The proposal is done and in the midst of all the excitement you realize you have an entire wedding to plan!! It can seem overwhelming and you’re worried some details might get lost in the process.  Here’s where I come in as the Fine Print Blogger, I’m here to help out with all those random questions that might come up in the planning process.  Whether it’s questions about bridal party etiquette or deciphering a vendor contract, we’ll work through all those miscellaneous details together.
- The Fine Print Blogger

The Necessities In A Contract

Many times when planning your special day, you get so excited when you find something you like that you might sign a contract without fully understanding what you are getting yourself into. A vendor contract is just as important for you as it is for the vendor because it outlines the exact agreement between both parties. Never sign a contract without getting a chance to read through the entire document. Ask the vendor to give you at least a couple days so you can review it without any pressure and you understand everything outlined in it. Many times it helps to make a list of exactly what you want from the vendor before meeting them. This will help address any unclear terms or issues that may not be addressed in the contract. Remember, every contract can be negotiated as long as long as everyone agrees, so don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Payment Information

Payment tends to be the topic people are most concerned about. Your wedding can be a major expense so it’s only fair that you want to know how much you’ll be dishing out in order to stick to your wedding budget. Important elements include the base cost for the product or service is, what the payment schedule will be (when will you be paying each installment), who you will be paying (who do you make your check out to and where to send it), by method you can pay (cash, check, credit card), what happens if you are late with your payment, and if any portion of your deposit is refundable if you need to terminate the contract.

There are also other cost issues to be considered. Find out how many assistants, security guards, valet, or staff are required to be at the event and if they are included in your price. If not, then ask the cost for any additional staff. Accessories and equipment are other expenses that can sneak up on you. The hair stylist may not provide hair accessories you want to include, the make-up artist may not provide fake eyelashes, the photographer may have an extra cost for additional albums, or the limo chauffer may charge extra for champagne. Even if you provide your own accessories, find out if they will still charge a service fee for these additional items. For service contracts, you will want to know exactly what services will be provided. For example, find out how many touch-ups are included from any stylists and make sure you let them know if they will assisting more than just you. For photographers, some things the contract should outline are how many hours they will be taking pictures, how many pictures you can expect, how many albums you will get, and how many cameras they will bring.

Terms of Services

The date and timings for services is another major consideration when signing vendor contracts. You will want to know how many hours you will be paying for the vendor, how many hours of actual services you expect, what exactly is included in their services, and if needed, set-up and clean-up time is included in the price. Make sure you specify timings with the venue first as the timings for all other vendors will center around this. With vendors such as photographers and videographers, determine when you can expect to receive the final albums and/or DVDs.

Contact Information

It is very important to get contact information for everyone working on your wedding, you want to make sure you are able to get a hold of them when needed.  Having everyone’s phone numbers and e-mails are essential.  Also, make sure you know exactly who will be providing the services at your wedding. You may go check out the DJ services of one DJ but end up with one of his/her associates if a name is not specified in the contract.

The most important thing to remember is to get everything that is important to you in writing in the contract. Make sure that both you and the vendor have a copy of the contract with both signatures on it. Any changes or modifications made on the contract should also be on both copies.

These are just a few of the issues you need to consider before signing any vendor contracts. There are specifics that vary with each vendor and also depend on what you are looking for. If you are unsure about a contract or whether it encompasses everything you want, I encourage you to consult a lawyer or get advice from your wedding planner. Your wedding planner has seen hundreds of these contracts and knows what to look for based on your needs.

- The Fine Print Blogger

Image 1 via: Photo Concept
Image 2 via: Rustes
Image 3 via: Elly G
Image 4 via: Limo

The following article is a continuation of our last post: Wedding Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Mementos for Guests. Hopefully these two articles will help your Cocktail Hour even more fabulous!!!

Bands

Live music always adds a special touch to any occasion. Live music has also become more of a trend for weddings not only for dancing at the reception, but also for entertainment during the cocktail hour. Hiring a band is a simple task that can also enhance your guests experience at your wedding. There are many different types of small bands that can be hired for a short or long cocktail hour. For example, Mariachi Bands are very simple and something different that most people have not seen. Also, there are Batteria (Battery) Bands. This type of entertainment is something that many people have not seen or heard of. For those who do not know, a Batteria Band usually consists of three to four people all playing percussion instruments with the addition of vocals. They can be playing in one spot or can be moving around throughout the party. The sounds of percussion help liven up the crowd as well as help add an ethnic feel to the ambiance of the party. Again, hiring any type of band can be a simple way to add a little something to your cocktail hour for your guests to enjoy.

Musicians

If bands are not your style and you like a more classy, sophisticated feel to your cocktail hour, hiring a Piano Player or a String Quartet can add an elegant spin to any type of event. There are many types of Pianists who play different types of music depending on what you’d like at your cocktail hour. For example, we have seen Pianists that are able to play different cultural and ethnic Songs as well as English songs on the Piano. If you are having a cultural wedding it may be very surprising and entertaining for your guests to hear familiar cultural songs played on the piano. This is another simple way to entertain your guests during the cocktail hour. String Quartets are also another type a live musical entertainment that can change the ambiance of a cocktail hour. The soothing and elegant sounds of string instruments helps get your guests in the mood to enjoy the rest of the night to come.

Dancers

If you have the space for a performance during cocktail hour, how about booking dancers!!! Its a great way to keep your guests entertained before dinner. You could hire a Salsa Dancing group that could do a performance and possibly pull some of your guests to teach a quick lesson to.  For a South Asian wedding, you could have a Bollywood dance group to do a routine or two.  If you’re having a Hawaiian or Tropical Island themed wedding, how great would it be do have Polynesian Dancers at your wedding, from the story telling dance of the Hula, to the fast beats of Tahitian dancing.  Check out Polynesian Paradise, a great Polynesian Dance company that we love, based out in Southern California.

Entertainment is an aspect in weddings that can add to the theme, ambiance, and excitement of the whole night. Adding entertainment to the cocktail hour, in particular, definitely adds all three aspects to your wedding while your guests also enjoy the food and drinks. Whether you pick to have mementos, musical entertainment, or both there’s always something special for your guests to remember about your special day. Brides, be ready to be surprised by your fiancé’s choice of entertainment!
Grooms, keep reading for more helpful tips!!

-Blogger for the Groom

Image 1 via: Matthew May Photography
Image 2 via: Lomonaco Artists
Image 3 via: Polynesian Paradise

Being a part of the bridal party is an honor imparted onto a few close friends and family members of the bride and groom. Not only are bridal party members expected to stand by the couple throughout the wedding, there are many other behind-the-scenes duties that they are expected to complete. Although the couple can decide to make their bridal party as unique and special as they wish, here are some traditional duties that the bridal party performs depending on their role.

Maid (Matron) of Honor

The maid of honor has one of the most demanding and important jobs in the wedding. She is the bride’s best friend or closest family member. She must be dependable, and know the bride very well. Her most common duties are to:

• Helping the bride do all shopping, including the bridal party outfits and the bridal gown
• The main planner of the bridal shower and bachelorette party
• Help organize hair and make up for bridal party
• Carry the groom’s ring during the ceremony
• Carry an emergency kit for the wedding day
• Assist with the dress and bridal bouquet during the wedding
• Always by the bride’s side and watches over all other bridesmaids
• During the reception, she helps everyone get on the dance floor to enhance the wedding reception
• Help the bride get single ladies ready for the bouquet toss
• Give a speech during the reception
• Witness and sign the Marriage Certificate
• The go-to-girl for the bride, wedding planner, and family

Best Man

Similar to the maid of honor, the best man is in charge of making sure the groom and his family are taken care of. He is second in command and must be prepared for all situations. The best man is usually a best friend or close family member to the groom. His most common duties are to:

• Planning the bachelor party with the other groomsmen and inviting important family and friends of the groom to the event
• Help the groom get ready on the wedding day
• Keep the groom and groomsmen on time to all wedding events
• Witness and sign the Marriage Certificate
• Hold the bride’s ring during the ceremony
• Supervise the groomsmen
• Help arrange departure car for bride and groom
• Help gather single men for garter toss
• Give a toast during the reception

Bridesmaids

A bride should delegate her duties among all bridesmaids so they all feel like they have a part in the special day. Some of the common duties include:

