It's thought that the ancient Romans introduced the tradition of wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand. This finger was believed to contain the "vena amoris"the vein of love was thought to lead directly to the heart.

The tradition of the diamond engagement ring goes back to 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, as a token of his undying love.

* Intrinsic Value
The value of a diamond is ultimately determined by Four Cs:
CUT: refers to the arrangement of the diamond facets. Common cuts include round, oval, brilliant, marquise, heart, pear and emerald.

CARAT: refers to the weight. A carat is 200 milligrams, with one carat made up of 100 points. In other words, a 25-point diamond weighs a quarter carat and a 50-point diamond weighs a half carat.

CLARITY: refers to the way light is reflected through the diamond. Most diamonds have flaws, called inclusions, which affect the clarity of the stone. The fewer flaws there are, the more brilliant (and the more expensive) the diamond is.

COLOUR: most diamonds have subtle yellow or brown tones. Colourless diamonds are more rare and therefore more valuable.

* Sentiment
The sentimental value of a wedding ring is without value, although the initial investment may seem high it is really not overwhelming considering it is designed to get a lifetime of wear.

* Heirlooms
Some couples have adopted a family heirloom as an alternative to the diamond ring. Also, gold from old rings no longer worn by family members can be redesigned into a special wedding band. If you use a ring designer, be sure to discuss your taste and lifestyle to ensure that a complementary ring is created.

There are two things that you should take into consideration when your are choosing lingerie.

1) Beauty
Although unseen by anyone but your new husband, lingerie can give you a great sense of beauty and confidence. These sensual feelings can enhance your day and add to the excitement of the wedding night.

2) Comfort
While you walk down the aisle, the last thing you should have on your mind is uncomfortable undergarments. It would be wise to select lingerie that reflects your style, while giving you comfort and that ultimate feeling of elegance and romance.

3) Fitting
When shopping for lingerie, you should bring in a picture of your wedding gown to ensure it will be properly fitted. Don't wait until the week before the wedding to buy your lingerie, it is important to wear it to all of your gown fittings.

* Be Practical
Ladies, it is always good to seek advice from your spouse on lingerie because you want him to like the way you look. But in this case your comfort is of the utmost importance and what may make the evening more enjoyable for him may deter from your comfort through out the day. This is an item you should be practical about.

A Marriage Licence must be purchased before two people can marry in the Province of Nova Scotia. Application must be made in person by the Bride or Groom, at any Access Nova Scotia location or at certain Notaries Public. A fee is charged and proper identification is required. The license is usually provided immediately upon application.

Find more Information at the government web site http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/vstat/deputy/

GRAND PRE
P.O. Box 2
Grand Pre, NS B0P 1M0
Contact: Cora Mae Morse
Tel: (902) 542-2924

KENTVILLE
Access Nova Scotia
28 Aberdeen Street
Kentville, NS B4N 2N1
Tel: 1 (877) 848-2578

Hours of Operation:
Monday & Tuesday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Wednesday , Thursday & Friday: 8:30 am to 7:00 pm

(Only Registry of Motor Vehicles services after 4:30) Not open on Saturday

KENTVILLE Local Location, Same as Mailing Address
Mailing Address: 11 Blossom Dr. Kentville, NS B4N 3Z1
Contact: Louisa G. Cooper Tel: (902) 679-0688

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* Setting The Mood
Music is one of the most powerful means of setting the mood and tone of your event, even though it may only require a small part of your budget. Don't leave your entertainment to a well-meaning friend with an extensive CD collection. Go with professionals who are contractually obligated to show up on time, who play the music you agreed upon, and, importantly, who fit your style and taste.

* Selection
Planning your music should be seen as a fun activity for you and your fiance. Public libraries offer a wealth of classical music which you can borrow to find selections that fit your tastes and requirements. Professional musicians and DJs will have many excellent suggestions to offer, these suggestions come from many years of experience and should not be discarded lightly.

* Ambiance
Remember, you can combine live and / or recorded music at the ceremony and the reception. Dinner music is a very popular item and adds wonder ambiance during the meal.

Your wedding photographs capture the precious moments of your day in a way no other medium can, and over the years you'll find you keep coming back to them, vividly remembering the emotions, beauty and uniqueness of your wedding.

* Choose Carefully
Take time and care in picking the photographer who will capture your big day. Professional photographers have the skill, expertise, experience and equipment to make their photographs speak volumes. They notice the small details, like the tender curl of the bride's hair, the delicate flowers on her dress and the tears that come spontaneously during a day infused with love.

