Best Wedding Sites News Blog

Undoubtedly, California’s wine country is one of the hottest wedding destinations in the country. With its blend of historical charm, beautiful landscape and jovial ambience, the area is an ideal place for couples to celebrate their love. Unfortunately, high prices and limited availability often prevent brides from having their dream wedding there. Happily, Napa’s Round Pond now offers couples the perfect favor to bring the “taste” of wine country to their wedding!

Round Pond, renowned producers of estate-grown, hand-picked and crushed olive oil and premium, hand-blended vinegars, is pleased to offer brides and grooms unique wedding gifts to share with their guests: personalized 50ml bottles of Round Pond Olive Oil and Vinegar. The beautiful French glasswork and brightly colored labels of these distinctive bottles blend old world artistry and contemporary design. Each one can be customized with handmade tags inscribed with the couple’s name and wedding date, creating one-of-a-kind gifts that will remind guests of the special day.

Round Pond’s estate-grown fruit produce fragrant, richly flavored extra virgin olive oils, which are then blended to emulate the finest Italian and Spanish olive oils. Round Pond currently produces four distinguished, award-winning olive oils, each celebrated for its rich flavor: Premium Italian, Spanish Varietal, Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon.

Round Pond, vinegars are comprised entirely of only the finest grapes grown on the MacDonnell family estate in Rutherford and aged for up to a year in French Oak, much like a fine wine. Round Pond currently produces two high quality hand blended vinegar varietals: Cabernet & Merlot Red Wine Vinegar and Sangiovese, Nebbiolo & Petit Verdot Red Wine Vinegar.

All about the Dress
www.aboutthedress.com

Love your wedding dress? ‘All About The Dress’ creates custom fashion illustrations for brides in their wedding gown as a stylish memory of your dress. This is a very unique service and ‘All About The Dress’ is getting wonderful feedback from discerning brides everywhere. Each piece is an original work of art, custom created for each bride and signed by the artist. Wear it for a day, remember it for a lifetime.

The One Thing Every Bride Needs to Know After the Honeymoon is Over

While women spend months, sometimes years planning their dream wedding, buying the house etc., they rarely stop to think about what comes next: Living together! It can be fun, but it also can be a challenge. Author Carina Castelli reveals 70 secrets gleaned from her own relationship with her fiance, and 6 other contributors with more than 87 years of cohabitation experience, in her new humor book for brides: The Unofficial Manual to Living with Men.

Castelli’s must-have manual offers advice to newlyweds and addresses cohabitating couples‚ most common problems, like dealing with issues of dirty dishes, personal space, why he doesn’t hear a word you are saying while the TV is on, why he thinks it is okay to use your decorative hand towels for everyday use, and why he makes noises from under the sheets (Yuck!), plus she offers sane, lighthearted solutions.

The #1 Rule to Successful Co-habitation:
Let him think he is right! Even when he is wrong, even when he knows he is wrong, even when he knows that you know he is wrong, let him think he is right. He wins because he thinks he wins, and you win because you know he is slowly losing, and you’ll probably still get your way. Subtlety is brilliance!

Let Castelli share with your audience why this works every time!

With a girlfriend-to-girlfriend advice style, Castelli shows how to defy men’s outlandish ‘all women are crazy’‚ accusations, and conquer the household so subtly he’ll think he still wears the pants in the family - only she’ll know those pants are now pink!

Castelli moved in with her boyfriend after 6 months of dating and was shocked to find it wasn’t always as romantic and exciting as she thought it would be. Says the author, “I created this book because during my cohabitation journey, I wished I had a manual of some sort, something to offer me guidance, and let me know that my boyfriend’s and my differences were normal. If I could have found the answers in a book it would have been so much easier!” So she turned to a variety of women who were happily cohabitating and found the answers she needed to turn her living situation into cohabitation bliss. Almost four years later, and engaged, she now shares that advice in The Unofficial Manual to Living with Men, which can be found on Amazon.com.

Online RSVP Service Saves Brides Time, Money and Heartache

In today’s mobile society, weddings have become increasingly complicated. Couples may live in one city but are planning to wed in another. Guests are invited from across the country – and even across the globe. Managing the attendance and travel arrangements for hundreds of family and friends can become a nightmare. On top of that, you have the age-old problem of what to do when people simply don’t respond to the invitation. But a new online RSVP Service aims to help alleviate some of that tension and solve the expensive dilemma of how many meals to order. The Guest Register is the newest, most comprehensive RSVP Service to hit the Internet and already brides across the country are saving time, money and heartache.

