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TAMIKA BRIDAL June 5, 2009

Posted by Damon Taylor in Wedding Dresses.
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Tamika Bridal is a one-stop boutique for all your wedding needs. Here, brides to be can choose from a range of beautiful, sophisticated off-the-rack gowns. For those who wants to be unique, a couture service is also offered. For bridesmaids, dresses from brands such as Barijay, StudiBaker, Tamika Bridal and Amorado Designs are readily at your selection. For the groom and his men, Calabro suits are available for hire. Wedding photography packages is also available. Our photographers, with friendly and supportive attitudes, ensure your beautiful moments will be captured with style. For all enquiries or to make a booking please contact Tamika Bridal today.

Kiss the Bride Wedding Directory

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10 Simple steps to obtaining perfect wedding photos. October 7, 2008

Posted by Vanessa in Resources.
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As Madonna would say, “strike a pose, there’s nothing to it”! Ensuring that your wedding photos turn out brilliantly can be a difficult task. Most of us get married once, so having great wedding photos is vital to ensuring those magical memories stay in tact. There are millions of photographers around, all of which claim that they are ‘simply the best’. So unless their name is Tina Turner, it’s not always wise to accept that they are better than all the rest. Here are some useful tips to ensure that you receive wedding photos that will make you feel like a supermodel on the cover of a magazine.

 

  1. Research, research and research – it’s important to talk to a number of photographers and to site their original works. Photographers that are willing to pull out their photos and display them confidently will likely be more credible than a photographer who alleges that they don’t have anything current to show.
  2. Equipment – Ask the photographer to show you the cameras that he or she uses and assess their equipment. Most credible photographers will use professional cameras that deliver high quality photos. Also, if the photographer can provide a detailed description about his or her camera and why he or she uses it, then it’s likely that he or she has some knowledge in the world of photography. If they pull out the disposables, run.
  3. Word of mouth – Sometimes it’s great to take advice from other couples who have been married. If other couples are happy with the photos they received, then chances are they employed a good photographer. Word of mouth can not only be powerful, but it can also save you time and tears.
  4. Discuss preliminary plans with the photographer – Ask the photographer how they prepare for the shoot. A good photographer will visit the site where the photos will be taken and assess the quality of lighting and so forth prior to the wedding day. If they are going to show up on the day and take the chance, then it’s highly likely that you are going to waste your money.
  5. Price – the price can indicate whether the photographer is credible or not. Whilst a good photographer can drain the budget, it’s far better than employing Joe Bloggs down the street that has recently completed his certificate iii in photography. It may be tempting to stick to the cheaper option, but that often means receiving photos that look just as ‘cheap’.
  6. Bargain – compare and contrast credible photographers and then report the various prices to all. You may find that some photographers may drop their price to compete with their competitors, thus winning your business.
  7. Communicate – Ensure that you tell your photographer how many people are attending your wedding and how many people are in your bridal party. This will allow the photographer to effectively plan the length of time he or she will require to ensure that the wedding guests and the bridal party are incorporated in all photos. You don’t want the photographer rushing through the job in order to have all the photos completed. Chances are, you won’t receive great quality photos.
  8. Colour theme – Think about your colour theme for your wedding. You don’t want the bridesmaids in dull coloured dresses that will make them look washed out. Similarly, you don’t want over the top colours (fluro) that will take the eye away from the bride and groom. Colours should contrast well with one another, so if the bridesmaids are wearing a bright and happy coloured dress, then tone it down on the bouquets.
  9. Tanning – whilst fake tan can look appealing, it’s important to note that less is definitely more. If you opt for a fake tan, keep it to a minimum as the orange look does not look very appealing in photos.
  10. Make up – Wearing sufficient make up is important as the camera will take it off. Often we see models and actors looking ‘natural’ in magazines. In reality, they have a substantial amount of make up on. The camera removes the look of the make up whilst accentuating your features. So, while you don’t want to look like a drag queen, it’s important to wear some make up so you can look fresh in your photos. 

Wedding photos become extremely valuable and sentimental to many married couples, thus it is important to ensure that the photos you receive are of high quality and value. Following these simple steps will enable you to effectively employ a photographer that will provide you with photos that you will want to pull out for years to come.

