To ensure happiness and financial security in any economy, you should be thinking about your financial future today. And, the good news is that taking the necessary steps to a sound financial future is not as complicated as you might think. Here are some things to discuss as a couple, as suggested by financial experts at SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc:

1) Come up with a Budget
You may have your own budget, but now you are planning income and expenses for two. If you combine your income and expenses, you will need to combine your budgets as well.

Be prudent with your spending. Write down everything each of you spends per month and cut back on non-essentials. Take into account housing, food, utilities and transportation, as well as student loans, credit card balances, car payments, taxes and if applicable, alimony and child support. For further tips on creating a sustainable budget read “Become Your Own Financial Advisor: Tips on Planning a Budget and Sticking to It” at www.sbliusa.com.

2) Begin an Emergency Fund
An emergency fund helps ensure that you and your partner are secure should something happen, such as a job loss or serious health issue. You should agree on how much you want to save for a “rainy day.” It’s a smart idea to save between 5 and 10 percent of your salary in a joint savings account. To avoid the temptation to spend your savings, consider having the money automatically transferred from your checking accounts. Aim to save 3 to 6 months of living expenses.

3) Purchase Life Insurance
According to a study conducted by LIMRA International 48 million Americans either, don’t own life insurance and believe they should, or own life insurance and believe they need more. Purchasing life insurance will give you the peace of mind of knowing your loved ones will have money to help maintain their standard of living should anything happen to you. To access a variety of financial information and tools, as well as to learn more about life insurance and get a free quote, speak with the experts at SBLI USA.

4) Create a Plan for the Future
Take the time to create a written financial plan with clear goals. The plan should include specific and realistic steps to achieve your dreams, including buying a home, starting a family, taking vacations and retirement. Decide what additional investments you’d like to make apart from your regular savings such as maximizing your 401(k) or IRA contributions.

Using financial planning software, such as Quicken, can help with keeping track of your expenses and investments. Decide what your tax filing status will be for the year. Make sure you consider the difference between married filing separate versus joint filing, based upon your particular circumstances. Consult your tax advisor if you are unsure.

5) Pay Down Debt
Credit card debt is the number one obstacle to a secure financial future, and knowing both of your credit scores is essential. You’re allowed one free credit check annually with each of the major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Order reports and go through and correct any inaccuracies. This will help you both get a loan at a lower rate when it comes time to borrow money for a house, car or other major purchase.

Getting married is an opportunity to get a fresh start on your financial well being. These types of wealth-building efforts are extremely beneficial, and create a solid foundation to a long, happy marriage.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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With all the elements that go into planning a dream wedding, it doesn’t take long to realize that details can add up — not only when it comes to spending, but also when it comes to storage space. After all, who wants to end up with 250 pink linen napkins once the big day has passed?

Renting materials for your wedding from an American Rental Association (ARA) member rental store is one way to solve this problem. Not only is renting often a more economical solution, it also eliminates the storage issue.

“Renting will not only cut down on storage, but you can lower the cost of your wedding too,” says Becky Baumgartner, owner of Aero Rental and Party Shoppe, in Iowa City, Ia. “People often come in to look for materials to buy for their wedding, and I’ll say to them ‘How important is this to you, because it’s more affordable to rent.’ ”

Renting materials for your wedding also gives you access to the latest styles in decor, table settings, linens, chair covers and other things. According to Baumgartner, people often don’t really realize the vast variety of items you can rent for weddings.

In her many years helping couples plan weddings, Baumgartner has learned plenty of lessons. Here are some of her most helpful tips to keep in mind when renting materials for your wedding:

* It’s much more affordable to rent the equipment than to buy it. Chances are you will never use half the things at your wedding again so why would you waste storage space and money?

* You can rent anything you need for your wedding, from a backdrop to hide the wall color at the hall to champagne fountains to holders for the unity candle. Check with your local rental store; they may even sell invitations.

* Rental store employees can help you think of things you might have forgotten. Let them help you in the planning process to make sure that you have everything you need for your big day.

* Unlike halls and churches that need to be booked at least a year in advance, generally you only need to reserve the rental equipment six to seven months in advance.

* Some rental stores allow you to pick up the rental materials on Thursday evening and drop them off on Monday morning for no additional charge. That way, you don’t have to worry about pick-up and drop off on your wedding day.

* A rental store will provide you with more options, in terms of color and design, than a reception hall will.

