Posts Tagged ‘wedding planning’

Advice On Creating A Wedding Checklist

With all of the things that have to be taken care of to ensure a special and memorable wedding day, the planning process can quickly become stressful and overwhelming. A good way to make it less so is to create a wedding checklist, which is a detailed list of everything that needs to be done before the big day. As well as listing what needs to be taken care of, it is also helpful to prioritize the list and state the dates when you expect to deal with each thing on it. Working out your budget should be the first item on your wedding checklist, as it will have an effect on everything else on it. Be clear on how much can you spend in total and how much you want to spend on each aspect of your wedding. Then, you need to decide on who will be fulfilling the major roles for your wedding. Who will be the best man? Who will be the maid of honor? Who will carry out the other, still important, roles? The earlier this is decided on the more help you can for the rest of the planning process. Finding and booking venues for your wedding and wedding reception should be high up on your wedding checklist. Arrangements for these need to be confirmed as early as possible as popular venues tend to be booked well in advance. There are also decorations, food and entertainment to think about. Next up should be wedding attire. Rentals and fittings need to be sorted out for the bride’s dress, the groom’s suit and also decisions need to made on the attire for the rest of the wedding party. That is the main items covered, but there are lots of other ones too, and these are the ones that, whilst seemingly less important, add the gloss and shine to the day. Examples are the invitations, photography, flowers, rings and honeymoon plans. Leaving it late to get around to any of these ’small’ details can cause real problems, so deal with them sooner rather than later. To ensure that you do not miss anything off of your wedding checklist, it is advisable to start off with a sample wedding checklist from a wedding website and then to customize it. You can download sample wedding checklists for free, so it makes sense to at least browse one or two before creating your own.

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Basics Of A Caribbean Wedding

Caribbean weddings surely do borrow from popular U.S. wedding customs.  However, Caribbean islanders have a rich African and European heritage, so you can be sure they have some customs of their own.  Caribbean weddings can have a special flavor all their own. 

The first Caribbean tradition is that the bride and groom wear their finest clothing, and walk from either the bride or the groom’s house to the church.   This serves as a way to announce the wedding and to celebrate the occasion.  Members of the community will line the streets as the couple comes by, admiring the duo.   Most guests are invited to the wedding via word-of-mouth, and it isn’t unusual for guests to “crash” the wedding; invitations aren’t traditionally required in the Caribbean!

Ceremonies combine elements from Catholic, Mayan, and African traditions.  It is traditional that the bride’s father or parents take the bride down the aisle.   You won’t usually find a best man at a traditional island wedding.  The ceremony is followed by a reception, and is accompanied by gorgeous steel-drum music.

The gifts at a Caribbean wedding often include hand-make quilts and furniture.  Caribbean wedding presents are often hand-made, the gifts reflecting the gorgeous handiwork of talented island artisans.

When serving a reception dinner in the Caribbean, it is hard to go wrong with curried goat and spicy chicken jerky.   Don’t forget the fried plantains and conch fritters!   The food has definite island flair, and really emphasizes that special island ambiance.

A Caribbean island wedding cake is very unique; you’ll not find another like it in the world.   It’s called the “Black Cake” which has a beautiful tradition associated with it.   Mothers give their recipes to their daughters, who then are responsible for improving on the recipe in some way.  The idea is that each successive generation makes the recipe more delicious.

The cake has the same basic ingredients, no matter what: a pound of flour, brown sugar, butter, glazed cherries, currants, prunes, raisins, and 12 fresh eggs. ~ The cake has a delicious hard rum sauce, and the fruits are often left soaking in rum anywhere from 2 weeks to an entire year.

After the wedding is over, the couple goes on a kind of honeymoon.   The groom will often provide a secluded place to stay, or they may travel to a nearby island to get away.   After a week of togetherness, they return home to begin their married life together. 

What To Do To Organize Your Friends And Family On Your Wedding Day

If you are getting married, it can feel as if you are rushing from one place to another without getting anything accomplished. You have to arrange everything from the dress, to the cake, to the flower arrangements and everything in between. You must prepare a comprehensive list of people you want to invite such as friends and relatives. You seem to be in the eye of the storm.

