Prudent Mortgages

There are only three principal public occasions in a person’s life: baptismal, burial and marriage. Among the three, only marriage allows great honor for the principals. Throughout the tradition, marriages had been considered as the special day for a lady who is about to pledge her matrimonial vows towards the chosen one.

Marriage is Her Big Day more than that of the groom. This is why marriages have always been made special and bridal dresses created as such to fit the festive occasion. This practice of making the bride look magnificent in her bridal dress runs down throughout the history, with widespread influence dating back to medieval times.

Bridal dresses were not always white, in opposition for what have been usually perceived by most people. Bridal dresses before the Victorian era would normally adapt the color of what is trendy and what is available. Shades of lively colors were normally used and pastel colors were also popular. But by mid-1800s, white bridal dresses became the norm when Queen Victoria chose a white bridal dress for her wedding day. The same dress was worn over a black silk dress fifty years later. She also was responsible for setting the fashion of having her bridesmaids carry the train.

1920s

In his decade, revolutionary changes were done with fashion. Up well to 1920s, bridal dresses were created in accordance with what’s the norm. The hemlines rose from shoe to above the knee and became more curtailed. But later, many considered the length of the bridal dress inappropriate for church services, thus the replacement of full-length gowns. In this decade too was the dropped waist and shapeless bodice dresses reach its height of popularity.

1930s

The depression in thirties followed the roaring of the twenties. Women changed from the boyish look to the more profound expression of a woman’s body. Normally, the bridal dresses in this era hugged the body of the bride. To emphasize the shape of the body, bridal dresses were given boat-shaped collars.

1940s

Fashion in the 1940s almost died down, and the same was true for the white bridal dresses. Clothes rations started in 1941 and continued up to the end of the World War I. A number of brides struggled for silk dresses but most suited themselves for the uniform. Those who were not commissioned in the army wore the same costumes.

1950s

The padded shoulders of the last decade were superseded by the narrow shoulders in the 1950s. However, many brides wanted their dresses adopt the intermediate style. The bridal trains were fashioned after the trains of the Elizabethan era. But another fashion arrived- The New Look outfit. Simply put, the New Look outfit is tailored after the ballerina dresses in terms of length. The dress typically has a jacket bodice with tight sleeves.

1960s

There were not so much changes in the bridal fashion in the 1960s. Ladies still preferred wearing the circular dresses, short veils and tight sleeves only differing on the veils with more bouffant approach. Most women wore coronets and a single rose with the veil gathered together from the flower. In contrast with the extravagant and flowing bridal dresses, bouquets in the 1960s were made simpler. More often than not, tiny flowers in tight posies are used.

1970s

After two decades of tights sleeves, Tudor sleeves were introduced in the seventies. The high-waisted line of the 1960s gradually moved lower to a princess line. Trains diminished too and the cuts of the dresses were made far simpler.

1980s

By this era, the waistlines had returned to their normal position. The dresses were much fuller now and the big bouquets returned back to fashion. This period was marked with more extravagant sleeves, suited after the bridal dress of the Princess of Wales.

1990s

Wide skirts remained popular with the start of the 1990s. However, different fashion icons popularized varieties of skirts. But among the most popular are the super low waists with skirts flared down.

New Century

With the coming of the new century, the norms with wedding have changed too. Themed costumes were much more practiced today and so are the themed bridal dresses.

There is no doubt that bridal dresses remain to be the eternal testimony of a wedding. And the efforts of making the dresses extravagant and special are both to the benefit of the bride’s contentment and the ever-changing fashion trends.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides bridal dress resources on http://www.your-bridal-dress.info.

Sites like Match.com and Chemistry.com have become fairly common. So have online poker sites. But two sites have decided to team up and combine the two; PKR.com and Lovestruck.com have announced a partnership that aims to create online face-to-face poker nights for singles starting in November.

The idea is to set up live poker nights for singles to learn to play as well as mix and mingle. The two businesses have set up a kind of “poker-party” and has invited members from both sites to join them in this kick-off event.

The first event is to be held in London, England at the Hoxton Pony. Entry is free, and professional dealers will be on hand to help the players learn the art of the game and practice their moves.

