How to Get the Perfect Wedding Planner

There will come a time in your wedding planning when you might want to get a little help. The best thing to do is to find yourself someone who can help you, someone trained in the field would make the perfect wedding planner. It is important that you have a perfect wedding planner because you will be able to sit back and enjoy more of the wedding planning process than if you were doing it all on your own.

What Is Important about It?

A perfect wedding planner is going to let you be yourself, because they will sit down with you and talk about the kinds of things that you would like to see in your wedding. They will be able to show you more ideas based on your thoughts and help you figure out what things look good and what things don’t look. They’ll be able to take into consideration your feelings about what you would and would not like to see in the wedding, and then a perfect wedding planner will take all of these ideas and put them into wedding plans that fit your budget and your needs

A perfect wedding planner is important to have for several reasons. First of all, it gives you the comfort of knowing that things are getting taken care of. Second of all, you are going o be able to relax a little bit because you won’t have to be doing all of the wedding plans on your own. Third, a perfect wedding planner is specially trained to know how to put things into weddings that need to belong there, and has several areas of expertise when it comes to wedding planning. A perfect wedding planner is going to make the dream wedding of your lifetime a reality, and is going to give you the freedom to ask for help with things that you never dreamt of doing on your own.

Remember that although a perfect wedding planner is going to cost you money, you are going to save in the long run because a perfect wedding planner will be able to give you lots of deals. Many times, wedding planners already have vendors that they use a lot, so they will have deals that they can get you on everything for your wedding, such as flowers, food, and music. A perfect wedding planner is going to allow you to get all of these things, stay in your budget, and incorporate ideas that you never knew you could.

Vintage Flowers are Ideal for Summer Weddings

The economy being what it is, young couples who are planning to walk down the aisle are looking for ways to economize on their weddings. But not to worry, there are plenty of resources available on the Web that will help you keep costs within your budget. Sourcing what you need from the World Wide Web will allow you to get everything you need for much less. There is tremendous diversity in the free clip art that can be sourced from the Internet. When the perfect images reveal themselves during your web search, you’ll be able to relax and get totally creative with the rest of the planning process.

Due to the enormity of the task of finding the right clip art images, a helping hand from some of the girls in your bridal party would be a big help. It’s time to call for some reinforcments! But what should you, your friends and family look for when searching for wedding images? First think hard about your personal home decorating style. That should provide you with reminders of what pleases you visually. Which colors are the most prominent in your home? Understanding your color preferences is a terrific place to start. Additionally, assess whether your home looks warm and inviting, or whether it has a more reserved feel.

Looking at these variables will help you and your fiancé to decide exactly how you want your wedding to be designed. Once you know what hues you want to pursue, do an online search for free vintage flower clip art. Why do I recommend free vintage flower clip art instead of something more modern? antique clip art has a unique look that creates a feeling of warmth and familiarity. If you really want to make sure your wedding has a classic look, look for vintage rose images. If you use vintage roses on your invitation and favors, people will think a lot of money was spent on them. Using these lovely classic flowers will show everyone your good taste. Photo by lilfishstudios

Creating a Comprehensive Wedding Planner List

Important Items for a Wedding Planner List

For a bride and groom who wish to plan their wedding, a complete wedding planner list can be helpful in ensuring everything is coordinated for the big day. Great tools to help make this wedding planner list are websites especially designed to account for all the details of the wedding. There are even some free sites that offer this service at no charge.Other items to consider for a list are marriage laws, reception needs, ceremony needs, guest lists, bridal party events, and the all important budget.

Marriage Laws

Marriage laws are different in every state, and should be researched on a local level. All states require a marriage license for a marriage to be considered legally binding, and some states still require blood testing prior to being issued a marriage license.Also the bride’s name change usually cannot be completed until after the marriage license has been signed by the person performing the wedding.

Then she will usually have to go in person to the social security office and department of motor vehicles (or local driver’s license office) with the completed and signed marriage license to have all of her legal documents changed to her married name. These are important steps for any wedding planning list; they should be kept on hand for after the ceremony and honeymoon.

Reception Needs

A bride and grooms wedding planning list will likely have a large reception section; as this is where the party happens.All of the guests, food, decorations, and entertainment all need to end up at the same place at the same time. Coordinating this alone can seem intimidating, however planning ahead and checking items off of the wedding planning list as they’re completed is a way to simplify the process and stay organized.

