Archive for February, 2009

Las Vegas Nevada Wedding Planning – How To Organize Your Wedding Ceremony

February 25, 2009

The most heavily populated city in Nevada, Las Vegas is considered not only as a major vacation and shopping destination but also the center of gambling in the United States. Although it is often called Sin City because of legalized gambling and prostitution, availability of alcoholic beverages, and various forms and degrees of adult entertainment, its glamorous and enchanting image has made it a popular setting in the movies and television programs.

Dubbed as “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” Las Vegas is not only known for its tourist attractions, but also for its infamous ‘Las Vegas Weddings’.

Las Vegas is by far the most popular destination-wedding spot in the United States (and perhaps the world). About 120,000 Las Vegas wedding ceremonies are held every year, and it is a perfect place for couples (especially celebrities) who want to get married in a quick and different (or unusual) way.

A lot of couples prefer to have a Las Vegas wedding because of the following advantages:

  • It is affordable. Las Vegas weddings cost less than traditional wedding ceremonies.
  • It can be held on short notice. Most chapels in Las Vegas allow couples to book for their wedding right away – others even accommodate walk-ins!
  • It is convenient. Hotels in Las Vegas usually have their own wedding chapels, with a wedding coordinator that takes in charge of all the preparations – from the flowers and music to the officiant and the souvenirs – and can get in touch with the couple on the phone or even online. Las Vegas wedding venues are very accommodating.
  • It is fun. Las Vegas weddings offer couples with a fun and amusing way to get married – even with an Elvis impersonator as their officiant!
  • It allows couples to start their honeymoon early. After the Las Vegas wedding ceremony, there is no need for couples to board a plane and head out of town – Las Vegas is a great honeymoon destination in itself!

Check out my guide on ways to save money on a wedding.

Las Vegas Wedding Information: A Las Vegas Wedding Planning Guide

Are you (and your partner) thinking of having a Las Vegas wedding? Below is a step-by-step guide that will help you get married in Las Vegas:

1. Set a wedding date.

2. Decide on a Las Vegas wedding chapel (check out the chapels in casino-hotels).

3. Speak to a wedding coordinator to know about the information on wedding packages.

4. Book for the date and time of the ceremony that you desire.

5. Make plane and hotel reservations for your friends and families who will come over (and for you if you are not yet in Las Vegas).

6. Make reservations for a festive lunch or dinner (don’t forget the wedding cake!)

7. Obtain a marriage license at the Clark County courthouse at least a day before your wedding.

8. Slip away after the ceremony and the celebration.

Aside from these guidelines, below are the things that you also need to consider when getting married in Las Vegas:

  • The holidays. Watch out for ‘peak seasons’ that result to busy wedding days, such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.
  • The weather. An extremely hot weather in Las Vegas can be uncomfortable when you are in a tuxedo or a heavy gown (not to mention your makeup and the icing on your wedding cake).
  • The dress. There are a number of places in Las Vegas where you can rent wedding dresses for that ’spur-of-the-moment’ weddings.
  • The legalities. Make sure that you meet the legal requirements and that you are issued a marriage license before you hold the wedding ceremony.

Now you are ready for the wild and wacky experience of a Las Vegas wedding. Just remember that the most important thing is to recite your vows from the heart, and live them all through your marriage. All the best and I hope this Las Vegas wedding info proves to be useful!


Choosing the perfect wedding venue

February 17, 2009

You’ve found the perfect groom. You’ve bought the perfect dress. You’re expecting a perfect wedding. Now all you need is the perfect wedding venue. Having a perfect wedding relies largely on having a beautiful wedding venue. That’s why you should treat finding a wedding venue as if you are buying a new house. It is, after all, where you will receive and treat your friends and relatives in probably the most memorable night of your life.

Here are some tips to help you search for that perfect wedding ceremony venue.

Trust your instincts. As soon as you arrive in a particular venue you will automatically have a certain feeling towards it. You have to trust your instinct. If you feel a certain positive vibration to the venue then that’s a good start. In the same way, you will know automatically if a certain venue is not right for you and your wedding. This doesn’t mean though that you should not be logical in choosing a wedding venue. It’s the place where you will exchange vows with the man you love so it has to feel right.

