Preparing for Your Wedding
Budget:
Set aside an amount of money that will be pay for all wedding expenses. Determine if any family members or friends will contribute to any of the wedding expenses. Many banquet halls, restaurants or facilities charge a rate per person, based upon the number of people expected to attend the wedding. No refunds are given regardless how many people actually come to the wedding. Keeping that in mind, calculate in the budget the cost per person. There should be money put aside, in the budget, for miscellaneous expenses or over budget costs. Someone in the family should be appointed for handling the budget and paying all bills. Always keep all receipts, and contractual agreements. Consider purchasing Wedding Cancellation insurance, for the possibility of unexpected financial problems.
Professional Wedding Consultant:
A Wedding Consultant can certainly organize the wedding. For this convince, there is a price to pay. Weighing the advantages, and disadvantages should be considered. A wedding consultant might be able to reduce some wedding expenses, since the consultant, has worked with other people, and wedding facilities. Also, would manage the budget for the wedding.
Selecting a Wedding Date and Location:
This is very important to carefully consider. Start by getting suggestions, from other couples that had gotten married. Some catering, and banquet facilities will let the engage couple, visit during a wedding, and sample the food. Consider when wedding will happen in the spring, summer, winter or fall, and how will that impact on the location. The Wedding can be more costly, during any holiday. Also, what time of the day when the wedding will happen, does reflect upon the cost. Less expensive weddings are during the day or during the week. Also consider, if the wedding ceremony will be held at the same location as the wedding party. Any location for a wedding ceremony or wedding party has a maximum number of occupancy, which may not be suitable for the number of guests invited. Confirm is there restrictions regarding smoking, allowing children, parking and entrance for anyone that is physically handicap. Most wedding locations require a deposit, upon securing the reservation. Always read the contract agreement, especially regarding the policy of refunds. Finally, check the Better Business Bureau if the location has had any complaints.
Wedding Invitations:
Once you have planned a wedding date, and location of ceremony, then the wedding invitations can be prepared. The wedding invitations can be simple or elaborate, depending on how much money will be budgeted. You can purchase greeting cards from your local stationary, drug store, department stores or print them from a Software program, which can be customized to your own format. Also, a printing store, or home business custom design any wedding invitations, and enclosed envelopes, for RSVP (Resource Reservation Setup Protocol). Good idea to negotiate a good deal, and save money. Enclosed in the RSVP, customarily an enveloped stamped, to respond to the invitation. The bride and groom should consider, if they want to include children, and babies at their wedding. Enclosed in the wedding invitation, should be a map to locate where the wedding ceremony, and party will be held. Also, include where parking is permitted, and entrance for handicap.
Wedding Dress:
A Headpiece is sometimes added to the wedding dress, depending on the decision of the bride. Wedding dress can be very expensive or least expensive. This depends on the material of the dress, size of the dress, and place of purchase. Also, alterations usually cost extra and any material added to the wedding dress. During the preparation of wedding plans, sometimes a member of the family or friends will pay, for the cost of wedding dress.
Matron of Honor or Bridesmaids:
In a formal wedding, the bride decides what style and color will the matron of honor or bridesmaids dress will wear. Unfortunately, this may cause tense for the matron of honor or bridesmaids, if they are unhappy with the decision. Also, they are responsible for paying for their dresses. However, if they bride wants them to have their hair, nails and make-up done professionally, then the bride could offer to pay for these expenses. Also, the matron of honor or bridesmaids certainly may express their concern to the bride, regarding the cost of those dresses, are beyond their budget.
Wedding Bands:
The exchange of wedding bands is very personal to the bride, and groom that symbolizing their love, and devotion to each other. The bride and groom, decide if their wedding band will be gold, silver or platinum. Platinum wedding bands can endure more wear, tear over time, require less maintenance, and will retain the luster longer, then gold or silver. Those who are allergic to Alloys of gold, and silver will not be allergic to platinum.
Wedding Gift Registry:
Very likely the bride and groom will need home gifts. Suggestion: Create a registry at store or online website, where they often shop. Most department stores, and online sites, can list on the registry gifts that the engage couple would like to have, in their home. Guests have the choice of purchasing an item from the list, gift card, or online website. Most online websites have lower prices then conventional stores. However, other conventional gifts are good.
Photographer / Video:
Deciding to hire a photographer, and a professional to videotape the ceremony, and wedding party, should be experienced. The photographer should provide a variety of package deals to choose from, which should include single photos, an album, and variety different size pictures to frame. Depending on the size of the package deal, the price is determined. Ideal photographer would be someone that has been recommended. A videotape expert should be able to edit, add additional background graphics, use more then one camera, and add music to the finished tape. Also, provide samples from previous wedding videos. Sometimes, these professionals will bring people to assist them, and any additional lighting. These professionals should make everyone look great, on this special day. The photographer and videotape professionals might have been to the wedding location previously and are familiar with the layout. Always good, idea to compare prices, and package deals offered by photographers, and videotape professionals. Often, a deposit is required. Always read carefully the contract agreements. Let these professionals know if the bride and groom have any special requests. The best quality photographs are by a digital photography. If the cost for hiring a professional photographer and videotape expert, is to expensive, consider asking a member of your family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers, if someone would volunteer to lend their time to take pictures, and videotape, during the wedding. Also, consider if you want the videotape professional, to ask everyone at the wedding, to give a personal tape greeting message.
