Congratulations. He asked. You said yes. You are about to embark on the biggest journey of your life. There are going to be times when you think that you have gone insane, or that those around you have lost their minds. Hang on, this is considered "normal." The time planning your wedding can be stressful, but the end result of the wedding will be the most wonderful day of your life.

Announcements

1. You may find yourself wanting to tell the world. Then do so. Many papers where you live, grew up, or went to college have a page for engagements and / or wedding announcements. Just call them and ask to be sent a format of how the announcement should be submitted.
2. Don't spend money on "professional" photography for the papers. Instead, you and your fiancé get dressed up, and have a friend take several shots from different angles.
3. Look for stores (like Sears or Bradley's) offering deals on pictures. Sometimes for a low price you might get the perfect picture. Inform your guests
4. Send a save the date postcard. This way people have notice that something wonderful is going to happen that they should plan to attend. Say something like:
Betsy Robinson and Bill Smith are getting married!
On June 1, 1999 in the Poconos!
Please save the date
Invitation and details to follow.
5. Do a newsletter. Tell your guests who are traveling in from out of town about local attractions, lodging, and nightlife choices. That way if they arrive in town at midnight, they will know where to get that late night slice of pizza or drink.
6. Give your guests economical and indulgence choices for lodging and food, and don't try and figure out your invite's financial status. They might surprise you and want to take that second honeymoon if your wedding is held in a beautiful location.
7. If you are getting married out of town, go to a local hotel and ask for their information booklet on where to go and what to do that is usually put in the hotel rooms. This way you have information for the newsletter in a clear, concise form.
8. Grab a local phone book.
9. Send maps early and resend them right before the wedding. You will be amazed at how many people will ask you anyway where the wedding will be taking place.
10. Some airlines offer a discount to your guests that will translate into savings for you. American Airlines offers a program where after your guest finds the lowest airfare they think is possible, they then call the Wedding Services Desk at 1-800-433-1790 and will receive a 5% discount off the ticket price if purchased 30 days in advance and an additional 5% if purchased 60 days in advance. American also provides wedding invitations that you can send to your guests that give the details on the discount. For every 10 people that use the service, American Airlines will give you 4 drink / headset coupons, 1 Avis discount coupon, and 2 one way single cabin upgrades. To set up this program, please call 1-800-221-2255.

Registry

11. Register early for gifts, and use the newsletter format to let people know where you are registered. Say that "people have been asking, and we don't mean to offend."
12. Many stores such as JcPenny's, Sterns, and Macy's have your registry online. The website lists the items on your registry where not only can people order from, but you can keep tabs on what has been purchased.
13. Register at Macy's or Sterns. If once you receive the gift and you decide it is not to your taste, you can return items there for credit on their card. The bonus with both of them is that they offer a free Clinique makeover for the bride and sometimes the whole bridal party.
14. Register at Crate and Barrel or another store that offers a catalog and mail order for ease of your guests.
15. Remember that people are lazy or very busy and may not get you much of anything off of your registry. Do not be offended. It is the thought that counts! And if you get three bowls, remember that most stores have a lenient return policy!
16. Check out local bridal magazines and the local paper for listings of bridal shows. They offer many gimmicks in an attempt to have you attend -- give away honeymoons, discounts on vendors, free food, and most importantly of all you can meet people that can help plan the wedding of your dreams.
17. You should get extra insurance on your wedding gifts (and homeowners / renters insurance if you don't have any!). If you are going on your honeymoon immediately after the wedding, the house may be empty after you have advertised that you will be out of town. Not everyone that hears of your pending nuptials will want the best for you.
18. You should also look into insurance on your wedding jewelry. Most polices have a limit as to how much is covered without an appraisal, and it differs from state to state. Consider this - your mother gave you a pearl necklace and earrings as a wedding gift and you are going to entrust them in the care of your best man or maid of honor while you go off on your
honeymoon. Won't you feel better knowing that they are covered?Wonderful You
19. Don't be surprised if you find yourself caring about things that you usually thought as "trivial." A low maintenance woman can find herself caring about nail polish, curling irons, and blush. Allow time to experiment and practice!
20. Don't do anything drastic on your own too close to the wedding date. Like attempting to tweeze your eyebrows for the first time, or have a home permanent three weeks before the wedding. Make sure that there is enough time for mistakes to correct themselves. Now is not the time to take unnecessary chances. You would hate to walk down the aisle with pencil lines as eyebrows.
21. Let your hair air dry whenever possible. It makes it stronger and healthier. However, if you live in a cold climate, be careful not to freeze it!
22. If you can't take your hairdresser with you, have her do your do, and take pictures! Then do a trial run with the hairdresser who will be doing your hair at the wedding.
23. Think about how you'd like to look in your wedding dress. Do you see yourself thinner and in better shape than you are now? If so, consult your doctor to develop a sensible weigh-loss and fitness plan. Other resources are nutritionists, personal trainers and a whole host of books and magazines devoted to the subject. (One bride had luck with the Atkins diet or a similar low carbohydrate / high protein diet.) Start early to ensure that you have enough time to lose safely and sensibly.
24. Consult your doctor about a possible need for vitamin supplements.
25. Workout four to five times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time. This will increase your heart rate and metabolism and let you tone and loose weight. Be sure not to overdo it! You should consult your doctor before starting any fitness program.
26. Go dancing! It is wonderful source of exercise and it will get you and your fiancé in tune with each other's style. You could take professional dance lessons, or you can learn on your own. Don't forget to check out the library's collections of dance videos. You want to look great on the dance floor on your big day!
27. Are you afraid of looking pasty white next to your gorgeous dress? Then find a coupon in the local paper for a tanning salon. Start in moderation about 6 to 7 weeks before the wedding. Remember to be careful where your tan lines appear. If you are wearing a backless wedding dress, don't have a strap tan line on your back.
28. There are also self-tanners that can help your color. Use a brand that is well known to avoid streaks.
29. Whether you go to a tanning salon, or do it the old fashion way out in the sun, be careful of areas that burn easily. Outside you can use Neutrogena sunblock spray SPF 20 or Oil Free Sunblock SPF 30 for the part on your head. Nothing could be more uncomfortable than having a veil or a headpiece placed securely over a burned or peeling part.
30. If you have the unthinkable happen and a blemish appears the week of the wedding do not panic. Over the counter creams containing 10% benzyl peroxide work well. Deep, cyst pimples will diminish with cool water compresses and Epson Salts.
31. If all else fails, have a dermatologist administer a cortisone injection that will reduce the pimple in 24 hours.

