I have a decently large circle of friends (which I am so grateful for!) and in the process of planning my wedding, I am struggling with cutting people from my list of potential bridal party people. I have 9 people, and a bridal party of 6 - what are some other ways to include important people in your day aside from the wedding party? Does anyone have any fun or meaningful things they've seen or done at their own wedding?

We will be serving a plated dinner, with guests selecting their meals in advance. This means that there has to be an indication of the chosen meal at each setting. I was going to do escort cards, but I am worried people won't know to set them up once they get to the table. What has everyone's experience been? Should I instead do a seating chart with place cards at each seat to make it more likely that the meals will be visible to servers?

Hello fellow dog parents and guardians,

I am currently dog sitting a delightful beagle lady and I want to do something for her humans while they are traveling. The humans are getting married in Sept and beagle will be part of the micro wedding.

I’d like to use my time with her to create a wedding gift for them. I was planning on a photo session to get a really good picture to frame, but does anyone have any photo ideas or photo gift ideas?

Thanks!

I'm just getting started with planning and I'd love to hear advice from people who've already been through it. What surprised you the most?

Hi friends! 2027 bride here and I have a question about guest invites:

I come from a VERY large family. Like I need 4 sets of hands and feet to count the amount of cousins that I have. I have a lot of half cousins I hardly ever see. Probably once every couple of years. I want to invite them even though I don’t see them often, they are still family. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, some of them have long time bf/gfs, who I’ve never met or heard of until now. So I was going to extend +1s to those cousins.

My planner has informed me that the venue’s capacity is going to be smaller than we first anticipated (it’s a new build so I guess they’re still working out floor plans and etc.) I’m going to have to cut my guest list.

I guess my question is it wrong for me to cut the partners of my cousins’? I do feel bad because if it were me, I would’ve wanted my long term partner there with me. But my venue just isn’t going to be able to seat everyone.

And if I don’t invite them. How do I tell them on RSVP cards that +1s are not invited unless they are specifically on the invitation. I’m afraid that those cousins will bring them anyways and try to squeeze a sit at their table, regardless of invite or not.

Thanks y’all! Hope everyone’s planning is going smoother than mine! 😅

See title - all paid (rounded) prices below in Euros with taxes included. Hope it is helpful to someone.. we were very happy with how everything went!

• Location: 4000
• Catering (all drinks/open bar, aperitivo bites, 3-course meal, midnight snack, staff working hours): 17000
• DJ + sax: 1600
• Photographer: 2000
• All decoration incl. flowers: 2800
• Cake: 500
• Rings: 1200
• Photobox: 350
• Wedding dress incl. adjustments: 1500
• Groom attire/suit incl. adjustments: 1000
• Bride hair + make up: 250
• Gifts for guests: 150

Other tips:

• To have the choice of good locations and best prices for caterers, it is recommended to start planning 1.5 years in advance for this area
• Caterer prices for things like tables and chairs are steeper than you think
• Decoration price above was with rather minimal decoration and a decent part of it DIY.. flowers cost a lot!
• End-to-end local wedding planners can take up to 15-20% of final budget, so decide carefully whether you actually need one

I just got the most terrifying email of my life. We just got an email saying our wedding venue has filed for bankruptcy and is canceling all upcoming events. Our wedding is in 27 days. We've already paid them $15,000 which is basically our entire wedding budget, we don't have another venue lined up, our invitations have already gone out with that address and now it feels like everything we've spent years planning is falling apart. Our florist designed everything around that venue, the caterer was scheduled to set up there and all of our vendors have been planning for that location. We have 150 guests coming and right now we don't even know where we're supposed to get married. I can't imagine finding another venue with less than a month to go and we definitely can't afford to pay for a second one. I'm completely overwhelmed and trying not to panic. Has anyone else gone through something like this? What did you do and where do we even begin?

I loved these invitations I designed on Vista Print but ran them by one of my friends and he hates the yellow and thinks they look elementary. For context I’m a wedding planner, so I’ve seen a lot of weddings over the years and I really wanted for my own wedding to be unique and different than the same bland invitation I feel like I’ve seen so many times before. I thought these were cool, and our wedding color is light yellow. Are they too out there?? TIA

I debated posting last week when this issue first occurred but didn’t because I was assured it would be handled. Sorry for any wonky formatting I’m on mobile. Wedding is mid September.

