It’s true that many couples look forward to their Hawaii honeymoon probably as much as they look forward to the wedding itself.  Hawaii is known for being beautiful, restful and romantic, three key ingredients for a memorable honeymoon.

Many choose a Hawaii honeymoon not just because of the setting and locale but many are also more comfortable staying in the U.S. rather than traveling to a foreign country for their honeymoon.  With a Hawaii honeymoon there is no need for a passport for U.S. citizens, special shots or paperwork, etc.  Additionally, many resorts in Hawaii cater specifically for couples and are very eager to offer all inclusive destinations and honeymoon packages.  This type of resort or destination can eliminate a great deal of stress that couples normally face when planning all the details of a honeymoon, this includes trying to arrange their hotel reservations, transportation between the airport and the hotel, restaurant reservations, entertainment and so on.  By choosing an all inclusive resort or destination for your Hawaii honeymoon, you can have all these things provided for you right there at the site rather than scrambling around trying to arrange these things yourself.

One of the great things about planning a honeymoon in Hawaii is that the weather there is beautiful virtually all year round.  This means that you can have a beautiful Hawaii honeymoon no matter what time of year you hold your wedding.  There is also no limit to the things you can do while there.  Many think of only the beaches when they picture Hawaii but there are many areas with active volcanoes that you can explore on foot or by helicopter, ancient temples you can visit inside and out, fields of sugar cane and other crops that are amazingly beautiful to see, plus golf, tennis, horseback riding and hiking.  Also, there are many things to do on the water other than just swim, from surfing to kayaking and boating, deep sea fishing and of course scuba diving.  You will never get bored on your Hawaii honeymoon no matter when you go and no matter what your interests!

Some may assume that a Hawaii honeymoon is going to be very expensive but there are actually many flight and other travel deals you can get if you plan right.  Additionally, many couples save money by foregoing car rental once there, opting instead for scooters, motorbikes or just plain walking everywhere.  With the weather as beautiful as it is, why stay cooped up in a car for your entire trip?

Many couples are even finding that a Hawaii honeymoon isn’t enough for them and plan their destination wedding on one of the beautiful beaches.  Quite a number of resorts on the islands have packages designed just for destination weddings and honeymoons all in one and they are normally much more affordable than you think.  So why not check out one of the islands for your Hawaii honeymoon?  You won’t be disappointed!

Also, why not check out our eBook All About Honeymoons?  It includes everything you need to know about planning the perfect honeymoon.

The natural progression of a couple falling in love is to eventually exchange their vows of commitment and faithfulness during a wedding ceremony. Often, a ring is used to symbolize the love of one individual for another. Generally, the ring is circular in design. This circular design symbolizes the love between the two individuals in that there is no beginning and no end.

However, before the wedding ceremony there is one additional act of commitment and betrothal. That act of intention is the giving of an engagement ring. Often an engagement ring is made of a precious metal and is crowned with an expensive jewel. Often this expensive jewel is a diamond.

In addition to a standard diamond engagement ring being used to express one’s intention of marriage, another type of engagement ring that has become very popular is the Celtic engagement ring. The popularity of this type of engagement ring is due to its uniqueness and deep symbolism.

The Celtic Belief

The Celtics believed in the universality of all life. Simply put they believed that everything was interconnected and that life was interdependent. That is why much of their symbolism is expressed in knots which symbolize the belief that all of creation is intertwined.

Uniqueness Of The Celtic Engagement Ring

One of the unique features of the Celtic engagement ring is that not only does it represent the devotion of one individual for another but it also expresses the interdependence for life and being. Specifically, in the case of the Celtic engagement ring, this independence for life and being is dependent upon the one upon whose finger the Celtic engagement ring is placed.

In addition, the uniqueness of the Celtic engagement ring is reflected as part of a heritage. This is due to the fact there are very few designs especially reflective of particular cultures. Therefore, the giving of the Celtic engagement ring not only expresses one’s love and devotion but it also represents a respect and deep appreciation of a culture and heritage that was proud, resourceful and unique.

Deep Symbolism Of The Celtic Engagement Ring

Above all, the Celtic engagement ring is a powerful symbol of love, unity and devotion. This symbolism is portrayed on the surface of the ring through the trinity knot. That trinity knot represents two cords or, in this case, two lives being bonded together as one life. Therefore, when an engaged couple gaze upon the ring they are reminded of their unique individuality and yet their lives are dependent on each other for meaning.

Although the American dollar is falling against some other world currencies, it still commands respect in many warm, friendly South American countries like Cost Rica. Many American couples consider going on a special trip for their special day where the scenery is not only beautiful but getting there and back is affordable. However, before you and your partner start looking forword to a wedding in Costa Rica, you need to know some Costa Rica marriage customs.

Very Familiar

Costa Rica is a very conservative country where the Church has a large influence. That means that Costa Rica marriage customs completely exclude homosexual marriages. Also, according to Costa Rica marriage customs, no proxy marriages are allowed. Both of you have to show up in person to get married.

