Your wedding day is a day that you have looked forward to for years.  A day to celebrate and begin your new journey with your mate. Weddings are an occasion that come along with great celebration, family and friends and a large price tag!

That being said, it's not wonder that small, intimate weddings are becoming more popular. Often times, however, it's not only the money that inspires couples to have a private wedding… It takes much less planning, less stress and makes for a memorable family event. Something that you will hold close to your heart forever.

Small weddings are not the most favored, but they are the most cost efficient choice. Expect to have mixed emotions from family and friends when you share the news. They're excited about your special day too. Listen to their opinions, but since you chose to have a small wedding, stick to your guns and explain to them that on a later date you will hold an informal reception to include everyone who isn't invited to the ceremony.

Make a budget. No wedding planner needed! Do some research on the web and around your community for local florists, caterers, and bakeries.

Once you have an attainable budget you can start planning and purchasing your wedding necessities.

Chose your location. Smaller weddings give you more options when it comes to finding a wedding location, look for local halls, churches, wineries, beaches, parks or private gardens. Depending on how small your guest list is, you can hold the ceremony at your home or a family member's home.

Destination weddings are a great option when you have a small guest list too. It costs more. However, you can ask your family to pitch in to help cover the traveling costs instead of gifts. After all, they will be coming along on the trip too!

Invitations. Send out your wedding invitations 4-6 weeks in advance. If you feel bad talking about your wedding to friends who are not invited, it might be a better idea NOT talk about it. Keep it a secret until after the ceremony. You can then invite them to the reception to celebrate!

The Menu. Selecting your menu will be easier with a smaller crowd. You wont have to worry about generalizing the menu, like you would for a larger crowd. Hire a caterer to create your family's favorite foods.

The wedding. Yes it close and personal, but you can still have all the traditions included. Ask your guests to offer a few words at the ceremony or to do the readings if it is a religious ceremony.

Reception. This is a great time to show a slide show or play old family movies. A time to tell family stories. Your reception will be small, private and beautiful.

After your wedding you can wait a few weeks before having your big reception. This celebration is less formal than a typical wedding reception. Send out your invitations a few weeks in advance and plan for a low-key party to include all your friends in the celebration!

A few reminders…

• You can still have the dress of your dreams! Just because your wedding is small doesn't mean you can't have a great dress.
• The wedding flowers don't need to be as lavish as they would be for a larger wedding. But, having flowers in your small wedding will bring an intimate and elegant touch to the ceremony and reception.
• A beautiful way to include your family in the wedding is to give each family member a single flower as they take their seats. When you walk down the aisle to the altar, each flower will become part of your bouquet. This can be done with Hawaiian Leis too, each family member can place one around your neck as you make your way to alter. Or a simple hug to each family member as you enter is a beautiful way to include everyone.

This post is brought to you by Miami Wedding Planners.
Not in Miami, FL No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

So, your wedding day is approaching. However, in the midst of your planning you realize that you don't want the typical limousine exit after your reception. Are there other options? Depending on your site and the weather, there are several fun ways you can make an exciting exit from your wedding to the reception, and from the reception it's self!

Rose petals and rice are common traditions to be tossed as the happy couple exits the wedding chapel. However, there are some other great ideas to incorporate into your grand exit.

Some fun ideas to spice things up are:

• Sparklers
• Pom Poms
• Lavender
• Bird Seed
• Bells (to ring – not throw!)
• Butterfly or dove release
• Jazz band along both sides of the walk way – groove your way through

As for your ride:

Your getaway vehicle should show the style and theme of your wedding. Here are some creative ways to make a GRAND exit!

• A vintage bicycle built for two
• Horse and carriage
• Firetrucks or police escort
• A trolley ride for the wedding party
• Helicopter ride (talk about grand!)
• Hot air balloon
• An elephant ride around the corner
• A Harley Davidson built for two
• Horseback
• Ride off on a Sea-Doo (for a beach wedding)

There are so many ways to leave your mark, you just have to imagine and then create! Congratulations on your big day – now go make it as special as you are!

This post is brought to you by Miami Wedding Planners.
Not in Miami, FL No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

If you are planning a mixed cultural wedding there are several things you need to consider. Embrace both cultures to create a beautiful and unique wedding.

Most wedding traditions are based on religion, culture, heritage, and race. When you are cutting and pasting together a wedding, you need to decide which traditions mean the most to you and your fiancé as well, as your families.