• Help the bride with various errands on and before the wedding day
• Help the Maid of Honor plan and pay for the bahclorette party
• Assist with wedding favors, table cards, guests list, etc.
• Greet guests at events and encourage dancing and mingling
• Help with any clean up and packing at the end of the night
• Assist in any other duties assigned by the bride, groom, family, maid of honor

Groomsmen

Considered the groom’s bodyguards, groomsmen have the honor of standing by the groom. Typical Duties include:

• Help with Tux fittings
• Help Best man plan and pay for bachelor party
• Help with unloading and loading of supplies/gifts during ceremony and reception
• Escort bridesmaids during the ceremony
• Greet family and guests
• Help gather single men for garter toss
• Get guests on the dance floor
• Assist best man with bridal car decorations
• Assist in any other duties assigned by the bride, groom, family and best man

Ushers

Though not usually photographed with the wedding party, ushers are an important part of the wedding. They are there to ensure the guests are comfortable and ready. Traditional wedding Etiquette states that one usher is necessary for every fifty guests. Typical duties of ushers include:
-Arrives early at the wedding venue
-Passes out programs to wedding guests and shows them to their seats
-Stays at the back of the ceremony to assist late guests
-May be required to leave ceremony for emergency errands
-Stays behind after ceremony to ensure guests know how to get to reception
-Directs guests to their tables during reception.

The number in the bridal party depends entirely on the couple and who they feel deserves the honor. Most often, the number of groomsmen and bridesmaids is equal to ensure symmetry in pictures. However, this trend is quickly changing. Keep in mind that the larger the group, the more work it will be. Coordinating times, plans and outfits gets increasingly more stressful as you add more people into your bridal party, not to mention organizing a larger group for bridal party portraits. Many couples find it easier to have a small bridal party but assign specific roles to other important members so they feel included. Taking care of the guestbook, gifts, photos, or helping with DIY wedding tasks (Do-it-Yourself) can make people feel involved without being part of the bridal party.

As a bride or groom, remember that the bridal party is your special group of people you have chosen to stand by you on your special day. You should feel comfortable enough to ask them for help and for their opinions. Having a close, reliable wedding party can really ease the wedding planning process!

- Been-There-Bride Blogger

Image 1 via Behind the Scenes

Image 2 via Best Man

Image 3 via Cean One Wedding Photography

Image 4 via Lucero Photography

Mili Shah is an experienced Lead Wedding Coordinator at Planning Elegance. Mili has years of experience in the Wedding Industry. She will be contributing to the Planning Elegance Blog as our “Blogger for the Groom”.

I’ve noticed that many times Groom’s are not very involved in the wedding planning process. They are either not interested, do not have the time, or seem to not have a preference for many aspects of planning their wedding. This is where I step in to help interest Groom’s in stepping in and joining their soon-to-be-Bride in planning their elegant wedding exactly how they envision it. Can’t wait to share my findings with all the future Groom’s out there and hopefully interest you in helping your fiancee in the planning process!

Planning a wedding is never an easy job. A wedding is one of the most amazing occasions in one’s life and being part of the planning process allows it to come to life as you envision it. Grooms are not always very involved in the planning process, however, this can be one of the first big projects that you and your fiancee can work on as a team, which can also set the basis of your lives together. Traditionally, the Bride does most of the planning including booking vendors, finding venues, ordering invitations, etc. There are many ways that the Groom is able to step in and take charge to help his bride-to-be plan their special day together. Being involved as the Groom can make things soooo much easier on the Bride and both families as the wedding day approaches. Here are a few simple tips that Groom’s can do to be more involved in their wedding planning process.

Listen, Listen, Listen

By this I mean to listen to everything that our Bride has to say to you. As the stressful process of planning moves along she’s going to need someone to talk to and someone to help her choose wedding colors or if you should get customized champagne flutes or not. This is a small gesture that you as a Groom can easily do without having to physically do much work during the planning process. As we’ve all heard, “patience is a virtue.” Remember to always be patient and not stress your fiancee out in any way. This simple tip goes a long way!!!

Give Your Opinion

Always remember that this wedding is a combination of both your visions.  Don’t be afraid to speak up and give your opinion of what you’d like.  Maybe you’d rather spend more money on lighting for your wedding instead of floral arrangements, or maybe you think that it’s cheaper and a better idea to get cupcakes instead of a wedding cake. Disagreements may occur, however there is a way to compromise for any part of the wedding.  While you speak up always remember to go back to my first tip about listening to her opinions as well.  By speaking your opinion and listening to hers you will both be able to make this day THE most special day!

Help Her Out

Help your fiancee out by taking stuff off her plate.  Make the planning process a little easier for the both of you.  Your bride-to-be will greatly appreciate you taking charge and making things a little easier for her.  Make a simple “To Do” list or if she already has one take charge of some of the things on her list and work on those.  Many things that Groom’s can easily take charge of is picking the type of music to be played at the Reception and sending a list to the DJ.  Also, talking to the Caterer or Hotel Chef to decide the menu can be a very simple task.  Of course any of these tasks can be done together as well.  This is a very simple and easy job that any Groom can do to make their fiancee appreciative of your involvement in planning your wedding.

Spend Time Together

One very important thing to do that may not seem like it’s part of the planning process is to make sure to take time for the two of you to spend together outside of ‘Wedding Talk.’  Go out to dinner or dancing without talking about the wedding.  Everyone needs a little break from planning their own wedding, however, you should make sure to take the time out to spend this time together.  Spend time with friends and family as well, this is a very simple way to get your mind of the wedding for a while.

Always remember that your wedding planning process does not have to be stressful or hard if you and your fiancee work together on every aspect of the wedding.  Grooms are getting more and more involved in helping their bride-to-be plan their wedding.  This day is special for both of you and should be done exactly how you BOTH want it to be.

Keep reading for more advice for the Groom

-Blogger for the Groom

Image 1 via: June Bug Weddings
Image 2 via:  Wedding Bee
Image 3 via: ibride
Image 4 via: Steady Health

Neeta Basu is a Planning Elegance past bride – her beautiful wedding was in June 2010 and she eagerly joined our team in July. We welcome Neeta’s creativity, organization & friendly smile onto our team.  She will be contributing to the Planning Elegance Blog as our “Been-There-Bride Blogger”…

As a Past Planning Elegance bride, I have “been there and done that” when it comes to ups and downs of wedding planning.  Not only is pre-marriage planning an amazing adventure, but wait till the wedding day is over and the fun really starts! Can’t wait to share my research and experience with all of you.

The stress of wedding planning is finally over, the excitement of the big day has come and gone, presents are sorted and organized, the romantic days of your honeymoon have passed all too quickly, now its time to just sit back and enjoy being newlyweds…Oh wait, you have a million thank you cards to write first!!

While writing and sending thank you cards can seem like a daunting task for any couple, they are one of the first reflections of your new married life your friends and family will see. With a little bit of planning and a lot of stamps, you can quickly make your thank you cards a great representation of your new status as man and wife.

Types of Thank You Cards

Just like wedding invitations, the possibilities for designing thank you cards are endless. However, unlike wedding invitations, most couples invest a lot less time and money in thank you cards. The most popular are the traditional two fold thank you cards with the couple’s name on the cover. The inside of the card is left blank personalized messages. Many times, couples will match their thank you cards with their wedding invitations. A big advantage to these types of thank you cards is the ability to order them early and plan ahead. Some stationary websites like Invitations by Ajalon and  3 Bees Paperie have blogs or idea boards to help you brainstorm creative & unique ideas.

Also very popular and easy to design are photo thank you cards. Pictures from the wedding, the honeymoon, in front of a new house, or a collage are a beautiful way to send a personalized thank you. Keep in mind that you will have to wait till after you receive pictures from these events to design the cards which will delay the thank you card process.

When and Who to Send The Cards To

As a general rule for any thank you cards, the sooner the better. Proper wedding etiquette says 6-8 weeks after the wedding, all thank you cards should be mailed out. Many couples match their thank you cards with their wedding invitations and order them together. Couples with a registry will often begin to write them as soon as gifts start arriving and mail them out shortly after the wedding or honeymoon. It is not proper etiquette to mail out thank you cards before the actual wedding date.

Go through your wedding guest list and ensure that you have included all guests that attended your wedding – other people to send thank you cards to would be all your vendors & your venue or anyone else involved in helping create your perfect day. Often forgotten people include your bakery, gown designer, and stationary company. Above all, don’t forget your close family and bridal party for their contributions to your special day!

