The Best Man at a wedding has a set of responsibilities that are not even close to the list of duties for the Maid of Honor, but are just as important to the success of the event.

The traditional bachelor party signifying the groom’s transition into a family man from a swinging single is the Best Man’s responsibility. In some places, the bachelor party has been replaced by a couple’s party and jointly hosted by the Best Man and the Maid of Honor.

One of your duties, as a Best Man, is to attend the wedding rehearsal and the usual dinner afterwards. Another would be to help the groom pack for his honeymoon.

A hundred movies have been based on the antics needed to get the groom to the church on time for his wedding. Hopefully your groom won’t become the focus of another movie, but this is one of your most important Best Man duties. You might also need to help the groom get into his tux on the morning of the ceremony.

Before either one of you takes the first step toward the church, make sure you have the marriage license and the bride’s ring with you. Another good idea is to get the minister’s fee from the groom before you leave his house. You will be responsible for paying the minister privately after the ceremony. Also, determine that the groom has enough money, traveler’s checks or credit cards to cover their trip.

Another responsibility for you is to make sure the groom’s car is packed for the honeymoon trip and ready to leave after the reception, full of gas and any necessary reservation confirmations or tickets. If the new couple is going straight to the airport, your duty is to either take them there or arrange for a limousine or cab. If this is the case, have an envelope full of all the details of their trip, including tickets and reservations, to give the groom just before the couple leaves.

If a ring bearer is part of the ceremony, your task is to make sure that the child knows what he is supposed to do and when. It might be a good idea to make sure he knows that he is supposed to give the rings up at the appropriate time.

Be sure to keep the ushers organized and ready to escort the guests to their seats.

Minutes before the ceremony starts, you will escort the Maid of Honor down the aisle before the bride appears. During the ceremony, you will hold the bride’s wedding ring until it is needed by the groom.

At the reception, you will make the first toast and dance with the bride, both mothers and as many guests as you can. If possible, dance with all the bridesmaids. You will be the unofficial host at the reception and introduce people when necessary and make all the guests feel welcome.

As in any traditional ceremony, there will be duties and responsibilities not listed here. You, as Best Man, have a duty to make your groom’s day as easy as possible. You should be prepared to take care of details you never considered. Check everything and be part of creating a successful wedding for your bride and groom.

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Your wedding day is one of the most anticipated moments of your life. If you are looking to have a memorable wedding without an expensive price tag attached to it then we will show you how you can do this without sacrificing quality.

It’s no secret that the present state of economy has ushered in a “saving frenzy” where people are no longer buying things that they want but things that they need. The same rule should apply when making plans for your wedding. You should only plan to get the things that are “must haves” for your wedding and nothing more. Come up with a realistic budget and prepare a wish list of the things you would like at your wedding, in order of priority. If you don’t stop and think about what is a priority for you with your wedding, then you’re more like to spend more than you need to. There is no right or wrong here, it’s about what YOU want… that will make it the special day of your dreams.

The next step would be to start shopping around for services that you can get at affordable prices. The yellow pages and the Internet are good places to start when looking for a caterer, decorator and photographer for your wedding.

To allow your dollars to stretch even further, you can employ the services of a family member or friend who may also be able to offer you some of these services at a reasonable price. Or you could even do it yourself. Whatever you decide, do not be too hasty to go with the first vendor that offers a bargain. Check out the quality of their work beforehand via a portfolio and ideally get customer’s referrals as well. Ask them questions about guaranteeing their work, if they will actually be doing the work themselves, and if they have a backup plan should a personal emergency arise.

Traditionally, weekends are synonymous with weddings but you will most likely find yourself coming out on the less expensive end if you were to have your wedding during the week. Since not too many people get married during the week your venue of choice will definitely be more reasonable on these days.

However, if you must have a traditional weekend wedding, then rent a site that can double as a ceremony and reception hall. That way you get two for the price of one. For the wedding ceremony, wedding planning experts would advise that you choose a less formal theme for your wedding since it can also save you some money.

Avoid planning a holiday wedding as you will find yourself competing with other businesses that are renting locations, DJ services and more for holiday parties.

Finally, for every transaction that you make for your wedding, make sure that you get everything in writing so there won’t be any surprises before or after the big day.

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Picking the color(s) for your wedding might seem like a daunting task because you realize it’s an important decision not to take lightly. Once you decide, however, you can go on to plan a wedding that will be beautiful and totally fitting for you and your fiance.

There are several things to consider before you pick your color, however, and this article will hopefully help you reach some decisions.

What season will the wedding be in? There are some colors that look better in spring and summer; such as pastels and warm bright colors. The opposite is true for winter where deep colors are more appropriate.

