Weddings from around the world

Ever wondered what a Gypsy wedding involves? How a Protestant wedding different from a Catholic wedding? Here you will find a quick summary of various different ceremony types from around the world...

Although there are a multitude of different wedding types, ceremonies and traditions, they all have one thing in common, that being the union of two people...

Catholic wedding
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a holy sacrament, which is an everlasting commitment and one that cannot be broken. The ceremony is carried out in the presence of a priest and the community. Once the vows are recited and the couple exchange rings, they leave the church with the wedding guests in order to celebrate the ‘wedding breakfast’, the first meal that the couple share as a married couple.

Protestant weddings
Although slight differences do exist between the different Protestant churches, there is a general consensus that the marriage is not considered as being sacred, unlike the beliefs of the Catholic Church. The ceremony, whilst holding religious aspects, is not as religiously strict as a catholic ceremony and often is treated more as a civil union of the couple. 

Orthodox Weddings
The orthodox wedding is similar to a catholic wedding. There are however distinct differences; after exchanging a bouquet of flowers, the wedding ceremony begins, during which the best man presents each of the couple with a ring and crown. The couple then drink red wine from the same glass and leave the church as the wedding guests throw rice and flowers over the couple to represent fertility and happiness.

Hebrew weddings
The Hebrew ceremony is carried out by a Rabbi and is made up of two parts; the betrothal (erusin) and the act of marriage (nissu’in). Firstly, the couple must sign a Ketuba which is a marriage contract stipulating the rights and responsibilities of the groom. Then the couple is led to the chuppah, a canopy of cloth stretched over 4 poles that symbolises the new home that will be built together by the couple.  Here the ketuba and other blessings are read out and the groom presents the bride with a ring. At the end of the ceremony, a glass is broken whist the guests shout "Mazel Tov,". The breaking of the glass serves as a symbol of joys and sorrows.

Hindu Weddings
There are 8 different types of Hindu weddings; Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya, Gandharva, Asura, Rakshasa and Paishacha. Each consists of its own customs and rituals carried out by the family members. The ceremony normally lasts for a number of days and is characterized by an array of colours.

Buddhist Weddings
Although Buddhism teaches that marriage should not be taken lightly, it neither encourages marriage nor discourages it. It is not based on religion but spirituality and teaches how the couple can live a happily married life together. The ceremony requires the couple to sit in ‘wai’ (a position of respect) whilst they are blessed by the priest. The couple then must make an offering of food to both the Buddha and the monks.

Oriental Weddings
Oriental weddings are usually unostentatious and are characterised by the colour red, believed to represent love, prosperity and happiness. It is tradition that the families of the couple exchange gifts with one another a number of days before the wedding celebration.

Gypsy Weddings
A  Gypsy wedding normally last three days. The first day, in the city council buildings, involves a test of the bride’s virginity (the test of the handkerchief and 3 roses). The second day is for the wedding ceremony, reception and other traditions and the third day starts early in the morning with the ‘Fiesta de la Sardina’. This ‘fiesta’ is a party attended by everyone: friends and family alike. On the fourth day, the newly married couple leave for their honey moon.

The Mehndi ritual

In some parts of the Orient such as Pakistan, India and Africa, the bride and groom prepare for their wedding with a beauty ritual of elaborate designs painted onto the skin with henna ink…

This ritual, similar to a western hen party, involves all the female friends and family of the bride getting together to celebrate the upcoming wedding. With music, dancing and the aroma of incense, intricate henna tattoos are drawn onto the hands, forearms and feet of the bride. It is not only the bride who takes part in this pre-wedding ceremony and often, the groom will have his hands stained with the elaborate henna designs too.

The ink used is created using the dry leaves and stems of the henna plant which contains a naturally occurring red ink. In addition to tattoos, the ink can also be used as a natural hair dye, conditioning the hair and leaving it with a reddish tint.

Historically, the Mehendi ritual symbolizes a strong and long lasting marriage and it is said that the darker the henna, the greater the love will be between the betrothed couple. Similarly, the longer the bride retains the henna tattoo on her skin, the more prosperous her future will be.

