Free Wedding Planning Checklist

by Jennifer McCleary

Well, the big day is approaching and there is so much to do. Set the date, reserve the church, hire a band, get a dress, find a caterer, a photographer, a florist…the list goes on and on. For many new brides planning a wedding can seem like an overwhelming task. Don’t let it keep you from having the best day of your life, however, just follow my advice.

You are wondering how you will know what you need or where to find stuff. Well, take a deep breath and relax. It is going to be okay. Follow this free wedding planning checklist and you will be planning the wedding of your dreams in no time!

Places to Book:

Rehearsal dinner hall, Church or ceremony venue, and Reception location

Services to Book:

Pastor or officiate, Photographer, Caterer, Florist, Cake decorator, Band and or D.J., Wedding Coordinator, Pianist, and Vocal Performers

Things to Buy:

Wedding dress and accessories, Bridesmaids’ dresses and accessories, Flower girl dress and basket, Ring bearer pillow, Wedding party gifts, and Decorations

Things to order/rent:

Grooms tuxedo, Groomsmen tuxedos, Ring bearer tuxedo, Invitations, Programs, Favors, Thank you cards

There are a lot of things to think about when planning your wedding. This list just covers the bear basics. This is a really good starting place however to help you think about what you want and what you need.

For a more in-depth checklist visit http://www.we-review-for-you.com/rweddingplanning.html

Jennifer is a full time teacher and has been planning parties and events on the side for years. If you found this article useful, check out Jennifer’s other party/event planning tips at http://www.we-review-for-you.com. You can also visit all of Jennifer’s other articles on a variety of topics.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_McLeary

Let Wedding Party Shoes help with your shopping list for bridal shoes, handbags and wedding accessories. January is the biggest wedding planning month of the year, and new styles for 2008 are now being added. Visit us today, and be sure to check back often for updates to our online catalog.

Unique Wedding Cake Toppers for a Unique Wedding Cake

While many couples today will choose a traditional wedding, often following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, a growing number of couples are electing to depart from tradition and frequently adopting less formal and more "fun" weddings.

Whichever route you choose however one thing that you are sure to want is at least something in your wedding that sets it apart and that will make it truly memorable for your guests. In many cases you'll find that this is not an easy thing to accomplish in terms of the civil or religious ceremony itself, but your wedding reception and, in particular your wedding cake, will provide the perfect vehicle.

Many couples are already moving away from the traditional white wedding cake and opting for cakes of various flavors, colors and shapes although, in most cases, cakes continue to be tiered to provide the height that is really essential if the cake is to command the centre of attention as far as the reception decorations are concerned. But why have just one cake?

How about individual miniature cakes which will not only impress your guests in terms of the imagination and work that went into making them, but will also make them feel that extra bit special at the thought that you had a cake specially made for them. This option has the added virtue of allowing you to offer a range of different flavors if you wish to provide for the variety of tastes amongst your guests and miniature cakes can still be arranged on stands into a tier to emulate the classical tiered wedding cake.

If you're feeling really bold, how about dispensing with cake altogether. We're all familiar with the elaborate displays that we see in the stores, especially around the holidays, with towers of chocolate chips cookies or gingerbread men and, while gingerbread men might not be quite appropriate, with a little imagination it's not too hard to think of a variety of sweet treats that would make a stunning display at your wedding.

And why stop there? Once you've created your spire of eye catching desserts why not mix in other sweets or even fruit and provide your guests with a variety of dipping bowls alongside the display so that they can coat their chosen sweet of piece of fruit in bitter dark, smooth milk or even white chocolate for that perfect after dinner treat.

These ideas in themselves can provide you with a memorable and quite unique "wedding cake" but, for that final touch how about a unique wedding cake topper?

Toppers come in all shapes and sized these days and are not only designed to crown your cake but also to give you the opportunity to make a very personal statement and to provide a talking point for your guests. There is a huge range of wedding cake toppers available today in just about every price range, from mass produced plastic toppers to exquisite and unique wedding cake toppers that can be hand crafted from a range of materials including crystal and semi-precious stones. What better way can there be to express your love for each other and to display that love to your assembled guests than by symbolizing that love in a unique wedding cake topper.

For more on unique wedding cake toppers please visit Talking Weddings today.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert:Donald_Saunders

Click wedding cake toppers to view our selection of both traditional and contemporary designs. We're sure you'll find a style to fit any theme and budget.

Shoe Pick of the Week: Blondell by Benjamin Adams

The classic pump gets a new twist with a chic round toe and beautiful auroa boraellis Swarovski crystals across the vamp. Sporting a statuesque 3 3/8" heel, Blondell is available in White or Ivory (shown in White).

Blondell, like all Benjamin Adams styles, is hand crafted by Paradox London using the finest duchesse silk, soft kid leather lining and the highest quality leather soles.

The Benjamin Adams line of bridal shoes was introduced to the US markets in the fall of 2007 by Paradox London, the recognized market leader in the UK for bridal footwear. The appearance in today's top bridal magazines along with its unique styling and quality craftsmanship has put Benjamin Adams at the top of the list for this season's most sought after bridal shoes.

