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If you and your fiancé just got engaged, you’re surely excited about your big day. Planning a wedding is a momentous event in the life of a couple. One excellent wedding location is the Philippines. Each year, several foreigners go to the Phillippines to marry their fiancé.

Wedding Preparation and Expenses

Keeping costs down to a minimum is a real challenge. Every bride and groom has to consider a lot of expenses. These include the ceremony and reception venues, wedding dress and clothes, invitations, food, guests, bridal car, souvenirs, and a whole host of things you need to spend on. If you’re not careful, your budget might blow out of proportion without even realizing it.

The most challenging and stressful part is the wedding cost, especially if your finances are limited. The truth is, Philippine weddings are big and festive. It’s a grand time for families to celebrate and witness the union of two people in love.

Philippine weddings are an expensive affair, and most have forked out around 21,000 to more than 100,000 pesos.

Budget-friendly Wedding Ideas

While there’s so much you want to achieve on your special day, you can still save money by being smart. One way to go is to find the best yet affordable wedding venue around or near the city. Better if you can have a venue to hold both your ceremony and reception. Also, keep your guest count at a minimum. Just the presence of your family members, godparents, relatives, and closest friends are already enough. There are also bridal fairs that you can attend where you can score discounts and freebies from wedding suppliers. You can even make your wedding invitations.

Agree with your partner about which expenses you can do without. For instance, you can use your car as a bridal car or book a Grab car service. Another way to lessen your wedding cost is to have a wedding during off-peak seasons. Peak wedding months in the Philippines are January, February, June, and December. Better choose less busy months when costs are lower. Don’t forget your family and friends who are willing to help you with the preparations and even on the day itself.

Lastly, the most budget-friendly and practical wedding choice is to have a civil wedding. This will only cost around 5,000 to 10,000 pesos.

Dream Weddings in the Philippines

No matter how much your budget is, you will surely have the best wedding in the Philippines. With some budgeting tips, you can achieve your dream wedding without emptying your bank account. While it might be tempting to shed out additional money for this once-in-a-lifetime-event, don’t splurge too much. Remember that you’ll be starting your family soon. See this phase as a practice ground on how you can save money. It’s not a wise move to waste all your hard-earned money on just one day. The key is to set realistic expectations and get creative when maximizing your budget.

Having your wedding in this country proves that the road to forever doesn’t come with a hefty price tag. The last thing you want to happen is to start your married life drowned in debt.

The decade is almost over, which for some people means it’s time for a change. Whether that’s in your personal life or goals, the closing of one year and beginning of the other can have you hankering for a fresh start.

Others, though, focus on home-related resolutions. After all, what better way to ring in the New Year and the new decade than by redecorating your space? And while it’s tempting to do a large-scale renovation project, you may not have enough time, money, and professional skills to pull it off.

Fortunately, this New Year, you don’t have to stare at the same bland walls and walk by the same framed pictures you’ve had since the start of the decade. The list of quick and inexpensive makeovers below is guaranteed to have a big impact on the look of your home.

1. Deck the Walls

Forget repainting your entire wall or putting up new wallpaper; one of the most effortless changes you can make in any room is the addition of wall art. Replace your years-old wedding photo with a triptych photograph of your favorite city’s skyline. Breathe fresh life into a space by pairing a timeless work of art with a piece by a contemporary painter. You can even go a step farther and install 3-D wall art made from readily-available items inside your home.

2. Replace Ragged Rugs

Area rugs are to your floors as paintings are to your wall: they’re creative pieces that can instantly transform an otherwise boring surface. However, because they’re usually in high-traffic areas like the living room, they can look ragged after a while. Instead of simply cleaning your old area rugs up, why not replace them with handmade rugs that look more modern? It’s a quick and easy trick that can immediately change how a room looks.

3. Throw in Some Throw Pillows

Picture a plain-colored couch sitting against a plain-colored wall. Now, imagine that couch again but now with a bunch of bold-colored throw pillows. Makes a world of difference, right? Throw pillows add color and texture to any room. In addition, they can be the finishing touches that pull together the look and aesthetic of a room. Just make sure to choose pillows with colors that match other accents in the room to create a cohesive look.

4. Let There Be Light

The look and mood of a room bathed in white overhead lighting are vastly different from those of a room lit by the muted orange glow of a desk lamp. That is why you should consider changing up your lighting scheme.

