Relax – First off, relax. Some people maybe uncomfortable in front of a camera, and they definitely can show through. It's your wedding day! You should be relaxed and ready to go and this should show through in your pictures.

Wedding Portrait

Chin Down -When posing for your pictures, remember to tilt your chin down just a bit. People intuitively lift their chin, maybe to avoid the dreaded double chin, however, tilt your chin down where you normally hold it. It's more flattering.

Stand Tall – How many times have we heard, stand up straight, don't slouch? Too many times. However, they were right! Standing tall provides a sense of confidence in your photos. When someone is slouching in their photos, you notice it. When someone stands tall, you're just thinking to yourself how great their photo turned out. Stand up, hold your shoulders back slightly and tip your hips forward a touch and you'll be standing tall.

Angles – Don't forget to play with angles. Don't face the camera head on, you may notice that in a lot of advertising photos or modeling pictures. It's more flattering to stand at an angle and have one shoulder closer to the camera. Place one foot forward, turn your other foot to the side, which will give you an angular shape.

Practice Makes Perfect - Don't think you look silly posing in front of the mirror, practice makes perfect. Pose in front of the mirror. Learn what angles work best for you and facial expressions.

Of course, ask your wedding photographer for some pointers. They know what works best and what doesn't since photography is their job. They'll also be glad to give you direction the day of and come up with some great poses that will make your wedding day unforgettable throughout your wedding pictures.

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Photographer.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding photographer near you!

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Every woman looks forward to her wedding day, that wonderful day that every bride dreams of with her perfect dress, gorgeous jewelry, fabulous hair and magical details. But, what about the groom and his groomsmen? Of course they look forward to the special day, the day they can call their special someone 'theirs'.  Let's face it, we all know that the inner-child in most men is hiding inside, aside from focusing on marrying the love of their life. Fun, anxious and ready for adventure are in all of them. Now, we expect them to stand still and act like a grown man on his special day, but all day? No way! There is one way that we can really let their true character shine through, that is, of course, if they promise to behave the rest of the day! This is by letting your groom and his friends make their pictures come alive! Playing up their likes, showing off their hobbies or just being plain old goofy you will make your groom's day that much better!

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These fabulous wedding flowers are perfect for your happy fall wedding. An outdoor wedding is ideal, especially one in an open field, garden, or park. The feel of nature is calming, down-to-earth and inspiring. You can use these energetic flowers alone or with other flowers to create eye-popping arrangements. Marigolds, gerbera daisies, roses and hydrangea look gorgeous mixed with sunflowers. Any combination is ideal for your wedding bouquet, wedding ceremony arrangements and definitely your reception centerpieces.  The key is to keep the arrangements simple – sunflowers are striking and demand attention, you don't need to do much to make these flowers look great!

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Wedding Trends

Plush Blooms – Big, plush blooms are a huge trend now that you can feature in your wedding bouquets, centerpieces, arrangement and be the main focal point as part of your wedding flowers. Garden roses and peonies give you a big, lush look that gives off the romantic vibe. Again, going with the Victorian themed wedding.

Dessert Tables – Don't just focus on your wedding cake, think about offering a variety of desserts at your wedding. Of course, have a wedding cake, however, focus on pies, miniature cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

Theme Weddings – Themes are a great way to go with your wedding. It doesn't have to be like a themed party or anything like that, just make the theme fit your personality. If you love vintage, go with a vintage themed wedding. However, if you enjoy a variety of colors, go with a rainbow themed wedding.

Wedding Colors – Mixing and matching colors are great and still on trend. However, for your winter wedding, focus on neutrals. Beige, brown, nude and pale colors are simply beautiful during the winter months.

These are great ideas to gather inspiration for your wedding, however, don't forget to make it fit YOU. That's the main priority and it's your wedding day that you'll remember forever.

This post is brought to you by Saint Louis Florists.
Not in St. Louis, MO? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a florist near you!

Dessert table photo provided by Shauna Younge Dessert Tables via flickr.

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Inspirational Wedding Cakes

Cake Toppers Galore!

 When you are designing your wedding cake you will decide on the design, size and number of tiers, the flavor and filling, type of frosting, accents and details and finally the topper. If you decide on a more traditional and elegant style and design for your cake, you can still have a creative and edgy personalized topper. Why not put a touch of humor, spunk or creativity on top?

Special thank you to ann ruthmann, newwavegurly, la mia cuncina, MINInurse, RG photo, -lou-, tedsblog, dollie_mixture, and lilfatdog for their inspirational pictures via Flickr.

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Wedding Ceremony

Imagine what everyone else would say about your relationship, such as, if there was an article written about you or how your friends and family describe your relationship. This can help with a starting point for your vows.

