Planning Your Wedding - How To Get Organized

You have purchased the latest bridal magazines from your local grocery store and there are pages and pages of photos of beautiful wedding gowns, rings and articles on weddings. Some give you a brief idea of what you need to do to plan your wedding, but you're still not sure how to begin the process.

The key is to start organizing and planning earlier than later.

You first need to create a system to keep all the details in one place. You may choose to use a binder with a tab for each category you will be using. Examples of categories are: Bakery, Ceremony, Catering, Florist, Music, Reception, Photography, Transportation. An accordion file is another choice, using the same category tabs. You will be able to see each category at a glance.

Whichever system you choose, use it to keep track of all receipts, pictures, brochures, business cards etc. that is related to each category.

Once you have your system in place, you can then do some research. There are many wedding planning books out in the market, even online websites (like this one). Visit your local bookstore or library to pick up a book to help your with the entire planning process.

Find a "wedding timetable" layout. This timetable will include a list of to-do's for the entire months/year before the big day. Some of the first things on this timeline may be: Consulting with fianc? and parents to decide budget and financial support. Another may be deciding the number of guests to invite to your big day (always dependant on budget $$ available), deciding what type of wedding - formal or informal or even interviewing wedding coordinators. This timetable is a basic guideline. You can recreate on your computer to fit your wedding and time line.

Once you have an idea of all the details involved in planning a wedding and all the dedicated time you will have to spend, you can start recruiting help from family and friends. Delegate tasks to help you check off all the to-do's on your list and by the time you know it, it's wedding day.

Maggie Puertas is founder and owner of Wedding Dreamz. Offering full service wedding coordination & consulting services for brides in Northern California, SF Bay Area. We dedicate ourselves to providing a personal touch combined with detailed organization and individual attention to plan, design and coordination to fit your personalities, style, vision & budget. Visit us today at http://www.weddingdreamz.net and request your complimentary consultation.

---

Six Ways to Decorate Your Wedding Arch

Sometimes a wedding arch is a no-brainer way to spruce up your ceremony site. No-brainer, at least, until you actually have one in your hands and ready to decorate. Then it gets a... Read More

Marriage Counseling Tips: 7 Ways to Handle Conflict in Marriage

How do you handle arguments that lead to heated exchanges with your spouse? Do you value being right over preserving the quality of your relationship? And how long do you stay angry after... Read More

Here Comes the Bride

As we hear the music begin to play the Bridal March, we all stand to welcome the new bride as she walks down the aisle in her white gown looking perfect, not a... Read More

Minor But Important Duties For Your Wedding Party, Bridesmaids, and Groomsmen

Your wedding party is a major factor in the success of your wedding day. Too many couples assume that once they've selected their brides maids and grooms men that they are finished. Unfortunately,... Read More

Is Your Marriage Sinking?

Reading this article does not necessarily mean that if you are married then your marriage is sinking. However, if you believe that living under a single roof means you have to compromise with... Read More

Marriage Advice: Ten Danger Signals to Watch for in Your Marriage

Healthy marriages require time, attention, energy, and vigilance. It's not realistic to think that you can have a super marriage without effort on your part.It pays to be observant, to ask questions when... Read More

Are American Women Driving Their Men Away?

Recently, I stumbled across something on the internet. A particular website caught my eye... and provided a solid hour or more of eye-opening reading. What was it?This website offers little in the way... Read More

For Second Weddings Only - Eight Tips

Planning a second wedding? Prevent favorite guests comparing your second wedding, to the first wedding. It isn't tricky but it will take some thought. Whether guests will or will not compare weddings is... Read More

When To Order and Send Your Wedding Invitations

Wedding Invitations should be ordered when you have all the details of your wedding set? place, time of ceremony and reception as well as your guest list. Plan to place your invitation order... Read More

Second Marriage Wedding Dress and Etiquette

Just as with your first marriage, your second marriage is a new beginning with your fianc?. So it makes sense that many of the traditional rituals and rules of etiquette apply. But which... Read More

