How to Choose the BEST Wedding DJ

Choosing a DJ for any event, can often be a challenge. Many people don't know where to start. Most searches begin online. Here are things that you need to know, BEFORE choosing a DJ service:

When is your event?

The day and even time of year, both have an impact on how much you will pay. Example: A Friday or Saturday night event are going to cost more than booking on any other night of the week; wedding season (March - Sept) is the busy time for DJs, so expect to pay more during that time of year.

What time is your event?

If you're event is in the late evening or night, it will cost you more. After 8pm is the usual beginning of the "workday," except weddings, which usually begin after 5pm.

How long is your event?

The standard booking day is 4 hours. If you want to book a DJ for more than 4 hours, expect to pay higher rates or "overtime" (usually 1.5 times the hourly rate) for over 4 hours.

Tips For Choosing Songs For A Wedding

Since couples nowadays are more hands-on in preparations than before, several of the aspects of the wedding itself can now be personalized. In fact, one of the favorite aspects of the ceremony that couples often spend a lot of time on customizing is the music, from the very first parade song to the selection of dance songs in the reception itself.
If you would like to personalize your own wedding song selection, here are some tips you might want to consider.
• Decide on the theme. The theme in the reception can be applied to the music in the ceremony also, so decide on the wedding theme immediately (and stick with it). Will it be lively? Will it be generally groovy and upbeat? You can also go for retro if your guests are more on the older age group, or you can choose to be more solemn and go for the ballads. The important thing is that the music will complement the theme, the guests, and the couple itself in the ceremony.
• Doable. Another factor that might influence your song list would be how the songs are going to be played. You see, if you are planning on hiring a group to perform the songs, you will be limited to the type of music that the group can play. For example, you cannot expect a string quartet to play bass-thumping dance songs. On the other hand, you cannot also expect to achieve the solemn clarity of an acapella performance even if you use the most advanced music player. You can also reach a compromise between the two if you want. It all depends on the planning.

A Guide To Different Styles Of Wedding Rings

Asking your significant other to marry you is a big step, so it's understandable if you're feeling nervous or stressed when thinking about buying a ring and planning the perfect proposal. The process can be especially stressful if you don't know much about wedding rings and are concerned about choosing one that your significant other will love. Fortunately, once you understand the basics, it will be easier to narrow down your search and find the perfect engagement jewelry.

One of the most popular and classic styles of wedding rings is the diamond solitaire, which consists of a single diamond set on a metal band. Diamond solitaires can range in price depending on the size of the diamond and the type of band. Platinum is generally the most expensive because it is the most durable and long-lasting. Gold bands are cheaper, but gold wears away over time.

For grooms considering a solitaire setting, fancy diamond shapes add a unique touch if a traditional round or square-cut stone seems too plain. There are many different diamond cuts available, including emerald, pear, marquise, oval, and heart. Emerald-cut diamonds are rectangular in shape, and are very popular with celebrities.

The Essential Guide to Your Wedding Flowers

As soon as you have booked your venue and set a date then it's not too early to think about your flowers. Start to keep a scrapbook straight away of your favourite flowers and colour schemes. Subscribe to some useful magazines like 'Wedding' or 'Wedding Flowers'. Ask your venue too if they have an in house florist that you can use.

With about eight to nine months to go you will probably have chosen yours and your bridesmaids dresses, you can add samples of the fabrics or photographs to your scrapbook. If you still need to find a florist start looking now. Ask your married friends for recommendations if you have booked your photographer then ask him/her too! Visit some wedding shows then you can talk to some florists in an unthreatening environment. After this research come up with a short list and make appointments to see them all. Make sure that they know will not be booking there and then. Take your scrapbook with you; listen to their advice and ideas. Ask to see examples of their work, most of them will have an album of photographs to show you or if you see them at a wedding show they will have real life samples with them that you can look at. While you are talking to them ask who will make your flowers, will it be them or someone else. Once you have made your choice book them! Most florists limit the number of weddings they do each week and you do not want to miss out. Make sure that you get confirmation in writing of your booking, the estimated cost, a receipt for your deposit and then date when the balance is due.

