Your anniversary is approaching, and this is the year you and your sweetheart have decided to renew your marriage vows. You might choose to get the perfect dress, tux, gifts, food, and venue all over again, but this time it’s a little different. You don’t have to throw a big, elaborate party like your wedding was—if you’d rather have an intimate ceremony with a small gathering of family, that’s fine. Or if you never had a huge celebration, now is your chance.

Regardless of whether you throw an extravagant party or elope for a weekend to renew your vows in privacy, you’ll need to choose the perfect location.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a vibrant, electric city that just happens to be home to one of the most famous chapels in the world: The Little White Wedding Chapel. But this little church isn’t your only option if you want to renew your vows in Vegas—there are plenty of other chapels to choose from if the White Chapel is booked.

If you want a fun, entertaining vow renewal ceremony, Vegas is the place for you. Bring a small gathering of family and friends to The Entertainment Capital of the World and make your vow renewal a night to remember. What happens in Vegas might stay in Vegas, but make sure you take plenty of pictures with your Elvis impersonator…this is one event you’ll want to remember. 

Your Original Venue

Some couples want to renew their vows in the same place they first made them. If you’re the sentimental type, this might be the best option for you. Repeating the same vows with your sweetheart in the same location you first spoke them would certainly be a special experience.

Keep in mind that even if you renew your vows in your wedding venue, you don’t have to repeat your wedding experience. If you want a smaller guest list (or a larger one), different colors, a different style of dress, or different music, that’s completely up to you. The most important thing is to make this ceremony an expression of your past, present, and future love.

Europe Abroad

If you’re looking for romance, book tickets to most Americans’ dream vacation spot: Europe. Catch a flight to Venice, Vienna, or Paris and enjoy a week or two basking in the romance of an old European city. If you’ve got the time and budget, take a sightseeing tour across Europe. What’s more romantic than renewing your wedding vows in the privacy of a small, historic chapel tucked away in an Italian villa?

The best part about going abroad is that you won’t have to invite anyone out of obligation. You can leave the relatives, friends, and even your kids at home while you take a second honeymoon to see Europe like you’ve always wanted to.

The Beach

Europe might not be your dream, but you can still travel somewhere exotic for your ceremony—what about the beach? If you’ve got a lower budget, stick to a South California or East Coast ceremony. Set up a pavilion to shade your guests from the sun and decorate simply, with flowers and garlands.

If you want to go somewhere a little more exciting, book a hotel and chaplain on one of those tropical beaches you’ve always wanted to see. Fiji, Antigua, Hawaii, the British Isles, and Bora Bora are some of the most popular destinations, and with good reason. They are home to gorgeous beaches, fantastic sight-seeing, and plenty of time to spend relaxing on the beach with your spouse. Renewing your vows in one of these locations is truly a fairy tale come true.

Your Home

Traveling might not be your thing. If that’s the case, renew your vows at home. If you have a landscaped, picturesque backyard, rent a few decorations from a professional company, set up plenty of seating, and invite guests to your home for the evening.

There is nowhere more intimate or personal to celebrate your marriage than within the walls of your own home. You and your spouse have made years of memories there, and the day will hold special significance when you renew your vows in the home you share.

There is no one right place to renew your vows. Just be sure to choose a venue that will make the day memorable for you and your spouse.

A lot of work goes into planning a wedding. As the bride, you spend months putting together decorations, seating charts, choosing a dress, finding the perfect flowers, picking out bridesmaid dresses—the list goes on and on. By the month before the wedding, you’ll be sick of planning and ready to get married. This is the time that you get to spend preparing yourself—you get a little “you” time before the big day. It takes a lot of work to bring together your dream look for the wedding day and honeymoon, but there’s an easy four-week beauty regimen that will help you take things one step at a time. Read on to get a good idea of what to do, when to do it, and how to look utterly flawless by your wedding day.

Week 1: Skin

Start the month off by creating a clean, clear canvas and treating your skin to a few facials and masks. You can create your own concoction, or buy a simple mud mask from the store, but it’s a good idea to start clearing your pores as soon as you can. As for the rest of your skin, you’ll want to start moisturizing to make sure that you don’t dry out. You probably plan on going tanning and getting a wax before the wedding, so make sure you give your skin some TLC in preparation for the intense beauty treatments ahead of you.

Week 2: Teeth and Hair

During Week 2, your top priorities will be teeth and hair. If you want a sparkling white smile for your wedding photos, you need to start a couple weeks before since most home-whitening products take 1-2 weeks to take full effect. A popular teeth-whitening option for brides is to use a whitening pen, like the Colgate Optic Whitening Pen, or the Dr. Fresh Dazzling White pen. According to the professionals of the Coquitlam Centre Dental Clinic who specialize in orthodontics in Coquitlam, you can pair a home-whitening remedy with whitening toothpaste and mouthwash in order to help the whitening process.

