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Married Hearts… First Valentine’s Day (Part 2)

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Read Part 1 first

Activities and Ideas

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, couples who just got married, or who have even been married for years, often view it as a holiday for young lovers – those who are dating,

But you, my dear, are newly married…and that is a cause for celebration.  I’m sure you have had your share of dates on V-Day all those years leading up until your marriage.  But that’s no excuse for just exchanging greeting cards and quick pecks on the cheek.  Don’t you dare lose that spark!  Keep those V-Days of the past alive and get creative.

 

You will want to schedule an intimate evening with your partner.  And this doesn’t need to involve an exotic trip, expensive jewelry, or even a visit to your favorite restaurant…but go ahead and indulge if you’re feeling up to it.

 

Staying in?  Or headed out?  If you prefer a low-key kind of night as a couple, escape with popping some long or short films focusing on love in the DVD player.  Give yourselves the type of entertainment that will heal your heart and soothe your soul on this heart-warming holiday.

 

Why not plan a private, fun, and delicious picnic the two of you can enjoy together?  This does require nice, warm weather if you‘re thinking of sitting on the grass…so I guess it depends on what part of the world your love nest resides.  There are plenty of other options, including holding your picnic indoors in your very own house, while still organizing it as if you were going to spend some time outside under the trees.  Break out a special blanket, an insulated wine tote, and other picnic accessories and think about creative ways to fill them.  Make your own appetizers or order food in.   Throw some fancy, fluffy pillows down on the floor by the fireplace…sit on some yoga mats with candles lit around…and even throw in the old-school game of Twister to playfully spice things up.  Include background music, perhaps something from when you first met or the timeframe in which you were dating.  Maybe even include the “first dance” song at your wedding reception.

 

If you desire an evening out, perhaps  a favorite restaurant, Broadway play, or concert of choice will be some options.  If you’re a young-at-heart type, embrace the inner-child out and go out clubbing, bar-hopping, or to your favorite karaoke spot.  Bring your glow ring pops out with you and light up the dance floor at your favorite DJ’s weekend event.

Read Part 3 and Part 4.

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County. Bridal shop that will help you design the dress of your dreams.

Married Hearts… First Valentine’s Day (Part 4)

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Read Part 1, Part 2 , and Part 3

Gifts 

Besides the usual….Red roses, lush bouquets of flowers, teddy bears, chocolates, candies, candles, gourmet gifts, champagne, jewelry, lingerie (for you), silky boxers (for him)…Here are some romantic gestures for you to give to your guy-for-life:

 

*Send him a wild flowered bouquet with a personalized note attached.

*Make him breakfast in bed along with some red roses.

*Prepare his favorite dessert and surprise him.

*Make a calendar with pictures of the two of you together.

*Stick some love-notes all over the house at different places for him.

*Purchase front row tickets to watch his favorite sport live.

*Lay down on his chest and hug him like you would never give him away for anything in the entire world.

 ( Idea found on pin interest )

 

Take 12 large envelopes … on each one, write the month, so start with February, next March, and so on until you reach next January (2014).
In each envelope you will put a date night in it…whether it’s a nice candle-lit dinner at home, or movies…or something you know he’s always wanted to do or go to…if you decide movies, go get a gift card and stick it into the envelope.  Each date you decide on, write a letter as to why you decided to go with that date for that specific month.  For instance, gift cards for 2 ski passes to go in March would be ideal.  Cover the expenses as much as you can, so at least 1 thing in each envelope is already paid for.  You can even stick a menu from a restaurant (if you got restaurant gift cards) or if you have concert tickets, stick a mixed tape of the group’s greatest hits…brochures for an art exhibit or vacation…etc…(you get the picture)…just to give it some extra excitement.

 

On the 1st of the each month, open up the envelope together.  Let him read it and then look at a calendar together and decide which day that month you will plan that date night…or day.  This way, it ensures that each month you will be spending time together and doing something special.

