Back then, hiring wedding planners is a luxury. As the number of couples who use the services of wedding coordinators rise, this part of the wedding industry showed a high potential for being a profession or career.
Such viability is evident in the rising number of businesses that offers wedding planning services. The Internet also became the venue of this burgeoning industry in stretching its terrains even to technology and education sector. Several wedding planners now offer downloadable wedding planning software programs that serves as a guide to couples. Schools also now embrace the idea of offering wedding planning career programs.
As its name suggest, wedding planners, also called wedding consultants, bridal consultants, and wedding coordinators, plan the big day. The question is why the demand for wedding consultants is continually rising.
The Gatlin Education Services (GES) said that a professional wedding consultant is skilled in events planning and monetary management. GES provides online workforce to various colleges and universities for their career programs including certification for wedding planning programs.
The skills include creativity on several aspects of design and decoration, insider’s knowledge with and network of the best vendors in town, and updated information on almost all areas of wedding ceremonies.
GES further put weight on the role of wedding consultants by encapsulating in its job description every detail—it may be small or substantial—of the wedding, such as conception of theme and decorations, contracts, ceremony details, and industry formulas for deliveries.
Specifically, a wedding consultant receives, makes, documents telephone calls, and schedules appointments with clients and vendors, assists clients with their wedding attire selection, tracks budget and plans projects, visits sites for venue selection, troubleshoots and solves problems, manages and delegates task, collects payments, and so on.
With such arduous work of planning a wedding, several brides opt to hire wedding consultants. The SuperWeddings.com’s survey showed that 72% of recently married brides regretted not having hired a wedding consultant while 49% said that hiring one is the vital detail they missed about their entire weddings.
It is no doubt the employment of wedding planners was projected to increase by 20% between 2006 and 2016, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In addition, wedding planners have a relatively high earning—a 10 – 15% of the total wedding expenditures.
GES is just one of the many schools that spurred following the rise in the demand for such profession. GES standardized the curriculum, instruction, and evaluation of the Certified Planning Program across its partner schools. Since 1999, the SuperWeddings has been offering a certification program. An online program though, but it provides a close student – teacher relationship.
In the United Kingdom, the Wedding Planning School’s (WPS) curriculum covers all aspects of wedding and event management. It provides training venues in Bristol, London, Manchester, and Leeds. The WPS also offers certified programs with classes during weekends and home study courses. Another example is the United States Career Institute (USCSI) that offers an online four-month training only for wedding consultants.
Looking for autumn-spiration? These tips and ideas for fall theme weddings will get you started towards planning a wedding with a fall twist.
Prepare for Variable Weather –
Fall weather can be unpredictable: what starts as a sunny warm morning can turn into a brisk chilly evening. Be prepared for both extremes. Have portable heaters available (if your wedding will take place outside), and dress the wedding party in layers.
Celebrate the Outdoor Splendor -
The season seems to call for an outdoor, rustic setting affording prime leaf peeping views. Some ideas: parks, orchards, vineyards, farms, ranches, barns, mills, or the grounds of an historic inn or mansion. If an outdoor setting isn’t an option, find a venue boasting a clear view of the fall foliage or countryside.
Plan Your Fall Decor -
Use your decor scheme to tie together the fall theme. Here are some tips:
- Pick your color palette – you can go with the traditional colors of the season: reds, oranges, browns, rusts, and yellows, or make a rich, interesting twist to the autumn color scheme by incorporating jewel tones. For added pizzazz, mix in some metallics: gold, copper, and bronze.
- Seasonal blooms – popular fall wedding flowers include montbretia, hypericum, mums, sunflowers, roses, and daisies.
- Get back to nature – use simple décor to subtly enhance the season’s natural bounty. Use the autumn harvest for inspiration; think gourds, pumpkins, squash, gold dipped fall leaves, bales of hay, jugs of cider…you get the idea.
- Go fall glam – you’re not confined to rustic and casual in the fall. Create a posh autumn ambiance, and drape lush velvet (a traditional fall/winter fabric) in a rich chocolate brown or gold throughout your reception space. Accent the scene with antique broaches, crystal candelabras and stemware.
Plan Your Fall Wedding Menu –
You cannot go wrong with seasonal standbys: turkey, red potatoes, corn bread dressing, green beans, and honey glazed carrots. Here are some additional tips and ideas:
- Family style – re-create a traditional thanksgiving feast by incorporating your family recipes into your wedding menu and serving the meal family style (if your guest list is small).
- Hearty proteins – choose a hearty meat that will pair with heavier side dishes – turkey, roasted quail, rib roast.
- Keep it elegant – you can serve traditional fare in sophisticated, creative ways – present soup or veggie puree in mini shot classes or hallowed out gourds, or warm apple cider in glass mugs with cinnamon sticks.
Get more fall wedding ideas for every aspect of your wedding in this complete theme weddings guide.
A wedding needs be well prepared and planned. A timetable for the wedding preparation is therefore essential. Here you will find a checklist for your wedding planning:
10 to 12 months before: Set wedding date (holidays observed, etc.) Discuss the process and decide if you want to have a wedding theme Start writing your proposed guest list Set up a general outline of cost
8 to 10 months before: Identify witnesses for wedding ceremony Select the wedding party (Who will be best man, etc) Find out what legal documents are required
6 to 7 months before: Possibly join a dance class for the wedding waltz training (not to be underestimated) Search for hotels, where your guests can stay overnight Decide and purchase wedding rings Book Photographer Look for locations, indoor and outdoor Organize music – live band or disc jockey (Sound system) Decide the wedding wardrobe Plan the list of events (When will the stag party be, for example)
5 months before: Complete your marriage registration Select your wedding car Inform family members about the type of dress they will need for the wedding. Look for friends to help with preparation. This could mean using a friends design skill for the layout of invitation cards. Find out about flower costs and arrangements. Plan your Honeymoon destination. Check your passports if you need them.
4 months before: Send invitations. Apply for work leave for wedding Book your Honeymoon Permits to recall witnesses Create a list what you would like for wedding gifts
3 months before: Book a hotel room for wedding night Provide hotel suggestions for your guests Search for wedding rings Think about dress for flower girls Arrange a photographer for the wedding day (this may need to be done sooner) Make a booking at the hairdressers Arrange wedding date at the registry office and pastor Discuss the process with Pastor or Priest.
2 months before: Set up your sequence of events for your wedding day. Organize a champagne reception for close family members. Order the wedding cake.
1 month before: Order the menu, drinks and discuss the table decoration Organize transportation for your guests, if necessary Order flowers for the wedding reception and flower arrangements for the car and the church
2 weeks before: Check the guest list for responses (who want to attend, who can’t). Buy small gifts for the flower girls
1 week before: Discuss the details with the master of the ceremony Run a trial Make-up appointment to be aware how long it takes get ready Pick up the wedding rings Have a haircut or hair style
1 day before: Make sure the best man has the wedding rings Pack the suitcases for your honeymoon The bride should pack her handbag for the wedding Permits completed at the registry office? The hotel rooms are booked? The travel documents are complete for the honeymoon?
This list covers the main preparation task for a wedding. This list serves as a guideline for the main tasks you need to complete. You may have other ideas or items you want to add.
It is important to manage the tasks within the suggested time frame, to have a stress free planning time. Hopefully this list will help you to manage the tasks stress free before the most exiting day of your live.
Everybody has some pre-concepts and imagination about their wedding. When there are very less days left for the wedding, there is a lot of hustle and bustle around for the ceremony. In this chaos all our imaginations remain just dreams. So, if you want to make your wishes come true, then a little planning is essential. Nowadays, there are many professionals available who plan and manage weddings according to the client’s requirements.
