A Game of Entertainment: The Lannisters

The most powerful and feared man in all of Westeros,Tywin Lannister was the Hand of the King. He once led the Lannister armies against the Stark armies of the north and was awarded the title of "Savior of the City" after his victory against Stannis Baratheon at the Battle of the Blackwater. He was the patriarch of the Lannister house and was willing to do anything at all, moral or not, to preserve the proud family name. Tywin was killed by his son Tyrion.

Jaime, the eldest son of Tywin, is a knight of the Kingsguard. Unbeknownst to his father, Jaime carries on an incestuous relationship with his twin sister Cersei, the queen mother. After his slaying of King Aerys, the "Mad King", he became known as the "Kingslayer", much to his chagrin. He also pushed young Bran Stark, son of Eddard, out of a tower window after Bran had witnessed he and Cersei having sex.

 After the war begins between the Starks and the Lannisters, Jaime is captured in battle but later set free by Catelyn Stark in exchange for her daughters', Arya and Sansa's, safe return from King's Landing. He vows to bring them back safe, the first honorable act he attempts in the story. Along the way, he loses his right sword hand. Afterward, he develops some respect for his escort, Brienne. After King Joffrey's untimely death, he sides with his brother Tyrion against the false accusations that he killed young Joffrey and later helps him escape.

Cersei, twin brother of Jaime and daughter of Tywin, is the self-centered queen mother. She craves power and authority. She is cold-hearted and will go after anyone who disagrees with her.

Joffrey is the oldest son of Cersei and Jaime. He ascends to the Iron Throne after his thought-to-be father King Robert is killed. He takes after his mother in being very cruel and sadistic. He wrongly executes Eddard Stark for treason and, afterward, displays his head on a stick. During his wedding, he is poisoned and dies.

Tyrion is Cersei and Jaime's dwarf brother and Joffrey's uncle. He, along with his brother, are the only Lannisters to show any kind of remorse for the family's cruel ways. Whoring and drinking are frequent things he does.

He is viewed as an abomination by Tywin after Tyrion's mother died giving birth to him. Tyrion was falsely accused of Joffrey's death and convicted. But, as stated earlier, he escapes with Jaime's help. After learning a horrible truth about his father, the dwarf kills his father and flees King's Landing.

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Ideas for a Great Wedding Location

If you haven't looked at your destination for your wedding day, you should, getting married in a special venue is a great way to enhance the experience of your wedding. A wedding is likely to be the most important event of your life so why not make it a special as possible. There are many different places that you can choose as a venue for your wedding.

Here are some ideas that you can use to help you get started when deciding where you want to get married. 

There are many different places that you can get married, especially if you are looking for a special venue for your wedding.

Sports venue

If you are a sporting fanatic, for instance if you like, football, basketball, tennis or any other sport that really interest you, the one get married in the stadium of your favourite sporting event. 

There are many to choose from, such as football grounds, racecourses, you will also be encouraged to know that many sporting venues are licensed as wedding venues.
The film venues

If you are a big movie fan, getting married on the set of your favourite TV program or film program could be the venue of your wedding.

It will be great for you to be the star of the show on your special day instead of the regular actors that you are used to watching on a daily basis.

Wedding venue ideas have helped to spark some creativity in your mind, there are many different places that you can get married, it is up to you to check them out.

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Great Wedding Speech Quotes

A wedding is all about words... I mean at least literally. The clergy says their words and ask for the bride's and the groom's words. The bride's father says his words in his wedding speech and the groom and the bride say theirs in their wedding speech. Then there are the welcome words, the words of gratitude, the words of

