A short time ago I was lucky enough to visit a friend in Scotland for his wedding. Ashamedly, I knew very little about Scotland before my visit. In fact, short of watching Braveheart several times over, I had next to no idea what this place was about. It was the lavish nature of the Prestonfield [...]

Biologists say love is just a cocktail of pheromones with a dash of hormones and endorphins.I don’t believe it!
What would Shakespeare have done with endorphins? Luckily, he never heard of them.

Being asked to make a wedding toast is one of life’s great honours. But for many people, it can also be one of life’s most stressful moments. Here are a few ways to make the experience bearable:

Be Prepared
The best way to overcome your fear of speaking to an audience is to do your homework (well in advance of the wedding). Take the time to think through what you want to say – and get those thoughts on paper. Avoid the temptation to write out your speech word for word – you will sound much more natural by using point-form notes to help guide you through your toast.

An interview with Marge & Homer Simpson by Gulshan Sippy on the secret of their wedded bliss. Illustrated by Matt Groening.

Dear Wine Ladies,
I would like to serve some champagne or sparkling wine at an engagement party but am not very experienced with opening the bottles. Is there a proper way?

Q. In this day of electronic communication, is it really necessary to write hand-written thank you notes? –Jodie

A. Hi Jodie, the guests that you invite to your wedding are supposed to be people that you care about, and want to share the most important day of your life with. A hand written note is your way of saying thank you for being a part of our special day. Your guests have probably gone out and bought a new dress, had their hair done, possibly hired a babysitter or even taken time off of work to attend, as well as getting a gift for you and your husband. Thank you notes need to be personalized.

Brides: Can’t get your chosen man off the computer long enough to help pick a china pattern? Are his thumbs too BlackBerry’ed out to stuff invitation envelopes?

Brides have so many adored little girls in their lives that they often choose more than one flower-girl. In fact, we’re now seeing groups of flower-girls including all of the bride and groom’s nieces – which eliminates any concern of favoritism.