Wedding Registry Tips: Get Advice from Professionals!When you begin registering for gifts, work with the store owner or manager. The person in charge of compiling your registry should be able to give you the best advice on their inventory to help you find items that will make the most appropriate gifts. Set up a consultation at the store of your choosing and let professionals help you find the best gifts for you and your...

Have you thought about a little aromatherapy at your wedding? Research shows that certain scents can affect not only your mood but your health. For example, Dr. Andrew Weil found that the scent of essential oils from the tropical flower ylang ylang actually can help your pituitary gland secrete more endorphins, which make you happy. Oils from the marjoram plant, as another example, can boost your body’s production of serotonin, which helps you sleep and maintain positive...

  A Musical Mind Many studies show that performing and listening to music actually can improve your memory, your language and math skills, as well as your basic motor functions. As a fun pre-wedding activity, take a weekly dance or music lesson with your partner. Learning to play the piano or the guitar, mastering the tango or the cha-cha, or even practicing a duet you may like to perform at your wedding will not only be a terrific bonding experience for you as a couple, but it also will wow your guests on your Big Day. Not to mention, you’ll be building your mental powers in the...

It’s the day you’ve been waiting for and everything is going smoothly. You’re excited to walk down the aisle and marry the man of your dreams. But it’s the middle of a heat wave and you’re boiling. Your makeup is in danger of melting off your face. How do you prevent looking the wrong kind of hot? Whether you are using a makeup artist or doing your own makeup, invest in waterproof products. Waterproof mascara is a weeping bride’s best friend, and products made with silicone are best for hot weather. Witch hazel toner is also a good oil-stopping product to use before your makeup application. If you don’t need a heavy foundation, opt for a tinted moisturizer to give your skin an even tone and lightly powder to finish. Many brands make an oil-absorbing powder that can be applied on top or under your makeup. Have your maid-of-honor keep a stash of oil absorbing sheets for touchups. Witch hazel toner is also a good oil-stopping product to use before your makeup application. Unless you’re set on having long flowing locks, choose a hairstyle that keeps your hair off your face and neck. Long, heavy hair can add 10 degrees to your body temperature. Try a hairstyle with interwoven braids or a low bun and add a few flowers to complete the look. Be aware of pulling out pieces of hair to curl if your hair is prone to frizz. There is nothing elegant about the effects of humidity on the pieces of hair framing your face. For a bride on- the-go a good, quick fix is a dry shampoo spray. It helps to get rid of that pesky moisture clinging to your hair and may even restore some of the volume taken by the heat and humidity. Don’t be embarrassed to dust some talc powder with baking soda on, especially in sweaty areas. Baking soda is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory and the powder can prevent skin irritations. If you’re wearing a strapless dress, powdered armpits could be unsightly, but for your feet, back, bra-line or other covered places, a bit of baby powder could go a long way. Dust the inside of your shoes to cut down on swollen piggies. For your underarms, deodorants just curb odor, not moisture; a deodorant and antiperspirant combo tackles both, so use both. For the best results, apply antiperspirant before bed when your calm and cool so it has the best chance of actually absorbing into your skin -which has to happen for it to work- and then reapply it in the morning with deodorant. For excessive sweating (largely determined by your genetics), talk with your dermatologist about laser hair removal to prevent...

Anyone can press play on an iPod and let shuffle take over, but it takes the skill of a professional DJ to choose songs that heighten the energy of a room and keep it going. A pro should be able to assess the crowd at any party and play songs that entertain everyone. When it comes to spinning for your wedding, a professional DJ should know your guest list. What’s the general age of your guests? Will there will be more parents and older adults, more friends and family around your age or lots of kids? Will your guests range from 9 months to 90 years old? If you have a wider age range, ask your DJ to start with songs that appeal to the older crowd who might like to leave early, like classic oldies and slow-dance staples, then end the night with more fist-pumping, fast-paced dance songs for the younger crowd. A professional DJ will want to know all about your favorite songs, favorite bands and favorite genres. He or she should know if you want to hear typical wedding songs, if you have any specific requests (like your first dance song) or if there are any songs to be avoided (like “Macarena”). It’s yourwedding, and you should enjoy your reception music, so don’t hesitate to give your DJ a detailed list of likes and dislikes. Most people don’t hire a professional DJ to simply follow a set playlist. Part of a pro’s appeal is that he or she can pleasantly surprise you. A pro will have a keen ear for music, a sixth sense for party vibes and the ability to read the room, knowing when to pump things up and when to slow things down, adding songs that may turn out to be your new favorites and keeping your guests entertained with music that isn’t just from the typical Top 40 selection. You may want to do a bit of extra research to find hot up-and-coming DJ’s in your area or take a few after-hours trips to local clubs and DJ performances. Even if you aren’t in a large metropolitan area, the important thing is that you allow yourself a broader search field. You want your wedding to be utterly unique, so give it the edge it deserves and let a professional handle your music. Items to Consider discussing with your DJ Ask how many years of experience your dj has, what events they typically specialize in, and how much experience they have with weddings. Ask your dj if you can visit one of their performances, whether at a club, another wedding or consider hiring your dj for a smaller informal party, like your engagement party or a summer soiree. Ask your dj what their usual...

Music, particularly music attached to positive associations, is stored in the part of your brain known as the hippocampus, which handles long-term memory. Listening to a specific song, like your first dance at your reception, will stimulate the hippocampus and trigger memories associated with your wedding, your partner and the early days of your romance. Positive memory associations can strengthen your marriage throughout the years, so it could be a romantic gesture to listen to your first dance song on your...