Welcome The Year 2014 Romantically!!!

Who says New Year celebration only means hullabaloo, partying hard outdoors? Well, this time, I have pledged to change your this 'mindset'.

As the clock is ticking to 2014, it is the time to enjoy, relax and unwind yourself. Anticipating a new year can be a perfect time for some love too (oh...blushing...) So, whether you have been married for a decade or you are the new entrant in the 'married club' or getting along with a new love, welcoming the New Year in the cosy arms of your partner can be great fun and pleasurable too! At 11.59 pm on December 31, get the wine or juice ready and hunker down for a long night of love, kisses as the countdown is just about to start. With these romantic new year's eve celebration ideas, you're sure to maintain the right mood for the night and for the next 365 days too!

Raise a toast anywhere- You must be knowing a couple of people who opine that the key to a New Year's eve is the perfect setting. One of my couple friends hates the idea of staying indoor for celebration. But in my opinion, you don't need to travel to London or Goa to stage a New Year interlude as you can raise a toast anywhere. You simply need to have a bottle of champagne, two glasses and your partner. To boost the romance quotient even more high, read on.

Enjoy an elegant dining- Instead of partying with thousand others, reserve the evening for just the two of you. Either cook a meal together or order your favourites from outside. Set the table with candles and your finest dish ware. Make sure that you have got a dessert ready. Dress beautifully in your best outfit, keep a best hairdo and put on your best jewellery. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner together. Hey, stop often to wink and stare at each other.

Revel your seductive side- Even if this year you're not planning to go anywhere on New Year's eve, don't deny yourself the pleasure of wearing something sexy or little flirtatious. Whether it's a sparkly dress or red lipstick, your guy will surely notice and appreciate your efforts.

Pajama Party exclusively for two- Spend the New Year eve day in your pyjama. Indulge into a pillow fight, insert the notes into the balloons before blowing them up. Your partner will be surprised to discover them later. Play romantic numbers and dance the night away.

Picnic with the stars- There is another romantic celebration idea waiting for you. Prepare a basket full of gourmets, add champagne with two glasses and your basket is done. Spread a blanket beneath you and bring a warm sized big blanket for you and your partner to wrap together for a warmth. Add candles and lanterns around your sleeping place to flicker in the dark. Gazing stars with your partner is a romantic way to give a final bid to the 2013.

Sail to the moonlight- Rent a small rowing boat enough for two of you to sit face to face. In the beautiful and charming pearly moonlight, raise a toast for the year 2014 and all your dreams & aspirations. Don't forget to carry warm blankets and a basket filled with hidden seductive gourmets.

How To break the ice in an arranged marriage: Rules to abide by

Meet, arrange and go......easier said than done. Though in today's technology driven world, arranged marriage may feel like an old fashioned concept but there is one section of people who still believe in this concept. I am married, so I can say it with surety (experience counts phews...), whether your partner is chosen by you or your parents, as a couple you are bound to go ups and downs. It's just that if it's an arranged wedding, it may take considerably a longer time to understand your partner. If you are about to hitch in an arranged marriage, here are some points which you should keep in your mind to understand your partner:

Pre marital fidgets- Pre-marital fidgets or jitters are common among couples who opt for an arranged marriage. If you're also experiencing the same then it is important to know the cause of anxiety. Among the most possible reasons is the fear of sharing your space with completely unknown person. Then of course, there are other fears also like how to deal with a completely new family, how much you'd have to make adjustments in your living style to adapt to their thoughts and habits. The best and easiest way to overcome this is by frequently interacting with your future spouse. It will put you at ease and will finally create better understandings between the two of you.

Be always ready to adjustments- Whether it is love or arranged, marriage is all about making adjustments to each other living styles. Though I have a love marriage but that doesn’t restrain me from accepting that in an arranged marriage there are more responsibilities and expectations. Your partner may not have disclosed complete information about his/her likes or dislikes or your in-laws may not be following the same values and living style. As a result, you may always be constantly corrected about the ways in which things should be done in the house. Don't panic and just relax! Even after 2 years of love marriage, I am still facing this problem as me and husband's family has completely different living style. Starting from food, dresses, manners to eating habits, I too had to make adjustments to gel with my new family. But I don't mind as long as my husband is with me to support me!

Adjustment is the name of the game. You should have a frank talk with your partner, where you should discuss all your woes and try to find a middle way to sort out things without outraging values of new family. If you may feel the pressure of adjusting to the new family, your in-laws may also feeling the same pressure of accepting you as the part of the family. So, it is advised that you should not take rude remarks of your partner or new family too seriously in the initial days of marriage and never follow the tit for tat philosophy. 

Keep a distance from troublemakers and don't complain to your partner about his/her family. Your behaviour should give a message to your partner that you want to adjust in his/her family and need their support. Remember your spouse is as confused as you are.

