By Gail Vince, executive summarized by Andromeda

wedding-planning

At long last he has said those magic words ‘will you marry me’. You are now engaged. The wedding date has been set. What now?

Here are a few tips to help you organize and plan your wedding to ensure nothing is forgotten or left behind.

You have been to the local newsagent and bought the latest bridal magazine. There are pages and pages of photos of beautiful wedding dresses, rings, shoes and accessories and it is full of ads on what to buy and where to buy it. There is some information on what the requirements are at a wedding but not enough for you to really get started.

Start planning your special day now, get organized instead of rushing, and have the wedding of your dreams.

Careful planning will enable you to truly enjoy every moment of your Wedding Day. Arrangements for a large conventional wedding should ideally commence between 8 – 12 months prior to the wedding date. In saying this, weddings have been planned in as little as 6 weeks and have been very successful. By using a wedding timetable (this is a list of to do’s) you can follow a list of time frames to complete tasks, 12, 6, 3 and 2 months before, 6 weeks before, 2 weeks before and 1 week before the big day.

Don’t forget delegation! Family and friends love to help for special occasions so use them. Bounce ideas off them, get their opinion, you don’t have to act on their advice however more ideas are better than none to be able to make an informed decision.

wedding-research

Research and systems

When doing your research you will collect large amounts of; information, photos, samples, receipts and business cards, therefore you will need to create a system to keep all your wedding details in the one place.

It may be a ring binder with tabs for each category, or an expansion file where you are able to quickly locate information. Some of the categories may include; Wedding Dress, Men’s Attire, Bridesmaid Dresses, Catering, Reception, Photography, Florist, Wedding Vehicles, Music, etc.

You could also create a scrapbook and cut images from magazines, print them off websites, insert photo’s you may have taken or photo’s from other peoples weddings. With a scrapbook you will be able to see how items work together to help you coordinate the theme of your wedding. Hints and tips can be noted, for example, place a disposable camera on each table (these are the shots you wouldn’t normally get) and place your guests name on both sides of their name card so other guests know who is sitting at the table.

Keep a list of the most important aspects of your wedding; the venue, the entertainment and your wedding dress. When you feel you are getting bogged down with all irrelevant details, refer back to what are the most important aspects of your special day.
Budget

Set a budget and stick to it! Weddings can be beautiful and fashionable without costing a fortune. By carefully budgeting, prioritizing and the assistance from family and friends you can have a wedding that is as good as any of the celebrity weddings at a third of the cost.

You may wish to open a bank account specifically for wedding expenses. This way you can keep track of all your expenses. Choose an account which offers a high interest rate on balances to get the best from your account and you may then be able to include those items that you thought you couldn’t afford from the interest.

Guest List

Start by writing down all the people you know. Then start a separate list from the people on the first list who are important to you, the people who you really want to share your special day. Then continue to fine tune your list until you are at a number which is within your budget. Remember, for every name you add to your list the more money you will have to spend or you will have to do without in other areas of your planning.

The Latest Wedding Trends

color-wedding-dress

Color! Color! Color! White is out, color is in!

Champagne, ivory, platinum or pink are some of the color replacing the traditional white wedding dress. By using color for the wedding dress this creates endless exciting possibilities as far as the rest of the decor goes. Colorful linen, napkins, tablecloths and chair covers, can be used to enhance the overall theme of your wedding.

Checkout my other guide on Wedding Reception.

by Nathalie Fiset, executive summarized by Andromeda.

Wedding receptions are the most fun part of the wedding. After husband and wife exchange vows, everyone comes together in the wedding receptions to celebrate new life, and love together through music, food, and drink. Wedding receptions can be held in gardens, hotel ballrooms, in your backyard, clubs, by the shore in a beach, on a lakeside, restaurants, and anywhere with a vast land such as wine countries. It can be formal or informal depending on the way you like it to be, but appropriate for everyone else as well.

By working on the venue of your wedding reception, here are some ideas to make wedding reception decor planning a breeze.

1.      Outdoor weddings.

outdoor wedding decoration

If you are having an outdoor wedding, it’s much better to keep the decor up to the minimum since nature is already a decor itself. An open air reception already gives a good backdrop and necessary ambiance. Supplement the nature with light complementing colors as a backdrop just to have a focal point. If it is a wedding reception by the beach or lake, use light, free flowing material for the table clothes, napkins, or any drapes. White and ivory provide a good contrast. You can put up pillars to hold up a tent, and decorate it with leaves and sheer cloth for a grand walkway, depending on your location.

Clear candle holders are a great way to add some lighting and romance when night falls, otherwise take advantage of the natural light that outdoor receptions provide. For centerpieces, a large clear bowl with floating candles and flowers adds a delicate touch of sparkle. Use soft and pale colors for the candles, like white, blush pink, or pale yellow.

Flowers are a must in a garden wedding. Flowers, in various kinds and textures, add color and life to a wedding. If you want to tone down the mood, you can use white and ivory flowers such as lilies and roses. For more casual receptions, a variety of colorful flowers can be used. Great color combinations for flowers to consider, depending on your theme, are yellow and pink, green and white, purple and white, red and white, deep purple and lavender, and blush pink with yellow.

For lighting, torches are a great idea for garden and beach weddings. Placing them around the perimeter of the reception will be the most ideal way to use them. Hanging lights are also great for lighting up a tent, you can choose from a variety of designs to suit your style. You can also hang lace strategically where the wind blows; it adds a pretty accent to the natural setting. Christmas lights and Japanese lanterns hanging from a wire around the location are an affordable alternative as well.

Choose a good material for an outdoor dancing area. Use a simple two inch wooden square area, or an elevated platform with railings. You can brighten up the dancing area with hanging lights and colorful lighting. For beach weddings, rattan or straw mats with pillows for guests to sit down and talk on are also great.

Make sure to plan for emergencies, if you are having your wedding during a time of year when rains are a possibility, always have a back up plan.

2.      Indoor weddings.

indoor wedding decoration

You can amplify the style, color, glamour and drama in your reception for indoor weddings. If you are going to hire a disc jockey, depending on the type of music you will be playing, you can get one or more disco balls to hang from the ceiling to add a more celebratory vibe.

Spreading delicate rose petals on tables are a lovely touch, and the centerpieces can vary from elaborate to simple. Some ideas for simple centerpieces would be a simple glass vase with just one or two flowers in it, the delicate beauty of white flower buds are great too.

For daytime indoor weddings, liven up your table with wildflowers, daisies, roses or carnations as a centerpiece. If your wedding theme is very simple, you can take advantage by adding color through the centerpiece. Go ahead and experiment with two or more colors.

Lace or ribbons can also be added as accent to indoor wedding decor. Use a sheer lace as tablecloth, or around candles, torches, or other forms of lighting you might use. You can use two ribbons of contrasting colors to add drama and elegance. Some combinations are: black and white, black and gold, deep purple and magenta, deep red and rust, white and silver, gold and purple. You can also use ribbons to tie flowers on the back of chairs.

Bubble machines are also good additions for indoor weddings, especially if a lot of children and young people are going to attend the wedding.

Most importantly, keep the convenience of the guests in top priority. The best is to keep it simple, but work around your creativity and your color schemes.

Checkout my other guide on Wedding Accessories.