It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and get carried away with your spending. A planner’s less emotional approach leaves less room for letting extras chip away at your wedding fund, but planning your own wedding is a whirlwind of emotion. Your best weapon: set a realistic budget and hold yourself to it. Remember there are hundreds of ways (and at least as many websites and idea boards online) to achieve everything you envision if you’re willing to get creative and be a little flexible.
2) Define your priorities.
The truth is you’re going to encounter some curveballs while planning your big day. A venue will get booked out from under you or a photographer’s bid will come in significantly higher than you anticipated. Working with your fiance to define what matters most can help you make adjustments to overcome whatever obstacles you encounter. If the venue is your biggest priority, maybe another date will work. If the photography is the piece of your wedding day that you’ll treasure most, know that you’ll need to trim in other places.
3) Make yourself accountable to deadlines.
The timeline may just sound like a fancy way to say “to-do list,” and in some ways that’s true. But a timeline carries an important distinction: the recognition of when not just what must be done. Create your timeline with every major planning category (transportation, cake, etc.) and every step and corresponding deadline (research limo companies, secure bids from limo companies, book limo, confirm limo reservation, etc.)
4) Expect exceptional service.
Wedding planners have experience vetting and weeding out subpar vendors, and while you may not have the luxury of practice on your side, you can still set the bar high. A friendly but professional approach will take you far, as will an organized and decisive mindset. Avoid growing too chummy, but conversely, avoid bringing out bridezilla-like demands. Layout your expectations determine whether the vendor can adequately meet or exceed them, listen to your instincts, and solicit references to verify your impressions.
5 ) Set your inner OCD free.
Planning a wedding is the perfect time to indulge any obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Create a binder to keep track of all your wedding planning. It’s a great place to store photos and magazine pages of looks you like so you can share them with vendors, but it’s also the spot where you can accumulate all of your contracts, receipts, contact information, and other documentation. When a guest or vendor calls with a question, you can put your hands on the information you need in mere minutes, keeping stress at a minimum all around.
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After all the wedding planning and prep, your wedding day should (hopefully) be a little less hectic than the days prior. To ensure smooth sailing when your day arrives, there are a few tasks you should either, a, already have checked off your list, or b, delegate to a family or wedding party member. For your own sanity, here’s what not to do on the day of your wedding.
Stress About the Weather
While you’ll want to be aware of what’s going on (you’ll need to know whether or not you’ll need your weather plan B and so on), tearing your hair out over the forecast will do nothing but bum you out. Let your wedding planner deal with setting up the backup weather venue and your hairstylist find an anti-humidity serum for your half-updo. All you need to worry about is marrying your partner and partying all night. And, hey, weather reports are only accurate, like, half the time anyway, right?
Start (or Finish) Big DIY Projects
Baking mini muffins and tying ribbons around 200 packages for reception favors sounds nice in theory when you’re seven months out—not so much when the morning of arrives. The only DIY projects you should assign yourself are the ones you can complete with enough time to spare before you wedding day without going crazy. (Need suggestions? Here’s what you should—and shouldn’t—DIY.)
Get a Massage, Wax, Facial, or Other Intense Beauty Treatment
Indulging in some of these luxurious spa treatments? Schedule them a few days before your wedding day. You never know if you’ll have a funny reaction to a facial or brow wax, or if your masseuse will go all deep-tissue on you (aka make you too sore to get down on the dance floor). Finally, mani-pedis are best done either one or two days before your wedding. That way, all you’ll need to do is get hair and makeup done on the day of.
Wear New Shoes for the First Time
Take the time to break in new shoes several weeks before your day. Even if you’re planning to wear flats, you’ll want to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for blisters. Break them in by putting them on and walking around for an hour or two several times until they feel good. And it never hurts to bring a backup pair of sandals or flats in case.
Exercise Too Hard
If exercise is part of your daily routine and helps you unwind before your vows, definitely get a workout in—but don’t push so hard that you risk pulling a muscle or expending every last ounce of energy. You have a long night ahead of you!
Forget to Eat
We cannot stress enough how important it is to stay fueled on your wedding day. A good breakfast and lunch won’t affect how your wedding attire fits—but it’ll keep your mood and energy level up. Plus, you’ll need a little something in your stomach if you plan to indulge in a getting-ready cocktail or two.