First she didn’t really who to put on her guest list and was leaving loads of people out. Then she didn’t have a clue what to put on her wedding list. She was going a bit overboard putting every tiny little thing down.

Or you can compose your own lists. It is often a good idea to put things which you would not ordinarily buy for yourself like luxury quilt sets. Don’t forget, especially with soft furnishings, that you will both have to live in your house together, so don’t try to go for anything too pink and fluffy!

Then my Mom said she wanted to get them something nice and memorable, because we have been best friends forever. So I took her to see the ‘giant pictures’ my friend always liked in the arcade, but my Mom said that she wasn’t going to buy them any photos of men riding horses in the sea. What did it all mean? My Mom said. So in the end, she got them a dining room set.

Well, they have to eat and they didn’t have anywhere to sit. I tried telling her they didn’t have a dining room in their apartment, but there is no telling my Mom when she gets like that.

So anyway, the day before the big day came and we were looking at all the presents which had already arrived. Mom’s set was there, and my bracelet and tie pin and a load of other stuff. Most of the big bulky stuff was already there you know. But my friend was looking a bit puzzled like there was something missing.

Something was nagging my Mom though. Mom had been rushing around too. She had organized everyone’s hair and supervised the makeup. She looked exhausted after a busy day yesterday and a frantic morning today. But when she looked round the presents there was something not quite right. I didn’t know what it was, until Mom banged her hand to her forehead and said: The quilt set!

How To Put Style Into Your Wedding Day

A wedding, the matter how expensive or inexpensive the final cost is, it’s important to put some style into it. And it really isn’t all that difficult to do. All that is required is to find a theme or plan your party with ideas that will allow you to have lots of fun, and simply add some glamour to that concept. This way, you can get everything you want out of it, without it costing insane amounts.

Of course, there are things that will have to be picked out for your wedding day as well as to get the ball rolling. The first thing we have to be the rings. More often than not, women are opting for brand-new Princess cut engagement rings. In order to make them a little more lively, because this particular cut does not shine as much as others do, you can always add baguettes on the sides.

Or, you may decide that the antique engagement ring is the best option. If you have never considered this option, you should open up to the idea because there are many unique rings to choose from.

In all the conversations that have to do with rings, it isn’t uncommon for a man to give an eternity ring to his new bride. Of course, this can happen at any time in their married life, but it’s also a beautiful gift to give your bride on her special day.

When it comes to planning your special day, try to think of various venues and what will ultimately please you. The menu is also a very important part of all your plans. You want to ensure that everyone is considered, therefore different main courses should be offered, such as chicken, meat, and fish or seafood. Make sure you don’t forget to add vegetarian meals for those guests who don’t eat meat.

Going the route of hiring a professional wedding planner might be the best thing that you can do for yourself. Even if you are on a limited budget, these professionals can end up saving you money, even if you consider their cost. In many cases, these professionals can get you good deals to save you money in various ways that you would never have found on your own.

They will also plan the entire day or evening so that nothing is forgotten and everything goes as planned. This leaves the bride and groom are free to have a great time and enjoy the most special day of their lives.

Some Important Things To Consider When You Get Engaged

So, you have just gotten engaged? Congratulations. Have you given any thought to buying wedding rings? This can be a very important decision. Although wedding rings can be expensive, there are prices and styles to fit a variety of needs that are available today.

Wedding bands for men are available today in just as many styles as wedding bands for women. Men today are more involved with the wedding planning process than ever. Jewelers have begun making more varied rings for men because of this. There are also many budget options available. Men now have more options than ever.

One of the different style options is the type and color of the metal the ring is made from. Traditionally rings have been made from yellow gold and there are countless rings that are still available in this metal. Many couples today are opting for rings made from white gold, silver, or platinum. When it comes to men wedding bands are more important than it seems that they were in the past from a style perspective. There are almost as many different styles for men as there are for women.

Sometimes couples like to choose ring sets that are matching in style. Other couples like to choose the same metal, but different styles. Mens wedding bands are often sold in sets with the matching ring for the woman. These matching sets come in a variety of styles to fit every taste.

No matter what your taste is there is sure to be an option available that works for your needs and your budget. There are many stores that sell rings at a great price. Discount stores can be a great place to start your shopping. You may just find what you are looking for quite quickly and affordably.

