Wedding Information

Archive for October, 2009

Okay, my friend is planning a wedding on a true shoestring budget (reception budget of about $1000), and we’re wondering if many people have seen examples of picnic-style weddings with picnic tables done nicely. We’re looking at an afternoon tea-style reception in a local park with nicely maintained facilities and picnic tables.

Thank you!
Sorry I forgot to include this, it’s probably going to be a guest list of 70-100 people. Self-catered, DIY, the whole shebang.

Actually i have seen a picnic wedding reception. Local park near me.

They bought lovely tablecloths and put them over the benches. They made sure the seats had cushions for those in their party not up to sitting on hard benches.

They did rearrange the tables a bit and brought their own trestle table so the wedding party could be seen from all angles and they had somewhere to sit.

The tablecloths, if i can remember, were cheap but good paper ones. Apparently the bride had sat there with gold pens and stuff and she drew patterns all over them to make them pretty and they had small vases of flowers in the centre.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Just wanted to say it can be done and i’ve seen it done quite nicely.

My bride to be and I have lived together for some time. We have everything that we need and so dont want a wedding list. There are only so many tea towels you can use! We just want, if anything, contributions to our honeymoon. It seems stupidly rude to just ask people for money or to get them to send cheques. Does anyone know of an alternative? Someway of buying us airmiles perhaps?

Many thanks

I would simply let your guests know in the invites that you prefer money or visa gift cards. I wouldn’t be offended if I received an invite like that. I rather give the couple something they want!

*Cutie*

Planning a fairy tale wedding is probably a dream that most brides-to-be have had since they were in pigtails. The dress, the cake, the bridesmaids, the honeymoon all seem like pretty simple subjects to address when the time comes to begin planning the big day. When and if, it becomes too much too handle, do yourself a favor -consult with a professional wedding planning service such as Enjoy Yourself Events. You will save time, money and unnecessary stress.

There is a myth floating around that has people believing that all Wedding Planners are not affordable for working-class individuals. A long time ago, only the elite society knew of and had access to Wedding Planners. Today, Wedding Planners are very common and are hired by celebrities as well as everyday working people. Naturally, Wedding Planners that work with the rich and famous can and do charge through the nose for their services because the clients are able to afford the high-end prices. Misconceptions about Wedding Planners being pricey, comes from wedding shows that air on reality television. The truth is a bride and groom will save more money when working with a Wedding Planner because planners are trained to work within the couple’s budget and negotiate with vendors. Whether you are wealthy or not wealthy at all, Wedding Planners are a smart choice when it comes time to plan your special day. Check out wwww.EnjoyYourselfEvents.biz.

Wedding planners will alleviate stress from the husband and wife-to be, at any stage of the planning process. Many brides and grooms begin to plan their wedding on their own or with the help of family and friends. Before all vendors are even contacted, couples find that they have exceeded their budget. Between running out of money before the big day happens and their loved-ones stressing them out about what they should or should not do for the wedding, brides and grooms are at their wits-end. Once the happy couple contacts a planner, a common practice is to meet for a consultation, which is usually complimentary. At the meeting, wishes, dreams and ideas are expressed to the Wedding Planner who will then create a magical and memorable event complete with dazzling colors and amazing centerpieces. Planners are known for building relationships with reputable caterers, bakers, deejays, hotels, florists, limousines and any other service that the bride and groom desire. Vendor relationships are the key because the planner is then able to negotiate prices as well as make sure that contracts are in order, valuable lessons that are taught in courses geared towards Wedding Planners. During the wedding rehearsal and on the wedding day, planners will be present so that all runs smoothly. This allows the bride, groom and their attendees to relax and enjoy the festivities. That luxury alone is priceless!

Elaina M. Jorge-Whitley
http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/why-hire-a-wedding-planner-80388.html

We’re trying to sort out our wedding invitation list, while we want as many people there as we can, we are both pretty poor and our parents cannot help financially for the wedding.

Would it be bad form to invite only the friends we know, without their wives, boyfirend/partners etc? At £25 per head, it seems a bit too much for us to pay for some food for someone we dont know. Im thinking of people like work colleugues and wider friends who’s partners we have never met, not family members.

I should say, we’re having and afternoon tea rather than sit down meal: sandwiches, cakes, tea/coffee, victorian china cups and saucers, cake stands, some wine, champaigne for toasting. The whole event is only going on until 7pm at the latest.

So what do you think?
Perhaps we just shouldnt invite them at all then?

If you aren’t going to invite the husbands/wives, then I wouldn’t invite those people at all. Nobody wants to go to a wedding without a date, especially if they would’ve brought one if they could.

Every woman’s dream is to meet the perfect partner and have a perfect wedding. With an average wedding costing approximately £20,000, planning a wedding now requires the professional expertise of a wedding planner. Brides and grooms are far too busy earning the money to be able to actually organize such a mega event. Hence the need for a professional wedding planner.