Fun Places for Your Wedding Reception

Your wedding reception should be fun and the choice of venue will go a long way to determine this. A lot of receptions are held in rental halls or typical ballrooms which may lead to the event being turned into a formal one. However, if you want a lively reception location that guests will not forget in a hurry, I have a few suggestions for you.

Hotels

Even though a hotel ballroom may feel like a traditional choice for your reception, which may seem boring, there are many good reasons for making use of a hotel. The fact that guests know that they can easily get to bed will enable them to enjoy themselves to the fullest in a reception held in a hotel. A lot of people will relax and party when they do not worry about driving home or to an unfamiliar place at night when the party has ended. If you feel that a hotel is not the best choice for you, you can go for a themed or boutique hotel in order to steer clear of hotel chains.

How You Use a Photo Booth at a Wedding Reception

You can make use of a photo booth to entertain guests at your wedding reception and make the event more memorable. Great pictures will be taken for your own use and guests can also take home their photographs. There are few options for you in this regard; you can rent a photo booth from a rental company, set up a DIY booth that your guests can operate or hire a photographer to man a booth for you.

It is important for you to determine if you are going to rent a photo booth from a local rental company or set up one for yourself. However, the easiest solution is booth rental because guests will have the opportunity to print out their pictures instantly and take them home. You should also find out about any restrictions if you are considering a rental. A lot of companies have limits for the number of photographs that can be taken or the number of hours for the rental. Also, it is essential to find out about pick-up and delivery details in order to be furnished with the right information.

Moreover, the photo booth should be placed in an area of the reception where its interference with other events will be avoided. For instance, it is not ideal to have it in the background when you and your new spouse are being photographed cutting the cake or dancing. There should be easy access to it but it should out of the way of service staff.

Ways of Remembering Your Special Day

Your wedding day is indeed one of the most important days of your life. Not only do couples spend hours and months planning it and keeping every small detail in mind, they focus on various aspects to make it as memorable as possible. Right from the food to the drinks and table layout, couples about to get married focus on everything for their perfect day.

However, when it comes to safeguarding the memories for the future, there are several ways to do it. While creating the memories is a task in itself especially on your wedding day, saving the moments on record is a delightful experience in itself. While hiring a wedding photographer is one way of targeting the process, there are other interesting ways to save the memories on record too.

Create a scrapbook

While we may live in a digital world where everything is saved on computers and memory cards, it is not the same thing as viewing it on paper. You can easily download or print all the best pictures taken by the professional Nottingham photographer and create a scrapbook.

Include quotes, favourite sayings or even creative lines beside each picture to make it more fun. In fact, you can even document the pictures and note down what each picture signifies.

Wedding Vow Ideas For Her

Your wedding day is the one day you promise to love each other and make your vows to each other. Try to make your vows more personal so that they have real meaning to you both. There is nothing quite so moving as a bride or groom speaking their vows to each other and being overcome by the emotion and importance of the words they are saying. That break in the voice as the groom's throat constricts and he is overwhelmed with love as he offers his bride his love and devotion is one of the most memorable moments of any wedding.

It would be hard not to love the idea of beautifully written verse and deep and meaningful words spoken in mellifluous tones but don't be put off if you are not a fan of classic literature and don't use words you don't fully understand. All, that will happen is that you will feel foolish and the sentiment will be lost. Don't be afraid to include a particularly poignant song lyric or quote from a favourite film, book or poem if it has meaning for you.

"You had me at hello" is just as romantic as anything by Keats or Byron if it means something to you both.

Incidentally, there is nothing wrong with promising to wash the dishes or cook the dinner either! Just make sure you mean it.

Why Is Wedding Day Photography So Important?

In many ways wedding photos are the most important aspect of all, because once the day is over it's your wedding pictures that will be left as mementos for you to cherish for years to come. Of course wedding photography can be expensive, but it's a small price to pay for having a lifetime of happy memories documented forever. A professional wedding photographer is fully trained in how best to capture the right shots on any kind of wedding day.

You may be tempted to get one of your relatives or friends to take pictures for you, but no matter how experienced that may be at photography they are no substitute for a professional who arrives prepared with the right photography equipment. Having incredible high definition wedding photos that you can cherish forever, either as a beautiful wedding album, or as a framed photo in your home will never look dated like the photography from an amateur camera tends to do.

