Start with the invitations. There are some very sweet imprintable stationery sets which have pictures of tea cups on them. The wording can read “The pleasure of your company is requested / for a bridal tea shower / in honor of / Miss Amanda Green / Sunday, April 21st at 4 o’clock / 131 Willow Street, Stamford, Connecticut. Be sure to add your R.s.v.p. details in the lower left corner of the invitation so that you can get an accurate headcount for your party. Shower invitations are generally mailed about four weeks before the event, since they are mostly for local guests or the bride’s immediate family and bridesmaids, who will know about the shower long before they receive the invitation in the mail.

Everything should be timeless and romantic for a tea party bridal shower. Fine white lace tablecloths and crisply starched napkins in a feminine shade like pink or mauve would be the perfect table dressings. Add a Victorian inspired centerpiece to the table or on a sideboard. Take a footed urn and fill with a loose arrangement of flowers overflowing the sides in shades of pinks, creams, and dusty purples. Everyone should dress in their prettiest and most feminine clothes: floral dresses, cultured pearl earrings, possibly even fancy hats. Most women have at least the pretty dresses and cultured pearl earrings in their wardrobes, so it will not be an imposition to request this type of attire for the shower.

Certainly, tea will be an important part of the tea party shower. Serve several varieties in an elegant fashion. Forget about tea bags, and instead brew several pots of tea to be served from handpainted china tea pots or on a silver tea service. If you happen to have a large collection of tea cups with saucers, they would be great, or scour the flea markets and antique shops to amass a pretty collection of assorted tea cups. Offer guests fresh milk, lemon, and sugar for their tea in elegant containers.

As for the food, fancy and light fare is ideal. The traditional high tea menu is a mixture of sweet and savory foods. For the savory, offer cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off and miniature chicken salad sandwiches cut into triangles. Next comes the bread course, which is generally scones with strawberry preserves and clotted cream. You may also add small muffins and a bread, if you want to make it a bit heartier. Finally, the sweets are served. Plan on one fabulous torte or pie on a fancy pedestal and a tiered tray of delicious sweet morsels like petit fours, tea cookies, lemon squares, and perhaps some chocolate dipped strawberries. Nothing should be larger than two or three bites in size (except the scones), but make sure that there are plenty of pieces for each guest to try a few of everything.

Once everyone has had their tea and snack, it is time to open gifts! If the bride loves tea, you could suggest that guests bring tea themed gifts like tea pots, tea towels, fancy imported tins of tea leaves, and the like. Otherwise, the usual assortment of gifts is just fine, and might be more practical for the bride. Thank everyone for coming with a tea themed bridal shower favor. There is a wide variety available, including customized tea bags and infusers, mini teacups with candles, and tins of gourmet tea. It will be the perfect ending to your classic tea party theme bridal shower.

About the Author Bridget Mora

Ask Bridget for advice in areas of jewelry or weddings. She writes numerous articles providing information for the customers of http://silverlandjewelry.com/, where we design an elegant selection of cultured pearl earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, which are perfect for your special occasion. As our gift to you, all jewelry orders over $99 receive complimentary shipping.

A rehearsal dinner is an informal dinner that takes place after a wedding rehearsal, usually a few days before the wedding, although it is commonly held the night before of the wedding ceremony. Wedding etiquette does not demand that you have a rehearsal dinner, although advises take such opportunity to thank the attendants for all their help planning the wedding.

While some couples prefer both the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner take place two or three days before the wedding to relax on the wedding’s eve, the wedding day is such a busy day that it is more likely the bride and the groom will no eat until the reception, and not exactly immediately.

So eating with your loved ones the night before is more than advisable, necessary! Rehearsal dinners were traditionally paid by the groom’s parents, but this expense is becoming in a part of the wedding planning budget. In families who share strong bond one another, are the parents of both the groom and the bride who paid for the rehearsal dinner.

At the rehearsal dinner the couple will toast, thank the attendants and present small gratitude gifts to their groomsmen and bridesmaids. Sometimes the people invited to the rehearsal dinner have been helping the couple but have not socialized among them so taking this opportunity to play ice-breaking games will contribute with the success of your wedding day getting the friends of the groom and the bride meet in anticipation.

If you are a bride that is going to marry but you are unsure of having a rehearsal dinner planned, ask you future mother-in-law, as this responsibility belongs to her. I she is not considering to celebrate it, discuss with her and your own mother the idea of having one and let them decide if you can count with their help, otherwise go ahead yourself.

Attending a rehearsal dinner requires sending out invitations, but these can be simple formats that are sent a few days before the wedding invitation. With the Internet and many couples wanting to have out-of town guests, sometimes is better send rehearsal dinner invitations by email, unless you are following a more traditional format in every stage of your wedding planning.

