The process of planning a beautiful wedding can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. There are many decisions to make and having loved ones interfere can make it harder, no matter what their intentions are. This article will have advice on how you can plan your wedding without losing your sanity.
If you’re taking care of the food yourself, shop at a wholesale store, like Costco. This will enable you to save a lot of money. You can also see if your friends can help with food costs.
You may be able to save money on your wedding by planning it during an “off season”. The traditional season for weddings is May through September. When this is going on, it will cost more to have a wedding. If you can’t plan your wedding at any other time, book your venue as soon as possible to get a great deal.
Wedding dresses can be quite an expense. When you are dress shopping, try looking for dresses that aren’t traditional wedding dresses. A dress for other occasions, such as holiday parties, can sometimes work for a wedding dress, and will usually cost a lot less. Even if the dress needs alterations, it could still be cheaper than an actual wedding dress.
Gown Online
Personalize the wedding so that it reflects your personalities, and that of your relationship. Choose a theme that matches your time together!
You can save a lot of money by purchasing your wedding gown online. However, remember to give yourself plenty of 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. Keep in mind any additional costs, and include it in your budget.
The venue you pick needs to have enough room for dancing. It can be a horrible experience to feel crammed while everyone around you is trying to dance; move chairs and tables out of the way to give everyone some extra breathing space.
It is obvious that that most important aspect to think about in a marriage is the one whom you will marry. Never rush into this decision that will change your life. Carefully think about that person and the things you cannot live without and the things that might drive you crazy.
See if you can find a willing helper who can assist you with looking after your equipment and moving it when necessary. They can help you to gather the family and get the perfect photo.
Don’t forget about the transportation on your wedding day. Try to get taxis and limos for people that can’t get a ride so they can get back to where they’re staying when the night ends. Also, this is beneficial for people who have consumed alcohol during the wedding.
Don’t make guests wait as you take photos. You should take wedding pictures beforehand. The pictures for the bride, groom and immediately family can also be done in advance.
You need to tell your DJ what you do want to be played, but also make sure he or she understands what not to play. Perhaps you want to avoid country crooners or hard rock tunes. Whatever your tastes may be, communicate them so your wedding music is as joyful as you are.
Even if you picked out and bought your dress, the wedding shop should keep it until your wedding. In this way, you can be certain it will be properly stored and protected from damage. If the bridal shop holds it, you will have a clean, pressed dress for your ceremony.
Make sure that the venue you choose for your reception has adequate space for dancing. If you want to dance at your wedding, make sure you have the room to do so, and if you do not, simply move some of the furniture out of the way and shake your tail feather!
If you will be serving a meal served over multiple courses, keep your guests entertained while food is being served with small dishes filled with sweets at each table. Get sugar roses that go with the color palette or your wedding. Or, opt for some thin crackers.
See if you can find a willing helper who can assist you with looking after your equipment and moving it when necessary. They can also help you track down family members, and get them together for group photographs.
For instance, think about filling a menu with popular choices in a contemporary fusion style. Add a little twist with ethnic drinks, desserts or wedding favors that are edible.
Don’t make guests wait as you take photos. These photos should be taken in advance. Additionally, photographs of the bride with her parents and the groom with his parents can be taken before the wedding.
Meeting a wedding planner? Do your homework. Take all of your ideas and incorporate them into one place, such as a design book. Photographs, song lyrics and magazine clippings can be used to display your ideas in such a manner that your wedding planner can get a visual image of your ideas.
Make sure the lighting at your wedding reception venue can be dimmed. Certain occasions throughout the evening will call for their own separate mood and lighting, such as a first dance or cutting of the cake. Before giving the venue the thumbs up and your money, ask them about this detail.
Make sure the style of your wedding is reflected in your choice of flowers too. Vintage and retro themes with bright and cheerful color palettes call for robust, showstopping flowers that convey a feeling of nostalgia and wistfulness. You can use pink and yellow peonies, bright daisies, or red poppies.
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. Opt for sugar roses that match your wedding color palette, edible, sugared petals, or thin, flavorful crackers to whet the appetite.
If you can’t afford expensive floral arrangements, consider using potted plants throughout the reception and ceremony areas. You can dress up potted plants by using a variety of beautifully decorated containers. The guest’s wedding favor can be the plants in the pots, or you can put them in your garden.
Silk Flowers
Use flowers that are different heights when decorating centerpieces. Use long-stemmed flowers with tall vases. You can surround these tall vases with short voluminous flowers like pink sweet peas, peonies, or hydrangeas. Also, opt for darker shades for your long stem flowers and lighter shades for the shorter flowers.
