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Wedding songs play a vital role during the entire wedding day. Wedding songs helps to create the mood and ambience of the day from start to end. Choosing the right wedding songs can also help heighten the emotional significance of the occasion for a more memorable celebration.

In earlier years many weddings showcased traditional wedding songs. However, nowadays there is no limit to the type of wedding songs that couples can choose to play on their wedding day. Selecting wedding songs is also one of the fun things that couples can do to prepare for their wedding day.

Most couples favor choosing wedding songs that have a significant meaning to them in order to create a more unique and personal ambiance for their wedding day. A song that was played on their first date or songs of the couple’s favorite artist are typical selections for wedding songs of many couples.

* A few things to remember when selecting wedding songs

When selecting wedding songs, it is important to take into consideration the venue for the ceremony. Most wedding ceremonies often take place in a church, couples should first check with the minister if there are any restrictions to the type of wedding songs that can be played. Some churches have concerns regarding the kind of wedding songs that should be played during the sacrament of matrimony.

Other venues may not have a strict policy regarding the variety of wedding songs to be played. However it is still a good idea to choose wedding songs for the ceremony that would not turn the occasion into a comedy act. It is best to reserve the entertaining wedding songs for the reception where everyone can cut loose to the music.

Another important factor to consider is the selection of the band or DJ who will play the wedding songs during the reception. Couples with a more traditional wedding theme may opt for a classical ensemble to perform wedding songs at their reception. For an intimate gathering a solo pianist, flute trio or string quartet serve as an ideal choice to play classical wedding songs.

For a more contemporary wedding theme, there are a number of professional bands that cater specifically to wedding receptions. Couples can also choose to hire a DJ to play wedding songs at the reception.

* Planning the wedding songs

Couples need to select a number of wedding songs for different parts of the wedding. There are essentially six parts of the wedding ceremony that would require music. The type of wedding songs for the prelude music is used to welcome family and friends to the ceremony. Happy and festive wedding songs can help set the tone for the entire wedding day.

Wedding songs for the processional of the wedding party marks the start of the ceremony. The songs are meant to usher in the wedding party and to prepare the guests for the entrance of the bride. The bride’s processional is the critical moment of the ceremony. Though many would opt for the traditional bridal march, it is also a good idea to select different wedding songs that can make it more memorable.

The interludes are the various moments during the ceremony wherein a number of wedding songs can help enhance the overwhelming emotion of the occasion. Wedding songs during the recessional should be festive to celebrate the official union of the couple. The postlude wedding songs are meant to create a pleasant atmosphere to thank guests for coming to the ceremony.

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When we think of weddings, most of us picture the traditional ceremony that has been handed down from Victorian England. In recent years, however, many engaged couples elect to forego those traditions and use their wedding to celebrate their cultural roots. In this article, I’ll provide many ways in which couples can incorporate Irish customs into their own wedding ceremony, and in a following article, I’ll describe traditions regarding the wedding reception.

Invitations and other wedding stationery. In most stationery stores, you can find images and symbols common to Ireland, such as shamrocks, heraldic harp, Celtic cross, Celtic love knot, swans, and the Claddaugh. You might also find that many places have fonts derived from the Book of Kells for the wording in your invitations.

Choosing a date for your wedding. Traditionally, most Celtic wedding ceremonies were held during one of the four major festivals. If you wish to have a spring wedding, why not during Beltane, which occurs around the first of May? For a summer wedding, Lughnassadh was celebrated in early August. Samhain, on November 1, is thought by many to be the Celts’ New Year and is a popular time for wedding celebrations. The last of the four major festivals is Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 1.

Other days considered especially lucky to be married on include: the last Tuesday before Lent, Christmas, New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day, and December 31. In Irish Wedding Traditions, Shannon McMahon Lichte explains that “it is thought that your last memories of the year you marry should be the happiest ones” (13).

Wedding Attire. If you are able to do so, consider ordering your wedding gown from an Irish designer. There are many places on the internet where you can find traditional Celtic wedding apparel. Even in America, you can find Celtic wedding designers; a web search will bring up numerous hits.

