1. COMPILE A LIST OF VENDORS FROM DIFFERENT RELIABLE SOURCES:

First, ask your friends and family first for the names of reliable, local vendors they themselves have previously used. To find additional wedding vendors, you can check the internet, attend local bridal shows, check the yellow pages, and visit your local bridal stores.

2. SET UP INITIAL APPOINTMENTS WITH EACH VENDOR:

Once you’ve compiled a list of wedding vendors, begin calling them to set up appointments with each one. Depending on your own busy schedule, we suggest finding 3-6 vendors to meet with for each of the following wedding categories: (a) music band/DJ, (b) florist, (c) photographer, (d) videographer

3. COME PREPARED TO EACH VENDOR APPOINTMENT:

First, have your questions prepared for each vendor before meeting with him/her. Second, take notes during the meeting so you’ll be able to accurately recall the information later on when finally choosing the right vendor. And taking notes is super critical as it will allow you to ultimately make a good comparison between the different vendors once you’ve attended all the vendor meetings. Also, make sure to ask each vendor any questions that you may have (or have come prepared with) and see how well they do at addressing your questions, concerns and comments.

4. RESEARCH YOUR VENDORS:

Research each vendor with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org. This service will allow you to see whether a local vendor you’re considering hiring has had any complaints against him/her from past unsatisfied clients.

1. GOOD EXPERIENCE IS A MUST: First and foremost, make sure the DJ you select has a good deal of wedding experience. How much is a good deal of experience? That’s your call, but we suggest hiring a DJ whose worked in at least 40 weddings in the past. Also be sure to hire someone who is a full-time DJ with lots of wedding entertainment experience (i.e., someone whose heavily in the wedding entertainment industry), not a DJ who simply works part-time (weekends only) or who simply entertains as a DJ as a hobby. Choose a DJ who acts professional – you’ll be able to judge the level of his or her professionalism by seeing whether he/she: (a) answers or returns your calls promptly, competently addresses all your questions and concerns, shows up on time for your meetings together, and generally presents himself/herself in a professional manner, etc.

2. CHOOSE A DJ WITH A GOOD SELECTION OF MUSIC: You should also aim to choose a DJ with a good selection of music (include slow romantic , fast modern, and some classic songs which are sure to go over well at your reception) – song variety is key as your reception will take place over many hours and you don’t want your guests to be bored. Most DJs have a list of songs a couple can choose from, so obtain his or her song list and begin selecting all the songs that you wish to hear on your special day! You can also provide your DJ with a list of songs of your own and see if he can play those too.

3. HAVE A WRITTEN CONTRACT IN PLACE: Believe it or not, some DJs book a wedding reception then never show up at the event – leaving the bride and groom shocked on the day of. One way to combat this problem is to have a written contract in place with your DJ. That way if he or she doesn’t show up for any reason, you have something to fall back on from a legal perspective. A contract will also make things more official and will encourage a DJ to act responsibly and to follow through on his/her promises to you. Otherwise, that DJ will suffer the legal consequences of failing to perform according to the written contract. So have a written contract in place that includes all the things you’ve verbally agreed to. Read your contract carefully, and make sure all the DJ’s costs, obligations and services to you are listed completely and accurately. Also make sure the contract states any hourly rates for overtime – in case your wedding guests are late partyers and you need the DJ to stay an extra hour or two. Simply put, read your contract carefully, beginning to end and make sure you are comfortable with all its provisions. And be in contact with your DJ, up until the date of your wedding reminding him of your event and reiterating the details (reception time begins when, address for your reception place, etc.) he/she will need to know. That way you’ll better ensure that your DJ will actually show up on your special day and perform beautifully.

4. KEEP YOUR DJ REGULARLY INFORMED OF YOUR PLANS: Chances are when you hire your DJ, he will be in charge of making sure your reception runs according to plan. With him/her at the microphone all evening, he/she will be the one announcing when special toasts will take place, calling you and your new husband out to the dance floor to to have your first dance together, etc. You need to first sit down and create a schedule for your reception – detailing when certain key events should take place and when they should take place: (a) the entrance of the bride and groom into the reception hall; (b) when the first dance will be; (3) when appetizers, dinner, and the wedding cake will be served; (4) when the bouquet will be tossed; (5) when certain toasts will take place; and (6)when the dancing portion of the night will take place (these are just a few items on your schedule, your schedule should be detailed according and organized according to time – ie, “6:00-6:45pm: Dinner will be served” ). Once you’ve completed a detailed schedule, provide a copy to the DJ and make sure all parts of the schedule are clear to him/her. Also, be sure to keep him/her constantly informed about any changes or updates in your wedding plans, especially if you change your wedding schedule from time to time.

ADVANTAGES OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL MAKE UP ARTIST:

1. Keep in mind, there’s lots of pictures to be taken on your big day and a professional make-up artist will probably know the best make-up tricks to help you better emphasize your smile, your bright eyes, etc. for photos.

2. Professional make-up artists know how to make your make-up last longer which is essential since you’ll need to look presentable for your all-day event. Simply put, your make-up has to last! Professional make-up artists generally use special products like primers on the face (under your makeup) to ensure that your make up will last way past the evening.