Items to be included in the list for Wedding Planning:
List of guests: This is the list of guests that are expected for the ceremony. It would help you while sending invitations to the guests. Moreover, their accommodation, food and other arrangements can be planned.
Wedding Budget: While planning for a wedding, the most crucial aspect is its budget. It is very essential to plan a budget in advance because after the end of the wedding the expenses would surely be beyond your expectations.
Wedding venue: The venue should be large enough to accommodate your guests. While selecting the venue keep in mind the budget, bookings, availability of rest rooms and other supplies. If it is an outdoor wedding, obtain necessary information about the venue, climate of the region etc.
Theme of the wedding: Plan the wedding theme in advance. It would guide you about the wedding decor, dresses for the ceremony and arrangement of lightings.
Wedding dresses: Dresses should complement the wedding theme and style. If you are opting for unique colors or designer wear, make the selection and bookings in advance. Try the dress once before the ceremony and make the necessary alterations if required.
Wedding invitations: These can be selected as per our own likings, taste and budget. Send it with a handwritten note to all the guests in advance. Mention about the wedding theme in the invitation, so that the guests can come appropriately dressed for the ceremony.
Wedding cakes: It has to be booked in advance. The color and appearance of the cake can be ordered in such a way that it resembles the wedding theme.
Wedding favors: They are the most important part of the ceremony. We can plan in advance the favors as per the theme and your ideas about them. If you are budget conscious, then select those favors that can be reused or you can prepare favors at home.
Wedding traditions: This may vary from person to person. Based upon your particular traditions and rituals, plan out the things required in advance.
Wedding Planning checklist: It includes a list of things that we have to complete before the ceremony. Apart from these, we could also include the distribution of work amongst the relatives and close friends. It would give you clear picture about the tasks, their accomplishment and what else is remaining.
Wedding vows: There are many types of wedding vows from funny to religion based. The bride and the groom could discuss and make their own wedding vows. Practice it before the ceremony and check whether it is sounding good. Making your own vow would give you a great aesthetic pleasure and help you to know each others feelings in a better way.
We’re going to the chapel and we’re gonna get married!!! If this is the song that has been buzzing through your head for the last couple of weeks, then we assume it is because you are planning your own wedding! The perfect wedding is every girl’s dream, from the little scrapbook that we all have tucked under our beds containing pictures of the ring we want, the wedding cake and the wedding dress we want, and don’t forget the decorative theme that we have already decided upon even though we are only 9yrs old. But most of our tastes change and so it is time to make that scrapbook again, just this time for the most anticipated “D” day.
To begin with it is important to make the all important Wedding To-Do List” every to-bride should have one and it is important to keep checking things off one by one. At then end when there is nothing left to check off you know you have everything under control. We would suggest you make lists for 6-8 months in advance, then 4-5 months, then 1-2 months and then the final one week in advance list. This should help you cover a lot of ground.
One of the most important things brides need to finalise upon the theme of their wedding. This wedding is a dream of yours and everything has to be perfect so if you want it done your way then you need to finalise upon a theme that even your fiancé will love. The theme can even just be colours that will be used through out the wedding decoration. Make a list of things you absolutely want at the wedding like a funny photo booth for your friends, or a karaoke bar to entertain everyone. Wedding in Australia are planned with a lot of fanfare and there are plenty of vendors who offer wedding services. So call months in advance and make your bookings without fail.
Now here are few things you can start off by answering to make you are planning a wedding of your dream!
• What kind of a wedding dress do I want?
• Where and when will the wedding be? Do I want to be a June or December bride? Or do I love the autumn sky more? Do I want a church or outdoor wedding?
• How many guests are to be invited? A small private affair or a huge Magana opus?
• What about my fiancé? Does he want to contribute anything to the wedding plans?
• Are we going to put up all the friends or family or will they be staying at their accommodation?
• What decorative theme do I want?
• What will my bridesmaids wear? What colour palette do I want to follow?
• How do I want to be photographed? Which photographer do I want to hire?