When it comes to planning your wedding, don’t let the cost wipe out your entire savings account — rent your wedding materials. To find your local ARA member rental business, visit www.RentalHQ.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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You don’t have to have a wedding program, of course. But there are certain situations where having one is a good idea. If you have a large wedding with many attendants, the program is recommended because you can list all the attendants’ names, along with each attendant’s relationship to the bride or groom. Out-of-town guests who may not know the entire wedding party will appreciate the chance to “meet” the attendants via the wedding program.

Another useful purpose for a program is to thank those who have contributed toward making the wedding day special. If friends or family have provided music, photography, flower arrangements or some other service or product to help defray wedding expenses, a mention of the couple’s gratitude for this gift in the wedding program is an appropriate way to express thanks to the donor.

What Every Wedding Program Should Include

At a minimum, every program should include several essential components:

The wedding date; the time of the wedding need not be included.

The name of the bride and groom; be sure to use the bride’s maiden name.

The order of the ceremony: wedding guests will appreciate knowing what’s coming next in the wedding and how much longer they need to remain quietly seated.

Members of the bridal party: here, include the names of the officiant; the couple’s parents, step-parents, and grandparents in attendance; names of the attendants, best man, and maid or matron of honor.

Beyond those basics, the rest of the wedding program is really up to the bride and groom. Some couples include lyrics to songs sung during the ceremony. Others include a special poem or quotation that is meaningful to the couple. Practical wedding programs include the location of the reception, along with a map or driving directions from the church to the reception.

Wedding programs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some are individual cards, with an elegant border and decorative bow in the colors of the wedding. Other programs are cardstock folded in half or in thirds. Still others are fashioned in the shape of a fan or, for a fun touch, on a popsicle stick handle.

Wedding programs are easy to make yourself. If you or your bridesmaids have experience with paper crafts like rubber stamping or scrapbooking, you can easily create your own unique wedding programs. If you have access to a laser printer, you can print them yourselves. Otherwise, you can easily order programs from your wedding invitation printer.

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What Wedding Planning Specialists Do

A wedding is so many things. It is a religious ceremony, a commitment ceremony, a family reunion, a catered meal for a crowd, a live concert, a dance, and a big party, all rolled in to one. A professional planner will coordinate all these events, leaving the bride and groom, and their respective families, to enjoy the big day.

Weddings involve coordinating about a dozen vendors, and planners will make all the arrangements for the happy couple. Wedding planning specialists will arrange for the locale, the officiator, the flowers, the hair stylist, the bridesmaid gifts, the men’s tuxedos, the photographer, the videographer, the caterer, the band, and anything else the bride and groom ask the wedding planner to handle. After all, they are event planners.

Planning a wedding – even someone else’s wedding – can be very stressful. The wedding planning business is not for the faint of heart. They work most weekends, especially during the busy summer wedding season. A wedding is one big party – for everyone except the planner.

Certifications

Several national regulating bodies offer certifications as a wedding planning specialist. Becoming a certified planner is an important first step in your wedding planning career. A certification will tell prospective clients that you are serious about your business, not some amateur looking for a weekend gig.

If you want to get formal education in wedding planning, look for courses in general business management, event planning, and hospitality. After your education and your certifications are complete, spread the word that you are open for business as a wedding planning specialist. You can market your wedding planning business in a number of creative ways:

Offer to plan a close friend or relative’s wedding for free, in exchange for the bride’s recommending you to future prospective customers.
Leave your business cards with wedding dress boutiques, bakeries, and caterers specializing in weddings.

Set up a booth at a bridal trade show.

Visit local sites that specialize in weddings and ask to work as their planner’s assistant. Soon enough, the planner will need an occasional weekend off and will be more than happy to share the work with you.

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Weddings like that are very nice but if you plan on having a few hundred guests and you want to give the gala wedding of the year, or at least one that seems like it, then you are going to need to hire a wedding planner.  A lot of people bristle at the extra expense of a wedding planner but a good planner will not only be well worth the money but a good wedding planner may almost pay for themselves in the deals they are able to get you for some of your wedding products and services that you may not be able to normally get yourself.

Always talk to a few planners before deciding on the one you want and if you can get a referral from someone you know then that is even better because if you know someone who had a huge wedding then you are going to want the wedding planner that put that wedding together.  There are a lot of advantages to hiring a wedding planner that you may have not thought of.

