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8 Planning Tips To Make Sure You Have A Smooth And Perfect Wedding Day

Organising a wedding ceremony is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time and efforts of all the people involved in a wedding, to make it a successful event. And sometimes, even after so much of pre-planning, there can be certain issues that might occur at the last moment and give panic attacks to the bride.

Well, if you are wondering how you can avoid any of the ‘last moment’ nerve-wrecking issues on your wedding day, then here is a complete guide for you to make sure everything happens just perfectly.

#1. Chart out the time table

Coming late for your own functions is not really a good way to start the celebrations. Make sure you get ready in advance and if possible, always keep some buffer time so that there are no delays.

Accordingly, take appointments from your salon, estimate the time it will take you to get ready, etc., and write it somewhere for your record. This will ensure that you do not miss out anything important.

#2. Designate someone to collect gifts

Few things might appear trivial in nature, but doing them in advance can easily save you from the last minute chaos. And one such thing is, assigning someone to take care of the gifts received during the wedding. Yes, if you will leave this for the last moment, then it might get really troublesome for you to find a responsible person free for this task.

So, allot this work to someone among your friends or family members, and inform him about the same. It is better to inform everyone well in advance about their responsibilities, so that even they can make the required arrangements.

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Apart from the perpetual phase of stress, the entire process of an arranged marriage can be easily divided into several phases. No matter how excruciatingly long and tiring it may seem, every phase has a charm of its own. And, needless to say, the two main people involved in this whole process really do enjoy all of these phases.

So, let us figure out the entire process of a typical Indian arranged marriage in some identifiable phases.

#1 Dreams vs Reality

The biggest hurdle of any marriage is the right picture of a partner. For instance, any guy would desire Aishwarya Rai, and a girl would want no less than Hrithik Roshan. However, it is important to set realistic goals and set the right criterion for your spouse!

Right from physical appearance, social status, values to career path, you need to focus on every parameter before you embark on spouse hunt! Also, focus more on the character and nature of a person rather than looks. Looks don't matter in the long-run, but compatibility does!

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Indian couples are HONEYMOONING in style

WHAT use is a fairytale wedding if you haven’t planned an equally mind-blowing honeymoon to back it up? The Indian travellers, it appears, are getting as adventurous and exploratory in honeymoons as they are with weddings. Gone are the days when you would pack your bags for the nearest hill station or a custom- made package in Europe.

New generation honeymooners seek the unique experience that they want to remember for the rest of their life.

“Last year, we saw a 25-30 per cent growth for both domestic and international honeymoon bookings,” says Mohit Gupta, Chief Business and Marketing Officer, MakeMyTrip. “ New destinations like Greece, Seychelles, Australia, Spain, Bhutan and South Africa are emerging as favourites. Domestically, we are witnessing increased bookings this year for leisure destinations like the North- East and Coorg.” Other domestic destinations that our intrepid lovebirds are warming up to are Havelock Island that lies to the east of Andaman, Valparai in Pollachi, Rann of Kutch and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. Rajeev Kale, President and Chief Operating Officer, MICE, Domestic & Sports Tourism, Thomas Cook India, is of the opinion that couples want their honeymoon to be as distinct as possible.

“We have witnessed new-age couples seeking engaging, distinctive and fun destinations. So be it self-drive holidays, wildlife trails and jungle safaris, exhilarating activity like rappelling, white water rafting, ice climbing, kayaking or paragliding, adventure seems to be the flavour of the season. We have also created unique experiences like undersea walking in the Andamans, Malabar cuisine learning at Wayanad, elephant safaris at Amber Fort, Jaipur, nature treks in the Himalayas ( Kausani), tiger safaris at Corbett, Kalairipaytu at Munnar and Ayurvedic spa therapy in the Nilgiris,” he adds.

Luxury is another important category that Indian newlyweds like to explore.

As Shibani Phadkar, Senior Vice-President & Head, Leisure Travel Outbound, Products, Contracting, Operations & Tour Management, Thomas Cook (India), says, “Our luxury product, 'Indulgence', has seen strong uptake for truly spectacular experiences, like luxury tented stays at Wahiba Sands, Oman; Swiss mountain dining with spectacular views over the valley; Romance New Zealand style via spas and glacier hot pools; private night yacht or cruiser in Australia or a romantic Jacuzzi at 3,000 metres up just next to the glacier at St Moritz.” Domestic or international, Indian honeymooners are great planners. Says Gupta of MakeMyTrip, “For domestic bookings, we have seen advance booking by at least 90 days. For international short-haul destinations, bookings are made 30- 45 days in advance, while for long haul it’s 45-60 days in advance.” So, if you are still sticking to the age-old honeymoon plans, it is time to let go and choose one that is in vogue now.