Stay tuned next week to learn a little more about Thank You Cards like what to write and how to stay efficient when writing Thank You Cards!

- Been-There-Bride Blogger

Image 1 via: My Expression
Image 2 via: Eddie Yee
Image 3 via: Ivy Lain

Planning Elegance would like to introduce you to one of our stellar couples…Deepa & Kiran Ghodgoankar!  Their wedding was on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Valencia.  Deepa, the bride, is Sri Lankan and by-far one of our most educated brides in her culture.  Working with her parents to ensure that the ceremony stuck to tradition was a very fun and educational experience for us.  Although traditional, this fun couple still incorporated plenty of American aspects into their wedding such as a bridal party & cupcakes.

Deepa and Kiran longed for an outdoor ceremony – just as most couples do, unfortunately – come their wedding day in unpredictable Valencia, CA the wind was raging and rain clouds loomed over-head, threatening to ruin their beautiful day.  Since their decorator built a custom mandap, we had to deem it un-safe to set-up for the ceremony outdoors due to the high winds and we all worked together to move the ceremony into the Hyatt’s large & beautiful foyer.  Although it didn’t rain through the duration of the ceremony, the high winds raged and would have created worries for anyone under the mandap – good thing we moved it indoors!  Although it was a little tight indoors, the ceremony was beautiful and the guests were comfortable and warm indoors.

The traditional Hindu Sri Lankan ceremony was followed by a fun cocktail hour with tea, cake & snacks to represent Kiran & his family’s roots in Britain.  This was such a nice and unique touch to personalize their special day!  After a while of sipping on tea & devouring the cute cupcakes – the bars started serving alcohol, the ballroom doors open, the grand entrances rocked the house and the fun kept rolling throughout the evening!  Of all the South Indian weddings that we have done – this was one of the most fun, lively and dancing crowds!  Through the Bangra, Hip Hip, Bollywood, 80’s, and Tamil music guests were dancing all night, even until Journey’s famous “Don’t Stop Believing” as the classic ending song of the night.

Deepa & Kiran’s Vendors

Wedding Coordinator – Planning Elegance
Decorator/Designer – Bloombox Designs
DJ & Lighting – Riamu Entertainment
Photography – Global Photography
Videography – Robles Video
Hair, Makeup & Dressing – Oscar Najaro, Ziba Beauty
Venue – Hyatt Regency in Valencia, CA
Caterer – Manohar’s Dehli Palace
Bakery – A Sweet Design
Horse for Baraat – Enchanted Carriages

While shopping for your wedding cake make sure to stop by some of the most common known bakeries. You want to find a place that will make that dream wedding cake come to life just as you imagined it. Here are some bakeries to choose from: A Sweet Design, Cake & Art, Porto’s, Cakes by the Pound, and Nancy Kay’s Confections.

A Sweet Design

A Sweet Design is a custom cake studio owned by Joeleen Medina. They are located in Granada Hills and are open for walk-ins from the hours of 10 am to 4 pm and are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. They make a wide variety of different types of wedding cakes to choose from and are known to create a cake that will “make a statement” on your wedding day. They also won the 2008 and 2009 first place winners for Best Cakes in the Los Angeles Area.

Cake & Art

Cake & Art is an edible art experience! They are located on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood and have been featured in magazines pages in Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, People, and Instyle. Each cake created there is a distinct masterpiece. You can get your typical classic wedding cake or create a cake to add to the theme of your wedding. Their cake flavors include white, chocolate, carrot, lemon, and red velvet.

Porto’s Bakery

Porto’s Bakery is a family owned business that is located in Glendale and has been making cakes for over 35 years. The company is known to “have made quality the cornerstone of their efforts” because to them each customer is an addition to their family. They have expert decorators to create your imagined wedding cake.

Cakes by the Pound

Cakes by the Pound is located in Alhambra and owned by Mendy K. Pound. It is a licensed cake studio that specializes in custom designed edible works of art. Each cake is made from scratch and have a European style to them. They strive to make your cake one that will reflect your personality and style even down to the cake stand.

Nancy Kay’s Confections

Nancy Kay’s Confections are contemporary classic gourmet wedding cakes located in Santa Monica Blvd. for appointments only. They were the winner of the 2010 Best of Weddings, Bride’s Choice Awards, and Best Wedding Cakes. They are known for the most attentive customer service and will sit down with you for a private consultant to ensure that your cake design will be what you hoped for.

Everyone wants their wedding to stand out and your wedding cake is a big factor in your wedding day. Make your dream wedding cake come true and visit one of the best locations who will strive to make the perfect creation of your wedding cake.

Image 1 via Cake and Art
Image 2 via Cake and Art
Image 3 via Nancy Kay’s Confections

Nothing is more exciting than finding that perfect wedding band for you and your husband. Shopping for your wedding band can take quite a bit of your time. There’s so much to look for and you have an endless amount of choices. Your wedding band should be the one ring that had caught your eye and stood out to you the most. It’s a ring that will be placed on your hand for life to signify your love for each other. Your ring should resemble your style and personality as well as the two of you as a couple. When shopping for your wedding bands, you should make sure that you have set a budget, start looking at rings early, and be knowledgeable about your purchase.

1.  Set a Budget for your Wedding Bands

Setting a budget is a must when shopping for your wedding bands. You don’t want to go too overboard to find that perfect wedding ring. Plan ahead with each other on how much you both agree on spending and then go from there. A budget can help a lot when shopping because most likely you will stay in your price range. Also remember that the more you spend the less that goes towards your wedding. Rings don’t have to be pricey and large. A simple ring or even one that fits your style can be more rewarding in the end, afterall, you do have to wear it everyday!

2.  Start Looking for Wedding Bands Early

It’s always good to get a jump start on finding your wedding bands. It gives you more time to make your decision and to find the rings you both are going to love. You never want to rush when looking for your wedding bands because you might find something different that you like or you may not be pleased with your selection after you have had your ring for a few years. Your wedding band is something that will stay with you forever and it needs to be something that will always “be in”. Shopping ahead of time gives you the advantage of finding the perfect rings to fit your style. Give yourselves at least a few months to be able to revisit each jewelry store where you had found rings that you liked. You may find a ring that you love but you should always double check that it is the ring that you absolutely need to have. Keep in mind, that if you are planning to engrave your wedding rings, groomsmen gifts, or any other gifts – it can take up to one month, so you will need to plan ahead.

3.  Learn About Wedding Rings

When shopping you need to be sure that your purchase will be a wise one that you won’t regret it. You should always check for form, sizing, and quality. When trying on rings you should find one that is going to be comfortable for you. You don’t want a ring that is going to irritate your finger while wearing it or one that is going to fall off. Always add in to consideration your occupation and if that will get in the way. If you work with your hands a lot you want to be certain that your ring will not slide off your finger. Once you have found a ring that you are happy with make sure to check the quality. A wedding band should always have two marks on the inside, one will be the manufacturer’s trademark and the second will be the quality mark. If you are searching for something with a diamond, learn about the 4 C’s of shopping for a diamond.

These three tips will be most helpful when shopping for your wedding bands. It can be a long task, but in the end you want to be happy with what you decide. Nothing is more important than being smart with your decision. Your wedding bands are a symbol of your love and you should love the rings that you wear. What you choose should be jewelry that is timeless and high quality that will stay with you forever. Find your perfect wedding bands by setting a limit, getting a head start, and being smart with your choice.

You shouldn’t fit to your wedding band, your wedding band should fit to you.

Image 1 via Lynd’s Photography

Image 2 via Diamond Wedding Rings

There are so many things to plan while planning a wedding. Most of the time the bride and or the brides family plans most of it whether by themselves or with a planner. Sometimes it is very difficult for your partner to feel included whether they want to or not. Here are some tips for including your partner in the planning.

Big Decisions

Make sure to ask their opinion on the larger decisions such as venue and food selection. Include them in deciding on what alcohol to serve. Try and find their interests within the wedding planning, even if you add a few things that they like to the agenda. Ask their opinion on the wedding favors because they might have a say on what to give to the guests as well. Talk about the colors for your wedding and which color they want to do or match for what they are going to wear.

