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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Custom Handmade Wedding Invitations Add A Special Touch To Your Wedding

When having your wedding, you'll want to create lasting memories and make it a special experience for everyone involved. Make your wedding truly unique and create a special touch for you and your guests by including custom handmade wedding invitations. Many couples use custom handmade wedding invitations to help introduce the weddings theme to the guests.

Custom handmade wedding invitations should also be created to compliment the theme of your wedding. You'll also want to use the same designs for your thank you cards, program sheets, and any other stationary you plan on plan on giving to your guests.

To start off, just get some ideas from other custom handmade wedding invitations on the web. A quick search will reveal many different kinds of samples you can look over. Many companies which offer custom handmade wedding invitations usually carry a bunch of different catalogs and collections which you can go through. Hopefully, after going over other handmade wedding invitations you'll be able to get a rough idea of what you would like your wedding invitations to look like.

Don't forget to think about the theme of your wedding when you're creating your wedding invitations. It's important to have the same uniform look and feel for all materials you use, just about everything. The custom handmade wedding invitations should include design colors that harmonize with the color and feel of the paper. Also, pay particular attention to what fonts and other graphic designs you want to use. These kinds of design aspects all play vital roles in the overall look and feel of your custom handmade wedding invitation.

If you're feeling really creative, you might also opt to use real dried flowers placed carefully on your custom handmade wedding invitation. These kinds of unique touches will really make your handmade wedding invitation something to remember.
Written by Scott Smith. Find the latest information and news about wedding invitations on the wedding invitation site.

Innovative Wedding Invitation Ideas

Your wedding invitations will tell your guests more than just the words printed on it. It's their first impression and indication of your wedding's style, tone, or theme. Everyone wants a truly unique wedding invitation. In order to do that you'll need to translate your truly unique ideas onto paper. If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, the Internet is a great place to start. Some websites will have selected invitations that only they offer. These websites are great because there is a greater chance that nobody you know will ever have seen such a unique invitation.

Take your time. Research and browse over as many different wedding invitation ideas as you can. Consider the overall theme and color scheme of your wedding. After you've studied these things over, you might consider a few different approaches. You might design and make your own invitations, have them custom made, or order an already designed invitation that fancies you.

If you wish to make your own wedding invitations, the money you could save may be worth the work. However, it can be incredibly time consuming especially if your wedding invitation ideas are more on the elaborate side. If this is the direction you wish to take, make sure you decide so well in advance. You might want to ask for some help from family and friends as the work load could be too much. Shop around at places you can buy your materials in bulk from or at wholesale pricing. And, always purchase more materials than you need as everyone makes mistakes.

Custom made invitations will more than likely be costly. Be sure you know all of the costs involved. Do any of your friends and family members know of anyone with a reputation? That way you'll be sure to get the highest quality. Money back guarantees should be inquired upon in the case that you're not completely satisfied with your wedding invitations. Samples should always be utilized to your benefit. Approve the design before the big purchase is made. The wedding invitation ideas in our heads don't always look the same on paper.

There's no shame in choosing an already well made wedding invitation. An invitation could be perfect for your style of wedding. If this is the case, don't be afraid to save yourself the time and/or money. You still have all of the options you had before, since there are thousands of choices. Invitations printed in thermography, on premium quality paper, will make a wonderful impression on those who receive them. Choose a motif, monogram, ink color, type-style, every last detail.

Choose an invitation that fits you. Many people, including the bride and groom, will keep a copy of the invitation as a reminder of the special day. Give your guests a clue in what to expect at your wedding. To your guests, the wedding invitation they receive will be what kicks off their overall wedding experience. Make it a good one.
Unique wedding invitations with free standard shipping and free e-proof can be found at http://www.americanwedlock.com/ and Vegas themed invitations at http://www.vegaswedlockinvitations.com/

Creating The Modern Wedding Invitation

Long time ago, a wedding tradition such as a wedding invitation was one thing that was as simple to the preparation of a wedding celebration as there came. You simply would write the content of the date, location along with the mention of both sets of parents, pick a colour of paper, make sure you provide an RSVP envelope and send the wedding invitations to all your guests and wait for them to respond yes or no.

