I have just started planning our wedding and I'm not really sure where to start. i don't want to go out and pay a lot of money on a wedding planner because I can't afford it. Can anyone tell me a good site for help with wedding planning? Can anyone help me plan it or kind of lead me in the right direction.
2006-08-28 10:37:05 · 22 answers · asked by mandi88_bailey05_ray 3 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
We already know what colors we want and what kind of dress I want, things like that. I'm just not sure how to start looking for a caterer, a cake, reception area, ceremony location. Would the know or anyone know a good place to start with that?
2006-08-28 10:56:18 · update #1
Congratulations on your engagement! Best of luck to you both.
Below I'm going to paste some worksheets for you. You should be able to copy and paste them without any trouble. I used to be an event planner for many, many years and these always helped my couples.
The best thing to do is network with couples who were recently married. Ask to see letters of recommendation from past clients. When selecting your cake, taste samples, view their photo book. If you don't like any of the designs see what they can do special for you.
Keep in mind, do things the way you want them do be done. One of the most elegant weddings I had the honor of being a part of was so simple but it was one of the most beautiful ceremonies and receptions I had ever attended.
Last tip for you....Don't spend alot of money on your wedding save that money for the down payment on your house instead. Trust me in the end you'll be happy you did.
Wedding Budget Worksheet
The first thing a couple should do is try to work out a budget for their Wedding. Your costs can vary greatly depending on which aspects of the wedding are more important to you. Also, you may be fortunate enough to have a kind relative or friend provide free services that will further affect the budget.
Reception
Food _________
Drinks _________
Cake _________
Location Fee _________
Service Fee (wait staff, bartenders, valet) _____________
Rentals (tables, chairs, etc.) ___________
Decorations (other than floral) _____________
Other: ____________
Total for Reception: ___________
Attire
Bridal Dress __________
Tuxedos __________
Headpiece, Veil _________
Jewelry (other than wedding rings) __________
Shoes _________
Garter _________
Accessories _________
Other: _________
Total for Attire: _________
Photography/Videography
Photographer __________
Videographer __________
Albums ___________
Other: _________
Total for Photography/Videography: ____________
Music
DJ's ____________
Band/Musicians for the Ceremony __________
Band/Musicians for the Reception __________
Other: __________
Total for Music: _________
Miscellaneous
Marriage License ________
Taxes ________
Tips ________
Other: _________
Total Miscellaneous: __________
Floral/Decorations
Bouquets _________
Boutonnieres _________
Corsages for the Mothers ___________
Ceremony Flowers _____________
Reception Flowers, Table Centerpieces ___________
Cake Table __________
Other: _________
Total Floral/Decorations: __________
Stationery
Announcements __________
Wedding Invitations __________
RSVP Cards __________
Calligraphy ____________
Thank You Cards __________
Stamps __________
Reception Napkins/Matches ___________
Other: ___________
Total Stationery: ____________
Rings
Bride's Wedding Ring ___________
Groom's Wedding Ring __________
Other: _________
Total Rings: _________
Transportation
Transportation to the Ceremony __________
Transportation to the Reception ____________
Guests Transportation ____________
(Trolleys, Vans, Buses) ____________
Other: ____________
Total Transportation: ____________
Gifts
Wedding Favors ___________
Gifts for the Bridesmaids ____________
Gifts for the Groomsmen ____________
Gifts for the Parents ______________
Gifts for Each Other ____________
Other: ____________
Total Gifts: ___________
Ceremony
Ceremony Location Fees ____________
Officiant's Fee or Donation _____________
Other: ____________
Total Ceremony: ______________
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
A checklist of things every bride should have on hand on her wedding day.Be prepared! Print this list and check off items as you assemble your kit.
Grooming
¨ hand lotion, wet wipes¨ curling iron, hot rollers
¨ tissues¨ hairdryer
¨ cotton balls, cotton swabs¨ brush, comb
¨ makeup ¨ hairspray, hair gel
¨ makeup remover¨ bobby pins, hair elastics, barrettes
¨ nail polish in shade worn¨ headband or clips for pulling hair back while applying makeup
¨ nail polish remover¨ toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
¨ nail file¨ mouthwash
¨ tweezers¨ baby powder
¨ small grooming scissors¨ deodorant
¨ small hand towel¨ perfume
¨ lint brush
Attire
¨ “throwaway” garter¨ safety pins and a sewing kit with thread the color of bride’s and attendants’ dresses
¨ clear nail polish for runs in pantyhose¨ masking tape or sewing tape (for last-minute ripped hems)
¨ extra earring backs¨ small scissors (for thread)
¨ extra buttons¨ club soda or other stain removal solutions
¨ flat shoes for the reception¨ iron
¨ extra pantyhose
Health/Medical
¨ antacid¨ bandages
¨ antihistamine, cold remedy, any prescription medications¨ upset stomach remedy
¨ aspirin, pain relievers¨ feminine hygiene products (tampons, panty liners, etc.)
Miscellaneous
¨ extra copies of directions to reception¨ small flashlight
¨ breath mints¨ folding utility knife
¨ cell phone and home phone numbers of all wedding participants¨ duct tape
¨ contact information for all vendors¨ _________________________________________
¨ snacks¨ _________________________________________
¨ cooler with juice, sodas, and bottled water¨ _________________________________________
¨ champagne, glasses¨ _________________________________________
2006-08-29 10:05:25 · answer #1 · answered by weddingsforall 2 · 47⤊ 1⤋
First, pick your date or at least a time of year. Then, look in the phone book under "wedding." A lot of reception sites, caterers, bakers, florists will be listed there. Otherwise, look up the individual entries of "banquets", "caterers", "florists", etc.
