Watching massively popular weddings on TV like William and Kate and the Kardashians can make your planned ceremony seem a little too normal. Nobody wants a plain wedding. This day is supposed to be magnificent…and under budget. Use the tips below to plan a great wedding that you’ll be very proud of.
If you or your future husband have a great voice, one of the things that you can do is to sing a song at your wedding. This should be a slow song that you dedicate either to your future soul mate or someone that is looking down upon you at your wedding.
If you are having a reception at a venue that doesn’t supply the decor, you’ll have to pick up the napkins and tablecloths yourself. I wouldn’t recommend going with plastic, so instead pick up inexpensive fabric and hem the edges to make it look like a professionally finished product. Do the same for napkins in a matching color.
Remember that the reception is the time for you to let loose, but do not act too wild as your in-laws will be at the wedding. Make sure that you dance and have the time of your life with your friends as you will cherish these moments for the rest of your life.
Unless you are throwing a gala event, keep the guest list realistic and keep it small. Invite the most important people in your life first; family and close friends. Do not branch out much further than this and it will keep your wedding intimate and make sure that you have time to socialize with everyone you invite. Too many guests will keep your running trying to acknowledge them all.
Make sure you book a professional wedding photographer. Your wedding day is probably a day you will want to remember for the rest of your life. By hiring a professional photographer for the day, you can make sure that you get some tangible evidence of the day that you can keep for the rest of your life.
If you are going to have a caterer at your wedding, ask them if you can request which foods they make. This way, you know that the food will be to everyone’s liking. Also, ask them if you can have a sample of their food, so you know you will like it.
Give the children who attend your wedding some responsibility to keep them occupied. If they have to guard the ring with their life, or count how many people come in the doors, they’ll have something to do and it should keep the boredom at bay. They may need to have different tasks to keep occupied, though, as they could become tedious.
If your wedding reception is beginning to look more like a child’s birthday party, have all the children gathered up and taken to their own area to enjoy some suitable entertainment. A clown or magician can keep their eyes locked on him while you and their parents dance the night away.
Even if you cannot afford bountiful floral arrangements and centerpieces, never underestimate the power of a single rosebud in a distinctive, colorful vase. Place one at the center of each table at the reception site. If you prefer a more detailed look, place the vase on a table runner made from lace doilies, artfully arranged silk, or laser-cut paper.
Discuss sponsorship with vendors who will be servicing your wedding. Many vendors will reduce costs if you allow them to do small things such as their name on the place cards for tables, listing them in the wedding program or perhaps a mention during the reception festivities by the DJ. These small savings can add up quickly.
Hire a wedding planner to help you with coordinating your special day. A wedding planner can handle all the small details, so that you can worry about the more important things. They can also sometimes help you to secure things like your band or photographer for a better price than you could get on your own.
If the majority of your wedding guests are staying in local hotels or inns, send them off with thoughtful favors that they can use to relax before their long trip home. Scented, soothing bath salts, luxury soaps, and spa-inspired products are the perfect favors; they can be quickly and cheaply put together and thrown into a suitcase.
Make your own wedding invitations or have a relative or friend do it. More than likely you have a budding artist in you circle of acquaintances that would love to try their hand as some hand made paper invitations. Maybe another friend does calligraphy? Ask them to help. That’s what friends are for!
Use other things besides floral arrangements to save money. Instead of floral wreathes, use ribbons. You can also use silk flowers versus using real ones. Silk flowers will last forever and are cheaper. You can save the flowers and use them at different times in your wedding or even after the event is over for other occasions.
A great tip that can reduce costs for many of the vendor services at your wedding reception, including photographers, caterers and musicians, is to offer to help them advertise their services in exchange for reduced costs. A small card placed on the reception tables where guests will be seated can provide the names and contact information for different vendors who are providing their services. This advertising has the benefit of cutting your costs and enhancing their chances of new opportunities.
If you are planning an outdoor wedding, make sure that you have some kind of a backup just in case the weather chooses not to agree. You can still have a perfect day if you realize that weather is unpredictable and it might not cooperate. By being flexible it will help you be less stressed about it.
Your wedding doesn’t need to make the tabloids or be featured on a dozen different television networks. It only has to stand out as majestic for you and your loved ones. If you can follow the easy and practical wedding tips above, you can make sure that your special day is everything it can be and more.