Overwhelmed is a common feeling a bride-to-be experiences as she begins to delve into the $45 billion a year world of planning a wedding. However there are several ways to deal with the incessant head spinning that can ensue as you begin to contemplate who to invite, what to feed everyone, where to have it, and how in the world you can stay within your budget without requiring a stylish white straight jacket to wear with your Badgley Mischka gown.
After you have gotten use to the idea of being engaged and you have begun to refer to your newly engaged beau as your fiancé, you may find yourself starting to imagine or daydream about what the big day might be like, thus beginning the dreaded planning process. Planning is really an inaccurate description of what this process is all about. Juggling expectations, both yours, your finance's, as well as your family's and friend's is a more accurate description of what the next 6 to 12 months of your life will entail.
The best way to maintain a loose sense of control during this maddening process is reducing the amount of input that every parent, sister, childhood friend, and co-worker has on what you and your groom HAVE to do. Of course this process is considerably easier when the commentary is not accompanied by much needed checks with their signatures. In a perfect world you and your partner would determine what best suits you and your budget, and then select the best florist and DJ based on your common love of tulips and salsa dance! However, when your mother-in-law-to-be gushes about how lovely her so-and-so's wedding was and she is significantly contributing to your wedding fund, it becomes difficult to reasonably suggest that what worked for her niece doesn't suit you. I already have a call into Martha Stewart's people to suggest that she consider developing extremely stylish earplugs designed to reduce the number of helpful suggestions that actually reach your ears! However, until such a gem exists, a "Really, I am sure that looked lovely" response can do the trick as you quickly back pedal and change the subject. And as hard as it can be to disappoint the masses, maintaining your sanity requires you and your partner to frequently touch base, determine what you want, and decide what you are prepared to deal with from your loved ones. In the grand scheme of things, your family and friends think that they are being helpful offering suggestions; they are not trying to make this process harder on you.
After you have dodged and weaved your way around the mountains of suggestions, you might have time to think about what you actually want. Perhaps you have already planned out every last detail of your wedding, as a matter of fact those details were set in stone at age 14, however there's another group of ladies out there who don't have a clue! Regardless which group you fall into, research is key! In response to the booming multi-billion dollar business, several savvy groups have created Web sites that are extremely helpful for the wedding challenged. Quite frankly, I do not know how on earth anyone planned a wedding pre-Internet! Some sites, including theknot.com and theweddingchannel.com, offer users helpful budget tools, ridiculously detailed to-do lists (which allow the less formal brides to junk half of the to-dos), guest lists, and registry tools. These tools are free and highly recommended! Now don't get me wrong, they are by no means miracle workers, in that you still have tough decisions to make, including choosing only five appetizers versus eight so you can add a few extra days to your honeymoon, but these sites at least give you a good starting point.
Which brings me to the concept of trade-offs and what an important role they can play so you don't completely blow your budget. For some lucky brides, the sky is the limit. I have a good friend whose sister is getting married this summer and we were recently discussing wedding plans. I literally choked when she said that her sister had 700 guests on her invite list, none of which would be slid to the B list. This was not including her fiancé's family or friends. I was shocked! Why in the world would anyone do that to themselves? I learned that most weddings in South Carolina are extravagant and it is not odd to plunk down six figures in an effort to make the day special. So if brides in South Carolina are far exceeding the average that means some lucky ladies are doing it for much less!
Another pal of mine is working with a $10,000 budget and is easily making trade-offs, which will go unnoticed by her guests. Instead of using a fancy-schmancy cake designer, she is using a local grocery store to create her wedding cake for a fraction of the price! You can also save a lot of money with flowers. Being selective about where you use flowers is key. For example, I have been to more weddings than I can count, and I couldn't tell you what type of flowers were used to decorate the end of each pew. Use flowers sparingly and in obvious places where they will be missed like bouquets and center pieces and make every attempt to use flowers that are local and seasonal, which should cut down on your floral costs.
