Wedding Mapper August 20, 2008

Founded in January 2007, Wedding Mapper has become the premier online destination for couples to create an interactive and fully customizable wedding map. The Wedding Mapper map allows couples to share a large amount of detailed information such as ceremony and reception details, lodging, travel logistics, popular tourist sites, and places that are important to the engaged couple through markers on the map. Personalized descriptions and photos can be attached to each wedding map marker. Guests can use the map to plan their travel itinerary, get driving directions, and familiarize themselves with the wedding location. Whether a bride and groom are creating a hometown or destination wedding, Wedding Mapper makes planning the wedding, sharing information with guests and trip planning easier than ever.

In 2008, Wedding Mapper is leveraging its mapping product to create a local platform capable of serving thousands of local areas from San Francisco to Rome, Duluth to Davenport. For each local area there will be honest and engaging content, ratings, reviews, and photos from real brides, vendors and wedding guests, message boards, and other local features. With this new functionality, brides from smaller markets will no longer have to rely on listings from the closest big city. And brides in the throes of planning destination weddings will be able to share information and resources with other brides who have just wed or plan to wed in the same beach or hilltop destination.

No matter where in the world you decide to wed, Wedding Mapper wants to be a part of the inspiration and creation of this special time

Click here to visit weddingmapper.com

Meet Jenny & Michael August 16, 2008

Bride and Groom:
Jenny & Michael

Date Engaged:
May 27, 2008

Where and how did you meet?
We met at Karns High School, where we are both English teachers. We fell for each other, however, in a dirty karaoke bar when we shared the most electric kiss of all time.

How and where did he propose?
Michael proposed while on vacation. We traveled to Utah for a friend’s wedding and later on during the venture, he proposed to me. He had attempted twice, once on a backcountry camping trip (not my shining moment) and once atop Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park (did he really expect me to go ALL THE WAY to the top?). Needless to say, the perfect moment arrived after a horseback ride in Bryce Canyon, led by the most annoying 19 year old who attempted to give us relationship and marital advice. Michael, although visibly annoyed, realized that not another day could pass and he proposed in our hotel that evening. It truly was the perfect moment.

When is your wedding date?
October 18, 2008

Why did you pick Tybee Island?
We chose Tybee Island because it is a special place for him in that it was where he spent his last vacation with his grandmother. We also ventured there last summer, and it was on Tybee Island that I knew, that he knew, we were in love.

Where do you reside now?
Currently, we live in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Describe Your Dream Wedding.
Our dream wedding is, obviously, beachside with all of our friends surrounding us, our family beside us, and barefoot. We are pretty laid back people, and we want our wedding to be intimate, quaint, fun, and memorable.

Interesting Facts & Tidbits About Your Wedding.
We love the beach, so we have secured a steel drummer to play at our reception. We think that will set the tone for a casual, romantic evening.

Lighting – The Illuminating Impact August 12, 2008

Sensational designs focus on the key element of illumination. Simply put “designing the most entertaining and whimsical event requires fantastic and interesting lighting”. Lighting, while so basic, has always drawn the eye in with astonishment.

Whether gazing at stars or showing off that big diamond ring in the light, people are always fascinated by the sheer principles of lighting.

Including lighting in your wedding design ensures the “WOW” factor couples try to achieve. There are several different focal points for lighting. Of course a general room wash, has the most impact as color splashes the walls and transforms a room from a location into glorious space. It’s almost as if the walls disappear and a magical kingdom is created.

Whether you are hosting a wedding reception of 100 or a gala for 10,000, lighting always adds the extra touch needed to warm up a space. Every space has its own unique lighting needs and every event has its own style.

For those a little less dramatic, but still wanting the effect, centerpiece lighting is an excellent option. Up lighting from the base will highlight flowers and elements in the piece enhancing the ambiance of the room with subtle sophistication.

Lighting can provoke so many emotions, whether clean and pristine or wild and bold, there are so many options to add a glamorous shine to your wedding!

Photos Courtesy of Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging

Wedding belles and beaux await August 8 August 8, 2008

By Lucy Hornby- Tue Aug 5, 4:46 AM ET

August 8 promises to be a lucky day for Liu Chuan who is getting married and has a ticket for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Liu and his bride will join thousands of Chinese couples queuing at the marriage registry on Friday, an auspicious day for weddings and births because of the number 8, which symbolizes wealth in Chinese.

