You can focus on your wedding planning and get it done it a short time or you can take the same amount of time or longer and stretch it out over weeks or months. How long will it take to plan your wedding? It is up to you.
You’ve already completed the wedding tasks for months 12 through 6 on the do-it-yourself wedding planning schedule. A lot of the big plans are already in place like your choosing your ceremony site, invitation ordering and bridesmaid’s dress selection. You are probably already seeing certain parts of your wedding come together and you can be proud that you played a large part in getting it all done.
Now you’re on the home stretch. Most of the plans are in place and it’s mainly details at this point. But, there’s still a lot of little things to do. Continue using this planning schedule to keep your do-it-yourself wedding on track.
3 Months Before
Order Favor Pieces
Decide which favors you’ll give at your reception and then order the parts that you’ll need from wholesalers or craft shops. Be sure to order a few extra pieces to account for assembly mishaps.
Print Invitations and Stamp
Once you get your cardstock and envelopes for do-it-yourself invitations, print invitations and response cards. Special order stamps for the invitations. Place stamps on envelopes for invitations and response cards.
Purchase Flowers and Floral Accessories
Depending on how far in advance you need to order them, put in your order for wedding flowers. Purchase or borrow vases, ribbons, floral tape, floral wire, candles and any other accessories you’ll need to make bouquets and centerpieces.
Order Wedding Rings
If you haven’t already done so, place an order for your and your fiance’s wedding rings. When you shop for wedding rings, look for bargains with simple designs and alternative materials like tanzanite. Let your jeweler know what you budget is and ask how he can work with it. Check online jewelers for discount wedding rings before you make your choice.
Confirm Date and Time
Phone or meet with all of your vendors to confirm the date and time for their arrival at the ceremony or reception place. Review all contracts and what’s included.
Set up Dress Fittings
Arrange dress fittings up through the final fitting before your wedding day. Also, purchase or borrow any bridal accessories like your veil, shoes and jewelry.
Order Cake
Decide on your cake flavor and put in your order for it. If you want to cut costs here, consider getting your cake from a local grocery store. You can also order things like fondant or gum paste flowers online and place them on a white cake to avoid extra decorating costs from the baker.
Make Honeymoon Reservations
Arrange your airfare and hotel stay for your honeymoon.
2 Months Before
Mail Invitations
Drop wedding invitations off at your area post office.
Assemble Favors
Whether you do it on your own or you have a “favor assembly party” with your bridesmaids, now is the time to make your wedding favors.
Decide on Wedding Makeup
Look through some magazines and determine your wedding day hair and makeup. If you’re enlisting a friend to do your makeup, give her a heads up and start purchasing any additional makeup that you’ll need.
Make Music Playlists
With your fiance’s input, decide on the songs that you want to play at the wedding. Using an mp3 player and software (such as itunes), create playlists for the different segments of your wedding ceremony and reception. If a friend is singing at the wedding, go over the music selection. Arrange for speakers to be placed at the wedding site that will accommodate the mp3 player.
Assemble Gifts for Bridal Party
Whatever you’ve chosen to give your bridal party, start creating it now. Photo albums, jewelry or personalized mugs are nice gifts that you can make on your own.
Plan Rehearsal Dinner
Decide on the menu that you’ll serve at the rehearsal dinner and pick the place to host it. Having at a public park or a friend’s house are both inexpensive options.
2 Weeks Before
Reconfirm Appointments
Call or meet with all of your vendors to reconfirm the wedding day arrangements. Enlist a friend to meet and direct vendors at the ceremony and reception sites.
Hair and Makeup Runthrough
Practice your wedding day hair and makeup. Ask a friend her opinion and take a few polaroids or digital photos to see the effect.
The Day of Your Wedding
Send a Friend
Whoever you’ve designated to meet the vendors should be at the ceremony and reception sites at least one hour prior to the wedding.
Place Flowers and Favors
Get to the ceremony and reception site in time to put the centerpieces and favors in the right place. Distribute bouquets to your bridesmaids and ask a friend to give flowers to the men. Be sure that the cake is placed on the correct table.