Which Island Is Perfect For Your Destination Wedding

A destination wedding is what you have had your heart set on. In some instances, you will find that planning a tropical wedding is less expensive than a traditional one. However, you do need to consider your guests and of course if your all-important budget. You will want to find the island location that will give you the most affordable options as well as the beautiful beach with the setting sun.

The following four islands will give you everything that you want for your wedding in a friendly and easy way. Remember that including anything local like food, drinks, and flowers will help your budget stay on track. To learn more read my article entitled "Ways to Save When Planning Your Destination Wedding." Finding locations that have direct flights and all-inclusive resorts can make things easier for your guests. You want to stay budget friendly and get as much as you can for your dollar.

Let's begin:

Dominican Republic - Also known as the D.R., has plenty to offer. Most of its flights take you directly to Punta Cana or Cap Cana which are on the east side of the island. There you will find endless beaches, resorts with every amenity available and tons of activities. When choosing a resort venue know that each resort can offer a few different wedding options. You can have you ceremony on the beach or a lavish reception overlooking the ocean.

How to Select the Ideal Wedding Invitations

Sending out wedding invitations is more than simply letting guests know when and where the wedding will be. It is a first impression of the couple and what the wedding will be like. They set the tone and theme and will be kept by guests as a keepsake. This can cause brides some anxiety. Even though the wedding invitation is central to the day, choosing the perfect invitation is fun!

The theme of the invitation, and therefore the wedding, is the first thing to consider. Brides have trouble creating the perfect theme for their wedding. They may begin with a theme in mind, but that usually gets thrown out once they see different invitation samples they fall in love with.

Brides should keep an open mind about invitation design, especially if there is no preference on the theme or have not yet chosen a colour scheme. Viewing invitation product samples makes the difference between simply liking an invitation and actually ordering an invitation.

Instead of sticking with a design theme, choose a colour scheme. When brides choose a certain theme, it narrows down the choices before they can even experience the different kinds of invitation designs available. Specific colours will appropriately limit choices without brides missing out on the perfect design theme.

Price can be a consideration when ordering invitations, especially if there are many guests invited. Each invitation is a keepsake and almost considered barter for gifts from the guests. Therefore, brides should not go for the bottom dollar, low quality invitation. There should be some quality in the invitation while keeping it affordable.

Look for invitation creation companies that offer other services along with their high quality invitations. Make sure they include envelopes for free with the order. Any part of the invitation design should be altered for free. See if the company offers free shipping, even if it is conditional.

How to Buy and Send Wedding Invites

Sending out wedding invitations is more than simply letting guests know when and where the wedding will be. It is a first impression of the couple and what the wedding will be like. They set the tone and theme and will be kept by guests as a keepsake. This can cause brides some anxiety. Even though the wedding invitation is central to the day, choosing the perfect invitation is fun!

The guest list needs to be made before invitations can be ordered. Do not simply count how many people are on the guest list because too many invitations will be ordered. Each couple or family should be counted as one invitation. Consider how much each person will cost at the reception before inviting everyone the couple has ever met.

Price can be a consideration when ordering invitations, especially if there are many guests invited. Each invitation is a keepsake and almost considered barter for gifts from the guests. Therefore, brides should not go for the bottom dollar, low quality invitation. There should be some quality in the invitation while keeping it affordable.

Look for invitation creation companies that offer other services along with their high quality invitations. Make sure they include envelopes for free with the order. Any part of the invitation design should be altered for free. See if the company offers free shipping, even if it is conditional.

Rules on Choosing the Best Wedding Rings

Just as there are rules and etiquette to be observed when choosing your engagement rings, there are also rules that you need to abide by when choosing your wedding bands. Wedding bands in many women's eyes, far outrank engagement rings because not only are these tangible symbols of commitment, they are also reminders of a promise made before God to cherish and treasure the person standing with you at the altar and as such, they can't be less than perfect.

Of course, in addition to perfect, your wedding rings should also last just as long your love. It is the most important piece of jewelry you will ever wear in your life and as such, you will need to choose ones of high-quality and ones that closely reflect who you are as a couple. That means that you should let not just your heart do the choosing for you and it certainly shouldn't be about its cost or price.

