A wedding should be magical, but it ends up being stressful in most cases. The planning involves so many aspects, like the cake, the venue, and the flowers, that it can overwhelm you sometimes. Here are some excellent tips to help you take the stress out of your wedding planning, and add a semblance of order.
For food, consider going to a store such as Costco. This will allow you to save loads of money. Ask friends to help on food, too.
Once you know who all is going to give a speech at your wedding, hold a rehearsal for everyone so you can censor out inappropriate material. Remember that there may be older people at your wedding as well as young ones, and jokes must be appropriate for all members of your audience.
Choose wedding decorations that reflect your personality and that of your partner. Your decorations should also help tell the story of your relationship with the person. Select a theme which reflects your relationship.
Use the property of a relative or friend to hold your wedding. For example, a large backyard could be the perfect setting, and you will save a lot of money this way. Offer to pay a person to do the clean-up before and after the wedding, which would be the only cost for you.
Use food that has an ethnic theme for the reception. Steak and chicken are both overrated, not to mention boring. Your wedding dinner can be very memorable when it includes interesting variety.
If you are looking to dazzle your guests but cannot afford a hit to the wallet, consider renting diamond jewelry. You will be able to choose between many different kinds of jewelery while sticking to your budget.
You don’t have to overwhelm yourself with an expensive and high calorie cake; contact your local specialty bakeries and boutiques and inquire about getting smaller, individual portions made instead. Many bakeries offer beautiful cupcakes with a variety of healthy fillings.
An overabundance of flowers on reception tables causes trouble. Flowers can be obstructive to guests a lot of the time. Plus, some guests may be allergic to flowers. Instead, you could place candles (non-scented) on the table tops to add a romantic feel to the reception.
Choose sweet cupcakes or miniature tarts in tiers over a bulky expensive cake tower. Such ideas are great for their affordability, adaptability and ease of use. Instead of eating cake off a paper napkin, you can give your guests the option to nab a sweet treat on the way out. A decorative container, such as a takeout box, is far more convenient.
Target the middle of the day for your reception. Most people will drink less during the day, which will cut back on the cost to fill the bar. Lunch receptions are often cheaper and will allow you to use more money toward other needs for the wedding.
If you can afford it, consider a cruise ship wedding, inviting only close family and friends. This way, you can begin your honeymoon right after your ceremony is finished. Some of these cruise companies have special prices for weddings and honeymoons on the ship.
Craigslist is a good place to look when you want to locate someone local to assist you with a wedding. Meet the professional in person with your fiance before signing any contracts or handing over money.
If you and your spouse love a similar thing such as travel, incorporate it into your wedding theme and decorations. You can make invitations and save-the-date cards to resemble vintage postcard or boarding pass. Vintage luggage, post cards and vacation photos can be part of your wedding decor.
If the wedding couple have very different cultural backgrounds, use a wedding ceremony from one tradition and have a reception and feast honoring the culture of the other half of the couple. This solution creates a contrast that will honor the traditions of both families.
Be considerate and think of your guests who need to travel when having a destination wedding. Some guests may have conflicts with the timing or with the costs of attending. About eight months before the wedding, send out cards alerting guest to save the date; that will provide ample time for anyone to plan.
When you are beginning your wedding plans, make a list of your priorities. For some couples, the venue is higher on the list than the cake, or the table decorations are higher on the list than the music, and so on. If you create a budget which lists the items in order of importance, you’ll have a much easier time picking out what you can afford and what you’re happy to live without.
Hire a photographer that will help make your wedding a memorable one and not just a pile of pictures. Ask your photographer about what he or she expects the wedding to be like. Ask them about their process for handling a wedding day. This will give you a better idea of how they approach work and you will know what to expect from them.
Practice the first dance with your spouse-to-be while wearing clothes similar to what you’ll wear at the wedding. Dancing with your spouse-to-be is romantic, and in addition it will help you get used to each others’ clothes so you won’t feel awkward on your wedding day. You may already be comfortable moving about in long skirts, but your fiance may not be. This will get him used to dancing with you in your dress, especially if the lower half of the dress is unusually puffy.
Always take into consideration whether or not you want children invited to your wedding. If you want to save a little money and stress, you can avoid inviting children. Some people want their children with them though.
A lot of people dream of their wedding for their whole lives, right up to the moment it happens. This gives weddings an almost ethereal feel. While magical, weddings are filled with nuance that can overwhelm even the most organized hostess. The above advice should be a boon to you while you plan your wedding day, and provide you a sense of relief.