Ceremony Needs

This part of a wedding planning list is likely to be the largest as this is the section where flowers, guests, and bridal part merge for the main event.The ceremony itself often lasts less than an hour, but the preparation often takes months. This wedding planning list can go on to include every aspect of an individual wedding to keep everyone organized.A wedding planning list can include: the guest list, floral arrangements, booking the church and reception area, finding a band or DJ, organizing the fittings and pick-ups of the wedding party’s attire, the rehearsal and dinner.

The Budget

The most important function a wedding planning list can serve is to keep a bride and groom with in their budgets as it is so easy to get overwhelmed by the variety available and lose track of what is really needed and wanted for the wedding.A wedding planning list can help keep the couple not only on the dollar but also from forgetting something important that is needed for the ceremony, reception, or honeymoon.

It can also ease a budget to discuss ahead of time exactly who will be paying for what.While traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the wedding – that need not be the case any more. Nevertheless, here are a few examples of what is traditionally divided and by whom.  Bride’s family traditionally pays for the reception, flowers, decorations, music, photographer, and bridesmaids’ gifts.

The groom’s family will traditionally provide for the marriage license, ties and gloves for the wedding groomsmen, rehearsal dinner, and the honeymoon.Keeping track of who is doing what on a wedding planner checklist will make the entire wedding process more enjoyable. The bride and groom should be able to relax and enjoy the first day of the rest of their lives together.

Information Regarding Designs Of Wedding Flower Bouquet

The bridal bouquet is one of the more important flower arrangements in a wedding. The wedding flower bouquet design should complement the bride’s dress and not clash with it. Many people believe that a simple wedding dress warrants a lavish wedding flower bouquet while an ornate wedding dress should have a simple bouquet. Many considers both ornate and lavish designs of the dress and the wedding flower bouquet must correlate each other so that the bride can pull it off. Contemporary wedding flower bouquets are the most recent addition to bouquets and these are random designs that can be of any shape and flower.

Cascade Wedding Flower Bouquet

This wedding flower bouquet design has been around for centuries. Its quite outdated and are not considered popular these days. This design consists of a rounded bunch of flowers at the hand of the bride with a cascade of similar flowers and leaves falling off the main bunch. The trail that falls off the main bouquet of blooms may be made up of trailing ribbons, smaller blooms of the original flowers at the top and other foliage that are similar to ivy. This kind of wedding flower bouquet design can actually help to make a bride look slimmer and taller. This design is suitable for a formal wedding which is usually held indoors or in a church.

Round Bouquet

This wedding flower bouquet design consists of a bunch of flower created to look like a ball. Similar flowers are grouped together and are tightly packed to prepare a wedding bouquet. Roses and tulips are great for this wedding flower bouquet design. There may be additions of complementing flowers but these are usually kept to a minimum as well as foliage which are used to fill out the bouquet. This kind of wedding flower bouquet may not be so complimentary on brides with rounded body features since the roundness of the bouquet may also emphasize the rounded hips of the bride as well as her other rounded features.

The Posy

The posy wedding flower bouquet design is probably the closest to informal that a wedding bouquet can get. This is a hand tied bouquet that has the look of the flowers being just picked from the garden and then put together. The wedding flower bouquet may look disorganized and random but florists who make these are sure to have a certain style in mind when making them. Different types of flowers can be used for this bouquet and fillers and foliage an also be abundant.

Should you buy bridesmaids Dresses Off The Rack?

If asked the first thing she thinks of when she hears the word “wedding” most women will say “the dress!” That’s because weddings are associated so much with the dress for women that it is their first thought. Sure, there are many other details that brides begin to think about later on down the line, like their bridesmaids jewelry, but these are secondary to the dress. Women are split when it comes to which they prefer. Some women choose a readymade gown even when they can afford a more expensive dress while others will go for the tailor made gown no matter what it cost. While there may be no perfect dress, it is worthwhile for a woman to consider the advantages or tailor made versus ready made drebefore starting their seach.

The most attractive feature of a couture gown is that it is tailored perfectly for your body. You can’t argue that a dress that is a standard off the shelf dress will fit as good as a custom made dress. Although, alterations can make readymade gowns fit almost perfectly. Of course tailor made gowns give the bride a chance to exercise her creativity in a lot of small details to make the dress have a very special look. Of course this does not mean that they are superior to off the shelf dresses, it only indicates their differences.