For those already versed in the game, this will be their opportunity to impress the other sex with their moves and game. Following the live event, PKR.com will host weekly online poker nights dubbed “Lovestruck Evenings,” beginning on Nov. 17th.

The evenings will kick off with a free tournament followed by three low dollar buy in tournaments to finish up.

Whether or not you’re into this kind of social networking, this partnership is sure to bring about some interesting commentary from the poker pundits. While it’s still up in the air whether or not this kind of hybrid will take hold with the mass populace, it’s sure to have a niche with the Web 2.0 generation.

If someone asks you “What’s the best thing about romance in a relationship?”,what would you answer? In my oppinion,the best thing about romance in a relationship is that it is shared. While one partner may initiate it, both end up enjoying any romantic effort. Romance is a relationship activity and cannot work if both partners aren’t participants.

When you decide that romance is the way you want to go in order to improve your marriage or even work towards having an outstanding marriage, start planning your romance in advance with both you and your partner in mind. Even if you are giving a gift to your partner, keep in mind how it will affect you when you present it to him or her. i’m not kidding,some gifts are actually meant for both of you although it is presented to only one partner (ex. Massage oil). Both of you must enjoy the romance in order for it to be effective in your relationship.

While being romantic often draws to mind gifts and planning outings together, you don’t have to spend money in order to be romantic! You can plan a day where you are completely at your spouse’s disposal. Devote yourself entirely to your spouse for an entire day. He or she can ask you to do chores, rub their feet, give them a massage, watch a movie you normally wouldn’t watch together or try an interest of his or hers that you haven’t tried. Your spouse may also decide that you are best put to use in the bedroom!

When you want to do something extra special, take your spouse on a local ‘honeymoon’ trip! Find a local hotel that has a honeymoon suite and book it for one night. Do it up right and make sure it is stocked with champagne, strawberries and whipped cream. Have flowers and your song available to play in your room. For her, have new lingerie laid out on the bed. For him, have new lingerie laid out on the bed. For an extra special twist, pack a bag for your spouse, hire a sitter if necessary and tell him or her that you’re going out for the evening. Blindfold your spouse and lead him or her to your honeymoon suite.

Find an affordable card shop or see if your local greeting card store offers any type of multiple card purchase discounts. Buy as many cards for your spouse as you can. Store the cards and send them to your spouse intermittently. You can choose to send them every few months, every month, every week, each day or every waking hour!

Take the time to create your own loving edible baked goods for your spouse! Make heart shaped cookies, a heart shaped cake or make your own heart shaped chocolates. Find a heart shaped bowl, pop popcorn to serve in the bowl and spend the entire day watching romantic movies together.

No matter which one of this ideas you will use for special occasions,always remember that it doesn’t really matter when or how you do something romantic as long as you do it together.

Riga is the latest white hot destination for the greatest stag weekends in Europe. Now is your chance to experience the best in pre wedding fun!

Where Else Can You Shoot a Round From a Former Soviet Bunker in Between Seeing the International Ice Sculpture Festival and Hitting the Clubs with Claudia Schiffer lookalikes?

Certainly nowhere in the UK that’s for sure. In Riga , you and your mates can get together and legally re-enact all your favourite Cold war James Bond scenes to your hearts’ content and do it all in safety and style with a vast array of armory to choose from including the legendary Kalashnikovs, commonly known as AK-47s. Latvia is also home to the ‘festival’ where almost every month there is a national day dedicated to almost everything from Baltic Ballet to International Films and, this year, The 8th International Ice Sculpture festival. Be amazed, amused and get your photo taken in front of a lot of random but cool monuments.

But What about The Claudia Schiffer Lookalikes?

It’s a somewhat minor point that Claudia herself is German and has probably never even heard of Riga let alone actually traveled there, but all accounts of clubbing in the Latvian capital attest to a very high population density of fit blondes, otherwise known as the PDFB index. Other cities that come close include Stockholm, Tallinn and most of Vilnius but a very quick, biased and unscientific poll based on personal preference and urban legend has Riga as the clear odds-on favourite. Helping you to continue this very necessary social research is a vast array of white hot clubs that have sprung up in the last five or so years. Riga is not known as the party capital of the former Eastern Bloc for nothing. Just beware of equally fit male Latvians who could probably have snared Gold in Soviet era Greco-Roman wrestling.

