First and foremost, request for a tasting. This should not be a problem, especially if the baker specializes in wedding cakes. You should know what you will be buying and therefore should have a taste of what the baker has to offer. Many bakers will offer you a range of frostings and flavors to choose from – do not hesitate, taste all of them until you know which one you want for your own wedding cake.

If you have a specific design in mind, then inquire with the baker if they will accommodate your request. These days, one popular design for cakes is to put an image on the surface. Perhaps you want a picture of you and your partner imprinted on the cake – ask if that is possible. Better that you know if the baker is capable of carrying out your ideas on the outset than having to change your mind later on.

Also ask to see the portfolio of the baker. That is, see if he has pictures of the other wedding cakes that he has baked. This will give you a clear idea of his work and whether you like it or not.

Don’t forget practical matters such as cake preparation. When will he bake the cake? The best time frame is at the most 2 days before the wedding. Ask him if the offer delivery and set up services. This will lessen the load on you on your wedding day. Ask about extra charges, if any. These may apply for extra decorations on the cake such as cake tops and pillars. If so, make it clear whether they should be returned or not. If it is the former, inquire as to costs if the decorations somehow get damaged. Last, have your agreement in writing and signed.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding cakes, reception, bakers

Your wedding is your moment to take control of your destiny. You are stepping forward and proclaiming to everyone that you do choose your fiance/e to be the person with whom you will spend the rest of your life. Why should anyone else be in control of what your wedding will be like when it is the doorway to your married life, right?

There are only three factors that should temper your choices. These are:

• Your budget
• The preferences of your fiance/e
• The availability of the materials you need for your wedding

The budget is the first item on the limiting factors because it cannot be escaped. The simple truth is that you can only spend what you have. This means not only cash but any line of credit you have. You cannot buy anything without money to pay for it. You can go ahead and order the most expensive dress, reserve the fanciest place and have the most expensive buffet meal set for your wedding but you’d better be prepared to put money down or the reservations will vanish. Worse, your wedding could indeed push through but you’ll be badly in debt.

It is far better to get the best you can, working within the budget you have. You might be surprised at how beautiful a wedding you can have without spending hundreds of thousands. Think of it as preparation for being married. You’ll find that the budget will be in effect from the moment you guys become Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

The second limiting factor is the preference of your future spouse. Man or woman, everyone has thought of what their wedding day will be like. Anyone who says otherwise is in need of some veritaserum. As kids we have all thought of one day having family of our own and that walk down the aisle or the moment you say “I do”. Naturally since it takes two to make a marriage, there are also two people to take into consideration when you plan your wedding and the other person is not your own mother or your future in-laws, just you and your future spouse.

The third limiting factor is the availability of the materials you need for your wedding. This includes anything that is needed from your wedding. This can be the venue for the ceremony, the venue for the reception, oysters for your appetizers, champagne from a particular vineyard and so on and so forth. The availability of these things is outside of your control. You will need to either work with what is available or adjust your plans to a timetable where these materials can now be had.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding planning, budget, preferences, choices, contro, decision making

It is not necessary to have a theme. You can have a great wedding without having to think up one. Most brides though find it a useful tool. They use the theme for coordinating the look of their wedding. The theme tells your dress designer the style of the gown that you are looking for. It tells your wedding coordinator the kind of decorations and ambiance you want at your wedding and/or reception.

A theme injects a bit of fun into your wedding. It can add some excitement, especially for the women. Let’s face it, women love to dress for the occasion, and given the opportunity, time and money, you bet they will dress to the nines.

A theme also adds some entertainment. Think about it. We all watch shows like the Oscars or the Emmy Awards. Sometimes we watch to see who won. Most of the time, we watch to see who is wearing what. Fashion on the red carpet is what attracts many women to these shows, not the awards themselves. That is why a theme is useful for your wedding. It allows your guests to show of their best look in accordance with your theme. The rest of your guests get to enjoy looking at a room filled with beautifully dressed women, wondering why they didn’t think of that same style.

A theme can help spark creativity. For example, you can opt to have a Cinderella theme. Your dress would be full skirted with a tight bodice, and of course gloves. Depending on which version of Cinderella you choose, you might want a glass slipper or a wooden slipper placed on your feet - yes, both can be bought or custom made for you but do make sure that they are comfortable or you may be in for a tortured night. While pumpkin shaped carriages are hard to come by, carriages in general drawn by four horses can be rented. Who knows, You might even find someone who has the perfect pumpkin shaped one for your wedding.

Instead of tossing the bouquet, why not simply ask the single men to fit the glass slipper on the right lady. This is one way you can practice your matchmaking skills since you can rig it so that the shoe fits the lady of your choice. You will need to find Prince Charming before you get to the lucky lady. Then you can have glass slippers for your wedding favors.

