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Forget about the fathers, the
brothers, the uncles, the male business associates invited - plan your wedding
specifically for the women planned to be in attendance. Give the women a good
show and your wedding will be a success, guaranteed.
There is no specific dollar range that ensures success. You can blow tens of
thousands and have a public relations disaster. On the other hand, don't get
hysterical about the cost of everything. And these days you are free to talk
about having both families help absorb the cost.
It is an axiom that nothing guarantees success, but a lack of planning will
guarantee dismal failure. So plan, plan, plan for every detail and put it neatly
and legibly on paper.
The more months you have to plan the more options you have for everything,
including some room to re-negotiate with certain vendors.
When planning the date consider: The weather Whether the most important people
have scheduled commitments for that day that they cannot change Whether some
huge event in your town may interfere with traffic patterns around your wedding
location or reception Whether a close by Holiday may make air travel or
transportation problematic as far as having people in town on time. For
instance, if you live in New Orleans, a wedding in the French Quarter during
Mardi Gras is asking for trouble.
If a number of relatives and friends are having to fly in, check with some local
hotels or motels as far as a group rate for those dates and let people know
right away.
Get specific contracts with your vendors - bands, DJ, florists, caterers, bakery
- have everything in writing. And ask for additional costs that could be charged
to you such as traveling, over time, sales tax. Insist on all the details in the
contract. Be suspicious if your vendor doesn't like this.
When negotiating on a wedding photography package, specify to your photographer
that you want a very efficient picture taking schedule. Concentrate on photos.
Don't schmooze with the photographer if it distracts them from getting the next
shot. Put into the printed schedule when and where the photo sessions are taking
place before and after the ceremony. Appeal firmly to the wedding party and
relatives you want in the photos to go immediately to these locations so that
you don't waste precious time trying to round up everybody scattered all over
the property. Your guests are waiting patiently for the photography to be
finished. Also, remember that your caterer at the reception hall is depending on
you sticking to your schedule to show up so that food will be at its peak.
When planning the ceremony you should certainly try to personalize your
ceremony. However, please don't fall into excess: such as three or four voice
solos, extended memorized speeches or poems, or singing songs to each other.
Your emotions WILL sneak up on you, no matter how calm you are even through a
wedding rehearsal the night before. Nine out of 10 couples will blubber
uncontrollably at the moment they are under pressure to face each other and
perform. Yes, a wedding is a show, but keep it from being your take on Oscar
night.
Weigh the cuteness factor versus the unpredictability factor when thinking about
using children in the ceremony under the age of five. They have notoriously
small attention spans during the boredom of dry clerical recitations.
If you plan to have a friend or relative read a poem or selection during the
ceremony please have a rehearsal reading to check for mispronounced words and
clarity. And for the love of all, make it short!
Make sure the groom has some involvement in the planning, even if you have
utterly no respect for his judgment!
To go with that, enjoy the planning and don't fight with anybody!
Understand that this wedding is also the joining of two entire families. If you
are different in religion, background or culture, celebrate each side's
uniqueness and emphasize the things in common - love for the bride and groom,
for instance.
Tactfully make sure the mothers understand that this is YOUR wedding. If you
have reached a sticking point about something that you don't want to do that
your mother does, back off and think carefully and as logically as possible.
Where possible give in on some detail if it would make you happier to see your
mother's satisfaction than to get your own way. But, if it's something that you
absolutely have your own heart set on, we encourage you to cry uncontrollably
until you get your own way.
For the day of the wedding the bride should have a bag packed for the church and
reception that assumes she's staying overnight for two days. An emergency pair
of this and that, plus white chalk for touching up smudges on white shirts,
blouses, and dresses.
When it comes to a bachelor party or even bachelorette party, discuss your
feelings with each other. Agree not to do things that will get you off on the
wrong foot with each other. Be sensitive to each other's feelings but not too
sensitive to your own. And give each other a little space, a little wiggle room,
since both of you may be under some alcoholic influence as you blow off a little
steam. Have a sense of humor about each other's night out with the guys or gals.
Save yourself money and don't bring your checkbook to the wedding. Let your
vendors know that you will mail them the remainder of the balance after the
wedding. Having a checkbook handy may set you up for getting "hustled" for extra
expenses while you are in a giddy mood.
Don't plan to leave on your honeymoon immediately. This invites disappointment
and ill feelings since both of you will be extremely exhausted right after the
wedding. Wait a few days, open gifts, sleep in late, slow down and rest before
you pack and take off on your honeymoon.
To wrap up - use patience, plan, plan, write it down, get the details, divide
work into teams, compromise where needed, give yourself months and months to
organize, and enjoy the planning process itself. And never assume anything,
check, and double check for all contingencies and possible snags and
emergencies. Plan how you will cope and overcome these if they happen - WHEN
they happen!
About the Author: Jeffrey gilbert,born in Bradford in the county
of west yorkshire, england, owner of the
website,http://www.mobilecitygames.co.uk, the ideal site to learn free html mark
up launguage, free latest mobiles phones,latest top selling mobile java
games,top 10 ringtones,top 10 games,latest mobile phone accesories,top
electrical brands,have fun for all the family!
To immediately download wedding speech templates check out
Instant Wedding Speech Templates
– An online resource toolkit of wedding
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Bride and Groom.
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