Wedding Missal

All religious weddings usually have a missal that details everything that is going to happen. If you have already decided to make your own, do you know what it will look like and what to include? Just in case, here are a few ideas to make it perfect.

A missal is a guide to how your religious ceremony is going to be carried out.  It details everything from the entrance of the bride and groom, readings, marriage rite, prayers, requests and even the music that will be playing throughout.

If you are having a church wedding and you intend to make your own missal for your guests, then take into consideration the following:

• Talk to the parish priest who will be marrying you and choose the readings that you would like read during your ceremony.  Also decide whether or not you would like to celebrate mass or communion so that it may be included in your guide.  Everything should be included in your missal.
• If you consider it necessary or simply because you wish to, include the name of the officiant and your witnesses, parents, best man and head bridesmaid.  You may also like to include a word of thanks to all the guests for attending.
  
  
  
  
  
• If any of your guests will be dedicating a few words to you, then the text can also be included in the missal, or if you wish to keep it a surprise, just put the name of the guest who will be doing the reading.
• On an aesthetic level, remember that the missal should coincide with all the other wedding stationary: invitations, menu cards, thank-you cards, etc.  Mention it to the company that will be printing them to maintain the same style, colour and coherence of the stationary.
• So that all the guests have their own, you could leave them at the  church door so that everyone can pick one up as they enter, or ask a family member or friend to hand them out.

Jewish Weddings

There are different rites according to our beliefs to celebrate marriage. Some are more familiar to us than others but all have their customs and charm. On this occasion we will tell you how weddings are celebrated according to the Jewish rite.

For many, the Jewish rite is still an unknown, so we will tell you some of the most important details.

• Contrary to what happens in catholic weddings, in the case of the Jews, both most belong to the religion, therefore if one is not, then he must convert.
  
  
  
• The ceremony can be given either in the couples own language or in Hebrew.
• It is performed by a rabbi, under a chuppah, which is a mantle or piece of square cloth supported by for poles to symbolise the house that the couple will form and the ceremony takes place beneath it.  The first to arrive at the chuppah are the rabbi, groom, the male members of the family and they are finally joined by the bride.
  
  
  
• The rabbi blesses a glass of wine and gives a sermon.  The bride and groom both drink from this glass before exchanging rings. This is the act that converts the bride and groom into a married couple.  The rings, which are usually plain, simple and of yellow gold, (to represent the simple beauty of a stable marriage), symbolise the ties of eternal love that unites the couple and the protection that the wife will receive from her husband.  Also, so that it is legitimate, the ring must be the legal property of the groom.
  
  
  
  
  
• After exchanging rings, the rabbi reads the ketubah (marriage contract) in which the rights and duties of the couple are explained, and especially the obligations of the husband to his wife.  The wife will keep the document previously signed by him and two witnesses who must not be blood relations of either of the couple.
  
  
  
  
  
• Finally, the rabbi recites over a second glass the seven blessings that will protect the marriage.  The couple drink from the glass and then the groom places the glass on the floor and breaks it by stamping on it.  This act represents the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, thousands of years ago.
  
  
  
  
  
• Once the ceremony is over, the couple have the opportunity to be alone during a ritual known as yichud (union) in which they drink a typical consommé in a private room.  When they think that they are ready, the reception begins in which a loaf of bread (challah) is blessed to symbolise the union of the families.
  
  
  
  
  
• Jewish weddings must not be celebrated on the Sabbath, from dusk on the Friday until dusk on the Saturday, nor on religious holidays, nor during Passover, nor in the three weeks before summer.

The Pros and Cons of Prenuptial Agreements

The royals are doing it, the celebrities are doing it... are you doing it? Prenuptual agreements, of course!

Some people may see prenuptial, or premarital, agreements as the anti-thesis to marriage, while others will say that they could save you heartache and money in the sad case that you do eventually part. Although no-one likes to conceive of their marriage failing, especialy in these early days, who knows what will happen to you or your partner over the course of your lifetime. Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Peace of mind in case of unforseen events. Today 50% of marriages end in divorce, and even when one partner is much wealthier than the other, assets will be divided 50/50.
• If you have been married and divorced before, you may be wary of getting “bitten” again, pre-nups help you to feel secure and worry free.
• Protects inherited assets, especially those you wish to pass to children, more so if children are from previous marriage.
• Pre-nups protect things like your family home, holiday home or business in case of divorce.

