Wedding Planning Survival Guide Part 1

So you've chosen your rings and you set the big date. Now how do you make your wedding happen without ending up in a padded cell?

Many brides do not get the luxury of enjoying their wedding day because of all the stress. We're here to tell you how to get through this so you can "enjoy" your special day.

Here are some important survival steps that you must make before you tie the knot!

Planning Your Wedding

Till death do us part. That may be true for your wedding, but not for your hard earned cash!

Fact: The average cost of a wedding in the United States is $22,000.00. Average age of the groom is 29 and the average age of the bride is 27.

1. Plan it well. Get out a calendar to organize things so that you can flow along and on schedule. The calendar will cover every thing from start to finish.

According to experts, here are the "must hit deadlines"

1. One year ahead: Announce your engagement. Begin booking vendors, caterers and wedding planners. Make sure you book your site at least a year out. If your DJ or band is really popular, you may even need more than a year.

2. Nine months ahead: Finalize the guest list and by now, you should be selecting your wedding gown. If you are hiring a consultant, now is the time to finalize the contract.

3. Six months ahead: Register for gifts. Order your wedding cake and flowers. And send out your "save the date" cards, but make sure they only go out to people you know will definitely make the guest list.

4. Four to five months ahead: Plan your honeymoon. Grooms should be picking out their formal wear.

5. Two months: Buy your wedding rings and arrange for the transportation.

6. One month: Confirm the guest head count and call all the guests who have not rsvp'd.

7. Two weeks: Confirm, confirm, and re-confirm. Check on all the details of the reception, the ceremony, the flowers and everything else. The seating chart for the reception should also be finalized at this stage.

Budgeting

Not everyone can afford an expensive wedding, but regardless of the cost, here are some basic know hows as to what percentage should be spent on what.

1. 50% of your wedding should be spent on the reception.

2. 10% should be spent on flowers.

3. 10% on clothing.

4. 10% on music.

5. 10% on your photographer or videographer.

6. 10% on favors, invitations and gifts.

The three advantages to hiring a wedding consultant are:

1. Experience

2. Contacts

3. Assistance

Wedding planners can tie up all the loose ends and be in charge of the day so that you can relax and enjoy your wedding. However, wedding planners can add $5,000 to $15,000 to your wedding costs, so if you want one, make sure you hire a good one.

Tips for locating a good wedding planner:

1. Do they appear organized? Can you look around this wedding consultant's office and see organization in detail? Or are they just someone who thought they did a good job on their cousin's wedding and therefore they now call themselves a wedding consultant? Anybody can print up some business cards and call themselves a wedding consultant.

How do you avoid running into an inexperienced consultant? Contact professional groups like the Association of Bridal Consultants. Most wedding industry groups have these sorts of organizations. There's even an American Disc Jockey Association.

But what if you are the take charge kind and you would rather spend all that money on a nice honeymoon? One of the benefits of doing all the planning yourself is that you will be involved in every aspect and if you enjoy this kind of thing, it can be very fun. Keep in mind though, that you can split the difference. You can do part of it yourself and hire a consultant for just the wedding day which is what a lot of brides are doing today. This way you can plan the wedding and be totally free to enjoy the day of the wedding.

Wedding day coordinators run around $800 - $1000 for the day of the wedding only. And while you're walking down the aisle, they are running around making sure the DJ shows up, the centerpieces are right, etc.

Who to Invite and How

The Reception: What about that annoying uncle your mother says you have to invite? Sometimes guest lists can take on a life of their own. Before you know it, you have twice as many people on the guest list as intended. Experts say " be ruthless". If you haven't sat down with someone for a meal or visit in the last two years, then they probably don't belong on the guest list.

When inviting people from your work, follow this rule of thumb: For an office size of about 4-5 people, invite them all. In larger offices, just ask your best pals.

The guest list myth: Perhaps you have heard that you should over invite by 10% to make up for "no shows". This is a big no no. You could be surprised and everyone shows up - its not all that uncommon.

Once you've narrowed down the guest list, how do you let everyone know? Well, you have a lot of choices. The sky is the limit for creativity for your invitations. For the average wedding about $500 - $700 is spent on invites and stationary. Make sure your invitations make a statement. The invitation is the first thing the guest will see and will give them the spirit and the style of the wedding. So you want to make sure your invitations reflect the event that is about to come. Keeping the envelopes to standard sizes will save on postage.

When receiving the rsvp's, lots of people sometimes forget to put their name on them when they send them back. A great tip for this is to put a light number on the back of each card. Keep a record of who goes with what number and you'll know exactly what rsvp belongs to who.

Addressing invitations can be tedious but it doesn't have to be. Have a party with just the wedding party. If all of you sit down together and do invitations, you can have them done all in one night. You can offer drinks and appetizers and have fun doing it.

Watch for part 2 of the Wedding Survival Guide which offers tips and advice for choosing your wedding gown, reception location and decorations.

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for German Toasting Glasses http://www.german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom engraved wedding gifts from Germany.

Wedding Planning and Event Planning

Wedding Planning and Event Planning degrees are offered by a variety of schools. Wedding planners are also known as wedding consultants and bridal consultants. Community colleges offer diplomas and associate degrees in applied sciences for wedding and event planners.