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Go further into the arms of love by melting into his…

…In honor of your first wedded Valentine’s Day,  keep that heart pitter patter-ing! Bring back that old-school, first-falling in love feeling with a classic 90’s movie such as Empire Records.  Skip the movie and just go imitate Liv Tyler’s character in the last scene: let your soul mate drag your weak knees and feet in a sweeping motion on a rooftop…dancing and kissing playfully…blasting a soundtrack by Gin Blossoms, whose sound is reminiscent of discovering you have a crush on your high school sweetheart, and whose music echoes the butterflies pouncing around in your stomach.

 

When somebody makes your heart pitter patter, they are the one for you. 

 

Love is friendship set on fire. 

 

Happily Ever After Never Will End

When you share your life with your Best Friend.

 

ONCE you believe your life is a fairytale…that is when “ONCE upon a time…” begins.

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County.

 

Married Hearts… First Valentine’s Day (Part 1)

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Reservations for TWO…of hearts.

By Jaclyn Ianetti

 

A Little “Love” Lesson from your Valentine Teacher  : 

February 14…The modern day celebration of Love began in Europe when the first Valentine was sent in 1415 on February 14 when a French Duke was in jail and sent a Valentine to his wife.  (Let’s hope your first year of marriage doesn’t put your husband in jail, or else you’ll be receiving love-grams by mail too!)

 

So what about Cupid?  How did he get involved?  In Greek mythology, he is the Roman god of beauty and love…and is the son of Venus (and for those of you who are up on their astrology, Venus is the love planet of our zodiac).

 So there’s your very brief background of Valentine’s Day.

 

Are you ready to point your bow and arrow and shoot your husband yet?  (Just kidding).  But in a more figurative and subtle sense, you can “shoot” your loving energy towards him so that he feels like he has been struck by your arrow to inspire your magical feelings of love.

 

Aimed Arrow…for the Newlywed V-Day

Be on tour with the love in the air and make a high-speed love connection through celebrating this day on however the two of you wish.

You may not even expect to do much together or even receive any gifts, because you may have just had the wedding recently, or you’re moving in and getting settled.  But don’t let that stop you…it’s your first V-day being married…and I can’t imagine the two of you being anything but in a warm and romantic mood this day!

 

Ring in the day with…a Ring

Surprise your sweetheart and propose to him this time with a ring.  Yea, I said it…a RING.

 “Pop the Proposal“

Your turn to make a very own proposal of your own.  Get creative and give your husband some candied ring pops or even a glowing light up ring.  This light-hearted way will spark up the playful kid in both of you as you offer a promise for life-long love…and not just for this special occasion, but for everyday for the rest of your lives.  He can keep it as a keepsake forever…a timeless token from your heart.

Read Part 2 , Part 3  and Part 4

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County. 

 

Wedding Last Minute To-Do Tips (Part 2)

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Read first Part 1

 

ONE WEEK BEFORE: First, you’ll want to have your RSVP list and call anyone who has not responded to confirm if they will be attending or not so that you can finalize the design for table arrangements and give a final count of your total guests to the caterer.

*DJ DUTIES!: Show your DJ (or band) the directions to your dance floor dreams…the end product of your music set-list that you want played at the reception.  Be specific as to what music you wish to include and what songs you most certainly will not stand to hear!

*Put together a wedding day schedule for the bridal party and all of your VIP’s.  This will ensure that all A-list attendants will be on the same page.

*Confirm rehearsal plans

*Organize a spot specific to all of your wedding day attire…a spot that is clean and free of any mishaps happening around it! (Water spills, animal accidents, etc.)  Make sure you have everything you need for the day of: products, makeup for touch ups, stain remover (something like the TIDE stick), sewing kit (threads, needles, buttons…for any wardrobe malfunctions…you never know), Kleenex tissues, q-tips, Tylenol/vitamins/medications, and a clutch or bag to hold all of this stuff together.  You’ll want to include anything else that will help solve a crisis if one does happen to occur.

*Do laundry, set clothes aside, and pack the majority of what you will need for your honeymoon.  Keep passports and all other documents secured nearby.

