Plan Your Wedding

During the early part of your engagement, you and your fiancé should start planning your wedding day. The first steps are to think of what kind of day you want.

Most couples already have a notion of what it should or should not include. Try and visualize the day that you want, it can help you with your plans. Close your eyes and imagine your special day:

• What are you wearing?
• Where are you?
• How will you arrived at the ceremony? eg.Will it by vintage car, horse and carriage or other means of arrival?
• What will the ceremony be like?
• What is your bridal party wearing?
• How will the flowers look?
• What is the reception like?
• What type of music is being played?
• Who will be at the wedding?
• What type of food will be served?
• What time of the day is it to be held?
• What time of the year is it to take place?
• What kind of celebration is it?

Both of you should discuss your ideas and agree to the type, style and size of the wedding. The next step would be to ask yourself these questions:

• How many guests would you like to invite?
• How much do you want to spend on the wedding?
• Will you be paying for it yourselves. Or will you be helped out by one or both families?
• Set a tentative wedding date.

When you have made the tentative guest list, it is wise to contact various venues and get a rough estimate on costs. By doing this you will have an idea of how much the day will cost, and this way you can either adjust your budget or the guest list. It will also help you eliminate the venues that do not meet your needs.

When inquiring for suitable venues to hold the ceremony and the reception ask the following questions:

• How many guests can the establishment accommodate?
• Will there be other weddings in progress at the same time as yours?
• Do you have a liquor license?
• Are there parking facilities, wheelchair access, or any other guest conveniences that may be required?
• Ask what type of packages they have, and what is the price range?
• Ask what do the packages include?
• Will the prices be cheaper on certain periods? eg Getting married on a Sunday may be cheaper than Saturday, and in Winter might be cheaper than in Summer.

With all this information in hand you will have a realistic picture of your special day from the beginning. This way you should be more in control and are likely to have a day of your dreams, and not one that is getting out of control financially. Traditionally the bride’s parents would pay for the wedding, but this is not the case today. Most couples will often pay for all or part of it themselves.