Lighting The Way When Two Become One

Whether you want to add a little extra romance to an evening reception or a little glow to your house of worship, candles are a natural, effortless addition to your wedding theme. You'll... Read More

Bachelor Party Planning - The Ultimate Weekend Trip with the Guys

Rounding up the guys to devour some barbecued red meat followed by a drunken jaunt to the local "nudie bar" just doesn't seem to be cutting it for today's soon-to-be grooms as they... Read More

Business Partners & Marital Partners Will The Marriage Survive - Part II

In the last article, we concluded by saying that keeping your business and personal relationships separate is very important to the survival of both your business and your marriage. In this article we... Read More

Have A Simple, Small, Green Wedding

A wedding is one of life's major rites of passage. It is certainly something to celebrate! Today, wedding books and magazines promote large weddings so that more and more wedding products can be... Read More

Ten Tips for Writing Your Perfect Wedding Vows

1. Start with a nice clean piece of paper (lavender is good, but any kind will work). Down the left side of the page, write the numbers 1-10. Now ? without stopping to... Read More

How to Have a Sizzler of a Honeymoon! Article No. 10

What about this business of food for lovers? Is it possible that if you eat this, that or the other thing, your time in bed with your partner will be more satisfyingly active?... Read More

Growing and Connecting with Your Spouse

Do you remember when there were no children in your life? Hanging out with your spouse was your first priority. You had fun going on dates. You had time to talk and share... Read More

How To Choose Your Wedding Cake

One of my favorite parts about the wedding, is the cake. Over time many things have changed with weddings, but one thing that stays the same, there is always a beautiful cake. The... Read More

Unique Wedding Favors

When it comes to consideration for the right wedding favor, the possibilities are endless. Couples have so many options available today, that it may appear to be a daunting task to settle on... Read More

Wedding Anniversary Signature Frame ? The Perfect Anniversary Gift!

So you're having a wedding anniversary. Congratulations! It's quite a remarkable achievement in this day and age and whether you're celebrating a 10th, 25th, or 50yr anniversary each year marks a memorable milestone... Read More

Diamond Wedding Rings ? The Things to Look For

There is a huge array of diamond wedding rings available today, and choosing the one that will be with you for a lifetime is a serious affair. Not only are there aesthetic factors... Read More

Secrets of a Happy Marriage

My husband and I have a perfect marriage.There. I said it.Now some of you may be inclined to roll your eyes or gag. Some of you may think I'm exaggerating, lying or suffering... Read More

Bridal Budget Beware

Getting hitched, taking the plunge, tying the knot, jumping the broom--whatever you call it, chances are you know it ain't cheap to say "I do."But do you know the real sticker price of... Read More

How To Choose The Right Wedding Bouquet Style

Basically, there are three wedding bouquet styles. The cascade, round or posy, and hand-tied.The cascade, as the name suggests, is shaped like a waterfall, more flowers on the top with some flowers flowing... Read More

Jewish Wedding Traditions - The Wedding Day in a Nutshell

Many of the Jewish wedding traditions are derived from ancient Jewish wedding customs dating back thousands of years.Orthodox Jewish weddings always include these customs. Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Jews and others can gather... Read More

Traditional Bridal Shower Gifts

The tradition of hosting a bridal shower for the bride to be grew out of a desire of the friends and family of the bride to get to know each other better, strengthen... Read More

After Wedding Tips - Five Tips for a Great Marriage - (That Produces The Good Feelings That Last)

Here are five seeds of a great marriage from grandmother. Tips that produced hundreds of "the good feelings" that last. You can start growing together now by talking about this before the wedding,... Read More

Who Should Get A Gift At Your Wedding?

Planning a wedding is hard enough without having to think about who you should be giving gifts to. After all, you've a ceremony to plan, a reception hall to decorate and the perfect... Read More

New Findings on Happiness Have Implications for Rocky Marriages

Not only do individuals who follow Time Magazine's "Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life" suggestions (Time, January 17, 2005, p. A8-A9) increase their own level of happiness, they also increase the odds... Read More