New Hope Soap Blog

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

Personalized gifts make the most Unique Wedding Presents and are also deeply appreciated by any bride and groom. There are several things that you can do to help your next wedding couple remember your gift above all the others.

Put together a basket. Figure out the bride's color scheme in the new home (usually brides love to talk about future decorating plans so this should not be hard!), and start creating a basket with that theme.

Health and Fitness tips to get ready for the Wedding

Everyone wants to look their best on their wedding day. You will have these wedding pictures hanging the walls of your home and the homes of your parents and in-laws for all of the foreseeable future. You will forever be memorialized the way you look on this one day. It's too easy to stress out over your body. But here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Plan ahead. If you plan on losing weight, do it months before your wedding. There is nothing worse than realizing the day before that your wedding dress isn't going to fit. Make sure you have time to make the proper alterations. 

2. Focus on the face. Wedding dresses these days are incredibly flattering. Most of what people will focus on will be from the shoulders up. Make sure you are using the right face wash, exfoliates; face lotion, etc. for your skin type, and the right shampoo, conditioner, and product on your hair. Also do trial runs with several make-up options and hairstyles beforehand. 

You've found the groom, the venue, and your perfect wedding dress--but now don't forget to dress the ladies who will be standing by your side on the big day. Bridesmaid dresses can be tricky, and sometimes the prospect of picking out a dress that fits the wedding and your bridesmaids can be overwhelming. Don't panic: if follow the suggestions below, both you and your bridesmaids should be happy with the result.  

1. Be budget-minded

You can't expect your bridesmaids to break the bank on a dress that--let's be honest--they probably won't have an opportunity to wear again. When you're first going dress shopping, decide on a reasonable price per dress and stick to it. 

2. Stick to a timeline 

You should begin looking for your bridesmaid dresses six-to-eight months before the wedding. This leaves plenty of time for you to pick the perfect dress, have fittings, and get alterations done, and doesn't leave you stressing for time at the last minute. 

3. Complement your style

You don't want the bridesmaid dresses to clash with your dress--or even worse, overshadow your dress completely. You also want to keep in mind the colors, theme, and location of your wedding. A short, flashy dress may not fit seamlessly with a traditional church wedding, and a taffeta gown probably won't complement a boho beach wedding. 

Have you discovered Etsy yet! Originally started as a site to sell handmade arts and crafts items, it has grown to be so much more! Now Etsy is an online  shopping destination that is home to everything from best friend bracelets and infinity scarves to antique tea cups and colorful hobo bags, Etsy appears to have everything and anything you could ever want, while still staying true to its origins, lots of handcrafted products for sale by the artisans who so lovingly and artfully practice their crafts.

Let's face it - something happened and your woman wants absolutely nothing to do with you. The specifics don't matter at this point, you just need to find a way to make her smile and gain her confidence again. Sure you could apologize, but it won't hurt to put a little icing on that gesture. Here are 10 ideas that will get you out of the dog house with your woman.

1. Keeping it Traditional: There is no more natural way to say "I'm sorry," than picking up a beautiful bundle of flowers. Make sure you consider a bouquet containing her favorite blossom. Or if you want to show that you made an extra effort, take a stroll and pick some wild flowers while you think of how you will set the stage for you apology. 
2. Get Artistic: Maybe you have a knack for creativity and want your significant other to interpret your apology, you could consider pulling together a masterpiece. Paint her a picture that shows how much you care. Write a poem that expresses how much she really means to you. For those who are less creative, pull together a playlist that defines your love - don't forget to pick a song that says you truly are apologetic.
   
   

Resources that could make your wedding planning less stressful and more productive!

Ah, weddings!  Love and romance fills the air while dreams of a future together occupy the heart and mind.  The wedding plans themselves, however; can frustrate and sap the energy of even the most excited bride-to-be.  To keep you from biting your nails over the plethora of decisions that must be made, take a look at these wedding planning resources created for helping a bride plan her own wedding.

Staying within your budget is important

This should be the first thing to consider.  From choosing the venue to bridesmaid’s gifts, before you know it, you’ve over-spent your wedding allowance.  See Bridal Guide, The Simple Dollar, and The Knot, for budget-friendly advice.

Organizee your ideas

To keep your ideas together, especially if you are playing around with more than one theme idea, a wedding journal comes in handy.  Zazzle offers an array of notebooks just for the occasion that range in price from $5 to $50 with a variety of subject and design options.  Of course, if you’re a super-organizer, any pad of paper will do.  For the computer savvy, there are web sites that offer online planning software to organize your thoughts and ideas.  The Knot offers iPhone apps such as a planning checklist, wedding budgeter, and guest list manager, as well as personalized wedding websites to help organize details and showcase your ideas to family and friends.

Almost anything can be used as a wedding favor, as long as it's heart-shaped, or you tie a cute saying to it, or label it with "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, August 2014," or whatever you want to say about your wedding day. Here are 100 wacky and fun wedding favor ideas that people have actually used! Check out this Pinterest Pin Board.

Wedding Favors - Hygiene

1. Nail files
2. Chap stick
3. Sunscreen
4. Lotion
5. Wet wipes
6. Hand soap
7. Shaped soap
8. Hand sanitizer

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

What is it about “I’m going on vacation” that becomes “I’m on vacation, I’m going to eat what I want.” Why do we go on vacation? To get away, relax and refresh, change of scenery. Most people do not set out on vacation thinking “I plan to gain 10 pounds this week” (cruise ships not withstanding!)

Just because you’re sitting on the beach or looking at the mountains, it doesn’t mean that you should throw out your diet commitment and eat everything in sight. But a lot of people do that- they struggle for a year to lose 20 pounds and blow it all in a week of eating abandon.

Almost anything can be used as a wedding favor, as long as it's heart-shaped, or you tie a cute saying to it, or label it with "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, August 2014," or whatever you want to say about your wedding day. Here are 51 wacky and fun wedding favor ideas that people have actually used! Check out this Pinterest Pin Board with examples of all 51 wedding favor ideas!

Wedding Favor Ideas - Food

1. Mints
2. Cookies
3. Candy
4. Honey jars
5. Tea bags
6. Goodie Bags
7. Fortune cookie
8. Mini M&M tubes
9. Cocktail mix
10. Hot chocolate mix, lemonade mix, cider mix, etc.
11. Gum
12. Bottles of olive oil, barbecue sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, etc. maple syrup

Wedding Favor Ideas - Decor

1. Asian fan
2. Votive candle in fun shapes
3. Electric candle
4. Magnets
5. Candle holders
6. Tree ornaments
7. Photo frame