What is The Guest Register?
The Guest Register is an online RSVP Service. Couples using the service receive a personal wedding web site along with an 800 number. Instead of asking guests to send back RSVP postcards, couples encourage guests to respond either via telephone or the Internet. A web site is created to track responses. The Guest Register monitors results and contacts those guests who have not responded by the RSVP due date. This way, couples are assured each person they wanted to invite has received an invitation and the couple receives an accurate final guest count.

How is The Guest Register different from other online services?
The Guest Register is the only online RSVP Service that includes up to 20 web pages where couples can share wedding event details, stories, photos, gift registry links, maps, directions and provide online accommodation information. There’s even an option for a bulletin board, allowing guests to contact each other prior to the wedding weekend.

How do couples create a wedding web site?
Once couples register for The Guest Register’s wedding RSVP Service, they receive a special host access code. Couples may choose the information and photos to put on their site and enter everything themselves online. The information is immediately posted on the Internet. The site is active from the moment a couple registers through the wedding date. For $10 a month, couples may choose to keep the site active after the big event, to post wedding or honeymoon photos or stories.

What is typically posted on a wedding web site?
While each couple customizes their wedding web site, most choose to include:
• Pictures of the bride and groom
• Bride and groom bios and the story of how they met, got engaged, etc.
• Pictures and bios of each member of the wedding party
• Links to their gift registries
• Wedding weekend event listings and link to maps and directions
• Hotel information
• Wedding or honeymoon photos or stories

Who can view personal wedding web sites?
A personal identification number is given to each registered couple. They decide who has access to their site. Guests access a site by entering an event ID number. The bride and groom, with their own password, get a special “behind the scenes” look, allowing them to monitor guest responses, run reports and update their wedding site.

How can The Guest Register get an accurate guest count?
The Guest Register provides two ways for guests to respond. They can RSVP via an 800 number or through the Internet on the wedding website. Either way, The Guest Register collects and tallies all responses and posts them to a registered couple’s online RSVP report. Couples may access their RSVP report 24/7. In addition, The Guest Register contacts guests who have not responded by the RSVP due date. Each non-respondent receives up to three phone calls from The Guest Register’s professional, courteous staff.

How can The Guest Register save money?
While the standard RSVP method costs only $0.87 for envelope and postage, couples must also consider the costs associated with ordering uneaten meals. On average, 15-45 percent of guests don’t RSVP per wedding. With most wedding dinners costing an average of $25-75 plate, couples can spend hundreds – even thousands – of dollars on wasted meals. In contrast, The Guest Register charges a $35 set-up fee plus $2 per invitation. There’s no paying for extra meals because The Guest Register ensures an accurate guest count.

What additional services can The Guest Register provide couples?
For a small fee, couples using The Guest Register can create an online bulletin board/chat room allowing guests to communicate directly with one another prior to the wedding weekend. Couples may also opt to keep their wedding web site active after the big day to post wedding or honeymoon photos or stories.

For an online demonstration of the service, please visit www.TheGuestRegister.com

Busy brides now use the Internet to manage wedding details

MINNEAPOLIS (August 23, 2004) – A new online RSVP Service is proving to be the perfect union between tradition and technology. The Guest Register solves the increasingly rude issue of guests not responding by making RSVP’s convenient, interactive and interesting. The Guest Register is the latest, most comprehensive, online RSVP Service available to help brides manage guest responses as well as post wedding plans, gift registry and hotel links, photos, bios and more. The Guest Register ensures accurate guest counts, even with today’s dwindling responses rates.

“It is not uncommon for a bride to hear from only 60 percent of their guest list by the RSVP due date,” said Mary Grant, owner of The Guest Register. “That’s been our experience and the focus of a recent New York Times article. With so much money and emotion involved in a wedding, couples need an accurate guest count. That’s the premise behind The Guest Register. Our service ensures that the couple has an exact guest count so no extra meals are ordered. It provides brides – and their parents – peace-of-mind. Brides still mail a formal invitation, maintaining the traditional wedding custom but no longer need to worry about those guests that do not respond.”

Couples who sign up with The Guest Register receive a personal 20-page wedding website and 800 number. Guests can RSVP using either the phone or the web. The Guest Register logs all responses on the site so the bride can view her count at any time. After the RSVP date passes, The Guest Register calls those who have not yet responded. “An additional benefit of our service is the sense of security it gives brides who worry about whether or not an invitation was lost in the mail or sent to a wrong address,” said Grant. “We start calling guests ten days before the final guest count is due and make sure everyone responds. By having The Guest Register contact guests, potential uncomfortable conversations are avoided and the bride can concentrate on more pressing details.”

