It’s All About the Planning When it Comes to Planning a Wedding (Continued)!

bride and groom wedding cake topper

Photo courtesy of Ken’s Oven

In yesterday’s blog we talked about the potentially overwhelming number of details that go into planning a wedding. So many details in fact, that we couldn’t cover it all in one blog. As we previously stated, it is so important to establish your wedding plan and checklist early on to help you plan a (relatively) stress free, successful wedding.

So here are more of the tasks you need to consider while planning your wedding.

Choose and Order Wedding Invitations – Invitations are a necessary part of planning the wedding. No invitations will result in zero wedding guests. So it is imperative to have the guest list completed and the invitations ordered so you have them in plenty of time mail and receive back the response cards. Choosing and ordering the invites should happen earlier in the process to allow enough time to manage the ordering, the approval and the printing process.

Register for Gifts – The wedding gift registry is a perfect approach to let guests know what the bridal couple want to receive as gifts. The idea is to choose a couple of stores and set up the registry by choosing items and letting the guests know. This provides a go-to guide for the wedding guests, letting them know the needs and wants of the bride and groom.

Plan the Menu – Some say the food is the most important part of the wedding. There are lots of things to consider when planning food for a wedding. Keep in mind the budget, style of wedding, number of invited guests and type of cuisine you want. Different caters specialize in different kinds of food. It is imperative the caterer or in-house kitchen understand what you are envisioning for your special day.

Choose the Wedding Cake – Finding the right cake varies depending on the bridal couple needs and wants, the wedding theme and colors as well as the budget. Enjoy samples before making your final decision. The cake is a special part of the event so be sure your vision is what you in fact end up with.

Decide on the Flowers and Decorations – Decor is a crucial part of the wedding ambiance and look. Be sure to talk to your wedding decorator/florist and share your vision, the what, where and how as well as the kind of feeling you want to convey. It is imperative that the decorator and caterer work hand in hand so their services and efforts balance and complement each other.

Hire the Photographer – Wedding photography can be very demanding. A wedding photographer must bring the creativity, originality and a level of professionalism that meets your standards. Who you ultimately trust and assign the task of recording your very special day will hinge on the budget, your expectations and their photographic style. Be specific in your wants and needs and be sure to get and check references, this is your special day and you only get one chance to get it right.

Select the Wedding Music – Wedding music helps to create the perfect wedding ambiance and set the mood for the occasion. When it comes to music there are various routes to go. Choose the kind of music that best reflects and/or matches the theme, the question is do you want to go for a band or DJ or something else in the middle. Don’t forget you will have to select music for all parts of the wedding, the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception.

Plan the Honeymoon – The honeymoon is the trip you want to be perfect from start to finish. Give it a lot of consideration and begin the thought and planning process early on. If unsure ask others who have been to locales you’re considering, for advice. Go online and research, don’t decide in a rushed or uninformed way, and take the time to plan that memorable and perfect trip.

Choose The Rings – Don’t forget the wedding rings! They too are an important and exciting part of the ceremony and a necessary piece of the budget. Allow enough time to shop for, find, select and receive them prior to the walk down the aisle.

Mail the Wedding Invitations – When possible, wedding invitations should be mailed out at least eight weeks prior to the event. By doing this, you allow guests the time to make arrangements prior to returning the response card. It will also leave enough time for the bridal couple to receive back the response cards, come up with a final number and create seating plans and all that comes with those decisions.

Address The Vows – Vows can easily get lost in all the wedding planning hoopla. Be sure to sit down and have a talk with your partner. This is an important decision, find out what the vows mean to you both. For some, the traditional vows are the way to go while for others writing their own vows own will add a personal touch to your special day.

Congratulations! You said yes and now you’re ready to start your life together. Jump in with both feet and start planning that wedding of a lifetime. There are lots of steps involved in planning a successful wedding but there is also lots of help out there to assist you in reaching that ultimate goal. But one the best tools (and cheapest) that will get you to the finish line is a plan and a checklist. So put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and get planning!

 

 

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It’s all About the Planning When it Comes to Planning a Wedding!

 

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Marriage is about a lifetime of love and commitment and weddings are a special day meant to be exciting and filled with love and enjoyment. So once the proposal has been accepted and celebrated, the fun begins! Now it’s all about the planning. But don’t be fooled, planning a wedding can be extremely hectic, time consuming and stressful.

Planning a wedding is something most brides (and some grooms) have been thinking and dreaming of for most of their lives. But often, what we imagine and dream about doesn’t translate to the actual experience. Things can get pretty crazy, pretty fast when planning a wedding. But don’t panic, there are lots of ways to preserve your good sense and rationality.

