Ideas For Wedding Reception Table Arrangements You Want To Know

The trick with making floral arrangements for your reception and other areas is that you need to have either some advice or some professional help. Looking in bridal magazines and in floral magazines is all well and good, but those are pictures of no-budget arrangements. You, on the other hand, can’t necessarily spend your entire budget on the flowers.

On the tables

At your reception is where the majority of the flowers will go. Each of the tables, as well as the head table, will need a variety of arrangements to add color and style. And while there really aren’t any rules for what arrangements you can have, you will want to keep a few things in mind.

If you’re thinking about what kinds of arrangements to put on the head table, think about what pictures will be taken there. If your arrangements are so complicated that they will be distracting in a photo, then you may want to rethink your plans. Again, a florist can help you out with this kind of logistic problem, especially if they’re local. Many will already have experience in any reception hall, so they know what they need to do.

And for your guest, though large floral arrangements can look great in the reception hall, you have to consider that they will be sitting down at one point. Having larger floral arrangements blocking their view of the other side of the table or of the dance floor or head table is not a very good setup.

Think about where your guests will be sitting and what they will be able to see. They may have brought cameras to take pictures themselves, so you don’t want to hinder their view.

Ideas you can use

When it comes to creating drama and yet realistic floral arrangements, you will want to think about the height above all (no pun intended). A newer trend in floral arrangements is to have tall, think vases with a few stems of flowers in each, creating a larger bouquet at the top of the vase. This looks like a garden from the overall perspective, while giving your guests the ability to talk to each other.

On the other hand, you may also choose floral arrangements that are lower to the table. Some couples like to choose a combination of floating flowers and candles to add a little warmth to a table. And they also serve as conversation pieces as well.

Floral arrangements don’t have to come from bridal magazines or shows in order to be useful at your wedding. Look around and see what kinds of arrangements can be done. Talk to florists about what you need and see what they suggest.

Wedding Boutonnieres - Tips For Achieving The Ultimate Finishing Touch

Boutonnieres are the ultimate finishing touch to a gentleman's outfit and provide a sense of style.

Here are some tips on how to make sure that the guys in your wedding party look fantastic.

Types of Flower

Roses are the most popular flower for a boutonniere, but don't feel that you have to follow tradition. Other flowers that work well include stephanotis, tulips and orchids. If you are on a budget, carnations are a good choice.

Choosing Your Boutonnieres

The color of your boutonnieres can be chosen to either contrast or complement the color of the groom's outfit. For instance a black morning suit with a burgundy cravat could be complemented by a burgundy boutonniere made from a tulip, calla lily or rose.

Alternatively, you could arrange for boutonnieres to be made that mirror the flowers in the bride's bouquet.

Who Should Have Boutonnieres?

It is common for the bridegroom, best man, ushers/groomsmen and fathers of the bride and bridegroom to all have boutonnieres. Some couples also like to make boutonnieres available to all who attend the wedding ceremony, but this will be dependent on your budget.

To mark him out as special, the bridegroom often has a slightly different boutonniere to the rest of the wedding party. It maybe a different color, or the florist may put elaborate embellishments on it such as decorative beads, diamante, or additional blooms.

How to Wear Your Boutonnieres

The boutonniere is worn on the gentleman's left lapel. It should be worn on the outside of the buttonhole, and not in it. It is common to secure it in place by using a pearl-headed pin from the back of the lapel. This can be done in such a way that the pin will then be invisible from the front.Types of Flower

Roses are the most popular flower for a boutonniere, but don't feel that you have to follow tradition. Other flowers that work well include stephanotis, tulips and orchids. If you are on a budget, carnations are a good choice.

Choosing Your Boutonnieres

The color of your boutonnieres can be chosen to either contrast or complement the color of the groom's outfit. For instance a black morning suit with a burgundy cravat could be complemented by a burgundy boutonniere made from a tulip, calla lily or rose.

Alternatively, you could arrange for boutonnieres to be made that mirror the flowers in the bride's bouquet.

Who Should Have Boutonnieres?

It is common for the bridegroom, best man, ushers/groomsmen and fathers of the bride and bridegroom to all have boutonnieres. Some couples also like to make boutonnieres available to all who attend the wedding ceremony, but this will be dependent on your budget.

To mark him out as special, the bridegroom often has a slightly different boutonniere to the rest of the wedding party. It maybe a different color, or the florist may put elaborate embellishments on it such as decorative beads, diamante, or additional blooms.

How to Wear Your Boutonnieres

The boutonniere is worn on the gentleman's left lapel. It should be worn on the outside of the buttonhole, and not in it. It is common to secure it in place by using a pearl-headed pin from the back of the lapel. This can be done in such a way that the pin will then be invisible from the front.

Weddings are generally focused on how special the bride looks. Boutonnieres are an inexpensive way to ensure that the groom looks and feels special too.

By: Paul Ajao

Weddings are generally focused on how special the bride looks. Boutonnieres are an inexpensive way to ensure that the groom looks and feels special too.

By: Paul Ajao

How To Shop Online For Your Mother Of The Bride Dress

Your daughter’s wedding day is announced. She is ecstatically happy and cannot wait to shop for her wedding dress. However, you as the mother of the bride, may have doubts about finding your perfect mother of the bride dress. After all, weren’t you the one who visited countless bridal shops, department stores, and boutiques, the last time so-and-so was getting married and could not find something to wear?

What about this special occasion now? Your dress has to complement the color theme of the wedding and the chosen color is fuchsia and guess what, you look terrible in pink! Fret no more. The internet revolution has been around for years and now almost everyone, including Grandmother Harriet, is really savvy in shopping online for anything and everything sold under the sun. You can be too!

If you or someone you know own a computer, and you can type “mother of the bride dress” in that search box, you have opened up a new world of shopping for yourself.

Here are some quick and easy tips for shopping online:

1. First of all, understand fabric types. Most special occasion dresses are made of chiffon, georgette, silk or man-made silk, organza, or crepe. You could visit a few local bridal shops to get an idea of the different types of fabrics, their quality, and texture.

2. Understand colors. Hopefully, by now, you will know what “fuchsia” or “magenta” is. Most online stores will have color swatches posted online. However, please be aware those colors are not color true (looking at a color in natural light and close-up), as you are looking into a computer screen. See whether the internet store will send you color swatches in the mail or at least, send you another picture with a close indication of the color you are looking for.

3. Know your approximate size beforehand but wait, do not use this size to order your dress as every manufacturer cuts their dresses according to their OWN size charts. Measure yourself first with a tape measure, your bust, waist, and hips, over your undergarments. Compare these numbers to the manufacturer’s size chart provided to get your best size. If you are between sizes, select the next size up as the rule is “easier to take in than to let out”.

4. Have an idea what looks good on you and what do not, through previous buying experiences and you can make a sound decision basing on those experiences. If you have large hips, an A-line skirt is definitely flattering. If you have flabby arms, a long sleeve jacket is the way to go. A longer blouse or jacket, hides a problem stomach area, so on and so forth.

5. Online stores stock a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colors and typically more so than the physical stores. Their prices are on the most part, reasonable. Check on the return policy as every store sets their own. Remember that you are shopping for a “special occasion” outfit and the return policy is usually more strict than for regular everyday clothing.

6. Once you have found your perfect dream dress, you would have saved yourself a lot of time, hassle, and perhaps money as well. Online shopping could definitely be the best option for you from now on and not only for your mother of the bride dress!

Jazz Wedding Music, Perfect For Every Wedding Day Event

Whether a bride wants to walk down the aisle to a touching melody or dance to a swinging tune, jazz musicians can deliver both and more.

