Saturday, February 21, 2009

10 tips to get you planning


1. Set a Date!
First, sit down with your fiancé and look at your work calendars and vacation schedules to see the best date for both of you. Before finalizing the date, review a calendar to see if you can take advantage of a national holiday that would afford your traveling guests a long weekend. If you are having an outdoor wedding or destination wedding, keep in mind the seasons. You don't want to get stuck in bad weather!

2. Location, location, location!
Begin looking at locations immediately, as they book far in advance. Ask the venue if your wedding date is available and get their rates to review. If your heart is set on holding your wedding at a particular venue and your date is not available, you need to be flexible and adjust your date.

3. Set a Budget!
The cost of the location is one of your biggest expenses and now that you have begun looking at them, you have an idea of the cost. You are now ready to set a budget. You need to see how much you and your fiancé will both be contributing to the budget, and how much your parents may be able to contribute as well.

4. Hire an Expert!
Now that you have a budget in mind, it's time to call in the expert! Yes, highly recommend that you hire a wedding planner/coordinator, Wedding planners and coordinators work closely with vendors on a daily basis, so they know whom to use, and they can get you the best prices!
Wedding planners were once thought of as a luxury item. Today, they are viewed as a necessity. What they save you on your contracts alone will cover their fees. Plus, planning a wedding is a lot of work, so they really earn their fees and keep you sane!

5. Purchase Your Wedding Gown.
The wedding gown is the most important aspect of the wedding because it sets the tone. As you look at wedding dresses, keep in mind that if you wish to special order one, you'll need to purchase it 6-7 months in advance, so that the store can ensure it arrives on time for your fittings, bridal portraits and wedding. You can always buy one off the rack, but you still need to give yourself time for alterations.
If you are dieting, you don't want to alter your gown too far in advance because if you lose a large amount of weight, the alteration fees may end up costing you more money and unnecessary stress.

6. Decide the Style and Theme.
Now that you wedding gown is purchased, you can sit down with your wedding planner and decide on the style and theme of your wedding. You'll want to decide carefully if your wedding is going to be informal, semi-formal or formal. Be sure that your style and theme reflect both you and your groom!

7. Book Your Officiant.
Pastors, priests, and other ordained wedding officiants get extremely busy with weddings and other obligations, so book them early so that you can get on their schedule. Plus, many require that you take a wedding preparation class from them before the wedding.

8. Book Your Vendors.
Now that you have your date, your budget and your wedding planner, it's time to start booking your vendors. You'll need to book your location first if you haven't already, as that is the most important vendor. The location sites also have rules on outside vendors, so you'll need to know them before booking anyone else. At this point, let your wedding consultant book your appointments and negotiate fees.

9. Select and Order Your Invitations.
Once your location and date are set in stone, it's time to order your invitations. It’s recommended that you order your invitations at least 3 months in advance so that you have plenty of time to get them addressed and mailed 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding.

10. Select Your Tuxedos.
It is important that you order your tuxedos at least 3 months in advance, especially if you have out-of-town attendants. This will give your groomsmen, ushers and fathers of the bride and groom time to get measured and fitted. Keep in mind the style of the wedding gown, the colors of the wedding; Select a tuxedo that is reflective of both the groom and the tone of the wedding.
The wedding colors or bridesmaids' dress color can be used as the accent color in the groomsmen accessories. This will help tie in the wedding colors and make the pictures vibrant.
Here is another valuable tip. If the wedding gown is white, the tuxedo shirts all need to be white. If the wedding gown is ivory, the tuxedo shirts need to be ivory. In your wedding pictures, you don't want your wedding gown to look dingy next to the tuxedos or vice versa!

Now relax, have fun and Enjoy!