Even though the process of sending wedding invitations have not changed a lot, the way the wedding invitation is presented to potential wedding guests have, and by that we mean the presentation of the wedding invitation itself. Wedding ceremonies become more glamorous every year so to keep all things within the wedding setup consistent, the wedding invitation has gone to great lengths to be heard and noticed and to set the theme of the wedding celebration it is introducing. Particularly with the colours, paper style and font style all blending together to create a loud yet subtle approach to the whole wedding invitation industry, one must realize that wedding invitations are the front line of all wedding celebrations, so making a statement with your wedding invitation goes a long way.

The trend in today's society when it comes to wedding invitations is to be contemporary, colourful and yet be a representation of what you want your wedding theme to be, in terms of colours, substance and style. When dealing specifically with weddings in Toronto, Ontario and the southern Ontario region, the abundance of wedding invitation designers have increased 10-fold, all offering their own creative twist to the truly subtle art form of designing a wedding invitation. They all offer unique designs using paper stock, paper colour and ultimately perfect font styles that are consolidated into the wedding invitation to create a look and feel that will initiate the wedding celebration for you.

Choosing the modern day wedding invitation all depends on you. Things to consider as mentioned before include type of paper quality, paper stock, colour themes, font styles and most importantly a unique design that is right for you. A wedding invitation can be made so many different ways, in so many different colours, paper styles and font styles, it is important to coordinate your wedding invitation to the way you want it that feels right for you.

The days of simple wedding invitations have fallen by the waist side just like a lot of wedding traditions don't go quietly anymore. If you are choosing a wedding invitation designer and have a particular style of theme you want, they are always able to accommodate regardless of what they have already created within their portfolio so make sure you consult with them on this one. The best way to get your wedding off to a loud and glorious start is by letting all the guests know that your wedding invitations are a representation of you, and that can come in any shape, colour and/or size!
Rafi Michael
Rafi Michael. Visit his website Canada Weddings

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Wedding Invitations – How To Be Creative Even On The Outside

Wedding invitations are one of the few pieces of mail that people enjoy receiving. It’s fun to open up that envelope knowing there’s a custom invitation inside. But amidst all of today’s junk mail, how can you make your envelope stand out to get your guests’ attention?

There are actually several ways you can make your mailing envelope as unique as your wedding invitation.

Shape - With so many wedding invitation designs available today, you could easily select a uniquely shaped style such as square or tea length. The mailing envelope will then reflect that same distinctive size to fit the invitation.


Style - Another option is to select a Seal and Send wedding invitation style. This all-in-one invitation is designed to be folded into a self-mailing piece eliminating the need for a mailing envelope. The response card is attached to the invitation so it can be easily detached by your wedding guest along the perforation. This also eliminates the response card return mailing envelope and saves on your postage cost as it only requires a postcard stamp.


Color - How about using color for emphasis? Some wedding invitations now come with colored mailing envelopes. In particular, self-mailer invitations often include a colored envelopment. The envelopment holds your invitation card and has a built-in pocket for keeping any extra enclosures. It is then folded up wrapping around all your invitation pieces to become your mailing envelope.


Decorative Seals - Adding a seal to your wedding invitation envelope could be that extra touch you’ve been looking for. Even though your envelope is sealed, you can choose to place a special seal on the back so it gives the illusion that the seal is actually holding the flap down. There are many seal design choices, from monograms to first names to specific themes. Their appearance can be clear, white, silver, gold, embossed, etc.


Custom Wedding Stamps - There are now websites that offer you the option of creating your own personalized postage stamps using an uploaded photo or choosing from ready-to-use wedding designs. This is a great way to dress up your wedding invitation envelopes to reflect your personal style.


You want to be sure your wedding invitation gets the attention of your guests as soon as it arrives in their mail and that it doesn’t get lost in their sea of junk mail and bills. Using any of the above suggestions will surely accomplish this and will start building their excitement even before they see your actual invitation.
Sara Haese is the owner of http://www.printedcreationsweddingstore.com/ where you'll find a great online selection of both traditional and contemporary wedding invitations. Visitors can also sign up to receive her FREE Wedding Invitation Guide.