Cons:

• Spoils the romance, can engender a lack of trust in the relationship.
• Could make the less wealthy partner feel inadequate.
• If one partner contributes in a non-financial way to partnership (eg. raising children) this is not recognised as a financial asset within a pre-nuptual agreement.
• May be hard to come to practical and level headed arrangements during the “honeymoon” period of a relationship. If so, post-nuptual agreements can always be made.

Etiquette for Children at Weddings

Although weddings are traditionally an all-inclusive, all-ages events, some people choose to exclude children from the ceremony or reception. Lets take a look at how to deal with these issues politely.

Many people believe that a wedding is an all ages occasion, where the circle of life is brought together to witness new beginnings. Others see a wedding as a chance to catch up with long lost friends and family and have a good old time, and that the last thing they want to spoil it are screaming children. Another reason not to include children could be that people want to keep the costs down.

If you decide not to have children at your wedding remember that it is a delicate matter, and there is some etiquette you should stick to...

• Do advise people clearly on the invitation about you preferences by stating 'Adult Reception', don't use phrases like 'No children' or 'Kids not allowed', it could cause offence.
• Do ask people to come without their offspring, but don't selectively include any other children.
• Don't be surprised if some people can't make it because of this rule. A breastfeeding mother or parents of small children will have hard time getting away, and if the wedding is a distance from their house or abroad, forget it.
• Don't let it spoil your day if someone turns up holding the baby at the last minute, give a big smile and be polite, then forget all about it and enjoy yourself.
  
  
  

If you are sure that you want the kids there, but want to minimise on fuss, here are some more dos and don'ts.

• Don't say yes to including children at the ceremony, and then not at the reception. This feels like you are treating the child as a decoration, and do not want the inconvenience of your little actor in the fun bit.
• Do hire specific carers for the little ones. A hired act, nanny, babysitter or family member to attend to their needs and keep them out of trouble gives you peace of mind and the parents a peaceful night out.
  
  
  
  
  
• Do tailor the food, ask your caterer for smaller plates, servings and even a kid's menu. This saves on money and the heartache of seeing your prime steak chewed up and spat out.
• Do provide children's games and activities, play-doh, colouring books or children favours, if they are entertained they wont be annoying.

How to Make a Wedding Guest Book

As we have already said, guest books allow your guests to leave a few meaningful words at your wedding. Today we are showing you how to make your very own personalised guest book- take note!

If you like handicrafts and you have some imagination, get ready because today we are bringing you a simple tutorial so that you can make a guest book for your wedding yourself.

What do you Need?

• Blank A4 pieces of thick paper or card, and rice paper. You can use white or coloured card, to match your wedding colour theme.
• Hardcovers, so that the book remains intact over time.
• Two pieces of ribbon, a colour of your choosing, or string (to give a more rustic feel if you are having a rural wedding)
• A hole punch

Putting it together:

• Place the card and rice paper in alternating layers.
• Place the covers at the beginning and the end of the card.
• For the binding, make holes with the hole punch in the covers, the card and the rice paper on the far left hand side (one hole on the top and one hole at the bottom). Make sure you always leave the same gap. Once you have made the holes, pass the ribbon or string through them and tie a bow on the spine.

You can personalise your guest book even more by adding a photo to the front cover, or a caricature, or a favourite image. You can also decorate the pages with more photos from your relationship or moments shared with your guests, as well as drawings and small messages.

Tricks for Writing Your Own Wedding Vows

If you would like to personalise your wedding to the max, you have probably thought about writing your own vows. At first glance, this can seem a daunting task, so we have prepared some advice that we hope will serve as inspiration.

We all know that the world of weddings is changing. We are slowly breaking down the rigid protocols and the antiquated traditions to create the wedding of our dreams. We painstakingly choose all the details: the flowers, the decoration, the music, the invitations that will best reflect our personality etc...And now we are taking to personalising our wedding vows too. 

