There are so many details concerning a wedding that you need to use a wedding checklist to be sure you don’t forget anything important that may ruin the day.

If you plan carefully using a wedding checklist chances are the special day will be a joyous experience. Your list can be tailored for your specific needs and desires which will help relieve the inevitable stress as the day gets closer.

If at all possible six to twelve months before the wedding day your checklist should include the actual wedding date and time, lining up a florist and a caterer and also a photographer and a DJ. You will need to reserve the church and a location for the reception.

Your wedding checklist needs to include other important details such as, choosing who will be in the wedding party and ordering the invitations. You need to pick out a wedding gown, the wedding attendant’s dresses and the attire for the groom and groomsmen. And of course the all important wedding rings.

All of the above are the most major things that you should arrange for as early as possible.

On you wedding checklist be sure to put reminders for details that will be happening closer to the date. Like ordering your wedding cake, flowers, sending out the invitations and final fittings for everyone’s wedding attire. You also need a reminder to place a wedding announcemnet in your local paper.

There are other many other things that need to be on your wedding list such as, deciding on music for the wedding, a guest book, printed knapkins, thank you cards, wedding favors, decorations and a limo service.

About a month to six weeks before your big day you should go over your wedding checklist to make absolutely sure you haven’t forgotten anything.

There are, of course, many more things than those listed above that you will need to put on your specific wedding planning checklist that are personal to your wedding, but the above will give you an idea of the things you need to include.

If you can afford it the top thing on your wedding checklist should be hiring a Wedding Planner to help you plan your special day. This can take a lot of stress off of you and your family and allow you to relax and enjoy the process and the actual wedding day.

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When little girls spend their math classes daydreaming of weddings (instead of winning the World Series — not to say you can’t do both), what do they dream of first? The perfect wedding dress, of course: a gown in white satin with a bustle and sweeping train, the perfect embellishments, and the perfect shoes.

Many of these brides are lucky. They may search high and low, braving chilly department stores and pushy bridal shops, but eventually they come face-to-face with The One. They know this is The One because they start crying, or their mother or friends all start crying at once. Suddenly the rest of the planning … the theme, the tone, the right kind of venues … it all springs to life.

Other brides aren’t as fortunate. They’ve searched just as hard, working their way through shops across three or four states, but they haven’t found The One. Instead, they’ve found three or four Contenders, all of which are serviceable and nice, but not earth-shattering enough to tell them that now is definitely time to stop the searching and get on with the planning. These brides have it harder.

Even if you’re the first kind of bride, buying the dress is such a momentous decision that you run a risk of falling into that wallet-skinning category known as the Two-Dress Bride. Here are some tips for picking the perfect dress and avoiding that awful fate.

1. Bring the entourage, but don’t buy. It’s fun and useful to bring your mother, friends or sisters on the dress-shopping expedition. It gives you a buffer against an overbearing sales staff, and it’s fun to see if your impressions of perfection are shared by your loved ones, not to mention how they’ll love being part of such an important decision. But no matter how enthusiastic everyone gets over a certain dress, don’t buy in the heat of the moment. Give yourself time to reconsider and buy with a cool head later, alone. The vast majority of dresses are non-returnable, so when you’ve bought it, you’ve bought it.

2. Don’t buy too early unless you must. Bridal gowns can take four to ten months to come from the manufacturer, but there’s no reason to buy over a year ahead of time, unless your chosen style is going to be discontinued. Give yourself some time to sit on your decision. Once you pick a gown, you’ll see a hundred others nearly like it. You’ll become a walking encyclopedia on that style of gown. All the better if you still have room to choose.

3. If you’ve bought “The One,” stop shopping. Any more window-shopping at this point will only lead you down the road toward the dreary land of Two-Dress Brides. What you need to do instead is remember that blissful feeling of having tried on The One. Go get The One out of the closet, put it on and stand in front of the mirror. You’ll remember exactly why it’s The One.

4. If you’ve bought “The One” and can’t stop shopping, get a second opinion. Show your first and second choices to other brides. Be honest — tell them you’ve already remortgaged your condo for the first dress, but you think this second dress might be It. They’ll be truthful, too — the first one was better. You’ll feel reassured.

5. Don’t tell yourself “I’ll sell the old dress and choose a new one.” This old saw of the Two-Dress Bride just won’t work. You’ll never get more than a fraction of what you paid for your first dress if you bought it new.