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We all have that friend that wants all her family and her family’s family at her wedding. These weddings really take the cake when it comes to massive weddings! Here are the 5 biggest weddings of all time
#5 CHELSEA CLINTON & MARC MEZVINSKY – $5 MILLION
If you’re the daughter of the former president of the United States and former US Secretary of State, chances are your wedding will be far from simple. And that is just the case for Chelsea Clinton, daughter of ex-US president Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Clinton. Chelsea married investment banker Marc Mezvinsky in a grand wedding ceremony at the Astor Courts in 2010. The venue provided a serene and romantic view of the Hudson River. Just recently, the couple announced that they are expecting their first child.
#4 WAYNE ROONEY & COLEEN MCLOUGHLIN – $8 MILLION
Footballer Wayne Rooney of the Manchester United and Coleen McLoughlin made their vows at the Abbey of Cervara near Genoa in Italy in 2008. Serenading the couple and the guests were the Irish boyband, Westlife, which cost $670,000. Rooney chartered five private jets to fly 64 of their guests to the wedding. While the ceremony was lavish, the couple had little help in paying the bills as a magazine offered $4.2 million for the exclusive rights of the wedding photos. Today, Wayne and Coleen are happy with their married lives and are now raising two boys.
#3 PRINCE WILLIAM & KATE MIDDLETON – $34 MILLION
The first of the two royal weddings on the list, Prince William made Kate Middleton his wife in 2011 in what was dubbed as “The Wedding of The Century”. Done the regal way deserving of England’s future King and Queen, the ceremony was held at the Westminster Abbey. After which, the couple paraded through the streets of London in a horse-drawn carriage. It is great to see that the couple is still together and is now with a son and expecting their second child.
#2 VANISHA MITTAL & AMIT BHATIA – $66 MILLION
Vanisha Mittal is the daughter of Lakshmi Mittal, one of the richest men in the world. Not surprisingly, her wedding to Amit Bhatia is one of the most extravagant ever. The wedding was held at the historic 17th century Chateau Veaux le Vicomte near Paris in 2004. An engagement ceremony prior to the wedding took place at the Palace of Versailles.
International recording artist and actress Kylie Minogue was paid $330,000 to perform for just half an hour. After which, a firework display was launched from the Eiffel Tower. The marriage did not last long as the couple called it quits in early 2013.
#1 PRINCE CHARLES & DIANA – $110 MILLION
Though their wedding took place decades ago, no other wedding has come close to Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s. Witnessed personally by 3,500 people and broadcasted to 750 million TV viewers from around the globe, the Royal Wedding between Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981 is simply the most expensive wedding ever.
Princess Diana’s wedding gown was covered in 10,000 pearls and had a 25-foot train. She was chauffeured in a glass coach from her place to the cathedral. However, the marriage suffered greatly as both Charles and Diana participated in flirtations with other people. The royal couple divorced in 1996, a year before Diana met her tragic end in a car crash along with her lover, Egyptian businessman Dodi Fayed.
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If you’re planning a wedding with plenty of personal touches, think about personalizing your flowers, too. But instead of basing your choices on flower color and style alone, let each flower’s significance and meaning inform your decision as well. From your bouquet to your arrangements, there are so many ways to infuse your personality and signify something truly special.
Before you determine any floral plans, be sure to start with your wedding flower budget early on. This will give you a better idea of your must-haves, wants, and pieces of traditional floral design that you may want to skip. But how much do wedding flowers even cost? Where’s a couple to begin in building that budget?
Read on for a few tips and tricks from floral and wedding planning experts to help better understand the average cost of wedding flowers, how to save on flowers, and a few sample budgets to get you started
10 Money-Saving Wedding Flower Tips
Though wedding flower budgets can be expensive, there are ways you can keep your flower costs (relatively) low and maximize your overall wedding budget. Here are eight money-saving tips to save on costs when it comes to wedding flowers.