• Do I want to have live musicians or hire a DJ?
These are a few things that will definitely help you plan a wedding in Australia to your heart’s content…best of luck with your wedding plans.
The tulips are blooming, the temperatures are rising – what a perfect time for a wedding! Get started planning your spring themed wedding now with these inspiring ideas for spring weddings… Spring Theme Weddings – Things to Consider
Daylight saving time – In 2008, daylight saving time begins on Sunday March 9th, after which the sun will set an hour later. Keep this date in mind if you envision a sunset outdoor ceremony.
Prom factor - May and June are prime prom months, so be sure to book your transportation and locations early. Variable weather – spring weather can be unpredictable. An unseasonably warm and sunny Friday can give way to a miserably cold and rainy Saturday. Be prepared for both extremes.
All in the Details – Spring Wedding Ideas
Invitations & Stationery
* Add a spring motif – such as a tulip or butterfly – to your stationery suite * Consider color – use paper or inks in a spring color palette – pastels, greens, etc. * Get whimsical – find a fun, flirty font to evoke a festive spring feeling * An added touch – insert a sprinkling of silk flowers into each envelope
Location
* Garden settings abound – take advantage of budding leaves and flowers with botanical gardens, mansions with lush grounds, or another venue with a pristine garden or courtyard. * Take it indoors – if an outdoor setting isn’t possible – find an indoor venue with panoramic picture windows affording lots of sunlight and a bright airy ambiance.
Décor Elements
* Color palette – 1) green and white – an elegant accompaniment to a garden setting. 2) yellow and green -another fresh, natural color pairing. 3) preppy – combine hot pink with green or mango (think polka dots and gingham). 4) chocolate brown – this trendy hue works well for spring – pair with pale blue or pink. * Go wild with patterns – create a playful effect – think gingham, polka dots, eyelet lace, swiss dots and stripes. * Add some greens – grasses and greenery are a natural for outdoor garden settings. Drape over arbors and incorporate in arrangements
Flowers
* Seasonal blooms – classics include tulips, daffodils, lilies (especially calla lilies and easter lilies), magnolias, gardenias, hydrangeas, gerbera daisies, apple or cherry blossoms. View our complete list of spring wedding flowers * Creative containers – put your arrangements in simple, homespun containers like wicker baskets, watering cans, teapots, or urns. * Potted plants – potted arrangements create a natural, organic look. Best of all -you can plant them for a timeless reminder of your wedding
Menu
* In Season – serve a main dish featuring ham or lamb * Fresh produce – round out the meal with a bounty of fresh fruits and young vegetables like baby carrots, baby asparagus and new potatoes * Elegant sides – serve mini quiches or update traditional deviled eggs by adding salmon or crabmeat * Bar favorites – a spring menu seems to call for champagne. Mix up a batch of mimosas for a morning wedding, or create a festive champagne cocktail.
Wedding Cake
* Coconut Confection – coconut frosting and fillings make a quintessential spring treat * Crazy for carrot – carrot cake with cream cheese icing is another springtime fave. * Light and fluffy – go with angel food cake and fresh strawberries or strawberry cream * Whimsical adornments – decorate with bright, fanciful details like ribbon, swiss dots or swirl patterns.
Attire
* Loosen up – feel free to relax the dress code a bit, especially if the wedding will take place outside * Lighten up – lighter fabrics like lace or cotton create a perfect springtime look * Wedding gown – Add some color with a sash or detailed embroidery * Bridesmaids dresses – Pastels are a springtime classic. Keep yours fresh by choosing a color and allowing each of your maids to select a different hue. Or go in another direction with a bolder turquoise, fuschia or mango. * Avoid satin shoes – they don’t hold up well under springtime showers * The guys – They’ll look seasonably appropriate in tan suits, colored shirts and ties. For a formal evening affair, a basic tux always works.
