You may make sure that the amazement via a surprise b-day bash is definitely full through employing a Hog Roast. Encompassing delicious food within a festivity is definitely an chief element to arranging it in actual fact a hit. Since that you’ve got the inspiration, you should truly organize it actually. Being sure that it in actual fact stays a astonishment is actually key. Inform each and every one of the guests with lots of time before and in addition make sure that they actually are knowledgeable that it will be a surprise therefore they don’t wind up giving the game away. Followed by, if you in fact are living with the person that is in reality going to be surprised, make sure that you actually fix the bringing together whilst they happen to be not at home or possibly dozing. Sustain all of your formalities and additionally planning annotations within a space which they will not discover them. All streamers ought to also be stashed away within a location where they will not have the ability to set eyes on them.
It is in point of fact easiest to organize the celebration inside a different spot out of your dwelling given that it’s going to assist you in fact sustain it in actual fact a surprise and furthermore will be able to in addition provide you time in order to essentially accomplish the adorning along with preparing without tension, and in turn you in fact are not going to have to be concerned about them commuting back home early. Be sure that you actually likewise notify the catering business, just like Big Roast, that will be able to be providing the Hog Roast that it in fact will be a surprise birthday get together so they do not make any telephone calls towards your residence.
As brides become progressively more creative in designing their weddings, location-specific marriage ceremonies are growing in popularity. Even though a destination wedding may end up in a smaller guest list, the wedding can also result in some great chances for different types of and memorable activities for everyone. One such category of wedding can be a New Orleans destination wedding.If you plan on getting married in New Orleans then you can put together special events for your guests such as historical tours, trips to go out shopping and food tasting events. If you prefer to add any of these activities remember that the bride and groom (or their families) are expected to handle all of the costs. If you arrange a food tasting event in the French Quarter, for example, then you are required to cover the food and other costs. Since one of the terrific upsides to holding a destination wedding is that just your close friends and your family will likely be the only attendees, then you can arrange some customized activities that you wouldn’t plan if the wedding had more people attending. Naturally, if you choose a destination wedding, for some people this might double as their vacation. Speak with New Orleans wedding consultants on the topic of how to correctly structure your wedding’s activities with allowing enough time for your guests to enjoy their vacation time together.
If one member of a partnership books a romantic vacation to try and apologise for an affair or some other behaviour for which they crave forgiveness, the time away will generally be tense and awkward and rather than serve to take their minds off the problems in the partnership, they spotlight them. Trying to suppress flaws in a relationship won’t succeed for long and it’s better to conduct discussions with each other at home if there are issues to discuss.
Romantic vacations in long-term partnerships are a time for a couple to appreciate each other’s companionship and spend quality time with each other, away from work and sometimes the children as well. Plenty of strong partnerships work perfectly without the need to part with cash on romantic getaways, however lots of folk enjoy having the opportunity to chill out together without fretting about the usual interruptions of the daily grind.
Should you desire to treat your other half, organise something that you will both enjoy but which shows you have taken into consideration their wishes.
If your partner really likes spa breaks but you don’t share their enthusiasm, it may be nice occasionally to reserve a spa to show you care. You may always sit on the patio at the spa hotel with a decent book if that is what you’d rather do! Read more at greatbritishhotels.net.
According to Paula Hall, a partnership expert, vacations may be stressful because couples expect to have a wonderful time. Also, stresses which come along the way can complicate the matter. A lot of couples expect excellent sex and romantic passion while on holiday. However, they may be disappointed, so it is better to just let things develop naturally.
A vacation with a partner is generally a nice idea. Nonetheless, it may end up a disaster if the two people involved possess disparate hopes. Romantic holiday breaks involve cash and demand planning, which makes it more significant should it all go wrong.