Mix Expensive Flowers With Inexpensive Flowers
Use Lighting and Other Décor Alongside Floral Arrangements
Reuse Your Ceremony Flowers at the Reception
Choose Wedding Flowers That Are in Season and Locally Grown
Opt for Volume
Stick to a Few Types of Flowers
Consider Using Plants
Be Open-Minded and Ask Your Florist for Advice
Select a Venue That’s Naturally Beautiful
Choose One or Two “Wow” Moments
Final Words:
In the end, whether you’re opting for a minimalistic wedding, or you’re going all out with a bright, bold palette, your wedding flowers can really be one of the most beautiful parts of the day. A wedding ceremony will traditionally incorporate the bridal bouquet, bouquets for the bridesmaids, corsages, and altar flowers, just to name a few. Moving into the reception, guests are greeted with stunning blooms used as centerpieces, garlands, and even on the cake. The possibilities are endless!
Choosing a wedding venue is not a big thing for many couples. The reason is that they have already planned the place where they will be marrying. They sometimes plan it even before they get engaged. However, it is not a cup of cake for everyone.
Here are the seven most important things you need to keep in your mind while selecting your desired venue.
1. Budget
Having a proper budget for your wedding is very important. Never go out of your budget. Surely the guests will be impressed, but you will be left with significant debt. Before choosing anyplace, ask yourself this question “Can I afford this venue for my wedding?” If you can’t, move on. If there is a venue which you know is expensive than don’t add it in the list.
2. Number of Guests
Choose a venue that accommodates the number of guests you are inviting. If the place is too big then it only cost you extra bucks, and if the venue is too small, you don’t want to squeeze all the guests in a tiny place. This will only ruin your wedding. Pick a place that is the right size for your wedding ceremony.
3. Date
There are two things you can do. You can either choose a date and then search for venues that fit your date or you can select the venue you like and then select a date from the list of days available.
Some venues give you the freedom of choosing the date online. But if you get a bit flexible with the dates, you can find some excellent places at an affordable price. The rest is up to you to decide. You can even select an off-peak time from November to February.
4. Parking
Don’t just go after the beauty of the venue. It is essential but you also need to make sure the venue has parking close by. Also, make sure the parking is big enough for all your guests to park their car.
You don’t want any of your guests to turn back just because there wasn’t enough space. Include a map in the wedding invitation and tell them where they have to park their cars.
5. Meet the team of the Venue
Nowadays, many venues have a team of hardworking and dedicated members. They are responsible for coordinating and managing the whole event in the best way possible.
Try to have a meeting with all the team members. This way you will know what the quality of their services is. You will get familiar with each team members, and you will know about the designated task of each person in the team.
6. Request to see the rule book
Each venue has its own set of rules and regulation. You don’t want to be the one breaking the rules. It is best for you to see the rule book before booking it for your wedding.
Sometimes, wedding venues add absurd extra charges which you do not know about. After checking out the bill, when you ask for the explanation, they say it is already mentioned in the rule book. Make sure you thoroughly read the rule book before finalizing the place.
7. Take your time and read past reviews
There is no need to take impulsive decisions. Take a detailed tour of the venue and then go home and think. You don’t have to decide on the spot. Take as much time you want and then choose your desired place. You can even look at the past review to help you with your decision.
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So you’ve planned your wedding successfully, what comes next? Your honeymoon of course! As a matter of fact you should plan your honeymoon alongside your wedding event. Most couples fail to realize the fact that planning a honeymoon goes way beyond booking flights, hotels and hoping that everything else falls in place.
Honeymoons are enchanting in themselves. However, if you intend on having a truly remarkable “time away” then you need to put in some extra efforts in planning and initiative. Here are some simple ways you could spice up your honeymoon.
Start off with Couple’s Massage
If your wedding is like the majority, then this should be the first item on your honey moon list. If your hotel doesn’t offer spa services, you should book an appointment with a spa before heading to your hotel. A couple massage is a really great romantic and memorable experience for your special other as it rejuvenates your mind and body. Many spas around the country now offer packages that help set your minds in the mood of love and adventure which is essential for having a memorable honeymoon.
Pre-book an airport lounge
Avoid all the rowdiness experienced at terminals by pre-booking an airport lounge where you can be more comfortable. You should check out airlines that offer these services and patronize them.
Choose the perfect room
Picking the right hotel is the most important decision you’ll be faced with making when it comes to your honeymoon as this is where you’ll be spending most of your time. Most top notch hotels offer honeymoon packages where couples may be treated to a romantic environment with wonderful view. You should tip the hotel manager on your marital status and ask them for the most romantic treat they can arrange for you.
