Tag Archive: matakana marriage celebrant

Chinese Wedding Dress

Wow! What a stunning wedding photo! The BMW complements the Brides red dress.

I stumbled across this photo opportunity of a photo shoot on my lunch break! Funnily enough the informal wedding reception was being held at the cafe I was going to!

I think the Chinese red wedding dress is very beautiful – red is the traditional colour of good luck and auspiciousness. Today most eastern brides wear western white wedding dresses for the actual ceremony and change into the red dress for the tea ceremony afterwards. 

The tea ceremony is the most significant event in a modern chinese wedding as the traditional three prayers ceremony is usually not practiced.

The bride is formally introduced to the groom’s family through the chinese wedding tea ceremony. It will usually take place on the wedding day when most of the family members are present.

What a lovely idea!

How you know he's the right man for you…

A friend was telling me about how she went on a movie night date and held herself back from getting an ice-cream – you know like the ‘don’t eat spaghetti’ on a first date rule, ‘what will he think if I eat junk food in front of him’ thing… I think we all agree that would have to be the first sign he is wrong for you – when you don’t feel comfortable ordering the food that you love!!

When you first start dating, it’s hard to evaluate all the signs – negative and positive. With all the excitement, the most important clues can be overlooked. And what makes for a great date may not be all you need for a great relationship. This checklist of positive signs will help you evaluate your date in a realistic manner. If you get a lot of these positives, this date might be a good choice for a long term relationship… and eventually marriage.

1. He has a sense of humor.
Of all the characteristics that are essential for getting through life successfully, a sense of humor has to be in the top ten. But what kind of a sense of humor? The sense of humor you’re looking for is the generous, positive kind that makes life more fun and the tough times easier. If your date can make your laugh and lift your spirits, that talent may help you through some future difficulties.

2. He cares about what you think.
A date who asks for and listens to your opinions and feelings, and better yet, who remembers what you say and builds on it later, and who responds with empathy, sincerity and caring, is someone you can communicate with and therefore, more likely to be able to form a partnership with you. If you pay attention, you can quickly notice the difference between the appearance of caring and real caring. If your relationship is successful, you’ll have years of talking to each other, so find someone who is interesting to talk to and also interested in talking with you. Your date should be able to carry on an interesting discussion on a variety of topics and at least show interest, even if the topic is not something he or she is familiar with.

3. He has an opinion, too.
A truly good conversationalist not only listens to your words and responds, but also has ideas and opinions. Your date should not hesitate to disagree with you or to bring up new topics.

4. He can work things out with you.
Recent research shows that the single most important quality that determines whether a relationship can succeed is how well the couple solves problems. If you have a disagreement while dating, welcome it as an opportunity to see how well the two of work it out together. If you can discuss your differences without becoming defensive or sarcastic, and you can listen to each other and work together toward a solution, your relationship has an excellent chance.

5. He accepts who you are i.e. you can eat ice-cream in front of him
A popular book asserts that “Men Are From Mars, And Women Are From Venus,” but I think it’s more that we’re all from different planets. You and your date are unique, special and individual and need to be able to understand each other and accept that you’ll perceive things very differently. Even when you and your date see things differently, you should be able to agree to disagree. Remember, the security and comfort in your relationship will come from where you and your partner are similar, and the excitement and growth in the relationship are generated from your differences. Different interests, opinions, attitudes and ideas will keep things fresh and alive between you. If your date does not become defensive or threatened by your differences, you can be interesting to each other for a long time.

6. He is open.
The whole point of dating, as we said before, is to get to know each other. While you both may want to take a little time before disclosing too much, your date should be comfortable talking about him or herself, and it should not be like pulling teeth to find out what you need to know.

7. He has a life with a job, friends, family relationships and interests.
A date who has a full, interesting life you would want to be a part of is more likely to be a healthy, balanced person. While it’s important to have some relaxation time and time to meditate or think, a life that includes a good career, hobbies or sports, community service and friends and/or family is reassurance that your date is motivated, focused and able to relate.

8. He seeks out knowledge.
Your date doesn’t need to be a member of Mensa or a mathematical genius, but look for enough intelligence that you can respect and admire each other. There are several kinds of intelligence, from school learning to independent education by reading, working traveling and life experiences. An airhead who looks good and may be fun to play with will not keep you interested for long. A date who is not interested in learning and growing intellectually may not be able to keep up over the long haul.