If you do order a traditional Celtic wedding dress, you might like to also wear a Kinsale cloak (if the weather permits). These cloaks are very beautiful and would make a lovely addition to your wedding attire.

But if the traditional Celtic gowns aren’t your style, you can still incorporate some Irish customs into your attire. You could have your gown embroidered with Irish symbols, such as the Celtic knot. You could use handmade Irish lace on your veil and/or dress. You could carry a traditional Irish linen handkerchief and/or wear a green garter with a shamrock on it.

The groom could dress in traditional Celtic apparel, to match the bride. Or for a more modern ceremony, he could wear a green cummerbund or tie with his tuxedo. Cufflinks sporting Celtic symbols might also be located or specially-ordered.

Another tradition regarding wedding attire is that the Irish consider it lucky to be married in a pair of old shoes. Lichte, in Irish Wedding Traditions, states this custom may derive from the “idea of beginning a new journey with something familiar, like a favorite pair of broken-in shoes” (46). Lichte also suggests using old shoes, rather than tin cans, on the back of the couple’s getaway car as leather is believed to ward off evil spirits and shoes symbolize fertility (47).

Engagement and Wedding Rings. Today, many brides are choosing emerald engagement rings, rather than the traditional diamond, to symbolize the Emerald Isle.

In Ireland, the most popular style of wedding rings is the Claddaugh. This gold band features two hands holding a heart which is topped with a crown. The hands represent friendship, the heart love, and the crown loyalty. This ring has several legends surrounding it dating back to Medieval times.

In addition, there are many manufacturers of wedding rings who utilize Celtic themes, such as the triquetra or Celtic knot. With so many styles to choose from, there’s sure to be one to please everybody.

This ends part one. I hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful and that you’ll also find part two equally informative.

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In marriages, many arguments and hurt feelings can be traced back to communication problems. It’s not unusual for spouses to stay in a continual state of frustration, feeling misunderstood and unappreciated.

Unexpressed feelings can pile up and poison the relationship.
When you repress your anger, it will always come out later, usually after something minor has upset you.

You may find that it’s difficult to have a complete conversation without you or your spouse leaving the room before the conflict is resolved. The emotional buttons that your spouse pushes in you can make you want to bolt and get away from your uncomfortable feelings and reactions.

Learning to communicate more effectively with your spouse requires that you be fully present and attentive. You have to be committed to really listening and hearing, not only with your ears but also with your heart. You want to eliminate any communication blocks that prevent you and your partner from growing in understanding and intimacy.

Communication blocks are anything that you do, verbally or non-verbally, to keep you from connecting deeply with another person. Some examples of communication blocks in marriage are:

* Rolling your eyes and looking resigned or exasperated when your spouse is talking;

* Sighing deeply and loudly when your spouse is sharing his/her viewpoint;

* Looking at your watch or a clock repeatedly;

* Not stopping what you’re doing when your spouse is trying to have a serious talk with you;

* Not making eye contact and not giving your partner your undivided attention;

* Using the time when your spouse is talking to think about other things unrelated to the conversation;

* Tuning your spouse out because you’ve heard the same thing repeatedly and are convinced it’s the same old speech;

* Becoming defensive and angry immediately instead of showing your partner the respect of hearing him/her out;

* Belittling your spouse, name calling, cursing, shaking or pointing a finger, or getting in his/ her face.

* Interrupting your partner before he/she is finished talking.

It has been said that for every minute you are angry with someone, you lose sixty seconds of happiness that you can never get back. It just makes good sense to do everything you can to preserve the good will and intimacy of your marriage when conflict, anger, hurt feelings, and disagreements occur.

If you truly love your partner, you will not want to rip him/her to shreds verbally, or to ignore or discount differing opinions and beliefs. You will want to do everything you can to insure that you have quality communication in your relationship and that you are communicating your caring, love, and respect to your spouse

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give.” While you cannot control how someone else will react to your efforts, you can commit to doing all you can to create a safe environment where intimacy can flourish.