Colleges and universities offer bachelor degrees and master degrees in event planning through their business degree programs. Event planning universities and colleges provide students with skills and knowledge in managing staff as well as coordinating and planning events, such as banquets and dances.

The business of event/wedding planning is for those who like working with people, who enjoy planning large gatherings, and who are good at negotiating and networking. The event/wedding planner must be personable, a good listener, and a good delegate for their clients. They are the spokesperson in all facets of planning, including ordering flowers, hiring musicians, hiring photographers, finding a caterers, finding locations, choosing colors, etc., for their clients. Event and wedding planners look for the best services, best prices, and connections that will ensure successful events.

Event and wedding planners must be very organized and must be adept at handling financial arrangements they make for their clients, as well as their own finances. Studies may include English and communication skills, mathematics, management, hospitality, sanitation and safety, computer uses for planning and executing events, foods, marketing and sales, legal issues, travel industry, and more.

Knowledge of customs and traditions of various ethnic groups and various religious practices is essential for event planners. Professional planners should expect to regularly read current materials throughout their careers to keep abreast of the latest styles, colors, and trends for large and small events.

If you are interested in learning more about Event Planning and Wedding Planning Schools, colleges, and universities, please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Wedding Planning Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Wedding Planning Vocational Schools

Vocational Schools offer courses of study for wedding planners (wedding consultants, bridal consultants) for those who like working with people, who enjoy planning large gatherings, and who are good at negotiating and networking.

Too often, brides and grooms are busy with their jobs and don't have time to spend planning their weddings. The wedding planner, or wedding consultant, facilitates, mediates, manages, and fulfills dreams of their clients. Wedding planning is a stressful job, requiring patience and the ability to remain calm in adverse situations. On occasion, wedding planners may feel as though they are cast in roles as therapists, sounding boards, and "punching bags."

The wedding planner must be personable, a good listener, and a good delegate for their clients. They are the spokesperson for the bride and groom in all facets of planning, including ordering flowers, hiring musicians, hiring photographers, finding a caterers, finding locations, choosing colors, etc. Wedding planners look for the best services, best prices, and connections that will ensure successful events. Wedding planners must be very organized and must be adept at handling financial arrangements they make for their clients, as well as their own finances.

Knowledge of customs and traditions of various ethnic groups and various religious practices is essential for wedding planners. Professional wedding planners should expect to regularly read current materials throughout their careers to keep abreast of the latest wedding styles, colors, and trends.

If you are interested in learning more about Wedding Planning Vocational Schools, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Wedding Planning Vocational Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

6 Tips for Choosing a Qualified Wedding Consultant

Many women choose to alleviate some of the wedding planning stress by hiring a wedding consultant. If you are thinking about hiring a wedding consultant, no doubt you want to make sure that you hire someone that is qualified in this field. It can be a bit difficult to know what to look for in a wedding consultant, so below are six tips that will help you pick out a qualified wedding consultant that will make your wedding go smoothly.

Tip #1 - Check for a Business License - One thing that you need to do when you are picking a wedding consultant is to be sure that they have a business license or a DBA registration. You do not want to just pick out anyone to do this for your wedding, so be sure that they are truly in the consulting business before you give them any money. If they have no business license, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.

Tip #2 - Check Referrals - Make sure that you get referrals from the prospective wedding consultant and check them. You may also want to ask your friends and family members if they are familiar with the services that this consultant provides. If the consultant cannot produce any referrals for you to look at, then this may be a clue you do not want them helping you with your wedding.

Tip #3 - Is the Consultant Organized? - Organization is a key factor when you are trying to find a qualified wedding consultant. The consultant is going to be in charge of organizing one of the most important days of your life, so you want to be sure that they are actually organized. If they seem scattered and disorganized, choose another consultant.

Tip #4 - Consider the Prices - No doubt you will want to take a look at prices before you make your final decision. After getting a price quote, you may also want to check around with other consultants to see if their rates are similar.

Tip #5 - What is Covered in the Fees? - Before you take a deal because the price seems lower, you may want to check and see what the fees actually cover. Are the fees all inclusive, or are you going to have to pay more later for other services. Some deals may look great at first, until you find what else you will be paying for as well.

Tip #6 - Personality - One of the most important things you need to remember when picking out a consultant is their personality. You are going to be working quite closely with this person, and you need to be sure that your personalities mesh. If they seem overbearing, or you just feel uncomfortable, then you need to make another choice.

Having the right wedding consultant can make your big day much easier and less stressful. On the other hand, a bad consultant can make everything a disaster. Use these tips to help you make the right choice so you can enjoy your wedding day with peace of mind.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding gifts such as personalized cosmetic bags, spa slippers, glass mugs and many more wedding gifts. So if you are looking for wedding guest books, unity candles, toasting flutes, personalized bridesmaid gifts then visit Yolandas Wedding Favors.

A Wedding Planner, a Wedding Consultant, a Wedding Coordinator - Whatever the Title, Do We Need One?

We are asked this question often, by brides and by grooms.

For the sake of simplicity, let us refer to all as wedding specialists.
Actually the tone of the question varies between brides and grooms.
Brides get very emotional and excited about planning their dream weddings. Most want to plan it.

Grooms often would like to take an active role but believe, or thinks that their brides believes that it is the women who should plan the wedding. Many would like to, but do not volunteer because they do not want to "take away" the excitement their bride has toward planning their very special day. We are also asked by brides and grooms who hold jobs or professions, go to school or both and are pressed for time.