9. His modesty, humility and ego are balanced.
As you learn about this new person you’re dating, observe his or her character and personality for signs of a balanced sense of self. If your date can keep success and failure in perspective, admit personal shortcomings, and rise above disappointments and losses, he or she does have a balanced personality and the kind of resilience that can travel through life’s highs and lows and keep it all in perspective.

10. He is emotionally mature.
While it’s fun and charming to be able to be childlike when in a playful mood, it’s essential to be an adult whenever necessary. A date who is responsible, self-regulating, emotionally responsive, motivated, and in control of his or her impulses is capable of being a supportive, fully participating partner – no matter what joys and sorrows, successes and failures you may face in the course of a lifetime.

11. He has a healthy history of relationships.
Of course, if both of you are dating again, you have a relationship history. What counts is whether your date has learned from the problems, confronted his or her own weaknesses and shortcomings and grown as a result of the setbacks. If your date is willing to talk openly about his or her past relationships and can explain what went wrong and how he or she is learning to correct the problems, the difficulties in past relationships can be an asset rather than a liability. If your date expresses a willingness to seek counseling in the event that problems should occur, score that in his or her favor.

Remember, a smart date will be watching for the same characteristics in you. To do well in a relationship, learn to be the partner you would like to be.

And go ahead – order that ice-cream!!!

By Dr. Tina Tessina for YourTango.com

Happy Anniversary!

Me and My Darling celebrated our 1st Wedding Anniversary on the weekend!

We can’t believe where the time went.

Because the I gave My Darling a framed photo for his desk at work. We had a polaroid camera at our wedding which guests could snap away with and a pen to write a note on it. The one I chose was of us toasting with cool champagne saucers and one of the kids had written “LOVE U” on the bottom. Very cute and a good remembrance of a fun day.

My Darling put me to shame though – he went to extraordinary efforts to make our anniversary incredible including an adventure picnic with all my favourite things, plus props to remind me of our big day, amongst other beautiful touches!

I think I’m very lucky to have My Darling in my life and this was another reason why!

Looking into the meaning behind 1st Wedding Anniversaries, the first year of marriage is often considered the year of adjustment. As you celebrate this special 1st wedding anniversary, reflect on the both the delicate and hardy aspects of your marriage and of your love for one another.

Here are some first wedding anniversary ideas and symbols to help you choose paper or clock gifts associated with your 1st marriage anniversary.

1st Anniversary Traditional Gift
Paper. It symbolizes the strength in paper that comes from the interlaced connection of the paper’s individual threads.

1st Anniversary Contemporary/Modern Gift
Clocks. Henry Van Dyke wrote, “For those who love, time is eternity.”

1st Anniversary Gemstone
Gold Jewelry, Pearl, or Peridot

1st Anniversary Color
Gold or Yellow

1st Anniversary Flower
Orange Blossom or Pansy.
The meaning of a pansy is that the recipient is being thought about. The pansy’s name comes from the French word pensée which means thought or remembrance.
The meaning of an orange blossom is purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness, and fertility.

Here are some good gifts you could choose…

♥ Matching Tattoes
I really wanted to do the wedding band tattoo thing, but My Darling didn’t go for it!

♥ Board Games & Puzzles
This gift would be a promise to spend an evening together working on a jigsaw puzzle or playing a classic board game like Scrabble. You can get custom made ones too.

♥ Tickets
Purchase a couple tickets and take your partner to his/her favorite sports event, movie, or the theatre. Other tickets could include airline, ferry, train, bus, or balloon rides.

You could get an electronic one, or a pictorial calendar, or a diary, or a journal style, or an appointment book. Mark all the days that are important to the two of you, and add in a few new ones as a surprise.

♥ A Journal
An anniversary journal to record your memories of your anniversaries throughout your marriage. You may think that you will never forget how you celebrated your anniversaries, but the chances are you will! Write down how you spent your anniversary together and what gifts you gave to one another.

♥ Postcards
If you plan in advance you could remember to bring one home from your honeymoon. A framed postcard is a fantastic reminder of a romantic time.

♥ Magazine subscription
This gift keeps on giving for the length of the subscription. Go online and order.

♥ Paper weight
We were given one for our engagement in the shape of a heart.

♥ Sheet music
How great would it be to have the sheet music to your first dance?!

♥ Road map
To a romantic anniversary location!

♥ Egg timer
Hmmm could have various meanings!

♥ Kitchen timer
Again, take it whichever way you like!

♥ Wrist watch
A beautiful wrist watch is the keepsake for a lifetime that will get loads of practical use.

♥ Outdoor sundial
If you’re into garden sculpture this could be for you.

