INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Once you have your marriage license, you are ready to start planning the court ceremony. Search online or call the court to find out which days they perform wedding ceremonies. The times and dates will vary depending on the location, but typically these are performed during business hours from Monday to Friday. In some regions you will be able to book a specific date and time for your ceremony. Alternatively, some districts will only perform walk-in ceremonies. This means you may have to wait in line in order to get married at the court. When planning your court wedding, you should ask the court office about any extra details concerning your wedding. Court weddings are typically quick and don't allow the couple to say their own vows and in some instances you may not be able to have decorations and flowers. You should know this in advance so that you can plan around it. For example, you should ask: How many guests are allowed to attend the ceremony? Are outside decorations and flowers allowed? Can we have a photographer present? What should we wear? Can we exchange rings during the ceremony? Are we able to say our own vows? Many couples will exchange rings during a court wedding ceremony. You and your partner should decide if you would like to exchange rings. Make sure you have purchased the rings well in advance and don't forget to bring them with you on the day! Alternatively, you may want to use a family heirloom, such as your great grandparents' wedding bands. Witnesses are needed to sign your marriage license. Typically people choose a close friend or relative, but a witness can actually be anyone over the age of 18. Check to find out how many witnesses are necessary and make sure that you have someone who can attend the ceremony with you. In some instances more than one witness will be required. A court wedding, although less flashy than a traditional wedding ceremony, is still a special and monumental occasion in your relationship. You may want to hire a photographer to document the day. This will give you images that you can look back on and cherish for the rest of your life. Most courts will allow photography during the ceremony, but be sure to check in advance. If photography is not allowed, you can always take pictures before or after the ceremony. You may want to have your immediate family present at the court while you get married. You can send out wedding invitations or evites to let them know the details regarding the date, time, and location of the ceremony. Prior to sending out invitations, make sure you know how many guests are allowed to attend the ceremony.

SUMMARY: Select and book a date. Ask questions about the details of your wedding. Purchase rings if desired. Find witnesses. Hire a photographer. Invite your guests.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Serve yourself the amount you'd normally eat and measure it. This will give you a definitive amount that you're consuming. Are you eating 5 oz of chicken, 1 cup of salad and 1 cup of rice? Understanding how big or small your normal portion sizes are can help you figure out how you're going to decrease their size. Purchase a food scale or a set of measuring cups so you can accurately determine how much you're eating. These are also great tools to keep you on track long term with your smaller portions. Really analyze how much you're consuming at each meal. Then, think about which parts you could reduce without diminishing your enjoyment of it. Many studies have shown that the larger sized dishes and serving utensils you use, the more food you consume. Avoid this slip up by purchasing smaller plates and bowls and using a soup spoon instead of larger serving spoons. Use an appetizer or salad sized plate for your entrees. These are a great size for small portions. Try using the salad fork or a toddler fork to help decrease the amount of food per bite. This will slow you down and force you to take your time with your meals. Keep using a large water glass to help you consume a good quantity of water throughout your meal. This can also help keep your portions smaller. Keeping a food journal can give you a lot of insight into your eating habits. You can keep track of the types of foods you eat, the portions and your progress over time. Journaling can also give you insight to when and what times you're hungry. Knowing this information can help you plan ahead for a snack. You may also be able to notice eating and mood patterns. Maybe most of the time you eat an appropriate portion, but when you're stressed portion sizes increase. This is good information to help plan for portion control. Buy a journal that's pretty and you will get excited about using. Having something you enjoy writing in can help make sure that you stay consistent. Check in with yourself throughout the day and rate your hunger level. Allowing yourself to get too hungry may lead to overeating at your next meal. It's much harder to stick to smaller portions if you're feeling completely famished. If you notice yourself getting hungry in the afternoon and you know dinner isn't until later in the evening, have a snack. A small snack can help tide you over until your next eating time and may prevent overeating later. Try to choose a snack that has lean protein and produce (fruit or vegetable). This healthy combination will keep you satisfied longer compared to a carbohydrate based snack. Examples include: a low-fat cheese stick and a small apple, 2 tbsp of peanut butter and celery sticks or 1/4 cup of hummus and carrots. Start your day off with a good breakfast. Eating breakfast has been shown to help you control your appetite throughout the day which may make it easier for you to stick to small portions. Ideally, include some lean protein and a fruit or vegetable for a more complete meal. For example, you might have scrambled eggs with vegetables, whole grain oatmeal with fruit or greek yogurt with fruit. Breakfast can be any time of day. However, try to eat within an hour or so from when you first wake up.

SUMMARY:
Measure how much you eat. Buy smaller silverware and utensils. Start journaling. Rate your hunger level. Eat breakfast every day.