I һаνе јυѕt ѕtаrtеԁ preparation ουr wedding аחԁ I’m חοt really sure wһеrе tο ѕtаrt. i don’t want tο ɡο out аחԁ pay a lot οf money οח a wedding planner bесаυѕе I саח′t afford іt. Cаח anyone tеƖƖ mе a ехсеƖƖеחt site fοr һеƖр wіtһ wedding preparation? Cаח anyone һеƖр mе рƖοt іt οr kind οf lead mе іח tһе aptly direction.
Wе already know wһаt colors wе want аחԁ wһаt kind οf dress I want, things Ɩіkе tһаt. I’m јυѕt חοt sure һοw tο ѕtаrt looking fοr a caterer, a cake, reception area, ceremony location. WουƖԁ tһе know οr anyone know a ехсеƖƖеחt рƖасе tο ѕtаrt wіtһ tһаt?
Tags: caterer, ceremony location, colors, money, reception area, right direction, wedding planner, Wedding Planning
Congratulations on your date! Best of luck to you both.
Below I’m going to paste some worksheets for you. You should be able to copy and paste them without any distress. I used to be an event planner for many, many years and these always helped my couples.
The best thing to do is arrangement with couples who were recently married. Question to see letters of recommendation from past clients. When selecting your cake, taste samples, view their photo book. If you don’t like any of the designs see what they can do special for you.
Keep in mind, do things the way you want them do be done. One of the most elegant weddings I had the honor of being a part of was so simple but it was one of the most gorgeous ceremonies and receptions I had ever attended.
Last tip for you….Don’t spend alot of money on your wedding save that money for the down payment on your house instead. Trust me in the end you’ll be pleased you did.
Wedding Budget Worksheet
The first thing a couple should do is try to work out a budget for their Wedding. Your costs can vary greatly depending on which aspects of the wedding are more vital to you. Also, you may be fortunate enough to have a kind relative or friend provide free services that will further affect the budget.
Reception
Food _________
Drinks _________
Cake _________
Location Fee _________
Service Fee (wait staff, bartenders, valet) _____________
Rentals (tables, chairs, etc.) ___________
Decorations (other than floral) _____________
Other: ____________
Total for Reception: ___________
Attire
Marriage Dress __________
Tuxedos __________
Headpiece, Veil _________
Jewelry (other than wedding rings) __________
Shoes _________
Garter _________
Accessories _________
Other: _________
Total for Attire: _________
Photography/Videography
Photographer __________
Videographer __________
Albums ___________
Other: _________
Total for Photography/Videography: ____________
Music
DJ’s ____________
Band/Musicians for the Ceremony __________
Band/Musicians for the Reception __________
Other: __________
Total for Music: _________
Miscellaneous
Marriage Ticket ________
Taxes ________
Tips ________
Other: _________
Total Miscellaneous: __________
Floral/Decorations
Bouquets _________
Boutonnieres _________
Corsages for the Mothers ___________
Ceremony plants _____________
Reception plants, Table Centerpieces ___________
Cake Table __________
Other: _________
Total Floral/Decorations: __________
Stationery
Announcements __________
Wedding Invitations __________
RSVP Cards __________
Calligraphy ____________
Thank You Cards __________
Stamps __________
Reception Napkins/Matches ___________
Other: ___________
Total Stationery: ____________
Rings
Bride’s Wedding Ring ___________
Groom’s Wedding Ring __________
Other: _________
Total Rings: _________
Transportation
Transportation to the Ceremony __________
Transportation to the Reception ____________
Guests Transportation ____________
(Trolleys, Vans, Buses) ____________
Other: ____________
Total Transportation: ____________
Gifts
Wedding Favors ___________
Gifts for the Bridesmaids ____________
Gifts for the Groomsmen ____________
Gifts for the Parents ______________
Gifts for Each Other ____________
Other: ____________
Total Gifts: ___________
Ceremony
Ceremony Location Fees ____________
Officiant’s Fee or Donation _____________
Other: ____________
Total Ceremony: ______________
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
A checklist of things every bride should have on hand on her wedding day.Be prepared! Print this list and check off items as you assemble your kit.