Top 5 Tips For Wedding Invitation Templates

If you have decided that buying invitations is going to be too expensive for your wedding budget, and making them is the only way to go, then you should find some awesome wedding invitation templates online.
Maisey Template DIY
These templates will offer you an easy and lovely way to make professional invitations and the great thing is that many of them are free. You can also find some ugly ones and ones that do not printout that well, so here are some hints to get it just perfect.
1. Look for the printing instructions.

If the template is available for printing, make sure you have the right size paper and margins that are suggested. Also make sure that it is for desktop printing and ensure that you have the recommended programs and software.

2. Print a few practice pages first.

Whatever you do, do not use your expensive, fancy wedding paper, before you have tried out the design and layout on some plain white printing paper first. Sometimes even if you do follow the instructions the template can move depending on certain printers and word document layout settings. Once you are totally happy with the printing on paper, only do one on the wedding card. Also do one at a time in case there is an error. If you mess up one card, that is still ok.

3. Find ones that appeal to your tastes.

If you choose something classic and simple, it will look more professional than something with lots of color and clip art type images. Look for pretty fonts and classic lines rather than pictures.

4. If you do use color, remember to only print it on white card.

Sometimes the colors will not look professional on color card. If you really want to have the card in a specific color, you can still use the color design template on white first and attach this to the inside of the fancy color card you like.

5. The last tip for wedding invitation templates is to double check for spelling errors.

Get a few people to help you and make sure that everything and everyone's names are spelled correctly. The last thing you want is to find a spelling error after you have printed all of the invitations.

Jhong Ren owns an authority wedding blog and he aims to provide 1 million wedding couples wedding planning help and relationship commitment problems. His Wedding Blog is at Romance-Fire.com
Jhong Ren is the best selling author of the Plan Your Fabulous Wedding Series. Need help planning my wedding? You can find it at PlanFabulousWedding.com
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3 Handmade Wedding Invitation Tips - Why Make Your Own Handmade Invitations?

There are many couples who are tired of traditional wedding invitations which at have been used for hundreds of years. Your wedding day is the most treasured day for all the couples, everything has to be perfect on that special day. Each story is different when it comes to the meeting, dating, and marriage ceremonies many couples experience and therefore, the invitation must also be perfect. This is why most of the couples turn towards handmade invitations.

Invitation


Handmade invitations allow the couple more flexibility to create an invitation announcement that the receiving guest may say "Wow, I didn't know that about them"

The wedding invitation is the first impression of the best day of a couple's life, which guests get a preview of, in the invitations. If it is plain with normal wedding colors and design, the invited guests will presume the wedding will be the same. Also, it may mislead guests expectations, if you are planning a very large formal affair, and send out simple invitations, your guests may arrive under-dressed. When a couple orders custom or handmade invitations, the couple gets to select the mood and style of the first impression of the guests.

Most of the couples that are using handmade wedding invitations, comprise of photographs of the couple. This photograph not only personalizes the wedding invitation, it also offers the receiver a gift to relish. Also if far-off guests have not met your fiance, it will give them a visual on who exactly you are marrying.

When the invitation arrives with this information and photo of the couple, it shows the love shared by the couple. Nearly all of the custom ones are in fact handmade invitations, because the couple wants to include details which can only come from a personalized, handmade invitation. The details that they could want are dried leaves or flowers, ribbons and other decorations can be added to improvise it.
Wedding invitation
Lately, special sayings or quotes are being used for handmade invitations. A lot of the couples share some special sayings, poems or songs which are unique only to their love. Couples have decided to customize handmade invitations with this information. These sayings or quotes are things the couple wants to share with their family and friends. Several couples are looking for something as far away from the traditional as possible, handmade invitation cards are the best.

Handmade invitations can also use a song or a poem to add in all the information of the wedding.

There are a several methods to have a handmade invitation. The cost will possibly increase with the amount of specific info which is required for them. Handmade invitations can be an appropriate request, which requires close attention to all the specific information in order to make the wedding invitation perfect.

Michelle Claussen is a calligrapher who enjoys researching weddings and finding useful, quality information for brides. If you would like to learn more about creating your own wedding invitations, please visit her review on "How To Create Breathtaking Invitations In ONLY 7 Days" at http://www.7dayinvitations.com/WeddingInvitations.htm

Friday, June 6, 2008

Ten Steps To Buying An Engagement Ring

Discovering the right one does not come easy. There are so many options, patterns, sizes, colors and light elegance. Hunting for the ideal ring can be like a discouraging treasure search, but do not worry. Stick with these ten invariable rules and you will be nerveless under the shiny jewelry store lights.