Take your time. Don’t ever rush in choosing the perfect wedding venue. A wedding is a very important event so take time to get the venue right. Ideally, you should start looking for a venue at least a year before the wedding date. This would give you enough time to make the right decisions and change the venue in case anything happens.

Consider the size. The size of the wedding ceremony venue is a very important consideration. If the venue is too small, the wedding will loose its intimacy. If it’s too big, it will be cramped and uncomfortable. The size of your wedding will depend of course on the number of your guests. So before looking for a wedding you must at least have a rough idea of how many guests you will be planning to invite. Be as precise as possible. You cannot say that you’re planning to invite from 200 to 500 guests. The 300 person difference would matter a lot in terms of the venue size. You must also leave ample space for the dance area. The more guests you have, the larger space you need to allot for the dance area.

Check the parking space. One of the complaints of people who have attended weddings is the lack of parking space. Be sure that the wedding venue you will choose has ample space for all of your guests. Parking may be a minor consideration but it can spell the difference between a happy guest and a dissatisfied one.


Know the restrictions of the venue. Be sure to ask about the restrictions of a wedding venue if there are any. There may be restrictions about noise so you might not be able to employ a band or even a sound system. Some venues have time restrictions while some would allow you to party all night long. There are even venues with decorations restrictions. Check if the wedding venue would allow you to bring your own caterer, florist, decorator, etc because there are venues that have preferred contractors and suppliers.

Draw a layout of your wedding. Have a layout of your wedding. Before choosing a wedding venue, you must already have a layout (either on your mind or drawn into paper) of your wedding. You must know where you want gusts to sit, the reception area, the dining area, etc. Then check if the venue fits your layout.


Wedding Cost Saving & Planning Ideas: Simple, Themed And Budget Considerations

February 10, 2009

Almost every girl has a picture of her ideal wedding in her mind. She may dream up something that she can visualize when reading fairy tales that end with “…and they live happily ever after.” She sees flowers, ribbons and laces. Cost is never a consideration until the real wedding comes around. That’s when wedding cost saving ideas become a primary consideration.

However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other themed wedding ideas on her mind. She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom. Not to mention that the bride also considers the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration. And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations – the cost.

Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying off debts made during the wedding preparations. Therefore, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be should be very careful on allocating funds. Budget wedding ideas require a little creative thinking but can save you a great deal of money. Here are a few wedding planning ideas to consider.

Themed wedding ideas

  • Personalize the decorations. Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost. For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose having photos from their collection made the main subjects for the reception design. The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes.

  • Consider renting. Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again. These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arc ways and the artificial flower arrangements. So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces.

  • Kids can get bored during the wedding reception. So instead of having kids seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where kids can be more casual and can have a small party of their own.

  • Marriage is a union of families. During the wedding rites, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple. Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families. Simple wedding ideas such as this can really add personal touch to the occasion.

Discount wedding ideas: Slash the cost of your wedding and save money

  • For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts chools. They may agree to cater for the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more. You may also have pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish.
  • If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party. Usually, only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests.

  • For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ. You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception.

  • When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day. They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost.

Getting married should not be expensive. After all, the essence of marriage is in the union and not in the celebration. You shouldn’t also try too hard to please the guests. Your family and friends are there to rejoice this wonderful event with you and not to criticize your wedding.


Wedding Planning Information – Planning a wedding on a small budget

February 4, 2009

Planning for a wedding is not an easy task. It could be an extremely stressful, and trying time, especially as the big day approaches. When couples worry about coordinating all of the details of the wedding it can wear your patience thin. That’s why preparing for a wedding requires a well thought out approach.

One of the most important details of the wedding that a couple has to decide on is the actual date of the wedding. This is usually the detail that is taken care of first. Factors in choosing a date include: the availability of the venue where the wedding will take place, convenience for friends and the time of the year. Cost is also a consideration and you need to find a comfortable venue that fits within your established price guideline.

