We have just passed the 3rd of the top three most popular days to get engaged, Valentines Day and with that, the wedding season officially kicks off. Brides everywhere are working on creating that special day that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Here are some interesting facts:
â?¢ The average U.S. Bride will spend $27,134 on her wedding. That does not include the engagement ring or honeymoon.
â?¢ 85% of Brides will plan some or all of their wedding on the Internet
â?¢ The average age of todayâ??s Bride is 27
â?¢ 80% of U.S. Brides are getting married for the first time
Of the 2.5 million weddings (Which makes the Wedding Industry an almost $68 Billion Dollar industry in the U.S. alone), the average Bride is faced with making large dollar decisions and purchases which she has never made before. In fact she is usually spending someone elseâ??s (Her Mom & Dadâ??s, fiancéâ??s, or other close relativeâ??s) money. This can unnerve most of us. (can you think back to the time when you had to buy a dress that cost around $2-4,000 that you would only wear one day, or when you spent a similar amount of money on photography for just you or your family?)
Here are some tips and pointers to help out that Bride and keep her â??Wedding Planning Stressâ? to a minimum:
1. Decide what is important and what is not up front. By doing this, you will not waste time on the trivial and spend you efforts where they are most needed.
2. Communicate up front with your fiancé and those closest to you that you are facing one of the 5 most stressful events in your life and if you snap at them, or have a breakdown, itâ??s the stress, not them.
3. Set down and understand up front what your wedding budget is. This step will help you to Budget the important to the top of the list as well as help you to not create further stress in anyone who is helping fund your wedding.
4. Plan for â??time-outsâ? during the engagement. Have a couple of week ends off or plan a quick get away where you decompress. Plan on not planning for a period of two or more days. This will help to relaxing your â??wedding planningâ? muscles and get you to be able to focus better.
5. Use the internet as much as you can to save travel time, communication time as well as finding the best vendors possible. Emails spend less time than phone calls and are not as urgent.
Keep your eye on the prize-you are marrying the person you love and want to spend the rest of your life together. The most important thing is having the two of you show up and say â??I Doâ?. Everything else is icing on the cake!
Rick Brewer
http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/the-2007-wedding-season-has-officially-begun-112271.html
I’m 2 weeks away and I really need some confirmation I’m not forgetting anything… please take the time to read!
BIG THINGS
Ceremony and Reception Venue
Officiant and Wedding Coordinator
Decorator
Caterer and Cake Lady
Florist
DJ and MC (includes lighting) for ceremony and reception
Photographer
Hair Stylist
Dresses and Tuxes
Rings and Bridal Party Gifts
Marriage License
Centerpieces and Bouquets
Honeymoon
LITTLE THINGS
Cake topper
Cake cutting kit
Shoes
Makeup
Table Markers
Name Cards
Programs
Guestbook
Favours
Thank You Cards
Gratuities Envelopes
I feel like I’m forgetting to do something now that I’m not spending every moment of spare time planning and organizing and such… it could just be the normal paranoia that I’m missing something because I’ve devoted so much time to it, but I could really use the reassurance…
Just in case I’ve covered other things and forgotten to list them I’ll add "Extra Details" as needed
THANK YOU!!
I forgot - I’m not wearing a tiara, veil, etc. and I have all other accessories picked out and purchased 
You’re list looks quite thourough. I would recommend so you don’t forget anything to get an inexpensive organizer that will keep things in order for you. That way you make sure people get paid when they are due and you don’t forget to get something done because you have so much on your plate.
http://www.amazingweddingplanning.com/special/ddglobal/
A good friend of mine used this planner and her wedding was beautiful. She is a pediatrician with her own practice, so she didn’t have much time to plan but wanted to make sure nothing was left out. So she did a lot of research online and kept it all organized with this planner. Good luck! I hope your day is a dream come true!
