Planning An Amazing Wedding: Your Special Day

You have finally said, "Yes." This is the start of your life as a couple. And prior to that much-awaited big day, you, both the bride and groom have so many decisions to make and wedding-related tasks to complete.

Preparing for your wedding day need not be stressful. On the other had, it should be fun and memorable. And to do this, start off by putting together a wedding timetable.

A short list of wedding-related tasks as well as a rough estimate of when the activities should be done follows. It presents tips and guidelines to keep you organized and help you think of all the matters that you must take into consideration in the course of planning for your big day. Of course, these are mere suggestions. All activities and schedule are still up to the couple to decide on depending on their priorities.

At the Time of the Engagement
- You must tell your parents the happy news as soon as possible that is if they don't already know. If you were having an engagement party, it would be good to keep your close friends and relatives in the know, too.

- An organizer would be best to have in handy. This will help you keep track of all the appointments, payments and other wedding-related activities that you must attend to.
- Have your engagement photo taken. This would be nice to have as a keepsake of this wonderful occasion.

6 to 12 Months In Advance Before the Big Day

- The couple should have already picked and decided on the wedding date. Do the reservation for the venue where the ceremony and reception is to be held.
- Set an appointment with the wedding officiant.
- Establish a budget for the wedding, and try as much as possible to stick to it.
- Prepare a wedding guest list. You wouldn't want to leave somebody uninvited unintentionally.

- Look around for a photographer, florists, musicians, and a caterer. Obtain estimates for these services.

- Register at the bridal gift registry.
- Pick a wedding dress and accessories to go with it. If you are having a seamstress make you one, this is the time to have it arranged. Several fittings may be required for this.
- For the bride, select your bridesmaids. Set a date for ordering dresses for them.

4 to 6 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Have the invitations, stationeries, and thank you notes ordered.
- The photographer, florist, musician, and caterer should have already been chosen. Go over details with each of these services to make sure that everything is as agreed upon.
- For the groom, select attire.
- Honeymoon reservations should be made already at this point.
- Confirm the delivery of the bridal gown.

2 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Plan your rehearsal dinner.
- If you are having out-of-town attendants, arrange for their lodging.
- Make an appointment with your chosen photographer for the shooting of the bridal portrait.

- Order the wedding cake.

1 Month In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should decide on a wedding band set.
- Mail the invitations.
- Check the apparel for the wedding party.
- The couple attends showers.

2 Weeks Before the Wedding.
- It is time to apply for marriage license and attend to other legal matters, especially for the bride - name and address changes on bank accounts and other official documents.
- Plan a wedding hairstyle and make-up with your stylist.
- Check with the caterer and the reception venue for last minute changes.

1 Week Before the Wedding
- Do your honeymoon packing.
- Wrap gifts for the groom and attendants.
- Schedule the wedding rehearsal.
- Remind the wedding party of the exact time and place for the occasion.

On Wedding Day
- Take breakfast! Fainting on the aisle wouldn't be cool.
- Have your hair and make-up done.
- Shake off all your wedding details worries and enjoy your day.

Skincare For The Bride To Be

Since, you don't want to compromise on anything – right down from your wedding favors to your wedding gown and jewelry, why compromise on looking less than perfect on the day itself? If you have problem skin, you can always prepare yourself in advance with solutions from your kitchen while also seeking advice of a skin specialist.

Typically, there are 3 – 4 types of skins and they are:
* Dry Skin
* Normal Skin
* Oily Skin
* Combination Skin

Women who have normal skin do not need to put in extra effort to take care of their skin. However, women who have dry, oily, or combination skin must take extra care of their skin to ensure it is free of skin problems and glows with good health.

While there are plenty of good skin treatments available for mild to moderate skin problems, it's imperative that you employ a good home-based treatment routine. Your skin care routine must include a gentle facial exfoliant, a toner, a moisturizer, and a good cleanser or make-up remover that suits your skin type.

As a bride to be, you’d want to make sure that your home-based skin treatment is good enough to ensure that you look your glowing and stunning best on your wedding day. If you think that you have moderate to severe skin problem, it’s best to consult a reputable and experienced Dermatologist or Esthetician. Check with your girlfriends for a referral. The best way to start professional skin treatment is to begin with a consultation. Don’t fall for ‘package’ treatments instead stick to the traditional skin treatments and always make a decision only after you have researched for the products or medication over the Internet. Remember, whatever treatment you undergo, it’s bound to reflect on your face and body!! So be careful, and make a well-thought of choice.

