Sunday, June 15, 2008

Your Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding

Planning a destination wedding can be both exciting and tedious. Depending on your chosen destination, you’ll need at least 6 months to a year for preparations.

Remember, a destination wedding can be more expensive than a wedding at home. However, if you plan ahead, you can still have the wedding of your dreams without spending a fortune.
Here are some things that should be part of your plan:

Learn basic words in the local language. Are you going to a place where English isn’t the first language? Then learning the basic words of the local language can help you communicate more effectively. Don’t forget to bring a handy English-Local Language dictionary to help you convey your message.

Know locations for emergencies. Before you travel, know about the locations of the doctors and hospitals in the country. There’s no need to wait for an accident to happen before you start researching about this crucial information.

Know the legal requirements for marriage. If you plan to tie the knot in another country, be sure that you are aware of the local marriage laws.

For example, in the Philippines, you need to obtain and file your marriage certificate at least 10 days before the wedding rites. In Mexico, blood tests and x-rays are part of the marriage licensing requirement. Take note that you may need to spend a few days of residency on your desired wedding destination. Know the exact documents that you’ll need to bring with you to secure the license.

Pack smart. Be ready for all possible weather conditions without overloading your suitcases. For example, even if you’re going in a tropical country, don’t forget to bring a jacket and sweater. (It could rain in the afternoon or it could get cold in your hotel room)

First-aid kit. Jot down all important numbers you may need to call on emergencies (relatives, hotel, fire assistance, doctor, etc) Don’t forget to pack medicines that you may need while on your trip. If you are on medication, bring your doctor’s prescription notes in case of a security check.

Avoid Lost Luggage. Although lost luggage are recoverable, it can cause a unnecessary problems on your wedding day. Make sure that you pack your wedding gown, suits and everything that you need to be wearing on your big day in a suitcase or a box that would be kept in your plane’s cabin. Know your airline’s cabin or luggage requirements.

Shop around for possible hotels and resorts in your chosen destination. The earlier you do your search, the more time you’ll have comparing your options. Don’t forget to check out small lodges and inns for lower rates.

Most couples tend to choose peak seasons, but you may consider off-peak or what they call “green” or “wet” seasons in the tropics for bigger discounts.

Consider purchasing your wedding tokens from that place. In some countries, the cost of wedding tokens are incredibly cheaper than it is in the US or Europe. For example, if you’re getting married in the Philippines, Thailand or Malaysia, consider buying your wedding favors from there. Aside from saving your money and luggage space, wedding favors with an Asian-touch would surely be a most memorable token for your guests.

Instead of bringing gifts to your wedding destination, request that your gifts be sent to your home when you get back to avoid expensive shipping costs.

Who Pays for What? Are you planning to shoulder the travel and accommodation expenses of your guests? If yes, be sure about the exact budget you’ll need for your guests. Remember, you can still invite guests to your destination wedding without necessarily paying for their expenses.

If you want to pay for their accommodation only or for their airfare only, include the details in a note enclosed in your wedding invitation. Specify exactly which costs you’ll pay for. This will give your guests the option to accept or decline your invitation.

Make your guests feel welcome. Although it’s not your obligation to pay for your guests’ expenses, it is your responsibility to make their trip as convenient and as enjoyable as possible. Provide them with a list of the most comfortable and budget-friendly accommodations that are nearest to your wedding venue.

Provide them will all the information they will need on planning this trip (itineraries before and on the day of the wedding, climate, local customs, directions, registration and booking procedures, transportation costs, what to expect, etc.)

Don’t forget to arrange a welcome basket waiting for them in their rooms along with a personal note from you and your fiancĂ© to show your gratitude and appreciation.

Send your wedding invitations early. For a destination wedding, it is a must to send out your invites at least three months in advance to give your guests enough time to decide whether they’ll accept or decline and to plan their trip. Don’t forget to include response cards or RSVP note cards!

Ensure provisions for the handicap. Do you expect guests with physical disabilities? If they’re attending your destination wedding, see to it that they will receive the necessary provision and assistance such as their transportation arrangements and rooming arrangements.

