- Bachelor Party Ideas
The tradition of the bachelor party may date as far back as the 1800s. The stereotype of a bachelor party is a last night of debauchery for the groom and his friends before the wedding but in more recent times soon to be grooms are looking to less traditional activities to mark their final days as bachelors.
- Bachelorette Party Ideas
Bachelorette Parties are not quite the time honored tradition of bachelor parties but they are increasing in popularity.
- Planning a Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner is one element of the wedding planning that can be confusing for the future bride and groom. Questions such as do we really have to have a rehearsal dinner, what do we do at the rehearsal dinner, who pays for the rehearsal dinner, who is invited to the rehearsal dinner and do we have to invite out of town guests are planning questions that remain unanswered for many couples.
- Planning a Bridal Shower
There are plenty of details to consider when planning a bridal shower. Some of these considerations include, who will throw the bridal shower, when will the bridal shower be held, who will be invited to the wedding shower, how do you choose a theme for the shower and what type of menu will be served.
- Bridal Shower Game Ideas
The bridal shower is an opportunity for the women in the future bride’s life to honor her with a simple luncheon or get together filled with good food, fun and games.
- Children in a Wedding
Children can make a wonderful addition to any wedding but they also have the potential for livening up the wedding with unexpected antics. It is important to consider the age, maturity level and predictability of the child before deciding to include them in the wedding.
- Maid of Honor’s Role in a Wedding
The role that the maid of honor plays in the wedding depends largely on how much responsibility she is willing to take on and also how much responsibility the bride is willing to delegate.
- Best Man’s Role in a Wedding
The best man plays a very important role in the wedding. While he may not be as involved in the wedding plans and preparations as the maid of honor is but he does participate in his own way.
- Accommodating Out of Town Guests
Recently the number of out of town guests attending weddings has been on the rise. Years ago, young people grew up and got married in the town they had lived in all their lives but nowadays couples are attending out of state colleges and accepting jobs far away from their hometown.
- Learn to Delegate Wedding Responsibilities
Many women have been dreaming of their wedding day since they were little girls. A bride to be may have clear ideas of how she would like every detail of her wedding to be like.
- Inexpensive Wedding Centerpieces
Traditional floral centerpieces can be expensive especially if you plan on having a large number of tables at the wedding reception. While floral arrangements have traditionally been the centerpiece of choice at many weddings there are many more original centerpiece ideas that are also very inexpensive.
- Unique Wedding Centerpieces
A couple wishing to really make a statement at their wedding may want to invest in truly unique centerpieces. Typically reception halls do not allow for a great deal of creativity in the decorations as they utilize standard table linens and place settings.
- Setting a Wedding Budget
Budget concerns can be one of the most prominent sources of disagreement for a couple in the process of planning their wedding. The couple may have different ideas about what type of wedding they want and also about what they can afford.
- Creative Ways to Propose
Marriage proposals made over a romantic dinner at an elegant restaurant can be very romantic but they are not necessarily creative. Many women dream about the day that the man of their dreams proposes to them and hope that the day will be absolutely perfect in every way imaginable.
- 1 Week to Wedding Day
The final week before your wedding day can be a stressful time filled with many details that need to be confirmed. Some of the last minutes details that need to be completed in the week before your wedding include confirming the details of your honeymoon, packing for your honeymoon, giving the caterer a final count for the number of guests, confirm details with the photographer, florist, DJ or band and the limousine driver.
- Inexpensive Wedding Gifts
A wedding gift does not have to be expensive to be well received and appreciated by the couple. While the extravagance of some weddings may compel their guests to purchase pricey gifts, it is not necessary to do so.
- Gift Ideas for Bridesmaids
It is customary to honor your bridesmaids for their participation in your wedding with a gift of appreciation. Traditional gifts include a piece of jewelry such as earrings or a necklace that complements their bridesmaids dress and can be worn on the wedding day but many bridesmaids will truly appreciate a more unique gift idea.
- Gift Ideas Groomsmen
Choosing a gift for the groomsmen could be a difficult task for many grooms. Most grooms don’t want to go with a gift that is too traditional or unoriginal but they also struggle with feelings that a gift that is too creative may not be appropriate.
- Creative Wedding Gifts
Many new couples receive more picture frames, candy dishes and candle stick holders than they can possibly use. While these are all lovely gifts, they are also very common and not likely to stand out very much to the new couple.
- Hiring a Wedding Planner
As wedding receptions are becoming increasingly extravagant more and more couples are looking to hire a wedding planning to assist them in planning their wedding.
- Wedding Invitations
While the main purpose of a wedding invitation may be to inform the guests of the date, time and location of the ceremony and reception, this is not the only purpose of a wedding invitation.
- Wedding Traditions
The old saying that a bride should carry or wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue is a time-honored tradition that is supposed to bring the bride good luck.
- Writing Wedding Vows
Writing your own wedding vows can be a way to ensure that your vows express your exact sentiment. Many vows commonly used in weddings are very lovely and express your love for each other but they are usually not specific to the couple.
- Perfect Wedding Dress
Many brides begin dreaming about the perfect wedding dress long before they are even engaged. Choosing the perfect wedding dress is critical because it is the one day that all eyes will be on you.
- Choosing Bridesmaid’s Dresses
Besides her own dress the dresses of the bridesmaids may be one of the most important pieces of attire in the bride’s opinion. The bride may be more concerned about the appearance of the bridesmaids than she is about the appearance of the groom or her parents.
- Choosing a Wedding Photographer
The photos from your wedding day are pictures that you will cherish for a lifetime but you only get one chance at getting these pictures. If you don’t have a photographer for your wedding or you have an incompetent photographer, you may miss out on having photos from critical points of your wedding or reception.