Visit Benjamin Adams bridal shoes for more details.

Benjamin Adams by Paradox London now available

Wedding Party Shoes is proud to announce its association with Paradox London, a recognized market leader in the UK for bridal footwear. The Benjamin Adams line was introduced to the US market this past fall (along with Pink and Little Miss Pink which we will be offering shortly).

The Benjamin Adams line of bridal footwear is handcrafted using the finest duchess silk (available in white or ivory), features white or ivory duchess silk, stunning Swarovski crystals, soft kid leather lining, and the highest quality leather soles.

Heel heights range from the low-heeled 1" Powell pump to the 4" Scarlet peep-toe platform pump. Prices range from $169 to $599 for the most luxurious shoe in the Benjamin Adams collection which is the Lopez, shown above. Abundantly covered with Swarovski crystals, this high-heeled slingback is available in ivory duchesse silk only.

As with all purchases at Wedding Party Shoes, shipping is free within the US. Please contact us for international shipping rates.

Please visit Benjamin Adams Shoes to see the entire line or visit Wedding Party Shoes to view our entire catalog.

Wedding Invitations Now Available Online

Wedding Party Shoes now offers the convenience of ordering wedding invitations online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/weddingparty. We have partnered with Birchcraft Studios, distributors of fine personalized Christmas cards, wedding invitations, and social announcements, to bring you a selection of contemporary, elegant, and traditional invitations. Proof your orders online in the typestyle and color of your choice. The advanced "search" feature makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for.

Whether you need wedding, anniversary, bar mitzvah or social announcements, or any wedding or reception accessories, see what Wedding Party Shoes has to offer at its new online invitation website Wedding Party Shoes Invitations. Prices reflect a 10% discount and free UPS ground shipping is available within the US.

For a large selection of dyeable bridal shoes, prom shoes and evening shoes, be sure to check out our home page at http://weddingpartyshoes.com.

Wedding and Prom Shoes

How to Match Your Bridal Shoes to Your Wedding Dress

Matching Tip #1 - When looking for bridal shoes, carry a swatch or piece of the wedding gown fabric to match up the white coloring as close as possible.

A bride's ensemble requires perfection of Cinderella proportions. Everything must match down to the last finest thread. Even the bridal shoes are afforded special attention and must reign with an air of elegance. Although many factors are important when choosing bridal shoes, the one that most brides find the most difficult is matching the bridal shoes to their wedding gown.

Indeed, one of the biggest difficulties in matching the bridal shoes is the color or rather the non-color of white. Most people assume that white is white, but that is not true when matching pieces for your special day. Depending on the type of fabric, white will always show differently.

Also, some whites are creamier in color giving the air of off-white while others are clinical and stark white. Whatever "white" color your wedding dress, the key is to obtain a color sample of the dress and carry it with you while shopping for bridal shoes.

Lastly, if you are not able to find a "white" match that is acceptable, look for dyeable bridal shoes and have the bridal shoe dyed to match the dress.


Matching Tip #2 - Try to find the same fabric or material in a bridal shoe as the wedding dress to make it easier to match the shoes to the gown.

As mentioned, part of the reason colors look different is the actual fabric. For instance, a satin white fabric may be high pitched and glossy whereas a raw silk white fabric may more of a matte tone. In addition, wearing a satin dress may not work with vinyl shoes. It might be easier to choose bridal shoes by limiting your selection of shoes to the same fabric as the wedding gown.


Matching Tip #3 - The simpler the gown, the fancier the shoe and the more glamorous the gown, the simpler the shoe.

Most brides would like to appear elegant and regal, not garish and outlandish. It is therefore recommended that when choosing your shoes, you lean towards the opposite of the dress. A wedding gown that is beautifully lavish with pearls, sequins, brocades, or other adornments will look nicer with plain bridal shoes. In fact, the bridal shoes should not overshadow the gown.

Further, the gown itself should dictate the type of shoe. If the gown is shorter in length, a heeled shoe will complete the ensemble more favorably than a flat slipper shoe. The shoe should always complement and accentuate the wedding gown and never remove the focal point from the bridal dress.

If you must have adornments on both your wedding dress and your bridal shoes, be sure the look is coordinated. Again, the full appearance should one of natural flowing elegance, not two pieces fighting for the attention of the guests.


Matching Tip #4 - Choose shoes that are the same style as the wedding gown or from the same fashion trend. Also choose shoes that match your personality or type of wedding.

Style of gown is especially important when matching or choosing the perfect bridal shoes. For brides that have longed to wear their great grandmother's dress from the Victorian era, they may choose to purchase white lace-up boots from that time period.

In fact, the idea or matching time periods or styles should exist. Mixing and matching, on the other hand, is sure to to move the focus from the gown to the feet, which is an undesirable result when choosing bridal shoes.

For younger brides who are ultra modern, a bridal shoe with a fat chunky heel may be appropriate for their style of dress while an older bride wearing a lovely suit may be more inclined towards a traditional sandal or fancy satin pump with ankle straps.


