Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Organizing Your Wedding Vendors

Getting married is an exciting time for the bride and groom, family and friends. Then the wedding planning starts. You now have to find the perfect dress, the perfect place to have the wedding, make sure everyone you want to be at your wedding is there and then put on a happy face when the people you DON'T want at the wedding show up. 

Not to mention the worry and stress money brings into the planning, trust me, there is a reason why people run off to Vegas. Three years ago, I started conducting workshops for brides to help them organize their wedding, now I'm the one organizing my own wedding. Organizing a wedding is completely different than planning a wedding. If you want someone to plan your wedding, I highly recommend hiring a wedding planner if nothing else for the Day Of, but if you are like most brides you want to do it yourself. Why shouldn't you? If you are organizing your wedding, there are 3 different aspects to your wedding that you need to be prepared for: 

1. Organizing Your Vendors 

2. Organizing the Events 

3. Organizing the Legalities Each aspect is equally important, but they also come at different stages of the wedding planning process. 

So, let's start at the very beginning! Before getting into the nitty gritty, let's make sure you have the tools you need to organize your wedding. 

 1. Maid of Honor - She will be able to do a lot of the leg work for you. Think of her as your personal assistant, if you will. 

2. Wedding Planner Tool - This one is all up to you and your preference. 

I chose to use a 6-prong Classification folder to help me organize my wedding plans. 

My sections were broken down by; Calendar pages I printed from Outlook, guest list, vendor contact information, To Do list, contracts, and an envelope that I stored all of my swatches and samples. You can choose any system you feel most comfortable with, just make sure it has a place for everything you need. For me the classification folder helped me organize the entire wedding process, including my vendors. Organizing your vendors is essential in having a successful wedding ceremony and reception. 

Pick the wrong vendors and you could end up at a reception with no food, no photographer, or no reception hall. These are all unfortunate occurrences and they do happen, but how do you ensure they do not happen to you? Referrals. Referrals. Referrals. Referrals can save your sanity. If you already know where you are getting your dress, ask the shop owner if she can refer a great photographer or if you know of a friend who recently got married, ask her who she used during her wedding. 

Did she like them, was the outcome everything she had hoped for, were they prompt? Ask questions, keep notes, and by all means choose vendors whose personalities compliment yours. You will be bride-zilla, you will be stressed, you will need to be made to feel secure, so pick people who can handle it. 

Once you have your vendors narrowed down, place them into your contact management system in your computer. I use Outlook so I have my vendors in my Outlook Contacts, I also included pictures inside the contact card. You have no idea how handy having a picture of my wedding cake was when I met with my florist. Since I chose to use my classification folders, I printed off the hard copy of the vendor contact card so I had it with me at all times. 
It will amaze you how often a vendor will ask you for the contact information on another vendor. It is also a very good idea to keep all of your vendor information in one consistent place. Sometimes you won't talk to a vendor again until 2 weeks prior to the wedding. I booked a bagpiper back in June and yesterday was the first time I spoke to him in 7 months, if I hadn't printed off his contact card I don't know that I would have remembered his name to even search for him in my contacts! If you have decided to organize and plan the wedding yourself, be sure and contact all of your vendors a month prior to the wedding to review arrival times, logistics, timing of events and any other special considerations they may need to know. 

Follow up with them a week prior to the wedding to make sure everything is set for the day of and be sure and get the cell phone numbers of those vendors coming to the wedding. Just in case someone is late or you had a last minute thought, you will be able to get a hold of them without worrying. Which brings us to most important thing to remember on the day of your wedding, bring all of your vendor information with you. No matter who needs to call whom, you will have all of the details.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Wedding Websites - A Must Have

If you are planning a wedding, you should know that there are many resources to help make wedding planning easier and ensure that your wedding day is a memorable one. A wedding is one of the most important steps in a couple's life together - naturally, couples want to do everything they can to ensure that no detail is overlooked in planning their special day. 

Creating your very own wedding website is a great way to not only help you organize many of the details that must be planned for a wedding, but also to memorialize your wedding day. When it comes to staying organized in planning your wedding, your very own wedding website can help in a number of ways. For example, while you can certainly send traditional wedding invitations in print, you can also send electronic invitations and have your guests RSVP online. Nowadays, the reality is that most of us are online a lot of the time, and people are more likely to respond electronically than via telephone or postal mail. 

Your website can also make sure your guests arrive easily at your ceremony by listing important information including the date, time, and location of the ceremony, with links to maps and directions. This not only makes things easier for your guests, but ensures that you and your wedding party won't spend precious last minute preparation time trying to give directions to wedding guests! Putting your gift registry on your wedding website is another way to stay organized and let your family and friends know what you need as you start your new life as a married couple. Your wedding guests and loved ones will have an easy way to see what gifts you've registered for without having to wade through different department store lists to find the right gift that fits the giver's budget. 