Another thing you need to remember is whether you go timeless or trendy, classic or modern, your wedding rings should be able to stand the test of time. As such, here are some rules that you need to follow when it comes to choosing your wedding rings:

1. Never put off your search until it's too late

Once you and your groom-to-be have decided on what you'd both like, head out to the jewelry stores and start browsing online. Two months ahead of your wedding is considered ample time to find the best wedding rings so during this time, browse and research while you can, take note of the rings you liked and didn't like then come back again to see which one stands out from the rest of your choices. The extra time is also recommended if you are going to have them customized - engraving in fact, takes up to a month to finish.

2. It's OK to be different

If you happen to like yellow gold and your man likes platinum, don't fret. You can always choose to wear wedding bands that complement each other's style. What's important is that you're both comfortable wearing your rings and that it reflects your personal styles and preferences.

5 Benefits Of Having Your Wedding Service In A Chapel As Opposed To Gardens

Are you having a wedding soon? Well, you have two options on where to have your service; a wedding chapel or a garden. Which one is better? For one, it will definitely depend on the weather! However, both of them do have their benefits and this article will enlighten more on the advantages of having a wedding service in a chapel.

• Best for cold seasons

If you are not sure of how the weather is going to behave on the most important day of your life, you are better off in a chapel. Some people may find it old-fashioned but the setting it creates is just right for a wedding. With a garden wedding service, the weather may turn on you and cause a disaster; strong winds, heavy rain, too hot or too cold.

• Perfect ambience

Wedding chapels have a great ambience for such occasions. From the architectural beauty, to the structural designs to the small details such as window frames and panels, all having unique shapes and forms. All these elements are what make a chapel special and holy place to have a special occasion such as a wedding.

How to Write the Perfect Wedding Vow

I love a good wedding ceremony.

I always find it's an event that puts life's little troubles into perspective as I witness two people I love dearly, promise their lives to one another... and I never get through it with a dry eye.

Yet the ones that really strike a chord are those ceremonies that include personal vows... promises that both the bride and groom have thought about, considered and written from their hearts. Yes, we could always opt for the standard ones that come off the shelf, but where is the true meaning in that?!

However, as brides and grooms around the world sit there staring at a blank page, wishing the words in the hearts to magically appear on the paper, how do you really get through the writer's block and create the perfect vow?

Start by writing down the following:

1) 3 things you loved about your partner

2) 3 ways that they make your life better

3) 3 actions you promise to do

4) 5 emotions you promise to maintain

Here is a quick example for someone I know very well who loves driving:

1) I love his smile, his gentleness, and his strength

2) He makes me a better person, he brings reason and clarity, he makes me laugh

3) To always be a best friend. To always support and be by his side. To never get upset when he is spending time on the car

4) Respect, love, honesty, faithfulness, loyalty, support

And just put it all together...

Wedding Traditions and How They've Changed Over the Years

The United States is a melting pot of cultures, nationalities, religions and all of these play a big part in the different wedding traditions we see today.

And just as different trends and fads come and go, some wedding traditions fall off and new ones are started. Sometimes different things start as trends and end up staying on through generations as traditional to a wedding ceremony.

Some Familiar Wedding Traditions

An Engagement Party
Usually couples have an engagement party if the couples' families don't live near each other and have never met. This gives both sides of the family a chance to meet, along with friends of the bride and groom to get to know each other too.

Engagement parties can be really casual like a backyard barbecue or a casual dinner party. Couples usually won't spend a lot of money on these parties; they'll save the catering and music for the reception.

Bridal Shower
This is one of those timeless wedding traditions; a fun party usually hosted by the maid/matron of honor. The guests traditionally have been for the women - mothers of the bride and groom, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and the female members of the bridal party.

These are usually hosted at the maid of honor's house, but could be at the bride's house too if the mother of the bride is helping organize it. If the bride has a really big family and lots of friends, it's pretty traditional for a banquet hall to be rented for an afternoon.

Food can be do-it-yourself, donated or catered.

