Nothing brings out tensions during wedding planning like that of the guest list. The struggle to agree on the number of guests to invite to the celebration frequently results in feelings of frustration for the bride, groom, and parents who tradition...

Guest seating at a wedding is extremely important and requires advanced planning to ensure the comfort of your guests. When considering a wedding seating plan template, you have to think about how your guests will experience every phase of your celebration. Not only do you have to consider seating for the ceremony and reception, but anything that is happening in between (like a cocktail hour). While it may not seem like a big deal, a wedding seating plan template will contribute greatly to eliminating the stress of logistical challenges.

 Special software is available for purchase to help you create a wedding seating plan template, but Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint were my tools of choice to create seating plans for my former clients. Whatever you choose to use, here are some tips I recommend to get you started.

Tip #1: Draw Your Ideas

After visiting each venue and getting a sense of the amount of space you are working with, come up with a seating plan. Some venues (like churches) are permanently staged and don't offer flexibility in moving seating, but most hotel ballrooms, private event facilities and outdoor venues give you the option to layout your seating as you choose.

Always ask the venue if they have a copy of a blank floor diagram of the space so you can draw your ideas, and find out if they have a recommended setup for the space since they likely have multiple ways of arranging seating. 

It is okay to be creative with your seating layout, but you have to ensure enough space is available for your idea. The more complex the seating arrangement, the more challenging it may be logistically.

Tip #2: Review your Ideas

Share your drawing with the vendors whose service performance could potentially be impacted by the seating plan to get their feedback. You want to ensure whatever you come up with will not interfere with their work. The vendors you especially want to review your ideas with include:

Catering Manager/Director

The Banquet Team providing food and beverage service at the reception must be able to freely move between guests and tables, and not have anything obstructing their ability to enter or exit the kitchen, etc.

Photographer and Videographer

As the documenters of memories, these vendors must be able to freely and quickly move around the room. Every logistical detail is important for them to perform at their best, including lighting.

Design Specialists

Working their magic to transform the ordinary to extraordinary is what these vendors do. From flowers, to drape and lighting, and everything eye candy .... the placement of every table and chair, the location of every entrance and exit, are all critical details these creative minds want to know about.

Entertainers

DJs, Bands, Dancers, and others used to engage your guests will want to ensure they are front and center (well second to you and the groom that is) as part of your logistical planning.

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Tip #3 Share the Plan

Once you've included all feedback from vendors, you will want to share your wedding seating plan template with whomever you hired to coordinate your wedding day. It is important that whomever is managing your wedding day details has a clear understanding of your vision. Without a wedding seating plan template, it is nearly impossible to ensure proper placement of anything. Be sure to share the seating plan prior to the wedding day to leave an opportunity for questions to avoid misunderstandings later.

A wedding seating plan template is extremely helpful by itself, but even more valuable when used with a wedding day timeline. These documents will prove invaluable in giving clear direction for your expectations to anyone who is coordinating the wedding. For more tips on this subject and others,

It is impossible to fully understand the magnitude of planning a wedding until you are the one planning it. You will face decision after decision about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. So, to help you get started, here are the top six wedding planning questions I've been asked by brides over the years.

Wedding Planning Question #1: How much should my wedding cost?

In 2012, the average U.S. couple spent close to $27,000 on their wedding, and that's slightly down from the peak of $28,000 spent in 2008.

Wedding Planning Question #2: Are buffets more affordable than a plated dinner?

But even with these national stats, it is my belief that what one chooses to spend on a wedding is personal. It all comes down to your choices based on what is important to you. Come up with a realistic budget you can manage that won't leave you with debt after the "I Do's". As I always say, the wedding is a single day in your life, but the marriage is a lifetime. Plan accordingly.

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Post by Urban Veil.

The cost of a buffet versus a plated dinner depends on the actual food selected for the wedding, the number of service staff required, and the estimate of food that will be consumed. Your decision to choose one over the other is a matter of preference in how you want your guests to experience your wedding. If variety is what you want, a buffet is for you. If treating your guests to a nice dining experience is important, a plated dinner is the way to go. Bottom-line, a wedding isn't a restaurant experience so it is possible your efforts will still result in a few guests not being satisfied. So choose the option that represents your wedding style and budget best.

Wedding Planning Question #3: When do invitations go out?

Invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks before the wedding date. To help you meet this recommended timeframe, you should count backwards from the date you plan to mail them and allot three months for design (for custom invitations), printing, and delivery of all your wedding stationery and add another two weeks for you to address and assemble your invitations. Plan your postage accordingly to ensure your invitations reach their intended destinations and that responses are returned to you without fail.

Wedding Planning Question #4: Can I have a cash bar?