“Jazz musicians are unique because they can adapt jazz music to every wedding ceremony, wedding reception, cocktail hour, luncheon, dinner and more,” Chandler Judkins, owner of Las Vegas Wedding Music in Las Vegas, said. “This also saves money for couples because they can use the same band throughout the day so they don’t have to hire other musicians for different aspects such as a string quartet for the ceremony. The jazz musicians can do the wedding ceremony too.”

Las Vegas Wedding Music is the number one music contracting company in Las Vegas and their jazz music package is one of their least expensive.

Ceremony:

String quartets are the number one requested music group for weddings and especially wedding ceremonies, according to Judkins. However, Judkins believes that a jazz quartet can perform just as beautifully for a wedding ceremony and can add an extra dimension because of the variety of instruments to choose from.

“A string quartet will have the same instruments forever, two violins, a viola and a cello,” Judkins said. “But jazz quartets can be varied with a trumpet or a saxophone or even a flute or clarinet.”

Receptions

Jazz bands can have as little as three musicians and go up to a 17 piece big band.

No matter the size though, jazz bands can be flexible to what a bride and groom want for the reception music and their first dance whether it be swing music or a romantic song.

“Las Vegas Wedding Music makes a point to publish a song list on our Web site so couples can see the wide variety that our wedding musicians can play,” Judkins said. “If a couple requests a song, that is never a problem as long as we know ahead of time.”

Judkins went on to say, “It’s harder for string quartets and other music combinations to play such a variety. Requests are harder to accept, and dance music is harder to come by.”

Cocktail Hour

Another feature of a jazz band or jazz quartet is that a singer can be added easily and usually at a minimal cost.

“Las Vegas Wedding Music has singers on hand at all times ready to be added to any jazz band, big or small,” Judkins said. “Our wedding singers are the best in Las Vegas too.”

Luncheons or Dinners

Jazz musicians are amazing featured performers, but they are also amazing in the background. When playing for wedding luncheons or dinners, Las Vegas Wedding Music’s jazz musicians play loud enough to be heard but soft enough so that conversation can continue without straining.

“Any horns have mutes on them and all Las Vegas Wedding Music’s musicians have experience in playing softly, but with quality,” Judkins said.

No matter your wedding event, whether it be a wedding ceremony, wedding reception, cocktail hour, luncheon or dinner, jazz music is no doubt an amazing choice for brides and grooms.

By: Renae C. Judkins

The Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is the first thing your guests notice when they walk into the Reception hall. The cake sets the tone of the wedding as formal or informal. In ancient times weddings took place after the harvest and cakes were considered a symbol of good luck. Wedding cakes gave good luck to the newlyweds, and passing out pieces of cake was a way of sharing that luck with friends and neighbors.

The traditional wedding cake of three or more round stacked layers, is what comes to mind when most people think “wedding cake” However, your wedding cake can be any shape or style you wish. I have seen all kinds of cakes used for wedding cakes, from multi-tiered heart shaped cakes with several smaller hearts on pedestals attached to the main tower by cascading ribbons, and plastic bridges. It was really beautiful. I also know a couple who met at a hockey game. Their wedding cake was a sheet cake decorated to look like a hockey arena. Obviously it was a very informal wedding, and a second marriage for both. A sheet cake can be decorated with elegance, for an informal wedding. It is your wedding, you can have any kind of cake you want.

Most brides show up for the first meeting with a cake designer/decorator, with an image in her head of the perfect wedding cake, that she may have dreamed about since childhood. The designer will do everything in her power to bring that image into reality. Go to the meeting the approximate number of guests, your color scheme, a sketch however primitive of what you want your cake to look like and possibly a picture from a magazine that is close to what you want the cake to look like. The designer will also want to know what flavor you want the cake and icing to be. They may even have samples for you to taste.

If you want a formal wedding but still want to add a touch of whimsy have fun with the grooms cake. The wedding cake can be as elegant as you want, but have the groom’s cake reflect something about the groom, his hobbies, job etc. Does he like Nascar have a race car, the options are endless. If another special family occasion is the same day as your wedding, try to recognize it some way. A friend of mine got married on her father-in-law’s birthday, so she had the top layer of her wedding cake decorated as a birthday cake for him. He was so delighted. All of these kinds of things need to be discussed with the cake designer, well in advance of the big day. You can get wedding cakes at most bakeries, but I’d suggest looking for one whose specialty is wedding cakes. You don’t have to limit yourself to the traditional cake. I knew a bride whose wedding cake consisyed of hundreds of filled cupcakes, artfully arranged to resemble the traditional wedding cake, each of the five layers had a different type of filling. It was amazing!

By: Mary Jane Holmes

Deciding On The Best “seasoning” For Your Wedding

By choosing flowers that are in season, you are allowing yourself to be in tune with nature. Of course, by realizing and following the seasons, you are also able to get the freshest and least expensive flowers, so everyone wins.

For fall and winter weddings

For the cooler months, you will be able to find appropriate, warmly colored flowers. Fall flowers include chrysanthemums, dahlias, gerber daisies, hydrangeas, roses, sunflowers and zinnias. Gerber daises come in a variety of colors, so you’ll be able to match whatever color scheme you end up choosing.

Winter weddings can opt for forsythia, hydrangea, tulips, and roses. For a fun idea, why not try bunches of white roses at a winter wedding? These would look beautiful against darker bridesmaid dresses, while an accent of a few red roses would be perfect in the bride’s bouquet.

For spring and summer weddings

Although it may seem that all flowers should be available in the spring and summer, this is not necessarily true. Many flower growers are in different parts of the world, and their seasons can be very different.

For a spring wedding, you may want to choose flowers such as daffodils, forsythia, gerber daisies, hyacinth, iris, lilac, pansy, foxglove, peony, snapdragons, roses, star of Bethlehem, tulips, or violets. The selection is much larger in the warmer months, but this is also prime time for weddings, so you may be faced with shortages.

In the summer, weddings with lilies, daisies, geraniums, pansies, roses, violets and zinnias make for beautiful settings. Try to incorporate a few into the overall design to add texture and depth to the decorating scheme.

Flowers can make for a beautiful, natural touch to any wedding plans. Finding ones that are in season will help to ensure that you are getting the freshest varieties without any artificial help from chemicals or colorings.

Some advice for ordering flowers though, you will want to make your plans well in advance of your wedding. Not only will this save you troubles in planning, but it also allows you enough time to change your arrangements if there’s a particular flower shortage for the year, or if you just happen to change your mind.

Sit down with a florist to see what they suggest. Many times, they can create beautiful arrangements without the cost that you might incur by doing it on your own.

Having a second plan is always a good idea in any part of wedding planning.

Planning The Wedding

Depending on how much time you have between the engagement, and the date you want to get married, this scheduling guide may need to be adapted to fit your timetable. As soon as you are engaged, or at least 6 months before your wedding there are things that need to be done. The more time you have to plan, the more likely will be your chances of getting the venues and vendors you want.

At six months to one year prior to the wedding: have engagement announcements put in the paper in each of your hometowns and in the local paper where you live. Notify family and friends in person, by phone, letter or email. Decide on a budget and who will pay for what. Visit with the clergyman or official who will perform the ceremony, book the Church or other ceremony site.

Book the site for the reception. Next set the date, time and place of all events connected to the wedding. Decide on Maid of Honor, Best Man and other attendants Find and book a caterer, Pick a color scheme and begin the search for the perfect wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Get quotes from photographers, musicians, florists, and limousine services. Don’t forget to help your mom and his find outfits.