Some venues where weddings are held offer discounts on days during the week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are peak demand days for most weddings so if you are planning a wedding on a small budget you can make great savings by opting to hold the wedding during the week. Morning or afternoon weddings also allow you to avoid peak pricing periods.

It is also advisable to set a budget for your bridal party planning before you start. You can then allocate amounts to each part of the bridal party planning. By deciding what is essential and what is not so important you can find the right balance for allocating your available budget.

For couples who are about to get married, it is important to talk about the size of the wedding you both have in mind. The dream wedding of one person might not be that of the other. So it is necessary for couples to discuss details regarding the arrangement of the wedding, the number of people who get invited to the wedding reception, the theme and the choice of entertainment. Keeping both the bride and groom and the associated families happy takes some consultation. This will affect your choice of venue and your cost base. If you intend to have a large wedding on a reduced budget then inexpensive wedding planning alternatives will be called for. A full scale night reception might break the bank. In this case, having a well chosen venue with a minimalist approach to food, drinks and entertainment can help your dollars stretch further when planning a wedding.

Hiring a professional to capture this momentous occasion is also important. Sure you friends can take good pictures and sometimes they will own a camcorder. But for this special occasion, you would want something special, lasting, and visually presentable. A professional costs money but can be money well spent if he captures all the right moments.

Don’t forget the cake! Examining your options and comparing quotes can help you save money in this department. A great looking cake can be a big hit to so make sure you take this into consideration.

Order wedding invitations. If you want to get creative you can always print your own invitations. This way, you can customize them, and add a more personal touch to the invitation. If you are good with publishing software or are prepared to dedicate the time to learn you can save money in this area.

Don’t forget to start looking for a wedding gown months before the wedding. This way, the bride has plenty of time to make a selection. Also, the groom should make arrangement to rent or buy a tuxedo, preferably in advance also. Just in case you encounter some trouble with the fitting, you’d have some time to make other arrangements.

Couples who don’t have enough time on their hands, or just find the preparations that go into planning a wedding too overwhelming, can always just hire a wedding planner! This way, everything gets organized and coordinated for them but at a considerable cost. If you are concerned with inexpensive wedding planning then you will have to be prepared to adopt a do it yourself approach. Check out my wedding planning guide to discover how to save thousands on your wedding.

Low Cost Wedding Planning And Budget Wedding Saving Tips

February 3, 2009

My name is Claire Edwards – I am your bridal planning assistant.

Bridal planning and preparation is a daunting task for most couples. Many couples don’t know where to start, how to go about planning your own wedding or the best way to save money. That’s where my expertise comes in handy. Whilst working as an assistant wedding planner I was exposed to the inside secrets of the wedding planning industry. It was during this tenure that I discovered the tips and tricks used by the wedding planning industry to build high markups into the wedding planning process. In fact, my boss revealed that she was able to put $8000 back into her pocket on a month to month basis by using sales tactics on unsuspecting couples. One day I decided that I could put the information I learned to good use by assisting couples with bridal wedding planning.

If you are looking to get started planning your wedding then the articles provided on this blog will help you to move in the right direction. You’ll find budget wedding savings tips and unique ideas to help you with low cost wedding planning. If you are looking for a step by step guide then check out my ebook “Wedding Savings Revealed”. It’s guaranteed to save you time and money and put money back into your pocket. The ebook also contains bonus reports including a reception planning checklist, a year long wedding planning checklist and insight for planning your honeymoon.

There is a lot to know when planning your wedding. The bridal registry savings you will make will go a long way towards a deposit for your first home or for allocation towards your dream honeymoon. If you are looking for a do it yourself approach, cheap wedding tips and someone to assist you with discount wedding planning then you will find all the information you need contained on this site and within my best selling “Wedding Planning Guide” ebook.

Bookmark this site and share it with your friends. It is updated regularly with discount wedding ideas and fresh articles on creating the ideal low budget wedding that will leave your friends speechless and help you to create a day that you will remember forever.

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