* Start Early
Start looking for a photographer eight-to-12 months in advance of your wedding the best photographers are booked months ahead of time.

* Samples
Meet with several professionals, scrutinizing their portfolios for evidence of their style before you make your decision. Remember that the portfolio reflects the photographer's best shots, picked specifically to show potential clients. Ask to see photographs from a recent wedding, and base your judgment on these, too. Finally, determine if you feel comfortable with a photographer. You need a good rapport with your photographer, as this relationship will be reflected in your photographs. Ensure that the person you interview will be the one taking the pictures at your wedding.

* Styles
Familiarize yourself with the various styles of wedding photography. There are the traditional photographs, with family members and friends lined up on either side of the bride and groom. But there's also a photojournalists style of photographs, wherein the photographer attempts to capture the spontaneity of the moment. There are no posed photos and pictures are taken without the photographer's forewarning or instruction.

* Give Details
Provide a list of the shots you must have and who is to be included in them. Advise the photographer of potentially uncomfortable situations in the family, such as death or divorce. Agree upon a time for prenuptial photographs and ensure that your photographer knows what your stylistic preferences are and where to find you.

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* Practice makes perfect
A few days prior to the wedding, or on the evening before, a rehearsal is held to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly. If possible, all members of the bridal party, parents, ushers and any musicians or soloists should be present. Your wedding officiate will assist you in the general arrangement of the wedding procedures, including the entrances, an overview of the ceremony including the readings, and the exits. It is important that you express your wishes for any special touches at this time.

* Media
Have your photographer and videographer attend to get an sense of the layout of the ceremony site and to shoot some rehearsal footage. Also, give the flower girl and ring bearer plenty of opportunity to get used to walking down the aisle.

The Rehearsal Dinner

* Traditions
The rehearsal is usually followed by a dinner, traditionally hosted by the groom's parents. The rehearsal dinner may be held at a restaurant or at a home. In addition to being a way to thank the bridal party, the dinner also gives everyone a chance to get to know one another before your big day. It also gives the couple the opportunity to present their gifts of appreciation to the bridal party.

* Modern Ideas
The tradition of having the brides parents pay for the entire wedding is no longer etched in stone. More and more couples today are contributing significantly to the cost of the wedding, if not paying for it entirely. Its wise to discuss your expectations with both sets of parents so that there are no last minute surprises.

* Decorations
A visit to a store specializing in complete party and event rentals is a must if you're planning a garden or home wedding, or if you plan to decorate the reception hall. Get references from your caterer as they'll be familiar with reliable companies and will have worked with them in the past.

* Service Type When planning your rentals, you'll need to know how many guests are coming, whether you plan a cocktail or buffet-style reception, and what facilities you have for heating and serving food.

* Policies
Most party rental stores can supply you with chairs, tables, linens in various colours, china, crystal, silverware, and coffee makers. In addition you can rent candelabras, arches, canopies, plant stands and a variety of decor items. Note that you'll be paying from the time you pick up the items until they are returned. Be sure to check the policy on breakage and whether the glasses and dishes are to be returned clean.

Every season has it's own natural beauty along with it's advantages and disadvantages. Keep in mind that you should take at least a year to plan your wedding, you can carefully decide what Season would best suit you plans.

Spring - Late spring is very beautiful with many varieties of flowers starting to bloom. There will be many beautiful locations for picture taking. The weather should be rather cool which will help keep people dressed in formal wear comfortable.

Summer - Always lush green and beautiful in the Annapolis Valley with many awesome locations for picture taking. Most perennials will be in full bloom. Keep in mind that late summer can be very warm and air-conditioned facilities should be a strong consideration. However very few churches offer this creature comfort.

Fall - With cooler air and the fall colors this is a wonderful time of year for a wedding.

Winter - Mid to late winter weddings are rather rare but early winter and new years eve weddings are rather popular. Out door photos are quite possible but location selection becomes more tedious.

What ever season you choose proper planning started well in advance will ensure a wonderful day for everyone.

* Comfort
Your choice of shoes should complement your wedding gown with an emphasis, on comfort. You will be on your feet for a good number of hours, standing, walking and dancing. Fabric shoes can be dyed later to match other dresses in your collection.

* For the Guys
Shoes are usually part of the tuxedo rental, and patent leather is the preferred choice. If You are thinking of having your groomsmen wear their own shoes, it would be prudent to have them bring their shoes to you for inspection. This will make sure that their shoes will match some what, and eliminate the risk of shoes that may be tattered or well worn. Adding shoes to a tuxedo rental is not very expensive and can save a number of headaches.