Between 3 and 6 months before the wedding order flowers, invitations, thank you cards and any other stationary. Book limousines, musicians and photographers. Order the cake.
Make reservations for the honeymoon trip get passports, shots, and clearances. See your doctors and dentists.

Between 2 and 3 month Choose going away outfit, and finish selecting the clothes you will bring on the honeymoon, don’t forget toiletries and feminine products, and basis over the counter medicine such as aspirin and sinus medications. Make hair and make-up appointments. Register at a couple of gift registries. Mail the invitations, choose a menu and give the caterer a tentative head count. Buy Wedding Insurance
1 and ½ months to 2 months, decide on music and specials songs like father daughter dance, and first dance songs and decide on readings for the ceremony.

4-5 weeks- fitting for bride and attendants and confirm musicians, photographer, flowers and limos. Draw up a seating chart. Give caterers an up dated count, and if need be order flatware, dishes, cups napkins etc Confirm make-up and hairdresser appointments.
2-3 weeks- Don’t forget the marriage license, give everyone there schedule and list of duties.

1 day – 1 week confirm numbers with the caterer, have rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Pick-up programs for ceremony, finish packing for the honeymoon, give gifts to attendants, finalize the time for limousine to pick up the bride. At the rehearsal dinner give the best man the envelopes for all fees due at the wedding. GET SOME SLEEP!

The Big Day- get up early. Go get your hair and make up done. Get dressed with help from your mother and Maid of Honor, get to the ceremony just a little bit late.
This is by no means a definitive checklist, it is just meant to get you started. You may want to hire a Wedding Consultant to help you out.

By: Mary Jane Holmes

Buying Your Wedding Gown

You have looked at dozens of bridal magazines and hundreds of dresses and finally you’ve found a couple that they really like. Now what? Head off to a bridal shop with pictures of the dresses you are interested in buying. There are a few questions you need to ask before looking at your first dress. Find out, do you have to make an appointment to try on dresses? Does the store carry dresses that fit your budget? Can they order the dress you found in a magazine? Will they allow you to browse the whole collection or are you limited to what they choose to show you? Once these questions have been answered and you have found a dress that you really like, there are more questions to be asked. Can this neckline be altered to a scoop neck instead of a vee? Can the dress be held for 24 hours while I give it some thought? Then go home and relax, go back in 24 hours and see if you still love it. If so then put down the deposit.

If on the other hand you don’t like a dress, but your mom or friend loves it , again wait 24 hours and then go back for another look. If you still hate it don’t buy it. It is your wedding and you won’t be happy if you don’t feel beautiful. After you have chosen the dress, the seamstress will measure your bust, waist hips and waist to floor length, and then will let you know what alterations will be needed. Just about every dress needs some alterations. You will need to go in for fittings at least two or three times.

If alterations are needed, what is the cost? Ask for a written estimate for the alterations. If a shop wont give you an estimate, run don’t walk to another shop. Also ask if you buy the bridesmaids dresses there, will they give you free or discounted alterations. Also find out if you can get a rush on the dress if necessary. You will also want to know if the dress is in stock or does it have to be ordered? Can you “borrow” your dress for a formal portrait and then bring it back for a final pressing? Pay with a credit card, that way you can dispute the charges, if a problem arises.

Next you have to choose the headpiece and veil to go with your dress. The type of veil you depends on the style of your dress. Veils come in several styles and lengths. You wouldn’t want a Cathedral veil if you are wearing a simple street length dress. By the same token, you won’t want a shoulder length, fly away wispy veil if you are wearing a formal gown with a long train.

When the wedding is over, what do you do with that beautiful expensive dress? Ask the bridal shop or wedding consultant, for the name of a reliable gown preservationist. The preservationist will clean the gown, then wrap it in acid-free tissue paper, or white cotton muslin and then place it in an acid free box. You can expect to pay between 200
and 400 dollars for this service. Be wary of someone who asks you to sign a disclaimer, saying they are not responsible for damage done to the dress during cleaning. Only place your dress in the hands of a preservationist who will give you a written guarantee.

By: Mary Jane Holmes

How To Make Your Own Wedding Cake – You Bet You Can Do It

Making your own wedding cake can be a great way to cut down on the overall budget of a wedding. It will take time and effort, but a well-intentioned aunt or cousin might love to take on the challenge for you.

Choosing the cake

Just like when you have a professional make your cake for you, enlisting some relative help also needs a plan. You can go to many books of weddings cakes for more intricate guidelines or just look at pictures in magazines. Try to find something simple, but also something that you think would be perfect for your wedding’s theme.

When you think that you’re found what you like, try to determine how many tiers it has and what decorations you want to add. With these things in mind, you can begin to plan out the building of your wedding cake.

Making plans

Looking at the picture of the cake that you’d like, try to break it down in your mind. Figure out the number of tiers it has (perhaps you need more or less) so that you can determine how many baking pans you will need. After that, you will want to see how many tubes of icing or jars of frosting you will need to complete the decorations. A lot of the time, you may find that ordering a traditional cake is the same expense.

If you’re determined to make your cake, the best suggestion is to make a trial one. Even if it’s just one layer, you want to try out your plan to see if the one that you have chosen can be recreated.

Bake a layer of the cake (any old cake mix will do, but you may want to go with the name brands for your wedding) and set it aside to cool. You want to make sure that the cake is completely cooled before putting any icing on it because warm cake will cause the icing to melt.

Apply the icing with a pastry spatula like you might apply spackle on a wall. Take your time to smooth out all the areas. Pretend like this is the real cake and see what it looks like. If you’re impressed (and of course, after you’re tasted it), then go ahead and get the ingredients to make an entire cake.

Your wedding cake will be best if you make it the day before so that everything has time to settle and no one has to rush around to bake on the day of. Set aside a special room or area so that it will remained untouched and out of the way. You may even want someone to transport it to its final location first thing in the morning to avoid any rushing about.

Your Guide To Writing Original Wedding Vows

Original wedding vows are words you put together to make your feelings known for your spouse. Wedding vows are statements of love, that you are willing to spend your life together, and these words are your own to express how you feel about spending the rest of your days helping each other through life. Writing your own vows can be a little difficult if you are nervous about what to say, but you will find that you can write your vows if you concentrate from your heart.

Where will you come up with the ideas to write your vows? You need to sit down with a sheet of paper or at your computer when you are feeling most loved, after making love, or after spending the day together with the person you will be marrying. This is when your feelings are fresh, and expressing them with words will seem easiest.

Writing words to express your feelings will be original additions for your wedding day. In using vows that you write yourself, you are telling the other person just how special they are, because you took the time to write down exactly what your hopes, dreams, and feelings are when talking about your lives together.

Your true emotions will be expressed in words you want to say to the other person. Don't try to impress those who are in the church or those who are watching the ceremony but only think about talking to your spouse and the entire process will be easier for you.

How should you get started in writing your own wedding vows? Original words of love are points you want to include in what you will be saying. Remember whispering sweet things in your love's ear about how you want to hold him/her all night long? Take that feeling and express it in ways that tell your spouse this. Write words that are not taken from other weddings. Using words that are every thing, you have ever wanted to tell him/her but you have never found the time to say aloud.

Write original words that are letters from your heart. I love you, I need you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want to share everything in my life with you. I will be there in the good times and in the bad times, I want to be your crutch through life just as I need you to be the shoulder I cry on at the end of the day.

Make your vows words that express just how you hurt when you aren't near the one you love, but that you hurt because you love this person that much. Original wedding vows are expressions of yourself and you can say it plainly in words that you have said time and again, or you can surprise your loved one by creating stories about how much you love them, and how you are going to spend the rest of your life showing them how much you love them.