Readymade gowns are great because they are really affordable. Because they are meant to be purchased by many people the designs are usually very good and they represent the best of the latest fashions. There will be no doubt that the dress you will wear is beatiful and stylish. Nearly all standard made dresses are easily modified so it is easy to get a great fit.

If you are unsure of which route to take, then maybe you should invite your bridesmaids to go shopping for bridesmaids jewelry and ask their opinions. When you are visiting bridal shops that is a good time to ask your bridesmaids to try on different dresses and find out what they think. Keep in mind that you are the one who has to wear the dress so you should be the one to make the final decision. Since youare the bride and the star for the day you can choose what you want even in selecting the bridesmaids jewelry. Just remember that you don’t want to be a Bridezilla so take everyone’s suggestions in step if you are truly interested in their opinions.

Make your decision on whether to buy a tailor made dress or another choice after you decide how much you will be able to spend. Since your wedding day will (hopefull) be a once in a lifetime occasion, you really should have your own dress. While buying a dress that costs a lot at the specialty bridal shop may save you some money because they will probably get discont on your bridemaids jewelry, you can get the same bargain by buying your bridesmaids jewelry online!

Should You Buy a Designer Wedding Dress?

 Is Buying a Designer Wedding Dress the Right Decision?

When you were a little girl dreaming of your wedding, you probably imagined yourself in a beautiful wedding gown. I would bet that a budget wasn’t part of that dream. Unless you have unlimited funds, you will find yourself balancing a budget and your dreams as you plan your wedding. Have you considered buying designer wedding dresses?

Long White Designer Wedding Dress

Experts suggest that you should spend about 6% of your wedding budget on the dress. With the average cost of a wedding around $25,000, the recommended advice is to spend about $1,500 on your wedding dress. Wedding budgets, however, are difficult to stick to. After all, your wedding dress is the most significant piece of clothing that you will ever purchase. Should you go for the designer wedding dress, or go for a discount wedding dress?

You Must Shop For a Designer Dress

Even if you have no intention of purchasing a designer dress, go shop for one anyway. You’ll be treated to champagne, as boutique associates attempt to find the perfect dress for you. It’s a fun experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity – hopefully.

Designer Wedding Gown

My Dress is Out of My Budget

If you do visit the boutique and fall in love with a designer wedding gown you may be facing a dilemma.  Do you ignore the budget for a dress that you will wear once in your life, or choose an alternative? There may be a way for you to get the dress without breaking the bank. You may decide that it’s worth cutting back on the flowers or the food to increase your budget. Perhaps the store will work with you to offer you a discount.

If the store won’t work with you and you have tried on the dress you want, go online to find the dress. Ebay can be a good source of new designer dresses. There are bridal ebay stores, and you can also find brides selling their wedding gowns on eBay. Try craigslist as well for local brides selling their wedding dresses. You can also look for a wedding store that rents out dresses and get the dress of your dreams that way. Lastly, you can ask a seamstress to create an exact duplicate of the designer wedding dress that you want and do so at a much lower cost.

Designer Wedding Dress - Mermaid Style

Buying a designer dress is ultimately up to you. No one else can make the decision if it’s worth it or not. Purchases for your wedding are never logical. When else will you spend $25,000 on one night? If the dress makes you feel absolutely beautiful you may decide to go for it. Shop around, try to get a discount, visit online stores and do your best to stay around your budget. If your budget really doesn’t allow you to get the dress you do want, find a cheaper alternative that looks just as great. While you won’t have bragging rights of saying you’re wearing Vera, your guests won’t know the difference. Most important is that you feel beautiful in the dress.

Planning Your Wedding- Tips for Dealing with an Overbearing Mother-In-Law

Your mother-in-law is probably the perfect helper when it comes to planning your wedding, isn’t she? Truth be told, sometimes dealing with family members can be a challenge when planning your wedding, and mother-in-laws are typically the family member you will have a challenge with. If you follow some basic tips you will get more of what you want, have a better relationship with your mother-in-law and be less likely to turn gray while planning your wedding.

She Really Does Mean Well

Mother-in-laws can often be overbearing with their input in your wedding plans. Their son is getting married, and they have their own ideas of what a proper wedding should look like. Remember that most mother-in-laws really do mean well. Keep reminding yourself that when you think she is just trying to butt into your life.  It’s better to try and be diplomatic than to start fighting with your new mom.