Is the color easy to find? It’s not just a matter of picking a color for the bridesmaid dresses. The color may also be reflected in the tablecloths, centerpieces, flowers, tux vests or ties, etc. Do a little investigating and make sure the color is widely available.

Is the wedding and reception indoors or outdoors? Keep in mind if your reception will be outside that some colors can look washed out in the bright sun. You might want to go a shade more vibrant. If the wedding is inside, then check to see what colors are primarily used on the walls of the reception hall. If they’re neutral or seem to fade into the background, you’re okay.

What time of day will the wedding be? If the wedding is at night, darker colors may be in order to add a sense of glamour. Consider using an element of shimmer in your fabric colors.

Is the color too popular? Obviously you don’t want to use the same color everyone else is using this season, especially if your good friend is using it at her wedding two weeks before your wedding. You don’t want to appear to be a copycat. Do some checking around if you have concerns.

Too much color? Don’t go overboard with one color. You can use various shades of the color, or mix in another color with it, like silver, black, charcoal, or gold. This works especially well if your primary color is a bold one.

Stick to one or two colors only or it will all seem a hodge podge rather than any sort of color theme. Make sure the primary color you choose does have a secondary color that can be matched to it. And keep this in mind – using certain secondary colors such as silver or gold can even make your wedding look more expensive than it is.

The flower choices? Remember your flowers. Are there flowers that go with your color scheme? If you’re adamant about having a particular flower, consider making that color your primary wedding color.

Is the color you? It’s your wedding and you should pick a color that is you. It needs to reflect your personality and style or you won’t be happy with it. Don’t be afraid to step out a little by picking a color like hot pink if that’s what you really want.

Picking your wedding color(s) is just one of the important decisions you’ll make when planning your wedding. Take some time to envision what you’d like your wedding to look like and consider the above points before you make your decision.

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Your family can cause a lot of trouble when you start choosing members of your wedding party. Everyone wants to be a part of your ceremony, especially close relatives.

Choosing your Maid of Honor can create fireworks you never considered, particularly if you have a sister and choose your best friend and not your sister. Close relatives who have been in your life and consider you their best friend, like cousins, can also have a problem if you do not choose them.

If you have an older sister who isn’t married and all the family attention shifts to you and your future wedding, resentment is almost sure to rise and cause stress. You could be involved in soothing hurt feelings, resentments and unfair comparisons based on her unmarried status. Rivalry and subtle attempts to bring the attention around to her are common.

Wedding preparations often consume the better part of a year and that’s a long time for hurt feelings to fester without some fireworks when you least expect them. Your feelings might get hurt as well if you do not understand what is happening to your sister.

For all your life, you two have been together, sharing adventures, secrets and laughs. She feels betrayed by your choice for a Maid of Honor and might show it by sulking silently or sniping at your seemingly endless planning sessions with your mother and friends. It would be a mistake to retaliate in kind and snipe back or cut her out of your celebration.

Friends come and go. Sisters are forever. Some TLC might soothe hurt feelings and avoid losing your sister’s companionship for years. Be the first to try to soothe hurt feelings and get your sister to understand that you really want and need her to be your ally in your wedding.

One important tactic to use is to enlist her help as an important part of your wedding planning team, like a wedding planner, of sorts. Ask her to take over chores that she would like to do. Make sure some of them are critical to your wedding plans. Your sister needs to feel like she is a special part of your wedding.

Include her in all your plans and ask her opinion. One thing to remember is that every single detail of your wedding is not critical to your marriage ceremony. If you put your sister in charge of specific aspects of your planning, let her plan it. If you hit a definite roadblock, talk it out privately and, together, reach a compromise. Don’t forget your mission is to bring your sister into your wedding and rebuild your relationship and not to have a struggle with minute details.

One big project that takes a lot of planning, checking and scheduling is the reception. With all the other details you, the bride-to-be, have to deal with, putting someone you trust, who knows your likes and dislikes, in charge of the reception would reduce your stress and give your sister a true sense of being an important part of your big day. Another benefit would be that, if your parents are paying for your wedding, she would already have real knowledge about their budget.

All your sister really wants is to keep you in her life and that includes the journey to your wedding ceremony. That journey is probably the most important event in your life up to now. She’s been there with you for most or all of your journey. Don’t let her go. Sisters are forever.

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Wedding favors are popular at wedding receptions or parties almost everywhere. Their historical origin is unknown but there’s evidence that they have been popular around the world for a very long time.

