In order to have a wedding, there only needs to be a bride and groom, a minister, and a whole lot of love. The other typical features of modern weddings, while nice to have, are little more than added frills that can end up causing anxiety and irritation. Regardless of how simple or extravagant your wedding, remember to enjoy it.
Practice your walk many times. If possible, practice your aisle walk at the site where your wedding will be. This will give you an opportunity to practice on the actual floor using the shoes you will be wearing on your wedding day. In this way, you can be sure everything will go smoothly on your wedding day.
When you are planning your wedding festivities, think hard about the kinds of alcoholic beverages that are going to be available, and also how much of a price tag they will carry. Open bars are expensive, especially if they’re open for a long time. Ask about the different serving options your venue offers regarding alcohol.
Wedding pictures are very important, you can look back at them whenever you want. It might cost a littler extra to do so, but hire yourself a professional photographer so that on your big day you can get the quality of photographs you desire for your momentous occasion.
You can make great use of big box stores, like Costco, when planning your own food service for your wedding day. Wholesale prices are generally lower. Think about asking friends to assist with the food costs.
Make sure that transportation is taken care of at your wedding. If you have people who need to get home after the reception, have taxis ready to bring them. This is great for those that have had alcohol at the wedding.
Ethnic catering can give your reception that extra spice your guests crave. Think outside the traditional choices of chicken or steak. Variety is essential to a wedding dinner to make it memorable for all the right reasons.
Instead of one large, expensive wedding cake, consider serving cupcakes or several small cakes. There are boutiques that will bake fresh cupcakes with very few calories specifically for your event, and deliver them. These boutiques also often have healthy options available such as gluten-free, fruit based fillings instead of frosting, and healthier alternative toppings.
Do not starve yourself just to fit into the wedding dress you want. You may not feel good on the big day if you haven’t eaten enough. Of course, you would not want to pass out as you are saying your vows. Buy a dress that has a corset back instead for more flexibility.
If you’re a bride that has sensitive skin, then you want to pay close attention to your skin care regimen when your big day is approaching. Find a facial treatment that has a skin soothing set of ingredients such as sea salts, rose, and oatmeal proteins.
Avoid cluttering tables with too many flowers at your reception. Often, flowers interfere with guests being able to converse across the table. There might be a few of your guests that are also allergic to flowers. Think about putting candles that aren’t scented onto the table. This can create a romantic look.
Don’t use an overabundance of flowers as table centerpieces for your reception. Flowers can be distracting for your guests and get in their way. An additional possibility to consider is that a number of your reception guests may suffer from allergies. Try putting some scent free candles on your wedding tables.
The wedding DJ needs a list of the songs you want played at the reception, but make sure they know what you dislike. There is probably one song from your past that you no longer like. Regardless of the reason, let your DJ know to prevent you cringing at your reception.
Although it’s important to give the wedding DJ a list with songs you want to play at your reception, it is also important to inform him of those you DON’T want played. Perhaps it’s heavy metal, or country music, or even a previous lover’s “special song”. Whatever the case may be, be sure the DJ does not play it, and avoid becoming upset at your wedding.
Before choosing a photographer, you should interview several talented persons. You want your photographer to know exactly what they are doing. Check out online reviews or ask people you know to recommend excellent photographers within your area.
You want to make sure the photographer you hire is experienced by checking them out beforehand. You don’t wont to hire someone who will not capture the memories you envision. For good local photographers, look at online reviews or ask loved ones for recommendations.
Those brides that are lovers of fashion and luxury can have bouquets embellished with rhinestones, diamonds, or Swarovski crystals. You can create this look by using adhesive to affix crystals, a beloved heirloom or costume jewelry to the bouquet. Make sure it goes with your dress and accessories, and that the color, cut, and size of the stones compliment your ensemble.
You can incorporate different cultural backgrounds and religious preferences into your big day in many different ways. Both families will be happy when each person’s culture is taken into consideration.
Place a full length mirror at that head of the aisle and practice walking toward it. This will help insure a trip-free wedding day. If you don’t wish to risk twisting your ankle, choose stylish flats instead. No one can see your shoes under your gown anyway, but if you fall on your rear end, they’ll see a lot more than shoes.
If you are not serving dinner during your reception, try getting casual seating instead of renting tables. A lounge, chaise or even a cushy piece of sectional can give guests a greater way to communicate. Luxury seating will help your guests to feel more relaxed and at ease. You can even use the seating to create several separate relaxing areas.
