In 2001, The Wedding Planner, a movie starring Jennifer Lopez, came out. In it, the pop star portrayed the perfect wedding planner–ever diplomatic and always equipped to handle any sort of emergency. Suddenly brides-to-be everywhere wanted one, and every wedding-obsessed organizer wanted to be one.

Nowadays professional wedding planners or wedding coordinators have their own specialty or forte in handling events. Here are some kinds of wedding planners:

The Wedding Planner

The classic wedding coordinator does just that–coordinate everything. Wedding planners aid a couple to pull all the elements of a wedding together, and make sure they all fit in with the couple’s budget and personal preferences. They are the perfect option for couples who don’t have time to do things by themselves. Surprisingly, they can also save money for you; asking them to stick to a tight budget is typical practice.

The Wedding Event Planner

Wedding event planners do the same things as their classic counterparts do, but they concentrate on the look and feel of the celebration. Couples who want their weddings to be unique come to wedding event planners to add that professional, unified touch to the decor and stylistic elements of the wedding.

The Destination Wedding Planner

Having a small wedding is oh-so-chic when the destination wedding route is taken. Enter: destination wedding planners. It is very difficult planning a wedding from so many miles away, so seeking the help of a professional will make things a lot easier.

The Day of Wedding Coordinator

Some brides want to experience all the ups and downs of wedding planning themselves, but on the day of the wedding itself, she can’t possibly do it all. Her closest friends and family will also be part of the celebration, and they won’t be able to enjoy the wedding if they had to work. The solution? hiring a day-of-wedding coordinator of course.

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Choosing a wedding venue is a big decision for the wedding couple. After all, everything else about the wedding depends on the venue – the decoration, theme, size, formality, attire, etc.

Your wedding location could be a place that is meaningful to you and your spouse-to-be. It could be a place of worship of your religious affiliation or a friend’s backyard, if you are planning a small ceremony. In short, it could be anywhere (depending on the number of guests and budget, of course). Now, if you are of the offbeat type, you may want to consider the following unique wedding venue ideas.

Stadium

Ideal for sports fanatic couples, no less. Stadiums are a great way to bask in the spirit of your favorite sports. Sport stadiums, such as the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, offer wedding packages that accommodate both ceremony and reception.

Cinema Theater

Dreaming of seeing your name lighted up on a cinema’s marquee just like your favorite actors’? Then, try getting married at your local theater. Theaters are ideal for big weddings. Such venue also provides the couple the opportunity to have their exchange of I do’s filmed professionally on stage, letting the guests experience a “theatrical” event unlike any other.

Museum

If you are into art or history and you want to add a little bit of culture to your wedding, then a museum wedding is the perfect one for you. Many museums offer wedding packages that allow services for civil weddings and receptions. With all the art and historical collections a museum houses, a museum wedding also provides an interesting location for wedding photography.

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Looking for a certain kind of wedding flower yet your local florist’s stock is too limited to carry it? Then your next option is to browse the Internet to search for florists that can deliver the flower of your choice at your doorstep.

That’s right! It is now possible to buy flowers online. With just a few clicks, soon-to-be brides can find any wedding flowers that they want from a limitless selection provided by different online florists. You can even choose to order from florists abroad, if the flower of your choice is out of season or not found in your area.

If you want to buy wedding flowers online, take into consideration the following: how long the vendor has been in business, their shipping policy, their wholesale price and additional costs, if there’s any.

The number of years a florist has been in the industry this will give you an idea on how it conducts its business and the type of service it gives. Look for testimonials from previous, satisfied clients to know what to expect.

If you are going to choose to florist abroad, make sure that you inquire first about their policy on shipping. Do they allow international service? What are the extra costs? If you are buying wholesale, try to find the best possible deal where you can purchase an order at reduced cost, saving you a significant amount of money.

Start checking out different florist websites and compare their prices and services. Perhaps you can start your search at http://www.directory4flower.com/. This site has an extensive list of online florists you can choose from, both local and international.

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We’ve previously covered different alternative wedding transportation you can choose from. But if you are a little conventional, a limousine is more to your taste (your options may still vary, from vintage cars to stretched Hummers).

A beautiful limousine is the perfect finishing touch to cap your wedding day. But how do you choose the perfect limo (and when we say perfect, we mean within your budget)?

Actually, more than the limo itself, you need to carefully consider the rental company you are going to deal with. You have to make sure that the company you choose is known to offer great customer service. To avoid any hassles, here are some things that you need to consider.

