How to Plan Your Wedding

Planning your wedding is not an easy task and it can be quite stressful. The key is to stay organized. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Steps

1. Set a budget. Very important -- you should plan how much you want to spend on each detail of your wedding, and make sure you don't exceed that amount. In some cases but not all, parents of the bride or groom will offer to pay for specific things.
2. Choose a theme. It doesn't have to be anything really specific, but you want there to be a consistent feeling throughout. Make sure the theme is easy to plan and decorate. Everything should be consistent with the theme.
3. Decide on the size of your wedding. Remember to talk this over with your fiance. A dream wedding for one may not be for the other.
4. Choose your venue. Even church venues can charge fees.
5. Choose your officiant (a pastor, for example). If they don't charge a fee outright to perform the ceremony, be courteous to pay a generous gratuity for their time.
6. Attend pre-marriage counseling. This may take a large time commitment, but is worth it in the long-run. Be honest about your desires and expectations for marriage.
7. Set the date. The factors in choosing a date include the availability of your venue, friends and family.
8. Send out invitations. Be creative; you can make your own and add a personal touch. Send them as early as feasible, for yours to make schedule arrangements.
9. Get the gown. Start looking early, months before the wedding. This way you will have plenty of time to make a selection and take care of fitting.
10. Get some wedding rings. This is a fun task to do together.
11. Find a photographer/videographer. Consider a professional for this special occasion.
12. Decide what type of food and refreshments you will offer at the reception dinner. Try to find a happy medium between what would please your guests and what you can afford. Weigh the pros and cons of hiring a professional caterer, as it's not cheap, but it's one less thing you'll have to handle personally.
13. Pick a cake. Before settling on a cake it's best to have a tasting first.

Tips

• Stay organized; get a looseleaf binder and insert tab pages for each detail of your wedding. Keep notes and worksheets for each detail and you will be well on your way to making your wedding unforgettable and reducing your stress.
• On the wedding day, be prepared for things not to go exactly as planned. This is a fun day! Regard the mishaps as part of the fun!
• If your pet is important in your life, it is becoming increasingly common to include your special pet in your wedding, and be sure to dress them up in a dog tuxedo or dress!
• Consider reading about married and home life at least twice as much as you read about wedding planning even as you prepare towards the wedding day. It will keep a better set of priorities in perspective. A wedding lasts a day, but a marriage lasts a lifetime.

Warnings

• If you try to plan your wedding by yourself, you may feel overwhelmed. Assign tasks to others in your party and family.
• Pay attention to wedding etiquette. Consult books by true experts like Miss Manners, rather than wedding magazines or popular (but etiquette-unreliable) websites like theknot.com. Contrary to popular belief, following proper modern etiquette will often lead to you spending LESS money on your wedding, NOT more!