♥ Pinata
Your loved one may be sweet enough, but stuff a pinata with your partners favourite candy and they’ll love you forever!

♥ Time Capsule
Pack with facts, a newspaper, movies, music from your year of marriage… you get the ideas

♥ Picnic
Plan a picnic with paper plates and cups. If you saved any of these items from you wedding reception, use them!

♥ Treasure Hunt
Give your partner a treasure map and leave clues throughout the house that eventually lead to a romantic location.

♥ Paper Flowers
How gorgeous! Imagine receiving paper flowers! Use them as a centerpiece for your anniversary dinner.

♥ The Ketubah
The Hebrew marriage contract dating back to ancient times is called the Ketubah. The Ketubah is usually printed in a very beautiful, artistic, and creative way as a keepsake document for the bride and groom and as an heirloom to pass on.
The literal translation of ketubah is “it is written.” The Ketubah, dating back 2000 years, is one of the first legal documents giving financial and legal rights to women.
Most of the ketubah texts today reflect on a couple’s commitment to love and honor one another, and their respect for one another.
The content of a ketubah generally also includes the date and place of the wedding, the names of the bride and groom, and their fathers’ names.

How not to ruin your wedding

This is so funny!!! And I’m sure none of you will make these mistakes!!

Save the Date Stop Motion Videos

Have you ever seen stop motion video before? It’s a very quirky cool effect!

How about making a Save the Date stop motion video?

Basically its hundreds of photos snapped consecutively and quickly, put together to make it look like a video (remember when you were bored in school and you used to doodle stick figures at the bottom of your exercise book then flip through the pages so it looked like they were animated – that sort of thing!!)

Check these out…

What makes a great Celebrant?

What makes a great Celebrant? Not just an average celebrant, but a great one.

How important is it to find the right celebrant?

It is imperative to ask yourself this when you embark on finding a celebrant to create and conduct one of the most powerful and meaningful ceremonies of your life. It does matter greatly. This is a decision that should not be made lightly. It is the one thing on your special day that must be right. People should look back on your ceremony for eternity, with great memories. A great celebrant does not cost that much more in context – but the difference is striking.

Firstly, I believe a great celebrant will have two qualities that separate them from the rest. They need to have passion for what they do, and they need to care about the role they play. A great celebrant makes all the difference to the success of your day. A celebrant is a facilitator, nurturing ideas and encouraging couples, so together you can create a ceremony that accurately depicts you and your love for each other. The ceremony not only gives people a chance to celebrate their partnership and formalise it through marriage, but the ceremony itself, particularly the ‘story telling’ component of a modern wedding ceremony also allows the celebrant to incorporate your values and beliefs.

The ceremony has the power to change lives and enhance the quality of relationships. People want ceremonies of meaning and substance where they walk away feeling happy and uplifted, and know they have truly celebrated the love and friendship of a couple they hold close.

Top celebrants are worth paying extra for – they offer a broader service to you that is both professional and friendly. It is also unlikely that you will be aware of the difference the celebrant can make until after the event.

A few tips to help you choose your celebrant:

♥ Meet with them before you book them.

♥ By offering suggestions and options they will work with you to create your ceremony that is unique to you.

♥ They should meet you a number of times to ensure adequate time is taken to put your ceremony together. They will write a personalised ceremony – different for every couple.

♥ A professional PA system should be provided to ensure your guests hear every word.

♥ The celebrant should help you to relax by being organised and professional. It will leave you feeling that you have left everything in the hands of someone who cares! There are a hundred details that contribute to a great ceremony and your marriage celebrant will walk you through each of them.

♥ An onsite rehearsal is imperative to the overall success of your ceremony.

♥ Most importantly they are a celebrant who does not run from one wedding to another risking being late (ask them how many they do on a day and how many hours they leave between weddings). You want someone who can give you the very best attention.

It is a huge risk to choose a celebrant on price alone. “The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of cheaper prices is forgotten”. Please choose carefully, as you would with any other service you book for your special day.

By Sally Cant. Sally is one of Australia’s leading celebrants, authors and trainer of celebrants.

Kimberly Sanders ♥ Marriage Celebrant, Auckland ♥ Lucky in Love Wedding Day Event Management
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Beauty Guide to Say "I love you"

I was in the health food store yesterday and picked up the Health 2000 magazine – full of great ideas to keep you in tip top shape… including this one by Denise Carter, their graphic designer and newlywed bride, which I wish I’d have followed a regime like this leading up to my big day…

Wanting a clear complexion for your wedding day? Long luscious locks and strong, beautiful nails? These were high on my “to do” list leading up to our big day last month, but I wanted to achieve it all naturally so I also looked great makeup-free afterwards – honeymooning Raro-style.