If you plan on getting your hair done, do it during the second week. This is the best time to get a little trim to have your ends looking perfect, or to touch up your color. You don’t want to have that “just-dyed” look on the day of your wedding—you need to give it time to fade so that the color isn’t overwhelming. Plus, if something goes wrong with the color or cut, you’ll have enough time to fix it before the big day.

Week 3: Get Your Tan On

To get a natural looking glow for both your special day and the honeymoon to follow, about two weeks before the wedding you should hit the tanning salon a few times. If you haven’t seen much sun, start off small, and each time you go back, you can increase your time in the bed. Consult with specialists at the tanning salon to determine what type of bed you should use and for how long. Tanning needs to be done in the third week because you’ll want to get a wax during the week of the wedding, and if you tan after waxing, it will definitely cause irritation. Give yourself enough time between tanning and waxing so that your skin doesn’t have a poor reaction to either treatment.

Week 4: Finishing Touches

Now that you have your tan out of the way, focus on the finer points of your wedding day and honeymoon look. Now is the time to get a manicure and pedicure so that your nails won’t be chipped or dull by the wedding day. If you plan to get a bikini or Brazilian bikini wax before the big day, estheticians suggest that you do it three days before the wedding. This will allow your skin to settle and calm down in case there is any irritation, and your skin will still be perfectly smooth by the big day. If you are waxing your eyebrows, lip, cheeks, or anything else, don’t do it the day before the wedding. You could have an adverse reaction to the waxing, and the last thing you want is a red, blotchy face on the wedding day. Whether you are doing your own makeup for the wedding, or you have a makeup artist helping you, it’s a good idea to schedule a makeup run-through a few days before the wedding to ensure you are getting the look you want. You can also practice your hair to ensure that the whole look is coming together just how you imagined it.

As a bride, you’ll have your hands plenty full with wedding plans, so make sure you set up all your beauty appointments far in advance so that you have enough time to devote to beautifying yourself before the big day. Just take things week by week, and you’ll slowly put together a flawless look that you’ll be happy with on the wedding day and honeymoon to follow. It takes a lot of work to pull together the perfect wedding look, but just remember that every happy bride is a glowing bride. So as long as you are happy on your wedding day, you will be a sparkling sight of beauty.

Getting married and moving in together is a big step for any couple. It's an exciting time that signifies a new level of commitment, but it can also prove to be stressful. There are a number of steps that will make the transition more enjoyable.

Consider A Start Fresh

While it's not always be possible, finding a new home or apartment means a fresh start for both partners. A new location means a new beginning without one person feeling as if they are leaving everything behind to share the other person's space. This gives you both the opportunity to make decisions together and create an equal space, instead of feeling like you are trying to fit into the other's home.

Take A Personal Inventory

Before you make an effort to combine your property, take an inventory of your own stuff. This will allow you the time needed to decide what you'd like to keep and bring into your new space. Be sure that your spouse does the same, and make it a point to both be flexible and willing to compromise some items.

Storage For Now

Regardless of how well you plan, there will always be a surplus of furniture and personal property. There is no need to make rash decisions about what should be kept, sold or thrown in the trash. Renting a storage unit is the perfect solution for storing items until they can be sorted through without any pressure.

Decorate Together

Once you've determined what you have to work with, take the time to discuss an overall decorating plan. While many budgets will not allow for extravagant decorating, consider this a discussion about where you're going to put all of your stuff. Decorating as a couple will ensure that there is no dominant influence, and nobody feels left out.

Shop Together

Nothing says "we're married" more than shopping for furniture and kitchen gadgets. This is an exercise that helps solidify the notion of living together and sharing a life together. Whether you're buying a complete dining room set or you're purchasing your first toaster oven, it's an enjoyable bonding experience.

Have Your First Yard Sale

When you've finally settled into your new digs, take some time and go through your storage unit. Without the stress of moving day at your feet, you'll be able to make better decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. If you can arrange a yard sale or run a classified ad, raise a little money by selling your unwanted items. Use your profits for a nice dinner or invest in something for your new living space.

While moving in together after the wedding can be a difficult transition, it doesn't need to be. Working together to create the perfect home should be an exciting step in a lifelong journey.

Informational credit to The Self Storage Place.

Planning a wedding is often an exciting time for brides and grooms who are getting ready to walk down the aisle. Between the wedding attire to the decor, there are several decisions to be made when creating the perfect event. To entertain guests and allow the day to truly be a celebration, there are several tips to choosing wedding music that fits your personality and taste. Not only are there thousands of songs to choose from, but you also have the choice between doing the music yourself, hiring a DJ, or having a live band play. Your choice in music should reflect the theme of your wedding as well as your relationship with your spouse-to-be, so if you need a little music inspiration, here are a few tips that will help you make the most harmonious choice.