Set up Music
Have your fiance make sure that the mp3 player is set up with speakers at the appropriate area. Enlist a friend to monitor the music throughout the reception.
Do Hair and Makeup
Get your makeup and hair supplies together and do your makeup. Take your time and don’t rush.
Have Fun
You’ve taken care of all the last minute details. Relax and have fun at the wedding you’ve worked so hard to create.
And now you’re done! Congratulations. By doing your wedding on your own, you’ve saved lots of money and you still had a fabulous wedding. Enjoy the honeymoon, you deserve it.
You have completed Part One of your wedding planning schedule. You’ve already done a lot for your wedding all on your own and saved some money along the way. Are you ready for more do-it-yourself wedding tips? Read on and stay organized with Part Two of the Do It Yourself Wedding Planning Schedule.
8 Months Before
Arrange Photography
For a do-it-yourself wedding, you have a few different options when it comes to photography. You can hire a professional, you can ask a friend or relative to take photos or you can enlist your wedding guests to take photos using disposable cameras. If you decide to have a professional or a close friend take your wedding pictures, you should make arrangements now. If you want to go the disposable camera route, go ahead and purchase the cameras as soon as you know the size of your guest list.
Set up Reception and Ceremony Rentals
Since you’re not using a big reception hall for your wedding, you’ll need to arrange for all of the chair and table rentals involved. Ask your contact at the ceremony and reception space to see what they provide and then start looking to fill in the gaps. When you reserve the rental equipment, be sure to find out if set up and break down is included – that’s probably not the kind of thing that you want to be doing yourself if you can help it.
Book Officiant
Whether you use your lifetime family priest or a non-denominational officiant, you should know that the best and most charismatic officiants book up quickly. Reserve your officiant as soon as you find one that you and your fiance like.
Select Attendants
Choose your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Keep in mind that you’ll need people in these positions that will be reliable when you need their help to make wedding favors or pack wedding gifts into your getaway car.
Order Bridesmaids Gowns
Gather your bridesmaids and head to the bridal store to select bridesmaids gowns. If the gowns will be made by a seamstress, select patterns and arrange for each bridesmaid to be measured for her dress.
Browse for Wedding Rings
Look online or go to your jeweler and check out different wedding ring styles. If you want something special, order it now. Engraving or special designs can take months to arrive. Otherwise, just get an idea of what’s out there at this point.
6 Months Before
Arrange Wedding Day Transportation
Whether you’re hiring a limo service or borrowing a friend’s sports car for the wedding, you need to arrange your wedding day transportation in advance. If you want to use a limo service, consider using an “airport” limo service. Don’t mention that the limo is for your wedding and you’ll save a few bucks.
Reserve Men’s Attire
Make an appointment and have your fiance and his groomsmen get fitted for formal wear. During the fitting, you can decide on accessories like vests or handkerchief. If you are using more casual wear for your wedding, let the groomsmen know what they need to purchase.
Find Invitation Wording
Since you’re going with do-it-yourself wedding invitations, you’ll need to find your own invitation wording. There are lots of resources to help you along. Check out a wedding book from your local library or do an internet search. If you have a special family situation, be specific when you do your internet search. Try to use the right wording, but remember nobody is going to double check your etiquette.
Register for Gifts
The 6 month mark is a good time to register for gifts. Go to a few of your favorite stores with your fiance and choose the items that you want to register for. Pick items at many different price points and be practical when choosing patterns and colors. You don’t want to end up with a jumble of different objects that don’t really go together.
Now you’re halfway done with your wedding planning and you’ve already saved a lot of money by doing it on your own. If you keep with the schedule, there’s no reason why doing it yourself can’t be a breeze. Stay tuned for Part Three of the Do It Yourself Wedding Planning Schedule.
Planning a do-it-yourself wedding is a great way to have a low cost wedding with lots of personal touches. With the prices of wedding skyrocketing, more and more brides choose to do some of the wedding details on their own. And thanks to the internet and other wedding resources, doing it yourself has never been easier or more manageable.
