BUDGETING & ORGANIZATION TIPS

Who pays for your wedding and how?

Tradition depicts that the bride’s family is responsible for the wedding expenses.  Today, weddings are paid for in several non-traditional ways: sometimes the bride and groom, sometimes the couple’s families work together, sometimes only the bride’s family and sometimes only the groom’s family.  In some cultures, the betrothed couples have sponsors who pay for various items in the wedding celebration.

No matter is paying for the wedding, it is very important to decide how much you are going to spend before you begin shopping.  It is very difficult to shop for your wedding vendors if you do not know how much money you have available.

An important factor to consider when planning your budget is the number of guests you are going to have.  It’s equally important to have a sense of your own priorities as you plan.  Knowing what is most important to you will help make your decisions easier.

Following these simple steps will make a world of difference when mapping out your budget:

MAKE A GUEST LIST

The first step to planning the perfect wedding is to plan your guest list.  The most variable expense you will have is the cost of providing your guests with food and beverage.  There is a huge cost difference between having 100 guests and 150 guests.  In order to plan a realistic budget, you must have a good estimate of the number of guests who will attend.

CHECK IT TWICE

To get a more accurate idea of the true number of guests, write out your guest list, then divide the guests into those who will most certainly attend, those who most likely will not attend, and those who are either to go either way.  Divide the list of those who are likely to go either way in half, and add them to the list of those likely to attend.  This will create a more realistic estimate of your final guest count.

CREATE A BUDGET

Once you have a working guest list, the next step is to decide what items you want to include in your wedding budget and list them in order of importance to you.  Once you set these priorities you will know how much money you are able to spend for each vendor.

Staying organized when planning your wedding is all about deadlines.  Just as every wedding is different, every couple’s planning schedule will be different too.  In some parts of the country, couples can begin to plan their weddings 18 months to two years ahead of time.  Other parts of the country won’t allow you to reserve space for your wedding any earlier than nine months in advance.

When planning your wedding, consider hiring your wedding vendors based upon a hierarchy of which vendors can do the least amount of weddings in one day.  For example, your photographer most likely can only do one wedding in a day, so they should be among the first vendors you hire.  Then move on to vendors who can do more than one event in a day.  The following is a recommended order for planning your wedding:

PRE-HIRING ACTIVITIES

•  Complete guest list including addresses and phone numbers
• Decide type of wedding to determine color scheme and location
• Finalize budget
• Choose your wedding party

FIRST HIRING TIER

•  Hire a wedding planner
• Determine ceremony site
• Determine reception site
• Reserve hotel rooms for out of town guests
• Select photographer
• Select videographer
• Select reception band/musician/disc jockey
• Select ceremony musician
• Shop for and order wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses
• Select hair and makeup artist and schedule trial run when your headpiece arrives

SECOND HIRING TIER

• Select florist
• Select linen company
• Send out save-the-date and reservation forms (done at  least six months prior to the wedding)
• Select pastry chef
• Select grooms and groomsmen attire
• Order invitations/stationery/announcements
• Select calligrapher
• Confirm wedding rehearsal time
• Meet with caterer/catering manager and plan menu
• Attend menu tasting
• Plan honeymoon
• Arrange wedding day transportation

THIRD HIRING TIER

• Select wedding favors
• Send invitations to calligrapher (at least ten weeks prior the wedding)
• Mail invitations (6-8 weeks prior to the wedding)
• Enroll at bridal registries (prior to your first shower)
• Plan rehearsal dinner, bridesmaids luncheon, golf outings and any other weekend wedding parties

ORGANIZATION

• Make a list of songs you would like/not-like to be played at your reception
• Purchase bridal party accessories
• Meet with florist and make final floral selections
• Make final linen selections
• Schedule final fittings
• Select ceremony music
• Discuss ceremony with officiate, choose readings for ceremony and arrange for your rehearsal
• Apply for marriage license
• Contact floral and gown preservationists
• Write thank you notes for gifts as they come
• Design transportation inserts for out of town guests
• Give ceremony musicians music requests
• Give photographer checklist for photos
• Give reception musicians music requests and introduction list
• Choose gifts for wedding party
• Break in shoes
• Follow up on guests who did not respond (two weeks prior to the wedding)
• Give final head counts to catering manager, florist, pastry chef, linen company
• Set seating arrangements
• Write place cards
• Pay balances before the wedding (one month prior is ideal)

OTHER DETAILS

If you are planning on having a facial, do it at least a month prior to your wedding.  You do not want extra breakouts on your special day.

