Travel Insurance,Entertainment,Gifts,Weddings –

South Africa is the dream wedding destination.  Whether you are a South African bridal couple or investigation South Africa from abroad, South Africa caters for all.  With a kaleidoscope of natural splendour and unmatched cultural diversity, South Africa brings you four seasons in one.  With the following savings tips, you can now have your dream South African wedding on a shoestring.

 

1 Wedding style, wedding date

The first important decision to make is you wedding date.  South African summers are sunny, hot and humid.  For a summer South African wedding, opt for a late afternoon or sunset ceremony and evening reception.  Autumn is a beautiful time in broader South Africa.  But be aware that an autumn South African wedding means decrease in temperatures at sunset.  Especially areas situated near large rivers in the Highveld areas can make an autumn wedding a pre-winter one.  Yes, winter weddings are becoming more fashionable. Why not, it is romantic and cosy.  South African winters can be cold and dry.  Opt then for Kwa-Zulu Natal for an ideal beach wedding or a romantic, cosmopolitan Western Cape wedding.  Winter in the Western Cape is cold and wet but beautifully green.  Finally, a spring South African wedding is picturesque.  Take spring and summer rain into consideration when planning a garden wedding.  South African spring can be cold even deep into September.  October is viewed as one of the most beautiful months for weddings in South Africa.  Rather spend a bit more time in the selection of the correct wedding date and you can save a lot on emergency planning.

 

2 Wedding venues

Now that you have selected the wedding date, you need to consider the area in South Africa.  South Africa is divided into nine provinces, each with own beauty and unique features.  The selection of area for your wedding is dependent on both your wedding style and your wedding date.  Opt for a more traditional wedding in a smaller town in the North-West province.  An unforgettable country wedding is the ideal in the Free State.  For a romantic, misty wedding, opt for the higher mountain areas in Mpumalanga.  Select the Limpopo province for a traditional African wedding.  The Cape provinces provide a Mediterranean, cosmopolitan wedding whilst the wild at heart can enjoy Kwa-Zulu Natal for a beach-front wedding.  In each province are a great majority of wedding venues.  Now you can save time and co-ordination stress by visiting the Wedding Venue Hub.  This hub provides you with a directory of wedding venues listed per town or city and per province.  Another fashionable alternative for a wedding venue is a stylish tent wedding.  Marquees and free form tents are ideal for unforgettable wedding receptions and enjoyable by guests.  Visit the Tents and Tent Hire directory to view tent event options suitable for your ideal wedding.



3 Wedding dress

Now that you have made the correct decision about your wedding style, date and wedding venue, make sure your wedding dress suits the above.  Visit the Wedding Dress Hub and make contact with a wedding dressmaker in either your area or the town/city were your wedding will take place.  The Wedding Dress Hub is a directory of wedding dressmakers listed per province. 



4 Wedding photographer

Finally, you need to select the correct wedding photographer to capture this memorable day forever.  Visit the Wedding Photographer Hub to select a photographer in the area of your wedding that will not only save on travelling expenses, but will also ensure a photographer familiar with the area were your wedding takes place. 

 In summary, you can have the dream South African wedding on a shoestring.  The secret is to spend more time to make the correct basic decisions on your wedding style, wedding date, wedding venue, wedding dress and wedding photographer.  By investing in these choices, you can select services in a specific area that are cost effective, you will save on travelling costs and you will select service providers familiar with the area. 

Wedding insurance is as essential to your wedding planning as your wedding dress.  Consider how much you spent on your car, was it less than the sum you are about to invest in your wedding?  Would you even consider not having adequate car insurance?  No?  Then why wouldn’t you insure your wedding – when the average cost these days can fall between two and three times the cost of an average family saloon car?

A wedding insurance policy is comparatively cheap for insurance which covers a wide range of different parts of your wedding day.  Cover can be arranged that gives you reassurance about the largest disasters (wedding cancellation) through to some parts that may give minor disruption but not devastating consequences (wedding cars not arriving, for example).