Being a wedding planner is a full time job and these professionals spend their time planning weddings and making business relationships with people that provide wedding services so they can get better deals for you for your wedding.  Everything from the limo service to the caterer and hall can be a better deal all because the wedding planner spends all of their time doing something you will only do once.  It only makes sense to put their network of business contacts and better deals to work for you when you are planning your big day.

As Much Help As You Need

Many times couples will hire a planner so they can focus on certain things themselves like the wedding dress or maybe the reception favors.  Whatever you need the wedding planner to do they can do and it can remove and unbelievable amount of stress from the process for you.  They plan everything, get all the products and services you need, and then it is their job to make sure the whole thing goes off without a hitch.  That is all of the stuff you would normally have to worry about and now you don’t.

If you are planning a big wedding then do yourself a favor and hire a wedding planner to take the stress off of you.  Remember that they do this for a living all year long so why not let someone else worry about the stress when you don’t have to?

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Planning to get married any time soon? It’s true what they say — your wedding day is one of the most important and defining moments in your life. How do you envision yours?

In a perfect world, everything will go like clockwork. At exactly 1 o’clock, the music will start to play, all the guests will arrive on-time and anxiously wait for the bride to appear. Then they’ll hold back tears as she marches down the aisle on her father’s arm.

In reality, however, it’s more likely that there will be some snags. The person delivering the flowers and decorations could be late, pushing the ceremony back an hour. The hired photographer could have written down the wrong date and not show up at all. Or even worse, your out-of-town guests won’t show up on time either because they got stuck in traffic or were unable to find the ceremony.

Because for most weddings, a good portion of the guest list includes people from out-of-town, it is critical to be as detail orientated as possible when helping them get from destination to destination.

Along with the invitation, include multi-view maps that will show guests where all the wedding-related events are taking place. You’ll need one showing directions to the wedding venue from the hotel, the bride’s parents’ home and the airport. Another showing directions from the ceremony location to the reception hall.

Be sure to include a link to a traffic Web site, such as Traffic.com, at the bottom of any map you provide, as well as your wedding Web site. The site will be a great resource for your guests as it shows the most direct route from place to place, and also provides real-time information on delays, traffic jams and detours.

Guests can pre-plan their route by accessing the site from the hotel computer or their Internet-enabled cell phone. All they have to do is enter the address where they’re staying, and of the place they’re going to, and the information they need will come back instantly. Guests can also get the information they need through the (866) MY-TRAFC (866-698-7232) traffic hotline.

After the wedding is over, Traffic.com can serve as a resource your out-of-town guests can use to find their way to local attractions, restaurants and long-lost friends’ houses. The possibilities are endless. And who knows, maybe when all is said and done, you’ll be the one getting the “Thank You” note.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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To better understand the preferences and attitudes of today’s brides and offer the most relevant wedding planning advice, the second annual “What’s on Bride’s Minds?” survey was conducted by Leflein Associates, Inc. for David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading bridal authority. Following are some up-to-the-minute planning tips to help each woman achieve her own wedding unique style, without breaking the bank:

Keep an Eye on the Bottom Line
First and foremost, establish a budget. Determine which aspects of the wedding are most important, and scale back on items that are not a top priority. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents said that the wedding dresses they found were too expensive. To keep finances in check without sacrificing quality or style, shop at a store that offers a wide selection of designer looks and matches your budget.

Online Oasis
The Internet is a wonderful planning tool and a great time-saver, so it’s no surprise that 53 percent of brides-to-be ranked wedding Web sites as a top resource for useful wedding planning advice, tips and ideas. Today’s brides shop for a variety of wedding products online; invitations were cited as the most popular item, followed by favors, bridal accessories and jewelry and bridal gowns. Among the top Web sites catering to brides, is davidsbridal.com, which offers more than 4,000 unique wedding related items and services. Check out the new db Online Collections featuring stylish bridal and bridesmaid dresses to suit any size, budget and timeline. Or, use the unique Dress Your Wedding tool to create your own virtual wedding party online.

Consult the Experts
When searching for that dream dress, take advantage of bridal consultants’ advice, as they provide great insight into the gowns’ quality, fit and construction. In fact, more than four out of five brides agreed that their consultant positively affected their shopping experience. In addition to these gown gurus, it’s a good idea to bring along a trusted friend or family member to provide honest feedback.