Bridal Shower:
Bridal Shower is a fun party, for the bride and guests, prior to the wedding. Customarily, the Bridal Shower party is plan by the bride’s female friends, relatives and any coworkers. Those plan this event, would pay for all these costs. The Bridal Shower can be held at any location, and no limit to the creativity or imagination of those organizing the event.
Bachelor Party:
This event is planned in same way as a Bridal Shower, except the party is organize by the Bachelor male friends, relatives, and any coworkers. A creative Bachelor Party as no limitations to the imagination.
Wedding Cake:
The Wedding Cake is a tradition, to celebrate the event. The cost of the wedding cake depends how many people will be served, ingredients, and any special additions to the cake, including decorations. Sometimes catering facilitates for the wedding will prepare the wedding cake. Certainly, hiring a professional wedding cake designer, is a cost consideration, but will provide a beautiful cake to be remembered. Keep in mind that a cake that needs to be kept in a cool area, should not be kept outside or next to bright lights.
Ring Bearer:
Customarily the ring bearer is a young boy in the family, that brings the ring to the alter on a
Pillow, rimmed with lace and ribbon. The ring bearer walks down the aisle before the wedding ceremony. The flower girl or girls, accompany the ring bearer.
Flower Girl(s):
The youngest girl(s) in the family will walk down the aisle as flower girl(s), dropping rose pedals along the way, from their basket. Accompanied by the ring bearer, before the wedding participants enter.
Floral Arrangements:
Flowers are used often to decorate the wedding ceremony and the wedding party, including in the floral arrangement for the bridal bouquet, boutonnieres, corsages for the groomsmen, and family of the bride. These are coordinated to the bride’s bouquet, flowers decorating the pew, alter, walkway. Flowers are use to decorate tables at the wedding. Bride and groom should get advise from a florist that does weddings for a living. Remembering that some flowers are more expensive, including roses. The florist needs enough time to prepare all decorations at these events. Verify if the florist uses their own transportation, to deliver the flowers to locations.
Certainly, using fake flowers to decorate the wedding tables or other arrangements will cost less.
Music:
For any wedding, there is usually a band, orchestra, piano, master of ceremony, or Disc Jockey (DJ), playing music during a ceremony and wedding party. The band should play a variety of songs, and be able to take requests. The Disc Jockey should have a variety of songs that the bride and groom would like to hear during their weeding party or any special arrangement of songs. The master of ceremony or DJ, should introduce the bride and groom, as they enter the banquet room, and then proceed to have their first dance. Always good, to get recommendations of bands, or DJ’s, that had performed at previous weddings.
Wedding Vows:
Setting the moment in time, when a bride and groom, accept there love and devotion to each other, maybe a simple as saying “I do” or quoting Vows to each other, before they are announced husband and wife. The Vows can be simple, meaningful, beautiful or romantic, depending on preference to the bride and groom.
Wedding Rehearsal:
A good idea to have wedding rehearsal, that will insure all participants know their particular role, they are asked to perform. Including the ring bearer, best man, matron of honor, bride, groom, and family members. Often the clergy, master of the ceremony or captain of a ship, will want to be present, to inform how he or she, will conduct the ceremony. During the rehearsal, the bride, and groom have the opportunity to ask for any special arrangements, for their wedding.
Wedding Limousine:
The wedding day will be a very busy and transportation for bride, and groom must be reliable. Consider hiring a Limousine Service for the bride, groom and any members of the family. Otherwise, other arrangements will be made in advance to have a designate driver. Certainly a limousine offers the comfort, and upon request alcohol and champagne. The average gratuity for a limousine driver is twenty percent. Recommended you reserve a few months in advance, and give a deposit. Most importantly, the limousine driver is not under the influence of alcohol.
Wedding Decorations:
Dressing up the event, with a variety of decorations at the wedding will be memorable. Suggestions include, placing on each table a Disposable Wedding Camera for everyone to take pictures, for the bride and groom. Decorating the chairs, and tables with fabric design, pastel flower vases, colorful salt, and pepper shakers, customized designed paper weights, custom made printed Napkins (Dated for the wedding), swan candles, latex balloons, and any requests. Most of the items can be purchased online or at party stores. If the bride and groom, prefer a theme to their wedding party, then custom made decorations, could be designed or bought.
Bride Name Changes:
After the wedding, the bride will have to make many changes, since she will have new last name. A check list, includes change Social Security records, vehicle title, voter registration, passport, bank, insurance, medical information, employment records, library card, and other documents for Identification. Further information can be found in the Official New Bride Name Change Kit. If the bride moves to a new home address, then mail delivery would have to be delivered, to the new address. This can easily be done, at your local post office. Many of these changes may apply to the groom.
Honeymoon:
For any bride or groom, the honeymoon should be a memorable time. Any travel reservations should be prepared in advance, and a deposit to secure the reservations. Also, if the plans include leaving the country, then passports must be current. Travel arrangements can be made by a travel agent or online, for any destination.
Newspaper:
Bride and groom may want to announce their engagement, and wedding date, to have printed in a newspaper. A Happy Time to remember, and recall. In the future, they can show the newspaper to their children, and grand children.
Final thought, to the bride and groom. If getting married is much trouble, just elope and be happy forever!