Do not tan too much prior to the wedding.  You do not want to be sunburned or orange on the wedding day.  Be mindful of tan lines if your wedding gown is strapless or has a low back.

Plan to relax the last few days prior to the wedding.  Get all of your organization completed at least three days prior to the wedding.  This will cut down on your stress.

Get lots of sleep and drink plenty of water.

Don’t forget to eat something the morning of your wedding.  You should have something in your stomach.

Selecting the perfect Ocean City wedding site, location or Ocean City event venue is critical to the success of every wedding. We have assembled some of the coolest and nicest spots to get married at in Ocean City, Maryland. You can also get expert advice from our wedding professionals to help you find the perfect wedding dress, tuxedo, wedding cakes, wedding florists, wedding caterers, and any thing else you might need to make your wedding dream come true.

View Ocean City Wedding Venues in a larger map

Planning your beach wedding is great fun! One of the most fun parts is to search for and gather your beach wedding accessories.

The term ‘gather’ may not seem appropriate when referring to preparations to make your special day perfect, but in this case, that may be exactly what you are doing! Imagine spending a romantic day with your fiancé walking the beach searching for the best beach wedding accessories that nature has to offer.

1. Go to your local dollar store, or inexpensive craft store, and buy some small clear bottles, either with a screw-on lid or a

cork stopper, and some sheets of plastic paper. Fill the bottles nearly full with water. Write your names and the wedding date on squares of the plastic with a water-proof felt pen, roll it up, and put it in the bottle – voila! You have ‘message in a bottle’ wedding favors to give your guests. (And if you’d rather not use water, you can put confetti or shredded mylar foil in, instead).

Better Wedding Photography Tips

10 Tips for Brides and Couples to better their Wedding photography

1. Be on time, I know this is hard to believe but things get rushed especially on wedding days. If you show up 40 minutes late for a photo session you’re not going to get as many photographs to choose from, you won’t be as relaxed, and in some cases you will be paying the photographer to stand around. We suggest to plan on being 15 minutes early and if there are people in your group that are chronically late, tell them to be 15 to 30 minutes early (you know the people we’re talking about).

2. When you are going to be outside bring a bottle of water, and some loose face powder, especially if it is hot.

3. Women, bring a few safety pins for the bra straps, and a few extra hair pins just in case that veil starts to fall out.

4. If you’re prone to double chins keep your chin up to help reduce the double chin.

5. Do a trial run with your hair and makeup and have photos taken to make sure you’re happy with your appearance. Check out your makeup both in natural light and indoors to be sure it’s not too heavy. We cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure your makeup looks light, clean and natural. Even though your wedding is a very special day, keep in mind that you still want to look like you.

6. Make sure the flowers are going to be there. Pre-arrange for them to be delivered or picked up so you don’t have to worry about them on your wedding day. If this is going to be an all day event you may want to have your flowers refreshed by a florist. Finally have the florist pre-label the flowers, so the right person gets the right flower.

7. Fill out a shot list and give it to the photographer ahead of time, this way you are more likely to get the shots that you want. Look at other people’s photos or bridal magazines to find photos you like and show them to your photographer. Most photographers will take the important photographs, but if you have a special request tell them.

8. If parents are divorced or if there is animosity between family members make sure the photographer knows ahead of time.

9. For the kissing pictures don’t pucker to much you don’t want to look like a cod fish and keep your tongue in your mouth (this might come back to haunt you).

10. Relax and be yourself this is your special day and no one else’s. Your photographs will turn out much better if you are relaxed and happy.

- Will Vickers