Organising your Wedding StationeryWritten by Claire Bowes
Of all things you need to do, buy and organize in preparation for your wedding, wedding stationery is something that must be planned ahead. After all, you need to let your guests know well in advance of your forthcoming big day. Your wedding invitation and accessories set tone for your special day firmly establishing your style and taste. It is first official message about your wedding that a guest will receive from you, so make it special. If wedding etiquette is important to you, then make a start with your wedding stationery. The Use of Internet The Internet has opened up new avenues for anyone planning a wedding. All your research can literally be done online and this also applies to finding your stationery items. There are hundreds of online stationery and wedding related websites that display all types of wedding invitations and accessories for you to choose from. Today many brides do their wedding research online as you can become quickly informed of latest trends and new products available. You can either buy your wedding stationery directly over Internet, or collect ideas and samples and take these to your local stationery store to implement. Most online stores actually send you a sample in post to let you look and feel stationery items before you purchase them. Custom Stationery Every bride wants her wedding to be as unique as can be. A good place to start is with custom wedding stationery. The great advantage with custom stationery is that you can enter your own wording, select typeface, text size and color. No matter what theme you have set for your wedding, you will surely be able to customize your stationery to compliment tone. Wedding invitations and accessories can be bought in various styles such as classic, contemporary, floral, embossed, layered and religious. On a Budget? If you’re on a budget and looking for cheaper wedding stationery items, then you might like to consider print-at-home wedding invitations. Save money and impress your guests when you personalize and print your wedding invitations at home using free online services that are available from some major online stationery stores. You pay for paper and envelopes and then use their software to print directly from your own PC. With sophisticated customization tools, you'll be able to enter your text, tweak it, preview it, and print it. No mistakes, no hassles, no wasted cards –and its cheap! Choose a Theme The theme of your stationery should coincide with overall theme of your wedding. For example, if you are having a garden wedding then you may choose to have a floral print on your stationery items. There are many accessory items available to help you tie your stationery in with theme of your wedding. For example, ribbons, hearts, rings, white doves etc.. The same applies to color of your invitations. This is normally decided upon by color of your bridesmaids dresses.
| | Fall for Outdoor Entertaining This Autumn Written by Debbie Rodgers
Aaaah, autumn! It's perfect time to entertain outdoors -- most of bugs are gone, sun isn't scorching even though it's warm enough to enjoy an afternoon or evening al fresco, and there's a bounty of good things to serve for an outdoor meal. Because days are shorter in autumn, outdoor entertaining in fall calls for special attention to lighting and temperature. Lighting The earlier sunset will afford you an ideal opportunity to bathe your outdoor space in evening lights. Use soft light, but use plenty of it. Try dozens of votive candles in jars and glasses to protect flame from wind, hurricane lamps, or kerosene lanterns set on low. Create cozy seating areas and equip each with a glowing light source. Heating The method you'll use to chase chill from night will vary depending on your climate and your outdoor space. If you have a yard (and community by-laws allow), a campfire is a wonderful informal party setting. In smaller gardens, consider self-contained fire pits or a chimenea. For a more formal affair, you can install a propane-powered heater. These units are available in a range of heating powers and prices. Or, drape attractive throws or quilts on each chair for your guests to wrap around their shoulders to ward off night air. Of course, you'll want to take advantage of wonderful colors and textures of autumn in your decorating scheme and table settings. Color Autumn's colors are deep and rich -- russet, crimson, burnt orange, gold, dark green, and color of hay. Use these hues repeatedly in tablecloths and settings, flowers, centerpieces, and even food. Scoop out pumpkins and other squash and fit them with containers of water to make vases. Mass potted mums in vivid colors. Use orange Chinese lanterns, bright rosehips, stems of red or orange berries, or chilies. Wrap vibrant maple or sumac leaves around votive candleholders or napkin rings. Sunflower heads can be strewn on tabletop, or left on flower stalks in a container.
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