Expert Wedding
Planning Tips and Tricks
Want to be certain all your wedding planning bases are
covered? Read the tips that no bride should be without.
When
planning your wedding, there are things that are nice to know, like that
mermaid silhouettes are all the rage or that purple is making a comeback. Then,
there are things you need to know -- advice so essential that any bride who's
lucky enough to hear it thinks, "I'm so glad someone told me that!"
If you're wondering whether there's something you may have missed (or even if
you've got everything under control), check out our indispensable planning
secrets.
1. Guests Come First
Get a
grip on the approximate number of guests you'll invite before settling on a
venue. This will ensure there's ample space for your crew. As a rule of thumb,
allow for 25 to 30 square feet per guest. That may seem like a lot, but it's
not if you count the space you'll need for the tables, bustling waiters, the
band, and the dance floor.
2. Investigate Wedding Blackout Dates
Know
ahead of time if your wedding date falls on the same day as a trade conference,
charity walk, or other local event that could affect traffic and hotel room
availability.
3. Listen to Mother Nature
Heed the
weather and other potential annoyances. Guests have been known to skip out
early from hotter-than-hot summer tent weddings and improperly heated winter
loft receptions. Bugs (gnats, deerflies, and no-see-ums) also swarm in certain
areas during certain seasons. Consider renting pest control tanks to alleviate
the problem or including bug repellent in guests' gift bags. And if you want a
sunset ceremony, make sure you know when to say your vows by checking
SunriseSunset.com.
4. Check Your Credit
Take
advantage of the high cost of weddings and sign up for a credit card with a
rewards program. Whether it gives you airline miles or great shopping deals,
consolidating all wedding-related purchases to this card will help you
accumulate thousands of rewards points (which could be used for your
honeymoon).
5. Pay It Forward
Let one vendor lead you to another. Your wedding photographer can tell you
which florist's blooms really pop, and your reception manager should know which
band packs the dance floor.
6. Lighten Your List
The easiest way to trim your wedding budget?
Cut your guest list. Remember, half of your wedding expenses go to wining and
dining your guests. If it's costing you $100 per person, eliminating one table
of 10 can save you $1,000.
7. Ask and You Might Receive
Request an extra hour for cocktails or for your band to throw in that Frank
Sinatra sound-alike before you sign on the dotted line. Most vendors would
rather secure the reservation than nickel-and-dime you early on and turn you
off. Later on, though, they may have less of a motive to meet you halfway.
8. Make a Meal Plan
Another unforeseen expense? Feeding your wedding day crew. Before you sign
the contracts, make sure you're not required to serve the same meal to your
vendors that guests will receive. Otherwise, you could be paying for 20
additional lobster tails. Choose a less expensive (but equally hearty) meal for
them instead. You will have to let your wedding caterer know a couple of days
before the wedding exactly how many vendors you need to feed (don't forget
photography assistants and band roadies) and what you want them to serve.
9. Get Organizationally Focused
In a three-ring binder, compile all your correspondences with vendors, notes
you make during meetings, and photos or tear sheets from magazines you want
vendors to see. Set up a special email address dedicated to your wedding, and
store important vendor numbers in your cell phone.
10. Tend to Your Bar
Typically, you need one bartender per 50 guests to keep the line at a
minimum. But if you're serving a signature cocktail that cannot be made ahead
of time (or in large quantities), consider adding an extra server designated to
this task.So if you need more marriage related tips visit our web site allindiayellowpage.com.