Planning Your Wedding - It's Never Too Early
Planning Your Wedding - It's Never Too Early
Okay, so you popped the question and she said yes, or he popped the question and you said yes, however it worked out, you have begun traveling the road to wedded bliss, and from here on out is where things begin to get sticky.
Couples get engaged all the time, but it is the planning and execution of the actual wedding that has caused more than one couple to call the whole thing off before it even begins. Don't let the logistics of the preparation rob you of the joy of this blessed event.
Of course one of the first things to do is set the date. This article is being written because so many marriages take place in June, and we wanted to be timely in our approach. Truth is, there is no hard and fast rule to determine when you should get married. Go with whatever suits you. Do you like the idea of the ultimate Christmas present? A New Year's Celebration? Spring fever? The beauty of this whole thing is that you decide.
Also, where will this take place? Are you going with the traditional church service? A small chapel? A backyard ceremony? Outside, perhaps on the beach? Again, you decide. People have been married underwater and diving out of airplanes. We saw one couple get married during intermission at an Atlanta Thrashers hockey game (the mascot gave the bride away).so you are only limited by your imagination.
Of course you should start planning early on to avoid mistakes or worse yet, overlooking something vitally important.
You should determine your wedding date, and then agree on the style of ceremony you want. Our wedding was a church/formal affair, although I would have preferred outdoors and dress casual. Typically, though, weddings are what the bride wishes to have.
Discuss your budget. In many more traditional settings, especially with first marriages, the bride's family pays for everything. This is becoming less and less the norm, so decide now who is responsible for what, or if you are going to pay for it all yourselves.
Once you have chosen a location, secure it for the date (as well as the previous day's rehearsal) and put down whatever deposit or payment is required. If the location is popular, it is not uncommon for it to be booked up well over a year in advance. This is one of the reasons a unique spot or area is suggested; you run less chance of it being booked up.
Choose bridesmaids and groomsmen, and get their confirmation that they are available to participate in your ceremony. You'll also need measurements from everybody for dresses and tuxes to be secured. In our case, we allowed the bridesmaids to get their own dresses; the only stipulation being the color.this gave them a dress that they could continue to enjoy even after the wedding.
Interview a number of catering services. Secure them for the date with a signed contract and money down. Do likewise with your photographer or videographer. Make sure you have made the right choice as you do not want to lose your deposit.
Determine the number of people your ceremony can effectively host and compile your guest list from there. Remember that you are dealing with two families here, plus extended relatives, your friends, and your spouse's friends. Make sure that the guest list is an equitable divide between them all.
Decide on your wedding invitations no less than four months out from the date. Thank you cards and stationery should be ordered at the same time.
You should also secure your florist as well as any musicians you require. If you have special songs you want for your ceremony (as most do), then be sure to get the music to the musician or band well in advance to allow time for it to be learned and perfected. You don't want somebody fumbling through a song on the most important day of your life.
Four months out is also the period during which you should finalize plans for your honeymoon, securing lodging, airline tickets, etc. The earlier you plan, the less expensive these arrangements will be.
In our next installment, we will look at the final hazy, crazy days leading up to the ceremony. In the meantime, best of luck to you and yours.
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