| Your wedding may be the happiest day of your | | | | liaising with caterers, negotiating with wedding |
| life, but planning your wedding could be the worst | | | | cake manufacturers and ensuring that all the |
| experience of a lifetime - if you don't think ahead. | | | | arrangements for your wedding and your |
| As popular movies like Father of the Bride and | | | | rehearsal dinner are in place. Many hotels, such as |
| The Wedding Planner have so humorously | | | | the Conrad Hotel, offer wedding planning services |
| documented, planning your wedding is both | | | | if you're holding your wedding at their |
| stressful and costly, and can affect your | | | | establishment. This can take a huge weight of |
| relationship with your family, friends and, most | | | | your shoulders and make the general passage of |
| importantly, your intended future-spouse! | | | | your wedding much smoother. Even if you do |
| However, as weddings become ever more lavish | | | | relinquish the reigns to a wedding planner, there |
| affairs, there are a burgeoning number of sources | | | | are still a number of tasks that the bride, groom |
| that brides and grooms can use to plan their | | | | and their families can carry out with little help. |
| wedding effectively - such as hiring a wedding | | | | These include addressing and sending invitations, |
| planner if your budget allows it. While a number of | | | | creating a gift registry and generally giving your |
| websites, magazines and other publications | | | | wedding planner guidance on the way in which |
| provide a plethora of information that couples can | | | | they want him or her to go about organising the |
| access, it is always helpful if you create a | | | | wedding. And don't forget to choose your best |
| wedding checklist at the beginning of your plans, in | | | | man, maid of honour and bridesmaids well in |
| order to give yourself a clear vision of the path | | | | advance, so that they'll have plenty of time to |
| ahead to your big day. Firstly, once you have | | | | plan your bachelor or bachelorette party! Don't |
| announced your engagement to all relevant | | | | forget: wedding planning does not need to be a |
| parties, it is important to start making calculations | | | | stressful task. The important thing is to ensure |
| for your budget and compile a guest list. It is then | | | | that you are organised, and, if possible, to employ |
| important to check whether these are compatible: | | | | an effective wedding planner. And even if hiring a |
| remember, if your budget doesn't allow you to | | | | wedding planner is beyond the realms of your |
| invite 500 guests, you can't do it! It is then worth | | | | budget, your wedding is sure to be a success if |
| considering whether you'd like to hire a | | | | you stay on top of things and try your best not |
| professional wedding co-ordinator to plan the | | | | to exceed your budget. |
| more complex parts of your celebration - such as | | | | |