Top Honeymoon Spots in the Philippines

Part of every wedding preparation is where to go for the honeymoon. A honeymoon is every couple’s retreat and break after months of “stress”. Each couple desires a peaceful, relaxing and picture-perfect destination. And this makes the Philippines the finest place to spend your honeymoon.

Philippines is an archipelago made up of 7,107 islands. It has lavish coastlines and opportunities to experience great adventures. There are numerous romantic sightseeing options and activities that lovebirds can indulge into to make their getaway more ex

hilarating and memorable, apart from spending quality time on the stunning beaches.

Palawan

Palawan tops our list. Well, can you negate the quiet coves and limestone cliffs of Coron? And the equally romantic islands of Puerto Princesa and El Nido? Without a doubt, Palawan is a living paradise in the Philippines. The whole island boasts lush rainforests, majestic mountains, marvelous cliffs, primitive caves and unspoiled beaches. Palawan is perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming and sunbathing among honeymooners. Moreover, couples can also go fishing, bird watching, dolphin watching, swimming with whale sharks, kiteboarding, caving, trekking and more. Aside from visiting Palawan’s pristine beaches, hidden lagoons, spectacular diving places, you must not forget Puerto Princesa’s Underground River, which belongs to the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Underground River is the world's longest maneuverable river and located at the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. The park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Indeed, what makes Palawan an impeccable destination for your dream honeymoon is its variety and well-preserved environment. Perhaps, there is no other place in the Philippines or in the world that can put forward such diversity in terms of natural wonders.  

Boracay

Boracay is labeled as touristy, but nobody can debate that it is perfect for lovers. A walk on its powdery white sand beach and a long stretch of beach shore to fire dancing at night, plus the picturesque sunset as you whisper those sweet words. If you fancy a night out, Boracay has hundreds of restaurants and lively bars to offer. Beach hopping tours, water activities and romantic sunset cruises are also available.

Cebu

Cebu is well-known to be the oldest city in the country and is also renowned for its delightful, warm, and tropical ambiance; a favorite destination for couples seeking a combination of culture, history and modernity. Cebu is a city that contains it all. Being the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines, this city has several iconic heritage spots. From historical tours, couples can then unwind to the deluxe resorts in Mactan and Southern Cebu.

Bohol

Close to Cebu is the island of Bohol. Bohol is famous for its Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, relaxing river cruise along Loboc River, finest white beaches, rich marine biodiversity and historical landmarks. Its neighboring island is also making a name for itself. Panglao, situated southwest of Bohol and still a part of this province, is a tranquil island packed with beach resorts, caves, and other natural wonders.

No doubt, the Philippines is a tropical paradise perfect for newly-wed couples. Relish and keep the fire burning with these must-go destinations.

Christmas Gifts For Men

Now is a good time to start xmas shopping for the special man in your life. Our men's gift store is having a sale on personalized Christmas gifts for men that range from beer mugs to golf gifts. Check them out!

Taking Good Wedding Dress Photos

Every bride wants the best wedding dress pictures. That's why we hire a good wedding photographer. And as you look online you will see that custom wedding dress hangers are a popular trend right now in wedding photography. Maybe you've seen them in some wedding shoots or online. Even Kim Kardashian tweeted about hers last week, so it's no wonder they are making their way into many weddings.

First off, these hangers can turn what would have been an ordinary wedding dress photo into something extraordinary (and that looks like it was done by a fancy $6,000 wedding photographer). That makes it a great way to glam it up without going over budget. And if you are not going to go the route of costly wedding dress preservation after your big day, having a sturdy hanger can help. If you box up your dress you can help it keep its form.

One suggested shot is to make sure you get a picture of your maid of honor helping you into your dress. Many bridesmaids are giving custom hangers as bridal shower gifts also, so hopefully your maid of honor will too. So instead of giving yet another pair of flip-flops or wine bottle turned into a cheese serving tray, why not give something that's going to be very useful for the wedding? Not only will it gets lots of attention you can know that you helped make her wedding dress photos really stand out.

Another good picture to take is to get a shot of you looking into the mirror after getting dressed up, but before you leave the dressing room. It's like it is a photo capturing the special moment when you are about to embark upon married life. It is a special time in every bride's life and one worth remembering forever.

So as you get ready for your big day, think about the special wedding dress pictures you want to have.

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This article is from WeddingHangerShop.com - your source for wedding hangers for brides on a budget.

