Thursday, February 28, 2008

Choosing A Florist For Angelina Jolie's Wedding Flowers

Rumors of an impending wedding for famous Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are rampant. The glamorous couple have almost certainly begun discussing wedding details and making decisions about the where's, when's, and how's. They may have even gone so far as to book a location, plan wedding attire, and choose a cake flavor. But have they chosen a florist yet?

Choosing a florist for your wedding is certainly one of the most important decisions you can make for the event. Because your wedding guests are likely to see the setting for the event before they see you, the flowers you choose can set the tone for the entire day. For example, if your wedding is a very formal affair, traditional flower arrangements in muted tones and elegant styles will convey this to your guests. However, if you're having a relatively informal beach wedding, you'll probably want looser, more brightly colored designs. It is your florist's job to help you make decisions about your wedding flowers and develop designs that will reflect your personal style and the feeling you want for your special day.

Finding the right florist can be a confusing task if you've never had occasion to work with a florist before. Your florist should be someone you're comfortable talking to, whose opinions you trust, and who you'd consider continuing to turn to for your floral needs even after the wedding. The Society of American Florists recommends you look for the following in your florist:

? Find a florist that offers a good mix of products, a high level of service, and the types of designs you find most appealing. To do this, you'll want to ask your florist to show you pictures of flowers they've designed for other weddings and special events. If you don't like what you see, keep looking.

? Great customer service is key to a good floral experience. Your florist should be willing to spend time with you and get to know what you like and dislike. They should ask plenty of questions and really listen to your answers. They should also offer helpful advice. If you feel rushed or uncomfortable, this won't be the right florist for you.

? Look for a florist with fresh, good quality flowers. Your florist should carry only the best flowers and floral products. They should offer flower food with all arrangement purchases and be full of advice on floral care.

? Work only with florists who are part of a professional affiliation, such as FTD, Teleflora, or the Society of American Florists.

Choosing the perfect florist may take some time and require a lot of footwork, but proper selection of the florist who best meets your style and needs will make selecting the wedding flowers themselves infinitely easier. The time you spend in searching for a florist will be made up for in the beauty and quality of the flowers for your special day. Just remember, your florist should be friendly and willing to help regardless of whether or not you're a big star like Angelina Jolie.

Wesley Berry is the President of Wesley Berry Flowers established in 1946. He is also the Headmaster of the Professional Florists' Institute, floral design school in Michigan. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at www.800wesleys.com

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Choosing a Florist for Your Wedding

Have you ever wondered if what you know about wedding flowers is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on wedding flowers.

The florist that you choose for your wedding may play a significant role in your wedding so it is important to choose your florist wisely. Just a few areas where the florist plays a role in the wedding include the bouquets that are carried by the bride and her bridesmaids, the flowers carried by the flower gift the flowers the groom and his ushers wear in their lapels and the flowers that decorate the ceremony locations. In addition to all of that the florist may also design center pieces for the tables at the reception and decorate the cake with fresh flowers. The use of flowers throughout the ceremony and reception makes it critical that the couple exercise caution and choose a competent and creative florist.

One of the most effective ways to choose a florist for your wedding is to find a florist who is recommended by a trusted friend or family member. Wedding planners and others in the wedding planning industry may have a vested interest in recommending a particular florist for your wedding but a friend or family member makes their recommendations simply because they were happy with a previous performance by the florist. If you have been to a number of weddings in your area and were pleased by the floral arrangements you may want to consider contacting the host of that wedding to find out who they used as their florist. When it comes to choosing a florist, previous performance is the best indication of how the florist will perform in the future.

While the aesthetic appeal of the flowers is important, price will also likely factor into your decision to choose a particular florist. It is important to establish a budget for flowers before you meet with potential florists for your wedding. When you do meet with them get a detailed estimate and discuss what is included in the estimate that they have provided. It is also important to find out if there are any additional fees that have not been included in the estimate such a delivery charges and set-up fees. If possible try to negotiate having these fees incorporated into the estimate to avoid any unexpected charges.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

It is also important to consider whether or not the florist specializes in weddings. A florist who regularly completes arrangements specifically for weddings is much more likely than another florist to be aware of everything that is involved with being a wedding florist. They will not only know all that is required of them but they will also likely have established relationships with local venues.

Another important consideration in choosing a wedding florist is how much support they are willing to offer. Some florists may simply deliver the flowers to the destination and will not take care of setting up the flowers. You will want to find a florist that is willing to send a representative along with the delivery to ensure that the flowers are set up correctly and that they look fresh and attractive. It is ideal to have your florist remain onsite throughout the wedding and reception to ensure that there are no issues with the flowers but if this is not possible you should have a florist onsite at the very beginning of the party as minimum.

The delivery system employed by the florist is also important in determining whether or not to choose a particular florist for your wedding. Many florists employ independent contractors to take care of their delivery needs. The delivery person drives their own vehicle and operates independently from the florist. While this situation may work out very well for the florist, it could be the recipe for disaster at your wedding. It is important to remember that if the delivery personnel are driving their own vehicles then it is likely that the florist does not have a backup vehicle in case something happens to the delivery truck. However, if the florist employs their own delivery personnel who drive company supplied vehicles then the florist most likely has a contingency plan for when a vehicle breaks down.

Choosing a florist for your wedding is very important. Seeking opinions of friends and family members is one of the most effective ways to choose a qualified florist. Careful review of recommendations is another important step in choosing a florist as is understanding their payment structure.

Knowing enough about wedding flowers to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about wedding flowers, you should have nothing to worry about.

James Mahony is the founder of The Wedding Handbook - A site dedicated to Weddings

The Wedding Handbook :: Articles for Website Content

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

A Florist's World

A Florist's World

How pleasant it is to enjoy the aesthetics of a vase full of colorful and aromatic flowers. Flowers are known to have positive effects on our moods, perhaps due to the fact that they are a living creation of art, and thus the bilateral relationship developed with their owner -- flowers offer their beauty in return for their owner's attention and watering. This living relationship is not the flowers' sole relationship. Don't be alarmed, your darling flowers aren't cheating on you! But your flowers have already shared a vital relationship with the florist, who decides which flowers to buy and where to buy them from, who takes care of the flowers even before they are in her possession, and who certainly leaves a personal touch on the flowers, using the talents of artistry and style to create a bouquet you won't want to take your eyes off. Thus, it is the florist who prepares your flowers for you -- not only in the beauty of a bouquet, but also in the care that the flowers will expect us to continue giving them.