 

Find your wedding dress at http://kissthebride.com.au

 

 

Honeymoon on a Budget October 6, 2008

Posted by Vanessa in honeymoon.
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We’ve all heard the famous line, “I don’t want your money honey, I want your love”! Whilst we all look forward to our honeymoon, we are also well aware of the potential costs involved. Weddings are an expensive event on their own; however honeymoons can also contribute significantly to the old bank account drying up.

 

Many of us today view the honeymoon as an event that not only allows us some quality time with our new husband or wife, but also as an opportunity to have that holiday we always wanted. Overseas trips and activity filled discoveries of the world are becoming extremely common. Whilst having an exciting and adventure filled honeymoon can be enticing, some of us may prefer to experience ‘the love’ whilst keeping the bank balance in check. Here are some tips to ensure that you can spend some quality time with your loved one without blowing your budget.

 

  1. Home sweet home – We all know home is where the heart is, and for some, it’s where the love is. Rather than paying for accommodation, why not stay at home and put your money towards daily activities such as going out to a fancy restaurant or going away for day trips. You may find that you will have the opportunity to engage in more activities by saving on accommodation costs.
  2. Bed and Breakfast – Fancy resorts and hotels are a thing of the past. There are an abundance of bed and breakfasts that are situated in secluded and romantic locations, and best of all, you get breakfast!
  3. Camping – Why not bring out the tent and enjoy the sunshine! There are a great amount of sites with pristine views. If your not the type to erect a tent, then go for cabin, either way they are an extremely cost effective way to experience the beauty of nature!
  4. Houseboat – Whilst certain houseboats can put a dint in the budget, there are cheaper options available. You can experience the magic of a cruise whilst having complete control of where you want to go. Whilst you’re out on the water, why not bring out the fishing line and catch dinner!
  5. Caravan tour – Forget touring Europe! Why not experience the beauty of your own country and hire a caravan! Tour Australia and see the wonders of our country without having to convert your money!!
  6. Housesit – Know someone who may be going away! Why not house sit and experience being somewhere else. Tour the nearby locations and see what other areas have to offer.
  7. Pack the Backpack – Backpack around Australia and see the sights! Why not jump on your bike and get fit whilst you travel around the country. There are plenty of lodges around the country for backpackers. It’s definitely a fun and cheap and alternative way to see the country.
  8. Email alert – Send an email to all your friends and family and see if anyone has a holiday guest house they can allow you to use. You may find that your old great aunt may have a holiday house in the woods that you didn’t know about. Perhaps you can make a deal and tell them that they can lend their holiday home as a wedding gift!
  9. Time is of the essence – Postpone your honeymoon to a low peak time of the year. If you decide to marry in high peak season (eg December to February), you will find that prices will double as a result of the holiday season. Perhaps you can postpone your honeymoon to the winter months to get those special deals. There is nothing better than being wrapped up in your partner’s arms by a log fire!
  10. Team Effort – if you are really set on having that action packed adventure honeymoon overseas, why not ask your wedding guest to put forward a contribution towards your holiday rather than purchasing a present. Sometimes team effort can go a long way!

It’s natural for us to want to experience a honeymoon that is special and memorable, however sometimes our financial situation may not allow it. Some couples opt for a honeymoon years after they have been married, and others simply have something small followed by a proper holiday down the track. You often hear of couples saying “we’re on our second honeymoon”, often meaning that they didn’t get to experience a ‘real’ honeymoon the first time. Whatever you chose, it’s also important to note that having a honeymoon is about having some ‘time out’ with your new wife or husband. Where and how that time is spent is up to the individual and the couple as a whole.

 

Find your wedding dress at Kiss the Bride.

 

 

Finding your perfect wedding dress October 1, 2008

Posted by Vanessa in Wedding Dresses.
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Simple steps to finding your perfect wedding dress

Looking your best on your wedding day is essential to ensuring that your day is successful. As a bride, we want to ensure that we experience not only the best day possible, but that we also look our best. Our wedding dress is considered the prized and most valued commodity to our wedding. Whilst weddings are not primarily about the bride, many of us highly regard the bride to be the ‘highlight’ of the wedding. As a result, we encounter the pressure and stress of ensuring that we shine on the day. Often when we commence our wedding preparations, the very first thing we attempt to organise is our wedding dress. This alone can be an extremely difficult task. With an abundance of dresses to choose from, we can often become overwhelmed by the variety available. So, whilst it is a case of trying on the dress and experimenting a little, there are a few simple tips available that can take the edge off this taxing task.

