This is an interesting blog about organising a Chinese wedding. When I found it I wondered if it might be very different to the weddings I’ve been to (none of which were Chinese) but there are posts about photographers, clothes and wedding venues – the usual kind of thing.

What is different though is the page about auspicious wedding dates. They are found using the Chinese almanac or by consulting a monk or feng shui expert. It is said to be lucky if couples marry in the year that matches either the grooms or the brides Chinese animal sign and unlucky if they get married on a day where their animal signs conflict. Luckily, there seem to be plenty of auspicious dates in 2008 when this wedding is happening.

Chinese wedding games sound interesting. This is a tradition where the bridesmaids put the groom through some tests/ games when he and his best men go to pick up the bride on the morning of the wedding. This is supposed to be a bit of fun (although some of the examples look quite humiliating!) but luckily the groom can nominate one the ‘hing dai’ (best men) that are with to perform the tests for him. I like this part.

Wedding rings are one of the most well known symbols of marriage and they play an important role in both modern and more traditional wedding ceremonies. They help to signify the love and commitment of a couple when they marry. At Jewelry Vortex couples can shop online not just for wedding rings, but also engagement rings, gold chains and other jewelry.

They offer rings in a variety of styles and precious metals. This includes a wide selection of titanium wedding rings,  traditional gold wedding bands,  silver rings and modern designs with diamonds and gems. The site also has a range of other jewelry such as chain, bracelets, pendants and earings. The products are easy to find and browse with clear descriptions and pictures for every item.

Sometimes, shopping online for jewelry can be a worry but the returns/ exchange policy is clearly explained on the Jewelry Vortex Information Centre, along with all there terms and conditions and shipping policy.

If you’ve been involved with a wedding recently it’s a pretty safe bet that there was an online element to the planning. Whether it was online RSVP or viewing proofs on the photographer’s website or countless other tools, the internet has definitely filtered into the wedding process.

In fact, a lot of brides are getting in on the act too. About two thirds of the 2.2 million couples getting married this year are planning to build a personal wedding website. It may be a one page freebie or even a $99 deluxe edition, complete with planning tools. Either way wedding websites have become the newest wedding tradition.

Of course this means there are dozens and dozens of companies out there anxious to help you create one. But if your wedding is only 5 months away, you don’t exactly want a company that forces you to sign up for a year. How do you find the best wedding website company for you?

Well there’s a site called WeddingWebsites.com that organizes all the options into a tidy table. You can see how much it costs, how many designs they have, how many pictures you can upload, and a bunch of other information. They even make some recommendations on a couple of sites that they trust. So if you’re getting married and thinking about a wedding website, start your shopping at Wedding Websites, sign up for a few free trials, and then feel good about picking one that suits you.