The question whether you need to hire a wedding specialist is rather complex. It cannot be answered with a yes or a no. Many factors need to be considered and they will influence the decision.

The first step to answering the question is to determine

What is a wedding specialist?

A wedding specialist is professional who is familiar with the wedding circuit in your region, usually possesses a lot of experience, creative ideas, know-how, sense of organization, attention to details and strong contacts with vendors and service providers. Most experienced wedding specialists have over the years learned what to expect, what to ask and how to negotiate with their peers.

Now, consider the following:
How much time and energy do you have to devote to planning your wedding and can you rely on friends and family to help?
Planning a wedding can and should be fun. You must remember however, and be prepared for the:

realistic wedding budgets you need to set and stay within,

various schedules you need to plan,

endless details you need to take care of,

logistics you need to coordinate,

many vendors and service providers you need to interview, hire, work with and supervise when necessary,

deligation of some responsibilities and being on top of the - what, by whom and by when to do list and following up.

If you were to, to what degree you would like to engage the wedding specialist?

To consult with regarding what needs to be done, a realistic budget to execute it and how to go about doing so?

To hire the vendors and service providers you can work with on your behalf?

To hire the vendors and service providers for you, work with and supervise them?

To do everything other than the attire, from the Save the date to the favors and everything in between and to supervise during the wedding itself?

To supervise the wedding day itself - only?

You do not want to engage a wedding specialist.

How much can you budget for the service of a wedding specialist?
Take into consideration that some wedding specialists charge:

A flat fee that depends on what you want them to do,

A percentage of the cost of your wedding,

A fee from you and a fee from the vendors and service providers they offer your wedding to,

There are some other fee schedules but they are less common.

Are you planning a destination wedding?
Unless your wedding location offers their services as part of the wedding package, this is the only situation where you must budget and hire a local wedding specialist. Hire the most experienced wedding specialist where you plan to have your wedding, because it is impossible to plan a wedding from afar.
The only exception is if you have friends and - or family in the region who can plan on your behalf. However, I do not recommend it.

Many brides and grooms do not want to miss the excitement of planning their own wedding but are not sure quite how to achieve professional results. Following are a few tips

WHAT PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PLANNERS, CONSULTANTS AND COORDINATORS DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW

As for most endeavors, there are tools You need to have.
You need information.
So, read as many books on wedding planning and as many articles as you can lay your hands and your eyes on.
The Internet offers many informative articles.

Attend as many Bridal Shows as you can

Pay attention to how various vendors and service providers interact with each other.

Collect as much literature, brochures and business cards as you can

Write yourselves information notes and remarks on the back of the business card.

If you have questions for any vendor or service provider, ask! You need to be informed!!!

You need to be organized and you want wedding planning keepsakes.
So arm yourselves with a comprehensive wedding planning kit that includes:

a planning calendar,

an appointment book,

a 3 ring binder with dividers and sheet protectors,

notebooks,

a large journal,

2 small journals and pens to always have with you,

a business card folder,

a mini photo album,

scissors, tape, and a mini stapler

a pretty box or a tote bag to house these items

a computer, a printer and a camera are very helpful tools indeed.

The following tips are applicable to most of the vendors and service providers you need.

To save money and for easy negotiations contact vendors and service providers and request a quote over the phone before your first meeting because:

For some reason, most vendors hear the word wedding and up their prices.

Wedding professionals charge higher fees than those of their general counterparts.

Look for vendors and service providers not for wedding vendors and service providers.

Contact a vendor, service provider, not a Wedding vendor or service provider.

While on the phone to set an interview appointment, request a price quote for a party, event, get-together. You name it, but do not call it wedding.

Give the service providers the basic information including number of guests, date, time of day and number hours requested and ask for a quote.

If the vendor ask if it is a wedding ask why is it important. Watch the fees!

With a price quote in hand, you may tell the vendor when you meet, that it is a wedding.

Interview AT LEAST 3 vendors - service providers per category before you decide who to hire.

Your vendors and service providers team.

A wedding is a most important event and necessitates the participation and synergy of many vendors and service providers.
You want to assure that that your vendors - service providers have:

vast experience,

the necessary and up to date training

all the required licenses and documentation,

proper and sufficient insurance,

health permits if they handle any food,

comprehensive contracts that are clear and easy to understand.

You also must be sure that you hire professionals not hobbyists.

Did you ever attend an event where every vendor and service provider came to do his job and go home?
I have! It was a disaster! I attended a wedding that left the bride and the mother in tears and the bridegroom and fathers so angry the wanted to scream.
The wedding ceremony was beautiful but the reception…
The couple came from church only to find the florist arguing with the bandleader about flowers on the stage. The photographer was literally, everywhere at the same time snapping pictures. The caterer started serving almost as soon as all were seated, leaving no time for formalities, toasts and congratulations.
You get the picture. It was really sad!
There is only one way to avoid such a fiasco.

You must hire vendors and service providers that:

Work well as a professional team.

Take your event seriously, are concerned with and do their utmost for you.

Once they know how you want your wedding to be, can envision your wedding individually and as a team to be the one you can call, without hesitation, your dream wedding.

How do we find a group of vendors and service providers that work well together?

Your best bet is to check out institutions that are no strangers to events.
Contact or visit the Chamber of Commerce, churches and synagogues and other such establishmentsin your region.
Find out if they have a list of approved vendors and service providers they work with.
Most churches use vendors and service providers for Church events such as certain holiday celebrations, fund raisers dinners, wedding receptions, special anniversaries (25)(50th), Communion, Baptisms quinceaneras, Sweet 16s etc…)
Even if you are not Jewish, visit Synagogues and Temples and ask for their approved list. Every Synagogue - Temple has such lists the institution uses for events such as holidays, fund raiser dinners, weddings, special anniversaries (25th)(50th), Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitsvahs, etc…).

One more group or individuals to consider is within your own circle.
They may not have credentials or special training but are experienced.
Find out if any of your friends or relatives have planned event at work or privately.
Check your list for couples who planned their own wedding successfully, parents who planned special life cycle event parties for themselves, their children other loved ones etc...
Pay special attention to people you know who can contribute to your success and just as you ask for bridal attendants, ask for their participation in the wedding planning. Most will be honored to be asked and eager to help.

I hope the information will help you make your lifetime event, an event for a lifetime.

Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser

Nily Glaser, the CEO of www.a-weddingday.com She writes important articles, and has presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA.
To read more of her articles CLICK HERE Her web site is very popular for its discount wedding gifts, bridal accessories, print your own invitations, favors and the very unique items offered including the exclusive line of wedding Accessories By Nily.

Where Have You Looked?

A few months ago, I was talking with a bride-to-be who was lamenting the fact that she could not find the exact look she wanted for her wedding and wedding reception. None of the flowers, floral arrangements or decorations that she had found in her colors were what she really wanted to use. I asked her where she looked for ideas, and she shot back a look at me that seemed to say, “Well aren’t you stupid.” Of course she had poured over bridal magazines and consulted a florist and even a wedding planner and bridal consultant. None of that had helped in her quest for what she considered the perfect flowers and decorations for her wedding.

Perhaps she wasn’t really asking for my advice. After all, it had been many years since I had a huge formal wedding. But since I have planned many large events myself over the years – for church, for clubs and for sales organizations – I couldn’t help but offer these ideas for finding the right flowers or decorations.

To find flowers:

1) Look through seed catalogs. The pictures there are always great places to find what flowers might be available.

2) How about garden magazines? They always show all kinds of plants and flowers and how they might be used inside and outside the home.

3) Decorating magazines or regional magazines often have floral arrangements in the pictures of dining or living rooms, or even in the bathrooms. Have you looked at those?

4) If you have time, why not visit a few model homes? Their designers often have created some beautiful arrangements.

To find other decorations:

1) Those garden and decorating magazines might help here as well.

2) Again, visiting model homes might help. Or, does your town have a design center where all kinds of local remodeling contractors, designers, and construction type vendors have showcased their ideas and wares in one location? Some towns have these, and they’re great places for finding ideas, samples and color swatches.

3) And regular women’s magazines – the ones usually read by your mother, your aunts or grandmothers and found near the grocery store check-out line – often have decorating ideas in them. Who knows? You might just find something there. (You don’t have to admit to finding what you want in magazines whose readership is over 35!)

Still not finding what you’re seeking? How about contacting a local art school and asking for some help? The teacher might recommend a student who could sketch a few of your ideas, and that would help you present them to your florist or wedding planner.

Just remember this:

1) Bridal magazines and bridal consultants are not the only sources of information about flowers and decorations for weddings or other celebrations.

2) It’s your wedding, and that means you’re the one(s) who should have the final say in what flowers and decorations you use, even if it means doing something no one else has ever done.

Haven’t found what you want for your wedding décor? Well, where have you looked? Don’t give up until you’ve looked everywhere!

Marilyn Mackenzie has been writing about home, family, faith and nature for over 40 years.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

Pursuing Online Bridal Consulting, Part II

Online bridal consultants have the ability to provide proper planning for the wedding ceremony and the receptions that will follow. The list of things that are achieved by a wedding planner when preparing for all weddings are amazingly enormous. It includes hiring a photographer for the ceremony, sending out all of the invitations before and thank you letters afterwards, all of the decorating for the wedding, giving advice on what to wear for the wedding day, planning for which types of foods that will be served, choosing which flowers are best suitable for wedding, as you can see, the list goes on and on and on right. Yes, the list is unimaginable for anyone not experienced in planning for huge, successful events such as weddings.

Online bridal consultants gain the success that they have because of lots of hard work and taking the time out to learn more all the time and creating a good, trustworthy, dependable name for themselves, right from the beginning of their online bridal consulting career. Word of mouth counts for a lot, when it comes to being a success with any type of business you are pursuing, so keep your customers happy and you will be that multitasking, creative and giving kind of online bridal consultant that you have always wanted to be.

One thing to remember with your online business is that your online business should be increasing and improving your lifestyle, not serving as a drain on you and your resources. Remember it is your business, do not let the business own you.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? Secrets of Article Marketing

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Want to learn more about driving traffic like I do? Download my free traffic guide here: Traffic Generation

Raymond Nesa is an experienced web marketer specializing in article marketing, traffic generation, and list building.

