Are you ready to start planning your wedding? This is the place for you! You are about to learn some great tips to ensure smooth sailing when it comes to your big day.
Marriages between people of different faiths are common nowadays, but it helps to discuss how this will affect your marriage, in-laws and children, before you marry. Speak about religion with the person you’re engaged to and the close family members on each side so that everyone feels comfortable at the ceremony.
Practice your walk down the aisle many times on the days leading up to the wedding. This needs to be done where the wedding is going to be held so that you’re familiar with the specific area and flooring as well as how your shoes react. That way, you will know precisely how you should move.
Try for a date that is not in the middle of wedding season. That may means having a wedding in a less popular month or on a weekday, but the savings can be significant. These are the times when wedding venues are most expensive. If you must book then, try booking well ahead of time to get a great deal.
Use a friend or family member’s property for your wedding. Having your wedding in someone’s yard or even farm can reduce wedding costs. Saving money on the venue will allow you to hire people to set up and clean up.
If you choose to take care of your own food serving at your wedding, try going to wholesale stores, such as Costco. If you shop wholesale, you will be able to purchase your wedding food affordably. See if your friends can chip in for food costs.
If you’re short on money, consider renting diamonds for your wedding day. This gives you that look you want but won’t cost you a ton so that you can stay within your budget.
Wedding dresses are one of the most expensive things to be purchased when planning a wedding. When you are dress shopping, try looking for dresses that aren’t traditional wedding dresses. You could get a bridesmaid’s dress, and it would be just a fraction of the cost. Even if this dress is not perfect and you need some adjustments made to make it your dream dress, it could still run you quite a bit less then an actual wedding dress.
You can add small decorative items to your entire wedding theme. You can use a nice little ribbon in many places, such as on your gown, in your hair, or even intertwined with bouquets of flowers. These little details will add up to create one giant aesthetic.
Personalize your wedding by incorporating any elements or facets of your personal identity, your betrothed or especially the relationship you share. Select a theme that best represents what you mean to each other.
You know to provide the DJ with an idea of all the right music to play, but you should also give a list of all the wrong things he might play. You may not like country music or metal, or you may have a certain song that is associated with an old flame. No matter what you don’t want to hear, tell your DJ.
Use the property of a friend or a member of the family for your wedding. For example, a large backyard could be the perfect setting, and you will save a lot of money this way. Saving money on the venue will allow you to hire people to set up and clean up.
Before choosing a photographer for your wedding day, browse around for ones with the most skill and experience. You don’t wont to hire someone who will not capture the memories you envision. For advice on great photographers in your area, you can check out reviews online or ask family members if they know of one.
If you wish to look more stunning on your wedding day but are strapped for cash, consider renting diamonds. This will allow you to work your aesthetic to your tastes without the hefty price tag.
You could get help from someone else who is attending the wedding. They could help you carry your gear. The assistant can help line up family members and round them up for group shots.
Tie little decorative items into all the elements of your wedding decor. For example, the bow in your hair can be the same as those used in the floral arrangements on the tables. These small details are memorable and help your wedding day stand out as having been well planned.
Make sure the lights at your reception venue have dimmer switches. You may not think this detail is important; however, consider the effect of low lights on parts of your reception. For example, you may want to dim the lights for your first dance or other important dances and brighten them when you want everyone to participate in dancing. Ask the prospective venue about it, before choosing.
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.
Be sure you place an an even numer of guests at each table at your reception. As well, consider grouping tables by the ages of guests. This way those at the tables will have more to talk about.
Full length mirrors are great for practicing the “aisle-walk.” If you will be wearing heels, this is even more crucial. If you are worried about a twisted ankle, choose attractive 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.
You can even ask one of your friends if you can borrow some jewelry for the big wedding day. When you do this you save money, you can make yourself look way better and even form a closer bond with people who become more involved with the wedding.
Try having your reception midday. People consume less alcohol during daylight hours, and this can lower your bar tab. Post-lunch receptions usually cost less, too. The money saved here can be used elsewhere.
Silk Flowers
When making table assignments for your reception, ensure that even numbers of guests will be at each table. If you group your guests together by age, they will have more in common in terms of conversation topics.
Silk flowers are an attractive alternative to expensive floral arrangements at a wedding. You can buy silk flowers well in advance to avoid the stress of getting fresh flowers a few days before the wedding.
Having a friend or relative become ordained online can allow them to officiate your wedding. This saves you money, and makes your wedding feel more personal. Before committing to this plan, check your local ordinances to make sure that it is not against the law in your area.
