Shelly Hagen - The Everything Wedding Organizer: Checklists, Charts, And Worksheets for Planning the Perfect Day!

The Everything Wedding Series

The Everything Bachelorette Party Book

The Everything Bridesmaid Book

The Everything Elopement Book

The Everything Father of the Bride Book

The Everything Groom Book

The Everything Mother of the Bride Book

The Everything Outdoor Wedding Book

The Everything Wedding Book, 3rd Ed.

The Everything Wedding Checklist

The Everything Wedding Etiquette Book

The Everything Wedding Shower Book

The Everything Wedding Vows Book

The Everything Weddings on a Budget Book

THE
EVERYTHING
WEDDING
ORGANIZER
2ND EDITION

Checklists, charts, and worksheets
for planning the perfect day!

Shelly Hagen
Author of The Everything Wedding Book

Adams Media
Avon, Massachusetts

Publishing Director: Gary M. Krebs

Associate Managing Editor: Laura M. Daly

Associate Copy Chief: Brett Palana-Shanahan

Acquisitions Editor: Kate Burgo

Development Editor: Jessica LaPointe

Associate Production Editor: Casey Ebert

Director of Manufacturing: Susan Beale

Associate Director of Production: Michelle Roy Kelly

Cover Design: Paul Beatrice, Erick DaCosta, Matt LeBlanc

Layout and Graphics: Colleen Cunningham, Sorae Lee, Jennifer Oliveira

Copyright 1998, 2006, F+W Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company

57 Littlefield Street

Avon, MA 02322

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59337-640-5

ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-640-6

Printed in China by Global PSD.

J I H G F E D C B

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Interior illustrations by Barry Littmann.

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

Contents

Chapter 1
Laying a Plan

CONGRATS! YOU'RE ENGAGED! You've got many things to consider before you reach the state of wedded bliss. You have to figure out how to announce the news, pick a date, plan the finances, find a consultant, and lastbut by no means leastadapt to the diplomacy upon which every successful wedding depends. This is the beginning of a long roadwhether the trip turns out to be a smooth one or a jarring and bumpy one depends largely on the initial planning.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

One easy and time-tested way to spread the word of your impending nuptials is through a newspaper announcement. This announcement is usually made by the parents of the bride. Typically, the newspaper announcement provides general information about the bride and groom, their schooling, careers, and so on. Many couples include an official engagement photo along with the announcement.

The announcement's information is usually sent to a lifestyle or society editor, but you should call the paper's offices just to make sure. You should also inquire about any fees associated with placing an announcement.

If your fianc's family lives in another city or state, send them a copy of your engagement photo so that they can announce the good news in their local paper, too.

Pick a Date, Any Date

When people learn of your engagement, the first thing you're likely to hear after Congratulations! is Have you set the date? Until you have a date, you will have no honest answer to this question, and what's worse, you will be unable to proceed with any of your other planning.

Picking the date is crucial. Without it, you have no accurate idea of when you will need the ceremony and reception sites. You won't know how much time you have to find a dress; when you will need a photographer, a caterer, a florist, or any of the other professionals whose time you will be paying for; or what colors or kinds of flowers will be in season.

Newspaper Announcement Worksheet

Seasons' Reasons

What season do you prefer? Do you want a garden wedding in the spring? A seaport wedding in the summer? A fall celebration at a refurbished farmhouse? Does the season matter to you at all? If not, is there a time of year that your family or your fianc's family finds particularly meaningful? Once you settle the issue of the season (if there is an issue, that is), you can start working on the details.

How much time do you have to plan the wedding? Does the availability of a ceremony and reception site coincide with your desired date? Are there conflicts that might complicate matters for you, your family, or attendants (such as another wedding, a vacation, a graduation, or a pregnancy/birth)?

Are there military commitments to consider? If either you or your fianc is in the military, you must figure out an appropriate time to take leave. Also, consider any close relatives or special friends in the military who may wish to be there for your big day.

The most popular months for weddings are April through October. December is also popular, most likely because of the festive air and beautiful decorations of the holiday season.

Happy Holidays?

Should you have your wedding on a holiday weekend, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Columbus Day? There are pros and cons to this approach. On the positive side, people may appreciate a wedding on a long weekend; it gives them an extra day to recuperate from the festivities or to travel, if they are coming from another city or state.

For you and your fianc, taking your honeymoon during a holiday week may give you an extra day away (or allow you to save a vacation day for another time).

However, what if your guests already have long-weekend vacation plans? This is where problems may arise. Some people, for instance, may not be able to attend a wedding scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving because they are visiting family who live out of town. On the other hand, your out-of-town relatives might appreciate the convenience of a single trip combining both the holiday and the wedding.

A wedding during the Christmas season can be a beautiful and spiritual experience, but it can also be very hectic for you, your attendants, and your guests. Not only will you need to plan a wedding, but you will need to finish your shopping, wrapping, cooking, and other projects in time for the holiday, too. All of these activities can be very overwhelming!

If you and/or your spouse is Jewish, there are certain religious restrictions that make choosing a date even more challenging. Weddings are not permitted on the Sabbath (Friday evening to Saturday one half hour after sundown) or the major holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkoth).