Wedding Blog

12 - 6 Months

• Announce wedding plans to family and friends.
• Decide the wedding date
• Set your budget
• Decide the theme of your wedding
• Compile a guest list
• Decide on the venue for the ceremony and receptions
• Book the venue for ceremony
• Book Restaurant/Hotel for wedding banquet
• Select your Bridesmaids, Best man, and attendants
• Get idea for wedding dress, wedding band, hair and make-up
• Plan for your honeymoon

5 - 3 Months

• Shop for wedding band
• Send invitation card and thanks you cards to printer
• Collect invitation card and thanks you card from printer
• Shop for bride's and groom's attire
• Shop for bridesmaids' clothes and best man's suit
• Shop for accessories
• Book for wedding car
• Select your Caterers
• Confirm for hairstylist and make-up artist
• Decide and book on photographer/photo studio
• Decide and book on videographer
• Plan your entertainment
• Arrange meeting and delegate duties to bridesmaid, best man and attendance
• Confirm and book for your honeymoon

2 - 1 Months

• Send out invitations to out-of-town guests
• Confirmation on the venues
• Order flowers - bridal bouquet/floral arrangement
• Order wedding cake
• Get a marriage license
• Plan for wedding rehearsal
• Confirm and book for honeymoon
• Prepare itinerary for your wedding day

1 Month

• Send out invitations to guests.
• Finalist detail for venue, transportation, flowers, photographer, videographer, etc.
• Prepare hongbaos and payments for those who need to be paid
• Book transportation for guest
• Draft out thank you speech for the wedding day
• Review your insurance policies
• Open joint savings and checking accounts.
• Select yours two witnesses for solemnize - they will be the person who sign your marriage certificate

2 Weeks

• Collect and check fitting for all wedding attire
• Wear your wedding shoes
• Photo taking in the photo studio/outdoor
• Have a trial make-up and hair session
• Arrange Bridal shower
• Arrange Bachelor's party

1 Week

• Contact people who have not yet responded
• Confirm accommodations and transportation for out-of-town guests
• Arrange all wedding flower to be send/collect early
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Hand over all payments to the Best Man - let him handle all payment to those who entitle for the payment.
• Finalist guests list and plan for seating arrangements.
• Provide a copy of itinerary for Best man and Bridesmaids so that they can help to keep track of time.

On the day

• Eat a good breakfast and lunch
• Remember to bring your wedding rings and marriage license.
• Sit back, relax, and enjoy

New Wedding Planning Service in Kyoto, Japan -- For Foreigners

Kyoto Weddings announces service to help non-Japanese plan weddings and photography in Japan's ancient capital.
http://kyoto-weddings.jp

KYOTO, March, 2011 -- Bridal elegance in an authentic Japanese setting - a traditional wedding ceremony in Kyoto at one of the city’s beautifully tranquil shrines and temples is an unforgettable experience. What was once a rite open to only Japanese couples is now available to the world.

Kyoto Weddings is the only wedding planner in Kyoto that can coordinate special events in English that cater to individual needs and styles. Made up of a small international team of locals, Kyoto Weddings can consult with clients directly in English to arrange events at world famous shrines, restaurants and even a Zen temple.

Besides traditional wedding ceremonies, Kyoto Weddings also arranges photography sessions in bridal kimono. "The photography plans are great for couples visiting Japan and who are looking for a unique way to celebrate their anniversary," says Sachiko Nakamura, the senior wedding planner. Photo plans include in-studio as well as outdoor location packages at nearby Japanese gardens and parks.

Visitors can wear top quality bridal kimono -- for the bride, the elegant shiromuku (white kimono) or the luxurious iro-uchikake (coloured kimono), and for the groom, formal black montsuki (family crested) kimono with hakama (wide-legged pants). Bridal kimono are the most exquisite of kimono and derive from wedding customs of the samurai classes during the Edo period.

"Not all weddings in Japan need to cost a fortune," says Nakamura. "We can help you plan a simple ceremony followed by a meal at a nearby restaurant." But for those who want to experience the finest in Kyoto hospitality, there are options such as a full-course dinner at ryotei, traditional gourmet restaurants and maiko entertainment.

About Kyoto Weddings:
Kyoto Weddings is partnered with TNC Bridal Service, one of the leading wedding planning companies in Kyoto. Located in the heart of the city, their offices feature in-house kimono and wedding dress rental, as well as a wedding planning salon and photography studio.

Contact: Sachiko Nakamura
Email: info@kmfa-kyoto.com
URL: http://kyoto-weddings.jp

For so many of us, while we are planning our wedding day we learn there is a completely different line of what is acceptable and unacceptable, as far as the vendors are concerned. For the most part, no one tells us that some vendors are tipped after the wedding, how much to tip, which vendors we are supposed to include in our head count for food and so forth.

Enjoy. Your honeymoon should be planned around activities both of you enjoy. This will allow the both of you to be yourselves so that you can rest and relax better in each other's company.

Budget. Keep the cost of honeymoon well within your budget so you don't have financial worries on your mind during your time together. If you can't comfortably afford it, there's nothing wrong with postponing it to a more appropriate time.

• Ask if the person you are meeting will be the person there on your wedding day. If not, ask to met the actual photographer and see some examples of their work. If this is resisted, be a little concerned.

• If you meet an alternative photographer from the same company, ask the same questions. Don't assume the same standard experience as their partner or employer.

• Check the photographer's qualifications and ask how long they have been a photographer, and how long they have been taking photographs of weddings.

• Check the photographer has professional indemnity insurance to cover to cover the cost of retaking your photographs if something goes horribly wrong. If the photographer does not have insurance you should take out your own wedding insurance policy to cover such and eventuality.

• Find out how long the photographer spends taking their shots after the ceremony and/or at the reception. There isn't really a standard time for this, you should decide before you visit the photographer how long you think it is acceptable to keep your guests waiting, and see how close the photographer's estimate comes to yours.

• Ask how the photographer copes if the weather is not as beautiful as you hope. Here it will help if the photographer has worked at your wedding and reception venues previously and knows the local area.

Invitations not only inform your guests of the date, time, location and hosts of the wedding, they set the tone for your entire celebration. Your wedding invitation may also include the time and location of the reception. Mail announcement two month before the wedding and be sure to have your invitations weighed at the post office to determine the proper postage.