In addition, you must be over eighteen to get married in Costa Rica. However, marriage customs do state that those under eighteen but over fifteen need parental consent in order to get married. This is more the local custom and very hard to prove if you are not a native. Theoretically, it can be done but you need to fly your parents down to the wedding and have them be able to prove that they are your parents.

Not Your First Time?

Costa Rican marriage customs still view one marriage per life as normal even though divorce is allowed in Costa Rica. A remarriage is only allowed if you are old enough to clearly be a widow or widower. If you are still in child-bearing years then Costa Rica marriage customs make it very difficult for you to remarry.

According to Costa Rica marriage customs, a woman must wait 300 days from the death of her husband or the date of her divorce decree before she is allowed to remarry. Some, but not all, areas of Cost Rica demand that the woman take a pregnancy test and it must be negative before she is allowed to wed. There are no tests or waiting periods for men.

Papers

Both you and your partner will need a stack of paperwork in order to be legally wed in Costa Rica. If you are an American, you need a valid US passport, a copy of your birth certificate, a certificate of single status and police clearing. You need all of this to apply for the marriage license which has to be done at least a month before the wedding.

I think that’s all you need to know about the marriage customs in Costa Rica.

I’ve compiled a list of what I believe to be the the top 10 R&B wedding songs, all perfect for your first dance as newlyweds. From Stevie Wonder to Usher, they’re all beautiful…

1. All My Life by K-Ci and JoJo

‘All My Life’ is a R&B ballad recorded by Jodeci members (and brothers) K-Ci and JoJo. It was released in 1998 as a single from the duo’s album ‘Love Always’.

2. Spend My Life With You by Eric Benet featuring Tamia

‘Spend My Life With You’ is the title of a Grammy nominated number one R&B single by Eric Benet featuring Tamia. The hit song was released in 1999 and spent three weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and was certified gold for achieving sales of over 500,000 copies.

3. Here And Now by Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross scored his first Grammy Award in 1989 with the hit single ‘Here And Now’ from his album ‘The Best of Love’.

4. On Bended Knee by Boyz II Men

‘On Bended Knee’ is a 1994 number one hit single by Boyz II Men for the Motown label. Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the single is well known for replacing the previous Boyz II Men single, ‘I’ll Make Love To You’, as the top song on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

5. Back At One by Brian McKnight

‘Back At One’ is a single by Brian McKnight that was released in 1999. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for eight weeks.

6. Ribbon In The Sky by Stevie Wonder

‘Ribbon in the Sky’ is a 1982 soul single released by Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. The ballad was first featured on the greatest hits album ‘Original Musiquarium’.

7. Always & Forever by Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross released ‘Always and Forever’ in 1994. This song was originally recorded by Heatwave in 1977 and was on their first album T.H.T.H. (Too Hot To Handle).

8. You by Jesse Powell

‘You’ was released by Jesse Powell in 1996 and is from his self-titled album ‘Jesse Powell’.

9. Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland

‘Dilemma’ is a hit single by the rapper Nelly, it features Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child. It was released in 2002 and is from the album ‘Nellyville’.

10. U Got It Bad by Usher

‘U Got It Bad’ is a single from Usher’s 2001 album 8701. It was the second US single from the album and the third international single, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and the top five in the United Kingdom and Australia.

I hope that my list has given you some inspiration for your R&B wedding song!

Is a California marriage license worth the paper it’s printed on? Yes, it is, if you know how to go about getting one legally. Unfortunately, because of strict immigration laws and health insurance rules, it’s getting more and more important to make sure that your marriage is done in the eyes of the law as well as in the eyes of whichever God you worship. There have been scams in the past involving false California marriage licenses but you can avoid these with common sense and by following the advice in this article.

You Don’t Have To Live In California

You don’t have to live, work or plan on moving to California in order to get married in California. You can plan your wedding as part of a vacation to California, if you so choose. However, you just can’t waltz into a County Clerk’s office and get married. You need to apply for a California marriage license up to 90 days before the actual wedding date.

There is such a thing as marriage by proxy in other parts of the world but not in California. Both parties need to show up to the ceremony in order for the marriage to be declared legal in the eyes of the law and despite California supporting a large gay community, only heterosexual marriages are allowed.

There’s An Expiration Date

You have to have a California marriage license before you can legally marry. This piece of paper is not the same thing as a marriage certificate. A California marriage license still gives you the option of cancelling the ceremony. A California marriage certificate declares that the ceremony has happened and you are legally married. You have a mere 90 days after getting a California marriage license to get married. When you reach day 91, like a warranty for a small appliance, it expires and you have to get another California marriage license. Since fees change at a California politician’s whim, it is advisable to check the website for the Department of Health Services for the state of California for fee details. Also, blood tests are no longer required in order to get a California marriage license. You have to give the marriage license to whoever is performing the official wedding ceremony so that they can fill it out and return it to the County Clerk for official recording into the county’s marriage registration book. You can’t get a copy of this unless you pay a fee.