Making your wedding memorable starts with planning. Many decisions go into the making of a wedding, and loved ones can make things more difficult. It’s important to remember it is your wedding; so, use the advice below to help navigate through the planning process.
Choosing your favorite gown online can be faster and cheaper, but do so well in advance to allot extra time for alterations. I bought my gorgeous gown online for only $150, but it cost me another $200 to have it altered to fit me perfectly. Make sure the costs are included in your budget.
When you plan your wedding, be sure to think about cost effective alcohol options. An open bar that is available all evening can quickly become a very costly endeavor. Ask your venue about the different alcohol serving options that they have available.
Personalize the wedding so that it reflects your personalities, and that of your relationship. Think of a theme that truly represents the two of you as a couple.
If you plan on doing the catering yourself, then you need to visit wholesale food stores. If you’re shopping wholesale, you are able to get a lot of food for less money than shopping retail. Also, ask friends and family members to help cover the cost of the food.
The pictures that are taken at your wedding are very important as you will look at these for the rest of your life. Select a professional to take your pictures, and do not be afraid to go above your budget if you have the money to ensure that you get the best photographs possible.
Photographs capture memories that will last a lifetime. Be certain to hire the best photographer you can to get a clear and touching record of your special day.
If you want a unique reception, get cuisine that centers around a certain ethnic theme. Chicken and steak are over-served, so why not pick some other foods in your desired cuisine? Ethnic foods and decor will help your reception be memorable.
Have your wedding at a location owned by friends or family. You might know someone with farm or large piece of real estate, which will alleviate one major cost for the wedding. Tell this person you will pay for pre- and post-cleaning costs.
When choosing a cosmetic artist for the big day, look at samples of his or her prior work. Are you comfortable with the makeup they’ve done before? It is critically important that you know they can meet your needs. It would be terrible to have the artist do your makeup only to realize you are unhappy with it.
When choosing a cosmetic artist for the big day, look at samples of his or her prior work. Are you impressed with their style? Consider doing a trial run before the big day. You don’t want to find yourself with makeup that doesn’t appeal to you right before you are about to start your wedding.
Fashionable and luxury-loving brides can choose to embellish their bouquet with a touch of sparkle; think Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, and even a sprinkle of diamonds. This can be done with the addition of adhesive or thermally attached crystals, smaller pieces of costume jewelry and maybe even a cherished heirloom. To make sure it coordinates with everything else you are wearing, be consistent with the colors, size and cut of the stones.
Ask local boutiques about having small, individual portions of cake for the guests as your wedding. Many bakeries offer small tarts or mini-cakes that come in healthier options, like fresh fruit-filled, gluten-free or vegan options.
You can save a lot of money by purchasing cupcakes or mini tarts rather than a large tiered wedding cake. People love these arrangements because they don’t cost a lot, are versatile, and convenient. Your guests can help themselves to a couple of cupcakes in a to-go box on their way out the door.
Brides who have sensitive skin can have a stress free wedding day by using skincare products that will give a glowing look without causing hives, irritation, or a breakout. Find a facial treatment that has a skin soothing set of ingredients such as sea salts, rose, and oatmeal proteins.
If you have friends and family over to a special wedding destination, find out if they would like to stay for the honeymoon as well. By staying longer, they will save money because hotels offer discounts for people that stay longer. They will have great memories from this too.
Look around before committing to a photographer. Having a photographer take pictures you do not like would be a shame. Some excellent ways to narrow your search include talking to friends or checking out websites.
For destination weddings, a fantastic gift to give your guests is a basket full of goodies that is delivered directly to their hotel room. You can include tidbits like tourist maps, sunglasses, novelty towels or even information on nearby attractions. You may want to include a food guide to some local restaurants so that they can eat.
You could get help from someone else who is attending the wedding. They could help you carry your gear. Your assistant can help you round up the family members for the group pictures to make things run even smoother.
If the couple enjoys traveling, use decorative elements which convey a sense of wanderlust when planning the wedding. You could also send out invitations that look like postcards or boarding passes, for instance. Design your wedding program and guest favors to match too.
One way to help remain in budget is to search Craigslist for items or services needed for your wedding. However, before giving them any money, meet up with them in person as a couple.
For aesthetic purposes, centerpieces are necessary, but they can really take a bite out of your budget. Instead of purchasing a large centerpiece that will take up the whole table, keep it very simple. This way, your guests are able to talk among themselves a lot easier, without having to try to do so through foliage.
If you plan to serve your guests a meal with multiple courses, keep them entertained during the serving process by placing small dishes of appetizing sweets on each table. Try sugar roses that are able to match the wedding’s colors, edible sugar petals, or even crackers that are flavorful to help them not be too hungry.
For example, consider a contemporary fusion menu filled with popular dishes. You can add little twists in different food items, from drinks to dessert options.
You possibly want to think about fusing two or multiple menus together making the food available diverse and comfortable for everyone present. Throw in a bit of ethic themes with special desserts and drinks.