If the reason for the holiday is to attempt to mend a relationship, then the amorous vacation is unlikely to do so. Differences between the couple must first be repaired before the holiday, since these will simply manifest themselves subsequently. A romantic holiday will only benefit the partnership if the grudges are solved in advance. If not, the couple may end in a worse environment after the holiday. Furthermore, fresh concerns may even arise if a holiday break unleashes them.
For her traumatic wounds to heal, the victim of abuse requires closure – one final interaction with her tormentor in which he, hopefully, acknowledges his misbehaviour and even tenders an apology. Fat chance. Few abusers – especially if they are narcissistic – are amenable to such weakling pleasantries. More often, the abused are left to wallow in a poisonous stew of misery, self-pity, and self-recrimination.
Depending on the severity, duration, and nature of the abuse, there are three forms of effective closure.
Conceptual Closure
This most common variant involves a frank dissection of the abusive relationship. The parties meet to analyze what went wrong, to allocate blame and guilt, to derive lessons, and to part ways cathartically cleansed. In such an exchange, a compassionate offender (quite the oxymoron, admittedly) offers his prey the chance to rid herself of cumulating resentment.
He also disabuses her of the notion that she, in any way, was guilty or responsible for her maltreatment, that it was all her fault, that she deserved to be punished, and that she could have saved the relationship (malignant optimism). With this burden gone, the victim is ready to resume her life and to seek companionship and love elsewhere.
Retributive Closure
When the abuse has been “gratuitous” (sadistic), repeated, and protracted, conceptual closure is not enough. Retribution is called for, an element of vengeance, of restorative justice and a restored balance. Recuperation hinges on punishing the delinquent and merciless party. The penal intervention of the Law is often therapeutic to the abused.
Regrettably, the victim’s understandable emotions often lead to abusive (and illegal) acts. Many of the tormented stalk their erstwhile abusers and take the law into their own hands. Abuse tends to breed abuse all around, in both prey and predator.
Dissociative Closure
Absent the other two forms of closure, victims of egregious and prolonged mistreatment tend to repress their painful memories. In extremis, they dissociate. The Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – formerly known as “Multiple Personality Disorder” – is thought to be such a reaction. The harrowing experiences are “sliced off”, tucked away, and attributed to “another personality”.
Sometimes, the victim “assimilates” his or her tormentor, and even openly and consciously identifies with him. This is the narcissistic defence. In his own anguished mind, the victim becomes omnipotent and, therefore, invulnerable. He or she develops a False Self. The True Self is, thus, shielded from further harm and injury.
According to psychodynamic theories of psychopathology, repressed content rendered unconscious is the cause of all manner of mental health disorders. The victim thus pays a hefty price for avoiding and evading his or her predicament.
Sam Vaknin ( samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain – How the West Lost the East. He served as a columnist for Global Politician, Central Europe Review, PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.
Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.
Visit Sam’s Web site at samvak.tripod.com
You’ve decided to get married and tie the proverbial knot. Now comes the part where you and your future spouse must choose the symbols of your imminent union, your rings. To simplify this task, keep these thoughts in mind when you begin shopping. After all, with your wedding date fast approaching, finding the right rings at the right price will simply be one of the worries you’ll have to contend with.
Your first decision will be the type of material you want for your bands, which may be yellow gold, white gold, platinum, titanium, or even as unusual sounding a material as tungsten. The metal you choose will be very important. Not only will the metal used to make a ring determine its appearance, it will also go a long way toward determining its strength, weight, and durability, as well.
It goes without saying, of course, that yellow and white gold wedding bands are still the most commonly worn rings today. But, with regard to durability, they are also among the weaker choices, as gold is softer and less dense than many other metals used for ring construction. Here’s a tip: if you really want gold bands, but also want your rings to hold up over time, choose a 14k or 10k ring versus an 18k ring. A lower karat number indicates a lower percentage of true gold mixed together with a higher percentage of added metals, which makes, nicely enough, for a stronger ring. Ironically, when it comes to gold rings, the less expensive the ring, the stronger the ring actually is.
