5 Ways to Save a Marriage

Submitted By: Wan Ibrahim

Whether you have been married for a brief period of time or many years, you want your marriage to be the best it can be. However, there might be some misunderstandings and bitterness which may give rise to serious difficulties in your marriage.
A divorce affects the personal and social lives of both the partners and not to mention, the children. There is no such thing as painless divorce. If you watch the movies War of the Roses and Kramer vs. Kramer, you know what I meant. You do have a choice, go through the pain of divorce or do something to save your marriage. Here are 5 ways to save a marriage that you can effectively use to reconstruct your marriage.
First of all, acknowledge the marriage problem exist, be honest with yourself. Begin by asking yourself what problems you and your spouse encountering. You should be able to identify what difficulties need to be resolved and what you wish to accomplish. Share your thoughts and feelings, and request your spouse to share hers or his. This will help not only in making progress toward finding solutions, but it will also open up the lines of communication.
Many people make a mistake when they took the task to save their marriage. They neglect the wonderful things which were there at the beginning of their marriage, or even prior to their marriage. Placing some focus on these things is the second ways to save a marriage. What qualities did you find the most appealing in your spouse? What kind of goals, plans and dream did you both share? It quite likely that you’ll find the factors which influenced your decision to marry still exists.
The third important factor or ways to save a marriage is time. Nowadays we often hear about "quality time". However in many cases, it means trying to squeeze as much as possible into a small amount of time allocated for it. The pre-scheduled quality time is simply not enough. Granting your spouse your undivided attention is the factor which will help this very important person to realize that she or he still take the center-stage in your life.
Being able to recognize that no two people can reasonably be expected to agree on everything is the fourth ways to save a marriage. The differences come about from a person's background and upbringing. Perhaps you and your spouse did not fully acknowledge your differences in the early stage of your relationship; or perhaps you felt that time and love would solve that problem. If this has become a problem in your marriage, it can basically be resolved by compromise or by "agreeing to disagree".
The last tip of 5 ways to save a marriage is about having boundaries. The happiest marriage is one where clear boundaries exist and are consistently respected by both spouses and those around them. There are a numbers of boundaries which are essential for a healthy and happy marriage. For example certain things, such as sex, should remain between the two of them and not "up for discussion" with other people. If there is disagreement between you and your spouse, it is unfair to attempt to get others on your side. You must learn and respect that there is a difference between "yours", "mine" and "ours".
You may adopt one of these ways to save marriage and turn your marriage into a lifelong love.

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Wedding Centerpiece and Decoration Ideas

Submitted By: Janet R.

A wedding is an opportunity to gather family and friends in a formal or non-formal occasion. They were also gathered to enjoy the celebration with festive during the reception. Wedding reception can be created according to the theme of the wedding, a beautiful setting can be created by decorating the reception venue with excellent floral arrangements, outstanding table settings, exquisite centerpieces, wedding favors and other attractive touches.
Decorating the reception venue is one of the most essential factor to any form of wedding. By incorporating outstanding decors and accessories, big enhancement can surely create an impressive appeal. However, before deciding what decors to incorporate, you need to consider some factors like if it is an outdoor venue such as vineyard or garden reception, your decoration will be far different from an indoor venue like a church hall.
Also, you'll need to consider paying attention to the table settings, tablecloths, centerpieces and silverwares. Several choices for table settings can be incorporated according to the theme of your wedding. Also tablecloths, centerpieces and silverwares should be checked out in detail. All and all, the reception venue should allow your guests to enjoy perhaps a dance, a comfortable sitting arrangement, and an awesome environment with perfectly matched accessories and decorations.
Wedding decorations such as centerpieces are ideal fascination at the reception. There are lots of centerpieces selection to choose from, it could be a flower arrangement, scented candles, luminaries, petals, place card holder, favor boxes and the like. These decorations can be doubled as wedding favors and keepsakes. Example of these decorations are a Topiary Photo Holder/Place Card Holder, A Flower Pot Place Card Holder Favor, Palm Tree Favor Box, Heart Cake Top, Mini Favor Dish, Wedding Jewels Table Decorations and more.
Also, a tall wedding cake adds accent to the spirit of celebration. Whether or not it is an intimate reception with a lesser number of guests, a tall cake can still be requested to accentuate a centerpiece. A tall wedding cake can be done by a baker who has the expertise to do fake cake layers with the same frosting as to the rest of the layers which no one can notice the difference.
As much as the decorations and favors should go with the wedding theme, in case there is a minimal problem, then there are some great option that can be selected to incorporate into the overall appeal of your wedding. One of the most ideal decoration to match any type of wedding theme. Candles can help create excellent atmosphere, their selection vary the they burn and the time for which they last. Example, for short reception party, small votive candles are enough. But if it is a luncheon dinner with dance, tall tapers or large pillar candles are better.
So, to prepare your wedding reception, you need to be meticulous as you can. A choice of wedding decors, party favors and accessories can make or break your entire wedding day. These decorating ideas can be also applied during pre-wedding parties like bachelor party and bridal shower party, where decorations, accessories, bridal favors, wedding gifts for guests can add accent to the party. These items may be minor wedding considerations but they can make a major difference and impression to all.

