The ceremony is a very important part of the wedding, and should never take a backseat to reception planning. If you have a dominant religious background, choosing the venue will be simple. If you don’t, there is a wide selection of options available depending on what kind of ceremony you want to have and what your beliefs are. If neither you nor your fiancé have devout beliefs, you will probably be most comfortable with a civil ceremony. This can be conducted at the local courthouse or even by a certified friend or family member.

Having a close friend conduct the ceremony saves you from the headache of trying to find an officiant on your own. Otherwise, the best way to find the better officiants is by word-of-mouth. Call all of your married friends and relatives and see if they have anyone that would refer or recommend for your ceremony. First, of course, you need to decide whether you want to be married by a rabbi, minister, priest, public official, or justice of the peace.

Once you establish in what manner you would like the ceremony to be conducted, next comes choosing location. There are so many different spots that would be an ideal place for romantic nuptials. You can exchange vows in a museum, art gallery, hotel, or keep it classic with a chapel, synagogue, or church. Yachts, parks, and beaches are great for the bride who desires something under the wide outdoors.

Nowadays, it seems that there are more interfaith couples than is not. This means that the couple comes from two contrary religious backgrounds. If this is the case for you, speak to clergy representing both of your religions and see if either one is open to co-officiating. There are many ministers who specialize in interfaith ceremonies, so you may need to contact the Unitarian Universalist Association (uua.org) and see if there are any members in your area.

If you’re getting married in a church or synagogue under very specific religious circumstances, you will need to ask the clergy for permission to personalize the ceremony. This goes for the songs played before and during the ceremony, the wedding vows spoken, all readings, and rituals such as the unity candle or unity sand. If your church refuses to let you individualize the nuptials to suit your own specific taste, you may want to consider seeking a new officiant and ceremony venue so that you can have the wedding you want.

Just as with the reception, you can carry out the ceremony in any manner you wish. You can designate a handful of friends to read scriptures from the Bible, or even your favorite book. Work one-on-one with the officiant so that he can mention love quotes and parables that you feel reflects your relationship and what you expect in your future together. There are so many ways that you can convey your own personality in the ceremonial festivities, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be 100% satisfied with the end-result. For more tips on how to plan the perfect wedding ceremony, check out 1WeddingSource’s Guide on Ceremony Planning on the main page.

When it comes to choosing the most ideal gifts to give to the bridal party and to the wedding guests attending the reception, it’s always best to stick to a common theme. For the wedding to be a true success through and through, everything should harmonize from the tablecloths to the cake to the napkin holders, so forth and so on. This could necessitate critical thinking on your end, but in the long run, it will all be worth the time and effort.

Celebrity Style
Take it from the celebrities, who hire professional wedding planners to make sure that all the constituents are in perfect accordance with one another. One of the most recent nuptials was between singer Ashley Simpson and Fall Out Boy bassist, Pete Wentz, who tied the knot the Alice and Wonderland way. The wedding was complete with red and black table décor, a wobbling cake of presents and teapots, and black and pink Alice in Wonderland totes filled with goodies for the bridesmaids. Some of the gifts included a $450 14-kt Dillon Rogers necklace, pocket watches, as well as psychedelic Alice in Wonderland t-shirts.

Tasteful and Modern
If you’re not a big fan of the Cheschire Cat and desire something a little more tastefully modern, consider an Asian-styled affair with simple table settings and hanging paper lanterns. Top off the look with colorful origami wedding favors that the guests will have fun playing with at their tables during the festivities. Origami favors are neat to look at and can be fun puzzles that adults and kids can experiment with. Customize your favors with questions regarding your wedding that the guests will have fun guessing. You can even personalize them to match the wedding color theme that you designate.

Stay Away From Scented Favors
Although scented favors such as candles and flowers can be nice, you don’t want the smells to interfere with the atmosphere you have going on at the reception venue. Rather than leave scented favors out on the tables, have the waitstaff distribute them after dinner and cake has been served.

Two for the Price of One
Sometimes, it just doesn’t make any sense to spend $2 on a cheap party favor that you know will just be discarded the day following the wedding. If you find yourself on a tight budget, but want to get something nice for the guests, consider buying one gift per couple. This way you can opt for something nicer that will stand the test of time, and spend less overall.

Wedding Favor Treats
The best gifts always seem to be edible ones. Instead of passing out individual gifts that may be disposed of as quickly as it was received, set up a candy buffet instead where guests can create their own grab-bag. This makes the act of passing out the wedding party favor more fun and interactive – plus, the guest gets to pick what he/she wants. Everyone goes home happy, and you can rest easy knowing that your wedding favor was a success!