Having understood the basics, it’s now time to know everything about healthy, blemish-free, clear skin that glows with all its confidence. It’s never too early to begin a skin care routine to ensure healthy and clear skin, even if this means starting a few months before your wedding ceremony.

Let's start with oily skin: if you have oily skin, you need to keep a range of products especially formulated for oily skin at hand. Usually women who have oily skin tend to have a drier epidermis but an oily underneath. Depending on the season you are getting married in have a range of products that you can use during that season to maintain the health of your oily skin.

Here's the ideal routine for oily skin:
Note: Always use non-greasy creams, lotions, etc. Since you already have oily skin, you don't need further lubrication.

Cleanser: Your clean should be gel based. Apply it on your face and neck with soft circular motions and rinse carefully, making sure you splash water at least 10 times. In case you are getting married in winter you can use a creamier cleanser as you skin may become dry.

Toner: Never use an alcohol based toner! These toners will dry your skin surface completely, while locking the impurities beneath it leading to pimples or ever acne. You must never over dry you skin. The best toners for oily skin are those with AHAs.

Tip: Apply cucumber water with a clean cotton pad for a refreshing and clean feel.

Moisturizer: Moisturizing oily skin helps prevent the release of more oil and pimples, since dry skin leads to production of oil. A cream that matts the surface of your skin will give you a clean, clear, and younger looking skin. And that’s what you'd need on your wedding day!

Foundation: If you want to use a foundation as a base for bridal make-up that’ll work. Just make sure you cleanse your face and neck thoroughly before going to sleep. Try to use only oil-free formulas.

You can use a make up remover made especially for oily skin type and use a clean cotton ball to wipe away the eye shadow, mascara, lipstick, liner etc. You must also use a good quality facial exfoliant to get rid of the grime, dirt, and clogged pores. Ideally you should use an exfoliant only twice each week, and concentrate on your 'T' zone (the forehead, nose, and chin).

Finally, if you have followed the routine laid out for you and are still affected by skin problems, run to an expert. A dermatologist will be able to offer you better solutions and ensure your beauty is not just skin deep on your nuptials!

Wedding Videography VS Photography

The Debate:

This is the problem that almost every bride faces: Do I have a Videographer, Photographer, or both? In this post I hope to create a clear guide for a bride to explain the benefits of either service. I understand that it can be a difficult decision especially when the budget is tight. I think that I can do this with as little bias as possible since we provide both wedding videography and photography services.

Let’s start at the basic question: Do I want either?

The answer is yes. You don’t want to have a wedding without recording it in some way. It is one of the biggest events in a person’s life and it’s easy to forget even simple things if you don’t have anything to remember it by. That’s why pictures and videos are so important and should be a priority.

To be frank, a bride doesn’t debate to have a photographer or not; it’s usually a matter of if she is going to have a videographer. I can’t imagine a wedding where there wasn’t a designated photographer, even if it’s just a friend with a point-and-shoot. So I’ll make this quite clear from the start: If  you can’t afford both, then get the photographer. Videography is a luxury that can be greatly appreciated, but you can’t hang a video on the wall…not in the same way anyways.

How much should I budget for wedding media?

I can’t give exact figures because every budget is different but let’s put it this way: How much did you spend on a dress to wear it for a single day? How much did you spend on flowers that die? How much did you spend on food that lasts a few hours? How much did you spend on a honeymoon that lasts a week? How much are you willing to spend on media that lasts a lifetime? 

Because without those pictures or that video all those expendable items of the wedding are guaranteed to be lost forever. Media is what captures all those expenses and helps preserve them in your memories. It’s my belief that a priority and respect should be placed on creating media and that a budget should reflect that.

So let’s assume you have a decent budget put together. You have a few options: Do I spend the majority of the media budget on photography? Do I spend the majority of the media budget on videography? Do I cut it down the middle? Now we enter the real debate.

Photography vs Videography

This part is 100% personal preference and very simple. You have to ask yourself what really matters to you. Do you want to have really super awesome pictures that you can put in a huge frame? Do you want to make it a tradition to watch your wedding video every year on your anniversary? It really depends on which means more to you.

It used to be that photography was THE way to go since video was very much boring and limited to a camera on a tripod. Not to mention that when video first started becoming popular in weddings the quality of it was very very limited. With huge advances in the quality of video formats in the last few years – really creative people have been able to make really creative videos. So wedding videos actually became fun to watch! It’s come to the point where couples are investing more money in videography and less in photography.