Before deciding on the items that you need insurance cover for, and the value of cover that you will need, it will be worth investigating a couple of other sources of cover that may be available to you.  If you have sufficient limits on your household insurance policy, you may find that items such as the wedding gifts, wedding rings and wedding dress/attire are covered whilst in your home.  A call to the insurance broker should be able to confirm this and/or give you a quote for the extension of cover required to the household insurance.

Items purchased or booked for your wedding and paid by credit card will often carry a level of insurance cover from the credit card provider.  In these cases, a wedding insurance policy may be duplicating cover that you already have.  For example, if the wedding car supplier went out of business before your wedding day, your credit card supplier would most likely cover the refund of any deposit or payment made by the card.

When you have considered each of the alternative insurance options available to you, if you decide that a more comprehensive wedding insurance policy better serves your needs, start shopping for it as early as possible.  Most wedding insurances offer cover on a fixed scale of fees, providing cover until 24 hours after your wedding date.  The sooner you arrange insurance cover the more reassured you can be about issuing deposit payments to the wedding suppliers, etc., so make wedding insurance one of the priorities when you’re planning the wedding suppliers list.

When assessing the level of cover you may need, take into account the various items that come together to make your wedding day:

Wedding Cars / Transport Cover

If the wedding transport fails to show or they go out of business before your wedding day, the wedding insurance will cover a refund of your costs.

Wedding Rings Cover

The age-old ‘joke’ of the best man losing the rings  – it can happen, and it’s not funny!  It’s also possible for theft or loss of the wedding rings to happen any time up to your wedding service.  Check that the amount specified in the wedding insurance policy is adequate to cover the total value of both the bride and groom’s wedding rings.

Wedding Flowers Cover

If the florist goes out of business before the wedding day or doesn’t arrive with the floral decorations or buttonholes on the wedding morning, although the wedding insurance won’t replace these, it should cover the cost that you have outlaid to the florist supplier.  It means that your last minute replacements won’t be an additional cost to the wedding day.

Wedding Dress / Attire Cover

Accidental damage to the wedding dress ranks amongst the highest of claims made against wedding insurance.  Imagine the loss and devastation that you would feel if a burst water pipe or fire or other unexpected event was to cause loss or damage to your beautiful wedding gown.  Most wedding insurance policies will cover the wedding dress and the outfits of the main bridal party, but where suits, etc. are to be hired, check who’s responsibility it is for insurance, the supplier or the hirer (most will be the responsibility of the hirer, but some suppliers will offer their own additional insurance cover).

Wedding Caterer Cover

If the wedding caterer goes out of business or – even worse – fails to show up at the wedding reception venue on the date, adequate wedding insurance will cover a refund of the large sum that you have paid to them, leaving you to be able to make emergency alternative arrangements without suffering the additional inconvenience of extra costs to your wedding budget.

Wedding Reception Venue Cover

If a last minute disaster prevented you from using the wedding reception venue that you had booked, fire or flood for example, wedding insurance would cover the last minute alternative that you had been forced to arrange.  If your chosen reception venue were to close or go out of business the wedding insurance policy would reimburse the payments you had make, allowing you to choose a different reception venue location without suffering a financial loss.

Wedding Cake Cover

The extravagant creation of your masterpiece wedding cake will be finished and then transported to the wedding reception venue.  In almost every case this is done by experienced people and is successful, but disasters can happen!  If your wedding cake isn’t delivered, or anything causes it to be damaged, your wedding insurance policy will cover the cost.

Wedding Photographer and Photography Insurance Cover

A lot of things can happen surrounding your wedding plans and wedding day that are totally beyond the couple’s control; the photographer not turning up, the photographs not being able to be processed because of technical problems, etc.  Adequate protection from wedding insurance will help alleviate the cost should these difficulties occur.  If your wedding pictures don’t turn out, then you have the opportunity to have the bridal party and many of the guests reassembled and have them re-taken, thanks to your wisdom of having your wedding day adequately insured against such mishaps.

 

Wedding Present Insurance

Wedding day insurance will reimburse the cost/value up to a specified sum for damage to, or theft of, wedding presents.  One of the higher number of claims relating to wedding insurance policies is the collapse of tables holding the gifts at wedding receptions, or accidental damage of more delicate presents such as glass or crystal items.