Another great feature of wedding websites is the ability to upload photos of your wedding. This is a great way to create albums for all of your friends, family, and acquaintances to see. Organizing your photos online makes it easier to manage and decide which photos you want to print and display in your home. Viewing, sorting, and organizing your wedding photos online is much easier than sorting through bulky proofs and having to figure out where to store them. Apart from allowing you to stay organized and on top of invitations, guest lists, gift registries and more, personalized wedding websites let you do something even more important: they memorialize your wedding day and create a space where you can tell your story. You can post videos, photographs, quotes and readings - the possibilities are endless. A wedding website is like your own personal wedding organizer and scrapbook, all in one place.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

How to Organize a Wedding

Couples everywhere are planning their own weddings. By taking some basic steps, you can make your wedding day a much smoother, fun filled day. Wedding organizing is essential to any wedding. Wedding planning will save everyone involved a lot of headache, when the actually wedding day rolls around. Expect that glitches will arise. No matter how much wedding planning you have done, problems may still arise. But by organizing your wedding, you will greatly eliminate problems that could easily occur. As with any wedding, there are million different things that need to be planned. So it is very important that you start planning your wedding six to twelve months in advance. 

This will ensure that you have enough time to get the wedding all arranged. By starting early, this will also ensure that you can book the right reception hall, photographers, videographers etc. The first part of your wedding organizing, starts by creating a wedding budget. There is a lot of free advice on creating wedding budgets online including online budget planners or excel spreadsheets you can download for free. Once you have put a budget into place, be sure that you stick with it. 

Having a budget in place will make sure that you have plenty of money for everything you will need for the wedding. If you go over in one place remember you will need to reduce the cost of something else. One of the next key tasks is to set a wedding date. This is probably one of the most crucial steps, since everything will hinge on the date you have selected. 

You will need to coordinate everything with your wedding date. Your choice of wedding date can also make a difference to the cost of things for example the reception venue. Then comes the guest list. If you create a guest list in advance, you will know what size reception hall you will need. The guest list also gives you numbers for the invitations and wedding favors. 

While you may have several months before the big day make sure you get out your invitations six weeks in advance. If it is even further in the future you might want to send a save the date card. After you have your budget, wedding date and guest list all sorted, you can then search for a place to have the wedding reception. You will probably want the reception location to coordinate with the theme and overall tone of the wedding. If the wedding is on the more formal side, then you will want a more formal reception hall. However, if you are planning an informal wedding, then the backyard might be ideal. So be sure to keep the tone of the wedding in mind when searching for the perfect reception location. If you are looking to have a church wedding, make sure the church is available. 

You will want to schedule a meeting with the pastor to make sure that everything will work out for your chosen wedding date. Be sure to find out if the pastor requires pre-marital counseling, as many do now days. After you have the major components of the wedding in place, you can then continue with the wedding organizing. No matter what type of wedding you choose to have, it is important that you remain organized throughout the entire planning and preparation process. With some simple wedding organizing, you can have the wedding of your dreams

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Your Reliable Wedding Planner

When dreams are about to be fulfilled, one would hardly prefer them to be overridden with obstacles. Your wedding is one such dream occasion that you wish to make memorable. However, much effort and planning must needs be done to ensure a hassle-free wedding. Organizing a wedding the right way is a task of great responsibility. Due to time crunch, most couples find it difficult to organize their wedding in an appropriate manner. 

Thanks to the internet, people can now make use of wedding websites to chalk out every tiny issues related to their wedding. A quality wedding website helps you finalize your wedding arrangements within a specific budget. These websites not only assist you in chalking out your wedding schedule, but also in looking after other areas of concern. For instance, the number of guests invited and the replies received, along with the seating arrangements, are looked after by these wedding websites. 

The couples-to-be can also choose various settings for their grand occasion taking cue from the various options put up on the wedding sites. The sites also enlist the famous banquet halls, good restaurants and caterers that assist you to compare prices and the services offered. This ensures complete satisfaction on part of the hosts who want to offer the best to their esteemed guests on their wedding. Wedding websites perform lots of functions with the help of which couples not only send invitations, but also manage gifts and keep track of the 'thank you' notes sent by hosts to relatives and friends.

 Managing a guest list can be very confusing at times; in fact, these responsibilities are also handled by wedding websites, which keeps track of the replies made to the guests. Wedding websites enable the invited guests to send back messages in your guest book. This will add excitement to your wedding day when you hand the printout back to your guests. Besides, wedding websites also provide the exceptional service of keeping track of the RSVP and of designing your web page as you want it to be. 

Wedding websites are of great help in sending E-postcards to friends, which can be linked to your webpage that informs your invites the login name and password. Most wedding websites offer a list of wedding planners who have specialized training to handle such prestigious occasions. These professional wedding planners offer a number of suggestions to the couples-to-be in order to materialize their dream wedding with success. All this planning is carried out within the budget itself. 

