Just wanted to take this time to thank everyone for their continuous support to this blog..will update real soon!!
-Wedding Gal
What’s your music style? Believe it or not but your wedding playlist can make or break your wedding reception.
To get you started on the order of music you must begin with the basic ceremony, this involves three types of songs: preludes (aka “light music” for when the guests are being seated), processionals (aka “romantic music” for wedding party entrance), and recessionals (aka “upbeat and joyous music” this is for after the big kiss and exit from your ceremony). Just to throw some ideas out there you can hire a musical quartet or trio (as I had) from your local DJ or to cut cost you can even ask your local high school musical students to volunteer for this event. If that is too much to ask you can create a playlist to your IPOD and have your venue connect it to speakers.
Time to Paaarrttaa!! after the picture taken and the pleasantries, you are ready to boggie…whenever different age groups come together to celebrate, you’ve got to make tough decisions. With wedding reception music, you may have to keep your most heavy rhythms and Tupac in check. But that doesn’t mean your bash has to be BORING. All you need to do is mix it up! Turn out songs that will have everyone gyrating, electric-sliding, jumping it up and salsa-ing. Work with your band or DJ to include some crowd-pleasing choice.
To share some ideas, here’s my wedding playlist:
First Dance: “Back at One” by Brian McKnight
Wedding Intro Song: “Crazy in Love” by Jay Z & Beyonce
Cake Cutting Song: Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
Mom/Daughter Song: “Song for Mama” by Boyz II Men
Son/Mother Song: ”You Raised Me Up” by Josh Groban
Last Dance: ”Now that We’ve Found Love” by Heavy D and The Boyz
Participation Dance: “Cha-Cha Slide” by Mr. C
Looking for a special new scent for your wedding day? You might want to choose something that reflects your personality. Try not to wear a scent that is overpowering or too strong for your man’s noise. When you man gets close to you, you want to hear “wow you smell sooo sexy!” not “wow are you trying to mate with skunks?!”
Need suggestions? My personal signature scents are Thierry Mugler’s Angel perfume, Viktor & Rolf’s FlowerBomb and Prada perfume. You might want to check out Sephora, they have a great selection of fragrances and they are really cool with you trying on scents in hopes that you find your signature scent. Bring your mom or a friend to come with you and follow your nose to pick up a fragrance you like. Remember that this is suppose to be fun, so don’t fret if you haven’t found that scent during your first visit.
NOTE: Apply fragrance beforeyou get dressed to avoid staining your gown.
Hair ornmanets and accessories can be used to accent a range of hairstyles, from full-on updos to long loose waves. Tiaras, combs, barrettes, headbands and hairpins (Oh My) are only but a few hair accessories that can add that extra something to your sexiness once your veil is removed.
Deciding on the which venue to have your wedding or wedding reception is the most critical decision you will make. The is where all of you guests will gather to celebrate your day and you are expected to provide them with a good time. The right venue means good food, good drink, enough room for people to sit, and of course a place for dancing.
Some thing to be aware of when you go o visit the halls. Most halls will intimidate you into booking a date and signing a contract on the spot by putting the fear of losing the date in your head. If you are flexible with your date this process becomes a lot easier and give you a bit more power. The day of the week will determine your price since Saturday is by far the most expensive, Friday is a close second, and Thursday is now the new Friday. Don’t be afraid to ask every question that pops into your mind and if they give you an answer you want make sure it goes into the contract. You would be amazed at how many empty promises are made by salesman trying to close a deal.
This software was invaluable when I was planning my wedding. It enabled me to keep my guest list, responses, and to do list in order. On top of that it even made my seating charts a snap - especially when we had to make a bunch of last minute changes. The software comes with a free 30 day trial so it is worth trying out to get your initial planning setup, but if you are serious about staying organized this is a great tool. I would personally push any other wedding software on this site because I didn’t find anything else worth my time. If you do decide to check it out please comment on he site and let us know what you thought. More info is available here or you can download or buy iDo below.
Picking a photographer is probably the most important and difficult decision you will have to make. The photographer is the person that will make sure your wedding day is captured just the way you imagined. The pictures will be what you have to remember all the wonderful moments you were to wired to focus on during your day. Just because a photographer comes will recommended or reviewed doesn’t mean that they are the right fit for you. You will be amazed at how many options you have with your wedding book and finding the right fit is critical. Don’t sign anything that locks you in to any one vendor until you can meet the person or persons that will be working your event. Just because you click with the sales person doesn’t mean you will click with the actual photographer.
Getting your questions in order before signing a contract is critical in this process. Find out the prices 
for the number of pictures in your albums, if you get to keep your proofs, with you get a CD of all your pictures, how many people will work the event, how long will they stay, how many pictures will be taken during the course of the day, and what kind o extras can be added. You will want to make sure that engagement photos are included. This is an important step because you will get to work with your photographer prior to your wedding.
Another important step that takes time is looking through each vendors sample books. These should be the best of the best so if you aren’t impressed by these move on right away. Look for originality in the books and a personal touch that will set your day apart from your friends. I can’t tell you how many cookie cutter books we saw with the same poses in the same areas. This shows a lack of thought and understanding of the couple. Make sure the book reflects you and your day not what they feel is easy for them to work with.
Overall be willing to spend a little extra on your pictures because 40 years from now when you look back on your event surrounded by family you don’t ant to think about the vendor you should have gone with. Remember that with all of your vendors you are the boss and if you get a bad feeling don’t feel obligated to say yes because they spent a lot of tie with you or your just tired of hearing the same sales pitch over and over. Take your time and pick the vendor that will make your dream into a reality and have fun!
I know the thrill of getting engaged can be overwhelming and the thrill of showing off the ring can
make you forget you are about to spend a lot of money. The best way to try and avoid some of the stress and pressures of budgeting your wedding is to work out s sensible budget. This phase of planning will usually cause some arguments and you will have to learn how to compromise so the most important things are done the way you dreamed. Doing some early research is helpful in figuring out where you will have to spend the most amount.
Some tips for budgeting are very simple and don’t require much work at all. Sit down with a notepad and write down the things you want to have at your wedding. What type of hall, the level of food, transportation, pictures, video, and so on. Do some research in your area because most wedding halls will sponsor a wedding show that will bring together a lot of vendors that you can interview on the spot. This will save you a lot of time which you will want to have later on in the process. Everyone will be different when it comes to meeting with vendors, picking the right one, and second guessing about everything. At this stage of budgeting you are creating a rough outline that you hope will be a guide going forward as you meet with some vendors. No matter what you think something will cost just know it will probably cost you more. A strong outline can help you avoid cutting out something you really wanted down the line because money gets tight.
Well, congratulations to your engagement - you FINALLY got that bling to show off to the world! Your mind is now racing with to-do’s. But relax…expect this time for well wishes and engagement cards and gifts, yes you might even get money. Ladies, this is only the beginning, so sit back and relax…give yourself a month to actually soak in being engaged…’cause once the planning begins what a whirl wind it is!!
