Marcy Blum 
Wedding Planning For Dummies 

The bestselling wedding planning guide–now updated!

Congratulations, you’re planning a wedding! Besides obtaining a
fancy tuxedo and a stunning gown, organizing a wedding ceremony
takes creativity, planning, and diplomacy. The whole ordeal can
seem overwhelming at first, but with lots of guidance, you’ll plan
a wedding people will remember for ages.

Wedding Planning For Dummies demystifies and simplifies
all the details that go into the Big Day, providing inspiration and
innovative ideas to personalize your wedding celebration and, of
course, make it fun for everyone–especially you! Expert wedding
planner Marcy Blum walks you step-by-step through everything you’ll
encounter as you plan your wedding, from choosing a reception site
to picking a photographer–and everything in between.

* 20% new and updated content

* Keep track of expenses with a wedding budget

* Negotiate contracts and surf online for wedding deals

* Get those pesky financial technicalities out of the way

* Plan a weekend wedding, a themed wedding, same sex wedding, and
other celebrations

* Plan for various wedding customs and rites

* Throw a great reception with music, food, drink, and cake

* The 4-1-1 on the latest and greatest trends in wedding
registries, rings, photos, and the honeymoon

Packed with tips for saving money and common kitsch you should
avoid, this is the ultimate guide to satisfying everyone on the Big
Day–while making all of your fairytale dreams come true.

Table of Content

Introduction 1

Part I: First Things First 7

Chapter 1: First Steps to a Wedding to Remember 9

Chapter 2: Avoiding Those Wedding-Bill Blues 23

Chapter 3: Making It All Legal 39

Part II: Be Our Guest 51

Chapter 4: Venue Victories: Finding the Ideal Location 53

Chapter 5: By Invitation Only 73

Chapter 6: The Weekend Wedding 107

Chapter 7: Creating a Foolproof Wedding-Day Schedule 119

Chapter 8: Other Creative Celebrations 129

Part III: Ceremony Survival Guide 141

Chapter 9: Attending to Your Attendants 143

Chapter 10: Sensational Ceremonies 159

Chapter 11: Selecting the Perfect Florist and Arrangements
191

Chapter 12: Music to Get Married By 207

Part IV: A Rousing Reception 215

Chapter 13: Get Up and Dance 217

Chapter 14: What’s on the Menu? 231

Chapter 15: Let’s Drink to That 247

Chapter 16: A Piece of Cake 265

Chapter 17: Setting the Stage 275

Part V: Gifts, Garb, Pics, and Trips 299

Chapter 18: Greed Expectations and Registry Realities 301

Chapter 19: And the Bride Wore 313

Chapter 20: Rings That Rock 347

Chapter 21: For Posterity: Photos and Videos 359

Chapter 22: Handling the Honeymoon 377

About the author

Marcy Blum (New York, NY), is the co-author of previous editions and a world-renowned event planner who has orchestrated lavish functions for Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Billy Joel and Katie Lee, the Rockefeller family, and Regis and Joy Philbin. Blum is recognized by such publications as New York magazine, who named Marcy their first (and only) ‘Best Wedding Planner.’ She frequently contributes her expertise in food, entertaining and decorating as a writer for In Style Weddings, Town & Country, and?Modern Bride. Blum is often featured and called upon as an industry leader for Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, People, and Brides, and has hosted segments on?The Today Show, Good Morning America, Live! With Regis and Kelly, Dateline and Top Chef.