Morning Pages: How Writing Can Help You Start Your Day

04/02/2022

How you start your day often sets the tone for the rest of it. If you wake up feeling stressed out and rushed, that’s probably how you’ll feel all day long. But what if there was a way to start your day that would make you feel more relaxed and calm? Believe it or not, there is! Writing morning pages can help to get your day off to a good start. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what morning pages are and why writing them can help improve your day-to-day life.

What are morning pages?

Morning pages are simply a way to start your day by writing down your thoughts. They can be about anything and everything that’s on your mind, from what you plan to wear that day to what you did last weekend. Morning pages don’t have to be perfect or well-written – in fact, they shouldn’t be! The point of these pages is to get you writing, not worrying about spelling or grammar mistakes.

Why should I write morning pages?

There are many benefits to writing in the morning, and they aren’t just for writers! Writing can help clear your mind so that you’re ready for whatever comes at you throughout the day. It can also help you to focus and be more productive. Additionally, writing morning pages can help to improve your mental health by providing a space for you to express your thoughts and feelings.

How do I start writing morning pages?

The best way to start writing morning pages is by setting aside some time each morning specifically for this purpose. Dedicate a notebook or journal to morning pages, and make sure you have plenty of pens or pencils on hand. Once you’ve set aside some time each morning to write, simply sit down and start writing. There’s no need to plan what you’re going to say – just let your thoughts flow freely.

If you find that you’re struggling to get started, try using a prompt to jump-start your writing. A few prompts to get you started might be “What are my goals for today?” or “What was the best thing that happened yesterday?” You can also use these prompts to continue writing if you find yourself running out of things to say.

Once you’ve finished writing, put your notebook or journal away and get ready for your day. There’s no need to go back and edit what you wrote – just move on with the rest of your morning routine! If you’d like, though, feel free to read through what you wrote later in the day (or even tomorrow) and see if anything stands out.

This is a great opportunity to reflect on what you’ve written and ask yourself questions about it. For example, do any of your morning pages contain information that might be useful for an upcoming project or meeting? If so, make sure you write it down somewhere so that you don’t forget!

Spending Some Quality Time With Your Kids

20/08/2021

Do you spend time with your kids at home? Have you ever tried to schedule some quality family time? Many parents spend so much time with their kids that they lose the quality and pleasure of doing so. Kids tend to become bored with the same activities or the same TV shows, that they begin to feel neglected. This is a critical time in their development, when they are most receptive to learning new things.

Parents must be sure that they are setting aside time for activities that will engage all of their children, foster creativity, and allow them to develop skills and talents. The best way to do this is to take some time to sit down with your kids and create some fun and creative activities that they will enjoy. Here are some ideas for activities that you can use to foster creativity and fun in your family:

Mother and child studying.

Do you have a lot of books that you are not using anymore? Take a few minutes to pull out a few titles and start reading. You can turn it into a fun and creative activities game by making up a new story. For younger children, you can make things like a ghost story, a fairy tale, or even a cookbook ghost story. For older children, you can create a crazy adventure based on a real haunted house. Be sure to include your child’s creativity when creating these fun and creative activities.

If you have never tried crafts, why not try making cookies, or even painting a cookie monster? Kids love working with their hands, and anything they create in the comfort of their own home is bound to spark their imagination and build their confidence at a young age. Take some time to work on some simple projects that will get them thinking and have them show off what they have created. Children love to show off what they have made to their friends and to their parents. This is a great opportunity to teach them that it is OK to show who you really are and that they can have fun doing it as well.

Another way to get creative and spend time with your kids is to get them involved in arts and crafts. There are all kinds of different activities that you can do with your kids to pass the time, and it is a great way to bond together as a family unit. Art activities and craft ideas can easily be found online, so that you can get started right away.

Child cooking.

As a parent, you can also help your kids through this fun and entertaining time at home. It is very easy to incorporate fun and creative activities into the mix of things. Your kids will love being outdoors, but it will also get them to think outside of the box as well. Being a parent is hard work, but with the right resources, it can be fun and rewarding at the same time.