Thanks to today's leaps in technology, specifically communication and transportation, a flower growing in Mexico, for example, can be transported to France within the span of twenty-four hours. Of course, this seemingly simple statement involves a lot of work. A good florist will scan the world market for quality and prices. Naturally, flowers that can be bought locally will be, as they will have less distance to travel, and arrive at the florist's shop quickly and safely. Since, however, freesias don't often bloom near London in January, a large quantity of cut-flowers do use their frequent flyer cards as they make the trip from this to that country, or this to that continent. Needless to say, extreme care goes into preparing these travelers for their voyage. When flowers are coming right from the grower to the florist, they are usually cut right before leaving for the airport (talk about last minute preparations!) and prepared in the trucks on the way to the airport. Flowers that retain water well are laid flat in boxes, while more perishable and exotic flowers are guarded by individual water holders on the stem. In this manner, the well-prepared flowers make their trip. Most flights for these delicate passengers will be extra cool to provide for a most enjoyable flight. Upon arriving, the flowers are transported to cooled trucks which take them to the florist. This exchange -- directly from the grower to the florist -- is ideal, as the flowers spend less time traveling from here to there, and the costs won't be increasing as the flower quality is decreasing.

The florist keeps track of the above-mentioned process to ensure the fresh and happy arrival of her materials. Upon receiving the packaged-up bundles of joy, the florist is like a new parent for a few minutes, unwrapping the flowers with utmost care, in order to get the flowers the nutrition and safety they need. However, during the caring and feeding, the florist will consider the new arrivals with much more scrutiny than would the parent of a newborn (or so we hope), checking for imperfections and making sure quality is first-rate. Once the flowers are cut to appropriate lengths and safely refrigerated in water, the florist communicates to the grower that all is well, and ideas are exchanged for future interactions. Communication is a large part of the florist's job, and this conversation with the grower was certainly not the first, and will not be the last.

A good florist, while being a client of the grower, is also a seller, and knows the importance of communicating with people like you -- her clients. And communication with a florist is important. In a job that requires such care for living flowers, as well as artistic talent in arranging, the busy florist is never too busy to hear your input, and in fact needs this important information: if the client is to be happy with the result, communication must be strong between the florist and client. Flowers truly can convey what words cannot say, so the specifics of what type of event, who they're for, preferences in colors, flowers, textures, even the types of leaves used to give the bouquet body, is important information. Specific holidays, such as Valentine's Day or Mother's Day will also influence the client's choices. The florist needs your feedback to create the right bouquet. Watching a florist at work certainly gives the impression of an eccentric or a mad genius at work. Suddenly, a flower that was placed with such care is pulled out of the bouquet with a displeased look, then placed almost identically back in its place. But something is different, and the florist continues working with an appeased mind. Florists are artists, and take care to create the perfect picture, whether it is one conveying carefree joy or somber mourning.

When admiring your bouquet sitting on your dining room table, keep in mind that the florist who arranged it has done much more than arrange. The florist ensures that the quality of the flowers is top notch even before laying eyes on them. The quest for the freshest flowers is now an international search, and the florist makes sure her flowers are treated like first-class passengers during their trip to her store. Once at her door, the florist continues the care she started, dexterously cutting and submerging the stems in water. Happily seeing that the flowers are finally safe and ready for the chef d'oeuvre, the florist will create the masterpiece based on what her client is looking for. The florist, a person of many talents, is, at the end of the day, a businessman, a caretaker, an empathetic listener, and an artist.

This article was sponsored by http://www.serenataflowers.com, an independent florist. Serenata provides flower delivery within the UK and removes the costly middleman by buying directly from the grower. Fresher than any bouquet you'll find in traditional flower shops, shop Serenata Flowers for exclusive, well cared for bouquets at reasonable prices.

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What to Look for when Choosing an Online Florist

Choosing an online Florist - what to look out for to ensure you get the flowers you want, when you want.

Ordering flowers is a fickle business and it's easy to part with your cash expecting a beautiful bouquet only to be disappointed by the reality. Here at Flowers 4 Online International we pride ourselves on the quality and value of Online Flower Delivery and have created this checklist to help ensure you can choose a reputable Florist.

How long have they been in business? Do they have experience in the type of event you have in mind? Can they work in your price range? Our experience includes a range of events; we can quickly "size up" what you have in mind.

Are the pictures you see on the site, pictures of Flower Arrangements they have created themselves? Is there a wide price range of Flowers, and do you have the option of sizes of bouquet ranges?

What guarantees do they offer for delivery? Can they offer same day and next day flower delivery? What about international orders, can they also deliver these at short notice? Do they have a large number of international florists they work with to deliver anywhere at short notice? Is pricing totally transparent? Can you see the prices you pay including delivery charges before you pay?

Flowers4 has enabled thousands of customers to send flowers online for over five years through its own Flower Shops, affiliates and website. It is a name you can trust for quality Flowers at good prices with an excellent reputation for timely delivery.

Clinton Porter is a search engine optimisation consultant with Nvisage (http://www.nvisage.co.uk/whatwedo/search_engine_optimisation.asp) for Flowers4 Online flower shops and florists (http://www.flowers4.co.uk/) specialists in Wedding and bridal flowers, Funeral and sympathy flowers. Order and send fresh flowers online for same day and next day delivery.

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Finding A Florist When You Need One

It's not always easy to find the right florist. Florist retail shopping can be so time consuming and florist retail prices vary so much from shop to shop, season to season, it's hard to know if you're getting the best flower selection and the best price. Don't you wish there was an easier way to buy flowers when you need them?

Well, there is an easier way; buying flowers online. Online florist companies take the headaches out of flower selection, and a simple search on the internet can provide hundreds of quick results. You can find a florist who will take your order, take your credit card, and deliver your flower arrangement or bouquet right to your loved one's door, often on the very same day.

Need to send a flower arrangement to a sick friend's hospital room? Your online florist will be happy to take care of that for you too. In fact, your florist will provide delivery anywhere in your city, and perhaps in nearby areas as well.

But what happens when you need to send flowers outside of your local area? Shipping can leave your floral arrangements looking worse for wear, so travel needs to be kept to a minimum. Online florists, such as Society Hill Florist and Sycamore Florist, are often members of a network of florists across the country that can take your order and forward it to an approved florist in your destination city. You simply place your floral order and your network florist will take care of all the troublesome details.

Using an online florist network can also help you save money on your floral purchases. Less travel means less delivery expense. Larger florist networks often have the capacity to hold larger stocks of the most popular flowers, and good supply usually translates to better pricing, which your florist then passes on to you. Sounding better all the time, isn't it?

The computer age has brought a lot of conveniences to modern living. Instead of rushing from store to store, most things are available right at your fingertips. You never have to worry about reaching a store before it closes. Shop 24 hours a day if your like. You never have to rush with your selections because there is no grumpy customer waiting in line behind you. With all this convenience, should your floral shopping be any different?

Once you've experienced the services and selection of an online florist, you may never buy flowers any other way again.

Muzrak Maksidov runs the website http://www.society-hill-flower-buy.com, which is provide all information related to flowers. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and link is hyperlinked.