Finally, wave the magic wand- Love is the medicine of any trouble. In an arranged marriage, you may not fall in love in few meetings. But don't worry, love takes its own time to blossom. But even if you have already developed feelings, don't expect from your partner to immediately reciprocate the same feelings. Give each other sufficient time and don't get frustrated or angry if you are not getting the same response or if your partner does something wrong.

Remember, marriage is a world of responsibilities and love & trust are its foundation.   

Honey: A Great 'Sweet' Beauty Aid

Globally known as an effective weight loss tool, honey has exemplary effects on your skin as well. Let's delve deep into it and find out the wonders of this easily available highly effective and safe ingredient.

Honey acts as a natural cleanser and is highly effective for ex foliate skin to bring out a glare and radiant complexion. Let's have a look on some of its benefits-

• If you will wash your face with honey once or twice a week, you can keep the softness of the skin intact and it will also make it blemish free.
• Properly mix tomatoes and honey together to make a thick paste. Apply it on your skin and keep it on for 20-25 minutes before washing it. It will act as a good moisturiser for the skin.
• Honey is highly recommended to reduce scars.
• It is also a great moisturiser for the skin. Apply plain honey on your face and leave it for 5-10 minutes. Later wash it off with warm water to get a glorifying skin.
• Honey is not only a potent ingredient to keep your face glowing but is also highly effective for keeping your hair shiny and strong. Mix honey with olive oil and use the same on your mane. After an hour wash it off with plain water. Use it as a conditioner and get ready to flaunt your luscious hair.
• Honey has the immense power to turn back the clock also. Containing anti-inflammatory properties that delay the ageing process., honey is strongly advised to use before going off to bed every night.
• Milk is also considered as a good cleanser but when it combines with honey, it creates majestic effects. To ease out wrinkles and lines, apply a paste of honey and milk on your skin and wash it off after 15-20 minutes with lukewarm water.

Here's Why You Were Right Not To Marry Him....

Is your would be spouse too secretive or showing an inflexible attitude? If your answer is yes then make-up your mind as these signs are the indicative you should call off your marriage! I know you may not be ready to accept this fact that your loving partner is no more loyal to you but dear, it is good to stay alone than to live with a person whose presence will only makes you more lonely. I have listed down some of the indicatives that you must understand before you walk down the aisle-

Unresponsive- Communication is a key ingredient of any relation but what if your future spouse hesitates to discuss his private matters, like his approach towards money, family planning, etc., then it is the time to run.

Nasty behaviour- If your partner is hiding or trying to hide money matters from you while you are still dating then it should raise a red flag. If he is not willing to disclose his spendings and earnings or he laughs about loan EMIs or credits and calling it somebody else's problem then it is the time that you should considered that person a problem for your future.

Rigid or inflexible attitude- A great relationship is not only about completion. It's about compromise also. Being in love doesn't mean you should have a same point of view about all things. Seeing things differently boasts discovery, unless your mate never ever ready to give an inch towards seeing things from your point of view also.  

Problems That Are Really Good For Your Married Life!!!

Marriage completes two persons, yet this is a journey which is not a smooth ride always. If I would compare it with a roller coaster, I am sure it will not bewilder you. Marriage is a journey with infinite duration & destination, and full of experiences, which are both good and bad. But do you know that in a marriage not only happy moment but the sad ones also teach you a lot, and that's the beauty of this relation! 

Remember, it is all about how you perceive the situation and how you learn from it. Lets' glance over some problems that as a married person you can relate with. Trust me, these problems will surprise you, and instead of ruining your relation, it will make it more strong and beautiful (read it to believe me).

A huge (or a mammoth) fight- Fighting is not the solution to any issue. To add to the dilemma, things you say during fights without realising its adverse outcomes only add more spark to the fire. But once you have come out of all these negative feelings, you will feel more calmer and lighter. Isn't it? Your better half would also feel the same. When both of you have finally calmed down, discussing the points that ignite the quarrel will surely increase the understanding and trust in your relation.

Professional problems- Most of the wives complain that their husbands give more importance to their professional commitments and always discuss their job or business issues at home. But don’t you think, they consider you as their best friend with whom they want to share everything? Your few encouraging words would support them. Even if God forbid, your spouse has to quit the job, you can be their emotional (and financially too!) support system.

A loss of a job will also bring both of you closer. As a starter, you will work as a team to prioritise your needs and make both your ends meet. Then the time you spend in getting other job and the patience showed by your partner as you do so will strengthen your love life. One day, sitting on the couch, I was watching the interview of Bollywood actor Arshad Varsi, where he confessed that he remained unemployed for more than three years and during this time, his wife stood as a pillar beside him. I was flabbergasted. It is indeed a big compliment for the fairer skin as male chauvinists are not considered to be such polite!

Some sort of illness- No one ever wishes for their dear one to catch a cough, let alone coming in the contact of severe illness. But believe me, when you will hear “Don't worry honey, I will do whatever it requires to make you alright” or “I will always be your side”, you will surely feel that in spite of feeling so low, the power of love is rejuvenating your all senses again. The undivided attention and care during this time will strengthen your relationship.