Create your wedding website. Setting a personal wedding web site can be a helpful tool for couples who want to have a destination wedding. On your site, post all relevant information involved with your wedding plans (travel and booking information, airlines hotel links, event schedules, gift registry, photos, etc). Free wedding websites are available from WeddingChannel.com and DestinationBride.com. Guests can easily check out your site at any time should they need any information about the wedding.

Hire a wedding planner. It may be best to hire a wedding coordinator who lives in your intended destination. A local wedding planner or wedding consultant can advice you about the legal requirements and the local customs as well as make the necessary preparations ahead of time.

Some hotels and resorts provide a wedding organizer as part of their wedding package. Consider availing a wedding destination package from the same hotel you plan to stay with. If you hired a wedding planner from home, you may need to plan your trip at least two weeks or more in advance to make all the necessary preparations.

Keep in touch. An open communication with your wedding planner will ensure that your expectations would be met. Explain your plans in detail and don’t be afraid to clarify things. Put everything into writing to make sure that everyone’s in the same page. Take advantage of all possible means of communication while you’re still at home (e-mail, instant messengers, fax, voice & video conferencing). Keep all copies of your e-mails and correspondences for reference.

Coordinate with a travel consultant. Traveling for you and for your guests can be a lot easier with the help of a travel consultant. He/She can make all the necessary travel arrangements on your trip to and from your wedding destination. You may also be able to avail of discounted rates if you book flights by group and from the same travel agency.

** MORE TIPS:

Take the non-stop flight. As much as possible, book for a non-stop flight. Changing flight connections can cause delays and other unnecessary hassle.

Carefully read and understand contracts before signing up. Once you’ve made your decision about the wedding venue, it’s important to be clear about the Terms and Conditions. Typically, you’ll need to submit a down payment to assure reservation. Take note that down payments are often non-refundable so you’ll want to be very sure about your decision to hire the place.

Personally visit the place, if possible. If your chosen destination isn’t too far, it’s best to visit the place. If you have a relative or a friend who lives there, you can request them to take a look at the place for you. If this is not an option, read online reviews from other people or couples who have been to the place.

If you want to bypass international legal marriage requirements, you can privately get married in the US and plan a destination wedding celebration afterwards.

Plan the honeymoon. Usually, couples choose a destination wedding so they can spend their honeymoon in their dream place at the same time. Don’t forget to ask the hotel where you’ll be staying or where you’ll be holding the wedding about their honeymoon packages. Most hotels offer a destination wedding plus honeymoon package at a more affordable rate.

Pay with credit card. Generally, paying with your credit card is the safest way to make payments. Credit cards are also cheaper than issuing checks and it eliminates the need for exchanging your money to local currency which can cost you even more.

However, don't forget to check the currency conversion rates if you’re going to use the card abroad. Sending your credit card payment online from your hometown can also save you from the additional currency conversion charges.

Do you have your own wedding destination tips to share? We'd love to know!

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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Practical Wedding Centerpiece Ideas for the Budget Bride

With a little creativity and imagination, beautiful and unique wedding centerpieces don’t need to be as expensive as hiring a professional wedding decorator. Before planning to decorate your reception on your own, here’s what you need to remember:

Set a budget and stick to it. From the start, set a definite a budget you’re willing to spend on centerpieces and be sure that you won’t go over that. If your estimated cost is over your intended budget, cut back or work your way around it but always stick with your original budget.

Don’t forget to consider the size of your tables. Make sure there’ll be enough room for the food and for your guests to freely move. Also, wedding centerpieces should be small enough or tall enough that your guests can comfortably see each other from across the table.

Choose a theme and focus on that. A beautifully designed table is all about proper coordination. Putting together items that complement each other is the key. Be careful about combining too many ideas into one. It can cause you to lose focus and tables can become overly decorated.

Consider the kids. If you expect many kids to attend your wedding, don’t forget to think about safety. You may want to stay away from using too many candles or lamps as centerpieces.

Get help. Remember, things would be easier if you let your friends and family help you. Assign errands and tasks and don't be afraid ask for assistance.