3. Professional make-up artists can be expensive, sometimes charging $150 per hour so it’s best to talk to an artist before hand and get a reasonable price quote that you can afford.

4. If you hire a professional make-up artist, she’ll more than likely include with her services one or two trial runs – where she meets with you before your big day and practices her make-up technique on you . These practice session will generally give you a better idea as to how she intends to make you look on your big day so take advantage of them, and make sure they’re included in the price (and not offered at an extra cost.)

5. Make-up artists are better able to hide facial and skin imperfections more so then the average woman putting on her own make-up.

ADVANTAGES OF DOING YOUR OWN MAKEUP

If you wish to do your own make up – don’t fret, just do your best on the day of!

1. You will ultimately save hundreds of dollars off your wedding budget which we’re sure you could put to better use in some other aspect of your wedding.

2. We recommend when doing your own make up, however, to plan to check your make-up in a well lit room a couple of times throughout the day on your wedding day.

3. Be sure to carry a purse large enough to fit some small but essential items such as lipstick, powder, etc. These items generally won’t be too burdensome to carry with you on your big day and if they are, just ask the maid-of-honor to shoulder that burden for you (she can carry them in her purse and she’ll typically always be on hand to assist you when you need it on your big day)!

(1) Determine Your Heel Size: First, determine what heel size you’re most comfortable with – this can range from a flat heel to six inch stilettos. To determine this, you’ll need to consider just how tall you’d like to appear in your wedding pictures – making sure your not taller than the groom of course. Also we don’t recommend wearing a heel that’s generally outside your comfort zone, for example, if you’re not prone to wearing six inch stilettos, don’t start wearing them for the first time on your wedding day otherwise you’re more likely to trip and fall on your special day! Ouch!

(2) Speak with Your Tailor About Your Heel Size: Also keep in mind where the hem of your wedding dress will fall and make sure to choose a pair of wedding shoes that will compliment the length of your dress. In this regard, you may want to speak with the woman or man tailoring your wedding dress and discuss what heel size will compliment the look of the dress while still keeping you comfortable.

(3) Buy a New Pair or Stick with Shoes You Already Own: You can choose to shop at stores like Macy’s for your beautiful pair of shoes. Generally you’ll find most local department stores carry a variety of wedding shoes (typically starting at $80 and up) that are nicely decorated with jewels, crystals, and the like. And if you find a pair of shoes that you love but which don’t quite match your dress – don’t worry, you can always dye your shoes to better match your wedding dress. However, if you already own a pair of shoes that you think will work well for your big day, consider wearing them – first, you’ll save $100 and second, by previously wearing them, you would have already broken them in ultimately making them more comfortable for you to wear on your big day!

(4) Wear Your Shoes and Break Them In Before Your Wedding Day: Prior to your wedding day, be sure to wear your wedding shoes a couple of times in order to break them in and make them more comfortable. Remember, the more you wear them, the more comfortable they will be for you on your big day. Simply wearing your new shoes for the first time on your wedding day will cause your feet to hurt and become very soar as your new shoes struggle to adapt to the shape of your feet. So although it sounds a little strange, we suggest breaking in your wedding shoes by wearing them several times before your big day. That way you’ll avoid a lot of foot pain and instead enjoy dancing your heart out on your blessed day!

CONSIDERATION NO. 1: You want to choose a song that says what getting married means to the both of you. So think of choosing a song that expresses: (A) how happy you are to have met the love of your life; (B) how excited you both are to be embarking on married life together; or (C) how much you cherish, love and honor your new husband or wife. Of course you can choose one of the classic songs that leave a lasting impression (for examples, one can never go wrong by choosing a song by the great Frank Sinatra) or you can choose to go with a modern romantic song you’ve recently heard on the radio. You really can’t go wrong either way. Just remember to listen to a number of romantic songs you like and then ultimately narrow your list down to the one song you’d love to here on your blessed day.

CONSIDERATION NO. 2: Also be sure to let your DJ or band know the right name and version of the song you’ve chosen (since there are several variations of a song ordinarily, be sure to supply your DJ or band with a copy of the exact version you’d like to hear on your wedding day).

CONSIDERATION NO. 3: Another thing to keep in mind, is to be sure to take some time to practice your dance steps with your future husband before your big day. As one informal approach, consider playing the song you’ve chosen in the comfort of your own living room and simply practice slow dancing with your future husband or wife (dancing preferably in front of a full length mirror). Practicing beforehand will make you less nervous on the day of your wedding when all eyes are on you during this special moment. Also by practicing with your partner, you’ll be able to get comfortable and anticipate your partner’s dance moves more easily. You can even wish to include a formal twirl or two in the midst of your dance steps or practice a graceful ending as your grand finale. Also keep in mind that you’ll be wearing some very high heals and a formal gown so make sure not to make your dance moves too complicated or challenging. Also if you want to take (and can afford taking) professional dance classes, then feel free to do so a couple of months in advance of your wedding date. The key is to practice, practice, practice and you’ll ultimately be able to perfect (and also enjoy) your special moment when you finally dance that first dance at your wedding!