Wedding Planning: Finding the Perfect Wedding Dress

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For a lot of women, their wedding dress is the highlight of the whole wedding planning experience. Many brides-to-be have had a dream wedding gown in mind since they were little girls and when it comes time to shop for the real thing a lot of time and energy will be spent on this aspect of the planning process.

Keep an Open Mind

Unless you are completely set about having a certain colour and style of wedding dress you should try to be open to all styles, at least at first. Seeing certain cuts of a dress in a magazine or on a mannequin may be misleading as many dresses could look quite different on your body. That dream dress you’ve always had in mind may not actually suit your shape once you get it on. By trying a wide range of style at first, you’ll give yourself a better idea of what’s going to look perfect on you so you can start narrowing your search.

Shop with a Trusted Companion

While your caring friend or loving sister may have your best interests in mind, they may not always have your tastes in mind as well. Everyone has their own style, so while it’s a great idea to bring someone with you for a second opinion and extra pair of eyes, be sure the shopping buddy you bring knows what suits you and understands what you want rather than what styles they prefer.

Budget before You Shop

Before you even set foot in a store, figure out your wedding budget and decide how much you’ll be willing to spend on a dress. Stick to shopping only in the bridal shops that have dresses in your price range. Figure out if you’ll be renting your dress, buying one brand new, or looking for a used dress. Some women buy a dress and never get married or some buy their dress but change their minds a buy an entirely different one before their wedding day. Buying a used wedding dress is an option that could save you quite a bit of money.

Keep the Little Things in Mind

If you have any idea how you’ll be wearing your hair and makeup, try to wear it that way when you do your dress shopping. Wear shoes that would be similar to something you’d wear for your wedding as well. Since you’ll be wearing your dress all night, don’t forget that you’ll need to have at least some degree of comfort. You don’t want to spend your entire wedding day tripping over a beautiful but ridiculous train or struggling to breathe in a too-tight corset. Take your time when shopping for the perfect dress and you’ll feel radiant and wonderful when it comes time to walk down the aisle.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning Tips

Wedding Planning: Choosing the Best Caterer for Your Wedding

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Some of the biggest hassles that come with wedding planning are related to catering or food issues. You may get a surprisingly large bill loaded with additional charges or the food doesn’t taste anything like you’d expected. This doesn’t have to be the case as long as you do your research and ask all the right questions. By choosing a caterer with good references you can trust, the dining experience for your wedding will be pleasurable instead of stressful.

Hire Someone You Can Work With

Not all personality types can work together and some caterers may be either too pushy or too flexible for your needs. If you aren’t picky about your menu and want your caterer to make all your decisions for you, hire a caterer that is comfortable working with those parameters. On the other hand, a fussy chef that wants to do things their own way isn’t going to work out for you if you already have the perfect wedding dinner in mind.

Cater to Your Guests

It’s your wedding and you should definitely get your way in every respect, but keep in mind that some of your guests could be vegetarians or have food allergies. You can ask for this information on your invitation response cards and keep their answers in mind when designing your menu. If there are going to be quite a few children at your reception, it might be a good idea to have a kid friendly option available as well, especially if your dinner choices are intended for more adult tastes.

Decisions for the Bar

If your caterer is setting up and staffing your bar make sure you’re clear on how you’ll be getting charged for any drinks served. Will you have a cash bar for all or part of the night? Do you pay per bottle opened? Are there only certain drinks, such as beer, wine, and soft drinks, which you’ll be serving? Be sure that your caterer has all their proper licensing and insurance as well before your wedding day arrives.

Read All the Fine Print

Extra costs could be included for some things such as cake cutting, overtime, cancellation fees, and linens or tablecloths. Make sure you know everything that could appear on your bill so you have the option of declining or approving certain services in advance. Get everything in writing and make sure you and your caterer are in full agreement on your total costs. Discuss what kind of payment schedule you’d like to work out before you get the bill. By being prepared and informed, you should be able to avoid nearly every hassle or disaster that could come with your dinners and drinks.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning Tips

How To Create Unforgettable Wedding Invitations

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Your wedding invitations are your first impressions. Before you get people to your ceremony or reception, the only feel they’ll have of your wedding is what comes in that invitation envelope. Taking a little extra care in designing your invitation will ensure that you’re sending the right message to all the guests you’ve invited to share in your big day.

Make Your Guest List First

Before designing up a bunch of beautiful invitations on high-end paper create your guest list and get an idea of how many invitations you’ll need. If you have a huge guest list and a limited budget, you may not want to go with the most expensive invitations. However, if your guest list is going to be quite small and you have a little extra to spend on your invitations, you could splurge on a fancier design. Seeing who you’ll be inviting to your wedding may also have some effect on the wording or font you choose to use on your invitations as well.