It is imperative to establish, early on, a plan and checklist that will help you to define and accomplish the undertakings required to plan a successful wedding.

Planning a Wedding – Let’s Get Started!

Create the Budget – First and foremost set the budget, outlining the maximum amount you can and want to spend. Once the budget is set be sure to follow it! You don’t want to spend your time as newlyweds agonizing about all the debt.

Determine the Wedding Date – Choose the date the works best for the couple, taking into consideration symbolism, significant dates, seasons and prices. Be sure to allow enough time for the actual planning and organizing of the celebration.

Decide on the Size of the Wedding – The style of wedding will help determine the size of the wedding which must be decided before a venue can be secured. The couple should think through how they see their wedding day. How many can the budget support and will it be a large or small event are key factors.

Choose the Wedding Venue – Now the couple starts searching out venues and researches the per person costs while ensuring the venue is able to accommodate their ideal number of guests. When considering, keep in mind the wedding style and location. Remember, the budget is very important because the greater the budget, the more money you have to be dedicated to the venue.

Decide on the Wedding Party – The wedding party should match the budget, style and size of the wedding that is being planned. Life is busy and it’s key to decide and choose the wedding party early on and let the chosen know. Select the suitable mix of a fun, reliable and responsible group of attendants that will ensure the wedding day is effortless and a great time is had by all.

Find and Confirm the Officiator – The person selected to perform the ceremony has a major impact on the tone and feel of the service. So finding and booking the best person to marry the happy couple is an essential decision. Choose the person that you are sure will execute the type of ceremony you are visualizing.

Pick Wedding Colors/Themes – The event color scheme helps to set the mood and ambiance and is has a large influence on the design and style of the wedding. It also will help to establish some of the other areas such as invitations and bridal party attire. Themed weddings are not imperative, however it is very in-style for many brides and grooms.

Create The Guest List – When planning your wedding, it is never too early in the process to start putting together the guest list. Once you have decided on the wedding location and the number of guests that fit into the budget, you are ready to start creating the guest list. One would think that compiling the wedding guest list is one of the most fun parts of the wedding planning, but don’t be fooled. It can be one of the hardest. You have an unbelievable amount of things pulling you in many directions, budget, wedding size, venue capacities and parental opinions to name a few. So get started early.

Select the Wedding Wardrobe – For the bride, it’s all about the dress. There are countless wedding dress styles and designs that are appropriate for all tastes and budgets, from designer to gently worn. Equally important is what the groom and wedding party will be wearing. Every bride is different, some will coordinate the wardrobe with the wedding colors and theme and some won’t. Don’t forget about the ever important accessories and factor them into your wardrobe budget.

Every wedding is different but they all require attention to so very many details. So many in fact that they can’t all be covered in one blog. Be sure to check us out tomorrow for more wedding planning musts!

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Special Event Planning…

Photo courtesy of Auntie P on flickr

He popped the question and you said “Heck YES!” Now the planning starts! But you are not one of those “Brides” that dreamed of this special day your entire life. No big traditional wedding for you! The plan calls for something slightly different…you’re thinking of a destination wedding…yippee! But that begs for the question, how to celebrate with all your family and friends, that can’t and won’t be with you during this exciting, oh so far away, wedding.

Whether you are planning on having a private ceremony, eloping or flying off for a fabulous destination wedding, a very big trend in wedding special event planning is the Post Wedding Reception.

Special Event Planning – Post Wedding Reception

More and more bridal couples are going the non-traditional wedding route and are trying out different scenarios to see what will work for them and their own personal situation. The post wedding reception has had an incredible surge in growth and is now an impressive part of the wedding planning landscape.

By having a post wedding reception you can go explore some different options and still include all those family and friends who are not able to join you on your wonderful day. Post wedding receptions allow everyone to attend and celebrate the bridal couple’s special day, sometimes long after the occasion.

Special Event Planning – Post Wedding Reception Customs …

In my opinion, there are not really any set rules or guidelines when planning a post wedding reception. As you get going and the actual planning is happening, it`s more of a make it up as you go along situation. Having said that, “they” (the people in the know) do have a thing or more to say about post wedding reception protocol. “They” call for the affair to happen within a month or so of the wedding and honeymoon. “They” say it is usually a less formal bash then a traditional wedding reception. “They” say the bash is typically a casual open house, a fun brunch or the popular cocktail party. And “they” say a guest is not obliged to bring a gift.

But once again, there really are no fast and hard rules when special event planning for a post wedding reception. Anything goes… YOU should go ahead and do what feels right for the bride and groom. It is your special time so take all the information out there and fine tune it into the special celebration you most want.