Of course, if you are looking for real strength and durability, consider a platinum band. Platinum is incredibly strong due to its metal density, so if you want the ultimate in precious metal strength and durability, platinum is for you. However, platinum is even more of a “precious metal” than gold, due to its rarity. And that brings us to our next consideration: cost.
Rings, like any type of traditional-event purchase, fall into pricing categories that cater to high-end buyers, mid-range buyers, and lower-end buyers (typically, this covers young soon-to-be-marrieds who are just starting out and may barely have a roof over their heads after the reception is concluded). Gold rings of various styles and karat weights are certainly available to buyers in all price ranges. Platinum, though, may bring up cost issues that are not advantageous for many young couples starting out.
However, if you are looking for rings that are “different”, very durable and strong, and, at the same time, are not particularly expensive, you may wish to consider bands constructed of titanium. Titanium is an extraordinary metal that, by weight, is stronger than steel. It is an also an inert metal that is impervious to corrosion or decay. And, nicely enough, despite the fact that it is so very strong, bands made of titanium tend to be fairly inexpensive. Yet titanium may be a perfect choice for those who work with their hands, such as mechanics and carpenters.
Once you’ve decided on the type of bands you want (material, appearance, durability, and price range), your next step will be to decide where to make the actual purchase. In some regards, this is very similar to car shopping. As with buying a car, you consider first what you want and then consider where you should go to get the best deal in terms of quality and cost.
Where should you go to buy your wedding bands? Well, there are a large number of franchise jewelry stores to choose from. However, a local and “locally-owned” jewelry store may offer better service, and, potentially, a greater willingness to “bargain” (though, it should be said that chain stores can often use an economy of scale to drive prices down considerably). Also, though chain stores may feature financing arrangements on ring purchases, locally owned stores may offer financing that is more flexible.
But, regardless of the type of wedding bands you ultimately decide on, or even where you decide to buy them, you will, without a doubt, save a considerable amount of stress and, perhaps, money, if you simply consider, beforehand, what it is that you truly want and can be satisfied with.
The author of this article is Tim Moore, who publishes a website on SSI Disability Claims which features an SSI Claims Q&A section.
To raise questions about your marriage and relationship and try to find answers is a very helpful exercise. It reveals quite a lot about the present state of affairs and gives hint about what corrective action can be taken to make the marriage stronger. One should not take the marriage and the relationship for granted but keep on quizzing about how it is going. Questions such as -
what joy are we getting in our marriage, what faith we have in each other, are we in love, and so on will make anyone think and ponder over the married relationship.
A marriage is like a river. It keeps on flowing through different obstacles. Consider the sea as the goal of marriage – to get joy in a married relationship and have a long and fulfilling marriage. During the journey, a marriage will go through many ups and downs. It is for us to quiz ourselves about our marriage and sort out the issues that hurt us.
We tend to forget that our marriage is made of two people. Our focus is always on how we feel, what we want, what we are getting, how to satisfy ourselves more, our partner’s behavior with us and so on. As we focus more about ourselves, our partner gets to feel neglected. It is difficult to say how many of us quiz their partner about how they are feeling with the marriage and raise all the questions in the context of how they are feeling and what they desire.
As we focus not only on ourselves but also on our partner, the marriage will become stronger. Because the partner will get the feeling of getting attention about his/her feelings. Our selfishness should not kill our marriage, because it will always end in a disaster. One fine day when our partner walks out, we are shocked and wonder – what went wrong? We should have taken more care of our partner’s feeling, desires and emotions. We never did that. So the result was their walking out. Why should we get surprised? We did that. Therefore it is important to quiz ourselves and our partner about our marriage continuously. That will show us the areas of dissatisfaction. That will make us aware of what has to be set right and what changes need to be brought to make a better marriage.