In some cases it may take some time and some shopping around to find the perfect set of rings for you both. Many different and unique styles are offered on the Internet and this can be a good place to continue your search. Many online stores will even engrave your rings for you. This makes your rings one of a kind.

If you recently became engaged it may be time to look at wedding rings. Start by looking around at a few different options to get an idea of what you want. There are sets and single rings in every possible style and price range.

Some Important Things To Consider When You Get Engaged

So, you have just gotten engaged? Congratulations. Have you given any thought to buying wedding rings? This can be a very important decision. Although wedding rings can be expensive, there are prices and styles to fit a variety of needs that are available today.

Wedding bands for men are available today in just as many styles as wedding bands for women. Men today are more involved with the wedding planning process than ever. Jewelers have begun making more varied rings for men because of this. There are also many budget options available. Men now have more options than ever.

One of the different style options is the type and color of the metal the ring is made from. Traditionally rings have been made from yellow gold and there are countless rings that are still available in this metal. Many couples today are opting for rings made from white gold, silver, or platinum. When it comes to men wedding bands are more important than it seems that they were in the past from a style perspective. There are almost as many different styles for men as there are for women.

Sometimes couples like to choose ring sets that are matching in style. Other couples like to choose the same metal, but different styles. Mens wedding bands are often sold in sets with the matching ring for the woman. These matching sets come in a variety of styles to fit every taste.

No matter what your taste is there is sure to be an option available that works for your needs and your budget. There are many stores that sell rings at a great price. Discount stores can be a great place to start your shopping. You may just find what you are looking for quite quickly and affordably.

In some cases it may take some time and some shopping around to find the perfect set of rings for you both. Many different and unique styles are offered on the Internet and this can be a good place to continue your search. Many online stores will even engrave your rings for you. This makes your rings one of a kind.

If you recently became engaged it may be time to look at wedding rings. Start by looking around at a few different options to get an idea of what you want. There are sets and single rings in every possible style and price range.

What To Do To Organize Your Friends And Family On Your Wedding Day

If you are getting married, it can feel as if you are rushing from one place to another without getting anything accomplished. You have to arrange everything from the dress, to the cake, to the flower arrangements and everything in between. You must prepare a comprehensive list of people you want to invite such as friends and relatives. You seem to be in the eye of the storm.

First she didn’t really who to put on her guest list and was leaving loads of people out. Then she didn’t have a clue what to put on her wedding list. She was going a bit overboard putting every tiny little thing down.

Or you can compose your own lists. It is often a good idea to put things which you would not ordinarily buy for yourself like luxury quilt sets. Don’t forget, especially with soft furnishings, that you will both have to live in your house together, so don’t try to go for anything too pink and fluffy!

Then my Mom said she wanted to get them something nice and memorable, because we have been best friends forever. So I took her to see the ‘giant pictures’ my friend always liked in the arcade, but my Mom said that she wasn’t going to buy them any photos of men riding horses in the sea. What did it all mean? My Mom said. So in the end, she got them a dining room set.

Well, they have to eat and they didn’t have anywhere to sit. I tried telling her they didn’t have a dining room in their apartment, but there is no telling my Mom when she gets like that.

So anyway, the day before the big day came and we were looking at all the presents which had already arrived. Mom’s set was there, and my bracelet and tie pin and a load of other stuff. Most of the big bulky stuff was already there you know. But my friend was looking a bit puzzled like there was something missing.

Something was nagging my Mom though. Mom had been rushing around too. She had organized everyone’s hair and supervised the makeup. She looked exhausted after a busy day yesterday and a frantic morning today. But when she looked round the presents there was something not quite right. I didn’t know what it was, until Mom banged her hand to her forehead and said: The quilt set!

Make Your Wedding A Pile Of Colors.

White wedding flowers have been the trademark of all marriages for two decades. But, it is time to shun away the traditional norm of white wedding flowers and add a touch of color to your wedding. These are some easy suggestions to make your wedding colorful by using flowers in bright and joyous colours.