Grooming
¨ hand lotion, wet wipes¨ curling iron, hot rollers
¨ tissues¨ hairdryer
¨ cotton balls, cotton swabs¨ brush, comb
¨ makeup ¨ hairspray, hair gel
¨ makeup remover¨ bobby pins, hair elastics, barrettes
¨ nail polish in shade worn¨ diadem or clips for pulling hair back while applying makeup
¨ nail polish remover¨ toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
¨ nail file¨ mouthwash
¨ tweezers¨ baby powder
¨ small grooming scissors¨ deodorant
¨ small hand towel¨ perfume
¨ lint brush
Attire
¨ “throwaway” garter¨ safety pins and a sewing kit with thread the color of bride’s and attendants’ dresses
¨ clear nail polish for runs in pantyhose¨ masking tape or sewing tape (for last-small ripped hems)
¨ extra earring backs¨ small scissors (for thread)
¨ extra buttons¨ club soda or other stain removal solutions
¨ flat shoes for the reception¨ iron
¨ extra pantyhose
Health/Medical
¨ antacid¨ bandages
¨ antihistamine, cold remedy, any prescription medications¨ upset stomach remedy
¨ aspirin, pain relievers¨ feminine cleanliness products (tampons, panty liners, etc.)
Miscellaneous
¨ extra copies of directions to reception¨ small flashlight
¨ breath mints¨ folding utility knife
¨ cell buzz and home buzz numbers of all wedding participants¨ duct tape
¨ contact information for all vendors¨ _________________________________________
¨ snacks¨ _________________________________________
¨ cooler with juice, sodas, and bottled water¨ _________________________________________
¨ champagne, glasses¨ _________________________________________
http://www.theknot.com - has a TON of information, counting budgeting help, resources, etc.
I just got married too. YOU are your best wedding planner! You can get books - or sign up on line at the knot - they will give you all the information you need. Excellent luck.
I bought a book called preparation a wedding to remember by beverly clark. and it has helped me out a bunch. i don’t know what i’d do with out the book that i bought. excellent luck and i hope this helps
Relax. Everything will be perfect
You should go to http://www.customweddingsolutions.com. They have just about everything you need for your wedding at fantastic prices. Sometimes just looking at wedding products will give a fantastic thought for a color scheme or reception motif. You can find pics of weddings and cakes online and in magazines too. You can also email me: Jen@customweddingsolutions.com for more detailed preparation help.
Go to theknot.com, thats a excellent place to start. You could also sit down with a pen and paper and start writing down everything you would like for you wedding, colors, kind of dress you want, location, food etc. etc. It sounds corny, but its a excellent starting top.
Nearly every city has a wedding preparation guide of some sort. If you’re in a smaller town, you might just call the local tourism/visitors bureau. They’ll have directories of hotels and other special event venues. That’s the best place to start, because once you have a place and a date, the rest is simple!
If you need guidance beyond that, question friends in the area for thoughts. You might reckon about hiring a coordinator just to help with day-of execution of the event (so you’d pay a set fee instead of a percentage) and that could include some up-front consulting which could help you find a fantastic venue.
My wife and I did all the preparation ourselves, but had a coordinator help us on the wedding day, allowing us to delight in the event as guests and not as hosts. After a few frustrating weeks, she (the coordinator) did find us a fantastic location, and everything was MUCH simpler after that.
If you don’t want to do that, you can also question other wedding-related vendors that you’re looking into (photographers, DJs, bands, bakeries, etc.) for their suggestions. They’ve doubtless worked at ALL of them in the area, so are a wealth of relatively unbiased knowledge.
The next step (as you’re finalizing a date) is to make sure that you can get any of the other ‘non-negotiable’ services for that day. Like the officiant. If you have someone specific in mind, make sure he or she is available that day.
There are lots of bands, DJs, cake bakers, photographers, videographers, etc., etc. that can be booked later in the administer. (Except you must have a specific one… check with them at the front end, too!)
When you’re getting closer and you want to make a video photo montage of you and your fiancé "owing to the years" to show at the reception, don’t forget to check out Huge Moment Films.
http://www.bigmomentfilms.com
Congrats and best of luck!
http://www.brides.com. This is a excellent website also it also allows you to enter your budget and how many people you plant to invite. The information then calculates and tells you how much you have to spend on every aspect of your wedding.