Weddings these days can really cost a fortune, so you might immediately think of all possible ideas on how to save money on your wedding. Fortunately, there are many ways on how to trim down some of your wedding expenditures. One great idea is to think about cheap wedding favors. However, this doesn’t mean you will be giving out unappealing favors at your wedding, making your special day less memorable. Rather with a bit of creativity, you can definitely have great wedding favors that doesn’t cost you a fortune.
You might not mind of what style of wedding you are having, the important thing is you have the wedding favors for all your guests. Since rarely does someone show up without a gift for the newlyweds, it is in good taste to show your taste by having wedding favors. If you have a large number of guests in your guests list, your wedding favor expenditure can be easily out of control. As a result, many brides and grooms make use of the advantages that are in cheap wedding favors.
It is very important to determine the budget before you start to organize your wedding. Within the planning process of determining your budget, you will wish to decide how much money you are willing to spend on each detail of your wedding celebration. So after you have decided, then you will know whether you want to continue with relatively cheap wedding favors or really cheap wedding favors.
The presentation of wedding favors is also one of the most important thing you need to consider. If your creative enough to make the cheap favors look great, nobody will notice that they were not bought expensively. For instance, tiny candies, mints and chocolates can make affordable edible favors, you can make them look great by placing in small fancy favor boxes. You can find a bunch of small cheap wedding favor fold up boxes, put a few tiny treats in them and with just a bit of touch, you have created fancy and elegant wedding memorabilia at a fraction of cost.
Another great affordable option to keep in mind in having cheap wedding favors is to avoid wedding favors that have a wedding subject to them. For instance, purchasing a small box shaped like a wedding cake will be more expensive than other really adorable cute boxes. Aside from these boxes filled with tiny treats, you may also consider cheap favors like candles and soap. These days, many people are crazy on candles, and therefore, candles are perfect for favors thinking how cheap they can be. You you want, and you have plenty of time left, you can make your own candle or soap favors. There are many craft store that offer DIY soap kits, candle kits and others. You can work with yourself alone, or you can bring together a manpower to have a fun bonding while making homemade wedding favors.
Cheap wedding favors are indeed a great help to save money on your wedding. And if you are really on a tight budget, you can always cut cost on some details of your wedding. Why not give inexpensive bridesmaids gifts to your female attendants, instead of giving luxurious wedding gifts that they will most likely display during special events only? You can do the same idea also when it comes to groomsmen gifts. To have a cheap wedding ideas doesn’t mean compromising what you really have desired for your wedding day. Rather, it’s just a matter of giving extra effort to make the ”cheap idea” look fantastic to make your special day worth to be remembered.
Janet R.
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/saving-money-with-cheap-wedding-favors-672352.html
If you are going to plan the perfect wedding free from hassle and without burning a hole in your pocket then you are going to have to be prepared to do a little research and learn how to negotiate a better deal for the services you require. Hiring a wedding planning expert can definitely help you save time but you will be paying for their services which will add to your cost base. Organising a wedding months in advance gives you plenty of time to do your research and preparation without causing you stress. A do it yourself approach requires an investment of your own time. If you want to save money then this is a great way to go. It can actually be fun and a challenge to plan a low budget wedding. For the uninitiated there are eight areas where you can save the most money.
These 8 areas will require to draft up a budget to establish your guidelines. If you have a figure to work with then you can allocate amounts to each of these 8 areas. By working out the essential costs and trading off on non essential areas you can reach a balanced approach.
How to plan a low cost wedding: Focus on these eight specific areas.
Food:
When it comes to food there are a number of creative ways to save on food costs. Wedding venues that cater for the event will build healthy margins into the food they serve as is expected when running a business. They will also charge differently depending on the day of the week and time of the day. By doing some leg work you can pick a venue and establish your cost guidelines that fits in with you budget allocations. Sometimes picking a venue that doesnâ??t break the bank and using your own source of catering can end up being cheaper. Examine the options before you proceed.
Bar:
Buying wholesale will definitely save you money. If you use a reception center this is not likely permitted. By hiring your own venue you may be able to assemble your own team of caters/waiters and supply the alcohol and food. If you find a suitable venue then this low budget wedding tip can save you thousands alone.
