Planning the ceremony

The wedding ceremony takes a lot of time and research. Firstly you must contact the minister/ rabbi/ priest and there are certain key questions you should ask.
1. Will you be able to write your own vows, reading, poems etc.

2. Will you be required to undergo councilling pre-wedding?

3. How much does it cost to do the ceremony, if any or will it be a donation?

4. Are there any restrictions?

5. Will the officiant offer advice on your reading chosen and proposed vows?

6. Should you bring your marriage license to the wedding or will you sign it elsewhere?

7. What is needed for the ceremony and will the officiant supply them?

In addition to that you will need to find some musical selections for the prelude, the processional, the ceremony, the recessional and the processional (to the reception).

Wedding Rehearsal

Why do a wedding rehearsal?

A wedding rehearsal is there for you to ensure that on the big day everything flows smoothly and should be held the day before the wedding or if not, a few days before the wedding.

Who should be invited to the wedding rehearsal?

The persons who will play an instrumental part in your wedding should be invited to your wedding. This includes:

1. The Maid of Honour

2. The Best Man

3. The minister

4. The musician/ vocalist

5. The bridesmaids

6. The groomsmen

7. The ring-bearer

8. The flower girl

9. The give-away father

And if there is a wedding planner, he/she should be invited.

What happens at the wedding rehearsal?

At the wedding rehearsal the minister/ or person officiating over the ceremony will show everyone where to stand during the ceremony as well as where to enter and exit as both the processional and recessional should be done smoothly to ensure the free flowing of the ceremony. The vocalist/ musician will also play the music so that persons know the cue on which they start marching etc and the pace at which to walk. The minister or person officiating will also inform the bride and groom of when the vows will be said. At the end of the rehearsal the bride and groom should be confident that the ceremony will take place without and glitches.

Where should the wedding rehearsal take place?

Ideally  the wedding rehearsal should take place at the venue at which it will be taking place on the big day.

The wedding rehearsal is simply a run-through of what the final thing should be therefore it is essential that all persons involved pay close attention to directions and ask the necessary questions if they are not clear. In addition the bride and groom could use the wedding rehearsal to thank everyone for their help during the planning period.

REMEMBER:

End the rehearsal early so that everyone can rest and get prepared for the big day.

Flowers

Planning for your wedding is no small task, as on has to also bear in mind not only the date but the seasons leading up to it. Once such season is that of valentines. Valentines day is just one day in the year when you show the person in your life how much you love and appreaciate them…. what better way to do it than with valentine’s day flowers. http://www.flowersforeveryone.com.au/valentines-day-flowers/ has the perfect gift for valentines day.  You will be ale to choose from a variety of flowers and you can choose the presentation that you would like, whether it is in a box , in a vase, in a pot or simply put with another gift. There is also a wide range of prices that one can choose from so there is a fit for any budget. Giving flowers to that special person in your life should not only be done on valentines day but on every occassion that you find. Remember, taking the step to get married says how much the person means to you, why not make everyday your valentines day? Why not give flowers as your gifts for your valentine.

Thanking your bridal party

The bridal party plays an integral part in ensuring that you have the perfect day that you imagined your wedding would be. There are numerous ways that you can thank them for the role they have played in making your dream day come to reality. Here are some ideas:

Maid of honor

* Personalised cosmetic bag, monogram travel cup, jewel case bag, damask album, personalised travel pen and notepad set.

Bridesmaids Gifts

* Personalised bags, jewelry, mirrors, terry cloth robes, picture frames, keychains.

Groomsmen Gifts

*Personalised business card cases, clocks and watches, money clips, engraved flask and barware.

When you personalise your gifts it says thank you, you mean a lot to me and is more personal. Try these ideas or you can brainstorm for more. :) All the best in shopping for gifts for your bridal party.

Factors to consider when trying to choose the perfect Wedding Gown

Your wedding day is one of the most important days in your life and is one of the few occassions in your life when you are the sole recipient of everyones undivided attention. The dress that you choose for you wedding will be etched inpersons memory for years.As such you will have to dedicate a lot of time, sometimes more than you’ve bargained for into choosing your perfect wedding gown. The choice of dress will be influenced by especially factors; the time of the wedding and the location.

