Marriage Advice for newly Weds

1. If your goal is to have a satisfying marriage with longevity, make sure you are accountable for the part you play in the relationship—good or bad. When you are in denial about your part in the relationship then you are no better than a child flinging sand at another child in a sandbox. When you take responsibility for your part in the marriage, only then will you be able to connect with your partner in a mature, intimate way.

2. Research consistently shows that touching more creates a stronger bond by releasing oxytocin. Hold hands, rub shoulders, hug, kiss, give high-fives or even fist-bumps or bottom pats. When you give a quick hug or kiss, try to lengthen it to at least 5 or 10 seconds for more effective results!
3. Learn how to agree to disagree. No two people agree on everything, and that's okay, but it's important to be okay with each other's differences.
4. Sometimes it's not about the amount of money you spend on a gift, it's about the thought that goes into something. Take the time to write a thoughtful note every so often saying what you love and appreciate about him/her. Drop it in his/her briefcase or purse so he/she will find it unexpectedly and it will brighten up his/her day.
5. For men, it's important to understand that women want to be listened to. Men don't need to solve or fix everything; listening itself is an exceptional gift. For women, it's important to understand that men need time for themselves. By giving him space to pull away and not taking it personally, you allow him to reconnect with his desire for you and his commitment to the relationship.

6. The biggest waste of effort in a marriage is trying to change your spouse, since the problems you have with your spouse are generally problems you have in yourself. When you try to change your spouse you come across as a nag and wind up sending the message that 'who you are is not enough.' Nobody likes getting that message, and it leads to distance and polarization. Let your spouse be who he or she is and focus on changing yourself.

7. See problems—boredom in the bedroom, lack of conversations, resentment—as symptoms and treat those symptoms just as you would treat a chronic illness that seemingly has no cure. Throw at it every possible remedy you've got, no matter how alternative or weird it seems. Chances are one or more of them will actually work and your marriage will get stronger and stronger.
8. Next time you argue with your partner, drop the shaming, blaming, needing to be right, and really listen without interrupting. Then communicate how you feel, using "I" statements. It's not your partner's job to read your mind, guess what you're thinking, or put words into your mouth. These are huge obstacles to open, honest communication and will guarantee resentment, anger, and frustration in the relationship.
9. In order to strengthen your marriage, learn to recognize that most arguments have shared responsibility, that both people have valid points and valid reasons for their feelings.- Kathy Morelli, LPC
10. Fair is not a four letter word. You may have forgotten about fairness, but now's the time to bring it back into your relationship. Are you both being fair when it comes to divvying up chores, communicating your needs, expressing dissatisfaction, dealing with finances, parenting, and supporting one another? If not, how can you improve and bring fairness back to the relationship?

 

Make Up Tips for Your Wedding Day

 

Consider Climate Before Applying Makeup

For brides getting married in warmer climates, consider using as many oil-free products as possible — primer, moisturizer, foundation, etc. — and keeping oil-free blotting sheets on hand.

Play Up Your Makeup for Photos

"The camera will blow you out in photos. Put on a little more makeup than you would apply normally, more than you think you need, since the camera and lights will tone down your makeup."

If you're doing your own makeup: Practice and take pictures before the big day. Start with less, because it's easier to add more if you need it than having to remove excess makeup, which can get messy.

Use a Primer

"you want to make sure you cleanse and really moisturize the skin before you start applying your makeup. Then, after you moisturize and before you put on your foundation, there's a really important step — primer. It'll make your makeup go on smoother and last a lot longer. You're going to have a long day ahead of you, and you want your makeup to last you all day and all night."

Always Apply Your Foundation with a Sponge or Brush

Certain foundations work better with a sponge or brush, but definitely use either one or the other — never your fingers. The less you can touch your face, the better. (Bacteria, dirt, etc., can be left behind.) Your fingers can also leave behind fingerprints, so the look isn't as smooth and finished-looking. If you use a sponge, apply foundation by stippling the sponge, not swiping it across the skin. This gives your foundation a more natural look, and blends it more evenly into the skin.

Put on Concealer After Your Foundation

Your moisturizer, primer, and foundation are already going to even out skin and cover imperfections, so doing it before your foundation could leave you looking cakey with too much product. She also notes that it's important to use a different kind of concealer for your eyes than for your face. It should be something very creamy and emollient — not necessarily oil-free, like you'll use on your face — so it doesn't get dry and cakey throughout the day, You also want to use something peach-based so it contrasts the blue and purple tones of your eyelid.