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6 Quick And Brilliant Tricks For Brides To Lose Weight

Losing weight is not an easy task! And trying to do so with just a few months to go before your wedding day, can be a real task. Sparing even some time for a workout amid the hustle and bustle of the marriage preparations, can be difficult sometimes. Eating a healthy breakfast, drinking plenty of water and eating small meals to burn those extra calories, do help in losing weight. Yet, there are some more tricks that can help you to lose weight real quick.
Simply incorporate these smart tricks in your daily routine, and you will definitely get in shape before your big day. These tips will surely help you achieve your goal. So, follow them diligently to burn fat and lose weight faster.

#1. Pop vitamin D

You might be surprised, but yes, even popping vitamin D can help you to shed weight. Get your vitamin D levels checked and if you are deficient, start having your vitamin D daily. Too little vitamin D in the blood may interfere with the functioning of leptin, a hormone that signals to your brain that you are full, and need to stop eating. Replenishing vitamin D helps restore leptin's normal 

#2. Eat vitamin C-rich foods

Eat grapes, kiwis, oranges, tomatoes, or any other fruits and vegetables that are a rich source of vitamin C. These foods burn body fat into fuel, leading to weight loss.

#3. Eat whole grains

Instead of eating refined foods like white bread and rice, opt for brown rice, chapati, brown bread, oats, muesli or any other whole grain to burn fat. These grains make you feel full in fewer calories, so you tend to consume less food.

#4. Add iron-rich foods to your diet

Iron is important for weight loss as your body needs iron to produce red blood cells, which are required to oxygenate and burn fat and calories. Eat at least three to four servings of foods rich in iron, such as chicken, beans, fortified cereal, soy nuts, shell fish, eggs, spinach, etc., if you do not want a sluggish metabolism.

#5. Chew your food at least 40 times

If you are a quick eater and chew your food just a few times before swallowing it, then it is time to change this habit. This way you end up consuming more food, without even realising it. Instead, slow down and chew your food at least 40 times, before swallowing it. Even research has proved that the more you will chew, the more your body will produce hunger supressing peptide hormones. As a result, you will feel full soon and will not overeat.

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5 Signs that You May Have an Anger Problem

Anger isn’t a bad emotion. However, the behaviors that people exhibit when they feel angry can make it a problem. Anger problems are at the root of many marital issues.
Sometimes people aren’t aware that their anger is a problem (but often others around them are). The extent of an anger problem can be based on the intensity and the frequency of angry outbursts. Anger always becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with everyday life.
1.  Relationship Problems
If you’re an angry person, it’s likely that you often get what you want but the consequence is that people won’t like you very much. For example, if you are rude to a waiter at a restaurant, it may get you a little better service. However, he’s not going to give you better service because he is pleased to have you as a customer. Instead, he’s only giving you better service so you won’t yell or behave rudely anymore.
This can be true in close relationships as well. Perhaps your family does what you ask. But, this may be due to their attempts to avoid one of your outbursts rather than out of love. For example, your mother-in-law may agree to only inviting half the family to a family event because she knows if she invites everyone, you’ll complain and threaten not to show up. So in an attempt to avoid hearing it, she does what you ask.
And anger can also cause lots of marriage problems. When one person has an anger problem, often the other spouse feels like she’s walking on eggshells. It can be difficult to ask for help if you know your spouse is going to yell, scream or throw an adult-sized temper tantrum. It can also be hard to speak up to your spouse when you disagree if you think he’s going to be upset so perhaps you stay quiet to avoid angering him. These sorts of things can keep the peace during the short-term but will cause relationship problems over the long-term. 
2.  Work Problems 
Anger can sometimes lead to work-related problems. Quitting jobs frequently, getting written up by your boss, or having co-workers complain about your attitude and behavior can all be signs of anger management issues. Sometimes people say things to customers or co-workers out of anger. At other times jealousy and anger can fuel a person to sabotage a co-worker.
3. Health problems
When people don’t deal with anger in healthy ways it can cause physical health problems. People who are chronically angry tend to have higher levels of stress hormones within their body and this can have damaging effects over time.
There are numerous research articles about the negative effects of anger on health.OhioStateUniversity’s study entitled “The Influence of Anger Expression on Wound Healing,” found that people who struggle to regulate their anger tended took longer to heal from wounds.
There are numerous other studies showing that anger problems can cause breathing problems and can cause a person’s health to decline faster as they age. Anger problems can even have an impact on an adolescent’s physical health.
4.  You Aren’t Enjoying Daily Activities 
People who are chronically stressed and angry often lose out on enjoyment of everyday activities. Everyday stresses like waiting in line at the store or being stuck in traffic can incite a lot of anger and even rage for people with anger management problems.
People with anger management problems sometimes have difficulty putting things into perspective. Instead of being able to recognize that there are millions of cars on the road and some of them will cut in front of you, they often view it as a personal attack. They may think people are out to get them or assume that they are somehow being wronged in life.
5.   You Become Aggressive
Aggression takes many forms. Acts of physical aggression can range from slamming your fist down a table to throwing something at someone to outright hitting someone. But aggression doesn’t have to be physical.
Verbal aggression includes name calling, making threats or trying to intimidate someone. Sometimes just a look you give to someone can be aggressive if you are doing it in an attempt to try and bully the other person into doing something.
Aggression can also include passive-aggressive behavior. For example, giving your spouse the silent treatment as a punishment because you are angry is passive-aggressive. Or slamming the doors to the cabinets while you are in the kitchen to let your spouse know you are angry is another form of passive-aggressive behavior.
When people are passive-aggressive, they don’t communicate their feelings directly but often try to punish or gain sympathy indirectly. Passive-aggressive people also may try to secretly sabotage their spouse’s efforts. For example, agreeing to go to a social event but then feigning an illness to get out of it.