Your family's opinions and vision of your wedding might create obstacles, especially if they are the ones paying for it! Creating a wedding that respects both family's religions and cultures can be done and be absolutely beautiful.

The first thing you need to do, before even thinking about the revenue, date or theme, is sit down and talk with you fiancé about which traditions are the most important to you. Being open with each other about what you want included and what can be left out will make things a lot easier.

The next step is to sit down with both of your families, preferably at separate times. Ask them for advice and let them know that you want to respect and honor the family traditions, but need to make this ceremony a fusion of both.

Although every couple is different and you want your wedding to be unique, you also want your wedding to show your personality and your heritage. Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

One of the most common solutions for a mixed wedding is to have two separate ceremonies. However, when finances wont allow for two ceremonies, you need to be creative and find a way to mesh both cultures into one ceremony.

• Invitations: Send out two sets of invitations. One in each language so that no one feels left out.
• Location: If your religions clash, consider holding the ceremony in a non-religious venue. A park, a hall, a ballroom, a country or garden club are great options.
• Programs: Two sets of programs, in the same style and theme but one in each language. You can even personalize them with a small note to your family in your native language on near the bottom.
• Music: Alternate music throughout the ceremony from each culture. Sticking with instrumentals will make the transition from song to song smooth.
• Readings: Alternate the readings from one language to the next. You don't want to do every reading in both languages because it will make your ceremony too long.
• Vows: Recite vows in your native language, so that both set of parents and families understand completely.
• Reception: Take care when arranging the seating, making sure that everyone is sitting with someone they can communicate with. (You don't want your Aunt Evelyn sitting at a table of non-English speaking guests).
• Decor: Your set up should show both cultures. Including flowers, lighting and even positioning of the tables. Creating centerpieces with flowers and candles that represent both your heritages will make your families feel at home.

Give opportunity for everyone to mesh and mingle. The dance floor is the perfect opportunity for this! Again, you will want to alternate music from each culture to keep your guests happy and involved.

• Menu: Finding the perfect food for everyone is a difficult task. However, you can arrange your buffets to have two separate stations catering to both cultures. Or if you are using a menu, have options designed around both cultures. Find a caterer in your area to help you design the perfect pallet for your reception.

Remember, your wedding is about you and your spouse. It is the beginning of a new and happy adventure that will take you places you have never been. Make sure to merge your style, character and personality as well as your spouse's! With a little planning and creativity your wedding will be beautiful, unique and respectful to both of your heritages.

This post is brought to you by Miami Wedding Planners.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find wedding planners near you!

When planning a wedding, you can find inspiration anywhere. From nature, the world, colors or your favorite hobbies, these are all places on where you can draw wedding inspiration. You can even draw inspiration from your favorite movies. It's out there, everywhere you look. The most important thing when planning your wedding is to make sure and incorporate YOU. It's your wedding after all and you want it to be just how you've always dreamed.

How Do I Incorporate Movies Into Our Wedding?

First off, sit down and start brainstorming. What is your favorite movie? What time era was it set in? What style does in portray throughout the movie? What is your personal style? These are all questions you need to ask yourself in the very beginning. Once you have figured out the style and theme you are going with, start deciding the basics. What type of colors, flowers and accents will you have at your wedding?

Wedding Colors – Incorporate your favorite colors. It's that simple. The theme of your wedding can go and all the little accents can work with whatever colors you choose.

Wedding Invitations -This is where you can get creative. Whether your wedding is out-of-the-box or more elegant, there are wedding invitations out there to suit both styles. For starters, your wedding invitation should replicate a movie ticket.

A movie ticket will definitely fit the theme of this wedding. You can even visit your local stationery store or find someone who is crafty and actually do a tear-off ticket. You can have a movie ticket that features individual tear offs with the reception information, hotel accommodations and the RSVP card. Guests can then tear off the RSVP card at the perforated edge and send it back! Absolutely adorable idea and definitely conveys the theme of your wedding from the beginning.

Wedding Flowers & Decor -If they feature flowers in the film, use those. Is your movie inspired wedding bright & colorful? Well, incorporate that into your wedding bouquet and decor. Is your favorite movie in black & white? Well, make black and white the theme of your wedding and incorporate that into all the little details. Place fun movie accents throughout your wedding. Have a movie poster created with your engagement pictures.

Include the wedding party in the movie poster as well and give it a fun movie title! If you're movie is set in a certain time era, play it up. Everything from your table numbers to your guest book can be movie inspired. Create tickets or miniature movie poster as table numbers and use a typewriter as a guest book, both of these ideas make unique additions to your wedding. Use candelabras for your reception centerpieces or even balloons!