Wedding Guest Liability Cover

Most wedding insurance policies give a level of liability insurance if someone is injured at your wedding.  The level of cover often has an option to increase the amount should you need to do so.  Some of your suppliers (marriage location, reception venue, etc.) will carry their own liability insurance, so it may be prudent to check this out before extending the level of inclusive cover.

Wedding Cancellation Cover

If the bride or groom change their mind or run for the hills, this won’t be covered by wedding insurance!  However, if an event beyond your control, such as the death of a close family member or illness in the family (or of the bride or groom), that causes your wedding to be cancelled or postponed, then the insurance will cover a refund of your expenditure up to a stated amount.  If extreme weather conditions cause your wedding to be cancelled due to the guests being unable to attend, or the venue being adversely affected, then the wedding insurance will apply.  However, if you are unfortunate enough to have bad weather on the wedding day it is unlikely that the insurance would cover such circumstances (you may wish to try a bookmaker!). 

Marquee Cover 

Most wedding insurers offer marquee cover as an optional extra.  Not all weddings will need this and those using a marquee should check with the hire company if an additional level of insurance cover is needed before adding it to the policy.

The months before your wedding day can be quite stressful, while you’re trying to get everything organised and perfectly timed.  No one wants to think of things going wrong at your wedding, but wedding insurance will give you the peace of mind that your deposits and outlay to the wedding suppliers are insured and will be refunded in the event that anything did go amiss in the period leading to your wedding date or on the day itself.  Wedding insurance will take away some of the worries that you may have and is a good investment to make.

If you are planning a holiday in Portugal and want to consider the option of booking Portugal Holiday Home also commonly known as Portugal Holiday House, go ahead and get some basic facts I order before doing it. Through this article I will try and give yo some practical tips and suggestions so that you can book your Portugal Holiday home Or Portugal Holiday house that is just right for you.

The basic things to keep in mind are to know what you want. You should undertake things like checking out as many Portugal Holiday home Or Portugal Holiday house options and comparing their prices and rentals until you are absolutely satisfied that you cannot get a better deal than this. You can check out Portugal Holiday home Or Portugal Holiday house that are directly available for hire and contact with the owners of such places or get yourself booked into one with the help of an agent who will take care of all your needs, and requirements and most importantly keep you budget in mind.

As you are in the process of comparing prices and checking out facilities of your Portugal Holiday home, make sure you have timed it perfectly too. Depending upon popular tourist season you will have to make sure that you book your Portugal Holiday home just in time,. It will save you the last moment rush and anxiety. 

A perfect Portugal holiday home will be the one with beautiful countryside view, yet off the tourist trail but within easy reach of sea, mountains and lots of places of interest. If you can book yourself into one like that you are lucky and if you can get them at discounted prices – you cannot get luckier than that. A perfect Portugal Holiday Home will combine the charms of a traditional Portuguese house with all creature comforts.

You can also book your Portugal Holiday House on sharing basis to save cost without really compromising on privacy. If you come cross a Portugal Holiday house so large and vast that it can accommodate a few families- nothing like it. Book yourself into one such accommodation and enjoy your holiday in Portugal without any disturbance.

You can also book Holiday home Or Portugal Holiday house online. All you need to do is go online, check out several options, shortlist a few of them and talk to their help desk. If they have an active and helpful online costumer service desk then they will reply to your mail immediately and you can start interacting and negotiating with them. The Portugal Holiday Home administrators are generally very cordial and helpful lot and will help and resolve your queries as soon as possible.

For a great, relaxing Portugal holiday where you can really unwind and rejuvenate the first thing indeed is to book into a good Portugal holiday home. Half your problems are taken care of if the Portugal Holiday House you have rented is a clean place with most places worth a visit at close distance. I have mostly booked into holiday homes after talking to people who stayed there already. It helps me get a better insight and view into the practical aspects of it.

So for a Memorable and unique holiday, Portugal Holiday Home is the answer.

More and more holiday makers are now choosing to stay in a holiday villa in Portugal during their vacations. Holiday villas are extremely popular in countries with a warmer climate and many of them have a swimming pool. There are many types of villa available to rent on your holiday and it is up to you to decide how much you want to spend and in what part of the world that you want to stay.

