Fun Wedding Traditions

Wedding traditions have been around for centuries, changing subtly with the ages but maintaining much of their original ceremony. Have you ever wondered why you follow certain traditions as you celebrate your wedding and tie the knot?

The Veil:

The veil traditionally was used to symbolize the bride’s virginity, innocence and modesty. The act of the husband lifting the veil to reveal his bride’s face symbolized his dominance over her, but if she took the initiative and lifted the veil herself then she showed her independence from her husband.

In ancient and not so ancient Middle Eastern and Asian cultures brides wore veils to hide their faces from the intended who has never seen her face. Only as the veil was lifted would the groom be able to see his new bride for the first time.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.

This charming saying is from the Victorian times, and is even used today to help brides plan what they wish to wear on their wedding day.

Something Old is representative of the link between past and family. Often an antique family piece of jewelry is chosen to be worn.

Something New represents new fortunes and success for the new life with her husband. Often it is the wedding gown that is used as the new item.

Something Borrowed represents a reminder to the bride that her family and friends will be there for her in her new life.

Something Blue is a symbol of faithfulness, loyalty and purity.

The Bridal Bouquet began as a symbol of fertility. Herbs such as dill were often used and then eaten as it was believed to induce desire. The carrying of flowers is also rooted in ancient times as a good luck charm to ward off evil spirits, bad luck and ill health. As times changes the Victorians began to use the bouquets as a way to send messages to their lovers, as each flower had a special meaning.

The expression “Tying the Knot” is dated back to the times of the Romans. The bride then wore a girdle secured by a knot. On the wedding night the groom had the honor of “untying the knot” and their lives were tied together. In the Celtic custom especially hand fasting it was the norm to tie the wrists of the couple together to represent their bond.

The Honeymoon

Far back in history when a groom generally kidnapped his bride, he would keep her hidden away from her family. Usually they hid for a month, which was considered one moon cycle, and drank honeyed mead. Thus the origins of the word honeymoon.

Fun Facts and Legends:

It wasn’t until Queen Victoria in 1840 that the white wedding dress became fashionable. Usually it had been the woman’s best dress that was worn on her wedding day, no matter the color. Though no matter what color the dress, it has always been considered ill luck for the bride to make her own wedding gown.

There is an old legend passed down through the generations that stated the month you married in had some weight as to the final fate of the marriage.

"Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true;

When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate;

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know;

Marry in April when you can, joy for Maiden and for Man;

Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day;

Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you will go;

Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred;

Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see;

Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine;

If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry;

If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember;

When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last".

Bachelorette Party Guide

If you are planning a Bachelorette party this year and want to make it a party to remember, then we recommend planning a night of fun and games that will have the bride laughing till the wee hours of the morning. We have come up with a easy and fun guide to help you put together a party that will be a smashing success!

Bachelorette Themes:

A themed party is a great way to bring people together and have the Bride and her entourage stand out in a crowd! Here are a few fun idea's to spark you imagination!

1. Holiday theme – If the party is near a holiday use that holiday as a theme for your party!
2. Tropical Theme – Is the Bride having a destination wedding? Start her party early by making tropical drinks and using lei’s as a fun decoration!
3. Black and White Theme – Having all your guests dresses alike in black is a great way to make the bride stand out wearing bridal white! The Blushing Bride Costume would be a fantastic way to have her stand out be noticed.

Bachelorette Party Games:

You’ve gotten your girls together to celebrate the lucky bride’s upcoming nuptials, but now you need to plan the fun and games to make the night memorable. Suggested below are some fun games that are easy to play with all your guests:

1. Funny Bachelorette Stories. Have everyone at the party share some of their funniest bachelorette adventures and stories. This game is a great way to share some laughs and help everyone get to know one another. Have a fun prize at the end for the girl with the best story.

2. Once Upon a Time… With everyone sitting in a circle start the game off with a sentence such as “Once upon a time there was a girl (Bachelorette’s Name) and…” If one of the girl’s can’t think of anything to say they move out of the circle and the next girl continues. The last person left in the circle is the winner and should win a prize for being the most creative!

3. How Well do you Know the Bride? Create a handful of fun questions about he bride and her fiancé and see how many people can answer the questions correctly. You can create the questions yourself , for example: “What is the bride’s favorite color” or “How did (groom) propose?” Also we have “How well do you know the bride/bachelorette” game available with fun questions to ask and already printed out on easy to read cards.

4. Advice for the Bride to be. Cut out some fun shapes from construction paper, such as hearts or stars. Pass around the shapes and have each of the guests write fun advice and suggestions on the paper for the bride. Have everyone put these advice cards into a vase or jar and request the bride to read them out loud. This is a fun game and a great keepsake for the bride.