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Online UK Florist Saves the Day

Here it is Thursday afternoon, and Evelyn sees no break in her hectic schedule for the weekend. She has a presentation due on Monday morning and a meeting on Saturday most of the day with her team. The bad part is, her favorite aunts birthday is on Saturday and she is turning 65 years old and this is one birthday that Evelyn did not want to miss.

She thought maybe she could rush through the meeting but there is no way she could make it in time from London, UK to Birmingham, UK to attend the festivities that the family has planned. The worst part of it all is that now it is too late for her to even go out shopping for a unique gift and have it arrive on time.

Before leaving work, she talks with some of her friends and they suggest sending flowers, but all the florist are now closed it is 7pm at night, and she has a meeting with an associate at 8am when the florist opens. She goes home, feeling defeated, not knowing what to do, she gets on her computer and just types in overnight flower delivery from London, UK to Birmingham, UK and her dismay quickly turns into triumph.

She clicks on a link for a florist and learns that the flowers can be ordered online from London, UK and sent to her aunt in Birmingham, UK and will arrive early Saturday morning, even before anyone else in the family arrives.

She begins to look at all the different options that the online florist has to offer. Her only problem now is choosing from the several wonderful arraignments, types of flowers and plants, and even some other surprises such as balloons or chocolates.

With all the options that Evelyn has available such as the variety of flowers such as curcumas, freesias, gerberas, lilies, tropical flowers and plants; the style such as contemporary, elegant, or simple and even by color such as blue, orange, white and red, she could make a decision that would be sure to please her aunt. She could choose her aunts favorite flower, or color or even order an elegant arraignment. She decided first to click on Birthdays to see what they suggested.

Under birthdays, she had a wonderful choice of a Gerbera bouquet, yellow roses in a stunning vase, and even a desert rose in its own vase. She knew that any of these unique and wonderful flower arraignments would put a smile on her aunts face. All the flowers were in her budget and she ordered her flowers online and went to sleep with peace of mind. The online florist saved her from her dilemma, her aunt was overjoyed with the flowers and her meeting was a success.


You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included


Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She spent a summer in UK in 1998. She enjoyed the online shopping experience with flower shop in Edinburgh http://www.serenataflowers.com/sendflowers/Edinburgh.htmfor http://www.serenataflowers.com/sendflowers/Birmingham.htmBirmingham flower delivery.

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The Tossing of the Bridal Bouquet

As a blushing bride, it is a popular custom performed at many beautiful and classic weddings that is, the throwing the hand tied wedding bouquet. It is a tradition that you, the blushing bride can choose to do before or after your ceremony. Some brides choose to toss their hand tied wedding bouquet before the reception so she and her new husband can leave the wedding reception whenever they want without the pressure of having to throw the hand tied wedding bouquet right before they leave.

The throwing of the hand tied wedding bouquet states that the single woman who catches the hand tied wedding bouquet will be the next single woman to get married. This custom extends to the fact that the single man who catches the garter, is also to wed soon, and possibly to the single woman who caught the hand tied wedding bouquet at the same wedding. It is very exciting.

Even if there is no proof of the single woman’s fate, throwing the hand tied wedding bouquet is an entertaining event for all the guests, and the lucky lady always gets to take home a one-of-a-kind hand tied wedding bouquet as a symbol for the event’s memory.

The custom of throwing the hand tied wedding bouquet began with the faith that good luck herbs were located inside the beautiful hand tied wedding bouquet. So that the bride could offer her good fortune on to her wedding guests, the bride would toss her bouquet to one fortunate single female during the wedding reception. These days, which faith remains unbroken and it is recommended that a bride who plans to toss the hand tied wedding bouquet, should have a small, matching hand tied bridal bouquet created in particular for this practice so that she can keep her original hand tied wedding bouquet.

When throwing the hand tied wedding bouquet the bride should consider a few things. First, if there is a particular person that she wishes to present her hand tied wedding bouquet to, she should let her friend know in advance perhaps before the wedding. This way, it is set-up nicely and performed beautifully when the hand tied wedding bouquet is tossed out.

Secondly, a different yet exciting alternative to throwing the hand tied wedding bouquet is a pretend toss before a real one. In this case, the bride would select a female guest who she wishes to catch the hand tied wedding bouquet and seek her with the hand tied wedding bouquet. She would throw it directly to her.

Bonnie Ray is the owner of my silk wedding flowers, the website with silk wedding flowers pictures, information and resources.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Best Personal Loans In UK: A Bouquet Of The Best Opportunities

Personal loans can be defined as a key to open the door of personal desires. Personal desires can be different according to the individual’s choice, but money is mandatory to transform all desires into reality. And for that personal loans are the best alternative. Now, being a UK borrower, you can get the benediction of the best personal loans.

Yes, now personal loans are facilitated with the best opportunities. These are as follows:

Avail loans in accordance with your choice:

Generally, choice of loans varies according to borrowers’ needs. Some may prefer those loans that will help them to borrow high amount at low interest rate, some may want to avail a loan that is risk free. With best personal loans, borrowers will get an option to choose loan according to their choice, as these loans are available in secured and unsecured forms.

Obviously, for applying a best secured personal loan, borrowers will have to pledge security against the loan amount. As security covers the risk of lending money, thus a borrower can borrow relatively high amount ranging from £5000 to£75, 000 along with a repayment period of 5-25years. Thus, the interest rate of these loans is usually lower.

On the other hand, unsecured loans are perfect for those who have no property to place against loan. Even those who do not want to take any risk with their property can also avail these loans. These loans are mainly short term basis loans, given for 5-10years. A borrower can borrow anything from £5000 to £25, 000 as an unsecured personal loan. But, the rate of interest of these loans is comparatively high as these loans are available against no collateral.

Loans for all:

Best Personal Loans are made for all sorts of UK borrowers. Therefore, these loans are also obtainable for those borrowers who have bad credit score like, CCJs , bankruptcy, IVAs, Defaults, Arrears etc. These loans are offering them a chance to improve their credit score and eradicate their bad credit history.

Swift availability

Besides traditional lenders, UK borrowers can find out the best personal loans over the Internet. It’s rather easy to look for a best deal through online as it is less time consuming. Borrowers just need to click the mouse and within few seconds, they can get different web sites, providing best personal loans. Hence, by browsing different loans sites a borrower can easily get the best deal in a minimum time.

The best personal loans can be used to fulfill various purposes. Some common purposes are as follow

• Wedding Purposes

• Holiday purposes

• Business Purposes

• Home improvement and many more

Now, it is easy for a UK borrower to fulfill his personal desires, as personal loans are customized with the best opportunities. These loans are made for all. Thus, all UK borrowers -homeowner, tenants, and borrowers with poor credit history can avail these loans to turn their desires into reality.