But Riga is, like, Baltic So Will I Freeze My B@$$s Off?

Maybe. But not necessarily. Just like the UK January is the most freezing month with lows hitting a chillin’ -9C. The record low for Riga is -34C but that was so long ago that no one really remembers and the record high is a toasty 34C. But generally from April to October Riga is cool without being cold and warm without being sweltering.

Average January Temperature: -4 C

Average July Temerature: 16C

So How Do I Organise All the Travelly Details Without Screwing Up?

Easy. There’s a London-based company by the name of Chillisauce who employ people who really enjoy tailoring packages stag groups to Riga, and a whole bunch of other cities. They do all the phoning, reserving and then come up with ideas just for you and your friends. All you actually have to do is turn up to have the most kicking ass time.

Riga has never been this good! Just drop a line to Amalia Illgner, she is a copywriter for chillisauce.co.uk; a fully bonded tour operator specialising in memorable stag nights. And there’s a whole map of possibilities for a great stag weekend, for some excellent adventure filled ideas check out chillisauce where they will tailor a Stag Weekend in Riga just for you and any number of your best friends. Now that’s what we like to call service!

Weddings are the first chance for a couple to exemplify what their lives together will be like. It can be stressful, exciting and typically brings out the best and worst in the people involved. Parents may want to be too involved or the groom (or bride) may not want to be involved at all. Problems can arise over the smallest details to the traditions – what color should invitations be and who should pay?

Take a deep breath. Relax. Then take a step back and consider the situation.

It may very well be time to call in a professional. Wedding consultants can take over the process and put the entire event together. Those involved need only make a few decisions, give a few instructions, and show up for rehearsal. But for many people, this isn’t an option.

If you want to get your wedding plans under control, the first thing you have to do is to take control. If you have domineering parents, aunts or sisters who want everything done their way, call a meeting. Explain clearly that the bride and groom should have the right to shine on this particular day. Most will understand and the rest will likely get over it.

The next step in taking control is to get a grip on what’s important. If tradition is the most important aspect of your wedding, get on with the traditional wedding. But if the only tradition you want is “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue,” that’s okay too. With the number of people today who are marrying after divorce, marrying later in life, and facing other circumstances, public opinion toward less traditional weddings has softened.

Remember that this is your chance to have the wedding of your dreams. Your budget should be your only limit and you can even work around that with a little ingenuity. Design your own invitations. You can print them on your home computer or have copies made at a professional print shop. Rent flowers and decorations. Look to those in the family with special talents for decorations, possibly even down to the cake.

Remember that the bride and groom are going to be the guests of honor at this party. Weddings should be their opportunity to take their first steps toward their lives together.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Wedding Resources a website providing information on Weddings

Most visitors to Hawaii would agree that Maui is the most beautiful of all the settled islands there. For your wedding ceremony, for that special day you’ll remember for the rest of your lives, there’s no better location than Maui. When most people think of Maui, one of the first things that come to mind are the beaches — Maui has some of the most picturesque, beautiful beaches anywhere in the world, making it a popular location for a beach wedding.

In addition to the many beaches available, the choices of Maui wedding locations are unequaled in their diversity and natural splendor. If it’s a mountain, desert or jungle setting you seek, it’s available on Maui. Some of the most beautiful hotels in the world are located on the island and many of them offer wedding settings from the sublime to the most lavish you could possibly imagine.

As well as a diverse choice of settings, any type of wedding service, from the most traditional to the most eclectic, can be arranged on Maui. There have been underwater services where the minister, the bride and groom are in scuba diving gear, taking their vows on chalkboards below the ocean surface. People who are not Hawaiian have gotten married in native Hawaiian ceremonies at the foot of active volcanoes. Others have said “I Do” in an airplane and then jumped thousands of feet to the ground where their wedding party was eagerly awaiting their arrival. There’s almost no ceremony or setting you could want that couldn’t be found or arranged somewhere on the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Maui.