The problem that most people are running into with photography is that they aren’t able really remember what the day was really like. Video is able to capture every action and sound of the day.

Conclusion

Photos are irreplaceable in a wedding. What else are you going to hang on the wall of your new home? But if you really want to capture the emotions, feelings, and events of the day you have to choose videography. A photo will never be able to capture a speech or interactions with family and friends.

Our goal at Sky Blue Weddings is to make both options within reach and at an amazing quality. That’s why we started offering both services in our packages. We want to help couples save money with discounted packages when they choose both options. A couple shouldn’t have to choose between the photography or videography because they are both essential to the memories of the day. 

How important is it to be provided with all the RAW footage with my wedding video?

How important is it to be provided with all the RAW footage with my wedding video?

This is an important question that brides face when trying to choose someone for wedding videography. There are some wedding videographers that will provide all your RAW, unedited footage to you on the DVD, while many others would not.

There are two main schools of thought on whether you should be given unedited footage or not. They stem mainly from the wedding videographer themself, and the style that they like to film.

A wedding videographer filming ‘documentary’ style may provide you with all their unedited footage. Their style of filming is based on filming everything from Point A in time to the end, Point B. They may not do much editing for your video and instead choose to provide you with the many hours of footage as their final product.

Wedding cinematography

The videographer who films cinematic style wedding films (‘wedding cinematography’) may choose not to give you the unedited RAW footage. They opt to take a creative, story-telling approach when filming your wedding day. The main goal is to produce a fully-edited, short film that will show off your wedding day to the viewer and evoke powerful emotions such as joy and happiness. Much like a Hollywood producer filming a drama movie, in wedding cinematography there are certain details throughout the day that are captured onto film to help tell your story and to build up the ‘plot’.

In cinematic wedding videography, the little moments are thoughtfully filmed with an intent to be edited at certain points in your wedding video to tell the story to the viewer. These moments may include scenes such as all the workers diligently setting up your reception hall, or a close up scene of the groom nervously tapping his feet while he awaits his bride, or your mother taking a second to adjust your veil before you walk the aisle.

Without any editing, these scenes, which could be up to over 10 hours of ‘unedited’ footage, would just appear to be an assortment of random events that carry very little meaning. If you were to see the unedited footage without seeing the final, edited wedding video, you may even be disappointed and think you wasted your money on a wedding videographer that spent so much time on seemingly unimportant footage!

But the beauty truly lies after the editing process, when the collection of the scenes are interwoven with each other to become your final wedding video. The wedding cinematographer often will spend up to 40 hours carefully choosing the scenes and fitting them, like pieces of a puzzle, into your wedding video.   In the end, the assortment of footage becomes connected to tell a beautiful story — one that you would watch not just once, but over and over — much like your favourite movie.

‘Actual’ vs ‘Perceived’ Value

There are a few questions you should ask yourself when you are trying to pick out wedding videography and if you really need the RAW, unedited footage. They pertain mostly to ‘actual’ and ‘perceived’ value and which is more imporatant to you.

If you favor the ‘documentary’ style of wedding videography, and absolutely need 10 hours of continuous, unedited video of your wedding day, then you should ask for the RAW footage so you can maximize the ‘perceived’ value of your investment — the perception here that the value is getting the most number of bottom-line  hours of footage you end up with.

If the thought of sitting through and watching 10 hours of your wedding video, more than just on one occasion, makes you cringe, then you may not need the RAW footage and opt to hire a wedding cinematographer.  This is where you would favor the ‘actual” value. You’ll end up with less hours of wedding video footage but the final wedding video, whether 5 minutes, or 25 minutes long, of edited footage may show off your wedding day in a much more polished, creative, emotion-provoking, and beautiful way than the 10 hours of unedited footage.

Why Personalized Bridesmaids Gifts are so important

Why Personalized Bridesmaids Gifts are so important

Your bridesmaids were the ones that were there for you calming you down before you went on your first date with the one who is now your Fiancé, and the ones you called the second you got back from that date to share every detail! They’ve been there through it all so it’s only right that you show them how special they really are for you with a personalized gift!

Unique and personalized gifts for each bridesmaid will really show them how much you treasure their friendship and all the hard work they’ve put in on your wedding. They aren’t only there to celebrate your wedding day with you but they are also there to give you their love and support for the rest of your lives. 

A gift that shouts “I appreciate you” is hard to come by and that’s why personalized gifts takes it to another level! Whether they are close friends or family members, having a present that shows their own sense of style or reminds them of all your memories means so much more than a simple necklace. 