You don't have to be Shakespeare to write your vows, you only need paper, pen and to delve into your emotions. But even so, if you're not sure how to start, here's some advice:

• Don't rush, and don't worry if you don't know what to write at first.
• Forget about grandiose and eloquent words, you're going to express your feelings, and nothing does that better than your own words, words you use everyday.
• You will probably have words or phrases that have a special significance for you both, so use them.
• Think about your partner and why you want to marry them; write down the reasons on a piece of paper.
• Write how you feel when you are at their side.
• Think about what you can bring to the marriage and what your partner can bring.

Keep all these bits of paper in a drawer for a few days and forget about them. After a few days, take out the bits of paper and a blank sheet. Read everything you've written and underline the ideas, phrases or words that move you the most or which best reflect how you feel. Note them down and keep it, once more, for a few days.

Finally, the moment has come to write your vows.Take out the piece of paper and you will see that the work is practically done. Order your ideas, and slowly but surely your vows will take shape. If you hit a wall, keep the paper and take a break from it for another few days.

Remember that you will both be highly emotional on your wedding day, so don't write an essay. It is better to write short and meaningful vows, around two or three sentences only.

Wedding Traditions in India

Western weddings are still typified by the white dress and church scenario, but we live in a multicultural society where many types of religions and weddings are practised. Here we take a look at how Hindu weddings are typically celebrated in India.

Weddings are a special and joyous occasion in all cultures, and none the least in India.  As in any culture, there are traditional and modern aspects, and each couple will choose the mix of old and new according to their values and background. Here are some of the most common elements of Hindu weddings today.

•    Mehendi: This is the tradition of adorning the bride's (and wedding party) hands and feet with intricate and elaborate henna patterns. The usual colour for henna is reddish brown, but nowadays you can see all sorts of mahendi colours from gold and silver to black. This tradition  is as much as 5,000 years old, but is still an essential part of modern Indian weddings, with the mehendi party being quite an occasion for the women of the party, akin to the hen night here.

•    Baraat: This is the custom of the arrival of the groom. He arrives in full wedding attire complete with sword, on a decorated white mare (ghodi), accompanied by family and friends. This is usually accompanied by much fanfare and dancing.

•    Saptapadi: The most important part of the Hindu ceremony, the seven steps, and is the binding of man and wife. The couple take these steps together around the holy fire, which is considered a witness to the wedding vows that they make while they  make the steps.

Marriage is considered a lifelong spiritual union between man and wife, an opportunity for them to grow into soul mates. As in any culture, it symbolises new beginnings and is blessed with the hope of prosperity and fertility.

Setting the date

Need to set a date for your wedding but just don’t know how to decide? Well, here we give you a few things to consider first.

Although some people choose to do the last minute thing, in general, the minimum time that people leave to organize their celebration is 6 months. Of course it depends on how big you want to go and naturally, the more elaborate the ideas, the longer you should leave to get everything planned.

• If you and your partner plan to have a religious ceremony, bear in mind that many churches, Mosques, or other religious places will have a waiting list. The same goes for popular wedding venues too so if you have your heart set on somewhere, check availability sooner rather than later.
• Make sure that your special day does not clash with the special day of someone else. Don’t, for example, make your younger brother share his 21st birthday with your wedding day!
• Your guests could also help you decide on your date too. Check that all the essential people who you want at your wedding can attend it.
• It sounds obvious, but if you are planning to have the ceremony and the wedding breakfast in different locations don’t forget that the two dates must coincide…if not you’ll end up celebrating your reception in a less than perfect place!
• Consider carefully whether you want to risk organizing an outdoor wedding or garden reception in seasons renowned for their heavy downpours. Although the British weather is rarely predictable, there are better months than others to celebrate alfresco style.
• Weddings like holidays have their peak and off-peak seasons so if you are bound by a budget, considering colder months or rainy months for your wedding can save you a considerable amount. There are lots of ways that you can make these weddings just as special as the traditional, summer weddings that everyone goes for.
• Similarly, choosing a date that falls on a week day or a Sunday can also mean lower venue costs and reduced waiting times.