Favors
* Keep love blooming – with packs of flower seeds * Plant it – give miniature potted plants or herbs
Getaway
* Horse-drawn carriage – this Cinderella-like getaway make a fitting finale to an ethereal springtime wedding
Get even more ideas for spring weddings in this complete guide to wedding themes.
Getting everything together to plan the perfect wedding is a difficult task. There are about a million things that must be done to get everything in perfect alignment for the big day. There are some great online wedding planning sites that can help you keep everything together and make things a whole lot easier for you.
There are some free sites out there that will allow you to use their wedding planning tools with no charge, but others will offer you a free trial and a small fee for the use of the software. The fee is relatively small considering the amount of help that the software can be. There are to do lists and a task manager as well as a handy way to keep track of your budget. Online wedding planning is the new way to go for busy brides.
Imagine being able to simply log into your account and taking a look at what you still have left to do, the appointments you have scheduled and a full list of who has RSVP’d so far. Let your fiancé have access to the site and he can take a look at what must still be accomplished and the tasks that are his to take care of. It’s a simple and easy way to keep track of everything in one spot.
In the past, busy brides were required to keep track of their entire wedding planning in a binder or notebook. This has eliminated the need to keep track of all of that paper and keep everything in one neat spot. It is a great idea if you are on a budget and must watch every penny that you spend. Not only will you have the budget aspect of the software, but also you will eliminate the need to hire a wedding planner. It’s like having your own wedding planner in your computer. The cost of this software is considerably less than it would be to hire someone to take care of all of the planning of your wedding.
Take advantage of technology and look into online wedding planning software. It is a great way to ease your burden while you are planning the biggest day of your life. Wedding planning can be a very stressful time and many brides find the overwhelming stress too much to handle. With this technology the burden is eased a bit and the worry over missing some important detail is eliminated when you use online wedding planning.
The type of your reception should be compatible with the ceremony style. There are three general types of receptions; however there are many ways to go about planning a wedding reception:
– A tea or stand-up buffet, for an early – or late-afternoon wedding, usually consists of hors d oeuvres, wedding cake, and beverages, and allows approximately eight pieces of finger food in the per-person cost.
– A sit-down buffet, for a morning, noon, or evening wedding, allows guests to serve themselves and then be seated at tables.
– A sit-down dinner, for a wedding held after 6pm, offers a four or five course meal that is served to seated guests.
The basic requirements for a reception are the wedding cake and a beverage for toasting the bridal couple. Champagne is traditionally served at formal receptions, but the serving of alcoholic beverages of any kind is a matter of choice. The reception is likely to consume the largest portion of your wedding budget. Also, you should appoint someone reliable to oversee the reception, coordinate last-minute details, and direct cleanup. To help with these responsibilities, a reception organizer, reception seating chart, reception receiving line, reception room diagrams, and worksheet for the table layout may be filled out and given to the reception coordinator.
How to Choose a Reception Site
You will need to coordinate available dates and times with both the ceremony and reception sites before confirmation can be made. How to choose a reception site is largely determined by the size of your guest list. It is important to have a room that is neither too large nor too small. Your guests may feel lost in a room too large. To make the room appear smaller, you can partition off an area using potted plants, roping, or moveable room dividers. If a room is too small, it may become cramped and uncomfortable. When weather and location permit, the reception could spill over into a garden or patio to increase the size of the area.
Allow approximately three hours for your reception. The length will depend upon the style of the reception, the location you have chosen, and the number of guests to be served.
Most hotels and caterers, who may be involved with more than one reception on any given day, prefer that you select a time for your reception that stays within a single conventional time period (morning, noon, afternoon, or evening). If your reception extends into a second time period – such as from afternoon into evening – you may find difficulty in reserving a room, or an increase in cost for the use of the room and services.
When you have a choice of using all or some of the services offered with a possible reception site (perhaps in a “packaged deal”), consider every detail before deciding. Packages may include (a) room, food, and service; or (b) room, food, service, cake, and decorations.
Most banquet facilities and halls require that you use their food and beverage services. Hotels sometimes offer extras with their packages, suck as discounted room prices for out-of-town guests, and special wedding night rates for the bride and groom. When reserving a reception room months in advance of your wedding, ask for a guaranteed price and get it in writing.
Make certain that any contract you sign includes only those services you desire, including a cancellation policy whereby you get most of your money back should you cancel (particularly if the location is rebooked by another group). Some locations will allow you to reserve a room for a time before signing a contract; however, a deposit is required at signing – usually 10 percent of the total estimated cost.
How to Choose a Wedding Caterer
If you are trying to figure out how to choose a wedding caterer, the time and date of your wedding must be confirmed with them and also with the ceremony and reception sites before you order any invitations. When looking for a caterer, ask your family and friends for recommendations. Also, ask any unknown caterers for references, and samples of their food, if possible.
By informing an experienced caterer of the amount you have budgeted for the event, the facilities to be used, and the number of invited people, he can quickly tell you what can be served, in what amount, and in what style.
If the caterer is not familiar with the reception site you have selected, have him visit it to determine what is available and what is needed to make it functional for preparing and serving the food. Determine who is responsible for renting any needed extras – kitchen and serving equipment, tables, chairs, linens, table settings etc. Most caterers break down the cost into a per-person charge.
Ask if the quoted price also included the tax and gratuity. You may want to ask who gets the leftover food (since you will have already paid for it). Ask how many people the caterer will provide for serving the food. – a buffet table requires a serve for every main dish. – a sit-down dinner requires a server for every ten guests. – beverages require a server for every fifty guests.
Sometimes, even if you provided the cake, the beverages, and their respective serves, there is a service charge added by the caterer or reception site, especially when they offer the same service. This charge can be extra or hidden in the total per-person charge. When you sign a contract, be certain it specifies exactly what is to be served, the number of people serving it, the per-person cost, the payment schedule, and a release clause should you have to cancel.
How to Order a Wedding Cake
While seeking estimates for the wedding cake from the banquet manager, caterer, or bakery, taste samples to determine the quality of the cake they offer. So you are probably wondering how to order a wedding cake. You will need an estimate of the number of guests you are expecting when you order your cake. Most prices are based on a per-serving cost. A down payment is usually required when ordering.
The number of needed servings determines both the size and shape of the cake – the number of servings per layer size. Do not hesitate to inquire if, with their guidance, you can design your own cake. It is better to have the bakery deliver the cake to the reception site. They can then make any necessary repairs to the icing.
Do not be afraid to ask friends to cut and serve the cake, even if they have never done it before. It is not difficult when given proper instructions. To preserve the top layer of your cake, wrap it first in plastic wrap, then in two layers of aluminum foil before sealing with freezer tape. If you order more cake than you actually need, you may donate any uncut portions to nursing homes, charitable dining rooms, and others.
How to Setup a Wedding Cake
The wedding cake may be used as a centerpiece on the brides table on the buffet table, or it may be placed on its own table. When deciding on the best location, consider serving accessibility as well as how to best highlight the cake. Knowing the design of your cake – round, square, banquet, or heart shaped, consider what table would best enhance its appearance.
Cover the table with long cloths. Skirting may be necessary to cover the table to the floor. Trim the table and base of the cake with flowers, greenery, garlands, or bows. The bridesmaid’s bouquets may also be places on the table as part of the decorations. I hope that helps give you an idea of how to setup a wedding cake.
Bridal Party Arrival at a Wedding Reception
Select someone other than a family member to serve as the unofficial reception host/hostess until the arrival of the bride’s parents or other official hosts of the reception. Sometimes the bridal party can be detained due to completion of the photographs at the ceremony site. For this reason, you may want to provide hors d oeuvres and beverages for your guests preceding a buffet or sit-down dinner.
