Planning
It´s never to early to make arrangements. You will be surprised at the money you can save by spreading your buying over time. Start the planning process immediately, the day after the proposal is not too soon! Where to start planning.
Summer Brides
Remember that competition breeds inflated pricing. With the popularity of these months for weddings, you must start early to ensure availability of your desired venue and services. The sooner you begin the more control you will have over the pricing. Make sure that you get all quotes and contracts in writing!
Outside ceremonies & receptions.
Take into account Mother Nature. Wind conditions VS hairstyles, veils. Beach Ceremonies: The more wind the louder the ocean is. Afternoon weddings: Heat in July, August, September......Groom & Groomsmen are in full tuxedos....be careful of heat exhaustion. Check this web site for sunrise/sunset times if you are planning a twilight/sunrise ceremony.
Hair
Make sure that you have a practice hair session a month before the ceremony, and the final cut two weeks before the wedding. Don´t forget to bring your veil so you will have a true idea of the final effect.
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Don't feel pressured into purchasing a headpiece because it "matches your dress". Instead look for a detail from the gown you would like to enhance and find a headpiece that complements. It may be pearls, a flower detail, or the trim. Or match the flowers in your bouquet.
Remember to wear a button down shirt when you're getting your make-up and hair done. Otherwise it's either mess up your finished look or cut off your shirt! When you're ready, step into your gown, rather than pulling it over your head.
If you have short hair you might want to choose a tiara that won't need lots of pinning to hold it in place. Light, delicate tiaras or Alice band styles go well with short hair.
Bouquet & Garter
Many people feel uncomfortable, awkward, or get a little out of hand during the traditional bouquet and garter throw. Here is something different to replace that traditional event, and make your reception very memorable and touching. Invite all the married couples to the dance floor and have your entertainment person play several lovely, slow songs. Have the entertainment person tell all couples married two hours or less to sit down (everyone will get a kick out of that). Then a few moments later, have them announce that any married a year or less should sit down, then five years, ten years, and so on - until there is only one couple left. Ask the couple to stay on the dance floor while the bride takes a seat and the groom makes a big show of removing her garter. Then bride and groom face the couple, congratulate them on their length of marriage and ask them for their best marriage advice while presenting them with the bouquet and garter! Then the disc jockey can play a song while the oldest and youngest marriage have a slow dance!
Kids @ Weddings
Most couples have very strong opinions about having or not having kids at their wedding. It may seem natural to you that they'd be there for every part of it, or you may despise the thought of rug rats running
around the cake table. If you would prefer not to have kids at your wedding, you can omit their names from invitations, and spread the word verbally of your preference. It is never appropriate to put "no children please" or anything similar in your invitation. And, for backup measures, it might be a good idea to have a baby-sitter on hand at the ceremony and reception with activities and food plans for any children that still make the trip.
Parents / Grand Parents
Bride's Father
In the past a big responsibility of the bride's fathers dealt with the financial aspects of the wedding and surrounding events. Today many brides and grooms are more independent and take it upon themselves to pay for 1/2, if not all of the expenses themselves. * On the wedding day, the bride is accompanied to the church by her father.
* The bride's father escorts his daughter up the aisle and gives her away during the ceremony. * If the couple plans on a wedding breakfast, the father will sit next to the bride at the main table during the wedding breakfast.
* The bride's father makes the first speech at the wedding breakfast (this is when he makes a toast to the bride and groom.
Bride's Mother
The bride's mother helps her daughter with every aspect of the wedding that the daughter includes her in. Such aspects she helps her daughter with include but are not limited to; the wedding arrangements and decisions, compilation of the guest list, and sending out invitations. The mother should help in any way possible while keeping in mind that this is her daughter's day. * The mother of the bride not only stands proudly watching her little girl get married, but she also sees to it that all arrangements are carried out as planned.
* The mother of the bride also stands in the receiving line to greet the guests, along with her husband. The mother of the bride sees to it that all arrangements are carried out as planned.
Groom's Parents Although the groom's parents are just as important as the
bride's, there are no traditional roles that the groom's parents carry
out on this special day. It is also important to make sure that the
groom's parents don't feel left out of this joyous event. Today, it
isn't unusual for the groom's parents to make a considerable
contribution to the event, where as in the past, it was said that it
should be a wedding obligation of the bride's family. As said previously
it is even more common to see many independent couples who take it upon
themselves to pay for 1/2, if not all of the expenses themselves. On the
part of the bride, it is in great taste to ask the advice and approval
of her future in-laws, and to make sure they are included in as much of
the wedding preparations as possible.