The Little Things

Another great way to include your partner is to surprise them with their own cake that really describes who they are. Having them help with picking out the favors you give to your guests, that way they can really feel like it was a group effort. When it comes to picking your first dance another great way to share the duties is to have each of you pick out a song that reminds you of the other person. This gives you and your partner a chance to be involved as well as a nice way to know how your partner is reminded of you.

The Whole Package

A wedding is a fun time to show your close friends and family how much you love each other. Therefore, both people involved should have an opinion of how the wedding should go or look. Little things like choosing the car or limo, the cake, or colors for the wedding are all great ways to involve your partner in the wedding planning process.

Image 2 via Aksandu

Image 1 via Engagement Advisor

Image 3 via Limos Online

Knowing Your Theme

We all have different taste in music. When it come to your wedding it can be a challenge to pick the right music that you and all of your guests will love. Picking music that fits your style as a couple is very important because it can give your wedding a sense of uniqueness compared to the rest. However some music, no matter how much you love it, could bring the wrong tone to your wedding.

A good way to find the right music is to find compilation CD’s of wedding songs, these songs are typical wedding songs that have been used for years. However if you want to be different in your music finding songs that you both like that are similar is a great substitution. Songs by Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra are very popular at weddings and appeal to all ages. Try to stay away from songs that have a lot of profanity, because it could make some of your guests uncomfortable. As a substitution try and find the same song, but the edited version that way you can still have a personal touch without it being too much.

Songs that Make Them Dance

Picking songs that will get people out of their chairs and on their feet are great! Typical wedding songs that everyone knows and will dance to are songs like; The YMCA, Hokey Poky, and Don’t Stop Believing. sometimes the old songs can be the best. People love to sing along and join in when they know the song, so even if the rest of the music is your own personal taste, throwing a few oldies in there can be helpful!

Music for the Ceremony

When picking music to walk down the aisle to or for your bridesmaids and groomsmen to walk down to is another challenge. Music that is easy on the ear, very light and airy is a good choice. Classical music or hymns as well as instrumentals are a few good options. You want everyone to focus on the bride when she walks down the aisle, you don’t want them to be distracted by the words of a song or how “loud” it is. The music should be subtle just to give the bride that grand entrance she deserves. Songs with words are useful while the bridesmaids are walking down or the groomsmen. However there are some great songs out there with words that are good for walking down the aisle, just be very particular when choosing.

Have Fun and Be Creative

There are many options to chose from when deciding on music for your wedding. There is the option of hiring a DJ or MC, hiring a live band, or having a friend create a playlist to play throughout the wedding/reception. Any of these choices is a great one, but no matter which one you chose make sure the person responsible for playing the music knows what you and your partner want. Make sure when picking a band or a DJ, that you pick someone that you feel comfortable with and that has the same kind of style that you do. Always audition your cortet, DJ, or band before hiring them, that way you can make an informed decision.

If you want your wedding to be fun, upbeat, and maybe even a little humorous, music is the best way to set that tone. Picking songs from movies that define you as a couple that everyone will get a kick at is a good way to bring everyone together through the music. It really comes down to how personal you want it to be or how comfortable you want it to be for the guests. Songs like, “Baby got back” is a fun dance song that most people from this generation would know, however, it could be taken offensively by the older crowd. You want your wedding to be memorable but just not in the wrong way and not because of the music choice. A good way to organize it is by themes. First the ceremony: think light, orchestra, string cortet with a touch of your own uniqueness. Second for the reception: think fun, lively, romantic, because people love to dance at weddings, so make sure the music is fitting for whether people are dancing or sitting down to eat dinner.

Music is the factor in your wedding that brings everything together so whether you are having a elegant sit-down dinner reception, or a fun funky wedding, make sure the music you chose fits your theme, as well as yours and your grooms personality. Your friends and family will dance and have a great time!

Image 1 via Michael Weinberg
Image 2 via Geoff White Photography
Image 3 via Brandywine Valley Talent Blog

Planning Elegance was featured on Groomasauraus for the following article – learn how to put the planning tools aside for a while and let your hubby take over…

Everyone involved in the planning process tends to act like the wedding is all about the bride and sometimes, we may forget about the groom. Often times we, as wedding planners, may not even meet the groom until the wedding day! Here are wedding duties that the MAN in the relationship, the soon-to-be-hubby: THE GROOM – this is what you should be handling throughout the wedding planning process.

The Bar and Beverages

The bar is the most common thing that brides will put their beaus in charge of for the wedding. Generally, the groom handles how much of their budget can handle the bar, what types of alcohol should be available, and how the bar payments will be handled. Hey guys, here’s some bar advice on how to handle this responsibility for your wedding reception. Don’t forget to have fun doing this – if there’s a theme to your wedding, maybe you can have some signature drinks. If you’re a tequila man, then see if your venue can offer a tequila bar, this will definitely add some heat to the reception. There’s also the option of a separate beer and wine station, or a full whiskey bar!

If you are having a non-alcoholic wedding – you can play around with what we call “Mocktails”. Your guests don’t have to stick to just plain old Sprite, Coke, and water – they can have apple cider, virgin cocktails/”mocktails”, smoothies, tropical juices, rootbeer floats…be creative! Guests enjoy creative and tasteful drinks and there are vendors that you can even hire for a fresh fruit smoothie bar or to create ice cream and beverage concoctions.

You can also make the the drinking options more interesting with an ice bar, martini luge, tray-passed drinks by servers, or different colored drinks for different tables. Colors are the best and most affordable way to play around with wedding beverages and creative a cool and classy atmosphere for your wedding reception. Spruce up the look by using interesting glasses, cute little umbrellas, fresh garnishes like oranges and cherries, even colored ice!

The Gift Registry

Okay, so you got dragged along with your beautiful fiancee through Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Crate & Barrel registering for kitchen and living room items – you just don’t care if you go with eggshell white or ivory colored sheets for your bedroom! So now it’s your turn! There are some great registries for the groom out there and you should register at more than one store to provide your guests with options. Best Buy is a great place for your wedding registry if your into electronics, music, movies, home theater, or video games. An original idea would be to add on your wedding website what your favorite sports team is, then your friends can all pitch in to try to get season tickets for you and your beau – best wedding gift ever for sports fans everywhere. Then there’s the all-too-popular The Man Registry! this site has all types of great gifts that men will love and things that are classy enough to give as wedding presents. Have fun with this because your wedding gifts are a great enjoyment after a long wedding day and night – look forward to opening up that George Forman Grill, that plasma screen TV, or the autographed baseball you’ve been dying for!

The Wedding Band

So maybe you’re not so keen on the jewelry and even though you may not want to wear a ring, at least you can pick your own style out. There are many different styles and metals of wedding bands that you can choose from. Generally, these rings aren’t too showy and have the same pattern all the way around the band. It can have one or two indented lines, grooves, have a hammered pattern, or be plain. Different metals have different colors and properties. There is yellow or white gold, which are both great quality and can be made to fit any size finger. Platinum is great because it’s heavy weight can make you feel like a man, but it’s a bit on the expensive end. Sterling silver is nice and affordable, however it is for a man that likes a shiny ring. Titanium and palladium are popular choices because of their colors and they are very light weight. While tungsten is great because it has a very dark, unique color. Any types of diamonds or gems are also available in wedding bands, discuss with you jeweler the qualities your want in a wedding band. If you are thinking about having a diamond, make sure you learn about how to select the right diamond for you so that you don’t break your budget. Decide on a budget or at least a price range – depending on the style, metal, stones, and design that you are looking for, you may even be able to custom-design your ring for an affordable price.

The Honeymoon

You can plan the honeymoon. While your beau is planning the wedding details and forgetting about the honeymoon, you can book the flight(s), accommodations, food, and activities. This is a great thing for the groom today because he can enjoy searching through websites for great deals and places to go. You shouldn’t plan the entire honeymoon without inquiring with your wife-to-be, get some tips on planning the honeymoon and ask your bride-to-be’s advice on where she wants to go and what she wants to do. You can book and plan all the details, which most women will find very romantic.

To all the grooms out there that think they have been forgotten: there are things for you to do and ways to contribute that you can enjoy. Signature drink taste testing, running around Best Buy with the registry gun, choosing metals for your wedding band, and looking up places to go snorkling and sky diving for your honeymoon can be your contributions to make your wedding unique and memorable. Congratulations – you are officially a groomasaurus!!

