The budget is very important but can also be one of the most daunting tasks to do when planning your wedding. Sitting down with everyone involved and deciding who is paying for what is critical. It helps if you have some idea of what you have in mind and is often the deciding factor when it comes separating the ‘must haves’ from the ‘maybe we can live without that’. You can refer to the The Wedding Checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything while making out your list. I recommend you start with a dedicated notebook to keep all your planning together.

You may want to begin by making a list of your perfect wedding and then you can see if you can make all those dreams come true or if you will have to scale back in some areas. You may be surprised at how many things can be done on a shoe string budget if need be. For instance, choose your wedding day to fall on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday instead of the traditional Saturday wedding could give you some great savings. However, if a Saturday wedding is one of your ‘must haves’, then there are still other areas you can find savings. I’m trying to keep my posts short and to the point these days so, we’ll explore more of those savings ideas in future posts.

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As the bride and groom you can decide what words to use in your vows. For instance, when my husband and I got married many years ago, I did not want the word “obey” in our vows. Instead we choose to say that we would listen to each other and respect each others opinions.

If you are having trouble coming up with the right words to convey your special message from your heart for your wedding vows, here are some places to look for ideas and examples.

• Check online, do a search for “wedding vows”. This will turn up articles and websites as well as examples that you can use as is or modify to make them your own.
• Check with the person who will be officiating at your wedding. They can often give you examples of vows they often use.
• Consider poetry. Popular poets include Browning, Keats and Gibran to name a few. You can use a favorite poem or write your own.

When writing your vows, it is a good idea for the bride and groom to write your wedding vows together. Although, some couples like to be surprise each other. The most important thing when writing your own vows is that the message comes from your heart. If you keep that in mind while you are working on your vows and keep it short and simple, you may surprise yourself with what beautiful words you come up with.

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One of the things the bride-to-be has to consider when buying a dress is the comfort level of the wedding dress. Sure it’s nice to look like a princess on your wedding day, but if the dress causes you extreme discomfort; or cuts off your circulation, then it’s not really worth it. The dress might even cause you to faint. Imagine what a nightmare that would be!

The wedding dress selection process usually starts months before the wedding. It’s advisable for brides-to-be to look through the pages of wedding magazines, or to visit wedding shops. Just to give them an idea of the different types of styles of wedding dresses that are available.

Brides-to-be also have to consider their body types. It’s important to get a wedding dress that looks good on you! You might have to try plenty of wedding dresses before you find that one dress that is perfect for you.

If you have set aside an extensive budget for your wedding dress. Then you can always go for a designer dress. The most famous name nowadays when it comes to bridal fashion is Vera Wang. She is known for her luxurious detailing, craftsmanship, and hand beading. Her clients for her wedding line include: Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey, just to name a few.

But if you don’t have that much money to spare then you can always choose other options. There are a number of places where you can get your wedding dress that won’t cost you a fortune. In addition to the more traditional bridal shops, wedding dresses are also available in: thrift shops, discount stores, online, and even eBay.

If you are buying on eBay, make sure the measurements of the wedding dress is included in the description. Also, the condition of the dress must be looked into. Check for feedback regarding that person’s account, just to make sure that you are dealing with a credible dealer.

But if a traditional wedding is the theme you have in mind, then you might want to go for a vintage dress. When buying a vintage dress, beware of discoloration, or stains on the dress. These might not come off so easily. Investigate the fabric of the dress, stretch it out to check for weakening, or tearing of the cloth.

Try to buy a vintage dress that is made before the 1900’s. Fabrics have a tendency to deteriorate, and weaken over time. Extraordinarily old vintage dresses might look romantic, but they might not be ideal for use.

If you really have your heart set on a specific design, but you find that the dress is too old to use, or too expensive, then you can always go for a reproduction wedding dress.

Many stores specialize in reproduction dresses. They design wedding dresses based on specific themes, or eras. Some specialty wedding shops also focus on designing knock-off wedding dresses, inspired by designer wedding gowns. The huge difference being, that these wedding gowns are retailed for a fraction of the cost of the originals.