TLDR: purchased dress over 6 months ago, not here, getting married in 59 days and idk what to do.

I found my dress last November shopping with my mom who lives 12 hours away, fell in love with 2 but wanted to go with my MOH since I’d already booked an appointment locally with her just to see and make sure. Still loved one of the original 2, went back to my folks town to try again and buy (support their small local community). Purchased and was told to expect it late June, fine.

Late June comes, not there. It arrives the first full week of July and I’m reasonable, that could be a week or two late but I can give grace and say it’s a week later than expected due to the holiday and they’re closed Sunday and Monday. It comes in and they sent me a 4 not a 12 that I ordered. I find out in the fitting room at my tailor (all my paperwork said 12, the slip on the bag said 12, I never thought to check the tag on the dress and apparently the shop didn’t either). Everything else about the dress was correct so I assume they just didn’t bother to check the number on the tag.

Shop was informed last Tuesday when I found out (by my wonderful mother because I can’t be polite and understanding at this point and I don’t want to say something I’ll regret that hurts someone’s feelings because I absolutely will). Shop calls warehouse, warehouse has the right one and will ship to shop immediately. Shop is falling al over themselves this has never happened they’re doing all they can to fix it.

I ship wrong size back to store because they have to have it before they can release the correct one (I understand this from a business side). The shop assured us my correct dress would be there last Friday and my incorrect dress is confirmed delivered back to the shop last Friday. The correct dress is still not there so they can’t ship it out because they don’t have it.

As of right now, mom and I have no updates. She’s driving here tomorrow for an unrelated event and would’ve picked it up if it was there to bring it personally to save some time.

I don’t know what to do at this point. Do I wait? Do I buy something I don’t want so I at least have something to wear? Am I being unreasonable for freaking out and being so upset? Has anyone else had this happen?

Does anyone have any honeymoon recommendations? My fiance and I are well traveled, and we would like something different for our honeymoon. Somewhere that is a mixture between adventure and also the option to chill out at a resort pool. Any recommendations?

For those with the young children, what would be incredibly helpful to have at a wedding? I want to make it as inclusive as possible and make sure everybody who wants to come can.

I know traveling and events with kids can be totally tough, so trying to figure out how to ease those burdens.

I was thinking of maybe hiring two babysitters for during the ceremony (they can go into a separate and different area so there won’t be any pressure on parents to keep them quiet) and then after the dinner to help keep an eye out while they play as our venue is outdoors.

Max we will have:
3x 2 year olds
2x 3 year olds
1x 4 year old
2x 5 year old
1x 6 year old
2x 9 year olds

11 kids total — likely less, I’d guess closer to 6 kids will actually come

Just like the title says, looking for things to include in my wedding / bridal party.

Anything cool and unique you’ve experienced that you’d definitely want to do or see again at a wedding?

Food recs, photo booth, drinks, dance floor, party favors, etc anything and everything let me know!

I 49f have been with my boyfriend 59m for over 5 years and we want to get married once we’ve sorted out a few things in our lives (nothing major, just means we have to wait a little bit). I know that he is happy with whatever I want for the wedding as he says that he wants to make me happy and look after me, but I wanted to get some advice first before I discussed it with him.

We’ve both been married before and I had some issues with my first wedding that have really affected how I want this wedding to be. So much to say it’s hard to keep it all straight!

I was living with my parents when I got married the first time, I was 23 and it lasted a long time, but I still remember things about the wedding so clearly that it’s affecting my view on weddings even now.