As a general rule, the dress you choose should reflect your personality whilst complimenting your figure. The following should also be considered:

Quality and Workmanship

  1. Check the workmanship of the dress and ensure that it is of good quality. You don’t want the dress falling apart on the day;
  2. Sourcing designer dresses from overseas may seem customary, but Australian designers also provide elegant and stunning dresses.

Finding the right dress for your figure

  1. Make the best of your figure and chose a dress that compliments your shape.
  2. Full-figured brides should select a dress that skims the body as opposed to hugging it.
  3. If you’re pear-shaped, then choose an A-line dress to hide the hips and thighs.
  4. Thin and tall brides should select a dress that accentuates the feminine curves, as opposed to looking thin and straight.

Getting an honest opinion

  1. Ensure that you bring someone with you who will provide you with an honest opinion.
  2. Your best friend, maid of honour, mother or anyone else that has known you for a long time will be the best person to offer that constructive advice.

Budget, Budget, Budget!

  1. Remember that your dress will only be worn once, so if you’re on a tight budget, then don’t overlook the possibility of hiring your dress. You will probably find that you will be able to have that gorgeous dress you dreamt of without the price tag attached.
  2. Many websites advertise pre-loved wedding dresses for you to purchase. You may also want to have a look at this option.

Skin Tone and tanning

  1. The shade of your wedding dress should accentuate your skin tone, and not make you look washed out.
  2. If you plan on tanning for the wedding day, bear in mind that the tone of your skin could alter the colour of the dress.
  3. Tanning can also remove the eye away from the dress and your groom as the tan becomes extremely noticeable in photos. So if you want to be seen on your wedding day, ensure that you don’t go overboard with the fake tan.

Accessories and the Comfort factor

  1. Accessories are great, but a good rule of thumb is the fancier the dress, the simpler the jewellery should be.
  2. If you are wearing large and dramatic earings, then forget the necklace. Instead, try a bracelet.
  3. If you wish to wear a dramatic necklace, then opt for elegant but less dramatic earings. Bracelets are not recommended if wearing earings and a necklace.
  4. Consider the length of the dress. Envisage the type of shoes you will wear on the day and determine whether or not you will require dress alterations. You don’t want to be falling on the day.
  5. If you want minimum fuss on the day, take into account the amount of time it will take you to get into your dress. Dresses with zips are great; you can jump in and get zipped up with minimal fuss. If you don’t mind preparation time, then you might like the look of the lace up back.
  6. Whilst wearing a veil used to be traditionally part of the wedding attire, today it is strictly optional. If your dress is flamboyant, then you might like to keep it simple and not wear a veil. If you would like to formalise the dress a little, then the veil would be great.
  7. Wearing gloves may look stunning and accentuate the dress further (Cinderella look), but consider the difficulties you will have when exchanging rings. Often you find that your wedding ring will not fit over the glove.
  8. Handbags should be small and should match your wedding dress. Ensure that you arrange for someone to hold your handbag during the critical times on your day. You don’t want to be managing a bouquet whilst holding a handbag. Your certainly don’t want to have your handbag in your hand during the wedding photos as it will make your look ‘cluttered’.

Great Hair compliments the dress

  1. If your dress is simple and elegant, then you might want to have your hair in a dramatic up hair style.
  2. Alternatively, if your dress is extremely flamboyant, then consider a simple hairstyle. You don’t want to look overdone.

Departing Attire

  1. If you want to change into another outfit when leaving your reception, ensure that your outfit compliments your wedding dress.
  2. You want to be remembered as the beautiful and stunning bride, so don’t leave your guest with a last bad impression.
  3. Wear an outfit that is elegant yet comfortable. This is vital especially if you are travelling straight to your honeymoon venue.
Find your wedding dress at Kiss the Bride

Facing the reality of Facebook September 26, 2008

Posted by Vanessa in Resources.
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Facebook is considered to be the social network site of all social network sites. As individuals, we are drawn to the idea of ‘finding’ our friends and ‘catching up’. Many people excitedly join the facebook rage and wait in anticipation as others ‘find’ them and request their friendship. For those who may not have experienced a sense of belonging during their adolescent years, facebook provides that sense of belonging.

 

Despite the so called positive social networking that occurs on facebook, many of us fail to sit back and explore the concept closely. Firstly, we become immersed in the hype of finding the people that we know, or the people that we once knew. So, in an attempt to satisfy our curiosity, we join facebook. And let’s be real, many of us join facebook not to find our ‘friends’ because we care, but to compare our lives to those of others. It’s a competitive world and we are naturally competitive.

