You rehearse the ceremony, then you have the rehearsal dinner, then the actual ceremony, and then the reception. It's important not to mess this up.
Generally, you don't hand out comment cards at your wedding. You may not want to know people's actual opinions.
Around half of your budget is spent on the reception. Let's be honest, everyone looks forward to the party.
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Generally, the groom does not attend the bridal shower. But he'd better go to the rehearsal dinner and engagement party, or he'll be in trouble!
A prenup concerns what will happen financially if the marriage fails. This is particularly important for men or women with assets entering into a marriage.
On average, the ceremony is about 5% of your wedding budget. The ceremony does not include the reception.
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Expect to spend 10% of your budget on wedding attire, such as a wedding dress, tuxedo rental, accessories and after party attire.
If your best friend is the officiant, it may be free, but otherwise, expect to pay $100-$500.
There are several different trains to choose from, but you don't want to wear the express train. You want to take that to Grand Central Station.
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The fingertip veil is the gold standard. This length - around 40 inches, give or take -- allows details on the back of the gown to show.
The parents' album is generally smaller in size than the standard wedding album, and it may have about 20 5x7 photos. On the other hand, sometimes parents are given exact replicas of the wedding couple's album, or no album at all.
You send response cards with the invitations, so that each recipient can mail you their response.
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The reception card, inviting the guest to the reception after the ceremony, is placed in front of the invitation. Is your head spinning yet?
The rain card, an optional item sent with the invitation, informs guests where the wedding will be held in the event of rain.
Only people not invited to the ceremony or reception should receive an announcement. This informs them that the wedding has taken place -- aka: you weren't invited.
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Black or blue fountain pen is generally used by calligraphers. It would be pretty awesome if you used a quill, though.
Although we wish we could order monogrammed underwear from the stationer, it's not possible. You can, however, order personalized matchbooks.
The formal address would be the Misses Smith, or Misses Paris and Nicky Smith. The girls might be confused when they receive it, though.
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Seems like a painful reminder of what is lost, but traditionally on the outside of the envelope you would refer to the widow's late husband. However, if you know she would prefer to be addressed as Mrs. Nancy Smith, that is acceptable as well.
In a standard bar, you'll need two to three liters of gin for every 100 guests. That's a lot of gin....
Estimates vary and you should consider your crowd's preferences, but you will generally need two cases of white wine for every 100 guests.
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It's not recommended that you toss uncooked beans at your wedding. That could seriously hurt.
Believe it or not, people steal gifts at weddings, so the gift attendant is a kind of security guard.
Generally, the video camera is not a part of the reception equipment you should expect your venue to supply. You will need a photographer for that.
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Generally, people don't play songs from "Carmen" for their wedding procession, but we suppose they could!
The receiving line, first dance and dinner all precede the throwing of the bouquet.
The average price per piece of wedding cake falls between $2-$12. That $12 piece of cake better taste darn good!
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The reception hall, if you didn't buy the cake through them, may charge you a cake-cutting fee, which can seriously be expensive.
Often, the bride tosses a different bouquet than the one she carried down the aisle. It's smaller in size.
Traditionally, the bride wears a corsage when she departs. Strewn rose petals would be lovely, but aren't a requirement.
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The groom wears the boutonniere over his left lapel, so that it's over his heart.
Traditionally, the bride stands on the groom's left so that she could be protected by him. This is so he has easy access to his gun, if necessary.
Generally the flower girl is between the ages of 4 and 8. A 12-year-old flower girl is a little long in the tooth.
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Lily of the valley can only be found in the spring, unless forced to bloom indoors. The other flowers can be procured year-round.