Maui Weddings Info provides detailed information about Maui wedding packages, planning, ceremonies, cakes, photographers, and more. Maui Weddings Info is the sister site of Las Vegas Weddings Web.

Free applications are usually light-weight, with little fancy graphics and animation. Only most vital settings are included. Free software requires less attention and needs a minute to configure. Low CPU and RAM usage – something you will begin to value once in a lifetime. Reporting and alerts are a must that way you can pinpoint the culprits and then have a talk with Bill about the reason his computer is always so slow – the spyware he keeps downloading.

Your anti-spyware options are far too numerous to list here and we should stick to the ones where it is run and monitored by one person and that person alone. It prevents anyone from uninstalling the anti-spyware accidentally or disabling the software on purpose. I have known friends complain that their software keeps notifying them when it eliminates spyware and malware (close cousins), so they disabled it. Not an especially good idea these days. Data loggers, key loggers and Commercials For Identity Theft are just a few vices which harvest info from your computer. Identity theft protection is quickly becoming a hot topic. That is why every computer owner who’s worried about Commercials For Identity Theft needs Winclear.

Online Privacy With Delete Internet History: Commercials For Identity Theft. Some keyloggers or computer spy software can be used as an Internet police or firewall. Thus, you will be able to block web sites that you think are in appropriate for young people or are not needed in the office. There are also a number of spy programs that can operate stealthily. Thus, your partner will not know that you are watching his every keystroke, enabling you to easily find out if he or she is in an illicit relationship. Winclear is the only software which is capable of removing keylogger programs. Thus the users have to stay well informed of the present definitions of spyware adware firewall malware and other antivirus programs. Winclear has been the industry leader in fighting keyloggers and Commercials For Identity Theft for the last 8 years.

There’s no such thing! When you ask for something “best” be prepared to get very biased recommendations. That is the reason why you need Winclear installed onto your computer, is to Commercials For Identity Theft. In addition perhaps it goes against the anti-pornography laws in few jurisdictions. Find out more about Commercials For Identity Theft. Protect your computer security by using Winclear!

Deciding how to organize the style of your wedding theme can be one of the hardest decisions. Want a tip? Use the date of your wedding to inspire your creativity. Each seasons brings an image of color and style. Choose which seasons suit’s the needs of your gown and décor.

Autumn Theme Typically, Autumn weather tends to be on the cool side. The summer flowers have begun to disappear, but the Fall colors of nature have taken their place. Earth tones and textures will definitely set the tone for your wedding. By incorporating ‘warmer’ colors and textures into this wedding theme, you’re creating a inviting environment for your bridal party and guests.

Embrace Autumn colors, such as: brown, rust, copper, red, terra cotta, and gold. You can easily arrange tables in a ‘harvest theme’ with fruits and candles bearing typical Fall Colors. Set each place card on a large leaf shaped fabric napkin. Decorate the reception hall with a rustic look. Dried wheat, berries, and grasses can make an excellent touch. Serve foods that are simple and ‘warm’ in nature. Fruits, soups, cheeses, home-made bread, seasonal vegetables, and pumpkin pie should delight your guests.

Winter Theme Although most couples opt to have their weddings in warmer weather, winter weddings can be very elegant and appealing. This festive time of year embraces warmth and the glowing lights of candles. It’s a very romantic time that emphasizes the idea of togetherness.

Silver and gold are very traditional winter colors. They blend very well together and can be beautifully incorporated into your wedding decorations. Instead of red roses, why not choose a bouquet of white roses? This will look especially spectacular if you have a hint of silver and/or gold in your wedding accessories.

Create an ambient environment with candles and white Christmas lights. Break tradition! Instead of having a white wedding cake, Get a three tiered chocolate wedding cake accented with white décor.

Spring Theme Spring is an exciting time of year to get married. The world is alive and about again after a long hibernation. The morning dew and the smell of rain is refreshing and romantic. Pastel colors sprout from the earth, as we start to smell the faint aroma of tulips and daffodils. These flowers would work perfectly in your Spring wedding theme.