You can try the marriage and relationship quizzes on Internet Websites to find out more about your married relationship. The more you know, the better informed you get. With more information, you can find out timely solutions to any cracks that may be developing in your marriage. A marriage should make us happy and not miserable.
C.D. Mohatta writes articles and advice on Dating and Love. He also writes for Free Screensavers on Love, and Inspiration and content for Tests and Quiz on Dating, Personality and Love.
Whether you want to add a little extra romance to an evening reception or a little glow to your house of worship, candles are a natural, effortless addition to your wedding theme. You’ll have no trouble finding a role for candles at the wedding ceremony, at the reception, and even as part of the floral displays.
Unity Candles
Join the growing number of couples who include a unity candle as part of the wedding ceremony. Perhaps you think that unity candles are steeped in a rich history of religious tradition, or perhaps you think that unity candles are the invention of the candle makers to sell an extra candle or 10,000. Neither is the case. The exact evolution of the unity candle is uncertain, but since it began 30-40 years ago, it seems that we have that ever-lively 60s generation to thank for yet another custom that has wormed its way into modern life.
I’d like to propose my own idea of the unity candle’s originan unlikely science experiment. You can perform this experiment yourself. Light two tapered candles, or use whatever candles you have handy. Note the height and brilliance of each flame. Now, join the two flames together and look at the single flame. The united flame is taller, stronger and brighter than the sum of the two individual flames. Isn’t that what marriage is supposed to bea single unit stronger than the sum of its parts?
The most traditional of the variations on the theme is the tall, thick white candle in the center of a candleholder surrounded on each side by a white taper. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom light the center unity candle with the two tapers, creating the stronger flame as a symbol of the stronger unity gained through marriage.
Beyond the traditional unity ceremony, today’s weddings provide the opportunity for many variations, particularly second weddings that include children. If each partner has children, the children may light the unity candles. Sometimes, parents from each family light the unity candle. You’ll want to preserve the moment in a picture, because it’s unlikely you’ll find this level of cooperation again.
If you carry a hand-tied bouquet, incorporate a white taper into the bouquet, and carry the taper up the aisle. The groom can hold his taper until you reach the altar, when you each place your taper into the unity candleholder to accentuate the unity theme.
If your house of worship doesn’t allow unity ceremonies, conduct the ceremony at the reception right before the toast.
Candles for Your Wedding Decor
Consider candles an integral part of your floral displays to add warmth to a sterile reception hall environment. Select your candles first, and then select flowers to complement the candles. If you maintain the candle as the focal point, you’ll spend a lot less money on bridal flowers.
Place a single sculptured candle by the guest book, for example. Incorporate candles into your table displays at the reception. You can actually use candle displays in place of floral displays. Consider the idea of floating candle displays at the center of each table. They’re low enough to allow conversation without talking through flowers.
You’re not limited to white candles. Work the candles into your color scheme: silver and gold for holiday weddings. Nor do you have to limit yourself to unadorned candles. Ribbons add a nice accent to simple candles. Select elegant candles for a formal wedding and less formal sculpted, marbled, or otherwise embellished candles for less formal weddings.
Candles as Wedding Favors
Candles always make nice gifts, and you can capitalize on this by selecting a candle for your wedding favor. A small, beautifully wrapped candle makes a wedding favor that your guests will appreciate and display at homesomething to remember your special day.
However you choose to add candles to your wedding, their warm flame will add to the ambiance of an already glowing moment.
M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for unity & wedding candles and candles in general. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.
Going through the Pain Barrier
Nobody likes pain but its there for a purpose. I am a long time supporter of The Leprosy Mission and one of the things that I’ve discovered about leprosy is that its not normally the disease that results in a persons fingers or toes falling off, it’s the fact that the disease of leprosy stops a person being able to feel pain and so they will unconsciously burn themselves badly and not feel it. The nerve endings have been damaged and so they cannot feel pain at all and the results, more often than not, are the hideous deformities that we now associate with a leper. A leper would love to feel pain because they know that pain is given to us to warn our bodies that something is wrong that needs put right, if possible. Pain is not always a bad thing.