Make Her Feel Good

Your mother-in-law might mean well but if her plans don’t match up with yours you have a problem. Sit down with your mother-in-law and politely tell her thanks, but no thanks. Tell her nicely that you know what you want and you really appreciate her input. Think of parts of your wedding that she can help with that won’t make a difference on your wedding day. For example perhaps your mother-in-law can be in charge of the out of town guests and can help them plan for their stay. Or assign her the task of helping with the rehearsal dinner. Pick one or two things that are important that she can help with and hopefully she will be too busy working on those tasks, and won’t bother you about more important aspects of the wedding.

Avoid Trouble

If you find yourself constantly arguing with your mother-in-law during the planning process, it may be better to limit your communication so that your differences don’t escalate further. If she calls, send it to voicemail. Send her an email and tell her you missed her call and see if you can communicate that way. Remember that this isn’t a lifetime arrangement. After the wedding the stress level for you and her will deflate and you can work on repairing the relationship.

Planning your wedding is stressful enough and you really don’t need the added tension of arguing with your mother-in-law about the wedding plans. Remember not to make rash decisions that you will regret later. Think before you speak, and try to compromise when possible. If your mother in law is helping pay for the wedding, have a discussion with your new in laws and set the expectations that while you really appreciate the financial help, you have some ideas of how you want your day to be. Your wedding planning is the beginning of the rest of your life with your groom, but also the beginning of the relationship with your mother-in-law. By being diplomatic and avoiding unnecessary fighting with your mother-in-law you will have a better relationship with your groom, as well as your future in-laws.

Related articles

• Wedding Ceremony Materials – For Creating The Special Day Unforgettable (frommyexperience.com)
• Selfish mothers-in-law spend more to upstage bride (telegraph.co.uk)

Do You Vow Muse?

You know you’ve been in this situation: you’re sitting at an elegant wedding reception when a groomsman stands up and clinks his champagne glass with a fork. The crowd quiets, and the groomsman begins with, “I wasn’t sure what to say to Julia and Robby, so I thought I’d just wing it…” When has this introduction to a groomsman speech (or bridesmaid speech!) ever ended well? Enter Vow Muse.

Vow Muse—also known as Angie and Alicia—is a writing consultation company that specializes in penning personalized words for weddings and events. The Muses provide help to couples and their wedding party who are struggling with any of the written parts of their wedding: vows, best man/bridesmaid speeches, and wedding ceremonies to name just a few. Their ability to find each client’s unique voice and allow it to articulately shine through on that special day ensures perfection instead of the uncertainty and possible catastrophe of DIY vows and toasts.

Vow Muse came to be after Alicia sat down with yet another friend who sought her help with writing wedding vows. She wondered if it was possible for her to assist the world at large with her personal writing talents, and nabbed Angie to be her vow-writing partner in crime. The two harnessed their energies and got to work. Vow Muse sprang into action in the summer of 2010, and has been busily writing wedding ceremonies, toasts, speeches, and offering public speaking coaching ever since!

Angie and Alicia are professional, quick-witted ladies who spin a simple conversation with their clients into a brilliantly worded, custom-made success. The process of working with a Muse is simple:

It all starts with a conversation.

First, one of the Muses chats with you to get a feel for your personal voice and style while learning about the project you’re working on. Don’t worry if you’re feeling bashful; they chat professionally and can make conversation with a dandelion if the situation calls for it.

Then you’re off the hook for a spell.

The Muse writes; you live your life!

Next, it’s revision time!

Now it’s your turn to review what’s been written to double check that it conveys the essence of you in a voice that reads like looking in a mirror. Want changes? No problem! Writing is a collaborative process, and with just a few quick notes from you (as simple or detailed as you want), the Muses revise.

Done and done.

Now get ready for your wedding to be a brilliant success! Even your mother-in-law will approve.

Getting help with your wedding vows isn’t cheating; it’s just plain smart. Your ceremony and celebration are likely being recorded for posterity, and the last thing you want is your perfect day remembered by the bridesmaid who was too drunk to give a coherent speech, or a groom who was nervous and stuttered through his vows.  Every bride deserves to have her mind put at ease that her dad won’t say anything too humiliating, or that the best man won’t be sharing indiscretions from the groom’s past. Plus, why stress over which twitter-patter inducing words to say to your love or how to say what you mean without being cheesy? Every bride needs a Muse.

