My friend is engaged and decided she wanted to marry her fiance' before he is deployed to Iraq...in 7 weeks. We're just starting to figure out everything she needs. We picked out her dress today, bridesmaid dresses are picked out, she knows what church she wants to get married in, but hasn't alerted them to what day she wants. (infact, she doesn't know a date, his deployment keeps getting changed). My friends and I have never planned a wedding. Can someone give us a general run-down of what we need to do? (including things that are often forgotten!!)
Thank you so much!!
2007-07-02 19:51:44 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Marriage license, clergy (pastor/priest), church, church & pastorial fees, church music (piano player, singer). Hall for reception and/or dance, reception type (sit down dinner, buffet, hordeurves, open bar, coctail hour, champagne for toast, assign someone to do toast. Background music for reception and DJ or live band or both for dance. Brides Jewelry. Grooms/Brides rings. Flowers for church altar, isle, brides bouquet, bridesmaids bouquet, flower girl basket, mother/grandmother corsages, boutinneeres for groom, groomsmen, father/grandfathers, centerpieces for reception tables and head table, flowers for cake table and sign-in table and any other accent florals needed. Garter and throw bouquet. Dessert plates, forks and printed napkins for cake. Favors for church and reception tables. Programs for the church. Menus for tables. Thank you notes for reception tables (bookmark thank yous are nice) Transportation: limosines and/or car rentals. Ushers for the church and reception to help sit guests. Serving set for cake, toasting crystal champagne flutes for bride and groom and party, guestbook and pen, wedding cake and grooms cake, chocolate fountain and/or champagne or punch fountain. Catering, wine for reception. Thank you gifts for wedding party, parents and anyone who helped out. Runner for aisle at church. Unity candles and holders. Ring bearer Pillow. Plan rehearsal dinner and rehearsal time advice everyone on time and notify church official and hall for rehearsal times. Make a coed shower for both. Bachlorette and Bachlor parties. Register at your favorite store for your gift wedding registry. Invitations. Set up a quick wedding website on mywedding.com. It's free and great way to communicate and update everyone. Just email your wedding web address to everyone in a mega email. Photography and Videography. Hair dresser for hair updos. Make up artist. Get pins for dollar dance to pin money! Get care bag with sandals or flip flops or slippers for tired feet at the dance, some nice foot lotion, hand lotion, sewing kit, safety pins large and small, bobby pins, hair spray, hair gel, mouse, make up bag, breath mints, stain remover pen, wipes, and any other thing you can think you might just need and assign someone to be responsible of the whereabouts of the care bag. Assign people to help with cutting of the cake or if hall has someone ask them. Newspaper announcements. After party bash. HONEYMOON!!!
Congrats and Good Luck! Hope this helps!!
2007-07-02 20:31:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is the usual stuff: Flowers (decorative and carried), Dresses, Tuxedos(or military uniform) and Cake. Don't forget that the colorscheme that all four of these entail. For the reception you need: Food(Buffet v. Served, Chicken v. Fish), Drink(Open bar or not?), Entertainment (Not just bands and DJ's but speaches as well), and Traditions(Money dance, throwing of the bouqet and the garter). Don't forget the something new, borrowed and blue. And don't forget the transportation between the locations that you pick.
I actually recently attended a wedding and they forgot a lot of things. The priest even skipped the wife's vows, but they were so into each other that it really didn't matter. Everything going perfect is almost impossible. As long as the two getting married love each other, you really don't have too much to worry about. Don't stress if you forget something because usually the bride and groom are either too nervous to notice or they will be too happy to care. Just relax and remember that it's suppose to be a happy occassion. GOOD LUCK!
2007-07-03 03:15:06 · answer #2 · answered by PaulyBoy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SET A DATE!!!!!
Better contact the minister or priest right now!!!
Summer is hard to get the church. Find a place for the reception. It might be too late, so try to arrange it at someones home.
You need to get the invitations out ASAP!!!!!
Dresses and Tusedos or black suits.
Set up a bridal registry with favorite store.
Pick out flowers now ,or you may not find any florist to put that together--mother, mother-in-law corsages, boutonnieres for all guys including father and father-in-law, flowers for bridesmaids, and you.