Lamps are especially great at bringing softer, more focused lighting to a room while also adding an element of style. You also have the option of using scented candles, not only to set a more romantic mood but also if you want to make your room smell like your favorite scent.

These minor makeovers show that you don’t have to invest too much time, money, or effort to transform your living space. With a few bucks and a dash of creativity, these tiny changes can make your interiors look and feel new.

Most people seem to assume that all gay people are extroverts. They always seem to be the life of the party, and the ones in your group of friends who always have a hilarious joke to tell. However, not all gay people are extroverts, and for most introverted ones, dating can be pretty tricky.

This is the reason why today, we will discuss how you can date as a gay introvert. From joining a London gay elite dating website to knowing the right dating etiquette, we got you covered.

Don’t Fake It

Never try to mask your personality and try to come off as an extrovert when you’re really not. This will seem totally fake, and your date will notice sooner or later. Always let your real personality shine through, and if they like it, then good. If not, then that is their loss.

You must remember that there is nothing wrong with being an introvert, and you should always be proud of who you are and what your real personality is.

Make It Simple

Don’t make your date too complicated, especially if it’s your first one. You should keep things simple. For instance, you can have dinner or watch a movie. Don’t go too far by inviting them to go hiking or rock climbing, especially if extreme sports and adventure are not your passion.

Know what your prospect wants in advance and make sure that they will be comfortable with the date that you are preparing. If you’re going to surprise them, then make sure to ask them some questions beforehand so that you can be sure that they will like the surprise.

Decide Whom You’d Like to Date

You might like dating introverts like yourself, or you might want to go for someone who’s got the opposite personality. Whatever it is, make sure that you’ve figured it out before going out with a guy.

Some introverts simply love dating like-minded people as they get along pretty well. On the other hand, some want to date extroverts so that they can have someone else do the work.

Don’t Be Scared to Go Out There

If you are having a hard time finding the right guy for you, then go ahead and let the guys in your area know that you are available. There is ultimately nothing wrong with signing up for online dating or matchmaking websites, as this has become quite the norm nowadays.

There are lots of success stories when it comes to online dating, and who knows, you might even meet the love of your life here! Just make sure that you are joining a legitimate and well-known website so that you will not be scammed.

Dating doesn’t have to be difficult for introverts. As long as you know what you like and what you need to do, then you are good to go. Don’t waste your time waiting for the right guy to come and sweep you off your feet; do something about it today and meet the love of your life!

You might think that an anniversary is just another reason to give your partner a gift or take them out for dinner, but isn’t it what you’ve been doing on a regular date all this time? Should anniversaries be any different? Of course. The importance of anniversaries isn’t only limited to gifts and greeting cards. In fact, there’s so much more to it than you think, especially for your relationship.

Celebrating your wedding anniversary

An anniversary is an exceptional time for every couple to reimagine everything that happened during their wedding day. It’s that time of the year when they can look back at how everything transpired and how happy they were to celebrate their union. Maybe some funny instances happened during the wedding that the couple might recall.

An anniversary should be a celebration of two people committing to spending a lifetime together. It’s a celebration of their new life as a couple and how they will develop the family that they’ve always wanted. It’s also a time for families to bond with one another and get to know each other, too.

Meanwhile, other couples look at anniversaries as the time to assess their relationship. It’s also when you ask the importance of marriage and how you plan on spending more years together. But, with all these things in mind, how can you ensure that your upcoming wedding anniversary will be something worth remembering?

Planning a wedding anniversary

When a couple has been together for quite some time, the value of anniversaries often gets forgotten. Knowing the importance of anniversaries, it’s about time to change your perception about it. Let these ideas inspire you to plan something that your partner will surely find memorable:

• One way to get back to your roots as a couple is by planning a vacation. Although preparing for one can be expensive, you can always set up a simple getaway trip over the weekend to make things more exceptional.
• You can consider celebrating your anniversary with your family and friends, too. Get a list of all the catering companies in Abu Dhabi and choose which one can turn your ideas into reality and execute them well. Spending time with your entire family can help you get connected with everyone.
• Another way to get everyone involved is by making an anniversary scavenger hunt party with your kids. You can create a fun map and encourage everyone to join. Take your kids where you went out during your first date or even where you proposed to your partner. It can be a fun activity for everyone, especially your children. It’s also a great way of showing your kids how you value your relationship with your partner.