Wedding websites perform an additional function as well- it allows the bride and the groom to select their range of apparels and that too, with bargaining options! The common benefits apart, organizing a wedding ceremony with the aid of wedding websites also provides a learning experience to the younger couples who would be engaged in the near future. It would be a good learning experience on their part to host the wedding of their dear ones, making use of the wedding websites. Your personal wedding website would serve as a learning school to future couples, who would try to improvise on the shortcomings of your wedding and make an effort to organize a much grander and hassle-free wedding for themselves.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Save Money on Wedding Planning

A wedding involves lots of expenses and you would like to know how you can save money when planning your event. Here are some excellent tips to help you with. Hire an organizer Although it may appear strange, a good way to save money is hiring a good wedding organizer. One expert has many contacts already in places ranging from wedding place, cakes, party ceremony, flowers, and also provides help on calendar, guest list, photographer and everything you need for your wedding. It is also very likely to get a better price than that will be given out to the general public. 

Another advantage is that it will save you time and gasoline to go from one place to another and to find rooms and gardens for your event. You can also forget about having to be dealing with suppliers, which will lead to hassle at the end. She will take care of all that for you. There is nothing better than having one person responsible for everything to perfection so that you do not have to worry about anything A fixed budget It is important to set a budget in advance for the wedding and try not to leave any missing portion. 

Remember that the wedding involves many costs; do not spend all the money in one place as a lump sum, as there are many other expenses to cover. Another tip you can give is to do things as early as possible. It is much easier to get a good price if you set aside a room in advance. The least time you would want to plan would normally be spending in May. When you go to visit a banquets then ask all your questions related to price. Sometimes the price they tell you does not include the price of the linen and tableware. 

You should always ask by the whole package that includes full service without any missing items. Choose a flower of the season There are many flowers that are seasonal and therefore more expensive if you choose one that is difficult to achieve in that time of the year. Ask the florist which one suits you both time and price, remember that all flowers are beautiful and there is no need to spend on a fortune. 

 Reduce the number of guests This can be a difficult task and can cause some trouble but if they agree, you can reduce the number of guests based on some rules as to invite only close friends or exclude children for example. Always read contracts When you go to sign a contract with a supplier, always read it with calmly look and any fine prints that are usually in small letters. Also be assured that the service includes everything that you have been provided and you will come away with no surprises.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Getting Married? Organize

You have gotten engaged and now wedding plans loom in front of you. A little organization will go a long way toward preserving your sanity. First, buy a thick spiral notebook. All of your notes will be in one handy place for easy reference. This will become your constant companion from now until the big day.

Should you choose to purchase one that is divided in three or five sections, you have the space to be even more coordinated. You may use these sections for contacts, actual plans and any other information you find useful. In this notebook, you can: Make lists. Keep records. Keep track of your guests. Jot down notes and ideas. Prioritize. Organize addresses and phone numbers of caterers and the like.

Another lifesaving technique is to set priorities in order of importance. Any part of the festivities that require a second party need to be planned for well in advance. Depending on the time of year you have set the date, you may be competing with other brides, prom goers and holiday celebrations. The sooner you begin contacting these people, the more options and better chance you have of shopping around for the best price. Some second party individuals you may need to contact include: Church, public garden, art museums--the setting of your wedding. Limousines and carriage services. Photographer. Disc jockey or band. Caterer. And don't forget your baker! Tips such as these will make planning your wedding run smoother and will ease organizational stress. Having all you need in one handy place will keep you organized and on track.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Reap In the Benefits of Wedding Websites

Technology has made stupendous progress in the past fifty years, causing a revolutionary change in almost every aspect of life. Not just in the industrial or technical field, technology has affected human relationships and the overlook of man to a great extent. Thanks to the Internet, for which even the unimaginable has been made possible. Social gatherings and parties are now arranged over the Internet. Such is its impact that even the hottest and most-awaited celebrations are conducted with its help.

One such big occasion in a person's life is his wedding. Arrangement to organize your dream wedding involves loads of toil and serious planning. Besides, it is preferable to do something unique to make your wedding memorable. The planning can be successfully carried out only with the aid of such effective tools as a wedding website.

A wedding website not only disseminates all the information related to the wedding but also eliminates those constant queries on part of the guests regarding the preparation of the grand occasion. This information listed on the wedding website of the couple can save a lot of time which would otherwise be wasted in answering such repeated queries. Benefits of wedding websites can be estimated when we take into consideration the entire responsibility of keeping family members and friends updated regarding the complete preparation of the festivity. Most of the wedding websites allow RSVP online. This facility works wonderfully as more and more couples seem keen to include this feature on their website.

