelry or diamonds.

At a jewelry store where customers can buy jewelry per gram, for example, you can purchase beautiful pieces. What’s more, lay-away plans are now fairly common among established jewelry stores, and clients can make monthly installment payments for a fixed period before bringing home their new babies.

Make no mistake though, investing in jewelry is a long-term process. You can only get your returns after a few years or so. So you shouldn’t invest your entire savings in them. If you’re fairly liquid and you have extra cash you don’t know where to put it in aside from the bank, then you can invest it in jewelry. Most mothers invest in jewelry not just for themselves, but also for their children. It is just a nice idea to turn over beautiful pieces to your grownup daughter when she turns 18 or keep the pieces as part of their inheritance.

So if you think you can hock your gold jewelry or diamond pendant in a pawnshop for a fair price when you’re a little short on cash, you are sadly mistaken. When you’re in a rush to sell your jewelry, you will hardly get their full value. If you have to pawn them, you will only get 2/3 of the price. But if you sell it at the market place, you will get its full value. Jewelry is a worthwhile investment because it will never go out of style. It will never get old. Just clean it, take care of it, and of course, don’t lose it.

Know your gems. Diamonds, for example, have risen by 70% in value from 1980-1990. After the 1990s, prices have stabilized, rising about 5-10% every year. The reason these babies command high prices is because real diamonds are natural products of the earth and are only mined in certain places, mostly South Africa. What’s mor, the trade is controlled by De Beers marketing campaign (”A diamond is forever”), the high demand is expected to continue.

Among diamonds, the most expensive Cut would be the “round brilliant” simply because it’s quite difficult to make. There’s a lot of wastage when they chisel it without damaging the main stone. The way the light travels around it makes it the most brilliant of all the cuts. Other common cuts are the princess cuts, which is like a modified square shape, and the heart shape.

Other than the cut, the Carat, or weight of the stone, is an important determinant of the price of a diamond. The higher the carat, the higher its value. Note that a one-carat diamond will still out-price two pieces of 0.5-carat stones.

In terms of Color, the most common are white diamonds, and the whitest of these is the most expensive. The white color has different grades ranging from “D” (whitest) to “P” (brownish). There are black, pink or blue diamonds as well, which are more expensive than white diamonds, because these are very rare.

To determine the Clarity of a diamond, you need an experienced jeweler to check the stone with his magnifying lens, to see whether it has blemishes (nicks or scratches on the surface) or “inclusions” (impurities in the stone). Of course, the more flawless the stone is, meaning there is no signs of impurities inside or blemishes outside, the higher the price it commands.

Aside from the four C’s, the beauty of the design or setting of the diamonds will also determine the price of the jewelry you are buying.

This year, gold prices are expected to dip further because of the surplus in production, which began last year. Gold prices were around $580 per troy by the end of last year and are projected to fall further to $550/oz. As such, this year will probably be the best time to buy gold jewelry. When the market recovers, you can try selling your pieces, although as any jeweler will tell, you will still have to wait a while to get your profit since most buyers rarely plunk down cash for a piece. They prefer to buy jewelry on installment.

Gold jewelry can range from 14K, 18K, 22K, up to 24K. Generally, the higher the karat, the higher the price of the piece, as it speaks to how much gold is actually in the jewelry. (An 18K gold piece is 75% gold and 25% metal alloys.) 22K or 24K gold pieces are 100% gold but are softer or more brittle. Thus, craftsmen can’t put stones on such pieces. For the lower karat pieces, these can be designed or set with diamonds or precious, semi-precious stones, further raising the value of the jewelry.

In the last 15 years or so, there has been a stronger demand for white gold because customers feel it looks more modern, and there are many modern new settings available. It is white because white metal alloys (silver or palladium) are mixed with the gold. White gold is more expensive than yellow gold because it is dipped in an expensive rhodium solution to make it hard. Although rhodium is very white and very hard, it does wear away eventually. So it is recommended that white gold jewelry be re-dipped every 18 to 24 months to maintain its look.

There is an organization called the STS Jewels that is known in the industry of gemstones and jewelry. Their specialty is Tanzanite jewelry. With a manpower of more than 1800 worldwide, STS Jewels has proven that they’re among the best in unparalleled designing, manufacturing, and distribution of jewelry and gemstones. The production teams in New York, Bangkok, India and Hong Kong, consisting of CAD professionals, visualizers, designers, and rapid prototyping machines are working hard to forecast the jewelry and fashion trends on one hand and keep a tab on gemstone finds on another hand. This is to make sure they are able to present a range of new products to their customers.

If you’re looking to become a stakeholder of a most preferred global jewellery company, in line with your desire to invest in jewelry, then STS Jewels is the way to go.