Order cake. Get decorations for hall, and if you want, for church.
Arrange for food at reception soon!.
Arrange for Limos if she wants them, right now!
Music for reception.
Get gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Bridesmaids need to have a shower for bride within the next couple of weeks.
Go to the magazine shop in your area. There are plenty of magazines about planning weddings. You could also look up wedding planning on the Internet.
I checked "quick wedding planning" and found quite a few links such as this one:
marriage.families.com/blog/quick-wedding-planning-checklist
Good Luck. It is going to be very hard, because you don't have much time. I would suggest you make it a very small intimate wedding.
2007-07-03 03:20:10 · answer #3 · answered by PEGGY S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The church, caterer and reception site are three things that must be coordinated immediately. After that, just concentrate on the important things. Ask people to be in the bridal party. Since the dresses are decided, the guys must also be measured for their tuxes, or they can just wear black suits. You'll also need a videographer, photographer, DJ, florist, limousine. Don't sweat the small stuff, focus on the important stuff.
This is just a quick rundown. Go to Barnes and Noble and buy the wedding planning book about planning a wedding in a short time, I'm not sure of the exact name, but you'll find it.
You can also consult wedding websites, such as www.theknot.com for ideas, a checklist, etc.
2007-07-03 03:02:40 · answer #4 · answered by Tweety 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the main things checklist:
bride/bridesmaids dresses
groom/groomsmen's tuxes
unity candles (if applicable)
a runner for the church (they usually don't provide you with one)
cake
a singer or reader (keep it simple)
something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new
relatives, friends or just witnesses
organize a couple of friends who aren't in the wedding to help it go smoothly (seating guests, opening doors for the processional, and watching unruly children)
don't forget flowers for bridesmaids/bride,
SHOES!! very important at least for the bride to have her shoes (i didn't buy mine till the day before and I also had the flu that day so it was no pretty picture)
With so little notice do either internet invitations or word of mouth. we had only a cake reception the day of the wedding right at the church and the day after had a dinner reception (which you can hold anywhere, but we catered in a dining hall in a hotel - which worked out great)
that's all I can think of for now.
2007-07-03 02:59:50 · answer #5 · answered by christie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Before you do anything else pick a place and get invitations out. Send by mail but maybe back up with evites so people have plenty of time.
Book the wedding site and reception.
Decide on food.
Dresses/Tuxes.
Flowers or no flowers.
Tables - centerpeices, favors, etc
Mixed cds or dj?
Ceremony stuff - singers, readers, unity candle - what do they want?
Cake
Photographer
Don't forget weddings can be simple and still wonderful.
2007-07-03 08:24:48 · answer #6 · answered by Res 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get the date into the church
grooms clothes
wedding rings
if your in the uk you will need your wedding bands filled in and given to the registry office so you can get the licence
flowers for bride, bridesmaids and heathers for groom and grooms men
Something old, new borrowed and blue
hair
nails
make-up
wedding invitaitions
wedding cake
hall for reception(wedding evening)
buffet or sit-down meal?
dj for reception
bar and bar- staff (unless the hall will provide)
shoes for bride, and party!
a change of shoes for the reception
wedding favours eg organza bags with almonds
cars to get party to church,
photographer
videographer
Organist or someone to play the bride down the isle
Hen night, go to lastnightoffreedom,com for any ideas
you can also visit customweddings.com or theknot.com for help with wedding planning!
2007-07-03 03:49:25 · answer #7 · answered by Sarah Mc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Lock down the date with the ceremony location and officiant NOW.
2. Lock down the particulars with getting your marriage license.
3. invite guests
4. everything else is 'fluff' - try theknot or other suggested wedding sites or books.
2007-07-03 06:48:07 · answer #8 · answered by Leah 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
heres a list that might help you out:
bridal shower
bachlorette party
wedding favors
dj
reception
wedding programs
florist
wedding tiara
shoes
comfy shoes for the reception
wedding cake
2007-07-03 11:16:13 · answer #9 · answered by Jen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bachelor.bachelorette party, hall, catering, shower, unity candles, guest book/pen, so much to do so little time
2007-07-03 02:57:44 · answer #10 · answered by M J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