Rehearsal dinner is a custom originated in the United States, country at which it is fully integrated into the matrimony traditions, although it is also commonly observed in Canada. Because of the informal nature of this dinner, you do not need to celebrate this event at a luxury venue or restaurant and the food in the menu does not need to be so elaborated.

Rehearsal dinners are commonly held at the groom or bride’s home unless the numbers of guests require taking the dinner outdoors or at a specific place with enough room for all. Some couples prefer to have a rehearsal dinner at an early our so everyone can enjoy with yard activities within the house and without formalities that the wedding etiquette will demand to all of them during the wedding day.

Lois Reyes is an expert wedding planner as well as a staff writer at Wedding Printer. The Wedding Printer offers quality wedding stationary and information on Wedding Etiquette.

• Arguing with your fiancé more than normal?
• Finding it increasingly difficult to make decisions?
• Finding it increasingly difficult to focus on a task?
• Minor things irritating you more?
• Frequently feeling lethargic?
• Having trouble sleeping?
• Suffering from headaches?

If the answer is yes to more than 3 of these questions, then chances are you’re suffering from stress.

Most of us have a broad sense of what stress is and how it can positively or negatively affect our lives; however, many of us choose to ignore the build up, until something significant occurs.

In Psychology, marriage is considered to be a significant life change. Research by Holmes and Rahe (1967) lead to the development of the ‘Social readjustment rating scale’. The Scale ranked and weighted life events with regard to the amount of stress a person experiences at a given period of time.

Out of 43 life events ‘marriage’ was ranked in the top 20%, higher than ‘pregnancy’, ‘Fired from work’ and even ‘death of a close friend’.

So there it is! Empirical evidence shows us how it is extremely common to be stressed out of our minds when it comes to getting married.

Here are a few handy suggestions that should help you manage stress prior to your wedding:

1. MAKE A DATE
Planning a wedding can place considerable strain on your relationship. As the wedding date grows nearer more and more emphasis tends to be placed on the event, drawing your attentions away from each other. It is very easy to lose touch with your relationship and yourselves, so why not just take time out.

Make 1 night of the week ‘Date night’! There should be no talk of the wedding plans on this night. The word ‘wedding’ and any wedding related topics should be strictly forbidden.

Having this time together should not only help relieve personal stress, but allow you to stay connected as a couple and keep things in perspective.

2. HOLISTIC THERAPY
Massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, Reiki healing, the list goes on. There are so many alternative therapies it’s hard to pick one, but if one of them works for you-do it!

A massage is often more affordable than a night out and should leave you feeling rejuvenated as opposed to hung over.

Even if it’s only possible once a month, you’ll feel the benefits, helping you manage physical as well as emotional stress.

3. TAKE A CLASS
Dance classes are usually great fun and a good form of exercise, plus you’ll meet lots of people of all ages. From Salsa to Jive, there are classes out there to suit everyone, however, if shaking your behind once a week doesn’t appeal you can always try something different.

You could take a course in languages. Many colleges and universities run these short courses for various languages.

Providing you don’t take any of these things too seriously they should provide you with fresh stimuli, diverting your attentions on a regular basis and hopefully reducing wedding stress.

4. REGULAR EXERCISE
It is a proven fact that one of the best ways to reduce stress is to exercise. Aerobic exercise such as running, walking and swimming can help to control stress levels. Research also shows that people who exercise regularly will suffer less from anxiety and depression than comparable people who are not aerobically fit.

Experts recommend that we exercise 3-4 times a week for at least 20 minutes per session. Try it out! You may soon start feeling the difference in yourself.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. You can integrate it into your normal daily routine, i.e. walk to the shop to buy milk, and walk to work twice a week. This way you are more likely to commit to exercise.

If not managed properly stress can get out of hand and lead to serious problems. The planning of your wedding should be an enjoyable part of the whole experience, so don’t let stress manage you.

Manage stress and ps. Have a truly unforgettable wedding!

As one of the UK‘s most popular wedding singers, Luca provides live wedding music and entertainment packages to clients near and far. You can find out more about Luca and female wedding DJ Sally at www.vocalshow.co.uk.

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Need more help planning a couples wedding shower? Visit Stress Away Bridal Cafe for more wedding videos, articles, tips and to chat with other brides-to-be in our wedding forums.

(ARA) – When your best friend or sister announces she’s engaged and wants you to be her maid of honor, of course you jump up and down with excitement – for her. But inside, you’re starting to cringe. Dresses, presents and planning at least one bridal shower – you can feel the pressure building up.

If the thought of the bridal shower creates more stress than satisfaction, there’s help. Culinary expert and newlywed, Kendall McFarland, research and development manager at Simply Organic, suggests cutting down on hassles with these five timesaving tips for simple but sensational shower refreshments.