praise, the words of wit and humour... the wedding vows and more wedding speeches. Quite a wordy affair! When it's time for you to deliver a wedding speech at a wedding (even if it's your own big day) some shivers are bound to run down your spine. The best speech would be the one that comes out confidently from the speaker's mouth and expresses the feeling of his heart. You get all the guidance and help regarding how should go about your speech. Some sites on the web would even give you the speeches. But there is always the danger of ending up saying something that many others have said. So take guidance, take help, take advice but do not take someone else's words. Imagine finding out that the speaker who speaks before you has got the same jokes as you... you borrowed from the same example speech!It's best to have your own words to express your feelings. You might have to keep it simple but it will be original. And original is original. You can use some famous quotes and saying about love, wedding and marriage to make your speech sound interesting. If chosen and timed carefully, some sayings and quotes (though well known) would give a rich and witty flavour to your speech.Here are a few famous quotes that can definitely adorn your speech.

i. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

ii. May she share everything with her husband, including the housework.

iii. Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years.
iv. If two stand shoulder to shoulder against the gods, happy together, the gods themselves are helpless against them while they stand so.

v. Matrimony is a process by which a grocer acquired an account the florist had.
vi. Here's to matrimony, the high sea for which no compass has yet been invented!
vii. Like good wine, marriage gets better with age - once you learn to keep a cork in it.
viii. It takes a loose rein to keep a marriage tight.

ix. Marriage is not a word - it is a sentence.
x As we grow older together, As we continue to change with age, There is one thing that will never change... I will always keep falling in love with you.
xi Men always want to be a woman's first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a man's last romance.

xii. Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that.
xiii. To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness.

xiv. The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.
xv. Marriage must constantly fight against a monster which devours everything: routine.
Incorporate these into your speech with effect and relevance; and see your words cast a spell!

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Get Great Wedding Favors at Your Local Grocery

A wedding favor is pretty special in the wedding because apart from the reception food and activities, these are one of the two tangible items that the guests can take home with them as a memento of your wedding (the other one would be the photographs). Even if photo thank you cards are sent, wedding favors are special because unlike wedding photographs, you can show your own personality, style and creativity when making your wedding favors.

Whether expensive, cheap, or homemade; wedding favors are something guests look forward to as well. But when your budget is running low, how do you come up with good wedding favors? While your local grocery or supermarket may not look like a great place to buy wedding supplies, there are a lot of items there that when paired with creativity and ingenuity can turn into romantic wedding favors that are easy on your budget.

Lip balms make for great and personalized favors just by adding a label sticker on it. Available in assorted flavors and colors, lip balms are something your guests can truly appreciate and use.

You can find edible favors too at the supermarket. Something that is fun to give and is always appreciated, chocolates are a fool-proof favor. Rounds, bars or minis, chocolate interestingly has been used to symbolize love and romance (Valentine's Day, anyone?). A jar of honey or marmalade can also be used. Cookies or sugar-coated or caramelized nuts in special boxes are a hit too.

While these goodies normally last for months, be sure to check the expiration date of these items before paying the full amount for them for bulk orders. While supermarkets are aware of these, you should also know how to handle or preserve the items, such as storing them at the right temperature, or keeping them away from direct sunlight. Preserved items would be your best bet, so stay away from fresh food products as their tendency to spoil is high. Remember that favors will be at your wedding venue for a relatively long time (or maybe even longer with unexpected delays in the ceremony or program), and giving them at the last part of the reception may be quite tricky when it comes to the freshness of your edible favor.

Small packs of coffee beans are sometimes available in your local grocery. You may opt for gourmet coffee to make your wedding favor as special as the event.

There are practical favors such as soap, bath products, mini lava lamps, and others that you can purchase. For a more lavish one, bath oils in small jars, may be tied with a hang tag or placed in small carton trays to be given as wedding favors.

Browse around the supermarket, and you may be surprised with what you may find. Almost anything can be turned into a favor, just stay away from the obviously tacky ones or the offensive ones. Do not be gender specific as well. Find unisex items so you'll be able to hand out your favors to anyone.
To make these cheap finds look elegant and more special, remember that packaging can change everything. You can have little organza bags, hang tags or small elegant boxes where you can put prints. And conveniently, these items may also be found at your local supermarket.