* Local
Once again having a good fit and comfort is very important, find a Local Shoe Store that can help you.

A shower planned one to two months before the wedding can be a fun event for both bride and groom. These days its popular to host Jack and Jill showers where both bride and groom are honoured. This gives all of your friends and family a chance to get together in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Its no longer necessary to have the traditional shower or tea party format.

* Themes
Some possible themes include a lingerie shower, wine shower, CD shower, or a furnishing-the-kitchen shower. The choices are endless.

* Planning
Whoever is planning to host the shower should consult with the bridal couple as to what type of party to host, and of course, who to invite. Those invited to the shower should also be invited to the wedding. Don't forget to notify out-of-town family members about the shower. Although they likely won't be able to attend, they'll probably want to send a gift. Bridal party members who may attend several of your showers should know it isn't necessary to bring presents to each shower.

For more information visit our Bridal Shower Page, a whole page dedicated to planning the perfect shower.

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The spa, the spa, the spa, oh yes the spa. For those of you who are lucky enough to have experienced a spa there is really nothing like it. Spa's are a great place to relieve stress and get in touch with your inner self through relaxation methods that radiate from the outside and permeate to your inside.

* Groups
They can be enjoyed either intimately, with a small group or with a very special partner. Many spa's are not just for woman but cater to couples and these sessions can be used before or after a wedding or incorporated into your honeymoon.

Due to the intimate nature of a spa, it isn't recommended to host larger parties there, perhaps just you and you maid of honor or a special friend. Have you ever tried to talk when being given a back massage, besides it would be best experienced by closing your eyes and savoring every sensation. Trying to have a discussion with a group of people during this will limit your enjoyment.

See a list of Local Spa's

* At Home
Having the ceremony and reception at home is another option. While you may not be able to host a sit-down dinner for 100, a cocktail reception following the ceremony can be very intimate and sometimes less costly. Make arrangements for parking if there will be a number of guests with cars, and be sure to give your neighbors ample advance notice.

* Book in Advance
As there are only so many weekends in the year available, its a good idea to reserve your wedding reception site as early as possible. Its not uncommon for some locations to be booked a year in advance. While your site selection is a reflection of your style, keep in mind the traveling distance from the ceremony site to the reception facility. Out-of-town guests may be unfamiliar with the area, so the distance between the two locations should be convenient and easy to navigate. And keep their comfort in mind. While the bridal party is taking photos, guests should have a place to spend the hour or so in between the ceremony and reception.

* Number of Guests
Another consideration in reception site selection is the number of guests. Hotels usually have a variety of banquet rooms and can accommodate both smaller intimate weddings and larger extravagant weddings. Halls and reception facilities may be more limited in space, but may provide a more interesting and unique atmosphere. Be sure the hall has ample room for the musicians and dancing, and ensure that there are adequate kitchen facilities for your caterer. Inquire about any candlelight restrictions and specific decorating regulations. You often have a choice of catering services when booking halls and some will even provide you with a list.

* PA Systems
It would be wise to look into the PA services your hall has to offer, some in-house PA systems leave allot to be desired and it is important that your guests can hear the speeches and toasts that are being made. Quite often Disc Jockey's provide a PA and microphone service for speeches at the reception and their sound systems tend to be much better than most in-house systems. This works well if they are there providing dinner music as well.

There is quite a number of details to consider when it comes to buying or creating stationary for your wedding.

* Invitations
Invitations must be send, delivered, mailed or just plain handed out to everyone you wish to attend the reception. This formal invitation sets the mood and let's everyone know that responding to the invitation is not a trivial matter.

* Reply (RSVP) Cards
These cards should be included with the invitation along with a postage paid envelope. These are very important because they will give you the number of guests that will be attending. This figure will be required by your caterer, reception hall, wedding planner etc. The sooner this number is firmed up the sooner your providers can truly start preparing.

* Ceremony Programs
An important part of the wedding ceremony that will allow your guests to follow along with the proceedings.

* Map or direction cards
Save on confusion and frustration by providing location information to your our of town guests

* Calligraphy
The most popular decorative font style for wedding invitations, it is more an art form than righting.

* Thank You Notes
Don't forget to say Thank You, especially to those who helped make your special day possible, Guests, attendants and vendors alike.

Other Invitations

• Rehearsal Dinner / Party Invitations
• Bridesmaids Luncheon Invitations
• Bridesmaids Preparation with the bride
• Bachelor Party Invitations

These other invitations are optional, but should at least be given consideration. It is best for your planning purposes, to get confirmation of who will be attending these events.

* Postage
Your guests should not have to pay for postage, this should be provided for any correspondence you require a response from.

