As you discuss your wedding reception with your wedding planner, there are several considerations you have to take up to make it a pleasant and memorable event for all.

First you have to know approximately how many guests you are expecting. This is basic, since the number of guests will dictate the size of the venue you have to book for your reception. There are many places you can find to accommodate small weddings. But as the number of guests rise, the harder it is to find a venue big enough and near enough to the church.

Talking about having a venue near enough to the church, it is very important that your reception venue is strategically located. This is especially true for city weddings as traffic should be a top concern. You would have to allot at least 30 to 45 minutes transfer travel time if the church is a kilometer away from the reception venue if the location is in an area where traffic is a daily occurrence. Make sure to have traffic jam escape routes on your maps for the guests.

Next, know the rates of the venues you have chosen. Remember that if you have set a certain budget, stick to it as much as possible. Compare the amenities and perks given by every venue. Weigh the pros and cons of each venue against the others. Narrow down your choices to at least three places then set a date for an ocular inspection so you would have a first-hand idea of what the venue is really like and what it has in terms of space, amenities, parking arrangements, comfort rooms, and possibly even service if you chance upon an actual even happening during your ocular.

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The heart and soul of the wedding is the ceremony. This is where you stand before God, family and friends, and commit yourself forever to the love of your life. This is where you make your union official in the eyes of society and of the law.

Church wedding

In planning a wedding, the first thing that must be secured is the church, but booking one can be cutthroat. The most popular churches get booked as early as one-and-a-half years prior. If you’re Chinese and follow Feng Shui, see an expert or consult the Chinese calendar as soon as possible so you can hold down an auspicious date for your wedding.

It is also important to secure the church early so you can work on your requirements early enough. It also gives you a chance to work out any possible problems arising from such things as inter-religious unions, second marriages, etc. With inter-religious marriages, it’s best for the couple to consult ministers, of both religions before deciding in which church to get married.

where you stand before God, family and friends, and commit yourself forever to the love of your life. This is where you make your union official in the eyes of society and of the law.

Planning the ceremony

There are several advantages to keeping the ceremony concise. First of all, venues especially the popular ones, run a very tight schedule. Some have weddings every hour, on the hour. Others have overtime charges. Second, even if they love you with all their hearts, guests do get bored (and sometimes annoyed) at ceremonies that drag on and on. And when it happens, the meaning and beauty of your wedding gets diminished amidst the yawns and blank stares of your loved ones.

To keep the ceremony tight, discuss ways to edit and simplify the service with your priest or minister. Here are some suggestions for Catholic weddings:

1. Omit parts that are otherwise repetitive. For example, you only need either the Kyrie (”Lord have mercy”) or Act of Contrition, not both.
2. Keep the sermon short, about five to seven minutes. After all, the main theme and message of this mass is your marriage, and there’s a lot of that in the Marriage Rites.
3. Sign the documents during Communion, after you and your sponsors have taken it and while the rest of the congregation is taking theirs. You immediately save five to 10 minutes of otherwise dead air.

Short but personal

Keeping your ceremony short doesn’t mean breezing through the mass in an impersonal fashion. There are many areas where you can personalize the service:

1. Write your own vows.
2. Verbalize your prayers. In Catholic masses, sections like the Kyrie and Prayers of the Faithful are the best places to write your own intentions. When you verbalize your own prayers, you take the whole congregation with you.
3. Choose a priest or minister with whom you have a relationship. If you don’t know one yet, try to get to know the one who’s officiating your wedding.

Getting to the church

These days, people don’t just hire a car for the bride, they hire for the whole family or the whole bridal party. This helps ensure that everybody gets to the church and reception on time and without a hitch.

Car rental companies offer wedding packages that include the bridal car and a couple of extra vehicles (usually vans or sedans). Naturally, the bride gets the most special one - available for hire are vintage cars, stretch limousines, and luxury cars. Hotels also include the bridal car in their package.

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In ancient times, it was believed that our left hand’s fourth finger, or ring finger, had a vein that led directly to the heart. Although science has disproved that theory, it is still a romantic thought that the wedding rings worn by couples on their ring fingers are somehow directly connected to the heart (which science also proved that it has nothing to do with our feelings of love). Regardless of what science says, the symbolism of ring and its placement on the hand remains.

The wedding ring symbolizes never ending love and loyalty. It is a symbol of the wedding vows the couple will exchange on their wedding day. The circular shape of the rings represents eternity, and the eternal vow of commitment the couple share.

Most wedding rings are made of gold, which comes in three variations: yellow, white, and rose gold.

Some couples opt to use platinum wedding rings since the material is stronger and more expensive. It is not uncommon for a platinum wedding ring to cost four times more than a gold wedding ring.

Some modern couples choose titanium wedding rings or steel wedding rings. No matter what material the couple chooses, the important thing is that they always remember the meaning behind the wedding rings.

There are also numerous ring designs available. Women typically select thinner wedding rings while men choose thicker bands. Wedding ring edges can be flat, rounded, or beveled. The surface can be shiny, matte or brushed, or a combination of the two. Small gems such as diamonds may also be set into the wedding ring. The number and type of stones on the wedding ring will greatly affect its price.

When you decide to buy your wedding rings, it would be advisable to go to a reliable jeweler. A good jeweler can help you decide what type of ring fits you and your future spouse, provide certification for the rings and any stones you may have on them, and get you a good price. Be sure to have your fingers fitted once you have selected a design so the jeweler can make adjustments on the ring before the wedding day. Adjustments would typically take about a week.

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The most fun — and possibly the most stressful — part of the wedding is the wedding dress: choose and working with a designer, going for fittings, choosing shoes and jewelry, and more.

To begin your search for that perfect wedding gown, take time to pore over magazines and bridal books, attend wedding expos, check out designers’ websites, and visit bridal shops. Clip pictures that catch your fancy, and narrow your collection down to your favorites.

At the same time, find out the kids of cuts, necklines and skirt types that suit you. The best way to do that is to try on some dresses. Ask a friend or your mom to go with you for another person’s opinion.

When you’re settled on a wedding gown design idea, check out the works of designers or couturiers that have a similar design point of view as you. Visit their shops and find out about their price schemes. Some designers have off-the-rack and made-to-measure bridal collections, which may fit nicely into your budget.

Schedule a meeting with more than one designer and show them your wedding gown clippings. Most designers use the first meeting to get to know you and show you a sketch only on the second meeting. However, some of the more established designers require a presentation fee should you request a sketch; he fee is deducted from the total fee of your wedding gown if you decide to go with him.

Here are a few tips on how to deal with Wedding Dress Designers: (more…)

Marriage Requirements

Planning a wedding can be both exciting and exhausting at the same time. After setting the date and booking the venues for the ceremony and reception, comes the legal matter: the required documents to make the union possible and valid. A couple of legal age who wish to marry should first secure a license to get married. Then, there are other documents needed to complete the set of requirements and they vary for every religion, nationality, and status of each individual.

Choosing a Wedding Planner

Wedding Planners and Wedding Coordinators are a great help in relieving the busy bride and groom of the stress and tension of planning and preparing for the special day in their lives. Not only are they the advisers and guides in the planning process, they are also the organizers and implementers at the most crucial time — the wedding day. While hiring a wedding planner is a great idea, you might find yourself at a loss as to how to start looking. To help you search for a good and suitable wedding planner / coordinator, here are a few tips on what to look for before hiring one: (more…)