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Selecting a Ceremony Location

You’re engaged! You’ve decided on a date!

Now what?

Now you begin coordinating that date with your search for the perfect venue to celebrate your wedding ceremony.

Before you settle on a place, take time to insure that you have your priorities in line. While this is an occasion for the biggest party you will ever give, that shouldn't be the prime target.

Your wedding ceremony is symbolic of a huge decision and commitment that you and your special someone have made to each other. Where you will be married needs to be your first critical decision.

If a religious location is important to you both, and you are both of the same faith and attend a church or synagogue on a regular basis, your decision is easy. But if you are living in a different area, and away from your family place of worship, you will need to look for potential locations. Many churches and synagogues will only marry “parishioners”.

If you choose a non-religious location for your wedding ceremony, there are several options to consider. Public gathering spaces in historical buildings, museums, art galleries, and even sports stadiums have all been used for memorable ceremonies.

Whether you choose to be married at home, at the beach, or in the mountains, you can create a beautiful setting for this important day.

Remember that the ceremony is what this day is all about!

Wedding Cake. Yes, no, maybe?

If you don’t like cake, don’t have one. There are plenty of other dessert options that you can offer to your guests. But if your Mom can’t imagine your reception without a gorgeous cake, be gracious and include it – and ask her to select it. There is a long tradition of cake at a wedding and you might want to consider including one.

Cakes have been a part of wedding celebrations since Roman times. Be glad that the tradition has evolved since then or you could find yourself having a thin loaf broken over your head at the close of the ceremony. The wheat in the cake was thought to symbolize fertility and the guests eagerly sought the crumbs from that loaf for good luck.

In the Middle Ages it became the custom for guests to bring small cakes to the celebration as their gifts to the couple. The bride and groom were expected to kiss over the pile of cakes for good luck. At some point,
an enterprising baker (or wedding planner) decided to put all the cakes together and cover them with frosting. Thus was born today’s modern tiered wedding cake.

Many couples choose to include a smaller cake as a nod to tradition but offer their guests a wide range of
dessert options which can include pies, ice cream sundaes, tortes, cookies, bars, and sometimes even flaming desserts served by the full wait staff in a darkened room.

Will you be serving cake at your wedding?

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Tips to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke" 

Tips for Creating Your Wedding Website

Since personal wedding websites have become so popular with couples who want to share the news of their upcoming big day, we've included one in our Full Service package. It's a great way to share your wedding story with your friends and family. Just send them your personalized wedding website URL so they can stay up-to-date on all your wedding news. 

Here's some tips for creating yours.

1. Don't wait too long! Set it up early in the planning process, (as soon as you have the date and location).  That way you can include your personal website address on your save-the-date cards so any guests who need to make travel arrangements will have the information they need in plenty of time.


2. Make sure it looks like you!  This is your wedding and all about you and your fiancé. Your wedding site should reflect your personal style as a couple so everyone, even those who can’t attend, can really get to know both of you.

3. Keep it tactful. Don’t list your personal website address on your actual invitations. And don’t overemphasize your gift registry by making it the first thing people will see.  

4. Keep it simple. Don’t make your site so full of details and pages that no one can find the essentials that they are looking for. Keep it to a few, well-designed pages.  

5. Keep it focused. Your wedding site is for details about your wedding. It’s not the place to include a lot of personal information. Remember, that your friends and relatives are going to be looking at this site for guidance and you want everyone who visits your site to feel comfortable and welcome. Some of your older relatives, or even your parents, may not want to know all of the details of your first kiss.


Follow these simple tips and your wedding website will be as perfect as your wedding day!

14 Unique (and Cheap!) Ideas to Make Your Wedding Totally "You"

It's time to reveal some of my favorite ideas to make your wedding unique and totally "you," so that your wedding is an unforgettable experience for you and your guests.

Why is this such a big deal?

Well, I don't believe ANYBODY'S wedding should be "cookie-cutter." Your wedding is YOUR day, and it should feel like the right fit for your personalities from start to finish.

The thing that makes your wedding unique is...YOU.

Now, before you tell me how obvious that is, think about it.  What is the one thing that is completely original and unique about your wedding day, that no other wedding day has ever seen or done before?

YOU.

Your guests have never been at a party celebrating YOUR love and relationship with your fiancé.  They've never seen YOU in that gorgeous gown, walking down the aisle, partying on the dance floor.

The secret to having a wedding that leaves a lasting impression on your guests and really feels like "you" is weaving as much of your personality as possible into your wedding day.