While many couples opt to do so, having a cash bar at a wedding is in poor taste. It is like inviting guests to your home for a holiday party and asking them to pay for their cocktails. Yikes! Bottom-line, your decision to host a wedding and invite people to the reception makes them your guests. If your budget is somewhat limited and unable to accommodate a hefty bar bill, consider cutting back on the size of your guest list or offer a cocktail hour only.

Wedding Planning Question #5: Can I request money in place of gifts?

More and more couples are getting married after they've established homes and as a result, don't need many of the household items typically found on gift registries. In some cultures, giving a newly married couple money as a wedding gift is expected. However, some guests prefer to give a tangible gift. The main thing is to be careful in how you express your desire for money. You never (under any circumstance) include a message like "monetary gifts preferred" in your invitation. It doesn't matter how nice you try to word it, you are still asking for money and possibly offending guests who may feel you care more about that than having them join you in celebration.

Rule of thumb, make your desire known to family and friends and let them be the bearer of news when asked.

Wedding Planning Question #6: Do I have to invite children to the wedding?

Absolutely not! It's your wedding and you have every right to plan it the way you want to. However,

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Every amazing wedding deserves equally amazing photography to ensure memories are never forgotten long after the I Do's. More and more, couples are recognizing the important role engagement photography plays in the memories being captured and are therefore opting to include engagement sessions in their wedding plans. Unlike the pressure of a wedding day, an engagement session is experienced privately by the bride and groom.

Therefore, your engagement photography ideas should result in images that capture the true personalities and style of the couple being photographed. Since there is a good possibility that couples have not worked with a professional photographer prior to their wedding, it is natural for them to feel a bit anxious about having their picture taken the day of their wedding when all eyes will certainly be on them. So it is highly recommended that couples take advantage of an engagement session so they can become more comfortable in front of the camera before the big day.

Incorporate Props

Bring along elements of your personalities and relationship that will allow you to have some fun. Examples could include riding bikes, blowing bubbles, playing Frisbee, your favorite book, flowers, etc.  Engagement photography has become more stylish over the years. Instead of taking pictures in a photography studio where the couple is typically staged in front of a backdrop, more couples are choosing to take their engagement pictures in locations that are familiar, fun, and even romantic for them. Today's engagement sessions are all about capturing the couple in the most natural ways possible, concentrating mostly around their personalities and allowing their love story to be told through pictures. No need to settle for the traditional, bland and ordinary approach to your engagement photography.  Below I offer ideas to help you explore the possibilities to show your true colors as a couple for your engagement session.

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Post by Urban Veil.

Romantic Picnic

 A simple picnic in the park on your favorite blanket, or even popping the cork on a bottle of champagne on the beach; an awesome way to kick back and relax.

Where Did You Meet?

Go back in time to that place where it all began! Was it a movie theater, favorite hang out, restaurant, or neighborhood coffee shop! All locations add even more meaning to your engagement photography.

Your Favorite Things

What about a location at which you both enjoy spending time? Is there a special park in which you like to take evening walks? Think about those things that express your uniqueness as a couple.

Are You A Sports Fan?

Bring along your favorite team jersey for a fun session that shows off your fan-demonium!

Out On The Town!

Incorporate the city skyline, or metro area at dusk to add a little flavor to your session. City landmarks, museums, urban areas are all great backdrops.

Puppy Love

Your pets are family too, so why not include them in your session?

Carnival

Is there a carnival in town? Then head over and capture some fun shots on the carnival rides, eating cotton candy, or sharing a candy apple! A carnival is limitless for the possibility of capturing a lot of great images.

Movie Inspired

Use your favorite movie as inspiration for your session. Play dress up; find the perfect location and add the lights, camera, action!

Ready For Your Close Up

It’s a great idea to schedule your makeup trial on the day of your engagement session. By doing so, your makeup is professionally applied to ensure you photograph at your best and you get an idea of what your experience will be like with your makeup artist the day of your wedding.

Like anything else for your wedding,

Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and requires a great deal of patience as you work through what sometimes feels like a never-ending list of tasks. You need a strategy to help you stay on track and maintain your focus in the midst of the excitement. As a Certified Professional Wedding Consultant, most of my energy is spent on creating a plan to help implement a client's wedding vision. My most successful weddings have been those that engage me in the planning details early so I can think through everything that must be done and create a strategy to help with the transition from one task to the next. I know the challenge you will face putting your own plan together, so I want to help ease you into the process with three simple tips for how to make a wedding plan.

Tip #1

Know what you want

The first and most important step in knowing how to make a wedding plan is to have a clear vision about what you want for your wedding. You can't build a solid plan for your wedding on a rocky foundation.  So, be certain not to skip the important stages of visualizing your wedding and setting your budget.  They will help shape your ideas and give clear direction for your plan.

Tip #2

Document all your tasks

Organization is another key step in knowing how to make a wedding plan. A formal project plan will help you keep track of your details. You can either invest in any number of wedding planning software programs available on the market or you can use Microsoft project, Excel, or good old fashioned pen and paper to document your 'to do' items.

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[sws_divider_small_padding]Whatever you choose should be comfortable and easy for you to use. And don't forget, planning a wedding is a team effort between you and your hubby-to-be. So don't be afraid to assign your future husband responsibility for a few tasks and anyone else you trust to get the job done.

Tip #3

Manage tasks through completion

With your 'to do' tasks clearly documented, you will have an easier time of managing their completion once you know how to make a wedding plan. A calendar is an important tool in helping you to assign realistic due dates and keep up with progress that is made as you attempt to check things off your list. Vendor payments are especially important, as many will require partial or full payment before service is rendered for the wedding. Reviewing your contracts in advance and managing payment terms of each vendor is important as many charge late penalties you will certainly want to avoid.

It is easy to become distracted at different stages of the planning process, but the strategy you define upfront is your road map to success. When documented, your plan provides clear direction for you to follow during times of uncertainty and keeps you from straying away from the work you must do. Your reward for your efforts will be the joy you will feel when all your plans come together on your wedding day. 

For more tips on how to make a wedding plan, send an email to [email protected]. Thank you for joining me. Until next time, happy planning!

That life changing moment when he pops the question is one you will never forget.  You will always remember where you were, what you were doing, who was there when he proposed and when you said, "Yes!".   And, with that single word, you instantly step into the shoes of being fiancée with dreams of trading that title for the one of wife. But, first, you have a wedding to plan. How smoothly the process of planning goes depends heavily on your approach from the onset.  Most brides jump into their wedding planning with feet first without fully understanding the wedding planning process. I want to help you avoid mistakes that many before you have made because they got caught up in the excitement.

A wedding certainly does not come with a shortage of decisions and the planning can quickly become overwhelming if you have not thought through critical details before racing through the tasks. But, having a clear vision for your wedding will position you for the best wedding planning experience possible.

 

Visualizing your wedding

Before you seriously invest too much energy in planning your wedding, it is important that you first take time to discuss your vision of what it should be. Talking with your hubby-to-be about the style of wedding you both want is important because while you may have been dreaming about your wedding since childhood, it is very likely that he has not. Understanding where your views are similar and different will help you make better decisions later in the process.

Your detailed conversations with one another will help define the who, what, when, where and how of your wedding.

Who will you invite?

Do you envision a celebration with just family and close friends or do you plan to dig up everyone from your past even though you haven't spoken to them in five years?

Will you invite co-workers?

Will your parents have a say in who is invited?

No matter how big or small the guest list, be selective in who you invite to share your big day. Extend an invitation to people you know have your back and not those who would be taking up a seat purely out of obligation.

What style of wedding do you want?

Have you always dreamed of a big church wedding in the same place where your parents exchanged vows 30 years ago?

Or perhaps you are a bit more adventurous and modern in your views and imagine a rooftop ceremony with the city skyline as your backdrop.

Maybe your first date was at the beach and you can't imagine not feeling the crunch of sand between your toes when you exchange vows.

Whatever look and feel you choose for your wedding, be sure it reflects your personal taste.

 

When would you like to get married?

Do you have a favorite season or holiday?

Is there a date with significance to your relationship?

Maybe you desire to choose a date that is close to the 1-year anniversary of your engagement or maybe you've always wanted to be a June bride and would not dare get married in any other month.

The main thing is to choose a date that you know will give you enough time to plan and pay for your wedding.

Where will you exchange vows and host a post-ceremony celebration?

Location, Location, Location!  It really is everything when it comes to hosting a wedding. Maybe you've always dreamed of getting married at a particular venue in your hometown or perhaps a destination wedding spells serenity for you. Whether you plan for a celebration that is near or far, be sure to base your decision on which will make you feel the least stressed during the planning. Destination weddings sound good in theory, but if you are extremely hands on and want to control the details of your big day, a destination wedding may not be for you.

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Post by Urban Veil.

How will you tell your story?

Summary:

When asking herself, “What do I need to plan a wedding”, a professional wedding planner is perhaps one of the best investments a bride can make in her wedding.  However, many brides overlook the value of this resource because they don’t really understand the role.

In this episode:

Why you need a wedding planner.

The steps to choosing a wedding planner in 21 days.

 

Other resources:

http://www.urbanveil.com