Wedding Attire – This will depend on the theme and time era your movie was set in.

Reception Food -Again, stick with the theme and era. However, get creative and think outside-the-box when it comes to your food. Vintage soda pop bottles with colorful straws, a popcorn bar featuring different flavors of popcorn, popcorn cupcakes or a memorable food item from the movie all will make wonderful reception food!

It's easy to find inspiration for your wedding through your favorite movie. It's a fun way to incorporate your personal style into it. Everyone loves a great movie now and then, so incorporating your favorite movie into your wedding is a fun way to show off your style. Your  movie can be a timeless classic, circus inspired, cartoon inspired or even sci-fi inspired. Just be sure to show off you and your groom's personality throughout your wedding!

This post is brought to you by Saint Louis Wedding Decoration Suppliers.
Not in Saint Louis, MO? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a party planner near you!

Popcorn cupcakes, save the date tickets, provided by carabou, amy[treespacestudio] via flickr.

Every Friday, Wedding and Party Network will be choosing a theme or color and give you inspirational photos. We want to help give you inspiration for your next event, wedding or party. So, take a look and we hope to give you a bit of inspiration when planning your wedding or party. Our inspirational board will give everyone inspiration for summer centerpieces! Grassy greens, sky blues, yellows and ivories are all colors that are perfect for summer. True colors of nature create a soothing effect associated with calmness, freshness, and serenity are all the elements you need for a summer centerpiece. You can create masterpieces with these beautiful colors for any occasion.

Whenever you are choosing the type of party theme, keep in mind the colors. You can have your florist create you amazing centerpieces based on the colors of your party that show off different meanings.

Colors have meaning

Light Green~ Is the color of nature; Representing Growth, Harmony, Freshness and Fertility

Light and Aqua Blue ~ Are the colors of sky and sea; Representing Health, Healing, Tranquility and Softness

Yellow ~ Is the color of sunshine; Representing Joy, Happiness, Intellect and Freshness

Ivory ~ Is the color of calmness; Representing Quiet, Pleasantness and Luster

Incorporating these colors in your events, either as the focus or as an accent will bring a clean and crisp airiness to your decor.
Contact your local florist to find which flowers are in season in your area.  So, draw inspiration from colors and flowers to create a unique summer centerpiece at your next party.

The First Steps In Wedding Planning

So, you're engaged! Congratulations! This is truly an exciting time. Now, don't freak out. You have plenty of time (maybe) and planning a wedding actually can be stress free. Wedding And Party Network is here to offer a few tips to help you start on the right foot. Remember to enjoy your wedding and all that comes with it, because it flies by in an instant.

Take It All In & Enjoy – Remember, this only comes around once. So, enjoy it. Take a breath and take it all in. You have the right to jump up and down and say you're engaged at the top of your lungs. Call all your friends and family, share it with all your Facebook friends, take pictures of your ring and admire it. Enjoy it all!

Purchase A Planner – Yes, you'll definitely need one of these to keep up with all the important dates. You'll have so much going on that there is a chance you can forget an important date. The planner will help you keep on track and keep all your meetings, showers and your wedding date in order. Plus, it'll save as a great keepsake memento that you'll enjoy looking back on.

Announce Your Engagement – Let everyone know you're engaged! There are many ways to do this, so choose which best suits your style. You can announce it in the paper or mail out announcements to your friends and family. There's no right or wrong way to do this, just share the special occasion with everyone.

Set The Date – This is one of the most important steps in planning your wedding. Do you want a spring, summer, fall or winter wedding? Remember, think about the elements you want to include in your wedding and think about the ideal time for the flowers you want, colors or food. Ask yourself what's your favorite season or what works best for your schedule? It's your day, have it when you want it!

The Theme – Once you have set the date, start looking at the type of wedding you want. Go through wedding magazines or blogs, like this one, to give you inspiration and great ideas. Choose a theme that represents you as a couple. You want it to show off your style and personalities. Once you have chosen what type of wedding you want, you can start planning the rest of the details.

If you are planning a wedding for spring, let Wedding and Party Network help!

