Elegant Wedding Planning

I know that I have blogged about this topic before, but it bears repeating; 10 things you can do to plan an elegant wedding. I will always maintain this: elegance is not the size of your bank account, but rather the attention to details, taking care of your guests, and doing the right thing. Your wedding will only last one day: it needs to be magical, perfect and above all, a reflection of the love that the two of you have together.

Here are the 10 tips ( Courtesy of the AAWP) in case you missed them the first time.

Commandment One Spend only what you can afford—do not go into debt. Being in debt is no way to start married life.

Commandment Two Educate yourself. The more you know about vendors, and the goods and services you’ll need, the better off you will be.

Commandment Three Learn about etiquette. You cannot have true elegance without proper etiquette; they go hand-in-hand. That is not to say that you cannot “break the rules,” but make sure that you know what the rules are first, then make an educated decision about breaking them for your wedding.

Commandment Four Read the contract; the fine print (and learn to adapt it). Your contract is your only recourse should something go amiss.

Commandment Five Always get a receipt and make sure that it is specific! Sometimes, your receipt is your contract---make sure that you keep them.

Commandment Six More does not mean better—and more costs money! Elegant weddings are not vulgar, crass or overdone. They are subtle, tasteful and beautiful.

Commandment Seven Don’t forget: You’re the hosts! The wedding reception is the first party that a bride and groom host as husband and wife. Responsible, gracious hosts make sure that their guests are their first priority.

Commandment Eight Don’t forget the step-parents, include everyone. Weddings are a time of happiness, family togetherness and inclusion. At a wedding, everyone is equal.

Commandment Nine Apply common courtesy to every aspect of planning your wedding. Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

Commandment Ten Be pleasant and kind. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Character is higher than intellect.” And Henry James, when his nephew asked him what he ought to do in life, answered, “Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” Truer words were never spoken. Apply them to every aspect of your life and every facet of planning your wedding—and things may turn out, better and more economical—and more elegant—than you ever expected!