 

Believe me, I've seen lots of weddings.  Including the details of what makes you special, and the things you love, not only makes you FEEL how special you are that day, it draws your guests in, makes them feel connected to you, and without fail guarantees an unforgettable day for you and your guests. 

And these things cost LITTLE OR NO MONEY.

Some examples of how to do it...

1) Naming Your Tables.  Instead of using traditional table numbers, name your tables after a special interest or hobby that you share. Such as...players on your favorite baseball team, cities you have visited together, or types of wine.

 2) Newlywed Trivia. Create a list of trivia questions about you and your fiance for your guests to answer.  This not only lets your guests get to know you as a couple, it breaks the ice as guests answer questions at each table.

 3) Favors That Represent You.  Give your guests favors that say something about your interests.  One couple gave Pez dispensers since the bride was a big collector.  Another gave bottles of mead (honey wine) they had made themselves.

 4) Share Your Childhood Photos.  You can do this in a collage of photos of the two of you growing up, on a table with your signature guest book, or displayed on your gift table.

 5) Display Your Parents and Grandparents Wedding Photos.  This is a romantic and elegant way to share your family history.

 6) Love pie more than cake? Then serve it instead of the traditional wedding cake!

 7) A Groom's Cake.  Have a groom's cake designed to honor your fiance's interest or hobby.  A firetruck if he's a fireman; a guitar if he's a musician.  

8) Personalize Your Vows.  Write your own vows and add personal details like, "I promise to bake cookies with you" or "I vow to watch the game with you on Super Bowl Sunday" to let your guests glimpse more of your relationship.

 9) Tell Your Love Story.  Have either your officiant or your master of ceremonies share your love story with your guests. 

10) A Photo Montage.  Play a montage of photos of the two of you growing up and then together set to music.

11) Invite Your Guests To Perform.  If you have musicians or dancers in the family, ask them to perform at your ceremony or reception. (Just make sure they will still enjoy themselves!)

12) Make Memories With Music.  Play your favorite songs and artists during your ceremony and reception, or the songs that your family and friends love.  Some fun places to use your favorite tunes include your walk down the aisle, your introduction music, and your parent dances.

13) Dedicate a Song.  If there is a song that reminds you of one of  your loved ones, have your entertainer dedicate it to them.  It can be serious, sentimental, or silly.

14) Thank Your Guests.  Take a moment around the cake cutting or at the end of the night to thank your guests for sharing your special day.  

You don't HAVE to use all or any of these things.  But I do encourage you to express your personalities in a way that fits who YOU are, because it will engage and involve your guests like nothing else.

Here's to an unforgettable wedding!

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Ways to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke" 

6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Wedding

Let’s face it: planning a wedding isn’t always a walk in the park. 

Sure, it’s exciting and inspiring to check out all the details, dresses, jewelry, exotic locations and honeymoon destinations.  But there is a lot to do and everyone and their mother (and your mother) seems to have an opinion about your day.

If you don’t watch out for these common mistakes, you could end up with a wedding day nightmare.  On the other hand, if you watch out for these mistakes, having an unforgettable wedding day where everything runs smoothly and you have the time of your life is almost guaranteed.

MISTAKE #1 – Having No Gap of Time Between Your Ceremony and Reception.

In life…and especially when it comes to planning a wedding…everything takes longer than you think.

If you have your ceremony and reception at the same location…

Or if you figure it's an 8 minute drive between the church and the reception hall...

Do yourself a favor and allow MORE time than you think you will need between the ceremony and reception

If you don't, you'll be stressed, miserable and end up with a wedding album where you are frowning on every page.

Use your wedding professionals as the expert resources they are.  Ask them how long they recommend for getting ready, receiving lines and photos.

MISTAKE #2 – Hiring Amateurs or Friends for Your Wedding Day.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of including your guests in the wedding day.  By all means, have Aunt Sally sing “Ave Maria” for your ceremony or ask your brother to perform a song he wrote on guitar.

But don’t expect amateurs and hobbyists to deliver a professional performance at your wedding.

There will be awkward gaps.  They will miss some of those important moments.  An amateur won’t know what to do when something goes wrong…which usually means things get worse.

If you like your friends and family…and you’d like to keep it that way…don’t hire them for your wedding day.   

*WARNING:  If you decide to hire an amateur or a talented friend to provide a service for your wedding day, make sure you adjust your expectations.  If less than perfect performance in that area is going to make you unhappy, please don’t do it.

MISTAKE #3 – Planning the Ceremony LAST.