6. Don’t be afraid to aim high — no matter what your budget. Some brides knew from the start they wanted a designer label, but life just didn’t cooperate by making them heiresses. Yet all is not lost if you’re willing to shop courageously. At any given moment, a better-heeled bride is selling her once-used St. Pucchi or Ulla-Maija on eBay. She paid thousands upon thousands, but you, smart shopper, will pay half that or less. To take this road, you must shop earlier than other brides so you’ll have a choice of gowns. Always pay with a credit card so you’ll have recourse if the dress doesn’t arrive in acceptable condition, and again, shop early so you can buy another if necessary. Shop courageously, but not recklessly.

7. Shop online, but never send a check. Bridal gown businesses sometimes have a way of disappearing overnight. No matter what the proprietor tells you, never make a purchase as large as a wedding gown without the chargeback protection of a credit card. If they say they can’t take plastic, move on.

8. Don’t hold out forever for The One. Some brides never find The One. What they do find is a few dresses they look beautiful in. If you’re this bride, try starting your planning from the theme instead of the dress. You’ll probably eventually get sick to death of dress shopping. When that happens, “good enough” really will be good enough. Concentrate on other aspects of the wedding that mean a lot to you, like the venue, the food, or the inevitable adoration of your soon-to-be husband.

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Delivering a perfect best man wedding speech is a challenging responsibility for many men. While developing such a Best Man’s Speech, one of the main dilemmas many “Best Men” face is to decide on whether to crack everyone up or to keep it safe and serious. There are many people who are not good in public speaking and doing so make them nervous. And if such people were asked to be the best man or the maid of honor at the wedding, he/she may panic. But is it such as a big job to deliver a speech to the public. No! You can also deliver a great speech, you are fearing as you haven’t tried to deliver one before. What you need to do to give a good speech at the wedding is some preparation and be aware of the subject you are going to talk about. If you are well aware of the topic you can easily give a great wedding speech – here “best man wedding speech” – and keep the interest of your audience.

· Prepare yourself about what you are going to say. Take your time to think about what you want others to know about the groom and the bride, and what you wish them for their future.

· It is always a good idea to write it out (it is not necessary for you to carry the written point to the wedding, but writing is always appreciated as it will help you to remember and note the points once more)

· Identify yourself and your relationship with the groom and bride. This is quite important as everyone will not be aware of who you are.

· Speak clearly, slowly, and loud enough that everyone need to hear what you are speaking.

· Start your speech by thanking the parents of groom and bride if they have paid for the event. If the groom and bride are footing the bill themselves, don’t forget to thank them for organizing such an event and inviting everyone to share the occasion.

· It is also a good idea to tell a story, funny one-liner or a joke, or use an inspirational quote.

· Let your guard down. It is ok to show your emotions. This is one of your good friends wedding, if not your best friends. It is even ok to cry or becoming emotional.

· Keep you best man wedding speech short, to say 5 to 10 minutes.

· Finally, end the speech with a message of hope and congratulate the proud groom and blushing bride.

Nowadays there are several websites which offers free best man speech with good examples of wedding speeches given by a friend or a relative, and of course you will find humorous free speeches also. Most websites also offer some of the classic short wedding toasts, touching wedding toasts, and humorous wedding toasts you can find if you look around a bit.

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Any of the Hawaiian Islands are always an excellent honeymoon choice. Whether you decide to do a little island hopping and visit several islands or spend your entire honeymoon on one island you are bound to enjoy an extremely romantic destination. The pristine and uncrowded beaches and warm, sparkling blue water are just a few of the benefits of honeymooning in Hawaii. Hawaii also has a culture all of its own and offers its guests the feeling of being in a foreign land.

Although it is more expensive than most other popular locations, Bora Bora is another truly romantic honeymoon destination that is well worth the price. It is an out of the way location that is not frequented by many tourists like some other popular honeymoon destinations. The relative serenity of the islands creates an atmosphere that is wonderful for relaxing with your new partner.

Colorado is another romantic honeymoon destination. Although the majestic mountain ranges and availability of cozy cabins in the woods make Colorado a romantic getaway location, it is truly famous for its abundance of winter sports. Choosing to honeymoon in Colorado affords a couple a romantic destination that also has a variety of adventure activities available.

Las Vegas can also be a romantic honeymoon destination. Although it is known as, “Sin City,” and is famous for its ostentatious glamour and gambling, Las Vegas can also be a romantic location for a couple enjoying their first few blissful days of marriage. The area offers a wealth of beautifully appointed hotel rooms in a variety of styles. This variety ensures that there is something for every couple in Las Vegas.