This is just one of the many themes you can have. It is really up to you and your groom to decide what look and feel they want to have at their wedding. The theme just helps to add a little spice, color and imagination to an event that you truly want to be memorable.

Don’t be afraid to be unconventional. What may be unconventional now may become a family tradition later. Who knows?

Technorati Tags: wedding, theme, Cinderella, glass slipper, horse and carriage, wedding favor, matchmaking

It is always fun to discover items that are perfect for your wedding. It is like finding treasure every time. Sometimes you wonder why no one thought of it before because it makes perfect sense to you that such an item be used.

For example, everyone knows that the bridal car is going to get a makeover. The groomsmen are bound going to attach a big “Just Married” sign with strings of cans and shoes attached to the back bumper. It is fun; but for some people who are very private, it is too showy. The great news is, you really don’t have to put up with it. Talk to your groomsmen and ask them to forego the noisemakers. Instead of having a big placard attached, get one of those little caution signs that attach to the back windshield. There is one that says “Newlyweds On Board”. You can leave that sign up until you feel that you are now an old married couple.

If you and the groomsmen are environmentalist, you’ll want to save the trees and minimize the amount of paper or wood you’ll use. Rather than having a placard, get a wedding glass marker instead and write the “Just Married” announcement on the rear windshield instead. Just make sure that the one you get has erasable ink or your going to owe someone a new windshield.

Don’t use shoe polish. Aside from the fact that it really isn’t good for the car, it just makes a mess. Aside from using a wedding glass marker, you can just purchase some wedding window clings. These stickers are really easy to attach to the car, will make less of a mess and will definitely get the point across. They even have signs like “mother of the bride” and “Together Forever”.

Have you decided what to give as a wedding favor? If you like cars and a shot of whisky every now and then, why not give “big shot wedding favors“. These make for really interesting thank you gifts for your guests. If you don’t want to buy them, these are easy to make and the materials can be found at a regular toy store and department store.

Can’t decide what in the world you can use for something blue? Here’s a pretty option: get an anklet. Nobody will see your anklet since it is covered by your gown. You can have an anklet that has a blue pendant or choose one that has more than one blue stone or crystal attached. These are really beautiful to look at and are really comfortable as well. They also add effect if you do expose your dainty ankle accidentally.

There are more cool ideas out there so keep your eyes open. There is sure to be a match to what you need out there. Just keep your mind open to possibilities.

Technorati Tags: wedding, novelty items, anklets, pendants, markers, signs, newlyweds, just married, cars, fun

• Hot colors for the year. Chocolate brown is coming out as the favorite color for the wedding theme. This rich color is often partnered with bright colors such as blue or pink, in some cases even lime green. The colors are both young, colorful and yet mature and elegant.

  Orange is the other popular choice among the brides. It can be paired with any number of colors, depending on your taste. It can be paired with chocolate brown for a really cool theme. Mixing it with another bright color makes for a very vivid and lively look at your nuptials. More of a romantic? Mix it wth gold or red instead.

• Detailed Backs are definitely a hot trend. Since most of the wedding ceremony is spent looking at the couple’s back, doesn’t it make perfect sense to make sure that your back looks absolutely gorgeous? The dressmakers definitely think so. That’s why embroidery, lace and jewels decorate not just your bodice, but your back as well. It will be a mark of how creative and talented a dress maker you have.
• Italy is the current favorite honeymoon destination. Thanks in no small part to the attention that the media gave the place during the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes ceremony. Italy is a beautiful country and is a great choice for celebrating the first few days of your union.
• Bridal dresses still have that long, slim look but there’s more variety with sleeves coming up this year. Strapless will still be in fashion but this year’s brides are opting for some cap sleeves for that more subtly feminine effect. The off the shoulder style is back in vogue as well.
• Geometric shapes are in as well this year. Rather than the round tables, square ones are the rage. If you are a romantic who wants everyone to come in pairs or who wants the opportunity to match make, this set up can be appealing.
• Entertainment during cocktails. Rather than the staid, boring cocktails where your guests are just standing around, waiting for you to join them, the new wedding receptions begin with a more festive cocktail party. Guests get the clubbing atmosphere as they sip their martinis to some really great music. The party gets warmed up well even though you have yet to make your grand entrance.
• Earth Friendly Weddings are in season. More and more couples are becoming environmentally concerned. They want to make sure that they are more in touch with nature. This means flowers that are pesticide free and organic food for the reception. It means recycled paper will be chosen for the invitations and thank you cards - if they send any out. In fact more will opt to use the web and other electronic means instead and save a few more trees.

Technorati Tags: wedding, wedding planning, wedding trends, fashion

A good choice to make if you’re getting married on new year’s eve is a hotel; especially if you are having a grand wedding. Some of the best hotels in the world put on the most wonderful new year’ eve parties that you can enjoy after your event.

