Whether it’s your wedding, or the wedding of a close friend, it won’t take long to realize that the planning process is often both detailed and complicated. The advice presented here will help you make sense of the many different options for planning this very special event.
When you’re planning on who to give the speeches at your wedding, have them rehearse the things they would say in front of you so you can determine if everything they say will be appropriate. Remember that there may be older people at your wedding as well as young ones, and jokes must be appropriate for all members of your audience.
Wedding pictures are a great way to commemorate an incredibly special day. Many couples look at them throughout their life. It pays to spend the extra cash to hire a wedding photographer in order to reduce the chance of some amateur screwing up your wedding photos.
Include elements that tell about you, your spouse and the relationship. Select a theme that represents the time that you have spent with each other.
Makeup Artist
Ethnic catering can help add spice to your wedding. Too many people serve up chicken and steak, so go against the grain and spice things up. Weddings are known for being unique and your reception should offer a variety of foods to satisfy everyone.
When you are choosing a makeup artist for your ceremony, always look at samples of their previous work. Evaluate the makeup artist’s techniques. Make sure that this is the style you desire. You do not want to be an hour before your wedding with a make up artist who does your make up in a way that you dislike.
Do not starve yourself just to fit into the wedding dress you want. Starving yourself or resorting to unhealthy weight loss tactics causes you to feel dizzy, weak, and light-headed. The last thing you want is to faint while saying your vows. Buy a dress that allows you to make adjustments when the wedding date comes.
Avoid cluttering tables with too many flowers at your reception. The majority of the time, these flowers are in the guests’ way. Some people attending your wedding may have pollen allergies, as well. Consider placing non scented candles on the table for a romantic look.
If you wish to look more stunning on your wedding day but are strapped for cash, consider renting diamonds. This will give you the stunning look that you desire but will not cost you a lot of money, allowing you to stick to your budget.
A multi-tiered wedding cake can set you back well over a thousand dollars. You can save money by serving cupcakes, small tarts, or cake pops. These arrangements are more convenient, versatile, and more cost effective. Your guests can help themselves to a couple of cupcakes in a to-go box on their way out the door.
Look at samples of past work before hiring a makeup artist. Is the style pleasing to you? It is critically important that you know they can meet your needs. It can be helpful to do a practice run before the big day so that you will be happy with the results.
Aim for a mid-day reception. During the day most people drink less alcohol, which can greatly reduce your bar needs. Having your wedding during the midday can also cut food costs and even get you a discount for booking during the day.
You want to make sure the photographer you hire is experienced by checking them out beforehand. You’re not going to want to work with people that aren’t competent photographers. Some excellent ways to narrow your search include talking to friends or checking out websites.
You’ll want to be able to dim the lighting at the wedding reception. It may sound insignificant, but you are probably going to want to dim the lights for the first dance and turn them back up for the remainder of the reception. Before committing to the venue, ask them about this.
Practice walking down the aisle in front of a full-length mirror to make sure you know what you’re doing, especially if you’re going to be wearing heels. Should you be worried about a mishap, consider some nice flats. Having footwear that isn’t exactly what you wanted is a good trade-off.
Be sure you place an an even numer of guests at each table at your reception. It’s also a good idea to have people of similar ages all at one table because they will tend to have more in common.
Aim for a mid-day reception. Most people will drink less at this time, which can cut down on your bar needs. Furthermore, lunch receptions are often less expensive than dinner receptions. This allows you to add more to your menu or use the savings elsewhere.
Make a detailed itinerary with directions, so guests know when and where the wedding and reception will be held. Make sure that you tell people if they need to attend events, like the rehearsal, so that everyone shows up promptly at the correct location.
If it possible for you to afford it, consider having your wedding on a cruise and invite only your closest family and friends. This allows you to start honeymooning as soon as you get married. Most cruise ships even have special prices for wedding parties and all of the guests in the party.
If you’re able to afford this kind of a wedding, take a cruise and have your closest relatives and friends come with you. Then, your honeymoon and wedding are all rolled into one and the cruise ship does most of the planning and supplying of everything. Some cruise ships offer special wedding and honeymoon packages.
An ordained friend or relative can officiate your wedding. They can get ordained easily online. This can be a wonderful way to honor someone special in your life, and to make them an important part of your big day. However, be sure to check all the required legalities before you opt for this.
You can ask a cherished friend or family member to loan you a special jewelry piece for your wedding, which can be your “something borrowed”. This can allow you to look the way you want to and add an element of charm to your wedding.