Think about this, the bunch of the bride has traditionally been made of white flowers but if you’re about to bring color in your life, you need to commence with this bouquet. There is not much of a difficulty here, you can still have the same base design of flowers with long stems tied in a neat bundle but you don’t need not tie only white flowers in it. Use red roses, white lilies and some leaves to get in the green color.

There are several ways you can use colorful blooms in the bridal bouquet. First, you can use the same flower in different shades. For instance, you can use carnations which come in several hues such as orange, pink, red white and yellow to make up a single bouquet.

You may use different tones of the same color for flowers. In this situation, its silk wedding flowers give you more chance to play with shades rather then their natural assortment of blossoms.

An advantage here is that when you select the décor for wedding venue, you can easily match the furnishing with the color of flowers and the like. It would just as well be the other way round. So if you go for a purple color décor, you get the color range between deep purple and lilac. Anything between this color bracket suits the bill.

Using unusual color combinations is another brilliant idea if you need to make your marriage more colourful. Everyone uses yellow and orange marriage flowers together, so it could be great if you opt for something else.

Go in for surprising combos like purple and green, orange and pink, red and chocolate brown and the like.Try these unique color combinations and you are sure to make your marriage the most trendy in the town. If you do not have to go too experimental, then you can go in for muted shades of contrasting colours.

Remember you need not go overboard. some leaves and foliage to add the green tint. Nothing comforts human eyes more than green color. You will need it!

You can further jazz up your dcor by dividing the room into to two parts and decorating them with separate flower colors on each side. Your flower arrangement should be kept consistent foe both sides. You might need to use blooms of contrasting colours for more drama such as orange and yellow or pink and blue.

Incorporating these great flower ideas will turn your average white wedding into a colourful and charismatic celebration.

Where To Get Your Wedding Flowers From?

Well it’s an undeniable fact that any marriage is unfinished without the quintessential bride and groom. However, adding adding to the necessary list of marriage is another name- wedding flowers. So it is very vital that you allot special time for planning of the marriage flowers. Among countless factors about wedding flowers which requires special attention, source is the most important.

The marriage flowers can be purchased from one or two means. Some well-known options in this direction are Wholesale flower mart, farmer’s markets, store front florists, corner shop stores and plenty more. Each of these sources of wedding flowers comes with their own set of benefits and flipsides.

Though there are lots of options that you can avail to get your wedding flowers from, wholesale flower marts top the list. These marts are renowned for the in depth collection of flowers that they stock. You name it and they have it all. So when it comes to marriage flowers you have diversity of options to choose from these flower marts.

Not only are these markets a useful source of flower varieties- they also offer highly competitive prices for their blooms. Since the flowers here are sold in bulk, they can usually be purchased at great kickbacks or saving options. However, you may have difficulty in locating one of these markets. Since they are regularly intended meant for sellers, purchasing your marriage flowers here might be troublesome. The good new is that most sellers are enthusiastic to sell their stock once the professionals have recently picked up their share.

For those who do not want to spend much on marriage flowers, grocery stores are a brilliant option. They can offer you a fair range of flowers at a reasonable cost. Also, these stores offer you the choice of getting the flowers delivered exactly on the day you want.However, a a downside to these grocery stores is that they offer only a limited spread of marriage flowers.

Yet another good option in this context is to pick tiny florists. You can always distribute them the responsibility of arranging the type of wedding flowers that you would like for your marriage. Besides these florists might also be asked to arrange all the materials that are required for the wedding flower decorations and the like. The florists will charge charges for all that they do. it’s going to be big recess for you as you need not take the pains to seek for the marriage flowers that you desire, on your own. Likewise you can always find help of such florists in the agreements of wedding flowers too.

These days, many a net savvy bride or groom, wish to order their flowers off of the internet. Needless to say, of getting your wedding flowers is the simplest and most convenient. You simply need to go through the website to see what’s on offer and make an order with the press of a mouse- and voila! The flowers will be dropped at the stoop. While getting your flowers online is truly convenient- it might also be an expensive venture.

So if you’re on a lookout of places to purchase your marriage flowers from, don’t worry. Simply make use of these tips and you are all set to focus on the right means.

Planning For An Outdoor Wedding

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Planning a wedding can be stressful, but with good organisation it needn’t be.

