Planning A Wedding For Dummies

Let Dummies be your wedding planner and get hitched without a hitch

Planning A Wedding For Dummies covers everything you need to know to pull off the perfect celebration on your big day. This book even makes it fun! We take the stress out of wedding planning, simplifying the whole process and giving you the tools you need to plan and execute a memorable day. Send out those save-the-dates, manage any crisis that might arise on the day of, and everything in between. Dummies has your back.

This friendly For Dummies book is your guide on the exciting journey of planning all the events leading up to the wedding, as well as post-wedding activities. Planning A Wedding For Dummies includes tips and checklists to keep you organized, whether you’ll have 10 guests or 1,000 guests.

• Break down the wedding planning process into simple steps, so you can stay on track
• Laugh along as you read stories about real-life couples who have gone before you and gain insight into wedding day outcomes and scenarios
• Keep everything in perspective to keep your wedding stress-free
• Find worksheets and checklists to help you through budgeting and beyond

With this perfect guide, you can plan a perfect wedding—and say “I do” on the best day of your life!

Introduction 1

Part 1: It’s YOUR Day! 5

Chapter 1: You Said Yes! 7

Chapter 2: Sharing the Exciting News 23

Chapter 3: Everyone Has a Budget 43

Part 2: Taking Care of Logistics 55

Chapter 4: Your Day Is Only as Good as Your Team 57

Chapter 5: All-Inclusive Wedding Planning 89

Chapter 6: Location, Location, Location 99

Chapter 7: Inviting Friends and Family 117

Chapter 8: Adding Special Touches with Flowers 149

Part 3: Style Icon 171

Chapter 9: In Pursuit of Your Dream Dress 173

Chapter 10: What Everyone Else Will Be Wearing 199

Part 4: Ceremony To-Do’s 213

Chapter 11: Making Your Marriage Legal 215

Chapter 12: Where the Magic Happens: Planning and Personalizing Your Ceremony 227

Part 5: Let’s Party 251

Chapter 13: Celebrating After the Ceremony: The Reception 253

Chapter 14: What’s on the Menu? 271

Chapter 15: Enjoying Your Party 293

Part 6: Wedding Weekend Events 305

Chapter 16: Practice Makes Perfect 307

Chapter 17: Pre- and Post-Wedding Events 329

Chapter 18: Honeymooning with your BFF 339

Part 7: The Part of Tens 351

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Ensure a Bad Day 353

Chapter 20: Ten Reasons You’re Normal 359

Index 365

Sarah Lizabeth Barker is a wedding planner, florist, venue owner, and an educator in the events industry. Her work has been featured in Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, Southern Weddings, and beyond. She has also won several industry awards, including “Best Planner and ­Florist” and “Industry Leader” for Smart Meetings magazine.

Your #1 resource for planning your perfect day

This is an exciting time in your life; you’re getting married! You said yes to forever, and now you get to plan your perfect first day of marriage through Planning a Wedding For Dummies. This resource will help you customize a day that reflects who you are as a couple. It’s a lighthearted approach proving that wedding planning doesn’t have to be stressful. Avoid the drama and focus on having perspective through every aspect of your planning process. Learning from couples who’ve already been through the process, you can avoid mishaps along the way and get the tools you need to plan and execute a memorable day, courtesy of Dummies.

Inside…

• Crafting a workable budget
• Hiring a planner (or not)
• Selecting who’s invited
• Picking your dream team
• Creating your ceremony & reception
• Managing your bridal party squad
• Rehearsing and implementing the plan
• Honeymooning with your BFF
• Avoiding snags and drama