The Wedding Cake Symbol

The custom to cut the wedding cake has a very significant place in any wedding ceremony. It is the most awaited ceremony during a wedding. Every couple has some special conceptualization of their cake cutting ceremony.

Cakes are symbol of good luck for the newlywed couple to begin their happy married life. Once the wedding cake is cut, the bride and the groom would feed the cake to each other first. It symbolizes the beginning of their married life. It also signifies the commitment and love for each other.

There are different varieties of wedding cakes that are available. You can opt for any of the varieties depending upon your preferences. Some couples select the cake that suits their wedding dress or complements well with the wedding theme. Besides these, another important factor which is to be considered is your budget. Select the cake that fits in your budget. The traditional approach is to go in for a simple white cake for the ceremony. The white cake symbolizes purity and would provide the desired elegance to the ceremony.

There has been a drastic change in the style of the wedding cakes from the past. The cakes are available in single layer and multiple layers. These are available in various colors, flavors, and designs.

Some specialized professionals, such as cake designers, who design cakes as per your wedding theme and preferences. You can consult them and order the best one for your wedding. Some couples even prepare their own personalized cakes as per their choice.

You can use your ideas to create a simple wedding cakes as per your choice. However, you have to follow some general etiquette during the cake cutting ceremony. Some of these are described below:

You should never smash the cake on one another’s face and ruin the party. The cake should be properly cut and feed to each other i.e. to the bride and the groom. The cake should be later on properly sliced and then served to the guests. This ceremony should be organized after the meals.

The details provided here will inform you about the significance of the wedding cake. It will provide you guidelines regarding the etiquettes to be followed during the ceremony.

Images courtesy of Real Simple

How to Celebrate Anniversaries Simply

Photo via the amazing photographer Caroline Tran.

Over the last few years many millennials have turned from the excess of past decades to the simple life. Paring down possessions, rethinking holiday celebrations, and simplifying home interiors. Some couples even opt not to celebrate traditional romantic occasions like Valentine’s Day and dating or wedding anniversaries.

I don’t know about you, though, but I like celebrating. Okay, really I like presents—both giving and receiving a gift just makes my day. While our parents may have celebrated their anniversary with a tired steak dinner, a no-brainer dozen roses and some embarrassingly intimate time at a nice hotel, there has got to be a cooler, simpler way that’s more fitting for us. Something between skipping holidays and the gifts that come with them and the steak-roses-hotel combo meal.

This year treat your lady right with any of these wedding anniversary ideas more fitting for a simpler, hipper, more creative couple like yourselves.
- The first wedding anniversary gift is traditionally paper. Why not paint her one of your favorite lyrics or lines of poetry on parchment? Bonus points for framing it.
- Instead of a heavy dinner, pop out in the morning for a light brunch.

- Avoid the overpriced and stiff-looking bouquet of flowers. Visit a florist and pick out a few flowers that are beautiful on their own. Buy a few stems or a bunch of one type of flower. - Peonies are incredibly popular right now, as are hydrangeas. Or take a look at your wedding photos and look for a flower she had in her wedding bouquet. Just think simple.
- There’s a difference between simple and cheap. Spend all the money you want as long as the gifts are meaningful and not just obligatory.
- Instead of guessing on a gift, consider just buying each other what you know you’ll like. A pretty new dress for her and a dashing silver cigar holder for you, sir.
- The 9th anniversary gift is leather. You two could both use new laptop bags. Opt for a matching set of leather bags and call it a day. Sometimes just upgrading a worn out item for a more premium one is better than scratching your brain for a completely original idea.
- Instead of having one big celebration, plan a small gift for each month of the next year. A flower per month. A special surprise date on the day of your anniversary each month.

Here’s the traditional anniversary gift chart via Darden Jewelers for you to reference.

The point is to re-think anniversaries. Talk to your love and see what anniversaries mean to her. What do they mean to you? What do you want to communicate to her? Create new traditions and define celebrations that fit the two of you.

Wedding bell budgets

The average American wedding now costs almost $20,000. That’s enough money to buy a new car or start a nest egg for your first home. Save more of that money for after the wedding by creating a wedding budget first. Your wedding budget needs to include a lot of important information, and it’s going to change as you start booking vendors and buying supplies.

Know what you need

Start by making a list of everything you need to make the big day happen. Remember food, attire, invitations, decorations, locations, music, photographer, an officiant and, of course, rings.