Quiet Time -Give yourself time to relax and really think through your wedding vows. Think through what you're writing and what your relationship means to you. You want to say what you feel and make it personal.

Topic -Now that your head is clear, focus on the topic of your vows. Why do you love the one you are marrying? There is something that draws you to your significant other and why you love them the way you do. Therefore, that is your topic. Let your topic focus on why you love them.

Styling -Now that you have the direction you're going in, think about how you're going to style your vows. You can go with traditional or modern form of writing. Pick what is best suited for you and the words that you've chosen for your wedding vows.

The main key is to make your wedding vows meaningful, personal and represent you. You want these to show exactly how you feel about your relationship and why you love them.

This post is brought to you by Irvine Wedding Locations.
Not in Irvine, CA? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find wedding locations near you!

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Tips For Popping The Question

The first step to getting engaged is getting asked. Your future fiancé has to get the courage up and ask you the big question. We all know that can be a nerve wrecking question to ask. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips for the groom when popping the question.

Asking – If you're planning on asking the big question, consider asking for her hand in marriage. It's tradition. Of course, if it's this serious that you're planning on asking, you've probably had discussions about marriage and what it means to you. She has also probably mentioned if it's a big deal if you ask for her hand in marriage. So, if she wants to follow that tradition, make sure you honor her wishes.

The Ring – The most important part, the engagement ring. A girl has dreamed about her engagement ring since she was a little girl. If you don't want to give it away, ask her family and closest friends what she has always dreamed about. She may have left you hints too. The main thing is to put some thought into what type of ring she wants, and actually have a ring. Even in tough times, an heirloom or even a temporary ring until she can pick out what she likes will do.

The Proposal – The second most important part of an engagement is how you propose. There are endless possibilities on how to propose, just make it original. You're asking her to be your wife, this is one of the most important times of your life. Therefore, make it special and memorable.

One Knee – Of course, you may think it's cliché. However, every girl wants you to get down on one knee. So, just go ahead and get over it and get down on one knee!

Family Involvement – Get both sides of the family involved. Again, this is a very important part of your life, so get both families involved. They want to be apart of this joyous time. After she says yes, have a surprise engagement party at her favorite restaurant with both families and even a few close friends there to celebrate.

Don't forget to RELAX! Yes, asking can be extremely nerve wrecking, however, it's such an important moment. So, don't forget to relax and take every second of it in.

If you are planning a wedding, let Wedding and Party Network help!

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Finding a color scheme for your wedding day can be tricky. The best way to start is by picking two colors that compliment each other and then adding accent colors as you go. However, have you ever wondered what the meaning behind the colors of your wedding might symbolize? You should! Each color represents a specific character trait.
Read more about All About Wedding Colors

5 Tips for Your Gift Registry

So, you've felt all the stress from wedding planning. Are you wondering if it'll end soon or how much can I take? Do you need a break? Well, what better way to de-stress with finding the perfect items for your wedding registry. However, don't turn this into a stressful wedding to-do. It's a great time to spend with your groom and have a fun day together, not thinking about wedding stuff at all.
Read more about Tips for Your Gift Registry

Getting Dressed for Your Engagement Photos

You're engaged, now start planning your to-do list. So, what's first? One of the first things you may start thinking about is your engagement photos. Start researching online and gather references from friends, coworkers and family members on an engagement photographer you can use for your pictures.
Read more about Getting Dressed for Your Engagement Photos

Weddings, in general, are very traditional. Even the brides who have "non-traditional" weddings incorporate traditions that they might not even be aware of! While planning your wedding have you ever thought, "Why am I wearing this?" or "What does this ring really mean?" Well, here are some fun facts about wedding traditions and why they were incorporated into weddings.
Read more about Wedding Traditions

Wedding dresses have been worn by brides in some form or fashion since weddings began.  But why is white the color most often chosen in western weddings? Why do others cultures use red for wedding dresses?  Both are interesting questions. To learn more about the color tradition of wedding dresses, we can start with our western culture and move around the globe.
Read more about Wedding Dress Colors

To create the ideal event, everything about your occasion must compliment each other. From the event decor, flowers, linens, lighting, sound and the food, everything must work together to create the perfect event. If one thing is not up to par, everything else can be thrown off from it.
Read More about Woodlea Gardens

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Who doesn't love a well-behaved, all dolled up youngster walking down the aisle like a pro?

Little angels... waiting for their moment to shine

And who can resist the sweet flower girl as she smiles and shrugs her shoulders before she dumps out the flower petals into a big pile and then kicks them as she screams for her mom? Or once she gets up the altar with tears in her eyes, and starts taking off her itchy dress and too tight hair? How about the ring bearer spinning in circles and sticking out his tongue while he tosses the pillow up and down? Can we say potty? A sudden urge to use the bathroom mid-ceremony will definitely bring on the 'potty dance'. But, hey, we wanted entertainment right?

