Cast the Perfect Glow - Wedding Lighting

Cast the Perfect Glow - Wedding Lighting

When you start planning your wedding, you probably give a lot of thought to the major elements, such as location, flowers, and music. One thing that many couples do not give enough consideration is the lighting for their wedding. Don't overlook it though, because lighting is one of the easiest ways to create an instant mood.
Once you have determined your basic wedding theme, you can start to think about what type of lighting you would like. The key with lighting a space is to balance out the need for people to see clearly with the goal of creating a romantic and intimate mood. Your space will play a large factor in this. Take a look at your reception venue to see what you will be working with.

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If at all possible, try to visit your site at the same time of day as you will be holding your reception. This can be critical; if you pay an afternoon visit to a spot with great natural light, but you are having an evening wedding, it may look completely different. What if their idea of lighting a space is to turn on a couple of flickering fluorescent fixtures? That will certainly not create a romantic glow!

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When the space you will be using for your reception doesn't have the greatest lighting, there are many things that can be done. If the problem is really severe, you may want to hire a specialist to assess the site and give you recommendations. In places where the lighting is not terrible, but is just not what you want, there are plenty of things that you can do on your own to make it better.


An easy place to start is with candles. Lots and lots of candles. For any evening wedding, their flickering glow will create a beautiful mood in a flash. The best part is that everyone looks better by soft candlelight. Think about how lovely the bride and her bridesmaids will look with the glow of candles dancing on their crystal bridal jewelry sets, and putting a twinkle into their eyes.

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When decorating with candles, you have many choices. If you are the type of bride who likes traditional gowns and classic sets of pearl bridal jewelry, then long elegant tapers set into an elaborate candelabra will suit your style. On the other hand, if your wedding day is all about creating a serene Zen-like environment, then float a few candles in a low dish of water. Or, you can design a Moroccan themed wedding around votives in multicolored beaded holders.

There is more to lighting than candles, of course. Other types of lighting fixtures to bring in include chandeliers, paper lanterns, and hurricane lamps. Each will create a completely different mood from the other. The chandeliers are pure elegance; the paper lanterns are festive and can be used for an informal atmosphere or an Asian inspired reception. The hurricane lamps are ideal for an outdoor evening wedding. Dress them up with a beautiful floral wreath around the base.

Colored lighting can be used to very dramatic effect. A gentle pink glow washing over your reception would be both very flattering and very romantic. For a more striking look, you can use spotlights of bolder colors like purple. Sheer colored fabric can also be draped in front of white lights to completely transform them. This is a great solution for unsightly lighting fixtures.

The lighting that you choose will go a long way towards setting the mood for your wedding. It can take a decent looking venue into the realm of the enchanted. Whether your taste is romantic, elegant, or dramatic, there is a lighting scheme that will be perfect for your wedding.

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Garden Wedding Decorations - How to Decorate the Outdoor Wedding of Your Dreams

As the weather gets warmer and spring arrives, so do the many wedding invitations that come in the mail this time of year. June is a very popular month to get married, especially if the bride and groom are planning a garden ceremony. While there are many pros and cons to outdoor weddings, the results are usually spectacular. After all, what else would you expect when Mother Nature herself provides the setting? Decorating a garden wedding can be a minimal task or a major undertaking, depending on size and style of wedding desired. In this article, we'll cover some important considerations in planning and decorating the garden wedding of your dreams.

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A small personal ceremony is what many couples are choosing today. In a smaller ceremony, the bride and groom can really be the focal point of the event. Often times, decorations for a small garden wedding are very minimal, with the bride's flowers setting the tone for simplicity and color scheme. If you're having your ceremony in a private garden or at your home, you may have the ability to plant some flowers in-ground early in the season, to assure that you have just the right colors and textures for your special day. This is a beautiful and cost effective alternative that only requires a little planning.

If you are planning a larger garden wedding, then the amount of decorating you'll need to do will likely depend on the outdoor location you choose. Some locations require very little in the way of additional decorations, such as a rose garden in full bloom, for example. If you are choosing a public location, you will likely want to add to the existing flowers. Some areas of your wedding to give attention to when decorating include the wedding alter, guest seating area, and the entrance to the event.

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Typically, the wedding altar should be the focal point of the event. One great option for decorating the altar would be to include an overhead structure. If your outdoor location has a small gazebo, this can serve your purpose well. A good alternative might be a wedding arbor or pergola, because they are relatively inexpensive and add a lot of visual punch to the altar decoration. If you prefer a backdrop to an overhead structure, consider potted trees, urns of flowers, or possibly a row of free-standing patio trellises covered in flowers or greenery. If possible, try to select decorations that can be used later in your new home's yard or garden. These fixtures will become very special to you over the years and will serve as a memento of your wedding day.