By: Amy Lee Johnson

Wedding Flowers - Warm Or Pastel Shades

No matter what type of wedding you are planning, whether it is going to be a big fancy formal affair or a simple informal one, it will almost certainly involve flowers. When you combine the beauty and fragrance of flowers with natural light, candles and soft, tinted electric lighting, the effect can be breath taking. To set a romantic scene for the wedding match the ribbons, flowers and lights in warm or pastel shades to complement or match your color scheme.

If you are going to need a lot of flowers give your florist plenty of notice so that he can free up time to get your order ready .How do you decide the amount of flowers that you will need? Make yet another list. Who needs flowers? The Bride, Maid of Honor, Bridesmaid, Flower Girl, mothers of the bride and groom, boutonnieres for the Groom, ushers, Fathers of the bride and Groom, grandparents of both the bride and groom. That’s a lot of flowers, but wait there are more> You will want flowers for the church, and for the tables at the reception.

When you visit the florist for the first time bring pictures of your dress, the bridesmaids dresses, and the dresses both mothers will be wearing. Also bring the grooms tux if it is any other color but black or white, so that the colors of flowers and ribbons wont clash with anyone’s clothes. A good florist will help you choose the perfect flowers to go with your styles and colors.

You may want to ask him to make you a small additional bouquet to throw, so you can have your bouquet preserved. Bring pictures of bouquets and arrangements, from magazines that you like so that he can understand your preferences and style. You will save money if you stick with seasonal flowers because it can cost a lot of money and time if the florist has to special order your flowers. There will also be an extra charge for shipping.

Sometimes, when a parent, sibling or grandparent of either the bride or groom, has passed away within the past year, the couple will stop at the cemetery on the way to the reception and place a single flower on the grave. Do this only if it will not be too stressful for you or your new husband. If a member of the immediate family is in a local hospital, brides and grooms often stop there on the way to the reception to let the patient know they are loved and missed.

Before ordering flowers for the ceremony, check with the church and see if there are size restrictions. Flowers for the reception should complement or match the flowers you and the bridesmaids will be carrying. What do you do with all of the beautiful arrangements on the tables, after the wedding. Some couples have a drawings for each table, to decide who gets to take the arrangements home. Others donate them to a nursing home., or women’s shelter to share their happiness, in a small way, with others. Did you know that in ancient times brides carried fresh flowers to mask the smell of people who didn’t bathe on a regular basis.

By: Mary Jane Holmes

Selecting Bridal Jewelry To Suit Your Gown And Veil

In addition to choosing a stunning dress, you will also want to find some nice accents to go along with it. In many cases, this would be jewelry and a veil, but can include many other accoutrements.

The jewels

For each particular style of wedding gown, you need to choose particular styles of jewelry. And since you can’t wear your gown into jewelry stores, you will want to wear a shirt with the same color as your dress as well as the same neckline. This is the best way to capture the right look.

Starting with the earrings, you can look to your hair style to determine how to dress them up. If you have a shorter style or you’re looking to pull your hair up for the wedding day, you will want to pick longer earrings that extend towards your neck. If you want something simpler, then diamond or rhinestone studs can be equally beautiful.

The neck is the focal point for most brides, so you can really dazzle them here. Look at your dress to see if you have a lot of detail or not. If you do, you will want to choose a necklace that’s a little less extravagant. If you don’t follow this advice, you will have multiple looks competing with one another and it can create a very confused and scattered look.

For a simple dress with a deep neckline, you should be looking at larger pendants or a more complicated style. Pearls always seem to work, but try on different lengths to make sure that they complement the entire look.

Here comes the veil

While many modern brides are opting to not have a veil, they still remain a mainstay for wedding attire. Veils today can come with rhinestones and tiaras built in and can make a dramatic statement as the bride enters the church.

What you want to keep in mind though is that the more complicated the veil, the less you want to do for your jewelry. It’s another case of the competing looks and balancing the overall effect of the details. You don’t want to have so many things going on that people forget to look at your face.

The best advice is to find one feature or one accessory that you love and make that the most complicated thing that you wear. Whether it’s a tiara or lovely diamond earrings, choose only one. Your pictures will thank you.

Avoid Wedding Nerves Weight Gain

If a bride tells you that she’s not worried about fitting into her wedding dress, then she is probably lying. While the stress of planning a wedding can cause a lot of women to forget about eating, others find comfort in nibbling a little more or can’t find time to exercise.

The result is a wedding dress that needs to be taken out, rather than in at the final fitting. And every bride fears this.

Keeping your dress

When it comes to staying in shape, you need to think of a few things before weighing yourself constantly. First of all, your health is number one at this time. You are under a lot of pressure, so you need to make sure that your body is able to handle it well.

To do this, you will want to find some way to incorporate exercise into your life. Of course, you might laugh and wonder where you’ll ever find the time, but know that you should. Even if it’s just fifteen minutes a day, you need to walk, run, bike, whatever.

Exercise creates stress resistance. You’ve heard the expression of blowing off steam by going out for a run, well it works. Not only are you creating a great distraction for your body and mind, but you’re also strengthening your body for any added pressure.

Of course, burning calories is always nice.

Watching the nibbles

Mindlessly nibbling is the quickest way to gain weight. And even though you don’t have the time to prepare the healthiest of meals, you may want to consider healthier choices. Finding salads with low-fat dressing is good, but overall, they’re not very filling. You can actually go to the drive-thru and get a burger; it just shouldn’t be the biggest one on the menu. Choose the plain hamburger and a salad—it’s a quick and filling meal.

You will want to watch the sweets for a while. These can cause you to want to eat more and that’s the last thing that you want.

When you’re having your fittings for your wedding dress, you will want to be honest about what you can wear. Just because you want to wear a size six dress doesn’t mean that your size ten body is going to magically shrink to accommodate you. Be realistic about what you’re going to be able to wear and tell the person who is altering the dress if something is too tight.

You don’t want to be an uncomfortable bride now, do you?

Stuck Writing Your Vows? Read Through These Sample Wedding Vows

Are you getting married soon and need to write your wedding vows? Can't think of the right words to say or use? Do you need some sample wedding vows to jump start your thinking? Hey, we know what you're going through, so relax a little bit and check out these sample vows you can use for your wedding.

Now, keep in mind that there are differing vows for each religion. Also, these are not set in stone, and can be changed around to your liking or combined with other vows. The choice is yours, just remember to check with your officiant before totally committing to whatever vow you choose. (Especially if you are getting married in a church or synagogue - they probably have set standards on what is acceptable.)

Common Sample Wedding Vow:
I, (Bride or Groom), take thee, (Bride or Groom) to be my lawfully wedded (wife or husband), to have and to hold from this day on, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part.

Roman Catholic Sample Wedding Vow:
I, (Bride or Groom), take you, (Bride or Groom), to be my (wife or husband). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you for all the days of my life.

Muslim Sample Wedding Vow:
I pledge, in sincerity and honesty, to be for you a faithful and obedient (bride or groom).

I hope that some of these wedding vow samples have eased your mind somewhat and maybe even given you a few ideas to use for your own vows. Theses samples are just that - samples, it's your wedding and you can do whatever you want.

If you're the more creative type you may want to consider writing your own vows. It's really not all that hard and can add a very personal touch to your wedding vows.

By: Amy Lee Johnson

Wedding Theme Central: Vegas, Baby

Who hasn’t thought of getting married in Las Vegas at some point or another? Whether it’s the glitz and the glamor of the city or just the fun environment, you might want to take that and put it into your own wedding.

And you won’t have to run off and elope to do it either. Bring everyone with you.
Blue suede shoes?