In our current market, it is very difficult to think about spending a lot of money on a wedding, but weddings are expensive and everyone wants their wedding to be beautiful. No one wants to have to worry about money, but it is an issue, especially now. Here are some ways to keep your wedding beautiful while on a budget.

Venues

When picking a venue, sometimes it can be less expensive to find venues that allow outside catering. There will still be corkage fees and cake cutting fees, but there is a good chance you can find a good caterer for a good price. At venues that don’t allow outside catering, find out if you are able to just serve appetizers (there will be a minimum fee that you have to hit, but it will still be less expensive than a sit down dinner). Bring your own wine and champagne because you can find a decent bottle of wine or champagne for a good price at beverage store and with the corkage fee it will still be less expensive.

Save the Dates

When sending out your save the dates; consider using a Wal-Mart or a Costco for picking out your border and for printing. By doing this you wont have to pay any delivery or shipping fee from another company.

Bridal Party

For beach weddings a good place to find bridesmaid dresses that are very decently priced and are versatile is American Apparel. They have a number of colors and styles that are very fitting for a casual wedding or beach-side wedding. When thinking about favors for your bridesmaids or groomsmen; consider items like jewelry that they can wear on the day of the wedding or cigars for the men.  Items such as these show that  care and appreciate their presence.  Also, the bridal party can look back upon these items and remember your special day.

Centerpieces

Making your own wedding reception centerpieces is another great way to save on costs. For beach or winter/outdoor type weddings there is a very easy way to make your own centerpieces, which will cut down on costs on flowers, etc. You can find inexpensive vases at your local Wal-Mart or Dollar Store and find some inexpensive candles to put in them. If you are having a beach wedding you can fill the vases with sand or shells, or if you are having an outdoor wedding, you could fill it will stones or flowers or put some neat branches around it. If you decide to do flowers, there are open flower markets that you can go to, or if you have a friend with a nice garden that could also be beneficial. Also finding small mirrors to go under the centerpieces adds a nice touch to any style centerpiece.

The Little Things

Cutting out things like name card for the tables or bows around the chairs are simple little expenses that can be done without. Having your pictures printed at a Costco is another way to cut down on costs for your photography, which is one of the more expensive parts of a wedding. However finding a good photographer is still very important and can be rather expensive, but this way you can at least keep the prints on the lower end. Remember you can have a beautiful wedding on any budget because your family and friends are there to support you. You can entertain on a budget and still remember how beautiful everything looked on your wedding day, and you didn’t have to spend an arm and a leg!

Image 1 via Organize Our Wedding

Image 2 Wal-Mart

Image 3 American Apparel

Image 4 American Apparel

Image 5 via Seashell City

Image 6 via Wedding Bee

No wedding is complete without a wedding cake and there are so many options to choose from. You have the flavors, decorations & design, and shape to decide on – you can be creative and express yourselves as a couple through your wedding cake. Whether it’s a huge cake or small one – you can have it made and designed to exactly the way you like it.  You can use these tips if you are planning a bridal shower too!

Wedding Cake Flavors

There are many wedding cake flavors to decide on. The best way to go is to both agree on a flavor that you both like or you could even have the flavors mixed. Multi-tiered cakes usually allow 3 different flavors!  First, you start with picking the cake flavor. These are just some of the cake flavors that you can choose from; Vanilla, Chocolate, Marble, Lemon, Orange, Coconut, Red Velvet, and Banana. Once you decide on the flavor you can agree on adding a filling to your cake. If you do agree on having a cake with filling these are some of the fillings to mix & match: Vanilla, Chocolate, Raspberry, Strawberry, Caramel, Lemon, and Mango. You can also add flavor syrups such as lemon or raspberry or see if your bakery can make unique cream fillings like mint chocolate, peanut butter, or cappuccino.

Wedding Cake Decor & Design

For a unique wedding cake pick a decor or design that’s going to stand out. Instead of going with the original cake topper with the little, plastic bride and groom you can replace that with a picture of the two of you. It makes your wedding cake different from the usual and your guests will appreciate the uniqueness. If you don’t want just a picture you could get miniature dolls of the two of you specially made to put on top of the cake as a cake topper – this can demonstrate your occupations, hobbies, how you met…anything! To spice up your cake you can add flowers to it or an interesting design – fondant cascading flowers has seemed to be the most popular in 2009 – we’ll see what you choose to be popular for 2010!

Tier Shape on Your Wedding Cake

Cakes come in different shapes and sizes. Some of the most common shapes for wedding cakes are round, square, hexagonal, petal, or Topsy-turvy. Round cakes are thought of as being plain but they actually give you a perfect backdrop for designs and colors. You can add a lot of colorful flowers or just a pleaded pattern. Square cakes are usually the alternative to round cakes – this is a great off-set if you are placing it on a round table. A good idea for square cakes is to outline the pattern with a colorful ribbon on each tier. A hexagonal cake is a six-sided creative square cake that you will want to keep simple. This can save you money because the shape of it is enough decoration to where you don’t need to add too much more decor and design. A petal cake has a flower like appearance to it – what looks best with these cakes is colored flowers and simple design around the cake, just elegant. A Topsy-turvy cake makes a bold statement and is incredably creative and unique. It has each tier made to look as if it’s going to fall. Bold colors and funky designs are best for this type of cake. You can always mix shapes by having a different shape for each tier and be creative to make the tiers look asymetrical as wel – have fun with your cake shape.

Saving Money on Your Wedding Cake

Of course you want to save money on your wedding! We have 2 easy wedding planning tips to cut costs when is comes to the wedding cake.  1.  Cupcake towers have been VERY popular – cupcakes can save you money because it usually costs less per cupcake than per slice of cake and with cupcakes you don’t have to pay a cake-cutting fee at your venue.  2.  If you want a beautiful cake, but still want to save money – another option is to have a small 2 or 3-tiered cake and then sheet cakes in the kitchen.  After you cut your beautiful cake, it will be rolled back into the kitchen with alongside the sheet cakes and guests won’t know whether they are getting the beautiful masterpiece, or the less expensive cake!  Your wedding planner can help you find a bakery that will work with either of these options.

Your wedding cake can be one of the top essentials for your wedding. When choosing your wedding cake make sure it’s something you both are going to enjoy together as well as your guests. It should be a cake that your going to look at and love that when it comes to the time to do the cake cutting you won’t even want to ruin it!  Happy Cake Tasting!

Image 1 via NYC Cake Decorators

Image 2 via Brenda’s Wedding Blog

Image 3 via Cean One Photography

Image 4 via Harvard Photography

Today’s guest blogger is Jeff Kear, who is the co-owner of two sites providing online wedding planning software for engaged couples and wedding consultants – My Wedding Workbook and My Wedding Workbook Pro.

In this highly digitized era, it’s no longer odd to do a fair amount of your wedding planning via the Web; in fact, it’s commonplace. Brides have been announcing their engagements on Facebook, sharing tips with other brides via forums, fishing for ideas on various websites for a few years now, and these methods are only picking up momentum. With every passing month, there are more wedding-focused websites, more online tools, more blogger brides, and it will continue to build up.

I myself just got married in November and must admit that I relied heavily on the Internet for my wedding planning (I even sent out e-invitations instead of paper ones so as to make our wedding a bit more green). So, for those brides new to the wild and wonderful world of web-influenced weddings (couldn’t resist the alliteration), here are a few tips as you dive into this digital arena of bridal bits and bytes.

Do: Look for ideas on blogs and other wedding websites

The bridal blogosphere is simply bursting with tons of great been-there-done-that advice and insights, and you’d be remiss not to check it out. On blogs as well as more familiar bridal websites, you can get some great ideas about color schemes; bridal fashion and wedding gowns; wedding decor and centerpieces; do-it-yourself projects; wedding photography (and photographers); and so much more.

Don’t: Get overwhelmed by all that’s out there

There’s so much wedding information online that I hear from many brides that they actually stop checking out blogs and bridal sites simply because they are overwhelmed by all the choices available. I feel that this can be said for pretty much any topic or subject online; if you try and devour too much of it too fast, you end up getting sick of it all. This is true with food, booze and even weddings. So find a handful of sites that seem to speak to you and offer ideas that are up your alley, and surf the Web in moderation. Another go

od idea is to sign up at a bookmarking site like delicious.com and bookmark all the pages and sites that hold valuable information that you would like to consult at a later date. Also another good idea from my wife … create a file or folder on your computer where you can store images (JPGs, TIFs and the like) that you can either print out and show to vendors or send to them electronically (as in “see this really cool bridal bouquet I found online; I want something like that but in pink”).