You can choose the ideal fabric to suit your taste. Wedding dresses come in a variety of fabrics from very light materials like chiffon and crepe, through satins and silk to heavy brocades. The time of year that you will be getting married will influence the type of material you choose.For example in the height of summer you will not want a heavy fabric, and likewise a whisper of chiffon may not be the thing if you expect to have to go outside into snowstorms. You may also want to bear in mind how wearable a fabric is; you will be sitting and standing in it all day and you want it to look at its best in all of the photos. Try scrunching an inconspicuous area of the fabric in your hand to see how easy it is to crease.

Think about your big day, and brainstorm and consider the factors that could prevail on such a day….. as all of the factors that come to mind will affect the option that will be your best wedding dress.

Developing the budget for your wedding- Who pays for what

Developing a budget for your wedding is very important. it allows you to be better able to understand the costs associated and the possible sources of income to bear the costs. The first step in developing your budget is deciding who pays for what.

Who pays for what?

Traditionally, the bride’s parents assumed financial responsibility for everything except the flowers and liquor, which are paid for by the groom’s parents. However, society has now moved away from that and now just about anything goes. So you may decide to:

  • Split the budget equally between families
  • Split the budget equally between you and your fiancé
  • Have your fiancé parents and your parents pay for guest they invite
  • Have your parents and your fiancé make a “contribution” to the “wedding fund”
  • List wedding cost and allow parents to choose the expenses they are able and willing to bear.

Bridal Registry

OMG! Planning a wedding can be so hectic. Ok, so you’ve had you engagement party, taken your portraits etc hmmm…….what next? Oh yes, the invitations. Who will be inviting? Well ok, you have an idea of who will be doing this but what kind of presents do you what at your wedding? Do you want only monetary contributions or are there some lively items in your favorite store that you would so love to have in your hubby and yours new home. Your home should reflect a certain style that both you and your new groom have decided upon. Help each other visualize how each room should look. Make suggestions and exchange ideas.

Designate a weekend to look at as many different styles of china, furniture and glassware as possible. Try to see as much as possible. Try to see as much as possible. Given that you like what you see overall, you can choose the stores that will carry your registry. Be sure to enquire about shipping and exchange policies.

Choose items that are functional and well-made. After all, this is the only time in your life that you can get to do this. You want your gifts to last.

Register for things you need first, therefore it is important that you know how to prioritize. Register for a variety of things with different price ranges.

There are several bridal registries that you could visit.

JCPenny Bridal registry

Target

Bed bath and Beyond

Dillard’s

Sears

Waterford

Neiman Marcus

My Registry

Sample Wedding Budget Worksheet

Estimated Cost

Actual cost

JEWELRY

Engagement Ring

Wedding Bands

CHURCH/CEREMONY

Instrumental/Vocalist

Church Fee

Gift to Priest/Rabbi/Pastor

FLOWERS

At Church

Reception Hall

For Wedding Party

For Mothers of Bride & Groom

ATTIRE

Wedding dress and Veil

Tuxedos

Shoes

Trousseau

Clothes for rehearsal dinner or bridal luncheon

INVITATIONS

Printing and Posting costs

PHOTOGRAPHY

Videography

Formal Portraits

Prints

TRANSPORTATION

Limousine Service (if necessary)

RECEPTION

Food and Bar

Caterer

Hall/ Hotel Rental

Wedding Cake

Staff

Extra Gratuities

Favors

GIFTS

Attendants

Groomsmen

Best Man

Maid of Honor

HOTEL

Wedding Night

Out-of-Town Guests

PARTIES

Bridal Luncheon

Rehearsal Dinner

Bachelor Party

HONEYMOON

Air Travel

Hotel

Activities

Transportation

Food

I have created the above budget worksheet to give you an idea of the various things that you will need to cover the cost of that are possibly going to be associated with your wedding depending on its location.

Wedding Checklist

You have so much to do. You never thought that planning a wedding could be this time consuming and you don’t want to forget anything. Well try using my checklist before.

