Royal Wedding

Everyone is talking about it – the royal marriage of Prince William and his fiancée Kate Middleton which is going to take place April 29 of 2011. After proposing the Kate while on holiday in Kenya using his mother’s engagement ring, the world sat in anticipation, learning as much as they can about the soon-coming nuptials. The morning ceremony will take place at the esteemed Westminster Abbey, where after, they will be driven, by a carriage procession, to Buckingham Palace. This will provide the public with a great opportunity to see the newly married couple. At the palace, a reception will be waiting for them, hosted by Prince William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Why is everyone so excited for this royal wedding to take place? It is the story the world has been on the edge of their seat for. In a family history marred with sadness and loss, this is the one event that will renew the hope in this royal family for the next generations to come. This wedding is one of fairy tales as Kate will be the first middle-class Queen-in-waiting as she has no titles or any ties to royal lineage. Kate will also be the oldest female to marry the future King of England at the age of 29.

The marriage of William and Kate is a slight break in the normal tradition of royal weddings. For example, instead of traveling to Westminster Abbey by carriage as well, they selected to arrive by car and only use the royal carriage on their return journey as husband and wife. Both have stated that they wanted to find a good blend between the public and private spheres during their nuptials. They wanted to merge modern with traditional, but also keeping in mind that the world is going through tough times economically at this moment. However, although this couple is sensitive to the current plight and do want to avoid ostentatious details as well as conspicuous consumption, the monarchy has been given leeway for some pomp and circumstance. So even with the understanding about the economy, it is doubtful that this couple will have an inexpensive wedding.

Many individuals around the world are discussing the details of the wedding. Questions have been asked on which designer Kate will select to make her wedding gown. The gown that Diana dress in to her wedding with Prince Charles was one of the most copied wedding gowns throughout history, therefore, this dress can be nothing less than spectacular. Also speculated about are the famous individuals who are going to be invited to the wedding. There have been rumors that the first family of the United States, the Obama’s, will actually not be invited to attend the wedding event. However, it has also been speculated that world-famous pop star, Sir Paul McCartney will be performing at the wedding.

Just like the wedding of his parents, Prince Charles and Diana in 1981, where more than 750 million individuals sat staring at their television screen, the whole wedding will be broadcasted on television. And now that televisions are a lot more accessible than they were in 1981, this wedding is said to exceed this number. The British Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC, is going to be leading the broadcast of this momentous event.

Setting your Wedding’s Special Moments to Music

Behind every good wedding is a great soundtrack, one that can move guests to dance, to dine and sometimes, even to cry. Choosing the right melody for every moment, from the ceremony prelude and processional to the cocktail hour and couple’s departure, can create a romantic, festive or even fun atmosphere for the event. Though often overlooked, music is an important and individual detail that can serve to truly distinguish your special day. So, here are a few hints on how to select the best songs for your bridal experience.

The Ceremony

Despite any notions that they many have about being “different,” most brides still lean towards tradition when it come to selecting the wedding songs for their ceremony. This means that much of the wedding’s music is also likely to be a little more standard. For this reason, classics like “The Wedding March” by Mendelssohn will never fall out of fashion. Some variation still occurs however, often caused by cultural, personal or religious preference. Among the most common selections though, are these contemporary favorites and traditional tunes:

Prelude (played just prior to the ceremony):

“Clair de Lune” – Claude Debussy
“Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey (instrumental)
“Four Seasons” – Antonio Vivaldi

Processional (played as the bridal party enters and proceeds down the aisle):

“Bridal Chorus” – Richard Wagner
“Canon in D” – Johann Pachelbel
“Mahtovu” (Jewish)

Interlude (played during any transitional moments in the ceremony with optional music):

“Ave Maria” – Franz Schubert
“The Lord’s Prayer” – Ken Davies
“You Raise Me Up” – Josh Groban

Special Ceremony (played during any special ceremonies included in the wedding, such as the Unity Candle):

“Candle on the Water” (from Disney’s Pete’s Dragon”) – Helen Reddy
“The Gift” – Jim Brickman
“The Rose” – Bette Midler

Recessional (played at the conclusion of the ceremony as the couple and bridal party depart):

