Since the families are meeting for the first time, the atmosphere tends to be formal and it becomes absolutely necessary to break the tension. This is why you have some games and activities to help people know everyone around them. The idea here is to choose games that are not embarrassing and cause any stress to any individual.

Here are some games that one can play:

1)   The Trivia Game – You can divide the guests into teams and ask them questions related to the bride and groom lives.  These questions can have some fun facts about the bride and groom, like  when did they meet first? Where was their first date? Where will the honeymoon be ?. However one must not include questions that are embarrassing. The person who handling the question should the game should take adequate precautions and see that talk does not deviate into topics that make people squirm.

2)The popular icebreaker that is used in corporate functions and company parties that can work wonders in engagement parties. Tape  cards to each person’s back and encourage him or her meet everybody in the room. Before the person moves on, ask the other one to a write a comment on that person back.

3)If the crowd seems an enthusiastic and boisterous. You can ask the marrieds to give advice to the would be marrieds . This can be a really fun game and humorous people will have a ball. This would also help the families to  know each other better. However, once has to be very careful to see that it doesn’t result in a quarrel between any couple.

It is easy to create one’s wedding veil. If you start early and you can save a couple thousand of dollars. To create this, you will have to decide how long you would want it. Generally, it has to be of waist length. You will then require a comb to attach on your hair and a hat or a headpiece to cover the comb. Sew large running stitches from the end of the veil to the comb and gather it tightly. Then you can sew the veil to the comb. For a classical look you can wear a hat adorned with flowers, ribbon and pearls.

The bouquets and the flower arrangements can also be personally crafted. For an outdoors wedding, you can consider wild flowers. They are free and all you have to do is go for a walk or take a drive to the woods and pluck them. Unlike designer flowers which give an artificial look, these wild flowers are natural and will create an impact on the guest it is different.

Favors for the guests are correct wedding crafts. Refrigerator magnets area well received favor. A nice idea would be to make a magnetic picture frame and include a picture of a couple. This can be either handmade and can be done cheaply. Expensive would hold no meaning to the guests and they will treasure something like thus gift and they will feel a part of your wedding.

You can also bake and decorate your wedding cake. There are many websites on the internet that will help you out with this task. This may take some time and an arduous task, but it will be a fun process. If you are able to get a few friends to come over and help, you can have a ball.

The key here is effective planning; you have to plan in advance, so that every aspect of your wedding is looked into and it turns out to be a success.

A wedding planner is a person or an agency that is hired by the bride or the groom to coordinate a variety of tasks associated with the wedding. Wedding Planners are professionals that plan many aspects of your wedding to make it memorable, they look into aspects like hiring of the DJ, floral arrangements, cake, seating arrangements, invitations, photography and many more.

The wedding planner in the will arrange an interview with the bride and groom and then chart out a plan based on the points discussed. A good wedding planner will also assist you in organizing, planning and budgeting. You then have to sign a contract so that there is no room for misunderstanding. Since the details will be mentioned on the contract, you can keep tabs on the planner and ask him for updates. The costs have also to be clearly mentioned in the contract.

The Wedding planners are professionally trained to perform these tasks. They see that the event happens without  glitches. They will also see that the guests have a good time. Some may even provide the services of a Master of Ceremonies who will make the occasion is lively In a nutshell the wedding planners end objective would be see that the guests have a good time.

This is still an upcoming business and many do not deploy the traditional forms of advertising. You can however get their contacts on the Internet. Check out the testimonials on blogs and speak with their previous clients. This will give you an idea of their reputation and professionalism.

The difference between a good photographer and an excellent one is that a good photographer will take photos and the excellent one will capture memories. Finding a good photographer is difficult because most of these photographers of today are freelancers rely on word of mouth. Nowadays however with advancement of the internet and social networking sites, you can find them. Once you get in touch with them, you ask for their previous works. You then show this and consult with your fiancee before taking the decision. Since photography has different perceptions, it is mandatory that you consult others. AND WHAT BETTER PERSON THAN YOUR FIANCEE. However if there is high budget allocated to photography, then you can hire the services of a professional firm to help you out. The advantage that once you hire their services then you can be assured that this task will be performed properly.