The Dress

32. Try looking for your wedding dress in unconventional places. Consignment shops and thrift stores offer a varied selection at affordable prices.
33. Look in the classified advertisements.
34. Check out the discount rack for discontinued lines at half the cost.
35. If you are not the sentimental type, you can even rent the gown. Let your fingers do the walking and look in your yellow pages under "formal wear, rental & sales," or "wedding apparel."
36. If you are the sentimental type, ask His mother if you could wear her wedding gown.
37. Some wedding dresses with a little alternation can even be worn again for classy engagements (an opera, a dinner fundraiser).
38. Remember that you do not necessary need for the fittings the exact pair of shoes that you are going to get married in. What is important is the heel height. Find a pair of shoes in your closet that are most comfortable for you, and use them for the fittings and as a guide to buying the wedding shoes.
39. Don't buy expensive shoes that you can only wear with that dress. Instead go to Payless Shoestore where for $29.99 you can try on and order dyeables. They come in many different styles and heel heights, and can be dyed to a different color after the wedding. They should be shipped to the store within 10 days.
40. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet will be their largest.
41. Don't forget to scuff the bottom of your shoes so that you have some traction. You can use sandpaper or some other abrasive surface.
42. Before the wedding wear the shoes around the house for a weekend. This way you can break them in and not damage them.

Bridesmaid Dresses

43. Don't ask your friends to make their own dresses. You may think that you are being kind to the different body types in your wedding party, but the amount of work and time necessary is asking too much. Even if they opt to have a professional seamstress make the dress, the expense could be more than a dress off the rack would be.
44. Most dresses coming from bridal salons take 12 to 16 weeks to arrive from the manufacture. Don't cut yourself short. Insist that the bridal party sends in their measurements within a few weeks of receiving notice of where and what dress you have decided on. Get the date the dresses are promised in writing.

The Bridal Party

45. Choose close, dependable friends to make up the majority of your attendants, especially the maid of honor. Don't select people just because they are geographically close or seem to be knowledgeable about wedding planning. You most of all need someone to rely on for support when things get crazy. Don't assume that an "iffy" choice will rise to the occasion and be there for you. Remember: Once you ask someone to be in your wedding party, it is very difficult to rescind the request!
46. Don't rely on your bridal party to be experts in makeup, hair, and nails even if they are high maintenance people. They may be only good at applying the products on themselves. Instead, look toward a professional.
47. Make sure that your maid of honor and best man get along! They might both be special people, but if their personality conflicts, it could lead to a tense wedding.
48. Looking for an attendant gift beyond the normal pearls? Check out Kim Anderson figurines, plates, and wall hangings. She has some adorable girlfriend / girlfriend scenes.
49. Do you have some jewelry put away in a drawer that an ex-boyfriend gave you long before you met the man of your dreams? Don't hide it, recycle it! Take it to a jeweler and have him reset the stones into a necklace or pin, or add it to another piece. Then you have something special that you can give your mother (or his) that wont cost a fortune, but is beautiful as well.