beach reception table numbers image
Stacie!
I'm not at all sure where to begin.
What should the agenda be as far as month to month planning for this wedding? I have no idea when appropriate times to plan certain things are. HELP!
Answer
I remember being in the same situation. I knew nothing about planning a wedding and I had no one to help me. The good thing is that you have plenty of time. I planned mine in less than 4 months. Here is how I planned (and still planning) mine:
1) Come up with a realistic budget with your fiance. What can you afford? Also come up with a tentative guest list for quoting purposes.
2) Decide what type of wedding you want to have. Do you want to have your ceremony in a church and then the reception at a hotel banquet room? Do you want to have your wedding at a house?
3) Research available venues. I wanted a beach wedding so I googled "beach wedding venues in the bay area" and came up with a ton of information.
4) Check date availability and get quotes. Prices vary greatly from place to place. I found a place that wanted to charge $80+ a head and the place I booked is much nicer and only charges $45 a head.
5) Make an appointment to meet with the wedding coordinator to look at the place. If you like it an can afford it, make a deposit to hold your date.
6) Research and get quotes from photographers
7) Research DJ's or band in your area and pay a deposit to book their services. I found a company that offered a showcase so I got to see what they were about before I booked. Companies are better than booking individuals because they have backups if the DJ gets sick or can't make it for any reason.
8) Get an idea of what you want your colors, flowers, or themes to be. Print pictures of flowers / bouquets off the Internet and show them to florists. Get quotes and book your florist.
9) Look at wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses, and print pictures of ones you like. Make an appointment at your local bridal shop (give yourself at east 4 months or more). The dresses usually take up to 16 weeks to be tailored and sent to the bridal shop. I chose my bridesmaids dresses the same day and at the same shop I got my wedding dress from.
10) Book your officiant / pastor / rabbi. If the one you had in mind is busy on your wedding day then ask him or her for a referral. I got my officiant through a referral and she seems really nice.
11) See if your hairstylist can do your hair /and or make-up the day of your wedding. If she or he cannot travel to where you will be married then look around for local salons and get trial hair and make-up to be sure you will like what they can do for you.
12) Look for bakeries that do wedding cakes and choose what type of cake you want and how you want it to look. Book their services for your date.
13) 3 months before you wedding (no earlier than that or it will expire) obtain your marriage license permit in the county you will be married in. You might have to go down to the clerks office with your fiance and show your ID's and make a payment. Call or search the county recorders office in the county you will be married, and ask what they need from you. Also ask your officiant if all they need is the permit. Our officiant is going to take care of the documents after the wedding, we just need to give her the permit.
14) Search and purchase your wedding favors and wedding party gifts. Look into table numbers and seating assignment charts if you will be assigning seating.
15) Make sure your fiance makes an appointment at a tux shop with his wedding party to pick out their attire. This can be a few months before the wedding.
Note: When selecting your vendors, make sure you tell them you are on a budget (if so) and they will almost always go down in price. Our photographer gave us $500 off his regular fee and I had one guy go down half his price when he found out I was choosing another vendor who was cheaper.
I'm sure I left some things out. Just look up a wedding check list and check the items off as you go. Happy planning!
I remember being in the same situation. I knew nothing about planning a wedding and I had no one to help me. The good thing is that you have plenty of time. I planned mine in less than 4 months. Here is how I planned (and still planning) mine:
1) Come up with a realistic budget with your fiance. What can you afford? Also come up with a tentative guest list for quoting purposes.
2) Decide what type of wedding you want to have. Do you want to have your ceremony in a church and then the reception at a hotel banquet room? Do you want to have your wedding at a house?
3) Research available venues. I wanted a beach wedding so I googled "beach wedding venues in the bay area" and came up with a ton of information.
4) Check date availability and get quotes. Prices vary greatly from place to place. I found a place that wanted to charge $80+ a head and the place I booked is much nicer and only charges $45 a head.
5) Make an appointment to meet with the wedding coordinator to look at the place. If you like it an can afford it, make a deposit to hold your date.
6) Research and get quotes from photographers
7) Research DJ's or band in your area and pay a deposit to book their services. I found a company that offered a showcase so I got to see what they were about before I booked. Companies are better than booking individuals because they have backups if the DJ gets sick or can't make it for any reason.