Spend time together with your children as a family on all of those creative activities that you have mentioned above. Make sure that you take them shopping for something or other on a particular day of the week that you know that they will like. This allows them to get creative, but it also helps them to feel included as well. It will make their experience with you richer and more memorable. Who knows?

Now that you know this about the many ways to spend time with your kids at home, you may want to do something special for your next trip. Perhaps you would enjoy taking them to see a movie or even getting them out to watch it with you. Whatever your kid’s desire, is probably something that you will be able to accommodate. Take some time to sit down with your kids, play some video games, and enjoy the time together. If you are planning a trip soon, this is one idea that just might work. It will give them an opportunity to see new places, meet new friends, and do fun activities that they simply love.

Stop The Diet Fads: Here’s How You Can Actually Shed Pounds

18/08/2020

It’s every man and woman’s dream to have that perfect body they can be proud of. To not be mortifyingly embarrassed to take off your shirt at the beach or the gym changing room. Understandably, you would want that. Not only does it help with regaining your confidence, but being at a normal weight can be extremely beneficial to your health. Obesity is a risk factor of many diseases, which means that dropping those extra pounds can decrease your chances of sickness significantly. This can lead to an increased lifespan as well as more years of complete health.

There are almost too many weight loss fads that constantly come and go. While many are advertised by celebrities, talked about in interviews and wildly popular, most of these regimes revolve around one key aspect: calorie deficit.

Our organisms are infinitely complex and hard to understand but in this case, there isn’t much to it. Calories represent the energy our bodies get from eating food. To stay alive and move around, we use a certain amount of calories. If you consume more than you expend, the rest will be turned to fat and stored. It’s as simple as that. The only thing you need to do is to make your intake less than what you burn.

The energy our bodies spend can be divided into two. Most of the energy used goes for basic bodily functions like breathing and simply staying alive and awake, also known as BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate. The rest is used for physical activity during the day. When you consume fewer calories than you need for these two parts, you will lose weight. Generally, the average person requires around 2000 calories daily. That number varies from person to person, so you should consult a specialist or at least look up a calorie calculator to estimate your daily needs. If you need 2000 calories every day, then consuming no more than 1700 will result in you dropping those pounds easily.

The beauty of the caloric deficit is that you can pretty much eat whatever you want. You just need to carefully monitor the calories you consume and try not to exceed them.

One thing to keep in mind when practicing caloric deficit is the body’s need for nutrients and vitamins. You should eat a combination of healthy foods to ensure you are getting the essential vitamins. If it’s helpful you can sign up for a meal plan delivery service, there are so many these days you can even find meal plans for dogs like PetPlate, so you should have no problem finding one that works well for your lifestyle. Without proper nutrition, you could be compromising your health which is dangerous.

Another key tip people frequently forget is the fact that the body needs water to survive. If you are dehydrated, then your metabolism slows down. That makes it harder and sometimes impossible to lose weight. This is why you should always stay hydrated, drinking at least 7-8 cups a day.

Physical activity, be it walking, running, biking or swimming uses energy. It’s easy to deduce that the more you move, the more calories you will burn. Being active carries numerous health benefits, not to mention, it speeds up the weight loss process.

These are a few ways you can shed those extra pounds and finally get the body you’ve always dreamed of. If you combine these methods, you are pretty much guaranteed to succeed. Not only will you be healthy, but you’ll notice an unimaginable boost in confidence, which will serve you well in life, increasing the quality of your social life.

Is It Worth It To Insure Your Pets?

28/05/2020

You’ve probably heard it before – not once, not twice – that insurance is here to stay. But wait; are you a pet owner? Have you insured them?

Given the significant advancement of the veterinary medicine industry in recent years, it is no surprise that pets can now live a healthy and longer life. Veterinary neurologists, veterinary cardiologists, and veterinary cancer specialists are the people that everyone seemingly looks up to when their pets are feeling unwell, but this comes at the cost of hundreds to thousands of dollars.

For pet owners, it is worth noting that hiring a vet for your dog or cat can go beyond your budget, and sometimes you may give up due to lack of money. However, getting pet insurance reduces the financial stress caused by hefty veterinary bills.