Here’s a true story:

Jill and Kevin found the perfect wedding reception location at a beautiful country inn.  They plunked down a big deposit, booked the band and photographer.  Then they started looking at churches…

None of the Catholic churches in the area would agree to marry them because they weren’t members.  The beautiful Methodist Church was already booked up on their date and the only church available was in a run down building, with no heat or air conditioning.

Their parents were outraged that Jill and Kevin weren’t getting married in a Catholic church.  The couple faced the painful decision of dealing with parental rage and an ugly, overheated church or losing a large chunk of change in lost deposits.

If you are planning a ceremony in a location separate from your reception, make sure you can find an available, acceptable church or space BEFORE you book your venue. 

If you have your heart set on a particular church or minister, make sure they are open before you put down your deposit.  Otherwise, you can find yourself facing some tough decisions.

MISTAKE #4 – Not Considering the Weather.

If you don’t carefully consider the effect of the weather on your wedding day…for your specific location at that specific time of year…you can end up with a wedding day disaster.

True story…

Sara and Bob were getting married at a beautiful estate. Beautiful views, gorgeous mansion, amazing gardens.

Of course, they imagined their wedding day on a perfect June afternoon.  Instead, they ended up with a monsoon.

They didn’t have sides for the tent, so the guests got soaked.  The DJ moved onto the tiny dance floor to protect his equipment, which meant there was no room for dancing.  Everyone slogged through the mud for five miserable hours.

Don't let this happen to you!

Before you choose your location, consider the worst case scenario. 

What if it rains?  What if it is blistering hot?  What if it snows?

 

Make sure you are comfortable with your ceremony and reception location in EVERY possible situation.

Make sure your dream wedding will still hold up under the worst weather Mother Nature can possibly throw at you.  That way you know your day will be wonderful... no matter what.

MISTAKE #5 – Having an Unrealistic Day Of Timeline…or No Timeline at All.

Everything takes more time than you think.

Even some of our smartest brides, the ones who are always on time for everything, end up rushed and panicked on their wedding day because they didn’t allow extra time.

If you fall behind schedule on your wedding day, there is no catching up.  You can’t get those minutes and hours back.  Your party ends at the contracted time and there is nothing more painful than watching a bride who doesn’t relax and enjoy her day.

Get realistic estimates for the time it takes to do something, then add on some extra time for good measure.

MISTAKE #6 – Trying to Please Everyone

Every wedding website and book on wedding planning seems to know the “right way” to plan a wedding.  Your family and friends are more than happy to tell you what THEY think you should do.

Trying to make everyone happy is exhausting.  Plus, it’s an effort that’s doomed to failure.

Choose your battles.  If something is really important to you, stick to your guns.  You won’t be able to make everyone happy anyway. Make sure you make YOURSELF happy.

If you’ve already made some of these mistakes, never fear.  Now that you know you can fix them.  Just being prepared is the best way to avoid a wedding day disaster.

And if you haven’t made any of these mistakes…CONGRATULATIONS!  Learn from the brides who have gone before you.  Have fun planning your wedding and decide to make it your best day ever, no matter what.

You’re marrying the one you love.  In the end, how can that ever be a disaster?

Happy planning!

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Ways to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke"

Confirming Details With Your Wedding Vendors

It may seem as though your wedding planning efforts have consumed your waking hours for months and it’s probably true. As the final weeks before your wedding day approach, now is the time to hold pre-event meetings with your suppliers and venues. It is what our professional planners do and you should as well.

A pre-event meeting is something that all reputable suppliers do throughout the industry as a matter of course. Schedule meetings with every one of your suppliers. In person is best, if all are in the same local area.

The purpose of these meetings is to make sure that there are no surprises. Review your plans with florists, caterers, photographers, musicians etc. Confirm details. Take your planner or point person or personal attendant or whomever else you’ve enlisted for help with you. Make sure everyone hears the same information.

It is recommended that you hold the meetings two to four weeks prior to your wedding.
Remember that you are the client, and it is YOUR wedding day. You’ve been working on this for some time and it needs to be delivered in the way you planned. It is your vision for your wedding and you have hired these vendors to make that vision a reality. The pre- event meetings will serve as a double check that everything has been done and nothing has been overlooked. Ask any questions you may have. Leave none unasked. These meetings insure that planning and preparation come together to make your wedding day go smoothly and as planned.

Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your website? You can as long as you use this complete statement: Certified Wedding Specialist Dorna Love publishes the Love Wedding Planning monthly e-zine. For more wedding planning tips visit her website at www.plannedwithlove.com and get your F*R*E*E report "10 Simple Ways to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Going Broke"