Wedding attire:
In general, the more formal you make the occasion the more expensive the cost. Consider employing a less formal approach. You can still look stunning by selecting wedding attire that doesnâ??t cost a fortune. Custom made dresses are often expensive and if you do some research you can often find a discount designer dress at a greatly reduced price.
Flowers:
Select flowers that are stunning in appearance but not as expensive as high end alternatives. There are also other ways to employ decorations that can minimize your investment in flowers. By having one main centerpiece and using other decorations you can greatly reduce the money you need to allocate towards floral arrangements.
Photography & Videography:
This is a major cost and is something you will need to carefully consider. Having a professional do the job is essential because it is something you will cherish for years to come. If you are investigating cost cutting in this area you need to make sure that the person you employ has the necessary professional expertise and experience to be able to deliver a high quality reproduction of the event. You can go for a student to reduce costs but you need to make sure they will be able to handle the job.
Music:
If you are going to hire someone to provide the music this will add additional expense. You can save in this area by using prerecorded music or by hiring a person who is musically talented but doesnâ??t charge professional rates. Asking friends can often produce someone who is talented and can be booked at a greatly reduced cost.
Honeymoon:
Saving money on your honeymoon depends on a number of factors including the time of the year, duration and the honeymoon destination. You will have to be prepared to do extensive online research to find bargains. You can often get a great deal by traveling at the end of the season. Making use of any frequent flyer miles can also help reduce your honeymoon costs.
Guest List:
Keeping the numbers down will greatly reduce your costs. If you have a large guest list then you will need to find an approach that reduces the cost per head. You can also save on your wedding invitations by creating your own. If you add humor to the occasion you can often create memorable invitations that will really strike a chord with your friends for very little outlay.
The above represents some basic guidelines to plan a cheap wedding. The more you research the more creative solutions you will find. It just takes time and a little effort. Creating a memorable wedding that doesnâ??t cost a fortune is attainable for everyone provided you are prepared to do a little leg work.
Claire Edwards
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/how-to-plan-a-cheap-wedding-8-essential-areas-to-focus-on-755410.html
While some couples can make their luxurious dream wedding come true, you and the rest of on-a-budget couples should be contented with a small event. However, you don’t have to feel sorry for yourself because there are plenty of ways and resources that will help you plan and prepare a memorable wedding inexpensively.
Planning to shop inexpensive wedding supplies is probably one of the first thing that comes into your mind if you will be having a wedding on a budget. After you have figured out your wedding budget, you may now think of all the possible ways and ideas on how you can stick to it. Consider a realistic budget and be able to pursue it; this alone can make a tremendous help in planning your wedding. Ask help from relatives and friends, and ideas from online resources. There are some great deals awaits you if you just look in the right places.
The Internet can provide you with extensive affordable wedding ideas. There are thousands of online wedding stores where you can find plenty of inexpensive wedding supplies. They often offer excellent deals on wedding gifts, favors, decorations, invitations, centerpieces, and more. You can also look for coupons or special deals, especially during holidays. Usually, whole sellers will list coupons on their website to get you to buy, this will be a great advantage to customers because they were there to buy something anyways.
If you want to save money on your wedding supplies, you can also think about buying in bulk. This is the most cost-cutting technique when buying wedding supplies, especially when purchasing wedding favors and similar decorations. If you opt for something unique and personal, there are also great web stores that offer personalization for free.
For a wedding that is on a budget, you may consider buying inexpensive wedding essentials. For instance, the bride may choose to rent a wedding gown or purchase a used gown. If she can make her own dress, the better. For the wedding reception, which can be very expensive if will not be given proper attention, you can ask help again from your relatives and friends who have a good taste when it comes to cooking and serving delightful foods. Or perhaps, you will consider a pot-lock wedding reception; ask guests to bring their own menu. An outdoor setting is a money-saving option as well. The nature is a beautiful backdrop of your wedding, which doesn’t need too many decorations. You can spend the money you have saved from decorations to the other wedding details.