Think about getting silk flowers as an alternative to real ones. If you use silk flowers instead of fresh flowers, you can purchase them well in advance and eliminate the worry of having the right flowers delivered the morning of your wedding.
If dancing isn’t your forte, you should prepare yourself for the first dance by donning a long skirt and taking a few practice runs around the living room. Though you may have warmed up to your ability to move about in your skirt, it may be a bit cumbersome for your groom, so put on some music and dance together. This will help prevent any awkwardness your partner might experiences from maneuvering around a large, full dress.
If the wedding couple both like to travel they can use decorations that portray that interest. Your invitations, notices, and R.S.V.P. cards can be designed to match the theme or your wedding. Consider using a steamer trunk as an attractive, themed display for everything from wedding programs to party favors.
It is vital that your wedding lives up to the bride’s expectations so that she can be happy during the wedding. You could cause her a lot of stress if she’s doing all of the planning or if there are any surprises that might disappoint her. Make sure she approves all aspects of the wedding, or she might get annoyed.
If children are to be a part of your ceremony, pay special attention to the comfort of their clothes. Use soft fabrics that have a somewhat loose fit for comfort. Shoes, particularly new ones, should be broken in and comfy. Paying attention to the clothes children wear will allow kids to enjoy their wedding experience without being uncomfortable.
To look sharp as the groom, ensure you have a well-fitting tuxedo. Ask for different opinions before choosing your tuxedo. The tux you wear will represent you in your photographs for many years to come, so choose wisely!
If you are having an outdoor wedding, include a contingency plan for inclement weather or any other unforeseen problem. You can rent a couple tents or look for a venue with a hall and a park. Get proper installation of temporary walkways at the outdoor site to make sure muddy conditions do not end up soiling the shoes of the wedding participants or the guests.
Whether you are booking a band or a DJ, do your research ahead of time. Ask for contacts and references before you hire them. When drawing up a contract, make sure that the date, the hours you expect to have them working, the pay and any other variables are all accounted for. These steps can help you avoid having your wedding ruined.
Consider your guest and their finances and circumstances when looking into adestination wedding. There might be guests who have to plan their vacation time around your wedding, and they will need plenty of time for preparation. Send out invitation cards well ahead of time to accommodate them.
When choosing your wedding decor, consider your wedding’s location. For instance, complicated arrangements that have several parts look great indoors, but they may not be best for outdoors when it’s windy. There might be a need for special equipment when it comes to certain outdoor wedding locations.
Don’t neglect to take into account any legal requirement of the location of your destination wedding. Whatever fees or red tape you encounter, you definitely want to address any needs prior to booking any services or hotels.
Beware of rainy days. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, have a back up plan in case of rain. Even if you’re convinced the weather won’t be foul, you must be prepared.
Potted Plants
Be sure that you don’t have unsightly tan lines showing during your wedding. Perhaps you want a nice tan for the wedding, but tan lines don’t look good with your dress.
Place a number of different-sized potted plants throughout the venue in lieu of costly floral arrangements. Glazed ceramic pots in colorful hues will look great, or you can opt to paint and adorn the pottery yourself. You can offer the potted plants as wedding favors or if the new couple chooses, they can use them in their landscape.
Open a special savings account for your wedding funds. If you know exactly how much money you can spend, sticking to your budget will be easier. If you’re not yet getting married, create an account that can be used in the future when you might need it.
Hire the photographer who is interested in creating memories as opposed to snapping pictures. When you interview them, ask them what their vision is. Find out how they plan out his work during the wedding. You will want to match styles with the photographer of your choice.
Rather than shopping for an engagement ring, seek alternate sources. An heirloom piece of jewelry can be a wonderful engagement ring that has great sentimental value. This sort of gift goes far to welcome the new bride into the groom’s family. It also provides the bride with a meaningful item of jewelry that she can wear on all occasions.
Are you planning on inviting children to your wedding, and how many are there going to be? Having children attend can be aggravating, and it can run up your costs. However, your choice not to allow children may cause many guests not to attend if they are unable or unwilling to find someone to look after their children.
You’re going to wind up wanting photographs with a lot of the guests that come to your wedding. If your wedding is large, you will want to have a set time for photographs or the task will be pretty much impossible. Decide on a specific time for pictures to be taken, and inform your guests in advance as to where you would like them to be for their pictures.
Congrats on getting this far. If planning has not scared you off yet, then you should be prepared to start your wedding planning as soon as possible. Make your wedding one of a kind. Use the tips you’ve just read to have a great wedding.
Pregnant brides should anticipate the need to adjust the size of their dress. It may sound like common sense, but you should focus on a dress that will expand as your body expands.