A wedding anniversary shouldn’t be mundane or expensive. All you need is a little bit of creativity to make it something worth remembering. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on your celebration. What matters is that you’re still together as a couple and are spending quality time together. So, try to be creative and think of ways to make this coming anniversary a time to remember.

Some people say that love will come when you least expect it. But, in this digital age, this thinking seems to be debunked by most individuals. So, you want to connect with someone on a passionate level, don’t you? Professional matchmaking service in Washington DC and other locations can lead you to the right path to finding Mr. or Ms. Right. This is a practical way to figure some things out before deciding to marry the person.

According to some, when you stop looking, it will find you. But what if the wait takes forever? When you’re looking for a modern romance, you cannot just be passive when it comes to finding love if it’s your priority in life. Here are some reasons matchmaker companies will shed light on the dark path of yours in finding the right partner in life.

No More Passive Swiping

People these days are so busy. You might have experienced passive swiping to look for a date. But you suddenly get disappointed because the person is nothing like the photos. Sometimes, swiping left and right will consume the time of your life, but you still can’t even get the date you want.

If you find the right matchmaker company, the job of doing all the vetting for you will be accomplished. They can do the background check and social media check for you. The company can also conduct an intensive interview before you meet a match for drinks.

Don’t Let Your Regular Activities Confuse You

You’re 20 now. In fact, you’re in legal age to start familiarizing yourself with the person who you believe will be with you for the rest of your life. But there can be too many distractions while finding the future dad or mom of your children. You have lots of friends inviting you to unwind every weekend. You’re a health-conscious individual. That’s why you need to attend your sessions when you’re no longer doing your office tasks.

If you really want to date and you think that it is impossible to happen, you need to allocate time to experience it. A date can be extraordinary, and you don’t expect it to happen every day of your life. You can always go back to your routines, but finding the perfect partner is not something you can’t typically find and grab at the supermarket.

Be Less Meticulous

Here’s a piece of advice for you to enjoy your date. Go into it with an air of entertainment and lightness. Think of it as a vacation that you have been craving for after stressful office work. Being an open-minded person is an edge. It lets you enter the gateway to know the person better.

Finding nothing but unhappiness may lead you to remain single for the rest of your life. If you can’t find the right soon-to-be-partner who fits the bill for you, find an effective matchmaker. There’s a guarantee that you’ll get the closest to matching your expectations. Be less meticulous on a date. Nobody’s perfect, and pretty sure, you’ll find something on the person you’re dating with that might make you feel contented while raising your children together.

Today, the process of finding love has changed. Dating apps are readily available to get a date. But the help of professional matchmakers will give you a better chance of finding the life-long commitment that you desire.

Fancy a real English wedding? Just make sure you get all the details right. You can, of course, get the help of expert event-planning services in London. But it’s still helpful to know the basics:

1. Entourage

Who makes up the couple’s entourage? The bride will have her bridesmaids, although she’ll have a chief bridesmaid. She will serve as the bride’s personal assistant from the wedding planning down to the ceremony and the reception. It’s also her responsibility to organize the hen night (or the bridal shower in the United States), as well as the decorum and duties of the rest of the bridesmaids.

The bridesmaids are usually single women of marrying age, but it’s no longer unusual for brides to pick married women as well. If one of them becomes a chief bridesmaid, she is then called a matron of honor.

The groom doesn’t have “groomsmen.” Instead, he has ushers, whose job is to guide guests all throughout the wedding day, including the reception. Couples can also include flower girls and page boys, who will carry the bride’s wedding dress train and sometimes bring wedding bands.

2. Processional

In contemporary weddings in the UK (and even elsewhere), the bride walks last. In fact, this is often a dramatic moment: Once the last of the entourage has reached the altar, the door closes. The bridal song plays in the background and, in slow motion, the door opens, revealing the bride in all her glory.

In a traditional English wedding, however, the bride often matches first than the bridesmaids, pageboys, and flower girls. She can walk all by herself or take the right arm of her father while the other hand holds the bouquet.

3. Invited Guests

Your wedding, your rules, especially when it comes to who gets to experience it among your family and friends. As a couple, you can list down criteria as to who will make the cut.

Note, though, that in the UK, you can have A-listers and B-listers. The A-listers are those who can attend both the ceremony and the reception. The B-listers can be invited to the reception only or to a separate party after the wedding.