Time is On Your Side
Sixty-three percent of recently engaged women give themselves less than six months before their wedding to purchase their gown, while 38 percent wait until the final three months. If you are planning on getting married under a tight timetable, visit a bridal shop where you can try on the dress in your own size and take it home that day. David’s Bridal stocks a wide array of affordable bridal gowns ($299 – $1200), including designer collections from Oleg Cassini, Monique Luo and Galina, in sizes 0 to 26W, as well as select styles in petite sizes, so you can tell exactly how your dream dress looks and feels on you.

Obliging Bridesmaids
Searching for the perfect bridesmaid dress? The top issue brides found with dressing their bridal party was agreeing on one style to fit all different body types. Coordination remains in vogue, with almost three-quarters of respondents wanting their bridal party to wear the same color or color scheme, and thirty-four percent planning to have their bridesmaids wear the same dress in the same color. It’s a good idea to select a national retailer that carries a large assortment of bridesmaid styles, in a wide range of sizes and colors, for ease of shopping and to ensure everyone looks and feels their best.

Customization is Key
If you’re looking for ways to personalize your look without paying a hefty custom price tag, you’re not alone. Over 60 percent of brides said they would like to customize their gown to reflect their personality, but 40 percent felt it would be difficult to do so without costing a fortune. To solve this all-too-common dilemma, look for cost-effective solutions for personalizing your wedding dress. Try adding optional sleeves, a colorful sash that matches your wedding color scheme or a sparkling brooch. Don’t forget to ask your consultant about coordinating accessories, such as tiaras, veils, handbags, shoes and jewelry; you can never go wrong by selecting pieces that complement your dress and personal style.

Showcase Your Style
To create a seamless look, visit a one-stop-shop and choose a personalized color scheme that makes it easy to coordinate every aspect of the big day. From save-the-date cards and invitations to ceremony and reception items, right down to the icing on the cake, David’s Bridal offers an amazing assortment of options, available both in-store and online, to create a perfectly coordinated event.

While finding the love of her life is up to the bride, following these simple steps will help ease the wedding-planning process and make it more enjoyable. So when the big day finally arrives, her only responsibility will be to enjoy herself as she dances the night away.

To find the David’s Bridal store near you, call (877) 693-BRIDE or visit www.davidsbridal.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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“When planning a wedding, a couple can help out of town guests feel like locals by providing some easy and fun information,” says Jenny Heger, account manager for AmericInn. “Not only is the hotel they stay at important, but other travel worries can be eased by providing some simple ideas from the bride and groom. I’ve worked with couples planning weddings before and being proactive with guests of all kinds can ensure a wonderful wedding for everyone.”

Make life easier for special guests who are traveling to the ceremony by including some of these ideas in your invitation or another communication:

* Hotel
Choose hotels located near the site of the wedding or reception. Guests will then have an easy time finding their way to the big event. A hotel is also a refuge from all the wedding activities. Make sure the one you choose is quiet and well managed. For example, AmericInn hotels are built with AmericInn SoundGuard construction which reduces sounds and vibrations. Hotels with amenities such as a pool, complimentary breakfast and free Internet access are also items that guests will appreciate.

* Dining
During the many events that take place for a wedding, guests might need to grab a quick bite to eat. Make a list of recommended restaurants or cafes so they know where they can get a good meal at an affordable price. You could even include coupons to your favorite places. Above all else, this helps your guests experience the local eateries of the town.

* Maps
Nobody likes to get lost, especially when something as important as a wedding is happening. Be sure to include a map not only to where the ceremony is, but also the reception and any other locations the guest might need. For example, including a comprehensive map with the event locations as well as locations of convenience stores, local restaurants and parks will make out of town guests feel more comfortable.

* Activities
For downtime between wedding activities, guests might appreciate suggestions of fun and interesting activities, especially for those who are traveling with a family. Make a list of some easy places to visit such as local parks, movie theaters, museums, or even interesting and unique shops.

* Contact
Of course the bride and groom will be busy during the days of and previous to the ceremony, so they will not be the best people to contact for information. Talk to someone who lives in the city about being the contact for out of town guests. This person could be a family member or a friend who lives locally. Include this person’s name and number as a resource for guests who will be traveling.

* Finances
When planning all of the above, keep guests’ finances in mind. The cost of traveling and attending a wedding can get quite high. Keep guests’ budgets in mind when choosing hotel, restaurants and activities. Your guests will enjoy their stay more and appreciate the extra effort you put in just for them.

“Providing extra information to out of town guests will give them peace of mind during their travels and the best possible memories from your wedding,” adds Heger.

For more information about AmericInn hotels, visit www.AmericInn.com/ara.