What are the advantages of pet insurance?

1. You can save the life of your pet

There is nothing satisfying than having the peace of mind that your pet is protected against any emergency. Many pet owners make the decision to hire a veterinary specialist based on financial costs, not medical bills. This means that the life of your pets depends on the amount of money you are likely to spend on vet bills. However, pet insurance can make the difference between life and death. You don’t have to worry about losing your loved one to sickness or accidents.

2. Pet insurance allows you to budget for pet care costs

The premiums you pay for pet insurance entirely depends on the type of policy you choose and the animal you are insuring. Top providers allow you to pay your premiums monthly, semi-annually, or annually. This allows you to choose a flexible plan that works for you. You can also enjoy lucrative discounts if you insure more than one pet.

3. You can choose your preferred veterinarian

Unlike medical insurance covers for persons that require you to go to a specific health facility, pet insurance providers allow you to choose a veterinarian of your choice. You are only required to submit a veterinary bill to your insurance provider, and they will dispatch the payments.

4. Pet insurance prevents you from using your family’s emergency funds

Frankly, it is not easy to set up a savings account for a pet. The only guaranteed way to authorize medical treatment for your pet is by purchasing an insurance cover. It is traumatizing to see your beloved dog succumb to death because you fear using your family’s emergency funds or because you don’t have enough money to cater for veterinary expenses. Pet insurance policy could save the life of your dog!

So, is it worth to insure your pets?

It goes without saying that buying pet insurance is worth every cent. Like other insurance covers, pet insurance comes in handy to protect your cats and dogs from the unforeseen. Remember, one of every three pets need emergency care every year, and you risk clearing all your savings for vet fees if you don’t have pet insurance.

Routine Garage Door Opener Maintenance

14/03/2019

It may be easy to overlook, but it’s truly important to give some attention to your garage door opener if you want it to operate trouble-free for the years to come. You can avoid common problems with sensors, excessive noise, and even full-blown malfunction by performing a bit of preventative maintenance from time to time. Here are some things to look out for as you’re inspecting your garage door opener and the associated components.

Clean and Adjust the Sensor

Many of the most common problems that people encounter when it comes to garage door openers have to do with the sensors. Sensors were made mandatory as a safeguard against the garage doors automatically closing on people, pets, children, etc. These days its actually illegal to install garage doors without them, and for good reason. Without them garage doors could crush whatever was in their path.

However, the sensors do lead to issues with garage door functionality. Most commonly, keeping the garage doors closed. When you’re looking over your sensors, there are a couple of things to note. Make sure that the emitters and sensors are clean and clear. You can use a lint free cloth such as a lens cloth to clean them up. The second thing you want to pay attention to is the alignment – in other words you want to make sure the garage door sensors are properly communicating with each other. Each of the sensors will have a light that indicates that they see the other sensor. To test if you are looking at the right light, cover the sensor and see if the light goes out. Then you want to make sure that when the path between the sensors is free of obstruction that both of the sensor lights are completely illuminated. Make sense? Easy enough. Let’s move onto the next one.

Cleaning The Drive Components and Lubrication

What exactly is required here will vary a bit depending on the style of garage door opener you have. At any rate, the point of this inspection is to make sure that the opening mechanism is clean and clear of debris, and that the cleaning mechanism is properly lubricated, if required. A garage door opener that is lacking in lubrication can become loud and bothersome, and over time it can even lead to problems with the function. Many of the quietest models do not require lubrication at all.

The first thing to do is to make sure that the opening mechanism has no debris. Usually it is not the case, but things like spider webs, leaves, and pine needles can sometimes make their way into the mechanism. Before doing any cleaning or lubrication on these moving parts it is essential that you disconnect the unit from any and all power. If you do not do this it can cause a potential safety hazard!

Once the drive mechanism is clear of debris, it’s time to lubricate if necessary. Refer to the owner’s manual for your unit to learn more about what type of lubrication is required, how to apply it, and how often to apply it.