Next break each one of those simple words into its different parts. For example, flowers will include your bouquet, corsages, boutonnieres and any flowers you need for the reception and ceremony.

When your list hits two pages it's time for you and your groom to sit down and talk about what you need at your wedding (rings and an officiant) versus what you want (doves and a 15 piece band).

Know what you have

These days it’s common for couples to pay for their own weddings, but often the bride and groom’s families want to help out. If someone has offered to “help” with your wedding expenses, as strange as the conversation might seem, ask what they mean by help.

Until you really know what you have to spend, you can’t start your budget. Add those amounts to the money you and your groom have decided to spend and you have a starting point.

Know what it costs

The reception generally accounts for 50 per cent of the cost of a wedding, so start there. Caterers generally price their services by the number of people invited to the wedding and usually give you the final price as X dollars per person. Buffets often cost less than a traditional sit down service, and guests can make their own choices about what to eat.

Call several local caterers and ask for general quotes based on the number of guest you plan to invite. When you have some numbers check with friends or family to see if they’re familiar with any of the caterers, and try Yelp or other social rating sites for user reviews.

Do this with all of your vendors. At the end of all of your phone calls you’ll have a range of prices and options to chose from. Remember, the best price isn’t always the best deal, so once you have a short list of candidates feel free to ask them for references.

Know what you’ve spent

One of the easiest way to keep an eye on your wedding budget is to use a spreadsheet program, like Excel or an online app like Google Docs. Use one sheet to keep track of what services you’ve already booked and paid for, the date the balance is due and a running total on your entire big day. If your total runs higher than your budget, the spreadsheet offers you an easy way to really study each expense and decide if it’s what you really need.

A second spreadsheet can help you keep track of your vendors names and contact information. Make notes in your spreadsheet after each conversation you have with a vendor to keep all of the important info you’ll need leading up to your wedding in one place.

Remember:

Your wedding is one of the biggest events in your life, but it doesn’t have to be the most expensive. When you stay on top of costs, and spend only what you’ve budgeted for you’ll have more money to start your married life together.

Unique weddings make a statement

In 2008 there were 2,162,000 marriages in the United States. That’s about 180 per day, every day for the year. We've got some tips to help you set your wedding apart from the other 179!

Splash of color

White wasn’t always the bride color. When Queen Victoria married in a lacy white gown in 1840 English women adopted the custom. White later became known as a symbol of the bride’s purity. In America, women generally wore their nicest clothes, or a new dress that could be worn again, until the 1930s when Victorian gowns came into fashion. Dress to suit your wedding’s theme colors, or just add a colored sash or scarf. For more adventurous brides, dare to try a black evening gown. This black dress by Vera Wang shows that a bride in black is sure to turn heads.

Dressed in time

Class vintage designs return like clockwork. Go way back and try a cut from the roaring twenties or the nifty fifties. HIt google to help you narrow down an era and a look. Then google around for vintage stores in your area, like the Vintage Wedding Dress Company, that can help you track down the dress of your dreams.

Hats off to you

In the sixties women looked to Jackie Kennedy for inspiration and found her trademark pillbox hat. The hat can be worn alone, or dressed up with a birdcage veil to really set your wedding style apart. A great source of beautiful handmade wedding hats is the on Etsy, a site for creative crafters to sell their wares. You'll also find one of a kind cake toppers and ring pillows.

Get Crafty

Clicking through Etsy sites may give you a few crafty ideas of your own. For a smaller wedding why not try making your own hand lettered invitations on artisan paper. Not so confident in your art skills? Visit Zazzle to create and order your own invitations. You don’t have to be a designer to create something lovely, and the site offers printing and delivery.

Lose the limo

Make an entrance in something other than a standard town car. Rent an italian sports car and have a groomsman agree to drive you of to your hotel after the festivities. Check your local area for unusual limo companies like the limo hearse, or complement a vintage dress with a Rolls-Royce and tuxedoed driver.

Do Them a favor

Think outside of the box of mints when you’re choosing guest favors. Why not try shortbread cookies shaped like hearts or gingerbread brides and grooms. You don’t have to roll up your sleeves and dig into the flour yourself - a local bakery - or online supplier like Bridal Cookie can create exactly what you are looking for.

However you choose to tie the knot, make it your own. And don’t forget to thank your bridesmaids for all of their help with a bridesmaids gift as unique as you are.