Love Of Beauty And Great Taste - Let It Show On Your Wedding Day!

Ralph Emerson left us an interesting and resonant saying “Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.” Every slice of life proves this truth beyond doubt, some more than others. One of the important events to indulge your taste is your big day. Weddings are all about the details. Right from the save the date cards to the seating plan, everything needs to be looked at minutely. The details are what make the whole setup extremely special. Whatever your style, it reflects in everything. One thing that often gets overlooked is the wedding transport. Don’t let that happen as, if you think about it, the wedding transport plays an important role in helping you take the leap, quite literally. Here’s what you can do to make a dash in style –

Think luxury

The bride and the groom are to be treated as royalty on their wedding day. This is a day that should be all about them. It’s a day to indulge, remember this while deciding to hire your wedding transport. Limousines are the ultimate form of luxury there is!  The plush interiors will make you relax in unbelievable ways and the smooth drive will refresh you for the reception. You and your partner deserve the best and limousine lives up to the meaning of the word.

Think how many?

How many cars you will need to hire is a major consideration when it comes to wedding transport. Who gets to sit in these cars is another decision you need to make. Both these decisions can put you in a spot. Keeping in mind the budget, if you are hiring only a small fleet of cars, then the immediate families of you and your partner should get to be driven to the venue. If you're hiring a large fleet, then choose the party according to how close they are to you and your family.

Indulgent interiors

When you invest in luxury, don’t hold yourself back in any way. Beige and white interiors look great and the comfort is incomparable. Champagne on the rocks, luxury hampers and such other goodies can find their place in your wedding limo in Toronto, if a special request is placed with the limousine hire service provider. Flowers and ribbons are a good way to decorate the interiors and opt for the ones that go with your theme. Pampering like this will make your stress disappear.

Decorate the outside

Decoration on the outside is where you can get really creative. The canvas is huge and the only limitation is your creativity. Go traditional with the V ribbon on the bonnet and the classic just married sign. Ribbons and swags are a good option to decorate various parts of the car. Handmade pom-poms, wreath made of red roses, fabric ribbons that match the theme of the ceremony are some of the options. You can even dress up the wedding transport as per the honeymoon destination you are headed towards. If you headed to the beach for your honeymoon, you can decorate it with sea shells etc.

God lies in details, so we have been told. These little things go a long way in making your day even brighter than it already is!

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Today's guest author, Katie Smith, is a is a professional travel blogger. She is a travel enthusiast keen on exploring as many countries as possible.

Using Body Language to Show Your Spouse You Care

If you’re starting to feel like your relationship is over and it is hopeless to try to save it, you may be unintentionally broadcasting those feelings to your partner. Even if you don’t explicitly come out and say it, your body language can expose your true feelings and reveal the troubles in your relationship.

My husband and I are friends with a couple named Andrew and Cora who have been married for many years, seemingly happily. The last time we saw them was at a barbeque a few months ago, and they both seemed in good spirits. We all had a great time, with lots of laughter and joking around. There was little indication of trouble in Andrew and Cora’s marriage, and we were surprised to learn just recently that they were contemplating divorce.

Looking back on that barbeque, there was an incident that told us all might not be as copasetic as it appeared to be behind those happy smiles. We were all sitting around the dinner table talking, and Cora mentioned an upcoming vacation that she and Andrew were looking forward to. Andrew, with his back to his wife, turned to us and said, “I’m really looking forward to playing a few games of golf and having some alone time. I’ve been really stressed out lately and just need some time to relax.  http://www.lighthisfire.com/287/learn-to-deal-with-common-marriage-issues/

Cora looked surprised to hear this, and had obviously been looking forward to spending some time alone with her husband. They have two teenage kids at home, and life had been pretty hectic for them between work and all the kids’ activities. When Andrew said he was looking forward to his golf game, you could tell that Cora was disappointed. Her eyes got a little teary, and she looked away without saying a word. Even though the words both Andrew and Cora said sounded positive, their body language told a different story.

There are three major body language signals that indicate you don’t care, even if your words say otherwise: (1) you don’t look your partner directly in the eye, (2) you appear to be constantly distracted, and (3) your tone is agitated or angry.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that when you stop caring, you become distracted and communication starts to break down. Rather than actually working to resolve issues, you express indifference and communicate in the wrong manner. You might try forcing your partner to see your point of view, but ultimately that tactic is never effective. 

When your relationship is in trouble, it is crucial to determine whether or not there is still caring and kindness on the part of both spouses. The way to know that is to pay attention to your spouse’s body language when you’re talking to him or her. Watch out for the following warning signs:

1.    Does your spouse make eye contact with you when you’re talking to him or her? What emotions are expressed on his or her face when you’re talking? Happy, angry, indifferent? Does he or she just turn away?

