A wedding can be challenging and stressful, but you must approach it with a positive frame of mind to make it all work. To really feel as though you are prepared for the wedding, you need to acquire a good amount of knowledge in advance. You’ll find that these guidelines are an excellent starting point.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not practicing the big walk enough. It takes more than two run throughs on rehearsal night to overcome the fact that items could be in the way. Make it second nature by doing several practice walks down the aisle. Do this at your actual wedding site to make sure you’re familiar with the floor there. This will lend confidence to your walk when your wedding day arrives.
You can not serve everyone’s favorite top-shelf drink or you would quickly exceed the price of the dress, so consider what you like, and what will keep you within your budget. If you have an open bar that is available for long intervals of time, the bill can run up really hard really fast. Ask the venue you’ve chosen for the reception which options they have available to you, and what the cost would be for each.
Choose wedding decorations that reflect your personality and that of your partner. Your decorations should also help tell the story of your relationship with the person. A theme should be selected that matches the time that you’ve had together.
When choosing a makeup artist, ask to see a sample book of makeup the artist has done. Do you really like their style? Be sure that it is exactly what you want. You will want to feel comfortable with all parties involved.
Specialty Bakeries
You don’t have to overwhelm yourself with an expensive and high calorie cake; contact your local specialty bakeries and boutiques and inquire about getting smaller, individual portions made instead. Some specialty bakeries also ship fresh, low-cal cupcakes and healthy fare, like gluten-free options if you so desire.
Avoid cluttering tables with too many flowers at your reception. The majority of the times, the flowers just get in the way. Not only that, but you may have some guests who are allergic to flowers. As an alternative to flowers, place non-scented candles on the tables. This will also help to create a romantic ambiance.
Practice your walk for the aisle when you’re standing by a mirror so that you can be sure of how to walk right, especially when you want to wear heels. If turning your ankles scares you, choose flats. Having less than sexy footwear is an easy trade-off for not falling on your derriere!
Aim for a mid-day reception. You can cut down on bar costs when you have a reception during the day, when people tend to drink less. Having your wedding during the midday can also cut food costs and even get you a discount for booking during the day.
During your wedding planning, arrange for even numbers of guests at each table. Tables should also be grouped based on their age. This will help increase the chances that guests will be able to talk and chat together.
Even if your dress has been selected and paid for, you may want to store it with the bridal boutique until the day of your wedding. When you put it in your personal closet, it may get stained or wrinkled. Having it at the shop means it will be unwrinkled for the big day.
See if a friend has something they wouldn’t mind letting you wear for your wedding. That way you will have the look you desire and the wedding will be even more extraordinary.
Try to incorporate interests from both the groom and the bride when decorating. For example, if both enjoy traveling, then include little decorative touches that are reminiscent of their travels. You can make invitations and save-the-date cards to resemble vintage postcard or boarding pass. Consider using a steamer trunk as an attractive, themed display for everything from wedding programs to party favors.
Wedding Speech
If you plan on giving a wedding speech, plan the speech and practice it. You want to write a wedding speech ahead of time, and practice it until you know it by heart. If not, you may become tongue-tied and do a poor job of it when the time comes.
Prior to meeting with a wedding planner, do your research. Take all of your ideas and incorporate them into one place, such as a design book. You can include magazine clippings, photographs or even song lyrics to communicate your vision to your planner.
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. If the weather is hot, some foods won’t keep well, and if it’s windy, some lighter foods might actually blow away. You may consider using decorative covers for your dishes. A small refrigerator can be used to keep the drinks cold if needed.
If you plan a destination wedding, consider your guests’ travel arrangements. Your guests might have vacation plans made, and you want to give them preparation time as well. Send your invitations or the cards with save the date on them at least eight months in advance if you can. This can help guests plan as they need.
Don’t plan destination weddings without considering the destination’s legal requirements. Be it a residency restriction or some other requirement, you ought to make very sure that your wedding will be legitimate.
Once you start the planning process for your wedding, it is important to have a list of items that you want, in order of importance to you. Everyone has a different idea of what is most important to have a beautiful wedding, so you and your fiance should decide these things before you start planning to keep things from getting out of control. Making the lists will allow you to establish a budget. Once you know how much you have to spend, you will be able to set a specific amount of money to each item on the list and be able to stay within your designated budget.
With any luck, the tips you read should help make for a smoother wedding day and give you some creative ideas you can add to your plans. You must remain positive and optimistic as you continue the planning process.