Now a days it is becoming more and more popular to order personalized bridesmaid gifts. It is nice to receive a personalized gift from someone that has your name on it or explains your personality and what makes you, well, you!

When deciding what gift fits each individual, base it off of their interests, favorite color or a design that will reflect everyone’s unique different personalities and quirks. Adding their initials or full name makes the gift unique to them and will show all the thought and effort you put in to choosing that particular customized gift. 

A gift itself is special but when that gift has their name on it, it creates a different type of meaning to them. It makes that gift just that much more special. 

We always hear the phrase, “It’s the thought that counts” but why not really make the thought count by showing them you have taken the time to put in some thought just for that person with something they’ll actually appreciate and use. Deciding which gift to purchase for whom can always be a struggle but there are a few custom gift ideas that will work for anyone! 

Custom Gift Ideas

A simple pair of flip flops can be transformed from being just another pair of shoes into being personalized, turning it into a meaningful gift by simply have their name on the flip flops. These can be great at the wedding especially for the wedding party photos. By that time, everyone’s feet are probably hurting so with custom flip flops, everyone can still match and be comfortable. 

There is nothing like receiving a gift that has an extra meaning behind it. When a year has passed and they look down at that special gift from you whether it be flip flops, a bracelet, shirt, etc. it will have a warm spot in their heart, bringing a smile to their face. When it comes to custom gift ideas, there are so many choices it can be overwhelming, just keep in mind the person the gift is for and it will be greatly appreciated. 

Overall personalized Bridesmaids gifts are becoming more popular because it makes that gift appreciated and cherished. Every bridesmaid will have their own personalized gift to remember your friendship with. Nobody will feel as if they all just got one random gift that was quickly chosen. They will recognize each gift has a meaning behind it and was chosen just for them.

www.heartdeeds.com

Vietnamese Tea Ceremony + Wedding

Recently I had an opportunity to participate in my first Vietnamese weddings, which included a Vietnamese Tea Ceremony. 

Before I arrived at the Bride's home, I made sure to research what I would be involved with so I could capture it well on video. Below is the breakdown of a Traditional Vietnamese engagement, wedding, and Tea Ceremony. 

Being a Utah Videographer, it is always exciting to participate in such special moments. 

Traditional wedding clothes since the Nguyễn Dynasty

A wedding in Annam (Middle of Vietnam) in 1900s. The bridegroom's family was going to bride's house to ask her parents to take her home, a traditional process of Vietnamese people.

While traditional clothes of Vietnam have always been very diverse depending on the era and occasion, after the Nguyễn Dynasty women began to wear elaborate Áo dài for their weddings. These dresses were modeled after the Áo mệnh phụ (royal Áo dài) of Nguyễn Dynasty court ladies. The style of the Nguyễn Dynasty has remained popular and is still used in current-day Vietnamese wedding attire. The difference between the Áo mệnh phụ and the typical Áo dài is the elaborateness of its design. The former is usually embroidered with imperial symbols such as the phoenix and includes an extravagant outer cloak. This gown is preferably in red or pink, and the bride usually wears a Khăn đống headdress. The groom wears a simpler male equivalent of the dress, often in the color blue.

Previous to the Nguyễn Dynasty, it is likely that women simply wore fancy, elaborate versions of Áo tứ thân.

Engagement

An engagement ceremony usually occurs half a year or so before the wedding. In the past, most marriages were arranged by the parents or extended family, and while children were sometimes consulted, it was nearly always the parents' final decision. It was not unusual for the bride and groom to meet for the first time at the day of their engagement. However, in the last few decades, Vietnamese women and men marry based on love rather than arranged marriages.

The wedding

Preparations for the traditional Vietnamese wedding first begins by choosing a date and time for the marriage ceremony. This is decided by a Buddhist monk, Spiritual leader, or fortune teller due to the spiritual nature of the occasion. This tradition may change if the family is Catholic.

The wedding consists of an extensive set of ceremonies: asking permission to receive the bride, receiving the bride at her house, and bringing the bride to the groom's house. Both Vietnamese and oversea-Vietnamese who desire to have a hybrid traditional Vietnamese and Western-style wedding will often incorporate the last two ceremonies with the Western-style wedding.

At the end of the ceremonies, there is a wedding reception for the two families and guests.

Asking permission to "receive" the bride

Before the wedding day, the groom's family would make a trip to the bride's home with a gift of betel nuts to officially ask permission to receive the bride. At this time, the bride's family would confirm the wedding and further proceedings would take place.