But, the tough thing about do-it-yourself weddings is that it is big event planning and there’s no getting around it. With wedding planning, there’s a lot to do and when you do it yourself, you’re responsible for it all. Planning a wedding where you take care of most of the details on your own can be overwhelming. Though doing it yourself is a lot of work, it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience if you can stay organized and do things as they come.
To help you get going, here’s a wedding schedule for the do-it-yourself bride. Follow the guidelines below and you’ll find that you really can do lots for your wedding without getting overwhelmed by the little details.
12 Months Before
Determine Your Wedding Budget
This is something that you and your fiance should do together. You’ve probably already given some thought to your budget since you’ve decided to take on some of the wedding plans yourself. Once you make up your budget, every other decision will be easier to make.
Decide the Size and Theme of Your Wedding
Sit down with your fiance and talk about the kind of wedding you want to have. Determine how many people you’d like to invite, keeping your budget in mind. Brainstorm a few possible dates for your wedding.
Book Your Location and Caterer
The location rental and the caterer for your wedding will represent the highest cost. To save money, look into using a public space (like a local park or historic place) as the spot for your wedding. Be prepared with your wedding budget and date when you talk to possible caterers. Work with the caterer to find the best use for your money. Also discuss any rentals that the catering company may be able to provide.
Create and Send Engagement Announcements
Buy card stock online or in a craft store. Using a wordprocessing program, create a template for your engagement announcements. Print the announcements and send them to friends and family.
10 Months Before
Make up Your Guest List and Decide Wedding Colors
Since you’ve already determined the general size of your wedding, go through and make up a list of friends and family for the guest list. Don’t forget to consult your parents and your fiance’s parents. Narrow down the list until it meets your wedding size criteria. Select the main color palette for your wedding using online resources, wedding books or magazines.
Begin Looking At Flower Suppliers
Whether you decide to use real flowers or silk ones, you’ll need to start looking at where you can purchase your blooms. Many floral wholesalers offer flowers for wedding in bulk and have websites where you can look at their offerings. Get an idea of what types of flowers you’ll want to use and then how many stems you’ll need. Also look at the ordering process to see when you should to put in your order and when your flowers will arrive.
Select Your Wedding Gown or Meet with Your Seamstress
If you’re buying your gown from a bridal shop, select your gown and order it. If you are working with a seamstress to create your gown, select a pattern and meet with your seamstress to determine when the dress will be finished.
Begin Looking at Invitations
Start looking at card stock and work out the cost for do-it-yourself invitations. Begin working on a wordprocessing program to create a template for your invitations. Order the card stock and any other paper accessories like envelopes and response cards.
Now you have a general idea of what you need to get done 10 to 12 months before your wedding. Keep on track for those first few months of wedding planning and you’ll be able to take care of most of the details without getting stressed. Stay tuned for Part Two of the Do-It-Yourself Wedding Planning Schedule.
Even the the most educated, organized, well-intentioned couples can make some of the biggest mistakes when it comes to planning their own weddings. Here are some whoppers that, with a little forethought and planning, you can avoid.
1. Spending Without a Budget
Absolutely the first thing you should do when it comes to the actual event planning is to decide together what style of wedding you want, which vendors are the most important to the both of you, how much money you can afford to spend on your event, and how to allocate those funds. Spend a little time researching general vendor costs so that you will know what to expect and then outline a budget and put it on paper. As you begin spending your money, stick to your budget. If you find you need more money than budgeted for a particular vendor, reallocate those funds from another vendor rather than over-spending altogether. Be realistic… sure, this is your wedding and you want it to be perfect, but keep these two things in mind. First, the real purpose of your wedding is to join the two of you together as husband and wife. As long as is happens, your real goal is achieved. Second, your wedding day really is just one day out of a lifetime of days with your partner. Do you really want to be in debt for years to come because of one party? It’s nice to dream, but a lavish wedding on a shoestring budget can easily turn into financial nightmare – and a source of recurring arguments – once the party is over.