Pastel colors are soft, subtle, and elegant. You can decorate your tables with small potted daffodils and use flower-seeds as a wedding favor for your guests. Candles and ivy can bring a warm ‘garden feel’ to the atmosphere.

Summer Theme It’s the most popular time of year for couples to tie the knot. Summer weather brings the promise of gorgeous flowers, comfortable attire, and delicious foods from mother nature.

Decorate with bright colors. Why not organize a tropical wedding? Spice it up and dress your bridesmaids in lime, orange, or hot pink. Forget about tuxedos for the men, how about bright colors for shirts and comfortable suits?

Salads, vegetables, pink champagne, and light foods are the way to go for your meal. You should always offer your guests something slightly more extravagant for the main course, but these light dishes have a ’summer feel’ to them.

Have you defined what you want to happen at the conclusion of your 1st appointment? Only then can you actually set up a proficient sales methodology to achieve the defined objective more times than not. And with a pre-defined objective to your 1st appointment you can (1) set a realistic benchmark of success and (2) measure the outcome. It becomes part of your sales performance scorecard.

What is a 1st appointment to proposal ratio? It’s simply how many times you gain commitment with your prospect to take the next step, as outlined by your sales process.
Depending on your solutions-based product or service and your sales methodology, your ‘Next step’ may be one of the following:

An on-site demonstration
A trial period of your “widget”
A tour of your operations or manufacturing facility
A no-obligation survey
An evaluation and side-by-side comparison, apples to apples
A solution-based evaluation, apples to oranges

Whatever your ‘Gateway’ is, be sure to attach a business rule and definition to it, and then most importantly measure it.
For example, let’s look at a telecommunications company that provides voice, data and wireless services to their customer base. The objective of their first appointment is to gain commitment from their Target prospect to perform a diagnostic survey of their current services as it relates to their overall business imperatives and financial success factors for the current year and bring them back a ‘Blueprint’ of ROI based solutions.

With their 1st appointment objective ‘Gateway’ defined, they come to a decision to measure that gateway by having the target prospect sign a release form that enables them to contact their current service provider and request a specification report around line, data and feature connectivity.

The advantage of defining and measuring the first ‘Gateway’ is that it will provide you with a ‘Reality Mirror’ of how competent you are with the initial phase of your sales process. So if you have set a realistic benchmark company-wide of a 60% 1st Appointment to Proposal ratio and you have individuals below it, you can pro-actively provide them with targeted coaching and support tools to help them achieve the standard benchmark. And that drives more revenue.

If I walk into a sales division and diagnose their 1st appointment to proposal ratio is below 60%, I immediately know up to 5 specifics:

1. They are not calling on the Highest appropriate level of contact

2. They are not calling on the right type of company by industry or application

3. They have not defined a 1st appointment objective (A ‘Gain Commitment’ Gateway)

4. They have ‘no message’ or are poor at communicating the message

5. They are selling their services instead of selling the diagnostic steps in the Process and backing it up with 3rd party validations

The first two factors are directly related with whom you decide to call on.
You probably know who uses your product or service, but you might need some business acumen training to better understand the critical financial success indicators of your prospect parallel to their Front Burner business objectives.

More than often not, a low 1st appointment to proposal ratio is related to a process of not calling on the highest appropriate level of contact. By that I mean understanding the level of responsibility within a company that has the most input into a buying decision. Who has the ‘ownership’? Who is at the ‘need to know’ level? It may be more than one level or title, but it is important to resolve to a top-down selling process.
A top-down selling process will raise your 1st appointment to proposal conversion rates because you are in front of the appropriate person from the start. That person has enough clout to sign on to the next step or to legitimately dismiss the process. If you are dealing with a subordinate level, to the degree of which you are will be the degree your conversion rate will expeditiously decrease.

There was a start-up company in a recently de-regulated industry that had accumulated 300 million dollars in investor money to build a business. Their primary sales distribution channel was a direct sales team. They decided to retain a sales training firm to set up all sales strategies, appropriate processes and training to execute to their revenue goals. Interesting enough, they promoted just the opposite of a top down selling process.

