One of the biggest parts of a wedding is the flowers
that are included. There are flowers for the bouquets,
flowers for the church, and flowers for the mothers,
grandmothers, groom, and ushers, as well as
centerpieces for the reception.
Something that should be taken into consideration when
selecting the flowers to use in a wedding is that
sometimes there are people who have allergies and may
be affected by the scent of the flowers.

When you are choosing the type of flowers for your
wedding, think about yourself and your attendants
especially. Are there any sensitive noses The last
thing that you will need on your wedding day Is to
have yourself or one of your attendants having a
sneezing fit in the middle of the ceremony.

Once you have chosen what type of flower you want to
have for your wedding, the next thing is to decide on
the colors. Usually the colors for bridesmaids and
groomsmen will correspond to the colors of the
bridesmaids’ dresses for the bouquets. But when it
comes to the grandmothers and mothers flowers it may
be a good idea to find out what color their dresses
will be so their flowers will match.

So that there aren’t a lot of flowers left over from
the reception, it’s not a bad idea to mark a chair and
whoever sits in that chair gets to take home the
centerpiece. This way the flowers can be enjoyed for
longer than a day and you don’t have to worry about
what to do with them.

Wedding Reception Food
Something that people often remember when they go to a
wedding reception is the food, whether it’s good or
bad. Something to consider when you are choosing your
wedding menu is your guests.
Yes, it’s your wedding but you are spending a lot of
money so you want people to like what is being served.
Here are some tips so that people enjoy your reception
food.

Give them a choice -

It’s always a good idea to offer your guests a choice
on what they would like to eat for your wedding
reception People may have food allergies, so this way
they can choose what they would like to eat. Two
choices is enough.

Keep it simple -

Just because it’s not something fancy, it doesn’t
mean that it won’t taste good. If they are faced with
something that they aren’t sure what it is, they may
be reluctant to eat it so don’t go for things that
people can’t identify.

Keep it clean -

Everyone at your wedding reception is going to be
wearing their best clothes. You want to stay away from
food that is very messy or could cause stains that
will be hard to remove.

Remember, you are going to be wearing a white dress.
The last thing you will want is to have something
spill on it that may ruin it, or will be very
noticeable.

Think about what you have had in the past at wedding
receptions, and what you liked or didn’t like about
them. That will help you plan your own wedding
reception menu.

One of the biggest focal points of a wedding reception
is the beautiful wedding cake. That towering,
flowering, blinding beautiful wedding cake with the
two people standing on top, that the bride and groom
cut and then feed to one another.
Although a lot of brides and grooms go with the
traditional pound cake taste, it doesn’t have to be
that way.

Flavor -

If you don’t go with the traditional pound cake taste
for all of your layers, keep in mind that not everyone
is going to like lemon or raspberry, or any other
exotic flavors.

One popular alternative is chocolate chip cake.
Another idea is to go with alternating chocolate and
vanilla.

The top of your cake is traditionally saved and eaten
on your first wedding anniversary. So choose the
flavor that both of you will enjoy and make that your
wedding topper.

Although a lot of cakes are purchased in a traditional
bakery, there are a lot of supermarkets that make
delicious cakes that aren’t as expensive.

If you are working on a budget, shop around for prices
on wedding cakes and be sure to sample them. You may
be surprised at what supermarkets can do.

If you have someone that has taken a cake decorating
class and makes great cakes, you may find that they
will do it as a wedding present and it will save you
some money.

A wedding cake doesn’t have to be expensive to be
delicious, and you can find plenty of money saving
ideas when looking for your wedding cake.

A day or two before your wedding, there is usually a
wedding rehearsal and then a wedding rehearsal dinner.
This is normally paid for traditionally by the groom’s family,
and it’s when you will give your wedding attendants
their gifts as a thank you for being in your wedding.
Bridesmaids

- As a rule, jewelry is a good idea for the ladies. If
they have pierced ears, you can give them earrings. If
their ears aren’t pierced, you can give them
necklaces.

It’s always a good idea to give them something that
they can wear on the day of the wedding to go with
their dresses.

Groomsmenushers

- For the men, it’s a little more difficult to choose
an appropriate gift. If you can’t find something that
will be appropriate for all of them, you can choose
comparable but different gifts.

Beer steins, shot glasses, and other similar items can
be used, or something else that will reflect their
individuality.

Remember, when you are choosing your gifts that these
are your friends and family, and that you want them to
know that you have appreciated everything that they
have done.

The wedding rehearsal dinner is a time for the wedding
party to come together and have a good time before the
wedding.

Enjoy yourself and have a good time with your wedding
party. You are celebrating the fact that you are going
to be getting married soon, and that you will be
starting a new life together with you spouse.

Wedding Jobs for Friends
When most people think of a wedding, the things that
they think about are the bride and groom, of course,
the wedding party, the flowers and the wedding
reception.
But there is a lot more to a wedding than that, and
this is how others can be involved if the wedding
party has been filled.