Flowers that might be abundant in your home territory may not be widely available if you happen to be in the Cayman Islands or Greece. Speak to a florist in the same location as the wedding and reception venues to ascertain what flowers are available to you.
Silk flowers are a great alternative to some of the different types of flowers that you can purchase for your wedding. You don’t have to buy these fresh as you can pick them months in advance, saving you the hassle of worrying about your floral arrangements on the big day.
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. Some ideas are renting a couple of tents, or using a place that has indoor as well as outdoor accommodations. 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.
If you want to have a good wedding speech, see to it that you practice and plan for it sufficiently. If you do not plan your speech, you may cause the audience to stop paying attention, or you just might get stage fright.
Do not forget a registry for gifts or to set up online registries. For a relaxed atmosphere, make it clear to your guests that they aren’t required to bring anything. Give them a lot of choices for gifts, as well as a wide array of prices to choose from. Make people comfortable with bringing what they are able to afford.
If you intend to hold your wedding outdoors, devise a contingency plan in case weather or other problems prevent the wedding from going smoothly. You can rent some large tents, or book a outdoor venue that includes a hall that is available in case of bad weather. Set up planks to prevent your guests from getting mud or dirt on their shoes.
Get fully prepared for your first wedding dance by practicing your steps in a skirt that is similar to the one on your wedding dress. You might be used to walking around or dancing in your skirt, but it will feel different to your future husband. This will ease any awkwardness that he might be feeling, especially if your wedding dress is puffy on the bottom.
Do some homework on wedding planning before meeting with a planner. Put together a look book that contains all your design ideas. You can clip magazine photos, song lyrics, or photos that help you convey what you want to your wedding planner.
In terms of wedding receptions, think carefully about whether to include kids. Having children attend can be aggravating, and it can run up your costs. On the other hand, there may be adults who won’t attend because you did not invite their children or they can’t find a sitter.
If you want to avoid allergies or the expense of floral arrangements, consider using potted plants to decorate your wedding space. Plants can be dressed up with ribbons, silk flowers, lights, or painted ceramic pots to dress them up. When the wedding is over, the guests can then take those plants home with them as a favor and have a constant reminder of the new couple.
It is vital that your wedding lives up to the bride’s expectations so that she can be happy during the wedding. She is sure to be unhappy if she is forced to deal with arrangements that are simply below her standards. Let the bride have the final say over all aspects of the wedding so that she doesn’t act out anger prior to and during the wedding.
You want a skilled photographer for your wedding pictures who is going to do more than just get the shot. You want them to create long-lasting memories. When you interview your photographer, ask them how they think the day should progress. Question their process for shooting weddings. It’s essential that you know what they intend to do, so you can determine if it meshes well with your own plans.
Try writing your own vows for your wedding. You can, of course, say the traditional words, but make it special. The personalization of your vows adds meaning and romance, creating an atmosphere of closeness and intimacy. This will help your event become very happy and emotional.
To get ready for the first dance, try practicing dances in long skirts in the days leading up to your wedding. You could be used to dancing or walking around in a long skirt, but your future husband might not be used to it. This can get your soon-to be-husband used to any awkwardness he might feel, which can really happen with full-skirted dresses.
The task of choosing the individual who will record the event is at the top of the importance list and you should ask to see his past work and for references. Sound quality and video editing are just as important as capturing the shot. Though VHS used to be the popular go to, now you want to make sure you are getting a digital version or DVD that can be viewed for years. Decide based on those factors and your impression of each photographer.
You want the bride to be happiest on her big wedding day, so make sure that you run everything through her first so that no surprises arise. If she has to stress about planning, and deal with a under par wedding, it will absolutely ruin her. Allow her to run the show and make decisions for the happiest, smoothest event.
Look at all of the options that you have in regards to flower arrangements. For instance, rather than having the flower girl wear a floral wreath, have them wear a ribbon. This still looks great, yet is much cheaper. Use silk flowers, which will cost you much less. This is a much more cost effective option, and one that will leave you with more money in your pocket. You can move it from place to place and even use it from your ceremony to your wedding reception.
Now that you know more about how to plan a stress free wedding, keep these tips in mind to keep it all on track. If you use some of the tips out of the handpicked collection above, the stress associated with creating a memorable wedding day will be lowered.
Don’t fear trusting others with your wedding planning. Since weddings require a lot of emotional investment, you probably want to dominate all aspects of the planning. It is all too easy to overdo it so take the time to step back and let a professional handle some of the details.