No, you don’t have to have the groom dress up as Elvis to have a traditional Vegas wedding—although that’s not a bad idea.

You can start off the wedding plans with an invitation that looks like a deck of cards. This is an indication of the fun, relaxed atmosphere of the wedding. You may even want to drop in a few real cards just for good measure.

Take the theme even further by naming all of the tables by the various hotels and casinos in Vegas—the Flamingo, Bellagio, and the Golden Nugget are just a few. You can have favors that are Vegas inspired—cards, poker chips, etc.

You may want to make the ceremony look like one of the strip’s wedding chapels. Put up a sign that says “Chapel of Love” or something like that.

And yes, there’s more

One of the neatest ways to capture your Vegas wedding is to find someone who can create a cake in the shape of your favorite Vegas building. Why not have a cake in the shape of the Sphinx at the Luxor hotel? Or perhaps you want something more clichéd—like the old boy Elvis himself.

Although the groom may not want to dress up like Elvis, you may want to incorporate red and black into your overall color scheme. These are the colors of Vegas, after all. Perhaps you can even set up small slot machines or card tables for the night. Hire a few blackjack dealers and you’re sure to have some impressed and satisfied guests.

Food is easy for a Vegas wedding because buffet is the way to go in the casinos. Set up a similar food sampling, and people will forget that they’re not in Vegas, but at your wedding.

And of course, a lounge singer is always nice, but not necessary.

Having a Vegas themed wedding is all about having fun. Perhaps you were engaged in Vegas or just want to capture its essence, either way, get creative and let the night be one you can bet on.

Asian Wedding Traditions

Incorporating ethnic traditions into your wedding can create a more intimate environment for you and your family.

While we most associate the color white with wedding in this country, the color red is the color of weddings in China. Red is the color of luck and joy, and it makes perfect sense that it is such an important color for weddings. You can incorporate the red color in a variety of ways such as the tablecloth, candles, napkins, and other decorations. You may change into a red dress during the wedding reception. You may choose red wedding flowers, or your bridesmaids may wear a red dress. You can create a Chinese feel without red by dressing in a tradition Chinese dress. White is not a color used in Chinese traditional weddings. White is used at funerals, so avoid white on your invitations, decorations or bridal clothing. Do not use red ink on white paper, because white implies death and is used at funerals. Gold on reddish paper or cream color paper works well.

Chinese couples honor their ancestors with a tea ceremony. It is not only a beautiful ceremony, but it could be very educational and entertaining for your guests.

Another Asian tradition, from India, is having the brides and groom’s hands and feet painted with henna. The tradition is normally performed by a henna professional. The hand and foot henna stains the skin for up to a few weeks.

Japanese weddings include a sake ritual. It is also know as the sake sharing tradition. This ritual represents building a strong bond between the families. The sake ritual can be part of the wedding ceremony or the wedding reception. Sake cups can make great wedding favors for a Japanese wedding ceremony.

There is no law that you have to have an ethnic wedding, but it may add sentiment to your big day.

By: George Meszaros

Ethnic Wedding Traditions

Members of the Navajo nation have been using corn to symbolize the marriage union. A pudding of white and yellow corn is presented at the wedding reception. The bride enters the reception with the basket of corn pudding and sits next to the groom. The corn ceremony includes the cleansing of the bride and groom's hands by each other, and the sharing of the corn pudding. Then the bride and groom feeds the corn pudding to each other.

Mexico is a Roman Catholic country; therefore, weddings happen within a nuptial Mass. Godparents have a significant role in the wedding ceremony. The madrina de lazo carries a rope or a rosary symbolizing fertility. The rope is placed on the bride and groom’s head in a figure eight as they take their vows. The madrina de arras holds 13 coins (for Jesus and his 12 apostles) that are blessed by the priest and represent the sharing of finances between the couple. Some godparents may hold wine glasses for the wedding toast. During the nuptial Mass, the couple may kiss a cross to show faithfulness to each other and the God. Mariachi music is an essential part of Mexican wedding celebrations. Before the first dance, the guests enclose the couple in a heart-shaped ring. One Mexican wedding tradition that should excite any child attending the wedding is the ceremony piñata. Piñatas are part of Mexican wedding celebrations.

Broom Jumping is one of the most popular African American traditions at weddings celebrations. According to Harriette Cole in her book, "Jumping the Broom." Our ancestors created the ritual itself during slavery. Because slaves were unable to perform legal marriages, they created their own wedding rituals to honor their unions. The jumping of the broom symbolizes the sweeping away of the old and welcoming the new. In other words, it is a symbol of a new beginning. In modern times, the ceremony is usually performed at the wedding after the minister pronounces the couple man and wife or at the reception just after the bridal party enters the reception area.

Be sure to explain your wedding tradition in your wedding program. Your ethnic traditions are better understood and enjoyed with proper explanation.

By: George Meszaros

Destination Wedding Advice

We are more mobile than ever, so let’s take advantage of it by choosing to get married in your dream location. If you love the ocean, but you live in a land locked part of the country, a destination wedding may the perfect choice for you. The destination could also serve as the location for your honeymoon and a vacation spot for your guests.

When we think of destination weddings we may think of white sandy beaches, but you may choose to have your wedding at a national park, the mountains, or a historical site. You may decide to get married in the birthplace of your ancestors. Such a wedding could give you and your guests an opportunity to visit another country or another continent.

Destination weddings are a lot of fun, but there is some work involved and you need to plan in advance.

If you are getting married in the U.S., be sure to contact the marriage license department of the destination county. It would be smart to call a local wedding planner for a consultation. The help of a wedding planner at your destination could save you a lot of headaches. You have to make sure that you understand the legal documents and requirements to get married in your destination county.

If you are marrying outside of the U.S., be sure to contact the country’s embassy for legal requirements. If you are not comfortable dealing with embassies, contact local hotels for information. Wedding professionals at your destination hotel should be able to provide you with valuable information. Many popular destination wedding locations offer on site wedding coordinators armed with a lot of great information.

Keep in mind that in very remote areas, you might not be able to find anyone to provide the wedding services you desire. If you're planning to invite guests, keep their needs and interests in mind, too.
A destination wedding could mean savings since your wedding ceremony and your honeymoon can be at the same destination.

By: George Meszaros

Victorian Weddings

The ceremony of marriage is normally governed by the religious formularies of the church to which the bride may belong, which chooses the clergyman for its performance.

The bride has usually two bridesmaids, and the groom the same number of groomsmen. This number is not set in stone, and it may be increased. The proper Victorian marriage is customarily performed at 12 o'clock in the day, at the church, which is first entered by the bride resting on the arm of her father, uncle, or the person is to "give her away." Next comes the groom, with the mother or closest female relative. The groomsmen and bridesmaids, arm in arm follow them. The immediate relatives complete the procession to the altar, where the bride and groom take their places in advance, with the parents closely behind, and the rest gathered in a group about them.

The groom is responsible for providing the wedding ring, and have it in readiness at the proper moment when called upon to place it on the brides ring finger. The ring is placed on the third finger from, but not counting the thumb of the left hand.

After the wedding ceremony is complete, the question sometimes arises whether the bride is to be kissed by the groom. Traditionally, the kiss is considered improper behavior, but it is, of course, common practice today. Finally, all their friends and family in the church congratulate the bride and groom. Elderly relatives may kiss the bride in congratulation. Queen Victoria herself was kissed by the Duke of Sussex, but not by Prince Albert.

The married couple then return to the bride's house together, taking precedence of all, and, on arrival, assume a standing position at one end of the reception-room and await the coming of the invited guests, who, as they enter, are conducted by the groomsmen to offer their congratulations. The usual breakfast or lunch closes the ceremony.