However, not any old event planner will do. No bride or groom is going to hand over the planning of the most important day of their life to just anybody.

Weddings are an emotional event that must be dealt with sensitively.

In addition to all the arrangements, meetings, schedules and finances to handle, there are also ruffled feathers to smooth.

The wedding planner is thus more than just a hired hand; they liaise between the bride and groom’s families. They must balance the flaring temper of the bride’s father with the unreasonable demands of the groom’s mother as well as the sensitive emotions of the bride’s mother.

If that wasn’t confusing enough, the wedding planner is often called upon to act as judge and jury on debates raging within the family itself, and has to guide them on the proper wedding etiquette.

Weddings are no longer the simple affairs they were in the past. They have become lavish events geared to celebrate the couple’s union.

Brides enjoy nothing more than the chance to plan and enjoy their fairytale wedding and spend the day being Cinderella.

Grooms who traditionally took a back seat when it came to wedding planning have now started seeing it as an opportunity to be the gracious host.

Is it any wonder then that weddings have taken on a larger than life dimension and require considerable time, effort and money to organize?

Any couple that approaches a wedding planner are looking to take away a lot of their worries away from them: a wedding planner can assist in the following ways:

- to prepare a Wedding Plan (schedule)

- step by step wedding planner list of all the tasks involved in planning a wedding

- picking the perfect wedding invitation cards

- Prepare a wedding budget

- provide advice for planning the wedding ceremony

- Selecting the wedding date

- Choosing where the wedding will take place

- Finding a wedding officiant

- Selecting wedding ceremony music

- obtaining the marriage licence

- The wedding ceremony rehearsal

- Planning the wedding reception

- Choosing the time of day

- Choosing a Theme and place

- working with the venue staff to create a fabulous

- Wedding reception activities (receiving line, speeches, first dance, bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc)

- arranging the details on the tables from name seating cards to favours and right down to cutlery placement.

On any first meeting, it is vital that the wedding planner comes across as being professional, in control and level-headed. Why not first present your business cards to them, containing all contact details, they just might keep it and hire your services.

In our busy society, an increasing number of couples need to hire a wedding planner to plan their special day.

According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, the percentage of couples using wedding planners has doubled in the past three years, from seven percent to 15 percent.

With more than 2.5 million weddings taking place in the US alone in 2006, there are more opportunities to become a wedding planner than ever before.

Whenever a couple marries someone is needed to oversee all the details to ensure the wedding is a success.

Improve your Sales, Business Cards, Leaflets

CME
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/you-dont-need-to-be-celebrity-to-have-a-wedding-planner-91702.html

Your budget is one of the most important influencing factors in your wedding planning process. Long gone are the days when the bride’s parents would pay for everything without complaint. Today, it is much more likely that the bride and groom will share the majority of the costs of the wedding. If you are luck, your parents may be able to share some of the costs, but mature couples should not count on it.

Before you do anything else you must set your budget. Unless you know how much and what you can afford, you can’t begin your wedding planning. Without a budget, you’ll end up estimating and that can be risky. If you are estimating how much money you have to spend, you may be surprised somewhere along your wedding planning project. Instead of estimating you may be underestimating how much everything will cost.

Be realistic. If money is no object, you have it made. If money is tight you may have to be more creative, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. You may need to ask your parents to help paying for your wedding, but don’t expect them to take on a second mortgage to pay for your dream wedding. You don’t want your dream wedding to turn into your parents’ financial nightmare. If your parents give you a figure as to how much they can afford to spend, don’t ask for more.

If you don’t want or can’t ask for financial help from your parents, don’t worry. Take an honest look at your financial situation and set your budget accordingly. If you have a limited budget, decide on what is and isn’t important. Make a list of the essentials and work your way down. If you want to have a big crowd, perhaps you need to think about decreasing the per guest cost. You may need to make some compromises, but you can still have fun. Use a wedding budget worksheet to plan out what you have to pay for, and how much you should budget for on each thing. Wedding budgets are essential; they allow you to make a decision on the total amount you can afford to spend.

George Meszaros
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/how-much-wedding-can-you-afford-64535.html

heyy! i’m invited to a wedding, the couple have not put a wedding list anywhere and claimed that all gifts would go to charity…. what can i get?? something appropriate for a wedding and to go to charity!!
I can’t get milk and bed sheets that’s too tacky for a wedding gift, and i can’t get a crystal vase or anything, thts useless for charity!! PLEASE help!!!

MONEY!! Works for all involved.. Depending on how close you are to the bride & groom should depend on how much to give.. Also are you going as a couple or single?

A good bridesmaid can be an absolute lifesaver during the planning stages of a wedding. She helps make decisions, keeps track of the budget, and holds your hand when you become overwhelmed. There is no simple way to express everything that she means to you. The token gift that you give her as an expression of appreciation should show her how special she is to you, and that you realize how much she has done for you.