Ok, now back to your wedding. Here are the reasons why it is a great idea to have your wedding at a hotel on this momentous day:

• You need not worry about them being closed due to the holidays since hotels are open 24/7. There is no such thing as a holiday to these establishments. In fact, they are busiest on such days.
• They are sure to have the staff that will attend to your wedding. Most establishments will tell you that they are closed or unavailable on this day because they are giving the staff the holiday off. That’s great! Hotels though always have crew on duty to attend to your event. No worries on this score.
• You won’t need to worry about anything about the reception. Most hotels will take care of everything about the reception. About the only thing you decide is what you want to eat and the wedding theme. If it’s a basic wedding reception, most hotels have teams who are well versed in handling such events. They’ll take care of everything. You just get to have fun.
• You are sure to have rooms in the hotel so there is no need to worry about transportation or traveling through the revelers for the holiday. You can simply enjoy the festivities from the comfort of the hotel.
• If you book your event early enough, you are unaffected by any changing price the hotel may have due to the holiday. You don’t get stiffed with holiday rates which is of major consideration since this affects your budget.

Now, reception parties usually run about 2 hours. That means that if you have the wedding ceremony at around 7:30 pm and begin the reception at about 8:30pm, your party should be winding down at around 10:30 pm. Find out what plans the hotel has for new year and invite your guests to stay on for it. As we said, hotels often have some of the best New Year’s parties. Often there are fireworks displays, great food and free flowing champagne. Since you are already coming from a reception, you and your family and friends may just want to stay for the fireworks display and the bubblies.

Do note that some hotels charge on a per head basis for their new year’s party - that covers the cost of the food usually. In fact, some couples opt to forego the original reception and just get tickets to the New Years celebration for all their confirmed guests. Some hotels will give a discount for that since you are getting so many tickets. This is usually a buffet so you with a lot of great food at less than you might have had to spend otherwise. The only thing is that you will have people present that you don’t know since it won’t be a private party anymore.

Technorati Tags: weddings, hotel, new year’s eve, party, fireworks

Your family may be gathering for Christmas but there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the holiday and get a little work done for your wedding at the same time. There is no rush on this day and everything can be done in a totally relaxed manner but it would be a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity presented to you.

“What do we mean?” you ask. We mean getting your invitations out there. If you’ve already had them printed, save yourself the cost of mailing it. Christmas is the best time to hand them out yourselves. Most people are home. They might even all be in your home if you are the designated gathering place for your clan this year. That’s a lot of postage saved.

Don’t worry if you haven’t printed your invitations yet. You can actually make an announcement during the party about your engagement and invite everyone at the same time. You can already give them the details of the wedding and ask them to save the date. Do ensure that the invitation follows. Most people will try to be polite and go only if they receive the actual card or a direct invitation from you.

Make sure to note the little touches used at the party. This may give you ideas on what little touches you’d like to use for your wedding. Though the occasions are different, there are basic elements to a great event that are constant, irregardless of when and where they are held.

If you are attending a Christmas party that is catered, take note of the quality of the food. If you like the taste of the dishes, like the way they are presented and served, you may have just found the caterers for your wedding. That saves you a lot of time and effort. You may even get a discount if your family is a regular customer.

Don’t forget to take lots of pictures. You can use some of these pictures for your wedding planning website. You can also use them to help you link names and faces of your future in laws. If a professional photographer was the one taking the shots, then you may want to ask for copies of the pictures and see if you may have found the photographer for your wedding as well.

Now, it is a holiday, so do take the time to relax. Don’t devote your whole day to planning your wedding. You need to enjoy having your loved ones around and renew ties. There’ll be lots of time to talk and plan the wedding. Just take the time to enjoy being with your family and friends. Exchange gifts and stories as you drink some eggnog.

Technorati Tags: wedding, christmas, celebration, planning, observe, announcement

For example, when you go out and look for a cake, just say that you are looking for a special cake. Go ahead and specify the details that you’d like. Avoid any hint that it is for your nuptials. Simply leave it as a special occasion. That means do not ask for a bride and groom cake topper! Aside from the fact that the cost stays down, often more varieties come up. The confectioners are not restricted to the white wedding concept or traditional wedding musts. It makes for some really cool wedding pastries, simply because your baker wasn’t thinking of a wedding at all.

A bouquet of flowers should be bundled together beautifully by a florist, irregardless of whether it is for a wedding or not. Throw them further off track by ordering bouquets of non-traditional wedding flowers. The price sometimes goes down almost by half.

Try going to a dress shop and simply say that you are looking for evening wear or prom dresses. Sometimes you will find the perfect dresses for your attendants on the rack. Sometimes the styles would differ just a little or they would come in different colors but that’s ok. The price - usually a difference of about 20%-30%.