1) Teach Yourself= Prior to hitting the stores, you have got to discover the lingo. In spite of expectations, how can you choose a stone if you don’t recognize a Karat from a carat? Learn the 4Cs and how the 4Cs affect the brightness and value of your designated gem.

2) Begin Wisely= Narrow your searching parameters first and save time shopping. For diamonds, first decide on the 4Cs you want.

3) Set a Limit= Know your budget and stay with it. Remember that you are better off purchasing a tinier, better-caliber diamond than a large, drab stone.

4) Hone In= Pay additional heed to your woman’s clothes and manner of living. Gold or platinumor is it ruby or diamond? Plain solitaire or fancy gem? Try to estimate what she will like and what suits her lifestyle.

5) Rely On Your Feelings= Only, we say again, only buy at a jeweler who has been mentioned as worthy of acceptance or has a immaculate reputation in your community. Good choices are retailers associated with Jewelers of America or the American Gem Society. What kind of feeling does the store present? Is the personnel knowledgeable and unhurried? What are the bring back, fix and replacing policies?

6) Do Not Hurry= Make up your mind when you will propose, then permit ample time to shop about and organize a unforgettable proposal. Keep in mind that once requested, a ring can take approximately six weeks to come through, possibly longer if you are having it customized. If you need to inscribe anything on the inside of the ring, make sure to ask for the inscription when you order the ring.

7) Purchase Diamonds Unmounted= Don’t be confused by the pretty setting. Many jewelry advertisements are tempting you on to the settings, not the diamonds, even though the gem is a humongous 90% of its cost. It is crucial to buy the gem unaffixed, not mounted, so you can check the full stone with a small magnifying glass, usually set in an eyepiece, used by jewelers and horologists that your jeweler can lend you before you plop down a bunch of cash. If the jeweler doesn’t keep loose stones, go to the next jeweler.

8) Talk Terms= Many retailers abusively blow up prices. Don't pay the sticker price unless you have window-shopped and you realize it is actually a fair price.

9) The Hard Part= Here comes the really difficult part, choosing a setting. Take a look at these couple tips. If you want a prong setting, platinum prongs are tougher than gold and a casting is not as strong as die struck prongs. Whenever doable, obtain prongs that are produced from a white metal like platinum or white gold because yellow gold may cause the diamond to have a yellow cast. Be sure the ring’s shank, which is the ring part of the ring, isn’t too fragile and see to it that it is embossed with a quality mark.

10) Have It Written Down= High quality diamonds and other diamonds that are one carat and bigger should come with a diamond grading document. If no document is included, take the sale dependent on an independent appraiser’s judgement. Once you have it appraised, have it insured. High quality and large loose diamonds should come accompanied by a laboratory certificate and a free insurance appraisal.
About the Article Author
Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of diamond engagement rings by visiting: Diamonds
James Ellison

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Wedding Invitations-How to Select, Create and Assemble

The Inside Story on Selecting, Creating and Putting Together Your Wedding Announcements or Invitations

When it comes to planning the content of your wedding invitations, make sure to choose a vendor who provides a wide range of ink colors, type styles, and an assortment of ideas for wording to help you to say precisely what you'd like to. By at least reading over their ideas, you'll be certain that you haven't omitted any pertinent information.

What is really great about buying your invitations and announcements over the internet is that some sites have the ability to see a virtual proof. This will give you the opportunity for you to see your announcement in real time and you can also view what your announcements will look like in print. If you decide to change your mind, you'll be able to make alterations with the type styles and ink colors to get the exact look you want. You may also check out the spacing of everything on the announcement so that you can find out whether or not you pickedthe best design and/or size for the content.

There are many things to consider when you're deciding on your wedding announcements. First, what style of wedding ceremony are you and your sweetheart planning? Is it semi-formal, formal, or perhaps casual? The wedding ceremony style you are planning should be reflected at least somewhat in the type of unique wedding announcement youselect. Realize that the first impression your wedding guests will get on your coming wedding is your announcement, and you'll want it to leave a good impression.