Another great advantage of a wedding website is the availability of linking options to the couples' online registry. This unique feature allows the guests to see what the couple has chosen and then make their contributions without even taking a single step out of home. Wedding websites can be turned into an entertainment and fun zone for friends and family members as they form the repository of the couple's journey through memory lane. The couple can put up a photo gallery to include pictures of their wedding, their honeymoon, and later on, the snaps of their children as well. Often a poll or quiz is conducted for the happy couple. Often, these wedding websites contain information regarding the wedding venue. This will allow the guests to plan their trip after having a look at the tourist spots, shopping centers, restaurants, etc. In this way, the guests can have a wonderful time in and out of the wedding.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Why Is It Only Special People Have Special Weddings

Weddings are notably known to be one of the happiest day`s in a person life and yet everyone cries at them. The mind boggles? Could it be about losing a son or daughter, or could it be that others know what lays ahead if the couple that are about to marry get it wrong when organizing their wedding list, leaving them with a huge amount of debt. Wedding list arrangements should be carefully planned well in advance to save any heartache at a later date, like when setting up a home and having to put on hold the sound of tiny feet that pitter patter in the night because of financial difficulties. This is not the way to start married life, what it can be is the start of divorce proceedings if not careful with the pennies. 

Weddings planned on a budget are just as special as the wedding that is not. The only difference is that one costs more than the other. An organized wedding list or rota prioritizing your wedding in stages will prove to be a stress free task. We are all aware that two heads are better than one, so why not have a friend or member of the family sit down with you and write a wedding list too. Then compare each others notes. You will be surprised how some wedding essentials are easily overlooked. Remember to itemize all wedding ideas onto a master copy list. Once the list has been finalized with all what is needed for your wedding, call up your friend once again for some advice on how they think you can save money on the more costly items, like the venue hall, wedding cars, reception etc. Cost effective can be effective if done carefully, especially when it comes down to shopping for the bridal bouquet or wedding cake.

 Homemade cakes are just as tasty and delicious as the ones baked in a bakers, and flowers don't lose freshness because you created the bouquet with your own hand. Other ways of saving the pennies is to have family members help with the catering, instead of a sit down lavish meal settle for the running buffet, don`t you just lavish the thought. Wedding invitations can be designed to match the theme of your wedding by you. With a home computer you can create some of the loveliest wedding invitations. This will save you a considerable amount of money, and make the invites that extra special.The options are endless for the future bride and groom to even out their bank balance to cover the cost of their wedding.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Get Organized For Your Wedding

Planning a wedding is a major undertaking. Unless you are a professional party planner, chances are that you have never attempted to pull together an event on such a large scale. Add to this all of the emotions, family drama, and budget issues that crop up during the process, and you may wonder how you are ever going to manage. The best way to get through the wedding planning process without losing your mind is to get really organized right from the start. There are lots of tools available to brides these days. When I got married (back in the stone ages), I did everything on paper. Even if you are totally wired, you may find it helpful to get one of the wedding planning workbooks as a good starting point. There are many different types available, from basic to specialized (for different religions, budgets, second time brides,and so on). Some of the planning workbooks are very beautiful, but do not choose one that is so fancy you will not want to write in it. Today's brides will use all sorts of electronic devices to aid in their planning. There are great websites that will walk you through the stages of wedding planning step by step. The most useful ones will give you a timeline for each thing that you need to do. In other words, it will say things like, "12 months or more: set your date, book your venue and caterer", or "6 months ahead: be sure that you have ordered your bridal gown. Start shopping for things like bridesmaid jewelry gifts." Of course, it is always fine to have something done earlier than the suggested time. So if you found the perfect bridesmaid jewelry gifts or bridal gown, but your wedding is still a year out, go ahead and get them. The less you have to do as the wedding draws closer, the better off you will be. There are also computer programs that can help a bride to get organized. The wedding budget is one of the biggest challenges for most families, so having it all logged in a money management program could prove to be very useful. You might also consider scanning copies of your vendor contracts into your computer for quick reference. Another great tool is a spreadsheet to manage your guest list. Enter all of the names and addresses alphabetically into the program. Color code it so that you can tell at a glance who has accepted your invitation, who has declined, and who has not yet responded. This will make your life infinitely easier when it comes time to provide a headcount to the caterer. Also set up a column to let you track gifts as they arrive and to note when a thank you card was sent. It is a great way to be sure that you are keeping up with your notes. If you are doing a lot of research for your wedding online, set up a free account with one of the social bookmarking sites to save your links. Instead of trying to remember where you saw that perfect pair of bridal shoes or that terrific cake design, you can store all of the information in one spot. The best part is that you can organize all your links into categories with tags, to keep everything right at your fingertips. It will also make it quick and easy to send links of the things that you like to your mother or maid of honor for her opinion.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Why Not Make Yours An Ethical Or Green Wedding