Although you have to feed your guests something, trade-offs can be made with regard to the type of food and the time of your reception. Avoiding the dinner hour can save you big bucks! If you have wiggle room with the time of day you want to get married, a reception can be more affordable by foregoing a sit down meal and opting instead for a cocktail reception with hor d'oeuvres, a late reception with champagne and dessert, or a brunch-style reception. Another huge dough saver is your approach to the open bar. I truly believe that every reception should have an open bar of some sort, however if you are looking to pinch a few pennies, sticking to beer and wine is another good way to save. If you are one of the lucky brides who doesn't need to worry about having the wedding of her dreams or maintaining some semblance of a budget, you may need trade-offs for different reason, be it satisfying your parents, compromising with your soon-to-be husband, or meeting an older siblings expectations.
Remember, that whatever you determine is a trade-off to meet you budget or a family member's or friend's belief of what your big day should be, make sure you don't trade your sanity in trying to find all of the money saving loop holes. At the end of the day, you and your partner want to have a day that expresses your personal styles and leaves your guest with fond memories. Happy planning!
Lisa Demmel
The look of the wedding invitations you send will not... Read More
I recall how Mrs. Ingridman taught me invaluable lessons on... Read More
The tempo of the music begins to rise. Drums begin... Read More
Today's tech savvy couples are plugging in and creating unique... Read More
Effective communication between you and your wedding guests is essential... Read More
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area... Read More
A 2005 mother of bride dress tends to have a... Read More
It goes without saying that we all want to look... Read More
When it comes to choosing your wedding decorations, you must... Read More
Hi If you are getting married or have a Bar... Read More
When it comes to placing your new diamond in a... Read More
Exactly what should your disc jockey be doing in the... Read More
The Arizona Inn is just the place that you are... Read More
The sole purpose of save-the-date cards is to give the... Read More
Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel and Bookpleasures is pleased... Read More
Your wedding party is a major factor in the success... Read More
The Cancun honeymoon vacation comes with its bagage of sweet... Read More
The invitation is the first impression of the type of... Read More
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as... Read More
Brides are looking for different ways to make their wedding... Read More
For better or worse, in people's minds weddings and wedding... Read More
Being a best man is like many duties you will... Read More
When Alicia first met Tim, she found him outgoing, charming,... Read More
You can rest assured that the charm of your Maui... Read More
In the last article, we concluded by saying that keeping... Read More
At one time or another, most of us have had... Read More
If you forget the ring, there is still a chance... Read More
Cruising down the river was always deemed by couples the... Read More
Astrology is considered to be the oldest of all sciences,... Read More
One of the most memorable days in our lives is... Read More
One of the most beautiful of the bride's adornments at... Read More
The purpose of a wedding shower is to celebrate the... Read More
Australia honeymoon vacations are more than just being the pleasure... Read More
Ever since Queen Victoria wed in 1840, however, white has... Read More
Love should not blind a couple to the realities of... Read More
Your groomsmen will be donating their time to your big... Read More
In 2004' Rockland Maine celebrated its 150th anniversary, yet very... Read More
Brides looking to stay on top of their wedding plans... Read More
So, you decided to opt for an outdoor wedding under... Read More
As mens wedding rings become more and more popular mens... Read More
If you're planning your wedding day then you'll be all... Read More
Once upon a time a caveman, while out for a... Read More
No one said that you had to follow the rule... Read More
Imagine the following scenario. Your spouse has given you an... Read More
Most brides become obsessed with throwing the perfect wedding. The... Read More
Mattresses and marriage go hand in hand. Sleep is important... Read More
He's proposed, and most likely you're flashing your new engagement... Read More
Nestled in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg's romantic and beautiful... Read More
I saw real love while working at a cozy, candle-lit... Read More
Time was when you'd open a wedding invitation you'd find... Read More
As a youngster -- or perhaps even as an adult... Read More
Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking... Read More
Going to Italy on a honeymoon vacation could be the... Read More
When it came to love-making, Napoleon, that short plump bundle... Read More
You are engaged and one of the most important days... Read More
Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of... Read More
If you are looking for honeymoon vacation ideas that will... Read More
Homemade wedding favors come from a centuries old tradition of... Read More
You've been engaged for months, you've made it through planning... Read More
Your success in marriage depends largely upon having sound and... Read More
Poets, sailors, honeymooners and other romantics have officially declared this... Read More
Nobody, I repeat nobody likes a bridezilla bride. If you... Read More
Cookies as wedding favors, create an unique twist on the... Read More
Thank You, Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie?Gratitude is a universal emotion.... Read More
Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?When it comes to... Read More
If you're looking to the internet for help with your... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |