Unfortunately for many, planning for the wedding starts to make them stressed and miserable, ruining what should be a wonderful time of your life. Follow these tips, and you will be able to plan a wedding that fulfills all your dreams of your special day.
Purchasing a wedding dress can be expensive. If you are not looking for a traditional, princess type ballgown, consider looking into other types of 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 you need the dress to be altered, it will probably be less expensive than buying a wedding dress.
Getting married in the peak wedding season can cost a small fortune. The wedding season is traditionally from May through September. At this time, it will be more costly to book a venue for your wedding. If you still want to have your wedding during this time, be sure to make all your arrangements well in advance so you receive the best possible deal.
When choosing a makeup artist, ask to see a sample book of makeup the artist has done. Is the style they do to your liking? Be sure they can create the look you want. Don’t be one of those people who is stuck with makeup they don’t like an hour before they walk down the aisle.
Wedding Gown
One thing to think over during a wedding would be the transportation. It is good to have taxis or limos to help guests get back to their hotels or lodging after the reception. This is good for those drinking alcohol.
The wedding dress may be a major expense. You might want to consider a dress which is not categorized specifically for the bride. A bridesmaid dress, for example, could look stunning on your figure and will typically be less than half the price of an actual wedding gown. With the lower base price, you can likely also afford alterations to the style of the dress and still come in under the price of a traditional wedding gown.
Fashionable brides who love the look of luxury may wish to glam up their bouquets with sparkling embellishments like rhinestones, Swarovski crystals, or even diamonds. You can use small pieces of costume jewelry, heat-fixed or adhesive crystals, or perhaps a treasured heirloom. To make sure it coordinates with everything else you are wearing, be consistent with the colors, size and cut of the stones.
When you are planning your wedding don’t forget that people are going to need to get from your venue back to their hotel. For people without a ride, be sure a taxi or limo can bring them to their destination after the reception. Transportation is also helpful for those who have drank too much at your wedding.
Make sure the lights at the venue are on a dimmer switch. You may not think about it in advance, but you may want the lights turned down a bit during some dances or for the cake cutting. Before committing to a venue, you will want to ask about this option.
If you cannot justify the cost of a thousand-dollar wedding cake, consider contacting a local bakery and inquiring about single-serving portions, like cupcakes or cake pops. Some specialty bakeries also ship fresh, low-cal cupcakes and healthy fare, like gluten-free options if you so desire.
A fun idea is to invite your family and friends on a cruise for your wedding. Your honeymoon will start right after the ceremony. Some cruises will offer discounts if you are getting married.
As the bride, you may feel stressed before the big day. Treat your skin right with a great skincare routine. You can use sea salts and other all-natural soothing scrubs and skin care products for a brighter complexion.
For a wedding couple who especially enjoy travel, look for opportunities to work travel-inspired elements into the wedding decor. Invitations and RSVP cards can be written in old script and yellowed to imitate antique postcards. Design your wedding program and guest favors to match too.
Always hunt for skilled, experienced photographers prior to making a final choice. You don’t want unsatisfactory wedding pictures. There are online reviews readily available to you, and you can also ask people you know that might have planned a wedding recently.
If there will be no dinner served for the guests, you can use that free space for renting various furniture to ensure a comfortable evening among the crowd. Chaises, lounges and even sectionals can encourage your guests to mingle like old friends. If your seating is soft and comfortable, it’ll be easier for guests to relax, and having plenty of furniture will let you set up several different lounging areas across the site.
Find out if the lights at your reception venue are the type that can be dimmed. 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. Check out the lighting available at different venues before picking one.
When planning an outdoor wedding, it is important to have an alternate plan established so that you are prepared if bad weather becomes a factor. Book a location that also has a inside building or rent some tents. Planks can be used on wet ground so guests do not soil their shoes.
Consider placing your colorful cake on a piece of fabric or tablecloth in a coordinating color. Whether you choose patterns or solids, the fabric should add another dimension of visual interest and help to tie your wedding cake in with your wedding theme.
You always want to do a lot of research before actually booking your destination wedding. Don’t be surprised at the last minute by unknown regulations, red tape or fees that you did not expect.
You can easily have a member of your family or a friend get ordained online, making them an ideal candidate to officiate your ceremony. While having someone special officiate makes the ceremony truly yours, it also has the additional perk of allowing you to redirect the money for something else, such as flowers. However, be sure to check all the required legalities before you opt for this.
Make sure the style of your wedding is reflected in your choice of flowers too. To make the whole room peaceful, go with a retro theme that includes colorful flowers. Try pink peonies to spice up the flavor in your wedding.