Make your wedding a special day - for you and the planet. To help, we have put together a list of suggestions and pointers towards your ethical big day, from the ceremony and catering, to an eco-friendly honeymoon. Ethical Weddings can include using: o A venue operated on environmentally friendly principles or supporting a charity or community project o A caterer using organic and local produce o A dressmaker or designer using organic, hemp or recycled fabrics o A florist working with organic or fairtrade flowers o An environmentally friendly means of transport such as horse and cart o Stationery designed on recycled or hand crafted paper o Wedding rings that use recycled gold or fairtrade silver or by buying diamonds that are conflict free see Kimberley Process o Not accepting traditional household wedding gifts such as toasters but accepting donations to charity on your behalf o Using biodegradable confetti Im now going to expand on a few of the points above: Wedding Lists The first casualty is the traditional wedding list, a monument to conspicuous consumption featuring dinner services and crystal to be replaced at fashionable weddings by charity lists, with tree plantations and donated cows for communities in the developing world. If you are green fingered, how about plants, trees or garden vouchers. Wedding Stationery Use recycled paper for wedding stationery, or try Recycled Paper. To save paper, you could design a website, and send a postcard to guests referring them to it. Wedding photos can be easier to share if you go digital too. The Dress Another option is to hire the gown and other wedding outfits instead of buying it and then putting in the warbrobe just to pull it out for the occasional look! Drink Buy organic or fairtrade wine for your guests and enjoy the revelry while nature and communities benefit. Order wine, spirits, champagne, beer and soft drinks from an independent online organic retailer while avoiding the supermarkets that make millions in profits. Food Support local, seasonal and organic food production - and ask your caterer to do the same. Avoid disposable plates and make sure empties end up in the recycling bin. Ask your cake-maker or local baker to use local and organic ingredients where possible. Transport Find a venue as close to home as possible to cut down on transport. Horse drawn carriages are not only good at seaside resorts but also on your wedding day. If you dont have the ceremony and reception at the same venue, encourage guests to share rides to the reception or provide a coach or bus. Honeymoon Think about romantic destinations you can visit that are as close to home as possible to reduce the number of road and air miles. If you decide to go longhaul, then find an eco friendly or ethical hotel to stay in.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Wedding Planning 101

Getting engaged is one of the most exciting things of your life. The thrill of the upcoming wedding may become overshadowed, though, by the stress of wedding planning. So be smart, and start out right so that as you move closer to your wedding day, your stress will be minimal. One of the best things you can do for yourself in the beginning is to get a wedding planner. Now, this could mean two things. 

Either one is good; both together are great. First, a wedding planner refers to a person who takes charge of all the details of your wedding, organizing the wedding suppliers, tastings, fittings, venues, and wedding day events. This person will work with you to find the most appropriate and beautiful wedding décor and details available on the budget that you set. 

But a wedding planner can also refer to a notebook or folder that you keep to hold all of your wedding planning notes, ideas, images, and appointments. You can buy these books anywhere, both online and in local bookstores or bridal shops. Look around before you buy one you like because there are so many that you are bound to find one that has everything you are looking for. You want a notebook that offers some organizational suggestions, has room for notes and service provider business cards or contact information, has folders for any clippings you want to keep, and any extras that you want. If you can afford the wedding planner of the human variety, do so. This is a great way to avoid the stress and strain of the mundane details of planning, while still getting the say so over all final decisions.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Planning Your Wedding - How To Get Started

Once a girl gets engaged, she can hardly wait to get to the nearest store and pick up as many bridal magazines as she possibly can. Here she will find scores of photos of rings, wedding gowns and articles about weddings. Some of these magazines might shed some light on how to go about planning a wedding, but you might still be uncertain about the process. Organizing and planning well in time is the key to good planning. First and foremost, create a system of your own where you can keep a record of all details. You can choose a tab binder for each category. Categories can be ceremony, bakery, florist, catering, reception, music, transportation and photography. Another choice is the accordion file that uses tables of the same category. Here you can see every category at a glance. It is your choice which system you select, but you must use it in a consistent manner and keep a track of all pictures, receipts, business cards, brochures etc that comes under each category. Once you have your system sorted out, you can begin researching. There are a number of websites offering tips on planning for a wedding and you can also buy a number of books on this topic in the market. You can even visit a library to look for books on this topic. You could even ask any recently married friends of yours to lend you some books. Next thing is finding a wedding time table layout. This includes a to-do list for the period before the wedding. One of the things on top of the list may be consulting your parents and fiancé about the budget and financial support if you are seeking any. Other items on your list maybe deciding whether you want an informal or formal wedding, the number of guests you want to invite and interviews with wedding coordinators. You can even make your time line on your computer. Once you have a basic idea of the details that go into planning a wedding, and the kind of time each detail takes, you can start asking your family and friends to help you. You can distribute some tasks among people helping you so that everything on your to-do list will be done by the time the big day comes.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Plan Your Dream Wedding in Style with a Personal Wedding Website