Whatever wedding you will have, you will surely give and receive wedding gifts. The help and effort that have shared by your bridesmaids and groomsmen are enough to make a priceless gift for you. In return, you should thank and appreciate them by giving gifts, too. However, this shouldn’t cost you a fortune. You can always give inexpensive bridesmaids gifts and groomsmen gifts instead of spending too much for elegant gifts. You can also give affordable gifts to your guests, consider cheap wedding favors such as candles, soap and edible wedding favors. So stick to your budget, plan ahead and do some research online to make your dream wedding come true at a price you can afford.
Janet R.
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/shopping-inexpensive-wedding-supplies-697229.html
While most of the couple today are thinking of preparing a fortune to spend for wedding day, some might find it hard to believe that planning a low-cost wedding is quite easy to do. Just like planning other kinds of wedding, planning a wedding on a budget is also a great and fun experience, and can be really unique and creative, as well! So if you are one of many couples who opt to have a cheap wedding without compromising what you have been dreaming to have for your wedding, there are several areas in your wedding where you can save money, such as your wedding location, reception and decorations.
One way to trim down your wedding expenditures is by planning of having a cheap wedding location. Planning to have this cheap idea is not impossible to do. In fact, you can have your wedding ceremony in some locations where you don’t have to pay any charges. Consider to have your wedding at a local park, for example. With local parks, you don’t have to worry about the renting fee and they don’t usually require any permit.. just consider checking it with the local city authorities before anything else.
Other great alternatives are beaches, a friend or a family member’s home, and at your own backyard. These are free places where you can held your wedding that will help reduce your wedding expenses drastically. If you and your partner are a nature-lover, a local zoo, nature reserve, or even at flower conservatory may be a free or inexpensive wedding location idea.
Another area where you can save some money is your wedding reception. If you are on a tight budget, you can always go with cheap wedding reception, and believe or not this is not too difficult to do either. One of the most popular cheap reception is idea is to have a pot luck meal. You can ask each of your guests to bring their own dish. But if you’d rather not ask guests to bring food for your wedding reception, then perhaps asking a few family members to get together and cook food as a wedding gift for you can lighten the burden.
Wedding decorations are not only fun to deal with, but they can also cut down your wedding expenses.
You can’t basically proceed without them completely done, though, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a big amount of dollars, rather you just need to use your creativity and imagination. Example, buy only few fresh flowers for the flower arrangement, just finish it by inserting silk flowers. Or, you can make your own decorations such as streamers and decorative balloons. Purchase a few spools of ribbon at your nearest craft store. Grab few balloons and tie them together using the strips of the ribbon and make a bow.
Other ways where you can save money on your wedding is to purchase cheap wedding favors, inexpensive bridesmaids gifts, and discount groomsmen gifts. Giving wedding gifts to your guests and attendants doesn’t give you any reason to overspend your budget. After all, it is not the cost that is being valued, rather the thought behind it.
Janet R.
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/wise-and-budgetfriendly-wedding-ideas-725693.html
You will have to think about your wedding theme once you have decided to get married. In fact, this is not the only issue you have to consider. Yet it will be beneficial if you can make decision on your theme earlier. This is because you will need the theme to guide your wedding planning. It will be a lot easier for you to plan for your big day if you can have a theme.
You may wonder how you should choose the wedding theme. If you try to search for it on the internet, you will probably be able to find lots of information. And there are a lot of choices you may consider.
In fact, you can first of all consider your own preference. Are you someone who love being in outdoor spaces? If your answer a YES, you can consider choosing an outdoor wedding. You can host your wedding on a beach, in a park and so on. You have to always remember that you should be able to enjoy your event. This is why you should try to make the decision based on your preference and interest.