There are so many ways a future bride can go about a search for her dream wedding dress. Searching for a wedding dress should be exciting and fun. So make sure you have plenty of time on your hands before the big day, so that the process from occasion does not become stressful, and wearisome. Instead let it become the prelude to the happiness of the special occasion which will be your wedding day.

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Most couples are unsure when it comes to the idea of hiring a wedding planner. They have doubts about whether hiring the services of a wedding planner is really the best place for their money, especially those who are on a tight budget.

Basically, hiring the services of a wedding planner is actually a matter of choice and personal preference. If you think that you and your fiancé can handle most of the wedding planning without any burden, then, go on with your plans.

But if you think that doing all the planning from the very beginning is already tedious, then, it is time for you to hire the services of a wedding planner.

Basically, a wedding planner is someone who is adept and knowledgeable when it comes to wedding plans. Wedding planners have already established their contacts with many businesses that are important in the wedding such as flower arrangers, caterers, venues, etc.

So, for most people who are not yet aware of the benefits they can derive from hiring a wedding planner, here are some facts that you need to know:

1. Hiring a wedding planner will save you time.

Planning a wedding can be a daunting task. It can even be more tedious if the person who plans the wedding is also a participant, like the bride or the groom. It can be really difficult to have an open mind especially with all the jitters and emotions.

Moreover, planning a wedding does not happen overnight. Usually, it takes 200 to 300 hours of planning, thinking, and brainstorming. Hence, to save you time and effort, it is best to hire the services of a wedding planner.

2. More savings

Many people contend that the reason they do not hire a wedding planner is that it will be an additional cost on their part.

What they don’t know is that hiring the services of a wedding planner can actually save you more money because most of the wedding planners have already established solid contacts with some of the common wedding businesses. For instance flower arrangers, venues, and the like. Therefore, discounts are more likely to happen because they have their own connections already.

3. Organized planning

With wedding planners, weddings can be more organized because most wedding planners are very detail oriented and keep track of things down to the last detail of the wedding.

After all, it is their job so they know how to best get things done.

Wedding planners have a timeline that they follow in order to have all the details ready on time or even ahead of time, leaving fewer last-minute changes.

4. The decisions are still yours

With wedding planners, the decisions are still with the couple. The wedding planner will just guide, render some suggestions, and assist the couple in making the decision.

Hence, the couple will be able to, still, have their own style and preference with regards to the planning of their wedding.

5. Confidence boosters

One of the best things about wedding planners is that they act as confidence boosters for the bride and the groom.

We all know how jittery and edgy wedding couples can be especially if they are in a rush or having trouble finding the perfect item for their wedding. But using a wedding planner, they will be more at ease and more confident that their wedding will be perfect because they know that they have turned over the details of their wedding to a professional.

Indeed, there could be no better person who really knows the ins and outs of wedding planning more than what the wedding planner can as well as offering you the benefit of wedding savings you may not otherwise find. So, for great weddings, sometimes it’s best to hire the services of a wedding planner.
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1. Does he have only one wedding in each sample albums? Does he have several sample albums to show a variety of styles that he is capable of taking?

2. Make sure you see a sample of photographs from his most recent wedding. How recent is it?

3. Study each album well and see if the album is telling the story of the wedding and not just filling the album up with similar photographs.

4. Are the portraits clear and did the photographer capture the subject’s mood?

5. Are all the photos done artistically? Is there a play of light and shadows?

6. Were candid shots taken? Are they clear and well composed?

Finding a good photographer is an important step in the wedding planning process. Remember that your wedding album will remind you of your wonderful wedding day and last for a lifetime.

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Personality. Are his ideas the same as yours? Can you communicate with him easily? Does he easily understand what you want or what your ideas are regarding the style of photography that you want achieved? It is important you feel comfortable communicating with him.