Want to add a personal touch to your wedding? Feel like making yours different and less traditional? If you're in the mood for a wedding that everyone will remember, try some of these ideas when you're planning your wedding.
Read more about 8 Ways To Personalize Your Wedding

Wedding Planning Tips

First off, congratulations on your very exciting engagement! Your wedding will be a dream come true and what you've always imagined. Once the excitement calms down and you've told everyone, you need to start planning. The sooner the better!
Read more about Wedding Planning Tips

Managing Your Guest List

So, you're engaged, congratulations! Wedding And Party Network is so excited to hear about your big news. However, are you now stuck on what to do next. You've set the date and figured out your local wedding vendors, now what's next?
Read more about Managing Your Guest List

Tips On Selecting Your Wedding Vendors

You're engaged, now you have a big wedding to-do list that keeps piling up. Some brides just want to get everything checked off their wedding list as fast as they can. However, start thinking about the quality of your vendors when checking off those items on your wedding checklist. Quality is key to your wedding day.
Read more about Selecting Your Wedding Vendors

Well, the warm weather is in full force and so are you! It's time to start planning those summer parties and vacations that will create memories to last a lifetime. The pool & lake season has begun, school is out and now it's time to sit back and relax.
Read more about June – The Month Of Roses, Kites & U.F.O's?!

One of the first things you decide on is finding the perfect place for your wedding day. Your wedding venue is everything to you. It sets the tone, style and shows off you and your groom's personality. Location is a big deal on your wedding day.
Read More about Castle Ladyhawke

For more vendors in your area, visit Wedding And Party Network for all of your wedding and party planning needs!

Ask The Celebration Advisor:

Is it okay to have a different number of bridesmaids and ushers?

- Brittany

The Celebration Advisor:

Of course! It's your wedding day! You shouldn't feel forced to put someone in YOUR wedding just to make everything equal. Don't feel obligated to put anyone in your wedding party that you don't have to, it's your day and you want to share it with people who matter most in your life.

You may have a friend that you've been friends with since you were younger, however, you haven't talked to them in ages. If you want them in your wedding, great! However, if you don't, you are not obligated to put them in there just because you need to make up the difference. Everything will work out with the uneven numbers, don't stress about it. It's your wedding day, do what you want.

You're engaged, now you have a big wedding to-do list that keeps piling up. Some brides just want to get everything checked off their wedding list as fast as they can. However, start thinking about your vendor's quality when checking off those items on your wedding checklist. Quality is key to your wedding day. You wouldn't want to have an awful caterer. If you did, that is the main thing your guests will remember from your wedding day. Therefore, Wedding And Party Network is here to offer a few wedding tips on selecting your vendors to make your wedding day special.

Shop Around – It's important to shop around for vendors and not settling for one straight from the beginning. First off, take a moment to set a budget and decide on what you want for your wedding day. Write it all out, create a folder with all the different categories and take it with you for each vendor to see your vision.

Sit down with each vendor and talk to them to see if they can actually create your vision. Next, start comparing prices. See which one fits best into your wedding budget. Next on the list, how well did you connect to that vendor? This is extremely important. You want to get along with your particular vendor, make sure they share the same vision and are easy to talk to.

Social Network – If you have found a wedding vendor, get on their social media page and check them out. They normally can put pictures of their work and you can read their customer's comments. Also, don't forget to check out different wedding websites and blogs for recommendations in your area and reviews.

Check References -You may have researched vendors online, checked out their websites or heard from a friend about a particular vendor. However, if you have researched them online, don't forget they control their website. Therefore, they only put out there the information that they want you to see. Check out their past few clients. Ask them questions and how they worked together.

Ask – If you have chosen a few vendors but are still undecided on others, ask the ones that you have already chosen for their recommendations. They would love to give you suggestions on what they've seen and who they know will do a great job.

The Fine Print – Always remember to read the fine print. That is very important in everything you do. There is normally a contract you must sign with them, so read it. Yes, it may seem time-consuming, but again it's very important. If there's anything you don't understand, ask questions. Make sure you understand it all. Therefore, you aren't thrown any curve balls during your wedding planning or on your wedding day.

Develop A Trusting Relationship - So, you have finally chosen your vendors. Now, sit back and relax and trust them. You've already done all the leg work on them, so just enjoy the ride.

You want your wedding picture perfect and everything you've always wanted. So, start planning. They're right when they say, the sooner, the better. Anything can occur when planning your wedding, especially with your vendors. Therefore, you need to be ready and even your vendors should be ready for all possible situations that could occur.

This post is brought to you by Miami Wedding Planners.
Not in Miami, FL No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!