The important bit is that my Mum is a narcissist and everything has to be about her and what she wants and she’s controlled me most of my life as it’s so hard to break free as I’ve been conditioned since birth to put her wants and needs first. At my first wedding, for example, she told my sisters not to get ready with me so I got dressed alone, in a silent room and it left me really deflated. She said she’d do my hair but made me 20 minutes late, so much so that my ex husband thought I’d jilted him. She made my wedding dress and told me what style to have and got a friend to make my wedding cake without even telling me. Yes, the cake was a lovely idea but it’s the fact she didn’t tell me!

it’s all little things that on their own sound so silly but I remember that i felt like my day wasn’t really about me and I had to make sure I kept her happy. Like I bought myself a tiara and all she said was that I wasn’t to go spending extra money as the wedding was expensive enough even though I paid a large amount towards it and had bought the tiara myself. It all added up to really making my wedding about other people and I really don’t want a repeat of that.

I know I’m older but she’s got me so conditioned, like the other day I said something that upset her and i automatically went to fawning all over her so I didn’t have to face her wrath later. I tell my partner about what she does so that he’ll understand the truth, and it all sounds so bad. like she tells me how to have my hair, what colour to dye it, what to wear, how to act, and what I should do with my time. I don’t pay attention to it most of the time but it does still affect my mood even though I can brush it off pretty quickly nowadays.

onto the dilemma-

Due to my partner’s job, I have free access to a beautiful holiday site that also hold weddings and it’s actually how we met. We would have access to accommodation on the site, free use of the whole area, free use of an old, historic building for the wedding itself, a pergola if we want an outside wedding, and there’s space for people to enjoy nature, go for walks, swim, relax and generally chill out without disturbing other people. I’ve seen other people’s wedding photos from there and it looks amazing, from small countryside weddings, to huge glass marquees with draped fabric in them and I’m very envious of them! So that’s my first option, but then I’d feel obliged to invite family, included extended family and I know I’d have to cater to what they all want or I’d never hear the end of it.

Then the second option is to have a small, registry office / courthouse wedding with us and 2 witnesses, he has an adopted son who has a partner and children, so that would be sorted. I would have complete control over this event, wear what I want, celebrate how I want. Yes, I would collaborate with my partner, but you get what I mean, Mum wouldn’t be involved at all. I’ve had the big wedding with extended family and guests I wasn’t bothered about being there, so I wouldn’t be ‘missing out’ on all that.

I’m so torn about having a big-ish celebration where we met and is therefore very significant to us, or a small, legal ceremony with a private celebration and letting family know about it when I turn up with a wedding ring on.

I’m pretty sure I can’t face having my mother take over another part of my life but am I missing out on something I really want? All advice welcome.

Planning my wedding at the moment - it's in Spain (I'm UK based). Three of my friends as well as my sister-in-law are pregnant and will have small babies by then. These couples all chose to have childfree weddings and were seriously strict about it (no babies even) but my partner and I have decided that we'd rather have them there than make it strictly child free so are inviting babes in arms, especially as it's abroad.
Before anyone calls me selfish for having an abroad wedding, my friends all had weddings which were in far flung corners of the UK, requiring transport and at least one overnight stay, as well as abroad hen dos, which I won't have. They've also all been to many abroad weddings for other friends so I know they're up for it and none of them are strapped for cash.
I'm really happy for them all and I understand life moves on, but there's a voice in the back of my head that's saying they've moved on from weddings now and won't bring the energy and excitement I brought to theirs. I worry my wedding will feel like a chore for them in their new parenthood and they'll be preoccupied with babies and going to bed early or even worse, will miss it altogether (whether they want to or not).
I feel so selfish and awful for feeling this way. Can anyone reassure me?

Hi ~ curious as to what people prefer for the wedding dinners.

I’m leaning towards a family style because I think it would initiate more conversations between people but wanted to hear what others are doing.

We’ll have 100-150 guests and they’ll be at farmhouse tables. The plated option is an extra upgrade and will cost slightly more, but willing to splurge if it seems worth it.

getting married in october - here's what i have for my vows so far... critically kind feedback for its flow or wording is much appreciated. context, we have been together 9 years and are high school sweethearts!

FH,

I could stand here all day and talk about how happy you make me, how much your support has shaped me, or how much I appreciate your patience (especially when I test it). You are the most thoughtful and selfless person I know.

Falling in love with you felt like walking into a house and knowing I’m home. You are truly a deep breath personified. From the very beginning, you have seen me in ways no one else ever has. With you, I have found a love that doesn’t ask me to perform; a love that sees me as I am and never urges for more.