So, next time, when these things are happening with you, don't panic. Make the best use of this time to come closer to your beloved.

Kuch dil se......

Whenever I fight with my husband, I think why I entered into a wedlock? But whenever, I feel lonely, I need him to embrace me. That's the beauty of the marriage. Sometimes, you can't stay together for a minute but many times, you can't think of staying apart from more than a minute. Marriage is not a cakewalk, I agreed but it is not so cumbersome process, which so-called 'marriage anti' people think. It is the beautiful bond where two souls promise to stay together under one roof till the last breath. I have a love marriage but here, I want to confess that after marriage, the thin line between love or arranged gets diluted. The only thing which remains is marriage. I too have had my ups and downs in my married life but the unconditional love and support of my husband has made it possible that I can proudly say that we are “happily married”. Like other couples, we also fight, scold each other. We say so much rubbish things to each other that if I would have been in an arranged marriage then surely I would have got a divorce! But, we both know that we will never leave each other. You must be thinking that why I am writing about my married life. But friends, I just want you to know that marriage is not such a bad thing. It is indeed a lovely bond between two people. I can say it with surety because I am living it!!!! I have found mine and I hope you will surely get yours or may be have already found!!! Share your lovely marriage experiences and I would be happy to read them.......

Handy Tips For To-Be-Brides

So, the big day is about to come...Marriage is a lifetime even which happens for only once, so make it so much beautiful that you will cherish it throughout your life. There are so many iffs and buts which should be avoided to make this 'day' a memorable one. Make-up to dress to gifts, you may get umpteen number of tips on different aspects but there are many other things also which need to be look into carefully to make sure that your 'new' relation starts on a good note. I know in sheer of excitement and fear, you may not dodge such things but don't worry, I would be happy to help you-

• It is always worthwhile to note down all things on a piece of paper, which you may required to buy. It should include everything, right from how many pair of footwear, lipstick shades to shampoo and toothbrush. It is important to list down all these things so that you do not forget anything.
  
• Wear your wedding footwear around the house prior to the d-day as it will make your feet accustom to them
  
• 
  Make sure your all dresses are properly ironed. Never try to iron clothes by your own and always take the help of an ironer. I still remember, I committed a mistake of ironing one of the dresses out of my bridal trousseau and the outcome was dangerous. It all got burnt and I spent more bucks to correct it. So, make sure you are not committing this mistake
  
• Pack three suitcases-one for honeymoon, one for starting days when you don't want to rummage through your bags and the third one for bulky possession
  
• Make sure your make-up kit includes only 'those' things which you may need. It is of no use to stuff your kit with unnecessary items. Some essential things, like tissue paper, etc., should also be in your kit. It has been seen that girls indulge into extra shopping of make-up items in the hope that they may need all these. But you should buy only limited good quality make-up things
  
• Take the help of your fiance to identify the important members of the family. Ask him to show the photos of key family members so you won't be scrambling each time he is not around. Also, it will leave a good impression on family members also when they come to know that you already know them!
  
• Though your 'new' family may not be orthodox but still it is important to stay within your limits. It means, your clothes and make-up should not be over-the do, which otherwise would convey the wrong signal. After all, some things can be kept for future also.
  
• It is a nice idea to keep your clothes in a transparent packet and place a label on it so that you can easily find them
  
• Always keep 5-6 undies, so that you can wear them if you are not in a situation when you can wash your used ones
  
• Relax...Relax...and just relax....Though marriage is the biggest event of your life but there is no need to panic at all! The more you will relax, the more fresh and rejuvenate you will feel for the d-day
  

Best Seasons To Get Married

Marriage is an institution which gives you a reason to celebrate the togetherness and rituals with lots of enjoyment. Wedding is a lifetime occasion and so it is important that you leave no stone unturned in making this 'time' more beautiful and memorable. Parents aspire to have dream weddings for their children and therefore, they pay proper attention towards the minutest details like auspicious date (mahurat), season, climate and other external reasons before fixing the date for the d-day.



In India, the most preferred marriage season is autumn and winter which falls between October- March. During this time, the weather remains extremely beautiful and pleasant with cool, soothing breeze is flowing in most of the parts of the country. Summers are very hot and humidity is at the top, which makes the wedding process less enjoyable. People love the idea of conducting weddings during autumn season because most of the important festivals, such as Diwali, Durga Puja, Ramzan, etc., have already been celebrated and the families get enough time to do wedding preparations. Moreover, during festive season, market is flooded with fresh stock and you may easily find ample of options to choose from.



Regardless of the fact how contemporary and educated you are, you will always consult the astrologer before doing any auspicious act. People consult their astrologers to fix an auspicious date for the wedding. There are some sacred dates or months, which are always considered as pious and therefore, marriage can take place at these days without even consulting any pundit. Like, Basant Panchmi, which comes in the month of January, always witnesses thousands of marriages every year.

Apart from winters, May and June are the other two months when marriages take place in India.