While you might not want to send elegant or fancy wedding announcements because you want your wedding ceremony to be more casual, it will be important to select from high quality stationery. There are a number of styles of wedding invitations to select from. You will find contemporary, traditional, religious, nautical, and many more. There are some created on European papers and some on 100 percent cotton. There are additionally many far less extravagant invitations that still are truly beautiful.

Getting your unique wedding invitations put together will not be as tough or as complex as it may seem when you are getting the pieces prepared to mail. The best thing to do initially is to count exactly what you have got and make equal stacks. At the very bottom of the stack should be the announcement, next is the tissue paper, next is the reception card (if you have one), finally is the response card on top of the response envelope with the flap coming over the top.

All pieces should be facing up. Slip them facing up into the inner envelope (this one is probably lined). The envelope's back needs to be facing you. When you are finished, if you've got all empty piles, you didn't have any pieces stick together or miss any while compiling them. Address these to the wedding guests (just the names, i.e.: Mr. And Mrs. Howard Christopher). Address your outside envelope (the one with adhesive on the flap) and put in the inner envelope. The recipient's names should be facing you when pulled from the outer envelope that has got its back facing up.

About the author:

D. Sibert is an expert wedding consultant who's been helping brides with different wedding planning matters and concerns for more than a decade.She specializes in helping brides with wedding announcements. For a Free Brides Planning Manual stop by: BeautifulWeddingInvitations.com
About the Article Author
D. Sibert is a practiced wedding consultant who has been assisting brides with many wedding planning issues for more than a decade. She specializes in assisting brides to be with wedding announcements and invitations.
APP Manager
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Ideas for Choosing Bridesmaid Jewelry

Choosing the right jewelry for your bridesmaids may seem like something you can rush through, but as with every other detail of your wedding, it’s important to take some time with this. The jewelry your bridesmaids wear is definitely not as high-profile as your diamond engagement ring. However, it’s important to remember that every element of your wedding should conform to the look and theme you’ve chosen, and that includes your bridesmaid jewelry.

Match Jewelry to the Neckline

When choosing bridesmaid jewelry, one of the most important concepts is selecting jewelry that is appropriate for the neckline of the dresses your bridesmaids will be wearing. For example, only choker-style necklaces should be worn with a dress featuring a very high neckline, while a scoop neck or sweetheart neckline will look great with almost any style of necklace. In general, the higher the neckline, the shorter the necklaces you choose should be. With a lower neckline, you can typically choose necklaces of any length as long as they do not extend so far as to touch the fabric of the dress. If you’ve chosen bridesmaid dresses with a halter-style neckline, it’s usually best to forgo necklaces completely, as there is no necklace style that will sit properly around the neck when wearing a dress with this type of neckline.

Earrings, Bracelets and More

Earrings should be chosen with similar considerations in mind as when choosing necklaces. Drop earrings are usually better suited to lower necklines, for example, while studs and smaller earrings will look best with higher necklines. Bracelets can be worn with dresses of almost any style. The only exception is in the case of dresses with sleeves that extend past the elbow. In such cases, bracelets may not suit the style of the dresses.

There are also some lovely options for hair accessories, which will look great with a wide variety of hair styles, and with all colors. There are three main styles to choose from—tiara-style headpieces, hair jewels on long pins that are best for longer hair, and jewels with shorter corkscrew-style pins that are ideal for short hairstyles.

Diamond Jewelry for Bridesmaids

If you have the budget and would love to give your bridesmaids a very special gift of jewelry, diamonds are considered appropriate. Giving diamond bridesmaid jewelry can be a great way of combining two wedding tasks—choosing gifts for your bridesmaids and choosing the jewelry they’ll wear at the wedding.


If you decide to go this route, choosing smaller diamonds is best, both to keep your expenses low and to ensure that as the bride, you are wearing the most elegant and eye-catching jewelry. Diamond stud earrings are a better choice than diamond rings, for example, even if the ring contains only a small stone. Whichever pieces you decide on for your bridesmaids, do be sure to choose conflict free diamonds that are mined under ethical and safe working conditions.