Keep an Eye on the Battery Level

Last but not least is to keep an eye on the battery level, and to keep an extra on hand when it starts getting low. You may not even consider that a garage door opener needs a battery because they are plugged into the wall. Beware – in most cases they do! Once the battery fails the unit will stop functioning. Luckily they often come with alarms that will warn you when the battery life is getting low. If you are hearing them then don’t wait, it’s time to swap the battery out for a replacement!

These simple and effective preventative maintenance steps will help you stay on your path to a long living and highly functioning garage door opener for years to come.

What To Look For In A Dog Crate For Your New Puppy

13/12/2018

Congratulations on your new puppy! Your family has expanded to include a lot of love. When choosing the right crate for your new dog, consider the items listed below so you can make the right purchase for now and in the future.

Buy Big and Take It Home

No matter how big your puppy will get, invest in an over-sized crate. The goal with crate training is not to use the crate as punishment, but to provide your puppy a haven when they get over-excited or need to get some rest. When properly used, your crate will turn into a spot that your adult dog may sometimes still want to use as a retreat.

Invest in a Sturdy Crate

Depending on the breed, your puppy will likely go through a chewy phase, and this can last a long time. By investing in a heavy duty dog crate, your puppy is less likely to chew through the plastic portions of the crate, risking escape and internal damage from ingesting plastic.

Large Crates Leave Space For Food

Depending on the amount of time your puppy will spend in the crate, a large crate will leave you more room for food and water. Consider investing in a crate with a wire mesh door so you can hang food and water dishes from the mesh. This reduces the risk of puppy stepping in their water dish and making a mess.

Fabric, Plastic or Wire?

The nice thing about a plastic crate is that they’re very easy to wash out if necessary. In addition, while wire crates allow a lot of light into the crate, a plastic crate limits the light and keep the crate more of a refuge. If you choose to drape a blanket or towel over a wire crate, be aware that very chewy puppies can shred such an object and may ingest the fabric.

Fabric crates are generally collapsible, so if space is at a premium, you may want to invest in a zipper-front fabric crate. Be sure, once zipped up, that the crate opening is not low and in the center but closed up high on one side to avoid puppy escaping and getting into something dangerous. Also, these crates are thought to be chew proof, but your puppy may challenge that claim. Monitor the crate to avoid the risk of injury.

Line It With Old Things

Once you have the right new crate, be sure and line it with something old. An old sweatshirt or towel is an ideal bed to lay down on the bottom of the crate. Your scent will linger on these fabrics and let your puppy know they’re home when they’re in the crate.

Make sure you monitor the soft goods you place in the crate. Dogs can and will chew through fabric and may ingest more string than is good for them. If puppy is chewing through their bedding, you may have to invest in something more durable.

Conclusion

Think of a puppy crate as more of a tiny apartment for your newest family member. Buying a large crate may feel like overkill, but it will give your dog room to grow and allow them a refuge when they get overwhelmed with their world.

What To Look For When Buying A Snowblower For The Upcoming Winter

08/10/2018

Shoveling snow can be an obnoxious and even physically dangerous chore, especially in places where it can really pile up. Many a poor homeowner has been faced with the prospect of shoveling out a driveway before work, or on what was supposed to be a relaxing day off. A snowblower can be an easy, more thorough alternative, especially when it comes to larger properties where manually shoveling every drive simply isn’t a workable solution. Finding the snowblower that’s right for you, though, can be a complicated chore in and of itself. How do you pick the one that’s right for you and your property?

Well, to start with, we need to familiarize ourselves with the different types of snowblowers.

The Different Varieties of Snowblower

Snowblowers come in four main types, each having its own strengths and weaknesses. No one type is perfect for every application, and it’s up to you to decide which is right for your property!

Electric Snowblowers

Electric snowblowers are a small, portable, and compact option. They typically don’t require the maintenance that a gasoline-powered device does, so you don’t have to worry about changing the oil, keeping filters clean, or fumbling around with a gas can in subzero weather. Small and light enough to easily fit into most small spaces, an electric snowblower can be a perfect choice for anyone on a smaller property that doesn’t receive much snow. The trade-off for that portability is that an electric snowblower simply doesn’t have the horsepower to deal with large amounts of snow, or snow that has frozen solid.

