New Hope Soap Blog

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

Whether you celebrate Easter of not, that #!@*(!# Easter bunny can be a serious threat to your dieting efforts. Perhaps you never have - or no longer - buy jelly beans to fill baskets (on behalf of that long-eared critter), but it’s just about impossible to pass a checkout counter this season without being tempted by an Easter treat. Whether it’s three chocolate eggs for a $1.00 - or a friendly baskets of jelly beans (“Help Yourself”) this particular holiday is right up there with the major high-calorie temptation holidays.

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

It seems like everyone is on some kind of diet these days - and no group is more diet conscious than a bridal party as they try to shed a few pounds to get ready for the big day!

If you have been charged with planning a bridal shower and you suspect that the majority of the guests will be unhappy with the usual heavy shower fare (bulky sandwiches, potato and pasta salads and trays of cookies), you may want to plan a non-traditional bridal shower.

Consider hosting a “Diet Friendly Shower.”

After first ascertaining that the bride’s feelings will not be hurt by the suggestion of a Diet Friendly Shower, you can make this a memorable, fun - and tasty - event.

You've made it through the difficult part of planning a wedding: meeting the future in-laws, deciding on a color scheme and staying on budget. Before you can say your "I do's" though, you will need to get your bridesmaid gifts. Around this time, you have probably used nearly all of the cash you have saved for your big day, but don't worry! We are your guides to the perfect gifts without the crack in the piggy bank.  

1. Skip the silver bracelets and stick with something fun and colorful like a honeycomb card case!  They are absolutely irresistible and come in nearly every color! At $24 a pop, you'll see why we love these buzz-worthy cases. (poketo.com)

2. For the working girl with flair, deco spheres are the perfect gift! Coming in at $35 each, you'll brighten your girls' days without loathing the price. (plantationdesign.com)

In the seas of wedding gifts that wedding couples are bound to get, how will yours stack up? Is it going to be ho-hum, run-of-the-mill and as-expected or will yours make a lasting impression? If you’re looking for ways to make a splash with your gift, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive, a little creativity may just do the trick. Here are some creative wedding gifts to consider:

Personalized Towels

What better way to remind the newlyweds of starting their lives together than personalized bath towels. Whether it’s embossed with a monogram or names or embellished with graphic or custom logo, personalized towels are thoughtful tokens that will be greatly appreciated.

Even though it may not get much use, it is still important to choose the right décor and accessories for your guest bathroom. In fact, personalizing and accessorizing a guest bathroom can actually be  a great deal of fun, not to mention the fact that it will make company feel more at home when using it. Here are some tips you can use to help make your guest bathroom extra special.

Place accessories on a wooden cart to make them readily accessible. Add colorful soaps to a glass jar, place toiletries in a wire basket, and then add a couple of candles or a vase full of flowers. Roll towels and place them on the top of the cart, or stick them inside a wicker basket on the back of the toilet.

As anyone who has ever been married can tell you, you want everything at the wedding to be perfect.  This means the venue; the decorations, invitations, catering, cake and everything else must be looked at time and time again to insure nothing goes wrong.  This is particularly true with your decision for the Wedding Entertainment.  Every wedding needs music, and there will always be the debate of which is better: a wedding DJ or house band.  Both offer their advantages and disadvantages, so it will be up to you to decide which is best for your special day.

From the day he asked you to marry him, you've probably had an idea of what colors you want your wedding to be.

1. Tiffany Blue

Even though your dream wedding may be Tiffany bluewith white accents, there are a few things to consider before selecting your colors.

First, where are you having your ceremony and reception? You may want your colors to be complemented by the venues so taking into account the colors already present is important.

2. Lavender

For example if your reception is in a lodge filled with moose heads, deep red walls and carpeting, your Lavender color scheme might not exactly match the decor already present. You should consider the lighting, carpets, and decor already in place.

3. Sand

If your church is ultra modern with big windows and a lot of light, Sand might not be a great color as it will look white.

Hiring a wedding videographer who will film your special day is just as important as hiring a caterer who will feed your guests, a photographer who will capture precious snapshots of you, and a DJ who will provide the music. But just like with the other important personnel that help to make your wedding day a success, it can be difficult to find the person who will get the videography job done right. Luckily, we have compiled a list of tips that will make the process much easier and less stressful!

1. Know your budget. For all wedding-related people and services you have to hire, making a choice that is in your financial reach is the most important tip. With a videographer, it's important to find the right balance between expensive and cheap so that you get quality videos to look back on and still have enough money to spend on other things.
   
   
2. Find someone near your venue. Choosing a videographer who lives close to your venue will allow them to steer clear of any traffic-, weather-, or time-related mishaps on the wedding day. You can rest assured that your videographer will be able to get there, and get there quick--without you having to constantly and anxiously check your watch.
   

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

When my eldest daughter got married a few years ago, I had it easy. She planned every detail of her wedding. I just had to show up as the beaming mother-of-the-bride. For my younger daughter: Well, not so much. I was assigned the role of finding the wedding photographer.

I learned several obvious, but basic facts about wedding photographers: Some are good/some awful; they can cost a fortune; and you have to shop around. Oh, and I also learned: DO NOT use your cousin’s son who took a photo class in high school and swears he’ll do a “good job.”

The Wedding Reception Dinner - Culinary Spectacle or Complete Disaster

So, wedding season is coming up and you're having the wedding caterer's dilemma--what is there going to be to eat, how is it going to look, and who is going to put it there? If this sounds like you, not to worry! New Hope Soap has got you covered with 10 top tips on how to find and hire the wedding caterer that's perfect for your upcoming big day.