Use Different Concealers

Your concealer choice depends on what you're covering. If it's a blemish, red spot, or broken capillaries, use an oil-free, pigmented, thicker concealer with hints of yellow, For under your eyes, you want to use something with a little more peach in it to cover and contrast the blues and purples. It should be something emollient and creamy because there are no oil glands there. Sometimes you'll see women with dry, cakey concealer under eyes; their concealer is either oil-free or they have too much on. Make sure to use a brush to apply your concealer so you can really pinpoint the spot. Press gently and melt it into skin. Start thin — you can always add more.

Primer for Eye Shadow

Using an eye shadow primer ensures smudge-free makeup, a must when you're wearing all white.

Types of Wedding Dresses for Different Body Frames

There are various kinds of wedding dresses, and picking the right wedding dress is really essential as your choice can make or mar your figure. It's all in proper selection, so you don't end up looking like a ball of onions on your special day. First off, every bride should know her body type, it's highly essential…you should know where you want to highlight and hide equally. Just like a drawing, every little detail matters, and you want to be the most comfortable on your big day don't you? Now there are different aspects to a wedding dress, the SILHOUETTE, NECKLINE, SLEEVES, BODICE, LENGTH, TRAIN and VEIL. So for starters we'll talk about the "silhouette"! 

SILHOUETTE 

Firstly you'll ask what a ‘silhouette’ is. This is in simple terms ' a drawing consisting of the outline of something'. So in wedding dresses the silhouette is the outlined frame of the dress. Now that is established there are various silhouettes. We have A-LINE, BALL GOWN, MERMAID, EMPIRE and SHEATH. These are the major types. There are also others like TRUMPET, MINI and TEA-LENGTH.

A-LINE

Just like the letter ‘A’, an a-lined gown flows from top to bottom gradually. There are no cuts in between and no marked waistline. It flows from the shoulder down to the floor gracefully. This gown is the best for people trying to hide their weight in the middle section of their body.  

 

BALL GOWN 

This is just typically the 'Cinderella' inspired gown. It is a very fairy tale inspired look and very formal too. It’s good for most body frames. Although For most people who are trying to hide big thighs and hips as well as those with the pear figure this is the best option for them as it hides the lower body.  Also for the 'one carrot a day' figure (skinny) this will not be the best dress as you might look overwhelming in it.

 

 

MERMAID

This is a very sexy silhouette. As the name implies, is if very fitting from the shoulder down before it begins to flow around the knee. It's is safe and a good choice for those who are very confident on their body frames, have hour glass figures and slender frames. It is not ideal for big framed people or those with the apple figure. 

 

 

EMPIRE

This is the silhouette with a high waist line about right under the bust, with the flowing from there falling on the hips down to the ground. It is a very subtle and romantic look, great for most body frames as well but particularly good for those with small bust. 

 

SHEATH

This is that silhouette that is rather straight. It is a petit frame that flows straight down along the body lines to the floor. It is best for slim brides or brides with a flattering figure. Also it tends to elongate your frame so it could work for short brides but it doesn't have room for body flaws so its not advisable for a pear figured or plus sized bride. 

 

Having said these, it should go a long way in helping you find the right silhouette for your body frame. I'll give you time to process. Get ready for Vol.2 of types of wedding dresses to fit your body frame. 

 

 

Ofunneka A

 

 

 

Going Bespoke

 

You might want to consider the bespoke way for your suit and that of your Grooms Men. Now What exactly is a Bespoke Suit? What goes into it? Well, here is the Oxford dictionary definition of Bespoke:

bespoke

Syllabification: (be·spoke)

Pronunciation: /biˈspōk/

Definition of bespoke

·                                

past of bespeak.

adjective

[attributive] chiefly British

·                                 (of goods, especially clothing) made to order:a bespoke suit

·                                 (of a trader) creating made-to-order goods:bespoke tailors

It is a fairly broad term and in the strictest sense is the English equivalent to what would be called a custom suit in the U.S.A.

 

Its also a rather trendy word now that tailors in the U.S, Italy, U.K and even Nigeria like to use more and more. Starting from the Savile Row tailors it has caught on globally with a lot of people picking the Bespoke option over the ready made designer suits.  Nowadays, strictly speaking, any kind of “custom” or “made to measure suit”, made in a factory from stock patterns with little handwork could be described as a Bespoke suit and it often is.

With Bespoke Suits, you can achieve high standards and highly custom specifications that you might not get on the rack of your designer shop.

Some top Bespoke Tailors in Nigeria are Taryor Gabriels, Okunoren Twins, Akehinde Michael, and Hunt Couture among others.

Rivini Bridal Collection 2014

 Here are beautiful wedding Dresses by Rivini in his 2014 Bridal Collection...

Bride's Maids Pick: All White or Pink

 Why not go bright and beautiful for your Bride's Maids and have them wear Pink or go all white with you. Which would you choose?

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