By: George Meszaros

Paying For Your Wedding

Many couples are opting to pay for their weddings themselves. Some couples decide to pay for their own weddings because they have not other choice, some do so as a matter of choice. The best reason to pay for your own wedding is because you do not want to compromise on how, when and where you get married and you are ready to pay for it all on your own.

The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is over $20,000, so financing your wedding requires a serious financial commitment. The sooner you start planning and saving for your wedding, the more time you have to come up with the necessary funds. The average time between the engagement and the wedding day is 12 to 18 months. Such time frame gives you an opportunity to plan and save for your wedding. The most important task you have is to determine the total amount you wish to spend on your wedding. Then, divide the amount by the number of months to determine how much money you need to put aside each month to meet your goal. If you estimate that your wedding will cost $25,000, and you have two years until your wedding, you need to save about $1042.00 per month. Realistically, not everyone can put aside a thousand dollars each month. If you are unable to save enough to cover all the costs, you may need to start cutting costs until you come up with a figure that you can meet. Aside from cost cutting, you can do a lot by saving one everything you do. You can save by taking your lunch instead of going out, spend less on clothes and entertainment. You could also, take on a part time job to help you with your budget. You have many options.

Opening a separate savings account for your wedding may help enforce the need to save. Even if you start with a modest amount a special wedding savings account should help you make the right spending and saving decisions.

You can find ways to save money by learning as much as you can about the products and services you need for your big day. The more educated you become about prices, the more you can bargain with vendors to make sure you get the best possible deals in town.

By: George Meszaros

Romantic Proposal Ideas For Mr. Nervous

Are you looking for a romantic way to propose to your beloved, but you just don't have any good ideas of your own? Fear not, Mr. Nervous, because this article is full of romantic proposal ideas that are sure to make her happy. Ideas range from the simplistic to extremely dramatic, but they are all great ways to pop the big question.

Here is the first romantic proposal idea we have to offer: Rent out a limousine for the night and have the limo pick her up at work or at home. When she steps inside the limo, you'll be waiting inside. Have the limo drive the two of you to an exquisite restaurant that you know she'll love. Choose a special place, because you want her to remember this night forever. On your way home in the limo, pull out the ring and ask the big question.

A more theatrical proposal idea: Arrange to meet her at a park that happens to be close to riding stables. Rent a horse at the stables in advance and rent a knight's armor from a costume shop. On your way to the park, stop at the stable, put on the armor and ride the horse to her. With a booming, dramatic voice, offer to be her knight in shining armor. Present the ring on a bent knee, and make your big proposal. To add extra dramatic flair, arrange for someone to play classical music in the background, perhaps something by Wagner or Holst.

More dramatic and romantic proposal ideas: Make a date to go to the movies and rent an elaborate ad for your proposal at your favorite theater. If possible, arrange it so that you can have a part of the theater all to yourselves. When the ad displays, pop out the ring and make your big proposal. Or, if you are both sports fans, arrange to attend a game and have your proposal spelled out in big letters on the presentation box. Make sure you have the engagement ring handy, as the timing should be perfect.

Yet another romantic proposal idea: Take her to a park, beach or other outside area for a romantic picnic. Arrange to have an airplane “write” your proposal in the sky as you are dining. As soon as the message appears, whip out your ring and ask her to be yours!

If the previous proposal ideas aren't exactly your style, try a more private, yet still romantic proposal idea: Cook an elaborate dinner for two, preferably one of her favorite meals. Set up an elegant candle light table and pour champagne for the both of you. Instead of making the usual toast before drinking from your glass, surprise her with a marriage proposal!

With a little thought and planning, your romantic proposal is sure to make her feel special and create a memory you’ll both remember for a lifetime.

By: Michele Neisler

Make A Statement With A Destination Wedding

The newest trend in weddings is to get out of town—literally. Destination weddings are the latest rage because the couple gets to exchange their vows in private or with just a select few friends.

Here’s how to do it.

Getting on a plane

A destination wedding isn’t a destination wedding unless you’re off to somewhere exotic and remote. You might pick a tropical island like Hawaii or somewhere in Bali. Perhaps the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest or the deserts of Australia call to you. This is your dream, pick exactly what you want.

Realize that the farther that you go, the less people will want to or be able to come with you. And this might be exactly what you’re looking for--just a simple wedding with you and your soon-to-be spouse.

In either case, you will still want to send out announcements of your wedding date so that your friends and family will know. In many cases, you can get married at the destination wedding, and then have a reception when you get home.

Why these are popular

Destination weddings take away a lot of the traditional planning of the traditional wedding. There aren’t the crowds of people to meet and greet. There aren’t the floral and cake and decoration meetings. In most cases, these resorts will do everything for you so you get to relax and enjoy your day.

And the pictures that you will have from this wedding day. How many others can say that they were married in front of a waterfall or the setting sun on the ocean? It’s the scenery that brings people to destination weddings because it’s unlike anything that they could have created in their hometown.

A move toward ancient culture tradition is also in vogue. Many couples are being married by the native priests and ministers in the traditional ways of the tribes that live there. In Hawaii, you can be married in the Polynesian tradition, with a hula dance and everything.

Being able to invite only those people that you love is a great way to enter into married life together. The settings are intimate and private, so you can just enjoy each other.

Destination weddings can be expensive weddings for your family to attend, so you may want to turn on a video camera when the actual vows are exchanged. Then go on your honeymoon, enjoy yourself, and go back home to celebrate with your family.

Find Out What Kind Of Wedding Gown Suits You

If images of white dresses are dancing in your head, then you must have been recently engaged. Of course, many women have had an image of their wedding in their head since the time they were born, but will the real life live up to your dream?Although it may seem that all wedding dresses are alike, there are many ways to capture individual styles. White may be the traditional wedding gown color, but more brides are choosing off-white or a light cream as an alternative. This can show your fashion consciousness, while still remaining true to the traditional coloring.

If you’re a bit more vibrant and outgoing, you may want to do something daring at your wedding. This thought may be accentuated if you are looking to do a themed wedding as well. Try a different color altogether. Do something wild like red or purple. While they might not be the standards, they will definitely liven up a wedding photo.

And if you’re looking for a theme for your wedding, you will want to study related dresses to the time period or culture. If you’re looking for something that is renaissance inspired, then you may want to look in costume shops for styles that can be turned into wedding gowns.

Using your body type

If you’re looking for something that is flattering, then you’re going to need to try on a lot of dresses before you do. But this is a good thing. Many times, brides find that their dream dress doesn’t always look like the dream in their head.

For women who are shorter in stature, you may want to select a gown with longer lines and seams. Although your high heels will help to create a taller look, the cleaner and simpler the dress, the more it will elongate you. You should pick something that doesn’t have a lot of detailing because it may cause the eyes to look at one particular area rather than you as a whole image.

For the taller woman who is looking to create a less lengthy style, you will want to find a dress with more detail toward the bottom of the dress. This helps to draw the eye away from the height.

All in all, whatever dress makes you feel beautiful is the one that is right for you. So, don’t let convention or tradition stand in the way of your dream. Short or long, detailed or not, your wedding dress should reflect everything that you are feeling on your wedding day.

Capturing a personality

Although it may seem that all wedding dresses are alike, there are many ways to capture individual styles. White may be the traditional wedding gown color, but more brides are choosing off-white or a light cream as an alternative. This can show your fashion consciousness, while still remaining true to the traditional coloring.

If you’re a bit more vibrant and outgoing, you may want to do something daring at your wedding. This thought may be accentuated if you are looking to do a themed wedding as well. Try a different color altogether. Do something wild like red or purple. While they might not be the standards, they will definitely liven up a wedding photo.