Now that you’re ready to plan, here are some wedding centerpiece ideas that can inspire you:

The Minimalist

Flowers don’t always have to go on big bunches to be beautiful. You can use one stem of a flower per table or five stems at the most for long banquets. Birds of Paradise, Calla Lilies, Tulips and Anthuriums are especially great for the elegant, minimalist appeal. You can use clear jars or tall glasses to hold these blooms and surround them with a few accents (rose petals, smooth pebbles, or colored stones).

A Bowl of Fruits

Fruits are luscious wedding centerpieces. Fruits in season definitely cost so much less than flowers. Fill large bowls or cylinders with greens and yellows like mangoes, lemons, limes and apples for the summer wedding look.

You can also decorate your table with a platter of juicy, red apples, grapes and different kinds of berries for a gorgeous splash of reds and violets. Another way to decorate with fruits is to slice them in pieces and submerge them in a glass jar with water!

The Happy Bunch

Happy flowers like Gerbera Daisies, Carnation Mums and Chrysanthemums are wonderful wedding centerpieces. They’re bright, chunky petals come in all colors and shades that never fail to please the eye and bring out a smile to anyone. Best of all, you can buy them at a cheap price especially when in season.

Mr. and Mrs. Pots

Small potted flowers can also make great centerpieces and wedding souvenirs at the same time. You can sponge-paint the pots with your motif and wrap an organza tied with a sash for that perfect wedding look.

The Asian, Rustic Appeal

Bamboo shoots planted in pebbles, lighted candles and rose petals floating in a bowl of water, wooden bowls, lemons and herbs make up the rustic, Asian appeal.

The Glow of Romance

Pillar candles and small candles can be found in thrift stores and craft stores at cheap prices. Candles can really add a romantic glow and elegance to any table. You can also visit flea markets or yard sales to look for candle holders, lamps and lanterns.

Wine Bottles

Vintage wine bottles or champagne bottles can also be used as vases. If you or someone in the family or a friend has a collection of wine bottles, these can make unique accents to some of the tables.


More tips:

*To create a big foliage centerpiece, you can also combine silk flowers with real flowers and no one would be able to tell the difference.

*Here are other things you can use to accent your wedding centerpieces: ferns, twigs, leaves, herbs, fish bowls, mason jars, gift boxes, walnuts, wine bottles, vegetables.

*Photographs as wedding centerpieces are nostalgic and heart-warming and they can definitely brighten up the conversations on the table. Buy small photo frames from thrift stores and fill them with the bride and groom’s memories from their childhood until the day they’ve met.

*Clear drinking glasses or champagne glasses can be filled with jelly beans or crystal candies half-way through to hold one long stem of flower. Place them on a long table about 8-12 inches apart from each other to create sweet and delightful centerpieces.

What's your own creative wedding centerpiece idea?

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Home Wedding Ideas for the Budget Bride

A home wedding is a perfect budget-saver. At the same time, you get to exchange vows in a place that is meaningful to you and your fiancé.

If you or your parents live by the lakeside, the beach or in a cottage by the mountains, you can turn your home into a breathtaking destination wedding without going on trip.

Yet, even a backyard wedding can be both romantic and magical as long as has been prepared for the big day. In order to be a success, here are some things to consider:
Continue reading. . .

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Saturday, June 7, 2008

Would You Like A South American Destination Wedding?

In response to Aleta’s comment, I’ve researched three of the most popular honeymoon and wedding destinations in Central and South America.

Costa Rica. Located in Central America, Costa Rica boasts of two beautiful coastlines (the Pacific and Atlantic or the Carribean) and has been a favourite destination for marrying couples and honeymooners. Beaches, rainforests, leatherback sea turtles, waterfalls and volcanic mud massages are the highlights of the place.

Traditional Costa Rican weddings usually has the groom wearing an embroidered shirt made by his bride and the bride wearing a black dress and comes with a live band playing steel drums or Reggae music.

You may consider choosing a hotel or a resort or hire a wedding planner from Costa Rica to help you with your wedding arrangements.

Peak seasons (dry season) are from December to April.Incidentally, these months are also filled with local holidays so you’ll want to make early reservations if you plan to wed on these dates.

May to December are known as “wet” or “green” season with fewer tourists in the place which is your chance to grab discounts from hotels and car rental operators.