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Wedding Invitations: Adding Your Special Touch

Submitted By: Chris Morton

During your wedding planning endeavors, you will face having to choose your wedding invitations. There are so many things to choose from: style, color, typeface, handmade, printed, etc. Yet most brides and grooms want to add their own special touch to different areas of their weddings, and the wedding invitations are a good place for them to start. So what are some unique touches you can add to your invitations, whether handmade or pre-printed?

Photographs
One way that you can add your own unique touch to the wedding invitations is to print them over a photograph of the two of you. The invitation wording can be printed directly on the picture or on a piece of vellum overlay. With the specialty printers available today this can be done on your own or by a professional printer.

Special Sayings
Traditional wedding invitation wording is what most couples opt to use for their wedding invitations, because they want to convey a simple elegance. However, there are special sayings that can add a touch to even the most elegant wedding invitation. The saying will convey to your guests the love your have for each other and the overall tone of the wedding.

Ribbons, Flowers, and Bows

Sometimes you want to make your wedding invitations really stand out, and adding three-dimensional texture allows you to do so. Some brides and grooms choose weddings that add ribbons or bows in order to put their own special touch on the invitations. Others add items like bows or flowers.

Jewels
There is a recent trend in wedding invitations…adding jewels. From rhinestones to real diamonds, many couples are opting to add a little “bling” to their wedding invitations. Some invitations are rolled and placed in a jeweled holder while others have the jewels glued directly on the invitation. These extra touches can be pricey, but the gemstones create an unforgettable impression.

Color
Many people have gotten the traditional wedding invitation that was a white paper with black print. However, today’s color printers and specialty papers allow couples planning their weddings to choose from a wider array of color prints and inks. You may opt for a simple white or ivory invitation, but you can add your own touch by doing the print in silver, gold, blue, or red. You may opt for colored paper and print the wording in white or silver. You may even choose a print on your paper. The availability of so many options means you can easily create your own unique wedding invitation.

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Tips for Planning the Perfect Military Wedding