Launched October 2003, The Guest Register has already worked with many brides across the country. While they originally signed up for the service for guest count accuracy and the ability to monitor responses 24/7, brides find creating their own wedding website to be surprisingly fun and easy.

“The Guest Register was a wonderful way to track our guest count,” said JS of St. Louis Park, Minnesota. “We didn’t have to collect little postcards or worry about one getting lost in the mail. But I really loved being able to post pictures and stories on our wedding web site. It allowed family and friends to get to know us and our wedding party before the big day.”

Couples using The Guest Register can post virtually any information on their site at no extra charge:
• Wedding events, addresses, directions and maps
• Menu options
• Gift registry links
• Hotel information
• Photos of the bride and groom along with bios or stories of how they met, etc.
• Photos and bios of the wedding party
• Things for guests to do while in town
• Couple’s new address

For a small additional fee, couples can create a bulletin board chat room so guests can connect with one another before the wedding weekend. Couples may also post wedding or honeymoon photos if they opt to keep their wedding web site active after their big day.

After a $35 set-up fee, The Guest Register charges $2 per invitation sent.

To view an online demo of The Guest Register, visit www.TheGuestRegister.com

The Guest Register also provides online RSVP Service for class or family reunions. Similar to their wedding service, The Guest Register allows reunion planners the ability to post all reunion activities, invite classmates/family members and track responses online, collect any necessary payments as well as recruit volunteers. Classmates/family members have their own unique page to post a bio and photo. Online RSVP Services increase attendance and keep classmates and family members connected.

Selecting sparkling wine for your wedding can be a romantic event in itself.

Here are some suggestions for finding your ultimate beverage.

At an engagement party or other evening with friends, buy several sparkling wines suggested by your favorite wine shop or ask each couple to bring a bottle of sparkling they have enjoyed. Ask everyone attending the party to score each wine:
1 Great wine–really delightful
2 Good wine–happy to sip this
3 Just okay

Collect the scores and determine which wine had the greatest number of 1’s. In buying sparkling wine for this party, allow at least one bottle for every two people.

Alternatively, you might purchase several bottles of sparkling wine that have been recommended to you and taste them one per evening (or one a week) with your fiancée over dinner. Continue tastings until you both agree you have found the right one. My husband and I began tasting a different sparkling wine every Friday night years ago to find our favorite. It was so much fun we continued the Friday night tasting tradition long after we were married.

If you live near wine country or are planning to visit, a terrific way to select your wedding bubbly is to visit two or three different sparkling wineries and try all the styles they make such as Brut, Rosé, Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir. Pick your favorite for your special day.

Serving sparkling wine optimally follows simple guidelines:
- A bottle (750 ml) of sparkling wine will serve 5-6 glasses.
- The best glasses for sparkling wine are flutes or tulips. Specify either type when ordering wedding glassware.
- Sparkling wine should be served well chilled–overnight in a refrigerator or one hour in ice.
- Sparkling wine should be poured only as guests are ready to drink it. Pre-pouring may mean the wine will have warmed up too much.
- Sparkling wine is essential for the wedding reception and toast. Allow 1-1/2 to two glasses per person for an hour reception–more if your friends love wine.

Serving sparkling wine exclusively throughout the reception and the meal itself is elegant and festive (and simplifies the types of glassware you need to order). Allow half to two-thirds of a bottle per person.

While most people like their sparkling wine Brut in style, weddings may include guests who like a slightly sweeter wine. You can accommodate them by purchasing cassis syrup or framboise syrup and adding about a teaspoon of this to the bottom of the Champagne glass before pouring the sparkling wine.

Sparkling wine makes wonderful thank you gifts to bridesmaids and groomsmen or other friends who have helped with the wedding. Extra bottles can be used later to celebrate when friends who could not attend the wedding come to visit.

Make sure you have a set of Champagne flutes on hand for ongoing dinners or parties. Add them to your bridal registry list or order them from Domaine Carneros. www.domaine.com

Skin Protecting Tips & Makeup Techniques Every Bride Should Know

courtesy of Cosmetic Chemist, Aesthetician and founder of Vasseur Skincare, Melanie Vasseur http://www.vsskin.com

1. All cosmetics and creams are not created equal. Brides should be especially wary of products with ingredients that can aggravate the skin, like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which can clog pores and irritate acne. For a list of irritants to look out for, see Vasseur Skincare’s Web site at: http://www.vsskin.com/irritant.html

2. Sunscreen is an important part of any bride’s daily routine. To keep from getting a “cooked look” in pictures, apply daily weeks before you say “I Do.” (Vasseur’s Day 25 Cream guards against damaging UVA, UVB and C rays and contains Vitamins A and E and C to help neutralize free radicals before they can damage the skin.)