Single-Stage Snowblowers

Single-stage snowblowers are smallest entry in the gasoline-powered category. Requiring more maintenance, these medium-sized snowblowers are never-the-less convenient and small enough to be a good option for areas where an electric blower simply isn’t up to the job. Essentially a horizontal, gas-powered auger on wheels, the snowblower’s rotating screw simultaneously scoops and tosses the snow out of its chute and away from the work area. While able to make short work of moderate snowfall, the single-stage snowblower’s auger makes contact with the ground, meaning it can’t be safely used on gravel surfaces, and its vertically narrow mouth means it can’t effectively deal with deep snow.

Two-Stage Snowblowers

The next size up, two-stage snowblowers are generally slightly larger than the average upright push mower, and may be more tool than you need if you live in an area that receives only moderate or occasional heavy snow. In return for that bulkiness, though, you get a generously sized bucket and a two-stage mechanism that can devour everything short of truly massive snowfalls, and sits high enough above the ground that it won’t damage concrete or gravel surfaces. Similar to the single-stage, the two-stage snowblower sucks up the snow with its auger, but then tosses it into a high-speed impeller that ejects it far away from the work area.

Three-Stage Snowblowers

The 800-pound gorilla of the snowblower kingdom, these monsters are large, powerful machines that inhale, chop, then HURL snow and ice a significant distance away. Featuring dual augers that chew through even the largest and most solid snowdrift, a three-stage snowblower offers a third auger, positioned perpendicular to the collection augers and called an accelerator, that chops and shoots the snow and ice directly into the impeller, which further chops it up and fires it out of the chute. More machine than most people will need, these powerful tools will clear almost any amount of snow and are perfect for someone with large and deep areas of stubborn snow who just wants to get the job done.

Choosing The Right Snowblower

While a single or two-stage snowblower will be sufficient for most properties, larger areas or places that tend to receive large quantities of wet, stubborn snow may require a three-stage snowblower. For those who are concerned with maintaining a pristine property, an electric snowblower might be a convenient and maneuverable supplemental device for areas where a larger machine won’t fit, or for small touch-ups when a larger device isn’t necessary. Ultimately, the needs of a specific property depend on its size, winter weather patterns, and even the personality and capabilities of the user, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. You simply need to evaluate the requirements and quirks of your specific situation, then decide which machine best meets your needs!

What To Consider When Choosing an Electric Skateboard for Your Child

30/08/2018

Riding an electric skateboard can be an enjoyable activity for your child, and it can help them get outside and into the fresh air. But when looking for the best cheap electric skateboard for you child, there are a number of important factors to consider. This includes the following:

How Experienced of a Rider Is Your Child

If your child is new to electric skateboarding (and skateboarding in general), you probably should consider buying a standard single wheel drive board. These boards are typically the least expensive and the easiest to use. By buying one of these boards, you can determine if your child actually enjoys electric skateboarding before moving on to a more advanced (and more expensive) model.

If your child is experienced with electric skateboarding, you may want to consider buying a standard dual wheel drive board. These boards offer more performance than single wheel drive boards. They not only produce higher speeds, but they can also accelerate faster. They actually can accelerate fast enough to throw your child from the board. So, if safety if your primary concern, you may want to avoid these types of boards. These boards are also harder to use than single wheel boards.

Regardless of how experienced your child is with electric skateboarding, you want to get a skateboard with good brakes. Electric skateboards can come with either mechanical or electric brakes, but most models on the market today come with electric brakes, which can potentially fail. So, it is important to develop a backup plan with your child, so they know exactly what to do in case the brakes fail.

Where Will Your Child Ride the Skateboard

Almost any electric skateboard will ride well along smooth and straight roads. But not all electric skateboards can handle hills and unpaved surfaces.

If you have steep hills in your neighborhood, make sure that the skateboard has sufficient power to climb them. Steep hills may necessitate the purchase of a dual wheel drive skateboard, which, as we have already stated, may be too complex for a new rider.