Once you have decided which country that you want to spend your holiday, you can then get down to the task of finding a villa. By looking on a direct holiday bookings web site will give you a great choice of holiday villas to choose from. It is then very easy to work your way through the selection of holiday villas that are available until you find the one that meets all of your requirements.

One of the best things about staying on your holidays in a holiday villa is the freedom that the villa offers you. You can use the holiday villa as a base to explore the local area or you can simply stay in and relax by the swimming pool. A holiday villa offers you great independence and you are not tied down to set meal times like in a hotel.

It is also handy for families staying in a holiday villa to be able to send the children up to their bedrooms to sleep. Often when staying in a hotel you have to go to bed at the same time as your children just to keep and eye on them. The great thing about a villa holiday is that when the children go to bed, you can stay downstairs watching the television or sitting by the side of the pool and have a drink.

Villa holidays also allow you to have the freedom to eat what you want and when you want. You are able to sample the local food and drink in restaurants or shop in the local shops and cook yourself back in your holiday villa. There is nothing better than barbecuing by the side of your villa swimming pool on a warm summers evening. You can cook local steak or try your hand at barbecuing some of the local fish that may be available in your area.

There are many holiday villas in all of the popular tourist destinations around the world. Many are available near to the theme parks and other holiday attractions. A holiday villa acts as an ideal base to explore the local area. One day you can leave your holiday villa and try out a theme park. The next day you can unwind and relax by the side of the pool in your holiday villa.

It is no wonder that staying in a holiday villa is one of the most popular types of holiday makers. Villa holidays are an ideal holiday for a family vacation and there are some superb villas out there to choose from. No matter what your budget or how many bedrooms you want, there is just about a holiday villa out there to suite all requirements.

Wow! It is spring and the wedding bells ring! The Marriage Island located in the San Antonio River on the Riverwalk is located just down the Riverwalk from the Westin Riverwalk Hotel. The Island has been used for Religious Services for over 300 years. The first Catholic Mass held in San Antonio was held on the Island. The island has also been used by most other denominations at one time. This includes Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, & Methodist over the past 250 years as a meeting place to hear the gospel. The Marriage Island is one of the most beautiful wedding spots in the State of Texas. Several photos are shown on the website of past Riverwalk Weddings.

Weddings may be officiated at any San Antonio location. Outdoor and backyard wedding make for a real cozy setting. We have served people from all areas of San Antonio, New Braunfels, Gruene, and Universal City. Churches available for rent if you require a Church Wedding.

Military Weddings for members of all Bracnches of the United States Military. We have officiated weddings at the Fort Sam Houston Chapel, and the Lackland Air Force Base Chapel. Father Louis Bernhardt is a Member of the United States Chaplain’s Service, and serves as State Commander. Father Louis also serves as a Member of the Board of Govenors for the Texas Association of Wedding Officiates for 2009.

There are many options for your Riverwalk Wedding. You may charter a Riverboat for the Wedding Meal. Live Musicians available to play your favorite songs. You may have a friend or family member read a poem! You may write your own vows that you speak to each other during the celebration.

Children from previous marriages may be included in the ceremony. The Minister would present each child a ring or other memento that the couple furnishes. This officially makes the child a part of the celebration and a member of the new family.

Rules for Military Weddings at Militarty Chapels & West Point.

Every wedding requires special planning, but a military wedding calls for some specific traditions that may be unfamiliar to a civilian bride whose mother or mother-in-law did not have to consider such a ceremony.

Marilyn Sharp, wife of Colonel Dan Sharp (retired), gives this advice on how to smooth the way to a perfect military wedding. “The most important thing to do is to plan as soon as you becone engaged, and don’t feel silly checking two or three times with the caterer or florist.” Mrs. Sharp said that it was not uncommon to have the wrong flowers and wedding cake end up at the wrong wedding. Part of the problem with simple services, like hotels, caterers, and florists at the academies, is that there are so few of them. West Point, for example, has only one hotel in the nearby town. Many people come each year to West Point for graduation and weddings in June, so hotel reservations must be made as early as February.

