Probably, the first thing people think of when they decide to tie the knot is they type of wedding they want. A wedding is a wonderful time to invite family and friends to celebrate your love and commitment, but it also takes a lot of work. Here are a few tips to ensure your wedding goes as smoothly as possible.
Before the wedding practice walking down the aisle. This absolutely needs to be done where the event is taking place with the exact footwear you plan on wearing on the big day. This makes sure you’re comfortable during the big day.
As your wedding day approaches, practice walking down the aisle as many times as practicable. Try to practice at the wedding site so you can test your chosen shoes on the flooring at the site. This can help you feel more confident during your special day.
One thing you need to think about during the wedding planning process is what alcohol will be served, and how much you want to spend on it. Having an open bar can be very expensive if it stays open for hours. Ask your venue about the different alcohol serving options that they have available.
Typically, a wedding dress costs a lot of money. Don’t limit yourself to considering dresses that are marketed specifically as wedding gowns. You might find a great bridesmaid dress or simply a classy outfit that you like. Even if you factor in the cost of style alterations, the overall cost could be less.
Your wedding should be as unique as your relationship is, so add a few touches specific to your personalities or relationship. Your wedding theme should reflect your shared journey with your partner, from the beginning to the present.
Spend some time writing your vows. These words are important for your new spouse. Understand that marriage requires an endless commitment from both parties and that sacrifices often have to be made. Write your vows so that they express your love for your spouse and remind you of why you love them.
Have your wedding on the property of friends or family. If someone you know owns a large piece of property, like a farm or a place with a large backyard, you can cut down a major cost. You can make sure the cleaning and setup is done, of course, but that is the only thing you should have to pay for regarding the wedding venue.
You do not have to get a wedding cake that is filled with countless calories. There are some bakers who are able to prepare delicious and beautiful cakes that are individually sized to be just enough to give someone the cake they want without the calories they do not want. There are some bakers who are able to prepare elegant cupcakes that contain less than 100 calories each. They can also use healthy ingredients like fruit fillings, no-calorie sweeteners, and even meringue toppings.
Ethnic catering can help add spice to your wedding. Steak and chicken are both overrated, not to mention boring. Ethnic foods and decor will help your reception be memorable.
The venue you pick needs to have enough room for dancing. Nothing is worse than everyone being crammed together during a dance, so move things out of the way to help create extra space.
Incorporate small decorative items throughout all your decor. Use a similar ribbon for your bouquet as that on your gown or your centerpieces. These small details are memorable and help your wedding day stand out as having been well planned.
Target the middle of the day for your reception. During the day most people drink less alcohol, which can greatly reduce your bar needs. Also, lunch receptions will typically be cheaper than dinner receptions and allow you to either increase the quality of food or allocate the rest of your food and alcohol budget to another need for the wedding.
Be certain to look for skilled photographers with experience before committing to one in particular. You want to make sure the quality of the pictures you get is exactly what you expect. It is smart to look online for user reviews of photographers or seek personal recommendations from those you trust.
Even if you’ve already chosen and bought your dress, it’s wise to leave it in the bridal store until the day of your wedding. Your dress may get damaged or become a wrinkled mess in your closet. When the big day arrives, your dress will still be in brand new condition.
Think about asking your family if they want to stay for the honeymoon. There is a lot of money to be saved when lengthening the stay because of hotel discounts for longer periods. This helps make your wedding experience more memorable for everyone!
Craigslist is a good place to check out local talent to assist with your wedding. Take along your groom to the first meeting, and ensure there is at least one face-to-face meeting prior to any money being handed over.
If you are having a destination wedding, surprise your guests with a basket chock full of goodies delivered to their hotel room. This gift basket can include helpful items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, disposable cameras and tourist maps that add a nice touch of flavor to the vacation. Be sure to include a local restaurant guide and possibly some coupons to make dining easy.
For instance, think about filling a menu with popular choices in a contemporary fusion style. Make the menu unique by adding ethnic desserts, beverages and wedding favors that are edible.
Honor diversity in the relationship by incorporating traditions from both the bride’s and the groom’s family, including foods, rituals, and decor. Everyone will be happy with this compromise.
Wedding Speech
If you plan on making a wedding speech or giving a toast, you should practice beforehand. Without the right amount of planning and practice, you can easily lose the audience, get caught with your foot in your mouth, or just bomb the speech with nothing but stuttering and a confused look on your face.