Types of Weddings

When it comes to planning your wedding, you can choose from many different types, depending on your beliefs, your budget, your guests, and above all, your tastes.

You probably already have an idea of what kind of wedding you want, although there are many options and you should look into all of them to plan one that suits your tastes the best, since it will be one of the most special days of your life and everything should be just as you want it. There is an array of ways to carry out the ceremony, and they depend to a large extent on how many guests you have on such a special occasion.

Let's have a look at some of the different types of wedding you can choose from:

• Civil Wedding or Religious: This aspect will affect to a large extent the type of celebration you have, seeing as religious ceremonies will limit you more in terms of holding a non-traditional celebration. Civil ceremonies are ideal for those who are not very religious or where both parties are the same sex. Furthermore, there is a vast range of possibilities if you get married in a civil ceremony.
  
  
  
  
  
• Classic Wedding: This is ideal if you or your family are very traditional and want your day to be also. Everything should be just right and in its place. A lot of people say they are the most boring weddings, but if you plan it well, there is no need for it to be.
  
  
  
• American Wedding: If you have a civil ceremony you can organise an American wedding, holding the ceremony and the reception in the same place, a country house with a large garden, for example. This is the most convenient option because you will not have to move from one event to the next.
  
  
  
• Themed Wedding:  This is ideal if you want a fun wedding where you and your guests are in a different and original environment. You can organise a wedding in which your guests have to come in fancy dress, whether it be an outfit of their choice or something in particular, perhaps have a national theme and coordinate the outfits and the decor with your chosen nation's colours or your favourite colour. You could also opt for a rural wedding, especially if you have a low budget, as you could do a BBQ style menu  and a  "picnic" style food.
  
  
  
  
  
• Whichever type of wedding you choose, you must bear in mind that it should all work as a whole, in other words, you can't choose a rural reception when you have had a no expenses spared ceremony in the most beautiful cathedral in the city.

How to Propose in an Original Way

Proposals are becoming more and more original and people are looking for more special and less traditional ways to do it.

Asking for your partner's hand in marriage will become one of the most important and memorable moments in your relationship, especially since it marks a before and an after and everyone will want to know how you proposed and how your loved one reacted.

Those who are proposing always try to be original and very few go down the route of presenting the ring and saying "will you marry me?". If you want something really original that you will both remember for a lifetime, take note of the following  original proposal ideas:

• A rose every hour: Get in touch with people who are the same sex as your partner and who are in daily contact with them, such as their father, mother, siblings or work colleagues.  Their mission on the day of the proposal, as well as keeping the secret, will be to give your partner a rose every hour (always someone different) and accompany the rose with a bit of paper on which there will be part of a message. The idea is that all the bits of paper form an invitation to dine that evening in your favourite restaurant, when they arrive you'll be waiting, ring in hand, and it will be an unforgettable moment.
  
  
  
  
  
• Their favourite show: this works best with radio programmes, as it is harder to do with television. Send a message to their favourite show so that it will be their voices who ask for their hand on your behalf, they will announce it over the air, or call your partner live under some pretence to ask them while you are at their side.
• On holiday: you could plan a weekend getaway and choose the perfect moment to ask them, imagine how nice it would be to do it whilst up the Eiffel Tower with the city of Paris at your feet.
  
  
  
• Relive their favourite movie: You probably have a romantic movie that you both like and in which there is an extremely romantic scene. Make the script your own and recite it to them whilst embracing them and take out the ring.
• Hide the ring: Leave clues all over the house as if it were a treasure hunt, so that they have to spend a while thinking about how to find the next clue and, especially how to discover the final location, which they are probably not expecting to be the start of your new future together.
  
  
  
  
  
• Any of these ideas will ensure that your proposal will be highly original, unexpected and unforgettable. Whether you are male or female and your partner is male or female, you can use any of these and turn the day of your proposal into one of the most special days of your lives.

How to Choose Your Wedding Rings

The exchanging of rings is a tradition that has its roots in an Ancient Roman pagan ceremony; although history shows that the Egyptians exchanged rings to perpetuate their love as far back as 800 BC.

