You are the star of your wedding but there are others that have an important role to play. One such role is that of the bridesmaids. They are usually chosen by the bride through some association with the bride or the bride’s family. To this end they are

In days gone by bridesmaids wore gowns that were as ostentatious and luxuriously embellished – just like the bride herself. In some cases the bridesmaids’ dresses were exact replicas of the bride’s dress. We don’t do things quite like that these days, but in older times this was all the rage, apparently to confuse would-be abductors! This was also the reason that there would be more than one bridesmaid.

The bride usually wears white and the current tradition is for the bridesmaids to retain the colorful dresses of days gone by, although more simply designed.

Bridesmaids play a part during the wedding ceremony itself but also in the pre-ceremony phase. They assist the bride in wedding preparations, help in the wedding shower, and participate in the shower program and games. They should also be involved in such things as assisting the bride when sending out the wedding invitations. They can record the names of the guests who have responded to the invitations and keep lists of the wedding gifts that have been sent. In this way, the correct “Thank You” notes can be sent afterwards. Inevitably, the bridesmaids should be available for the trips to wedding bazaars and establishments to help her choose dresses, accessories and other accoutrements.

Bridesmaids can also expect to attend and help out during wedding rehearsals and to assist in figuring out the wedding guests’ seating arrangements and writing out the name cards for the wedding reception tables. Also bridesmaids should consider the important task of “spreading word” about the bride and the groom’s wedding registry information.

Undoubtedly, the most important role that bridesmaids perform is being there is actually on the wedding day. This is when the bridesmaids could assist by arriving at church early and helping guests. Bridesmaids have a supporting role in weddings. However, most brides will tell you that their wedding couldn’t have gone as smoothly and as trouble-free as it did if they didn’t have reliable help from these bride’s hand maidens.

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Under the so-called ‘Doctrine of Similarities’, because some alleged aphrodisiacs resemble various parts of the human body, early man considered they have aphrodisiacal qualities too, such as mandrake which is man-shaped, while other substances resemble the penis (rhinoceros horn, celery, asparagus), or testicles.

One such herb, Ginseng, is one of the most widely accepted of all love potions, mainly because of its likeness to the human body. Formed like a little man, experts say in ancient times the plant was assumed to have mortal attributes.

As a potent aphrodisiac ginseng was mentioned in the ancient medical book of India, The Atherva Veda which states: “seed that is poured into the female that forsooth is the way to bring forth a son …. the strength of the horse, the mule, the goat and the ram, moreover, the strength of the bull (ginseng) bestows on him ….. This herb will make thee so full of lusty strength that thou shalt, when thou art excited, exhale heat as a thing on fire.”

In humans, there is marked evidence to suggest ginseng increases energy and reduces fatigue. Recent studies showed soldiers given ginseng ran faster for longer, while night-shift workers also worked longer without suffering tiredness.

Native Americans use the local variety as a treatment for nausea and vomiting, and as a potent love potion. They recommended it to early settlers who abandoned their man-made drugs in favor of plant medicines, and adopted ginseng as a powerful stimulant and aphrodisiac.

Ginseng comes in a variety of forms, from whole root to extracts and dried as powder or granules. Special teas can be purchased from health food suppliers and herbalists.

To make your own tea, take 3 oz of ginseng powder, add 1 oz of honey and 60 drops of wintergreen. Blend and add one teaspoonful of the mixture to a cupful of boiling water and take just before retiring.

Read more about love potions at: 1st-in-aphrodisiacs.com 1st-in-aphrodisiacs.com Avril Harper writes about numerous other subjects at avrilharper.com avrilharper.com

Below I’m going to layout for you a simple blueprint you can use to meet someone to love online, finding him or her through the Internet dating sites. As with any project — and love and dating are no different — you need to have a plan if you are going to succeed in your aims. Here is your 7 point plan.

1. Begin by doing some online surfing to check out what dating sites and services are out there that might potentially help you to meet someone special online. You may want to go for a dating category or a specialist service or you may prefer general dating, depending on your circumstances.

2. Look for and download any free ebooks about online dating and finding someone to love that you can discover (Hint: there is a link to one at the foot of this article). Read, read and read everything you can about online dating and meeting someone special through the Internet.

3. Join an Internet dating site. You can join one initially for free, try it out then purchase a subscription when you see that it should meet your needs in searching for someone special (Hint: don’t be tempted by the totally free sites; a paid subscription site is more likely to have the reach, safety measures and support staff that you will need — and why would you want to skimp on something so important?)

4. When you have taken out your subscription browse the personal ads and make a shortlist of potential ’special someones’.

5. Email those you believe have the potential to become someone special. Don’t be put off if they don’t reply (some people get lots of emails when using these services). Try to make your email stand out from the crowd, but always be yourself and be truthful at all times. If you still get ignored move on and try someone else.

6. Have interesting online conversations with a number of potential ’special someones’. Take your time, get to know them. Eventually decide on one or two to meet with. Meet them in a safe place in daylight where there are other people around.

7. Take it from there. Use your instincts, be wary until you get to know someone better. If the person you meet or date turns out not to be your special someone then move on and meet someone else.

If this all sounds very simple that is because, basically, it is. But it does need patience and commonsense, as well as a sense of humour. Combine these with persistence and you will, sooner or later, meet your special someone online.

To download a free ebook about online dating, love and relationships to help you along the way to finding your special someone go to

Your bridal shower food should be one of the first items considered when planning your event.
Location, number of guests, your theme, and especially your budget must be considered. Lets look at each of these.

Budget: Start with your budget, first. The bridal shower food is typically one of your greater expenses.

Location: If you are having it at a restaurant, you can plan for either a sit down meal, or a buffet. If you’re hosting the party at a private home, a buffet or snacks usually work well.

Number of guests: If you are having a small number of guests, it is feasible to have a sit down meal. A buffet or snacks will work better with a larger group.

Theme: Look to your theme for bridal shower menu choices. A tea party might have simple finger sandwiches and tea cakes, while a beach theme might have hamburgers and hot dogs.

Your bridal shower menu doesn’t have to be extravagant. You may find some ideas from the following suggestions.
Light snacks: pretzels, popcorn, chips and dip, a fruit plate

Brunch: Omelettes, pastries, fruit platter
Cold buffet: Cold cuts, cold salads (potato, seafood, macaroni), and fruit
Hot lunch: Chicken, rice, string bean casserole, and assorted rolls
Just dessert: It is perfectly fine to serve only the bridal shower cake and coffee. An assortment of cookies and pastries may also be used.

The best bridal shower food idea is to serve what you are comfortable with both financially, and personally.

© Copyright Trish Burrell, All Rights Reserved . This article may be reprinted, with all information, authors bio, and hyperlinks intact.

Bio:
Trish Burrell is founder of Bridal Shower Ideas For You. Visit this informational site on all areas of bridal shower planning, at bridal-shower-ideas-for-you.com bridal-shower-ideas-for-you.com.