*Make appointment for manicures, pedicures, massage, waxing, etc. with your bridal party.

Read Part 3  and Part 4

Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County will help you design the dress of your dreams.

Be aware of glued-on beading

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This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in Paramus  NJ Bergen County.

Some of you might like lots of stones and studs of the bridal dress. If you are considering a  moderately priced bridal gown, be sure that the beads on the dress are sewn rather than glued on. Dresses with glued-on beads and sequences tend to fall off, as well as cannot be pressed, dry cleaned or steamed.

The quality, cut, make and size of the stones make a big difference in price and look. For example, the Lead Crystal is, by far, the most brilliant of rhinestones, for leaded glass transmits light better than glass without lead.

Rhinestones can be Machine Cut or Molded. Machine Cut Rhinestones are far more brilliant than molded rhinestones, but are far more expensive than molded glass rhinestones.

Rhinestones have their own size names and it could be very confusing to understand. Flat Back Rhinestones are sold by sizes preceded or succeeded by an SS number. (SS = Stone Size)   There is NO relationship to millimeter in this number, in that 6SS or SS6 rhinestones are NOT 6mm in diameter!  In general, the higher the SS number, the bigger the rhinestone’s diameter, and the  more flash it will have .

Quality of rhinestones is determined by how and where they are made.

  • Swarovski offers 14 facets and 100 colors/treatments at this time. These stones are still best on the market.

  • Czech Preciosa was producing rhinestones of very high quality way before  Swarovski was born.  Their colors are great, their coating are every bit as good as Swarovski. The kicker here is the price!  Preciosa runs about 20% less expensive than Swarovski.

    China is now duplicating both Preciosa and Swarovski’s cuts!  Those stones made of cheap glass, not lead crystal. Those who buy them get a very low price, but quality if is not there.

 

Wedding Last Minute To-Do Tips (Part 3)

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This article brought to you Aleana’s Bridal Shop Bergen County, NJ.

Read first Part 1

 

ONE DAY BEFORE: ONE DAY…Just ONE.  This is most crucial part of the to-do list/tips for last minute because the day before, consists of all those last minute to-do’s that you can only do on…you guessed it…the day before!  Two days before just wouldn’t fit because it’s the DAY before that makes sense to do all of the following:

*Go to mani and pedi appointment with your bridal girls and RELAX.  Also, book a massage  if you would like.  Take a bath before you go get nails done…or after (but just watch your nails, you don’t want the color coming off while soaking in the tub!).  This nail appointment and/or massage treatment will give you the last chance to relax with your girls before the chaos of the next day.

*Make sure the men go pick up their tuxes.  Have them try it on while in the shop to ensure they don’t need last minute alternations.

*Put wedding rings and marriage license in a safe place.

*Set aside cash for tips/payments in marked envelopes for limo driver, and others who deserve a tip, and give them to a relative or trusted friend in the bridal party to hand out when the time calls for it.

*Give out bridal party gifts at the rehearsal dinner.  Make sure people are being monitored so that the bridal party, and the bride and groom mostly!, do not drink too much- – NO HANGOVERS ON WEDDING DAY!

*Go for a mini-walk after the rehearsal to walk off the dinner.  This will help clear your mind before bedtime.

*Do a meditation before bed.  I call it, BRIDAL BEAUTY BREATHING:  Do alternate nostril breathing where you close one nostril with your thumb, breathe through the other, then close off that nostril with your pointer finger, and exhale out the other.  Repeat.  Do this for a few minutes.  It helps to bring equilibrium for a deeper meditation.  As you sit and close your eyes to meditate, create visualizations…sort of like “dream building” for the next day: Create mental images of love and beauty, how you want to look in your wedding dress, how you wish the ceremony and reception to be.  Play out everything in your head that you wish to happen.  Creating mental images of the energy, mood, color, and feel for the general picture of the wedding day will attract that all to you tomorrow!  You can even throw in some gentle yoga postures and stretching before the meditation.  All of this will help you SLEEP peacefully and awaken with a fresh face.