Choosing a DJ

Although you may be impressed by a DJ's online presence, it's important to avoid hiring a DJ before meeting them in person. Ask about their credentials and references, as well as any videos of their work at a recent event. Ask about their music taste and knowledge of current hits. They should be able to appropriately choose dance music, as well as follow a playlist that you choose for the ceremony. The best method for hiring a DJ is to use one that a friend or family member used for their wedding. If you hire someone blindly, it could be disastrous, even if you interview them beforehand. Take a recommendation from a friend so that you can be absolutely sure that you’ll be satisfied with the DJ’s services. If you choose a wild card, you might not be happy with the result.

Hiring a Band

When hiring a band, it's important to begin your search at least six months prior to the wedding date. Consider the type of venues that each band has performed at and avoid hiring groups that have more than five members, which will increase the cost and can change the sound. Ask them to play live before you make a decision, while also considering the interests of your guests. They should also be able to play a variety of classic hits, as well as a few unique songs that they wrote on their own. If you plan on hiring a band, keep in mind that your venue will be large enough to hold them—if you choose a small venue and then try to cram the band in the corner, it will be too loud and the guests won’t be able to enjoy the music as much. The professionals of The Stage Depot who specialize in portable concert stages suggest that you visit your wedding venue and measure to make sure there is enough room for the band. You might want to invite the band to check out the venue since they can give you an estimate of how much room their equipment will take up and any accommodations they will need you to provide.

Making a Playlist

When making your own playlist, sit down with your significant other to determine picks that represent your relationship. Have a mixture of different styles of music for the reception, which will allow the guests to stay entertained when mingling, and have fun when they step on the dance floor. You’ll want to have 30 or so songs if you plan to have a flowing reception where people will mingle for an hour or more. Good choices for this type of background music are love songs, relaxing or pleasant music, or songs that are special to you and your groom. If you plan to play the playlist using your phone or your Ipod, coordinate with the wedding planner or those running the venue so that you have the proper cords and speakers to make everything work. Make sure you know what you are responsible for—the last thing you want is to show up to the reception with no equipment to play the music.

First Dance

You can have the first dance at whatever point in the reception that you’d like—some brides like to have the first dance as their entrance to the reception while others prefer to do it towards the end after cutting the cake. No matter when you do it, you want to make sure the song is a perfect representation of your relationship with your new spouse. Choose a song with sentiment that may have been a favorite while dating or that is connected to a specific memory that you two share. You should also consider how easy it is to slow dance to the song, as well as the timing and length of it.

Daddy Daughter Dance      

For the Daddy Daughter Dance, it's a time to honor the relationship that the bride has had with her father. You may decide to choose an oldie that your father always played in the car, or perhaps a ballad that represents your close relationship while growing up. Most brides choose to do the father-daughter dance either before or after the first dance while all the guests are gathered together. Some choose to choreograph a fun dance with their dad, while others prefer the traditional ballroom dance style. Whatever you prefer, make sure you discuss the choice with your dad so that he knows what to expect. If your father isn’t a part of your life, it’s perfectly normal to have a brother, grandfather or close friend step in—find a way to include the ones you love no matter what your family situation might be.

When choosing your wedding music, there are several methods to making the right choices that accurately fit your personality and union. Although there are key tips to follow, it's also important to go with what feels comfortable for an incredible day that will have a custom soundtrack. Your guests will happy to hear songs that reflect you, your groom, and your relationship together. Music is meant to enhance the celebration, so take special care to choose music that is “you.”

So he popped the question, you have the ring, and now the planning begins! But where to start? Here are the first five appointments you should make to get the planning started.

1 Venue

You will need to start choosing a venue right away to make sure you get the one you want. Set up appointments with a few local venues to see what they have to offer. The manger of the venue will be able to answer all of your questions and get your wedding date on the calendar. Once you have a venue chosen, you can begin piecing everything else together.

2 Wedding Dress

Most bridal boutiques ask that you make an appointment before you stop by the store. This way the staff in the boutique can help you look at each dress and style and help you try them on. You will be given full attention for 2-3 hours. Wedding dresses also take at least 6-9 months to be made after they are ordered. It could take a while to find the perfect dress, so start planning soon.

3 Photographer

You don't want to find the perfect photographer and then discover she's booked on your wedding date. Start planning on the photographer soon so you are guaranteed the look you want. Not all photographers are made equal so make sure you get the one you want!

4 Personal Trainer

Get in your best shape right away! At your local fitness club, you can find a personal trainer that can work with your 3-4 times a week. The personal trainer will help you with the areas that you most want to be helped.

5 Dentist

This might not seem like your typical appointment, but many brides want to have a sparkling white smile for their wedding day. Teeth whitening happens over many appointments. Start getting your smile perfect by scheduling a visit with your dentist right away!

By setting up your appointments now, you can set yourself up for success while wedding planning!

Information credited to Saddleback Dental Centre Dentist in Edmonton.