Congratulations! The day you have been dreaming of for years is finally becoming a reality. Unfortunately, the reality of planning the big day is sometimes not quite as wonderful as the fantasy. Whatever you do, do not panic! Take a deep breath. Grab a cup of coffee. Grab a pencil and start taking notes. You are going to plan your dream wedding and keep within your budget!
In this guide, you will learn the tips and the tricks in planning that dream wedding without the nightmarish prices. You will learn how to negotiate everything from the ceremony to the reception, from the cocktail hour to the Viennese hour—and get value for your money every step of the way.
Remember, you are on a mission, and that is to create the wedding of your dreams. You need to be strong, persistent, and never accept no for an answer. So, where shall we begin?
Let's start at the very beginning. Your future spouse has put a ring on your finger and has popped the magical question. A few tears, lots of smiles, and a "yes" later, and now you are planning the big day.
The first thing you need to do is to prepare yourself to be more organized than you have ever been. I suggest you go to the nearest office supply store and purchase a three-ring binder, a calendar that can be placed inside it, binder dividers, binder jackets (enclosed envelopes that fit into the binder), a box of sharpened pencils, a business card jacket for binders, and a notebook. This binder will become your new best friend.
Organize the binder with the calendar in the front followed by the dividers which should be labeled: Clothes, Ceremony, Venues, Catering, Photos, Travel, Flowers, Favors, and Miscellaneous.
Behind each label, place at least one binder jacket in which you can put swatches, samples, and small items; a business card jacket; and a few blank sheets of paper.