- Choosing a Wedding Florist
The florist that you choose for your wedding may play a significant role in your wedding so it is important to choose your florist wisely.
- Wedding Transportation
Although the bride and groom traditionally arrive at the ceremony in separate vehicles, they travel to the reception together. There are many options that the bride and groom may consider when choosing their transportation to the reception. These options encompass a wide variety of sentiments.
- Wedding Locations
The location of the wedding is critical because it can play a key role in setting the mood for the wedding. There are a number or ways to choose a potential location for your wedding including choosing a location where you have previously attended a wedding, shopping around and visiting multiple venues and seeking suggestions from trusted friends or relatives.
- Romantic Honeymoon Destinations
Beach destinations continue to be the most popular choices for a romantic honeymoon getaway. Honeymoons are the ultimate romantic vacation and just about any chosen destination can translate into a romantic escape for the newlyweds.
- Wedding Music
The live band or DJ that you choose to entertain at your wedding can either enhance your wedding or put a damper on the festivities.
- Wedding Cold Feet
Feelings of anxiety and concern are completely normal prior to a wedding. One or both members of the couple may experience the cold feet phenomenon that overshadows them and causes them to become concerned over their upcoming wedding.
- Wedding for Second Marriage
Second marriages require a host of issues that differ from the preparations for a first marriage.
- Home Weddings
Large venues such as catering halls make an elegant wedding location but for a more intimate gathering you might want to consider hosting your wedding either at your own home or the home of a close friend or relative.
- Civil Service Weddings
A civil service wedding doesn’t have to include just the couple, an officiant and state provided witnesses anymore.
- Theme Weddings
Planning a wedding with a theme can be a fun way to incorporate a specific interest that the couple shares into the wedding.
- Catholic Wedding Traditions
In the Catholic religion marriage is considered sacred and is one of the sacraments of the faith. The Catholic Church puts forth their own requirements for a marriage to be recognized in the eyes of the church.
- Jewish Wedding Traditions
The Jewish faith is one that is deeply ensconced in tradition. A traditional Jewish wedding follows a number of beautiful traditions that date back for thousands of years.
- Italian Wedding Traditions
Couples who are of Italian descent may choose to incorporate a variety of Italian traditions into their wedding even if they have never even set foot on Italian soil.
- Russian Wedding Traditions
Russia has a long history of wedding traditions. The traditional Russian wedding ceremony does not have many traditions and many couples opt for a simple civil service that is not widely attended by their friends and relatives.
- Irish Wedding Traditions
The people of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures.
- Outdoor Weddings
The outdoors can be an absolutely beautiful setting for a wedding. Natural backdrops of trees, mountains or oceans are unparalleled by any decorations that can be utilized in an indoor setting.
- Destination Wedding Ideas
A destination wedding is a wedding that takes place in a location that is not home to either the bride or the groom or their families.
- Wedding Caterers
Choosing a good caterer is crucial to having a wedding that your guests are sure to enjoy.
- Wedding Rings
The wedding ring is perhaps the single most important piece of jewelry that you will give to your spouse in your lifetime.
- Toast Ideas for the Best Man
The best man traditionally offers the first toast at a wedding. His toast can offer a thought provoking look at married life, honor his friendship with the groom or reveal intimate and often embarrassing details of the couple’s courtship.
- Multi-Cultural Weddings
While many different religions and nationalities have their own well established traditions, it is becoming increasingly common for couples of mixed ancestry to marry.
- Non-Denominational or Mixed Religion Weddings
Couples of mixed religions or who come from families that do not have a strong religious background may choose to have either a non-denominational wedding or a wedding that blends two separate religions.
- Gift Ideas for the Bride to Give to the Groom
It is traditional for the bride to give the groom a gift on the wedding day. Although the wedding rings that the couple exchanges can be considered gifts, many brides choose to honor their groom with an additional gift that suits his personality.
- Gift Ideas for the Groom to Give to the Bride
Many modern couples choose to honor an outdated tradition that calls for the couple to exchange gifts on their wedding day. While this is a lovely sentiment, many brides and grooms see it as just one more expense and one more stressful detail to attend to and opt to skip this tradition.
- Wedding Invitations
One of the first and most important steps in the planning of the wedding is inviting people. Who wants a wedding without their family and friends there to celebrate with them?
- Wedding Catering
Many couples do not realize that the catering or food bill is typically your largest expense involved with your wedding (45-50% of most budgets).
- Wedding Flowers
Flowers are the most common and most beautiful of wedding decorations. Make an effort to choose flowers that fit your taste and style for the wedding.
- Wedding Favors
As a way of thanking your guests for their participation in your special day, give them a small favor at the reception to help them remember this event. It is challenging, however, to find the right favor for your wedding and your guests.
- Wedding Entertainment
Picking out a disc jockey for your wedding entertainment can be very key to the success of the event.
- First Step in Planning a Wedding
The day following your engagement, you run to the store to pick up every bridal magazine in sight. They are filled with photos of beautiful wedding gowns, rings, and articles on weddings.
- Wedding Gown
The token piece behind every girl’s dream wedding as a child is that perfect gown. But once he pops the big question, how do you get started your quest for the right dress?
- Wedding Budget Savers
Almost every couple struggles to stay within a budget for their wedding day. Here are a few tips to help you cut back on spending without cutting back on class.
- Wedding Ceremony
Obviously the wedding ceremony is what your big day is all about. The vows, the Church, exchanging of rings, and of course, the big “I do.” Here are a few ideas about ceremony etiquette that you may want to keep in mind before walking down the aisle.
- Wedding Rehearsal and Dinner
Your rehearsal dinner is a great time to enjoy being with family and friends and begin your wedding celebration.
- Wedding Planning
James Mahony is the founder of 