There are many different choices for bridesmaidâ??s gifts, and your decision will be based on your budget, how close you are to the bridesmaids, and personal taste.

Budget: Nothing that has to do with a wedding is inexpensive. With all the must haves, including flowers, reception hall rentals, and food, it is easy to leave off the smaller things like bridesmaids gifts until the last minute. By that time, you budget is even tighter, and you may also have less time to make a choice. To get the best gift for your money, start thinking early about what you would like to give your bridesmaids.

Relationships: If you are very close to your bridesmaids and it is a small group, you may want to spend a little more than if you have a larger group of more casual friends. Of course, if you have family members as a part of the wedding party, you are intimately familiar with them; there is no reason to go overboard with the gifts to the bridal party because one member is a sister. You can present her with the same gift as the rest of your bridal party, and, if you want, give her a special remembrance later, in private.

Personal Taste: Your personal taste should definitely be considered when choosing a gift for the wedding party. If the wedding is a casual, on the beach affair, beach towels, personalized tank tops or even bikinis make great gifts. If the wedding is a formal, evening event, a delicate necklace or bracelet makes a special gift.

Regardless of what you choose to give your wedding party, remember that, while it is an honor to serve in a wedding party, they are also doing you a favor, often at no small cost, to be a part of your wedding party. If you are hosting a high budget affair, the bridal party should not be gifted with trinkets. However, if you are hosting a small, casual affair, most members of your bridal party will understand and not expect jewelry or other expensive gifts. One rule of thumb is to choose something that people will use; then you are not just throwing your money away on nothing.

So, what are some popular gifts for bridesmaids? Personalized tanks and tees are a fun option. Many brides give members of their wedding party tote bags and small coolers, particularly if they are hosting a destination wedding. Because weddings and photographs always go together, consider a digital photograph key chain as a unique gift. Cosmetic bags, zipper pulls and memory or jewelry boxes are also popular choices.

If you want to play up the girl power aspect of your bridal party, consider a gift of nail polish, a sterling silver heart shaped compact or lip gloss. If you have been a little high maintenance in your demands, you may want to acknowledge the fact, and gift your bridesmaids with bath soaking salts, body scrubs or other spa gifts.

Jewelry is always appreciated, if it fits in the budget. Earrings, necklaces and even belly button rings make a nice, and sometimes unexpected, gift for your best girl friends. Charm bracelets can be added to as new events happen in your lives: more weddings, babies, anniversariesâ?¦the charms can be a way to symbolize and maintain your close bonds as you grow.

When you are shopping for gifts for the members of your bridal party it is important to consider that they have spent a good deal of time and money to help make your day special. Although none of us like to think that we make unreasonable demands or are difficult to get along with, the fact of the matter is, weddings are stressful. Although it will be worth it to you when it is over, your bridesmaids get nothing out of the experience but the sight of you being happy on your perfect day. Take the time to choose a nice gift for each of the people that you have asked to be a part of the bridal party.

Arianna Jordan
http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/wedding-party-gifts-for-bridesmaids-693652.html

It is not enough just to have a written contract when you are hiring a vendor or a professional. You have to make sure important details are part of it, and that you understand exactly what is and isn’t included in the service you are buying. If your photographer said he would include an extra photo of your parent, make sure it is spelled out in the contract. If the limo company said, there is a bottle of champagne included with the service get it in the contract.

Even though most of the time, vendors do as they say, you should never assume anything. You owe it to yourself to include the important details in your contracts. Your written contract is your legal leg to stand on in case something goes wrong. You should have a written contract for all vendors including, reception venue, photographer, limo service, wedding cake company, caterer, florist, and more.

The written contract should include many important points such as:

Date of service: You need the wedding reception venue to be available on a certain date, not a day before or after.

Time of service: It is not enough to have the limo to arrive on the correct date; it is essential that it be on time. Be sure the exact time of service is noted in the contract. The wedding reception hall should be reserved for so many hours, depending on the contract. The cake should arrive within an acceptable time frame. Keep in mind time and date is equally important.

Be specific about the place. If your reception is held at a resort, make sure the name of the room is in the contract.

If cleaning, setup and break down is part of the service.

Whether or not the negatives are included with the service has to be in writing.

Cancellation policy should be part of all contracts. You have no control of the future, so make sure there is reasonable cancellation policy.

Contracts are an essential part of your relationship with your wedding vendors. What exactly should your contract include is up to the vendor you are hiring and the service they provide, but the information above should be a good starting point in your research.

George Meszaros
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/what-to-include-in-your-wedding-contracts-62044.html

I do, you used to just be grateful for what you were given, ok you maybe got two toasters, but I think lists put pressure on people.

i completely agree, especially now as so many people already live together so they have all the appliances they need anyway.

i think for wedding presents sentimental gifts are better, and there is less chance that someone else is going t buy you the same thing!!