Mrs. Sharp’s husband graduated from West Point in 1951 and retired from the service as the deputy commandant at West Point. Being the wife of the deputy commandant, she helped the cadets plan their weddings and recalls having attended eight military weddings in one day! Any enlisted man or officer can have a military wedding in full-dress uniform. Like anything having to do with the military, there are certain guidelines that pertain to all military weddings, regardless of wether they are held at one of the academy chapels or in a civilian church.

A military wedding is a formal affair. Your fiance and his military friends wear their dress uniforms and white gloves. Boutonnieres cannot be worn on a military uniform. If there are any civilian ushers, they should wear cut-aways, strollers, black or dark-colored suites. Your father, if he is not in the military, should do the same.

Invitations to a military wedding read almost the same as those for a civilian wedding. However, you should include your fiance’s rank and branch. For instance, instead of John Smith, you would put, Lieutenant John Smith, U.S. Army.

The saber arch is one of the things that makes the military wedding so special. During the recessional, the bridge and groom walk under an arch made by the ushers or designated saberbearers. This is also the most photographed part of a military wedding. A good rule of thumb is to have four to six saberbearers in your wedding party: they can serve as ushers or can be separated from the ushers. It looks nice to have the same number of bridesmaids as saberbearers, but this is up to you.

Commanding officers should always be seated according to their ranks. Your ushers will probably, if they are in the service, know how to do this. Other officers may sit anywhere. The chaplains at each of the military academies have provided a summary of their own specific rules.

United States Naval Academy: Annapolis, Maryland. The following people can be married at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel: Naval Academy graduates, active or retired, and their children; military personnel assigned to Annapolis, and

their children; Academy faculty, active or retired, and their children; and military personnel retired with pay, and their children who regularly attend the Academy Chapel.

Weddings are scheduled through the senior chaplain’s office, which can be found in the wedding handbook. Weddings can be held Monday through Saturday from noon to 4:00 P.M. except for the week of commissioning. After the application has been received, you will be issued a time for the rehearsal and wedding.

During commissioning week, the Chapel is reserved for the graduating midshipmen only. The scheduling for their weddings is usually different from weddings at other times. For information on commissioning week weddings, you should contact the office of the senior chaplain.

Only Naval Academy chaplains will peform weddings in the Naval Academy Chapel, and the Academy chaplains advice premarital counseling before a couple are married in the Chapel. If you live far away from the Academy, the chaplains

will suggest a counselor.

The arch of swords, as it is called in the Navy, takes place in the Chapel steps. Since the Chapel does not supply swords, your party must furnish them.

Music for the wedding is the responsibility of the director of musical activities at the Naval Academy. Only appropriate sacred music can be used. Soloists and guest instrumentalists are not encouraged at the Chapel.

Pictures can be taken in the Bride’s Room, in the sacristy, and outside the Chapel before the ceremony. A flash may be used during the processional and the recessional. Pictures may be taken in the new nave during the ceremony, including the balconies, without flash. No pictures may be taken in the Chapel after the ceremony unless the weather is inclement.

Flowers for the Chapel are provided by the Chapel Altar Guild. These flowers cannot be removed from the Chapel after the wedding. Flowers for the members of the wedding party are the responsibility of those getting married.

Rice cannot be thrown inside or outside the Chapel. Be sure to inform your guests of this restriction.

There are rooms for last-minute preparations at the Chapel, but at the beginning of the ceremony everything should be removed from these rooms.

A mininum contribution should be made to the Protestant or Catholic Chapel. This is to be paid when you submit your application: it helps to defray the cost of marriage books, candles, flowers, and music.

United States Air Force Academy: Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Academy has two different chapels and a different booklet for each.

The Protestant Chapel can be used only by graduates of any military academy and active-duty military personnel assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy, and their dependents. This is an Academy regulation. Chaplains that are assigned to the Academy normally preside over the wedding, but in special circumstances other clergy may officiate. Premarital counseling is mandatory for all marriages, beginning at least thirty days before the ceremony.

