Wedding planning can be intimidating at first and for good reasons. Nightmares of late tux deliveries, ugly wedding cakes and makeup stained wedding dresses could scare anyone catatonic. The best way to have the “perfect wedding” is to start off on a good foot. You can start planning your wedding right now without spending a dime.
Select a Wedding Date
After you’ve told the world that you’re tying the knot, it is a good idea to not take too long selecting a wedding date.
That way when you are shopping wedding vendors, you know what date you need beforehand. It keeps you from putting things off, because the wedding date will be quickly approaching.
It gives your friends and family time to plan ahead. It is a good idea to tell them as early as possible, especially if you’re getting married in the summer, due to many people planning vacations during that time.
Wedding Coordinating Help
Hire a wedding coordinator. I know you think it is expensive, but you will thank yourself in the end. If you don’t want to bear the expense of hiring a wedding coordinator, get some talented family member to help you. Any type of help will do.
Sometimes getting a second opinion can help you think about issues that you would not have thought of before. Above all, you should be enjoying yourself and not stressing out and getting some help will help you accomplish that.
What Type of Wedding Do yo Want?
Your wedding coordinator can help you determine the type of feel you want your wedding to give. Do you want it small and intimate, big and formal or somewhere in between? How about the time? If you have a lot of out of town guests it may be a good idea to have your wedding in the early evening, but not too late. Having your wedding at 10 AM may not go over too well with them.
Wedding Organizer
Wedding Organizers like notebooks or software can keep you from going into the insane asylum, for your probably can’t and shouldn’t try to keep all those numbers in your head. This way you are less likely to forget the small expenses that tend to add up in the end like wedding dress shoes, slips and veils. http://Weddingchannel.com and http://Theknot.com have free online wedding organizer software that includes a budget and expense calculator. At the very least, attempt to carry a notebook with you and record your wedding budget, expenses and tasks.
Wedding Guest List
Making a wedding guest list now is not too early. Well, at least attempt to do it! Combine the guest lists of future in-laws with your parents and your own guest lists for a good starting point. Don’t fret too much at first, because this will only be a rough draft. Your wedding coordinator can help you with this also. A good idea for all of you is to start off with those you must invite and end with those who you would like to invite and go from there.
Choose Your Colors
Picking your color scheme will, of course, make decorating a whole lot easier. The wedding décor that you want so badly may not come in the colors that you want, so it is good to do this early on. The same idea goes for the wedding party’s attire.
Above all, relax! It is your wedding day, not a final exam. And if something goes a little awry on your wedding day, try not to panic. Usually things work out in the end when you have loved ones to help you.

Many people, men and women alike, are looking for new and unusual ways to propose marriage to their loved ones. In fact, proposals have almost become as important as diamonds in the engagement process, and some have created outlandish ways of doing it.

There may be one predominant reason for the new rash of unusual marriage proposal ideas: like beautiful diamonds, the proposal is a way to tell your intended that you consider him or her the most special person in your life. Even in a tight world economy it is possible to create a memorable engagement experience that you will talk about fondly forever. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Unusual Places

First of all, remember that the traditional bended knee proposal can be performed anywhere. This means that the unique feature of your proposal may be in the choice of place. Anyone who frequents news pages on the internet has likely read stories of unique marriage proposals on mountain tops, world landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, and even skydive jumps.

The key here is the element of surprise. A proposal on a mountain hike is not expected, which is how a proposal should be. A proposal on a cruise ship is more likely, so if you are trying to create a bombshell, this may not work. Shopping is also a giveaway; if you’re out shopping and linger around jewelry stores looking at diamonds, it is just too much of a tip-off.

What You Say is Important–So Is How You Say It

If you want to leave an impression that will last forever, leave the standard “I love you” speech and poetry at home. There are many other ways to pop the question. Think about these general ideas when you are considering how to communicate:

These are just a few ideas, but they all center around what your partner likes to do. This is important for a memorable proposal, and is a recognition of his or her desires in life as well as your wish to be part of those.

The Ring

Although many couples pick out engagement rings together these days, some still prefer to choose for their partners. You can make an original proposal just by having an original ring or specially-cut diamonds. Progress in jewelry-making techniques has made handling gold and other metals much easier, and the diamonds these days are of many unusual shapes. Consider having a ring made that fits your intended’s style to the letter. For instance, if your partner is a geology buff, you might consider turquoise or lapis lazuli or local colored stones as an addition to the diamonds.

There are many ways to say “I want you to spend your life with me,” and if you carefully consider your partner’s tastes you will find the right way to say it. In any event, you are about to embark on the greatest journey you have ever been on; bon voyage!