Tim Kelly is an expert in finance having completed his LLM in Finance (Master of Laws in Finance) from Institute for Law and Finance at Frankfurt University. To Find Personal Bridging loan, easy bridging loan, 24 Hr bridging loan in UK visit http://www.24hrbridgingloan.co.uk.

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The Tossing Of The Bridal Bouquet: A Tradition That Still Lives Today

Even though it is a well-liked tradition recognized at lots of weddings, tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is a tradition that you, the bride can choose to either have or leave out of your ceremony. Its representative custom says that the single woman who catches the cascading bridal bouquet will be the next to get married. Even if there are no guarantees, tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is an amusing way for one lucky guest to take home a one-of-a-kind cascading bridal bouquet memento.

The tradition of tossing the cascading bridal bouquet began with the early belief that good luck herbs were inside the cascading bridal bouquet. In an effort to pass her good fortune on to her wedding guests, the bride would throw her bouquet to one lucky female guest at the end of the wedding. Nowadays, that belief remains intact and so it is recommended that brides who plan to toss the bouquet should have a small, matching cascading bridal bouquet created especially for this tradition so that they can keep the original. I did it at my wedding.

There are more than a few options to consider when tossing the cascading bridal bouquet. If there is a special person that you wish to present the cascading bridal bouquet to, you can get her in private with you and offer her the cascading bridal bouquet memento. Another fun alternative to tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is the fake-out. You, the bride, would select a woman who you wish to catch the cascading bridal bouquet and aim your cascading bridal bouquet directly to her. Of course, the other choice is the fair toss.

Tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is a tradition that can be included in your wedding, but never feel as though you have to follow any rules. The loveliness of your wedding is that it is your special day and you can decide which customs to use and which others you would prefer to leave out. If you are planning to have a cascading bridal bouquet designed in particular for tossing, you may want to think about using silk flowers so that the woman who catches it will be able to preserve this precious memento. Of course, fresh flowers are beautiful, but they will not last. Superior silk flowers, however, will last forever if taken care of accurately. Also, silk cascading bridal bouquets can be arranged to look just as gorgeous as the real thing.

Bonnie Ray is an experienced wedding floral designer with more than seventeen years experience in the wedding industry. To learn more about the traditional cascading wedding bouquet visit her site at http://www.mysilkweddingflowers.com/cascading-bridal-bouquets.htm

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Monday, February 11, 2008

The Mystery Of Yoga And Bouquet Of Divine Powers Called Sidhis

Yoga means the union of the individual soul with the cosmic soul who is otherwise called God. When numbers are added up, their value increases manifold. Man is a descendent of apes. In the Adam Age he was like this only. In New Guinea even today there are some Adivasis (Aborigines) who have the culture of Adam’s era. The males/females are stark naked. For food they depend on animal flesh, roots, fruits etc. They run miles away from so called civilized men and hence their language too is not evolved. They can utter only a few words and they mainly communicate by sign language and gestures. But from the bodily viewpoint they are more powerful because they can tolerate intense heat, cold rain etc. In a certain manner even man follows the culture of Adam’s era. He is well versed in eating, procreating and manifesting greed, attachment etc. He detests imbibing human values that augment the glory of all mankind.

The glories of greatness and ethics are always conjoined to God. When man unites with God via faith he definitely rises above the culture of Adam’s era. Just as when husband-wife cooperate with one another so as to make their home heavenly in the same way when man unites with God he becomes divine. Hence greatness of Yogic practice is eulogized and those understanding the importance of soul advancement walk on this path.

Yoga is classified in 2 ways. The first is external Yoga and the second internal Yoga. External Yoga is that in which bodily exercises are given importance. This external Yoga encompasses posture, breathing exercises, Bandha, Mudras, chanting of Mantras, Yajna, worship of God, pilgrimages, singing God’s name etc. Another name for this external Yoga is Kriya Yoga. One of its branches is called Hatha Yoga. Here external bodily activities are emphasized upon. Emphasis is laid on its mode and rules. Its results depend on how aptly it was made use of. Kriya Yoga influences our health, radiance, intellectual sharpness etc. Some control of the mind also takes place.

The second class is internal Yoga. Here the scattered mind and vital force are concentrated and focused. Vile psychic imprints have to be purified and our thinking has to be made high. There are many types of meditations. All of them come under the flagship of internal Yoga.

Generally in meditation one pours one’s loving devotion towards an imaginary image of God and one tries to experience it as very close to oneself. Further experiences involve Naad Yoga (sound), Soham (that I am) spiritual practise, drinking of Soma juice via Khechri Mudra etc. Internal Yoga also involves Chakravedhan (journey through the 6 Chakras), Kundalini awakening, Granthi Vedhan etc. because over here one’s thought waves are given a proper focused direction. In it there is no need of Kriya Yoga which involves bodily exercises.

Kriya Yoga is limited to the energy and ordinary extrasensory potential of the gross body. The sense organs are gross in nature. It is counted as a bodily part. Its power too is gross only. The subtleness of sensory potentials does only this much that without any other paraphernalia and with the help of any other sense organ the intellectual nerves of the brain solves certain gross problems. For example if one is blind one can utilize the sense organ of touch and with the fingers know of the presence of objects, letters etc. (i.e. in Braille). Within Supra-psycho Sciences, hearing distant sounds, seeing distant objects, telepathy are looked upon as extrasensory perception (ESP). All this is a play of the intellect. The difference only is this that in comparison to direct mediums one attains the potential of identifying and catching waves of heat, sound and light. This can come under material benefit and success. Although this is looked upon as spiritual yet it is not true. The activities of God are very extraordinary and mysterious. God cannot be understood by our material apparatus. According to the great scientist Albert Einstein, Particle Physics is yet very crippled and lame. It cannot give us information of the cosmic divine power i.e. God. There is a cosmic consciousness that rules over our entire cosmos. This consciousness can be called God, Brahman, all pervasive cosmic soul etc. The entire family of Ridhi-Sidhi (divine powers) is a mere glimpse of God.

According to the material science scholar and philosopher Sir James Jeans all materialistic events in the world are apt. That which we call an accident is actually the above mentioned. Its creator is definitely a great calculator, very powerful and an invisible power. It should be called God. This world cannot be an inert machine because every object, creature, living being etc. of the world has consciousness inherent in them and that they are always active. When the individual consciousness works in tandem with the cosmic consciousness (God) it is called Yoga.

There is a description in the Ashwamedha Parva of Mahabharat that there are divine saints (Sidhas) who with their divine eye can see the giving up of the body, its taking up a fresh new body and entering the body of another species. People with strong will power are capable of establishing goodwill and cooperation of subtle bodied souls with human beings. One of the characteristics of realized-seer saints is that they can contact the subtle world.