There are many theories about what generated the tradition of giving wedding guests a favor for attending the service. Some say the tradition originated with the Romans in the 8th century. Another states that the Romans, during 400 B.C. started the practice of throwing rice and giving wedding favors to guests.

Almonds have been a traditional symbol of good luck and assurances for successful marriages for centuries. Originally, only the titled families followed this practice and their favors were often made of silver or gold. When the custom filtered down to the other social classes, by the end of the 19th century, almonds were distributed in golden paper boxes.

Supposedly, when the groom gave his friends walnuts, he was saying goodbye to his bachelor ways. Walnuts were thrown at the couple during the ceremony and eventually evolved into today’s practice of throwing rice at them.

There are reports from English royalty during the 15th century that they usually handed out symbolic almonds in small boxes of precious metal to guests. Across the Channel, during the Napoleonic era, friends exchanged boxes of almonds as a wish for good luck.

In Russia, the Czars celebrated the christening of their children by giving their relatives and friends specially designed boxes of gold filled with sweets.

Middle Eastern weddings today use Jordan almonds at most weddings to continue this ancient symbolic rite. Guests are given 5 Jordan almonds to represent traditional wedding wishes of fertility, health, wealth and a long life together full of happiness. The candy coating on the almond is said to represent both the bitter and the sweet side of marriage.

In Malaysia, the groom is likely to send wedding presents to his future bride. Children are the traditional bearers of the gifts, which usually include elaborately decorated trays of food, including origami made with currency that represent flowers and cranes. A Korean marriage custom of each guest receiving a beautifully decorated hard-boiled egg to represent fertility is a welcomed wedding favor.

Party Crackers were popular as wedding favors during the Victorian Era and are still used today as favors or for other festive occasions, particularly for the British Christmas season, but not exclusively. They are a popular treat for parties of any theme, especially at children’s parties.

Apparently they were invented by Tom Smith, a London pastry cook, in the 1840′s. On a trip to Paris he was fascinated by a French holiday practice of placing sweets and sugared almonds in a bit of twisted colored paper. He called his creation “Kiss Mottos” and did not have much success with them until he made the paper container pop or crack when it was pulled apart.

Today’s wedding receptions continue the practice of giving wedding favors to guests. Some are traditional, but it has often evolved into themed practices, like wine, hearts, flowers, etc. Seasonal themes are very popular at certain times of the year and are a perfect theme to use around Valentine’s day.

Personalized favors have a strong following and guests might receive a set of pens and pencils engraved with the date of the wedding or a shot glass engraved with the details. One thoughtful gift might be a small silver, engraved frame with a picture of the bride and groom.

The wedding favor tradition has definitely evolved into a successful industry that has provided a solution to the wedding favor quandary and the time-consuming task of choosing the right favor for your wedding.

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Many couples are opting out of the traditional formal wedding or a public wedding of any type. Some want to avoid the expense, ritual and hype that surrounds most weddings, whether traditional or not. What many are preferring to do is have a secret wedding, which does not have to be an elopement.

One secret wedding can be a private affair with only a few people invited. After the private wedding, a reception or “announcement party” might be held with other friends and family members present. The party guests will not know anything about the wedding until the just-married couple makes an announcement when they arrive at the reception/party. Everyone can party hearty while celebrating the brand new marriage.

Another way to avoid all the stress and expense of a large wedding is to invite your guests to a party with a specific holiday theme or a large family gathering where the “entertainment” is the surprise wedding ceremony. The celebratory party can be casual and as simple as a backyard barbecue.

Secrets are difficult to keep, particularly with an excited group of your friends and family. Friends will whisper to other friends and in a short time your secret wedding will be common knowledge and complications will start to surface. Family members will start assuming you need help with common traditional practices, like where you are registered for gifts, suggestions for vendors, reception hall reservations and all the other things you are trying to avoid with your secret, simple wedding.

Your secret will be easier to keep if you integrate it into a party, where decorations and a party atmosphere would be expected and probably wouldn’t give your secret away until you were ready to tell your guests or actually get married as part of the party. The one problem you will have to consider is getting your guests to the party on time.

Many people are consistent late arrivals at parties and that could delay your marriage ceremony considerably. A simple solution is to mention the time for a meal to be served or the “arrival” of a special guest, anything that will create enough interest to get them to arrive on time. Some party givers with constantly late arrivals to all events, give them an earlier arrival time so they can still get there late and be on time.

If you want to get married and keep it totally secret that is your right. Nothing says that you have to make your marriage public or celebrate it publicly. If you and your intended are of legal age for marriage in your location, you don’t need to inform anyone about your marriage. Your church or registration office would need to know, of course. Your marriage is also public information and would be recorded somewhere, depending on where you live. Be aware that some churches read the marriage banns for several weeks during Sunday services, which would spoil the secrecy.

Celebrities have become quite adept at hiding their specific wedding details in their quest to marry in peace and quiet without the screaming paparazzi and circling helicopters. Some leak incorrect details sending the media horde off to a beach somewhere or another country entirely, while they get privately married locally in a friend’s house with a few guests.

Some notables who pulled of secret weddings are Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney, Kevin Costner, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts and John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Just keep in mind that your wedding is just exactly that! Your wedding. Make your plans and have a great life with the man or woman of your dreams.

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When you first think about wedding jewelry you may automatically think about the wedding ring itself. Even though the wedding ring is the most important piece of jewelry to be placed on the bride, there are many other pieces of jewelry to consider. The wedding ring does not end up with the bride until the middle of the ceremony. The rest of her jewelry that day will be worn as she walks down the aisle, as she stands in front of her soon-to-be spouse, and for the rest of the party night in most cases.

In order to make sure that you are completely stunning from head to toe it is important to make sure that you have the right jewelry to compliment your wedding dress. But what is it exactly that is a perfect match for the dress you picked out? If you have yet to pick up your wedding dress you could always ask the sales associat for his or her opinion. Often times places that sell the bridal gowns will have a decent selection of bridal jewelry. While they are out there to make a sale they are generally trained with an eye on which goes with which. This means that you could very well have expert opinions right at your fingertips.

What type of jewelry should you consider? Honestly, it depends on the dress you will be wearing. Consider earrings and necklaces, which are most commonly worn. If you are wearing a high neck wedding gown then the necklace is no longer an option. For the low cut necklines, necklaces can be all right as long as the dress is not too busy. Experts agree that if your dress has a lot of beads and sparkles everywhere then you should probably not wear a necklace, as it could be overkill. Simple stud earrings in that case might work best.

If your gown is not all that flashy then the sparkly necklace and dangle earrings may work perfectly. Try on several different styles of bridal jewelry to see which compliment your wedding dress the best. You may actually be surprised at what you come up with in the end. It is important, though, that you have a backup plan since there is a chance you completely change your mind if you find something better as the wedding day comes closer.

There are many places that sell wedding jewelry with a money back guarantee or exchange policy within a certain timeframe. This could very well come in handy if you happen to stumble across something that is even better suited to compliment your wedding dress.

In the end, you will be happy with what you come up with. Don’t worry too much about it, as you already know that the guests will be looking at you as a whole, and not just at your earrings. So do a little research, a little shopping, and most importantly have fun with it as this is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life.

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So, you’re expected to make a toast at your best friend’s wedding, but you don’t know what to say. Honoring the big day and the new couple without either embarrassing yourself and them or coming across dry and wooden can be pretty tricky. You’ll want to put some thought into what you’re going to say and do. Let’s take a look at a few ideas that can help you get started.

First, think about who you are going to be toasting. There are a few conventions in formal or traditional weddings you should be aware of. For instance, as the best man, you’ll be expected to toast the bride. You may be permitted to toast others as well, depending on how formal the wedding is, so pay attention to the circumstances and feel of the wedding.

Start by letting everyone know who you are and how you know the couple. Remember that some guests just won’t know who you are. It’s best to make this clear from the start to prevent confusion. Next, you’ll want to show gratitude to the hosts of the wedding, whether it’s the happy couple, their parents or someone else. Thank them for welcoming you to the occasion.

Most wedding toasts also have a bit of an anecdote, including how you met various parties or how they met, stories you want to tell their children some day, and important elements in your friendship. Don’t go for cliches if you can avoid it, and remember to think about the audience. It’s important to cater to the highest common denominator, if there is such a thing, and avoid offending anyone, especially the parents of the bride and groom.

Learn about the cultures involved in a wedding when more than one culture is involved, and avoid inside jokes or adult humor. Nudity, inappropriate behavior, and sex are all topics left out of most toasts, and you probably shouldn’t talk about politics or religion unless you’re really sure of the audience. If you’re not sure the story is appropriate, avoid it. It’s better to be safe than sorry if you’re the best man giving a toast. Another good rule of thumb is to go easy on the alcoholic beverages before you give the toast.

Remember to offer a compliment about the bride and anyone else you’re giving a toast to. Don’t go on and on about how wonderful they are, however. That could end up boring your audience, and no one wants that. Instead, use just a few adjectives to tell the audience what you think is best about him or her. In addition, remember to end your toast on a positive note. A traditional toast quote, a blessing, or good wishes are common choices. Remember to use your head and think in advance, and you’ll come up with a great wedding toast that everyone will appreciate.