3. Mineral-based make-ups can be a great alternative for women with acne prone skin. Many contain sunscreen and are so skin friendly that you can even sleep in them.

4. Changes in seasons and hormones can alter the appearance of your skin. In the summer, your skin may be oily; in the winter it may be dry. Use products to help stabilize your current skin type versus relying on tried and true cleansers and lotions that are no longer appropriate.

5. Leading up to and on your big day, keep your pucker from being parched by applying a moisturizing balm with Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter to soften lips and give them a soft, kissable look.

6. In case of an acne emergency before your wedding, apply ice (or Vasseur’s less messy IceZit, which your can store in the freezer for when you need it) directly to the offending pimple for a few minutes to reduce swelling. Then user a face mask with salicylic acid and sulfur to draw out impurities and dry up the blemish.

7. To help lessen the appearance of enlarged pores, look for products with ALA to reduce the negative effects of inflammation. ALA will help to lessen the appearance of enlarged pores, minimize acne scars and reduce skin inflammations for brides-to-be with acne.

8. For ultimate wedding skin, consider a series of monthly facials to unclog pores, reduce fine lines, treat acne and even out skin tone up to six months in advance of your big day. Even if you are on a tight budget, one or two monthly or bi-weekly facials can do wonders and help reduce stress.

9. Do not experiment with new products and facials for the two weeks before your wedding—avoid potential irritation that could occur from new treatments or changes in your skin’s reaction to them.

10. Maintain your beauty regimen even after the wedding and constantly remind your honey of one of the reasons why he married you. Hydrating facials are great for taking the sting out of honeymoon sunburns and too much alcohol. Moisturizing masks (like Vasseur’s Hydro Gel) make a fabulous at home treatment.

about Vasseur:
Vasseur’s high-quality quality, time-tested products and technologies are developed to shield and treat the skin from the damaging effects of the sun and other elements, including acne, sensitive skin, fine lines, rosacea, ezechema, dermatitis, cystic acne and fine lines. Going back to her start in nutrition, Vasseur’s products are all founded on Vitamin A, C and E bases, instead of herbs that many leading cosmetic companies use and which can irritate the skin. Melanie has a spa in N County and in San Diego, with clients that visit her from across the U.S.

The exclusive formula of PurePressed® minerals provide a foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one and replaces the need for liquid and cream foundation. Formulated to control oil, these mineral bases provide unsurpassed coverage and staying power and actually help to improve the skin with ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that act as anti-inflammatories as well as effective broad spectrum sunscreens. Pine bark extract - a potent topical anti-oxidant, and jojoba ester improve skin texture and reduce moisture loss.

PurePressed minerals is made from micronized, water resistant minerals and gives instant, broad spectrum, chemical-free sun protection with an SPF of 17.

PurePressed is available in 18 shades that range from deep gold to deep mahogany, created to suit skins and nationalities as diverse as African American, Asian, Hispanic and European helping to carry the Jane Iredale line to all corners of the world. Because of the benefits the minerals have on the skin, plastic surgeons and dermatologists recommend Jane Iredale products internationally.

Under a microscope, the mineral crystals look like overlapping fish scales. These crystals form a filter that allows the free exchange of gasses. The minerals are non-comodogenic and there are no oils in any of the formulas. There are many accounts from acne patients testifying to improvement in their skin since using Jane iredale mineral cosmetics.

Allergies and sensitivities are usually caused by substances that cause irritation to the skin. Substances that most commonly cause these sensitivities are chemical preservatives, chemical dyes (usually labeled as FD&C), perfume and alcohol.

Reactions are common in skins that have been compromised in some fashion, as through a weakened immune system, sun damage, chemical peels, laser resurfacing, etc. Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics contain none of these sensitizers. In fact, zinc oxide and titanium
dioxide are anti-inflammatories and help calm the skin.

The reason Jane Iredale’s base powders work so well as a natural-looking beauty makeup or camouflage is because they contain concentrated pigment which not only masks color, but also reflects light away, rather than absorbing it, providing a younger appearance to the
skin. An amazingly small amount of minerals will cover any type of redness including acne, rosacea and erythema. Talc is almost always seen on the ingredients list of other color cosmetics to stretch a small amount of pigment a long way. Talc is drying, translucent and cheap. It slides off the face, falls into cracks of the skin and accentuates fine lines and wrinkles because of its matte finish. It also has no camouflage capabilities.