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The seating area for your guests should be configured so that the wedding altar is easily viewed from every seat. For decorations in this area, chairs can be adorned with bows or flowers. You can also use ribbons, roping, pots of flowers, or even solar landscape lights to surround the seating area. Outdoor lighting is a particularly nice addition for an evening wedding.

Last but not least, don't neglect the entrance to your wedding. Even a garden wedding must have some kind of entrance, and the decorations here should set the tone for the rest of the event. Create a pathway to your wedding location from the parking area by marking the entrance in an impressive way. An arbor covered with flowers or greenery for your guests to walk through is always a beautiful addition. You can also flank the entrance with pots filled with flowers, free standing trellises, or bubbling fountains. For an extra touch of class, have your ushers escort guests from the entry point to their seats.

Garden weddings are a great option for spring and summer events, and they offer a lot in terms of versatility. Decorating a garden wedding can be extremely simple or very elaborate, depending on the type of event the couple desires. No matter how basic or extravagant you choose to go with your decorating, you can be sure that your outdoor wedding will be nothing less than spectacular.

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A Simple Outdoor Wedding

Now that you have established the type of wedding you want, you need to figure out when and where it will be located. Having an out-side wedding, which should only amount to fifty or less people, can be easily managed and quite entertaining. There are so many possibilities to choose from. For instance, will it be beachfront, Lake Front, or perhaps someone's back yard?

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Next in line should be choosing the immediate wedding party, such as Maid of Honor, Bride's Maids, Best man, Ushers, Flower girl, Ring Barer, and then the guest list. A good reason for putting this in the beginning of the planning is that a good lot of these people can help you with the rest of the plans and ideas. Everyone can get together to discuss their ideas and suggestions, or you can make out a list in private, asking your friends for their suggestions, and then choosing which ideas you like best.

Most out-door weddings don't usually follow a color scheme; rather they simply follow a certain style if anything. For instance, instead of floor length gowns, light colored sundresses and hats would make a good theme. Thus in turn falls in the same perspective of the men's attire. Instead of tuxedo's, they simply wear a sports jacket ensemble, with or without the vest, or perhaps something in the lines of slacks and a Hawaiian style shirt.

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Out-door weddings can also eliminate the need for florists and caterers. For instance, you can go to the local florist shop yourself to pick up a few potted plants and flowers to set where the ceremony is to take place, and maybe even purchase a garden trellis for the wedding couple to stand under while taking their vows.
The food preparations can be chosen and maintained by the wedding party. The food can be chosen as part of the theme of the wedding, for instance Hawaiian style or perhaps picnic and bar-b-queue style, and maybe even an interesting clambake.

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Depending on the area chosen, you can even construct some events to take place, where prizes can be won. You can have volleyball or badminton events, rowboat races, sac races, piggyback races, a game of croquet, and even some wacky games that involve music. There are endless possibilities where entertainment can be incorporated in for everyone to have fun and enjoy the event.

Don't forget to choose one or two of the wedding party or guests to film the events and save as a movie. As an added gift, advice all the guests that desire to take pictures, they must in return provide you with a copy of the snapshots for you to add in your collection to build a wonderful scrapbook as a keepsake.

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Looking For Outdoor Wedding Decorations?

If you are planning an outdoor wedding then you are probably looking for outdoor wedding decorations. So before you begin purchasing items for your wedding you should be mindful of some of the key differences in outdoor weddings. While outdoor weddings can provide for an incredible wedding environment, they do present some challenges that an indoor wedding may not have to contend with. Hopefully after reading this article you will have a greater understanding of what type of outdoor wedding decorations that will suit your wedding the best.

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The first thing that you should concern yourself with when buying outdoor wedding decorations is the actual weather of the location that you have picked out. For instance, is the environment typically warm, cold, humid, windy, rainy, etc. This should play a big factor in the choices that you make regarding outdoor wedding decor. For instance, if you know that the location is often a little on the windy side you should take this into account. You might want to look at wedding decor that weighty, attached, or not easily moved around. This can prevent your wedding decorations from flying around all over the place. It would be a tragedy if on your special day you have to have your wedding party chasing wedding decorations all over the place because they are light and easily blown about with the wind.

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Do you know if the location is often wet, humid, or prone to getting a little rain? If that is the case then you will want to look at outdoor wedding decorations that are not easily ruined by a little moisture. Anything made of paper or something along that lines may be at risk for getting ruined if there is some moisture in the air, so consider decorating with hearty items that will hold up in the event that a little moisture occurs on the day of your wedding.