Six months before
Drink water, water and more water every day, to help shed weight, give you clearer skin, and flush out toxins.Start taking a multivitamin – I took HealthZone Multi Zone to boost my immunity and keep energy levels high. I had cut my hair short in 2013 and wanted it long for our big day, so I took a supplement containing silica, GO Healthy Hair, Skin & Nails. Also try less washing, blow-drying, and heat styling, to give those strands a rest and not create more split ends. Bring out your hair’s natural shine by taking vitamin B – try Lifestream Natural B-Complex.Start exercising (if you haven’t already).
Three months before
Up the ante on exercise and invest in a personal trainer, or train for an event (I ran in Round the Bridges) to get you motivated to lose excess kgs before your final dress fitting.
A month before – Eeek! This is getting real.
Not sleeping well? Too much “to do” on your mind can stress a bride-to-be out. Try taking magnesium, which helps relax mind and muscles (from all that strenuous exercise), or SleepDrops to support a good night’s sleep.Start exfoliating your skin top to toe once a week. Body brushing is a great way to detox skin, your biggest organ, and get it in great condition. If you need to apply a fake tan, Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel is natural, and looks amazing.Sweating it out in a hot yoga class helps remove toxins, and slow stretching is a calm in all the craziness.Make an intensive home remedy hair treatment with Lifefoods Organic Coconut Oil. Rub into dry hair, put a shower cap on or wrap in cling wrap, and leave for several hours. Coconut oil makes a great natural (and cheap) eye-makeup remover too!
Two weeks before
Wild hen’s parties can take their toll. Look after your liver with HealthZone Liver Zone to combat nasty pimple surprises from alcohol and chocolate. If constipated from bridal shower treats or too much salty food, try HealthZone Bowel Zone to flush everything out (you need bathroom access with this one).Detox – eat fresh fruit, veges and protein. Cut out gluten, refined sugars, dairy and caffeine. If you need help with recipes or food menus try a 7-day Detox kit.
The big day
If wedding nerves are getting the better of you, have a bridesmaid carry Rescue Remedy so you smile, rather than trip down the isle! The beaming face of your husband-to-be (because you look so damn irresistible) will be well worth all the effort!

Kimberly Sanders ♥ Marriage Celebrant, Auckland ♥ Lucky in Love Wedding Day Event Management
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Clever & Quirky Marriage Proposals

Look at that face!!! My Darling messaged me this photo of our gorgeous little doggie one day when I was out of town on business.
At first I just thought it was a cute photo of her caught on our bed, then I looked closer…
Can you spot the diamond ring??!! She’s wearing it on her collar!!
Very clever and hilariously funny!! It was a great way to hype up the actual proposal (which also included our girl!).
(And of course she had to be our ringbearer complete with her own dog bone bling around her collar!!)

Here are some other clever little ideas you might want to steal… click the links to order or find out how to make your own…

Macarons aren’t quite the decadent sweet treat anymore – but this really is pretty sweet!! This secret ring box is the perfect way to propose to a macaron lover. Slip it in with a batch of normal macarons, and prepare for the best surprise!

Scavenger hunts are great ways to take your partner back to places that made an impact on your relationship. The final destination could be where you first met, your first date, or your first kiss. Wherever you pick, it’ll sure be a fun adventure.

The Fortune Cookie is my all time favourite little surprise that delights everytime! We have them as favours for our wedding with little quotes in line with our theme. Check out http://www.fortunecookies.co.nz/

A Jigsaw Puzzle! What’s a better way to say, “You complete me”? This charming puzzle is from LifeAStitch. I’ve also seen blocks of chocolate in this style too.

Balloon Bouquet. A bouquet of flowers has got NOTHING on a bouquet of balloons!

Sand Castles. You’re either going to have to be a master sand castle sculptor or know somebody, but the end results are amazing!

Breakfast in bed. “Marry” your significant other’s favorite things: coffee and your devoted love. Custom cups and more from GreysHollow. There are also chalkboard mugs. How cool – you could prepare breakfast in bed with this surprise addition!

A Book. How cool is this? Your new life together starts at page one. These beautiful book sculptures can be custom ordered here.

With a Photo Booth proposal you’ll get to capture that Kodak moment to save and cherish!

 
Kimberly Sanders ♥ Marriage Celebrant, Auckland ♥ Lucky in Love Wedding Day Event Management
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