And if you’re looking for a theme for your wedding, you will want to study related dresses to the time period or culture. If you’re looking for something that is renaissance inspired, then you may want to look in costume shops for styles that can be turned into wedding gowns.

Using your body type

If you’re looking for something that is flattering, then you’re going to need to try on a lot of dresses before you do. But this is a good thing. Many times, brides find that their dream dress doesn’t always look like the dream in their head.

For women who are shorter in stature, you may want to select a gown with longer lines and seams. Although your high heels will help to create a taller look, the cleaner and simpler the dress, the more it will elongate you. You should pick something that doesn’t have a lot of detailing because it may cause the eyes to look at one particular area rather than you as a whole image.

For the taller woman who is looking to create a less lengthy style, you will want to find a dress with more detail toward the bottom of the dress. This helps to draw the eye away from the height.

All in all, whatever dress makes you feel beautiful is the one that is right for you. So, don’t let convention or tradition stand in the way of your dream. Short or long, detailed or not, your wedding dress should reflect everything that you are feeling on your wedding day.

When Do I Order And Send Out My Wedding Invitations?

It is my recommendation that you order your Wedding Invitations at least four weeks prior to mailing them out to your guests. This will allow you plenty of time to receive your Wedding Invitations and double check your order to make sure you have received everything you ordered and no mistakes were made. It will allow you enough time for a reprint is needed. It will also allow you plenty of time to address all the envelopes.

Wedding Invitations should be mailed out so that your guest will receive them at least six to eight weeks prior to the Wedding. This will allow your guest enough time to make travel plans and return the respond card you included with your Wedding Invitation. Typically the respond by date should be two weeks prior to your wedding date. This should allow you enough time to make your final preparations.

You will have many other things to take care of as your wedding approaches and the last thing you need is to have to rush to get your wedding invitations addressed and mailed out. There will undoubtedly be last minute names to add and address changes to deal with so please allow yourself plenty of time to accomplish this task.

By: Jeff Fain

Scheduling Your Wedding Date

One of the most important first tasks you have planning your wedding is setting the date. Setting the best possible date sounds easier than it is. Before you make your decision, there are many events and other important dates to consider. Your day will have a lot to do with cost, availability, who can attend, etc.

On average, there is 12-18 months between the engagement and the wedding day. Since there are so many components to plan for one year may not be enough time for many. Before setting the date for the big day, you should consider your friends and family members’ schedules. Birthdays, graduations, vacations, and other events may prevent people important to you attend your wedding day.

Getting married during the busiest wedding ceremony months has multiple challenges. First, be prepared to pay premium for reception venues, photography services, limos, etc. In addition to hire costs, you should consider challenges based on availability. Your dream location may not be available on your dream date. May through September are some of the busiest months for weddings, if you can, you should consider getting married one of the off months. November through April gives you more opportunities to keep costs down. During the slower months, you are bound to get better service because more vendors are competing for your business.

Because Saturday is the most popular wedding day, beware that you are competing with many other brides for the same venues and services. Saturday is the most convenient day for your guests, but it offers you the most challenge and expense. Fridays and Sundays are considered the next best days and are still much more convenient than weekdays.

Like anything else in life, there will be pros and cons to any possible wedding date. Your job is to figure out the best possible date based on your needs and desires.

By: George Meszaros

Questions About The Perfect Wedding Reception Site

Is it available?

You don’t have a lot of time to reserve your reception site. The most popular sites go quickly. You should choose your location about one year prior to your event. It should be one of the first things you take care of on your wedding planning list.

Does it feel right?

It might seem silly, but first impressions are also important in deciding on your wedding reception site. If you walk into a venue and you have an uncomfortable feeling, or you are simply uneasy about the whole place, you might want to move on and continue your search. But, if you find the place charming, you might move on to the next question.

Is it big enough?

Yes, size does matter when it comes to wedding reception venues. The place has to accommodate your wedding party. It is a simple thing, but you need to make sure the place is large enough. You need to consider not only your wedding guests but also everything from your DJ to the dance floor to the place for your wedding cake. If you ask nicely, they might let you visit the place in action. Yes, it’s best to get a feel for the size of the place, as it is being setup for a wedding reception.

Is there enough parking?

If you live in an area of the country where people would most likely drive to your wedding reception (which is most of the country), you need to make sure your wedding guests can park. If parking is unavailable you should arrange a shuttle or a van to take your wedding guests from the wedding ceremony to the reception.

Is it private?

For example, if you would like a private reception, you shouldn’t even consider public places such as parks. If privacy is very important, you need to arrange a private estate. Even hotels and restaurants can be less private than you might think since they often host multiple events simultaneously. If this bothers you, you need to make sure there are no other events are scheduled for your wedding day.

Does it have a view?

A great view can add to the overall experience of your wedding guests. Whether it’s a dramatic ocean view, a beautiful mountain view, or a historic park, wonderful art, a great wedding reception will always have something fantastic to see.

Is it well lit?

In addition to the above, you should make sure the reception hall is well lit. Light can make or break your event. The lighting of the room sets the overall mood of the place, so make sure you see the place lit during your walk through.

How much does it cost to use the venue? How much do you have to pay up front? If you are asked to pay the entire cost up front, you should turn around and walk faster than you can say “Tank You.” You should never pay more than fifty percent of the total rental cost. If you put a deposit down, ask about their refund policy. Anything can happen, and you might need to cancel your reservation. You must get the cancellation policy in writing.

What exactly is included in the wedding reception package? You should never take their word for anything. You must get it in writing even if you think you have never met a more trustworthy person in your life. Are chairs, tables, plates, and such included?

What time can you occupy and what time do you have to vacate the reception site? How much are you going to be charged if you stay longer?

Are they insured in case an accident happens? Has an accident ever happened, and how did they handle it?

Do you have to use their caterer, or can you hire your own? Is there a kitchen or other available cooking facility?

Are you going to be the only event scheduled on your wedding day? Could there be any scheduling conflicts, if there are other events scheduled for the same day?

Do they have a liquor license? Can you bring in your own liquor to keep costs down?

Are there any references that you may contact? No references should be a showstopper.

Can you visit the venue as they setup for a wedding, so you can see what the site looks like for the big occasion?

How much flexibility do you have to move things around the room? Can you make the adjustments to the furniture and such to accommodate your event?

Is parking available, and how much does it cost? Is there valet service?

Are the bathrooms and other facilities clean?

Is there a dressing room available for the bride and groom?

Is there a dress code your wedding guests must adhere to? If there is make sure to notify your guests.

Who is going to be there during your wedding reception in case you need assistance? Is there security on the premises? Has there been any criminal activity at the venue?

By: George Meszaros

Setting Your Wedding Budget

The first and most important task a bride and groom must do is to set their wedding budget. Weddings can be expensive, and the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is over $20,000 not including the honeymoon. While $20,000 sounds like a lot of money, keep in mind that it is an average and a lot of weddings cost much-much more than that.

Before we go any further, you must realize that no wedding budget is ever too big. It is your wedding budget not your imagination that sets the limits of what you can or can’t do on your wedding day.
Formal weddings in hotel ballrooms or other extravagant wedding reception venues will require a much larger budget than a wedding party held at your parents house. In addition, formal weddings are more expensive because everything about them is expensive such as the food, music, etc.

Summer is the most popular and most expensive time of the year to get married. Because hotels and other wedding reception venues wish to profit from the busy wedding season, be prepared to pay a higher price during the summer rush.