How to Plan Your Wedding and Honeymoon

1. Weddings typically can cost you anywhere around $15,000 or more. The big question is: who foots the bill?

The 21st century has heralded a shift in the way these costs are handled. We have moved away from the days when the family of the bride would pay all costs associated with the wedding ceremony . Today it may come down to who can afford it or, who can qualify for the personal loan from the lending institution.

Weddings may, in most cases, be a one time special event deserving of all the pomp and pageantry associated with the memorable day. However, there are ways to cut costs and still maximize the moment. Careful planning and budgeting are key to getting the most out of this experience at a reduced cost.

What should go into a wedding plan? When is too much, too much?

There are many things which makes a wedding a wedding. The old adage, "Something New, Something used and something blue, is a reliable guide to save.

Knowing what you need and how much it cost compared to your allotted budget for each item is essential. Your check list should include: Bride Gown and accessories, Groom's wedding attire, wedding rings, flowers, wedding cake, wedding site, reception site, photography/video services, limousine, ceremony fees, decorations, licence, honeymoon/travel, music/entertainment services, invitations, wedding consulting fees, beverage/drinks and type of wedding.

Generally, all of these items should be carefully itemized and an actual cost should be obtained from the service providers. Your budget fro each service or product should be include to help guide you and/or your wedding consultants. From this list you can determine things like the size of your guest list, bridal party and reception, cake and amount you can actually allocate to each specific area.

A good example is: if you are purchasing a wedding gown and accessories which can easily run into $1,500 or more and your budget is $600, you can opt to rent a gown and accessory which typically at the high end is around $400.

Knowing where you would like to host your wedding and the type of wedding you want is also very essential. Many people typically choose a traditional wedding (religious). These can go into many different cultures i.e. African, Jewish, Islamic, Irish etc. Different types of weddings typically carry varying price tags depending on the culture and how complex the ceremony or extravagant it is.

Honeymoons can be a another costly expense. Honeymoons can extend from that drive to another state to the extended Bahamas vacation or Carribean cruise. Many companies are now incorporating wedding and honeymoon packages in their vacation packages. This has its upside and downside. Marriage laws also vary from country to country.

June typically is noted as the wedding month. So, expect costs to be higher. However travel this and hotel charges during this time of the year to many destinations including the Bahamas may be less expensive.

If you know your budget then it may be beneficial to allow a wedding consulting firm to handle the arrangements. Statistics show that couples are so tired and stressed after the wedding 705 do not have sex on the first night of the honeymoon.

Hiring wedding consultant doesn't mean you lose control of your ceremony. It just saves you the hassle and stress of coordinating and implementing each individual activity and duty.

Your honey moon can be like any other vacation as far as proper planning is concerned. In order to save money, you must know what you want to do? Where you want to go? What you want to see? Consult with travel consultants in the country or area you plan to visit. Research well. Your trip does not have to be robotic or mechanical, but it can be cost effective and well organized.

TIPS

Below are a few cost saving tips for your special day:

Trim your guest list
Reduce the number of attendance in your bridal party and reception
Budget your honeymoon well
Choose the kind of wedding you like but can afford
Research: at least 6 months in advance
Book in advance: try the internet
Stay near home: try a friends remote cottage, town house or timeshare
Shorten your vacation stay
Travel and wed in the off season
Go on a Cruise: They are usually all inclusive

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About The Author

Sidney Strachan is a young entrepreneur. In 1998 he and Rudolph started resource Marketing Services a B2B service oriented company. He has written many articles and is presently about to release a book of poetry entitled On and On. His website is entitled Bahamas Aficionados. It is a site promoting vacations in the Bahamas while providing services for the pleasure or business vacationers. Services include organizing and arranging Bahamian weddings, specialty tours and seminars/conferences, providing business equipment for rental and many other business and vacation oriented services.

Planning For Your Dallas Wedding

Many happy returns for the betrothed couple! Before you begin a lifetime together, all of the plans related to your wedding day must still be worked out. The sooner you begin the process, the less you will need to concern yourself with the details later.

Arranging plans for your wedding day can involve a multitude of tasks from selecting a ceremony location to making your honeymoon arrangements and everything in between. The average cost of a Dallas wedding averages $26,000 for 150 guests, with many couples exceeding that figure as special touches are added, guest lists mushroom and venues are upgraded. Regardless of your budget and stress level, you can control costs and enjoy your day rather than being saddled with tremendous debt and heartache through careful planning. One way to ensure this is to hire a wedding planner.

What is a wedding planner and what do they do?

Known as wedding planners, wedding consultants or wedding coordinators, professionals who plan and direct weddings for a living can be invaluable to busy brides and grooms trying to plan a wedding amidst their demanding careers and hectic everyday lives. Whatever the title, you want to hire a true professional – one who has had proper education and training and has been certified. You also would be wise to seek a consultant who has solid experience and is active in professional wedding industry organizations. Ask to see portfolios and request references.

A good wedding planner will first assess the needs of her clients by asking vision-casting questions to determine important factors such as the style of wedding they desire, size of guest list and available budget. Once the vision is established, the consultant will help develop a game plan for the entire planning process, tailored specifically for the happy couple. Moving forward, the planner will work hand-in-hand with the bride in all of the planning details, keeping track of deadlines, payment schedules and budget adherence.