“Hornpipe” (Water Music) – George Frideric Handel
“Ode to Joy” – Ludwig van Beethoven
“Wedding March” – Felix Mendelssohn

Postlude (played after the recessional for any remaining guests to enjoy as they depart):

“Allegro Maestoso for Organ in C Major” – Felix Mendelssohn
“Beauty and the Beast” – Angela Lansbury
“Trumpet Voluntary” – Jeremiah Clarke

The Reception

When it comes to selecting songs for a reception, there is an almost endless array of choices. However, much like any other article of decor, the reception music is usually a reflection of the bridal couple’s unique sense of creativity and style. Depending on the wedding’s theme, there may be obvious options for everything from background ballads to show-stopping swing numbers. Sticking to a particular musical style can help to narrow the focus, but should never be done to the exclusion of classic crowd pleasers like “The Hokey Pokey” or “Shout.” Go ahead, dare to be different, but remember, these favorites are always appropriate too:

Cocktail Hour

“Days of Wine and Roses” – Andy Williams
“Escape” (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes
“Margaritaville” – Jimmy Buffet

Reception Entrance (wedding party)

“All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” – Hank Williams, Jr.
“Let’s Get It Started” – Black Eyed Peas
“Alabama Jubilee” (Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All here – Fred Astaire

Bride and Groom’s First Dance

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Elvis Presley
“Here and Now” – Luther Vandross
“I Cross My Heart” – George Strait

Father / Daughter Dance

“Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlisle
“I Loved Her First” – Heartland
“My Girl” – The Temptations

Mother / Son Dance

“Have I Told You Lately” – Rod Stewart
“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
“In My Life” – The Beatles

Dinner Hour

“Always” – Frank Sinatra
“Forever and Ever, Amen” – Randy Travis
“The Chapel of Love” – Dixie Cups

Cake Cutting

“Cuts Like a Knife” – Bryan Adams
“Eat It” – Weird Al Yankovic
“Sweetest Thing” – U2

Bouquet Toss

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
“It’s Raining Men” – The Weather Girls
“Single Ladies” (Put a Ring on It) – Beyonce

Garter Toss

“Fever” – Peggy Lee
“I Know What Boys Like” – The Waitresses
“She’s Got Legs” – ZZ Top

Reception Departure (couple)

“Bye, Bye, Bye” – ‘N Sync
“Happy Trails” – Roy Rogers
“See You Later, Alligator” – Bill Hailey and His Comets

Last Dance of the Evening

“At Last” – Etta James
“I’ve had the Time of My Life” – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
“What a Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong

You are getting ready for the big day. This will be one of the greatest memories and moments of your life. Your wedding day should be something special, and you can make it even more so by having a gazebo wedding. Think of how beautiful your gazebo wedding picture will be.

Every bride dreams of her wedding day. Since she was a little girl, she has been planning and dreaming of this special day. From the minute you got engaged, you have been pouring over wedding magazines and browsing wedding shops to get ideas for the big day. A gazebo wedding is romantic and more importantly, a stunning place to say your vows to the person you have pledged your life. You and your wedding party will look gorgeous in your gazebo-wedding picture.

Your gazebo wedding can be as elaborate or as simple as you want to make it. You can decorate your wedding gazebo with balloons, streamers or anything else you can think of. You can think of your wedding gazebo as your decoration because it truly is a beautiful way to get married.

When you want your gazebo wedding picture taken, you don’t have to travel to another location to get the pictures you want. You can simply take your gazebo wedding picture right where you are. There is no need to leave your guests wondering what the bridal party is up to. When you decide to have your wedding in a gazebo, you can stay on site and relax and enjoy the party with your guests, able to take your gazebo-wedding picture anytime.

The guests will be thrilled to be able to watch you and your family posing for your gazebo-wedding picture. They can become as involved as they’d like. This way you can have your wedding gazebo picture taken with anyone, not just your family, and the wedding party.

When you are old and gray, looking at your gazebo wedding picture will forever bring a smile to your face. You and your wedding party will look sharp standing beneath the wedding gazebo with bright smiling faces, happy to celebrate such a meaningful event.