The giving or exchanging of rings between couples is a very special part of the rite of marriage, symbolising the union of the bride and groom in eternal love.

Wedding rings are much more than a piece of jewellery and for that reason they should be chosen with great care, taking into account various factors, which go beyond your budget:

• Once you have the rings on, you won't be taking them off (or we hope not anyway!) so you need to choose something timeless and which you identify with. For this reason it's very important to pay attention to the size of the ring. To avoid any surprises, avoid buying the rings on very hot or cold days, or after having done exercise, since the size of your finger can vary.
  
  
  
  
  
• In terms of the shape and the finish, the most common rings are flat bands (with a smooth surface), half round bands or sleeve rings, with matt finishes (brushed finish) or shiny (polished finish).
  
  
  
• The material is also a determining factor when deciding what ring to go for. The material most commonly used and chosen by couples has always been, and continues to be 14, 18 or 24 carat gold, in its various colours (yellow, white or rose). 24 carat gold is the purest and the priciest but it can be damaged more easily by every day wear, whilst 14 carat is more resistant and cheaper. However, more and more couples are choosing other precious materials such as silver, platinum or titanium. The difference between them is the weight and durability. In this sense, platinum is the most hardwearing material but it is also the heaviest.

Wedding Exit Ideas

As special as the entrance of the bride is, the exit of the new couple should be just as momentous.
Here are some original ideas for taking your first steps as a married couple!

The seriousness of the ceremony, be in in the church, beach or registry office, finishes and the beaming couple walk out of the building... to jubilant applause and excitement from the guests! Do they throw rice, confetti, bubbles.... lets take a look at the options.

Signs of plenty Rice is traditional and symbolises prosperity and fertility. Confetti has mostly replaced rice and can be sourced in wedding shapes, or even in metallic plastic. Metallic confetti is only suitable indoors (where it can be hoovered up properly), and some venues have rules about even paper confetti, so check beforehand.

Pretty as a petal Rose petals make an ultra romantic confetti option, also biodegradable and fine for outdoor use. Other petals used are hydrangea or delphinium. All these petals can be bought freeze dried, or you can dry them yourselves. Apart from using them as confetti you can decorate tables, cakes and scatter them wherever the bride will walk.

Bubble trouble Another green option, which has no residues, is original and evokes fairytale enchantment, is a cloud of lovely bubbles! Guests (especially the younger ones, who will love it) can blow bubbles over the couple as they exit, or for even more of them hire a bubble machine. Bubblicious!

Light as a feather Balloons can make a beautiful exit even more romantic, and create amazing photo opportunities!

Playing with fire Sparklers are not only for bonfire night, they can add sparkle to your big day as well! This option only works for evening weddings as sparklers wouldn't show up in the day. Guests can light them up just before you come out. Another pyrotechnical option would be to let off actual fireworks as the couple exit, or Asian-style sky lanterns, a very romantic option.

Go Green For those who think abut the environment it has to be biodegradable confetti. Another option is to toss birdseed and then let our feathered friends do the cleaning up afterwards!

Spring Weddings

Every season has its own particular charm that will make your wedding special. But spring is, without question, the queen of weddings. With the arrival of the good weather and the explosion of flowers, weddings shine brighter than ever.

Spring weddings are usually very romantic. They never fail to have joyful spring flowers and colours such as yellow, orange or softer tones like pink or mauve. Add a touch of green to infuse freshness into the decoration.

Today we are sharing some ideas to make your wedding as full of spring as possible.

• Take advantage of the good weather and celebrate your wedding outdoors. If it's a civil ceremony you could get married in a garden or field, under a big tree, surrounded by greenery. And if it's a religious wedding, you could celebrate the reception in the gardens of a country house. Make sure you have a plan B though in case rain makes a surprise guest appearance.
• Release dozens of butterflies. Whether during the ceremony itself (if it's outdoors) or during the champagne and canapes, the result is incredible.
  
  
  
  
  
• You can't be without flowers at your wedding. Flowers should be abundant everywhere: the invitations, the ceremony, the reception and even on the wedding cake. Make up some paper cones with flower petals, choose a pretty and leafy bouquet, and substitute the veil or headdress for a floral wreath.
• Use tones like pink, mauve or yellow to dress the banquet tables. And substitute table numbers for names or photographs of flowers.
  