The wedding tradition for the bridal shower has evolved some though to where both the men and women are invited to a "wedding shower." And in fact, a "wedding shower" could take the place of an engagement party. It's still a good idea to keep this party inexpensive and casual.

Trendy Ideas for Planning a Country Wedding

One of the more popular wedding themes trending today is the country wedding. Country weddings can run the gamut from having an outdoor ceremony and reception near a field to planning a downright cowboy country wedding with cowboy boots, hats and horses.

A country wedding theme may be one of the least expensive themes to plan, especially if you live in a rural area where there are a lot of countrysides and farmland. You might even live on a farm yourself, which can save you a good deal of cash when it comes to renting a venue.

Obviously you have to plan for the weather as best as you can, especially for an outdoor wedding.

Some ways to help with this is to find a venue where there are covered areas in case of rain. When my daughter got married, they used the groom's family homestead. It was in a rural area on the outskirts of the city with two large covered picnic areas.

They had a tent out in the grassy area with a beautiful backdrop of green trees and a running creek. Unfortunately, it drizzled most of the day, but everyone was under cover and still had lots of fun.

Country Wedding Ceremony and Reception Location Ideas

• Horse farm
• Open field area on any farm
• Barn or barn-styled building
• "Big top" tent in an open field

Depending on where you're having your country wedding, the natural decor should save you money on decorating. You can probably get away with the least amount of extra decorating expense if you choose a location with any of these things already on the property:

• Post & rail fence
• Horses
• Bales of hay
• Tractor and farm equipment

Using Paper Flowers in Your Wedding Theme

Crafty Brides looking to save money can make their own bridal bouquets from paper flowers. Using a variety of papers and scrapbooking items, you can create a beautiful full and colorful bouquet for pennies, and these flowers won't ever die.

Why Paper Flowers and Not Silk?

Using paper flowers really isn't that different from buying a silk flower bouquet, except that you'll be making them yourself, so you can get as creative as you like.

Paper Flower Bridal Bouquets
A lot of bridal bouquets have a mixture of different flowers and different colors. So you can use one or two of the egg carton flowers and surround it with some tissue paper flowers.

Add a couple of origami flowers to the mix and you can create a one-of-a-kind bridal bouquet.

Then whatever colors you've used in your bouquet, make each of the bridesmaids slightly different. The bouquets for the bridesmaids can match their dresses. Mix up the flowers that are in their bouquets and change up the arrangement, and each bridesmaid will have a different but coordinated bouquet of her own.

Where to Get Ideas
A great way to figure out how to make different paper flowers is to take a walk through the silk flowers at a local department or craft store. You can see how the layers of silk are arranged in the different flowers, then go home and copy the design using your paper.

And you can use just about any type of paper too. I helped my cousin make coffee filter flowers, both roses and carnations, for her bridal shower centerpieces.

If you're really good with origami, you can make some origami flowers for the bouquets for you and your bridesmaids.

The Five Biggest Wedding Preparation and Planning Mistakes

Just as with any big show, your wedding day will not be perfect - but that's okay. While you cannot plan ahead for every little detail or problematic situation that may arise, you can arm yourself with some helpful advice to be prepared at all times for any potential wedding mistakes. But before you begin planning your special day, consider these five biggest wedding preparation and planning mistakes that amateur 'wedding planners' often make.

1. Not Budgeting Costs

It's hard to believe, but true - many couples do not create a budget when it comes to wedding preparation and end up in a deep hole of debt. The very first thing you should do to avoid disastrous (and bankrupting) wedding mistakes is devise an itemized budget, allowing for the necessary requirements, such as a venue for both the ceremony and reception, food and drinks, flowers, favors, decorations, etc. If anything is left over, either use this money for your honeymoon or spend it on something a little more frivolous, like a horse drawn carriage for your departure from the reception.

Budgeting ahead of time also involves your acknowledging the fact that you may surpass the total by at least 10%. Surprises do happen, so cutting back on other needless things will ensure that you don't go over budget too much. In these initial wedding preparation stages, you and your fiancé need to discuss who will be paying for what. It used to be that the bride's parents paid for everything, but this ideal is slowly fading away. If you're still coming up short on funds, there are literally hundreds of ways to cut costs for your wedding day, including having fewer guests, choosing an off-season date, selecting flowers that are in season, and having friends and family play a bigger part by making the wedding cake or trying their hand at photography.