8) Get an idea of what you want your colors, flowers, or themes to be. Print pictures of flowers / bouquets off the Internet and show them to florists. Get quotes and book your florist.
9) Look at wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses, and print pictures of ones you like. Make an appointment at your local bridal shop (give yourself at east 4 months or more). The dresses usually take up to 16 weeks to be tailored and sent to the bridal shop. I chose my bridesmaids dresses the same day and at the same shop I got my wedding dress from.
10) Book your officiant / pastor / rabbi. If the one you had in mind is busy on your wedding day then ask him or her for a referral. I got my officiant through a referral and she seems really nice.
11) See if your hairstylist can do your hair /and or make-up the day of your wedding. If she or he cannot travel to where you will be married then look around for local salons and get trial hair and make-up to be sure you will like what they can do for you.
12) Look for bakeries that do wedding cakes and choose what type of cake you want and how you want it to look. Book their services for your date.
13) 3 months before you wedding (no earlier than that or it will expire) obtain your marriage license permit in the county you will be married in. You might have to go down to the clerks office with your fiance and show your ID's and make a payment. Call or search the county recorders office in the county you will be married, and ask what they need from you. Also ask your officiant if all they need is the permit. Our officiant is going to take care of the documents after the wedding, we just need to give her the permit.
14) Search and purchase your wedding favors and wedding party gifts. Look into table numbers and seating assignment charts if you will be assigning seating.
15) Make sure your fiance makes an appointment at a tux shop with his wedding party to pick out their attire. This can be a few months before the wedding.
Note: When selecting your vendors, make sure you tell them you are on a budget (if so) and they will almost always go down in price. Our photographer gave us $500 off his regular fee and I had one guy go down half his price when he found out I was choosing another vendor who was cheaper.
I'm sure I left some things out. Just look up a wedding check list and check the items off as you go. Happy planning!
how do i plan a wedding?
Marie
I'm newly engaged and i want to start planning my wedding. but the thing is a have no idea where to start. anyone have any ideas as to how to get started? what to do? anything? i'm in over my head here. anything would help. thanks.
Answer
Congrats!
First of all, talk with your fiance about setting a date and figure out what your budget will be for your wedding and reception and who will be footing the bill. Depending on who is paying, your parents and/or your fiance's parents may want to add to the guest list. If they're paying, the etiquette is that they can invite whomever they want to invite. If you and your fiance are paying then it's totally your decision who is invited. Once you know who is paying, you'll have a good idea of the budget and what venue and vendors you can afford.
Many popular venues require a year to reserve in advance.
I made my own wedding planning book using a binder and printed a phto of us for the cover sleeve, the word "Our Wedding Day" and our wedding date. Inside had tabs for venues, caterer, flowers, photographer, DJ, centerpieces, favors, attire, jewelry etc. I kept their contact information and any detailed information that I needed as well as pictures.
In the back, I kept folders for all contracts and receipts. It's very important that your KEEP ALL YOUR RECEIPTS. I used a wedding planning checklist from the back of a magazine and kept it in my binder crossing off items as they were done. You can also find such check lists on theknot.com Just make sure you do everything on your list.
I kept a small notebook dedicated to the wedding to take notes whenever I needed to do that. Keep a list of any items you order online and their expected arrival date.
Give and all the necessary people such as vendors your phone number and email address so they can get back to you and keep in touch.
I also made an Excel spreadsheet of our budget to keep track of all expenses and to compare between packages at 3 different venues.
Be sure to order your gown at least 7-6 months in advance. Here's a good bridal gown guide: http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/Wedding+Gow... and send out your invitations 6 weeks before the wedding. Theweddingtracker.com is a great tool also for your wedding website and keeping track of R.S.V.Ps. You can also set up your table seating there. After the R.S.V.P. deadline, split up your "nonresponses" with your bridesmaids, groom, mom, etc. and start calling to verify attendance.
Give your groom a TO DO list. A good TO Do list for the groom will include:
- Making sure the groomsmen have purchased/rented their suits and accessories in time.
- The groom is also responsible for purchasing his groomsmen's gifts.
- Another thing on this list a groom can do is to coordinate with a friend to look after your home while the two of you or away.
-Purchasing wedding insurance.
- Planning the honeymoon!
The day of our wedding we had a day of coordinator to keep things running smoothly that day. If you're planning your own wedding, that's the time to relenquish some control so that you can enjoy the day. It goes by soooo fast.