It is a divine power to “tie up” time which is a result of Kundalini awakening. Yogi Changdev during the times of Saint Jnaneshwar was 400 years old due to the power of Yogic penance. Later as per the advice of Saint Jnaneshwar he gave up his mortal coil. Our subtle bodied revered preceptor who lives in the tough terrain of the lofty Himalayas is beyond the limits of time and space.

The great saint Tailang Swami at the age of 280 years had given up his mortal coil in Varanasi according to the Indian calendar on Paush Shukla Ekadashi Vikram Samvat 1944. He was born in Vikram Samvat 1644 in the household of a Brahmin landlord. In the Pushkar region he had taken Sanyas initiation from Bhagirath Swami. His preceptor had named him Ganapati Swami but he was well known as Tailang Swami. He was a great spiritual aspirant, Yogi and server of all beings. Many miraculous events are associated with him. Even Swami Vivekanand had mentioned his name and he was alive during Swami Dayanandji’s life too. By attaining the highest spiritual goal of Yoga he attained many divine powers too. Once, Tailang Swami performed austerities in the jungles of Nepal. The King of Nepal had come hunting there along with his army. A tiger saved its life when attacked by the King. But the army chief followed the tiger. The tiger entered the hermitage of Tailang Swami. It placed its head at the feet of the Swamiji and sat down quietly. Swamiji started fondling the tiger. When the army chief and the King saw this scene they were wonderstruck.

This incidence is related not for idle curiosity but for the fact that via spiritual powers generated from austerities one can actually change the direction of the flow of the subtle world. Also one can to a great extent ward off one’s ill fate and become a medium for letting those events occur which were otherwise not destined to take place. It is said that the demigods have the power to bless and cure. But in fact a Yogi, saint etc. of high spiritual stature too can accomplish this. If you connect an inactive wire to another wire in which electric current flows the former too will become active. Hence if one conjoins to the divine power of demigods then that person too attains those powers and thus enters the storehouse of divine powers that belongs to God. This entrance into the region of divine powers is not superficial but is a kind of partnership. If there is a shop with many business partners each one can take goods from it. Definitely partnership gives you this right but if you are just a lay devotee and have not merged deeply into God, he only has the right to beg for things from God.

External Yoga or Kriya Yoga involves only the external world that is visible. It can grow, shift, raise or decrease things. It can also sometimes hide or manifest things but does not have the power to enter the recesses of another’s psyche. It is easy to lead anyone to his downfall. This is easily accomplished by criminals, gamblers, looters etc. But it is a totally different story when it involves materially and spiritually uplifting others. It is the word arrows that reach the target on dot. If you throw a pile of mud it can go anywhere and that too at a long distance. There is no control over it. Only apt hands can measure true control of things. It is entirely their decision as to in what direction and how high someone is to be uplifted. Such a person knows exactly how to dive deep into an oil well and measure it according to their capability. A small jump can be executed by anybody but it is possible only for gigantic rockets to rise higher up in the sky and even cross over the atmospheric covering of the earth so as to enter interstellar space. The relationship of the individual soul uniting with God via Yoga is proof of all the divine powers that manifest (like Ridhi-Sidhi). Great Sidhas are no doubt divine men. Their grace full of discrimination (Viveka) can either spiritually uplift someone or even bestow the blessing of material well being. Only such divine saints can reach great heights of divine powers.

Like the visible world there is a hidden subtle world and we sometimes get a glimpse of it in the dream state or in Nirvikalpa Samadhi (thought free trance). Scriptural scholars call it the other world. They are subtle in nature. They are invisible. There is no world of this sort in our stars and galaxies. That means that there is no Shiv Loka, heaven, hell, Brhama Loka over there as described in our scriptures. This is because all the 7 worlds are invisible in the cosmos. They cannot be seen by our gross eyes. In these subtle invisible worlds one finds demi-gods, Pitrus, Sidhas, spiritually liberated ones etc. These worlds are not materialistic but are at the divine emotional level. Those living in these worlds are full of bliss, enthusiasm, peace, vigor etc. Those divine aides (Parshads) of God dwell in these subtle worlds. At an appropriate time these aides manifest on earth when God himself incarnates as a great saint, prophet, incarnation etc. Their invisible body remains only as long as their specific task is to be executed and they later become invisible and subtle as before. This group of aides is not small. In comparison to the number of creatures living in this gross material world, the number of beings residing in these subtle, invisible worlds is not less. Just as amongst worldly men there are very capable and radiant people so too in the subtle, invisible world there are classes of souls with divine glories. These divine glories are not just stored by these great souls but that they generously donate it to other souls who are imbued with apt credentials.

Narsinh Mehta wanted wealth for spiritual purposes. Some mendicants approached him and said that some village folks had asked them (mendicants) to approach Narsinh. We are going to Dwarka. Please keep Rs. 700/00 with you and give us a bill of exchange so that we do not face danger of getting looted on the way and that in the city of Dwarka we can get back our cash. Narsinh thinking that this was some sort of help from God accepted the cash. He wrote the bill of exchange in the name of his beloved friend Lord Shri Krishna. In Dwarka Lord Krishna disguised as a businessman accepted the bill of exchange and gave the mendicants Rs. 700/00. In reality it is God who propels great spiritual aspirants via their pure hearts to overcome the sorrow of those in need.

The great Theosophist C.W. Leadbeater always researched into the movements of the invisible world. He said that ancestral souls protected innocent children and pious souls and bestows many beneficial blessings on them. Once there was a great inferno in a room. Hence the room got totally burnt. But one particular child continually slept in it and yet was saved. A divine power kept protecting him and thus the fire could not burn the child. In 1959 a well known journalist and writer called Bernard Hutton wrote about a particular incident in his book called “Holding Hands”. He had lost his eyesight and the doctors could not help him. Hutton had heard that Dr. Lang’s departing soul making Mr. Chapman an instrument, performed eye operations and thus many blind people had regained their eyesight. So Hutton went there. Dr. Lang by entering the psyche of Chapman operated Hutton and thus Hutton regained his eyesight.

The above description shows us that a spiritual aspirant of internal Yoga makes his soul so light, clean and penetrative that he easily enters the invisible world. Despite having a gross body a master of internal Yoga can keep in touch with the invisible world via his subtle and casual bodies. As per their needs they contact divine powers. They make this contact very deep and easily imbibe those divine blessings. The first leg of Yoga practice is purification of the soul. As a result very easily such a person gets the blessings of Sidhas which further helps him to uplift himself and work for cosmic welfare. When water becomes steam it can move freely in the atmosphere. Later it can condense as clouds and pour down as rain in any area of earth. Similarly Yogis never stray away from God. They walk in the footsteps of great saints who have experienced Yoga (union with God). Thus it is not that they themselves only become self fulfilled but that they can bestow this extraordinary experience to others too. The fruits of Kundalini awakening have their basis in this. Instead of divine powers (Ridhi-Sidhi) just activating our idle curiosity it should inspire us to fulfill the supreme goal of human life.