Courtesy of ARAContent

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The months prior to her wedding can be the most magical — and stressful — times in a woman’s life. There are so many issues to worry about — fulfilling your dream on your budget, satisfying the expectations of two different families, and deciding and coordinating the numerous details. With all this on your mind, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But if you let the stress take over, your body may soon show the signs in the form of weight gain, under-eye circles and acne. Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, so it’s important to understand early-on how to minimize the stress you’re under and prevent its unpleasant effects.

Here’s some advice on how to control your stress and its impact on your appearance. Keep these in mind and you won’t have to worry about turning into the dreaded “Bridezilla.”

Tips to reduce wedding-related stress

* Delegate responsibility

Don’t take on the entire job of planning alone. Friends and family are sincere when they offer their assistance, so don’t make the mistake of turning down their help. Let them know how you’d like your wedding to look and feel and then hand over tasks based on people’s strengths. Ask your parents to visit local reception halls and tell you about the best two; your sister to think up a few options for decorations within your budget; and your best friend to help you pick out yours and the bridesmaids’ dresses. They’ll be honored to play such an important role in your wedding, and you’ll get a much needed break.

* Establish a regular exercise routine

Make sure to get your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes a few times a week. Exercising releases endorphins into your body, which will give you energy and regulate your mood. Exercising is not only a good way to lose a few pounds and gain sexy muscle tone, but it also provides an outlet to release the stress that is built up inside of you.

* Get plenty of sleep

Sleep is likely to be last on your priority list when you’re planning a wedding, but it should be at the top. Repeatedly going without enough sleep will leave you drained and unequipped to deal with stress. Small issues that wouldn’t give you anxiety under normal circumstances can feel like major catastrophes when you are sleep-deprived.

Even with this advice, you can’t be entirely shielded from stress. You’re getting married and a certain amount of nervousness comes with the territory. The good news is that you don’t have to let it show.

Tips to combat the effects of stress

* Potential weight gain

When people get nervous, they tend to eat more, and if brides-to-be aren’t careful, they can pack on the pounds quickly. Try to be mindful when you eat: Is what you’re eating healthy? Are you actually hungry or are you eating as a way to use nervous energy? It may also be smart to invest in a body shaping garment to wear under your dress so that areas of concern aren’t given a second thought.

* Dark circles under the eyes

Dark circles under or around the eyes can be caused by many different things, including heredity, medications, a poor diet and lack of sleep. There’s not much you can do about the first two causes, but if all the stress you’re under has you eating and sleeping irregularly, you need to regain control; and don’t wait until the last minute to do it! Also, make sure you’re armed with a great concealer!

* Acne Breakouts

Everyone has heard that stress and acne go hand in hand. A study published in the July 2003 issue of the Archives of Dermatology offers scientific proof that stress or worry can precipitate or worsen acne breakouts.

All eyes are going to be on you, and the last thing you want to be dealing with is acne, so you need to start caring for your skin now. Prevent pimples from ruining your big day by establishing a daily skin regimen involving products that have specific ingredients to treat and prevent acne, say the skin care experts at Nature’s Cure.

Erika Mason-Chow, a recent bride from San Francisco, took that advice to heart. “I’ve always had problems with pimples, especially when I’m under stress,” she says. “I’ve tried a lot of expensive skin care products over the years with little success. Nature’s Cure Anti-Acne Papaya Skin Care System is the only system that gave me results.”

The Anti-Acne Papaya Skin Care System contains three skin care essentials that utilize the power of papaya and salicylic acid, a proven acne-fighter, to treat and prevent acne without disrupting the skin’s delicate balance. Mason-Chow says that not long after using the system’s cleanser, toner and moisturizer at least once a day, her skin cleared up completely. “I can’t say enough great things about it,” she says. “I love the smell, how my skin reacts to it, how gentle it is. It’s like treating myself to a mini-facial every day.”

Brides-to-be who have more chronic problems with acne may want to supplement the Papaya Skin Care System with Nature’s Cure’s Two-Part Acne Treatment for Females, which includes all-natural homeopathic acne tablets to balance the body, along with the use of a Vanishing Cream made with Benzoyl Peroxide, an anti-bacterial agent, to spot-treat existing pimples.

“The best advice I can give is to start your skin care regimen early. Then, as your wedding date approaches, your complexion will be one thing you don’t have to worry about,” says Mason-Chow.