* Ride in Style
Of all the aspects of your wedding, your transportation is the most public. Your decorations and attire will be seen by your friends and family, but your vehicle, whether it's a silver limousine, a crimson sports car or a horse drawn carriage, can announce your wedding to the entire world. So, pick something that fits your event's style, but remember, whatever you choose, you'll still want reliability and comfort.

Traditionally, providing transportation is the bride's responsibility, but the logistics on the wedding day fall upon the best man. Not only is he charged with getting the groom to the church on time, but getting himself and guests to the reception, and driving the bride and groom from the reception.

* Common Limo Services
Limousines usually make at least two trips to the ceremony location. The first trip is to deliver the Groom and groomsmen. Then the limo is off to pick up the bride, bridesmaids and her family usually just mom & dad. After the service the limo is used for carrying the bride and groom to the photo shoot location and lastly to the reception.

* Other Services
Depending on your budget, you could also hire extra limousines or coaches to carry other guests, or arrange for friends and relatives to pitch in with their cars.

See our list of local Limousine providers.

* Antique Cars
All limo services supply a driver but sometimes a friend or family member may have an antique car that may be used instead. Either the car owner or the best man can serve as the bride and groom's chauffeur but make sure they know when and where they are required to be.

Videography is one of the most lasting and memorable ways to preserve your wedding as the years roll forward. At the click of a button, you can see yourselves with family and friends in a way you could not appreciate on the actual day.

* Better than ever
Until recently, the wedding video typically tried to create an historical document that was, in a word, rather boring, especially after repetitive viewing. Recent developments in multimedia technology have altered this pattern of recording, making the wedding video or DVD more meaningful and movie-like, and highly stimulating to watch, as well as more, relevant, entertaining and moving.

* DVD Features
The advent of DVD technology has dramatically improved the life span potential of Videography, taking it from an average of 25 years on video to a form of preservation on DVD that has virtually no expiration date. This technology also allows viewers to surf the wedding by chapters. If you want to bypass the sermon and speeches, for example, you can now do it with a click of the button, rather than pressing fast-forward on a VCR. Those chapters also provide a place for bloopers if any, unedited footage and anything else you chose to include in your final video.

* Talent
What many couples don't realize is that the art of Videography is comprised of twenty percent equipment and 80 percent talent. For this reason, getting your uncle Sam to record the wedding on his video camera is no substitute for the services of a professional videographer. So if you're trying to cut costs and stretch your budget, be forewarned that Videography is not the place to do it.

* Video Samples
The good news is that that Annapolis valley is now home to some of the best videographers in Canada, artists who are stretching the limits of what's traditionally been accepted in a wedding video, and making it ever more creative and entertaining to watch. It is recommended to view samples of their previous work so you can see what you are paying for.

* Costs
The industry average for professional wedding Videography in the Halifax area starts at approximately $1,500. And though you might perceive that price tag as costly initially, remember that you're paying for invaluable memories, and a means of preserving them well into the future.

* Presentations
In addition to the wedding video, some couples request a multimedia presentation that can be shown to guests during the reception, and that tells the couple's story, of how they met, how they fell in love and what brought them to their wedding day.

Making Memories, Touching lives!

Books are fine, web sites are great but there is nothing like someone in your corner taking care of all the details (some you many have overlooked) and ensuring that all goes like clockwork.

* Fees
Some consultants will charge a flat fee no matter how complicated the event, some who charge an hourly rate, while there are others who will not charge you directly, but receive a referral fee from the retailers booked.

See our list of local Wedding Planners.

* Need Help?
With the hectic pace our lives sometime take, more and more brides are turning to a wedding planner to help bring the day together. These Planners provide help and expert advice in ways no book can. They usually coordinate the entire wedding from selecting the florist to booking the honeymoon and then make sure everything arrives on time and is in it's proper place. With a large wedding the small details can easily be forgotten or left out altogether, planners make sure that every detail is just right.

* Knowing what's available
These professionals are familiar with the available retailers in each service category and can match your preferences with the retailer that will do the best job within your budget. It can save you a great deal of time and often money using a consultant who is an expert in his/her field and who deals with reliable services on an ongoing basis. Not all service providers in the Annapolis Valley Area are listed in the phone book thus are hard to find unless you know where to look.

* Budget
It is important to establish with your consultant the type of budget you are working with well in advance, this will set the ground rules as well as how formal the event will be. Planners know what corners can be cut to keep within budget constraints. Some may even know of ingenious ways to use homemade items that are hard to tell from expensive store bought items.