2. Not Researching Legal and/or Religious Requirements Early
Find out where and when you must obtain your marriage license. In Illinois, you must obtain your marriage licence at the County Clerk’s Office in the county in which you will be married, regardless of your home address. No blood tests are required for Illinois marriages; however, even if you are a resident of Illinois, blood tests may be required if you plan to marry in another state or country. Equally important are the requirements imposed by your religious affiliation and/or the church in which you will marry. You wouldn’t want to pay for flower petals to be dropped by the flower girl and then find out that your church doesn’t allow it. Or show up for the ceremony in your $10,000 strapless gown and find out your church doesn’t allow bare shoulders. Many churches also require pre-marital classes, as well as approval for your music selections, readings, vows, and more.
3. Choosing Bridesmaids’ Attire Not Flattering for All Bridesmaids
Before you even go out on your first gown shopping trip, you should have a discussion with each and every bridesmaid as to each bridesmaid’s likes and dislikes. Likely, your bridal party will be composed of bridesmaids of varying body types. Several of your bridesmaids may also feel self-conscious about a particular part of their body. Yes… you are the bride and it is your day; however, you’ve asked the closest of your family and friends to stand up with you and in support of your union. At the very least, you should want each and every one of them to feel your love and support for them as well. If you’re not able to shop for dresses as a group, make sure to bring the one or two women who will best keep in mind the desires and needs of other members of the party and not simply their own.
4. Poor Bachelor/Bachelorette Party Planning
How many times have we seen blooper videos of grooms passing out during the wedding ceremony, or falling face first into the wedding cake? Getting completely trashed the night before your wedding makes for a miserable wedding day, complete with hundreds to thousands of dollars of you looking sick, faint, or simply hungover in wedding photos and videos. Momentos that were meant to remind you for a lifetime of the love you shared for one another on that special day can quickly turn into constant reminders of your insensitivity, thoughtlessness, and lack of consideration for both your spouse and guests. Make it clear – very clear – to your family and friends long before your wedding date arrives that, under no circumstance, will you attend any bachelor or bachelorette party on the night before your nuptials. Equally important is to make wise choices for your rehearsal dinner; it is just that, a rehearsal dinner, not an excuse to throw down pitchers of beer with your bridal party the night before your wedding! If you can’t take seriously the ceremony – the one day – that binds you together as husband and wife for the rest of your lives, how seriously can you possibly be taking your marriage vows?
5. Asking Friends/Family to Act as Wedding Professionals
While it may be true that Uncle George takes some beautiful pictures, it is still NOT okay to ask him to act as your wedding photographer! Why, you ask? First of all, real wedding vendors are trained specifically for providing services for weddings. Wedding photographers, as opposed to Uncle George, know exactly which pictures to take and when to take them, as well as the etiquette involved in providing those services. Secondly, you contract with wedding professionals to provide particular services; with Uncle George, you have to hope for the best and end up doing much of the detail work (ie: photo editing, cropping, printing, etc…) yourself. With wedding professionals, you have recourse if you don’t receive what you’ve paid for; with Uncle George, you have only hurt feelings and regret. And lastly, Uncle George is a relative and a “guest” of your special day. Shouldn’t he be able to enjoy your event without the pressure of providing you with perfect wedding photos? Now, do we really need to get into why Aunt Betty shouldn’t bake your wedding cake?
6. Choosing Wedding Professionals Based Solely on Price
Ever heard the phrase, “you get what you pay for?” There’s probably a reason why Videographer X is only half the price of Videographer Z. Just ask to see samples of their work and you’ll probably see why. When it comes to the “big” vendors (ie: reception venues, photographers, florists, bakeries, etc…), interview several in varying price ranges and compare not only samples of their work, but years of experience, references, and training/education. Also, when talking to each vendor, try to assess whether you would be comfortable working with this vendor and how well their “style” melds with your vision of your special day; this is especially important for vendors who will provide services throughout the day (ie: photographers, videographers, djs, etc…). Your make up artist may be top of the line, but if she makes you feel ugly and self-conscious about your nose size right before your wedding pictures, who needs her!