Bachelorette Food Ideas:

1. Penis Desert Cake: Using our fun Penis Cake Mold and your favorite flavor of cake you can create a fun desert for the bride to be. For Example: Create two cakes for a 3D effect and have whipped cream coming out from the top. Fantastic for laughs and is really yummy.

2. Penis Pasta. For a risqué entrée try Mama's Penis Peckeroni with a creamy alfredo sauce.

To add some fun to the meal or appy’s try lighting the Penis Candles on the cake, or pass around the big boy water bottle.

Bachelorette Party Drink:

To keep the party hopping create your very own personalized drink list, here are a couple fun suggestions of shots and cocktails. To make the cocktails more exciting add some fun ice cubes to the cocktails, we recommend using the Penis Ice Cube Trays, or for a special treat the Penis Ice Mold.

Shots:

Sex on the Beach: 1oz vodka, 1oz Peach Schnapps, 3oz Orange Juice, 3oz Cranberry Juice. Mix together and add ice.

Blow Job: 1/3oz Kahlua, 1/3oz Irish Cream, 1/3oz Crème de Bananas (opt), Whipped Cream.

Cocktails:

Cosmopolitan: Vodka, Triple Sec, Cranberry Juice, and Lime.

Long Island Iced Tea: Vodka, Rum, Tequila, Gin, Triple Sec, Sour Mix, Cola

Outfits for the Bride.

Most importantly of all is what the Bride wears to her party. You need to make sure that the Bride stands out from all her girls. Some fun options could be a fun bridal costume. If accessories are more your taste add a fun light up veil and boa, or the Penis Tiara and a Bachelorette Sash. Once the bride is decked out in her fantastic finery you are ready to party!

A Sexy Easter Pleasure Hunt

Celebrating the Easter season with chocolates and rabbits is always fun, but this year why not try something a little more daring with your partner for the Easter weekend. A fun way to spice things up is by sending your partner off on a sexy pleasure hunt, with you as the grand prize!

You can make your hunt as simple or complex as you wish, but here are some fun tips and tricks to make the wait worth the rewards.

1) To get your partner following your trail try taking some sexy photos of yourself using a digital or Polaroid camera. You could start off tame and show each photo with a little less clothing and a naughty pose, be adventurous and make a combination of naughty, risqué and sexy poses to lead them along the way.

2) Start off by putting your tamest picture someplace easy to find. Be creative and put the picture in a box of Easter chocolates or candies, and maybe a hint or clue as to what you wish them to do or where you will be.

3) Create a path throughout your home with each picture becoming racier; leave a few sexy treats like the furry cuffs, or Belgian Chocolate Body Paint along the way to spark some sensual ideas.

4) For yourself as the grand finale you had best take a good sip of wine and set yourself up in your sexiest duds. Whether you choose from racy lingerie or your birthday suit and a pair of heels, you should feel sexy and empowered!

5) Now here comes the fun part: you’re all sexy and fine and you’ve got your partner looking for you in anticipation, but how do you want to be found? Slinky in the bed with a feast of delights beside you? Or already restrained with the under the bed restraint system and ready for them to make a meal of you with the deserts you’ve left along the way. However you desire your treasure hunt to end from being tied up in bed to having a fun bath together with some passion bath salts you know that this will be a pleasure hunt you both will never forget.

If doing the full Easter hunt is too difficult due to little children running wild, perhaps a mini hunt is the way to go. Slip a sexy note or picture into your partner’s pocket during the morning and even a couple more throughout the day. This provides some stimulating anticipation for a fun night ahead. Slip them a designated time with the last sexy note and then be sure to have the little ones off to bed or with a sitter so that you can set yourself up as an Easter treat.

Honey's Q & A: After Pregnancy Intimacy

Q: I had a baby two months ago. My heart and brain are screaming for sex, but my body is still saying ‘no way!’ Will I ever be able to enjoy sex again?

A: Congratulations on the new addition to your family. You can certainly enjoy sex after pregnancy. The key is going slow and listening to your body.

Much will depend on how much wear and tear you experienced while giving birth. If you were torn or had an episiotomy, it could take longer before you truly feel comfortable during sex. Exactly how long depends on a number of things, including how long you normally take to heal, the extent of tearing or type of episiotomy, length of labor and whether the delivery was assisted by forceps or vacuum extraction.

Kegel exercises, up to 100 per day, are one step to getting your pelvic floor muscles strong again. Find the muscles by imagining you’re urinating. Squeeze the muscles as if you were stopping the flow of urine. Let go and try again. Squeeze and release repeatedly to strengthen the vaginal muscles. Adding a toy designed to help with Kegels such as Smart Balls or Lelo Luna Luxury Balls can be helpful and fun.