Wedding is the most cherishing moment in a person's life. For couples worldwide, this is the day they dream of making memorable. A grand wedding celebration calls for some serious planning and proper arrangement. Wedding plans need to be prepared in advance so as to avoid any embarrassment on the D-day. Details of the occasion are discussed by family members and relatives. Nowadays, it often turns out that most of us fail to make each and everyone a part of the wedding arrangement owing to time crunch or busy schedule. But if you want to make all your close ones a part of the big occasion, a personal wedding website is the right solution for you! Creating a personal wedding website is a unique way to keep your friends and family members updated of the wedding arrangements. The couples-to-be can send out information to their relatives online and also invite suggestions from them. This gesture on part of the couple makes the friends and family members feel happy about their active participation in the big occasion. Thus a personal wedding website sets the platform for the grandest celebration of a lifetime. Building a personal wedding website is free of hassles as the main features are already included when purchasing your package. All you need to do is provide the content for your wedding site. The features that are mostly included are Online RSVP, Registry Information, Ceremony Details, Photo Gallery, etc. These details can be easily viewed by the guests. In case, the couple has failed to chalk out the details, the guests are welcome to offer their suggestions for the wedding plan. It's good to have a blog or Poll feature on your site. This would allow your family members and friends to give their feedback regarding the wedding arrangements. Besides, if you want an extraordinary design layout for your site, you can take the help of professional designers or expert consultants. This might help you to concentrate on areas you might otherwise have overlooked. Many of us feel that a personal wedding website is useful only till the day of the reception. This is an absolutely trash idea as special moments follow your wedding. Photographs of honeymoon can be posted on the site. As years roll on, the website will feature photos of your new home, your children, and many more moments of happiness. Your personal wedding website is thus transformed into your family site where all the happy years can be shared with your family members and friends. No doubt then, that the greatest thing a personal wedding website can offer is happiness! The other benefits come later. Talking of some of the other advantages, most personal wedding website packages offer a website along with a unique domain name to the couples. Most of these organizations allow the couple to keep their domain name as well as update its content on payment of a small sum. This little expense works wonders to bring an invaluable smile on your dear ones' lips. As years roll on, your website reminds of the wonderful wedding bells that had rung in the past years. Those unforgettable moments are relived again and again; the memory lingers on... :)

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Do You Really Need a Wedding Planner?

When planning a wedding, there are many details to tend to. After all, there is so much planning and special thought that you have to put into the entire process. You will often find that it can be overwhelming once you get started. Before it all gets out of hand, you should consider hiring a wedding planner to assist during this exciting and confusing time. Your wedding is one of the most memorable moments of your lifetime. You must be organized or you will quickly find that the entire process becomes a mess. Make sure that every last detail has been completed and is perfect. Wedding planning is a very stressful time in a couple's life. They shouldn't bear the added stress of having to plan everything. However, with a wedding planner; this stress may lifted, making the whole experience much more enjoyable. The stress of planning wedding usually comes from all of the details required during the preparation. You have to plan a budget and then try to stick to it. You have to figure out the food menu, the wedding place, guests and much, much more. Sometimes you need more than just the assistance of your family and friends to keep it all in sync. For this reason, there are wedding professionals to help you. They are fantastic, if you find the right one. However, wedding planners come with an added cost to your wedding budget. When searching for a wedding planner, you will quickly realize that there are many different people out there to help you with your wedding so you will want to do your research well. Try to find a wedding planner that fits your needs best. Ask around and make sure that you are getting a competent wedding planner that will make your special day perfect. Be sure to ask for references so you can be sure that you are getting trustworthy wedding planner. If possible, delegate some of the chores involved in a wedding. This will allow you to have more time to be excited and happy about what is going to happen. This will eliminate most of the stresses and the anxiety that most couples experience when it comes time to planning their wedding. You can focus on the fun that you are going to have in your new life together. Make sure that your wedding planner is taking all of your needs and concerns into consideration. They should take care of the budget, timeframe and scheduling for you. They should also personally visit with all the vendors that you will need for your wedding. They should take care of all necessary price and contract negotiations that have to be done. This will make your life a lot easier when it comes time for your big day. The wedding planner will answer any etiquette questions that you may have along with the menu and other necessary preparations. They will plan the seating arrangement, music and the entertainment. A good wedding planner will cover every last detail so that you do not have to. After all, you should not have to worry about a thing when it comes to your wedding. If you are not sure that you can take on all of the time and work that your wedding is going to need, hire a wedding planner to get the ball rolling. You will feel better knowing that you are going to get the treatment that you will deserve and that you can feel comfortable with. You will be on your way to having the wedding of your dreams without any of the problems or stress that you would normally have if you were taking care of the details yourself.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Let's Get Organized!

