AMA Travel specialists alone booked 150 destination weddings which included traveling groups for up to 80 people.

According to Andrew Hopkyns, business director of development for AMA Travel, the main reason for this trend is the cost. He said that marriages aren’t affected by economic crises. People fall in love ang get married regardless of the economic status, but a wedding in Calgary in the month of June is very expensive. That is why most couples opt to have their weddings someplace else.

Travel Cuts office manager, Danielle Bruce, concurred to what Hopkyns said, citing that the cost is usually the deciding factor on where couples conduct their nuptials.

According to Bruce, when engaged couples plan their wedding venues, budgets, and guests, they often think about destination weddings. A destination wedding is suitable for those couples who have financially-able and participative guests, or for those who prefer to have a low-profile wedding with family members only.

For those couples who are not planning to have wedding venue in Durham, AMA said that the most popular wedding destinations are the Mayan Rivera and Punta Cana.

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

To all the brides and women who want to make a difference,

My thoughts are with the thousands upon thousands of women and children who are not as blessed as we are to have the basic right of freedom to be who they were created to be. I’m talking about the victims of prostitution slavery, the industry that we’ve come to know as human trafficking.

Over one million women and children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade each year, according to the U.S. Department of State. Although, sex trafficking is happening everywhere, including the U.S. and Canada, our focus this year will be in partnering with the work of  Breaking Chains Network out of Belgium.

Last year we developed the website for http://www.RunForRescue.org to aid the women in Cambodia and this year I’ve decided to step up to the plate and do a little more then that.  I’ve decided to do the run myself too and on March 7th 2010, I will be running the Walt Disney World 20+ km (13 mile) half marathon.

The money raised is going to help women in Belgium on every level physical, emotional and spiritual.  I’m asking you to partner with me and although you may not physically run with me, you can  still be a part of rescuing women and children. Your donation can make a difference in the lives of women who have yet to discover freedom.

My goal is to raise $2000 or more. To donate online, we’ve setup a page at http://www.herweddingplanner.com/donate

The responsibility to help in the rescue and restoration of women seems like a huge undertaking. However, you and I can make a difference with even just one woman and one child.

Thank you and God Bless!
Chantal Patton

Continue reading here:
Help Stop Human Trafficking of Women For Sex Slavery

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

The five rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Every national flag in the world includes at least one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics coming to a close in a few days, I thought I’d speak of the colors used in the Olympic Rings and how they can be a great choice for your wedding.

Color Moods:

Blue and green: Calming, cool.  Choosing one of these colors adds a relaxing atmosphere to your event.  It tends to release a calming effect.

Yellow, red : excitement, romance.  Warm colors rev us up and get us going.  Using any of these colors let’s your guests know a party is starting!  These colors tend to release emotions.

Black: unifying.  It makes a statement on it’s own, but can be use to tone another color down.  When used on it’s own this color tends to be very sophisticated.

Continue reading here:
The Olympic Rings : Bold Wedding Colors

Simon Cowell Wedding

Apparently, American Idol’s ‘nasty’ judge was asked by no other than his own mother to get married already.

According to one source, Simon Cowell’s mother, Julie Brett, is very eager to see his son get married thus, she entreated him to tie the know with his long-time, Afghan-born girlfriend Mezhgan Hussainy.  Simon’s Mom, the 84-year-old Julie Brett, once a ballet dancer and a socialite, publicly revealed that Simon asked Mezhgan to move in with him. Although the 50-year-old Simon Cowell has lived with his former girlfriends before, his mother is convinced that this time with Mezghan would be differerent; Simon has never asked anybody to move in with him.

It was reported that Mezghan Hussainy was recently spotted with a diamond engagement ring in her finger courtesy of Simon Cowell; however, Julie Brett told ‘Hello! Magazine’ that she has not seen the ring yet.

Cowell’s mom was delighted to hear about her son’s announcement that he has finally found “the one.” She said that she really thinks that marriage and fatherhood is finally going to happen to Simon Cowell. According to her, she wants to see an official engagement celebration, a formal wedding, and ultimately, grandchildren.

