Flowers are a staple item at most weddings. Much of the floral industry is devoted to supplying fresh flower arrangements for weddings and other special occasions. Brides-to-be will need to make a choice about whether to have flowers or other greenery at the wedding, and if flowers are to play a role, will they be [...] Read more »

It would be virtually impossible to give a complete Wedding Planning 101 course in this limited space. Wedding Planning 101 would require an entire textbook, maybe even two. In this limited space, you will learn the most important aspects of wedding planning and you will know which direction to go in when the time comes. [...] Read more »

All eyes will be on you on your wedding day. There is more to looking fabulous than a gorgeous gown, great hair, and a man in a tux. The bride and groom each need their own accessories in order to complete their outfit and look absolutely fabulous on the biggest day of their lives! Men [...] Read more »

One of the focal points of your reception will be your first dance together as a married couple. Most couples put a lot of thought into choosing a first dance song because it represents the way they feel about each other, and will bring back wedding memories each time they hear it. Some couples even [...] Read more »

It’s no secret that the cost of a wedding is headed ever upward. While as many as 75 percent of couples pay for their own celebrations, some parents still get in on the act. For brides-to-be who are already in the planning stages of an event, this comes too late, but a new trend in [...] Read more »

When it comes to weddings, there is a whole list of etiquette rules you should follow. There are proper procedures for toasts, for dealing with your bridesmaids, for sending out wedding invitations, and for planning the reception. At times, it may seem as if there’s no end to your “to-do” list. As a result, it’s [...] Read more »

There will be many unexpected occurrences on the day of the wedding, it is planning for the unexpected that will allow the bride and groom some piece of mind prior to their big day. Many of this planning will not need to be done until the wedding draws nearer, so it is not necessary to [...] Read more »

There is a lot of money to be made in the wedding industry and that is because people are willing to pay the prices they are asked. Everyone wants their wedding day to be beautiful and memorable and many couples are willing to spend a lot of money and even take out loans in order [...] Read more »

Most brides plan a wedding that require the guests to gather in a single place at one time. The ceremony and reception are held together, and well-wishers celebrate for an evening with the newly wedded couple. Wedding feasts are nothing new. They’ve been going on for hundreds – perhaps thousands – of years. In years [...] Read more »

Many brides choose to seat the wedding party together at the reception, but this doing this raises the question of where the companions of wedding party members should be seated. If you’re facing this situation, you have a few obvious choices. If companions of the wedding party members will not be seated at the head [...] Read more »

The wedding planning process is difficult enough without having to also handle divorces couples. A wedding is a beautiful event that celebrates love. Sadly, these couples no longer have that love for one another. This means that there will need to be special exceptions made for these divorced couples in order to make them feel [...] Read more »

The tab for the average Australian wedding in 2006 was just under $40,000 and a recent study by Visa showed that two-thirds of couples overspend their wedding budgets. Most couples – more than 75 percent – pay for their own weddings, so staying on budget is keenly important. Starting out married life under a mountain [...] Read more »

Many couples are marrying later in life, perhaps after having lived together for several years. With an established household, couples are growing reluctant to register for gifts that duplicate items they already own. Additionally, the expense of the wedding often leaves couples short for the one thing they really want: a honeymoon. Today’s engaged couples [...] Read more »

Deciding between a band and a DJ for a wedding is one of the most important decisions that will need to be made during wedding planning. The right music can make a wedding memorable and fun while the wrong music can cause the wedding to be memorable for the bad music! No matter whether the [...] Read more »

Most brides give a great deal of thought to choosing the colours for their wedding, but green – as in eco-friendly – is taking on a new importance for some engaged couples. With the worldwide advent of environmentalism, it’s becoming easier to find the materials you need to put together a low-impact, eco-friendly wedding. Couples [...] Read more »

Wedding planning is normally both the sacred duty and the exclusive domain of the bride. But can a man plan a wedding? For most couples, we’ll never know. (And the men prefer it that way!) Traditionally, the bride’s family has planned the wedding, and in most Western cultures, planning still falls on the bride’s side, [...] Read more »

The majority of couples hold a rehearsal prior to their wedding day. This is so that everyone understands what will occur and where each person will stand during the wedding. Many couples wonder if a wedding dress rehearsal is really necessary or if it simply adds to the stress of wedding planning and takes away [...] Read more »

Destination weddings are gaining in popularity for many reasons. The allure of far off places and a romantic getaway are reason enough for anyone to want a destination wedding, but there are also other reasons why couples choose to travel for their wedding rather than having it in the comfort of their own hometown. When [...] Read more »