7. Giving in to “Last Minute Beauty Panic”
No matter how “pasty” you feel the day before your wedding, do not hit the beach or tanning salon! There’s nothing worse than a sun burnt bride with bad tan lines in the wedding photos. No matter how fat you feel 10 days before your wedding, do NOT go on an all-cabbage crash diet! You’re dress won’t fit right and you’ll be weak, tired and cranky on your wedding day…and no matter how much thinner you look, who really finds beauty in a bitchy bride? No matter how large your pores look or how many fine lines you find, do NOT get an emergency microdermabrasion, chemical peel, or laser facial treatment in the week before your wedding, especially if you’ve never before experienced any major facial resurfacing. Scarring and pigmentary changes (light and dark patches) are common side effects of many skin rejuvenation techniques, such as laser resurfacing, dermal abrasion and chemical peels. In fact, don’t even try any new facial soaps, scrubs, lotions or acne treatments in the days before your wedding. Who wants to deal with red, inflamed, irritated skin on their wedding day! Stick to what your skin knows and loves, despite the fines lines and pores, and you’ll be a much happier bride. And lastly, no matter how flat your hair feels, do NOT surprise your hair dresser on the morning of your wedding with a new home perm or hair streaks. If you truly feel the need for a new look for your wedding day, discuss this with your hair dresser during your pre-wedding hair appointment and have her make any major changes needed at that time.
No matter how thoroughly you plan, some mistakes are likely to occur. Remember the real purpose of your wedding day, to marry your soul mate. As long as that happens, does anything else truly matter? If you focus on the mistakes, that’s all you will remember and talk about in the coming years. Resolve to enjoy the day with the one that you love, surrounded by family and friends, no matter what small things may go wrong, and you’ll look back on a wonderful day filled with love and happiness for years to come.
Finding that perfect San Diego job is all about finding that delicate balance between doing something you love, and choosing a viable career path. Wedding planners are in high demand in San Diego, and jobs for these skilled professionals offer the opportunity to help couples and their families plan the wedding of their dreams.
Wedding Planners are responsible for every detail of the wedding planning process, and, as such, much possess the ability to remain calm in times of crisis, negotiate well, establish good connections, and be adept at handling money. In addition, since wedding planners are responsible for the aesthetic aspects of a wedding, they should have, or develop an excellent eye for detail, as well as a good fashion sense, and be able to keep up with the latest trends. Wedding planners can be as involved in everything from the intricacies of menu planning, to the arrangement, color, and type of flowers at the ceremony, and must be sensitive to, and knowledgeable of, various religious ceremonies, beliefs, and practices.
Wedding planners can work for large firms and companies, and this offers the planner the security of a corporate environment, benefits, and the ability to hit the ground running, so to speak. For the other wedding planners, who are usually consultants, the startup costs involved can be daunting. These costs, which are estimated, according to the most recent figures to be approximately 2,000 dollars and up for a computer and software, 100 dollars to 5,000 dollars for marketing via advertisements in the yellow pages and local publications and through direct mail campaigns, 500 dollars and up for a wardrobe, and some allocated for other miscellaneous costs.
As far as education and experience, it is generally recommended that some public relations and event planning courses be taken, but a four year degree in these fields is not an essential condition for employment. Catering experience, as well as experience in interior design, flower arrangements, and contacts in the Bridal industry, are all considered valuable assets.
Wedding planners get to be creative, have fun, and help happy couples realize the wedding of their dreams. It is a job that is always changing, never boring, and requires a dynamic, creative, hardworking individual in order for it to develop into a successful career path. If you feel that you meet these requirements, why not look into the wedding planning field when searching for your next San Diego job. You, and your future clients, will be glad that you did.
The wedding business is booming! Every year, almost 2.5 million couples tie the knot in the United States, spending an average of $20,000 a couple — making it a $72 billion industry. Planning and organizing a wedding is still a major undertaking and many couples simply don’t have the time to devote to it — and are more than happy to leave the planning to a professional.