The below checklist should be decided and told to the photographer

1)  Whether the photography would be formal or Un-posed shots? Whether you would want traditional or modern shots

2) Whether the photography be taken at home or the morning of the wedding.

3) Black and White or Color photography. Black and White photography gives a timeless feeling to the album whereas color photograph brings the people in the photograph to life.

4)  Would you get the DVD copy of the album?

5)  And finally the budget.

Also have a back up a back up photographer ready for the show in case if the hired photographer does not turn up. Finally you have a wonderful feeling when you get your hands on that album.

Your wedding day is a day that you would never want to forget. You would want your children and grand children to see how beautiful you looked on your perfect wedding day. You would want to relive that magical day whenever you look at the photographs in your wedding album. Therefore, it is very important that you choose a professional photographer, who will capture all the memorable moments perfectly. After all, you only get married once!

There are many benefits of hiring a professional. A professional knows exactly where to stand to capture those priceless moments. He knows which moments are memorable and you would want to see in the years to come. A good photographer would usually visit the location in advance to get a feel of the place and to note the different angles for the shots. Some good photographers even attend the rehearsal in order to prepare themselves for taking beautiful pictures on the D-day.

You should hire a photographer who allows you to be a part of the entire process of photography. This is because they understand that you are the most important person. He will discuss with you on the kind of shots that you might want, like traditional or new styles. Such an experienced photographer would be by your side the whole day to capture all those intimate and memorable moments of emotion that you would want to cherish for life.

Before choosing a photographer, make sure to have a look at his previous works and portraits. This will help you a lot in deciding between options. Finally, hire a photographer who will give in the wedding album, all those special moments of the most special day of your life that you would want relive forever.

The wedding gift should generally be something that not only is a token of the special day, but also of practical use to them. Remember that most newlyweds are about to begin a new home, a new life. A perfect gift should be something that they can use in their new place, or something that reminds them of their beautiful memories of being together. If you do not want the gift to be something of practical value, then it has to have significant emotional value to the happy couple. You can decide what it is that you want your perfect wedding gift to symbolize.

Most popular and suitable gifts for practical purposes are crockery items. Dinnerware, tea sets, champagne sets, vine glass sets, silverware, silver spoons sets, decorative serving dishes and bowls, interior decoration items like oriental wall hangings, bed spreads, paintings, table lamps, etc. You can choose from a huge variety of things. You can even gift something more contemporary like feng shui items for the home. Other popular alternatives are home appliances like mixer- grinder sets, blenders, etc. Gift ideas for an emotional appeal could be something like- a beautiful photo frame with a memorable photograph inside that the couple would cherish. A gift of this sort not only gives the couple good memories, but also it is something that they can practically use.

These days many couples- to- be give out wedding gift lists that include things that they would require. In such a case, you can choose from an item on the list. However, list or no list, you can still choose a memorable gift by giving little thought to it and following your instincts.

If you wish to look like an angel on the most awaited day of your life, you need to choose the perfect dress. You need to keep in mind many things while making the choice. The most important is your body type. Not all of us have the hour- glass figure. You need to be proud of your body and be comfortable with it. Many girls choose dresses that are many sizes smaller than their own size. Nothing looks worse than an ill- fitting dress. Therefore, while choosing your perfect dress, respect you size and choose one that flatters your body. It is best that you go to a professional boutique where you get expert assistance in finding the right dress in the right size for you.

Apart from your size, you also need to be wary of choosing a color that does not suit your skin tone. It is very important that you find a dress that complements your skin tone and makes you look elegant. For those of you who have olive skin then you should go ahead with white. However, if you have fair skin, you can try shades of ivory and cream too.