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Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says “I don’t love you anymore!” The e-book is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com , where you can also sign up for the free Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine. Contact Nancy at Nancy@KeepYourMarriage.com.

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Marriage is a wonderful thing, but planning the wedding is a difficult task. The coming together leaves many things as an afterthought to the wedding. Each has their own credit cards, checking accounts, and utility bills. Hopefully, neither has a lot of debt.

Most people do not think about finances when they are getting married. It takes the romance out of it. But it is necessary to make some sort of arrangements, or at least a plan of how to get things consolidated.

Let’s start with checking accounts. There are a couple ways to go about it. Many financial experts believe that you should keep your individual accounts. It will be easier to manage and keep track of transactions with only one hand in the cookie jar.

Open up a joint account for your expenditures. Each should deposit a certain percent into the joint account to cover your allotted expenditure budget. What is left over can be deposited into your separate accounts and savings account.

Credit cards are a different story. Each of you will probably have numerous cards of your own. Take an evening and call all of the issuing banks. Tell them that you just got married and are eliminating some of your accounts. Whichever card issuers give you the best rates are the ones you keep. They will add your spouse onto the account with a phone call and send out your new cards.

Settling your accounts is easy it just takes a little time. It is best to take care of these matters quickly, as time will not make it any easier. Some of the institutions may ask for your marriage license, and be prepared to send it. They will send it back if you provide a self addressed stamped envelope.

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and publisher for http://www.checks-4u.com. He has researched and written hundreds of articles and can simplify your online search by recommending merchants for the best value and selections in business or personal checks, address labels, rubber stamps and envelopes. More information about personal checks may be found at http://www.checks-4u.com/Personal%20Checks.htm.

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Ask the Marriage Maven: Angered by an Affair

Q. About a year ago, my husband had an affair with someone we both knew. It happened while I was pregnant. He said it would never happen again, but I’m not so sure. She’s still in and out of our social circles.

I want to try to work things out, but every time I think about it, it makes me sick. The sad thing is that we’ve been married less than three years. Maybe he wasn’t ready to be married. How do we work through our problems and have a happy marriage? Right now, it seems impossible.
P. R.

A. First off, let me say that I’m sorry that this happened to you. It’s hard to overcome the powerful feelings that linger after an affair. But if you think it’s impossible to have a happy relationship now, that’s exactly what it will be. However, if you throw away the attitude of the impossible and embrace the one of determination, having a happy marriage can happen.

You might be right. It is possible (maybe probable) that your husband did not fully understand what your marriage would entail before getting into it, but now you both have a responsibility, and that includes raising your child.

It seems like you’re making some good moves. Seeking help from books and the internet is a great idea. However, I would suggest that if you are not seeking professional counseling or coaching now–do it! Go with someone you trust to get you thought this difficult time. Even if you’re the only one doing it at first, it’s good to get started with a person who can give and objective approach and help you resolve some issues.

Ultimately, you and your husband will need to determine if renewing your commitment can work. Each of you will have to make a choice to consciously work at making your relationship better. Both of you will need to make your marriage a priorityeven above taking care of your child(ren).

Despite what many people think, love is not a feeling, it’s a decision. I once heard a saying: “Marriage is like a pet snake, you better feed it every day or bad things will happen.” If your husband is willing to change, positive action towards making your marriage better will be evident. That said keep your eyes and heart open.

Keishia Lee-Louis is the Editor and Publisher of www.Married4Good.com. Her work has appeared on iVillage.com, BibleResourceCenter.com, and in numerous other printed publications. Currently, she is writing a book on marriage and relationships which will be published Spring 2006.

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Technology marches ever onward and, as it does, it carries us right along with it. In the early 1980’s, as VCR’s dropped in price and appeared in more and more homes, there was a sudden mass appeal for people to have their old Super 8 home movies converted to video cassette. Video tapes last far longer than film and it just made sense to convert those old reels into a more watchable and compact format. People brought their movies of their baby’s first steps, birthday parties, and weddings and turned them into video tapes. Not long after that, video cameras became cost effective for people to buy and those old super 8 cameras and projectors went the way of the dodo. People began using video tape for everything and the wedding video was born.

Technology has shifted yet again, folks. You may have noticed less and less video tapes at your local Blockbuster store. The medium is becoming extinct, replaced by DVD. Guess what? It’s time to convert yet again. DVD discs last far longer than video tape, offer higher quality picture and sound, and can run longer than video cassettes. By converting your wedding videos to DVD you can ensure that the memories you saved will last even longer.

The process of converting your wedding video to DVD is not complicated, but to do it yourself you will need some special equipment. Obviously you’ll need a DVD recording device and a way for your VCR to connect to it. If you have a DVD burner on your computer, you’re halfway there. You will also need a way for your VCR to interface with your computer. Most computers do not come shipped with a way to do this. You’ll need to install a TV card on your computer that has inputs that match your VCR’s outputs. Most TV cards do have both RF and A/V inputs.

Next you’ll need to record the wedding video onto the computer’s hard drive. You may need special software to do this if your TV card didn’t come with any bundled. Sony’s Vegas Video is a good one, but there are a number of different titles available. Keep in mind that the video will take up a lot of drive space. In order for the video to be placed on DVD it will have to be in an MPEG format. Your video recording software should be able to save it this way. Once that is done, it’s simply a matter of using your DVD burning software to transfer the video onto a DVD disc that you can then watch on any DVD player. The software will have instructions for doing this. Once the process (which can take some time, be warned) is complete, viola! Your wedding video is now on DVD and can be enjoyed forever.

If you don’t have or can’t afford the equipment and software to follow the preceding steps, fear not. There are companies that can take away all of the hassle and transfer your wedding videos to DVD for you, for a price. Whichever method you choose will have the same end result and you’ll be enjoying your old wedding videos and other home movies on a new format that’s built to last.

Kirsten Hawkins is an event planner from Nashville, TN. Visit www.wedding411.net/ for more event planning tips, strategies, and resources.

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Visit this site for the best sports wagering pick tips and strategies.

Combine the two of people’s uppermost leisure actvities and you’ll unearth a vogue named a sportsbook wagers Web property. What could be more resourceful… If you visualize a group of fellows clapping for any favorite lineup, and constantly antes are sure to be fixed accompanying the racket. Set to get a bit of the anticipation, spectators will commonly aspire to guess who is the likeliest to win the running challennge. All of this finally turns into a warmhearted, amicable challennge named sportsbook wagers Web property.

If you want to wager, you will be best advised to visit a sportsbook wagers Web property, i.e. a setup which tenders sportsbook wagers Web property. In America, you can find no less than four states where to go for wagering sportsbooks lawfully, but beyond legal you may attempt it wherever so long as you can find a bookie and if happen to be legally an adult. On the list of sporting contests you can bet your money on are professional as well as college football plus basketball, pro baseball, pro hockey, as well as bets on both dog and horse racing. You’ll have a choice of risking some money on the global result of a game, when exactly a contester will be defeated, and even whether a tossed coin in a game lands either heads or tails.

You’ll find multifarious systems of wagers: straight bets, where you’ll quote the contestant you believe is the likeliest to prevail or go under, parlays, i.e. combined stakes on some sports activities, teasers, as well as over/unders, the straight bets being the dominating one in wagering sportsbooks.

Why don’t you experiment with it, and enjoy the excitement as well… Only ensure that you won’t get seized and waste your entire income on a conceit. Because else you’re likely to be caught repenting all life long.

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It may not be high on the list of wedding planning activities, but there are a few simple steps that can help keep tax issues from interrupting your newly wedded bliss. If you recently married, check out your new tax situation. You might save money or even prevent the problem of a missing refund check.

