Weddings 101
Who do I need to contact?
If you have a big budget you can hire a wedding planner but don’t be afraid to plan your wedding yourself. Often, it is more meaningful when you do it yourself or have close friends and family working with you through the planning. As long as you give yourself enough time, you can plan a beautiful wedding and avoid having to give at least 15% (which would be $3,000 for a $20,000 wedding) to a planner. Here is a list of the contacts you should make and the services you’ll need for a traditional ceremony. Make sure to do a good deal of research before you hire anyone to play a role in your wedding. Anyone providing a service should have ample references and pictures or work samples.
Ceremony site
Officiate
Rehearsal site/caterer
Reception site
Photographer/Videographer
Caterer/Baker
Valet/parking attendants
Florist
DJ/band
Jeweler
Bridal party dresses/grooms’ tuxedos
Limousine service/bridal party transportation
Gift registration retailers
Printer for invitations/programs for ceremony
Traditionally, the groom is responsible for the honeymoon, rings, limousine, marriage license, officiate fee, flowers for the ceremony and the rehearsal dinner. The bride and her family are responsible for everything else. However, in today’s world where people are getting married later in life, the bride and groom often pay for some or all the wedding themselves.
Things to Consider
Here are some points you may want to consider as you plan the big day. Discuss them with your fiancé as your first lesson in how to compromise!
What date will we get married? What day of the week? Often a reception on a Sunday will be much less expensive than a Saturday wedding. If you do not have many people coming to the wedding from out of town, or if you plan to have an afternoon event, a wedding on Sunday might be a good possibility.
How many guests do we want to invite? Do we want the reception to be intimate or a large gathering?
Are we going to allow children at the wedding?
Is there anything we can do on our own or ask a friend to do? (Bake the cake, take photos, etc.)
Do we want to serve alcohol at the reception?
| 
Email this Article
Print this Article