First you will need to choose the all-important venue. You can easily search online for a venue and suitable shelter for your guests – maybe you will look for marquee hire Sussex, marquee hire Surrey, marquee hire Essex or something similar. Make sure you include geographical information in your search so that you get a fairly local company. A marquee, though expensive, can double as a ceremony venue, a shelter for guests and somewhere to dance late into the night. Ensure you confirm your rental date at least two weeks ahead of the big day.

you should consider whther or not you need permits for your venue and if you need to inform any neighbours. Informing neighbours is as much for your benefit as theirs because lawnmowers and loud music can somewhat interrupt your day. You should also consider where people will be able to park and whether you need to lay on any transport yourself for guests. If you are choosing a beach, check the tide timetables and access.

Invites can also go out as soon as the venue is chosen. Include a map and make it clear that the event will be outside so that guests can wear suitable attire.

When you have chosen your venue and hired a marquee or something similar you will need to plan your decorations. Have fun with them and be really creative. Natural and found items such as pebbles, shells and driftwood can be used to designate different areas. Place names can be written on pebbles which the guests can take home as wedding favours.

Tables and chairs will need to be rented or borrowed. It is cheaper to set them up yourself but this will obviously require a few helping hands. Try hay bales for seats if it fits in with your decorating scheme.

If you want music you will need to decide on whether this is going to be live band, a DJ or a combination of both. They will need to be booked well in advance and you will need to confirm any special needs e.g. food and drink, electrical points, shelter and changing rooms.

For the ceremony, you may need to consider a sound system with a lapel microphone so that the person conducting the ceremony can be heard by all the guests. It’s surprising how much the ambient noise can affect the ability of your guests to hear proceedings.

Also consider whether you will need to heat or cool your venue. Extremes of heat or cold will not be pleasant for you or your guests.

Lighting also needs to be thought about. Choose something that will create an atmosphere but that gives enough light so that people can actually see where they are going. Electrical lights will need a power supply so think of whether you will need extension leads and whether the power supply and lights are suitable for outdoor use. Candles in paper bags weighted down with sand can be effective to light paths to Portaloos and car parks but they may need replacing throughout the night and need to be used safely.

Your catering will need to be thought about well in advance. What will guests eat and drink? Who will pay for it? Who will prepare food and drinks and where will it be cooked and served? Do you need serving staff or will guests help themselves? Will you need snacks to keep people going between meals? Do you have guests with special dietary requirements and do you have enough soft drinks? Note that you may need a license if serving alcohol so remember to check this out well in time.

Food can be themed, formal, casual, sit-down or buffet. If people are bringing their own food it will need to be a coordinated effort. If there is a long time with guests doing nothing or long periods between food then you will definitely need free flowing snacks.

The bar bill can be one of the most expensive parts of the whole event but it needn’t be. You should decide whether you are having a free bar or what you need people to pay for. As a note, champagne for the toast is usually free to guests. To keep costs down you could look at buying your alchol from a wholesaler. Also look out for deals in the months leading up to your wedding date.

As the wedding date approaches, keep an eye on the weather forecast. Rain, wind and too much sun can all cause problems. The ideal weather conditions will be slightly overcast (to avoid squinting, glare on the photos and sunstroke).

A splash of rain needn’t be the end of your outdoor plans. Decorate large umbrellas using waterpfoof pens and provide them for your guests. Duck boards are a good idea to use as path as they stop your guests getting stuck in muddy grass!

Sunblock will be useful if the day turns out to be really sunny and a wrap will be useful for if it gets cooler.

A back up plan should be created to cover you for the possibility of bad weather conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances. The best idea is to make a list of potential problems and address each one.

If you do need your plan B, you need to be sure who will make the decision to switch plans, how will you tell everyone and how you will move them all? Weather can change quickly a plan change can happen at very short notice.

However you go about your plans, creating a well thought about ‘to do’ list will ensure you don’t overlook anything important and that everything gets done on time.

Make sure that your plans are easy to arrange and that they come within budget. But most of all don’t forget to enjoy the build up to your big day!

Once all your organising is done, there is nothing more you can do but hope that all things conspire to make your wedding everything that you hoped and dreamt of.