--------------------------------------...
BUDGET PLANNING
You can have a BEAUTIFUL wedding on a budget and no one would be the wiser.
GUEST LIST: This can be you biggest saver. Keeping your guest list small will cut your expenses immeasurably. Make a list for your side of the family and have your fiance make one too. Once you have an idea of the total number, you'll know how large of a space you'll need.
My second tip is DIY, DIY, DIY! There are so many items that you can diy for your wedding if you have time and it becomes so personalized. You can get your wedding party to help you too. You can create save-the-dates, invitations, aisle runner, guestbook, bouquet, boutineers, ring bearer pillow, pew markers, programs, menus, escort cards, table numbers, simple centerpieces, favors, etc. Check out theknot.com for ideas or google "DIY wedding."
CEREMONY: Low-cost places
the beach
public park (call and ask about any fees)
firestation hall
local swim club
local church
RECEPTION: Venue costs can vary. Our banquet room was $700 to rent. I've read of others being $1400 - $4,000. Costs can also depend upon the day your reception is held. Saturday evening receptions are usually more expensive than daytime Saturday, Friday, Sunday, or any other day during the week.
Low-cost places for reception:
- Community center
- Lodge
- College center
- American Legion Hall (I went to the one here for a dance recently and was shocked to discover how big it was and with an all hardwood floor perfect for dancing.)
- Church reception room or fellowship hall (may not allow dancing)
CATERER: The cost of a caterer can vary. My venue offered catering for about $65 per person for a dinner buffet and an open bar. That was excellent. Some can be more expensive. Some can even be cheaper. Some venues will allow you to bring your own alcohol and this can reduce your cost. Tip: One friend of mine negotiated getting charged per drink instead of per person per hour for her alcoholic beverages. That also helped with the cost. Another option for drinks is to do just wine and beer or don't serve alcohol at all. I don't recommend a cash bar because that's considered tacky. They are your guests, so you don't want them paying for anything.
If you want to go the inexpensive route for food, you can have a brunch or lunch instead of dinner. Sit down meals can be more expensive than buffets or food stations. I prefer buffets/food stations because they are usually less expensive, the food is hot, and I like choices. Sometimes when a waiter brings you a meal at a sit-down, the meal can be cold. Tip: Another option is to just serve cocktails and appetizers around 6pm if that's what you can afford or you can just serve cake and punch around 3:00pm.
You could try a restaurant for the reception. However, some restaurants can be just as costly as other venues.
Alternatively, you can have a pot-luck reception for a casual informal wedding. Everyone will love displaying their best dish. You would just coordinate who's bringing what so that you don't have duplications.
CAKE: Research and book a bakery or cake baker after attending a cake tasting. You can have a groom's cake if you want, but it isn't necessary. Some couples use Publix, Walmart, or Sam's Club for low cost wedding cakes. Tip: Some couples use a dummy layer in their cake to look good for photos and have a sheet cake in the back to serve. You can have a baker make a simple frosted cake for you and purchase parchment flowers, sugar paste flowers and/or shells, fresh flowers, or silk flowers, and decorate the cake simply yourself. Most of the cost is in the decorating.
FLOWERS: Buy flowers wholesale at a website like http://www.fiftyflowers.com to save money. They were mentioned in a recent theknot.com article.
GIFTS, DECORATIONS, FAVORS: Check for coupons before you purchase at sites like retailmenot.com BTW, favors are not necessary. Check http://www.efavormart.com for inexpensive table overlays and chair tiebacks that are cheaper than the cost of rentals.
You can create simple candle centerpieces by purchasing candles in bulk and glass containers at Michael's or other craft store's like that. Also check out this website: http://www.giftsforonegiftsforall.com... for inexpensive candelabras.
PHOTOGRAPHER: If you hire someone just starting out that person may just want more experience, and can give you a great deal.
Check out their portfolio first before you hire.
WEDDING PLANNER: Tip: If you hire an event planning student, that person may just want the experience as well.
WEDDING GOWN: Check David's Bridal for their frequent $99 gown sales or other savings. Check with designers for their trunk shows, go to a Filene's Basement Running of the Brides. You can order wedding gowns online, but be careful where you purchase it. You want to make sure that the quality is good.