August 8 is also China’s big day, when the Olympic Games open in Beijing. Organizers added an extra eight for good measure by scheduling the opening ceremony for 8 p.m. “Chinese are partial to the number 8, and Friday is three 8s in a row – the eighth day of the eighth month, 2008. Also, we picked it because of the Olympics,” said Liu, a Beijing resident. “I got a ticket for the opening ceremony that night, but it was only possible to get one, so I will go to the Bird’s Nest (stadium) and my fiancee will watch it on TV at home.”

So many couples are planning to tie the knot on August 8 that Beijing’s marriage registries set up an online service for couples to file paperwork in advance and speed up the process. An estimated 9,000 couples in Beijing alone will get their marriage certificates that day.

“Whenever you get here, you will have to wait. The bureau opens at 8.30 in the morning and some people will come a lot earlier than that to get in line,” said a staff member at the Tongzhou registry, on the outskirts of Beijing, which has booked 500 appointments for Friday.

But despite the flood of weddings, many banquet halls are facing a drought of bookings. Many Chinese get their certificate and hold their banquets on separate days, and August 8 is usually a popular day to hold banquets.

However, most couples will delay the banquet for another day to avoid being upstaged by the opening ceremony, which will feature thousands of performers and extravagant fireworks.

“We thought about holding the banquet that night, but we figured it was inconvenient,” Liu said.

“Since it overlapped with the opening ceremony, most guests probably wouldn’t have the time or the interest to come to our celebration.”

Couples are also worried that transportation could be snarled up on Friday, when about 100 world leaders attend the opening ceremony, said manager Kang of Jinri Jiari Seafood City, where the banquet room is empty on Friday night but fully booked on Saturday and most weekends through October.

(Editing by Keith Weir)

**Photo Courtesy of Yahoo.com and Reuters

Your Wedding Date on 8/8/08 August 8, 2008

Since ancient days, in many cultures, brides and grooms chose their wedding date very carefully. Some days have always been preferred over others.

Even today in the USA, certain dates are considered more popular than others. Traditionally Labor Day, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, the Christmas holiday season and the Thanksgiving weekend are chosen most often for wedding celebrations.

Two very sought after wedding dates in the last century were June 6, 1989 0r 6/7/89 and August 8, 1988 or 8888. As we entered the new century, 2007 offered the unique date: 777.

777 was an incredibly popular day that has been booked as long as 2 years in advance. Wedding venues and professionals lured brides and grooms with special commemorative offers. 2008 offers not one, but two memorable dates that will probably top all of the traditional holiday weekend weddings. In fact, it seems that 6/7/8 and 8/8/8/will be the other 7/7/7.

We have interviewed engaged couples who chose either June 7, 2008 – 678 or August 8, 2008 – 888 as their wedding dates. We also interviewed wedding vendors, professionals and service providers hired by them. Brides and grooms like these dates because they sound cool, and are easy to remember. and wedding vendors, professionals and service providers like them because they are not only great for business but offer room for creativity.

At the writing of this article, October 2007, couples are booking these days and venues are filling very quickly. Wedding locations such as Las Vegas have already announced special deals for brides and grooms marrying on either of these dates.

8 / 8 / 8 weddings

So you thought that marrying on 777 brings luck and that you missed it because you were not quite ready. Guess what? While 7/7/07 will never come around again in our lifetime, you are blessed with 888. That is right! This date too, though less known, brings its own luck and good fortune.

The Chinese certainly think that August 8, 2008 is a very special day because the digits “888″ is believed to be very lucky number to be born or get married on. It is not surprising then that the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China with the opening ceremonies held on Aug. 8, 2008 or 8/8/8. As East meets West and our society encourages cultures to intertwine, many non-Chinese couples have adopted the significance of the numeral 8 especially in multiples, and decided that it is meaningful enough to be chosen as their wedding date. According to Chinese culture, 8 is a Lucky number that stands for prosperity and good fortune.