Wedding planning is stressful and the temptation to relieve the stress through snacking can be overwhelming at times. Avoiding weight gain is easier than losing weight. You’ll find 3,500 stored calories in a pound of body fat. If you cut your calorie consumption by 500 calories each day, at the end of a week, you’ll [...] Read more »

An emerging trend in wedding apparel is the two-dress wedding. This approach is certainly not for every bride, and won’t mix well with the budget-conscious, but some brides indeed choose two dresses for their weddings. Some wedding planners recommend having a second dress for the reception, and more brides are going along with this plan. [...] Read more »

Flowers are one of the most important aspects of the wedding day. They make the ceremony and reception look beautiful and are an integral part of the bridal party attire. In order to get the flowers perfect for the wedding, it is imperative to choose the right florist. The right wedding florist is going to [...] Read more »

You’ve just discovered that you’re pregnant. You’re in the middle of planning your wedding, or perhaps you weren’t planning to get married, but after talking it over, you and your partner want to walk down the aisle. Should you plan a quick wedding or wait until the baby is here? You wouldn’t be the first [...] Read more »

A new answer to the question of what to do with your wedding dress once the wedding is over has emerged: drown it! Former brides are turning to a new photography trend, which involves taking pictures of a bride in her dress in the most unusual, unkempt and often downright dirty locations. This approach gives [...] Read more »

Weddings can be hard on your makeup! Kisses, tears, the temperature, and the length of your ceremony and reception can wreak havoc on your makeup. How can you keep it fresh without reapplying it during your event? With lipstick, the trick is to start early! In the weeks and days before your wedding, apply lip [...] Read more »

Coping with pre-marriage stress is something that every couple will have to endure as they plan their wedding. Everyone will have a different cause for this stress and each cause may need to be dealt with differently. However, there are some ways of coping with pre-marriage stress that will help everyone involved feel a lot [...] Read more »

Veils are a traditional part of wedding ceremonies in many cultures. European brides first started wearing veils during the time of the Crusades. Women in Middle Eastern cultures have worn veils for thousands of years. Many modern brides, however, choose to skip the veil, but still want something elegant, decorative and manageable in their hair. [...] Read more »

A traditional duty of the bride’s maid (or matron) of honour is to organise a hen’s night for the bride-to-be. Your mates may have different ideas of what constitutes fun, and they should ask you about what you would like, but if they don’t, be up-front about what you want and don’t want at your [...] Read more »

Every year, wedding dress designers produce mountains of dresses for the runway, but few of these gowns ever make it into the bridal shops. Nonetheless, designers make names for themselves by their creations. Should you set your sights on a designer gown? Designer gowns come in a smorgasbord of lengths, colours, fabrics, styles and textures. [...] Read more »

Weddings are an event where friends and family get together and have a good time! Quite often, these weddings involve liquor. Anyone that has ever ordered a drink knows that liquor can be expensive. With so many guests at a wedding, it is a good idea to try and save money on the drinks! One [...] Read more »

Along with the plans for your wedding, you and your spouse-to-be should be discussing your honeymoon. Where you go, how long you stay and what you do are all up to you, but honeymoons can provide a relaxing getaway for a couple after the stress of the wedding day. If you plan to take a [...] Read more »

There are so many major decisions and minor details to attend to when planning a wedding. It can become overwhelming. It is necessary for the bride and groom to stay organised when planning their wedding. This can be done in several ways, though some are better than others. It is actually quite easy to stay [...] Read more »

Unless a couple or their parents are independently wealthy, it is likely that they will be working within a budget during wedding planning. Some couples choose to include the honeymoon budget within the entire wedding budget, while other couples choose to set an entirely separate honeymoon budget. Setting a honeymoon budget is easy when everything [...] Read more »

The custom of wearing a bridal veil was introduced to Europe by returning Crusaders. A would-be husband would barter with the father of the bride-to-be for his daughter. When a deal was struck, the bride was wrapped in a veil until after the wedding ceremony was over. Prior to that, brides wore their hair down [...] Read more »

Weddings are a time for friends and family to gather and celebrate a new beginning. As part of the celebration, a reception for the newly married couple may be small and intimate, but frequently, the reception includes many guests. If you’re planning a large wedding, it’s a good bet that many of your guests won’t [...] Read more »

Many couples now opt to include wedding programmes or order of service cards in their ceremonies. A wedding programme lets guests know the order of events and identifies the members of the wedding party, the officiant, and music. The wedding programme can be professionally or informally printed. One advantage of professional printing is that the [...] Read more »