I run marathons. Do you think I feel pain when I run a marathon? You bet I do! A marathon is one of the supreme tests of endurance that average people can undertake. During the run your body uses up all its stores of carbohydrates and other necessary body fuels and then begins to feed off itself – it turns cannibal, if you like. This is painful. As well as that, it is not uncommon to pull a muscle, develop a blister, get a stitch, hurt your joints or any other number of painful ailments. Your body is telling you to stop, this is damaging to it! In this context, pain is your body’s natural way to tell you that you are overdoing it – and of course you are. However, all of us can ‘overdo it’ for a lot longer than we think is possible initially. We can learn to acknowledge the pain and, whilst taking steps to minimise it, we can still run on and on. Mind over matter if you like.
One of the great acts of heroism I ever witnessed was during an Olympic marathon when the Tanzanian representative fell during the race badly injuring himself. He got up and struggled on in obvious pain whilst all the other runners disappeared up the road in front of him. It was demoralising for him but he refused to give up. He struggled on and entered the stadium with only a few people still left in the stands to cheer him home. He finished the race with blood pouring from his leg wound just as they were taking down the finishing line and a television reporter asked why he hadn’t just given up after falling so badly. His response was brilliant. He replied, “My country did not send me here to start a race. They sent me to finish a race!” Too many of us start the race but are not so committed to finishing.
I am firmly convinced that if a couple acknowledge to each other that there will be times of pain then they will be better able to cope with it for a period when it happens. In the western world, we have been brought up with this strange belief that we should never suffer and so, when we inevitably do hit times of suffering, we have not prepared ourselves to handle it properly. I have a friend who lectures on philosophy in universities in many third world countries. He says that one question he is never asked in third world countries is, “Why does God allow suffering?” The reason for this is that suffering is just such a normal part of their lives that they cannot imagine that anyone doesn’t suffer. In fact it’s the suffering that makes them into the people they are. Can you accept that suffering makes you a better person?
Here are five things we can do when we feel pain in our relationship:-
1. We need to acknowledge that there is pain and try to isolate what is causing it.
As we have said already in regard to the lepers, pain has a purpose. It tells us that something is not right. When we feel pain in our relationship we need to stop and analyse why we are feeling that particular pain. When I was an accountant and had a bit more money at my disposal, one of the things I would do when I felt some pain in my marriage was to throw a bit of money at it. We’d take a holiday, go for a nice meal, buy some new clothes, get our hair done up (well at least my wife would do this). Now, if you’ve got the resources, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of these things but we need to be aware that by distracting our minds for a little while from the cause of the pain it doesn’t make the pain go away long term. It only puts a plaster over a wound that needs treatment. However, all we were doing by throwing money at our problems was delaying the inevitable and sooner or later we would have a big argument.
It’s a bit like developing a toothache. Sure, you can dull the pain by putting some painkilling drug on your gum but if the cause of the pain is not dealt with, we know that it will flare up again, and next time even more painfully. Indeed if we kept on ignoring the pain then it might result in a tooth being removed. What started out as a simple toothache resulted in surgery. Not good.
In marriage there are a number of ways of figuring out what is causing the pain. Most of them common sense. You could try just talking to each other. Now there’s a novel suggestion! You could try doing the simple exercises in chapter 2 of this book and then discussing the results. You could talk to a professional counsellor who is trained to get to the bottom of painful issues. Whatever you decide to do it is crucial that you do something and do not ignore your pain. Once again the keyword is action.
2. The second thing we can try when pain rears its probing head is something that might seem very obvious but it is worth stating again just in case you miss it. Make sure that the pain you feel is associated with your marriage and not something else, like your job or even your children. So often we can be under pressure at our work and then come home and take it out on our partner. This is called displacing the pain. One of the things that I had to learn to do was to actually say to my wife, when I came home after a particularly hard day at work, that I was feeling stressed and tired. At first it felt like a confession of weakness and it wasn’t easy for me to admit that sometimes I wasn’t coping as well as I’d like to pretend. When I admitted as much to my wife, almost every time she was able to understand and take a bit more of the household pressure for a short time.