What Info You Should Include

You may want your invitations to be lovely and simple, but be sure you’re including all the necessary information. If someone else is paying for the wedding, you may want to give a mention to your host in your wording. Your basic info such as who is getting married, the location of the ceremony and reception, and the time and date of each should be clear and easy to read. A map and directions could be helpful as well if you’ve chosen a difficult to find venue.

Standard and Simple or All the Bells and Whistles

Depending on your budget, you’ll need to decide what will be included with the invite. Generally you’ll have the envelope, invite, and response card. You could opt to have a separate reception card and you may even decide to get another card printed up with a map and directions. You may also want a thank you card for after the wedding to be part of your invitation package. Of course, the more you add, the more it will cost, so determine your budget before brainstorming your invitations. Pre-wedding favours can be included as well in the form of bookmarks, pictures, or some other little memento that suits your particular theme.

Adding Your Personal Touches

Deciding on your theme before designing your invitations will give you the opportunity to make your invites match your wedding. If your wedding will be casual and on the beach, inform your guests of this in the invitation so they can dress appropriately for your chosen venue. Alternatively, if you’re expecting strict formal attire, relay that info in your invitations as well.

Let your guests know when to reply by and ask for any information you’ll need, such as dinner option preference, on the response card. Proof-read your invitations before having them all printed up to avoid any costly corrections. Your invitations don’t have to break your budget to be beautiful as long as you take your time in deciding what paper, ink, and font will suit your wedding best.

Filed Under: Featured, Wedding Planning Tips

Choosing Between an Indoor or Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

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Every wedding is going to come with endless decisions you’ll have to make and some will be much more important than others. One of the biggest decisions, which could affect many of the other smaller ones, will be whether to have your wedding ceremony indoors or outdoors. A few things should be considered before deciding on an outdoor wedding ceremony, so before putting any deposits down on a venue, make sure you’ve done your research on your intended location.

Weather in Your Area

If you live somewhere that has unpredictable weather patterns, an outdoor wedding could be a little risky. If you’re constantly facing the threat of rain and wind or if you risk seating your guests under a blistering sun throughout your entire ceremony, you may want to be prepared with some alternative options. An outdoor wedding can be lovely and romantic, but you’ll need to decide if you’re willing to take a chance on the weather.

Creating a Backup Plan

You may have your heart set on an outdoor wedding and live in one of those areas where the weather can be tricky. Renting some tents to block out too much sun or some light rain can be a great way to protect you and your guests from the elements. These tents may act as mini greenhouses on the exceptionally hot days so do your research on what kind of setup you’re thinking about using. Clear roofed tents can also provide a beautiful view of the day while still offering some protection.

For more severe weather possibilities, having an indoor backup plan may be your best bet. A tent may not do much to shield you from heavy winds and sideways rain. If it’s a good chance you’ll be seeing conditions like this on your wedding day, it could be a better idea to just plan for an indoor wedding right from the start.

Think About the Little Things

It can be easy to overlook some of the smaller factors that come with outdoor weddings. Keep in mind that certain locations may have a higher insect population and some spots may require you to walk through dirt and grass in your white dress. Are paths available at the spot you’ve chosen? Washrooms may be something you should be considering as well. Even if you aren’t having a long ceremony, be sure to think about the guests you’ve invited and what their needs may be. You’ll also be taking plenty of pictures that day, so think about the time of day you’ll be having your ceremony and what kind of lighting effects you can expect.

An outdoor wedding can offer an amazing variety of breathtaking backgrounds for your big day. While some factors will be beyond your control, being prepared can help you minimize any surprises during your ceremony. If your desired location requires special clothing requirements, such as a sandy beach or breezy cliff side, be sure to keep your guests informed so they can be comfortable during your ceremony and are paying attention to your vows rather than being distracted by sand in the shoes or mist in their face.

Filed Under: Featured, Wedding Planning Tips

Create Your Own Wedding Planning Checklist

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Even for them most organized woman, trying to plan a wedding with no timeline and no checklist can lead to disaster. Especially as your wedding date gets closer, you’re going to have a million little things on your mind and deposit due dates or appointments will be jumping out at you from nowhere. Creating a wedding planning schedule early on in the planning process will give you a great guideline to follow and will provide an all-in-one reminder resource rather than wallpapering your whole house with sticky notes.

Making a Timeline of Your Checklist

Having a list of things that need to be done is great, but keeping things in chronological order will help you stay much more organized and keep you on top of any upcoming deadlines or appointments. A lot of bridal magazines or wedding websites offer wedding planning checklists that usually range over about 18 months or so. You may have more or less time than that to plan your wedding, so creating your own checklist will allow you to tailor it to your specific needs.