Matching Tip #5 - The overall look should flow from the top of the veil or tiara to the tips of the toes of the bridal shoes.

If at all possible, try your bridal shoes on with your wedding gown in order to see the flow of the pieces. The look should not be disjointed and uneven. The gown should flow over the shoes naturally and the two should almost look like one.

More importantly, the shoes should be tested with the gown to determine the proper hem of the gown. Switching bridal shoes at the last minute will cause the gown to be either too long or too short.

Choosing a Wedding Handbag or Bridal Purse

You might wonder why a bride would carry a purse. Doesn't she carry a bouquet of flowers? You're right, but the wedding day is an important day in a woman's life and as all women know, she never goes anywhere without her purse!

Functionally speaking, the reason a bride and/or her bridesmaids might carry a wedding handbag is to carry personal necessities such as tissues, lipstick, personal hygiene items, mints, hairbrush and comb. She will want to freshen up before the pictures are taken and also at the reception.

Wedding handbags are part of the bride's ensemble. Purses are an accessory that need to match the total look and complement the other accessories such as the bridal shoes, wedding gloves, veils and tiaras.

For some brides, the handbag may meet the requirement of "something old". Fancy, ornate purses from grandma's era may look lovely with the bride's gown and accessories. Also, if the "something old" is jewelry or a family heirloom keepsake, the bride will need somewhere special to keep the item during the day. Her handbag will be the perfect place.

Wedding handbags come in various styles and colors. Most come in the standard white or ivory while others can be dyed to match the wedding dress or veil ribbons. Bridal handbags come in clutches, moneybags, knapsack style for informal weddings, shoulder straps and little square lunch box style purses.

Points to Consider When Choosing a Bridal Handbag

1. How big does the purse need to be? How many items do you need to carry in the purse?
2. Does the handbag match the dress material? The overall appearance of the bride will look much more elegant if the materials are the same.
3. Do the adornments of the bag match the shoes? Try to keep the embellishments the same. For instance, if your dress and shoes have pearls, try to stay away from rhinestones.
4. Does the handbag match the theme of your ensemble? If you are wearing a vintage gown, purses are available from that time period. If your wedding is taking place on the beach, knapsack-style bags are appropriate.
5. Does the bride like the purse? She should try and choose a purse that she likes so it can be used again after the wedding.
6. Does the handbag match the veil or dress ribbon? Some veils now have a ribbon of a different color along the edge of the veil. Likewise, colored wedding dress ribbons for the waist are becoming popular. Matching the color of the bag to these ribbons would be an elegant complement.
7. Will pictures be taken with the purse? If not, then the exact color or perfect style may not make a difference.

Some brides may choose not to match their wedding gown and accessories but rather purchase a wedding handbag to match their going-away outfit. For a bride on a strict budget, this may be a better solution as she can use the handbag throughout the honeymoon as well.

You can find many designer styles and colors of wedding handbags and bridal purses at Wedding Party Shoes/handbags just in time for your fall or winter wedding or special event.

Men's Tuxedo Shoes

Much planning and preparation goes into the bride's ensemble. She is equally as excited about her bridesmaids and flower girls. But the men are part of the bridal ceremony, too, and there are ways for the groom, ushers and ring bearer to look special as well.

Many grooms opt for renting the fellows' tuxedos to wear. While this is usually easier and less expensive than buying tuxedos, the groom will want to make sure that everyone looks good for the special day. One of the ways to look dashing is to finish off the tuxedo with spectacular tuxedo shoes.

Tuxedo shoes should match the tuxedo or at least complement the suit worn. In fact, tuxedo shoes come in various colors of black, white, ivory, and a combination of black and white together on the same shoe. The shoes can be found with square toes and oxford styling that usually ties up as well as a plain slip-on shoe.

Men's tuxedo shoes are usually made from PVC, patent leather, and other man-made materials. More flamboyant styles are combinations of patent leather and man-make snakeskin as well as those with a satin front and the rest of the shoe in patent leather.

Whatever shoe the man chooses, the tuxedo will finish off nicely with a smartly polished pair of tuxedo shoes.

Please visit Wedding Party Shoes/Men's Tuxedo Shoes for a variety of the latest men's styles.

Children's Bridal Shoes

Choosing bridal shoes for the children in the wedding party will depend on the child's age. Very little girls and toddler girls should wear shoes that are Mary Jane styling or tap dance like shoes. These shoes come with pretty straps and are lovely with any dress. Ballet slippers are also quite nice for small children.

For the older girls, a shoe with more of a high heel may be acceptable. Even pretty sandals may be suitable. The girls' shoes also come in dyeable styles like the ladies. If the flower girl or young bridesmaid is wearing the same color as the older bridesmaids, her shoes can match her gown as well.

While little girls have a wide range of choices in their bridal shoes, the shoes for little boys and young men are very basic. Much like their older counterparts, the boys may wear oxfords or patent leather bridal shoes which can be used later with a nice suit for another special occasion.

To view our entire line of children's bridal shoes, please visit Wedding Party Shoes/Children's Bridal Shoes.