Guest Book Attendant

- This is one of the jobs that can be offered to a
friend who wasn’t included in the wedding party but
still wants to help. This person will encourage the
guests to sign the book and leave a message for the
couple if they wish. It may seem like a small job, but
it’s important.

Bird Seed Bag Attendants

- Another job that is available to friends of the
bride and groom is to give everyone bags of bird seed
after the ceremony. This can be done by one or two
people, depending on how many people are attending the
wedding.

Scripture readings

- If the bride and groom are having a ceremony that
includes a lot of scripture readings, this is another
nice touch to the ceremony, and can make your friends
feel like a special part of your day.

Car decorating

- This can be a perfect job for a couple of guys who
aren’t ushers. They can go out to the bridal car and
decorate it for the drive to where the reception is
being held.

This is also a job that can be done by some of the
ushers, who don’t want to stand around for the
receiving line.

I no , eloping doesn’t exactly fit in with “wedding planning”, buy I decided to put it here  anyway . Me and my husband decided to elope and we have never regretted it.

Years ago, eloping was rare.  Couples who did elope usually did so because the union was against their parents’ wishes, or because they decided to get married on the spur of the moment.  But today, many couples who would be expected to have a traditional wedding are opting to elope.

Eloping is still somewhat misunderstood.  Here are a few reasons why couples might choose to elope:

* To save money - Traditional weddings tend to be very expensive.  Even the simplest wedding with a hundred or so guests can run up a bill in the thousands.  Eloping, on the other hand, costs much less.

There are travel expenses involved with eloping, but couples who elope often spend their honeymoon in the same place as where they wed.  Many wedding destinations offer wedding packages in which accommodation, the ceremony, meals, and perhaps even the travel are included in one price.  So when compared to the average wedding ceremony, eloping is a much more economical option.

* Because they don’t want a big wedding - For those who have been married before, a large wedding may be the last thing they want.  Even those who are getting married for the first time may not like the idea of saying their vows in a church full of people.  By eloping, they don’t have to.

* To avoid stress - Planning a wedding can be an extremely stressful thing.  You have to secure locations for the ceremony and reception, decide on decorations and attire, write a guest list, and much more.  Even with a wedding planner, there are lots of decisions to be made.

Eloping is much less complicated.  When you don’t have a lot of guests, there is no pressure to pull out all the stops.  Your wedding can be what you want it to be, not what everyone else expects it to be.

* Because it’s romantic - Some couples dream of getting married at a beautiful location, with no one but the two of them and an officiant witnessing their commitment to one another.  There is an air of romance associated with eloping, and for some couples that is precisely what attracts them to it.

Keep in mind that just because you’re eloping, doesn’t mean that you can’t have any wedding guests.  More and more couples are running off to get married and inviting close friends and family to come along with them.  This is known as a destination wedding, and it offers all of the convenience and fun of eloping with friends and family to share it with you.  Many resorts offer packages for destination weddings as well.  So the couple can pick up the tab for that, and all the guests will have to pay for is their travel.

Eloping is no longer something that you do because you have to.  It is a legitimate option for those who aren’t interested in all the trappings of a traditional wedding.  Eloping is less expensive and less stressful than planning a large wedding, allowing the couple to concentrate on their love for each other.

 Invitations are one of the many important decisions you will make about your wedding.  While you may have adored your sister’s or friend’s wedding invitations so much that you won’t hear of any other kind, chances are you are looking at a lot of different choices.  Finding the perfect invitation, one that fits with your theme and says what you want, can be agonizing.

Custom Printed Invitations

Many printers now offer the option of printing a completely original message on your invitations and thank you cards.  Instead of just adding the couple’s and parents’ names, you can write your own verse if you like.  They may also offer a selection of prewritten verses that you can use on any card.

Some printers will even include custom graphics or photos on your invitations.  This option is great if you want a truly unique card but like the idea of having it printed by a professional.  Your printer can give you the details of the formats and specifications of images that you may use.

Handmade Invitations

Handmade cards are very special, and often highly ornate.  There are great card makers out there who will craft your invitations with lots of love and attention to detail.  This service can be rather pricey, so it is a good idea to get an estimate before proceeding.

Handmade cards can incorporate pretty ribbon, lace, and a variety of other materials.  A good card maker can advise you as to which materials will work best.  It is important to remember that you will be mailing the invitations and thank you notes, so the cards will have to be flat enough for that.

Making Your Own Invitations

Computer programs can help you make all sorts of cards, including invitations and thank you notes.  With some card stock paper and a good printer, you can print very nice cards at home.  There are also high quality printing services that will print the cards that you design if you like.

If you have the time, you could make cards by hand as well.  It takes lots of patience and attention to detail, but a card made by you is a beautiful way to request guests’ presence at your wedding.  You could also spruce up printed cards by hand if you like.

When it comes to wedding invitations and thank you notes, today’s couples have more options than ever.  Whether you have a custom message printed on your cards or design them carefully by hand, you can have the invitations of your dreams.