Go for an adventure
In your honeymoon to-do list you should do well to include an adventure. You may like go for a hike, climb a mountain, visit a waterfall or do those things that are most intriguing to you; and your partner of course. This goes way beyond just helping your bodies’ release more endorphins but these activities also create memories that will last forever.
Do silly things
It’s your honeymoon; you should loosen up a bit. You shouldn’t be too serious about the sex. Spice things up by having a pillow or tickle fight, ordering each other’s food, chasing each other around the room, etc. Trust me these bedroom games are quite necessary as they not only create an atmosphere of comfort and fun but also help strengthen your bond as a couple.
Make it musical
Music is an extremely important tool in creating a romantic atmosphere which is essential for your honeymoon. You should identify songs that appeal to the both of you and put them in playlist. An easy way to get this done is by going through your phones and musical collections. However, a more effective way to achieve this is by taking note of those songs playing whenever you’re having a really great time together at a club or a restaurant.
You could hand this playlist over to your hotel operator and ask them to be played throughout your stay (mostly at night). Do this and you’ll have a wonderful honeymoon filled with romance fun and music.
Surprise your loved one
We’ve all had one fantasy or the other, what better time to make your spouse’s fantasies come true than your honeymoon. You should surprise your partner by doing something that they only thought would be possible in their dreams. Book a tango lesson, a favorite artiste, just make sure you give your partner an experience they won’t forget in a hurry.
Hit the club
Relive your college days, find a club and go dancing with your spouse. This will tune things up a bit. However, you should do this with proper recommendation from your hotel- just to be safe.
Dress to impress
It’s your first few weeks as a couple and the whole world should know about it. You should wear matching outfits whenever you leave your hotel room. This doesn’t have to be as difficult as it seems, just keep an out for matching jeans and shirts for yourselves next time you go shopping and you’ll be amazed at what you find.
Do something unforgettable
Visit a resort center. Immortalize your honeymoon experience by having a once in a lifetime experience. If your budget supports you may do something extraordinary like taking a trip on Virgin Galactic. Yeah I’m talking about something like that.
Intimacy intimacy intimacy!!!
Funny as it may seem, most couples fill their honeymoons with so much activities that they don’t even have enough time for sex. Your wedding should be filled with moments of intimacy and passion. Take out time to cuddle and explore each other. This is the foundation for a beautiful marriage.
Enjoy Mother Nature
This is one of the factors to be considered before choosing your hotel/facility. Go for a facility that has a beautiful view/setting. Sometimes what we really need is to appreciate the things around us like a sunset or a waterfall. These have proven to be real stimulators of romance.
The romantic dinner
This is the icing on the cake, wherever you go on honeymoon make sure you book a really lovely restaurant for the last night. Order a bottle of expensive wine and something exotic; make it a more romantic evening by asking the restaurant to play beautiful tracks. This will not only complete the honeymoon experience but will keep you hoping for something exciting during your honeymoon.
Don’t overdo it
A perfect honeymoon shouldn’t be filled with must-dos and rules. Don’t make the mistake of planning too much for this once-in -a-lifetime trip. Couples may get bored or exhausted keeping up with a plethora of activities not to forget the built-up stress from your wedding. You should pick a handful of events that you and your other half find really interesting. As a matter of fact you should build in extra days for leisure to help you recover fully from all the stress.
So there you have it a few tips on having the perfect honeymoon you deserve.
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The majority of our couples are really concerned about avoiding “cheesy” songs and the annoying DJ telling jokes all night. Most of them want to include their favorite songs, so creating a playlist for the DJ makes a lot of sense to you.
In our opinion, there can be a limit reached when choosing the amount of “MUST PLAY” songs. We suggest you choose about 10 – 20 of your favorite “must play” songs for the night and maybe 5 (if any) “do not play” songs.
This will give us a good feel of your music tastes, likes, and of course what will get you out on the dance floor! With this method, it will leave room for us to be able and “read the crowd” and make sure everyone is having fun.
Some couples want to choose every song from start to finish with the fear that the DJ wont be able to read the crowd and do a good job. You must trust the DJ you hire! After all he if the professional.
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