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All You Need To Know About Planning a Wedding
There’s a lot to consider when you are planning a
wedding—and most often, it is the bride and her closest friends and family who
are left holding the responsibility to plan the entire wedding. The task of
planning a wedding can be daunting, but if you take it step by step and plan a
little at a time, it can be a wonderful experience for everyone. We’ll look at
how to plan a wedding in nine easy steps:
Choosing the wedding dress
The wedding dress is one of the most important parts for the
bride—it is the clothing that she will wear on one of the biggest days of her
life. Unless you can be sure that you will find a pre-made dress that will be
exactly what you want and fit you well, then you should allow several months to
design, fit and make your wedding dress. Consult a designer about color, style,
accessories and fabric for your wedding dress. You could also choose an ‘off
the rack’ dress and have it altered to fit you perfectly. Your dress should be
ready for the bride to wear at least two weeks before the wedding. Everyone is
very busy in the last week of preparations, and one of the things that can be
off the list is the wedding dress.
Flowers
Most brides want to carry a bouquet of flowers on their big
day, as well as have flowers for their matron of honor and bridesmaids. If
price is not an object, you can select flowers that match your wedding theme
and color palette. If expense is an object, then choose fresh flowers that are
in season from the florist or hire silk flowers for the day. You should set a
definitive budget for flowers, including any display flowers and all the
bouquets that you will need and want. Talk to a florist and figure out an
approximate cost of what you want, or just set a strict budget of a certain
amount to purchase flowers with.
Choosing the flower bouquet for the bride is a big deal and
should reflect the dress she is wearing. A long dress usually means a larger
bouquet, while a knee-length dress should have a smaller bouquet. There are
many options for flowers and bouquets at the wedding, and talking to the
wedding planner or dress designer can help out a lot. If you want other flowers
at your wedding, talk to a designer or a florist for some help on arrangements
that fit within your budget.
Wedding invitations
Wedding invitations set the tone for the wedding and should
reflect the style of the wedding. The invitation to the wedding can tell people
who, what, when, where and why, but can also communicate the type of wedding it
will be. If you have a particular theme planned for your wedding, then stick to
a themed invitation. While you are planning invitations, you will also need to
plan for place cards at the wedding reception and thank you cards. You will
need to choose and purchase your wedding invitations as soon as possible and
get them sent out in good time. If you choose to have your wedding invitations
printed, you will have time to proof them before the final ones are printed.
You should plan to send invitations to the wedding six to eight weeks in
advance. This allows people to make room on their calendars as well as RSVP in
time for you to plan for the caterer and arrange seating.
Photographs
Weddings mean photographs and there are a lot of different
ways to preserve this day on film. You can hire a photographer to take photos
of the wedding party, the bride and groom, and other events at the wedding.
It’s best to hire a photographer in advance and have a meeting ahead of time to
discuss details of the photos that you want. Set a budget for yourself for
photographs—this will help you stay in line, some photographers charge a lot
for photos and if you don’t set a budget, it can be easy to get carried away.
Another modern option for photographs at your wedding is to
place disposable cameras on each of the tables at the wedding reception. This
will make sure that many of the moments that could be missed by a professional
are caught on film for you. It also allows your guests to become involved in
preserving this special day.
Choosing a venue
Choosing a place for the wedding and reception can be
daunting, and will likely depend on the style and type of wedding you are
having. As soon as you decide on where you want to hold your wedding and
reception, you will want to book them right away. Booking in advance is key
because many popular places book up early for weddings. It’s a good idea to
have several places in mind, or alternate dates (before the wedding invitations
are made, of course) to avoid disappointment. You will have to take into
account how many people will be present at your wedding to make sure the venue
you choose will hold as many people.
Choosing a venue for the wedding reception should also happen early in your
planning. You will need to take into consideration the approximate number of
guests as well as food and entertainment. Create a budget for the reception,
some halls and venues provide packages that can reduce the cost.
The reception and entertainment
Preparing for the wedding reception is key. The reception
can be formal or informal and can include a whole bunch of activities. Most
commonly, there is food served, as well as entertainment and an area to dance.
There is a “traditional” order of events for a wedding reception, but you
aren’t beholden to it. It’s a good idea to choose someone to be the emcee at
your wedding reception to keep things on track and relaxed. Other traditional
features of a wedding reception are: cutting the cake, receiving line, first
dance, tossing the bouquet and garter, and a dance.
For entertainment, you will require music, such as a deejay
or live band. The prices of entertainment vary, so keep with your budget and
plan accordingly.
Wedding cakes
Wedding cakes come in all sizes, shapes, colors and flavors.
You can choose a wedding cake based on your theme, or go for a traditional
tiered cake. Once again, it’s best to make the wedding cake decision early on
in your planning. Choose a confectioner that is reputable and discuss with them
the type of cake you want. You will have to plan the type of cake, as well as
pick up and delivery of the cake to the reception. Your confectioner will
likely have a list or portfolio of wedding cakes, so choose wisely. If you want
to save a portion of the cake to eat on your first anniversary or christening
of your first child, ensure you discuss this with the confectioner about
freezing and thawing for these occasions.
Planning transportation
There are a lot of options available for transportation—you
can use a limousine service or the vehicles of family and friends for
transportation. There are many options and making this decision is best done in
advance so you can book the vehicles you need. Not only will you have to decide
how to get the bride and groom to their wedding, you will need to plan to get
the guests of honor to the wedding as well, such as the parents of the bride
and groom, the wedding party and close family members. You may also need to
arrange transport to the wedding reception, to where the photographs are being
taken and traveling to where you are headed for the first night of your
honeymoon.
There are a lot of options available, and many rental places
for vehicles and limos have wedding packages available. Discuss with a
professional your needs and work from there. If you are using the vehicles of
family and friends, you may want to decorate them as well. Keep in mind that
you have to ensure you have drivers for all the vehicles. The bride won’t be
able to drive in her big wedding dress!
After the wedding—it’s time to honeymoon
Honeymoons are a traditional part of the wedding and most
often, the bride and groom leave from the reception to go to their honeymoon.
You can choose a destination that you both want to go to and book the flights
and accommodations as soon as possible. You can choose to go anywhere or do
anything—there are many options available. Remember, you will likely need local
accommodations for the first night (the night of your reception) unless you can
work the time that you can leave and get right onto your flight. (Remember to
leave time for the bride and groom to change.) Choosing accommodations near the
airport will help save some time and trouble.
The honeymoon destination should be chosen collectively by
the bride and groom—it’s not imperative that you leave right on to your
honeymoon—modern day brides and grooms sometimes leave a week or two later
after their wedding, or longer. The choice is up to you.
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