Who will be the spokesperson for your bridal party arrival at a wedding reception? The emcee, DJ, or bandleader can announce the arrival of the bridal party. You will want to provide the emcee with a list of names of those to be introduced. The list should be in order of their appearance. Include the phonetic pronunciation of each persons name as well as his or her relationship to you or the groom. Following is a suggested order of appearance:
Bride’s parents Groom’s parents Bridesmaid and usher/groomsman Bridesmaid and usher/groomsman Bridesmaid and usher/groomsman Bridesmaid and usher/groomsman Bridesmaid and usher/groomsman Maid/Marton of Honor and the best man Guest of Honor the Bride and Groom
Receiving Line at a Wedding Reception
Form the receiving line at a wedding reception based on the best traffic flow for the groom. The receiving line is for the bridal couple and their parents to greet guests and receive their congratulations. It should not disband until each guest in the line has been greeted. If you choose not to have a receiving line, you may circulate among the guests for the same purpose, greeting each one.
Though sometimes held at the ceremony site, a receiving line is traditionally formed at the reception. You may greet any late arrivals as you mingle with your guests. To lessen the amount of time spent receiving guests, include only the bridal couple, parents, and honor attendants in the receiving line. Participants traditionally stand in this order: the bride’s mother, the groom’s mother, the bride, the groom, the maid of honor, and the bridesmaids (in order, with the bridesmaid who led the processional at the end of the line).
If the fathers are included in the line, the grooms father stands next to the brides mother and the brides father stands between the bride and the grooms mother, (if the brides father participates in the line, the best man assumes the role of reception host until the brides father is free).
Take into consideration your family situation when deciding who will participate in the receiving line and where they will stand, particularly if your parents are divorced.
Guest Book at a Wedding Reception
Locate the guest book at a wedding reception near the entrance or at the end of the receiving line. The book can be circulated among the guests to be sure everyone has signed it. The person (or persons) who tended the book at the ceremony site could also tend it at the reception (or others could be designated).
Seating Arrangements at a Wedding Reception
– Tea or stand-up buffet: You may have a brides table and two or three other tables designated for the bridal party, parents, grandparents, and other family members. It is better to have only half as many chairs as guests, to allow room for people to move about. A few tables should be placed about the room to receive the empty plates, cups, and forks.
– Sit-down buffet or dinner: The brides table generally includes the brides and grooms attendants, other than children, sitting in alternating positions on either side of the bridal couple:
Usher/Bridesmaid/Usher/Bridesmaid/Best man/BRIDE/GROOM/Maid of Honor/Usher/Bridesmaid/Usher/Bridesmaid
Bridesmaids and ushers may be seated at specially designated tables other than the brides table. The parents can have both sets of parents seated with the officiant and his or her spouse. You could also have separate tables for the brides and grooms parents. Other honored guests can be seated with the parents with this arrangement:
When the bride’s parents are divorced, the groom’s parents sit with the parent who raised the bride. The other parent sits with his or her family and friends at a separate table. If there are children in the wedding party, they may either be seated with their parents or at a special children’s table under adult supervision.
If you are planning to have assigned seating arrangements at a wedding reception, use a reception seating chart to help you plan. If you are using unassigned seating, you may want to use the following method to help avoid confusion or traffic blocks among the guests: 1.) conspicuously but tastefully display a number card on each table 2.) write each guests name and assigned table number on a name/seating card: 3.) place the cards on a hostess table near the entrance to the reception area so that guests can find their seats easily.
Post Wedding Reception Parties
When all the planning of the past few months has come to fruition, the wedding and reception are over, and the bride and groom have left for their honeymoon – now what? If the festivities occurred early in the day, the bride’s parents might consider inviting family members, the grooms parents, and special friends to join them in an informal gathering at home. Continuing the celebration in an intimate home atmosphere, rather than having it come to an abrupt end at the close of the reception, will help the parents to better adjust to the change of pace after the furious activity of the past few months.
Post wedding reception parties and activities could extend over the next several days with swimming and boating trips, picnics, and trips to museums, plays, sporting events, etc.