You also need to take care of the length of the dress as compared to your height. If you are the traditional types then you would probably stick to the full length gown, However, these days many brides are experimenting with the length of their wedding dress. If you wish to do so, you need to be careful. For a girl who is short, a short dress will not look as good as a full-length one. A short dress will only make you look shorter. Tall girls, however, can experiment with the length of their dress without any apprehensions. Other than that, you also need to take care of the shape of the dress. Whether a flared gown or a fitted dress with little flare at the lower length would suit you more, depends on your body shape. Therefore, a professional’s help in this case will come in handy. They will be able to find the perfect cut, color and size dress for you that will make you like Cinderella walking out of the fairy tale.

It might seem undoable for a second, but think about it. It is not all that difficult to choose flowers, or a venue. You can take help from your best friend and your husband-to-be, who should be more than willing. You can draft out a plan in the beginning- start by listing all the items that you would need to decide on. For ideas on the perfect venue, you can take suggestions from close friends and family. They will be the best source of information on economical alternatives. You can take help from the internet for ideas on flowers, your wedding gown, and the bride’s maids gowns too. You will be surprised by the options available.

Planning your wedding by yourself brings to it a creative and personal touch. You and your fiancé can come up with unique ideas about the décor, the ambience, the music, and other things. This will also help you bond. Another benefit of planning your wedding on your own is that the wedding planners usually go to the same people for services like catering, flowers, music, etc. This can make your wedding just like many others out there. In addition, since they do not search for alternatives, they might be overlooking a much cheaper deal. This is where you can make the difference. Not only can you be more creative than the planners can, you can save a bunch of money too.

You need to remember that planning a wedding does not have to be a stressful affair. You can make it a very enjoyable and memorable experience, if you involve your close friends and family. They will happily take responsibility off your shoulders and help you stay calm. As said before, this affair can also be a great bonding experience for you, your fiancé, and family.

Show Respect – Treating the driver who is driving the limo with respect is a very important etiquette. Also the way you get inside the limo depicts the type of respect you show and it is the most important etiquette that should be followed by every body that is traveling in a limo.  A professional should drive the limos that are rented for prom nights or weddings; it should not be driven rashly. You might very well know that a limousine is expensive and hence it should be handled with care. Treating the limo driver with respect is very important after all he is the person because of whom you will be traveling with so much passion and style.

Seating Capacity – Every limo model has a pre-fixed capacity. Therefore another important limo service etiquette should be to respect the passenger limits. One can have a comfortable and joyous journey only if the seating limits are obeyed and respected. Do not over load the limo with people who are not supposed to be there. Before booking the limo take care of the people who should be dropped from the plan although it sounds unkind. In fact, for most of the limos, seating capacity is decided by the lay. The space is fixed keeping in mind the comfort and safety of a customer.

Local Laws – If you are the one who has hired the limo and is going to drive it all the way to the wedding place or the prom night, be careful about the car and also follow the local traffic rules. Breaking the rules with a car that is not yours does not sound healthy. You will have to pay fine both to the cops and also to the limo service.

Lists – This is a complete responsibility of the bride and her family. Compilation of the list that contains names of the people to be invited should be taken care of by the bride and her family members. It should be done at least 10 weeks before the wedding day. Almost ten percent of the people whom you will invite may not show up, also include those you know cannot come. Half of the invitations should go to the family and friends of the groom. More people should be invited for the reception than to the religious ceremony.

Invitations – The formality of the invitation should be as formal as the wedding itself. For a formal wedding the best card would be printed or engraved invitations. Less formal weddings can be managed with handwritten notes on white paper. You need to order the invitations 8-10 weeks before the wedding but send them 6-8 weeks before the wedding.

Wording of the Invitations – There has been no other invitation that has created as much advice or controversies as wedding invitations. Who should issue it? Should it be engraved or printed? Should it be handwritten or not? For other questions debates are raised in public. Proofread your invitation several times to make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors in the invite.

To guests – Invited should respond with acceptance or regrets. The formality of the wordings in the invitation should match the formality of the wordings and also with the wedding itself. Do not bring uninvited kids and dates to the wedding.

Gifts – Once you receive gifts you should display them on a large table. You may want to type a list of people who sent you checks. Thank-You notes should be written within three months of wedding. If the wedding is called off, the gifts should be returned with a note.