If your child will be riding the skateboard on unpaved surfaces, you may want to consider buying a model made specifically for off-road riding. These models have pneumatic tires for better traction and can ride well on just about any surface. However, if the roads around your home are not exactly smooth but not terribly rough either, you may get by with a model that has larger and softer wheels. Look for wheels that have a diameter of at least 80 millimeters and a softness rating of 76A or softer.

How Far Will Your Child Be Riding the Skateboard

Every electric skateboard has a distance range that specifies how far it can travel without recharging. If your child will be traveling long distances with the board, you want to make sure that the board can make it there and back, because there may not be charging options along the way. Keep in mind that the distance ranges manufactures list are based on riding along a level surface. If you have hills in your neighborhood, this will require the board to use more power, which means it will run out of power faster.

Other Considerations When Choosing an Electric Skateboard

If you live in an area with lots of wet weather, you may want to consider buying an electric skateboard that is water resistant, as many manufacturers of standard electric skateboards strongly advise against riding their boards in rainstorms.

If you plan to travel on airplanes with an electric skateboard, make sure that the board’s battery complies with TSA restrictions. Some skateboards have batteries that are too large to be taken on an airplane.

Finally, before buying an electric skateboard for your child, check with local law enforcement to make certain that such boards are legal, especially for children. Some municipalities forbid them and impose large fines on those who ride them.

The Top 5 Home Exercises For Busy Parents

15/08/2018

As a health-conscious, fitness-enthusiast parent, I want nothing more than setting a good example for my kids by paying attention to my body, remaining in good shape, and enjoy the boost of physical energy that being active gifts me with, every single day. Often, however, despite my best effort, reality ends up standing in my way.

Let’s face it, as a busy parent, juggling work, household, and child-rearing duties, often we simply can’t afford to lose the time driving to the gym or even spending heaps of time by hopping on the elliptical or going for a long jog or cycling session. Fortunately, as I’ve found out, if you are truly serious about your health and revamping your physique, you don’t even have to.

Take a look at the following exercise ideas designed to tighten your abs, sculpt your arms, lift your buttocks, and get you into shape in no time, without having to leave the comfort of your home. Easy-to-do in-between chores, before going to work, or even while playing with your kids, these workout ideas eliminate all those typical excuses that we usually allow to stand in our way to obtain that much-coveted ideal body.

1. Planks

Benefits:

  • improved core strength
  • toned tummy
  • better posture
  • stronger back
  • shapely upper arms

How To Do Them:

Get on the floor in a push-up position, elbows on the ground, right under your shoulders. You should balance on your toes and forearms, holding this position as long as you can, but at least 10 seconds. Add 5 seconds every day; before you know it, you will be able to maintain a proper plank for a minute or even longer.

2. Tricep Dips

Benefits:

  • sculpted triceps and shoulders
  • firmer arms
  • elimination of upper-arm “bat wings”

How To Do Them:

You can easily utilize a sturdy chair, the couch, or even your heavy, non-tipping kitchen table for this exercise. Place your hands on the edge, firmly gripping them, on each side of your hips. Next, lift your buttocks up from the seated position and begin to lower it by walking your feet forward slowly. You should be supporting your full weight with your arms and feet. Next, return to your starting position.

3. Counter Push-Ups

Benefits:

  • upper arm strength
  • sculpted back
  • lifted chest muscles

How To Do Them:

Facing your countertop, place your hands on its edge, shoulder-width apart. Step two steps backward. Next, slowly lower your upper body towards your hands and the edge of the counter, much like in the case of a regular push-up. Finally, return to your starting position.

4. Squats

Benefits:

  • stronger legs
  • sculpted glutes
  • shapely thighs

How To Do Them:

Place your legs about shoulder-width apart, facing forward. Next, slowly lower your rear end, as though you are trying to sit down on an imaginary chair. You can extend your arms in front of your body to help with your balance. Bend your upper body forward and stop moving downwards once your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to your original position.

