Planning Tips

Here are some tips from Gwen for successful wedding planning:

• Secure locations for the ceremony and the reception BEFORE finalizing your wedding date.
• Don’t forget to involve your mother, as well as your future mother-in-law in planning. It sets a great tone for your changing/growing relationship with them.
• Before committing to any expenditures, meet with everyone who is helping fund your celebration and create a budget by determining what you are able to/want to invest in each component.
• Within your budget, determine the per-person expense for each reception guest; multiply that amount by the number of guests on your list and make sure the total is within your budget.
• Remember to consult your groom as you make decisions about your celebration. He might choose not to be involved in those decisions, but he’ll know you value his thoughts.
• To ensure beautiful and lasting memories, know that picture-taking may consume a large part of your day (and a large part of your budget!). Hire a professional with whom you feel very comfortable.
• When selecting attendants for your ceremony, remember that you don’t have to have an equal number of men and women stand up for you and your fiancé. Instead, simply focus on including the people who mean the most to both of you.
• Keep all contracts, vendor information, receipts, samples and other wedding-related materials in one place.
• When trying on wedding gowns, remember that you’ll be wearing your dress for many hours. Make sure you can sit, walk and, of course dance, comfortably in it.
• Hire a wedding planner!

Gwen Wilson, owner    gwen@nuptiae.com   217.621.0372   Rantoul, IL