Wedding experts suggest being specific with some details in your wedding invitations. For example, you can tell parents not to bring their kids during the wedding or not everyone can have plus-ones.

To give yourself a better headcount on the number of attendees, send your wedding invitations at least four months before the wedding date. This will give enough time for the guests to confirm their attendance.

4. Marriage Banns

A traditional English wedding usually happens in a church, and if you plan to do it, then you need to secure marriage banns. These are announcements made by the church to different parishes about your upcoming marriage. The purpose is to give parties concerned sufficient time to object to the union (if there’s a need to do so). The church announces the banns for three straight Sundays at least three months before your wedding date.

Traditional English weddings are not only charming but are also elegant and timeless. These types of information should further make them more memorable for you.

As the days grow shorter, and the air gets chillier, you can tell another winter is almost upon us.

Whether you live in the tundras of the Midwest or the desert of the West, winter has its own share of challenges to your driving — from freezing car seats to the roads coated with black ice. You need to fit your vehicle with a few upgrades to roll through the season.

Seat covers

Seat covers protect your car’s upholstery from any stains that you or your passengers may track inside. When the seat covers get wet or too dirty, you can easily uninstall them and clean them with soap and water or toss them into the washing machine.

They get rid of the discomfort of sliding onto a freezing, stiff leather car seat during winter. Seat covers come in a wide range of materials, from canvas covers to nylon bonds. Some of the most popular seat cover brands are Saddleman, CalTrend and Seat Designs.

Brakes

You can’t put a price on peace of mind. And, as visibility worsens and the roads get slick with ice, what greater peace of mind is there than the reassurance that your brakes are in the best condition?

Your tires rolling on slippery roads cause your brakes to work less effectively. These driving conditions can cause cracks on your brake pads, which will give way for water, dirt, and cold air to find their way to the brake lines and impair your brakes. Cold air will freeze the breaklines, creating grinding and squeaking noises when you step on the brake pedal.

To upgrade your brakes for the season, get brake pads and rotors that are more durable. For one, semi-metallic brake pads are known for their heat resistance, durability, and stopping power, and can perform over a wide range of temperatures. If you prefer brake pads that are more comfortable and have a longer lifespan, go for ceramic brake kits, such as those manufactured by Power Stop Z23 and TruXP.

Lights

Visibility is one of the biggest problems you face on the winter road. You never know when you might need an extra candlepower to safely make your way home. Blaze through intense blizzards by stocking up on and upgrading your vehicle’s lights with the most powerful options on the market. 

Equip your car with LED light bars, fog lights, and off-road lights. Lights from most brands, including Spyder fog lights, Anzo off-road lights, and Rigid Industries light bars, are designed for simple installation, and have watertight seals and high-powered radiance for the long nights and dim days ahead of you this season.

Winter accessories

Outfit your ride with hibernal driving accessories, such as snow chains, grille covers, and tailgate salt spreaders that insulate and keep the front-end of your car from freezing over. You can also get snow plows that are waterproof and UV-coated covers, with rubber, steel or urethane cutting edge or snow deflector of your choice. Search for trusted brands like HomePlow, Meyer, or SnowBear when selecting your car’s season-specific accessory.

Winter can be the most challenging season for you, and the same goes for your car. So just as you suit up to get through the cold, you should do the same for your ride. Most of the upgrades you will be fitting your car with are useful all-year round anyway, so all of these are worthy investments to make your vehicle more than roadworthy to navigate through the coldest time of the year.

You’re looking for a sparkling wine to serve your guests, but you cannot afford Champagne for the throng. It’s fine. You don’t have to get the exclusive product of France’s Champagne region. There is a perfectly good alternative if you are willing to take a change in Italy.

Take our word for it. You won’t regret purchasing a cask of this bubbly vintage from a nearby wine gift delivery shop here in the UK.

The Italian method

Every bottle of Champagne is the result of the stringent and traditional méthode Champenoise. Meanwhile, every bottle of Prosecco is produced using the Charmat or Italian method. The alternative we are proposing is Prosecco, the pride and joy of Italy.

Prosecco is made in steel tanks instead of in bottles as employed in the traditional method. It’s affordable, delicious, and guaranteed to bring your party to life. How can we describe Prosecco? Let’s count the ways.

