Behind the Veil: Brides, grooms and their wedding parties are frantically busy and need help fast…hey, that's your cue

Behind the Veil: Brides, grooms and their wedding parties are frantically busy and need help fast…hey, that's your cue - Biz 101 - less traditional wedding businesses - Brief Article

Entrepreneur, Feb, 2002 by Nichole L. Torres

AH, THE FLOWERS. THE DRESSES. THE menu. The cake. The registry. So many things to think about when planning a wedding. With today's brides and grooms so often overwhelmed by all that goes into saying "I do," smart entrepreneurs willing to step in and relieve the stress are poised to gather some well-earned profits.

Entrepreneurs are busting out of the wedding-consultant role (although that's still a big industry) and moving into less traditional businesses. These entrepreneurs have recognized which needs aren't being met . . . and are stepping right in, starting everything from a Web site for bridesmaids to a wedding chapel in a Minnesota mall.

MaryAnne London found a need when she saw a wedding chapel in a strip mall in Detroit in 1994. "It just caught my imagination," she says. "I figured someone was going to do it in Minneapolis, and I wanted to be that somebody." She took the idea for an elegant wedding chapel to the Mall of America, which has a program to help new retailers get their businesses off the ground. They loaned her fixtures for the store, and, as she says, "they've been a real partner in the chapel-- I could not have done it without the right landlord."

New to retailing, London, 54, is a full-time marketing communications consultant--she runs the Chapel of Love on the side. But when sales started flattening out two years ago, London was ready for her next challenge: She started selling accessories and apparel for bridesmaids and flower girls-- sending sales to more than $500,000 annually for the past two years.

Add-ons are an important component of any bridal business, says Brian Lawrence, author of the self-published The Wedding Expert's Guide to Sales & Marketing and vice president of sales and marketing for Encore Studios, an invitation manufacturer in Clifton, New Jersey. "[Entrepreneurs] have to think about the constant pursuit of add-ons," Lawrence says. "Contact your existing customers and sell them more." Bridal gifts for bridesmaids and ushers are often last-minute purchases, as are unique touches for the reception, like ice carvings and little trinkets. "People want something unique and different," he continues. "If they get exposed to [a cool product], they just [might] go for it."

Rescuing Romance

by Lexi

Have you ever noticed that marital bliss can fizzle quickly into routine's abyss? At the beginning of a marriage, the romance can be very exciting and abundant. Then, as time moves on, it erodes as the novelty wears off. As a newlywed, it is difficult to determine whether or not the romance will last in a marriage; however, that should be the furthest thing from your mind.

In order to have a solid and lasting marriage there needs to be communication, respect, faithfulness, and honesty. If you do not have these qualities in your own marriage, then not having romance in the relationship is the least of your worries.

If a marriage lacks romantic moments, the ordinary moments can be uncomfortable and seemingly not worth it. We want our hearts to beat with anticipation and ours stomach to feel butterflies, just like when we looked at our partners on our wedding days. We want these emotions to still be present even after years of marriage. They may not be as frequent, but they should still remain.

You ought not stop loving someone simply because they have changed. You should have the desire to work together to discover ways to keep the relationship feeling alive and fresh. W. Somerset once said, "We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person."

Communication is an important factor in maintaining a healthy and romantic relationship. If you do not talk about thoughts, opinions, and concerns, then you will never know what the other is thinking. You need to talk about the entire situation and offer suggestions as to what might bring back the romance. Do not just say, "This is not what we used to be like." That statement offers nothing constructive.

Explore different options. Romance can be hidden where you least expect it. There are certain ways that you can create a romantic mood or setting in places you never thought you could. Something as simple as writing a love letter could make all the difference. If you use some imagination and creativity, you too can turn an ordinary moment into a magical one.

The most crucial thing is to not give up before trying, if you are serious about wanting the marriage to last. You stand to lose all the investment of the past years if you give less than your best effort. Some people say, "It's sink or swim time." Do not sink quietly into that abyss of routine. Rekindle that romance which will keep you buoyant.
About the Author

Lexi is an author on Writing.Com, a growing community where people share their writings and interact with other writers. She has self-published three poetry books since joining the site. You can check out her portfolio here.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/

Wedding Hair Style – Achieve The Perfect Beautiful, But Formal Look

Your wedding day - the one day when you want to look your most beautiful, but how do you ensure that you and your bridesmaids look amazing? This article explains how to avoid disasters and guarantee you achieve that perfect, beautiful but formal look on your special day.