In actuality, this now obsolete ceremony was used in the past to confirm—last minute—that the marriage would still take place. Due to often forced arranged marriages, some brides fled from home into the country. Thus, this ceremony was more so used to confirm that the wedding would proceed. You must ask permission or else you won't be able to marry. If you ask, you will be welcomed with kind comfort, and a chance to receive your bride.

Receiving the bride at her house

A Vietnamese country wedding

On the day of the wedding, the procession of the groom's family is led in specific order. The first person would be the representative of the groom's house followed by the groom's father, the groom, then the rest of his family and close friends.

In the past, the groom's mother might not take part in the procession as a sign that she would not be a threat to the future bride; she would even "hide" for a short period upon the bride's welcoming to the groom's home. However, this practice has long been abandoned. The number of people participating in the groom's procession varies but is usually restricted to a smaller number (20 or so) to make it easier on the bride's family, which must receive all the guests.

In the procession, the groom, his family and friends bear elaborately decorated lacquer boxes, covered in red cloth. Inside these boxes are gifts representing the wealth that the groom's family will bring to the bride's family. Gifts are betel, fruit, cakes, a roast pig, fabric, and an abundance of jewelry for the bride. Usually, the number of gift boxes varies between 6 or 8, but never 7 or 9 since it is seen as bad luck. However, it depends on personal view and might be reduced to 2-3 boxes. [The number must be an even number such as 4, 6, or 8. The gifts are covered by the red color paper or cloth. In Vietnamese beliefs, the even number and the red color will bring luck to the young couple.]

Upon arriving at the bride's home, the procession lights fireworks to alert the bride's family, who then lights its own round of firecrackers to welcome the groom's procession. Members of the procession are introduced to the bride's family, and the bride's family introduces its members to the procession. The groom presents his gifts to the bride's family, and he is given permission to greet the bride, who is finally brought out.

The permission ceremony begins in front of the bride's ancestor altar. The bride and groom burn incense sticks, asking for permission from the ancestors to bless them. The couple turns and bows to their parents, gives thanks for raising and protecting them. The bride and groom then bow to each other.

A formal tea and candle ceremony along with speeches follow. While tea has always been an essential part of Vietnamese life, Vietnamese tea culture is not as complex or ritually rigid as its counterparts in China, Japan or Korea. A traditional wedding may be the only time in a Vietnamese person's life that a formal tea ceremony is essential.

The bride and groom, in front of all their guests, will turn into their parents. Each parent will then give advice about marriage and family to the couple. A candle ceremony will follow, symbolizing the joining of the bride and groom and the joining of the two families. The groom's gift boxes filled with jewelry will be opened by the groom's mother, who will then put each piece on the bride for good fortune.

Due to Western influence in the concept of wedding rings, modern weddings still include the giving of jewelry to the bride but are followed by the exchange of wedding bands between the bride and groom. However, Catholic Vietnamese families reserve the exchange of wedding bands for the separate church ceremony.

Bringing the bride to groom's house

As the procession arrives back at the groom's house, the groom's family members that did not take part in the procession but remained at home will light firecrackers in celebration. The newlyweds will be brought to the groom's ancestor altar, where another ceremony takes place and the bride is introduced to the groom's relatives. Finally, the bride is brought to the couple's room and shown their marriage bed.

The reception for the bride and groom's family and friends

Following the ceremony at the groom's house, all of the bride and groom's family and friends are invited to a reception that traditionally takes place at the groom's house.

Nowadays, however, the reception occurs immediately after the procession ceremony to the bride's house, and takes place at any desired location---such as either couple's house, a restaurant or a hotel banquet hall. It is not until after the reception that the bride is brought to the groom's house. The vast majority of newlyweds also have their own place. If so, they simply go to their house.

The number of guests in attendance at these modern-day receptions is large, usually in the hundreds. Elaborate 7 to 10 course meals are served, often starting with cold platters then followed by hot dishes such as seasoned lobster, seafood hot pot, and other Vietnamese and Chinese banquet dishes, often ending with dessert or a fruit platter.

Traditional Vietnamese wedding gifts

Guests are expected to bring gifts, and it is traditionally in the form of money in an envelope. Immediate family, usually gives more money to the bride and groom. At one point during the reception, the bride and groom will go from table-to-table to thank guests for their blessings and sometimes collect the envelopes. Most couples however leave a box at the sign-in table for guests to drop in their envelopes and cards, although this is frowned upon by older traditional conservatives. Occasionally, the family and guests' monetary gifts will cover more than the cost of the wedding and reception.