Style of Photography. Do the images you see in his past work appeal to you? Do you like his style? If not, you may want to consider continuing your search for another wedding photographer.

Picture Packages. Ask any questions you may have about each package that he presents to you. If you are not comfortable with the packages, will he make one to satisfy your needs?

Accomplished work. Find out how long it will take for him to finish your album, your bridal portrait and all the photos taken during the wedding. Compare the time frames between photographers you are considering.

Price. How do the prices compare between photographers you’ve talked to? If one is more expensive than the other, is he worth spending more here and saving elsewhere in your wedding planning? Take the time to ask all that you need to know and make sure you understand all the services and photos included in the cost. It is better to purchase a smaller package from a great professional photographer than to rely on a friend of a friend who will do it for less if that person can’t capture the memories of your special day the way you want them.

Payments and deposits. Should you cancel, will he give a refund? What happens if he cannot make it for some reason? Does he have a partner to take his place just in case? Make sure you clear all of this with him as well as discuss with him any other concerns you may have. His answers should be able to convince you that he can be trusted.

Contract. Check and read it carefully before signing it. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask him to leave the contract with you overnight so that you can closely look it over. Be certain that everything you both had agreed upon is in the contract.

I wish you well in your search for the perfect wedding photographer and may he capture your beautiful wedding memories to cherish for a lifetime to come.

My next post will help you know what to look for when checking out the wedding photographs from the photographers references, so please check back soon.

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Hiring a professional wedding photographer will help ensure a few things that a non-professional may not. Ideally there is usually a contract to help protect both the photographer and the customer for unforeseen circumstances, for instance if the photographer can not show up the day of the wedding. When working with a non-professional usually there is not a written contract in place and often times the expectations are not as clear to both parties.

So what do you look for when you are planning to hire a professional photographer? Usually the professional will have the following:

1. A valid and legal sales tax license.
2. Proof of current business insurance.
3. Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera).
4. Membership in a professional association.
5. A permanent studio.

These are the signs of a professional who takes his business seriously. That does not mean that you should not hire any photographer who does not have all of the things listed. However, you should be aware of the difference between a professional photographer and a non-professional when making your decision.

In postings to come I will talk about other things to consider when hiring a photographer as well as what to look for when looking at the photographer’s previous work.

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However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other considerations on her mind. She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom. Not to mention that the bride also considers the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration. And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations – the cost.

Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying off debts made during the wedding preparations. Therefore, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be should be very careful what they spend their money on. This is where wedding secret savings comes in handy. Here are a few things to consider.

* Personalize the decorations. Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost. For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose to have photos from their collection make the main subjects for the reception design. The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes,

* Consider renting. Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again. These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arch ways and the artificial flower arrangements. So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces.

* Children can get bored during the wedding reception. So instead of having children seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where children can be more casual and can have a small party of their own.

* Marriage is a union of families. During the wedding rites, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from a previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple. Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families.

* For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts schools. They may agree to cater the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more. You may also have a pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish.

* If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party. Usually, only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests.

* For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ. You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception.

* When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day. They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost.

Getting married does not have to be expensive. After all, the essence of marriage is in the union and not in the celebration. You should not try too hard to please the guests. Your family and friends are there to rejoice this wonderful event with you and not to criticize your wedding.
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• Place the invitation inside the large envelope along with its protective tissue and make certain that the invitation is facing you.
• Place the reception invitation on top of the invitation, also facing you.
• Position the response card, facing you, inside the flap of the response envelope, which is facing down. (The response card is facing you and the response envelope is facing down.)
• The last to go in are the directions or map which guides the guests.
• When addressing the outer envelope, it is best that you use calligraphy.
• For an added touch, choose a postage stamp that well compliments the general appearance of your invitation.

After assembling your wedding invitations, if possible, bring your invitations to the post office and ask that they be hand cancelled, to avoid unattractive marks or scratches that machine cancelling can cause.

If you find this information useful and would like to see more like this, please leave a comment for me below. Thanks for reading and enjoy!
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