Wedding Planning Tips
Looking forward to your wedding? Have you started the research
and gathering of the information you'll need to plan it
properly? It is better to start now instead of ending up in a
stressful situation. Here are some wedding planning tips.
Who is doing what?
Sit down with your future spouse and discuss openly and honestly
the "planning" responsibilities. Who will plan the
entertainment? Who will plan the menu? Who will decide on the
baker and see it through? The many, many details are important.
Visit a couple of wedding shows
There are lots of wedding shows going on all the time and you
can attend a wedding show or two in your area. The best strategy
is to attend two shows, actually. The first time, your purpose
can be "information gathering". See what vendors offer, look at
jewelry, gowns, hairstyles, cakes (and taste them too), tuxedos,
flowers, balloons, etc. The second visit should be around
four-to-six months before your wedding with the purpose of
making appointments with vendors you like, asking detailed
questions about their services and gathering information about
pricing.
The wedding sites of your dream
Write a list of sites that you have always dreamed of having
your wedding. On the beach, in the largest cathedral in the
city, in the country, at the Country Club, at your dad's
beautiful backyard. There must be hundreds of sites available in
your city or in another city (destination weddings is the rage).
Narrow the sites to three of your favorites, then check to see
if your wedding date is available at the site before making the
visit.
How many wedding guests?
The size of the guest list is one of the most important issues
to discuss. You know the rule of 50% of the guests should come
from the bride's family and 50% from the groom's family.
When planning the guest list, consider two components: number of
guests invited or the wedding budget. Usually, a small wedding
consist of 100 guests or less. These are normally a smaller
budget because the reception (food and refreshments) consist of
40% of the cost of the event. However, a small wedding could
have a large budget of say $20,000 consisting of the finest food
and wine and other accommodations. The small wedding budget is
in the range of $1,000 to $10,000.
In average, a wedding consist of 200-300 guests which means the
average budget may come as a surprise to you. Providing a seated
affair or buffet, champagne and entertainment at the reception
consist of 40% of the budget. An average wedding in the USA for
the last couple of years is $22,000. Of course, there are many
ways to slim the budget with a little creativity.
So, what is a large wedding? A large wedding can consist of
300-500 guests. This is mostly an extravagant affair, and the
budget isn't as important as the celebration itself. Providing a
wonderful reception for a large number of guests can really add
up! With an unlimited budget, why not serve a savory menu and
serve the best refreshments for your once-in-a-lifetime event?
Usually, a large wedding cost anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000.
It is always a good thing to plan a wedding well in advance. Be
careful however, not to let your wedding planning get in the way
of your normal responsibilities. If you feel overwhelmed, talk
to someone you trust, such as a minister, priest, rabbi, or
counsellor, who work with engaged couples daily and understand
the stress you may experience.