 

Many of us sit on facebook and continually confirm friends, not because we liked the person or because we were friends with the person, but because it allows our friends list to continually grow. Having a large group of friends is often perceived as being an indicator of popularity or importance, and even into adulthood, this misconception continues.

 

For those who simply want to use facebook to genuinely catch up with old friends or family, being part of the culture can be extremely painful. You are constantly inundated with strangers who request all sorts of strange things apart from your ‘friendship’. You are poked by others who in the real world would never have the courage to speak to you let alone poke you, and your profile suddenly becomes engulfed by inappropriate comments and discussions that you do not want to be a part of.

 

Whilst you have the option to limit what you receive, many of these irritating requests and comments continue to flow through. So, what is facebook for? Is it simply a tool to find those long lost friends, or is it a tool in which individuals can adopt new personas and live in a virtual world that holds no boundaries or consequences?

 

Facebook is not a site whereby people can find one another; rather, it is a site that allows individuals to become someone other than themselves in order to obtain friends. Whilst we can find our friends, facebook does not guarantee safety from the individuals who engage in predatory behaviours in order to seek a sense of belonging.

 

Find your wedding dress on Kiss the Bride.

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Olympic Games – Politically Unified August 27, 2008

Posted by Damon Taylor in Politics of Weddings, Resources.
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Olympic Motto: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well”.

 

The Olympic Motto endeavors to promote unity and idealism in a world that is not so idealistic. For many nations, the Olympic Game is simply an event in which the struggles and triumphs are featured. For some countries, winning supersede the idealisms of unity and sportsmanship.

 

In addition to the motto, symbols are also utilised in an attempt to convey representations illustrating unity and collectivism. The five rings consisting of the colours white, red, blue, green, yellow and black represent a colour used in every nation’s national flag. The rings thus represent the unity of the five inhabited continents and the countries comprised within these continents.

 

Subsequent symbols such as the torch relay and the nation’s mascot are also used in order to encompass the ‘unified’ approach of the games. Whilst these symbols are widely used within the games, the proposed meanings affiliated with ‘unity’ fail to emerge. Rather than creating unity, the Olympic Games highlight the controversies and political agendas of the very nations that represent the Olympic ideals. Such political agendas can be signified by the 1936 Olympics in Berlin whereby the German Nazi Party employed the games as propaganda to illustrate the supremacy of the Aryan race and the facist political structure. Similarly, the Soviet Union refused to participate in the Olympic Games until 1952 and instead created their own games consisting of athletes who supported the Communist organisations. 

 

In 1968, the so called ‘unity’ of the Olympic Games was highlighted when two American track and field athletes rewarded viewers with the Black Power salute after receiving their medals. In response to the unanimity of the athletes, the International Olympic Committee ordered the athletes home. Nations throughout the world have also embraced the Olympic ideals by successfully boycotting certain Olympic Games. The Melbourne Olympics in 1956 was the first Olympic game to be boycotted by Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland due to the repression of the Hungarian uprising by the Soviet Union. This became a unanimous approach when Cambodia, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon also boycotted the same game due to the Suez Crisis.

 

In 1972 and 1976, further boycotts occurred from a number of African countries who had requested that the IOC ban South Africa, Rhodesia and New Zealand. When the IOC failed to concede, the African countries withdrew their athletes from the games, despite the fact that some of the athletes had already competed. Further boycotts occurred in 1980 whereby sixty-five nations refused to participate at the Moscow Olympics due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

 

Only just recently, the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing encompassed a growing number of threats to boycott the games due to China’s poor human rights record and response to the recent issues in Tibet, Darfur and Taiwan.

 

Additionally, controversies have also emerged criticizing the International Olympic Committee as being autocratic and corrupt. In 1998, it became widely known that certain IOC members had taken bribes in exchange for votes to elect the upcoming host city. This resulted in four members resigning and six members terminated.

 

Whilst the Olympic Games have grown to include thousands of competitors participating in hundreds of events, it is becoming increasingly evident that the very ideals upheld by the ‘Olympics’, are failing to be represented by the participating nations. Whilst the Olympic motto provides an idealistic representation of the Olympics, it fails to represent the reality of the games.

