Three Wedding Expos this weekend!

Bride World Sat-Sun, January 19-20, 2013 10am - 4pm $15 admission. L.A. Convention Center (GPS) 1200 L.A. Live Way Los Angeles, CA 90015 Save time. Shop and compare local retailers, audition entertainers, sample cake and catering, enjoy a bridal fashion show, and discover many of the absolute best wedding values. 180 Los Angeles County wedding products and services. (800) 600-7080 www.Brideworld.com

Diamond Bar Gold Course January 20, 2013 • 11:00 - 3:00 22751 Golden Springs Dr., Diamond Bar Complimentary Admittance Meet our preferred vendors, and taste our chefs specialty hors d'oeuvers & beverages. (909) 861-5757 ext.252 www.diamondbar.americangolf.com

Expo Bridal January 20, 2013 Crowne Plaza Resort 12021 Harbor Blvd. Anaheim/Garden Grove Our bridal shows feature the most creative and experienced wedding vendors in the business today that will help you make your dream wedding come true. Plus, you'll find the hottest new gown styles during our live runway gown show. And, we'll have free food and cake samples, free massages and plenty of juicy giveaways. Meet and speak with them and get new ideas in making your wedding a flawless experience! (213) 272- 0748 www.expobridal.com

OC Bridal Show this Sunday

Sunday, January 13, 2013 DoubleTree Hotel 100 The City Drive Orange, CA 92868 Show Hours: 11 am - 4 pm About the DoubleTree by Hilton Anaheim Orange County . . . Offering upscale accommodations and amenities at our full-service hotels and resorts, Doubletree can accommodate weddings of all sizes. With spacious ballrooms, exquisite cuisine and expert attention to detail.

Showcasing Southern California's top wedding professionals for all your wedding planning needs. Shop, compare and get insights and advice from the leading wedding experts. Preview new ideas and fresh styles. Taste gourmet cake and cuisine, see fashion, enjoy music/entertainment and take advantage of show discounts and giveaways. Have fun while discovering the best options to make your dream wedding come true! Premier Bridal Shows (714) 572-1363 www.premierbridalshows.com

Bridal shows January 5th & 6th, 2013

We will be handing out the brand new Wedding Guide books at the first Bridal shows in 2013 this weekend. Here is more information on these three Wedding Expos: Saturday, January 5, 2013 10am-4pm $10 admission. O.C. Fair Event Center 935 Arlington (Entrance Gate 8) Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 708-1572 Save time. Shop and compare 150 Coastal Orange County wedding products and services.

BrideWorld 800-600-7080 www.Brideworld.com ___AND___ January 6, 2013 • 11:00am - 4:00pm The Queen Mary - Long Beach 1126 Queens Hwy • Long Beach, CA 90802 Come meet over 100 of Southern CA most distinguished Wedding Professionals ready to help turn your Dream wedding into a Reality! We are the LARGEST & LONGEST RUNNING Bridal Show in Long Beach/South Bay

Bridal Showplace (562) 381-2865 www.bridalshowplace.net ___AND___ Sunday, January 6, 2013 Sheraton Cerritos 12725 Center Court Drive Cerritos, CA 90703 Show Hours: 11 am - 4 pm See 100s of ideas and services for your wedding day including stunning displays and the latest wedding fashions at our Dancing Down the Aisle Fashion Shows which include a fusion of the hottest styles and dance choreography!

Premier Bridal Shows (714) 572-1363 www.premierbridalshows.com

We at The Wedding Guide want to take this opportunity to send warm wishes to everyone for a successful 2013, and that you and your families are filled with love and good health in the new year. Happy New Year!

New Years Weddings

Will you be married when the ball drops?

Many couples want to begin the new year as man and wife.

We celebrate you!

Here is some history of the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball, in celebration of the end of the year. Revelers began celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square as early as 1904, but it was in 1907 that the New Year's Eve Ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square. The first New Year's Eve Ball, made of iron and wood and adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs, was 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds. It was built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, and for most of the twentieth century the company he founded, sign maker Artkraft Strauss, was responsible for lowering the ball.

As part of the 1907-1908 festivities, waiters in the fabled "lobster palaces" and other deluxe eateries in hotels surrounding Times Square were supplied with battery-powered top hats emblazoned with the numbers "1908" fashioned of tiny light bulbs. At the stroke of midnight, they all "flipped their lids" and the year on their foreheads lit up in conjunction with the numbers "1908" on the parapet of the Times Tower lighting up to signal the arrival of the new year. The Ball has been lowered every year since 1907, with the exceptions of 1942 and 1943, when the ceremony was suspended due to the wartime "dimout" of lights in New York City. Nevertheless, the crowds still gathered in Times Square in those years and greeted the New Year with a minute of silence followed by the ringing of chimes from sound trucks parked at the base of the tower - a harkening-back to the earlier celebrations at Trinity Church, where crowds would gather to "ring out the old, ring in the new." In 1920, a 400 pound ball made entirely of wrought iron replaced the original. In 1955, the iron ball was replaced with an aluminum ball weighing a mere 200 pounds. This aluminum Ball remained unchanged until the 1980s, when red light bulbs and the addition of a green stem converted the Ball into an apple for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign from 1981 until 1988. After seven years, the traditional glowing white Ball with white light bulbs and without the green stem returned to brightly light the sky above Times Square. In 1995, the Ball was upgraded with aluminum skin, rhinestones, strobes, and computer controls, but the aluminum ball was lowered for the last time in 1998. For Times Square 2000, the millennium celebration at the Crossroads of the World, the New Year's Eve Ball was completely redesigned by Waterford Crystal. The new crystal Ball combined the latest in technology with the most traditional of materials, reminding us of our past as we gazed into the future and the beginning of a new millennium.

Holidays Weddings

We wish everyone a Happy Holiday season. Enjoy this precious time with family and friends.

Remember that one small act of kindness can really brighten someones day. Do something nice for someone today, it will make both of you feel good!

For all the Brides and Grooms taking advantage of time off from work during the holidays to have a Christmas Wedding, we wish you a lifetime of happiness. Warm wishes for a Merry Christmas to all!

The Catering Choice

The question of whether or not to use a caterer, a restaurant, or fix your own food is more a matter of choice than cost. It’s difficult to plan, buy food, rent goods, prepare, serve and clean-up after a party and really enjoy going to the party. Friends who could help out prefer to be guests instead of volunteer workers.

Caterers are sometimes called “wedding consultants” for good reason. So much of the wedding revolves around the reception and serving your guests that it becomes the all important task of the caterer to see to all the details of the party.

It makes little difference if your party is for 50 or 500, your caterer should give you an opportunity to order as many or as few of his/her services as you require or as your budget allows. Do not be bashful — ask what is included! You should expect a complete written quotation covering the selected food, services, and extras you have ordered and their cost. Know in advance what you are getting and the total cost. Be prepared to pay a deposit in advance for the caterer to begin ordering your services, food and servers.

A catered rehearsal dinner is an excellent idea. It can be as formal or as casual as your setting and budget dictate. The gift opening party (usually the day after the wedding) is another occasion for which a caterer should be strongly considered. Parents of the bride and groom really have no time to prepare these parties themselves and still enjoy the wedding.

A professional caterer will help you plan your menu according to your wishes and budget and can supply almost all of the party needs including table covering, dishes, silver, ice, music, servers and clean-up people. He/she has the experience to really help you present a successful party with very little stress and worry.