Here is a list of possible hotels and resorts to check out: (Please right-click to open the link in a new window)

New Hilton Papagayo Resort (Guanacaste, Costa Rica)
The Four Seasons Resort
The Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas (Tamarindo, Costa Rica)
Sueño del Mar bed and breakfast
Paradisus Playa Conchal
The TabacĂłn Grand Spa Thermal Resort (near Arenal Volcano)
The Arenal Observatory Lodge
La Mansion Inn
Tropico Latino
Tortuga Lodge (The Caribbean Coast)
Samasati Nature
Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge

Belize. Found in northeast Central America, Belize is also considered as a romantic getaway for a honeymoon or wedding with waterfalls, fresh water springs, rainforests, mud massages and for the more adventurous couples- cave explorations.

The months of December to April are Peak Seasons so it’s best to book early. June to August months are Off-peak or rainy season when low travel package rates abound.

Here’s a list of Belize hotels that you can check on:

Hidden Valley Inn (Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve)
Maruba Resort Jungle Spa (famous for its Mood Mud Massages)
Ian Anderson's Caves Branch
Mountain Pine Ridge
Capricorn Resort (Ambergris Caye)
Kitty's Place (Placencia Peninsula)
Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux Lodge This one is owned by Francis Ford Coppola. I LOVE the design and layout of their website!

Ecuador.This South American country is located in the Andes mountain range and is home to the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest.

If you want a dream wedding in the “highlands”, Ecuador is the place to go for a trully exotic, ecological, destination wedding. Here is a list of possible inns and lodges that you can consider:


Hacienda Pinsaqui (Otavalo, Ecuador)
Contact info: (+593 6) 2946 116 / 2946 117 info@haciendapinsaqui .com

Casa Mojanda (Otavalo, Ecuador)
Contact info: info@casamojanda.com

San Jorge Eco-Lodge (Quito, Ecuador)
Contact info: (877) 565-2596 Toll Free USA & Canada

Hosteria La Barquita (Manabi, Ecuador)
Contact info: 593-4-2780-051 info@labarquita-ec.com

Hacienda Cusin (Imbabura, Ecuador)
Contact info: (800) 670-6984 / 593-6-291-8013 hacienda@cusin.com.ec


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Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Make the Best of A Hot Summer Wedding

The summer season is a wonderful time for a wedding. The best thing about it is that you can bet it won’t rain on your wedding day.

No wonder, outdoor weddings are popular during summer. Why not! Getting married amidst a green, lush garden or a peaceful, white-sand beach is indeed, a very romantic setting.

If you live in the South Americas or in a tropical country like the Philippines, a summer wedding can be too hot to handle. Even if you live Baguio, (where the climate is cool most of the year) the months of March, April and May can still be hot or humid. How can you keep your wedding cool despite the hot summer weather? Here are some tips:

Get married early morning or late afternoon. During hot summer months, you’ll want to avoid the time of the day when the sun is at its strongest. Thus, early morning or late afternoon is most ideal. Imagine exchanging vows by the beach under a breathtaking sunrise or a glorious sunset.

Light up the place with lanterns. If it’s going to be a late afternoon wedding by a garden or a backyard, light up the place as the sun sets with hanging lanterns or glass lamps.

Beat the heat with a refreshing menu. For your wedding menu, sea foods, barbecues, or grills are the most sumptuous choices. For early morning wedding, think breakfast! Don’t forget to serve fresh vegetable salads (avocadoes, cucumbers, greens), and platters of fresh fruits like melon, honey dew, berries, peaches, pears, ripe mangoes and watermelon for a refreshing treat.

A simple sorbet with fresh fruits is a delicious, cool summer dessert. Must-have Beverages! Lemonade, iced-tea with honey, piñacolada, martini and margarita are ideal thirst-quenchers.

Celebrate summer with flowers. Another great thing about summer weddings is that flowers are cheaper this season. Liven up your venue with fresh summer flowers such as daisies, chrysanthemums, gerberas, zinnias, carnation, mums, calla lilies, hydrangea, anthuriums, etc. Even orchids, tulips and roses cost less during summer.