You will also need to consider whether you would like to go for a formal or an informal wedding theme. The style of your event is very important. Of course you can also make the decision based on your preference. You may not want to go for an informal event if you are the kind of person who loves formal events.
In fact, the choice between a formal and an informal event will affect your wedding planning a lot. If you are going to have a formal wedding theme, you will be going to make everything more formal. On the contrary, you may want to make your wedding items informal if you choose to have an informal event. This is why you have decided on this in advance.
You may also consider the preference of your parents when you are making the decision. This is because they may also want to invite some guests and they may have their own considerations when they are inviting these guests. Yet, it is very important for you to remember that it is your wedding and you will be making the final decision. Of course you have to consider the opinions of your parents but you are not dictated by their opinions.
Your wedding theme may also be affected by your wedding date. For example, you will not be able to have a summer beach wedding if you are going to have it in winter. As a result, you will need to consider your theme with the wedding date together. On the contrary, if the date of your event is fixed, you may need to think about how your theme can fit into it!
The considerations may also be different if you are going to have a destination wedding. If you are going to have your event in places like Bali, you will usually go for a summer beach wedding. In this case you will also need to think about your theme together with the location and destination of your wedding.
TM Lung
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/choose-your-wedding-theme-issues-to-consider-741852.html
My fiance and I have been planning our wedding for some time now and my future mother in law says I need to mail out engagement announcements. I have a book and it doesn’t mention mailing out anything. All it says is that we should personally let our family members know and then announce it in the paper. I am planning our wedding announcement for the paper and we have already alerted our relatives but, she still says I need to mail out announcements so people can plan on the date. She said doing this can also "test drive" the addresses I have for everyone. If this is the case, I guess I need to finalize the wedding list sooner. (AHHH!) She thinks the book I have is out of date but, I don’t think it is. Maybe I’m wrong though.
Do I have to send out engagement announcements? If so, can I just send out save the date cards? I really don’t want to go about this the wrong way but, the whole thing seems silly to me.
That does sound kind of silly. I got engaged in October and our wedding is this coming November. We originally wanted to do an announcement in the paper, but decided instead to register our own website and do an announcement there. We sent out save-the-dates to our attendees, which had the website on them. It’s a much more personal touch, and has the whole story of how we got engaged, and photos and everything. I think you should just tell your close family and friends in person. Plus, if you do a website, you can later add wedding and travel information on there, not to mention that doing an ad in the paper that will run on one day only, probably without a photo, will cost more than registering and hosting a site for a whole year. Check out www.lunarpages.com.
While most of the couple today are thinking of preparing a fortune to spend for one of their most memorable day - wedding, some might find this hard to believe that planning a cheap wedding is quite easy to do. Just like planning for an extravagant wedding celebration, cheap wedding ideas are also great and fun, and can be really unique and creative, too! So if you are one of many couples who opt to have a cheap wedding without compromising what you have desired to be in your special day, consider saving money on your wedding location, reception and decorations.
One way to trim down your wedding expenditures is by planning of having a cheap wedding location. Planning to have this cheap idea is not impossible to do. In fact, you can have your wedding ceremony in a variety of locations that are completely free. A great example could be a local park. Usually, going to a local public parks doesn’t require any fees, and so planning a cheap wedding ceremony there doesn’t give you any cost. They don’t usually require any permits of other fees too. However, just make sure you have double checked it with your local city authorities before anything else.
Beaches are also a free place where you can held your wedding. Other ideas may include: having your wedding at a family member’s home, or having it in your own backyard. If you and your partner loves nature, it may be free or very inexpensive to have your ceremony at a local zoo, nature reserve, or even at flower conservatory also.
Another area where you can save some money is your wedding reception. If you are on a tight budget, you can always go with cheap wedding reception, and believe or not this is not too difficult either. One of the most popular cheap reception is idea is to make a pot luck meal. You can ask each of your guests to bring their own dish. But if you’d rather not ask guests to bring food for your wedding reception, then perhaps asking a few family members to get together and cook food as a wedding gift for you can lighten your burden.