2. Not Giving Yourself Enough Time

The image of the harried bride has been engrained into the psyche through a number of television shows that hype up the combination of little to no time and a 'my way or the highway' attitude. This is why giving yourself ample wedding preparation time is necessary to ensuring that your wedding flows seamlessly. If you want a large, extravagant wedding, you need to begin planning at least a year and a half in advance; for a smaller, more intimate wedding of about 50 guests, eight months to a year is fine. You need to take into account what your plans are for your wedding and adjust your schedule accordingly to prevent costly wedding mistakes from occurring.

Giving yourself more wedding preparation time allows you to order your cake, dress, wedding favors, flowers, decorations, etc. well in advance so that you don't come up empty-handed from last minute rushing. Allotting enough time also applies to your wedding ceremony and reception. Don't keep your guests waiting at the reception venue while you and your wedding party are taking hundreds of photos - consider taking a majority of the pictures before the ceremony and the all-important couple, wedding party, and family pictures after the vows have been exchanged.

Here's 4 Secrets to Having the Wedding of Your Dreams!

SECRET #1: How To Guarantee Your Wedding Lives Up To Your Dreams.

Believe it or not, the wedding photographer you select to photograph your wedding can make or break your wedding day. Yes, I kid you not, your wedding day - not just your photographs! Why? Because he's THERE - with you and your family, in person - interacting with all your family and guests - and representing you every minute.

 SECRET #2: What Other Wedding Photographers Don't Want You To Know!

So here's the secret: Meet the photographer - IN PERSON - before you hire anyone to photograph your wedding! Most brides don't realize that many studios hire part time wedding photographers to photograph their weddings for them -a lot of the low end studios might hire high school and college kids, friends, relatives, etc. This means that you go to a studio, talk with a salesperson, look at their samples, and make a decision - without really knowing who will be photographing your wedding! And if it's not just the right person doing the photography, and interacting with all your family and guests, everything can be ruined!

So, when you're talking with a potential studio, ask them the following questions:

1. Who did these photographs you are showing me?

2. Who, by name, will be the wedding photographer of our wedding if we hire your studio?

3. We want to MEET this person, BEFORE we hire your studio.

How to Plan a Wedding - Step by Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be a daunting and very stressful task. We highly recommend you take six months to a year to plan your wedding and will outline for you an easy-to-follow schedule.

Twelve months before the Wedding

• Get yourself a binder with paper and dividing tabs.
• Discuss with your fiancé and his/her families, plus your own, to determine a budget.
• Decide on your wedding theme e.g. Christmas, Fall, Snowflakes, Black and White, etc.
• Select a wedding date with your fiancé and families.
• Decide on your wedding attendants.
• Book a ceremony and reception location(s).
• Book your professional wedding photographer, florist, caterer, videographer, and DJ or wedding musicians.

Nine months before the Wedding

• Make an appointment with your officiant. For most religious ceremonies, you may be required to attend pre-wedding counseling. For civil ceremonies, your officiant may require a meeting to discuss your wedding ceremony.
• Wedding gown shopping and first fittings should be looked after at this time.
• Shop for your wedding accessories, wedding veil or head piece, and wedding shoes.
• Begin preparation of the guest list. Be sure to include both sides of the family as guest lists are often a contentious issue. It will take time to decide on long lost cousins, work friends, neighbors, etc.
• Decide on gift registry locations and register.
• Begin your search for your honeymoon location. If you are getting married during a peak holiday season such as Christmas, you may need to book your honeymoon up to nine months in advance.

Selecting The Best Videographer For Your Wedding Celebrations

Selecting the right wedding videographer is very important because wedding videos hold special moments from your wedding day. Just like you need to find the perfect wedding dress, it should be without question that you need a quality wedding videographer.

Now I don't mean a wedding videographer that asks Aunt Gretchen to say a few words about her little niece Sharon who is all grown up. And I don't mean a wedding videographer that likes to force everyone to smile in the middle of dinner time because he is always in your face with that video camera. Run from those wedding videographers.