What to do When You’re Thinking About Ending the Marriage

If you’ve found yourself straddling the fence and it feels like your only two options are to stay in an unsatisfying relationship or get divorced, it’s a tough place to be. It’s also a critical time where your immediate actions can make a big difference to the outcome of your marriage.  Hopefully, the third option is to improve your marriage and enjoy your relationship once again.
Examine What Needs to Change
You can’t fix the problem until you’ve really taken the time to identify what the problem is. Simply deciding, “I’m just not happy,” doesn’t offer much of an opportunity to fix the problem. However, if you can identify concrete reasons why you aren’t happy, it’ll be a much better start.
Make a list of what would need to change for you to feel more satisfied in your relationship. Do you need more affection? Do you want more independence? Do you want to feel more emotionally connected to your spouse? Try to make the list as specific as possible.
Communicate Your Needs
Talk to your spouse when you are both calm and have plenty of time to talk. Bringing up your dissatisfaction in the midst of a heated dispute will only make things worse. Instead, talk to your partner about scheduling a time for the two of you to talk.
Have an open and honest conversation with your spouse, but do so in non-blaming manner. Use lots of “I” statements. Instead of saying, “You never spend time with me,” try, “I’d love for us to find more time to spend together.”
Focus on listening more than you talk. Showing your spouse that you are open to ideas and suggestions can go a long way to making the conversation a successful one. Avoid making threats or ultimatums that send the message, “Do this or else.” Otherwise, you’re likely to get your partner on the defensive and if you’re not prepared to follow through, you’re empty threats will have only damaged the marriage more.
Focus on Changes You can Make
You can’t force your partner to change. You can however, focus on changes that are within your control. Your energy is much better spent focusing on changing your behavior. If you make some changes, the result might be that your partner chooses to change.
Set daily goals for yourself. Your goal might be as simple as, “I’m going to smile, hug my spouse before I leave to work, and concentrate on not being irritable toward him today.” Or maybe you’re going to try to behave more affectionately toward your spouse. If you have a goal each day, it can help you to focus on what is within your control in the marriage.
Reduce Distractions and Outside Influences
If you’re straddling the fence about whether or stay in the marriage or leave, the last thing you need is outside influences distracting you. Well-meaning friends and family sometimes offer lots of advice and words of wisdom. However, this can distract you from your goals if you’re not careful.
A friend who says, “If he hasn’t changed by now he’s never going to change,” could influence your attitude toward your marriage. Or a mother who frequently says, “You can always stay here,” might also give you that extra push to go out the door before you’re really ready.
Sometimes another potential love interest can also offer a distraction. If you’re having an affair, it’s going to cloud your judgment about your marriage. It’s impossible to focus on your marriage if you’re involved with someone else.
But it doesn’t even necessarily have to be a sexual affair for it to be a distraction. Emotional affairs can also cloud your judgment. If you’ve been talking a lot to a co-worker or confiding in a special friend about things that you don’t talk to your spouse about, it can mean that your energy is being displaced.
If you have people, or even work or hobbies, that are distracting you from focusing on your marriage, it’s important to reduce or eliminate those distractions. If you want your marriage to improve, it needs to be a priority in your life.  You’ll need to be able to put your energy and attention into the marriage without distractions from outside influences.
Don’t Stay to Justify Leaving
Sometimes people stay in the marriage after they’ve come to the conclusion they will leave, just to justify their decision. They might provoke their partner on purpose at times or start fights so they can feel better about the fact that the marriage isn’t working out and it’s okay to leave.
If you’re 99 percent certain you are going to leave, it’s likely that you’ll look at your partner’s actions in a different light. You’ll likely interpret your spouse’s words and behaviors as proof that the marriage is going to end. It’s also likely to change your behavior. You might be less kind, less affectionate and more irritable, which can evoke more unpleasant behavior from your spouse, which will further justify your efforts to want to leave.
Put energy into improving the relationship instead of looking for reasons to end it. Try looking for reasons why you should stay or proof that if you work on things, you can make it better. If you put your energy into fixing things rather than looking for reasons why you should leave, you can make a difference.
Seek Professional Help
Marriage counseling can help you find ways to revitalize and improve your relationship. You can meet with a marriage counselor by yourself, if you aren’t sure what to do or if counseling is right for you. Ask questions and learn more about what a counselor can offer you and your marriage.