The bride's change of dress

In modern weddings, brides usually change into three different gowns during the reception. Her dresses are usually composed of the Western white wedding gown, a second Western dress to be worn at the end of the evening during the dancing, and a third traditional Áo dài to be worn during the traditional table visits to personally thank the guests for coming.

Utah Wedding Videographers

Six Easy Steps for Writing a Personal Wedding Song to Your Wife

Husbands can create a loving environment and successful marriage by showing their wives how much they are loved and cherished. In his ground-breaking book, "Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars," John Gray outlined the important differences between men and women. One of his key findings is that wives love to be touched and held. Wives love to be told, in a gentle and humble way, how important they are to their husbands. One of the most touching ways that a husband can show honor and respect to his wife is to write a personal wedding song for her. No matter if a husband has been married for a month or longer than 50 years, he can renew his marriage every day with a personal wedding song.

ìWhat me sing? No way!î most husbands may say. ìI canít carry a tune, let alone do a solo.î While it may seem challenging, a personal wedding song is simply a love poem set to music. I know from personal experience of writing, recording and singing a wedding song to my wife, that it can be done. When I started, I had no guidance, just a gut intuition. All it takes to get started is to know what steps to take and then take the first step. Here are six steps every husband can take to show his wife what a treasure she is.


Step One.  Acknowledge Your Wife

Write down five attributes that you love about your wife and admire her for. What five would you choose? Is she, an excellent listener, your best friend? Does she have a friendly and warm smile or a hilarious sense of humor? Does she love to surprise you?  If you can list ten or more things, all the better.


Step Two:  Write Down the Special Things She Loves

What does your wife treasure?  My wife Cheryl loves purple, she loves to hold hands and be hugged, she is very action oriented, she is so thoughtful, she never forgets a family memberís birthday. She loves greeting cards, music, plays, going out to dinner. She is very wise about relationships. A personal wedding song should focus on what is unique and special to your wife and your relationship.


Step Three:  Put Yourself and Your Feelings into the Song

I wrote a personal wedding song for my wife after 14 years of marriage. I titled it ìSong of Our Marriage.î I wrote a touching refrain that honored her with a title, her role in my life and what that has done for me. The lyrics to the refrain go like this:

ìTeacher of wisdom, youíve shown me Godís face, your strength is gentle and fine as white lace. You listen with heart strings that sing out a song, itís your love that makes me feel strong.î

Using your list in Step 2, choose several of your wifeís best traits and write down what they mean to you. If you need help with rhyming, you can get a Rhyming Dictionary. Or you can read books of poems or search the Internet through a Google Search to get a starter idea. Make sure to personalize your words, though, so that they come from your heart. You want to be authentic; a cheap copy of someone else passed off as your own may work against you.

Step Four:  Make It Simple: Two Verses and a Refrain (more if you can)

Make your personal wedding song easy to sing, but unique to your wife. For example, remember the poems that start, ìRoses are red, violets are blue?î You can expand that phrase into a verse, like:

"Roses are red, violets are blue,
I canít see myself living without you.
You are my wife, the crown of my life,
my life would be empty without you.î

Step Five: Use a Familiar Tune for the Music

Did you know that is acceptable to "borrow" a melody (as long as you donít sell it or claim it as your own) for your personal wedding song? In fact, if your wife has a special song that she likes, you might learn how to write lyrics that go along with it. If you get serious, you could find a musician or studio to help. When I wrote ìSong of Our Marriage,î I figured out the melody by humming it, plunking out the keys on a piano and then finding a studio that produced the accompaniment. Use the Internet to find someone who can help. With downloadable MP3 files, you can actually produce a song on your PC.

Step Six: Sing the Song to Your Wife and Frame the Lyrics

Now comes the most important part ñ the delivery. Donít write a personal wedding song and then stick it in your golf bag. Perform it for your wife. Record it. Frame the lyrics and hang the song in your bedroom or kitchen. For ìSong of Our Marriage,î I created even a photo album with pictures of my wife in Lilac Park, in Disney World, with her friends, and more in several sections. Each section of the album reflected the verse and refrain from the personal wedding song.

There you have it, six steps to writing a personal wedding song for your wife. It takes work. If I can do it, you can do it too. Go ahead, take a risk. Your wife will be deeply moved by your touching gift and care for her.

Wedding Videographers Utah