Centerpieces for reception tables provide an opportunity for brides to be very creative. Centerpieces can be comprised of expensive, inexpensive, festive, colourful, fragrant, exotic or ordinary items that complement wedding colours or themes. Few rules apply to the centerpieces, except those imposed by the venue itself. For an elegant look, fresh, silk or dried floral [...] Read more »

One of the most exciting parts of planning a wedding is choosing a wedding dress, but once the party’s finished, what should you do with your dress? Brides have many options for the disposition of their gowns once the wedding is over. If you plan to preserve your gown, locate a wedding gown preservation specialist. [...] Read more »

A wedding is never complete without pictures! Many couples choose to hire a professional photographer to capture their wedding. A formal wedding package may contain more than a hundred photographs of the ceremony and reception. Commonly, a wedding photo package will include formal portraiture of the bride and groom. Each member of the wedding couple [...] Read more »

Traditionally, wedding rings are made of gold, but many options are available for couples who are looking for something out of the ordinary. Pure gold, designated as 24K or 24 karat, is too soft to be used for a daily wear item. A gold alloy ring makes a good choice because the metals are durable, [...] Read more »

One question brides face is whether or not to make a seating plan for the guests at the reception. On one hand, a seating plan ensures that your tables are balanced and that everyone at the reception has a place to sit. On the other hand, creating a seating plan is a lot of work [...] Read more »

Four weeks before your wedding, a member of the wedding party pulls out. Dresses or tuxedos have already been paid for. What should you do? Wedding party members can withdraw for a number of reasons. When this happens, make the best of it. Dealing with a withdrawal on the bride’s side can be difficult, because [...] Read more »

Weddings are meant to be a time for a bride and groom to share their happiest moments with friends and family. But what happens when two people on your guest list don’t get along? This is a common occurrence for an engaged couple whose parents have divorced. For the wedding guests, the prospect of meeting [...] Read more »

Every bride must decide whether the invitations to married couples will also be extended to the couple’s children. There are good reasons for not allowing children at a wedding reception, but ultimately it is a decision of the bride and groom to allow or disallow children. If you do not want children at your wedding, [...] Read more »

It’s another of those age-old questions a bride and groom face: indoors or outdoors? Regardless of your rationale, the choice almost always comes down to personal preference. An outdoor wedding may offer an unmatched view or a beautiful setting. It may also offer airplanes buzzing overhead, roadway noises, excessive heat or an unexpected downpour. The [...] Read more »

So, you’re marching through your wedding plans when one of your bridesmaids announces that she’s pregnant. This could be a tough situation. What should you do? There was a time when pregnant women didn’t go out much after they started showing, but those days are in the distant past. It’s not uncommon for a bridesmaid [...] Read more »

The majority of couples who plan weddings choose to have their celebration close to home, giving friends and family the option of attending without taking on too many expenses. An emerging trend, however, is the so-called “destination wedding” which takes place in an exotic location and may be attended by (usually) a small group of [...] Read more »

This isn’t news, but weddings are expensive! Insuring a wedding is becoming more common as the cost of weddings increase. A wedding insurance policy will cover the costs associated with cancellations and losses incurred when a wedding doesn’t go off as planned. Horror stories abound, but sometimes circumstances require that a planned wedding be moved [...] Read more »

While some couples hire a professional wedding planner to arrange everything, many couples prefer to do the planning themselves. Your wedding may be the single biggest event you ever plan, so it pays to keep close tabs on the planning process. Before getting down to the details, though, you need to decide on the big [...] Read more »

A wedding shower can be a phenomenal event. It can provide a much-needed bonding experience between a bride and her bridesmaids. It can be a joyful occasion where friends and family get the opportunity to treat the bride as a queen. It is definitely one of those “scrapbook moments” that a bride will remember for [...] Read more »

If you’ve just become engaged, you may be feeling not only overjoyed, but overwhelmed as well. While weddings are a cause for celebration, they can also be a reason for consternation. After all, there are a myriad of details to attend to: your dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses, the minister, the flowers, the reception hall, the [...] Read more »

When choosing the seating arrangements for your wedding reception, there are many factors to take into consideration. To get you started, here are three basic guidelines to follow. Create with a map or chart of the tables and seats, with space to write names (and possibly take notes) at each place setting. On your map, [...] Read more »

In today’s world, brides have a great deal of leeway when it comes to assembling their invitation list. While parents may pay for the wedding, the bride should have the deciding vote when it comes to who’s on the guest list and who’s not. While this can cause discord in some families, it only makes [...] Read more »