BRIDESMAIDS: Yes, in the U.S. it is customary for bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses, shoes, hair, nails and makeup. A bride can pay for these or assist them if she can afford it. Check David's Bridal, ebay, or newportnews.com for dresses.
GROOMSMEN: It is also customary for groomsmen to rent their own tuxes and purchase their own shoes. TIP: if the men all have black suits, this can be a great saver for them. If it's a casual outdoor wedding, they can wear tan or khaki pants as well and guayabera shirts.
http://guayaberashirt.com
http://www.theguayaberashirtstore.com/.....
FLOWERGIRLS: Check Burlington Coat Factory for inexpensive dresses especially now after Easter. You can find many cute "Easter" dresses than can be used as flower girl dresses.
Follow these additional tips for PLANNING A WEDDING FOR UNDER $10,000
http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articletkt.aspx?cp-documentid=18728080
or
Plan a destination wedding/honeymoon to somewhere like St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Try the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort. http://www.sugarbayweddings.com/ You will save so miuch money, and will have one beautiful wedding.
Congrats!
First of all, talk with your fiance about setting a date and figure out what your budget will be for your wedding and reception and who will be footing the bill. Depending on who is paying, your parents and/or your fiance's parents may want to add to the guest list. If they're paying, the etiquette is that they can invite whomever they want to invite. If you and your fiance are paying then it's totally your decision who is invited. Once you know who is paying, you'll have a good idea of the budget and what venue and vendors you can afford.
Many popular venues require a year to reserve in advance.
I made my own wedding planning book using a binder and printed a phto of us for the cover sleeve, the word "Our Wedding Day" and our wedding date. Inside had tabs for venues, caterer, flowers, photographer, DJ, centerpieces, favors, attire, jewelry etc. I kept their contact information and any detailed information that I needed as well as pictures.
In the back, I kept folders for all contracts and receipts. It's very important that your KEEP ALL YOUR RECEIPTS. I used a wedding planning checklist from the back of a magazine and kept it in my binder crossing off items as they were done. You can also find such check lists on theknot.com Just make sure you do everything on your list.
I kept a small notebook dedicated to the wedding to take notes whenever I needed to do that. Keep a list of any items you order online and their expected arrival date.
Give and all the necessary people such as vendors your phone number and email address so they can get back to you and keep in touch.
I also made an Excel spreadsheet of our budget to keep track of all expenses and to compare between packages at 3 different venues.
Be sure to order your gown at least 7-6 months in advance. Here's a good bridal gown guide: http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/Wedding+Gow... and send out your invitations 6 weeks before the wedding. Theweddingtracker.com is a great tool also for your wedding website and keeping track of R.S.V.Ps. You can also set up your table seating there. After the R.S.V.P. deadline, split up your "nonresponses" with your bridesmaids, groom, mom, etc. and start calling to verify attendance.
Give your groom a TO DO list. A good TO Do list for the groom will include:
- Making sure the groomsmen have purchased/rented their suits and accessories in time.
- The groom is also responsible for purchasing his groomsmen's gifts.
- Another thing on this list a groom can do is to coordinate with a friend to look after your home while the two of you or away.
-Purchasing wedding insurance.
- Planning the honeymoon!
The day of our wedding we had a day of coordinator to keep things running smoothly that day. If you're planning your own wedding, that's the time to relenquish some control so that you can enjoy the day. It goes by soooo fast.
--------------------------------------...
BUDGET PLANNING
You can have a BEAUTIFUL wedding on a budget and no one would be the wiser.
GUEST LIST: This can be you biggest saver. Keeping your guest list small will cut your expenses immeasurably. Make a list for your side of the family and have your fiance make one too. Once you have an idea of the total number, you'll know how large of a space you'll need.
My second tip is DIY, DIY, DIY! There are so many items that you can diy for your wedding if you have time and it becomes so personalized. You can get your wedding party to help you too. You can create save-the-dates, invitations, aisle runner, guestbook, bouquet, boutineers, ring bearer pillow, pew markers, programs, menus, escort cards, table numbers, simple centerpieces, favors, etc. Check out theknot.com for ideas or google "DIY wedding."
CEREMONY: Low-cost places
the beach
public park (call and ask about any fees)
firestation hall
local swim club
local church
RECEPTION: Venue costs can vary. Our banquet room was $700 to rent. I've read of others being $1400 - $4,000. Costs can also depend upon the day your reception is held. Saturday evening receptions are usually more expensive than daytime Saturday, Friday, Sunday, or any other day during the week.
