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Wedding Tips
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Every couple wants a memorable
celebration, a
comfortable day, and a warm afterglow. Not everyone
wants
to shell out a few thousand dollars for a wedding
coordinator. Here are
some tips that will make the
planning process, and the party, a lot more
fun :
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Don’t lose sleep over raised eyebrows.
Within reason – and budgetary constraints – have the wedding
you want. Say you’d like to have someone make balloon hats, but you’re
worried Aunt Myrtle won’t approve. Ten years from now, she’ll
barely remember that she attended, but you may still be bummed about your
balloon-less wedding.
Assuming you’re not counting on Aunt Myrtle’s
estate to put you through graduate school, plan a celebration to suit
your tastes. Self-censor ideas that are likely to offend. You want to
wear a red dress? Go for it. You’d prefer pizza to chicken medallions?
Sure. You’re considering a nudist ceremony? That’s where you
wanna rein it in.
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Move every deadline up by a week. Bridal magazines say this
will give you more time to relax and visit as friends arrive in town. Actually,
it will give you time to rent a tent when the weather turns, buy the groom
a new suit when the tailor hems his pant legs three inches too short, and
find rooms for fifty guests because the hotel double-booked your room block.
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Have a point person. ‘Why is it so hot in here?’
‘Who’s going to tell the bartender to stop serving Uncle Bob?’
‘The cake fell over – should we call someone?’ Don’t
spend your wedding day answering these questions. Most wedding consultants
offer a reasonable one-day package. If you can afford it, that’s the
sanest plan. If not, designate a responsible friend who’s not in the
wedding party. That way you can lead the conga line, and he can figure out
how to work the thermostat.
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Plot a wedding-day schedule. Figure out an approximate time
when you’d like to cut the cake, have the first dance, toss the bouquet,
and so on. Write everything down, and ask your point person to keep things
on schedule. It’s also helpful to print a timeline for your vendors
and bridal party so your maid of honor doesn’t show up half an hour
into the pre-ceremony photos.
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Don’t forget the photo list. Your photographer isn’t
psychic. Make a note of the photos you can’t live without –
you, Grandma, and Mom; a portrait with each of your groomsmen – and
go over your list with the photographer. Give the best man a copy, so he
can help coordinate. There’s nothing worse than getting your photos
back and realizing that the only one you really wanted is missing.
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Put guest comfort first. A toiletry basket for the bathroom
is an essential detail. It tells guests that you made an extra effort to
be a thoughtful host and makes them comfortable for the duration of the
celebration. Include mints, aerosol deodorant, hand cream, bobby pins, hair
bands, combs, small bandages for blisters, Q-tips, and anything else that
might prove useful. I’d draw the line at condoms, but you’re
the one with the open bar.
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Provide icebreakers. Give your guests something to do besides
watching you. Sparklers, noisemakers, a selection of temporary tattoos,
all of these things help guests participate. More importantly, they give
people something to talk about besides your drunk Uncle Bob. If kids are
invited, set up a small table for them with crayons and paper, or provide
a television in a side room where you can screen cartoons.
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Arrange to have food waiting in your hotel room. You threw
a $30,000 party, kissed 200 cheeks, danced for hours, and had a few tequila
shots with the bridesmaids. You’re gonna need a sandwich. Arrange
to have a late-night snack and the next morning’s breakfast waiting
at the hotel. You can bring it yourself, have the caterer pack you something,
or ask a member of the wedding party to leave takeout in your room.
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Give yourselves a day or two to regroup before leaving on
your honeymoon. Talking about your wedding the next day with friends can
be one of the best parts of the celebration. Besides, you’ll need
some time to collapse in an exhausted heap before you brave the airport.
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