I vow to take your Saturday nights and your Monday mornings.

Your first cup of coffee and your last can of Twisted Tea.

Your sequence of 6AM alarms you forget to turn off on the weekends.

Your laugh that fills a room and the quiet you need when the day’s been long.

Your friends, your hobbies, your good and bad moods.

I vow to take you, all of you, proudly and completely.

As your wife, I promise to make you laugh, to make you think, and to make you better.

I promise to hold you tight when things are good, and even tighter when they are not.

I promise to forgive easily, and to celebrate often.

I promise to look at you in the peace, in the chaos, in the in-between, and think, “this is my favorite place to be.”

Most certainly, I promise to love you with the same generosity, the same patience, and the same steadiness with which you have loved me the last nine years. I promise to love you from the boy you were, the man you’ve become, and every other version of you I can’t wait to meet.

Just had my wedding! It was a blast overall, but there were definitely some curveballs. Halfway through the reception, the DJ’s laptop died and the music just... stopped. The kicker? He didn’t bring a charger. We barely managed to swap to different equipment to keep the party moving.

That meant 2 whole minutes of dead air. OOOMMMGGG!! You have no idea how painfully awkward it was standing up there on stage during those 2 minutes!!!! I literally couldn't believe it, especially after making sure everything was perfect in rehearsal!

Luckily, my friends thought fast and bailed me out. It being such an important day, I was absolutely terrified of any hiccups.

I can be pretty forgetful myself, but this scare changed me. From now on, whether I'm hosting something or just heading out the door, I'm religiously checking my battery levels and carrying chargers to avoid repeating this nightmare.

Hi all!

I am planning a wedding on Long Island for summer 2027 and am looking at doing an outdoor site for ceremony. The ceremony site I am looking at is on the grounds of a B&B on the water and does not have an indoor/rain plan available. The reception is at a different site and fully indoors. The reception site could make an indoor ceremony option available but it is not my first choice. I will be hoping for sunny skies, but will need to have a backup for ceremony site incase it rains. I am beginning to research tents for ceremony only, as our reception is inside and at a separate site, but I am struggling to find pictures of tents used/set up for a ceremony. If anyone has any pictures or insight on what type of tent to use, please advise! Thank you!!

Hiii so I just got engaged a few weeks ago and I have been really struggling with choosing a MOH. I have 3 friends that I am equally close with, and all 3 have already gone above and beyond, coordinating in their own group chat for a surprise engagement celebration for me and a bunch of other things. For context, we have all been best friends for years so they all know each other super well.

I have another 5 girls that I would count as my bridesmaids, but the difference in closeness between that group and the other 3 is pretty decent, so it seems weird to group them all together (1 is my future sister in law that I’ve only met once)

I am considering asking my 3 closest friends to be my maids of honor, because I do want them to be a little elevated and they are already basically doing all the work together (planning events, scheduling dress fittings etc).

My vision is that those 3 would all be up at the alter with me, and then my remaining bridesmaids would be seated in the aisle during the ceremony so they are in all the pictures and still have a special place. All of these girls are so sweet and I know they would be so happy to be included (so no worries on hurt feelings or anything like that, none of them are “expecting” a bridesmaid ask).

I want my bridesmaid group to feel included but not burdened by any responsibilities, so having this slight differentiation with the 3 MOHs made sense in my mind.

I don’t really care about things being super traditional, but wanted to just check in and see how other people feel about having 3 MOHs — is this a bad idea or totally fine given the circumstances?

Please let me know opinions!

**yeesh okay let me add some clarifications ~

1. Significant others are invited to rehearsal dinner and any other events that we have
2. All girls who are being included in the “bridesmaid” group are absolutely attending the wedding already, there is no question, every single one has already asked for the date and confirmed their RSVP directly despite not having sent out any official invites yet

3. It’s

   apparently

4. outrageous to have so many,

   but it

5. feels wrong to leave them out so I’m trying to come up with a creative way to have everyone included

6. I am not expecting any of the MOHs or bridesmaids to do any “work” they are just really excited for me and already started doing things and hit the ground running. I am not treating them like free labor at all, I did not ask, they are very much volunteering enthusiastically lol my goodness

7. One of the girls included in the bridesmaids list is a family member that has a lot of anxiety and they do not want to be up at the alter. I liked this option because it allows them to join and still be a part of things without the pressure.