Times are-a-changing. If your circumstances are not what is considered the norm or traditional, don’t fret! The wedding day is supposed to be all about the bridal couple. So go for what makes you happiest. Enjoy the party but remember…the reception is important to us all but what matters most is the marriage!

 

 

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Wedding Planning – The Perfect Gift

Photo courtesy of Stuart Barr on flickr

Wedding trends change with the times. It wasn’t that long ago that sea foam green and pink organza was the bridesmaids’ dress of choice. Fortunately that’s in the past! But dresses, floral arrangements and appetizers aren’t the only things that have changed. So have the gifts that are given, and sometimes asked for.

Wedding Gifts – Why do Something Different?

In the recent past, most people didn’t move out of their parent’s house until they got married. A wedding (and shower) gift was meant to help the happy couple launch their new life together. A blender, place setting or crystal vase was welcomed because the newlyweds had a new home to fill and usually didn’t have the items, and often the means, to do so.

According to infoplease.com, in 1950 the average age of a first marriage in the USA was almost 23 for a man and 20 years old for a woman. In 2010 those numbers changed to 28 years old for men and 26 years of age for women. By that point, most people are living on their own and have been for a few years. With two households to combine, often the newlyweds have almost everything they need to set up their combined household. And that’s not even taking second (or third…or fourth!) marriages into consideration.

Wedding Gifts – Don’t Be Afraid to Try Something New

Bridal couples can be hesitant to try something different at their wedding. They’re unsure of how things may be perceived by their guests and the last thing anyone wants is their wedding to be viewed as money grab. It’s awkward (and possibly tacky) to ask for money. So what are the other options?

Wedding Gifts – A Few Suggestions

Register for a large item – One of the new trends in wedding gifts is to register for a few larger items that generally will not come from one guest. A wedding guest can go to the registry and contribute whatever amount they choose to go toward the purchase of a large ticket item. This allows the couple to pick things that they want and need without their guests feeling like they have to break the bank to get something relevant.

Honeymoon – It’s sort of the same idea as above. Honeymoons can be the trip of a lifetime but they often come with a bill to match! Once you’ve planned your honeymoon, register with a travel agency. Guests can contribute towards the honeymoon and the happy couple can fly off to Bora Boar without a care in the world.

Charity – Often, with second or third marriages, many of the same guests have been invited to more than one of your weddings. This is a great opportunity to support the charity of your choice. Not only will your guests be thrilled to share your special day, but also feel good about supporting a worthy cause that is close to your heart.

Best Wishes – Never happens. Although you generally see that particular request at birthday parties (and not weddings) it’s not an unusual request for older (or less young) couples to make. But guests always say they don’t feel right about not giving some kind of gift.

I recently went to a small wedding (about 40 people) that was a second marriage for both the bride and groom. They are in their fifties and both are well established in their careers. They knew they didn’t want any gifts but when they mentioned that to their guests they were met with objections and even indignation. People really wanted to buy them something!

Since they met at a wine tasting, they asked each guest to bring a bottle of wine that they could cellar. This way, when each bottle was open, they could toast the guest that brought it and remember their wedding day.

It was a win-win solution. The guests loved this option and had a lot of fun with it. They researched and looked for something that might be different and would excite the happy couple. And the bride and groom walked away with several good vintages and nary a blender in sight!

As wedding customs change, so do expectations. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and do what works best for you and your wedding. The most important thing to remember is it’s not about the gift, but rather the fact that the guests are there to share your day with you.

 

 

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Wedding Planning 101

Photo courtesy of Shelley Panzarella on flickr

When planning their wedding, every bride wants that perfect day. The bride and groom’s perception of their perfect day, that is.

How many weddings have you attended that at the end, when you’re leaving, all you can think is…“WHAT”? How could they do that? Include that? Showcase that? Really?! When all is said and done nobody wants or plans for a bad theme, bad décor, bad food, all in all a bad wedding.

When the bridal couple do a wedding postmortem, each and every bride and groom wants to be able to say this was exactly the wedding they envisioned. But sadly, that isn’t always the case. Enjoy this wedding comedy clips video, where they showcase some of the funny bits of what can go wrong (very wrong) when planning a wedding.

 

 

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New York City Party Planners – Party Planning…Magnified

Photo courtesy of houy-in on flickr

Before I can be accused of extreme bias allow me to state that, no, I do not live in New York City. I have never lived in New York City. But as the ad campaign once said…”I love New York!”