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Always Great Wedding Speeches - Groom, Best Man

Delivering a wedding speech doesn't have to be a daunting task. With a bit of preparation those few moments at the microphone can end up being the most memorable ones of your life. After all, this is one of your best days and the beginning of a new chapter in your life as well. In wedding speeches a groom has a lot to cover in just a couple of minutes. With a checklist, you can handle all the important aspects of the speech and be well prepared for your big day.

To begin with, you need to start by brainstorming. Think of a few ideas to include in your groom wedding speeches. After all, when it comes to wedding speeches a groom plays a significant role in not only thanking everyone, but must include how you met your bride, funny moments you have shared and anything special you would like to share with the guests. It is about saying the right thing at the right time. Don't let the fact that you may not know some of the guests who may be highly significant to the bride deter you from making your speech. Everyone is a born orator, and even professionals learn to prepare well.

As you will be bogged down with many other responsibilities, it is prudent to prepare your speech well in advance. This will help you overcome any natural nervousness and make you verbalize your emotions well. Most importantly, you need to deliver a speech that's warm, meaningful, with a touch of humor and one that reflects the significance of the occasion. Everyone's eyes and ears are going to be on you, but that doesn't mean you need to chicken out. Besides, your bride will be watching and should be an inspiration for you.

In wedding speeches a groom ought not to say anything that could insult or cause any hurt feelings. Be very careful of what you are going to say, for people may forgive but seldom forget. Don't delve on any past relationships, good or bad. This would only result in plenty of hurt feelings all around. All said and done, give yourself two weeks to prepare your speech. Once you have an outline, it is time to get ready to put everything down to words. Go through it once and note how long you have managed to make it. As long as you hit the three minute mark, you are doing fine. Don't let it flow much longer or else the audience may just begin to chatter or nod off for a couple of minutes.

For wedding speeches groom humor is essential to help you and your audience relax. However, stick to good, clean jokes. If you aren't familiar with jokes there is plenty available online that would be suitable for your wedding. Humor will help to lighten the mood especially when someone in the wedding party may be a bit emotional.

Call up your best man and get him to listen to your speech. He may offer some suggestions that you may need to tweak your speech. Remember, it is your wedding day to celebrate the love you and your better half to be have for each other. Undoubtedly, you will be surrounded by loved ones, which will make it easier for you to give a flawless wedding speech that everyone will remember.

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Your Wedding Day - Great Wedding Gifts For Bridesmaids

Finding gifts for your bridesmaids can be quite challenging. Traditionally, brides often give away small trinkets of jewelry, like pearl earrings, brooches or necklaces. However, with the rising costs of weddings, it may no longer be economical to think of very expensive gifts for your bridesmaids.

One great idea for a wedding gift for bridesmaids is salon or spa gift certificates. They deserve these since they have likely spent a lot of time and effort helping you prepare for the big day. They were likely there during the most hectic week before the wedding and you probably asked them to run some last minute errands for you. You did get stressed a lot but you and your husband have the honeymoon as time for relaxation and recreation. However your bridesmaids do not get to go with you so the least you can do is to thank them with a pampering gift certificate so that they can relax as well.

Sometimes, miniature gifts that say a lot are also perfect wedding gifts to bridesmaids. You can give them a photo album that has pictures of them and you, the couple. The picture can even include the entire wedding party. You can get some photo albums and get an engraving of the date of the wedding in front of it. The front picture can be of you and the recipient bridesmaid. This is a great souvenir and wedding gift idea because it is very personal. The bridesmaid can put the rest of her photos during your wedding day on these frames later on.

Other special wedding gift ideas are homemade items. You can create a CD with the favourite songs of the bridesmaids in it. The CD can be different according to the preference of the bridesmaid. You can even put a picture of her with you as the CD cover and include a poem for a touch of sweetness.