The demand for wedding planners is booming too — an estimated 15% of couples now use the services of a professional wedding planner. Being a wedding planner allows you to be your own boss; it’s a profession that most people consider to be fun and rewarding — and there are no particular educational qualifications or requirements. Around 10,000 people in the United States claim to be professional wedding planners.
As a wedding planner, you are responsible for every aspect of the wedding — flowers, photography, food and perhaps accommodation for out of town guests. You also have to enjoy dealing with people, as that is essentially what you will be doing much of the time, as a wedding planner. And perhaps one of the most important qualities is simply to be well organized and efficient — you don’t want to find that you forgot to book the caterers for the big day!
Starting a wedding business is not much different from any other business — although start up costs tend to be minimal. You will need a small office to work from, or a quiet space in your home — keep in mind your clients may meet with you there. You will need such basics as a separate phone line, fax machine and business cards and you may need to register your business in your county or state. Having your own web site is an essential too.
A portfolio is also an excellent thing to show potential clients. If you aren’t sure where to start, offer your services to family and friends in exchange for being able to take and use photographs. Your portfolio should contain photographs of any weddings you have helped to plan — anything from the flowers and the table settings to the catering and the choice of venue. Reference letters from some satisfied clients are always a nice finishing touch.
The best way to become experienced as a wedding planner is to learn all you can about weddings — and what makes them successful. Attend weddings, talk to those people involved such as caterers, photographers and florists. Try to get as many contacts as you can — you will need them later. It’s also worth trying to negotiate discounts with some of your contacts. And if you want to go back to school — you can take classes that teach you all about the profession.
So now you are a wedding planner — but where do you find your clients? One of the most effective ways to find potential clients is through your network of contacts in the industry. Make sure your business cards are visible at caterers, florists and bridal shops. You may want to advertise in the local newspaper and display your business card at such places as libraries, community centers and workplaces. And as every small business owner knows — word of mouth is often the most effective advertising.
And one of the best things about being a wedding planner? You have the satisfaction of helping to plan what many people consider to be the happiest day of their lives.
While a traditional wedding in your hometown is wonderful for a multitude of reasons, many couples would rather opt for something more unique. One option is having a destination wedding. In recent years, these have become increasingly popular with some reports indicating that up to 20% of all weddings are now destination weddings.
A destination wedding is a wedding that takes place in an out-of-town location. Examples include a wedding on the beach in Mexico, a wedding aboard a luxury cruise ship or a wedding at a extravagant Caribbean resort. Virtually any place you can think of can host a wedding. Some couples have even decided to have their wedding underwater!
Destination weddings have many favorable aspects. You and your guests will never forget the experience of your wedding because it will be held in an exotic, out of the ordinary locale and serve as a vacation for everyone involved.
Because these have become so popular recently, many resorts now offer destination wedding packages, which include accommodations for the bride and groom, as well as all wedding ceremony and reception services, complete with a wedding coordinator. When you are planning a wedding, a wedding coordinator who is located in your destination is a necessity. Having someone who is familiar with the local vendors and resources in the area will make the wedding planning go much smoother than trying to handle the planning from a long distance.
Another great thing about a destination wedding is that it can help alleviate any family tensions that may exist in more traditional wedding planning. If the bride’s family wants the wedding to be in one location and the groom’s family wants the wedding to be at a different location, there is oftentimes family conflict and stress. With a destination wedding, you can offer both sides a unique compromise.
While a destination wedding can be an amazing experience, there is also a downside. With the average wedding cost in the United States estimated at over $30,000, certainly a wedding package will be considerably less for the bride and groom. However, there are still some monetary concerns.
If a couple decides to pay for the travel and accommodations for all their wedding guests, those costs can add up quickly. Because of this, the guest list for destination weddings tends to be much smaller than for other weddings. Also, if the couple cannot afford to contribute to the travel expenses for their wedding guests, many people may be forced to miss the wedding altogether if they do not having the funds necessary or time available to make the trip.