12 MONTHS

  • Announce your engagement to your family and close friends
  • Send your announcement to your local paper
  • Develop a guest list

11 MONTHS

  • Plan a preliminary budget
  • Research wedding and reception locations
  • Select a bridal party and ask each person to participate
  • Settle on a wedding site

10 MONTHS

  • Set your date
  • Book the reception location
  • Interview and select caterer, florist, musician, videographer, wedding director

9 MONTHS

  • Set up your bridal registry
  • Begin wedding dress shopping

8 MONTHS

  • Interview and select priest, pastor, minister, rabbi or judge
  • Interview cake designers, sample cakes and select your cake
  • Begin to review honeymoon locations
  • Finalize overall budget

7 MONTHS

  • Order wedding dress
  • Begin to shop for bridesmaid dresses
  • Finalize guest list

6 MONTHS

  • Begin shopping for invitations and stationery
  • Place order for bridesmaid dresses and accessories
  • Bride and Groom’s mother select dresses
  • Reserve rental equipment (chairs, linens etc)

5 MONTHS

  • Purchase thank you notes and write thank yous for gifts and parties
  • Select wedding favors
  • Shop for wedding rings
  • Begin shopping for groom’s wedding attire
  • Send tux measurement forms to groomsmen
  • Finalize dates for bachelorette party and shower

4 MONTHS

  • Order tuxes
  • Order wedding stationery

Invitations

Announcements

Envelopes and seals

Reception cards

Response cards

Informal cards

Thank you notes

  • Book honeymoon
  • Schedule appointments for trial hair and makeup
  • Book block of rooms for out-of-town guest

3 MONTHS

  • Purchase postage for invitations
  • Begin addressing invitations
  • Plan seating arrangements for reception
  • Purchase wedding accessories- guest book, ring bearer pillow, toasting glasses, unity candle, flower basket, serving set
  • Choose or write vows
  • Book hair, nail, makeup appointments
  • Select and mail invitations for rehearsal dinner

2 MONTHS

  • Mail invitations to arrive six weeks before the wedding date
  • Address and stamp wedding announcements
  • Arrange for friend to send announcements on wedding day
  • Purchase gifts for bridal party
  • Schedule first fitting
  • Apply for marriage license
  • Attend showers

1 MONTH

  • Start tracking gifts and thank yous written
  • Finalize ceremony plan
  • Submit wedding program to stationer
  • Finalize transportation of family, party and out of town guest
  • Pick up wedding rings
  • Make arrangement for bridesmaid luncheon
  • Get forms for name change on driver’s license, insurance plans, bank account etc
  • Schedule second bridal fitting

3 WEEKS

  • Reconfirm hotel reservation for guests as well as for honeymoon
  • Purchase dinner seating cards for guests

2 WEEKS

  • Determine the final guest count from response cards
  • Contact guests who have not responded
  • Pack for honeymoon
  • Send final payment to suppliers
  • Get hair trimmed

1 WEEK

  • Pick up gown and accessories
  • Gather wedding accessories : put in a bag or box ready to go
  • Make time to relax
  • Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

Wedding Invitation Wording

Now that you are engaged and have had your engagement party, taken your engagement portraits and have decided upon a date by sending out you save the date cards/magnets it is now time for you to decide on your wedding invitations. Your wedding invitations are very important in conveying the team of your wedding. In your wedding invitation you may also include the theme/color of the wedding and request that the guest doesn’t wear that color. You and you fiance can come to an agreement as it relates to the colors that you would want to choose. This may tie in with the save the dates that you sent out. The wording of the invitations is also just as important as the invitation itself.

These are some examples of how to word your invitation depending on if both parents are inviting or the parents of the bride are inviting the guests.

IF BOTH PARENTS ARE INVITING

EXAMPLE 1

When i look in your eyes

I can face the world

When you smile i can do anything. We

BRIDE

&

GROOM

request the honor of your presence

as we celebrate the love we have

found and are united

forever

as one.

EXAMPLE 2

BRIDE’s PARENTS

&

GROOM’s PARENTS

invite you to share in the joy

of holy matrimony uniting their children

BRIDE

&

GROOM

on DATE

at PLACE

Reception follow at PLACE

RSVP: DATE

IF BRIDES PARENTS ARE INVITING

For everything there is a season

A season to give and a season to receive

We request the pleasure of your company as we

BRIDE’s PARENTS

give

BRIDE

to

GROOM

on

DATE

at

TIME & PLACE

Reception follows at PLACE.

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