Incorporate Your Budget into Your Checklist

Deposits and vendor bills can sneak up on you when you have so much already on your mind. By putting due dates on your timeline checklist, you can avoid overstretching your budget at any one time. Using your checklist this way will allow you to decide at glance when to schedule in another big purchase for your wedding at a time when you won’t be paying for too many other expensive wedding necessities.

Get the Most from Your Checklist

Be sure to check your list weekly to see what new errands you’ll have to keep track of. As you get closer to the wedding date, it could be a good idea to start checking it daily. Creating smaller task lists off the main schedule every day can keep you focused on just what needs to be done for that day. By having a master schedule saved onto your computer, you can add to and edit your checklist as often as needed and reprint updates when necessary. It would also be a good idea to print a copy of your checklist for everyone helping you plan your wedding.

When you’re starting your checklist, fill in all the most important dates and appointments first and plan the smaller details around those. Whenever possible, try to spread out the tasks that aren’t time sensitive so you don’t overwhelm yourself in any one day, week, or month. Sticking to an organized checklist can take a lot of stress and uncertainty out of your planning and will keep you on the right track if you ever start feeling like you’ve become too swamped.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning Tips

Choosing the Music for Your Wedding Reception

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Hiring a band or DJ for your wedding can be a big decision and it could rely on more than just your personal preference. You may need to consider a few things before committing to go with the same DJ you heard at the last wedding you were at. You may have a preference set in your mind that you’re determined to see through or you may not care one way or another as long as some good music is playing in the background. Even if you aren’t fussy, you may still need to consider how your music will sound at a particular venue.

Live Band or DJ?

First you’ll need to decide if you’re going with a live band or if you’d prefer a DJ to play recorded music for you. A DJ may be cheaper and could give you and your guests more versatility in requesting songs while a live band may add to the atmosphere or possibly even give a more romantic feel to your wedding. Keep in mind that bands will need to take set breaks while the DJ can just keep your music playing. When hiring a band, you may want to schedule in speeches and toasts during their breaks.

Know Your Crowd

It’s your wedding, so play the music you want, but keep in mind that if you’re playing all hip hop and most of your guests are more of a country crowd, you’re going to have a pretty empty dance floor. With a DJ, you may want to give your guests the ability to request what they want to hear. If you already know exactly the type of music you want played, be sure your DJ or band is aware of your requests in advance and have those albums on hand or can play your songs.

Keep Venue Specifications in Mind

If you have a small guest list and your reception is in a little hall, a live band with lots of equipment could overwhelm your entire reception. If you’re set on having a live band, hiring an acoustic musician may be a better choice. Having a pianist provide ambient background music could give a very romantic effect as well. You should also check out what kind of wiring and electronic setup is available at your intended reception location as well as any noise or music restrictions in that area.

Whether you hire a band or DJ, be sure to get references and listen to some samples of any potential band you intend to hire. The music being played at your reception could set the whole mood for the night, so determine your music budget and take a little extra time when considering your entertainment options.

Filed Under: Featured, Wedding Planning Tips

Wedding Cake Basics: Choosing the Perfect Cake

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Your wedding cake may be the centerpiece for your entire wedding, so you’ll most likely be putting a lot of thought into choosing just the right one. Even if you intend to stick with a basic tiered cake, you’ll still be faced with many choices regarding flavours and decorations. When shopping for the right cake, be sure to choose a baker who is willing to work with you and understands what you want.

Before Shopping For Your Wedding Cake

Before you start tasting samples and designing an elaborate blueprint for your cake there are a few things you’ll need to think about first. No matter how simple you’re wedding’s theme is, you’ll want your cake to match the rest of that colour scheme or any other type of theme you’ve chosen. As one of your biggest visual highlights, your wedding cake will play a key role in tying your theme together.

Know your budget before negotiating with your baker. You should have your guest list established beforehand to give yourself an idea on how many servings you’ll need. Cake size, type of icing, and number of hand-made decorations will all play a part in your final cost so it’s important to have an amount you’re willing to spend in mind before allowing your bank account to be seduced by designer decorations and fancy frostings.

Do Your Research

Before deciding on any particular bakery, read reviews and get referrals. Don’t hesitate to ask every question you have, such as what kind of delivery method your baker uses and is there an extra fee for that service. Educate yourself on the different icing options such as fondant, butter cream, and sugar icings. Taste everything, get samples, and bring a trusted friend or family member along to give second opinions. Once you’ve settled on a baker, make sure they understand your timeline and any other expectations you may have.