Shriram Sharma was a great seer, Yogi and Avatar who founded the International Gayatri Family in India. He wrote volumes of priceless literature for world welfare.

Our URL: http://www.shriramsharma.com/

DESCRIPTION: Three free e-books on Indian Gayatri Science, Kundalini Yoga & Biography correlated to Neurosciences-ESP, Endocrinology, Anatomy, Physiology, Psychology & Sociology for 1) material & spiritual prosperity & 2) uniting the world peacefully as one family.

Ours is a strictly non-commercial website which aims at realizing the age old dream of great leaders and thinkers of the world viz. “A beautiful borderless world.”

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Fruit Bouquets: How to make your Wedding Bouquet a Talking Point

Are you looking for something a bit different for your wedding day? Something that shows how trendy, fun-loving and interesting you are, without being tacky? Well instead of using a normal every-day boring bouquet of flowers, why not make yourself a bouquet made of fruit?
 

Yes thats right I said fruit!
 

Now you're probably thinking that a fruit bouquet would be interesting, but that it might not be quite the look you want for your wedding. In fact, maybe you're thinking a fruit bouquet would just look plain ridiculous!
 

Well, I think you'll be surprised how good a fruit bouquet can actually look. If you keep the bouquet small and prepare the bouquet carefully, you can have a really great looking wedding bouquet that will definitely be a talking point amongst your family and friends afterwards.
 

The trick is to not overload the bouquet with too much fruit. If you add too much fruit, it will start to look tacky, and you'll have trouble carrying the bouquet down the aisle!
 

So what fruit do you use in a fruit bouquet?
 

I suggest using a variety of small fruits like:
 

  • Apricots
  • Nectarines
  • Mandarines
  • Passionfruits
  • Small apples
  • Kiwi fruit
  • Strawberries
One thing to be aware of when chosing your fruit, is that some fruits (like strawberries), will stain if you are not careful. Just wrap them in cellophane, and you won't have to worry about everything getting stained.
 

Make sure you use small pieces of fruit. This will allow you to make a fairly decent sized bouquet, without having to worry about your arm dropping off when you're carrying it!
Once you've chosen your fruit, you need to wire the fruit into the bouquet. You will need to use heavy gauge wire, which you can get from your local flower shop.
You can either put the wires straight through the fruit and then tape the wires, or you can wrap the fruit in cellophone first, and then wire and tape.
The next thing to do is add some leaves to the bouquet. I like to use big leaves, as they make it look like the fruit is hiding in the leaves. This make the fruit bouquet more subtle, and stops it from looking like a fruit basket.
You can also cut a bunch of leaves off a fruit tree and wire the fruit amongst the leaves. Make sure the branch is fairly straight. This will allow you to tape the branch, and will add a more bridal look to the bouquet.
Finally, place some ribbon bows near the leaves, to soften the fruit bouquet, and to add some elegance.
As you can see, it isn't too hard to make a fruit bouquet, and it's definitely something you should consider if you want something a little more interesting than a regular flower bouquet for your wedding. And there's the added advantage, that if you get hungry later, you've got something handy to eat!
Peta Fletcher has been making silk bouquets for over 14 years. She is the webmaster of http://www.visionsofsilk.com, a website with detailed, easy-to-understand articles about creating your own bouquets

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Saturday, February 9, 2008

Bridal Bouquets - A Guide to Picking the Right Bouquet for You!

There are so many different types of flowers to choose from that it may be difficult to choose which ones to have in bridal bouquets. You may be swayed by color or fragrance but if you are looking for a bit more of an unusual source of inspiration you might consider the meanings of some of the most common flowers used in bridal bouquets. Here are a few to get you thinking:

  • Amaranthus - Immortality
  • Apple Blossom - Better things to come
  • Baby's breath - Pure heart
  • Bachelor Button - Delicacy
  • Bamboo - Strength, Loyalty
  • Bluebell - Constancy
  • Blue Violet - Faithfulness
  • Camellia - Gratitude
  • Carnation - Fascination and love
  • Chrysanthemum (red) - I love you
  • Chrysanthemum (white) - Truth
  • Cyclamen - Modesty and shyness
  • Daffodil - Regard, joy
  • Dahlia - Good Taste
  • Honeysuckle - Generosity
  • Hyacinth - Loveliness
  • Hydrangea - Boastfulness
  • Iris - Warmth of affection
  • Ivy - Eternal fidelity
  • Japonica - Loveliness
  • Jasmine - Amiability
  • Lemon Blossom - Fidelity in love
  • Lilac (white) - Youthful innocence
  • Lily - Majesty
  • Lily-of-the-valley - Return of happiness
  • Magnolia - Perseverance, Nobility
  • Maidenhair - Discretion
  • Mimosa - Sensitivity
  • Orange Blossom - Purity and virginity
  • Orchid - Ecstasy, Nobility
  • Peach Blossom - Captive
  • Poppy - Fantastic, Extravagance
  • Reed - Music
  • Rose (red) - Love
  • Rose (white) - Worthiness
  • Rose (other colors) - Love and beauty
  • Rosemary - Remembrance
  • Snowdrop - Hope
  • Sweet Pea - Delicate pleasures
  • Tulip - Love
  • Veronica - Fidelity
  • Violet - Faithfulness
  • Wheat - Riches, Friendliness
  • White daisy - innocence
  • Wisteria - I cling to thee
  • Daisy - Innocence
  • Flax - Fate, I feel your kindness
  • Fern - Fascination and sincerity
  • Flowering Almond - Hope
  • Forget-me-not - True love and remembrance
  • Gardenia - Joy
  • Grape - Charity
  • Hemp - Fate
  • Heliotrope - Devotion and faithfulness

    Bridal bouquets should compliment the colouring of the bride’s outfit and accessories, including make-up. Also bear in mind any theme that the wedding is following. Wedding bouquets should be of lighter colored blooms if the event is to be a romantic one or brighter if the theme is a brighter occasion.

    Remember to consult with your florist at the earliest opportunity to ensure that they have sufficient time to procure the required flowers and decorations. The more exotic wedding bouquets are going to be or the more detailed your requirements, the longer your florist will need.

    Find out more about organising all aspect of your special day at http://www.a1-ourwedding.com

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    Thursday, February 7, 2008

    The Picky Bride's Bouquet: Flowers Guaranteed to Make You Happy

    Wedding flowers are a big budget item, and one of the first things your guests will notice as you walk down the aisle.

    You have a great idea about what type of bouquet you want to carry. You also want your bridesmaids' bouquets to complement your arrangement perfectly, and you want to make sure that the centerpieces at the reception will reflect your good taste. There are a hundred details to keep in mind. Being a picky bride is hard work.

