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The time has come — you’re ready to ask your best girl to marry you and make it official. Unfortunately, Hollywood has brainwashed us all into thinking that popping the question has to be over-the-top and perhaps even expensive. Yes, it would seem that most of us girls want elaborate wedding proposals, just so we can race home and tell our girlfriends all about it.

In reality, popping the question should be an intimate moment that is special to both of you. Whether you decide to ask her during a quiet dinner for two or propose in front of thousands of baseball fans, choosing the right spot and ambiance is important when you ask for her hand.

Unless you know your girlfriend will appreciate a flashy proposal, keeping it romantic between just the two of you is the best approach, one she will remember long after a public proposition. Before asking her to marry you, use this list of tips and hints to dream up fabulous wedding proposals that leave her speechless.

The Dos and Don’ts of Wedding Proposal Ideas

Personalized wedding proposals: No girl wants a canned version of a tired, old proposal. Above all, don’t do anything you’ve seen in the movies no matter how much she swooned. This is your opportunity to make it special for her and show her that you know and love her! When the time comes for popping the question, choose her favorite spot, as long as it’s quiet, uncrowded, and romantic. She wants a magical day/night that she can share again and again, so it should be memorable. And never just say, “Will you marry me?” Tell her why you want her to marry you; personalize your proposal and let her know why she is so special to you!

Make the ambiance romantic: Most guidelines on wedding proposals agree that no matter how big a sports fan your girlfriend is, asking her to marry you at a game is probably not the ideal way to go about things. After popping the question, there is no time to reflect or even whisper sweet nothings to her. Keep the chaos to a minimum, so that the two of you can properly discuss this momentous occasion. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t ask her at a sports game – maybe she’s the type of girl who would enjoy a thousand sets of eyes on her when you ask.

Furthermore, this doesn’t mean you have to focus on popping the question over candlelight, but the locale should be – at least – semi-secluded, away from loud restaurant music, gawking crowds, and family. (Always remember that asking her in front of her family or yours adds unneeded stress when popping the question.)

Show a little respect: When discussing potential wedding proposals, you’ll probably meet countless people who think asking her parents for her hand is lame and outmoded. Maybe, but it shows you’re responsible and respectful of her parents and family. Sure, it’s not easy to discuss such a big step, but her parents will remember that you approached them long after. Plus, you don’t have to ask for her hand per se – use it as a way to encourage communication between the two newly merging families. It’s a great way to start working on your in-law relationships!

Make it a surprise: You’ve undoubtedly discussed marriage prior to popping the question. The only thing that should come as a surprise is when you actually ask her to marry you. Previous discussions of merging your lives, including evaluating what’s important to both of you in life and love, is vital to the success of your marriage. If you haven’t talked about marriage prior to the proposal, you may want to brace yourself for a quizzical look followed by a hesitant maybe.

Choosing the ring: Please don’t come unprepared to the proposal. Many women expect to have a ring on this night. It’s not that we need something flashy and expensive to make it real; it’s just that it helps cement your commitment and lets us know you’re ready to take the plunge.

However, if your girl is the type who wants to pick and/or design her own ring, you should have discussed marriage well in advance. She knows it’s coming, and is happy to say yes without hardware in hand. But just take her ring shopping as soon as possible after popping the question!

Wedding Proposals from the Heart

Asking your girlfriend to marry you is an exciting time! Sure, you may get nervous, but practicing those all important words in advance will help to alleviate some of those jitters. Don’t worry if things go awry — remember what you’re there to do – ask the love of your life to commemorate your commitment to each other!

Wedding proposals are a great way to incorporate what your love means to the both of you and should be as unique as the two of you. Cherish the time and make it special!

By: Cherie Johnson

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Your honeymoon, perhaps the biggest and most important vacation of a lifetime, is the opportunity to celebrate the beginning of a new life together with the one you love. A special, one time only trip, your honeymoon offers the perfect chance to splurge on an unforgettable getaway that will please you and the one you love.

If you’re just beginning to consider your many choices for this momentous trip, take a few moments to learn about some of your most exotic and luxurious options. This list offers some ideas for both classic fixtures for the honeymooning set as well as a few little known romantic destinations.

Paris

Nothing says romance quite like Paris, the city of love. Although Europe offers thousands of years worth of cultural landmarks and sites, not to mention charming Old World hospitality at every turn, surprisingly few couples consider it for a honeymoon vacation. However, with cheap booked in advance airfare and a little pre-planning, a jaunt to Paris for a week or two makes for a fantastically affordable and unforgettable honeymoon.