by: GiGi Rena Rogers

The day has finally arrived. After all these years waiting for the right one, you finally find that special someone. Soon a marriage proposal comes your way, one that will surely change life forever. You finally get the opportunity to plan the wedding you’ve dreamed about since childhood. All the plans begin falling in place, when suddenly things change dramatically. Your soon-to-be spouse learns that they are being deployed oversees. All the hopes and dreams for happiness appear lost, at least for the moment. You still long to get married, but there is so much to do, and so many unique circumstances that other couples don’t face. From finding a chaplain to the financial costs of planning a rush wedding, the task can seem daunting.
There are others too who have lived the military life from day one and are now proud to be a part of it themselves having enlisted. Having grown up with parents in the military, changing from base to base, and city to city, the couple longs for a military wedding that brings with it the traditions and pride lived their entire life. Yet, as everyone in the military knows, there are many tried and trued rules and regulations on doing things right. Planning a wedding and making sure to stay within all the guidelines can be overwhelming. The bride needs answers on how to do it and these answers aren’t found in the pages of the numerous bridal magazines or bridal books out there. But hope is not lost.
As everyone knows, there are vast differences from a civilian wedding and a military wedding. The ceremony may be held at the base/post chapel. The officiant would be a military chaplain. The Arch of Sabers or Swords (dependent on the branch of service) is used. And special attention needs to be placed on the formalities of the invitations and seating arrangements.
To help plan a military wedding, here are some tips:
#1 - Buy Wedding Insurance. Even if the couple does not choose to have the traditional Military Wedding, insurance (unless they are having a quick small civil ceremony at the courthouse) will save headaches and cover the loss of deposits or money due to changes or cancellations. When marrying into the military, the never-ending changes of deployment dates – quick deployments, delayed deployments, and extended deployments are common. It’s best to plan ahead and be safe. Take this example: The date has been set for a year out. The deposits have been paid and invitations prepared. Then a set of orders arrives for the bride or groom that reads, “Report to your duty station 19 May 2007. Unfortunately, the wedding date has been set for 25 May 2007.” You now have to change everything and re-order invitations. Unless working with very military friendly vendors, there is a real risk of losing deposits. Insurance is a way to safeguard against this.
# 2 - Learn the language. For a new bride that is marrying into the service, there is a whole new set of lingo to learn. Among the most common would be the formalities of the Arch-is it Swords or Sabers? The answer - Sabers are used for Air Force and Army. Swords are used for Coast Guard, Marine Corps and the Navy. National Guard and Reserve go by the same etiquette and regulations of their service branch (i.e. Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Naval Reserve, etc). Also, the majority of military personnel do not own a Sword or Saber. However, they can contact the Chaplain, normally he/she will have these for this use or his/her Commander will. There are also so many other terms you want to become familiar with to be knowledgeable.
#3 - Question often asked -- Can the bride’s “swat” with the sword be omitted from the ceremony? Answer – For traditions sake, it is better left in the ceremony. When the Arch has been formed, the bride and groom will then pass through the Arch of Saber or Swords (this symbolizes the welcome and safe transition into a new life together as a couple). The couple pauses as the last two men lower their sabers or swords in front of the bride and groom and then at that time the man to the right will then lightly “swat” the bride of on the rear and say “Welcome to the Army,” or the appropriate branch of service. This step should only be omitted if the bride is the service member.
#4 – It’s important to know the proper seating arrangements for guests and also where the bride and groom should stand, including who stands on which side. The standing arrangement is determined by whether the service member being an officer or being enlisted. A guest list will have Commanders, other Officers within the unit, and peers. It’s important to know the proper seating for guests and also for the receiving line. All persons that are associated with a service member (i.e. their Commanders, Officers and peers within the unit or office) should be invited to the wedding. When seating the groom or bride’s Commander and his/her spouse, they are to be seated with the family of the bride or groom, whichever group they represent. Commanders are usually seated in the front row when the bride or groom’s parents cannot be in attendance. All other higher-ranking Officers are to be seated directly behind the family of either the bride or groom.
Sounds overwhelming doesn’t it? Well now with the help of an innovative website, Military Weddings at http://www.military-weddings.com/, you can get all the answers you need. MilitaryWeddings.com is a complete wedding planning site solely for the Military community. It provides everything to plan a Military wedding from engagement to honeymoon including who to contact in the Military installation; protocol and etiquette in seating arrangements; writing announcements; sending out invitations (the correct way of addressing an envelope to commanding officer); the ceremony itself; Military chaplain services and whether to use the base or post chapel. Plus, a complete shopping center for your entire wedding needs including stationery, gifts, bride and groom basics, and everything needed for that special day.
Planning your wedding can be fun and exciting with the right tools. Stop by today and enjoy a wedding that you can remember for years to come.

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