If you choose to hire a wedding planner, it is most beneficial to have them involved from the beginning, when they can save you time and stress by helping you devise a focused plan and by guiding you to wedding vendors that have been pre-researched.

Many brides feel they can plan the wedding solo, only to find themselves overwhelmed with all the details and later hire a wedding consultant halfway through the process. If a bride has the time and resources to do all of the legwork to plan her own wedding and is especially organized, she might just hire a wedding planner to orchestrate the rehearsal and wedding day. The planner can ensure that everything runs smoothly, coordinate the wedding party and vendors, relieve tensions, and allow those participating in the celebration to relax and enjoy themselves knowing that everything is being taken care of!

You may decide to plan the entire wedding yourself or have a close friend or family member help, which is sometimes part of the fun of planning a wedding. However, it can also become a major headache especially if you or your faithful helpers do not have the expertise of proper training. An experienced wedding consultant has the training and experience to do the ground work, and make sure that your day is as perfect as you had envisioned it, while you relax and watch it play out before your eyes.

How Can A Wedding Planner Save You Money?

The biggest misconception about hiring a wedding planner is that it will add to your expenses. While it does cost money to hire a wedding planner, she will be able to save you money by recommending wedding vendors that will provide service within your budget, review your contracts to look for hidden costs and possible discounts, and help you avoid making costly mistakes. In most cases, a wedding planner will already have well-established relationships with vendors, such as photographers and florists, who are sometimes willing to be more flexible with a planner’s client because of the planner’s ability to bring them repeat business, which can help in reducing some of your costs.

Here Comes the Bride!

Once your wedding plans are in place you can fully enjoy the day without worrying about the details. A wedding planner can help you stay on track and relieve you of much of the minutiae related to planning your wedding. Before you know it, the bridal march will be playing and you will be at peace and enjoying your special day thanks to some wise planning on the part of you and your intended.

If you are in need of a Dallas Wedding Planner please visit: http://www.celebrateeventsandweddings.com

Michael Brito is an internet marketing consultant and freelance writer for small business.

Start a Home Based Business as a Wedding Planner for Love, Joy, and Money

If you cannot get that old tune, “Here Comes the Bride…” out of your head, the only solution may be to start a home based business as a wedding planner. As a wedding planner, you work with other professionals to organize a celebration fit for a queen and a king. And, you get paid well for it. Now, what could be better than that?

Your job as a wedding planner may include consulting with the bride and groom several weeks before the wedding. It often means choosing the bridal gown and dresses for the bridesmaids and flower girl, as well as suits for the groom and attendants. In addition, you may be asked to help the bride and groom write their vows, and order engraved wedding invitations.

Other pre-wedding jobs include selecting a bridal bouquet and flowers for the reception, deciding where the reception will be held, working out a theme for the reception, finding a caterer, and booking a DJ or combo. Also, guests may need a babysitter, car or limo, and lodging.

How much money can you make as a wedding planner? In general, planners charge between 15% and 20% of the total wedding cost. Beginning wedding planners can earn upwards of $45,000 a year, depending on the number of weddings they plan.

To become a wedding planner, it is important to get some training. If you join a professional wedding planners’ association, you can get the education, a professional title, and job placement assistance you need. They also offer an apprenticeship program, workshops and seminars.

Here are a few of the best wedding planner associations:

1) The Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants. You can sign up for classes, a home study course, or a 5-day classroom course. Classes are held three times a year. If you take the course, work for one year, plan six weddings, and receive six letters of recommendation, you can receive a Professional Wedding Consultant title. If you want to become accredited, it takes two years of work, 18 weddings and letters of recommendation, as well as a certification project.

2) The Association of Bridal Consultants grants you the title of Professional Bridal Consultant, Accredited Bridal Consultant, or Master Bridal Consultant. Plus, you get insurance and can network with others.

3) The Bridal Association of America offers similar benefits.

4) The National Association of Wedding Professionals also offers great benefits.

Here are some professional titles you may want to have:

Accredited Professional Bridal Consultant
Professional Wedding Consultant
Bridal Consultant
Master Bridal Consultant
Wedding Planner
Wedding Facility Coordinator

To find clients and expand your business, it helps to have some credentials to show. These include a portfolio of photos showing weddings that you planned, a few letters of recommendation from clients, membership in a large wedding planners’ association, and a list of services you offer.

Last of all, here are 4 success tips from professional wedding planners:

* Keep costs under control and stay within your clients’ budget.

* Network with the best caterers, florists, event planners, honeymoon travel agents, and photographers in your area.

* Relieve any stress on the bride and groom as well as on the families.

* Send a thank-you letter, and a small gift to your clients a day or two after the event.

There is not room here to talk about the fun there is in planning a wedding. As long as you can organize, keep calm, and you have a sense of humor, you probably have what it takes to start a home based business as a wedding planner.

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Trends in Planning Your Dallas Wedding

Trends
There are always new ideas that come into fashion. Some trends have more staying power than others. As a Dallas wedding planner I see many trends come and go in a single season, while others become part of the collective idea of what a beautiful wedding should be.

Wedding Logos
One interesting trend being seen more often is a wedding logo used on invitations, cakes, napkins, and even monogrammed guest favors. Usually an interesting combination of the initials of the bride and groom, but other symbols can be used. The use of a wedding logo can help create a unifying element that ties otherwise separate items together.