Triple it and you got a lucky 888-wedding day. When you take the numeral 8 and turn on its side 8, it becomes the symbol for infinity – forever. This is a symbol most fitting to represent love and the beginning of a marriage. If you consider this as the date for your wedding, you are not alone. Though it falls on a friday, three numeral 8 or prosperity and good fortune x3, coupled with eternity is an extremely popular date for weddings.

To read why Friday weddings are gaining popularity CLICK HERE. So, if you opt for 8/8/8 you must hurry, as many venues and vendors are already booked.

We have interviewed engaged couples who chose August 8, 08 – 8/8/8 as their wedding dates as well as wedding vendors, professionals and service providers hired by them.

Brides and Grooms

Having conducted the interviews, we found out that brides and grooms chose it:

1. To add the blessings of prosperity and good fortune X3 to their marriage
2. To add the symbol 8 that means eternity and make their love last forever 8.
3. To have their lives intertwine with no beginning and no end like 2 rings that when intertwined make an 8.
4. To have a long weekend to celebrate. Of great importance was also the fact that the 8th of August falls on a Friday allowing for: a weekend long enough for guests from far away not to have to rush home, also a weekend long enough for relaxing, un-hurried destination weddings. But for many, having it all while saving money tops the cake, so to speak. As of this writing, even with the growing popularity of the date, most vendors have not raised their standard fees though this may change. Currently, a Friday evening wedding in general is less popular and if you hurry and book before vendors decide to cash in on the popularity of 8/8/08 and can get the Friday deals, you may shave at times, almost 50% off its cost of the same wedding on a Saturday or even a Sunday without looking cheap to your friends. Well, is 8/8/8 a lucky day?
5. To have time for a relaxed honeymoon before school starts. The beginning of August has been a desirable time of year for students and those in the education field to get married. They prefer to wed in the summer rather than during the school year and like the idea of marrying and honeymooning in August so they return from their honeymoons just before the beginning of the new school year feeling happy, refreshed and invigorated. August is a also a good month because wedding guests from afar are more open to travel in the summer and because it accommodates outdoor weddings. Now add 888 and you got a perfect date.
6. To have a date that sounds special. Some of those we interviewed said that 8/8/08 has a nice ring to it. One groom who writes greeting cards and is into rhyme and music said that he likes how OUR DATE is 8/8/8 rhythms. He suggested that putting it into music (he plans to do so,) requires musical notes and an octave is a set of 8 musical notes.
7. To draw from the possible creativity it offers.
8. To generate a unique wedding theme. A few couples just liked the way 888 looks on their invitations and the creative decoration ideas it gives them. Others like the theme for their wedding citing possibilities including the introduction of some Chinese motifs into the wedding theme to explain why this date was chosen.
9. To always remember their anniversary. All, with no exception liked the fact that the date is easy to remember. I can certainly identify with this way of thinking. When I chose to get married on the 4th of July, I considered that the date is easy to remember, we’ll be off from work and that every year the entire country will help us celebrate.

Vendors and Locations;
Wedding locations such as Las Vegas, the wedding capita of the world, have already announced special deals for 8/8/8 brides and grooms marrying in what some establishments there call Crazy Eights Weddings. Wedding Vendors, Professionals and Service Providers are getting ready for 8/8/8 weddings with special offers. For example:

1. One Las Vegas hotel offers an, August 8, 2008 package where All Wedding and ceremony Items as well as the accommodations for the bride and groom on the wedding day are included for only $888.00. Excluded are the accommodations for the guests and the costs of the reception.
2. A local photographer we met at a Bridal Show in Southern California said that he had already received over 20 inquiries about her availability on 888. As the show special she offered her advertised price schedule. When I questioned her, she said that she is considering charging extra, due to the high demand for her services on both 6/7/8 and 8/8/8.
3. Wedding Accessories by Nily offers a complete collection of Swarovsky 888 wedding accessories.
4. A friend of ours who is a local wedding officiant, is already totally booked at her facility and forwards couples to other Officiants in and out of the area.

8 IDEAS FOR 8
So, you plan a day full of 8 s and looking for ideas, Have something special happen at your wedding on 8/8/8 at 8:08. Start the ceremony, or exchange vows or rings, or have the toast to the bride and groom, or the first dance or cutting the cake at that time. Seat 8 guests per table. Serve 8 different hors d’oeuvres, 8 courses in the meal, and 8 sweet deserts. Have eight adults in your wedding party Have eight different flowers in your bouquet. Have 8 items in your centerpieces, Instead of an 8-tier wedding cake you may have 8 single layer cakes placed either side by side or on various height pedestals on your cake table.

Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser – A-wedding Day

The Long and Short of It August 6, 2008

Setting Your Bridesmaids’ Dress Length

When it comes to your bridesmaids and their wedding day attire, the choice is yours! Now, of course you don’t want to make everyone wear something that they absolutely hate. The rule of thumb is that you make the decisions in terms of color, style, shape and length of their dresses.

Although your bridesmaids’ dress length may seem trivial in comparison to the millions of other things running through your brain, it has a subtle but integral part in setting the tone, the theme and the character of your nuptials.

Decisions, decisions.
Though today’s bridesmaids may be allowed to choose a style of dress that best suits their body type, a defined dress length is a statement of elegance for your wedding

When deciding on your bridesmaids’ dresses and whether they should be long or short, you will have to consider the type of wedding you are having (formal vs. informal), time of day and the time of year.

Formal (black-tie) weddings call for floor-length gowns, while an informal wedding (i.e. cocktail receptions, black-tie optional and/or daytime) is the perfect place for a cocktail-length dress, which is usually above, below or directly at the knee. Whichever length you choose, make sure that each bridesmaid is aware and compliant with your decision.

If the ceremony is taking place during the day, keep the dresses at cocktail length, as opposed to evening affairs where short, t-length (mid-calf) or floor length are a personal choice. Sundresses for a wedding on the beach are perfectly appropriate, while a t-length dress is a great option for an evening wedding at home.

When it comes to a climate, consider how it affects your bridesmaids. If it’s 30-degrees, your ceremony will most likely not be outside, therefore both short or long dresses are plausible However, if you, your bridal party and your guests are going to sitting outside in 90-degree weather, with little breeze and lots of sunshine, be kind to your friends by letting their legs breathe.

Straight down the line.
Directly after your bridesmaids purchase the dress, you must specify to all of them how many inches the dress should be shortened from the floor when the shoes are on. Call them directly, or send them an email with the specifics because this is often overlooked, resulting in the bridal party looking uneven.

A floor-length gown should be no more than 1 to 1 ½ inches off of the ground, with the shoes on. Therefore, when your bridesmaids go to their dressmakers, they must have the shoes they purchased for it with them. If you are firm, direct and pleasant in your instructions, they will have no problem with complying, and will look nothing less than extraordinary for your day.

**Bridesmaids Dresses from The Jim Hjelm Occasions Line

Remember, even the most understated ceremony no one plays a more significant role than the bride’s attendants. From the youngest flower girl to the maid of honor, they provide a prelude to the much anticipated coming of the bride.

Casey & Michael August 6, 2008

James had the opportunity to photograph a very interesting, fun and loving couple on Sunday.

Here are a couple of our favorite shots from the engagement session.

Casey & Michael – How They Met:

Shortly before Michael went to boot camp we met at The Cooney’s House through our best man Brendan. Michael wrote letters every week from boot camp and then again once he was stationed in Germany. A few countries and 2 deployments later and we’ve finally settled down to tie the knot.

How They Got Engaged:

After six years of talking about our future Michael officially popped the question upon his arrival home from Iraq, with a ring and a necklace which has an Irish knot symbolizing Love, Loyalty and Friendship …matching the words engraved in our wedding bands!

Interesting Fact:

In honor of Michael’s grandparents, Michael and Casey will be taking the last name of his grandparents at their wedding. That is indeed an honor and a true testament to Michael’s grandparents!

We wish Casey & Michael all the love and happiness that their hearts can hold!

Hello World! August 6, 2008

(re) Defining Moments Joins The Blogging World

Finally!! After months of researching and thought provoking debates…(re) Defining Moments has finally joined the world of blogging. So what is a blog?? Well, we will be sure to find out over the next few months.

Please be patient with us as we get settled in! We will be featuring engagement stories, wedding highlights, new releases, featured articles, tips, and the hottest trends for your wedding!!!

If you have a blogging topic that you would like featured send a quick email to info@unbridledimagination.com