- Accessories + Jewelry
- Bath & Beauty
- Bridal Apparel
- Bridal Party
- Bridal Showers
- Bridal Shows
- Ceremony
- Coupons
- Destination Weddings
- Engraved Gifts
- Family + Life + Money
- Flowers + Decor
- Gift Baskets + Food + Drink
- Home + Garden
- Spas
- Travel + Honeymoon Destinations
- Wedding Gift Registry
- Wedding Planning
- Wedding Style + Theme
WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY
The decision to have your wedding video taped by a professional or family and friends is completely up to you. Some couples like to have a tape on hand so any time, or maybe on anniversaries, you can take it out and take a trip down memory lane. If you own a video camera the logical thing to do is to have someone tape it for you. This can save you up to $1000 if you choose not to hire a professional crew.
If you own an Apple computer (a mac) iLife comes with a feature called iMovie were you can upload your own videos and edit them with music and text. Or, you can purchase .mac which is a program that gives you a website where you can upload all your music, photos, movies, and create your own blogs.
If you don’t own a mac, another option is to simply upload your video’s, pictures, and music to StudioNow.com and have their editors edit everything for you.
WEDDING REHEARSAL - REHEARSAL DINNER
When it comes to planning your Rehearsal there are a few things to think about. One, the rehearsal itself and planning how each step will play out; making sure those in the Bridal party know what they’re doing!. Two, the rehearsal dinner and where to have it. And three, the final walk through with the minister, caterer, and D.J…
Beyond the rehearsal itself, be sure to allow enough time for anyone with questions to come forward. Also, I know its your big day, but try not to dictate things. That will just add more stress to an already stressful time. Sorry, but there is no perfect wedding, we guarantee something will go wrong on your list.
The rehearsal dinner should be somewhere special that can accommodate the whole bridal party. Be sure there is a time set aside for the Maid (or Matron) of Honor and the Best Man to give a brief speech. Dinner can be as simple or elegant as you wish. But remember, you have to include this portion of the over all wedding into the budget.
And finally the walk through. Be sure before you start getting ready that you’ve allowed yourself some time to meet with the caterers, the minister (or whoever is performing your ceremony) and the D.J. to go over final details.
SOMETHING THATS OFTEN NOT THOUGHT OF: BE SURE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR ENVELOPES WITH FINAL PAYMENTS READY AND WAITING AT THE WEDDING RECEPTION OR CHURCH. Be sure you give these to either your Maid/Matron of Honor or Best Man, or Parents if they are helping, and hand out at the end of the night. Some photographers, caterers, D.J.’s , and florists will want to invoice you, but the smart thing to do is offer up front final payment.
Wedding Photography is another aspect not to forget about. Many people opt for a Professional Photographer to come and capture the day. However, not all couples opt for a professional to come take pictures. This decision, between having them done professionally or having a friend do them is up to you.
Professional photographers will most likely offer a wedding package with different poses and outfit changes, however these can always get expensive. If you have a friend who’s a bit camera saavy, as more and more people are these days, you can have some close to you take them and then have the shots printed at pretty much any convenience store in pretty much any size. These can sometimes look just as good as professional shots.
Another hint is, have a friend or family member take them with a digital camera then upload the pictures to a photo hosting site like Shutterfly.com or Snapfish.com and order prints online. These sites also offer ways to edit your pictures such as brightening and cropping, as well as adding borders and text. These are usually much cheaper than going to your local CVS or Walgreens and can turn out just as nice, or even better, than professional pictures.
When it comes to music for your wedding be as picky as you want! Sit down with your fiancee and pick all your favorite music that you know for sure you want to dance to. If you have a “song” be sure not to leave that out of your playlist. Be sure if you have hired a DJ to sit down with them in advance and give them any specific orders for songs that you’ve come up with. Be sure to mention the style of music (country, rap, jazz, ext.) that you’re wanting to stick with, so they know not to play something from left field.
At ABridetoBee.com we know that dancing is the best part of the wedding. All the stress of planning and all the anticipation of the actual wedding is now over and its time to cut loose and bust a rug!
When it comes to your dancing technique, the smart thing to do is (unless you want to look like a robot on the dance floor) take lessons. Craigslist.com is a website dedicated to individual cities and states filled with all kinds of local information. There is a section for each City on the site, under the Community section go to Classes. Check that first and see if there are any local dancing classes that offer Ballroom dancing, or any other style you might want to try. The trick after that is, getting your significant other to agree to the classes.
(See also, Mobile Disc Jockeys)
A mobile disc jockey can make or break your wedding reception. Start your search by asking friends, co-workers and family about DJs they recommend. Or if you are at a friends wedding and like the DJ be sure to grab a business card. You may also want to attend a local Bridal Show where you will meet many DJs from all price ranges.
When looking for a DJ don’t base your booking decision by price. DJ fees can run anywhere from $200 to $1500 for up to 4 hours or more of playtime. Lower priced DJs may be new to the market and may not have experience with wedding receptions. This is key because you want an MC to make announcements, take requests and be able to read a crowd and know when to change the pace of music, especially for older couples who leave early. You’ll get what you pay for if you go cheap. Ask for referrals, ask if you can see them in action and pop in at one of their upcoming weddings. DJs will ask the bride and groom if they don’t mind if you pop in for a few minutes to see them in action.
We suggest your music selection is a variety of dance music. So many couples and guests think that they can ask the DJ to play their favorite classic rock favorites like Stairway to Heaven from the 70’s that are not danceable and that can change the whole flow of the music, upset your guests and let alone make the DJ look really bad. Ask the DJ if he has a list that you can check off music to play during the evening. Let them know whether your family and friends are country music listeners only and whether you want rap or hip hop. Some crowds do not tread lightly when hearing this popular music and your future Mother-in-law may just pay a visit to the dj table!
Which brings up another major point, your parents and in-laws. This is a big complaint among the dj world where the bride and groom have met with their dj, discussed the announcements that need to be made and planned the style of music that they wanted and then on the night of the reception, mom and dad are not happy about the music selection and start complaining to change it. Then the Bride and Groom are upset because now the music has been changed and they are not hearing their favorite hits. You can imagine how stressful this can be to your DJ. So please, discuss your music selections with family and friends and ask your parents what they want to hear too. In addition, if you have music from your own collection, bring it to the wedding labeled with your names and ask the DJ if he can play them.
Also check out what kind of equipment they will be bringing, do they provide their own skirted tables, extension cords, lighting systems and wireless microphones, just to name a few.
The thing you need to remember about your Invitations and Stationery is that you need a “mailing schedule” for all your events.
For instance, Invitations for the Bridal Shower need to be sent out at least three weeks before the day. Be sure your Maid of Honor knows to send the Bachelorette Party invitations out three weeks early as well. And for your Wedding Invitations, they NEED to be sent out at least eight weeks to ten weeks before your wedding.
As for the style and design of your invitations and stationery, this should also coordinate well with your Wedding Style and Theme. Websites like Fine Stationery.com can be excellent resources online to find personalized products.
If you are inviting family or friends who you know will be coming from out of town, try and get their invitations out first- then you can work together on booking hotels and rooms for everyone. This needs to be done as soon as possible.
Why Wedding Favors?
When it comes to planning a wedding, most individuals are overwhelmed at the details of the event. From the dress to the flowers to the invitations, a wedding has a ton of components and many couples seek to downsize their list. When it comes to the favors, many couples ask, “why wedding favors?” Well, why not! Think of your wedding favors as a unique way for your guests to remember your special day. Additionally, favors are a great way to thank your guests for attending your event by providing a small token of appreciation.