Choosing Styles and Colors

The colors you select for bridesmaid jewelry will of course depend on the overall color scheme you’ve chosen for your wedding, as well as the specific colors of the bridesmaid dresses. You have two basic choices here—you can choose colors that match the bridesmaid dresses for a more harmonious effect, or you can choose colors that complement them, to create accents of color that stand out more prominently.

In general, choosing delicate jewelry styles that feature thin chains and small stones is the best option for most styles of wedding, however there are exceptions. If your wedding is fairly informal, larger, more chunky pieces may be appropriate. Choosing jewelry that complements the location or theme of the wedding can be a great option. If you’ve decided on a beach wedding, for example, jewelry that includes motifs of tiny shells, or jewelry using coral or pearl, is a wonderful way to complement this theme.

Do make sure to get some input from your bridesmaids as to the type of jewelry they’d like to wear, particularly if you plan to make this jewelry their bridesmaid gifts. You may even decide to give different pieces to each bridesmaid, depending on their preferences. If you decide to do this, just be sure that every piece you choose includes the same basic styles and colors. This will be particularly important if your bridesmaids will be wearing dresses of different styles, as you’ll need to choose jewelry to complement the style of each dress.

~Ben Anton, 2007
About the Article Author
Ben Anton is based in the Northwest and is a regular writer for Valhalla International.To learn more about choosing bridesmaid jewelry, visit the our website featuring unique engagement rings, necklaces and other fine jewelry.
Ben Anton
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How to Design Your Own Engagement Ring

You have found the woman (or man) of your dreams and are ready for the next step. You even know exactly what the engagement ring will look like. The problem is, you can't find exactly what you have in mind. It may be time to design your own engagement ring.

Designing a custom ring is not as difficult as you may think. Start by picturing the two parts of an engagement ring -- the stones and setting -- and begin sketching or writing down specifics. Decide the materials you want in your ring and you are well on your way to the ring you envisioned.

The Stones

A first step is deciding what types of stones will be in the ring, how many there will be, and their relative sizes. Diamonds are most common, but your engagement ring can have other gemstones as well. Rubies, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires can all add special meaning.

Some questions to consider when choosing stones: Do you want a large, single solitaire or a center stone surrounded by smaller stones? If cost is an issue, which matters more: how large the stones are or their quality? Do you want diamonds only, a combination of diamonds and other gems, or no diamonds at all? How will they be arranged? Plan the appearance by sketching how the stones will be configured and labeling them by type.

The Setting

You can choose from several types of metal and quality. Each has unique features and appearance. White or yellow gold (14 or 18 carat) are common choices, as is platinum. Titanium is also a viable choice. If you are not already familiar with the differences in appearance and quality, take a trip to the mall or nearest jewelry store. Notice the finish of each and how it catches the light.

Other features to consider are the size and shape of the setting. It should reflect the bride's personal style. Also consider hand size and balance. A large ring can overwhelm a small hand. Conversely, a large hand may diminish a small ring.

Assuring Quality

It pays to know something about quality before ordering a custom ring (or any piece of fine jewelry, for that matter). Become familiar with the 4 C's of diamond quality: carat, color, clarity, and cut. Price should depend on the quality of each attribute. Unless you know the jeweler, do not take his word on these. Independent laboratories, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA, gia.edu), grade individual diamonds. Yours should be certified in writing and come with a certificate detailing it's unique features and quality ratings. Most online retailers that provide custom service list diamond inventory online along with scanned copies of the certificates, so you know exactly what you will be getting.

Where to Shop

Now that you know exactly what you want, where do you shop? Chances are a local jeweler can make the custom ring. But, local is not your only choice. Several online jewelry stores offer custom rings and ship them worldwide. Some simply assemble and ship the ring from a variety of inventoried settings and stones. Others take a more personalized approach by making a sketch or mold based on pictures or a detailed description of what you have in mind. They then create the ring based on the approved design. Search "custom engagement rings" or "design your own engagement ring" to find online vendors.

There you have it. How to design the engagement ring of your dreams!

About the Article Author
More Wedding Help Bobette Kyle-Wagner is publisher at http://www.myonlineweddinghelp.com/ -- a Website helping engaged couples get the most use from Internet wedding resources. The site includes online wedding tips, original articles, and tutorials. Read more about bridal and engagement rings at: www.myonlineweddinghelp.com/rings
Bobette Kyle-Wagner
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