Open up the buzz book and start calling around…that’s what I am doing aptly now. Also, check out some local marriage shows or local marriage magazines (which will have a special section for your city).
Here are some other tips that I hope helps:
Get a pad because staying organized is KEY…divide it into the following sections
1. Budget
2. Calendar
3. Clothing
4. plants
5. Reception
6. Ceremony
7. Other food service (ex. cake)
8. Music
9. Decorations
10. Photography
11. Guest and Gift List
12. Incidentals
Start off by setting your buget and write it down in your pad. Call around, make appointments, keep notes in your pad. As soon as you can, choose on your wedding and reception venues since they book up quickly. You can also divide the work, give your bridesmaids/family/friends some jobs.
The best site I found is http://www.fireyourweddingplanner.com all the emails she sends out are fantastic. I really have saved so much with that book especially with photographers.
Start with the guest list. That will dictate where the wedding will be, where the reception will be, how much it’s going to cost.
http://www.weddingchannel.com or wwwtheknot.com. i used both to plot my wedding w/o a wedding planner. both sites have checklists to help you get a basic thought of what types of things to reckon of & when you should start thinking of those things.
basics:
ceremony/reception hall
photographer/videographer
florist
caterer
dj/entertainment
wedding indemnity
hope this helps.
Im really getting married myself on September the 16th and i used The Knot website(www.theknot.com) for nearly everything. Excellent luck to you
Try http://www.customweddingsolutions.com
They have a free preparation checklist and song guide plus lots of other fantastic stuff.
The Knot. They have preparation thoughts and articles on wedding etiquette as well as an extensive local vendors listing which is broken down by disorder and then major city. I’ve listed a couple of wedidng preparation sites below with The Knot being the first one in the list.
The Knot:
http://www.theknot.com
Canadian Frugal Bride:
http://www.frugalbride.com
Canadian site but they have some excellent articles & suggestions
Choices for Two:
http://www.choicesfortwo.com/
Another Canadian site but some excellent thoughts
Hope those suggestions help
the-knot is fabulous but if you want cheap do it yourself. i just plotted a wedding and i questioned people in my community. i work at a bank so when clients came in would question them, i found a photographer and a place to hold the reception discounted b/c they knew me and my friends mom did my cake as a gift. all in all you find out by asking. i had two dress i bought 1 and a friend gave me one with the bra and all if you want it either on let know. i can send pics. congrats!
http://www.weddingchannel.com
theknot.com
Don’t panic…have fun with preparation your wedding. And, yo u don’t need a wedding planner. It’s yours and your husbands day so, don’t try and please everyone, that’s impossible.
First, pick your date or at least a time of year. Then, look in the buzz book under "wedding." A lot of reception sites, caterers, bakers, florists will be listed there. Otherwise, look up the individual entries of "banquets", "caterers", "florists", etc.
Then, call the places and book appointments. Start with the ceremony location and reception site, depending on which one is more vital to you (if, for example, you already know where you want the ceremony to be, start there so you can ensure your date).
Compare the services of each one, keeping in mind that not everything is copy. Location, appearance, packages, etc. will all vary, and you will have to choose what is most vital for you.
Then arrange food, photography/videography, dj, transportation, florists, and cake in that order. Florists and bakers can do more than one wedding a day, but photographers can’t so they need to be booked first.
Once you have the vendors, then focus on the details like programs, favors, centerpieces, etc. The vendor quest can be a small overwhelming at first because it’s a lot of buzz and leg work, but once you get the hang of it you can overlap preparation the details with preparation the huge stuff.
The Knot has a lot of wedding preparation thoughts. They also have a handy checklist that you can customize to feature the things you want to include in your wedding.
There is no reason why you need a wedding planner, and they often get you to spend more than you otherwise would want to. If you want any more detail, contact me directly. I loved preparation my wedding!
We used http://www.OnceUponATimeABQ.com They had some really clean decorations and accessories. Pretty excellent prices too. I certainly urge them.
just write your wedding or like tale here http://lovethingy.com/mystory.html
Gown
Rings
Location
Guest List
plants
Dresses
Tuxes
Cake
Punch
Food (if you are having any)
Dishware
Photographer or Videographer
Things to buy: cake knife; guest book; candles; gifts for attendants; ring bearer pillow; basket for flowergirl.