The first things to handle are changes of name and address. Later, as tax season approaches, consider whether or not you’ll itemize deductions, which tax return form is right for you and what filing status you’ll use.

No one should delay the cake cutting or honeymoon because of taxes. But here are some helpful hints for later:

Use Your Correct Name

You must provide correct names and identification numbers to claim personal exemptions on your tax return. If you changed your name upon marrying, let the Social Security Administration know and update your Social Security card so the number matches your new name. Use Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card.

Change of Address

If you or your spouse has a new address, notify the U.S. Postal Service so that it will be able to forward any tax refunds or IRS correspondence. The Postal Service will also pass your new address on to IRS for updating. You may also notify to notify the IRS directly by filing Form 8822.

Refund Checks

Each year, the Postal Service returns thousands of tax refund checks as undeliverable, usually because the addressee has moved. Notifying both the Postal Service and the IRS of an address change in a timely manner can help ensure the proper delivery of any refund checks. To check the status of a tax refund, go to the IRS web site and use the “Where’s My Refund?” service.

Changing Filing Status

Your marital status on December 31 determines whether you are considered married for that year. Married persons may file their federal income tax return either jointly or separately in any given year. Choosing the right filing status may save you money.

A joint return (Married Filing Jointly) allows spouses to combine their income and to deduct combined deductions and expenses on a single tax return. Both spouses must sign the return and both are held responsible for the contents.

With separate returns (Married Filing Separately), each spouse signs, files and is responsible for his or her own tax return. Each is taxed on his or her own income, and can take only his or her individual deductions and credits. If one spouse itemizes deductions, the other must also.

Which filing status should you select? It depends entirely on your specific situation. You should consider sitting down with a tax professional to make a determination.

Richard Chapo is with www.businesstaxrecovery.com - recovering overpaid taxes for small businesses. Visit our article page - www.businesstaxrecovery.com/articles - to read more tax articles.

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Planning a successful wedding requires careful planning and execution. A wedding planner can help the busy bride with essential details of the wedding planning process. A wedding, like any other project, requires careful planning where budgetary constraints have to be followed and deadlines must be met.

If you close your eyes and think of the many aspects and components of your wedding, you must see the opportunities for disasters are endless. You may not think of it that way, but planning a wedding is a complex job, and it can become quite stressful overwhelming and time consuming.

Today’s brides are busy with their job in their own professions and may not have the time or desire to take on the job of planning their wedding. The average timeframe between the engagement and the wedding is 12 to 16 months. Because of the duration of the wedding planning process, you may want to seriously consider hiring a professional wedding planner.

Wedding planners are experts at making your special day less stressful and more organized. Even though hiring a wedding planner can cost several thousands of dollars, but in return you can save considerable time, money and your peace of mind. Wedding planners should be prepared to help you with design, financial, legal, etiquette, and many more related issues. You need someone on your team that has the professional experience to hold it all together.

Because wedding planners are experienced professionals, they have experience with wedding vendors of all kind. Regardless of your budget and personal taste, they will be able to recommend reception venues, photographers, or any other related wedding service professional you might need. Simply put, they can assist and guide you in making informed decisions. More specifically, wedding planners will help you with the following tasks:

Evaluate vendor contracts and recommend clarification before signing.

Recommend potential caterers, florists, reception venues, wedding dress fittings, wedding officiants, etc.

Organize and attend the wedding rehearsal dinner.

Provide you support and solutions to unexpected occurrences.

Finalize your wedding program.

Since a wedding planner can make or break your special day, selecting one could be one of the most important first steps you take toward planning your perfect wedding. Try to get recommendations from your friends and family and consult associations for wedding planners on how to hire a wedding planner.

You may not have the budget or desire to hire a wedding planner to plan your wedding from start to the wedding day. It is still recommended that you at least consult with a wedding planner on some of the most important elements of your wedding. Remember, your wedding is your special day and you want to feel like a guest at your own wedding. A wedding planner can help you succeed.

George Meszaros www.sweet-reflections.com

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