The more guest you invite to your wedding, the more money you’ll spend. You should calculate your food budget based on a per-head cost for food and liquor. The type of meal you plan to serve your guest is limited by your budget. For example, a seated dinner served is more expensive than a buffet.

Some locations are more expensive than others. Certain cities such as New York and Los Angeles can be expensive, but distant places can be just as pricey due to high travel costs.

Don’t panic if your wedding budget doesn’t cover everything that you’d like to have on your wedding day. It may require compromises, scheduling changes, or simply begging for more money, but even with a limited budget you can likely plan your ideal wedding.

The decision about a wedding budget is one that needs to be made by the bride and groom and their families-together. While tradition dictates that the bride's family covers most of the expenses of a wedding, that tradition is not necessarily relevant today. The bride and groom primarily finance many of today’s weddings.

By: George Meszaros

What To Include In The Wedding Reception Contract

Never assume you have the wedding reception venue retained unless you have a written contract. At the very least, you must make sure the following things are part of your contract.

Everything that you agree on verbally should become part of the contract between you and your wedding reception venue.

The exact date of your wedding day. The exact time of you event should also be included.

Total cost and itemized rundown of what is included. Be sure to have accessories such as tables, chairs linens, etc. included.

How much decoration is included? What specific decoration is included? If you agreed on specific colors, be sure it is also included.

The date and dollar amount of your deposit and the date of when the total amount due.

The exact location of your event. If they have multiple rooms for events, be sure the name of the room is included in the contract.

Their cancellation or refund policy.

Emergency contact person. You should be provided with name and phone number of the emergency contact person.

Room capacity, to make sure the site accommodates your wedding party.

Contracts are a serious matter. They are legal and binding, so you might want an attorney or a wedding professional review the contract for you before you sign it.

Before signing the contract read it over carefully. Some companies will ask you to pay half of the total amount upon closure of the contract. Others will ask for a down payment. Be prepared with cash, personal check. To protect yourself, try to pay with a credit card. When reading the contract and before signing, find out what your obligations are. If you guests drink a bit too much, find out who would be responsible should anything happen.

Once you made your choice, you need to receive a written contract signed by the person in charge, and dated. The contract must include all of your responsibilities and all of the responsibilities, warranties and guarantees offered by the facility.

By: George Meszaros

Should You Invite Kids To Your Wedding?

Children can be the heart and soul of your wedding, but they can also be disruptive and chaotic. You are going to have to decide if your wedding day is going to be an adult only.

With Kids:

Children are the lifeblood of family life, and family is what a lot of weddings are about. Their presence may be the only way you and your family feel comfortable. You may not want to force your guests with children to leave home without them. Some people may refuse to attend without their children. You may not want to create tension between you and guests with children.

If it is a second marriage, you and your loved one may already have children. Leaving them out of the ceremony may leave you with an uneasy feeling. You may find it impossible to celebrate without your children.

If you decide to invite children to the wedding, you may try to have a separate area for them. You could arrange for a room with a babysitter, if the reception is at a hotel. In a separate area, the children could enjoy some more interesting activities such playing with toys and playing games with each other. The separate “kids” area would enable parents to check on their kids periodically.

Without Kids:

Children out of control can quickly turn your wedding into chaos, which is exactly what you would like to avoid. The less people attending the more you save. No kids at the wedding mean fewer mouths to feed. Many parents will welcome the opportunity to have a night off without their children. It allows them to relax without their kids, an opportunity many parents scarcely get.

To avoid loosing couples with kids due to a no kids policy wedding, you may offer a baby-sitting option. You can arrange for a babysitter at a friends house.

You may find the unpredictable nature of children amusing, while others may find the idea of children at their wedding terrifying or annoying. Whatever your personal opinion of kids may be, one way or another they are going to have to be part of your wedding planning strategy.

By: George Meszaros

Settling On The Size Of Your Wedding

How many people and who exactly to invite to your wedding day is one of the biggest challenges you will face during the planning process. Making the guest list is difficult. You may find yourself making compromises due to parental, budgetary, reception site size, location and several other forces.

First you need to decide if your wedding is going to be an once-in-a-lifetime huge party or smaller more intimate event. Your budget will most certainly limit the number of guests. Once you set your budget for the reception, you can quickly do the math and decide the maximum number of guests. More than $16 billion is spent on wedding receptions in the U.S. Your reception will probably account for the largest part of your wedding budget. In some cases, nearly half of the total wedding budget is spent on the reception.

Most reception sites charge per-head. If your budget is $6000 for the reception, and the cost per head is $65.00, you could have no more than 92 guests. There are many ways to cut expenses such as buying your own alcohol, having a buffet instead of a served dinner. Undoubtedly, you must take budgetary boundaries into account when preparing the guest list.

If your parents are paying for the wedding, you are going to have to respect their input for the final list. The more your parents are footing the bill, the more you may need to compromise. The more relatives you have to invite, the longer the guest list is going to be. Your list will also be affected by the size of the reception site. Be sure that you don’t fall in love with a site until you are sure that it can accommodate all the people you plan to invite.

Traditionally, the bride and groom’s family each invite half of the total number of guests. Usually, the major check writers are calling the shots. If you and your fiancée are paying for the wedding, you should decide the majority of the guest list.

By: George Meszaros

The Ten Laws Of Selecting The Right Wedding Vendor

First Law
Search for your wedding vendors through your friends, family members, and coworkers. Word-of-mouth is an old a proven way to find reliable businesses. Even if you can’t afford a wedding consultant to plan your entire wedding, it might be a good idea to consult one to find reputable wedding vendors in your area. The money you spend on an initial consultation with a wedding planner may pay for itself once you realize the cost savings.

Second Law
Never hire the first vendor you meet. Always make sure you select from at least a few different vendors. Just because you have a good first impression of a vendor, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider others. The more vendors you take into account the more educated you’ll become about prices and selection. You should consider at least 2 to 3 vendors for each product or service you plan on using for your wedding day.

Third Law
Get it in writing. Even if you find the vendor trustworthy, you should ALWAYS get it in writing. The documents describing the service should be as detailed as possible. Such detail might seem excessive, but it will assure that you and the vendor understand each other. If you get it in writing, the vendor might respect you more than if you only had a verbal agreement. If you get it in writing, you are also helping the vendor. If a vendor refuses to get it in writing, you should walk.

Fourth Law
Ask to see if you could speak with their previous customers. It is bad news, if a vendor doesn’t make references readily available to you. Well established businesses will likely volunteer references, so don’t hesitate to ask. Once you get the references, be sure to contact them. That’s why you’ve asked for them.

Fifth Law
When you negotiate prices, be sure to learn about hidden costs. You should have a clear understanding of what the price includes. If you are unsure, be sure to ask to clarify.

Sixth Law
Negotiate the price. You should bargain with your wedding vendors. Don’t be embarrassed by trying to get the best price. If you can’t get them to lower their price, try to get some additional free service or product included in the negotiated price.

Seventh Law
Once you get everything in writing, you should have a wedding consultant read through it all. You might even consider an attorney looking through your contracts. Their expert eyes might help you catch a mistake or question something suspicious. Spending a few dollars might help you save a lot of money and many headaches later.

Eight Law
Don’t sign anything until you understand the terms of the contract. If you disagree with something have it changed prior to signing. Vendors will more likely to accommodate your requests prior to signing the contract.

Ninth Law
Get a receipt. Some vendors might require a deposit, and you should always require a receipt.

Tenth Law
Keep in touch with your wedding vendors. Calling them periodically doesn’t mean you are bothering them. You might get more attention and better service due to your proactive approach. If you have concerns, be sure to voice them early.

By: George Meszaros