Bubbly

Sparkling wine should be bubbly. You don’t have to worry about that. Prosecco is clean, easy to drink, and looks great on the glass when you’re ready to make a toast to the guest of honour. The popularity of the wine has been increasing steadily for the past five years, especially among young professionals.

From its humble origins in Italy, Prosecco has spread across Europe and crossed the Atlantic to be the toast of North America. In fact, it is the most purchased white sparkling wine in the world today. To say that you’re running behind the pack is an understatement.

If you’re ready to invest in a proper bubbly wine to get the party started, then Prosecco is the keyword you’re looking for.

Versatile

It doesn’t require much analysis to associate the wine’s versatility to its popularity. Prosecco pairs well as an aperitif, but it can also be an excellent accompaniment for a delicate dessert. Your exquisite main course would love to have Prosecco as a companion since the wine does not discriminate between red meat and white meat.

It’s a great palate cleanser between a course of seafood and other protein staples. You don’t have to worry if it goes well with spicy Indian or Southeast Asian menus. Its versatility knows no bound. Its ability to pair well with a wide range of cuisine could explain its current dominance in the market.

Make the most of the opportunity. You won’t have trouble finding a good quality yet affordable Prosecco in town.

Light and sweet

Prosecco has a light-yellow colour. When you drink it, you experience its smooth journey inside the mouth. Swallow and a slightly bitter and fruity aftertaste lingers. Although Prosecco is generally considered sweet, there is a range of sweetness, which is determined by the sugar content.

The dryness of the wine is a function of its sugar content as well.

When you open a bottle of Prosecco for the first time, you will get a hint of citrus and spring flowers. Pour it into a glass, and you’ll smell the scent of pears and green apples. The liveliness of the wine’s aroma is a perfect complement to a wide range of dishes.

You’d think that by this time, in the age of rapid technological development, we would have found a way to produce cosmetic and skincare products that do not need to be tested on animals. But, no. According to Cruelty Free International, more than 115 million animals worldwide are being subjected to cruel testing and procedures each year. Thankfully, there are many brands that remain cruelty-free, including Kedma Cosmetics in the Philippines. These brands source their ingredients naturally, and they test their products using modern technology such as human-reconstructed skin (EPISKIN, EpiDerm, and SkinEthic).

These cruel animal tests look for skin allergies and eye irritation. To produce results, scientists rub chemicals onto the shaved skin of the animals or dripped into their eyes. The tests may also include force-feeding the animals with these chemicals for weeks to see a “valid” effect on their health. Scientists will look for general illnesses and specific health hazards. However, these tests cause massive pain and distress to the animals, including swollen eyes, blindness, bleeding skin, internal bleeding, organ damage, convulsions, birth defects, and in many cases, death.

Animal Testing Is Not Even Reliable

Animal testing on cosmetic and makeup products are not even that effective anymore. In ancient times, during the second and fourth centuries BCE, even popular theorists and philosophers such as Aristotle tested experiments on living animals. This has become a trend and a key aspect of scientific research and development throughout the 19th century.

But today, studies have shown that animal testing isn’t reliable at all. A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) pointed out the flaws in animal testing. The study shows that humans and animals have differences in physiology and genetics. What does not harm animals may be harmful to humans, and vice versa. These differences can cause more harm than good because the results of the experiments are misleading.

There Are Over 7,000 Available Safe Ingredients

When cosmetic brands say that they use new and innovative ingredients for their products, you may have to check how they tested these ingredients. There are over 7,000 safe ingredients for cosmetic and skincare products. These have already been tested and proven to be safe for humans. They don’t need to be tested on animals. Thus, why do brands continue to seek animal testing? Because they want to be ahead of the game and gain more profit.

Animal Testing Is Unnecessary and Unethical

The world doesn’t need eyeliner, lipstick, blush, eye shadow, and foundation to survive. Humans can continue living without using chemical-based cosmetic products. The use of animal testing to produce chemical makeup and skincare products is unnecessary, unethical, selfish, and cruel. Millions of animals die each year just for the gunk you put on your face. Imagine that.

While there is nothing wrong with wanting to look good and taking care of your physical appearance by using skincare and cosmetic products, there is a greater need to be responsible consumers. Choose only brands that do not engage in animal testing their products. Not only are these products manufactured ethically. They are also safer for human skin and body.