2.    Is your spouse actively engaged in your conversation, or does he or she seem to be thinking about something else?

3.    What tone of voice does your spouse use when talking to you? Is it angry? Disinterested? Hostile?

I’m going to give you a challenge. If you are the one who is starting to feel like you don’t care about the relationship anymore, you’re probably exhibiting the behaviors I mentioned above. Or maybe it’s not even that you don’t care, but perhaps you’ve begun to take your relationship for granted and aren’t as invested as you used to be. Try making eye contact with your spouse, being actively engaged in conversation, and making a concerted effort to speak to him or her in a kind and loving tone of voice. In many cases, just making this effort will help you to reestablish an intimate connection with your spouse.http://www.lighthisfire.com/1223/proven-techniques-to-stop-your-divorce-win-back-your-spouse/

If your spouse is the one who seems disinterested in the relationship, politely ask him or her to make eye contact with you and eliminate distractions when you’re having important conversations. Demonstrate these behaviors yourself, and where you lead your spouse will likely follow. How can he or she refuse when you are so clearly demonstrating how much you care about the relationship? 

 

How To Socialise Your Child From A Young Age

Children should have the chance to socialise from a very young age. The need to learn important life lessons and appropriate behaviour around other children. If you have an only child or it is your first child and they don’t have a sibling to play with then it is especially important. Some of the everyday activities we do provide opportunities for our kids to meet other children.

Whether it’s taking your kids for some fun in the park or meeting up with other parents, there are lots of things you can try.

Here are some of the best ways for your kids to get social and interact with lots of different children.

Kids Classes

There are so many different kids classes on offer for your child to try. Talk to them about the type of things they like to do. When they are very young even they don’t know what things they want to do, so it’s best to try taking them to a variety of classes. Then they can choose which ones they enjoy the most. Some of the classes where they will come into contact with lots of other kids include dancing, martial arts, swimming, gymnastics and football. Any type of sport is a good way of getting little ones to play together and learn the rules.

Day Care/Nursery

Kids classes are quite short, compared to spending half a day or a whole day at nursery. This gives your little one enough time to interact with other children and learn about how to share. They have to spend quite a few hours in the company of other kids, which is a good thing to get used to before starting school. They will get involved with lots of games and activities that require them to socialise and work with the other children.

Making Friends

You children should start to make friends or have some children that they enjoy spending time with. If they get on well with someone at nursery or one of your friends children then make sure you book in some time to meet up and allow them to play together. Organise trips to the park or invite your friends over with their children.

Family Time

If there are other children in your family that they can play with then try and make the most of it. If they are close family then they will probably spend quite a bit of time together over the years, so it worth introducing them from an early age. This will also allow you to spend lots of quality time with your family.

The Park

Your local park is a really great way of enabling your child to meet lots of other children. It helps them to meet children with different personalities and learn how to behave in their company. They can play on the slides and swings and practice taking their turn and sharing toys with other. Letting your kids run around in the park is also a good way of keeping them active and healthy.

On Holiday

Depending on where you go on holiday, there will probably be the opportunity for your child to play with other kids. Lots of children make friends on the beach or at holiday camps. It’s good for them to meet new people and interact with other kids in different situations. Places like Butlins or centre parks offer excellent kids activities.

Featured images:

•  License: Image author owned 

Dawn Short Is owner of Wiggle Tots a company teaching children to dance in Sheffield

Moving On:

Picking Up The Pieces After A Shattered Cohabitation Relationship

With relaxing social mores regarding relationships, the popularity of marriage has taken a nosedive in recent years. More and more couples are opting for alternate arrangements like cohabitation, or a live-in relationship, as it is called these days. Quite a few celebs have gone down that road in recent years. Think Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp-Vanessa Paradis, or Tim Robbins-Susan Sarandon, who incidentally have been together for a whopping 21 years. But not everybody succeeds in keeping things working in such cohabiting relationships, the same way people fail at marriages as well.

Divorce has a new companion: separation after cohabitation

Divorce rates have been falling in the UK in recent years. But with more and more couples opting for cohabiting relations these days, there has been a decrease in the number of marriages. There is also a corresponding increase in breakups of cohabiting relationships. It doesn’t matter whether cohabitation is better or worse than marriage. That is an entirely subjective question. Marriage doesn’t work for everyone. Neither does cohabitation as a relationship arrangement. But with more and more people opting for cohabitation, and with a fair number of them failing at it, we are just beginning to learn more and more about the impact it can have on people’s lives.

The same emotional impact….

The hurt and the agony is the same for all breakups, whether it is romance, marriage or a cohabiting relationship. It affects the same emotional centres of our brains, bringing on intense emotional as well as even physical trauma. Emotionally, recovering from the breakup of a cohabiting relationship requires the coping mechanisms a breakup or a divorce entails.

No doubt, there will be grief, and lots of it. The first always is to recognize it as such and not run away from it, at least not initially. With one’s mind going through an emotional rollercoaster ride, it is essential to give oneself plenty of rest and care. If you learn to take care of yourself, half the battle is won.