They promoted a strategy and process of initiating contact with business receptionists. That’s right, the nice folks who sit in the lobby to answer and direct all the inbound calls. They felt if you promote yourself to these receptionists, flatter then with brand reference gifts, they would eventually lead you to the right person of authority to look at the sales proposition. After all, they know all the names and extensions, and who has what title.
I guess you could call it a bottom up selling process.

At the same time, I was heading up a direct sales team competing directly with their services in the same geographical area. We followed the sales strategies and processes I am outlining.

Our competitor’s sales cycle was longer and their average revenue per sale was smaller. Two years later, we had grown 509% and were acquired by a national company. That was the goal.

Our competitor filed chapter 11, let everyone go, and liquidated all assets. End of story.

The level of responsibility you decide to call on directly effects your 1st appointment to proposal ratio.

Here are (8) diagnostic tips to improve your ‘1st Appointment to Proposal’ ratio.

1. Employ an ROI-based lead generator system that contains data recognition, classification, and custom extraction specific to your business offering.

2. Internally define what the objective of the 1st appointment is; a demo, a site visit, a survey or a proposal, set a benchmark of success and universally measure it.

3. Promote your Product/service offering in a way to provide a measurable soft or hard dollar ROI over time.

4. Call on the ‘Highest appropriate level of contact’ for your offering; one that that has fiscal authority if a proposal make business sense.

5. Use a diagnostic approach in your sales appointment to understand what your Prospect’s business objectives are in the short and long term.

6. Get some ‘Business Acumen’ training to become proficient in understanding how fiscal people measure their business and support your business offering with relevant terms such as ROI, IRR and Payback Period.

7. Don’t sell your product or service on the 1st appointment. Promote ‘the diagnostic steps of your process’ to evaluate the opportunity to increase performance, efficiencies or reduce costs.

8. Utilize a software proposal generator (non-Boiler-plate) that develops custom proposals specific to your Prospect’s required deliverables and how your solutions will facilitate them getting there sooner rather than later. Show examples during your 1st appointment process.

Defining a specific objective for your 1st appointment, setting a realistic benchmark of achievement and measuring the outcome will begin to get you on track to an 80%+ 1st appointment to Proposal ratio.

Then support the sales objective by developing or outsourcing quality tools tied to technology and best practices to allow more of your sales employees to achieve superior benchmark results.

Jeff Hardesty is president of JDH Group Inc., a sales performance training company based in Powell, Ohio. He can be reached at jeff@convertmoresales.com

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Submit your numbers for a complimentary 30-minute performance consultation with Jeff Hardesty =>http://convertmoresales.com/roi_survey.php

It is perhaps the most difficult challenge that any of us will face and yet some unknown inner desire compels us to try again and again despite many false starts and failures: the quest to find your soul mate. The journey at times leads us to believe that we are doomed to a lifetime of solitude and loneliness. Perhaps at one time we believed we finally found the one that completes us only to have them walk out of our lives forever leaving us heartbroken and bitter. But then, out of nowhere it seems, they emerge. Suddenly, energy we never believed we possessed fills us and we cannot bear to be separated from this newfound partner! Food tastes better, silly movies that we could never have endured before are actually enjoyable to watch with them at our side, and yesthe nights take on a different significance too, don’t they? Then, out of nowhere again, does the topic of marriage come up and to the surprise of you both it scares neither of you! Yes! You will marry this person and be completely happy to spend the rest of your lives together.

So, for this person that has now made life completely enjoyable in every conceivable way, why settle for just a plain wedding band mass-produced in some factory with no particular buyer in mind? This is no particular person at all but your soul mate! This is the one for whom no cheesy greeting card is ever adequate when trying to express your feelings for. For this gift from fate that has completed you, only an inscribed ring will do!

After all, an inscribed ring says that you took the time and effort to do something special, not merely hand over some money! An inscription is capable of turning an ordinary wedding band into a personalized message whose message is really only known by you and your lover. And you need not be some grand poet and compose the inscription yourself! Perhaps there is some little poem out there that says everything you feel in your heart for this person—so use that! The important thing is to make that wedding band is unique and special, just like your soul mate. When the time does come to unite with one person for the rest of your life, make certain that the symbol is every bit as special and unique as the person you wish to wear it! Inscribed unto the heart, indeed.