7 Creative Valentine's Day Proposal Ideas

It's no wonder why Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days of the year to propose. It's a day already steeped in romance and reserved for spending together, so half of the work is done for you. But if you're not careful, your sweet Valentine's proposal could border on cliché. If you're one of the millions of guys (or gals!) planning a Valentine's Day proposal, skip the chocolate script on the dessert plate and check out these creative engagement proposal ideas for Valentines Day to ensure the moment is memorable and personal.

How to Plan Your Wedding Reception Music and Make Your Song Selections

Your wedding entertainment can really make or break the atmosphere of your reception. No other detail will command more influence over the behavior of your guests, so you should use this opportunity to elicit the behavior you desire. Thus, whether you want your guests dancing on the tabletops by night’s end or would rather keep the atmosphere formal and elegant, your reception music will help set the mood.

Once you have decided on the type of atmosphere you wish to create, it’s time to hire your wedding entertainment. The overall look and feel of your wedding and your venue may determine whether you should hire a wedding band or DJ; however, either will work in almost any situation.

Shop Around
Selecting your wedding reception music is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, so invest some time and energy in scouting for your band or DJ. Check out local acts or ask friends for suggestions. Other vendors can also provide recommendations. Once you find a few bands or DJs that interest you, check out their websites. Many offer sound clips that will further help you decide. Ask each potential band to send you some sample cds for review.

Meet and Greet
Once you have narrowed your list, set up appointments with your top prospects. Take note of the band leader’s or DJ’s personality. Does he or she have a pleasant manner or grate on your nerves? Also, make sure that your band or DJ wears something that coincides with the overall feel of your wedding reception. Mullets and ripped T-shirts don’t really work at formal dinner.

Plan Your Playlist
Make sure that your wedding entertainment plays a variety of music. You want to ensure that both your 17–year–old cousins and your 75–year–old grandmother will enjoy your wedding reception music and find songs that will entice them onto the dance floor. Supply your entertainment with both a play list and a do not play list. If your vision of your reception in no way involves your relatives performing “the chicken dance,” you must alert your band or DJ so that they will have a ready response when your Uncle Fred requests it. Browse our list of popular Wedding Songs for receptions for ideas.

Consult this complete guide to wedding music for even more ideas and money saving tips.

Unique Wedding Dresses for the Indie Bride

If you’re not the stereotypical poofy white dress type of bride, you may have noticed the lack of suitable alternatives that still make you, well, look like a bride. The Unveiled Wedding Blog reports that a handful of independent designers are answering that call with sophisticated wedding dresses that have an artistic, edgy quality while still being pretty. Seattle-based Chrissy Wai-Ching, an artist who forayed into dress design, specializes in custom hand-dyed silk gowns featuring color choices like golds, reds, blues and greens. San Francisco-based Mignonette Bridal offers custom and ready-to-wear gowns with shorter hemlines, svelte silhouettes and non-traditional colors. Both designers cater to brides all over the nation.

Read more on these unique wedding dresses at the Unveiled Wedding Blog

Wedding Photography Prices – How to Set Your Photography Budget

How much does professional photography cost for your wedding? Learn how to set a realistic photography budget with this guide to wedding photography prices and rates.

The Going Rate for Professional Photography

When determining your wedding photography budget, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. You should expect to spend at least $1000 on having a professional wedding photographer document your wedding (not including the actual prints and other extras). Rates, of course, will vary depending on skill level, experience and geographic region (metro areas are usually considerably higher). The size of your wedding can also affect the photography cost, as additional guests may increase the amount of time that the photographer must spend at your event. For instance, for an event of less than 100 guests, a wedding photographer will typically dedicate four-six hours of time. For a larger wedding of 300 or more guests, a photographer may have to spend eight-ten hours on the job.

Comparing Photographer Rates

Most wedding photographers will give general pricing information over the phone or on their websites, so you can use an initial online search or phone call as your first step towards finding a photographer that suits your budget. In comparing photography costs, remember that different photographers offer different packages - so initial rates can be misleading. Some rates only include the photographer's time, while prints and albums are extra. Other photography packages may include proofs, a set number of prints and an album. Determine what services and options you want first, then compare photographers' rates for providing those specific options to determine which professional works within your wedding photography budget. This article offers even more tips on comparing professional photography services.

Creative Ways to Save on Wedding Photography Prices

If you simply must have a certain photographer who commands higher rates, consider these ways to save on your photography budget:

* Buy a more basic wedding photography package with less prints and albums

* Negotiate and switch out an engagement portrait for an additional parent's album


Get even more ways to save on wedding photography prices.

Photography Contract Points

When reviewing your contract with a potential photographer, make sure that it is specifically clear in what it covers. Consider these questions:

* Do you need to make a deposit?

* What is the cancellation policy? Will you get anything back?

* Is any travel time considered an extra or included in the bill?

* Are you entitled to final prints only, or can you obtain all of the proofs?


Now that you're an expert on photography costs and budgeting skills, this complete guide to wedding photography will take you the rest of the way towards hiring and working with a photographer and planning your wedding day shots.

Plan Your Ceremony Playlist with these Popular Wedding Ceremony Songs

From the moment the guests file in, your music has the power to set the tone for your ceremony. With such a variety of options available and so much riding on the selection, choosing your wedding ceremony music can seem a daunting task.

This list of popular wedding ceremony songs will get you started. It lists popular song selections by ceremony section; prelude, processional,bride's entrance, recessional, etc. - which makes things super easy for you.

Once you've planned your ceremony selections - don't stop there. The same guide lists all popular wedding songs for the reception too!

How to Find the Right Bridal Shoes for Your Wedding Day

The shoes you wear on your wedding day will affect not only your overall look – but your comfort level as well – so brides will want to choose wedding shoes with care.

This article details four easy steps to finding the right wedding shoes. Below are the steps the article walks you through for the perfect pair of kicks to finish off your wedding ensemble:

1) Choose Your Shoe Fabric - the article explains that while satin and silk are the most common, there isn't any rule that brides have to wear cloth shoes.

2) Choose your Color - White is the obvious choice, but some brides are opting to be a bit more original, donning metallics or even using their shoes as their "something blue."

3) Go For Comfort - the article offers some useful tips on ensuring comfortable shoes, including shoe pads, breaking them in, and even wearing more than one shoe.

4) Choose Your Style - some tips to go by: follow the season, complement your dress and the formality of the wedding, and consider the surface you will be walking on at your ceremony and reception.

This complete guide to wedding accessories has even more advice on bridal shoes, veils, gloves, and headpieces.

Super Bowl Sunday and Other Wedding Dates to Avoid in 2009 and 2010

So you’re ready to set the date and want to pick one when all your nearest and dearest will be available and enthused to share in your wedding day. This list of 2009 and 2010 blackout wedding dates will help you avoid booking a wedding date that may inconvenience you and your guests. We're not saying that any of these days are off-limits, (and if you've got your heart set on one of them - go for it!), but you may want to check around before setting your wedding around these types of days (get the full wedding dates list here, including actual dates for all of these holidays/occurances in 2009 and 2010)

1) Days of Religious/Cultural Observance - i.e. Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Kwanzaa
2) Holidays/Three Day Weekends - i.e. Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day Weekend
3) Other Major Holidays - i.e. Valentines Day, Mother's Day
4) Major Sporting Events - i.e. Super Bowl, World Series
5) Potentially Unlucky days - i.e. Friday the 13th, Ides of March
6) Days of Remembrance - i.e. September 11, Pearl Harbor Day