Do you want a summer wedding or a winter wedding? Do you want flowers? If so, will they be live or artificial? There are a lot of choices to make when you are planning a wedding. Whether you’re a bride or a bridesmaid, a groom or a groomsman, these tips will help you in planning the ideal wedding.

The wedding dress may be a major expense. When you are dress shopping, try looking for dresses that aren’t traditional wedding dresses. A bridesmaid dress could fit your needs and would not be as expensive as an actual wedding dress. Even if this dress is not perfect and you need some adjustments made to make it your dream dress, it could still run you quite a bit less then an actual wedding dress.

It is important to get high quality wedding photos so that you can truly cherish them throughout your life and hand them down to your descendants. It would be wise to spend a few more dollars and employ a professional photographer to perfectly capture these once-in-a-lifetime images.

Pick a reasonable dress that you won’t have to starve to get into. If you rush the weight loss process, your health will surely suffer. You wouldn’t want to pass out. If weight is a concern or you are having a tough time with the dress, simply have it let out a hair to accentuate your body more comfortably.

Of course, the most important aspect of getting married is choosing the right intended! Do not rush this life altering lifelong decision. Consider the things you need in a relationship, the thing you’d prefer to do without, and how all this applies to your potential partner.

Don’t forget the small stuff when decorating. Use a similar ribbon for your bouquet as that on your gown or your centerpieces. This will help with the elegance at your wedding.

Don’t make your guests wait while you take all of your photos. Try to take as many photos as you can before the ceremony begins. Pictures with the bride or groom and their respective parents can also be taken ahead of time, reducing the amount of time guests have to wait for your arrival at the reception.

Even if your dress is picked and already paid for, it is a good idea to keep it safely at the shop until the big day. In this way, you can be certain it will be properly stored and protected from damage. This will keep your dress as fresh as possible.

Online communities, like Craigslist, are ideal for locating talented musicians, photographers and caterers. Be sure to meet in person, and bring your groom along for safety, prior to handing over any money.

If you want to serve more than one course at the reception, use small dishes of candies to keep guests amused while they wait. You can leave sugar roses, thin crackers or any other type of little treats.

One of the most costly parts of a wedding reception are the centerpieces, which also have a big impact on your overall aesthetics. Instead of going with a huge table centerpiece that uses up almost the entire table, keep it simple. If the centerpiece is too big, it becomes a distraction, making it difficult for people to interact as well as enjoy their food.

Wedding Planner

Do some homework before meeting your wedding planner. Try to follow the example of stylists and fashion designers who make “look books” or even “mood boards” featuring inspirational design elements that can lead you towards your dream ceremony. Putting as many items on the board as possible to convey your desires will help your wedding planner understand what it is that you exactly want.

One of the first things you should do when planning your wedding is to create a list of priorities. For many people, the flowers are more important than the cake, or the venue is more important than the guest list. With this prioritized list, you can budget your finances according to what is most important and add and subtract to accommodate any budget. This will help ensure that you have everything that you want and keep within your budget.

Always take into consideration whether or not you want children invited to your wedding. If you don’t allow children, you may be able to save money and avoid stress. However, a lot of your guests might not be able to attend because they are unable to find childcare.

Do your research on the band or DJ you want to hire. Require references before you hire them. Once you decide, make sure they know the date, and make sure there’s a signed contract binding them to an agreement. This will help make certain the music portion of the event goes well.

After reading these tips, it’s safe to say that you probably weren’t aware of even half of these ideas. And that’s because no one ever realizes just how much goes into planning a wedding until they’re actually staring at it in the face. A wedding is perhaps the most detail-oriented celebration out there, so be sure that you’re using these tips to help you out.