Thursday, September 20, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
History of Wedding Anniversary Gift Lists
Tradition Dates Back to the Middle Ages
Although the anniversary gift lists on this website are based on the lists provided by the Chicago Public Library, the tradition of giving specific anniversary gifts based on the number of years a couple has been married dates back to the Middle Ages.
"The practice of observing the wedding anniversary, while primarily an excuse for gift-giving, probably has underlying it a belief in the correspondence of certain luck-bringing substances with a distinct number of years." Source: Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend
"The passing of another year together marks a deepening of the couple's commitment, an accumulation of time irreplaceable. To help in celebrating these occasions are special gifts, one assigned to each anniversary and each with its own material and symbolic value. In the United States, the wedding anniversary symbols begin simply, with paper and flowers, and gradually increase in substance and value. The order of gifts reflects the investment that the couple gives of themselves to each other. In Germany, by comparison, couples use a list of symbols that represent the progressive strengthening of the marriage relationship."
Source: Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field, The Meaning of Wedding Anniversaries, page 7.
Source: Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field, The Meaning of Wedding Anniversaries, page 7.
Middle Ages -- Wedding Anniversary Celebrations
"According to Hallmark research, the custom of associating silver with the 25th wedding anniversary and gold with the 50th wedding anniversary appear to have originated in the Germanic region of Middle Europe. The silver anniversary included a husband giving his wife a silver garland when they had been married 25 years."
Source: Hallmark.com
Source: Hallmark.com
"The practice of giving peculiar gifts on various wedding anniversaries originated in Central Europe. Among the medieval Germans it was customary for friends to present a wife with a wreath of silver when she had lived with her husband twenty-five years. The silver symbolized the harmony that was assumed to be necessary to make so many years of matrimony possible. On the fiftieth anniversary of a wedding the wife was presented with a wreath of gold. Hence arose 'silver wedding' and 'golden wedding.' This practice, borrowed from the Germans, has been elaborated upon in modern times."
Source: George Stimpson, Information Roundup (1948), ElegantAnniversary.com
Source: George Stimpson, Information Roundup (1948), ElegantAnniversary.com
"In the medieval times only milestone anniversaries like 25th and 50th were celebrated. To mark the occasion of Silver or 25th wedding anniversary a husband would crown his wife with a wreath of silver. Likewise, he presented her a wreath of gold on a Golden or 50th wedding anniversary."
Source: Tokenz.com
Source: Tokenz.com
Victorian Era -- Wedding Anniversaries
"The 75th anniversary is the original diamond anniversary and the 60th was added when Queen Victoria (English Empire Monarch) celebrated her Diamond Jubilee on her 60th anniversary of accession to the throne in 1897."
Source: Hallmark.com
Source: Hallmark.com
"The custom of celebrating what was once referred to as the "anniversary wedding" can be traced back to the Victorian era ... Although no one is certain how the traditional list of symbolic anniversary gifts originated, it is likely that the Victorians made the custom popular ... Early anniversary symbolism included only a few of the anniversaries we recognize today."
Source: Robin A. King, Happy Anniversary! A Guide to Fun and Romantic Anniversary Celebrations, page xi.
Source: Robin A. King, Happy Anniversary! A Guide to Fun and Romantic Anniversary Celebrations, page xi.
"The Victorians, so fond of cataloging and classifying, were likely the first to adapt ancient customs into a prescribed list of gifts for each wedding anniversary."
Source: Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field, The Meaning of Wedding Anniversaries, page 7.
Source: Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field, The Meaning of Wedding Anniversaries, page 7.
"The earliest reference we have found other than the Silver or gold is to the 5th anniversary (Wood) which implies this became the material for that anniversary around 1875."
Source: Anniversaryideas.co.uk
Source: Anniversaryideas.co.uk
20th Century -- Wedding Anniversary Gift Giving
"Emily Post listed "eight anniversaries know to all" in her 1922 Blue Book of Social Usage [listing 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries]. Mrs. Post then went on to report that "until comparatively modern times, the eight anniversaries were all that were acknowledged." She then recognized the trend toward celebrating additonal anniversaries and listed a symbolic anniversary gift for each of the first fifteen years of marriage and one for every five years after that. This is the basis for the lists we use today."
Source: Robin A. King, Happy Anniversary! A Guide to Fun and Romantic Anniversary Celebrations, page xi.
Source: Robin A. King, Happy Anniversary! A Guide to Fun and Romantic Anniversary Celebrations, page xi.
"Prior to 1937, only the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversary had a material associated with it. In 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler Association issued a more comprehensive list, which associated a material for each anniversary year up to the 20th and then each fifth year after that up to the 75th, with the exception of the 65th." Source: Cookie Lee, Wedding Anniversaries: from paper to diamond, page 61.
"By middle-to-late 1930s, people began to celebrate 1st, 10th, 20th and 70th anniversary along with 25th and 50th. A gift for each of these milestone anniversary years was also decided by the society. The logic of presenting gifts was that stability deserves a reward and more the stability the greater should be the reward."
Monday, August 27, 2012
Wedding Programs
Wedding programs outline your wedding, allowing wedding guests to follow along with the wedding ceremony and any unfamiliar wedding rituals that may be included.
