Lexus Events is giving away a customized Wedding Day Coordination package.

To Enter:
Send an email to mailto:couples@lexusevents.biz with the following information:
1. Bride’s Name
2. Groom’s Name
3. Wedding Location
4. Wedding Date
5. Wedding Website (if applicable)
6. A 250 word essay on the details of “your story” (how you met, your engagement, your wedding details, etc). Most importantly this essay should explain why you should be chosen as the winner. Be sure to include a photo!

The entry deadline is August 31st, 2008. The winning couple will be announced on September 15th, 2008!

Rules:
*Entries must be 250 words or less and include a photo of the couple. Include the wedding date, location and any details about your wedding.*If wedding is outside of the Bay Area, winner will be responsible for providing transportation and hotel accommodations for travel from Oakland to wedding location.

*Only one entry per couple. All entries must be emailed to couples “at” lexusevents.biz with the subject line “Wedding Day Coordination Contest” by August 31, 2008.

*Wedding must take place before May 1st, 2009 and is subject to our availability

*Winning couple must sign a contract.

*No cash value.

Posted under contest, coordination, marriage, weddings

Hi AAWPs:

Today’s Words of Wedding Wisdom™ concern marriage licenses and their validity—especially since high wedding season is upon us.

AAWP gets lots of emails from couples who want to know the legal requirements for obtaining a marriage license. It’s important to know that marriage license requirements are dictated by the state in which the marriage will take place—not the state in which you live—and each state has its own requirements…

Some states still require blood tests, others demand proof of divorce, and some like states like Florida, require a waiting period unless you have proof that you’ve had premarital counseling.

That’s why it’s critical that you contact the marriage license bureau in the state where you’ll be married to determine what the requirements are… and get those requirements in writing. Check the requirements often because they may change before the wedding date.

Don’t take chances… and don’t forget to get a license! We know of a bride who forgot to do just that. The story comes from one of our wedding planners.

On the day of the wedding, the bride, groom, officiant and the bride’s parents were holed up in a room while the guests sat outside for over an hour, sweltering in the heat, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Our consultant told us that the bride and the groom had forgotten to secure a license and the judge refused to marry them. (She had reminded them, but they forgot.) They begged and pleaded and the judge relented, although he put himself in legal jeopardy. The next day, the couple went to the courthouse to get a marriage license, instead of leaving on their honeymoon.

Don’t let yourself in for that kind of aggravation! Get those legal ducks in a row and find out way before your wedding date what your state’s requirements are for a marriage license and check them often. And take note, both of you must show up in person to apply.

Happy Wedding Planning!
AAWP
Toll Free: 866-648-2146
www.aa-wp.com

© 2008 American Academy of Wedding Professionals. All rights reserved.

Posted under license, marriage

Hello AAWPs:

This week’s Words of Wedding Wisdom™ regards cohabitation and begins with a a question: Since 1960, how much has cohabitation BEFORE marriage increased in the U.S.? The answer: A whopping 1,000%.

Today, most couples cohabit, meaning they live together before marriage. According to a recent study by Rutgers University, those who cohabit before marrying risk a much greater chance for divorce when they do marry. And all along, you thought it was the other way around—that you needed to live with your SO, to really get to know one another before the fact, to cut your chances of divorce. Not so.

Years ago, AAWP came across a study by Bumpus and Sweet, noted sociologists, who came up with the same result. Their study said, in effect, that if you live together before marriage, you almost double your chances for divorce. But there is a silver lining to this cloud. If you live together with plans for marriage, in other words, if you are engaged, the studies’ statistics don’t apply.

When it comes to making wedding plans, let us further caution you. The Catholic Church does not approve of cohabitation before marriage and it’s reason enough for a priest to deny your marriage. Other Christian faiths seem to look the other way when it comes to cohabitation and if you’re Jewish, it’s doubtful that your marriage would be denied. But it is a factor you should be made aware of before you meet with clergy. Many engaged couples decide to tell their clergy of their living arrangements, others don’t. The choice is yours.

Happy Wedding Planning!
AAWP
Toll Free: 866-648-2146
www.aa-wp.com
© 2008 American Academy of Wedding Professionals.
All rights reserved.

Posted under catholic, church, cohabitation, marriage

Originally posted at
The Marriage Academy of NY
http://marriageacademy.blogspot.com/

More and more engaged couples are participating in marriage preparation. Whether it’s with a religious leader or a secular counselor, it’s important to plan for the most important relationship of your life. So much time and energy is spent on planning weddings. I do believe that a wedding marks an important rite of passage and should be recognized and celebrated. However, the time spent planning the marriage should be considered more important.

With a divorce rate of almost 50% it is important, now more than ever, to take a proactive approach to marriage. Here are just a few of the benefits of marriage preparation.

1. You can take the time to focus on you, your partner & your relationship.

2. Highlight your strengths as a couple and plan for any potential areas of conflict.

3. There’s someone to guide the conversations who is a relationship expert and serves as an objective 3rd party.

4. Address common fears associated with giving up the independence and autonomy of single life.

5. Marriage Preparation is especially helpful for adult children of single or divorced parents.

6. Avoid repeating mistakes of previous marriage attempts (if this is your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th marriage).

7. Learn communication and conflict resolution skills that will be useful in times of stress.
Remember, NO couple gets married with the intention of ending in divorce. Participating in marriage preparation can reduce your odds of divorce by 30%. Marriage preparation is not a sign that your relationship is in trouble, but that you value it (and your partner) enough to invest in your shared future.

Posted under counseling, marriage, preparation