Do: Sign up for tools and resources

Right now the Internet is certainly the place where “free” is king, and engaged couples have a wide variety of choices when it comes to free wedding planning tools and resources (as well as those that you pay for). There are free wedding worksheets and calculators, free planning tools (personal plug here … on our wedding website we offer some really helpful free wedding software tools to engaged couples), free educational e-newsletters, free forums, free wedding websites … the list goes on and on. What I would recommend is to first do a rundown of what tools or resources would help you in your wedding planning and then go to the Internet to find products and services that can meet your needs. You may actually have to end up paying for a few things (for instance, some of the free websites are pretty limited in what you get), but in the end they may be what you really want.

Don’t: Give them your “real” email address

When you sign up for anything free online, there is usually a hidden cost in all that fine print, and the hidden cost is often your privacy. In exchange for free tools and resources, many sites require you to opt-in to receive email solicitations and e-newsletters from them and vendors (and some will even send vendors your contact information). Sometimes all this is worth using the tools (and sometimes it is also worth getting the e-mail blasts because they have useful info and discounts on stuff), but make sure you know what you’re getting into first. When you do decide to sign up at your selected sites, first go to Gmail or Hotmail or some other free email service and create a special email for your wedding. This way, when your wedding is over and you no longer want to receive e-mails from wedding sites, you can either shut down your wedding-specific email or ignore it.

Do: Shop around online for bargains

Take it from a guy who loves to shop and bargain hunt … the Internet is a fabulous place to browse for hard-to-find items and comparison shop for prices. If you are buying most of your wedding items (such as invitations, decorations, etc.), you should compare items online and get a sense of the prices before you really plunk down money on anything.

Don’t: Buy it unless you know what you’re getting
…and don’t get too impulsive

The one problem with buying items on the Internet is that you often don’t know the quality or condition of a good before you pay, and although most sites are honest and reasonable about returns, it’s still a time-consuming hassle to ship stuff back. The Web is great for buying CDs and books because you pretty much know what you’re getting and what to expect. But when it comes to glass centerpieces made in China and shipped from the Philippines by slow boat, you don’t have the opportunity to really inspect the merchandise before you buy. So I would recommend finding some items online that your local retailers carry and inspecting them personally. An added note: My wife just reminded me that, when she was shopping online for our wedding, a few times she bought a wedding item only to find something better a week later. Granted, if you’re buying stuff on eBay, it might not be around tomorrow, but her advice was to spend more time shopping and browsing until you’re pretty sure that you’ve found what you want.

Do: Get ideas for vendors on the web

The main people who will be responsible for the final outcome of your wedding are of course you and your mate, but after that comes your vendors, and they can either make your life so much easier or a living hell. So picking the right ones is pretty important, and browsing around online is a good way to start collecting some names. Dozens and dozens of sites have wedding vendor directories that you can run through, and here you can more easily evaluate more visual vendors like photographers (because you can view their work on their sites and get a feel for their craft). However, for venues, caterers and other vendors for whom you can’t get a good feel for via pixels, you will certainly need to pay a visit and see their goods and talents in the flesh.

Don’t: Take online vendor recommendations as the final word

Many online vendor directories have ratings systems, and although these may be helpful to some extent, you should always, always look to friends, family and local word-of-mouth for the final say when it comes to vendor recommendations. Put it this way … would you trust spending $10K on a venue just going by the word of “Mary J. from Denver” who said in her online blurb that she absolutely loved the place? I’m a pretty trusting person, but it would take a lot more than Mary J.’s brief praise to plop down that kind of cash.

Planning Elegance would like to thank Jeff Kear from My Wedding Workbook for submitting these very helpful Do’s and Don’ts that can aid any bride – especially going into 2010!

Planning Elegance has a special celebrity wedding article feature – learn from their mistakes & mishaps. Hollywood stars often seem superior to the rest of us, in that they are more beautiful, wealthier, and far more glamorous. The plethora of divorces among Hollywood ranks proves that they can be as unlucky in love as everybody else. They also suffer from the same mishaps and mistakes that befall other bride and grooms upon their wedding day.

The Shortest Marriages

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds married with much fanfare and proclamations of joy and happiness on New Year’s Day 2008, only to break up in a bitter feud less than two weeks later. Witnesses to the wedding, which took place on an exotic Polynesian island, reported seeing tension and cracks in the facade within hours of the ceremony.

Actress Drew Barrymore was married to Jerry Thomas, a bar owner, for a whopping 17 days in 1994. He cited her fame and age (19) as the reasons their marriage failed to work out.

Much-married Zsa Zsa Gabor tied the knot with her eighth husband, Felipe de Alba, on a ship. She split a day later, saying “he bored me” when asked for the reason behind the quick break-up.

Renée Zellweger and Kenny Chesney split 128 days after their 2005 wedding ceremony with bride citing “fraud” as the rationale for divorce. In response to the fraud allegations, Kenny Chesney quipped “the only fraud that was committed was me thinking that I knew what it was like … to be married.” Similar to buying a pet to see if you’re ready for children, some of these couples should try buying promise rings instead of wedding ones to see if they’re ready for marriage. I’m sure they’d save thousands when the relationship goes south in record time.

Wedding Mishaps and Bridezilla Moments

When Katherine Heigl married Josh Kelly in 2008, the glossy pictures appearing in fashion magazines made it appear to be a fairytale wedding. While the couple is happily married, they suffered a few bumps along the way. Kelly chose to go skiing a few days before the ceremony even after Heigl begged him not to go. He bumped into a large tree and ended up with an ugly cut on his nose and a bride who refused to speak to him until after the ceremony. En route to the airport to fly away for their Mexican honeymoon, Heigl realized that she had forgotten her passport. After a stop in California to pick up her passport, the couple eventually embarked on their long-awaited honeymoon.

Tori Spelling commissioned designer Randolph Duke to design the dress for her 2006 Fiji Island wedding to Dean McDermott, only to hate the end result and deem it “cheesy”. When she tried to get her $4700 deposit back, Duke told US Weekly, “I’ve never designed a dress for free. She won’t get her money back.” Spelling ended up strolling down the aisle in a white eyelet Dolce & Gabbana dress.

Planning Elegance would like to thank MyJewelryBox.com for submitting this fun celebrity gossip article to contirbute something different and unique to our blog!

Planning Elegance has compiled this special feature article about being a South Asian bride.  Being a South Asian bride isn’t always easy and we have put together several experiences from our past brides and consolidated their ideas so that you can learn from their experiences!

The Gujarati Bride

I am a Gujarati Bride.  I know that I will have hundreds of people staring at me while I’m walking down the aisle when all I want to do is rip down the anthrapath held in front of my hubby-to-be’s face and give him the biggest hug that our special day is finally here.  To top this nervousness all off, my mama that’s walking me down the aisle is even more nervous because he’s never done this before and has no children of his own.  he had just come from India 2 days before and is still a little jet-lagged.  I can feel his hands shaking as his arm is intertwined in mine.  This is it, it’s time, my coordinator signals us to begin walking to the main area and down that aisle, we took those first steps and I stopped.  “Mama, thank you for walking me down the aisle – but don’t be nervous, just walk slowly, smile, and be happy that we are doing this together.”  We both hugged, took a couple deep breathes together and then continued.  That walk down the aisle was beautiful!

My advice – have a rehearsal or some other way to keep the other people involved in your ceremony aware of what and how they’re supposed to do.  Don’t forget to walk slowly and smile, I loved my walk down the aisle!

The Pakistani Bride

I am a Pakistani Bride.  I am to be modest and collected, but I have butterflies in my stomach.  I have all these women including my mom and some aunties surrounding me and chit-chatting about rituals and superstitions.  To be honest, I don’t even really believe in any of this stuff!  My mom is pushing me to hold this little pouch thing – a butwa – with me and walk down the aisle with it while my aunt is reminding me to step into the Nikkah area right foot first.  It’s a little overwhelming listening to all this advice and ranting, not to mention their arguing of which superstition is true and which ones are not important. The Nikkah is starting son and I feel the weight of my dupata pulling my down and all this nervousness is just so over-whelming because I can’t even hear myself think amongst all this chattering!  Unfortunately, I had no solution on my wedding day, but now I do.