    It's your day. You want everything to be perfect, including your flowers. However, things can go wrong. Very wrong.

    Wrong flowers, or the right flowers, in the wrong colours. Wilting flowers. Flowers that stain your dress. A heavier than expected bouquet making you feel as if you are holding a small bowling ball instead of your beautiful, heavenly flowers. Broken stems. Sudden allergic reaction. Allergic reaction of bridesmaid(s). Husband-to-be suddenly in tears (also allergic--who knew???)

    Many of these horrible scenarios have probably crossed your mind. Perhaps I've added a few more. I'm sorry.

    But I'd like to suggest an alternative. One that more and more discriminating brides are discovering. Premium silk flowers. Botanically correct. Incredible orchids that feel totally real and would fool anyone. Lush peonies and roses.

    Think about it. No last minute surprises. No worries about substitutions, for whatever the reason. Instead, you can plan ahead. Let your designer know what you would like, or let them suggest a design for you, according to your taste and preferences. Then, a few weeks later, you receive photos of what they've created. You can then make sure that they've assembled the bouquet you were wishing for. The bridesmaid bouquets are too similar to yours? Now's the time to make those changes. So when you receive you wedding package, it will be just as you'd hoped your flowers would be like. Perfect. No surprises.

    A good floral designer will work with you, helping you create your perfect floral arrangements. They should be able to offer you a choice of selecting a bouquet from their catalogue that you can customize, or having them create a new arrangement. They should be able to send you a sample of a flower or flowers you would like to use (for a small fee)upon request, and offer to send you photos to ensure that you are pleased with the results.

    There you go. One less horrible scenario to keep you up at night!

    Andree Lapare runs Mulberry Design http://www.mulberrydesign.ca, a small rural company specializing in sophisticated, premium silk wedding bouquets and arrangements that make brides shine.

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    Wednesday, February 6, 2008

    6 Tips For Making Your Own Wedding Flower Bouquet

    The key to making your own wedding flower bouquet are the three P. First you have to Plan. Then you must Prepare. Finally, Practice makes Perfect. Use these following tips in order for you to make your wedding flower bouquet arrangement a memorable experience.

    1. Get tons of ideas. Flip through magazines and books. Drop by floral shops. Take pictures of the floral arrangements you see whenever you are out in public.

    2. One of the best places where you can get inspiration are 5-star hotels. If you're free on a Saturday, that's the best day you can go because there are weddings set up and are about to take place there.

    3. The more ideas that you have in your head, the more inspirations you have which you can incorporate into your own wedding.

    4. Now that you have tons of idea in your head, go through it by not being clattered. Put all of it in place and in a single perspective. Jot it down on a notebook because it is such a waste if you lose an idea just because you are not organized. Put the flower pictures in an envelope. When you're ready to decide which arrangement you prefer, then throw the photos you won't need anymore.

    5. Decide on a color. Different flowers can provide you with the colors you prefer. From roses to carnations, orchids to iris, their colors can complement the motif you are in your head. It all depends on the flowers that you choose and can afford.

    6. Get help. Flowers are perishable, therefore they must be prepared, arranged and fixed when the wedding is a minute away. If you have tons of flowers, you will also be needing a lot of help.

    Gather the materials you need in one box so it is easy for you to access. Make sure that you have sets of supplies which can make you and your helpers work faster and smoothly. Get clippers, floral tape, floral moss, rose strippers and ribbons. Soon enough, you are good to go.

    To learn more ideas for wedding flower arrangements, visit http://www.weddingflowerarrangements101.com

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    Tuesday, February 5, 2008

    How To Choose The Right Wedding Bouquet Style

    Basically, there are three wedding bouquet styles. The cascade, round or posy, and hand-tied.

    The cascade, as the name suggests, is shaped like a waterfall, more flowers on the top with some flowers flowing downwards. It is mixed with some greeneries to get the natural look.

    The round bouquet, of course is round in shape and have less greeneries but more flowers.The flowers can be of one kind or multiple kinds as long as the colour balance is there.

    The hand-tied wedding bouquet, which is gaining popularity these days, is more casual. It is made from a bunch of flowers tied together with a ribbon and the stems are revealed.

    How do you know which one is suitable for you?

    Your selection will depend on three things:

    • your body size
    • your wedding gown style
    • the look that you want to carry

    If you are self-conscious about your appearance on your wedding day, choosing the right wedding bouquet style can enhance the way you look and probably hide some imperfections around your body.

    Let's say you want to look slimmer on the big day, you would probably choose a cascade bouquet because of the bouquet shape itself. A cascade bouquet is roundish at the top and the pointy at the bottom.This slimming effect is best when you want to look slimmer.

    If you are a tall person in nature, consider a cascade bouquet or a hand-tied bouquet. Never choose a round bouquet. A round bouquet will make you look taller. Added with the height of your heels, you will look extra tall.

    A bride-to-be with big hips should go for other bouquets, except a round hand bouquet. A round bouquet will enhance your hips. To hide it, you should choose a cascade or hand-tied bouquet instead.

    If you like a garden look or a casual look, the only wedding bouquet that can give you that is the hand-tied wedding bouquet. The flowers on the hand-tied bouquet will look like they have been hand picked by you from the garden. You will look natural carrying a hand-tied wedding bouquet.

    If you have a petite body, choose a round bouquet. The size of the round bouquet and your body is balanced and you will look your best on your wedding day.

    Liztiany Zakaria is a flower arrangement hobbyist who does wedding bouquets for friends and family members.For more information on wedding flowers, visit her website, http://www.flower-arrangement-advisor.com

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    Monday, February 4, 2008

    The Lasting Beauty Of A Silk Flower Wedding Bouquet

    Most couples will put a great deal of time and thought into the selection of the bride's bouquet and rightly so as the bouquet is not only an essential bridal accessory and a central part of the bride's wedding outfit, but the flowers used in the bouquet will convey a very special and personal message to the groom.

    To ensure that just the right flowers are available for the bouquet and to provide a lasting reminder of this very special moment in any girl's life, couples are increasingly turning away from traditional cut flowers in favor of a silk wedding flower bouquet.

    The art of making silk flowers dates back many centuries and the first silk flowers were believed to have been made in China. Silk flower making was also adopted in Italy and France during the eighteenth century and moved from there to England and then across the Atlantic to America during the nineteenth century.

    Silk flowers are fashioned from nature with the first stage in the process being the manufacture of a series of dies which are used to cut the silk flower petals and leaves. These dies are modeled on actual flower petals and leaves and a great deal of care and time, as well as expense, goes into the manufacture or each set of dies.

    The dies are then used to cut the flower petals and leaves from white silk before each piece is individually hand died using cotton balls and fine brushes. This is skilled work and it can take up to an hour to die a single petal.

