· One; Start your wedding preparations early - from the day you get engaged! Decide with your partner exactly the kind of wedding you would both would like. Formal or informal? Intimate or extravagant? Fix the date allocate enough time to plan your dream wedding.

· Two; Once you have decided on the venue for the ceremony, book it as early as you can. Popular dates during the summer, are booked anything up to a year in advance.

· Three; Money is the singular most important factor in planning a wedding. Arrange a meeting for everyone who will be contributing towards the costs involved and set a realistic budget. Decide at an early stage who will be paying for what and discuss the exact details with them. Arrange wedding day insurance. Most companies offer packages to cover most eventualities (including the weather!) prior to and on the big day itself - just in case.

· Four; The reception venue needs to be booked and confirmed as soon as possible. Visit as many venues as you can to compare facilities. Always ask for written quotes so you can make your decision at home without feeling pressurised.

· Five; Now compile the guest list and decide on the type of catering you require. A lunchtime buffet works well if your guests are a mixture of young and old. It also keeps costs down. A formal sit-down meal is wonderful but will be your most expensive option. Ask the caterer's advice on getting value-for-money and your best choices of drinks for the number of guests. Caterers have many years experience on menu planning. They know what works and what doesn't.

· Six; When you have chosen the most suitable venue, book the date, time and exact room(s) you will need. Ask for written confirmation in return.

· Seven; If you are having a sit-down reception ask a local calligrapher to make the menu cards and place-names. Enlist your parents help with the seating plans to avoid any family upsets.

· Eight; Now for the wedding dress. It can take up to eight weeks to make a gown, even one brought off-the-peg. Try on as many different styles of dress as you can. Some wedding dresses have little hanger appeal but look stunning when you're inside. Wedding dresses are expensive so you why not consider hiring the dress? A one-off designer gown costs about the same as an off-the-peg manufacturer's dress. Once you have chosen your gown, buy some sensuous bridal lingerie. To ensure a perfect fit, take it along to one of the fittings.

· Nine; Choose your 'something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue'. This is the perfect occasion to wear treasured family jewellery and gifts from very special friends.

· Ten; Time for a little retail therapy with your bridesmaids. Choose dresses that suit them all. Use a theme rather than asking teenagers to wear the frills and flounces that only look cute on the under-tens. Sit down with your groom and work out what he will be wearing. Most men hire their wedding attire and this needs to be done about four weeks in advance.

· Eleven; Arrange the photographer and a videographer to capture your big day. Ask to see examples of their work when you meet them and only book someone who seems flexible and has lots off ideas. Make sure you confirm the booking in writing.

· Twelve; Create a colour theme for the whole wedding, and choosing your dress, the bridesmaids' outfits, the flowers and the reception decorations couldn't be simpler.

· Thirteen; A good florist should work with you to create something to suit your individual style of wedding. Visit your venue about a month before the wedding to plan your room decorations. A room full of flowers will prove expensive, but two well placed displays can be both modern and stylish. Invitations need to be sent out about two months in advance. There are many different designs from the formal to the hand-made.

· Fourteen; Book your wedding transport and confirm the exact model of car and the colour if it's part of your theme.

· Fifteen; If you want your new surname to appear on your passport, send your application in as soon as you can.

· Sixteen; Start shopping around for the best honeymoon deals. Room upgrades, champagne, flowers and a free dinner are readily available for honeymooners. Once the honeymoon destination has been decided upon, enquire about necessary visas and make an appointment with your doctor for any inoculations.

· Seventeen; Help your mum and future mother-in-law to choose their outfits. Ask your florist to design special corsages to match their colour schemes.

· Eighteen; Go shopping with your groom for your wedding rings. Have the rings engraved - your initials and the wedding date engraved inside is very romantic. Round the day off with a candlelit meal for two.

· Nineteen; Decide on the type of music you would like for the reception. A DJ is always a good option, but if you prefer live music, ask for demo tapes from potential groups and try to hear them live at least once. Remember, a live band will need to take regular breaks, so arrange for a good sound system to play your favourite music while the band are resting.

· Twenty; Expect to pay at least £200 for a three-tiered traditional cake, a lot more if you want a cake with a theme. Save about half the cost by getting a clever mum or friend to make the basic cake, then take it along to a professional to have it iced and decorated.

· Twenty One; Ring around all the local department stores and ask for details of their wedding gift list services. Choose one or several stores and spend an afternoon selecting your gifts with your groom, your mum or your best friend. Ask someone in your family (try your Groom's Mum) to be in charge of the guest list, ticking off names as and when they accept. Your venue will probably confirmation of the final numbers a week or two in advance.

· Twenty Two; Obtain permission from your venues to throw confetti. If this is not permitted, ask your guests to bring rice, which the birds will eat, or rose petals.

· Twenty Three; Book your first night accommodation. Visit all the local hotels and ask to see the bridal suite. Check what 'extras' are included in their honeymoon package, champagne, chocolates, a chauffeur-driven car to drive you to the airport the following morning.

· Twenty Four; Buy a batch of disposable cameras and put a couple in the centre of each table at your reception. This gives your guests something to do and you should get a supply of wonderful behind-the-scenes informal pictures to supplement your album.

· Twenty Five; Buy gifts for the best man, ushers and bridesmaids. Have the gifts inscribed with your names and your wedding date. Ask your florist to prepare two very special bouquets as thank-you for both mums. These are traditionally presented by the groom during his speech.

· Twenty Six; Have a trial-run at the hairdressers a week or two before the big day. Take along your head-dress and veil and even a Polaroid camera to make recreating your wedding hairstyle easier. Make sure you wear a button through blouse, otherwise you will have problems at bed time.

· Twenty Seven; Treat yourself to a make-up lesson with a professional. Take careful note of all the colours they use and how they use them so that you can do the same on your wedding morning.

· Twenty Eight; Pack your honeymoon cases and take them to your first night hotel the day before the wedding. Nominate one of your bridesmaids or a close friend to pack up your wedding outfit following the reception and store it for you until after the honeymoon.

· Twenty Nine; Assemble a small bag with your wedding day essentials, like a hanky, a lipstick, an aspirin, a comb and hair grips and ask someone to keep it for you.

· Thirty; Smile, relax and above all have a wonderful day.

This article is featured in The BrideGuide by David & Sandra Ireland an innovative new e-Book. The BrideGuide is the perfect gift for any aspiring couple.Find out more on our websites:

www.sandra-ireland.com www.writersworldwideweb.com

About the Author
Wedding professional David Ireland is part of the team at Sandra Ireland Photography based in the UK. David recently launched Writers World Wide Web as a forum for writers, illustrators & photographers looking for publishers and agents.

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