The wedding proposal is a catalyst for a million other things that need to happen within the next few weeks. Of course, first and foremost, is spreading the good news to close friends and family. Everyone will want to know when, where, and how. While you may be only more than happy to call every single person you know and relay the details moment by moment, others may find the task to be tedious and time-consuming. A great solution: create your own wedding website with pictures and stories recounting the events. This can be used from now until the wedding day to keep guests posted on upcoming bachelor/bachelorette parties, and nuptial news.

Another good idea is to have formal announcements created at a local print-shop; you can then mail these to each family. This will save you from hours of spreading the word in person or over the phone, and in addition, everyone will have a memento that they can keep as a reminder of the upcoming celebration. If you already know the date of the wedding, you can even include this in the information and or send out the announcement in the form of a magnet that guests can hang up on their refrigerator until the big day.

Now is the perfect time to get your pictures done. Most couples opt for professional prints that they can use at the wedding reception, but taking them yourself can work just as well. If you plan on having a professional photographer at the wedding, take advantage of this situation and use it to find an ideal professional who both you and the groom really like. Use the engagement pictures as a practice session to feel him/her out and see if you really like the work.

An engagement party is a must. Traditionally, the family of both the bride and groom attend and the father announces the engagement during the festivities. This can be as elegant as a private party at a local French bistro, or as casual as a backyard barbecue. You can invite close friends at this time; just make sure that you don’t invite anyone who you don’t plan on inviting to the wedding. This is a great time to get the parents acquainted with one another for the wedding. Make sure that they get along (they may need supervision!) as the planning will run much smoother if everyone is in each other’s good graces.

While the wedding may not be for another year, it’s never too early to register for gifts! Take some time out with your fiancé to visit all of your favorite stores and window shop for the necessities. Ideally, you should register at more than 2 stores, making sure to pick a low-end alternative for guests who are tight on cash. If you and the groom are already living together and have most of the basics, consider a honeymoon registry that guests can contribute to and help with the post-wedding expenses.

Before you start shopping around for a wedding caterer, you should first choose the reception venue. Most reception halls come with their own catering staff that you may be required to use for your wedding. This will make things much simpler, for you as well as for the vendors. By utilizing an onsite staff, you can be guaranteed that the servers and cooks will be well-versed with the kitchen and reception room area. This is very important as it ensures the successful execution of dinner and dessert in addition to the serving of the beverages.

You may even want to consider choosing a reception venue for the simple fact that they can supply their own wait staff. In the long run, it could be much cheaper to get a package deal than trying to hire an external vendor. Whether you decide to go with the reception hall’s caterer or someone else, try to hire a company who takes pride not just in the dishes they provide but also in their appearance. You don’t want sloppily-dressed servers waiting on your guests at your wedding, even if the food is the best in the world. Make sure that you specify an appropriate dress code so there are no surprises in that department.

When shopping for a caterer, taste-testing is a must. Never go on just reference and hearsay alone – taste a sample of everything that they are going to serve at the wedding so you know what to expect well ahead of time. Before putting together a menu, a good idea is to survey all of the attending guests for food allergies. This way you can work with your caterer and come up with an alternative menu that can accommodate those that have special requests.

One of the most important – and most expensive – parts of the catering comes down to the bar station. You have the choice of either hiring an external vendor who can provide the bar service, or else hiring a caterer who can take care of both. Either way, count on spending a few thousand dollars on champagne and other beverages throughout the night. If you can’t afford to pay for two bottles per every invited guest, consider closing the bar after a certain time. Drinks can still be served at this point; however, guests will be responsible for paying for their own. If you decide to go this route, make sure that you spread the word via telephone or word of mouth so that everyone can make sure to bring an acceptable form of payment to the festivities.

Picking the type of food that you want to serve can be a tough call. Some classic choices are variations of steak and chicken, paired with a nice salad and potato dish. If you’re having the wedding at the beach and have a predilection for fish, word to the wise – be sure to have a tasty alternative for the non-fish lovers. A few green faces at your reception may just in fact ruin the evening. Also, select a dish for vegetarians. You can’t expect them to eat solely salad as their main course meal. The wedding will last for many, many hours and you want to make sure that everyone gets their fill.

One of the most important wedding elements that is frequently overlooked is: the music. Regardless of whether or not your hiring a professional band or DJ, or if you’re planning on managing the tunes yourself, you need to do your research! Even a DJ will want to know what kind of music you want played and what song you want to walk down the aisle to. Think of the wedding as your very own movie and set the mood with a theme song that you’ll want to remember the wedding by for the rest of your life.

Of course, if you’re a music connoisseur, choosing just a few songs may be the hardest thing you have to do. You’ll find that is especially true of the ceremony, which can be very limiting in music choice. While many brides and grooms play it safe by reverting to the classics like Bach and Mozart, modern-day couples try to insert current sound such as Enya, Corrine Bailey Rae and Andrea Bocelli. When it all comes down to it, there is no right or wrong when it comes to your wedding. Just make sure that whatever you decide on, that you know you’ll be happy with it for the rest of your life.

If you’re having trouble trying to come up with some songs for the ceremony or reception, think back on the better weddings you’ve attended over the course of your life. Were there any songs or background music that you remember liking? If you can’t remember the exact music that was played, try to recall the way it sounded or how it made you feel. Creating the right atmosphere is key to any good wedding, and can be easily accomplished with a top-notch DJ or band.

In order to comprise a successful wedding soundtrack, you should begin song-searching months in advance. The day your boyfriend asks for your hand in marriage, start making note of any song you hear on the radio or in passing that strikes your fancy. Visit the nearest Virgin Records store and ask a knowledgeable staff member for assistance. Give them a list of your favorite artists and see if they can find tasteful classics that would suit the wedding as well as your own personal style.

For ceremony music to be played while the guests are being seated, feel free to mix and match genres and time period. Select a couple orchestral hits and some Celine Dion that you really love. The music that will be played while the bridal party makes their way down the aisle will be more difficult to determine – for that you may want to brainstorm with your DJ or wedding band.

Also, keep in mind that many religious facilities are very strict about what kind of music is played on their premises. Before you begin to assemble your music list, ask the pastor or minister of the church where you are getting married for his approval. If he refuses to give his consent and you have your heart set on the tunes you’ve chosen, you may need to reconsider your ceremony venue. Otherwise you’ll be forced to play pre-approved tunes that may ruin the overall atmosphere you’re trying to achieve.

If you’re the type of girl who likes to save the world one tree at a time, you’re probably very interested in how you can plan a wedding that’s both beautiful and mindful of the environment. As the need for earth-friendly nuptials increases on a yearly basis, more and more vendors are making sure that they offer a diverse selection of elegant options that take Mother Earth into consideration. Before you start getting too excited, note that saving the world isn’t always the cost-effective route. In fact, the price of biodegradable party favors and invitations can be almost twice the price of the more wasteful counterpart.

If you have your heart set on healing the world as you say your wedding vows but don’t have a large budget to work with, there are ways in which you can cut costs and still afford the earth-friendly products you want. The wedding guest list is a great place to start; each invited guest easily accounts for $100 apiece. Imagine – taking off 50 or so guests could reduce your costs by $5,000! This will not only cut down on the amount of emissions expended in order to get to your wedding, but you’ll have more money to work with and less waste overall.

After trimming the guest list to an appropriate size, next comes finding the ideal eco-friendly reception and ceremony venue. It only makes sense to schedule the event for early morning or afternoon so that you can use as little as electricity as possible. If you must have a night-time affair, opt for soy candles rather than wax, which you can use to generate a romantic ambience. You can also help reduce paper waste by printing the invitations and wedding programs on recycled paper. There are many shops which can print on paper that contains wildflower seeds which can then be replanted in the ground. Another tree-saving option is sending out wedding emails. These will help you save at least a dozen trees, not to mention they don’t cost you a thing! You can notify all of your guests at the click of a button and receive responses immediately.

If you’re adamant about keeping the wedding eco-friendly right down to the shoes, a great idea is to recycle your mother’s wedding gown or buy one in a vintage dress shop. There are dresses out there made from natural fibers which would suit a classic occasion, but finding one could be a tedious and frustrating undertaking. If the only thing you can manage to find is plain in style, consider taking it to a seamstress for some aesthetic alteration.

Most importantly, make sure that all of the flowers you purchase for the wedding are grown locally and in organic gardens. Your best bet is to choose flowers which are in season in your local area. This will save on airplane emissions from having florals transported to you across country. Instead of having vase centerpieces, opt for potted plants that you can keep well after the wedding has passed.

Summer is a popular time to have a wedding as it marks the end of yearly havoc and the beginning of rest and relaxation. Of course, depending on where you live, you could be subject to unbearable heat and humidity – a surefire recipe for bridal disaster. Take all of these factors into account when planning your wedding so that a 120 degree heat wave doesn’t take you and your bridesmaids by surprise. This may necessitate scheduling the wedding later in the evening, ensuring that the limo driver parks in the shade and keeps the car running all afternoon, and opting for a tent rather than outdoor nuptials. Nobody wants to be the sweaty bride, so make sure that no matter what, you play it cool.

Nothing would be more perfect than a summer event on a west or east coast beach. The ocean naturally provides a cool breeze that can keep the heat at bay. Not to mention the fact that all of your invited guests would more than happily travel across country for a beach getaway. While some hotels and resorts in Florida, Mexico, and California can be pricey, some have wedding packages that can actually save you money in the long run! Plan a destination wedding through a bridal consultant at one of these tropical hideaways and save yourself the headache of having to deal with the wedding elements on your own. It’s cost and time-efficient, and will result in a wedding that you and your guests will remember for years to come.

If you live in a city that maintains a consistent 105 degree temperature during the summer, an outdoor daytime wedding is out of the question. After twenty minutes your make-up will be pouring down your face and your curls will be unwinding. Remember, there will be lots of dancing and mingling to do – and if you’re not comfortable sitting in your chair, you definitely won’t feel up to doing much of anything else! If you must have a tent wedding, make sure that you can get indoor air conditioning and serve complimentary beverages.

Summer weddings are generally more fun than winter and spring weddings. Think bright colors such as: magenta, lime green, yellow, and red-orange. In addition to a strawberry and cream wedding cake, you could open up a dessert bar complete with dreamsicles and fruit-flavored lollipops. Garnish the reception plates with orange spiral slices and sunflowers. If your wedding theme is green and yellow, you could fill the floral centerpiece vases with lemons and limes for an ultra-modern effect.

Make sure that there are water features at your wedding reception so that the guests feel refreshed. If the reception venue is lacking in this department, go to your local home and garden and pick up a few fountains. Place these in various spots throughout the area and surround them with potted daisies, sunflowers and brightly-colored roses.

As a young bride, dealing with the financial hassles of party planning can be nerve-wracking. Every situation and wedding vendor demands a great deal of time and energy; energy that could otherwise be spent beautifying yourself for the big day. If you’re getting winded while trying to put out fires left and right, the irritation will show on your face and may even ruin the day for you and your groom-to-be. If you are easily prone to frustration, hiring a wedding planner may be the best thing that you can do for yourself. A professional planner will be able to haggle prices, shop for the best deals and vendors, and take care of all of the last minute details while you’re getting make-up and hair-ready.

The wedding planner will gather cake samples, catalogue bridal party attire, and manage and maintain all of the prospective wedding vendors. While they can be somewhat costly, their contribution on the day of the wedding is well worth it. Plus, it could potentially save you from hundreds of hours of planning. Upon hiring a bridal consultant, try your best to establish a friendly and personal relationship with him/her.

This wedding is the most important day of your entire life, and your planner will be a big part of it. For the next 6 months you’ll be sharing all of your dreams and entrusting him/her to make them come true at all cost. While you should be trusting, try to retain an element of professionalism. Many bridal consultants may try to take advantage of your openness and overcharge while appearing to be giving you a good deal. It’s important that you receive the very best service for the money you pay.

The more expensive wedding planners are those that have been in the business for a long time. When interviewing potential consultants, make sure to inquire about creative talents and years of experience. Sometimes the more cost-effective planners only assist with a specific portion of the event, leaving the bridal shower and rehearsal dinner up to you. Prior to commitment, see what he/she is responsible for. It would also be in your best interest not to hire someone who already has engagements on the same weekend – you want someone who has the time and ability to direct all of their attention solely on you

One key benefit to hiring a bridal planner is that he/she will already have established relationships with many wedding vendors in town. By way of their business connections you may be able to save hundreds to thousands of dollars. Speak candidly with your consultant and inquire about the kickbacks they receive through certain companies. Keep in mind: your bridal consultant represents you and your wedding. He/she will be scheduling meetings with vendors and proposing your specific opinions and demands. It’s important that you hire someone who is highly diplomatic, articulate and candid. Otherwise, you may not get the best deal possible.

Another good reason to hire a wedding planner is that he/she can help manage your wedding budget. In addition to alleviating stress otherwise caused by money-related issues, you’ll save yourself from endless hours of negotiation not to mention compromising on things that you want. A good bridal planner will be financially adept and have a knack for accounting. When all else fails, your planner will be able to thrift shop with the remaining funds and still pull off a classy and elegant event.