Application tips:

-For a creamy, flawless finish, mix a small amount of powder into your favorite moisturizer, then apply as you would a cream foundation. This is especially good for the under eye area and concealing large pores.

-Use a darker base as a contour or bronzer, Latte and Maple are especially good.

-If the minerals look powdery, wait a few minutes for the skin‚s natural oils to emerge or spritz with D2O.

Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup is carried in salons and spas worldwide.

To learn more about Jane Iredale Mineral Makup log onto http://www.janeiredale.com

See the Big Three with the Palms Tobago Dive Package

Tobago, Caribbean: For divers who yearn to see “the big three” – sharks, rays and turtles – the rich waters of Tobago offer plenty of opportunity to dive with these majestic creatures. The Palms Villa Resort, Tobago, has teamed up with Wild Turtle Dive Safari to offer a Dive Package for qualified divers.

Based at Pigeon Point Beach Resort, only minutes away from many of Tobago’s best dive sites, Wild Turtle Dive Safari invites divers to experience gentle reefs or high-speed drift dives; to explore the wreck of the MV Maverick or the serenity of a night dive. Dive sites are located all around the island, including Crown point, Speyside and Sisters. Groups are small and qualified dive masters provide professional and safe guiding.

The Dive Package offered by The Palms Villa Resort Tobago includes:
- 2 dives at Speyside
- 2 dives at Sister Rocks
- Mount Irvine reef dive
- 2 Atlantic reef drift dives
- tanks and weights
- transportation to and from the dive sites

The Dive Tobago package costs from $US 1675 per person double occupancy (depending on the season). Wild Turtle Dive Safari arranges seven dives at different sites around Tobago, including a reef dive and Atlantic drift dives. Guests spend seven nights in a luxury three-bedroom villa at The Palms, complete with private pool, spacious pool terrace, air conditioning, daily maid service and TV/DVD.

For more information or to reserve your dive safari contact The Palms Villa Resort at (868) 635-1010 (Tobago), (01525) 860078 in the UK, or toll free (within US) 1-800-809-5118, visit The Palms Tobago, or Email: info@thepalmstobago.com.

Tips for the Savvy Traveler: Funjet Vacations is All-Inclusive Best Bet

With the growing popularity of all-inclusive vacations, savvy travelers need to know what is really included in the price before booking a resort getaway or a cruise.

Many travelers are attracted to book cruises because they are considered all-inclusive, and are enticed by aggressive pricing. Travelers pay one price and receive accommodations, meals, entertainment and transportation between island and port destinations. However, some cruisers are finding themselves surprised by hidden fees at the end of the cruise, costing them hundreds of additional dollars. Cruisers often pay additional costs for soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, spa treatments, shore excursions, airfare and airport transfers. These costs can add up quickly and result in an unhappy ending to their so-called “all inclusive vacation.”

Instead, some savvy travelers are avoiding money hassles by choosing all-inclusive resort vacations.

With Funjet Vacations, travelers can choose from a variety of destinations offering all-inclusive accommodations including Mexico and the Caribbean. All vacations include round-trip airfare, accommodations at some of the most popular all-inclusive resorts, 24-hour traveler assistance and the ability to customize each vacation by adding on special tours, activities or events.

Funjet Vacations’ all-inclusive resort getaways offer travelers all meals and beverages, including alcoholic beverages. Most resorts have multiple restaurants and bars to cater to a variety of tastes, so travelers never have to leave the resort.

Resorts also provide travelers with spacious accommodations, nightly entertainment, access to all of the resorts facilities including pools and fitness centers, and use of all non-motorized water-sports equipment like snorkeling gear or sailboats. These amenities are all included in the cost of the vacation.

Relationships with a variety of popular hotels, such as Sandals, SuperClubs and Iberostar, as well as a variety of charter and scheduled airlines, allow Funjet Vacations to offer special values for complete vacations. Travelers can book Funjet Vacations knowing exactly what is included, with no hidden costs or fees.

Sample vacations include roundtrip airfare, four nights all-inclusive accommodations at Riu Caribe in Cancun, services of a Funjet Vacations representative in the destination and 24-hour customer assistance.

To purchase, travelers can call their local travel agent or visit funjet.com to book/research their next trip.

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Funjet Vacations is the flagship brand of The Mark Travel Corporation headquartered in Milwaukee. Operating for 30 years, Funjet Vacations specializes in flexible, personalized vacations for individuals and groups via nonstop charters and scheduled airlines. Travelers can choose from land-only or air inclusive vacations and a wide variety of optional components such as tours, attractions and sporting events. Funjet Vacations is a member of the USTOA $1 Million Traveler’s Assistance Program and ASTA TOP.