So, you're engaged, congratulations! Wedding And Party Network is so excited to hear about your big news. However, are you now stuck on what to do next. You've set the date and figured out your local wedding vendors, now what's next? Now, is the time to start planning out your guest list. This planning process can be extremely stressful and can get out of control. However, we'd like to offer you a few tips on how to manage your gust list.

First off, the majority of your wedding budget will go towards you wedding reception. You have to find a big enough wedding venue with adequate parking. Also, keep in mind that you will have to feed all your guests with your reception food and wedding cake. You have to have enough party favors and so on for every single one of your guests.

Those expenses can add up, quickly. Traditionally the bride's family pays for everything, however, it's becoming common for the bride and groom to pay or even for the groom's family to help out. So, the cost has an impact on everyone involved.

So, how do you determine your guest list? First, sit down and determine exactly what type of wedding you want. Do you want it to be a big affair or a small,intimate celebration? Once you have decide that, you can determine who to invite.

Setting A Number

Set A Max Number – First off, set a max number of people who you'd like to be there and that fit within your budget.

Location – Next, determine your dream location and figure out the maximum number of people your location will hold. Then, go from there and start inviting.

Wedding Planner

Compiling Lists

Now that you have set a number for your guest list, start compiling names. You and your family and him and his family need to sit down and write out a "must invite guest list". After you've compiled that list, create another list of "want to invite" gusts. If you go over your maximum number, start eliminating. Yes, it's a hard task, but do you really want to go over your budget?

What To Do If You Go Over

If you go over your guest list, don't be afraid to make some cuts. Start with business associates, parent's of your bridal attendants and then move onto distant family members. If you haven't talked to them in over a year, don't be afraid to eliminate them. Even though a certain percentage of your guests won't be able to attend, you still need to be prepared.

Creating a guest list to fit into your budget and venue is an absolute must. Yes, it's a tedious task, but it has to be done. Remember to get full names, addresses and telephone numbers and start mailing out those wedding invitations. Your wedding is going to be absolutely fabulous!

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Venues.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding venue near you!

wedding planner photo provided by wunderkrafts via flickr.

First off, congratulations on your very exciting engagement! Your wedding will be a dream come true and what you've always imagined. Once the excitement calms down and you've told everyone, you need to start planning. The sooner the better! So, Wedding And Party Network is here to give you a few wedding planning tips that will help you get started. With these planning tips, your dream wedding will unfold right before you.

Take Care Of Things In Advance -Once you have told everyone and things have calmed down a bit, immediately start planning. Staying on top of things is a must when planning your wedding. Sit down with your groom and decide on a date. That's the first thing you must do. Then, you can go from there. It's your wedding day, therefore you want it to be perfect. Well, start planning.

Paperwork – Some brides maybe so wrapped up into planning their wedding that they forget about one main important detail. The paperwork. Yes, a lot of us aren't a fan of doing paperwork. However, it must be done, especially if you want to get married. Make sure to research what you need in your state or for your destination wedding. Every state is different and need different documentation and even blood tests. So, be ready.

Finances – You may already know this and it seems like a business detail. However, knowing each others' finances is a very important detail. You will be making important decisions and big purchases together. We hate to be downers, but one of the top reasons for divorce is finances. So, you should be up front. Just take a moment with your future husband-to-be and lay out all your finances, student loans, debts, credit score and whatever else you may have. It'll be that much better for the both of you.

Be Available – Don't forget about all the emergencies that can occur. Even AFTER the wedding, while you're on your honeymoon. Therefore, be available to handle all situations. If you've planned ahead, you most likely are ready for any emergency that may occur.

Make an emergency guide for yourself or even your closet friends or family members. That way, they know how to handle the situation if you're not around. Being prepared never hurt anyone.

Consider Your Guests – We know this is your wedding day, however, consider your guests. You sent out wedding invitations far enough in advance to know exactly who is coming.

Therefore, if you know someone who has an allergy towards peanuts, make sure they get a dish that is peanut free. Maybe you have a guest who is vegetarian, well plan and let your caterer create them a meat free dish. If you are having an out-of-town wedding, make sure you give them some fun activities they can enjoy. Your guests are there for you, so you should be there for them too.

These 5 wedding planning tips will help you plan a smooth and well thought out wedding. You'll be ready for anything that comes your way. We want your wedding day to be everything you've dreamed of and it will be. Just remember, bring your unique style to your wedding day and enjoy!

This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Planners.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network's handy wedding planning directory to help you find a wedding planner near you!