WEDDING PLANNING 1
How to choose and work with wedding vendors,
professionals and service providers
First article in the series.
Many brides and grooms write to A-wedding Day requesting
information
about planning their weddings. The typical inquiry is as follows.
" We just got engaged. What do we do now? Where do we begin?"
Well, weddings are very personal and each has its own unique
character.
It is very difficult to list every possible scenario but the
basics are
the style of wedding, the size, the budget involved , the
location
and of course the bride and groom's choices and their
personalities.
À WEDDING STYLE can range form a classic, elegant and glitzy
black tie affair to a picnic in a park.
À WEDDING SIZE depends on the number of guests.
À WEDDING BUDGET can range from a few hundred to thousands of
dollars.
À WEDDING LOCATION local or a destination wedding.
À BRIDE and GROOM choose the setting, the colors, the music,
the wedding theme etc... that reflect their personalities and
interests.
Some couples hire a wedding planner, some rely on the experience
of
friends and family, but most opt to plan their wedding by
themselves.
The wedding day is only part of the term wedding as a whole.
Wedding as it will be referred to in this article includes the
preparations
for, and the activities following the big day including the
honeymoon.
So, you got engaged and are looking forward with anticipation, to
your dream wedding but do not know where to start and what to do.
You are not alone! This article is dedicated to the many engaged
couples
facing this dilemma and those who want to be focused.
It is very important that both of you, bride and groom, start
planning your
wedding as soon after the engagement as possible. This allows
you to:
À take your time, brain storm and leisurely discuss your needs
and desires,
À prevent and correct any errors,
À deal with delays,
À handle any possible mishaps,
À have fun and enjoy planning your wedding rather than stress
over it.
You need to choose your priorities first and write down
everything that is
very important - urgent,
less important - allows for flexibility and
least important - most adaptable for changes and compromises.
For example:
Very important - urgent
À Date
À Budget
À Location of ceremony - location of reception
À Size of guest list
À Offificiant - Clergy
À A specific wedding vendor or service provider
À Time of year time of day
Having prioritized, put together your wedding information and a
list
of questions and requests, to present to the vendor or service
provider.
Of secondary important - less urgent but needs time to organize.
Can be flexible.
À Attire
À Menu and Beverages
À Florist
À Cake
À Photographer - videographer
À Invitations
À Musicians
À Wedding day help - before, during and after the wedding.
least important - Most acceptable for flexibility, changes and
compromises.
À Wedding day schedule
À Readings at ceremony
À Music selection
À Final flower selection
À Gifts for family and wedding attendants
À A wedding gift from the bride to the groom
À A wedding gift from the groom to the bride
À Wedding favors
À Centerpieces
À Reception seating arrangements
How to find the appropriate wedding vendors professionals and
service providers.
Before setting any appointments it is a good idea to:
ask your friend, acquaintances and family for recommendations,
Attend bridal shows
Visit bridal shops and ask for referrals,
Check the Internet
Check the yellow pages
Go over the written notes and organize them by priority and ease
of use.
Armed with a list of vendors and service providers, it is time
for you to
pick up the phone and set appointments. Schedule your
appointments
by PRIORITY. So, if a specific person or company's participation
at the
wedding is required, you should contact them FIRST to find out
when
they have an opening. If the date is a priority you need to focus
on
securing an officiant, and a location for the ceremony and the
reception,
and so on. Do not, however, commit until you have accumulated at
least
a few bids and found the person(s) you interviewed accommodating
and
easy to work with. Once you made your choice, do not look for
other
alternatives or you'll drive yourselves crazy. Instead go on to
the next
detail that requires your attention.
Be prepared! Go to each interview ready with your questions and
information neatly written. Bring a pen and paper and take notes
at
meetings with the different wedding professionals, service
providers
and wedding vendors.
These notes serve as a fun keep sake too.
I'll list the wedding professionals, service providers and
vendors that
are part of the BASIC WEDDING. You may not need every service
or you may need more than listed.
Each mention will link to the information needed for a meeting
with
the specific vendor or service provider and the information
needed
from him or her.
So, without further ado, Here is the list in alphabetical order.
À Accommodations - Bride and Groom, Family, Wedding Guests
À addressing and calligraphy
À banquet facility - restaurant or event hall
À beauty - make-up, nails and hair
À catering- pre-wedding parties, rehearsal meal, reception,
other
À Do it yourself, make your own - materials and supplies outlets
À honeymoon -travel, guided tours, sports, recreation, other
À jewelry - engagement ring, wedding bands, wedding jewelry,
gifts from bride and groom,
À officiant - clergy
À printers - save the day, invitations, reply cards, programs,
place cards, menus, thank you notes, other
À religious site - Church, Synagogue, Temple, Mosque, other
À transportation - limo, horse and carriage, taxi, car rental
for guests,
À travel agent- destination wedding, honeymoon, guest travel,
other
À Wedding Accessories
À Wedding and guest Accommodations
À Wedding Attire - Gowns, Tuxedos
À Wedding Cakes
À Wedding Flowers
À wedding gift for - best man, maid of honor, bridesmaids,
ushers, kids, other
À wedding gifts for - family, wedding party, other
À wedding music - Disc Jockey, soloist, band or a small
orchestra
À Wedding Photographers - videographers
À Wedding Planners
À Wedding Rings
À Other important considerations
With the basic information on hand, have fun planning your dream
wedding.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
Resource Box
Copyrights ® 2004 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser,
Nily Glaser is the founder of A-wedding Day,
http://www.a-weddingday.com"> A-wedding Day
a very popular Wedding Resource and Information Center,
offering articles, tips, ideas and a discount shopping mall for
wedding gifts, supplies and bridal accessories.
We would highly appreciate a courtesy copy of your publication
and / or the URL and an active link.