Read also Pat 4

Aleana’s Bridal Shop in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County will help you design the dress of your dreams.

Wedding Last Minute To-Do Tips (Part 1)

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This article brought to you Aleana’s Bridal Shop Bergen County, NJ.

By Jaclyn Ianetti

The song that will be playing as you pace dreamily down the aisle is playing like a broken record over and over again in your head.  The only time you need to hear this song is at the wedding.  How to tune it out at such a stressful and crucial time?  Pace yourself – -and get FOCUSED!  You don’t want to miss doing these last few significant things as the big day approaches…

Tail Spin or To Do?

Before you get caught in the tail spin of stress, try and catch yourself to stop and see what exactly it is that is stressing you out.  One way of doing this (and probably the BEST way) is to make a list.  Make friends with your notepad and use some sticky post-its as your new guidance.  This helps you keep track of appointment timings and the zillion other things you have to do.  In order to organize all of this, the timeline with tips offered below helps to let you know when you need to be making the last call for things to get done and crossing them off.

(Notice how you feel when you cross things off your list…it feeds that good type of stress hormone that your body pumps to keep you motivated in getting something accomplished.  You feel empowered and productive with the swift cross of ink flooding over a “to do” that is equivalent to the sound of a sigh of relief.)

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YOUR LAST MINUTE LIST…before true love’s tick of the clock tower strikes at the time of the ceremony!

ONE MONTH BEFORE: You’ll want to confirm the appointment with hair stylists, make up artists, and whoever else would be part of the glamour team to transform you into a bride beaming with beauty on your special day! Book a facial and other date/time set-ups for skin maintenance (you don’t want to go on a date that is too close to the wedding day).  Also, make sure to go for a trial run to test out different styles you were thinking about to see what makes just the right fit for you…and on you.  Stick to a fitness regimen.  Have a separate calendar for all dates/times to set aside for your personalized work-out agenda, including exercise classes.  Exercising shouldn’t just primarily be to focus on your weight.  Exercise is about energy…endorphins…feeling good.  You want to feel your very best during this time in your life.  And look it, as well!

Aleana’s Bridal Shop in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County will help you design the dress of your dreams.

 

 

Love your body

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This article brought to you Aleana’s Bridal Shop Bergen County, NJ.

Brides by body type: What’s your aisle style?

….And once you thought the mission was accomplished of you being so lucky enough in life in finding the ONE…the one person who suits you so well, your best friend, your soul mate…a sigh of relief is put on hold once more because you need find the OTHER ONE: your perfect wedding dress.

 You may try on four or five gowns, still being unsure of which one you want.  Exhausted and ready to give up for the day, your mother, sister, or best friend (or maybe all three!) will eye-ball one last dress that they beg you to try on.  Reluctantly, yet with grace (because this is all about you!), you give in.  After trying on the gown, you may turn and see your loved ones break down in tears.  Then you turn and look at yourself in the mirror.  Your reflection leaves you awestruck.  You begin to cry…This is it, your moment…you found the one.  It stunningly fits like a glove, and you finally feel like a gorgeous bride!

Sometimes your family & friends can see your strengths and flaws easier than what your own eye is capable of seeing.  Notice how we take notice from a compliment of a stranger?  When someone acknowledges or reassures us of something, an instant rush takes over our bodies.  We are suddenly swollen with a moment of pure happiness and self-confidence.  Let that someone be someone closest to you, and include them in your days of wedding dress shopping.  Their eyes may see something yours miss.

The right clothing to suit our body types, the right or “perfect” wedding gown may not even be in our radar.  We have a certain sense of style instilled in us and that is our taste in fashion that we usually stick to.  This doesn’t mean that we should change our tastes, but to just become more aware of how to choose the proper dress and details that work with us and our bodies.  A dress that fits is a dress closer to perfection.  And don’t we all want to look perfect (our best) on our wedding day?