 

Kiss the Bride for all your wedding needs

 


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Parenting the Parent August 24, 2008

Posted by Damon Taylor in Parenting.
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Choosing to be a parent is one of the most important decisions that a person can make. Once you become a parent, you are one for life. Thus, making the choice to have children is a decision that should not be made lightly. We live in a complex and often threatening society, and raising children in such a society can be one of the most taxing jobs that anyone can undertake. Despite the enormous responsibility that comes with raising a child, or children, it can also be one of the most rewarding.

 

Parents who are new to the world of parenting, can find it extremely difficult to manage their child, and in particular, their child’s behaviour. Whilst some of us may have children who appear to be angels from above, many parents in today’s society face the hardship of managing tantrums and ongoing requests for new and innovative toys.

 

Whilst parenting can be a memorable and at the same time stressful time in one’s life, one of the most important skills that a parent can have is the ability to discipline children effectively. Whilst rules and expectations vary from family to family, most parents endeavour to teach their children how to behave in a manner that is acceptable and appropriate.

 

Psychologist (OLeary, 1995) report, that parents must use appropriate and effective techniques when disciplining their children. Such techniques involve the following:

  1. Being Consistent;
  2. Avoiding excessive harsh forms of discipline;
  3. Avoiding excessive laxness;
  4. Being receptive to bargaining;
  5. Showing affection to children when disciplining

 

Being consistent entails following through with what you say you are going to do. Many of us throw empty threats at our children in the hope that they will behave, however we also fail to follow through when our child continues with their inappropriate behaviour.

 

Avoiding excessive harsh forms of discipline is imperative to ensuring that children do not learn that hurting others is acceptable. In today’s society we are faced with many debates pertaining to the culture of ‘smacking’. Whilst many of us may have been smacked as children ourselves, research today reveal that children can be disciplined effectively by adopting alternative forms of punishment such as time out.

 

Avoiding excessive laxness is similar to being consistent. Laxness involves establishing the rules and then failing to follow them or enforce them. This teaches the child that the rule doesn’t really count, thus they simply ignore the rule.

 

Being receptive to bargaining entails discovering compromises that are both acceptable to the parent and the child. It allows the child to have some autonomy whilst adhering to the boundaries set in the home.

 

Showing affection to your child when disciplining is important in order to ensure that your child feels loved even when they are being reprimanded. This is vital for your child’s development and for attachment.

 

When disciplining your child it is also important to remember not to overreact. Often parents discipline their child when they are tired, stressed or frustrated, thus the parents not only react to the child’s behaviour, but to also their own internal feelings. Sometimes it helps to compose yourself or perhaps to allow your partner to discipline if you feel that you may not be able to control your emotions.

 

Engaging in lengthy verbal interactions with your child about their misbehaviour is also infective. Often children are too young to understand the abstract principles you are attempting to apply to the issue. It is important to understand that children are concrete thinkers, thus what you say is often interpreted as what you are going to do. For instance, some parents may retort “I’m going to kill you if you don’t get here this instance”, a young child will interpret such a comment literally. Thus, they will react with fear and become extremely emotional. Furthermore, when children are upset, they find it extremely difficult to process what they are being told by a parent during the incident. Often it is easier to allow the child to have time out, and then to discuss the behaviour together in a settled and non-conflicting environment.

 

We are all different as parents and we all bring our values and beliefs into our parenting practices. Whilst difference should be embraced, ensuring that these simple principles are adopted within your parenting practices will result in effective behaviour management.

 


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Living Happily Ever After August 24, 2008

Posted by Damon Taylor in Resources.
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Identifying whether you are ‘in love’ is often a difficult task. We all set our own criteria for defining whether we are in love or not, and whilst not all people experience love as an emotion filled with passion and desire, most psychologist report that romantic love can be defined by several different components.

 

Being in love or experiencing romantic love involves feelings of strong attraction and sexual desire toward another person. So, what precisely does being ‘in love’ entail? According to research, being in love entails firstly being immersed within a culture that represents and accepts the notion of love, thus, love must be present within the culture. Secondly, being in love entails experiencing intense emotional arousal when in the presence of the person you love, and third, these feelings and emotions experienced must be assorted with the object of our affection, attached with fears that the relationship might end. Psychologist thus report that only if all of these conditions or components are present, then one can safely state that they are ‘in love’.

