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Bride
101
As
the lucky bride, you will likely find yourself with a team of family members,
bridesmaids, and friends willing to lend you a hand in planning your wedding.
But even if you hire a wedding consultant, there still should be one person
ultimately in charge: you. The following is a brief sketch of what you'll need
to think about. Getting Organized
Begin
by making lists: Print the 12-month planner and write down the date by which it
needs to be completed, and who will do it. I advise all of my brides to get a pre-fab wedding planner or create one in a three-ring binder. Make sure
you include a section for filing away inspirations from magazines or old family
photographs and one for recording the names and phone numbers of vendors and
their references. Carry it with you every where. You never know where you will
find ideas or when you will need to contact a vendor. Choosing Bridesmaids
Assembling
a wedding party is an exciting and it should be completed early in the planning
process. Start with your maid or matron of honor, whose primary function is to
organize the bridesmaids and make sure the bride has a constant flow of
emotional and practical support. You might ask a sister, close friend, cousin,
or even your mother or grandmother to play this role. Then turn your attention
to the bridesmaids. I can't stress this enough, what's most important in your
choice of attendants is that each one is a person you can count on for help,
support and is dependable. if possible, before the wedding, it is customary for
you to be the host of a bridesmaids' lunch showing your appreciation for all
they've done; if some of your attendants live out of town, you may prefer to
wait until the day before the wedding, so all can attend. Delegating
Responsibilities The sure way to really enjoy being a bride, is to hire an Affair To Remember wedding consultant. Doing so will save you money, time, energy and stress. If you choose not to you will need to master the gentle art of delegating. Remember: Though some people, such as members of your wedding party, already know they are expected to help you with the planning, you will still want to use tact and grace when asking for and accepting help. A natural place to start delegating is with your groom. But first, know that tradition already dictates some tasks for him: purchasing the wedding bands, choosing his groomsmen and their attire, buying gifts for his attendants, making appointments for the marriage license and blood tests, organizing transportation to and from the ceremony and reception, arranging for the officiant's payment, and planning the honeymoon. Like many grooms, yours may wish to expand his involvement. After all, the wedding is an expression of you both. Some things you'll want to do together, such as setting a budget, drawing up the guest list, organizing your ceremony, composing your vows, and registering for gifts. Other tasks you'll want to tackle separately before making the final decision together. The groom who is a gourmet cook, for instance, might select the caterer; the bride who is a gardener might enjoy finding the florist.
Then there will be responsibilities
that may be attended to by others. Consider each person's strengths and
interests as you decide how to divide the to-dos. If your father is a musician,
for example, ask him to look for a band. You might ask your mother or future
mother-in-law to handle the publishing of your engagement or wedding
announcement in the newspaper. Your bridesmaids will likely enjoy-and
appreciate-helping you choose the dresses they'll wear. Coordinating
the Rehearsal
While
your future in-laws traditionally plan and host the rehearsal dinner, you're the
best candidate to organize the actual rehearsal, since you'll be the most
familiar with all the details of the ceremony. Make certain that all who need to
be there have been instructed about time, location, and logistics, including the
order in which people walk down the aisle and where everyone stands at the
altar. During the rehearsal dinner, you and your groom will want to welcome
out-of-town guests and say a few words of thanks to your parents. You'll also
want to give each bridesmaid a gift to express your appreciation (if you prefer,
these gifts can be distributed at the bridesmaids' luncheon). Even if the gifts
are all the same, add a personal touch to each: Give each attendant a bar of
soap in their favorite fragrance from Suddenly Suds (251-767-0550), an evening
bag in her favorite color, or engrave her initials on a silver bracelet. Once
the rehearsal dinner is over, and you and your groom have a moment alone, you
may wish to present him with a wedding gift. It is customary for the bride to
give her groom a wristwatch or other piece of engraved jewelry that echoes the
permanence of the wedding band she is about to receive. Getting
Married
On
your wedding day, your focus needs to be only on looking and feeling like a
bride. Your Affair To Remember Wedding Coordinator can handle any and all
logistical tasks such as, meeting the florist, handing out the bouquets
and boutonnieres, putting out the guest book, placing hospitality baskets in the
restrooms, and overseeing the choreography of the event. During the reception,
you customarily share a first dance with your groom (picking the song is a fun
thing to do together) and one with your father (select a special song for this
dance, too). Throughout the reception, try to circulate, on your own or with
your groom, so every guest gets at least a moment of your attention, especially
if you decided not to have a receiving line. In addition, you may choose to
symbolically pass on your good fortune in love by tossing your bridal bouquet. Post
Honeymoon After your honeymoon, you will have just a few things left to do. If you have moved, you will need to send out change-of-address cards and tell the post office where to forward your mail. Also, contact your bank, credit-card companies, and the Social Security Administration if you have legally changed your name. Bring your wedding gown and veil to a trusted dry cleaner to clean and preserve them, then store your bridal ensemble in a cool, dry spot. As soon as the film is developed, you will want to start working with your photographer on creating albums for you and your groom and for both sets of parents. The final task of writing thank-you notes is one you can complete alone-or share it with your groom, anticipating the many collaborations the two of you have to look forward to in the future.
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