A sweet treat between meal courses is a great way to keep your guests happy. Opt for sugar roses that match your wedding color palette, edible, sugared petals, or thin, flavorful crackers to whet the appetite.
Costly wedding floral arrangements can be replaced with ornamental potted plants for an aesthetic and exotic effect. Colorful pots can be decorated with paint, ribbon, or decoupage to make the arrangements even more lively. Guests might can take these plants to their homes as wedding favors, or the newlywed couple could plant them at their own home.
If children are attending, make sure they are dressed comfortably. Pick soft fabrics that are not too tight, and will bring comfort are important. If the children are going to be wearing new shoes, make sure they are comfortable, and let them walk around in them a bit so that they can get broken in. You want children to be as comfortable as possible on that day so that they aren’t being distractions by fussing with their clothing.
In order to prepare in dancing when it comes to your first dance, practice dancing a couple days before the wedding using a long skirt. You may already be comfortable moving about in long skirts, but your fiance may not be. This can get your soon-to be-husband used to any awkwardness he might feel, which can really happen with full-skirted dresses.
Wedding Speech
When planning your wedding, decide if you would like any children to attend. This is relevant because you can save money as well as your sanity if there are no children attending. Then again, many people may not attend if they cannot find a babysitter.
If you are going to be giving a wedding speech, make sure that you practice and plan appropriately. If you don’t plan and practice your wedding speech enough, you risk all sorts of bad outcomes, from losing your audience to totally bombing the speech with stuttering and confused expressions.
If you care about the bride, you will definitely be looking for ways to make sure her wedding is everything she has dreamed of. Planning a wedding and dealing with problems will make a bride stressed and anxious. You want to just run everything by her as well as make sure there is nothing that you are missing to ensure her happiness.
Seasonal flowers that are native to your state may not be easy to find at your wedding location, especially if it’s a completely different climate. Speak with people who are in the area where your wedding is located to find out what blooms are available to you.
Check out the previous work of your videographer. Make sure that you also keep in mind the quality of the sound and editing that your videographer provides. While VHS used to be the preferred format for weddings, now you need to get a DVD or even a digital copy of your video. Make choices based on your impressions and other factors mentioned.
If you plan to have an outdoor ceremony, be sure to take weather (sun or rain) into account to ensure happy guests. You can rent several tents or look for a location that has a community hall, in addition to an outdoor space. By placing wooden planks onto the ground, your guests can have their footwear protected from the mud.
Look at all of the options that you have in regards to flower arrangements. For flower girls, you can use ribbons for a more economical and simply elegant solution to floral wreathes. You can bring in silk flowers to the ceremony as well. You will save money by choosing silk flowers instead of fresh ones. You can also use it at your reception too.
Personal Touch
Research in advance any band or DJ you are thinking about hiring. Ask for references and be sure to call them prior to making hiring decisions. Once your decision is made, you will want to sign a contract laying out the terms and solidifying the date needed. This contract will help ensure the band or DJ shows up on your wedding day.
Creating your own vows adds a very personal touch. While it may be easier to copy from a different source remember that no one knows your future spouse better than you. Doing so adds a personal touch to your big day. Use other sources as inspiration, but add your own personal touch.
Consider your wedding location when choosing decorations like floral arrangements. If you plan an indoor wedding, you can enjoy large, complex floral arrangements. This may not be true outdoors. You will need to set up special equipment if you are having your wedding on the beach.
If you have a limited wedding budget, fear not! You do not have to spend money you do not have just to have the perfect wedding. You can take care of the invitations yourself, design your own favors and arrangements and much more when it comes to both the wedding and reception in order for you to save some money.
Plan your wedding well in advance. You may think that one year is a very long time for wedding planning, but should you wait too long, you’ll start to notice that service providers and venues are not available on the date you want; not only that, they will cost more as well. Planning early means more choices.
When looking for music for your wedding, be sure to research the DJ or band that you are considering using. Contact several references first. Also, get a legal contract in place. You don’t want to wind up without music at your reception!
Try to avoid tan lines. A nice tan will make you look even more beautiful.
Take these ideas to heart in order to ensure smooth sailing on your wedding day and to plan an enjoyable experience for all. Your wedding celebrates the beginning of the rest of your lives together, so you should plan ahead to make sure that your wedding goes smoothly.
Open an account for just the money that you plan to invest into your wedding. Creating a budget for your spending can ensure that you don’t spend more than your funding allows. You can start a wedding account even when are not engaged yet, because you can always use it when that happy day finally arrives.