My advice – get ready for your wedding with as little people in the room as possible.  I love my mom and all, but they were the ones making me nervous and turning knots in my stomach.  Make sure you’re not overwhelmed and have some quiet time with your maid-of-honor, cousin, sister, or best friend.

The South Indian Bride

I am a South Indian Bride.  I have known my fiance for years and I am so excited to marry him.  Right now my beauticians are putting on my heavy sari.  It’s beautiful and I picked it out from the million saris I saw, but at this moment, my sari feels enclosing and limiting.  I wish I could feel more free and less confined in these pleats and gold.  Let’s get this over with – that’s what I thought when I walked out of the hotel room into the hallway, and then I saw my hubby-to-be as uncomfortable as me in his matching turban and the moment just fit!  My heart raced with excitement and now – I was ready to get married!  I gave him a big hug and laughed as I described to him what I had just felt.  But you know what?  I love my sari!  I felt like a bride in it and I wouldn’t change that feeling for anything!

My advice – try on your bridal outfit at least 4 times before your wedding day.  Be comfortable in it and love it because you chose it and this is your moment to look great, even if you feel a little uncomfortable.

The above aritcles and advice are taken from real brides and real senarios from their wedding days.  Be a smart bride – take their advice and learn from their situations.  For more Indian Wedding advice from a real Indian bride currently going through her planning process, visit An Indian Wedding – One Moment at a Time.

We all know that wedding planning can be daunting and very time consuming.  However, there are several common mistakes that you should learn from that can save you tons of stress – read on and learn from other brides’ mistakes…

1. Putting Together Your Guest List

The first step in planning your wedding is the guest list, it should always come first. Being newly engaged your excited and thinking about everything, the venue, your dress, etc. Don’t get too carried away in all the excitement, first you have to agree on who will be attending your wedding. You don’t want to book a venue and have too many guests that everyone will be uncomfortable. You also both need to decide together who you would like to attend. We all know going through countless amounts of names isn’t exactly the best part of planning your wedding, but it’s also very important. After completing the guest list you can move on to the type of wedding you’d like to have. If your thinking of a more intimate wedding that could help you decide on cutting back on your guest list or not.

2. Overwhelming Your Groom

Every groom is going to want to have some say in their wedding, but it’s also not what they think about every second of the day. Planning your wedding is an exciting thing, however don’t forget about your husband-to-be. You’re about to get married and he wants to know that the woman he loves is still there – not some crazed bride. To avoid any fights or arguments before the wedding, make sure you set aside time to be with just him, no wedding stuff. Go out to dinner or just watch a movie at home but stay away from all wedding priorities a couple times a wekk. If you don’t overwhelm him with too much he can possibly be the one to help you out the most with your wedding plans.

3. Changing Details Before the Wedding

When planning your wedding you have many months to make decisions and sometimes the decisions you make in the beginning might not be what you want in the end. Coming closer to your wedding date you might want to change a few things such as your wedding colors. You should always feel free to be able to rethink what you want for your wedding even if it’s only two months away. Don’t be afraid to make any changes. If it comes down to you not being happy with the color of your linens you can always have a overlay to spice them up. Also with your dresses, if your not feeling to keen on the color of your bridesmaids dresses that have already been ordered, dress them up with accessories.

4. Dropping A Few Sizes For The Final Fit

Every bride on their wedding day wants to look perfect in their dress. Trying to squeeze into a dress that’s two sizes too small for you isn’t easy. Some brides order their dresses to be smaller to give themselves a goal, which isn’t always the best way to go. Making a commitment and setting a healthy diet is what’s key. Crash dieting is not going to help you fit into that dress. Be sure to make a goal that is reasonable for you and your body. You have enough stress and things to worry about for the wedding and you don’t need to be set on dropping a few sizes. The best thing to do is find that perfect dress you love and order it in your size. Don’t forget your husband is the one who is marrying you, he already loves you for how you are. Sticking with a healthy routine and staying in shape in time for your wedding is better than completely changing your whole body style.

5. Doing It Yourself

It’s always nice to do things yourself and add special additions to your wedding but there’s a difference between doing it yourself and over doing yourself. Doing it yourself is always a plus because it’s creative and no one usually has the same ideas as what you come up with. When doing things yourself for the wedding don’t take on too many projects because most likely you won’t be able to finish all of them or you will be overwhelmed by everything. Take a few things that you really are in love with doing and set yourself to that.

6. Overloading The Big Day’s To Do List

On the wedding day your not going to be able to do everything by yourself. Usually there’s a good friend in charge or even your mom to help on all the certain details. Don’t forget the person that is helping you with everything is also attending your wedding and not everyone wants to be running around making sure everything’s perfect, they want to be able to enjoy the wedding and party as well. To make things a tad easier have more than one person help you out. You can have both your mom and your maid of honor or even a close cousin who is willing to help. With more than one person helping things can get done faster without having to rush. It’s also a great way to add them to your celebration.  Another suggestion is that you can hire a professional wedding planner for the day of the wedding to help put everything together so then none of your guests are being bothered.

7. Crying Over Small Mistakes

Every wedding no matter how well planned out it is, is usually meant to hit a few small bumps. Details can be hard to deal with when you find a flaw among them. The best thing to do when you come across a certain detail that is not right is to take a deep breathe and think of how important it truly is. Also if there is anything that you can do to fix it. If it’s a minor stress then just move on from it. You can’t freak out and stress about everything that goes wrong you have to decide on what is important and what is not.

8. Blowing Your Budget

In the beginning you might have a number set in your head that you think will be perfect for everything you need. Once your start actually planning you might realize that the budget you decided on just won’t be enough. If you find that you underestimated your expenses, sit down with your fiance and both think of a constructive solution to your budget. You may also think of cutting down on certain items or cutting out something completly. Think of the things your going to need and see if maybe going over your budget won’t cause too much damage to the both of you.

9. Paying Your Vendors on The Wedding Day

You’re a smart bride, so don’t do this. If you insist on not delivering the final payment until the wedding day, assign someone you trust, like your wedding coordinator or maid of honor, to handle all the final payments. The last thing that you, your dad, or your new hubby want is the photographer tapping you on the shoulder while you’re doing the YMCA asking for his remainder payment.

10. Saving Your Place Cards For The Morning Of

Place cards seem to be an easy task of just having everyone’s names written down and ready to go. The best thing is to make them ahead of time when you know you won’t be rushing to have them all finished. Taking the time to put all of them together and just keep them in the closet to the morning of the wedding can save a lot of stress and time. All the effort you put in ahead of time will definatley be worth it the week or the last month before the wedding. You want to be able to enjoy yourself before your wedding not stressing about everything detail and things that you have unfinished. Take the time and it will be worth it in the end.

Image 1 via The Bridal Blog

Image 2 via Wedding Bee

Image 3 via Bride’s Placecards

Planning a wedding adds up. We know that every girl has her dream wedding in mind – the trick is to be able to get that dream wedding without spending all your savings.  Besides, you still need money left over for your honeymoon.  We have Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding, but specifically the reception is the most pricey part of your wedding, here are some tips to help you cut costs.

Minimize The Guest List

This is the number one way to save money on your wedding reception. Cutting part of your guest list can reduce down many purchases. With less tables you don’t need as many table cloths, centerpieces, chairs, or place settings. It will save you money on catering costs as well as sending out your invitations. Choose your close friends and family to attend at your reception and save.

Limit The Full Bar and Serve Your Favorites

We know everyone loves to drink at wedding receptions and that can add up per person, per drink, etc. If your having trouble with your budget you can always choose a variety of drinks to serve instead of having a full bar. Drinks such as wine, beer, and martinis are the best way to satisfy everyone. Your can also use this to your advantage and have specialty drinks (usually martinis) to match your theme and/or wedding colors. After a few drinks comes another and another and you don’t want to be surprised with a huge bill when you can have a set budget and save on the reception alcohol spending. Don’t forget to set a limit on the bar spending. Many people close the bar for about an hour while guests are getting seated and speeches are being made, this will save you some money and pace your guests as well.