Planning a cheap wedding receptions should also involve choosing cheap location for the reception too. Example, if you’d like to have your wedding ceremony in the gazebo at the park, then perhaps the best reception option could be a barbecue or picnic style in that same park. Another easy and cheap option is of course, having your wedding ceremony in your own home. Then you can have your reception in your home as well, or out in the backyard if the weather agreed.
Wedding decorations are not only fun to deal with, but they can also cut down your wedding expenses.
You don’t have to go without them completely though, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a big amount of dollars, rather you just need to improvise. Example, instead of buying expensive flowers for instance, try decorating with balloons and streamers instead. You may purchase a few spools of pretty ribbon at the nearest craft store or fabric store. Grab few balloons and tie them together using the strips of the ribbon. Also tie the ribbons into bows themselves, then tape the ribbon bows around for decorations by themselves.
Other ways where you can save money on your wedding is to purchase cheap wedding favors, inexpensive bridesmaids gifts, and discount groomsmen gifts. Giving wedding gifts to your guests and attendants doesn’t give you any reason to overspend your budget. After all, it is not the cost that is being valued, rather the thought behind it.
Janet R.
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/cheap-wedding-ideas-saving-money-on-location-reception-and-decorations-673444.html
If you are one of the many couples who became engaged between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, congratulations! And while the uncertain economy will probably not stop you from tying the knot, it may affect your wedding budget and how much is spent on your wedding dress. Here are some ideas on how to get that dream wedding dress for your big day without breaking the bank.
Set a budget. Look at all the expenses for your wedding and decide if there are some adjustments you are willing to make in certain expenses (such as food or reception hall) so that more money can be allocated for your wedding dress.
Style of wedding ceremony. Depending on the type of wedding ceremony you choose to have (traditional, informal, indoors, outdoors) you may want a wedding dress that reflects the style of the ceremony. If that ceremony is short, simple and informal, you won’t need to spend a lot of money on a couture, high-fashion wedding dress. Of course, the wedding should reflect your personal style, so choose your wedding dress and ceremony to match your style and whatever makes you feel comfortable.
Be a smart shopper. Do your research online and off-line to find the best deals in wedding attire and accessories. Researching online to find discount and affordable wedding dresses will give you an idea of what types of wedding dresses are available and price ranges. You can then take that information and look for a local bridal store that can offer comparable prices for wedding dresses as well as various deals and discounts on additional wedding products and services. Purchasing your wedding dress locally from a reputable bridal store at a good price would be the best option. You are able to try on the dress and be fitted at the store and if there were problems, you could handle them in person at the shop. If you are not able to find a bridal store to purchase your wedding dress locally, then you may want to consider ordering it from one of the many online discount and wholesale bridal stores. But remember to give yourself enough lead time when ordering your wedding dress online in the event you need to have it altered.
Remember that details add to the cost of your wedding dress. Exquisite craftsmanship in a wedding dress adds to its value and price. Things such as hand embellishments, the bustier, luxurious lining, rich fabric, detailed finishing and machine stitch work all add to the beauty and cost of a wedding dress.
Consider going vintage. If vintage is your style, you may find your dream wedding dress in a second-hand store at an affordable price. Or better yet, you may find it in a relative’s attic who would be more than willing to let you have the wedding dress for you to wear on your big day.
Rent it. Many “green” brides are starting to consider the idea of “reusing” their wedding dress by renting it instead of purchasing a gown. When you consider what you are really spending your money on (a once-in-a-lifetime dream dress) that will only be used once and then be placed somewhere in a box never to be taken out again, renting your dream wedding dress becomes more affordable.
The most important thing to remember when looking for your wedding dress is don’t compromise your style for your budget.  The key is to find a gown that fits both your budget and style preference. With a little work and planning, you can have the wedding dress of your dreams without breaking the bank.
Sandra Hishinuma
http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/how-to-have-your-dream-wedding-dress-without-breaking-the-bank-747023.html