A breakup in cohabitation wrecks the lifestyle, routine and living arrangement of the couple, just as in a divorce. It is important to try and stick to a routine. There is always a danger of falling for the comfort that booze, drugs or even food provides. These are unhealthy choices that can ultimately prove to be destructive in the long run.

…..but different practical implications

This is where things take a different turn. While a cohabitation breakup involves the same pain and angst as a divorce or a normal breakup, there are some practical difficulties that can actually make coping with a failed cohabiting relationship even harder. Marriage is recognised by the courts. Any disputes regarding money or property can be taken to the courts. But cohabitation is not recognised by law, unless there is a legally sound cohabitation agreement that was put to paper and signed by both parties. In the absence of such a written agreement, no disputes can be successful taken to court.

Imagine sharing a life and home with another person for year or even decades, only to find yourself homeless and alone one day, when things went sour in the relationship. This kind of nightmarish situation does happen in real life, and disconcertingly often. If all the property is in the name of one party, there is no way the other party can lay any claim to this in courts.

Even if the couple had jointly owned property, absence of any explicit agreements often lead to bickering that can only lead to prolonged strife and embitterment between parties. It is bad enough, having to cope with the heartbreak. Having to endure a bitter and long-drawn court case can make it pure hell.

It is the same as in the case of a divorce. You will need the support of your family and close friends to pull yourself through it all. Trying to play the “lone ranger” act is a sure recipe for disaster, whether it is after a divorce or breakup of a cohabiting relationship.

To cut a long story short:

Recovering from a breakup, whether of a marriage or a cohabiting relationship, involves the same struggles. But the legal ambiguity regarding cohabiting relationships just makes the practical aspects harder to handle. If you don’t have a prior written up agreement/contract, there is always the grave danger of being saddled with a financial nightmare. Never hesitate to seek support and guidance to pull you through, be it emotional, practical or legal hardships. There are also numerous organizations and online support groups that can help in such situations. Oneplusone (www.oneplusone.org.uk) is such an organisation. They provide relationship guidance and support, both online as well as offline.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Holli Pickford is living with her long term partner and is commited to helping couples understand their rights whilst not married so they can protect themselves.  

What Causes Infertility

There are many causes of infertility with a couple. The need to have a child is a strong desire and as the biological clock is ticking, it sends many to seek professional help for the fertility issues. Doctors see thousands of patients each year who are struggling with conception, but what are the main issues that cause infertility?

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome

The leading cause of infertility is poly cystic ovaries. A woman who has this condition is plagued with small cysts that line the ovary walls. These cysts cause menstruation to be erratic and sometimes ovulation doesn’t occur. When ovulation is absent, there is no way the woman can get pregnant. While some women with PCOS are able to convenience, they usually have to have assistance from fertility drugs and possible IVF treatments.

Not only does PCOS cause infertility, but it also causes weight gain, excessive hair growth and the absence of periods. PCOS is a vicious cycle because many women will not ovulate and cannot get pregnant due to the excess weight, but the hormonal imbalances caused by this syndrome will cause an increase in pounds.

Endometriosis

The female anatomy is very unique. Each month the lining of the uterus gets thick as the walls prepare for the possibility of conception. If there is no sperm and egg fertilization, the lining will shed and the woman will have what is known as a menstrual cycle. However, when the lining becomes thick and the shedding of the lining doesn’t occur at regular intervals, this causes a buildup.

When the lining is not able to shed, it oftentimes will attach itself to other areas, like the bladder. When this occurs, it is called endometriosis. It is estimated that around 15 percent of woman of child bearing age are diagnosed with endometriosis. Endometriosis can turn into cancer so early detection is important. Not only does this condition cause extreme pain, but it can also cause infertility and the need for surgical intervention.

Fibroid Tumors

Fibroid tumors are tumors that develop inside the female anatomy. These tumors can be as small as a pea or as large as a softball. Regardless of their size, these tumors can cause great pain and infertility. The ability to carry a child with tumors of this nature becomes increasingly difficult. Because these tumors can cause problems in the womb, a woman may or may not ovulate. Many tumors do not need to be removed and will actually bust or shrink on their own over time. However; if a tumor looks suspicious or is causing intense pain, a doctor may opt to remove the fibroid to bring relief and to allow a possible pregnancy.

While typically the fertility issues are thought to be a woman’s problem, men can have just as many reasons why they can be infertile. Both the male and female should have a full evaluation when they have tried to conceive for more than six months without any luck. Fertility problems can put great strain on a person who wants to conceive and should always be evaluated by a professional, as it can sometimes be an easy fix.

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Amy Terrance is a guest blogger.  Her interest in infertility has led her to the Infertility treatment Tucson location of Arizona Reproductive Institute.