Attendants

Attendants, include the best man, Bridesmaid, ushers, and groomsmen. Generally any people with some sort of responsibility on the big day. How many attendants are up to you but you need to consider the size of the church and your budget for the outfits and gifts. You need to rely on these for some of the organization of the day so choose carefully, the last thing you need is someone irresponsible in charge of the “rings” or any important tasks your require.

Budget

Every wedding has a budget be it a no hold bar white wedding extravaganza or a low-key smaller affair both can be a beautiful fun day for everyone. There are many ways to cut the cost on the big day with out compromising on style and atmosphere. You can do a lot of the organizing yourself, friends and family are always there to help with things like the video camera and helping to drive guests from the ceremony to the after party.

Cake

This is another important feature; as the cake will appear in the "cutting of the cake" photograph another staple of the wedding album. The flowers and bridesmaids out fits will also influence the style and color of the cake you do not have to settle for fruitcake though as there are endless fillings to choose from, this can also double as desert if you are on a tight budget.

Dress

The dress is going to be the center of attention for the whole wedding. The perfect dress should make the bride feel and look beautiful. This is achieved by a well-fitted dress that is flattering to the figure. Most importantly the dress should be comfortable as you will be wearing it all day long through out dinner and also dancing the night away, if you spend the day pulling and adjusting your dress this could ruin your whole day. Remember a happy bride will look beautiful either way.

Entertainment

The entertainment you choose for the after ceremony party should vary depending on what type of weeding your going for, from the classical stringed quartet to the full on wedding band. Any professional entertainment will eat into your budget but whatever you choose make sure you go to see them play before your big day as you do want your guests to have a good time and not spend the evening cringing at a nightmare wedding singer.

Flowers

The bridesmaid’s outfits will set the trend for the colors of the flowers, so keep this in mind when choosing the color theme. These can range from the most flamboyant bouquet to the simplest white lilies. The most important being the bride’s bouquet as this will feature in most of the wedding photographs so don’t skimp on this.

Honeymoon

This will be the most extravagant holiday you ever had. Depending on what you can afford push the boat out and spoil yourself. Weather it be a five star in Mauritius or a Weekend in a five star hotel this is your quality time as man and wife and should be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible so don’t hold back.

Invitations

The Invitations are the first taste the guests will get of your wedding so they should reflect what type of wedding its going to be Formal/Informal. Don’t be afraid to be different this is your chance to be creative and making your own handmade cards is a nice touch and is also easy on the wallet.

Jewelry

You can go for diamante for that sparkly feel of pearl for the more understated bride, always remember whatever stones you choose the theme should run through out. Jewelry is also a nice thank you gift for the bridesmaids a nice matching necklaces for the brides to wear on the wedding day will go down well and you don’t have to break the bank. Another special touch if possible is personally designed wedding bands most jewelers will do this but be expected to pay a bit more.

Love

You have done the most important part of the wedding day and that is finding each other and falling in love. With out you two this day would not be happening, therefore it’s your special day to celebrate your love for each other. After the ceremony eat drink and be merry, enjoy the evening and have fun after all it will be both of you that will remember this day the most and you want to have loving happy memories with no stress. So let your hair down and dance the night away.

Marriage

Outdoor wedding

Oh what a wonderful day it would be, a beautiful sunny garden, a big white marquee adorned with lilies and trinkets, music, dancing all sounds beautiful. Hiring a marquee for the day is a really great idea if you live in a place were the weather permits. If not I wouldn’t take the chance as a mud ridden lawn with cold wet guests doesn’t sound as romantic. Also keep in mind the hiring of cutlery, crockery, heating, lights, toilets etc. all adds up.

Photography

The photographs are going to be the lasting feature of you big day so you want them to be as fabulous as possible. Take recommendations from friends and people who have recently got married, visit the photographer’s studio and view his work. All photographers have a different style of photography so discuss carefully what you want. Most photographers wont allow you to keep the negatives of the wedding pictures so make sure you have some relatives take a camera as the more photos you order from the photographer the more you pay.

Reception

Your reception venue will be dictated by where you live, the amount of guests you are having and the style of wedding you want. You have a choice of hotel, outdoor marquee or to be slightly different you can choose a stately home or castle. Or why not run away from it all to a romantic holiday island with close friends and family.

Skin

You will want beautiful silky skin to match your beautiful new gown on that special day, so start taking care of your skin a couple of months before hand with some deep cleansing and exfoliating facials. We tend to forget the rest of the body so keep that back, neck and chest area glowing with regular exfoliating body scrubs and lashings of body cream this will ensure that J lo glow on the big day. When the day arrives treat your self to your favorite scented body lotion and load on generously to keep you smelling good enough to eat all day long.

Undies

Your dress will more or less decide what undies you require. A silicon based stick on bra for the strapless brides will make any bosom defy gravity. Or a steamy lace all in one will slim down your waistline. The store where you bought your wedding dress can advise on the appropriate type of underwear for your dress. Remember go for what makes you look good in the dress you can always change into something a little more “uncomfortable” later on.

Vows

Writing your own vows is a good idea if you want to give the ceremony a little more of a personal feel. Don’t hide away from this as every ones a sucker for romance and it will add a certain intimacy to the ceremony. Don’t forget to run these vows by the officiate before the big day to make sure they are happy to include them in the proceedings.

Winning Smile

There will be lots of kisses and smiling photos on the day so your lips and smile must be in tiptop shape. Firstly make sure there is no sign of a flaky smile, the night before apply some petroleum jelly to the lips and gently rub with an old tooth brush this will leave smooth soft lips ready for your favorite shade of color. Also visiting the dentist a few weeks before and getting your teeth cleaned and polished is a necessity for a bling bling smile.

Yes

The whole wedding day is about two people saying yes. Yes to a lifetime partnership with each other, through the hard times as well as the good. Yes to loving each other through thick and thin. Yes is the most important word in the ceremony so savor the moment as it is upon this word the rest of your lives will be built.

Zzzzzz

Catching some Zzzzz the night before the wedding is essential. It is often tempting to have a few glasses of champagne to welcome the big day, but remember you have a long day ahead the following morning and bloodshot eyes in the photographs will linger on for ever. Have a warm relaxing bath with some lavender oils then go to bed Anyway you can always make up for it on your wedding night!

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