| Are you hyperventilating just thinking about all the | | | | Attending Bridal Shows, researching on the |
| work and details that go into planning your | | | | internet, asking for referrals from your friends |
| perfect wedding? If you take baby steps and do | | | | that have recently gotten married are all good |
| one thing at time, you will have a beautiful | | | | starting points to find your vendors. Since your |
| wedding and still have your fiancee speaking to | | | | wedding is one of the biggest days of your life, |
| you! | | | | you will want to entrust it to reliable wedding |
| First things first--how formal do you want your | | | | professionals so that you won't have to worry |
| wedding to be, how many bridesmaids and | | | | about the day going smoothly. |
| groomsmen do you want and how many people | | | | One of the first decisions you should firm up is |
| do you plan on including on the invitation list. All of | | | | where the ceremony will be. Contact the church |
| these factors will play a big role in your budget. It | | | | or any other location of your choice and get a |
| is better to also decide these issues BEFORE you | | | | confirmed date before you book any other |
| set the date. | | | | service. Keep in mind the weather conditions if |
| A morning wedding and luncheon reception will | | | | you are planning on an outdoor ceremony or |
| definitely cost less than a formal evening wedding | | | | reception and have an alternate venue or plan in |
| with a sit down dinner and open bar following. | | | | mind if the weather does not cooperate. |
| Since everyone wants to get married on | | | | Now that you have wedding location in place, you |
| Saturday, you can get a better price for your | | | | can move on to looking for a reception location |
| wedding on any other day of the week. | | | | and your photographer. Locating and securing |
| Even though the bridal party pays for their own | | | | your photographer early on is important because |
| attire, there are still the gifts, meals for the | | | | they typically can only do one or two weddings a |
| rehearsal dinner and bouquets and the | | | | day, whereas a florist can handle several |
| boutonniares. The number of people you plan on | | | | weddings. Finding a really good photographer is |
| inviting not only determines the cost of the food | | | | very important so that you can preserve that |
| and drink but the size of the cake, table linens, | | | | special day for years to come in your pictures. |
| center pieces, party favors, the number of | | | | Meet with several vendors for each service |
| invitations, postage, programs, place cards, etc. | | | | keeping in mind their quality and your budget. Ask |
| Mindfully think about how much you want to | | | | for referrals and then take the time to call them. |
| spend on your wedding and then come up with a | | | | You do not want to ruin your special day with |
| working budget that you won't deviate from. If | | | | someone who is not reliable. |
| you want to spend more on one item that you | | | | You can then move on to all the other various |
| have budgeted for, you will have to spend less on | | | | services you will require to include but not limited |
| another item to make up for it. | | | | to: music, gown, wedding attire, cake, flowers, |
| When you have decided what is going to be | | | | invitations, wedding favors etc. |
| spent on the individual items, start looking for | | | | Always make sure you get a written contract |
| your wedding services as soon as possible. Putting | | | | with each vendor with all the services that will be |
| together a wedding requires an unimaginable | | | | provided clearly delineated out with prices. Go |
| amount of time and energy. Explore all your | | | | over all the contracts with your fiancee and make |
| various options before you decide on one. The | | | | sure you both have no questions. Then, you can |
| sooner you begin, the easier it will be to obtain | | | | plan the best part together--your honeymoon! |
| services on the dates you need them. | | | | |