“CHOOSE THE RIGHT STYLE

BEFORE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE“

 Identifying the type of body you have first will help you understand what dress works best for you.  Every bride wants to looks her best on the big day, and by keeping an open-mind by viewing several styles of wedding dresses for your body type can help you choose the most flattering fit for your figure.  Look for a dress that creates a balanced build.  Once you begin to understand what body type you are, it will be easier to concentrate on certain styles that accentuate the shape of your body.

Refer to our simple guide to get started: Rectangular Body shape, Hourglass Body shape, Apple Body shape,  Spoon Body Shape.

This article brought to you by www.aleanasbridal.com a bridal shop located in Paramus, NJ.

What you need to know about wedding gown fabric

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This article brought to you Aleana’s Bridal Shop Bergen County, NJ.

The bridal gown’s fabric affects both its beauty and price. The medium to low priced gown usually made from man-made, affordable fabrics such as polyester satin, polyester chiffon, and polyester organza.

When you are shopping for a wedding dress always ask the salesperson what is the fabric of the dress. The most popular bridal fabrics are: “satin”, “taffeta”, “chiffon”, “dupioni”, “brocade”, “Georgette”,  “jacquard”, “crepe”, “crepe de chine”, “Organza” and “charmeuse”. Don’t assume that those fabrics would be made from natural fibers. You always should ask, “What is the content of this fabric?” If the answer is “Silk”, you know you are buying the queen of textiles, the most luxurious fiber in the world.

Silk comes in many different thicknesses and textures; it can be soft and shiny, or shiny and rough. The weaving and knitting of silk fabric may contain minor variations and irregularities that should not be treated as defects. Silk fabrics are always slightly off white because silk is a natural fabric.

Silk is one of the best bridal fabrics that is perfect to wear in any season. It is warm in the cool season, yet cool enough when it’s hot. Silk fabrics are usually lighter, more comfortable and breathable than man-made fabrics. It would be your choice if you have a Sensitive Skin. Silk has natural thermostatic properties and contains many amino acids that help moisture penetrate the skin (aid in absorption) and aid in skin healing.

If it’s always been your dream to have a silk gown but thought they were too expensive come to Aleana’s Bridal in Paramus, NJ, where 80% of our gowns are made from silk fabrics at a very affordable price. We proud of our silk bridal collection and confident that you will be able to find your special dress.

Please schedule your first appointment at www.aleanasbridal.com.

 

Accentuate your assets during your wedding day

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This article brought to you Aleana’s Bridal Shop Bergen County, NJ.

Make your special day become everything you’ve wished for in finding your Dream Wedding Dress.  Choose a dress that will accentuate your unique assets, taking you down the aisle and onto your own red-carpet runway.  With a few of the simple guidelines mentioned, you can find a wedding dress that will maximize your best qualities and minimize your flaws.  While these general tips can help brides look for dress details that will flatter their figures, keep in mind that there is no “one size fits all” rule for dresses for different body types.  If you love a dress, don’t let the suggestions hold you back.  Go ahead and try it on.  To look your gorgeous best for your wedding day, just remember that the most impressive gown on you will be one that creates balance and puts your best traits forward.

MORE GUIDELINES

If you’re TALL:  Princess-line dresses, mermaid or trumpet dresses.

If you’re PETITE:  You want to elongate, so avoid too much fabric, mermaid dresses, and big ball gowns.

                                                                                                                                                 Fuller-busted: Bridal corsets.

Corset has been always important article of clothing that has helped shape and achieve the fashions of many centuries. Women used the corset as a mean to shape their bodies into the perfect shape, that achieved by reducing the thickness of the waist.

Modern corsets often feature boning and back lacing that generally mimic a historical style of corsets. Modern corsets also used to slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable silhouette.

Fuller-arms:  Off-the-shoulder straps, lace tops and sheer fabrics.

 …And when you find your perfect fit…A sweet sigh of relief takes over.

Ahhh…You found the other ONE.

Aleana’s bridal shop located in Paramus, Bergen County, NJ, where you dream comes true. Please schedule your first appointment at www.aleanasbridal.com.