• Make sure that the operator is state licensed.
• Insist on seeing the vehicles and be assured that their limos are well maintained and in good working order.
• Know how long the company has been in the business and ask for references to ensure reliability.
• Discuss all and any additional fees. All charges must be disclosed upfront.
• Be sure that the chauffeur is properly trained and will be appropriately attired.
• Remember to ask about their policy on decorations, whether they provide on their own (which can be some recycled stuff from previous weddings) or you may supply your own decors (which shouldn’t scratch the paint job or obscure the driver’s vision).

Make sure to ask the right questions (or instruct your planner to do so). These may be minor details but it can add to the perfection of your special day.

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Being one of the most memorable events in your life, you want your wedding to be captured as fabulously as possible. To help you achieve beautiful and unique shots, here are some creative wedding photography ideas you can discuss with your wedding photographer.

• Try Some Unusual Angles
  • • It’s okay to give your photographer some directions on the angles you want to take. Since they’ve been doing this for a long time, there might be some shots that the photographer may just recycle from other weddings. Don’t be afraid to give your inputs.

• Put some humor in every shot
  • • Humor doesn’t mean that you’ll constantly make funny faces. The best way to pull this off with your tongue firmly in cheek is to do things that are “out of character” for a bride and groom. Dressed in your wedding attire, act things out like directing traffic, changing tires, gardening, etc.

• Capture movements
  • • Static portraits are so yesterday. Movements from action shots add energy to your photos.

• Focus on other things
  • • For something truly different, have the photographer take a photo of other stuff, like your wedding car, with the two of you sharing a kiss in the corner as if unaware of the camera.

There are other wedding photography ideas that you can try to make your wedding photos unique from the usual standard poses. All you have to do is tap your creativity and coordinate with your photographer. Smile!

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One memorable aspect of a wedding is the “riding into the sunset” part right after the ceremony. Traditionally, newlywed couples prefer limos as their transportation. Since it’s their special day, it’s only reasonable that the bride and groom ride something luxurious. But for those who are more adventurous, there are other transportation options available.

• Luxury cars
  • Couples who want something specifically tailored to their personal taste prefer luxury cars. Choices range from executive to full size luxury cars.

• Horse-drawn Carriage
  • Considering a fairy tale wedding? A horse-drawn carriage will complete your idea of a dream wedding. You have the option to choose either a closed carriage for the colder months or an open-air carriage if you are having a summer wedding.

• Motorcycle
  • For free-spirited couples, motorcycle is the way to go. It makes for an awesome romantic ride. If you’re going to ride a motorcycle, make sure you’ve ditched the bridal train first to prevent it from getting caught by the rear wheel. Don’t forget to wear helmets.

• Helicopter
  • Ideal for couples who want to make a spectacular entrance or exit from the ceremony venue. While this may sound extravagant, you may be able to afford a helicopter tour service. There are companies that offer custom helicopter flight rentals priced at $800 per hour that you can avail.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know that the economy is not in great shape. With your wedding fast approaching, you feel a little panicky about the budget. Your wedding could easily be one of the most memorable moments in your life so don’t let the economy ruin you happiest day. Here are some tips on how to budget a wedding.

Create a budget and stick to it

Determine how much you can spend to avoid going over-budget. Once you have your wedding budget, ask around about the prices of the services you need. Decide on what are the things that you really need and leave out the things that you can do without, such as the rented limo.

Reduce the number of guests

The smaller the guest list, the more manageable the cost. Invite the people that really are really dear to you and your partner.

Choose a smaller cake

Opt for a two tiered cake. Have one or two sheet cake available in the kitchen and serve it ot the guests once you cut the bridal cake.

Pick seasonal flowers

Choosing flowers in season saves you a lot of money as compared to ordering fancy flowers that are flown in from abroad. Plan your wedding to use less flowers. Or opt for cheaper alternatives, such as candles, as centerpieces.

Do not buy if you can borrow, rent or make your own

As much as possible, do not buy items upfront. Rent if you will. Make a list of the items that you need and determine whom among your friends or relatives you can borrow some of the items from – a cousin may own a serving set, or an office mate probably have a set of toasting glasses. Also, there are things that you can make on your own, such as the wedding invites. With a little creativity, you can make your wedding budget work for you.

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Planning a small wedding of your own? A wedding has the tendency to get big and glamorous during the planning stage. If you want a small wedding, prepare to meet challenges along the way. To help you keep the wedding small, here are five steps to follow.

1. In planning a small wedding, assign someone to be strictly in control of the wedding plan. This way, everything is airtight and the plan wouldn’t be influenced by you or any of your family member.
2. Choose a theme that doesn’t require you to blow your budget, yet elegant enough to not come across as a cheap option. The theme could relate to something special to you and your invited guests.
3. Maintain a small guest list. Make sure that the ones on it are your immediate family and your closest set of friends.
4. Commit to a small venue. Once you have set the venue, you will hesitate to have additional guests. The venue and decorations should also create an atmosphere of intimacy and closeness that is perfect for such small wedding.
5. Have the invitations reflect the intimacy of the occasion. Let the guests feel that they are special to the event.