European locations such as England, Spain and Italy are also popular romantic honeymoon destinations. The traditions and culture that surround these areas make them unique in offering a couple the chance to surround themselves with the allure of history. Additionally if the couple does not speak the native language, it gives the couple a sense of being all alone even in a crowd which lends itself beautifully to the romantic atmosphere.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Mexico is another popular romantic honeymoon location. In particular the Riviera Maya offers a couple a multitude of beautiful beaches that are relatively empty compared to the crowds found in other areas of Mexico such as Cancun. Many of the resorts in the Riviera Maya are all inclusive and some even offer room service free of charge.

Although, it is known more for innocent fun and adventure, Florida can also be a romantic honeymoon destination. Florida offers an assortment of entertainment options from beaches to theme parks and nightclubs. Enjoying an afternoon of rides and attractions at a theme park is an excellent way for a couple to grow closer together. Newlyweds are sure to find everything that they are looking for in Florida.

Costa Rica is another romantic honeymoon locale that offers couples so much more than just beautiful beaches and sparkling waters. Costa Rica is an excellent choice for a couple who is looking for both romance and adventure on their honeymoon. Here you can spend your days kayaking, white water rafting or scuba diving in some of the most beautiful waters around.

New York City is another romantic destination for newlyweds to spend their honeymoon. There is so much to see and do in the city that a couple may find themselves wishing to come back for the first anniversary. New York City offers a variety of elegant restaurants, an extensive theater district and one of the best locations in the world for people watching.

Caneel Bay in the US Virgin Islands is another beach location that is a romantic place to honeymoon. Caneel Bay offers a gorgeous setting that is unparalleled in its beauty. This picturesque location is the perfect place for a couple to relax in the sun and enjoy each others company.

Although beach locations are some of the most popular honeymoon location destinations there are also other popular choices for a romantic getaway. Colorado, Las Vegas, Europe and New York City are just a few of the other popular destinations that are perfect for enjoying a romantic honeymoon that also offers a little something extra.

Now that wasn’t hard at all, was it? And you’ve earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert’s word on honeymoon.

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My kids, who are delightfully self-entertaining, went about their business for the first few hours, checking in on me occasionally to see if I needed anything. As the day wore on, they realized that I was a sitting duck. They set up camp on my king size bed, and we proceeded to have some very deep and thought-provoking conversations.

This became evident to me several summers ago, when I spent 6 weeks suffering with a severe case of hives all over my body. When the itching first began, the only way to find relief was to lie absolutely motionless.

I doubt these interactions would have occurred if I had been my usual productive and bustling self. I probably would have interrupted the quiet time that was necessary for their questions to emerge in order to jump up and fold the laundry before it wrinkled.

I hardly ever sit still when I’m healthy. There’s always so much to do. Hives taught me lots of important things … not the least of which is that the world will not collapse if I don’t hold it up. Sure, I fell behind on things. For the first time in my life I left phone calls unreturned, and dishes in the sink, and laundry wet and wrinkled for days.

But the sun continued to rise and set anyway. I didn’t lose any friends due to my poor response time. And my kids learned how to take care of dirty dishes and clothes.

My son is a budding chef, and he had lots more freedom in the kitchen when I wasn’t there telling him what to do or how to do it better. He was so proud to serve us the delicious meals he had prepared.

I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our kids is drop out and let them experience their own competence. My kids blossomed during my down time. I think it was really great for them to feel needed and important; to make a contribution to the family that really mattered.

Yeah, it’s sad that it took a nasty case of hives for me to realize that I was not giving them enough opportunities to experience their own competence, but so be it. Now I know. True confessions of a compulsive caretaker.

Testing my lessons learned, I asked my son if he would fix a towel hook that had fallen off the wall. He seized the mission with zest, gathering all his tools together and tackling the problem with great concentration.

I stayed busy elsewhere in the house and left him alone. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he came to tell me the job was done. Not only had he fixed the hook, but he had even cleaned up the mess and put all the tools away!

I’ve realized that the best way to love my kids has changed as they’ve grown older. It’s not so much about taking care of them anymore. Now they need opportunities to discover their ability to take care of themselves.

I’ve graduated from being their source to being their resource. My job has changed from doing things for them to expressing my confidence that they can learn to do things for themselves.

Just in the nick of time, too. I’ve been craving uninterrupted opportunities to write and think and meditate. I’m relieved to know that I can take this time for myself without feeling that I am depriving them somehow.

I guess I needed the reassurance that it was ok, even good for them, that I wanted space to myself. Mama Bird at some point needs to get tough on her babies while getting them ready to fly. Maybe Mother Nature gives her a helping hand by offering her the tool of irritation to toughen her up so she does what must be done.

Traditionally it’s been hard for me to trust that even my irritation could be ok. Once more, I have been reminded that all is truly as it should be. And for that, I am grateful.

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