If this union between Cowell and Mezghan should happen, it is believed by many to become one of the most lavish weddings of the decade. One could only wonder how the wedding venues in Durham would compare to their expected, luxurious, future wedding venue.

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

Moral of the story:  Make sure the location for wedding pictures and ceremony are safe….poor guy!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Continue reading here:
Groom Gets Knocked Over by Windmill

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

This is different……

Continue reading here:
Couple Weds At The Apple Store

Simon Cowell is rumored to be engaged.

Reports suggest that the famous TV personality whom everyone loves to hate, Simon Cowell, might be engaged. Simon allegedly proposed to his 36-year-old girlfriend, Mezghan Hussainy, over dinner last Valentine’s Day at an exclusive London restaurant.

50-year-old Simon Cowell broke up with Terri Seymour a year and a half ago.

The engagement rumors started when Mezghan Hussainy, a make-up artist, was seen wearing a £250,000 diamond ring. Plus, a close friend of Simon reported that Simon seemed so happy this recent weeks. Mezghan and Simon have known each other for several years and they have gotten very close to each other. According to the source, Simon finally popped the question.

Furthermore, the source said that Simon knows that it’s the right time. It will be the one of the biggest showbiz wedding ceremonies in years.

The 50-year-old multimillionaire, Cowell, has long been known to be very protective of his money. He even once defined marriage as an obsolete contract. Surprisingly, he seemed to have changed his mind. When the news about his engagement broke out, his friends immediately gave their support.

Simon reportedly asked his friends to be quiet about the engagement because of what he said over the years. They think he is a little embarrassed about it.

Another source said that Simon is totally smitten by Mezghan, and he knows that there is nothing she wants more than to be married and start a family.

When Simon was interviewed this week by Piers Morgan, Cowell told the journalist that he thinks she is “the one.” Moreover, he spoke about wanting to have children with her, but he failed to deny or confirm the engagement.

This news sure is surprising because it pertains about someone who appeared to be totally indifferent about marriage. This just goes to show that you can never be too sure about a person. So to all the wannabe brides out there in Durham: don’t lose hope if your man hasn’t popped the question yet; that dream wedding venue in Durham might be closer than you think.

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

Two overbearing dads must put aside their differences to plan the wedding of their son and daughter in less than two weeks.
Starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Regina King, and Lance Gross. In Theaters March 12, 2010!

Continue reading here:
Our Family Wedding Movie Trailer

Enjoy a copy of the latest blog from HerWeddingPlanner.com

Canada Poem at the Winter Olympics by Shane Koyczan

Continue reading here:
Canada Poem at the Olympics by Shane Koyczan

An example of a vintage wedding dress.

If you are a local bride-to-be who aspires to look beautiful, stylish, unique, and unforgettable in your wedding photo in Durham, but feel a little bit budget-constrained, perhaps you might want to opt for a vintage wedding gown. Many brides-to-be nowadays are setting their eyes on vintage designs. Vintage wedding gowns can provide the same level of beauty and stylishness without being heavy on the budget. Plus, they make future brides look way more unique and unforgettable.

According to Rachel Leonard, the director of Brides magazine, there is now a market for old school wedding dresses. Combining retro and modern styles in wedding gowns has become big, be it the veil or the dress, or the cocktail hat, or even just the wedding shoes.

Leonard said that two styles have become very salable: the 1930’s Hollywood-inspired gowns and the 1950’s designs with the full skirts and tight waists. The trend for retro wedding gowns is partly because of the TV hit series Mad Men which created a desire for the formal gowns of the 1960’s.

In addition, Carmen Haid, operator of an online haven for vintage wedding gowns called Atalier Mayer, said that for the women who have hourglass body figures, 1950’s-inpired vintage wedding gowns would make them look stunning. Meanwhile, for the tall and slim women, there is nothing more flattering than slipping on an Ossie Clarke number from the 70’s.