* Take smart shortcuts. For enticing flavor without fuss, keep a supply of natural dressing and dip mixes on hand for fresh, homemade appetizers and snacks. Add a dip or dressing mix, such as creamy dill, French onion, guacamole, or ranch to equal parts of low-fat cottage cheese and non-fat plain yogurt and mix in a blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with fresh veggies you can buy already cleaned and cut up at the store.

* Dress up everyday favorites. Special dishes don’t require hours in the kitchen. Make your easy-to-prepare favorites and dress them up with special, wedding seasonings. Try distinctive seasoning blends like red pepper and curry, apple and basil, pineapple and cilantro, or orange and ginger for a gourmet touch. For example, simply add a liberal dose of a spice (like oregano, basil, or cayenne) or seasoning blend along with some garlic and Parmesan cheese to your usual mashed potatoes, and you’ll instantly serve something outside everyday fare.

* Plan and shop wisely. Forget about shopping ’til you drop. Develop your menu, including impromptu snacks, ahead of time. Then pick up everything non-perishable at the same time, eliminating those last-minute treks to the grocery store. To save even more time, order ingredients online. For example, Simply Organic carries culinary items like organic spices, seasoning blends, baking extracts and flavors, gluten-free baking mixes and other cooking ingredients and supplies which they will ship to you within a few days of your order.

* Accept help. When the bride’s mother or other guests ask if they can bring anything, say yes! Ask them to bring something you don’t especially enjoy preparing or something you know is that person’s specialty which the bride really loves. Or have each guest bring a dessert or appetizer, so you can focus solely on the rest of the party and fun. Offers to help are gifts, so allow other bridesmaids or friends to assist if they offer. Working together can add to the shower fun, and give you stories to share as you continue down the wedding planning road.

* Make it healthy – the bride, her bridesmaids and the mother of the bride all want to fit into their dresses when the big day finally arrives. The best meal you can offer your guests is a delicious and healthful one. Provide great-tasting, nutritious snacks that go easy on salt, fat, sugar, and other potentially unhealthy ingredients and your guests will fondly remember your hospitality.

Here are two great examples of healthy bridal shower dishes from the Simply Organic recipe Web site that are easy to prepare:

Fruit Chutney
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and diced mixed fruit
1 package Apple Basil Dressing Mix
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash fruit or use a food processor and blend. Add Apple Basil Dressing Mix and vinegar and mix. Chill and serve as a relish.

Italian Egg Bake
Serves 6

Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 package Italian Dressing Mix
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup diced vegetables (tomatoes and mushrooms are good choices)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add milk and Italian Dressing Mix and whisk well. Add cheese and vegetables. Pour into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is firm. Top with diced tomatoes and shredded Parmesan cheese for an extra special flavor.

For more delicious, healthy and easy recipes, visit www.simplyorganicfoods.com and click on the recipe drop-down menu.

For more bridal shower planning ideas visit Stress Away Bridal.

Engagement Party Invitations

You want to organize a really special engagement party for your friends and part of that is creating engagement party invitations that will really be special and mean something to them. Before we go into how you can do this though let’s think about some basic etiquette tips for organizing a great engagement party.

Engagement Party Planning Etiquette

Before planning the engagement party let’s just say that there are a few basic etiquette rules that you should probably be aware of, like:

* Give the engaged couple time to just enjoy being engaged – don’t have the engagement party for at least the first two months.

* Make sure that people know they are under no compulsion to give engagement party gifts, a note on the engagement party invitations saying “No gift required” would be a good idea to make people see that they do not need to feel pressurized into buying two expensive gifts (one for the engagement party and another for the wedding).

* If the couple is having a small wedding then have a small engagement party – plan in line with the wedding.

* Think about the couple and families involved – make sure that they will feel comfortable with what you have planned.

* Send out engagement party invitations that will get everyone talking.

Free Party Invitations for the Engagement Party

To really make the day special for the engaged couple you want to begin with creating great engagement party invitations, but you also don’t want to spend too much money on this. Well, a great idea is to create engagement party invitations using Web 2.0.

Using Web 2.0 you will be able to create a free web page inviting people to the engagement party and that you can customize as much as you like. Use photos, videos, audio and music to show people what you are planning for the engagement party and then add more afterwards so that those who couldn’t make it still feel like they are a part of the celebrations.

Once your web page is up, send guests an email with the link to the web page so that they can get the party details and also RSVP online. They will also be able to see their photos next to their names on the page (if you have added their photos), see who else is coming and then even start communicating with other party guests before the party.

Tamara Ford is the wife of an Internet Entrepreneur who specializes in Event Launch Marketing applying social media and internet marketing strategies. “I initially started writing to help my husband and have since become hooked”. If you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in reading another article I wrote about Engagements and Announcements. Looking for Online Casual Party Invitations? visit Events Listed website to learn more about our fantastic (FREE) event publishing tools & resources.

For more engagement party planning ideas visit Stress Away Bridal Cafe- Your source for weddings ideas and free wedding websites.