Hot Colors
Each year seems to bring a new set of popular colors for weddings. Occasionally it's the lack of color that sets the trend, such as black bridesmaids dresses with a single splash of color in a flower or other small element. This option makes for an elegant black & white theme throughout the wedding party. Since not all colors look good on all people, saving the bold splashes of color for the reception decorations is sometimes an excellent choice.

Donations
Some couples opt to share the celebration of their union by helping others. This is especially true of couples getting married later in life after having an already well established home life. Instead of getting another toaster they don't need, some couples opt to have well wishers make donations to a special group or organization that is important to the bride and groom. Perhaps a medical foundation that focuses on a something a loved one or friend is working through, or perhaps the volunteer organization where the happy couple met or worked together.

Signature Drinks
Another element that can be the “something new” in a wedding is a signature drink. A variation of a classic drink such as an Apple Martini or Cranberry Cosmopolitan can help establish a certain ambiance or mood for the evening celebrations. Sometimes it's a particular type of wine or other libation that is the signature. There are many vineyards and wine distributors that specialize in personalized label wines.

Lighting
One of the most interesting new trends in weddings is the use of accent lighting. An otherwise demure wedding reception can be made very dramatic with custom lighting, or an otherwise large impersonal hall more intimate and cozy. Most reception facilities can accommodate sophisticated lighting and can even offer suggestions on what works well in their space. This is where the wedding logo projected onto the dance floor or bold colors splashed with light around the reception room can really make the space uniquely about the happy couple. It is also a good idea to use light to draw guests attention to the other signature elements of the wedding, such as highlighting the cake, buffet, or large floral arrangements.

Summary
Finding that right balance based of a couple's personal style and taste is sometimes more challenging than you might imagine. Seeing the joy and happiness of the bride and groom when we find the perfect mix of signature elements makes the challenge worth all the time and effort. Not every trend is for every wedding, but a few of them mixed in the right way can make your wedding unique and something to reminisce about for years to come.

Shari Johns is the owner and founder of As you wish wedding & event planning of Dallas. She is certified by and a current, active member of the Association of Certified Wedding Consultants (ACWC) as well as June Weddings, Inc. (JWI). Her membership in these organizations assists her in keeping up to date with current events in the Dallas/Fort Worth wedding market. Shari has also served on the Board of ACWC for four years.

Importance of Choosing a Wedding Consultant With a Complimentary Personality

On your wedding day, everything should be perfect or at least, it should be as perfect as it humanly can be. After all, you don’t want anything stressing you out on your special day. The best way to make sure that your wedding day goes as smoothly as it possibly can is to hire a professional wedding consultant. With a wedding consultant by your side, you can concentrate on enjoying your special day. You won’t have to worry about anything but marrying your spouse and enjoying the festivities.

However, you can’t just go out and hire anyone as your wedding consultant. Even if she is the most celebrated and talented wedding consultant in the world, you have to make sure that her personality meshes with yours and your guest. After all, if she is cantankerous, difficult and rude to your guests that is what everyone will remember and talk about for years to come. It is as important to hire a wedding consultant based on personality as it is to hire a consultant based on skill and expertise.

Wedding consultants have a reputation for being unreasonable and snooty. Just like any creative professional, some are but most are not. In general, wedding consultants enjoy their work, love interacting with wedding parties and guests and take pride in creating special memories. Just be sure you end up hiring one of the good ones!

The best way to feel out a wedding consultant is during the initial interview process. Ask a lot of questions and gauge the responses to determine if there is a good fit. If she seems irritated by your questions or is blunt with responses, you can assume that this is how your guests will be treated on your wedding day. Find another wedding consultant and quick!

Always ask for reference and then make sure you follow up and call the clients to find out how their wedding day went with this particular consultant. Ask the reference if she was patient, friendly and accommodating. Also, ask how their guests were treated by the wedding consultant. If you do not get the positive answers you are seeking, you should consider looking for another wedding consultant.

When you interview consultants, be certain that she will be the one who will handle your event. Some larger corporations have several consultants and may send a junior consultant to your wedding unless you are specific. You do not want a stranger showing up on your wedding day to coordinate the events. You want the person that you interviewed and hired based on skill and personality. Make sure this is stipulated in your wedding consultant contract.

Remember that if you are uncomfortable or unhappy with your wedding consultant on the day of your wedding, it will show. Choosing the right wedding consultant, based on skill as well as personality, will ensure you have a wonderful wedding day and memories to last a lifetime.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding favors such as, love glass coasters, two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers and many many more. Yolandas Wedding Favors also carries many different bridesmaid gifts such as spa slippers, photo tote bags and much more. Also if you are having a beach wedding then be sure to check out our beach wedding favors.

Wedding Planner: How to Choose the Right One for Your Wedding

If you watched “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin, the wedding planner played by Martin Short was a hilarious interpretation of a job that many now consider serious business. “Frahnk” (or Frank), as he was called, flitted about managing all of the details of the elaborate wedding. But, a real wedding consultant or planner can be an invaluable tool in making your special day a real joy instead of a real headache. Some people opt for a wedding planner in book form which outlines all of the necessary tasks to plan a wedding and gives you a timeline, but it will not do any of the jobs for you. A wedding planner can take care of all of the legwork for you so that you can go on with your work, school and other responsibility.

