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Future Brides! Plan your Rochester NY Wedding!

Tips, tools and advice for Rochester, New York future brides

Rochester wedding planning tips for brides

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Where to begin

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and picture yourself on the day of your wedding, holding hands and gazing into one another's eyes as you exchange vows. Where do you see yourself? Are you in a beautiful, Rochester, NY area church or cathedral, or in an open grassy field surrounded by breathtaking flowers and nature? What colors are your bridesmaids wearing? How many guests are sharing your day with you... do you see virtually everyone you know, or just a small intimate group?
Now picture yourself at your reception, sitting together at the head table, cutting your cake, having your first dance, dancing into the night with your guests to your favorite songs... Are you indoors or outdoors? Beneath a large tent lit up with twinkling lights or in a great hall under a chandelier? What is the atmosphere like?
Both you and your significant other should do this exercise. Try imagining your perfect Rochester, NY wedding and what it would be like barring expenses and then discuss it together. Take notes and jot down ideas. Conflicts are likely to arise, but compromises can be worked out. You don't need hard, fast details at this point, mainly general ideas. Nothing is set in stone, and will undoubtedly change as you set your budget and confirm the detailed decisions together, but you now have a place to start.
Following are some key decisions you will need to begin thinking about at the start of your engagement:

Length of the engagement- How long should it be?

This is totally up to the engaged couple, however there are some things to consider. Most notably, the decision will be influenced by the amount of time that is required to save funds; when you are working out your budget it may be necessary to increase the engagement period to accommodate this. You also want to give yourself plenty of time for planning to avoid drowning in detail frenzy.
Another major consideration is the season of your wedding. Do you have a preference? If you are flexible about the season, you may want to consider a fall or winter wedding. The most popular months (June, August and September) tend to book early and vendors are generally busier at these times. If you plan for your wedding day to fall during this peak wedding season, you may end up settling for less than you had hoped for and paying more to do so. If you do plan to have your big day during the peak season, allow yourself plenty of time for planning and reserve your date and vendors as far ahead of time as possible.

How many guests?

Some couples dream of a huge wedding with everyone they know celebrating their big day, while others may opt for a very intimate affair with just the immediate family and the closest of friends. In general, your wedding's price tag increases as the guest count goes up, though you can spend the same amount with less guests as you would with a large group by opting for higher quality food, entertainment, location, etc.

How formal or informal?

Do you envision a tuxedo-clad black or white tie wedding or a beach-blanket bash in sandals and shorts? Whatever you decide, it's your day so the two of you ultimately make the rules (barring opposition from mom and dad of course)! Just remember, your wedding's formality should reflect your combined personalities and will set the tone and atmosphere of everything from the invitations to the last dance of the night.

What about ceremony and reception locations?

It is important to start thinking about this right away because churches, banquet halls and other sites tend to book up quickly, especially the popular ones. Think back to your ideal wedding vision and picture your surroundings. Is your ceremony indoors or outdoors? Are you in a place of worship or somewhere special at the reception site? Your reception might be in a fancy banquet hall, hotel, country club, garden or right in your own backyard. If it's outdoors, do you see yourself partying under a dramatic white canopy tent? What kind of decorations do you envision? What is the lighting like?

Does your wedding have a particular theme?

Some couples may find it easier to decide on a theme than others. Do you have an obvious shared hobby or interest? A couple that loves to surf, for example, might opt to have a beach theme. Perhaps the couple wants to hold their wedding day on Valentine’s Day wearing a fancy dress or on Christmas Day wearing santa hats. A wedding theme does not really have to be related to a certain season or occasion. It can also be patterned from a certain era. Perhaps a Victorian theme is your ideal wedding theme. Whatever your preference may be, in finding the perfect theme for your Rochester wedding, you should discuss all aspects with each other. You have to figure out what you really want. Once you do know what you want, you can then turn to your wedding consultant if you are utilizing one. These professional wedding planners can then incorporate your theme's preferences into the wedding package that they are preparing for you.