When passing the programs to your guests, there are three options:
- Have the ushers hand the programs as they are guiding your guests to their seats;
- Include children in your wedding by having them hand the programs to your guests as they arrive
- If it is a small wedding you may lay a few programs in the chairs or pews.
Sections of a Wedding Program
* Section I: Wedding Program Title:
The Program Title includes the bride's name, groom's name, date and day, time, wedding ceremony location, city and state.
* Section II: Order of Service:
This section outlines the ceremony segments such as: prelude, processional, solo, invocation, readings, marriage ceremony, unity candle lighting, recessional, etc. You can also include music titles with composer, scripture passages with readers, words for short congregational prayers and any special notations you may have. Usually there is not enough room to include the entire songs or readings. If they are not listed in the prayer books, you can print them on the backside of the wedding program.
* Section III: Wedding Ceremony Participants:
This section lists the participants in the wedding. You may list the participants under separate headings (such as "Maid of Honor", "Best Man", etc.) or you may list all participants under the same heading (such as: "Wedding Participants"). Proper names should be used. Also use titles such as Miss, Ms. or Mrs. Do NOT use nicknames!
* Section IV: Special Note:
Show your guests you are happy they are sharing in your special day by writing a special thanks to all your guests. You may also include a special thank you message to your guests who have traveled long distances to be with you. You may also honor a deceased relative or friend. Instead of a personal message, you can have a special prayer or poem for your guests.
In this section, also include any necessary information for your guests. Information such as release of doves/butterflies to follow in front of church or reception location and time.
Make sure that you save a few extra copies for yourself. It will make a nice keepsake for your scrapbook!
When you are ready to order your programs, we'll be happy to help! The design for your programs is a snap when you've purchased your invitations from Aly Am Paperie as we will use the font styles & colors that will complement your invitations...if you didn't purchase your invitations with us, not a problem! We have over 400+ fonts to choose from plus we never charge for colored ink so we're sure to find a great match.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Treat your skin at home and look Radiant!
Oatmeal masks
These masks have scientific backing: Oatmeal has been found to reduce inflammation and sooth irritated skin, which could help reduce redness and the size of a nasty zit. Mix together 2 teaspoons of oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and water to form a paste; rub over the problem areas, and then rinse thoroughly.
These masks have scientific backing: Oatmeal has been found to reduce inflammation and sooth irritated skin, which could help reduce redness and the size of a nasty zit. Mix together 2 teaspoons of oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and water to form a paste; rub over the problem areas, and then rinse thoroughly.
Turmeric facemask
You may not have heard of this one, but Indian brides have been using it the night before their weddings for centuries. Turmeric has anti-inflammation and antibacterial properties that can help fight the bacteria that cause acne. Make a mask with this recipe from The Well Daily:
You may not have heard of this one, but Indian brides have been using it the night before their weddings for centuries. Turmeric has anti-inflammation and antibacterial properties that can help fight the bacteria that cause acne. Make a mask with this recipe from The Well Daily:
Skin-Soothing Turmeric Mask
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon dry turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons organic honey
Mix ingredients in a small bowl. After cleansing, spread the mask on your face and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse and enjoy brighter, healthier skin.
Summer Honey Mask
With over 80 nutrients—including skin rejuvinating antioxidants—honey not only does the body good, but its benefits extends to our skin. Honey acts as a natural moisturizer, as well as an anti-irritant (think: rosacea)—perfect for those with oily, irritated or blemished skin!
You must be thinking, you've gotta bee kidding me. Nope! See for yourself in this simply yummy summer honey mask:
Ingredients
· 3 Tbs oats
· 1/4 cup plain organic yogurt
· 1 Tbs honey
Directions
· In a blender, grind the oats into a course powder.
· Pour the powder in a bowl, then add the yogurt and honey and blend well.
· Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the oats to become thoroughly moistened by the honey and yogurt.
· Apply the mixture to your face, lie down and enjoy the soothing and hydrating properties of this mask! This can get a bit messy, so make sure to place a towel under you head.
Rinse after 10-15 min.
Got Milk?
Cleopatra wasn't famously known for her daily milk baths because she wanted to build strong bones. While people don't typically think to add milk to their baths, we can attest that milk works wonders on the skin. It's filled with proteins, vitamins, amino acids and minerals, which all leave your face fresh, clean and silky smooth.
· Just a few of its many skintastic benefits include:
· Natural Moisturizer: It hydrates the skin, leaving it soft and radiant.
· Gentle Exfoliant: Milk removes dead skin cells that block the pores. Dip a cotton ball into a glass of milk and wipe your face thoroughly and rinse with warm water, and voila—dirt and dead skin cells be gone!
· Smooth Sailing: The vitamin A found in milk not only combats acne (it's the milder form of retinoids commonly used in topical acne medications), but also helps fight the effects of aging.
Milk the benefits of this DIY face mask that smooths and freshens tired skin:
Mix half a banana and a few spoonfuls of milk in a small bowl until a thick paste forms. Apply the paste to your face and leave on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse.
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