Rehearsals should be scheduled with the chaplain. Flowers are to be provided by the wedding party, and should be delivered to the Chapel. White runners are not allowed because of the highly polished floor.

The Chapel provides candles and kneeling cushions for the bride and groom. Sabers and baldrics (holders for the sabers) are available at the Chapel, too. However, they cannot be removed.

Pictures may be taken with a flash only during the processional and following the benediction. Pictures of the religious portion of your wedding may be taken from the balcony only. Flashbulbs are not allowed at that time.  Flashbulbs may be used during the arch of sabers. There will be time after the wedding for pictures.

In the interest of time, a reception line cannot be formed at the end of your wedding. Weddings at the Chapel must also begin and end on schedule.

Nothing–rice, confetti, or flower  petals–can be thrown either inside or outside the Chapel (mainly for safely reasons).

Military chaplains do not receive fees for their services. Donations can be given, but there is no charge for the use of the Chapel.

The Catholic ceremony is relatively the same. However, there are a few differences.

Catholics need a copy of their record of baptism from the church where it was performed. This needs to be issued six months prior to the ceremony. A questionnaire must be filled out in the presence of a priest. If the marriage is interfaith, special counseling on the responsibilities of being Catholic is required before the ceremony. For all couples marrying in the Catholic Church, attendance at premarital sessions is required. You must also obtain permission from your pastor to be married in any church other than your own parish. Sabers are not permitted inside the Catholic Church.

United States Military Academy: West point, New York. West Point does not have a bride’s handbook, but Chaplain Louis Bernhardt offers some tips for brides who want to be married at West Point.

According to Chaplain Louis Bernhardt, the bride must bring to West Point everything that the party will need. If you are marrying a graduating cadet, he will draw lots several months before the event to determine what time your wedding will take place during June week. Weddings begin one hour after graduation and run continuously throughout the week. There are three chapels at the Academy and one Jewish Synagogue.

Chaplain Louis Bernhardt said that the hardest thing about having your wedding during June week is finding a place to stay. There is one hotel in Highland Falls; and it is booked early in February because of all the wedding parties and all of the parents and relatives who plan to attend graduation. You should make

reservations at the hotel for your entire wedding party as soon as you know the date. Follow this immediately with a call to the officer’s club about the reception. It is very important that you include a “reception following” card with an R.S.V.P. on it so that you know the number of guests to expect.

Order the flowers from the florist early and recheck to make sure that there is no mix-up as to the time and place.  Photographs depend on the church–you will have to ask the chaplain of the chapel you have chosen. Rehearsals are set by appointment. First, you should check on any special rules that your church might have on the drawing of sabers.

Planning a military wedding is basically no different from planning any other type of wedding, until the conclusion. The recessional proceeds like this: The bride and groom leave the church first, followed by the bridesmaids and seaberbears. When the bride and groom reach the back of the church, they step aside to let the wedding party and congregation leave. After everyone is out of the church, the saberbears form two lines facing each other to form an arch of sabers. According to officers who have had military weddings, the saber arch should be practiced before the wedding. Make sure that officers participating in the saber arch leave enough room between them so the bride and groom can go under side by side.

The commands for the arch are as follows: Sabers are carried in the “carry draw” position. At the command of “draw sabers,” the arch is formed. Each bearer raises his right arm with saber in hand rotating the arm until the blade is on top. If the saberbears bend their wrists, they should have a true arch. At the command, “return sabers,” the saberberars return their sabers to the “carry draw” position. Your saberbears should know what the “carry draw” position is: if the are unsure, it is partially in the baldric and partially out.

Only the bride and groom may walk under the saber arch.

One special tradition at a military wedding reception is that the bride and groom cut the first piece of cake with the groom’s saber. The groom places his hand on the hilt of the saber (the handle) and the bride guides the blade.

A military wedding can be as modern or as traditional as you want to make it. Concluding with the arch of sabers adds an especially memorable touch for you and your officer husband.

 

 

 

 

For the last 15 years Father Louis has been know as the “Riverwalk Pastor” and he continues to this date! Father Louis is Ordained by:

The Anglican Rite Old Catholic Church * Consecrated Bishop 1996 *

Call Father Louis at 832-549-4696.