Be honest - the minute you got engaged you were so excited that you went out and bought like twelve wedding magazines and put yourself on Martha Stewart Weddings.com mailing list. Now you spend your days daydreaming, but you have no idea what to do with all your wonderful ideas and a wedding planner just isn't going to fit into your budget. The best way to get all you ideas into one place, so that you can have them when you start picking things like your dress, cake, bridesmaid's dresses, and themes is to create a wedding binder. A wedding binder is a place for you to put pictures, color swatches, and informative articles (such as this one!). Don't know where to start? Here are some helpful tips to getting your wedding binder started! 

1.) The fist thing you should do, is divide your binder up into several sections. You can use binder dividers or folders, whatever is easiest for storing your ideas. 

2.) The first section of your binder should be dedicated to your dress. You can clip some pictures from your magazines and ones you found online. Maybe pick out four or five and place them in order of love it down to like it. You can also find some fabric samples and include those, especially if you want your dress to have color. You should find a swatch of the exact color you want and include, that way you can find a great match. You should show this part of your binder to the different dress boutiques you visit. This will help them assist you in selecting the perfect gown. 

3.) The next section of your binder should be dedicated to bridesmaids dress and tuxedos from your groom and groomsmen. You can do something similar to what you did with you dress portion, by collecting color swatches, material samples, and pictures. Whatever you need to make sure the people helping you select these things are presenting you with exactly what you want. 

 4.) You should reserve a section of your binder to your cake. Collect pictures and jot down thoughts you have about what flavor of cake or icing you want, as well as how many servings you will need. 

 5.) Your theme and wedding colors should have another section of your binder. Jot down ideas you have for centerpieces, pew hangers, and any other ideas you might have that represent your theme. You should also include pictures to help jog your memory when you finally start picking these items out. 

6.) The flowers for your wedding should also have their own section. Make a list of flowers that are in season, because these will help you create more cost efficient bouquets. You should gather pictures and make sure to include your flower budget, that way you can show your florist your ideas and they can help you stay within your budget. 

7.) Another interesting section, which a lot of bride's don't think of, is a photography section. You can do some research online of different photographers and maybe get some ideas for some poses, lighting, or Photoshop effects you may want to have done to your wedding pictures. You should try to print copies of the pictures to show your photographer, or maybe just jot down the site and location of the pictures so your photographer can go to the different sites and get an idea of what you are wanting. 

8.) Last, but not least you should include a checklist in your binder. This is a list of things you need to do such as making your guest list, selecting a ceremony venue, choose wedding invitations, or make pre-wedding hair trial appointment. By getting all of these things out on paper, you are less likely to forget to do something. Remember, your binder is about your wedding and you should include whatever you want or need to help you get the job done and stay organized. You will be amazed how much stress this will relieve, and how much easier it will be to explain that specific shade of pink to the lady whose helping you pick out your bridesmaids dresses.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Great Green Tips For a Green Wedding

Dressed in white can have a green twist. There are a number of ways to make your perfect day as environmentally friendly as possible. Here are some important ideas to consider: Invitations - everyone knows that the right paper stock is one of the most important decisions you can make when it comes to pre wedding day planning. But instead of going for a heavy card stock with environmentally damaging gloss or matte, consider if you need to have paper invitations at all! Many wedding websites have sprung up to allow couples to plan their day and give guests all the information they need in paper saving electronic format. Couples can upload photos, tell their special story and direct guests to their registry on line. Many also have an RSVP feature so you can manage your list with a few clicks of the mouse. You and your mother can argue over background colours and menu patterns to your hearts 'content! Dress - The right dress makes the memories. That doesn't mean you need to spend a small fortune (not to mention create a heavy environmental cost) with a tailor made piece that will just sit in your wardrobe for years to come. Consider vintage pieces or family pieces, there is nothing more sentimental to your mother, than walking down the aisle in same dress she wore back in the day. (You can tailor and amend it to suit your own taste and fashion of course!) Meanwhile, some companies create beautiful custom made pieces from sustainable fabrics , such as hemp, bamboo or organic cotton. Some even "up cycle" older gowns. Gifts - Do you really want to face the possibility of ending up with two chip dippers or a variety of toasters that you'll have some trouble returning? You can use your special day to promote some well deserving charities and eco causes. Ask your guests to make a donation to your favourite in lieu of presents, then you can be sure you're getting the exact model of kettle you want! Flowers - Consider the season when picking your flower arrangements. Out of season arrangements are often shipped from overseas adding to miles and emissions. There are also a number of issues regarding the ethics of the cut flower industry, with many sources citing cheap labour and unfair work conditions. Australia is abundant with beautiful species of wattles and colourful kangaroo paws for a truly unique look. Better yet, go organic! Food - Organic caterers are all the rage. They provide some of the best food that you know is pesticide free and delightfully delicious. Look for a baker that uses organic eggs and flour and other sustainable ingredients. Venue and transport - Pick a venue that's easy to get to and encourage your guests to carpool, or better yet, provide some shuttle bus transport yourself. Having the reception in the same place as the ceremony also cuts down on travel and emissions.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Green Wedding Ideas - Recycled Glass Vases