Low-cost places for reception:
- Community center
- Lodge
- College center
- American Legion Hall (I went to the one here for a dance recently and was shocked to discover how big it was and with an all hardwood floor perfect for dancing.)
- Church reception room or fellowship hall (may not allow dancing)
CATERER: The cost of a caterer can vary. My venue offered catering for about $65 per person for a dinner buffet and an open bar. That was excellent. Some can be more expensive. Some can even be cheaper. Some venues will allow you to bring your own alcohol and this can reduce your cost. Tip: One friend of mine negotiated getting charged per drink instead of per person per hour for her alcoholic beverages. That also helped with the cost. Another option for drinks is to do just wine and beer or don't serve alcohol at all. I don't recommend a cash bar because that's considered tacky. They are your guests, so you don't want them paying for anything.
If you want to go the inexpensive route for food, you can have a brunch or lunch instead of dinner. Sit down meals can be more expensive than buffets or food stations. I prefer buffets/food stations because they are usually less expensive, the food is hot, and I like choices. Sometimes when a waiter brings you a meal at a sit-down, the meal can be cold. Tip: Another option is to just serve cocktails and appetizers around 6pm if that's what you can afford or you can just serve cake and punch around 3:00pm.
You could try a restaurant for the reception. However, some restaurants can be just as costly as other venues.
Alternatively, you can have a pot-luck reception for a casual informal wedding. Everyone will love displaying their best dish. You would just coordinate who's bringing what so that you don't have duplications.
CAKE: Research and book a bakery or cake baker after attending a cake tasting. You can have a groom's cake if you want, but it isn't necessary. Some couples use Publix, Walmart, or Sam's Club for low cost wedding cakes. Tip: Some couples use a dummy layer in their cake to look good for photos and have a sheet cake in the back to serve. You can have a baker make a simple frosted cake for you and purchase parchment flowers, sugar paste flowers and/or shells, fresh flowers, or silk flowers, and decorate the cake simply yourself. Most of the cost is in the decorating.
FLOWERS: Buy flowers wholesale at a website like http://www.fiftyflowers.com to save money. They were mentioned in a recent theknot.com article.
GIFTS, DECORATIONS, FAVORS: Check for coupons before you purchase at sites like retailmenot.com BTW, favors are not necessary. Check http://www.efavormart.com for inexpensive table overlays and chair tiebacks that are cheaper than the cost of rentals.
You can create simple candle centerpieces by purchasing candles in bulk and glass containers at Michael's or other craft store's like that. Also check out this website: http://www.giftsforonegiftsforall.com... for inexpensive candelabras.
PHOTOGRAPHER: If you hire someone just starting out that person may just want more experience, and can give you a great deal.
Check out their portfolio first before you hire.
WEDDING PLANNER: Tip: If you hire an event planning student, that person may just want the experience as well.
WEDDING GOWN: Check David's Bridal for their frequent $99 gown sales or other savings. Check with designers for their trunk shows, go to a Filene's Basement Running of the Brides. You can order wedding gowns online, but be careful where you purchase it. You want to make sure that the quality is good.
BRIDESMAIDS: Yes, in the U.S. it is customary for bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses, shoes, hair, nails and makeup. A bride can pay for these or assist them if she can afford it. Check David's Bridal, ebay, or newportnews.com for dresses.
GROOMSMEN: It is also customary for groomsmen to rent their own tuxes and purchase their own shoes. TIP: if the men all have black suits, this can be a great saver for them. If it's a casual outdoor wedding, they can wear tan or khaki pants as well and guayabera shirts.
http://guayaberashirt.com
http://www.theguayaberashirtstore.com/.....
FLOWERGIRLS: Check Burlington Coat Factory for inexpensive dresses especially now after Easter. You can find many cute "Easter" dresses than can be used as flower girl dresses.
Follow these additional tips for PLANNING A WEDDING FOR UNDER $10,000
http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articletkt.aspx?cp-documentid=18728080
or
Plan a destination wedding/honeymoon to somewhere like St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Try the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort. http://www.sugarbayweddings.com/ You will save so miuch money, and will have one beautiful wedding.
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Title Post: Newly engaged and planning to have the wedding in 11 months. How do I plan?
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