Then, call the places and book appointments. Start with the ceremony location and reception site, depending on which one is more important to you (if, for example, you already know where you want the ceremony to be, start there so you can ensure your date).
Compare the services of each one, keeping in mind that not everything is equal. Location, appearance, packages, etc. will all vary, and you will have to decide what is most important for you.
Then arrange food, photography/videography, dj, transportation, florists, and cake in that order. Florists and bakers can do more than one wedding a day, but photographers can't so they need to be booked first.
Once you have the vendors, then focus on the details like programs, favors, centerpieces, etc. The vendor search can be a little overwhelming at first because it's a lot of phone and leg work, but once you get the hang of it you can overlap planning the details with planning the big stuff.
The Knot has a lot of wedding planning ideas. They also have a handy checklist that you can customize to feature the things you want to include in your wedding.
There is no reason why you need a wedding planner, and they often get you to spend more than you otherwise would want to. If you want any more detail, contact me directly. I loved planning my wedding!
2006-08-28 15:22:11 · answer #2 · answered by Pink Denial 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Open up the phone book and start calling around...that's what I am doing right now. Also, check out some local bridal shows or local bridal magazines (which will have a special section for your city).
Here are some other tips that I hope helps:
Get a notebook because staying organized is KEY...divide it into the following sections
1. Budget
2. Calendar
3. Clothing
4. Flowers
5. Reception
6. Ceremony
7. Other food service (ex. cake)
8. Music
9. Decorations
10. Photography
11. Guest and Gift List
12. Incidentals
Start off by setting your buget and write it down in your notebook. Call around, make appointments, keep notes in your notebook. As soon as you can, decide on your wedding and reception venues since they book up quickly. You can also divide the work, give your bridesmaids/family/friends some jobs.
2006-08-28 11:20:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Nearly every city has a wedding planning guide of some sort. If you're in a smaller town, you might just call the local tourism/visitors bureau. They'll have directories of hotels and other special event venues. That's the best place to start, because once you have a place and a date, the rest is easy!
If you need guidance beyond that, ask friends in the area for ideas. You might think about hiring a coordinator just to help with day-of execution of the event (so you'd pay a set fee instead of a percentage) and that could include some up-front consulting which could help you find a great venue.
My wife and I did all the planning ourselves, but had a coordinator help us on the wedding day, allowing us to enjoy the event as guests and not as hosts. After a few frustrating weeks, she (the coordinator) did find us a great location, and everything was MUCH simpler after that.
If you don't want to do that, you can also ask other wedding-related vendors that you're looking into (photographers, DJs, bands, bakeries, etc.) for their suggestions. They've probably worked at ALL of them in the area, so are a wealth of relatively unbiased knowledge.
The next step (as you're finalizing a date) is to make sure that you can get any of the other 'non-negotiable' services for that day. Like the officiant. If you have someone specific in mind, make sure he or she is available that day.
There are lots of bands, DJs, cake bakers, photographers, videographers, etc., etc. that can be booked later in the process. (Unless you must have a specific one... check with them at the front end, too!)
When you're getting closer and you want to create a video photo montage of you and your fiancé "through the years" to show at the reception, don't forget to check out Big Moment Films.
http://www.bigmomentfilms.com
Congrats and best of luck!
2006-08-28 11:05:51 · answer #4 · answered by Andy G 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The Knot. They have planning ideas and articles on wedding etiquette as well as an extensive local vendors listing which is broken down by state and then major city. I've listed a couple of wedidng planning sites below with The Knot being the first one in the list.
The Knot:
http://www.theknot.com
Canadian Frugal Bride:
http://www.frugalbride.com
Canadian site but they have some good articles & suggestions
Choices for Two:
http://www.choicesfortwo.com/
Another Canadian site but some good ideas
Hope those suggestions help
2006-08-28 14:01:33 · answer #5 · answered by Patricia D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Relax. Everything will be perfect :-)
You should go to www.customweddingsolutions.com. They have just about everything you need for your wedding at great prices. Sometimes just looking at wedding products will give a great idea for a color scheme or reception motif. You can find pics of weddings and cakes online and in magazines too. You can also email me: Jen@customweddingsolutions.com for more detailed planning help.
2006-08-28 10:47:17 · answer #6 · answered by jen_customweddingsolutions 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
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2015-01-28 12:26:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the-knot is fabulous but if you want cheap do it yourself. i just planned a wedding and i asked people in my community. i work at a bank so when clients came in would ask them, i found a photographer and a place to hold the reception discounted b/c they knew me and my friends mom did my cake as a gift. all in all you find out by asking. i had two dress i bought 1 and a friend gave me one with the bra and all if you want it either on let know. i can send pics. congrats!
2006-08-28 14:43:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
www.weddingchannel.com or wwwtheknot.com. i used both to plan my wedding w/o a wedding planner. both sites have checklists to help you get a basic idea of what types of things to think of & when you should start thinking of those things.
basics:
ceremony/reception hall
photographer/videographer
florist
caterer
dj/entertainment
wedding insurance
hope this helps.
2006-08-28 12:40:50 · answer #9 · answered by ms v 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I bought a book called planning a wedding to remember by beverly clark. and it has helped me out a bunch. i don't know what i'd do with out the book that i bought. good luck and i hope this helps
2006-08-28 10:46:51 · answer #10 · answered by Angel sent from heaven 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Go to theknot.com, thats a good place to start. You could also sit down with a pen and paper and start writing down everything you would like for you wedding, colors, kind of dress you want, location, food etc. etc. It sounds corny, but its a good starting point.
2006-08-28 10:49:59 · answer #11 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