20 basic steps to prepare you wedding

So, the cherished ring is shining on her finger, the emotional moment has passed, so now to think about organization the wedding. It is better not to try and do everything at once, but to gradually prepare, so as not to get confused and miss something important. To slightly ease this task, we have prepared a list of 20 tasks to complete before the wedding.

1. Decide on the date and the budget of the wedding. If you want a wedding in the summer, then book the contractors and the venue no later then 3-4 months before the date of the wedding.

2. Make a list of guests. Don't worry if that list varies somewhat, but to know the approximate number of guests, when you plan an event like this.

3. Choose and buy wedding rings. After buying the rings, it is advisable to keep them in a safe place, so that they are not lost.

4. Choose the wedding location and reserve it. Remember that if you want a summer wedding, restaurants and country hotels must be booked well in advanced of the wedding date>

5. Choose and order a wedding dress and accessories, as well as a suit and accessories for the groom. Start looking for dresses no earlier then 6 months before the celebration, when the style and location of the wedding are already decided. If you plan to loose weight before the wedding, then you can buy the outfit a little latter, so you do not have to take it in.

6. Choose a place for the official ceremony. Set up a date with the photographer for the engagement photo shoot.

7. Send out invitations for the wedding: by mail, email, handed personally in hand or via social network. We recommend that your guests be invited to the wedding well in advance, so that everyone is free on that day.

8. You can use the service of wedding organizer or independently find florists, decorators and the host and discuss with them the stylistics and program of celebrations.

9. Choose and hire a wedding photographer. Assign a personal meeting to discuss your wishes, and be sure to sign a contract.

10. Inform guests about the dress code. In order in order for guests to prepare, do it in advance. You can even add that to the invitations.

11. If you want to rent a limo, it is advisable to already approve the list of guests and book transportation in advance for a certain number of places.

12. Decide what your wedding dance will be, choose the music. You can rehearse it at

home or even start practicing with a professional.

13. Hire musicians or a DJ. Music will set the tone for the whole event.

14. Discuss with the florist a bouquet for the bride and the flower arrangement.

15. Choose a hairdresser and a make up artist, its good to pre-register for a rehearsal of the wedding, in order to determinant before the celebration what the hair and make up will look like.

16. Order a wedding cake, find out if the venue can provide cold storage.

17. Prepare a sitting arrangement and print seating cards for your guests. Consider family, age category, so that everyone is comfortable.

18. Distribute duties at the wedding. Decide who will help the bride, meet and seat guests, etc.

19. Estimate the amount of time the wedding will take and everyone who will participate in the event. Do this in advance so that everyone has time to prepare.

20. Contact all the contractors and and draw up a time table for arrival time. Write down all phone numbers and, together with the schedule, give it to your organizer or coordinator, if there is one, so that s/he can control everything on the day of the celebration.

Wedding Dress: 10 ways to make your wedding dress stand out.

Whatever your wedding dress is- lush, straight, short- this is the outfit that you will wear once in a lifetime! So its so important to successfully capture it in the photo!

1. Choose a suitable background

Lets start with the morning of the wedding and the photo session of the dress before the bride wears it. To get really beautiful photos, prepare in advance an elegant hanger ( no plastic, too massive and dark options) and background for shooting.

Suitable as a monophonic background ( for example, an empty wall in the room where the bride is getting ready), and more original versions: the dress can be beautifully arranged on a bed, hung out on the balcony or even hung from the tree if the wedding takes place in nature.

2. Select the right accessories

To emphasize the beautiful cut on the back, give up the long veil in favor of a shorter minimalistic version without lace and embroidery. A classic ball gown requires suitable shoes-they must be high-heel or elegant sandals (after the ceremony they can be replaced with more convenient option).

In a cool evening, you can throw soft cardigan over your shoulders-if your dress is rustic or boho style, but the elegant bolero is more suitable for the traditional image. Such simple tricks will help you to show your dress most successfully and not get out of the general style of the celebration.

3. Have good posture

First, it will make you look slimmer in photos , and second, you can show your dress in all its glory. But do not over do it: an unnaturally straight back and tense shoulders will be very noticeable in the photo. A good way to avoid this, but not to stoop- pull your shoulders back a little, the chest will open, your arms will look more graceful, and the chin forward (not up!).

4. Different backgrounds

Each dress has its own winning angles, so we advise you to practice before the photo session a little in front of a mirror, to look for your successful posses. For example, for dresses with a long train it is absolutely necessary to frame the full-length from the back. A genial flying dress looks very beautiful in motion, so you can run a little or swirl around on the spot, so that the wind beautifully waves the fabric.

In advance, rehearse in front of of the mirror how you will lift the hem of the dress when climbing the stairs or sitting down from the car.

5. Move slowly

When the photographer asks you to walk in front of the camera, do it slowly, relax and avoid sudden movements. You do not need to hurry anywhere, let the professionals make as many elegant photos as possible. This also applies to walking with the groom: do not go too fast, take small steps.

6. Haveattention to details

If your dress has a very beautiful back, elegant embroidery, buttons or an unusual cutout - be sure to keep these details in the photo. do not be shy to ask the photographer to give the special attention. Even such seemingly shots where the bride simply lifts then hem of the dress, accentuating attention on fabrics or lace, look very exquisite!

7. Avoid non-natural poses

Many brides are nervous and worried, being in front of the camera lens - how best to get up, where to look, where to put your hands? Because of this, often take unnatural, tense postures. For example, the hands are too tightly pressed to the body, because of what they look less elegant, or they strain their fingers when holding a bouquet - because of this, the hands do not look very aesthetically pleasing. Or they accept "closed" poses, crossing their arms over their chest. The best way to avoid this is to relax as much as possible and discuss possible poses and camera angles with the photographer.

8. "The golden hours"

In photography, there is such a thing - the "golden hour" is the time before sunset, when the sun's rays become softer and creates a very gentle natural light that transforms everything around.

Unfortunately, often the timing of the wedding is made in such way that the wedding photo session is held in the afternoon, when the bright sun only hinders the photographer. If you do not have the opportunity to transfer love-story to late time, just allocate 10-15 minutes during the banquet, when the guests will be busy with the show program, and go with the groom and photographer to meet the sunset.

9. The dress must be comfortable.

Choose a dress in which you would be comfortable to move: and do not just walk slowly along the arm with the groom, but also dance, spin, jump, run, The dress should not be heavy, too hot or cramped. You have to breathe in it full of chest.

Make sure that it does not fall off, the fabric does not rub anywhere. Otherwise, instead of feeling calm and relaxed in front of the camera, you'll just be pulling, straight and pulling up the dress. And so getting random goods shots will be much more difficult.

10. Relax

The Main secret of the most beautiful and living photos is that there is no posing there! The more you try to look good in front of the camera, the more you think about the poses and foreshortening, the more stiff the body looks, the picture becomes less natural and lively. Therefore, the most important key for obtaining ideal photos is to relax as much as possible and just act naturally.

Beginning the Bride`s Big Day

The wedding day begins in the morning with getting ready, and all subsequent stages of the celebration depend on whether you`ll be able to finish within the allotted time. Don`t underestimate the amount of time that will be required for wedding make-up and hairstyles, even if you plan to create the most natural image - it`s better to get up 20 minutes earlier than to be late for your own wedding.

Plan for possible delay of the make-up artist and stylist by at least 10-15 minutes and don`t forget about the photo session! You`ll need to take some portraits of the bride before the meeting with the groom, which take time.

If your morning will be held in the company of your bridesmaids, take 15-20 minutes for them, plus 10 more minutes to drink a glass of champagne and take a couple of photos to commemorate the moment.