Archive for category Wedding Planning

It’s no secret that we’re heading into a tough year and brides more then ever are paying attention to the bottom line – the budget.  No matter what type of budget you have to work with – there are a few basic tips that every brides needs to look at when she begins her wedding planning in 2009.

Tip #1: Set a Detailed Budget

Gone are the days where an estimated budget and a credit card are good enough. Today, brides need to know not only what they are spending but also how they are paying for it.

Start by taking an honest look at what you have available to you. This may include money you have saved, money you can put in during the coming months, or gifts from parents who wish to help with the wedding. Try, as much as possible, to rely mainly on funds already available so that you aren’t left scrambling for funds if your income changes during the planning stages.  Be honest with what you have available to you – it’s not wise to go into debt for anything right now – including a wedding!

Once you have a realistic dollar amount, then you can create a detailed budget showing how much you have available to spend in each area as you start planning.

Tip #2: Get Expert Advice

Most of us have never done this before – and hope to never do it again.  It’s frightening how many brides take on a huge event like a wedding with absolutely no experience or guidance! This expert advice doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either. In fact, my top recommendation would be Amazing Wedding Planner!

Amazing Wedding Planner is a eBook – that means you purchase it online and download it immediately. The eBook is an invaluable planning tool that gives you an insider look at all the tips and ideas that can help you save money on your wedding – even cutting your costs in half! The Amazing Wedding Planner also comes with some bonuses you’ll find very useful – like a computer organization program you can use to track and plan all the details for your wedding.  The complete package sells for $39.95 – and it has a money back guarantee but I doubt you’ll need that. It will save you hundreds of dollars!

Don’t try to do it alone! Over the years, I have seen countless brides throwing money down the drain simply because they don’t know the insider secrets of wedding planning. A small investment in expert advice like you’ll find in Amazing Wedding Planner will pay for itself a hundred times over!

Tip #3: Do Your Research

I don’t think I can stress this enough! Don’t just pick the first vendor you like. Take time to look into the different options before you make a final choice. This goes for everything from your venue to your favors! Take time to visit all the possible venue choices in your area and get a complete quote. Ask about hidden costs, rules, etc.  Do this for your photographer, your florist, your caterer, your viedographer and more – even small things like favors. If you have a specific favor you like, research different sources. You may find the same favor for slightly cheaper or with free shipping at another source- those little savings can add up quickly.

Tip #4:  Know Your Priorities

It’s so easy to get caught up in all the little details and most wedding budgets are blown because of all the little extras that end up adding up to a lot more money. Start your planning by looking at the big picture and deciding what your priorities are. Is it important to you to be able to invite all of your friends and distant relatives? Have you always wanted a specific venue? What aspects of the wedding are the most important to you?

Together with your fiance, choose 3 to 4 things that are very important to you and concentrate on those areas first. Then, as you begin planning, you can weigh the different options you come across against your priorities and easily elimate those things that aren’t that important to you and will just add up to more cost.

Tip #5: You Can’t Please Everyone

Seriously – you can’t! So stop trying! If you’ve decided that your budget and priorities are best suited to a afternoon wedding with a punch and cake reception – don’t change your plans because Aunt Mabel thinks it’s rude. Of course, you want your guests to have fun – but in the end it is your wedding and your money. Don’t waste your money and add extra stress over things that aren’t important to you just to make other happy.

Now don’t go all bridezilla on me either k? Yes – it matters what your mom or your future mother in law or your best friend think – at least enough that you need to exercise some tact. If you are choosing NOT to impliment something they suggested because of finances, be honest about it. If your  mother in law wants something you can’t afford – let her know that budget is an issue but if she’d like to provide she is more then welcome.  If it’s something you just really don’t want – find a nice way to let them know that it just doesn’t fit with the type of wedding you and your fiance are going for.

(ARA) – The role of the maid of honor can turn into a dress rehearsal for the day when it is your turn to be the bride. The bride’s maid of honor typically has a very close personal relationship with the bride and often serves as confidant and advisor on a variety of issues. Preparations can include selecting wedding colors; choosing the bridesmaid dresses, the caterer and flowers; identifying a location for the wedding and the reception; and hosting a bridal shower.

This position of honor can be loaded with a lot of work and responsibility as well as a lot of fun. Typical maid-of-honor duties often include shopping with the bride, arranging transportation for the bridal party, communicating plans and responsibilities to the bridal party, selecting and sending out wedding invitations, ensuring the bridal party gets to rehearsals on time, helping during the rehearsal dinner and other events and making sure the reception runs smoothly.

“Deciding to marry is a big step and preparing for a wedding is an extremely stressful process,” says Dr. Douglas Whiteside, director of the Argosy University Seattle Psychology Center. “The bride needs reliable and trusted people around her to help make decisions and transact business. Therefore, the role of the maid of honor is critical in helping the bride cope with the demands of planning a wedding and preparing for a new life.”

She also has official duties such as signing the marriage license along with the best man and participating in the first dance with the best man, holding the groom’s ring during the ceremony, holding the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony and toasting the newlyweds during the reception. Then there are the tender tasks of helping to prepare the bride just before her grand march down the aisle by fixing her hair, adjusting the veil and wiping tears to avoid smudging makeup, along with the tedious task of helping to keep track of the wedding gifts and money cards.

Lest we forget, the toughest task for the maid of honor is the unofficial duty of keeping the bride calm, being a sounding board for the bride and offering thoughtful opinions when major decisions are being made. There is also the responsibility of keeping the bride calm the day of the wedding when nerves and anxiety will be at their peak. Screaming at the caterer, banquet hall attendant or church clerk over a forgotten detail can raise the stress level of the bride and those around her prior to the wedding. This can take the mood of this festive occasion in a wrong direction.

Assisting the bride through this delicate and stressful process also means looking out for her emotional well-being. The maid of honor often tells jokes to make the bride laugh and help reduce her stress level, and makes sure the bride eats healthy meals to keep her nourished and balanced. On top of all that, the best maid of honor must be a good listener in order to provide the necessary emotional support the bride needs leading up to and the day of the wedding, as she prepares for the start of her new life.

Courtesy of ARAcontent