Here are a few things to consider before sending the little ones down the aisle:

When it comes to a day in the life of a child, tears are as frequent as smiles. So taking that into consideration, you have a 50-50 chance of a meltdown. Tantrums, tears and even fights are quite common among 60% of weddings that include children in their wedding parties. So, there are a few things you should do…

• If possible, try to use children who are at least 5 years old – the maturity levels between a 4 and 5-year-olds are quite significant.
• Make sure they get to bed early or take their afternoon nap – they need to be fully rested.
• Avoid uncomfortable flower girl dresses and suits. Dress the children right before the ceremony begins.
• Keep the hair styles simple – children often don't have enough patience to sit for longer than a few minutes to get ready.
• Keep activities or videos on hand for the time they are waiting before the ceremony begins.
• Keep snacks and drinks readily available.
• Have a guardian or parent ready to swoop in and remove the child from the ceremony if things start to go bad.
• Praise the children in the wedding party for their effort and good work.
• Practice, practice, practice! Make sure that the flower girl and the ring bearer practice their duties for a few days, if not weeks before the rehearsal and ceremony. Doing this will help them feel more comfortable for the big day.

Keeping these tips in mind when planning your wedding – will help from turning your dream wedding into a nightmare.

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Photographers.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

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Event Food

• Your wedding menu should reflect YOU! Forget about what you know people don't like and do, this day is completely about you and your groom.  Forget about the wedding etiquette and do what makes you happy!
• A lot of weddings give their guests a lot of variety to choose from, which can cause a strain on budget. So, choose a few welcoming drinks and canapes for your guests when they first arrive. This will hold their appetite over while they wait for your arrival. Next, choose one to two starches, red & white meat, a few vegetables and salad. You can finish it off with your wedding cake as dessert.
• Keep it simple. You and your guests don't want to eat heavy foods throughout the night so you'll be weighed down. It's nice to keep your food light and refreshing. Just play up the presentation in a unique way so the food stands out. This also helps with your budget, however, you still focus on taste.
• For informal yet classic, create fun self-serve stations. Create a finger food bar, dessert bar and a drink station for your guests. You can play up the presentation of these bars and they add a special touch to any wedding. You can easily create a beautiful presentation to match the theme of your wedding.

The main thing to keep in mind when planning your menu is to think about what YOU like. It's your day, therefore, you should eat what you enjoy. You can easily find food that you enjoy that conveys the theme of your wedding. Also, don't forget to play up the presentation!

This post is brought to you by Miami Wedding Caterers.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding caterer near you!

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What are your wedding flowers saying?

• Baby's Breath: Represents innocence
• Calla Lily: Stands for Magnificent beauty, elegance and charm
• Red Carnations: Represents love. Pink shows gratitude while white conveys talent
• Chrysanthemum: Symbolizes wealth, abundance and truth
• Daffodil: Conveys respect
• Daisy: Represents romance and shared feelings
• Delphinium: Stands for swiftness and lightness
• Freesia: Symbolizes innocence
• Gardenia: Represents purity and joy
• Hydrangea: Conveys understanding
• Iris: Shows a message of faith and wisdom
• Lilac: Stands for royalty, truth and honor
• Lilies: Represent innocence and purity
• Pink Lilies: Show prosperity
• Stargazer Lilies: Convey aspiration
• Lily of the Valley: Symbolizes happiness
• Magnolia: Stands for the love of nature
• Orchids: Show love and beauty
• Peony: Conveys bashfulness
• Roses: The most popular wedding flower, which is the flower of love
• Red Roses: Show Passion and fiery love
• Dark Pink Roses: Represents thankfulness for finding each other
• Ivory Roses: Symbolize fidelity
• Stephanotis: Represents marital happiness
• Stock: Stands for lasting beauty
• Sunflower: Symbolizes adoration and loyalty
• Sweet Pea: Shows pleasure
• Tulips: Represent undying love and passion which is perfect for a wedding

Taking the flower and color meanings into consideration helps personalize every aspect of your wedding. Using special flowers conveying a message in the groom's boutonniere is a sweet gesture from the bride. Bridesmaid's bouquets personalized in the language of flowers can have deep sentiment and meaning towards friendship and family. Centerpieces and reception decor will hold precious memento when you know the deep meaning behind each flower. Using note cards to explain why you chose each flower helps the guests and recipients of the flowers understand the message hidden within. It makes for a fun and sweet way to bring even more sentiment to an already special and unique occasion.

This post is brought to you by Cincinnati Florists.
Not in Cincinnati, OH? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a florist near you!

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