"How much should I
spend?"
It can be daunting to think about how much one
can spend on a wedding, especially, if you are the type of person who is very
money conscious. The important thing to keep in mind is your comfort. If you
find that either you or your partner is waking in the middle of the night with
panic attacks, it is time to scale it back a little. Be sure to allow for free
and open conversation between the two of you. Show understanding and compassion
for each other’s dreams and concerns.
"Should
I have a small wedding or big wedding?"
Believe it or not, small and
intimate weddings can sometimes cost as much as very large weddings. It all
depends on the details. It is important to decide where your focus is going to
be. You will need to ask yourselves if you are hoping to save money, or do you
want to share this special day with just very close friends and family? Either
way it is important to determine your budget before deciding the scale of your special
day.
“Is it worth it?"
Most of
us have very few opportunities to celebrate huge life events surrounded by our closest
family and friends. This special day that you have chosen to commit your life
to your partner should be enjoyed and celebrated by everyone who is important
in your lives. Whether your budget is $5,000 or $50,000, this is the day that
you will look back on for years to come. However you choose to celebrate this
day be sure that all aspects are meaningful to you.
"Who
should I invite?"
One of
the hardest decisions the bride and groom will face is creating a guest list; whom
to invite, whom not to invite, whom to put on a backup list. What I recommend to
all engaged couples is to create four (yes four) separate lists. One created by
the bride, one by the groom, one by the bride’s parents, and one by the groom’s
parents. If the bride and groom are paying for the wedding jointly they have
the final say in the number of people invited. Be sure to try to keep things
even. If the bride is inviting 50 people then the groom should also be able to
invite 50. The same rule applies for the parents
of the bride and groom. The next step is to have everyone go through their list
and notate who needs (N) to be at the wedding, who they would like (L) to be at
the wedding, and who can be a backup (B) in case other guests cannot attend. After
adding all the needed guests, you can then start adding the guests you would
like to attend. If you are still under budget and below your ideal number of
guests you can reevaluate your “backup” list and begin adding additional people.
"I have a father and
step-father. How can I include them both in my wedding?"
Having
two father figures in your life is not an uncommon occurrence these days. There
are many ways to incorporate both of these important men in your wedding. You
must first determine if they are friendly with each other and if one father’s feelings
will not be hurt over the other’s incorporation. Some brides choose to have both
men walk her down the aisle. Others have one father walk her halfway down the aisle
before being joined by or handed to the second father. Another option is to
have the stepfather and mother of the bride precede the bride and her father.
If you are not having the ceremony in a church, why not ask one of your fathers
to become an ordained minister? This way both men are an intricate part of your
day!
I hope that
you found these questions and answers helpful!
If you have
a question about your upcoming wedding please email me at: judith@gtcweddings.com and I will answer
it in my next post!
I will
answer up to 6 questions per posting.
If I am
unable to respond to your question in the next posting I will email you
directly with my response and post your question in the subsequent post.
About Judith:
I am a certified wedding planner who
has a passion for organization and weddings. I have such an enthusiasm for
weddings I have married my husband three times over, each wedding more special than
the last! Having had three weddings of my own, I am an expert in working with
any type of budget and every bride’s vision for her special day!
Visit www.gtcweddings.com to find out more information!