Even without tears, you will likely notice your vagina does not lubricate as well as before. This is due to low levels of estrogen. Also, breastfeeding can increase dryness as lactating women produce fewer of the ovarian hormones that make you lubricate. This means a good water-based lube is a must.

Plenty of foreplay is essential too. Not only will it help move lubrication along, but if your body isn’t feeling up to the act itself, foreplay can be the main event. Plenty of cuddling, petting, oral sex and mutual masturbation will help keep you and your partner physically close.

As your body heals, you may find certain sexual positions you enjoyed pre-pregnancy and even while pregnant no longer feel comfortable. Rather than dwelling on this as a negative, use it as an opportunity to try new positions. You may be pleasantly surprised. Side-to-side or woman-on-top positions will allow you more control and put less stress on body parts that may still be healing.

Most of all keep communicating with your partner and keep a sense of humor. If pain persists, see your doctor.

Valentine Picnic In Bed

Feeding your desire

Sex and food have been erotically linked for ages. Think of Marc Anthony feeding Cleopatra grapes. Casanova is rumored to have shared oysters with his lovers to stimulate their sexual appetites. And who doesn’t remember the steamy kitchen scene in 9 1/2 weeks? It’s not unusual to feel a familiar tingle while slowly savoring each bite of your favorite flavors. After all, aroma and flavor tease the senses in bed and at the table alike.

A Valentine’s Day picnic in bed is an ideal way to enjoy delectable delights of all kinds. No need to worry about recharging your batteries for your extended play session if you bring the right accoutrements to bed, namely sweet and savory items guaranteed to whet your appetite.

First, lay out an easy-to-wash picnic blanket to catch any crumbs and any, ahem, moisture. The Luscious Sex Blanket is a perfect moisture-proof playscape for your Valentine’s romp. Plush on one side, silky satin on the other and featuring an inner moisture barrier, it will keep your dry-clean only duvet spotless.

Now, what’s on the menu? Let your appetite be your guide. Here are some scrumptious suggestions:

• A sprinkling of Kama Sutra Honey Dust, made with pure, natural honey has a delicate scent and irresistible taste. Tickle and tease your partner with the soft feather applicator.

• Create an edible masterpiece with Belgian Chocolate Body Paint. This quality chocolate is sure to please the most discriminating chocoholic.

• Did you know the strawberry was a symbol of Goddess of Love Venus, because of its color and heart shape? Best of all, this fruit is just perfect for dipping in melted chocolate to feed your lover.

• Make oral sex even more fun with flavored lubes like ID Juicy Lubes or naturally flavored condoms like O’My Blo condoms.

• Grapes, a la Marc Anthony feeding Cleopatra, will ramp up your desire. Just be sure to buy the seedless variety!

• Because tingles shouldn’t be limited to below the belt, tickle both your tongues with a mouthful champagne as you kiss.

• To heat up your romantic romp, use edible oils that warm the skin and get hotter with the softest of blows, like Oil of Love.

• How many licks does it take to get to the centre? Find the answer with the help of silky, sultry Body Licks Skin Candy.

• Nipples will stand at attention with the help of a fruity balm like Nipple Nibblers. Or apply to your lips before giving your sweetie a surprisingly tingly kiss.

• Don’t forget honey, perfect for drizzling. An added bonus is honey is a natural moisturizer.

• Top off your lover with whipped cream and a cherry.

Creating a Boudoir Toy Box

“Remember the Toy box you had as a kid? Make an adult version, then take turns picking and playing…” (Tracy Cox Super Sex Deck)

Even though you have to “grow up” it doesn’t mean you still can’t have your childish desires. Picking your favorite toy from a toy box brimming full can provide just as much pleasure now as it did so long ago. With the holiday season past and the excitement of spring around the corner its time to start taking stock of your toys and renewing the old or starting off with the new.

A toy box is more than just a few vibrators, its full of wondrous items that will provide hours of sensual stimulation, laughs and fun. Your adult toy box should be full of everything you fancy, from of course your vibrators and dildos, to erotic books, DVD’s, edible goodies, massage and bondage. From sweet to racy your box should speak to your every desire and mood. So here are some fun ideas to fill your box with some sexy and fun items to get started!

Pleasure Toys: At least one or more vibrator such as the Lelo Gigi which will provide you with the option of internal or external stimulation, and is curved for the g-spot to boot. Other fun gadgets could include erotic videos and sex aids and even a Polaroid or digital camera for some sexy shots to share.

Dress-up: Any good toy box should have some dress up. From the traditional role-play costumes like the Naughty Nurse to leather corsets and whips to help act out any fantasy.