Decorate with fruits or vegetables. Summer is a bountiful time of the year and you’ll want to take advantage of the season by using fresh fruits or veggies not only in your menu but for decorations as well.

Fruits in season are inexpensive, beautiful and refreshing to look at. For example, fill a large glass or vase with green mangoes or yellow lemons and use them as centerpieces.

Go sleeveless or strapless. Most wedding gowns in the market are either sleeveless or strapless which are perfect for summer weddings. Avoid gowns with very long trains or made out of heavy fabric. If it’s going to be a beach wedding or a garden wedding, consider choosing a simple yet elegantly-designed, slip-on gown.

Wear light make up. You don’t want melting make-up on your face in this hot weather so it’s best to keep it light. Wear a high quality oil-free liquid foundation with sunscreen protection.

Use colors that complement your skin and bring out your best features. To keep make up from smudging, use oil-control films to blot away oil and perspiration off your face. Don't forget a rich moisture lipstick with SPF to keep your lips from drying.

Choose colors that soothe the eye. For your motif, stay away from colors that reflect the sun. Bright colors will certainly look beautiful in your wedding pictures but bright doesn’t have to be so intense as to hurt the eyes.

For my own wedding, I chose a bright but cool tinge of blue which is cool to the eyes but still bright enough to stand out in the photos. You may also choose 2 different colors or 2 different shades of the same color for your bridesmaids and maid-of-honor.

Cocktails dresses for your bridesmaids. Cocktail dresses that are shorter in length, (ankle or knee-length) are great for summer weddings. Not only do they look great in photos, they’re also comfortable to wear and cheaper than very formal bridesmaids gowns.

Make your own bouquets. Rather than paying for floral arrangements, save your budget by making your own bouquets. Making bouquets don’t have to be complicated. Let flowers show their natural beauty.

Simply tie up your choice of flowers with a sash and voila! your bouquet is ready. Combine different flowers in one bouquet, or go with only one color or one type of flower. Each of your bridesmaids can carry a different type of flower while your maid-of-honor can carry only one stalk of a large flower. Of course, as the bride, you should carry the most beautiful bouquet of all.

Summer wedding favors. For a beach wedding, paper weights, candles, and ornaments accented or made out of seashells and sand make memorable wedding souvenirs. For a garden wedding, you can give away potted flowers or seeds embedded in colourful papers or notecards. Paper or wooden fans and straw hats are also ideal summer wedding favors.

Offer cold towelletes to your guests. At your wedding reception, pass on a tray of cold towellettes soaked in scented water (just add a few drops of lavender oil or rosemary oil to a basin of cold water) to help your guests cool down.

Keep the sun out. Sometimes, it rains even in summer. But even if it won’t rain, you can keep the sun out by putting up a tent where your guests are shielded from the sun’s hot glare!

Water! Make sure that chilled (not ice-cold) drinking water is easily within reach. You can set up at least 2 or more water dispensers where guests can just help themselves with whenever they're thirsty.

Do you have a cool summer wedding tip to add to this list? Do Share!

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Monday, June 2, 2008

I just signed up for SocialSpark! Have You?

If you're a blogger, you may already be familiar about Social Spark, the latest social networking and media marketing community on the web. If you're new to blogging, you'll be glad to know that aside from being able to share your thoughts to the world, blogging is also another way to earn extra money.

From my experience, blogging has helped me get more from my writings. I currently maintain 4 active blogs and I try my best to keep them updated when I'm not working. This is my newest blog and although none of my posts on this blog have been paid by an advertiser, I really enjoy writing and researching these articles.

Recently, I haven't been able to update all my blogs as much I as I want to except for the Weddingbug. And although it's my newest blog, it's also the most the most updated one, and as of yet is the only one out of my four blogs that was approved by Customer Love (Social Spark's quality control team). You need about 20 consecutive daily posts in the past 90 days to qualify.

I've joined a couple of paid to blog sites before but in terms of flexibility and options, I think Social Spark exceeds them all. What I like about SocialSpark is that it's not just about paid blogging, it helps you get the exposure you need for your blog. I've been registered with Social Spark for more than a month now. Unfortunately, I haven't been spending time with it that much so my list of friends isn't that impressive. I think if you spend at least 30 minutes checking out fellow bloggers in this community, it will make a big difference in your blog's traffic and exposure.