 

Despite the strength and the commanding nature affiliated with being in love, often we find ourselves falling in love rapidly, with many of us describing our relationships as ‘it was love at first sight’. So how do some of us fall in love so quickly? There are numerous theories available that attempt to explain how love is formed and why some people fall in love rapidly. Such theories examine love in the context of attachments formed with our parents as infants, others examine love within the concept of evolutionary theory whereby the reproductive successes of our species is dependent upon the desire for both men and women to engage in sexual intercourse; and both men and women sharing an interest in investing the time and effort to feed and protect their offspring.

 

Whilst an accurate explanation of love ceases to exist, research reveal that both early experiences and our genetic heritage play a part in our tendency to fall in love and form social relationships that sometimes lasts a lifetime. Unfortunately however, whilst some romantic relationships blossom into lifelong commitments, others slowly deteriorate.

 

So why do some relationships die whilst others prosper? Research indicates that a number of factors can lead to the decline of our relationships. Sexual jealousy plays an important role within relationships. If one or both partners experience intense sexual jealousy, then the relationship is in trouble. Discovering our partner over time can also lead to our relationship deteriorating. Upon the commencement of a relationship, we often know very little about our partner. We are filled with excitement and love becomes literally ‘blind’. As we become more aware of our partner’s flaws and idiosyncrasies, we can slowly realise that we are actually dissimilar, and as the passion subsides, such differences can lead to disastrous results.

 

Boredom has also been identified as problematic in relationships. As time passes by, some people may become emerged in the day to day routine of life, and thus begin to feel like they are stuck in a rut. Such feelings can lead people to feel that they are missing out on certain excitements in life, such as new partners. As a result, such reactions can have consequential results for relationships.

 

Lastly, as relationships continue over time, self defeating patterns of behaviour slowly emerge. Upon the commencement of relationships, we often express positive emotions and compliments towards our partner, however as time passes by, such positive remarks can transform into derogative and demeaning comments. Thus individuals, who begin by seeing their partner as perfect and constantly applying praise, often slowly adopt destructive and criticizing behaviours, resulting in unfortunate results.

 

Whilst some relationships do die, there are many that go on to last lifetimes. Couples who get married and remain together for a life time show patterns of behaviour that are more positive toward one another, and attempt to minimise the pitfalls listed above. Maintaining a relationship entails hard work and continuous effort. Couples, who remain together practice the art of compromise, express positive remarks and compliments to one another and take each other’s wishes into account on a daily basis. Whist this may appear to be hard work, the end result is priceless.


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The skinny Woman is Wearing Thin. August 24, 2008

Posted by Damon Taylor in Resources, Uncategorized, Weight loss.
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Women in today’s society will submit to the tyranny of slenderness in order to ensure that they are accepted withina culture that gives increasing significance to the images and representations of the ‘ideal’ woman. The image of a woman as being thin, seductive and youthful is one that is not only primarily utilised by mass media, but an image in which the female body is used like other commodities to construct fantasies of possession, power and desire.

 

Such images stream into our everyday life. Women are faced with such false representations on a daily basis, however despite the knowledge that such images fail to provide a true representation of the real woman, we still strive to shape and modify our bodies in order to conform to what is clearly an impossible ideal.

 

Getting married is an occasion that often highlights false representations of the ‘real’ woman. Given that we are in the ‘limelight’, we always want to make certain that we look our very best. We live in a world whereby body image is valued and central to being ‘accepted’ in contemporary society. Thus, for many of us, our wedding day can be extremely daunting when faced with the notion of being the centre of attention. We all know that all eyes on the day primarily rests upon the bride, thus, for the brides that feel a little self conscious about their body image, this attention can be extremely intimidating.

 

There are many groups and agencies that strive to market themselves in providing weight loss services. When organising our wedding, we are often inundated with such services who promise endless ‘secrets’ to weight loss and achieving the ‘perfect’ body. Whilst it may be tempting to embark upon these radical diets, exercise regimes and weight loss pills, loosing weight can be achieved by anyone who adopts simple learning principles.

 

Firstly, set realistic sights. Nobody can loose all their weight within one or two or even three weeks. Set yourself up for small wins, and remember that a little can go a long way. Psychologists report that overdoing it at the outset will actually punish your efforts, thus making it difficult to maintain your program.

 

Adopt the principle of shaping, rewarding yourself initially with modest rewards for successive approximations in the direction of your weight loss goals. Start with small steps, perhaps running for shorter distances and gradually increasing the distance.  When rewarding yourself, ensure that the reward does not contradict your goals. For instance, rewarding yourself with clothes, or going out to a movie is far better than rewarding yourself with a ‘treat’.