Connect with Vow Muse at www.vowmuse.com, on twitter @vowmuse, or email them directly at [email protected]!

Related articles

• Best Bridesmaid Websites (verybestsites.com)
• Say “I Do” in Barbados (relaxbarbados.com)

How to Save Money on Your Wedding (Without Looking Like You Did)

Your wedding is a one in a lifetime event. It is a celebration of your commitment and an expression of who you are as a couple. And if you are like many brides, you’ve dreamed of this day for a long time and know exactly what you’d like.

But in this economy, every bride is looking for ways to trim her wedding budget. And to help, I’ve created a list some of my favorite ways to cut your wedding costs – without your guests being the wiser.

Save Money On Your Wedding

Save on the Wedding Ceremony

• Use flowers in key areas only (like the altar or place where you will say your vows). This is where all of your guests eyes will be, and where the majority of your photographs will be taken.

• Have your florist create hand-tied bouquets for you and your bridesmaids. They are less expensive than wired ones and every bit as pretty.

• Use your wedding party flowers again at your reception. Bouquets can make amazing centerpieces at your head table. And they look gorgeous surrounding your cake.

Food and Beverage Costs

• Have your wedding at an “off-peak” time (Thursdays, Fridays or Sundays, and in January – May). Because these times are less popular, the caterer’s cost per person and the required guest count will be lower.
• Butler passed hor d’oeuvres can actually be less expensive than buffet style (because guests tend to eat less of them). Ask your caterer about your options.
• Create a signature drink (made with non-premium alcohol) to save on bar costs. Give the drink a personalized name to make it unique.
• Reduce your cocktail hour by 15-20 minutes. None of your guests will notice. And your bar bill will be less.
• Skip the champagne toasts – few guests really drink it. Or if you want to include it, try Prosecco, a sparkling Italian wine that tastes like champagne – but is much less expensive.

Save Money on Wedding Flowers/ Centerpieces

• Use fewer, larger tables to reduce the number of centerpieces and linen rentals required. Create tables of 10 instead of 8. (Use larger tables that guests aren’t crowded).
• Consider less expensive flowers like carnations, baby’s breath or gladiolas. These blooms tend to be 1/3 the cost of roses and look very dramatic and impactful when used in large monochromatic arrangements.
• Give your florist a long list of flowers you love and those you don’t. Then give him/her flexibility to use the most cost effective/ seasonal flowers from your list. Flexibility equal savings.
• Buy your own vases from places like Pier1 or Ikea. They can be less expensive than what your florist carries. (And you’ll be able to give the centerpieces away at the end of evening if you’d like).
• Ask your florist for ideas about including non-floral items that add impact while lowering cost. A vase filled with lemons or limes can be quite striking.

Save Costs on the Wedding Cake

• Save by using a faux cake. They are absolutely beautiful and your guests won’t notice the difference (you can still cut it).
• Or order only enough cake for 75% of your guests (more guests than you think actually don’t eat the cake).
• Another option is to have a smaller cake (tall but smaller cakes have great impact) and then a second “kitchen cake” which is cut and served to your guests (who will never notice).

Saving on the Wedding Attire

• Of course, I have to mention the savings associated with a preowned wedding dress! Whether you buy a preowned dress or sell your new gown after your wedding, you can expect to save up to 50% of the retail price. That is hundreds or potentially even thousands of dollars that can be used on other wedding costs (or towards upgrading your honeymoon).
• Rent your jewelry. You can actually rent beautiful necklaces, earrings, bracelets and more for you and your wedding party – all for a very reasonable rental fee.

This is a guest blog post by Josie Daga, founder of PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, a website she created to help brides buy and sell designer wedding dresses. You can also find her on her own blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Related articles

• Memorable Gifts Presents “Your Wedding Strategy Guide” (weddingsetups.com)
• Wedding Ceremony Materials – For Creating The Special Day Unforgettable (frommyexperience.com)
• Decoration Ideas for a Home Wedding Reception (homeandgardenideas.com)

My Wedding Ideas Facebook Page

Well, My Wedding Ideas has finally joined the Facebook craze and set up our Facebook Fan page, so feel free to Like us and keep involved on Facebook. Just in case, we also have a twitter page.

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