5. Glute Bridges

Benefits:

  • tightened glutes
  • toned hamstrings
  • slimmer hips
  • shapely legs

How To Do Them:

Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground. Let your arms rest on the floor by your sides. Next, slowly lift your hips off the ground and keep moving them upwards until they form a straight line with your thighs. After a few seconds, lower them back to the ground.

I hope you agree; these exercises don’t seem too difficult to incorporate into your busy daily schedule, as a parent. If you commit to doing a few sets of them daily, you will find -much like I did,- that getting into shape is simple, effortless, and doesn’t have to be time-consuming at all!

Planning a Summertime Wedding? Here Are Some Tips To Keep In Mind

04/08/2018

Summer is a beautiful season for a wedding and reception. Depending on where you live, summer also means dealing with high temperatures and lots of humidity. Even if you would like to have the ceremony outside, there are ways to ensure all your guests are comfortable and the setting is everything you could want. Start with these tips and the planning will go much smoother.

Choose a Theme in Colors That Are in Keeping With the Season

The right color scheme goes a long way toward creating the ambiance you desire. If you need inspiration for colors, consider the flowers that are native to the area and will be in full bloom. A combination of those colors can be used for the ceremony setting as well as the reception space. You’ll also find that using flowers and greenery that are in season leaves more of the budget to lavish on other elements of your big day.

Make It An Indoor/Outdoor Affair

Choose a venue that allows guests to enjoy elements of the indoors as well as the outdoors. One that will work nicely for the reception as well as the ceremony is great, since no one will have to drive from one location to the next. Consider a lodge with an open space overlooking a lake, a restaurant with a great view of the ocean, or even a stately mansion with a grove of trees between the home and a brook.

Think about holding the ceremony outdoors followed by an indoor reception. Along with providing a beautiful backdrop for exchange of vows, it will be much easier to move everything inside if rain moves into the area. It will also be easier to ensure the food is kept at the proper temperature and that the guests can enjoy the meal without being distracted by the heat.

Cooling the Outdoor Space

Holding the ceremony under a grove of trees or an open canopy does help everyone be more comfortable. Enhance that effect by renting freestanding air conditioning units to circulate cool air. You can also have paper fans prepared for the wedding and pass them out with the printed order for the ceremony. Along with providing a way for guests to fan themselves, you also ensure they have a keepsake of the event.

Consider the Attire for the Wedding Party

It’s possible to select attire for the the attendants and others that’s attractive and anything but heavy. Since you do plan on having the ceremony outdoors, you want to make choices that allow everyone to get the most of any stray breeze. A professional can help you choose attire for the bridal and the groom’s parties that’s the ideal colors, made from materials that allow everyone to breathe, and will hold up well even if the temperature is higher than anticipated.

Morning or Late Afternoon is Best

Timing is everything when you are planning a summer wedding. Afternoon ceremonies and receptions are fine the rest of the year, but a summer event should be held in the morning or the late afternoon. Doing so ensures your guests will enjoy the outdoor portion without feeling uncomfortable. That’s especially important if you are going with formal or semi-formal attire fore the ceremony.

Keep the Food Light

The reception menu should be free of any foods considered heavy. This is true even if you plan on holding the event in the late afternoon. Fruit and vegetable trays are great ideas. Shrimp cocktail, cucumber sandwiches, and gazpacho with pita bread is also worth considering. Caesar salads are also an option you will want to consider.

Remember that beverages should also be light. Sparkling water with fresh fruit for garnish works well. Flavored teas are also favorites this time of year. Desserts can include selections like shaved ice in several flavors or sherbets are also a great choice.

A Little Music for the Reception

It’s worth the money and effort to have a professional manage the music for the ceremony and the reception. A deejay can work with you to come up with the perfect set list for both. You can also ensure that the deejay controls the volume so guests can chat without having to talk over the music. When the time comes for the first dance as a married couple, the professional will know how to adjust the volume.

Work with a wedding planner to come up with the ideal venue and other elements. Start planning early on and it will be easier to ensure every detail is addressed. Above all, relax and let others take care of everything when the day arrives. All you should think about is enjoying the ceremony and the reception, and starting a new life with your beloved.