Many daydream of that perfect wedding during their childhood down to what hairstyle, gown, and bouquet style they will choose. Preparing a wedding, no matter how exciting, can leave you feeling overwhelmed if you don’t have the right info.
Your wedding dress could be one of the most expensive items included in your wedding, but there are ways to save money on this purchase. When you are shopping, try getting a dress that might not be traditionally thought of as one made for a wedding. A bridesmaid dress might strike your fancy as an option, and it would be cheaper than a dress designated for the bride. 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.
Keep in mind that for many, religion plays a significant role on both their wedding day and their actual marriage. Discuss religion with both your future spouse and their family members so that you can develop a strong understanding of their beliefs.
Make sure that you listen to all the speeches before the big day so you can remove anything that is inappropriate. There will be many different generations at the wedding, so sometimes a joke between young people is not received well by elders.
Should you want to cater the food yourself, look to wholesale stores like Sam’s. When you’re shopping wholesale, you will be able to purchase a lot more food for a lot less than if you were to shop elsewhere. Think about asking friends to help you out with food costs.
To make your wedding more personal, include a theme that encompasses you, your future spouse, and the things that are most important to your relationship. Pick a theme that symbolizes the time you two have had together.
You can save quite a bit of money by purchasing your wedding dress over the Internet, but make sure to factor in shipping and alteration time when planning when to order. While buying a dress online may be less expensive, alterations can quickly add to the cost. Make sure to include this added cost in your wedding budget.
Don’t starve yourself silly just to fit in a wedding dress. Not eating any food can leave you feeling dehydrated and lethargic on your big day. You don’t want to faint as you’re saying your I do’s! Instead, choose a dress that has a corset back that can be taken in and out as needed on the big day.
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. For example, you would want to eliminate any jokes that apply to a very specific group within your guests in order to avoid anyone feeling excluded and to make sure the speech is well-received by all who attend your wedding.
Look at samples of past work before hiring a makeup artist. Are you comfortable with the makeup they’ve done before? They must be able to create the exact type of look you want. It can be helpful to do a practice run before the big day so that you will be happy with the results.
Personalize your wedding by including unique touches that express the essence and interests of you and your new spouse. Select a theme that represents the time that you have spent with each other.
You want to make sure the photographer you hire is experienced by checking them out beforehand. Having your wedding ruined by bad pictures isn’t what you’re aiming for. See if your loved ones know of a good photographer or look at online reviews.
Have your wedding at a location owned by friends or family. If you’re friends with someone who owns a large backyard, you can have a cheaper wedding there. Make sure you offer to hire help to prepare and to clean, though. Do not leave this up to the homeowner.
Consider how many people will be dancing at your reception when you look at the dance floors of your possible reception venues. You want to have ample room for everyone to get down, so if the dance floor of your favorite venue is lacking at least make sure that you can add some size by moving nearby tables and chairs.
While it’s important to provide your wedding DJ with a list of songs you love and wish to be played at your reception, it’s equally as important to let him know what you DON’T like. It could be rap, metal or country-western. Whatever it is, let him know so you don’t end up cringing at your own wedding!
Avoid having guests wait while taking the photos. Have pictures of the couple and groomsmen in advance. In order to reduce the length of time that the guests need to wait for the bride and groom to arrive at the wedding reception, the bride and groom should also be photographed with their parents in advance.
The venue you pick needs to have enough room for dancing. There is little worse than a crammed dance floor, so make sure to move tables and chairs prior to grooving!
If you are having a destination wedding, surprise your guests with a basket chock full of goodies delivered to their hotel room. This gift basket can include helpful items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, disposable cameras and tourist maps that add a nice touch of flavor to the vacation. Another nice gesture is to include a restaurant guide, since people do need to eat after all.
Don’t postpone the reception while you have photographs taken. Have pictures of the couple and groomsmen in advance. Pictures with the parents should be done before too.
Consider asking someone you know to become ordained and preside over your wedding. They can do so online. This can make your ceremony more personal, and can save you on an officiant. Make sure to use caution by asking the local officials, to make sure doing this isn’t against the law where you are.
When making table assignments for your reception, ensure that even numbers of guests will be at each table. 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.
Online classified websites are a great place to seek out local talent for your wedding. Always have a face-to-face meeting with anyone you hire off of Craigslist prior to giving them any cash.
If the groom and bride come from different cultural backgrounds, embrace each background by incorporating the traditions of both in the wedding and reception. This will satisfy the family traditions of both the groom and bride’s family.
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. Call ahead or look online to determine which flowers are available in your destination country during the time your wedding will occur.
If you are planning a wedding outside, always make sure that you have a ‘plan b’ in case mother nature does not cooperate. Book a location that also has a inside building or rent some tents. In case of soggy ground, lay down an artificial surface on major walkways to avoid muddy shoes.
If you plan to have an outdoor ceremony, be sure to take weather (sun or rain) into account to ensure happy guests. Look into renting a couple of tents, or find 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.
It certainly can be tedious but it should not be unbearable. To make the most of your planning process you simply need to gain a little knowledge to relieve some of the pressures you may experience. Planning your wedding should be just as special as the day itself.
Be sure to take care of all legal details if you are planning a destination wedding. Before you start booking services and hotels, make sure everything is taken care of, from fees to residency requirements.