If you plan on giving a wedding speech, plan the speech and practice it. A poorly planned wedding speech can make the audience uncomfortable or bored, and leave you feeling disgruntled and disappointed in yourself.
Plan every aspect of the wedding from the food to the events that occur within the reception. Your friends and family have made a special effort to be there for your big day, so make sure they have an engaging and exciting experience.
Have a set plan for everything at the wedding. Your friends and family have made a special effort to be there for your big day, so make sure they have an engaging and exciting experience.
Renting different styles of seating for your wedding is a great idea, instead of traditional tables if you are planning to not serve food at your reception. Your guests will be more likely to interact if they are in a comfortable setting with lounges and chaises. If you use plush seating, the guests may also feel more at ease. This may also create more areas to relax where you’re staying.
No matter what type of reception you want, keep your caterer informed; for example, if you want an outdoor reception, help your caterer understand that. Some foods do not last in the heat, or may not stay on plates if it’s too windy. There are, however, good covers available to protect the dishes. If necessary, have a small fridge to keep drinks cold.
An affordable alternative to fancy floral arrangements is to place several potted plants of differing sizes in various areas of your reception and wedding sites. Colorful pots can be decorated with paint, ribbon, or decoupage to make the arrangements even more lively. After the wedding, guests can take the potted plants home as a wedding favor, or the new couple can plant them in their yard.
Are you planning on inviting children to your wedding, and how many are there going to be? This is essential since it may save lots of aggravation and money if they’re not there. However, you might run into attendance problems of adults invited due to no childcare options for them.
It’s always a nice touch if you can write your wedding vows yourself. It may be less work to use something already written, but you know your future spouse the best. Doing so adds a personal touch to your big day. Use inspiration if needed, but add your own special touch.
Are you the groom? If so, buy a tux that fits you like a glove. Accept opinions from your friends and family to decide which tuxedo should be your final choice. You should strive to look your best, since your wedding pictures be around forever.
Plan everything in advance. If you don’t start planning a year in advance, you may have trouble finding venues. Plan as soon as you can so you have more options.
Try writing your own vows for your wedding. It can be easier to just copy other vows, but only you and your spouse know what your future may hold. Write in things that have special meaning. There is nothing wrong with using outside resources, but your vows will be more personal if you write them yourself.
Make sure you do a little research on what the weather is going to be like. If you have an outdoor wedding and the day is very humid, your attendees may not be up to celebrating for too long. On the other hand, if it is too cold, your guests may exit early. Make small accommodations to ensure the comfort of your guests, like providing fans for a hot summer wedding.
Save Money
Apply for a credit card that gives you rewards, such as frequent flyer miles. Use this card to purchase all wedding related services. The expenses of a wedding quickly add up, so using a credit card can earn you a lot of benefits if you use one with a reward program. Make sure you charge all your expenses on the same card and find out in advance what kind of rewards you will be getting.
Save money on your wedding by using an alternative to flowers. For instance, the flower girl could carry elegant ribbons instead. Decorating with silk flowers will help you save money too. You will save money by choosing silk flowers instead of fresh ones. You can also move these flowers anywhere you want with little mess.
You can often get some great recommendations from the other services you hire. If you find a photographer that you love, ask that person to recommend a band that they like. You can then ask the music provider about another service provider you have need of. You’ll find people you love, and the vendors will be happy, too.
Plan ahead of time, as early as you are able. You might think that a year is a long time to plan a wedding, but if you wait you’ll find that venues and service providers cost more and become unavailable with short notice. Begin planning the very soonest you can.
Mother of the bride and any bridesmaids who are going to help you get ready should be ready well before the time for you to put your gown on. The focus should be directed on you during the minutes that pass before the ceremony. If they’re busy getting themselves ready, they won’t be able to help you.
Reducing the portion sizes at your reception is one option. When making accommodations for many guests for your big day, you have to think about areas where you can cut costs. A smaller meal can help you stick within your budget. If you prefer to serve a larger meal, you may need to cut down the number of guests you invite.
As the bride, you’re not going to want tan lines. You may want a tan before your wedding, but tan lines can be distracting.
It can be very hard to plan a wedding, but after all is said and done, it’s well worth it. The best thing to do when you plan for that day is to focus on celebrating so that things can be enjoyed. Utilize this advice to create the wedding you always wanted.
If you want to give your bridal party something special, think about customizing a piece of jewelry. This will give a lifelong memory to them.