10 Little Changes that Can Make a Big Impact on Your Marriage

1. Treat Your Bedroom Like a Romantic Retreat
The ambiance in your bedroom can either spark romance or put out any passionate fires. If you’ve got a child sleeping between you, clothes piled up to the ceiling or sheets that haven’t been replaced in a decade, you’re not likely going to feel an air of romance when you enter the room.  Many couples who take great pride in all other areas of their homes tend to neglect the master bedroom. However, if you want to spark some romance, put energy into fixing up and cleaning the master bedroom. A little paint on the walls, some new sheets and a lot of organizing can go a long way to putting the mood back in the bedroom.
2.  Schedule a Date Night Each Week
If you don’t schedule a date night, it’s not likely to happen. Commitments with friends, obligations with family or other excuses can easily get in the way. However, if you don’t make the time to nourish your relationship on a regular basis, it can be harmful. For some couples, it works best to pick a night each week to make date night. For other couples, it makes more sense to sit down with a calendar and determine when they can make it happen each week. If money is tight, remember you can get creative and find many free or low cost activities that will offer plenty of opportunities to have fun and grow together as a couple.
3.  Set a Goal for Your Marriage Each Day
Imagine what could happen if you woke up each day with a goal for your marriage. You could do some great work. And they wouldn’t even have to be big goals. Instead, making a conscious decision each day to do something kind or spend quality time with your spouse can go a long way. Even saying, “I’m going to find three positive things to say to my spouse,” or “I’m not going to be irritable today,” can help you stay focused.
4.  Focus on What You Contribute Not What You Gain
Take a look at what you are contributing to your marriage each day. Instead of focusing on what your partner hasn’t done for you or what’s not working, only focus on what you are doing to grow the marriage. If you focus on making life easier for your spouse, you’ll have less time to focus on how the marriage is making your life more difficult.
5.  Turn Off Distractions
If you’ve ever said, “Yup,” without having any idea what your spouse actually said, it’s a sign that you probably tune your spouse out. If your spouse’s voice seems to blend into the background, it can cause a lot of communication problems. Get focused and turn off distractions. Shut off the TV, put down your laptop and stop texting while you’re attempting to listen.
6.  Pay Attention to Behaviors More than Feelings
Pay attention to what you do more than how you feel. Just think about how your attendance would be at work if you only went in on the days that you felt like working. If you’re like most people, your attendance record might look pretty sparse. However, if you value your pay check and don’t want to get fired, you likely go to work even on the days when you don’t want to. Imagine if you treated your marriage the same. Instead of only helping your spouse when you felt like or only behaving affectionately when you wanted to, you did it anyway because you value your marriage.
7.  Treat Your Spouse Better than Anyone Else
Think of how you treat your spouse on your worst days. When you’re in a bad mood or aren’t happy with your spouse’s behavior, what do you do? Sadly, spouses often seem to get the short end of the stick. If you’ve had a bad day at work, you’re stressed out or you’re mad at your spouse, it doesn’t give you permission to behave badly.  Spouses should get treated better than your boss, your friends, your in-laws and strangers yet sometimes we’re on our best behavior with those people and not our spouses.
8.  Listen More than You Speak
Talking too much and not listening can wreak havoc on communication. Remember, you have two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Practice active listening to really hear what your spouse has to say. Ask questions, show interest and give your spouse the floor.
9.  Offer Words of Encouragement
Sometimes criticism comes more easily than encouragement. However, you should be your spouse’s biggest fan in life. The world can be a difficult place and your spouse needs your support. Offer words of genuine praise and encouragement each and every day.
10. Remember the Good Times
Marriage isn’t going to be a picnic every day. However, remembering the good times can drum up lots of positive and loving feelings. Take time to talk about your happy memories, whether it’s a vacation you enjoyed, a fun adventure you went on, when your children were born or a time in your life that makes you smile. Look at pictures together as well and take a stroll down memory lane often and remember to work on creating new happy memories as well.