The Wedding Planning Timeline

Wedding Planning Timeline

The first thing that needs to be considered when planning the ultimate wedding is how much time you will give yourself for the planning. In essence; this means what day that you will set the date of the wedding.

This may sound like a trivial matter, but it really is important because it will let you know what the time limit is for making your preparations.

Some weddings can take up to 3-4 months to prepare for and plan. This is pretty typical; depending on how big you are planning for your wedding to be and how fancy etc.

If you are not giving yourself more than a month, then planning is naturally different. Because of the differences in the time that you are giving yourself to planning the wedding, it is best to give the best planning methods and you may use them or not use them as they apply to your case.

One of the most important factors that go with planning a wedding is determining who you will be delegating specific duties to. For example, if you are terrible at choosing flowers, who will you assign to do it for you?


It is always best to try to give different duties to others so that you will not be overwhelmed by them yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the various duties that you can hand out:

· Catering: Who do you believe would be the best person to handle all of the arrangements for the food and drink at your wedding?
· Invitations and seating arrangements: This person will be addressing and mailing out invitations and making sure that people are seated in a fashion that will ensure everyone’s mutual comfort and enjoyment
· Decorations for wedding and reception includes center pieces
· Rehearsal dinners etc.
· Music and/or DJ
· Brides maid and groomsmen gifts and favors
· Gowns, and tuxedos
· Bridal showers/bachelor parties etc.


All of these things are usual must haves when it comes to a wedding, unless of course, you opt not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen in the wedding. All of these things can be murder to try to do on your own as well.

That is why you have to get in touch with people who are capable of taking over some of the menial jobs for you. All of these things seem small at first, but they can quickly add up to quite a bit of money when they are all combined together.

After you have delegated the responsibilities, you should next set a specific time period to have all of the tasks completed. Creating a to-do list and time sheet is a great way to do this. That way, when all of the tasks are finished you can easily check them off.

You should set up specific times and days to discuss the progress of things as well, just in case things are not going so well. In doing this you will be able to help make sure that all things are running smoothly.

You might be wondering what happens when you have done all of this and are ready to get started. First of all, you have to be willing to follow the general wishes of the couple to be wed; that is unless you are the couple and are planning your own wedding.

When planning a wedding on a budget you have to lower your requirements just a bit. For example, you can’t try to have to filet mignon if you are throwing the wedding on a fish stick budget. I have broken down the various aspects of the wedding planning to the last details so that you will get a better idea of what I mean.

Ideally, you would want to have at least a year to plan the wedding, but that is not always possible or desired. For the purposes of this guide, I have set up a 12 month wedding timeline that will certainly make it a little bit easier to host your wedding.

12 months before your Wedding day:
· Announce the engagement
· Set your wedding date
· Create a budget
· Hire a Wedding Coordinator (optional)
· Create your guest list
· Start brainstorming ideas and themes
· Reserve your Ceremony spot
· Book an Officiate
· Make reservations for your Reception area
· Book a Photographer and Videographer
· Book Caterer, Florist and Music (Band, DJ, etc.)
· Look for a Wedding gown and Tux, allowing time for alterations and fittings
· Register for gifts
· Select and call the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
· Agree on a date to order bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen's tuxes
· Choose a destination for your Honeymoon
· Apply for passports, if required

6 months before your Wedding day:
· Finalize your guest list
· Decide on the timeline and details of Ceremony and Reception
· Order/make invitations, and thank you notes
· Make airline and hotel reservations for the Honeymoon
· Choose a caterer, a florist and place an order for the wedding cake.
· Book Transportation (Limo, Antique Car, Etc.) for wedding day
· Shop for any Party rentals

3-4 months before your Wedding day:
· Mail out/hand deliver invitations
· Confirm wedding details and contracts with all wedding vendors
· Choose gifts for your attendants
· Set a date and time for the rehearsal dinner
· Help make travel arrangements for any out-of-town guests
· Make final alterations and fittings for the Wedding Gown and Tux
· Set time with your Photographer for the Bridal Portrait or Engagement shoot

1 month before your Wedding day:
· Apply for the marriage license
· Buy your wedding bands
· Finalize music list and no-play list with band or DJ
· Attend showers
· Make insurance arrangements

1-2 weeks before your Wedding day:
· Schedule the rehearsal a day or two before your wedding day
· Make an appointment with a Beauty Salon for day of wedding
· Send a wedding announcement to the local newspapers (optional)
· Make necessary arrangements for name & address change, if any.
· Discuss final details with the reception Site and the Caterer
· Pack for honeymoon
· Write out all checks needed for wedding day
· Send reminders to the rehearsal dinner attendees about the location & time
· Discuss final details of the ceremony and reception with family and bridal party

Wedding day or day before:
· Visit your Beauty Salon for manicure and pedicure
· Host the rehearsal and dinner.
· Make sure the ushers have the final guest list.