Can anyone help? In the NYC area, for:

Venue - which is a restaurant that provides a day-of coordinator (who works for them)

DJ

Photographer

Hair and makeup person

Are we supposed to tip these folks above what we are paying them and if so, what percentage?

Thanks!

As in title…..they’ve obviously been paid for their quoted services but is there an expectation that they are tipped at the conclusion of their services?

Years ago I had a surprise birthday party for my husband where we employed a DJ and he absolutely expected a tip so was wondering what the protocol is for the reception vendors. Thanks

My friend is getting married. I’m her MOH & while honored to get to support her going into this next season, I didn’t realize just how much that would entail. It’s straining our marriage and resources both in childcare, finances, energy, time etc. more than seems normal? But maybe not. She’s a good friend that I’ve had for over 10 years and she’s seen me through a lot of life and supported me through some really hard times and celebrated with me through the good as well, but we do have very different lifestyles and values. I’m very frugal and our finances are tighter and I’m content being flexible-not super rigid-she’s very frivolous and loves all the nice things & wants what she wants-which is fine, it’s just adding up. My boys are in the wedding as well (9 & 6) She asked me to not bring my daughter (18 months at the time of the wedding) so I can focus on her on her wedding day-an odd request IMO but I also understand she doesn’t fully understand motherhood at this point & admittedly & unashamed my kids will always come first. Shes already had a lot of added requests/commitments with this wedding, which that’s fine, it’s her wedding and a huge deal, completely understand that. But like I said-adding up-at this point between her multiple showers multiple bachelorette parties, and my bridesmaid dress (which I was super lucky to score secondhand in the exact color/style/brand she wanted) it’s already expensive. She didn’t ask or check or even let me know what she picked out for the boys to wear for the wedding, asked me to go get them fitted, I did, not expecting to be paying right then and there and the boys rentals are over $300. That is INSANE IMO. AIO for asking her to let me find something secondhand or similar for a more affordable option or even to purchase so I can resell it vs just renting and $300 down the drain? I cannot fathom that. Their entire wardrobe wasn’t even purchased for this much! Or is this a normal expense for people’s ring bearer/sign holder kids? And I need to just suck it up? But again, that’s a ton Of money! We are saving to add onto our house or purchase a bigger house. Not trying to spend unnecessarily. We’re extremely frugal. Already have taken significant financial part in multiple showers, multiple bachelorette trips (not just parties, 4-5 day trips, which I contributed to decorating, drinks, etc. unable to attend the first, debating not attending the second logistically as our daughter is having health issues and nursing to keep her weight steady so days away isn’t exactly feasible), etc. it just feels very inconsiderate..In my wedding I was super cognizant of people with kids in the wedding and also in the wedding and offered affordable options..but had kids and a budget of my own. Am I ridiculous for feeling this this is overboard?

Hey! Looking for some advice here.

We get married March 2027 and my Grandmother on my Dads side has been very awkward. We originally had a venue (not confirmed) but discussed to be in my hometown which is about a 30 min drive/10 minute train in to the city centre of where our actual venue is (west end of Edinburgh)

I was on the phone to my mum having a lighthearted conversation talking mother of the bride dresses and my grandmother walked in to the house at the time we were on the call. Fast forward - I asked her “What are you thinking of wearing?” She then and I say bluntly went “I’m not going I can’t get there” I hung up the phone in shock.

I’ve since messaged her giving her a list of transport options, but she has said my grandad won’t go in to town. For his granddaughters wedding. They are not “old” by any means, 60s.

Due to the absolute lack of respect and I promise, I have looked at every single option, offered a taxi etc but she declines and just says that due to the location, they won’t go. Part of me wants to actually message her/call her and say that I don’t WANT them to go now. Personally I would just rather not have them there. What’s everyone’s thoughts on this