There are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a reception venue: size, location, and ambiance. You also want to choose a place that is large enough to accommodate all of your wedding guests. Start by composing a detailed list of all the friends and family that are expected to attend; this will help you eliminate locations that are too small. Once you’ve developed a better and more specific idea of what size would cater to your wedding party, you can start visiting the various reception halls in the city where you wish to have the wedding. It’s important to keep in mind that you want a spot that will not only visually impress your friends and family, but something that will translate well in photographs.

Many photographers prefer personality over lighting believing that the character of a space has a greater influence on the overall picture. If you’re uncertain about what a good space should look like, ask a professional photographer for their advice. He/she will be able to tell you what elements are lacking and what can be done to compensate. A really great photographer can work around any setting; so if you’ve already selected the location make sure you have him/her take a look so you know what you need to animate the space. This could be as simple as adding some floral arrangements, string lights and tulle.

Great wedding pictures requires two things: good lighting and unique personality. The skill and intuition of the photographer does have a significant impact on the end result; however, the lighting ambience and character of the setting can easily make or break a photo. You can manipulate lighting with photographic implements, but you can’t expect that your photographer will be able to set up their equipment for every shot. For a few different reasons, good lighting precedes room personality. The reason is simple: you can easily integrate accents in a room that lacks dimension, but natural and already-fixed illumination is more difficult to create. Fix the problem by choosing a reception hall that has open windows. Also, try to schedule the reception around sunset. Light that is transposed from a setting sun is ideal for photographs.

If you can’t manage a reception hall with windows, you can make up for it by adding votive candles. It won’t be the same, but it will add some incandescence to your wedding photos and set a romantic mood for your reception. Many photographers prefer personality over lighting believing that the character of a space has a greater influence on the overall picture. If you’re uncertain about what a good space should look like, ask a professional photographer for their advice. He/she will be able to tell you what elements are lacking and what can be done to compensate.

A really great photographer can work around any setting; so if you’ve already selected the location make sure you have him/her take a look so you know what you need to animate the space. This could be as simple as adding tulle or string lights to the wedding decor.

When it comes to the wedding, the maid of honor and best man carry a good deal of the nuptial responsibilities. Brides and grooms generally choose their closest friend or sibling to act as the best man and maid of honor, trusting that they will help them plan the most important day of their entire life. Although their role is not as critical as the two getting married, without them the wedding would be incomplete.

It’s an honor to be chosen to act as the maid of honor or best man. Upon receiving news that you get to play such a critical role, you may even forget that this position comes with certain expectations. Least of all which is the grand wedding speech that you’ll have to present to the entire wedding party. If you have any qualms about speaking in front of a room full of people, this job may seem more difficult than fun. The bride and groom are busy worrying over so many other things – don’t weigh them down with your own personal vexations. They chose you because they trust you. The main objective of your speech is to impart a meaningful and thoughtful message that the bride and groom will remember for years to come. 

A great wedding speech is just a combination of thoughtfulness and careful preparation. Plan on writing it well ahead of time so that you can have it edited by another person. Prior to sitting down and hashing out the speech, formulate a comprehensive outline. Make sure that you hit all of the key points and address every important aspect. An outline will help keep your speech succinct, and will also give it structure and direction. Keep it short but affectionate. 

Keep in mind as you devise your wedding speech that you don’t want to appear over-prepared. While dry and over-rehearsed may cut it at work, its not going to fly at the wedding. If you approach the audience relying primarily on a stack of notecards, the speech will be monotonous and unforgettable. Rehearse your speech enough times so that the words and jokes roll off your tongue with ease and you don’t have to refer to your notes.

First things first: introduce yourself. Begin the wedding speech by stating your name and role, as well as how long you’ve known the couple. Next, briefly mention your childhood history with the bride/groom by discussing some memorable stories. Talk about your first impressions of one another and the moment that you knew that you would be friends forever. Keep it as lighthearted as possible.

The whole objective of the wedding speech is to share your support and enthusiasm for the union that is taking place. If you’re friends with the bride and groom, talk about when they first met. These are things that both the bride and groom love to hear and should be touched upon. Furthermore, discuss why you believe that their marriage will last forever. Acknowledge that they complete one another, and when they’re together, they strive to be better people. These are key points that will definitely bring a tear to the bride and groom’s eyes.

If you’re still struggling for some inspiration, look to notable published authors for some direction. Check out a love quotes book from your local bookstore and insert one or two catchy sayings into the speech. This can be really effective and very heartwarming.