Choosing Music for Your Ceremony & Reception
Ring Bearer & Flower Girls
Wedding Florists
Children and Wedding Receptions
Coin Place Markers for Kids
Hair
Bridesmaids come in Different Sizes
Uneven Numbers
Pre-Wedding Relaxation
Beauty Schedule on your Wedding Day
Natural Nails
Pre Wedding Workout
Exercise Workout
Bag of Supplies for the Groom
Men are Beautiful Too
Outdoor Beauty
Parents & Guests
A Beauty Hen's Night
Drinking Tips for Hen's & Buck's Night
Non Stripper Entertainment
Options for the Guys
Smart Party Scheduling
A Good Reason for a Rehearsal Dinner

The music sets the tone for your wedding. Two sets of performers may be required, one for the ceremony and another for the reception. You may, for example, choose a live band, disk jockey, solo singer, piano/organ, harpist or combination of two or more. Wedding bands usually have audition nights at which you can hear them in person. If not, request an audio or videotape. Bridal shows often showcase bands. Your musician's personality can add much to the marriage ceremony and can make or break your reception. So it's important that you select your entertainment carefully.

Ring Bearer & Flower Girls

Your attendants can add a nice touch to a wedding. They usually are close relatives or good friends of the couple. The ring bearer and the flower girls usually walk before the bride and her escort but behind the rest of the bridal party. Flower girls usually lay a bed of rose petals for the bride to walk on.

Wedding Florists

Weddings are costly, and everyone is interested in saving money if possible. Floral designs created from fresh and silk flowers may help you stay within your budget.

Choose wedding flowers that either can serve more than one function or can be kept as a remembrance of the occasion. Standing baskets filled with sprays of fresh or silk flowers that decorate the ceremony can later be moved to the reception site, where they look elegant placed behind the head table or at the entrance to the room. An arch is useful at the site of the ceremony, in a garden wedding, or the bride may wish to make her entrance under a flower covered arch before being escorted down the aisle.

Later, this same arch could showcase the cake table or the guest book table. A swag, placed at the top of such an arch, made of silk or dried materials, can be retained by the newlyweds, evoking fond memories of the wedding day. The head table can be highlighted by using a swag or floral centerpiece made of permanent botanicals. This later becomes a lovely addition to a first home.

Perfect for a flower girl may be a silk headwreath made of ribbon, tulle and tiny flowers, which can be enjoyed by the wearer after the wedding as well as on the special day itself. This wreath is sometimes hung on a wall with the brim of a straw hat, to be worn or displayed in the home.

These are just a few ideas for maximizing your floral budget. The most important thing to remember is that careful planning is essential if you hope to get the most for your money, without compromising the beautiful, romantic setting that flowers can add to your wedding day.

Children at Wedding Receptions

Something to think about .. children can be little angels sometimes and then there's the other times when they become bored.

Usually when the adult guests are being served entrée the children receive their main meals. When the adult main meals are ready to be served the children have probably already finished their meal and are getting restless or bored.

During this period and until dessert is served (usually half an hour to an hour), this is the time when you want children to be kept occupied and entertained. Your guests can now relax and enjoy their main meal.

Coin Place Markers for Kids

If you have small children as part of your ceremony, tape a gold coin onto the floor where they are supposed to stand. Tell them that they should stand on the coin and if they are good, when the ceremony is over they may keep the money.

Hair

Make sure that you have a practice hair session a month before the ceremony and the final cut two weeks before the wedding. Don't forget to bring your veil so you will have a true idea of the final effect.

Bridemaids of Different Shapes

If you have bridesmaids of varying shapes and sizes, keep in mind that it's unlikely there's one dress that's going to flatter everyone. You want everyone to look their best - right?

It's a nice idea to pick the colour, then let your bridesmaids choose the style that looks best on them. You can give them as much or as little leeway as you like, but remember that a comfortable bridesmaid is a happy bridesmaid!

Uneven Numbers

Don't worry if you don't have the same number of bridesmaids as groomsmen. There is no hard and fast rule that the numbers should be even. Having an uneven number will make things even more interesting and unique.