Another aspect about destination weddings that a bride may find difficult is her role in regards to the actual wedding planning will be significantly reduced. Because the bride does not live near the location of the wedding, she will have to have complete trust in the wedding coordinator to make the right decisions concerning vendors and other planning details. Some brides who love to micro-manage will find this situation impossible to deal with.
If you are getting married, consider all the positives and negatives of having a destination wedding. While a destination wedding isn’t right for many couples, it could be perfect for you.
Technology is moving beyond the workplace and the home front to impact our major life events, such as weddings. From web sites that help couples plan their weddings to multimedia presentations prepared for their rehearsal dinner, technology helps preserve wedding memories.
Following are top technology trends for couples planning their wedding:
Online planning and research. Gone are the days when brides relied on monthly or seasonal bridal magazines for wedding information. Now, modern brides go online for their wedding planning purposes. Popular wedding sites make it easy for brides to track the latest trends, shop for wedding gowns, and find wedding checklists to help them prepare for their big day.
Multimedia presentations. One of the latest trends is to prepare a multimedia presentation for the rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. Presentations typically entail video and still images, typically set to music, featuring the couple throughout their lives. Multimedia presentations are replacing traditional photo albums and can create an exciting personal touch to a wedding celebration.
Personal web sites. For a small fee, a personal wedding web site allows couples to design their own web site in advance of their wedding day where they can post pictures of themselves, provide details of their wedding day, and provide gift registry information all in one convenient location online. Since most guests have access to the Internet, a personal wedding web site is a convenient way for guests to stay in touch with the couple and their latest wedding planning endeavors.
Ordering wedding photos online. Nowadays, wedding photographers and videographers take digital pictures or film and post their proofs online. Entire albums can be viewed by couples and guests enabling people to order photos as desired. Online ordering of wedding photos eliminates the angst of newlyweds anxiously awaiting their wedding photos, and allows family members and friends to order photos as desired.
If planning a wedding, consider these technology trends as a way to make your wedding planning process more efficient.
So you have some wedding planning to do and you don’t know where to start. Hello…. you’ve been dreaming about this since you were a little girl. So what’s the problem? Go with your dreams.
You never realized that planning a wedding could be such an enormous task did you? I mean in your dreams and when you were playing bride it was just about you walking down the aisle to the most handsome man in the world (sometimes he looked just like daddy!) with all your bestest friends and family smiling and happy for you.
Well that is perfect and exactly how your wedding should be and you can have it that way with a little bit of serious planning. Not too serious though because you should still have fun doing it. Trouble is nobody ever told you there was so much to do, so many things to consider and worst of all SO MANY PEOPLE TO KEEP HAPPY!
Well the truth is there is a lot to think about and a lot of people involved but the only people you have to keep happy is you and your man. The trick is that in order to do this you need to let everyone else think you are keeping them all happy.
The way to do this is pick out the most difficult and important people – these are usually those that will be directly involved with you, such as your in-laws, bridesmaids, groomsmen etc. and get them involved in everything. Delegate tasks that match their strengths and monitor them in such a way that it looks like they are special and that without each one’s help this wedding would be going nowhere.
Never ever allow them to hijack your wedding arrangements. If they come up with an idea which stinks tell them that you think it may work and will talk it over with the husband to be and get back to them. Exciting stuff this! Then when you speak to him make sure you find a few practical reasons why this idea wouldn’t work. Go back and advise the originator of the idea why it won’t work and then tell them nicely that, as a result of their good idea, you are now going to do something else (which just happens to be what you wanted in the first place!).
The trick is to get everyone contributing fully without feeling they are simply being used. After all they do sincerely want to help to make your day a big success but the trouble is they also had those dreams and played those games when they were little and they may just prefer what they dreamed to what you dreamed. They’re not being nasty they genuinely want to help so don’t snub them – just guide them.
You may even find that some of the ideas are pretty good and can be used. That’s great, go ahead and use the idea but make sure you acknowledge the input. People love being thanked.
Where to start your wedding planning shouldn’t be too difficult if you start with the end in mind. Start with the dreams you dreamed and work back to today.
You’ve got the goal now all you need to do is plot the route.