Wedding Planning Timeline

Saving on Wedding Music

Saving on Wedding Music

When it comes to wedding music, there are some choices that stand apart from others. During the ceremony, it is getting more popular to avoid the traditional bridal music and use a chosen song of love instead.
People still are using the traditional bridal song too, but it is just not necessary anymore for those who want to be original or walk down the aisle to a song that best expresses how they feel about their nuptials.

When it comes to the music for your wedding ceremony and the reception, it is important that you consider your budget above all things. Naturally, you will want to have all of the music that you love available including the music that you want for your first dance.
Hiring a DJ can be the best way to go, but it is not the only way to go. If you must hire a DJ, there are a few ways that you can save money on it.

Saving on a DJ
For starters, you can look to hire an amateur DJ who is just starting out. They are eager for the work and will often cut you a good deal. You can find good amateur DJ’s at local school dances and sometimes just by asking local area high school and college kids about DJ’s that they might know.

Young DJ’s who are just starting out are also using modern technology like portable computers with downloaded music and this means that they can almost always get just about any song that you might want.

Young DJ’s are also more willing to follow your precise instructions for what you want to hear and will allow you to have full control of what they do. Many amateur DJs will also make you custom CDs if you ask them and you can give them to the bridal party as gifts.
To get the best prices from the amateurs, you can let them audition to make sure that they can play your wedding song and then you can let them bid their prices. You simply choose the best of them who has the best price.

Saving on a band

Many couples would prefer to use a live band at their wedding and reception. Live bands offer a special tone to the ceremony and it adds some elegance.

When you want to save money on a band, you can often find great deals when you look to local high school and college bands to get much cheaper prices. You can use the school bands to play music at the ceremony and hire a DJ for the reception.

You can also look to any friends or family members who play musical instruments to help you out. Just make sure that the band that you do hire knows how to play the song or music that you are hoping to have at your wedding.
Instruments like guitar, Spanish guitar, saxophone, and piano are always great for weddings and you can often find local musical students who will be willing to play a wedding for small fees.

Extra Money Saving Tips
When it comes to the music that you want to hear at your wedding, there are some extra tips that you can use to help and make it just a little bit more affordable. Some of these tips are as follows:
· Hold auditions with young people who are trying to get some experience and let them come to you.
· Place an ad in the paper or penny saver that you are looking for wedding bands or DJ’s and let them bid for the jobs. This will have the different players competing for your wedding which will have them all trying to outbid each other for the chance for exposure. Let them audition and tell them that you are taking quotes on fees so that they all know what is going to happen.
· Use pre-recorded live music tapings at your wedding so that you will get he live music sound but without paying the extra money.

· Use a stereo at your reception that hosts various different mixed CD’s and plays them all automatically. Many stereos these days will play through dozens of Cd’s in a row so that the music lasts for hours. This can cost you no more than the price of the CD’s. You can also use CDs that you burned yourself from the computer so that you can get all of your favorite music

· A nice decoration for a reception is to make a collage of pictures of the bride and groom and their families.

Wedding Music

Wedding Cakes

Wedding Cakes

The is one of the most important features of your reception. In fact, it is the centerpiece of your reception. You should begin shopping for a baker 6-8 months before the wedding. If you plan on having your reception catered, ask your caterer if they will bake your wedding cake. However, you do not have to choose the caterer to bake your cake. You can also buy cakes from commercial and boutique bakeries, custom wedding cake designer, a culinary school or someone you know who makes cakes from home.

Begin by calling bakeries or cake decorators in your area to check for date availability. If they are available, make an appointment to go in and check out the designs, taste and skill level of the business. Many specialty cake decorators require that you book six months to a year in advance to reserve your date, whereas commercial bakeries may require 3 months due to larger staff and their ability to do a larger quantity of cakes.
Since most weddings are on the weekends, baker's deadlines also coincide with that timetable. A phone call to make an appointment to visit with the individual or bakery about your cake will be appreciated. If you just walk in and expect undivided attention, you may be disappointed if they do not have time to visit with you at that time.

Ask the baker to provide samples of the cake flavors, icings, fillings, etc., during your interview. The taste, flavor and texture of the cake itself will be the most important decision you will make when you order your cake. The outside beauty of your wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement, but the inside of the cake is what you will be serving to your guests. You want a cake that is flavorful, moist and good to eat.
Before your meeting with the baker, collect pictures of wedding cakes that appeal to you. Be sure to take those pictures with you on your interviews so that you can give your baker an illustrated idea of what you are looking for in a wedding cake. Here are some key questions you need to ask them:

Flexibility-Will they bake a cake according to your specifications?
Is the cake made from scratch or is it from a cake mix?
Request to see pictures of their work. Most bakers will have a portfolio of their cakes.
Certain cakes are not good for particular seasons. For example, if you are planning an outdoor wedding in August, you want to avoid cakes with mousse, meringue, whipped cream or buttercream filling. Ask the baker what cakes are in season.
What is the price per serving? Prices can average between $1.50 a slice to $15 a slice depending on the cake you choose. The price depends on frosting, decorations, architecture, etc. Understand that the more elaborate the cake, the more expensive the "per serving" price will be.
What are the extra charges? Most bakers charge for renting the pillars, columns, cake toppers, delivery and set-up. There may also be extra charges for certain cake fillings, flavors, styles, etc.
Who will be setting up the cake?
What do they provide in the set-up? Talk to your baker about how you'd like the cake table to be set up.
If you plan on using fresh flowers on your cake, who is responsible for providing the flowers, the baker or the florist?

When interviewing the baker, make sure you know the number of servings required, your desired type and design, and your budget for the cake. Be up front with the baker about the maximum amount you are willing to spend on your cake and ask them if they are willing to negotiate. Click here to see how you can save money on your wedding cake.
After you have decided on a baker and all the details, make sure to get everything in writing. Your contract should include the following:

Detailed description of the cake type, style, and description of the decorations.
The number of layers and fillings for each layer if applicable.
Type of frosting.
Wedding date, time and location of delivery
When, how, where and by whom the cake will be delivered (or picked up). Make sure to include the complete address where the cake is to be delivered.
Name and contact information of the baker
List of rented items (pillars, cake stand, cake table, etc.)
Delivery and set-up fees
Total price
Deposit amount
Balance and due date
Baker's cancellation and/or refund policy

If you do your homework, buying your wedding cake will be a smooth process. Remember to be realistic, and don't spend your entire wedding budget on your wedding cake.

Wedding Cakes

Silk Taffeta Wedding Dress

Silk Taffeta Wedding Dress

A lustrous, medium weight, plain weave fabric with a slight ribbed appearance in the filling (crosswise) direction. For formal wear, taffeta is a favorite choice. It provides a crisp hand, with lots of body. Silk taffeta gives the ultimate rustle, but other fibers are also good choices.

Silk Taffeta Wedding Dress

Wedding Decorating Ideas For Your Ceremony and Reception

Wedding Decorating Ideas

Looking beyond the typical wedding decorating ideas of flowers and balloons can turn a nice looking venue into something truly impressive. But this takes a bit of creativity and an eye for spotting unusual items that could be used in your decor. Keep in mind that what you choose to use should reflect your theme, the style of the location, and the mood that you wish to create.

Where possible, continue the theme of your decorations from your ceremony location to the reception area. You don't want a sudden sharp contrast between the two, as it breaks the style of your overall decorating scheme. For most people, the beautiful decor featured at the reception is of prime importance and makes your wedding day feel extra special. Little touches can go a long way in providing a memorable atmosphere. Here are a few wedding decorating ideas that are sure to add extra charm at your reception:

• Most locations will cover the tables with traditional white tablecloths. If possible, see if you can add colored table toppers, or alternatively, use sheer or lace toppers. These will add elegance to any table.
  
  
• Use arrangements of candles on guest and side tables throughout the room. When the lights are turned low for dancing, candles provide a soft illumination that is romantic. Votives and tealights are fine to use throughout dinner, but when it comes time for the after dinner entertainment, be sure to use long tapers or large pillars, as you want the candles to burn for several hours.
  
  
• If your reception is being held in the evening and you know that it will be dusk or dark out when guests arrive, welcome them with an luminary lined walkway. You can buy or make these yourself using paper bags or tin cans with designs cut or punched along the sides, filling them halfway with sand, and inserting a glass votive candle inside.
  

These are just a few tips that can help to add sparkle and elegance to any wedding decorating ideas that you may be considering. The easiest way to choose decorations is to work with a theme of some sort, whether it just is a nice color combination, the flowers you love, a favorite season of the year, or some specific theme based on a hobby or special interest. Themes will provide you with ample ideas for all sorts of wedding decor that you can use.

Wedding Decorating Ideas