With formal hairstyling trends taking a step back from the rigidly crafted styles of yesterday, today's wedding hair styles are free, natural and a great deal easier to attain than they were a few years ago. But even though this is true, the bridal hair style is probably the most important style that you are going to choose for quite a while so it is best served by a little research and practice before the big day.
On your wedding day, hundreds of eyes will be on you, and your chosen bridal hair style can either complete the picture or detract from it. That is why it is so important to choose the perfect formal hairstyle well in advance of the big day so that you and your stylist can get it right and make custom additions to your wedding hair style. Nothing is worse than a hastily crafted coif decided upon only minutes before the ceremony.
You can begin your search for the perfect bridal hair styles and bridesmaid hair styles by browsing through style books that highlight formal updos and popular wedding hair styles. While looking, keep in mind the style of dress that you have selected and choose wedding hair styles that compliment the style, era and cut of the dress. The same thing goes for your bridesmaids dresses.
Another important thing to consider when choosing bridal hair styles are the styles, lengths and textures of the bridal party's hair. For example: if every member of the bridal party save one has short hair, selecting a French Twist as your only bridesmaid hair style would not be very feasible. But you could do a French Twist on the one member with long hair and select different wedding hair styles for the rest of the party as long as it doesn't bother you that everyone is not going to look identical.
When it comes to coordinating your wedding hair styles for your wedding party, you do not have to choose cookie-cutter styles for each member of the party. Look instead at bridal hair styles that compliment each member's personality, facial structure and hair texture. Let your wedding party members have some say in how they would like to wear their hair and set some practical guidelines such as whether or not the bridesmaid hair style should be pinned up off of the neck or allowed to flow free down the back.
Then, coordinate the individual bridal hair styles by using matching accessories and placing them in similar patterns on each member. These pointers apply for the bridal party only; the bridal hair style should set the bride apart from the others and be more intricate and beautiful than all other wedding hair styles chosen by members of the wedding party.
Once all bridal hair styles have been chosen, have a practice run where all of the ladies meet at the same salon and allow the stylists that are going to do the wedding party's hair on the big day have a crack at crafting the intricate wedding hair styles that you have chosen. While it may cost you a little bit of money to do this, it will save you a great deal of headache on the big day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Barrows is a writer, consultant and businessman with many passions, including helping people to achieve a healthy mind, body and soul. To pick up your free copy of his ebook, jam packed with great hair style and hair care tips and advice, visit http://www.great-hairstyles.com

Moissanite Wedding Set

Sporting a moissanite jewelry set on a bride's wedding day is just about one of the most profound statements she can make.

Sporting a moissanite jewelry set on a bride\'s wedding day is just about one of the most profound statements she can make. The effect that this set will have puts even diamonds to shame. On this day, a bride loves to show off – and nothing can showcase her better than the exuberant sparkle of a complete moissanite ensemble.
Moissanite can be cut to perfect specifications. The extreme refractive properties of the stone allow an experienced jeweler to design wedding jewelry sets with stone alignments that literally radiate fire in all directions. Such wedding sets are usually crafted in either 14 or 22 carat white gold or platinum, since these perfectly complement the moissanite and lend it a dramatic backdrop.
Moissanite wedding sets are eminently adaptable to individual budgets. Most of them are half the cost of a comparable diamond ensemble. A bride can flaunt an extravagant set on her wedding trousseau for a comparatively modest price.
The appeal of moissanite on the most significant day of a couple’s life is not just limited to women’s jewelry. Men’s wedding rings, tie pins and cufflinks sporting the moissanite are becoming increasingly popular. This is not surprising – moissanite is being cleverly marketed as the stone that most reflects a man’s most desirable qualities in relationships. It is among the hardest substances known, is literally \"forever\", shines forth uninhibitedly, is economical, and can be molded according to desire. What woman could ask for more?
Men’s moissanite wedding rings are usually made with two tone white gold/yellow gold, said to be the perfect \"male\" blend. The wedding ring is invariably the only piece of jewelry a man can wear during his wedding; considering this limitation, it is only proper that it features a brilliant moissanite for maximum effect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Moissanite Ring provides detailed information on Moissanite, Moissanite Ring, Moissanite Jewelry, Moissanite Earring and more. Moissanite Ring is affiliated with Laser Engraving.