Couples looking to create a truly upscale atmosphere for their trip can enjoy some of the world’s most opulent luxury hotels located conveniently in down town Paris. Relax in posh digs at the beautiful Hotel Waldorf Madeleine and let the concierge set you up with tours or clue you in to the finest restaurants in town or pretend you’re royalty at the famous Hotel Concorde Montparnasse.

More adventurous couples on a shoestring can experience the same breathtaking sites and museums including the Louvre, D’Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral and of course, the Eiffel Tower, without spending an arm and a leg on accommodations. Paris abounds with budget hotels and even bed and breakfasts that offer what some would deem a more genuine experience than larger facilities can offer.

The Caribbean

If the New World is more you and your sweetheart’s speed, consider booking a week long luxury cruise that explores the exotic tropical landscapes and island cultures of the Caribbean Sea. Taking a cruise is a fantastic option that combines all the conveniences and amazing variety of activities of a resort town with stress-free travel to exotic locales.

Honeymooning couples will have tons of fun filled options to choose from while en route to their many ports of call, from mingling at constantly raging deck parties to strolling down whole streets filled with boutiques and restaurants of all types. For those more relaxing times, the happy couple might choose to get a full spa treatment and massage together before heading back to a large upper cabin with a private balcony.

Once your ship pulls into port, you’ll have a whole new world of exciting opportunities to enjoy together. Each island of the Caribbean offers something unique and exciting, but fortunately ships make multiple stops. Popular shore side excursions include tours of tropical rainforests, lounging on pristine white sand beaches or snorkeling through warm life-filled Caribbean waters. For the thrill seeking couples, there’s also ample opportunity for mountain climbing trips or even parasailing.

Hawaii

With the prospect of tropical island paradises on your mind, it only makes sense to consider what may be the epitome of them: Hawaii. Boasting some of the world’s most amazing geographical formations, owing to the volcanoes that built them, the Hawaiian Islands have a reputation for welcoming visitors with open arms.

Happy couples have tons of amazing activities to choose from, including taking close up and personal helicopter tours of active volcanoes, trekking across their dormant cousins or exploring tropical rain forests. Of course, no trip to Hawaii would be complete without ample time at the beaches.

Even though Hawaii is known internationally for its incredible surfing conditions and culture, couples who are looking for a lower key yet still exciting trip might choose to take a guided snorkeling trip along the islands’ rugged coasts that are home to astounding populations of tropical fish and coral.

For an even further hands-off approach, there’s nothing more romantic than a sunset cruise where you just might catch a glimpse of the many whales and dolphins that comb Hawaii’s shores. With something to offer couples of every ilk, the United States’ fiftieth state offers one of the greatest choices for a memorable honeymoon.

When deciding upon the honeymoon that’s best for you and your spouse-to-be, don’t be afraid to think outside of the traditional honeymoon box. Some of the most exciting honeymoons are set in less than stereotypical locations. If there’s somewhere you have both always wanted to see, there’s no better time than your honeymoon to see it.

With a bit of research and diligent searching, you can plan a romantic honeymoon that you and your special someone will share memories of for years to come.

By: Patrick Kane

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Choosing a wedding cake is a long process that can be complicated and confusing, but it really does not have to be. There are tons of choices, styles, flavors and more to decide upon as well as budgets, delivery options and availability. If you do some research ahead of time things will be easier in making all your decisions and selections when you actually choose your bakery. Here are some questions you should ask bakers when interviewing at bakeries and cake designers to determine whether they will be able to meet your requests and needs.

What is the estimated price per slice?

This will give you an idea of what your cake will cost. You should estimate one slice per person and it’s usually better to have more because people love cake and some guests will come back for more if the cake is not served to them at the tables.

What delivery options are available?

Ask if they will deliver to your wedding site and how many hours ahead of time they will do so. The timing is very important because if they deliver it too early your cake may melt if your venue does not have accommodations large enough to store it or they are unwilling to do so.

Do you charge for delivery and what is the mileage/distance range?

Enquire about the cost for delivery and how far away they will go for such deliveries. If you wedding is fifty miles away from their shop they may not go that far no matter how much you are willing to pay, it just depends upon the store and baker as they all have different policies. If it seems like delivery is going to be out of the question ask about when someone could pick up the cake on the day of and then you will have to assign someone from your bridal party to do so.

Can you repair the cake if it’s damaged in transit?

If you’ve decided to have the bakery delivery the cake be sure to ask about on site repairs in case the cake happens to be damaged when they are transporting it.