Pre-Wedding Relaxation

Rent a really flash car for the day and take off with your spouse-to-be. A vintage car or an expensive sportscar will make you both feel like you're leaving the world behind without paying a fortune for the luxury.

Pack a picnic lunch and drive for hours - don't forget that men are most comfortable speaking their mind when they're behind the wheel. Check with your local council or National Parks to find out what there is to do within an hour of home. You'll be surprised what new and exciting things you can find in your own backyard. Go fishing, bowling or play a game of minature golf together! Playing and laughing will soon make you forget the stresses that a wedding can bring.

Beauty Schedule on your Wedding Day

• Have a massage in the morning. This will give you time to relax and reflect before your big event.
• Take a long bath.
• Eat at least one small meal - you don't want to faint at the altar.
• Have your hair and make-up done a few hours before the ceremony. If at all possible, have your stylist and make-up artist come to you. This will prevent any "weather" damage.
• Start dressing one to two hours before the ceremony and do any necessary make-up touches.
• Take deep breaths and enjoy the moment - the most important and joyous event of your life!

Natural Nails

If you're going to have close-up photos of your hands, it's important that you have a professional manicure the day before the wedding. Some of the best choices are a pale pink shade of polish, or a French manicure that would give you a natural-but-better look. If you're dead-set against using nail polish or are allergic to it, have a manicure without polish - your cuticles will look nice and neat and the manicurist can buff your nails so they look shiny and healthy.

Pre Wedding Workout

Set reasonable goals. Maybe try walking or biking for 20 minutes every other day. You can increase gradually as you feel more fit. Always start each workout session with a warm up and end with a cool down period. Stretch slowly and don't forget to breathe deeply.

Exercise Workout

Exercising with a friend will keep you motivated and on the right track. Your routine should be fun, not a chore - maybe add some music to your routine.

Bag of Supplies for the Groom

To make sure the groom looks dashing and feels like he is just as important as you for your wedding, help him along by making a little bag of supplies that he may need. Include shaving cream, skin cleanser, cologne and other little necessities.

Men are Beautiful Too

Be sure that the groom has had a recent haircut and that he also has a smooth, clean shave for the wedding day. If he has a problem getting a close shave, consider having a barber shop shave.

Outdoor Beauty

Getting married outdoors, under the sun? Don't forget to apply the sunscreen before you put on your makeup - a burnt bride doesn't look good!

Parents & Guests

Some parents who pay for weddings insist on inviting more of their friends than their child's friends. If there's no guest limit, this isn't a problem, but if you can only have a set number of guests, be sure to talk with your parents about making sure you get to invite who you want to be there - regardless of who's paying, it's your wedding, not your parents´.

A Beauty Hen's Night

If the bride isn't all that thrilled about going out drinking and visiting strip clubs, do something different! There are parties plans that offers a range of pampering for all the girls:

• Facials
• Massages
• Manicures
• Pedicures
• And more . . . .

If you're going to be travelling from one location to another during the party and you're also going to be drinking, establish one or more guests as designated drivers. If everyone wants to drink, consider getting a limo or other large vehicle that you can rent, along with a driver.

Non-Stripper Entertainment

If you'd like to have some entertainment at your Hen's or Buck's party but aren't in the stripper mode, try booking one of the following:

• magician
• comedian
• beauty consultant to give everyone makeovers
• karaoke machine

Options for the Guys

Many men, especially those who are older, would rather not have the typical ´beer and stripper´ type Buck's party. For some creative ideas, try going to a sports event, playing a game of golf, going fishing or playing paintball.

Smart Party Scheduling

A lot of time, money and effort have gone into making your wedding day as perfect as possible, so make sure you have the Hen's & Buck's night at least two weeks prior to your wedding. Having a tired/hung over bride and/or groom will ruin the entire day.

A Good Reason for a Rehearsal Dinner

At the rehearsal dinner, family and friends toast the couple, the bride and groom can give thank-you gifts to their attendants. Your families can get to know one another better if they haven't spent much time together prior to the wedding. It's a good ice breaker, especially if there has been some tense moments over the last few months.