Your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life. Ensuring that things go smoothly on this day should be the priority of every bride. The key to a flawless wedding day is proper wedding planning. What is wedding planning? This all-encompassing term simply means that you plan for everything that should happen on your wedding day, and you plan to avoid everything that should not happen. There are thousands of things to consider, from the color theme of your wedding to the travel arrangements of your guests. Some brides thrive on actively participating in every aspect of the planning of their wedding, while others prefer to delegate many tasks to a professional wedding planner.

Wedding Planning Checklist

Regardless of whether you intend to plan every aspect of your nuptials, or whether you wish to use the services of a wedding planner, you should at least be aware of the key elements that need to be planned for your wedding day. Here is a checklist for wedding planning and a guide for selecting necessary wedding vendors.

Stationary

From wedding invitations to napkins, there are many pieces of stationary that will need to be matched to your wedding color theme or printed with your nuptial details. Following are some of the important stationary you need to plan for your special day.

• Announce Engagement and “Save the Date” cards. Proper engagement announcement etiquette dictates that the groom should inform the parents of the bride in person of an engagement before anyone else discovers your intentions. Thereafter, announce to everyone your intentions to become married with engagement announcement cards and “Save the Date” cards. Engagement announcing cards can also invite your loved ones to an engagement party. Save the date cards are for when you have decided on the date of your wedding.
• Wedding Invitations. What is the difference between a wedding invitation and save the date cards? Often times, you will decide on the date of your wedding long before you have decided upon all the details of your big day. Once you have the date of your wedding nailed down, it is appropriate to immediately send “Save the Date” cards. This lets everyone set aside your wedding day so that conflicts in schedule do not happen. Later on, when you know the location of your wedding, the reception and all other necessary details is when you send your wedding invitation.
• Place cards, napkins and programs. To let your guests know their seating arrangements at the reception, place cards must be printed. Customized napkins are an excellent way to accent the celebration and provide a keep-sake for those attending. Programs notify your guests of the flow of activities at your wedding and reception, allowing for a celebration that is more ordered.

Wedding Vendors

There are many elements that comprise a successful ceremony, and many professionals are required to help you pull off your big day. Following is a list of wedding vendors that should be arranged for your wedding day.

• Cake. The cake is a memorable centerpiece for your reception celebration. Select the right bakery who will make a cake that tastes as good as it looks. Most wedding cake vendors will have a portfolio of photographed wedding cakes for you to examine their past work, and to select a cake that matches your tastes.
• Catering. Locate the professionals you feel confident can prepare exceptional food for your guests. Consider special diet requirements that any of your wedding guests may have, such as vegetarian or other dish preferences and whether your intended caterer can accommodate these requests.
• Dress. Whether having a custom wedding dress sewn, or choosing from a selection of pre-made bridal gowns, it is important to find a bridal shop that features quality dresses and can custom fit a bridal gown professionally.
• DJs and Musicians. Dance and music are elements of happy wedding celebrations. Locate the band, DJ or musicians you feel best suit your tastes in advance to secure their services at your celebration.
• Flowers. From bridal bouquets to corsages, flowers are an integral part of wedding celebrations. Book your flower arrangements far in advance, including the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids bouquets, centerpieces, headpieces, corsages, the “throw away” bouquet and other decorative flowers for your wedding.
• Limousine Service. Schedule a limousine in advance to make certain they can be available for your wedding day.
• Photographer. Selecting the best wedding photographer is extremely important, as they will capture the special moments of your wedding for you to remember always. Interview several wedding photographers and review their portfolio of work to ensure they are skilled photographers, and that the style of their photography reflects your own personal tastes.
• Videographer. Wedding videos are as important as photos when it comes to remembering the most important day of your life. A skilled wedding videographer will not only take exceptional video of your wedding, they will be able to edit the recorded segments into an appealing single movie experience that will appear professional and of excellent quality.

Wedding Ideas

Planning a wedding is more than selecting the right wedding vendors. There are a myriad of wedding ideas that you can pursue which will make your wedding day a memorable and joyous occasion. From researching wedding day traditions, to following proper etiquette, it is a good idea to research ideas for your wedding by reading wedding magazines and visiting blogs that are centered on ideas for your wedding day. Do you need some wedding ideas? See if you already know the answer to the following questions.

• Maid of Honor duties. What are the required activities of the maid of honor? What about the best man?
• Wedding speeches. Can you use any ideas on what to say during your vows? What members of your wedding party should give speeches?
• Hair Styles. Do you already know the hair style you wish to use at your wedding?
• Wedding fashion. Perhaps you could use some ideas on the wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, groomswear and other members of your wedding party?

The answers to all these questions, and other questions you haven’t even thought of yet, can be discovered through researching proper wedding ideas. Researching wedding ideas is an important part of proper wedding planning.