On other occasions the pressure was in the other direction and after a hard day of dealing with young children my wife would sometimes take out her frustrations on me. If I failed to recognise that this was happening the result could easily be a full-blown argument over pain that had been displaced. It is very important to be able to admit to feeling under pressure and to ask for some help from your spouse. If you don’t, the pain you feel elsewhere will automatically come out in your marriage.
3. The third thing to fix in your mind and believe is that pain is not a signal that your marriage is over.
When I’m running a marathon I need to keep reminding myself that pain is a totally natural for this event and expected part of the race. I do not give up at the first twinge or even at quite severe pain. I battle through it. Of course, I have to put up with some pain if I want to finish the race. One thing that drives me nuts these days is when I read a report in a newspaper of the latest celebratory couple who have split up citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the cause. What they are really saying is that they encountered a wee bit pain and so just gave up! Usually they live such a pampered lifestyle that any sort of pain is just not acceptable and so they walk away (to repeat the exercise with someone else). Do not succumb to this modern malaise. If you never learn how to put up with a bit of pain, every relationship you enter into will head down the same path. If you don’t believe me, just check out the marriages in Hollywood. Don’t become a quitter. Pain is not the end – it’s a sign that something needs to be done. In fact, it can be a beginning if you let it.
4. Stop focusing on the pain.
Whatever you focus on will begin to define who you are. If all you can see are the bad things in your marriage it won’t be long until your marriage accurately reflects your focus. In a marathon, if I keep thinking about how painful it is, there is a big temptation to give up. So what I do is to try and focus on more pleasant things such as the scenery, the joy of running, the anticipation of finishing, other runners (especially those who dress up in stupid outfits), anything to divert my attention from the pain for a little while. It’s amazing how often the pain is actually more mental than physical. I believe that the same thing can be achieved in marriage. Instead of focusing on the toothpaste lid or the toilet seat (to quote just two clichés) why not focus on your partner’s great sense of humour or their willingness to always switch off the lights or any of a hundred other endearing qualities? It’s amazing how trivial the irritations become when you remove them from the centre of your focus.
Try this simple exercise. Take a very small coin and hold it arms length between your finger and thumb. Does it block out much of the view behind it? No, obviously it doesn’t. Now bring the coin up closer and closer to your eye and close the other eye. What happens? It blocks your view almost completely, doesn’t it? It’s only a small coin but it can completely obliterate your view if you let it. Often the same thing happens in marriage. You can forget all the tremendous blessings you have together and focus on the one tiny fault until it takes over and dominates your thinking. Don’t allow it to do so. Now, what you’ve just read might sound like a contradiction to point 1 but its not. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting here that you bury your head in the sand regarding pain in your marriage but what I am saying is to make sure that the thing you think is causing you pain is actually as bad as you are making out. Have you just become so used to whining about something that it has come to dominate your thinking unnecessarily? Don’t let a small pain obliterate your view of a great marriage.
5. Share the Pain
Can I just remind you of something? You are married. It’s okay to share the hard things with your spouse. Remember the vows that you took? “For better and for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.” Perhaps you’ve always felt that you had to be strong and support your spouse and so when you feel pain what do you do? Pretend it’s not sore? Tell him/her that you can cope? Why don’t you just admit that you’re finding something tough and ask for their support? It might be the very thing that draws you together. Share , share, share.
As I draw to the end of this chapter I want to leave you with an amusing story.
A little old couple walked slowly into a McDonalds one cold winter evening. They looked out of place amid the young families and young couples eating there that night. Some of the customers looked admiringly at them. You could tell what the admirers were thinking. “Look, there’s couple who have been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more!”
The little old man walked up to the cash register, placed his order with no hesitation and then paid for their meal. The couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off of the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of French fries and one drink. The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink, and then his wife took a sip as the man began to eat his few bites.
Again, you could tell what people around the old couple were thinking. “That poor old couple.” As the old man began eating his French fries, a young man stood up and walked to the old couples’ table. He politely offered to buy another meal. The old man replied that they were just fine. They were used to sharing everything and, anyway, their appetites were not what they used to be.
Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady still hadn’t eaten a thing. She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally sipped some of the drink. Again, the young man came over and begged them to let him buy them another meal. This time, the lady explained that no, they were used to sharing. As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly with a napkin, the young man could stand it no longer and asked one last time if he could buy them one more meal.
After being politely refused again, he finally asked the little old lady, “Ma’am, why aren’t you eating. You said that you share everything. What is it that you are waiting for?” She answered, ………… “The teeth!”
Aaaagghhh! Yes I know it’s disgusting, but its probably not a true story and anyway it does illustrate the principle of sharing in a way that you will not forget. Will you?
Back to pain. As I said in the opening sentence, nobody enjoys pain. However, if you can just acknowledge what it is trying to tell you, but not allow it to knock you off track, then your marriage will survive and grow.
If you would like to read more of my ebook then please go immediately to my website www.themarriagesite.com
William Milton is a married man (26 years) who lives near London, England with his wife and two children and his Jack Russell Terrier called Swizzle. He enjoys reading, running and golf.
Irish traditions are rich and full of both whimsy and sentiment. This is especially true when it comes to weddings and marriage. The Irish symbolize beautifully the real meaning of marriage with their wedding rings. Celtic engagement rings and wedding bands have a style all their own, but still lend themselves to adding your own personal touches. An antique gold ring with the telltale woven pattern is the perfect symbol of the blending of two lives.
Designing Your Celtic Engagement Rings
Once you’ve decided you love the tradition of the Irish wedding ring, you can design your own engagement ring and wedding bands to incorporate those styles.
First you begin with the precious metal that will hold the pattern and any gemstones. Rings can be fashioned out of gold, silver, or platinum. Jewelers will tell you what material best suits the stones you may be setting within the ring. Platinum for example is the perfect material for setting a high quality diamond since it will not discolour or yellow the stone as gold may.
Next the metal is moulded into the traditional woven Celtic pattern. Even an antique Celtic ring can be remade to suit the new couple’s preferences. It can be carefully resized as to not lose the pattern and it can have personal gemstones added to it.
Rings can be made in many different widths too. For example, if you have a one carat diamond, you will probably want a wider band than a carat diamond would hold. That is true especially if you want to show off the intertwined pattern and not have it hidden by the stone.
Adding gems to a Celtic style ring gives you many design options. You can intersperse small stones throughout the crosses on the weaving or add one centre stone. The stone can be part of the engagement ring with a solitaire placed there, and then have either a plain Celtic band or one with several coordinating stones. The design possibilities are endless.
Making Your Ring a Part of the Wedding Ceremony
It is customary in many Jewish, Christian or non denominational wedding services to exchange rings. To further highlight the reason you chose a celtic engagement ring, you can include a brief message of its meaning on your invitation.
The meaning of the intertwined or woven pattern is symbolic of the blending and joining of two lives into one never ending circle. You can further enhance this message through the music you choose for your ceremony.
Irish or not, using Celtic engagement rings and Irish music will make any wedding ceremony and reception special. This is a day to always remember and the rings you wear will be a part of that memory long after the champagne is gone and the guests have returned home. Keep the feelings you have on that day a part of everyday with the symbolic ring style.
Clinton Maxwell is writer/webmaster at http://www.engagement-rings-tips.com which is an internet site for information. Clinton is featuring jewelry and articles on affordable rings.