  
  
  
  
• Give your guests little gifts of potted herbs, such as mint, chamomile, oregano or basil. Or if you prefer, you could give them seeds, small jars of jam or pots of honey.
  
  
  
  
  

Planning a Wedding at the Last Minute

Why wait to tie the knot? Many simply want to get married as soon as possible, for one reason or another. Organising a wedding can be a real challenge, depending on the type of wedding you dream of. What is the secret to fast wedding planning?

The time recommended for organising a wedding is generally one year.  Some brides and grooms prefer to allow themselves even two years to plan their big day in advance.

However, there are more and more couples who decide to organise their wedding three or four months in advance, and it works!  The important thing to consider is how to compromise and get organised.  We offer some tips to help you organise the perfect wedding without wasting any time.

• Form your plan of attack: Have a first meeting with friends and family who will be attending.  Their help will be so valuable and you must delegate tasks to them.  Decide on a schedule, a budget, make a complete to-do list, leaving nothing out! First thing: decide on who will come, invite closest friends and family only, and give notice at the nearest Register Offices.
  
• Choose your priorities: If you make the date a priority you can find yourself highly limited.  Finding a venue from May to September is very difficult.  What is more important, the date or the location?  Remind yourself of your priorities throughout the whole planning process, and try to be flexible.  Anticipate now that you won't get everything exactly the way you want in such a short time.  Prepare yourself for possible programme changes.
  
• Choose a wedding planner: If money is less of an issue, hire a professional who can effectively plan your wedding in the amount of time desired.
• Relax: Even if time is short, know that organising a wedding in a few months is very feasible and does not mean your wedding will be less amazing!  A wedding is a special day and should be one of the happiest days of your life, whoever your caterer or photographer.

Suggestions for a Rural Wedding

Thinking about having a unique wedding? Do you love the countryside and nature and want them to be witnesses to your "I do"? Here are some tips so that your open air wedding goes off without a hitch.

Having already decided to say "I do", now it is time to start planning the big day.  If you are thinking of celebrating your wedding in the open air, then you should bear in mind the following points:

• The choice of place is very important and the easiest option is to celebrate the wedding and the banquet in the same place.  Furthermore, the wedding decoration should also match the surroundings.  Visit different places until you find the one that best fits your desires.   It could be a special place for the two of you, which holds memories for you.  The essential thing is that it makes you feel comfortable.
• Rural houses or campsites are a good option for this type of wedding as they allow you to enjoy the freedom of the countryside, but provide certain comforts such as electricity, bathrooms, etc.  In the event of there not being any of these, you will need to hire portaloos and a generator.
  
  
  
  
  
• The ceremony could be beneath a large tree, in a small chapel or in front of it, in a large field, wherever you most fancy.  Whatever the choice, make sure that the guests can arrive without any difficulty.  For the altar, you could order an arch of flowers, rent a gazebo or if you like DIY, put together a wooden structure.
• If the ceremony is going to be very short, the guests can remain standing but it would be better to have some seats. They could be chairs or benches (which can be rented) or if you prefer something that goes with the surroundings, how about some tree trunks or bales of straw?
  
  
  
  
  
• You could opt for a more informal style of banquet, such as a picnic with blankets laid out on the floor, or you could rent tables and chairs and prepare a buffet.  If you should hire a caterer to serve food, they can provide the necessary furniture.  If you prefer, you can take charge of the menu yourselves by preparing sandwiches, appetizers, salads, etc.  Don't forget to ask your family and friends for help.
• Make sure that you have a Plan B, such as a marquee, in case it rains.
  
  
  
  
  
• Launch yourselves into the wonderful world of DIY and pick natural flowers to decorate the chairs for the ceremony or for the centrepieces.  That way, you can give each important detail a personal touch and make the day all the more yours.
• As for the wedding favours, you could opt for natural products typical of the region: marmalade, cheese, wine, sweets, honey, or a small hamper with a little of everything.