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Once you have a good understanding of the climate of your wedding location then you will want to consider what type of environment or mood that you are trying to convey at your wedding. There are so many types of outdoor wedding decorations that are out there, so there are many types that you can choose from. Are you going to be having your wedding at a beach location? Is the wedding at a wedding facility? These are all things to consider because depending on the location you will probably want to decorate much differently. Once you determine the actual location then you can incorporate a theme that will suit the environment and pair the two accordingly so that you have a well suited theme that will stand up in the elements of the location.

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The bottom line is that just like any wedding that you are planning, outdoor weddings can be a great success, but you just need to ensure that you put the proper amount of planning into it. Planning is the key, and will ensure you can enter into your special day with a sense of comfort that you have done all that you can do to ensure that all of your decisions were made soundly and should hold up and look great on your special day. So do not hesitate, go ahead and begin checking out all the great information available to you regarding outdoor wedding decorations.

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Make Your Outdoor Wedding Happen

A wedding is an exciting and romantic act for relatives and friends. Therefore it is very important to find the right location for the unique celebration.

If you need some tips for your outdoor wedding, here are some important notes to keep in mind.

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1. Weather, Outdoor Conditions
In some cases - even by positive thinking - you should be aware of the weather condition.
The greatest fear of any couple having an outdoor wedding is strong wind, rain or wet and cold weather.

Just because you're having a spring or summer wedding doesn't guarantee that the weather will be seasonable for that specific wedding day. Being optimistic about weather and location is great, but preparing for the worst is very important.

If the weather is hot, offer your guests ice-cold bottles of water before they have a seat. Additionally, you might want to consider the following for your warm weather outdoor wedding reception.
Even if the weather report is for clear and sunny weather, you cannot be sure until just days (or even hours) before your wedding day. Check out the online weather forecast for your geographic location.

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2. Outdoor Equipment, Planning
During the ongoing wedding ceremony make your guests comfortable. Please do not consider plastic tables and chairs, or either glass tables. Give your wedding a natural touch. Natural furniture, such made from bamboo or rattan, are more suitable for a outside wedding than other.

Make a plan for windy days. Very often outdoor weddings are suffering from windy conditions.
3. Decorations One of the bonuses of a fantastic outdoor celebration is the natural beauty around you. Make things tasty outside: Choose an experience outdoor catering service, who is able to prepare a amazing wedding menu? If you can't find one, ask your friends for help: Serve a tender steak or fish direct form a BBQ your guests.

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By preparing food and serving drinks make sure that food will keep well outdoors in the heat.
Consider the timing for your outdoor wedding. When the sun is shining, consider to have your wedding celebration in the morning or late afternoon. At that time the sun is not to hot and more comfortable for you and your guests. The ideal outdoor wedding location has an indoor location waiting just in case.

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3. Tips for Outdoor Locations
Mostly decided outdoor wedding locations are parent or relative's backyard.
If you do not have the chance of using private backyards for your wedding, you can also choose local nature preserves Lake Areas, Parks, Botany gardens, Country clubs or golf courses, Gardens at historical castles or any nice beach. Extra ordinary places: On a horse, motorbike or boat. Just have fun and enjoy it.

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Please keep it in your mind, that you might need a permit from council or city parks department to celebrate your wedding in nature. You might need a permit for public places.
Outdoor weddings are scenic and romantic, but many thinks can go wrong. Having a "green" wedding can be very romantic and fun, too.

Many points should be considered for an outdoor wedding. Make your wedding plan for your ceremony and party with some help from others.

Collect your thought for your outdoor wedding ideas in your region and make a plan. This is only a few ideas of many options that are available to you.

5 Tips For the Perfect Outdoor Wedding

5 Tips For the Perfect Outdoor Wedding

Outdoor weddings are so romantic. You get to enjoy the beauty of nature and it provides a great backdrop. However, planning an outdoor wedding isn't as easy as it looks. Therefore, we have developed five tips to help you make your wedding day perfect.

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#1 Consider the Guest's Comfort
You need to consider the outside temperature for the wedding. The temperature can make or break a wedding.

• If it is hot, provide an awning, some handheld fans, or even ice neck wraps to keep your guests cool.
• If it will be cold, tell your guests to wear extra layers (just throw a note into the invitations.) Additionally, you can provide space heaters and lap blankets.