If you are going to be giving one of the wedding speeches, make sure you plan it out and practice enough. If you don’t practice your speech beforehand, you run the risk of forgetting your speech, saying something you didn’t intend to say, or losing the audience.
If the culture of the bride’s and groom’s family are very different, plan the wedding ceremony in the tradition of one side and follow the traditions of the other side at the reception. This will make your wedding memorable and satisfactory to both families.
Plan every wedding detail, from all the events you are having down to the food. You wedding day should be special to those in attendance.
Avoid dressing children in clothes that are too stuffy and uncomfortable. Favor soft fabrics, and avoid dressing children in clothes that are too tight to fit comfortably. New shoes should be worn enough to ensure they are comfortable. If you pay attention to this, then the children will be able to put their attention on the part they’re playing in the wedding rather than worrying about their uncomfortable outfit.
If you are having an outdoor wedding, include a contingency plan for inclement weather or any other unforeseen problem. Have some tents on hand, or choose a venue that provides both indoor and outdoor space. Mud can ruin footwear, so for the convenience of your guests it is a good idea to lay down planks of wood for them to walk on.
Hire your wedding photographer to create memories instead of simply taking photos. During the interview, ask them to tell you about their vision. Ask them about their ideal process and flow throughout your wedding day. You should be comfortable with the photographer’s style and presence at your wedding.
Be sure to inform the caterer that your reception will be outside. Some foods do not last in the heat, or may not stay on plates if it’s too windy. You could use covered chafing dishes, or keep the food inside a tent. If you need to, have a small refrigerator handy to cool down drinks.
When deciding on wedding decorations, and particularly floral arrangements, remember to take into account the location of your wedding. If you plan an indoor wedding, you can enjoy large, complex floral arrangements. This may not be true outdoors. You may also need fasteners to ensure decorations don’t fly away at places like parks or beaches.
Hire a photographer that doesn’t just snap pictures. Discuss your photographer’s vision of the day with him or her. Ask how they will capture those precious moments. You should understand their process and how they will impact your big day.
Start planning ahead of time. You might believe one year is plenty of time for planning a wedding; however, the more you wait the more costly and unavailable the service providers and venues will be. Start your planning early on so that you have more options available.
Make your flowers stand out by using centerpieces of varying heights. Try using vases that are tall for more compact heads with long stems. Then, place flowers such as sweet peas, hydrangeas or peonies around the tall vases. You can make the shorter flowers a lighter color than the blooms on the taller flowers.
Consider the weather at the time of year you are planning your wedding. If an outdoor wedding takes place in excessive heat, guest might opt to leave early. Similarly, they might leave early, if it’s too cold. Try to make your wedding as pleasant and comfortable as possible for your guests. If it is a hot day, for instance, have fans available.
It can be tempting to honor family traditions or suggestions, just remember, this is your special day, not theirs. Let your family know that you appreciate their support and input, but kindly and firmly tell them that the final decisions will be made by you and the person you’ll be marrying. This allows you to look upon your wedding and reception with fondness.
Use a credit card that has rewards or other perks to pay for everything. Because of the cost involved, it pays to have something that pays you back. Organize you wedding expenses to be paid with the card and you will see the rewards quickly add up.
Don’t forget to consider weather conditions when planning your wedding. An outdoor wedding may not be the best choice for a hot, humid day, since many of those you invite may not stay long. Winter weddings are especially difficult to plan because you have to deal with potential cold, ice and snow. Guests may not be able to travel to your wedding if there’s a blizzard, and may be afraid of getting sick and go home early, if you don’t supply enough heat. Make accommodations, like having fans available if it’s hot out.
Ask your vendors if they have any recommendations for your other services. Do you think your photographer is awesome? Well they may know of a caterer who is just as good. You can then ask the music provider about another service provider you have need of. You can find the best wedding professionals in this way, and it also makes for a smooth cooperative relationship on the wedding day.
At this point, you have lots of excellent ideas with regard to wedding planning, so all you must do is implement your plan and hope that the weather does not let you down! You should be able to enjoy your wedding day as a result of your great planning.
Let your control issues go, and allow your friends and family to get involved in the planning of your wedding. Because you are very emotionally involved with your wedding, you probably want to be a big part in all aspects of everything that needs to be done. However, there may be a point when you are in over your head, and in such cases, it is important to recognize that it might be better to trust a more qualified professional to do the job properly.