Laughs: Anything edible helps the laughter roll, especially if it can be licked, sucked or rubbed off, such as the candy g-string and bra or body licks. For more fun and laughter using sexy board games like the Hot Affair game or using Tracy Cox’s Super Sex Deck to help make your evenings a fun filled sexy event.

Good Reads: Erotica is always a good way to rev your engines and get the evening off to the right start. Whether a book such as Sweetlife or with the help of magazines, you should always have a few good options at your disposal.

Bondage: Silk stockings or sexy bondage scarves, bondage has never been more fun than with the addition of our new Babushka line. Made in Vancouver B.C. (name) has created a sexy line of tie up solutions that are beautiful silk and fun colors. You will want to leave them out all the time they are so fantastically soft and beautiful. If silk is not your style we have fantastic furry cuffs and the under the bed bondage kit for something a little more hard core. Whatever your fancy, bondage whether light or intense should have a part of your toy box.

If your concerns about your children or stray guests pawing through your box of goodies than we suggest investing in a fun and sexy locked box. Your toys can be hidden away and there are lots of different styles out there that you could find something beautiful as a décor statement as well as a functional hidy hole for toys. Another fantastic hiding spot for your box is high up in the upper part of your closet, as long as you are tall enough to reach and your little ones are still little than you can have piece of mind. Just make sure to send them off to bed early and lock the doors to make a sensual atmosphere when you and your partner wish to pull out your toys and set up and evening of sensual fun and delight.

For more ideas and suggestions like the ones above check out the Super Sex Deck by Tracy Cox, her fantastic deck provides you wish fun and sexy ideas for many cozy nights together.

How To Approach The Subject of Sex

Brought to you by Guest Blogger Vicky Zhou.

Probably the single most uncomfortable topic when you are first starting to date someone is that of sex. Neither one of you knows how the other feels about it - how soon is too soon, how many partners this person has had in the past, what their preferences are when it comes to sex, and so on. It's no wonder that many people are scared to broach the topic in conversation. Fortunately, as long as you adopt the good attitude and bring it up in a good way, you can overcome much of this awkwardness and get to the information you want to know.

Timing:

The first very important point to keep in mind is the time you try and bring up the topic of sex. Don't bring it up while there is a lot of other stuff going on around you, as this is likely to just distract your partner and make them less receptive to having the conversation. Additionally, if you are wanting to know something like partner count or anything related to past sexual partners, do not, under any circumstances, bring this up while you are kissing or doing anything else physical. It will kill the mood in record time.

Tone of Voice:

The next important thing will be your tone of voice when you approach the subject. If you all of a sudden turn very serious or show a great deal of self-doubt with your words, this is not going to send the best of signals to your partner. You want them to know that you are comfortable discussing the topic so they themselves will become more comfortable also. The tone in your voice can really show a lot of what you are feeling so be very careful with this. You want to come across as sincere, but also keep a casual tone so they don't feel as though they are being grilled for answers.

Get A Lead-In:

The next way to help improve the receptiveness of your partner to this discussion is to find a lead-in topic. This would be something that is not directly about sex but could be related to it. This way, after you have discussed this lead-in topic, then you can gently approach the topic of sex and with any luck, the conversation will flow in naturally. For example, if you want to discuss with a new partner what their thoughts are on having sex before marriage, you could bring up the topic of someone you know (you don't actually have to know such a person) who has gotten pregnant without being married. Gauging your partner's reaction to this could give you some indication itself on what their views are on sex before marriage, and then you could lead right into the question if it's not clear enough. Obviously there is a clear difference between getting pregnant and having sex before marriage, as it's very well possible to avoid pregnancy as long as protection is used, however, it still gets you going towards the direction of sex and will put the thoughts of the topic forefront on the mind making the transition easier.

Make Sure You're Into The Relationship:

The final point to keep in mind is that it is important that you are relatively into the relationship before bringing up sex. While it likely is something that you want to discuss relatively early on, if you are just at the stage that you two have started dating or worse, if you aren't even classified as officially dating yet, it may not be the right time to bring up the topic. While some individuals are okay with casual sex, most, particularly women, prefer to only be sleeping with those they are in a relationship with. Factoring this in will help you ensure that you're on the right timeline for bringing up the conversation and aren't stepping out of bounds to begin with.

So, next time you want to talk to a partner about sex, try and relax. It is something that is slightly uncomfortable to bring up most of the time, however, if you plan out how you will approach it beforehand, your chances of having a successful conversation about it increase.

About Guest Blogger: Vicky is a dating/relationship and women lifestyle expert. Visit her webstite http://www.gotacrush.com/10-reasons-always-rejected.php to read more dating tips, advice, and tidbits here.