NYC is one of the greatest cities in the world. It`s vibrant with an energy that is found in few other places. It`s not only the most populated city in America, but also the most cosmopolitan. It has entertainment, sports, culture and history. And the restaurants…oh the restaurants!

I guess you could say I have a little crush on New York City.

New York City Party Planners – Beyond the Norm

The fifth star of Sex and the City was definitely, the city. The popular show didn’t feature New York by accident. It’s a city of glamor and trendsetters. music, fashion, entertainment, it`s made popular first in NYC before moving onto the rest of the world.

When your guests have already seen everything, what do you do to impress? Elite party planners in New York figured out a long time ago to take it a step beyond the norm. A bar mitzvah at Yankee stadium? No problem! An interactive, gala event designed to take away the breath of even the most jaded New Yorker? Absolutely. An awards dinner featuring fabulous celebrity speakers at one of the city`s top museum? Let`s get to it!

New York City Party Planners – Spotlight on David Tutera

David Tutera of “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera ” is one New York`s most well known party planners. Hailed as a “visionary”, David`s client list includes celebrities, politicians, sports figures, charities and socialites.

In addition to hisparty planning business and television show, David has parlayed his success as a planner into other fields. The author of seven books (about planning) he also has a successful line of wedding gowns and wedding jewelery.

New York City Party Planners – Spotlight on Marcy Blum

Marcy is a little more low key than many other NYC party planners. Her philosophy is that “there`s no such thing as a Marcy Blum event”. Instead she prefers to capture the style of her clients and use that to inspire the design for the event.

Both elegant and creative, Marcy is a contributor to several publications including InStyle, Town and Country and New York Magazine. A published author, Marcy wrote `Weddings for Dummies` and `Wedding Planning for Dummies`.

She has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, the Today Show and Live with Regis and Kelly. She is the go to planner for many of NYC`s elite, including Regis and Joy Philbin, the Rockefeller family and Billy Joel.

Everything in New York City is bigger…the buildings, the businesses, the personalities. So it`s only appropriate that the parties, and therefore the party planners, are as over the top and fabulous as the rest of the city!

 

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Wedding Coordinators – Their Role in Planning Your Special Day

Photo courtesy of Grand Velas Riviera Maya on flickr

Wedding Coordinators – Who Needs One?

“The proposal was perfect” you gushed to your friends. “Romantic, spontaneous and sweet.”

It’s finally happened and you said yes! You’ve showed your friends, family and colleagues the ring. You’re excited and thrilled and you can’t wait to start planning your wedding, the day you’ve dreamt of your entire life.

Or…

Maybe you’re one of those girls who never thought about getting married. But when you fell in love, it just seemed right. Just because you haven’t dreamt about it your entire life, doesn’t make you any less thrilled or enthusiastic about it. Just waaaaay more clueless.

Whether you’ve been planning your wedding for the last twenty years, or the last twenty minutes (or somewhere in between), a Wedding Coordinator can and will help make the planning and execution of your special day easier and, dare we say,  more stress free.

Wedding Coordinators – What Do They Do?

The question isn’t really “What do they do?” but rather “What don’t they do?” A wedding coordinator’s role varies, literally, from event to event, depending on what each bride’s needs are. You may want to do all of the planning yourself, but have a wedding coordinator on site to handle the details on the actual day of, freeing you up to enjoy your own wedding (a novel concept). If you’re planning your own wedding, organization is key. The Frugal Bride has a great wedding coordinator checklist to help keep you on track and über organized.

But are you wondering “how to coordinate a wedding” if so a  wedding coordinator is just what the wedding doctor ordered. A wedding planner/coordinator can also help you plan the wedding down to every last detail. An experienced wedding coordinator will have contacts in all segments of the industry. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction according to your wishes and your budget. They may even be able to help get you discounts that may not have been available without them.

A wedding coordinator will know what’s hot and current. They can help you shape your vision of what you want your wedding to be. And once you’ve figured that out, you can move forward and consider which venues, suppliers and vendors (florists, caterers, decoration and decor, music) best suit your vision.

Wedding Coordinators – What You Should Look For

Do your research. Talk to friends, family, acquaintances who are newlyweds. Local bridal and wedding shows are a fantastic place to network and make some connections. Some venues actually have a wedding coordinator on site to assist you with the wedding planning.

When you’re hiring anyone, shop around. Talk to multiple candidates and find someone that you trust and would feel comfortable working with. And always, always, ask for references.

A wedding coordinator can help you plan and make your special day memorable. But having them there to manage the details and handle the stress will not only make it unforgettable, but allow you to actually have fun and enjoy your own wedding!

 

 

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