    Each petal is then placed into a mold and heated and pressed into the correct shape before being stiffened where necessary with fine wire inserted by hand and glued into place.

    Finally the individual petals and leaves are assembled into the finished flower using a series of fine wires, each wrapped in floral paper and coated in a fine layer of wax.

    The result of this highly labor intensive process is a flower of quite exquisite beauty which, in virtually all cases, is so realistic that most people would not be able to tell the difference between the natural flower and its silk equivalent.

    For the bride this means the ability to use out-of-season flowers with ease and so express her faithfulness to the marriage through the use of blue violets, or her simple joy through the use of gardenias, whatever time of year she chooses to marry.

    The use of silk flowers does not of course have to be confined to a silk flower wedding bouquet and can also be extended to the groom's buttonhole, the bridesmaids' flowers and indeed the floral decorations as a whole.

    One increasingly seen benefit of the use of a silk wedding flower bouquet lies in the fact that the bride can, if she wishes, keep her bouquet as a beautiful and lasting memory of one of the happiest days of her life.

    To find out more about the lasting beauty of a silk flower wedding bouquet please visit Talking Weddings today.

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    Building a Custom Swarovski Crystal Wedding Bouquet

    I have made Swarovski Crystal Wedding Bouquets for many Brides and I always find that they are amazed when they realize what we can come up with once we decide to "step out of the box" and use the medium to its fullest potential.

    There are many ways to accomplish something unique and stylish without getting too far away from tradition, or if completely "off the beaten path" is your preference, crystal bouquets are by far, the way to go.

    Swarovski Crystal Bouquets are made from crystals that are mounted on stainless steel stems which brings the advantage of any shape or size to your bouquet that you can imagine. The benefits of Swarovski Crystals is that they are incredibly bright and can light up rooms with rainbows in the sunlight or twinkle brilliantly in candlelight, in any light they are breathtaking. Swarovski Crystals come in about 300 different colors so you can coordinate your bouquet with your décor or just your dress.

    Let's start with shapes and sizes… The most elaborate bouquet that I have ever built went from just under the Bride’s princess bodice and stopped just above her knees. It had 600 crystals in it and 60 white, silk roses. It was spectacular. She chose to have it cascade at the bottom just as you may have a traditional wedding bouquet of roses and ivy. You can also have them fashioned in the shape of a round bouquet as you would a hand-tied bunch of daisies or peonies. You may also wish to have them made so that it lays across your arm like a collection of wild flowers. The choice is yours and the sky is the limit.

    Next, let's talk about creating your perfect bouquet by using variations in color… I have made bouquets for brides with a very wide array of hues. I really enjoy when I get a chance to brainstorm with my clients. We touch on her dress to make sure that the style and the accents will work well with our creation. We talk about the décor for the big day, bridesmaids dresses, jewelry, even favorite colors to come up with the something that will appeal to her every desire.

    Some of my favorite creations have been a bouquet that had clear crystals that cascaded around ruby red crystals that I made into the shape of a heart in the middle of the bouquet. This was for a wedding on Valentine’s Day, she wore a white dress that had a wide, red sash around her waste and her entire décor was hearts and arrows. Another Bride wanted me to make all of her bouquets for the party. Each of them had 5 different shades of blue, from baby blue to navy. This looked spectacular next to their Tiffany Blue dresses. And last but not least, I made a bouquet with 300 crystals in it, all of the crystals were the same color, but she chose to get larger sizes that were several different shapes to create interest. There were, round, bicone and cubed crystals, each of them caught the light differently and really made quite a statement on her wedding day.

    I do hope that this helps you to open your mind to all of the different possibilities that are at hand with Swarovski Crystal Bouquets. Whether it is the uniqueness of carrying crystals, the shape, the colors or even the ribbons, I’m sure that it will add something to your wedding day that your family and friends will remember for years to come.

    Penny Olson is the owner and designer for Brilliant Wedding Jewelry
    Make your day sparkle with Crystal Wedding Bouquets. Browse our collection of wedding articles.

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    Friday, February 1, 2008

    Six Alternative Bridal Bouquet Toss Ideas

    Is the traditional bridal bouquet toss not for you? Many modern gals are ditching this traditional altogether, and looking for new variations and interpretations. Many women see the bouquet toss as pressure, and hate the implication that single women are chomping at the bit to be married.

    Here are six alternatives to the traditional bridal bouquet toss that will make everyone happy:
     

    • Wish Come True Bouquet Toss -- Invite all the women onto the dance floor, married and single. Ask them all to make a wish right as the bouquet is tossed and whoever catches it will get their wish.
       
    • Fortune Bouquet Toss -- Invite everyone onto the dance floor and have a bouquet that consists of several small bunches of flowers are simply held together in your hand. On each bunch, have a handwritten “fortune” attached to it that you made up. When you throw the flower bunches in the air, they break apart so several people will get a “fortune” bouquet. Before throwing a break apart bouquet make sure they are easily separated and not entwined together so they really do break apart in the air.
       
    • Longest Married Bouquet Toss -- Invite all married couples onto the dance floor and have the DJ announce that everyone married less than 5 years to leave, then less than 10 years to leave and so on until the couple married the longest is left dancing and they are awarded with the bouquet. Keep in mind that this may not be the right bouquet toss for you, especially if you have a recently deceased grandparent that would have been married the longest if they were still living. This also focuses on married people and leaves out the single folks.
       
    • Special Honors Bouquet Toss -- Split up the bouquet into halves and give one half to your mother and one to your mother-in-law. The bridal bouquet could also be presented to grandparents, split apart for all the women in the bridal party, presented to your maid of honor, your sisters, a friend who is engaged, etc. Think of someone you’d like to honor and give it to them as a “good luck” bouquet.
       
    • Favors Toss -- Instead of tossing flowers, toss the wedding favors! Much like candy being tossed in a parade you can toss small or soft favors to the guests. Children can help in the fun, and everybody has a chance to get something. Candy, small stuffed animals, silly toys and gift cards are good choices.
       
    • Gift Cards & Money Bouquet Toss -- Rather than have fortunes attached to a break away bouquet, why not attach gift cards (from coffee shops, record stores, etc) to your bridal bouquet! Rolled up $1-$20 bills is also fun for everyone. You can invite everyone onto the dance floor, men and women alike.
      So rather than skip the bridal bouquet toss entirely, why not start your own tradition? Unusual tosses can be explained by your DJ, an appointed person or written in your program. Choose a bridal bouquet toss that is meaningful to you and don’t be afraid to simply present it to someone you care about.

      Amber Dusick is the editor of The Do It Yourself Weddings Guide at http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/ where you can get instructions for wedding crafts, do it yourself favors, centerpieces, make your own invites and programs and more! Learn to do most everything to do with weddings...yourself!

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