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Choosing the wedding date is one of the first important decisions that a to-be-married couple will have to make together. It is important, of course, since this will be the day when you celebrate your union as man and wife and continue to for the years to come. For most brides, the wedding date is especially important, as they want this day to be as close to perfect as possible. Here are some steps you can take on how to choose your wedding date.

There are so many things to consider when you go through the process of picking that date. One of the first things you should consider when it comes down to it is your schedules and that of your family and friends. You might want to take a look at your calendar to see if you’re attending any other friend’s wedding. It is advisable that you not schedule the date of your wedding too close to another’s because you might be tasked to help out with their wedding and run out of time for yours. You also want a date when most of your guest are available and will be able to commit to attending your ceremony.

The next consideration when it comes to choosing your wedding date is the season when you want to get married. Do you want it in the spring or summer or fall? Consider the weather conditions of that particular period you are looking at. It might be rainy or snowy or unbearably hot.

Remember also that scheduling at a time when most brides are scheduled may make prices a bit more expensive than it would cost off-season. Places like the church, the caterer, and the reception venue may also charge depending on the on and off peak seasons and book reservations far in advance. If you want to pick a date during high season, you will need to book in advance.

The next step in picking your wedding date is to consider which day of the week you want your wedding to occur. Most people prefer Saturdays, because it gives the guests time to get to the wedding if they will be travelling and also gives them a chance to rest up on Sunday after all the festivities the day before. However, this might cause prices to be more expensive.

Another thing you should consider when choosing the date is to consider if you are planning to make your date a memorable one – such as 10/10/10 or 01/23/50. In this case, make sure that you are able to book your church and venue way before because slots for these areas are fast emerging.

Picking the date for your wedding is quite important; especially if you are looking to achieve that “perfect wedding” you’ve always dreamed of. Just remember to consider these already mentioned areas and design your wedding according to your needs.

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If you’re getting ready for your wedding, you need to think about decorations for the reception. Traditional floral decorations are beautiful, but they also cost a lot, since florist services require so much work and attention to detail. What do you do if you’re not getting married on a big budget? The good news is that there’s no rule requiring you to stick to the average reception decorations. There are plenty of attractive and fun options that won’t cost you all that much. Stick with your theme and your color scheme, and you’ll be able to create attractive, appealing tables that everyone will love, but you won’t have to spend a bundle. Let’s take a look at some of your options. Candy Informal weddings can use brightly colored candies to add a light touch. An inexpensive set of glass containers, such as giant goblets, bowls, or even wide-mouthed vases, transforms into a beautiful set of centerpieces when you fill them with attractive candies. Try chocolate, like M&Ms (you can get them custom colored and custom printed), or try something fruit flavored, like jelly beans. Traditional wedding Jordan almonds are a great choice, too. Buy them in bulk from a Middle Eastern food supplier, rather than from a wedding retailer, and you’ll save a lot of money. Top off your dishes with an attractive (organic) flower or two, and your guests can enjoy the look and the taste of your centerpieces. Flowers You can still have floral decorations on your reception tables, if you’re willing to go pro yourself. Try a bunch of inexpensive flowers, like Gerber daisies, and just place them in simple containers, like a glass pitcher. This is a casual look, but it’ll work for many weddings, and it won’t cost you all that much. For fancier weddings, make the centerpieces yourself by using high quality artificial flowers. A few hardy, exotic flowers can be placed in a simple vase and accented with candles, for a minimalist look. Just use two or three flowers per table, and fill the rest of the container with stones or glass beads. Potted flowers are another inexpensive option. They can be purchased all over the place in the right season, and if you wait for a sale, you can pick them up very cheaply. Repot them in prettier containers, or cover/paint the existing pot to create a centerpiece that guests can take home to plant there. Candles You can’t go wrong with candles. They lend an elegant touch in an inexpensive way. You can pick up votives or the next size up plus the candle holders in the design of your choice at your local craft store. Balloons Floating balloon bouquets can be a great choice for an attractive table, too. There are all kinds of shapes, colors and styles, so it’s easy to match your wedding colors and themes. Stick with pearly pastels, or create more dramatic balloon bunches. Cut the ribbons in different lengths to create an attractive range of heights (rather than a bunch that says “circus” to most people.) This is an easy task to delegate. Add flowers, candy, or confetti, and have fun popping balloons later in the day or night. Try using candy or fruit instead of traditional weights, and your guests will be able to take home a snack after the reception, too. Decorating your reception tables doesn’t have to cost a fortune. All it requires is a little imagination, a willingness to shop for bargains, and some of your time to put to all together.

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