Planning a wedding often times can be an arduous task that includes a lot of stress and will have you baffled at times. Reading this article in its entirety will help you to figure out how to plan your wedding easily and affordably.

Practice walking down the aisle before the wedding. Make sure that you do this at the actual site of the wedding, as you will want to test out the floor with the shoes you are going to wear. This will ensure you’re graceful and confident when the time comes.

As you plan your wedding, you must consider the type and amount of alcohol you wish to serve, especially if you’re working with a budget. An open bar can be very expensive over a long time period. Speak with the people at the venue about any alcohol serving options.

By going international with your food choices, you not only make the event different but also exciting and fun. Chicken and steak are over-served, so why not pick some other foods in your desired cuisine? Variety makes life exciting and will undoubtedly make your dinner unforgettable!

If the thought of a cake that costs thousands of dollars and packs on thousands of calories ruins your appetite, check with local and specialty bakers and inquire about individually sized portions. Many bakeries offer small tarts or mini-cakes that come in healthier options, like fresh fruit-filled, gluten-free or vegan options.

While you should always let your DJ know what songs you want played for your reception, it is just as important to alert him to any songs you do not like or want played. For example, you might not like heavy metal or rap, or there may be one particular song that turns you off. No matter what, you must make sure he knows what music to avoid.

The venue you pick needs to have enough room for dancing. There are few things that can suck the fun out a reception like not having the room to bust a move can, so do what you need to do to give you and your friends the space you need to boogie!

Avoid having your guests standing around waiting while you have your pictures taken. Take your bridal party photos in advance of the wedding when you are all fresh and crisp. Pictures with the bride or groom and their respective parents can also be taken ahead of time, reducing the amount of time guests have to wait for your arrival at the reception.

You’ll want to be able to dim the lighting at the wedding reception. This may seem minor, but lighting is important to setting the mood and dimmed lights are preferable for your first dance. Ask the prospective venue about it, before choosing.

Post a schedule of events on your wedding website or send an itinerary with your wedding invitations. This helps out-of-town guests make appropriate travel plans, especially guests who are going to participate in your wedding rehearsal or other events. It is important that you let people know about events, such as the rehearsal they need to attend; this ensures that they show up at the appropriate time, when they’re needed.

If you wish to have a wedding cake that stands out and is a focal point in your reception, you may want to consider a matching piece of fabric. You can opt for patterns, solids or heavily textured fabrics, such as silk, satin or velvet, to add visual interest and tie all elements together.

Planning and executing a dream-wedding is never an easy job, but little tips here and there can add up and take away a good deal of the hard work required by you. You should now have quite a few ideas to use for your wedding and should be able to actually enjoy it rather than feel stressed.