There are 3 different opportunities offered in the Social Spark marketplace that you can choose from and these are Sponsored Post, Blog Sponsorship and the Spark. Both the Sponsored Post and Blog Sponsorship opportunities would require you to make a review about the advertiser or the sponsor. The difference with these two ops is the pay.

With a Sponsored Post, you are paid on the 30th day since your post was submitted with the specified price when you took the opportunity. If you choose Blog Sponsorship, the pay is made on a per day basis, which means you are paid a certain amount each day throughout sponsorship period or for the entire time that the sponsorship runs on your blog. The price per day can either drop or increase depending on the demand in the market. Payment is sent through Pay Pal which is really the most convenient way of getting paid compared to checks.

What about the Spark? A Spark is a non-monetary opportunity so you're not paid money to do the post. However, taking opportunities in exchange for Sparks is a great way to build new friends, build links, get more subscribers, and win freebies from advertisers. If you're on a rut, checking out the Sparks is also an effective strategy to find an interesting topic for your audience.

The pay range for the ops are realistic and reasonable ranging from as low as $1.00, $5.00 and up. But there's more! SocialSpark encourages its bloggers to create 100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure, write reviews with 100% Transparency, express 100% Real Opinions, and to make posts 100% Search Engine Friendly,

There's also the chance to win the bonus prize for the highest quality review or post on certain opportunities. For example, writing this post can win me the $100.00 bonus if this happens to be the best review about SocialSpark out of all entries. But of course, that is not guaranteed so you just have to do your best out of every post opportunity you take.

Because this is an all-about wedding blog, I'm waiting for more review opportunities that are related to weddings. Hopefully, there would be more wedding-related themes in the future so I can review online shops or merchants that offer wedding products or services.

Have you ever thought about monetizing your blog? Which paid to blog sites have you already joined? Would you be willing to try out Social Spark? If you're already a SocialSpark member, what can you say about it? Would you recommend it? If you ask me, I can honestly say, it's definitely worth it!


Sponsored by SocialSpark

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Would You Like to Be a June Bride

June is a popular month for weddings. Ever wondered why June came to be the "wedding month"? If you're planning to tie the knot, what month would you choose? Would you be a June Bride too?

June Bride History

The month of June was named after the the goddess, Juno. In Roman Mythology, Juno is a powerful and beautiful goddess- "the goddess of marriage", "the queen of sex", "the queen of the gods" and the wife of Jupiter. In Greek mythology, her counterpart is goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus.

In ancient Rome, women celebrate the "Matronalia"- an annual festival in honor of Juno. In lieu of these beliefs, many people in Rome choose to get married in June, with the blessing of Juno, "the patron of marriage".

In modern times, June became popular because many couples tied the knot immediately after June graduation. These days however, couples choose their wedding month based on different factors- the availability of the venue, the weather, financial readiness, and convenience. Some bride and grooms choose a meaningful month for them.

Surveys conducted in 2005 and 2006 in the US by the Association for Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI)- an international research organization that specializes on weddings reveal that August, September and July are the months where the most weddings took place while January, April and February were the least favorite months for a wedding. Surprisingly, June ranks only 5th in both the 2005 and 2006 annual surveys. Here is the complete list:

2005 2006
1. August - 370,000 August - 388,000
2. September - 364,000 September - 375,000
3. July - 369,000 July - 369,000
4. October - 358,000
October - 367,000
5. June - 351,000 June - 359,000
6. March - 350,000
March - 357,000
7. May - 347,000 May - 356,000
8. December - 347,000
December - 355,000
9. November - 339,000 November - 352,000
10. January - 332,000 January - 340,000
11. April - 332,000 April - 330,000
12. February - 310,000 February - 320,000


We got married on a March - not for any sentimental reasons. I would have liked to get married on a February month but we we didn't have much time left for preparations and we didn't want to wait until the next year.

What month did you tie the knot? Why did you chose that month for your wedding? If you were getting married, what month would you choose?

Related Post: Choosing the Right Day for Your Wedding

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