Can you provide different flavors?

If you plan on having several different layers or individual cakes you may want them all to be different flavors. Ask your baker if this is possible and what the flavor options are. Multiple flavors can be a lot of fun and ensure that all your guests are happy with their dessert.

Do you offer tastings and will you create a miniature sample?

Getting to taste the different cakes is half the fun, so ask if they offer times to taste different cakes also if they will make you a miniature sample cake so you can see what the real thing would really look like.

By: Barbara Dimoush

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Milk chocolate mousse cake melts in your mouth with velvety softness. The chocolate wraps around you and seems to make you feel better. Actually it does, since chocolate triggers the release of endorphins which do make you feel good. It wouldn’t seem that you could improve on a wedding cake that’s a chocolate mouse cake but you can, by adding fillings and frosting.

Custards
An egg-based custard complements the milk chocolate mousse. Combine 1 cup of whipping cream with 2 tbsp. of sugar and two eggs. Whisk until blended. Microwave on high at 15 seconds intervals. Remove the custard and whisk thoroughly between micro waving. When the custard is piping hot and thick, it’s done. It probably won’t take more than two minutes total in the microwave. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla. Let cool and spread on the cake. Intensify the chocolate flavor of the cake by turning the vanilla custard into deep rich dark chocolate. While the custard is still very hot, blend in a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Let cool and spread on the cake.

Fruit Flavors
Any fruit you would dip in chocolate is an ideal flavor for a filling. Spread raspberry, strawberry or orange marmalade on the cake layers as the filling. Combine with a similar flavored frosting for an extra flavor boost. If the cake is going to be served that day, spread the first layer of the chocolate mousse cake with jelly, then with sliced fruit. Melt some of the jelly in the microwave and spread over the fruit slices. Top with the next layer of cake. Decorate the top of the milk chocolate mousse cake with additional fruit.

Nuts
Nuts add crunch to a cake. Turn that chocolate mousse cake into a German chocolate cake by combining walnuts and coconut with vanilla frosting. Or make German chocolate frosting from your favorite recipe. Add chopped pecans to a maple frosting for a taste of Southern pecan pie. Macadamia nuts with white chocolate chips are another alternative. Use mini marshmallows, walnuts and chocolate chips in a milk chocolate frosting for rocky road filling.

Frosting
Chocolate and coffee go together as in mocha frosting. Blend instant coffee crystals in a tablespoon of boiling water and then blend with the liquid of your favorite frosting recipe. If you’re adventuresome combine a dark chocolate frosting with cayenne pepper. The bite and heat of the pepper brings out the chocolate flavor. Create the flavors of a peanut butter cup by adding lightly salted peanuts to a peanut butter based frosting for the filling.

A chocolate mousse wedding with luscious fillings will make your guests and you happy on that special day.

By: Dee Power

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Wedding Toasts are the best way to express fond memories and the finest wishes you have for the newly wed couple who you adore. Marriage is a beautiful bond between two people. Your wedding toast should capture everything you’ve ever wanted to say about these two special people. Whether your toast is humorous, endearing, or a combination of the two–all eyes will be on you during your toast. Make it as effective as possible. If you must, prepare a list of wonderful things that you’d like to share. What’s a funny story that involves the groom or bride? Perhaps you’ve shared an experience with them that has made you laugh over the years. If it’s appropriate to share, by all means share it. By appropriate, of course, we mean something that is non-offensive to the couples and/or their families.

Let everyone see how wonderful this couple is together. Everyone will enjoy sharing a good laugh with the newly weds. It’s not necessary to read from the list you may have created, use it as a guideline to express your feelings. When you’re ready, clank your dinnerware against your glass and stand to make a toast. If you skip something on your list, don’t worry–go with the flow.

Your toast doesn’t have to be long. However, you don’t want to cut it too short. Try to capture everything you want to say within five minutes of time. Recall your list and work it into a monologue. If you have a long history with the bride and groom, go back into the past. Who were they as children? What were they like as teenagers? How did they meet and develop into the couple they are now? What part did you play in all of this, if any? These are all great background details to include in your wedding toast. And of course, you’ll want to wish them the best of luck for many years to come.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a friend or relative of the bride or groom, we’re sure that you have stories to tell. Stand up and tell them. This may be your only opportunity to express your love and gratitude to the new couple in front of all your family and friends. Although newly weds tend to get embarrassed during these stories and anecdotes, they hold them dear to their heart–because they know that they came from a special place.

By: Jen Carter

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