What about the caterer? Think there is no difference? Oh you would be surprised. Simply ask your caterer to organize food for a party of the specified size. Choose the menu that you would like. Have the tables and chairs arranged simply - this means the simple long table for the bride and groom without the stage. Don’t forget to ask them to stick to white linen rather than just any color for the table cloths. The service will still be great, the food will still be delicious but the cost will often be lower.

Avoiding the word wedding means not hiring a wedding planner. Otherwise the cat will indeed be out of the bag. Thankfully, there are online service like weddingtrix.com that can help you prepare for your nuptials without costing you an arm and a leg.

It will also mean utilizing the help and services of family and friends since they are most likely to be the ones on whom you can rely. Yes, you may have to tell them that it is for your wedding but don’t worry, they may not charge you full rate since you are family.

Lastly, the wedding favors. You can do this over a long period of time with no one the wiser that they are for your wedding. Especially if you are crafting them yourself, the secret can stay hidden a lot longer and the cost is significantly lower to make it yourself than to buy the stuff ready made.

Technorati Tags: wedding, budget, savings, planning, cost cutting

If you work from home or are your own boss, that isn’t a problem since you can pretty much adjust your schedule to suit yourself. If you are an employee however this can cause problems for you at the workplace so exercise a little caution and restraint.

Try to keep your wedding out of the office. This means don’t make calls to your caterer or wedding planner during office hours. Yes, this can be tough to do since most of the people you need to talk with keep the same office hours you do. Keep in mind though that you are being paid to work on your company’s needs not your wedding. Remember that even after the wedding is over, you might want to still be employed by the same people so keep your mind on the job when in the office.

Leave the wedding preparation for the weekends. Most wedding professionals will be available on Saturdays or by appointment. They know that most of their clients are mainly available only on weekends and after work. Besides, it is a good way to see if a company is flexible enough to suit your needs.

If you must make phone calls on a working day, try to make them during your break time. This means that you are off the clock and you can make personal calls (if your company allows those). If you have an office, it is best to close the door while you make your calls. This way you can keep the details of your wedding private.

Try to keep quiet about your wedding as much as possible. The main reason for this is that not everybody is invited to your wedding. Sometimes this is due to your budget constraints. Other times it is a case of your only wanting to invite those you are close to. For whichever reason, to minimize the risk of strained office relationships, keep the news to yourself til you actually hand the invites to those who will be included in your guest list.

There is also the fact that if you talk about you wedding the moment you get engaged, it becomes old news. People don’t want to keep hearing about it over and over again. If you keep the news quiet to about a month before, the engagement and wedding plans will be fresh and exciting news for you again.

If you are wondering if you should invite your officemates to your shower party, general rule is that you invite to your shower party only those who are invited to the wedding. Often though officemates that you are close to will organize a separate shower party from that of your maid of honor’s doing. Enjoy the shower and just enjoy the camaraderie. Thank everyone for their generosity and kindness. It is understood at this point that not everybody can be added to the guest list.

Technorati Tags: weddings, office, ettiquette, planning, wedding planning, bridal shower

Sometimes, you will have to tell them to just once, set aside their differences. Ask them if they want to be a part of your wedding and ask them exactly how involved they want to be. Usually they will volunteer to be civil and can tell you that they will be as polite as they can be as long as their former spouse doesn’t provoke them - that’s pretty fair. Just enlist your entourage or other family members’ help to keep the peace and the space between your parents if you must.

They might tell you that they will go but just as guests. That means only one of your parents will have the spotlight on them and the other will just mingle. That can be a good thing.

If they can barely stand each other but are willing to set it aside to see you married, simply ask them to walk you down the aisle (assuming you will use the style where both parents walk with you). They need not talk. It is their blessing for you and you can seat them separately at the wedding and reception.

Now, where to seat them? In the normal arrangement, the men and the women are on separate sides of the table so that really isn’t a problem. They can both be at the main table with you. They’ll be far enough apart that they can pretend the other isn’t there.

If they can’t stand to be at the same table, go ahead and seat them at seat them at separate tables. This will mean your table arrangement will be different. It will be better if you have a bridal table for two and spread out your wedding party. You can let a parent preside over different tables. This is especially ideal if your parent has remarried and has brought your stepmother or stepfather along.

Make sure to brief your wedding professionals about your parental situation. It will make for a very awkward moment if the photographer keeps calling for the parents of the bride to pose for a picture that calls for them to hug each other when they can barely stand to be in the same room. Have mercy and make sure that your parents will be spared that. There are other ways that they can pose with you.

Honor and respect them both at your wedding. Give them both the credit they deserve for their efforts to be part of your wedding, no matter how small. If it wasn’t for them, you wouldn’t be there. No matter what faults or problems they have, they somehow managed to produce a wonderful person in you and they are glad to see you find happiness.

Technorati Tags: weddings, divorce, parents, seating arrangement