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#2 The Backup Plan
If it rains, you will need a backup plan. Many brides accomplish this by having the reception inside. In case something goes wrong, the wedding can be quickly and easily moved to the reception area.
Some brides like to rent a tent. This will protect the guests from the rain. However, you need to consider how they are going to get from the car to the tent. Rained soaked ground can leave women's heels stuck in the ground and men all muddy. A carpet or even a tarp can help with this situation.
#3 Decorations for Outdoors
The outdoors provide a nice backdrop for weddings but you still need to touch it up with some basic decorations.

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• A wedding arch and platform gives the beauty of a wedding and allows the guests to see the bride and groom.
• Evening weddings can sparkle with string lights. If no power is available, you can purchase battery operated lights for the occasion.
• Chairs need to be heavy enough to stay standing even in the wind. For many outdoor weddings, the chairs are the most noticeable decoration.
• If you get married in a park, have your friends pick up the area. You do not want leaves and cigarette butts messing up your picture perfect wedding.

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#4 Keep the Bugs Away
Flies, gnats and mosquitoes can make for an uncomfortable ceremony. Keep the bugs away to keep you and your guests happy.

• Screens and tents will keep bugs out.
• Citronella candles help.
• Bug zappers are useful but need to be well placed or you will hear it throughout the ceremony.
• Recently, bug rings have been developed. You can clip these to the bottom of chairs to keep the bugs away.

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#5 Don't Forget the Permit
Check with your city to determine what permits you need. Nothing wrecks a wedding like having to move because someone else has a permit and you do not.

Are You Choosing to Have A Picnic Wedding?

If you are planning to have a picnic wedding there are a number of things I can suggest that will help to make it go more smoothly and be remembered for a long time.

You will want to choose a location with lovely surroundings donated by nature, and not an area that is just sort of plain. After all this is your most special of days and you and your guests will all benefit from nature's beautiful backdrops.

As you plan your picnic wedding I hope this will help you have fun planning the day.

Start With the Invitations
Let your invitations tell the guests it will be a picnic wedding.
Don't neglect to mention on your invitations that the wedding reception will be a picnic so everyone can come dressed for that kind of an occasion.
You don't want your guests to feel uncomfortable with what they are wearing because they didn't know it was a picnic.

The Wedding Ceremony
If you are having the wedding at the same place as the picnic reception than I would suggest chairs be used for the comfort of your guests during the ceremony. Some couples choose to have their guests group around them for the ceremony itself. This choice is yours to make.

Items you Need to Supply
Make it a comfortable cozy setting by passing out blankets and pillows for your guests or you can have them already laid out and even with blanket numbers as you would for tables.

Each guest gets a lovely picnic basket or box already pre-packaged with the food. This makes it less messy and more accessible to each person. Don't forget to add a little decoration to the basket or box.

If you are grilling or doing something you will need to barbeque than have all of the food, except the food you are preparing hot, in the basket or box.

Don't forget a plentiful supply of refreshing beverages to help beat the heat.
Have a delicious wedding cake and/or dessert spread ready for them to enjoy.
It would be a good idea to think about having a few pairs of sun glasses for those who didn't bring them. Also, some sun lotion with a high SPH for persons with sensitive skin when it comes to a lot of sun.
A Few wide-brimmed hats, again for those who might not bring or didn't realize they might need one.

Decorate Your Picnic Area
Use hay bales placed every few feet to mark off the area you are using.
You can do the same thing with potted plants or flowers and invite your guests to take one as a wedding favor and remembrance of their day with you.

Actually the truth is you do not need a lot of decorations for this type of reception.
A lovely setting and picnic area, and nature has done some of your best decorating and the price is right.

Plan Games for the Guests of all Ages
The games you offer should be games that are fun but do not get in the way of the picnic blankets and those who just want to eat and visit.

Make it easy for your players and have an attractive sign there with a list of the games they might choose from such as:

Croquet
Horse Shoes
Lawn Bowling
Bean Bag Toss

As a wise idea, you should have a back-up plan in case the weather chooses not to cooperate. Make sure there is a tent or canopy where they could go for shelter and, if to hot, shade.
May your day be full of joy, happiness and romance with those you care most about.

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Unique Outdoor Wedding Ideas

A garden wedding is one of the most naturally beautiful weddings a bride can plan. It is incredible versatile and can be a casual khaki and sport coat wedding to a black tie event. With a garden wedding, there is actually less decorating to do with all the gorgeous nature all ready surrounding you.

For most climates, a garden wedding is a late spring or summertime affair, but even early fall with the changing foliage and the warm days are good for an outside wedding. If you are lucky, your parents have a stunning backyard where this wedding can be held, but if you don't have a garden in the family, there are public and private gardens that host weddings.