The Right Wedding Videographer

During my wedding, I was lucky to have a very efficient videographer. He was unobtrusive (we hardly knew he was around), he didn't use crazy special effects in his previous wedding videos and he had a demeanor that made it easy to feel comfortable around him. Don't worry, the right wedding videographer for you is out there. And once you find him, hold on tight because he is an important part of your wedding budget and he (along with the wedding photographer) has your once in your lifetime moments in his hands. Make sure your wedding videographer is experienced. You wouldn't believe how easy it is for someone to just call themselves a videographer. Do you really want to be one of their early wedding video mistakes? Our videographer had hundreds of video that my husband went through with him during the consultation but even though he had done so many wedding videos, our wedding video was still different from all the others.

I just popped in my wedding DVD (that's right, I didn't get my wedding video on VHS) in order to give you some important tips on what to look for in your wedding videographer's portfolio. Yes, you need to see the wedding videographer's portfolio.

Why Use A Wedding Planner?

What is a Wedding Planner?

Essentially, a Wedding Planner is a professional whose expertise and contacts can turn your wedding into a day of absolute perfection. He or she is the lynch pin for your event; the one who will locate the services and suppliers you require; who will negotiate contracts; mediate and manage the various companies involved in your day and ensure that everything runs like clock-work. Popular alternative job titles may include Wedding Coordinator, Wedding Consultant, Wedding Designer or even Wedding Specialist. I will use the terms interchangeably throughout this paper.

The job of planning weddings is great fun. However, as with any other job in this world it is not all plain sailing. Planning a wedding with the expectation that it will be a day to eclipse all others can take an unbelievable amount of time and effort, to say nothing of the stress and worry! There are ups and downs, periods of great joy and times of immense stress and pressure. Weddings are events that are dreamt about: some brides have imagined walking down the aisle in a pure white dress and a tiara for 30 years or more! It is certainly a challenge unlike any others you may have come across before. And when you add both work and a hectic, pre-wedding social life to the equation, often the feat seems monumental. It is an honour not to be taken lightly.

Budget Saving Wedding Cake Ideas

The wedding cake is one of the major elements of the wedding day. Because it is such a big purchase, much time and purpose needs to be dedicated into making the perfect cake. If you have never planned a wedding before, you may have a hard time figuring out where to start. Well, by the end of this article, I hope that you will have a clearer understanding about what you need to create that wedding cake of your dreams.

The Shape Basics

First, let's focus on the different shapes of most cakes. The shape of your cake is very important because it can affect the number of people that can be served and the price as well.

Round: This is the traditional shape of most wedding cakes and is still widely used by most brides. Because the shape of the round cake is the most simplistic, it is usually the least expensive; plus it's usually easier to decorate.

Square: The square wedding cake is, usually, used by brides that want to break away from the traditional round cakes; but at the same time, they still have the look of a basic wedding cake. The square cake can be more expensive because it may require more labor. Oftentimes, the baker has to cut the sides of the cake to make them look sharper and neater.

Heart: For those eternal romantics, this is the cake shape for you. Again it may be a bit more labor intensive depending on how it is to be frosted and decorated. It's also important to keep in mind that the amount served from this shape may differ from that of other shapes.

Mad Hatter: This is for the couples that really want to have a more whimsical & fun feel to their wedding cakes. These cakes are usually uneven & slanted shaped. This is for the bold couples that are not afraid to be different. Instead of the traditional wedding décor, these cakes are usually decorated in bold colors and patterns.

Hexagon: This is a cake with six sides. This is another shape that is growing in popularity because it is a deviation from the traditional round wedding cake. Again, the price of this cake is more expensive than that of a round cake because of the time it will take the baker to cut and frost these cakes, but the finished product can be absolutely breathtaking.

How to Make Sure Your Wedding Day Will be Perfect?

Your wedding day is one the most important day in your life . You will find lots of joy and life altering events. You may ask the question "how to make sure your wedding day will be perfect". There are some ways for you to ensure that you will have a perfect wedding.

Plan for your wedding

After you decide the date for your wedding, you can start to do the wedding planning work. A good planning would help you to make you mind clear and know what kind of wedding you want to have for your own wedding. Although you have to make plenty of decisions, you would probably find the process very enjoyable.