With the emergence of all things green, some are left to wonder how to incorporate eco-consciousness into the fabric of their lives. For many, the decision to make eco-friendly choices is directly affected by the effort necessary to make a contribution. In a result oriented society, some find it difficult to make decisions which, by themselves, seem insignificant. Weddings and events offer the ideal opportunity make a contribution with minimal effort. In the special event / wedding design industry, this budding concept has been widely embraced. With nearly 2.3 million weddings projected nationwide in 2007, many small contributions can clearly make a significant impact. One popular choice being made by Chicago brides is the use of recycled glass vases. Recycled glass vases, often used for centerpieces and wedding reception décor, are widely available in hundreds of forms, shapes and colors to accommodate a wide range of style and budget needs. Recycled glass bowls, bottles or platters paired with seasonal organic, hand picked or locally grown floral can add the perfect finishing touch to any holiday table. Growers of organic and transitional organic flowers, once overshadowed by the more abundant organic produce growers, now make available an ever expanding selection of "green" botanicals to complete your eco-friendly design without compromising style. From Roses to Calla Lilies, rustic to formal, eco-friendly floral selections are more readily available than ever. Recycled glass vases can be recycled an infinite number of times without loss of quality, require considerably less energy to process and conserve natural resources. Recycling a single glass vase saves enough energy to operate a television for 90 minutes. To put this in perspective, if each 2007 wedding chooses to recycle just one vase, enough energy would be saved to operate a single television continuously for nearly 400 years.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Planning a Wedding - Get Organized!

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking and many couples feel immediately overwhelmed. There are ways, however, to make this a fun process. Here are suggestions to take the stress out. 

1. Decide on How Much and Who is Covering What: All of your decisions will come from this first one--know how much you have to spend and who is financing the events. Once you have these figures, you can begin getting organized. 

 2. Develop Organizational Systems: Develop systems that help you keep track of the many details, estimates and bills you will be dealing with. I recommend a good wedding planner that is a 

3 ring binder and is divided into the categories that are included in most weddings. I also recommend you get a file drawer and files with tabs. In the wedding planner, keep your on going lists of things to do and information that is current. In your file drawer, keep your paid bills and also information on vendors and venues. Find a time each week that you and your fiancee can sit down and go over the details and decide what needs to be down and what has been done. 

4. Gather Information Before You Contract: Use your Wedding Planner to help you and your fiancee discuss your likes and dislikes and come to agreements on what you want from start to finish. For example, do you want your wedding in a place of worship, or outdoors, or in the back yard? What kind of food do you want served at your reception, a sit-down dinner, a casual buffet, only dessert? Once you know what you want, begin to gather information and estimates from various wedding venues and wedding vendors. Make sure you ask other couples for suggestions and be aware of "Too Good to be True" offers. Keep a running tab of figures so that you know how close you are to being on budget. 

5. Give Yourselves Plenty of Time and Take Breaks When You Need To: You may be surprised at how far in advance you need to plan. Some caterers and venues book up to 18 months in advance, so if you have your hearts set on a popular venue make sure you contact them way in advance. Also, planning a wedding can end up taking over your life. I always recommend that you plan non-wedding, relaxing dates or breaks regularly.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

How to Set Up a Wedding Budget

Every wedding has a budget. And some necessary steps should be kept in mind while planning any wedding. All your preparations and arrangements should be covered in decided budget. The only way to keep your wedding expenses to go out of control, is to create a realistic budget for every element of your plans about the wedding. Sticking to a budget is not so easy, with a wedding, but you can take the sting out of controlling your expenditures by taking these smart first steps in setting up a budget that will work for you instead of against you. While planning any wedding you should thing as a professional wedding planner. You my start planning your wedding with the below given steps:- 

1. Make a final list of things you need most importantly. Think about that what is most important for you, such as the venue, decoration, catering or a designer wedding gown, the flowers, a great photographer. Those categories are going to be where you'll devote a greater part of your available budget, since they are vital parts of your dream wedding. 

 2. Make a list of what is not very important. Keep them in the list of less necessary things. If at last you save some money you can add to these less important things. 

3. Check out the cost of each and every thing. No need to rely on others. Try all the costs by yourself and from different places and then final the best based on quality and reasonable cost. 

 4. Divide all the items on your budget list according to who is taking on which portions of the plans, and then find ways to get the best product or service for less. You can share the information with family and friends. 

5. Venue decision is the main part of wedding planning. Venue should be easy to find, comfortable to enter with a wide entrance and a nice decoration as per your budget. A good parking space is necessary. Sitting arrangements should based on number of guests. Creating a smart and flexible wedding budget is a team effort, so work on it together with your family and friends. Just make all the arrangements with a confidence that you can arrange and manage everything within the desired budget. Do not take wedding planning with stress, instead you can enjoy it.
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