Are you torn between the toaster oven and the coffee maker? Can’t find the happy couple on a registry anywhere? A wedding gift basket is a perfect choice for newlyweds. What could be more romantic than champagne and truffles in a honeymoon suite?

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When it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to send is often the question. Once you have decided in the affirmative, you then have to determine who to include on your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope.

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Many of us want to show our appreciation to those special service people in our life at holiday time via etiquette tipping. However, trying to figure out what we should tip them is sometimes puzzling. No one wants to be a cheapskate, but over tipping can put a dent in our budget. Then there’s trying to figure out who we should tip.

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As a wedding consultant, I am asked questions about etiquette more than any other topic. Brides generally fit into two categories when it comes to etiquette: those who want to plan knowing that their actions will be socially acceptable to avoid any embarrassment, and those who aren’t concerned about etiquette because “it’s my wedding and I’ll do what I want, thank you very much.”

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There are endless reasons in life to offer congratulations to yourself and to others. However, isn’t it true that most of the time we offer congratulations to everyone in much the same way? Regardless of the age, preferences or accomplishment of the person we are attempting to congratulate, we often do it in the same way: a boring card, a gift card to a general store that many people do not shop at, or, if they are lucky, a bouquet of fresh flowers. Congratulations is rarely if ever given in unique or creative ways.

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