Getting Your Wedding Prep List Ready

You've met the right man, and you have the perfect ring on your finger.

This is the time to plan the perfect wedding. Wedding planning may be stressful and upsetting at times because you to make things perfect for you and your husband to be. All it requires is a little communication and patience while you make what seems like a never-ending list of choices and decisions.

Just like with any big happening, it gets a good deal more manageable if you break your wedding planning down into smaller items to focus on.

First item on your wedding prep list is to decide on the kind of reception you may like to have. Will this be a large wedding, or a more intimate gathering of friends and family? Talk with your relatives and soon to be in-laws to get an idea of what their needs are, considering that their concept of "small" may be very different than yours. After you have a general idea of how many guests you will have, you can then visit reception centers and talk with their representatives about what they offer.

Remember that the places you choose to visit have usually hosted many weddings before yours, and they can be a valuable resource for suggestions that you may not have thought about. It is normal to not have all the answers immediately, and many reception sites will gladly let you take their information so you can spend time looking at what they offer. If you have questions, be sure to ask them, as this is a good way to see how flexible the site and staff will be to meet your individual needs. Of course, you will need to determine your wedding budget, as the reception will be where you spend most of your wedding budget.

The next item on your wedding prep list is to choose the food and the wedding cake. It's a great idea to sample the food at each reception site, preferably the same food you might choose for your wedding. The time of day that you choose to get married will also impact your food choice. If you choose a mid-morning wedding, you might prefer to have a brunch buffet, while an evening wedding calls for more a more formal presentation.

Whatever you choose, do not hesitate to ask for references from the company that will be providing the food at your reception. These references will take you beyond the food preparation and help you evaluate service and accuracy.

Next on the wedding prep list is flowers, invitations, music and photography. These are individual choices you make based on the style you seek for your wedding. These are also areas where you can trim some of your wedding budget if you need to. Considering a simplified invitation and less formally arranged flowers can save you hundreds of dollars.

Keep in mind that the "model wedding" does not necessarily need to be the most costly one. Use your creativity and you will find that your wedding is just as perfect as the man you have chosen to marry.