How do you shop for a wedding planner? Just as you should do when you look for any type of service professional, you can ask friends and family for recommendations. If you can get a word-of-mouth referral, this is better than all of the advertisements and glowing referrals provided to you by the wedding planner. If you don’t know anyone who has used a planner, you can always look in the phone book or the classifieds in the newspaper.

Once you have a few potential leads you will need to interview the wedding planner candidates. You are hiring them for an important job, and you need to have confidence that they share your “vision” for your special day. See how willing they are to take suggestions and see what they will do with the ideas that you already have. Do they have doubts about their ability to fulfill your needs? This is a yellow flag, but see why they have concerns before you make a judgment. Once you have interviewed a few planners you are ready to make your decision and get to work.

Most wedding consultants charge a fee of around 10 percent of the cost of the wedding. This is standard-and it is worth it for the peace of mind it will give you.

Eriani Doyel writes articles for and about Weddings. For more information on a wedding planner visit fleckwedding.com.

Wedding Planning Consultants - Protection from Hair Loss

Is it really necessary to hire a wedding planning consultant? Many people have successfully planned and implemented their weddings on their own, but many of these same people probably would not have done all the planning themselves if they had it to do over again. Planning a wedding is a huge task. We all know that, but most of us do not really know how massive the task is until we are facing the task ourselves. That is where a wedding planning consultant comes in.

Indeed, when a bride first begins to think of wedding planning, the process may seem quite straightforward, but it's when you really begin to get into the meat of it that you see how many little details there really are. Even a fairly small and intimate wedding can be overwhelming. There is everything from invitations, caterers, and wedding cake design to more complicated issues if you are planning a theme wedding. But an experienced wedding planning consultant is like a conductor at a symphony. They know from experience just what to put where and have proved over the years to have the temperament to be able to juggle all the details without going insane.

Moreover, a wedding planning consultant can help with many aspects of a wedding that you may never have even thought of. They can create the perfect wedding that you have always imagined, and at the same time they know enough about how the wedding industry works to give you suggestions that can help keep the cost at a minimum.

With a theme wedding it may be even more important to hire a consultant because all the rules change. We have all been to dozens of weddings that looked pretty much the same to know what the basic elements are, but planning a themed wedding changes the elements of a wedding and in doing so, changes the questions you have to ask. Without a wedding planner that is experienced in orchestrating themed weddings brides often end up with a traditional Victorian that bears little resemblance to the theme apart from one or two details in the wedding.

Wedding planning consultants take care of most all the details for you, from helping you pick out just the right invitations to go along with your chosen theme, to helping you decide what hair style goes best with your gown, and which hair stylist to use. Likewise, an experienced consultant will be able to take care of the details with the pastry chef and florist so that you do not end up with multiple clashing shades of the colors you have chosen for your wedding.

But a wedding planning consultant does more than take care of the details. Along with the size of the ribbons and the color of the icing the planner often serves as a therapist when the bride is overwhelmed, budgeting expert, and mediator when things go wrong. Furthermore, a good, experienced wedding planner is thoroughly versed in the religious practices of a wide variety of belief systems and as such is thoroughly equipped to guide a bride through potentially unfamiliar territory.

If you do decide to take on the job of wedding planning yourself, remember to create a 12 month checklist of all the to dos that you will have to attend to. It's a big job and in today's busy world your stress level and therefore the reduced strain on your relationship might make hiring a wedding planning consultant worth the time and money.

Jeanette Shinn is a wedding professional with over a dozen years experience making dreams come alive. Find more helpful wedding planning tips and unique wedding favors options at http://www.ExcitingWeddingFavors.com.

Poetry for Weddings

There are several ways that wedding poetry can be used. Wedding poetry can enhance more than one area of your special day.

You may want to use wedding poetry as part of your wedding announcements, invitations and thank-you notes. When you use wedding poetry in these ways you have added very meaningful words and thoughts. Another way to use wedding poetry is to incorporate it into the wedding ceremony or vows. Special wedding poetry can make the ceremony unique.

If you are giving gifts to the wedding party or wedding guests you may want to consider using wedding poetry. Wedding poetry makes these gifts even more memorable.

The bride and groom may want to use wedding poetry to include in their cards to each other. Wedding poetry is also nice when used in notes to parents or other special family members.

You might wonder where to find wedding poetry. There are several places to find wedding poetry.

If you are creative you may want to write the wedding poetry yourself. A friend or family member may have a talent for writing wedding poetry. You can even take classes in poetry writing and hone your skills.

A great place to look for wedding poetry is online. You will find many ideas for wedding poetry on wedding sites.

Look for wedding poetry in books at your local bookstore or library. You may find just the perfect wedding poetry when you do a little research.

Wedding consultants may have suggestions of places to find wedding poetry. You can also look through wedding magazines to find examples of wedding poetry.

If you know what message you want to convey but are not able to write the wedding poetry yourself there is another possibility. You may be able to hire a wedding poetry writer. There are talented writers who will write wedding poetry for a fee.

For those who want to use wedding poetry as a way to make their wedding even more beautiful, there are many ways to accomplish this goal.

Craig Thornburrow is an Author and Business Owner. Find all you need to know about Weddings at http://www.theworldsbestwedding.com