Start your wedding plan right the way

Start your wedding planning as soon as possible. Because the earlier you start to make the plan, the less stress you would face later on. You will find this especially true when your wedding is coming very soon and you still find lots of stuff leave behind.

A good wedding plan would help you to control the budget of your wedding wisely. It will also prevent you from working till the last minute for your wedding. You would find your wedding in a good order if you have a really good wedding planning.

A good wedding plan would also help you in accomplishing your dream wedding. You can choose a wedding venue which you love most. And you can have the best services you want for your guests too. If you do not plan your wedding well, you will find everything ending up with a mess and it will not go as you plan or you original want it to go.

Wedding Favors - Does Your Wedding Really Need Them?

Wedding favors can be the perfect ending to a wonderful wedding day. However, there is frequently a debate among brides as to whether wedding favors are really needed.

Some brides see wedding favors as a way to thank the guests of their wedding while others see them as an unnecessary expense. Listed below are views from both sides of the argument.

Here are six good reasons why you should have wedding favors for your guests:

• Your wedding guests were gracious enough to spend the day at your wedding, and some have traveled a long distance to be there. A wedding favor is your way of saying thank you.
• Wedding favors can help finish off your wedding theme. For example, if you are having an apple-themed wedding you can give candy apples as your wedding favor. Having a beach or destination wedding on an island? Consider giving your guests beach bags filled with beach items or local favorites that they can use on the trip.
• In addition to acting as wedding favors, they can also be part of your table centerpieces. For example, for a Halloween-themed wedding jack-o-lanterns can act as both centerpieces and wedding favors for your guests. Another option would be to have small vases or mint julep cups gathered in the middle of the tables with arrangements of flowers as centerpieces. At the end of the reception each couple or single attendee would get to take one home.
• Wedding favors are part of wedding tradition. If you are having a very traditional wedding, you will want to include favors.
• As you probably already know, weddings are expensive. However, if you are already spending $20,000 on your big day, does spending another couple hundred on wedding favors really make a difference?
• Wedding favors allow you to show your creativity and style. This is one area of your wedding that you can really do something unique and different.

3 Food Based Theme Wedding Favors

Theme #1: Chocolate theme wedding favors

Should you have white chocolate or dark chocolate wedding favors? Maybe a combination of both milk and dark chocolate almond would be a good idea? Or maybe choose a combination of white chocolate and dark chocolate in one wedding favor.

The best idea is to have one flavor of chocolate for the wedding favors. The more flavors you have, the more costly the favors will become. You will probably already have a chocolate fountain, so you can than choose a different flavor of chocolate for the fountain Next you must decide on the design and style of the chocolate wedding favor.

You could choose chocolate cookies on a stick, covered chocolate hearts, chocolate m&m's, chocolate mints, plain chocolate bars or get very extravagant and have little chocolate swans or chocolate basket wedding favors. Actually, the possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing the design and style of your chocolate wedding favor.

Theme #2: Cookie theme wedding favor

Cookie theme wedding favour is the second option available for a bridal couple to look for their guests. Most couples want something that represents their wedding day and at the same, used as a nice token of their appreciation for the love and support of their wedding guests. Opting custom wedding cookie favors is a good choice for the wedding couple. The cookies can add nice décor to the wedding reception and the delicious treat well be appreciated by the wedding guests.

Is There A Wedding Planner in Your Budget?

The cost of today's average wedding has gotten so high, you might think that the application of the word "budget" doesn't apply. Of course you'd be wrong. Whether you're spending $3,000 (far below average, even in the least expensive areas of the U.S., but I know several people who've done it quite successfully) or you're spending $30,000 (only a bit about the average cost of a wedding today, so average means plenty of people spend more), you still need a budget. 

A budget isn't necessarily an attempt to spend less. It's a plan for where you'll spend the money you do spend, regardless of the amount. I hope you're among the lucky few who can afford to spare no expense when planning the wedding of your dreams. On the other hand, I know some fairly wealthy people, and I don't know anyone who didn't angst to a certain extent over the cost of their wedding. Most people simply can't afford or just would rather not to empty their savings and run up their credit for their wedding.