If you are planning to hold your reception outdoors, it is important to inform your caterer. The food you serve will need to be kept at certain temperatures to be safe, or will need to be shielded from wind and flying debris. You may want to cover foods with decorative coverings. If you have to, use a small fridge for keeping drinks cold.
Wedding Speech
Hire the photographer who is interested in creating memories as opposed to snapping pictures. Therefore, it is essential you ask the right questions when interviewing photographers. Inquire about the way in which they participate in each aspect of the day. You ought to know what style they have and if your wishes will be fulfilled.
If you want to have a good wedding speech, see to it that you practice and plan for it sufficiently. You want to write a wedding speech ahead of time, and practice it until you know it by heart. If not, you may become tongue-tied and do a poor job of it when the time comes.
Your floral arrangements will be more interesting if you select flowers in 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. The short and full flowers should be a few shades lighter than the taller blooms that are more prominent.
If you are having an outdoor wedding, include a contingency plan for inclement weather or any other unforeseen problem. Set up a large canopy for shade or rain. A location with access to the indoors would also work well, just in case of bad weather. Set up planks to prevent your guests from getting mud or dirt on their shoes.
So that you and your fiance are prepared for the first dance at your wedding, you should both spend some time practicing a dance with you wearing a long skirt. You personally may be fine moving in a longer dress, but your fiancee may be very happy for the practice. This will get him used to dancing with you in your dress, especially if the lower half of the dress is unusually puffy.
Gift registries are part of a wedding. To keep things peaceful, be sure guests don’t feel obligated to buy you something. Also give them a wide variety of possible gift options. People should feel comfortable giving you what they can afford bringing.
Think about whether or not you really want children at your wedding. This point is very important in regards to budget and stress should you allow children to attend. You may find that some guests will not be able to make it because of no one to watch their children.
Don’t have too much money to spend on your wedding? No problem. Nobody should borrow money to put on a wedding. Many times, you are really paying for services that you could actually do yourself such as making your own centerpieces and invitations.
You should definitely consider writing your wedding vows yourself. Although it is easier to borrow a copy from another source, writing your own vows is special. Writing your vows can make your special day even more meaningful and help you to feel closer to your future spouse. Draw on inspiration when looking at sources, but put things into your own words and speak from the heart.
When planning a wedding, be sure to consider the weather. Your guests probably won’t want to celebrate an outdoor wedding in the heat of summer. 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.
As you consider the types of flowers and decorations you’re going to use, you must weigh the specifics of your location. Detailed floral arrangements may be fine for an indoor wedding, but would not be suitable for windy or outdoor ceremonies. For venues like the park or the beach, you will need innovative ways to secure the decorations.
Credit Card
The earlier you start your wedding preparations, the better. Advance planning gives you options that you just don’t get at the last minute. Therefore, you can select from the best of the best.
Apply for a credit card that gives you rewards, such as frequent flyer miles. Use this card to purchase all wedding related services. Weddings can get expensive, but you can offset some of this cost by paying with a cash back or other incentive-based credit card. Use the card to make purchases related to your wedding and you will quickly accrue points towards rewards.
Brides should remember to practice their smiles in front of mirrors before the big day. This will give you beautiful photos at the wedding. This will help you get tons of great pictures that will be treasured forever.
Brides planning to be married in a strapless gown should avoid having obvious tan lines. While wanting to be tan on your wedding day, noticeable tan lines are distracting.
Gold prices are trending much higher than normal, so you might want to consider other metals when it comes to wedding rings in order to save money. You can pick titanium, silver, platinum, stainless steel, tungsten, etc. These are lovely and inexpensive, and would look beautiful with whatever you plan to wear for your wedding. Try something new and different.
After you decide on the design for your wedding, write it down and start looking for wedding services or party planners who will specialize in your design. Once you have established which vendors cater to your specific tastes, you can start to narrow the selection down by price.
Be sure to have a little time span between your ceremony and the beginning of your reception. Weddings almost always run late. However, most receptions begin on time. Receptions are usually booked with a start and end time. Should the wedding run long, you could wind up paying for the time that you are not using.
Don’t be fearful about letting other people help out with segments of planning your wedding. It is natural to want to participate in all aspects of planning, especially since your wedding is such a personal affair. However, you can overdo it, so trust others who are willing to help.
If your family is religious, but you are not, think about having a church wedding anyway. Since you’re not religious this won’t affect you; however, it will mean a lot to your significant other. They may have been hoping for this.
You have made it over the first hurdle if you are still reading now. Planning your wedding does not have to be a stressful experience. Make your wedding your own. Use these tips to create a wedding experience that you will remember always.
By planning your wedding early, you can eliminate a lot of the stress associated with a wedding. Set aside time to complete all the necessary tasks without looking exhausted at the event. If you can, try to schedule a little time into the day where you can enjoy a relaxing cup of tea or listen to some soothing music.