Use your wedding theme to help you think of gifts for your bridesmaids and even for your groom. There is no need to spend so much money on your wedding presents. Just remember that it's the thought that counts, and even simple, inexpensive gifts can give the message of appreciation to your bridal entourage.

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How to Throw a Great Wedding on a Budget

Everyone knows that weddings can be very expensive events but you can easily cut the costs of your wedding by carefully planning out a few details. Considering that an average, full wedding and reception can cost between $10,000 and $20,000, it is easy to see why most couples these days are looking for clever ways to dramatically save money.

Wedding clothing is generally very expensive although they need not be. Instead of purchasing wedding gowns and tuxedos from exclusive wedding attire specialty shops, you should consider looking for them online.

 Today, there are many retailers on the web who specialize in wedding clothing and the prices are dramatically lower than what you would pay if you were to purchase them in a high-end shop. You can easily find a huge selection online and will be offered outstanding support and personal assistance to ensure that the clothing you choose fits correctly. Most of these online wedding attire retailers know the wedding business very well and will go out of their way to please you.

Wedding rings and bands are also one of the most expensive parts of a wedding. Again, instead of heading to your local jewelry store to choose your rings, take a look at some online jewelers. You can literally save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars by purchasing your wedding bands on the internet. There is no difference in quality nor any lack of selection when you shop online and you will be offered service that is second-to-none when shopping at an online jewelry store.

When it comes time to select the flowers for your wedding, be sure to select only those flowers that are in-season and readily available. Be sure to be up front with your florist and let him know your budget restrictions.

 When selecting wedding flowers for an altar, choose inexpensive flowers such as carnations or snowball mums as these flowers are only viewed from far away. Ask your florist to add a lot of greenery to the flower arrangements to cut back on costs and try to stick to just one or two kinds of flowers as well. You should also plan to use larger tables at the reception so that you will need fewer centerpieces and tablecloths.

It is a great idea to hold your ceremony and the reception in one place as it will cut expenses dramatically and you can also save a lot of money by offering just beer, wine and one special cocktail at your reception instead of a full bar. Instead of hiring a full wedding band, look into hiring a DJ who will play the type of music that you request.

Weddings do not have to be expensive in order to be elaborate and successful. These are just a few suggestions that will help you to dramatically hold down your costs and eliminate away money-related stress when planning your big day.

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Great Wedding Invitations For Your Big Day

Nowadays, when a lot of couples are in the process of searching for ideas for invitations, you would find that they would prefer to settle for unique. The traditional type of wedding invitations is still a good choice but the modernistic world that we live in right now demands a more alternative and a hipper option is usually required.

Others opt to have unique wedding invitations so they can make a good impression to their guests while a few more couples just want to have a different twist with their invitations. Your primary decision on what kind of wedding invitations you are to come up with should depend greatly on the overall theme of your wedding.

What is the theme of your wedding? Is it going to be conventional or a lot more contemporary? Such questions can help you be more precise in deciding for which invitations you should choose. In fact, the good news is that you wont be running out of options to choose from to have unique wedding invitations.

If you are adept at Photoshop, then you can just do your own with the use of your computer. If you do not have enough time to think for the design of your wedding invitations, then you can run to your nearest local store to just buy yourself an invitation kit. You can also consider shopping online and end up with possible discounts especially if you will order by bulk.

Nowadays, a lot of invitations are personally made with the use of materials that can be recycled like dried flowers, dried leaves, recycled papers, and many others to just meet the purpose of creating unique wedding invitations.

In fact, you are even free to paint your invitations and add a touch of more creativity with the use of some small pieces of wood, stones, or shells. Some even use CD or DVD instead and record their favorite songs together with some slide shows about how the couple came to know each other.

This could be very memorable since music has the capacity to really bring back a good deal of memories to any person. Every time your beloved guests listen to the CD, they wont fail to remember the wedding event that they once were in. To think of something creative for your invitations is not that hard. You just need to take some time to design the invitations.

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