Serve Simple Foods

Not every wedding needs a fancy gourmet meal. Decide what the three most important aspects of your wedding reception are to you. If food is not one of them, then simplify your menu. A great way to save money on your guest’s dinner would be to serve foods such as barbecue chicken (which everyone loves), buffet-style foods, dessert buffet rather than formally served desserts, etc. What better way to bring everyone together at your reception than to have a home-like meal. People will enjoy it a lot more and you’ll be surprised at how much your saving.

Bigger Tables, Fewer Centerpieces

Cutting down the number of tables at your reception can help save you those few extra centerpieces and table linens. It also brings your guests together more when they are sitting at the same table. Having bigger, but less tables could also allow more room for people to get up and walk around. Considering the costs of centerpieces, arrangements and flowers this might be the best way to go.

Favors Doubling as Placecards

Printing out each favor takes up time and money as well as having name cards with what table each guest is supposed to sit at. To make things more time consuming and to save money double your favors as escort cards. Most people won’t save their name cards with their table numbers on them, but some do save the favors. We’ve also seen placecard programs, so your wedding program can have each individual’s name & table number on them. It’s a unique way to save paper, time, and money.

A Favor per Couple

At most weddings, each person will bring a guest or a date. Instead of giving each individual guest a favor, you can give them to the couples. Each couple usually only takes one favor and will leave the other one laying on the table to be thrown away. This will cut your price in half on having to spend more on each wedding favor. Plus, who needs two when they can share!

Skip The Exotic Fillings

Don’t waste your time or your money on adding that special filling to your wedding cake. First of all, not everyone who attends your reception will have a piece of your wedding cake. Secondly, not everyone likes the exotic tastes. Most people like the simple chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla so they might not even want to eat a slice of cake with an expensive guava or mango filling.

Order a Small Cake With a Supplement Sheet Cake

When picking out your wedding cake, don’t get too out of hand. Cakes can be very expensive and they only last a few hours at the reception until it is cut. Classic and simple is a good way to save money and have a beautiful looking cake. A few flowers or small design is a good choice. Not every guest will have a piece of your wedding cake, so instead of getting a huge layered wedding cake, go with a small two-tiered cake. This will help out with your budget and no one will know that there is a supplementary sheet cake hidden in the kitchen for everyone to enjoy.

Shop Off-Season For Decor

Shopping off-season can help a lot! Everything is obviously cheaper when it’s out of season. You can get extra black decor after Halloween or even some pink vases after Valentine’s Day. It’s always smart to shop ahead of time and timing is key when it comes to spending on your wedding.

We hope you keep in mind all of our Do It Yourself Tips to aid you in saving money on your weding reception. Lastly, hiring a wedding planner can save you tons of money.  Most of the time, your wedding planner will have great contacts that can pass on discounts directly on to you. Your planner can also offer tips and ideas to cut costs and re-allocate your budget. Feel free to contact us with questions and for free advice.

Image 1 via Inside SoCal

Image 2 via Hot Ref

Image 3 via Baking Shop

Invitation cards, live bands, wedding favors , food and beverages, bridal gowns…the list goes one and on and this can make a wedding very pricey these days. People tend to think that a wedding shouldn’t be beautiful if the amount spend on it isn’t a lot. But, this is not usually the case. They are missing the point that spending wisely is the key to make a wonderful wedding. You need to be resourceful and creativity to make your wedding unique yet affordable.

DIY Wedding Related Cards

Your wedding can look very expensive and gorgeous if you’re willing to devote yourself to researching and preparing for it. For instance, DIY your wedding invitations, menu cards, escort cards and wedding favor packaging. Instead of paying a big chunk of money to have someone to do your wedding related cards, you may ask your friends for help or try to utilize the software programs that available in the market without breaking the bank. Then, finish those cards with colored cardboard, ribbon, glitter, etc.

Floral and Non-floral Decor

To decorate your wedding ceremony and reception, choose flowers that are in season and blend them in with non-floral arrangements like lanterns, vases and candles. If you are planning to use fresh flowers, use them in a more economical way by swapping out costly flowers to cloth, silk, ribbon flowers or using fewer types of flowers.

Single-Page Invitations

Another way to save money on your wedding is to use single-page wedding invitation cards or postcard as both postage rates cost less than the rate for stamping envelopes. You can also have your guests RSVP online or over the phone.

Say no to Saturday Weddings and Long Weekends

To save even more, try to avoid Saturday weddings and spring/summer weddings as they can easily cost you a fortune just to rent a reception or banquet hall. Vendors usually charge a hefty dollar amount when the weddings fall on peak season. On the other hand, they are more likely to give you a great discount on off-season weddings. If you are referred to vendors by friends, you even could get better deal out of it.

Local Teachers/Students vs. Professionals

Hiring a professional band or DJ could be expensive. But, if you hire teachers or students from local schools and colleges, that could cut down half of your bill because they generally charge lesser than the professional.

Two events. One location.

Moreover, have your wedding ceremony and reception held at a same hotel to cut down all the unnecessary expenses such as limo fees. Most importantly, you may be able to get a better rate from the hotel. You can cut down food costs by going into cocktail hour right after the ceremony, so you don’t have to serve snacks after your ceremony. Instead of ordering additional hors’dourves, you can just have the waiter tray-pass your appetizers during the cocktail hour before dinner. Additionally, this can be more convenient for your guests.

Lastly, always plan early and stick to your budget, you could have a memorable yet expensive look wedding. The average bride goes 10-15% over her set budget, utilize these tips to help cut costs and stick to your budget.  Afterall…don’t forget that you need money for your honeymoon!

Image 1 via Recession Wedding

Image 2 via MagnetStreet.com

The MC (Master of Ceremonies) for your wedding reception plays a very important role in the flow of the entire evening. The MC has to ensure the wedding reception starts and continues on time and has smooth transitions between each occurrence. Additional responsibilities are making sure to lead your guests away from a pre-reception cocktail to the reception, making announcements for the arrival of the bride and groom, announcing the serving of dinner, the cutting of the wedding cake, the banquet toss, the garter toss and any other aspect of your reception.

Once you choose the MC for your wedding reception, give them this article to get advice on how to do a great job.  To the MCs: If you are unable to keep track of the various events, you will lose the guests as well as the bride and groom.  Make sure you’re adequately prepared and take our experienced advice…

Preparation

Talk to the bride and groom prior to the wedding day to find out more about their interest and perform accordingly to their wishes. Get an itinerary or schedule of occurrences for the reception program so you can be aware of what’s going on. Think about how to keep your guests entertained so that they can remember you as the best wedding MC and may refer you to other weddings. If you come across any names that you are not sure of, ask the bride or groom in regards to pronunciation.

Make them Laugh

Making the bride and groom laugh is your main responsibility and the easiest way to keep them entertained. Try to come up with a couple of wedding jokes or play some wedding games. You can also remind people of their favorite TV show weddings and bring up spoofs from those episodes. When you run out of jokes or games, you can always turn your microphone to the bride or groom’s friends and family members as they are all good sources for stories about the couple. Make sure your jokes are appropriate for all the guests including the bride and groom’s parents, kids, and elderly guests as well. Never tell any stories about a previous relationship that the bride or groom has had – even as a joke, it’s not going to be funny on their wedding day.  Feel free to over-exaggerate stories to illicit a reaction out of the bride and groom or the guests.

Checklist

- Meet with the wedding planner to get information about the wedding reception, make sure the planner provides you with an itinerary and let’s you know what is needed from you

- Obtain background information of the bride and groom will help you with your performance during the wedding reception

- Gather background information about the wedding speakers will help you introduce them at the wedding reception such as their relationship to the bride and groom, how they know them, and how long they’ve known them for

- Prepare the wedding reception notes, NOT line by line details, that will help you keep track of the various events running on time

- Prepare the wedding MC’s run sheet which consists of the name of the wedding speakers and other detailed information than the wedding reception agenda

- Prepare your material such as wedding jokes and wedding games

- Check the reception venue set up to ensure that the venue is properly done before the wedding guests arrive, feel free to contact the wedding coordinator or hotel catering manager to obtain a layout of the venue for that night

- Make sure your dress code is presentable and that you look happy to be there

As a wedding mc, you have to be calm and prepared for the unexpected issues because it is a live event and things can go wrong and additions can be made.  The biggets thing is that you need to look and feel confident and be ready to have fun.  If the guests get the vibe that you don’t want to be there, it will reflect in your performance.  Enjoy your own entertainment!

Image via Best Online Store