Wedding Planning For Dummies

Planning your wedding calls for myriad decisions: You have to consider everything from how much space you need to supplies for the bar, size of the tablecloths, and number of servers. If you want to be socially conscious and/or eco-friendly, you must plan for that, too. And, while you plan for everything else, don't forget a bride's wedding-day supply pack with everything from aspirin to extra stockings.






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Bride's Day-of Wedding Supplies


Brides, don't forget essential supplies for the actual wedding day. As a bride, blushing or not, your big day will run more smoothly if you're prepared for a tiny crisis or two. Pack a satchel or gym bag with the following items to help you get through the day:















































Aspirin, antacid, and sedativesMasking tape (for ripped hems)
Baby wipesPins (bobby, safety, straight, and hair)
Ballet slippers for dancingSewing kit complete with thread in white, black, and
bridesmaids' dress colors
Blow dryerSmelling salts
Brush, comb, and hairsprayStockings (two pairs)
Clear nail polish, nail glue, and emery boardStraws (for a quick drink without messing up lipstick)
Contact lenses and solutionStuds, cufflinks, and bow ties
Earring backsTampons and sanitary napkins
Extra copies of wedding-day and transportation scheduleToothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash, and breath
mints
Eye dropsTweezers, crochet hook (to get at button hooks and other teeny
places)
MakeupWhite chalk (a savior for lipstick on a wedding dress or shirt
collar)




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Bar Supplies for a Wedding Reception


Planning for your guests' enjoyment at your wedding often includes accounting for alcohol intake. If you're sponsoring an open bar, make sure that you supply the bartender with enough liquor and mixers — the following table can help you plan.


Note: Amounts noted in the following chart are for 100 guests with a four-hour open bar including cocktail hour. The quantities are mostly in liters because that's how liquor is sold, even in the United States.





















































































AlcoholAmountBeer and wineAmount
Campari1 literBeer2 or 3 cases
Gin5 litersChampagne during cocktails1-1/2 cases
Rum2 litersWine (white) during cocktails1-1/2 cases
Scotch4 litersWine (red) during cocktails6 bottles
Tequila1 literMixersAmount
Vermouth (dry)2 750-ml bottlesClub soda9 liters
Vermouth (sweet)2 750-ml bottlesCola14 liters
Vodka6 litersDiet cola12 liters
Whisky (blended)1 to 2 litersGinger ale7 liters
  Juices (cranberry, orange, grapefruit)8 quarts each
  Lemon-lime soda7 liters
  Diet lemon-lime7 liters
  Tonic1 case

For ice, figure on 1-1/2 pounds per person; 2-1/2 pounds per person if also chilling bottles.




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Planning Space-per-Person for Your Wedding


Knowing how much space each wedding guest requires can help you determine your wedding venue. Consider how much space your guests will need — whether you're planning an intimate wedding for 20 or an all-out extravaganza for 300. The following table shows recommended amount of space per person for various wedding-related activities:































SpaceSquare Feet Per Person
Ceremony8
Cocktails (pre-meal)8
Cocktails with dance floor10
Cocktails with hors d'oeuvres stations12–13
Seated and served meal with dance floor13–15
Dance floor3 (for a dancing crowd)




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Planning for Tablecloths and Servers for Your Wedding


Tablecloth sizes and the number of servers you need sound like mundane decisions for wedding planning. But the tablecloths and servers at your wedding reception can make a difference. After all, the right table coverings contribute to the overall effect you want to achieve, and having enough servers to carry food and drink can prevent a dining room disaster. Following are recommendations for both essentials:

























Tablecloth Sizes
Table DiameterFloor-Length Cloth
60 inches120 inches
54 inches114 inches
48 inches108 inches
36 inches96 inches

The ratio of servers to guests varies according to where you live and how formal your wedding is, but the following table offers suggestions for various types of receptions:





















Number of Servers
Type of ServiceRecommended Number of Servers
Formal, multi-course mealOne to two waiters per 10 to 12 guests.
Simple menu or buffetOne waiter per 25 guests.
Pre-dinner cocktailsOne bartender per 50 to 75 guests, combined with wine passed by
waiters.




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How to Incorporate Good Deeds into Your Wedding Planning


As you plan to celebrate your wedding, you can share the love with the less fortunate and show some love for Mother Nature. Be socially conscious and contribute to your community by using one or all of the tips in the following list:




  • Donate food: With rare exceptions, there will be significant leftovers if you are having a large reception. Arrange with the caterer before hand to give the prepared perishables to a food bank, and give them the details to follow through. Your caterer must be prepared to act quickly. You can find a local food-rescue organization through Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) and be sure to read the organization's food guidelines chart to find out what they accept and what their storage requirements are.




  • Give a gown: Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation of Portland, Oregon, holds "Brides Against Breast Cancer" charity wedding gown sales. Two other organizations, which outfit financially strapped teens for the prom, are The Glass Slipper Project in Chicago and Fairy Godmothers Inc. based in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.




  • Register for charity: If you have enough pots and pans, discreetly steer your guests to a Web site where, in lieu of gifts, they can donate money to your favorite charity. Just Give and the I Do Foundation enable you to create donation registries. Or have it both ways: Register with I Do's partner stores and up to 8 percent of gift purchases will be donated to the charity of your choice.




  • Go green: Tree-free invitations, organic food, party favors that help the homeless, eco-tour honeymoons — every aspect of your wedding can make a statement about being environmentally and socially responsible. Organic Nature News steers you toward eco-friendly choices.






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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/wedding-planning-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

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