You can find both the Papaya Skin Care System and Two-Part Acne Treatment in grocery, drug and discount stores including Eckerd, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Meijer, Osco, Rite Aid Walgreens and Wal-Mart stores. For more information about Nature’s Cure, visit www.naturescure.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Acne Prevention Tips

Effective acne prevention requires using the right treatments, but there are also many things you can do on your own to lessen the severity of your breakouts. Take a look at these great tips from the acne prevention experts at Nature’s Cure.

* Eat Healthy: Follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and protein. Limit the amount of fried foods you consume.

* Get enough sleep.

* Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day to help “detoxify” the body from the inside out.

* Avoid using moisturizers that are not specially made for acne-prone skin, as these products may contain pore-clogging ingredients. Nature’s Cure Acne-Repairing Papaya Moisturizer, part of the Papaya Skin Care System is a great way to prevent dryness while continuing to fight acne all day.

* It’s tempting to try to scrub away acne, but that’s not how to get rid of pimples. Scrubbing too hard or too frequently can actually make your acne worse and promote scarring by increasing inflammation or rupturing cysts under your skin, making bacteria spread.

* Sweat combines with skin oils to trap dirt and bacteria in your pores, causing blackheads and pimples, so it’s important to shower as soon as possible after you work out or sweat profusely.

* Oily hair can aggravate acne, so stay away from greasy products like pomades or hair spray, especially if you have acne along the hair-line or forehead. Also, keep your hair off your face, neck and shoulders by putting it back, especially when you sleep.

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“Superstitions can weigh heavy when it comes to planning a wedding,” says Charlene Staples, brand manager for Destination Romance by Dawn (www.destination-romance.com). “Getting engaged on 7-7-07 adds an entirely new element of fun to the wedding planning process. Whether they want to embrace a ‘lucky in love’ theme or take it all the way with a Vegas theme, there are many ways to keep the theme of luck in the forefront as a couple plans their wedding.” Staples mentioned that Destination Romance by Dawn has seen a dramatic increase in Vegas-themed weddings and receptions, whether or not the ceremony actual takes place in Las Vegas.

Getting engaged on 7-7-07 is just the beginning for couples placing an importance on luck in both subtle and obvious ways.

The theme of luck draws from many cultures and sources, and for couples who want their lucky engagement date to play a larger role, consider featuring lucky symbols in invitations and at parties. “Our ‘Lucky Sevens’ invitation reads ‘Lucky in Love’ and can be customized with a couple’s wedding date,” advises Katie Kocina, trend expert for Now & Forever (www.now-and-forever.com) and Rexcraft (www.rexcraft.com). “Couples can also add a whimsical touch with invitations and save-the-dates that feature luck with Asian and Irish themed invites, two cultures that place an emphasis on luck.” To kick-start your lucky-themed engagement, Kocina advises sending out engagement announcements within one month. “This gives couples a chance to use the 7-7-07 date as part of the engagement announcement, which is a fun way to share your news.”

“For couples who want to keep things simple and incorporate the theme of luck in a subtle way, using a creative do-it-yourself invitation could be the way to go,” says Kelly Ratcliff, brand manager for Jean M wedding invitations and accessories (www.myjeanm.com). According to Ratcliff, assemble-at-home Translucent Card Kits and Dreaming Up Design brand invitations available at www.myjeanm.com allow couples to keep the DIY feel as they assemble the various pieces, including special touches like photos and lucky charms. These invitations come in lucky colors like gold, red and green, for an indirect, sophisticated touch.

There’s more to engagements and weddings than just invitations. Other ways to keep your theme of luck alive include hosting a themed engagement party to celebrate your lucky engagement day, sending out themed save-the-date cards or magnets and thanking your wedding party with lucky-themed gifts.

“Attendant gifts have gone beyond flasks and compacts,” says Kocina. “Think about personalized charm bracelets for bridesmaids and personalized golf or billiards sets for groomsmen. Showing your appreciation with a lucky token will make the day even more special.”

Whether for engagement parties and showers or for your reception, party favors can also contribute to the theme. Instead of candy treat boxes, ask your guests to share in your luck by giving away lottery scratch games. Check out personalized lottery ticket holders by Invitations by Dawn (www.invitationsbydawn.com) to make the giveaways a special surprise.

“Whatever couples decide to do to make their engagement special and full of luck, the important thing is that they create a wedding that is unique to them,” remarked Staples. “The hottest trend is doing what makes the day the best representation of the couple — lucky engagement date or not.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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