Instead of going bankrupt for a wedding cake, try getting multiple tiers of mini-tarts or cupcakes. Times have changed and despite the oddness you may feel based on tradition, guests tend to prefer this and it saves not only money but also prevents waste. Each guest can just grab a cupcake or tart, then put them into special take-out inspired box.
Think about whether or not you really want children at your wedding. If you want to save a little money and stress, you can avoid inviting children. If you are not going to allow children at your wedding, be prepared for certain guests to not be able to make attendance.
Post a schedule of events on your wedding website or send an itinerary with your wedding invitations. This helps out-of-town guests make appropriate travel plans, especially guests who are going to participate in your wedding rehearsal or other events. Make sure you tell everyone where they will be needed, for instance at the rehearsal.
Plan out fun and interesting group activities for the guests and members of the wedding party. Don’t just let everyone stand around tapping their feet, waiting for something to happen. You can have all kinds of activities, from contests to volleyball. This will make your wedding more memorable while letting others enjoy themselves by interacting with one another.
You may decide to go with a boldly colored wedding cake which can function as the main centerpiece at the reception. In that case, consider placing a swatch of color-coordinated fabric beneath the cake. Good options include designer prints, novelty fabrics or special occasion fabrics like satin, velvet or silk.
Keep the bride happy on her special day by ensuring that all details meet her high standards. If she’s stressed about planning, and it’s a less than perfect wedding, it can destroy her. If you run everything by your bride she will have a much happier wedding day.
If you plan on giving a wedding speech, plan the speech and practice it. If you do not plan your speech, you may cause the audience to stop paying attention, or you just might get stage fright.
See to it that your tuxedo fits you, if you’re the groom. Show your favorite tuxedo choices to your close friends and family, so that you can get some objective opinions before settling on a tuxedo. Keep in mind that photographs will be taken during your wedding, so you should look your best, in the way that you would want to be remembered.
If you are having an outdoor wedding, include a contingency plan for inclement weather or any other unforeseen problem. Whether you rent some kind of rain cover, or have a location that can accommodate a quick move inside, always have a plan. Planks can be used on wet ground so guests do not soil their shoes.
One creative way to reduce the cost of your wedding is to use other alternatives instead of flower arrangements. For flower girls, you can use ribbons for a more economical and simply elegant solution to floral wreathes. Silk flowers are great because they do not die and have to be thrown away. This is a much more cost effective option, and one that will leave you with more money in your pocket. Lastly, opt for arrangements that you can use in the wedding and in the reception.
Destination weddings can be a lot of fun, but try to keep your guests in mind. Your guests should have enough time to get ready. Sending cards to save your date a minimum of eight months ahead of time permit your guests to make any arrangements necessary.
As you consider music for the ceremony and reception, it is a good idea to fully research whomever will be providing the music. Get references and speak to those people to find out about their experiences. Once a decision has been made, you need to ensure the person signs a written contract for confirmation. You don’t want to wind up without music at your reception!
Avoid planning a destination wedding until you look into legal requirements. Whether it is residency requirements, fees, or any other red tape, you should have all your needs addressed before you begin the task of booking hotels and services for the big day.
When deciding on wedding decorations, and particularly floral arrangements, remember to take into account the location of your wedding. Delicate arrangements and decorations might be damaged by winds or bad weather. There might be a need for special equipment when it comes to certain outdoor wedding locations.
Before settling on a videographer, view the quality of the work. Also, look at how the person edits their videos as well. It used to be popular to get videos of your wedding on VHS, but ensure that you are receiving a DVD or a digital video that you can play for years to come. Make your decisions based on the factors mentioned as well as your personal first impressions of different videographers.
Apply for a credit card that has a rewards program before paying for event services. The costs surrounding a wedding can be quite significant, and getting points back or frequent flyer miles on those expenses only makes sense. Stick to one credit card for all your wedding purchases, so you can get lots of rewards.
Be on the lookout for a rainy day. If your wedding is outside, always have an alternate site in mind. Even if you’re thinking that rain isn’t going to happen, it could occur anyways because weather is kind of random. You can be prepared for this by having another place for everyone to go.
A bride should take the time to practice her smile when looking in mirrors. This will ensure that you get the smile you want on all of your wedding photos. It does take a little practice to create the precise look you desire.
As previously stated, a true wedding needs but a few things to make it complete. Aside from the bare basics, there are many optional upgrades. These things may be nice to get, but they also stress you out and that drains your happiness. If you use what you’ve learned here, you can have the wedding you always wanted for a price you can afford!
As the bride, you’re not going to want tan lines. Tan lines can cause distraction with your dress.