Unconventional Cakes

Not all wedding cakes have to be a standard, white, tiered cake from your local bridal shop. Some other ideas you may want to consider are tiered cupcake trays with delicious little mini cakes decorated to suit your theme. Perhaps you’d rather go with a smaller wedding cake for each table which will double as your centerpiece. Having your cake made by friends or family can also give an added personal touch to your wedding.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning 101

Wedding Planning: The Budgeting Basics

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Budgeting for your wedding can sometimes be a huge headache and may take the romance out of the whole wedding planning process. Rather than stressing out every time you think of another bill or deposit that’s due, create an organized budget in advance before you spend a dime and give yourself a realistic idea of what kind of wedding you can afford.

Budgeting Before You Buy

Sit down with your partner and create a thorough budget before you start thinking about where to have your wedding or how white you want your dress to be. Make a list of every detail you can think of and assign a monetary or budget percentage value to each item. Creating a budget and not worrying about all the little stuff is usually what gets couples into tight situations because it’s those little things that can add up after all the rest of your budget has been spent on the caterer, the venue, and the wedding dress.

The Guest List to Expense Ratio

Creating your guest list should go almost hand in hand with creating your budget. More guests equals more cake, more food, more drinks, and more seating space. For a large guest list, you need extra wedding invitations, wedding favours, and perhaps even a bigger sound system to function in a larger reception hall. When estimating out your budget, be sure to keep all these factors in mind.

Make a List of Priorities

You can’t know in advance exactly what everything is going to cost. While you may have put your best effort into drafting up an accurate budget, some things may just end up costing more and you may have to eat up those extra costs. By prioritizing everything in your budget, you’ll be able to cut back on the less important aspects of your wedding. If possible, pay for the most necessary things in advance and save the less important things for the end when you have a better idea of what you’re actually spending.

Keep a Budgeting Checklist

By making a chronological checklist of everything you need to buy, pay for, or put a deposit on, you’ll be able to see how much you’re spending and when you have to spend it all at a glance. If you have to pay a few vendors all within the same week, you may choose to make any additional purchases at a later time in order to leave yourself some financial breathing room. This is also a good way to remind yourself when a bill or deposit is due so you don’t lose a hold on your dream dress or that perfect venue.

Budgeting doesn’t have to be a chore when planning your wedding if you stay organized and keep records of everything. When your wedding day rolls around and you’ve stuck to your budget you’ll be able to enjoy your big day with unburdened shoulders and a light heart.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning 101

Will You Need to Hire a Wedding Planner for Your Big Day?

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As you probably know already, planning a wedding can be a lot of work and it can be all too easy to overlook some of the most important details. Hiring a wedding planner can be expensive, but in some cases the help they provide will be invaluable. Even when you have the time and energy to do it all yourself, you may still find that a wedding planner can offer a great deal of knowledge and experience that will come in very handy.

Your Budget is Tight Enough Already

Even if it’s just a rough draft, get a good idea of your budget before deciding to hire a wedding planner. Once you have a better idea on how much you can spend on some extra help you will be able to determine if hiring a planner will be worth the cost. Keep in mind that a professional wedding planner will most likely be able to haggle with your vendors and may already have contacts they work with often enough to get discounts from. If you can’t afford to hire their full services, you may be able to negotiate a fee to get some consulting advice.

Save Yourself from Unwanted Surprises

Hiring a wedding planner may seem like an unnecessary luxury on a tight budget, but you could save yourself quite a bit of hassle by following the advice of a professional throughout your entire wedding planning experience. If you don’t know where to start for some or all aspects of your wedding or if you’re having your wedding in a different town whose vendors and locations would be unfamiliar to you, a wedding planner becomes even more valuable. Especially as you get closer to your wedding day, your wedding planner will be the one who takes care of any problems or surprises that arise.

You Don’t Need a Pro to Still Get Help

If hiring a wedding planner just isn’t in your budget, talk to your friends and family for a little extra advice. Given the opportunity, your mother, your maid of honour, or even future sister-in-law may be more than happy to take the role as your second in command. Any friends or family you have with extra time on their hands may be happy to take charge on the floral, cake, or catering responsibilities. If you’re going to put certain aspects of your wedding in the hands of your friends and family, just be sure it’s someone you can count on who knows your tastes and understands what you’ll be expecting.

If you choose to hire a wedding planner, be sure to get referrals from your friends and family who have used one in the past and ask for references from any potential planners. It will be up to you how much help you want to get from them, so if you just need a hand on the day of your wedding or you want help with only a few details of the planning process, shop around to see who you can hire on a per service type of basis.

Filed Under: Featured, Wedding Planning 101