 

Write down your goals and the program which you will utilise. Specify the amount and intensity of exercise you will do and keep a progress chart. Often when we embark upon a diet and exercise program, we are consumed by the apparent ‘hard work’, and we become blind to our achievements. Documenting your progress allows you to see what you have achieved and to determine any downfalls or areas for improvements that you may not have been aware of. Furthermore, documenting your progress provides you with positive reinforcement in order to ensure that you keep up the efforts.

 

Ensure that your environment enhances stimulus control. For instance, meeting friends in an area surrounded by fast food restaurants does not allow for stimulus control. Chances are you will be tempted to join your friends for coffee and cake. Instead, arrange to meet at a park where you can catch up whilst walking around. Meeting friends or going places that are likely to occasion healthy responses will make it easier to maintain your program.

 

Lastly, take advantage of the principles of observational learning. If you have friends or family members who have traits and skills that you admire, then learn from them. If you have a friend that adopts the healthy lifestyle, by observing and emulating their behaviour, you can achieve your goals more efficiently.

 

Attaining the perfect figure is a difficult task, and lets face it, not all of us will acquire the ‘supermodel’ figure. We are all different and we all have different body types, however by adopting a healthy lifestyle, we can feel good about ourselves and the image we evoke.

 

Kiss the Bride for all your wedding needs


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The Wedding Squeeze July 24, 2008

Posted by Damon Taylor in Wedding Brokerage.
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For most men little thought goes into life after proposing to the woman he loves, let alone planning the wedding itself.  In fact if men knew how much time and effort was needed to plan a wedding, they might propose to elope instead.  Soon after the engagement, friends and family naturally ask when the wedding date is.  The tale of excitement begins and everyone wants to become involved and before the couple realize it, the wedding has begun to take on a life of its own.

Most women take a senior role in wedding planning while men tend to sit back, smile, nod and agree with things that they have no idea about.  Women buy bridal magazines and window shop for ideas, meanwhile the mental arithmetic is ticking over amongst the men and the horror of trading in the sports car to finance the wedding start to emerge.  Men begin to apply the brakes and the real discussions commence.  Even once the financial discussions are over and a shared understanding is reached between the couple of what the wedding may look like, the real planning is yet to come.  With the budget is set and the philosophical doctrines of religion and ceremony are out of the way, the task of organizing and preparing the myriad of intricate details set in.  The supply of wedding planners makes planning a wedding easier for the higher end of town.  Wedding directories assist in chasing down wedding providers which requires a lot of phone calls and back and forth emails.  In our current political climates more and more women are critical resources in the work place.  Time to make the wedding phone calls and write the emails are at a premium.  Hence the stress builds and the joy of planning a wedding suddenly loses its lustre. 

In the combat against spam, governments have introduced laws to prevent the proliferation of electronic choking of email inboxes.  Strangely is has opened up some new markets, including the wedding providers market.  Companies using email marketing are using an opt in form of advertising where consumers sign up for newsletters.  Real estate companies use email alerts to great effect to alert prospective buyers of new property listings.  In the same way, wedding providers are being sent email alerts of upcoming weddings from couples planning their own wedding.  Kiss the Bride is one such company that offers a free service for couples to send email alerts to wedding providers around the country in Australia.  Kiss the Bride is different from a wedding directory where couples laboriously search through a “yellow pages” style on line index.  Instead, couples simply leave their wedding details with Kiss the Bride via an online web form and wedding providers are sent alerts.  This means that busy women planning the own wedding can leave their details and wedding providers will contact them either by phone or email.  Effectively, responsibility to secure bookings is placed back on the wedding provider to provide competitive quotes for couples.  

Luckily for the men, planning a wedding doesn’t need to be complicated and stressful.  The blissful blind ignorance of a wedding proposal can now be limited with opt in email alert companies such as Kiss the Bride  to save time and the stress of planning a wedding.  For wedding providers, it’s a new market.  By law, many of them provide a privacy policy and an unsubscribe facility to terminate a subscription ending the annoying plethora of follow up emails. 

The future of the wedding market will be interesting.  With further companies such as Kiss the Bride emerging, wedding providers will need to be more and more transparent with their pricing since couples will have several offers on the table to choose from.  This will inevitably squeeze the market and present wedding consumers more leverage with their cash.


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