If you don't have a gazebo already stationed in your garden, one can be rented and make for a picturesque ceremony site decorated with flowers and light fabric. A tent is another good rental investment. Depending on where you live, Mother Nature isn't always reliable for good weather, so it is best to have a plan if you live in an area where rainfall is frequent.

You probably won't need too much in the way of flowers for your ceremony, but for table at the reception, if the garden is your own, pick some flowers from it to create your centerpieces. If you feel there are enough flowers all around, have some hurricane lamps with pillar candles for centerpieces. The lamp will keep the flame from going out if there is a breeze.

As the reception wears on, the sun will go down. Chinese lanterns are a decorative and affordable way to light your space. If you have chosen to have an outdoor reception in the fall, look into renting some outdoor heaters. For a summer wedding, have some baskets of bug repellent towels for your guests. Both of these details will keep you and your guests comfortable.

The only real worry you have to have for a garden wedding is the weather, so make sure you have some back up arrangements!

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Outdoor Wedding Ideas for All Seasons

If you are one of the many brides who have dreamed about being married in an outdoor wedding, then here are some outdoor wedding ideas for all seasons.

There are many locations to choose from for your outdoor wedding. Make sure you pick a place that best suits your wants and needs.

Also, you need a back up plan if the weather turns to hot, to cold or rainy. You need an indoor facility available or a rental tent that can be put up at a moments notice.

Spring Wedding

Spring outdoors is one of the most picturesque wedding settings. Whether it is a botanical garden, a park, or the backyard of a family member or friend.

Add a springtime feel to the wedding aisle and line both sides with colorful potted plants. They can then be transferred to the reception area for decorations there, and finally become wedding favors at the end of the day.

The food you plan should reflect the fresh fruits, vegetables and other things that are reminders of the "new beginnings" season. A beautiful dessert table and your wedding cake make a sweet ending to a lovely day.
Think about an orange, vanilla, or carrot wedding cake. Use a lighter frosting such as cream cheese and use candy pearls and fresh fruit as part of the cake decorations.

Wedding favors for your guests might be small potted herbs, several packets of flower seeds wrapped attractively, or small favor boxes of cookies in the shape of hearts, flowers, or butterflies.


Summer Wedding
Summer outdoors is a very popular time for weddings, and if you picked this season of the year it is a great time for an outdoor wedding.

There are many outdoor locations to pick from such as a beach, lakeside, mountain top, a garden or backyard. These are also inexpensive venues which will help your wedding budget.

Here is a unique aisle decoration for a dramatic look. Get shepherd's hooks and sink into the ground at each or every other aisle chair. You can then hang flower balls, crystals, beads, or a theme related item from the hooks.

Your wedding reception menu can include chicken, seafood, cold cuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, salads and a dessert and wedding cake table. Do remember that you need to plan the food according to whether you will serve it outdoors or indoors.

Fall Wedding

The fall outdoor wedding location depends on where you live. How lovely it would be at a state park with the leaves in all their autumn colors. A garden or yard abloom in all its fall finery, or you perhaps have a place that is special to you and your fiancé that is available.

Fall leaves in their beautiful jewel tones scattered along the aisle makes a very lovely walkway to your groom. The aisle chairs draped with the same fall colored satin ribbon or tulle would finish the picture.

Depending on if you are having a sit down dinner or buffet the food you serve should reflect the fall and holiday choices of poultry, sausages, beef, and the abundant and wonderful veggies of the season. The wedding cake could be a chocolate, carrot or spice cake and decorated to reflect the beautiful fall colors.


Winter Wedding

The locations for a winter wedding might be a home yard or garden, some churches have outside patio facilities that might work for you. It really would depend on what area you live it as to what is available outdoors.

Make plans to have outdoor heaters nearby if required to keep you and your guests comfortable.
Your outdoor winter wedding is a chance to take advantage of the beautiful holiday decorations or winter white with touches of gold and silver. The aisle chairs might be decorated with white tulle bows and holly, or gold or silver hearts. Small gold or silver bells would look very lovely, too.

These colors can be carried out in your reception decorations as well, including your favors to each guest.
The food you plan to serve whether it is indoors or outdoors should be hearty and comfort food. If a buffet, have a ham, a beef and a turkey station. Serve pasta dishes, scalloped potatoes and some of the great winter vegetables.

The wedding cake choices for winter are many. White, chocolate, carrot, or spice with fillings to match the flavor. Be sure and ask the baker for a taste of the different flavors before you choose one.

These outdoor wedding ideas simply point out that whatever date you set for your special wedding day is a wonderful and beautiful time of the year.

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