Wedding planning is not an easy task especially if you are trying to keep it small. Just stick to these steps and you’ll never go wrong – you’ll have your wedding intimate and special for everyone involve.

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One way to ensure wedding planning success (and thereby ensure wedding success) is to have an organized wedding timeline so that you can keep track of what needs to be done and what has been done.  This way you don’t miss out on the details that could make all the difference.

Wedding timelines can run the gamut of the intricately detailed to the basic ones.  Part of having a great time planning your wedding is to be able to choose a wedding planning guide or a wedding timeline that informs you enough of what you have to do but isn’t too detailed that it restricts you.  Most important of all, keep stress levels to a minimum.  The reason we are giving you this wedding timeline is so that you would know what goes next and not have to stress, and also give you plenty of time to mull things over before the wedding.  So let’s start.

It usually takes about a year to properly plan a wedding, give or take a few months.  For some people it’s shorter, but the average is about a year and it encompasses all planning from booking the church or venue to the honeymoon.

12-16 Months Before the Wedding

• Choose a wedding date – What seemingly is a mundane task to do is actually a very important decision to make.  Knowing your wedding date will help you make reservations on all the vendors you come to.  This will also be the first thing they ask about
• Determine your wedding budget – Yet another important thing to decide early on because everything else will depend on it.
• Select locations – Whether you want a church, beach, garden or whatever location for your wedding, you should choose it at this point so that preparations can be made to the venue.  Reception and honeymoon locations should be determined as well.
• Hire a wedding coordinator – If you plan on hiring one, do so.  If you plan on getting one of your friends or sisters to act as wedding coordinator, you should inform that person now so that she can start making adjustments in her schedule and help you plan this event.

8-10 Months Before the Wedding

• Pick a caterer, band or DJ, and photographer or videographer – you have enough time to attend to menu tastings, audition bands or DJs, and check out the portfolios of photographers and videographers you may be considering.
• Select the bridal party – It is also at this time that you should start selecting and picking out their dresses as well.
• Start selecting a wedding gown – It’s a good 8-10 months before the wedding so you shouldn’t really be panicking, but it’s always a great idea to start doing these things early.  You’re also choosing what your bridesmaids will wear at this time so it’s a good thing to have some sort of unity when it comes to what the bridal party is wearing.
• Sign up for a gift registry – Your guests can start buying your gifts and even ship them early.

5-7 Months Before the Wedding

• Finalize the guest list – this will make things easier for the head count required at the venue, the reception, and when sending out invitations
• Select wedding cake – the baker needs time to be able to execute the wedding cake of your dreams, not to mention the tastings you have to attend and concept meetings you have to go to
• Begin honeymoon preparations – consult travel agents, book flights and hotels, etc.  Booking early may save you a ton of money.

4 Months Before Wedding

• Shop for your wedding bands – choose the engravings, the type of metal, and the design that fits both of your sensibilities
• Book your florists – your florist may need to order some of your flowers from out of state or even out of the country so it is best that he or she knows well in advance.
• Visit physicians – get the medical examinations and tests necessary and vaccinations where applicable

3 Months Before Wedding

• Send out invitations – be sure to have enough postage for your invitations to reach their destination.  If you’re like some couples, you may have had sent out save-the-date cards or notices prior to the actual invitation.
• Arrange rentals – be it chairs, tables, silverware, or whatever else, it is best to finalize the rentals at this time.
• Transportation – it is also a good idea to finalize transportation arrangements that will be used during the wedding not only for the marrying couple but also for the rest of the bridal party and even possibly the guests.
• Order wedding favors

2 Months Before Wedding

• Choose wedding music – are you going for a band or a DJ?  Sometimes it is also necessary to audition for the spot, lest they suddenly play something so out of character at your wedding
• Alterations and fittings – at two months before the wedding, these should be the final alterations and final fittings for your gown, and also for the rest of the entourage.
• Check your reservations with your vendors – confirm your wedding date and ask if everything is in order and ready to go for your wedding.

1 Month Before Wedding

• Schedule hair and makeup trials – it is best to go in the daytime and bring your veil with you so the hair stylist can work with it and see which hair style works best with it.  Visit 2-3 artists and bring a camera.  Don’t forget the before and after shots with/without flash and in natural and indoor lighting.
• Apply for a marriage license – do not forget this.

The rest of the days leading up to the wedding would be spent checking on vendors and confirming everything, attending to glitches, that sort of thing.

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