Wedding Day Emergency Kit

If you're lucky, you won't have ANY wedding day emergencies...but very few brides are that lucky. The good news is that even though almost every wedding day is marred by some catastrophe, the things that go wrong are usually relatively minor. Think scuffed shoes rather than serious sunstroke.

Instead of worrying about what could happen on the day you say, "I Do," why not create a wedding day emergency kit? There are pre-made kits you can buy that contain drugstore samples and sewing kits, but it's usually cheaper to put one together yourself. If you plan on making them for all your 'maids, you can put the money you save toward cute personalized bridesmaid bags!

Here are some of the items brides-to-be usually pack in their wedding day emergency kit:

__Band-Aids
__Aspirin or other pain relievers
__Antacids
__Antihistamines
__Upset stomach medicines such as Pepto-Bismol
__Feminine hygiene products
__Stain removal
__Sewing tape or masking tape
__Sewing kit and safety pins
__Extra buttons
__Extra earring backs
__Extra pantyhose
__Mouthwash or breath mints
__Floss, toothpaste, and toothbrush
__Perfume or cologne
__Deodorant
__Bobby pins
__Straight pins
__Small scissors
__Lint brush
__Tweezers
__Make-up remover
__Cotton swabs or balls
__Tissues
__Wet wipes
__Hand lotion

But your own wedding day emergency kit should be unique because the contents will depend on your needs. Not wearing makeup? Then you won't need makeup remover. Allergic to perfume? Don't put any in, of course -- you don't want your emergency kit becoming the emergency.

Find out what else you might want to pack in your wedding day emergency kit in the preceding link!

Honeymoon Savings Tips

A lot of people don't realize that the $30,000 wedding price tag they see everywhere includes everything from the engagement ring to the honeymoon. The post-nuptial trip can be pretty expensive, all told -- the cost includes airfare, hotel stays, dining out, and all the other splurges we associate with luxury travel.

Keeping that in mind, how can a money-minded couple keep costs down? Try these honeymoon savings tips on for size:

When booking a hotel room never mention your membership discount privileges (AAA, AARP, military, government, etc.) until after you have been told the room rate.

Upscale hotels charge for just about everything: Telephone calls, breakfast, internet, sometimes gym privileges…Most of their guests are traveling on expense accounts and don't put up a fuss. But mid-range hotels tend to include that stuff for free. When in doubt, ask before it's too late.

Before booking room over the phone, check the hotel's site for its 'Web-only" rate.

Bring a cooler on road trips. Stocked with ice, drinks, snacks, the cooler will save you time and money on your trip.

It's often cheaper to buy a ticket to London and then fly onward to other European destinations via a regional low-cost airline like EasyJet (easyjet.com) and Bmibaby (bmibaby.com).

By joining the free Playbill Club at Playbill.com, you can find half-priced theater tickets in New York and other U.S. cities without standing in line at a theater kiosk or waiting to buy tickets on the day of the performance.

Easy, right? Sometimes saving money requires real legwork, but a lot of savings strategies are no more complicated than asking for a discount. The worst someone can say is "Sorry, no."

Click for more sweet honeymoon savings tips!

Wedding Terms and Definitions

Planning a wedding means learning a new language. Sure, it's easier than picking up Japanese, but there's still an awful lot to learn! Figuring out what all the new words mean can take a while, and while a lot of what you hear will likely be familiar to you, there will definitely be words that make you scratch your head.

Have you, for example, ever heard of these wedding terms and definitions I found at Smart Wedding Planning?

Snood: A snood is an knitted net the bride may wear at the back of her head to enclose her hair.

Imam Zamin: This is a good luck tradition after a Moslem wedding where the mother of the bride ties a coin that is wrapped in silk around her daughter's arm.

Euro Tie: Often worn with a spread collar, this is a long tie that is more formal than a regular necktie, but less so than an ascot.

Biedermeier: A type of posy where the flowers are arranged in rings according to their color.

Wow, confusing right? Don't worry -- you'll get used to the wedding jargon pretty quickly! You can find even more wedding terms and definitions at the preceding link.

Shopping For Your Wedding Gown

TIP 1: When you go shopping for your wedding gown, don't bring ALL six bridesmaids and your mother. If you bring too many people shopping, it can be VERY CONFUSING. Try shopping with just one or two people...preferably people who will give you an honest opinion!

TIP 2: If you're buying your wedding dress and bridesmaids' attire and mother-of-the-bride's dress from a bridal shop… try and purchase ALL of the dresses from the same shop. They'll usually give you a pretty good discount off the dresses or free alterations. If nothing else, buying everything at one shop will be convenient and potentially easier on everyone involved.

TIP 3: When you go shopping for your dress, so what you can to look your BEST. Sometimes even the most beautiful gown, won't look "right" when your hair is a mess and you're wearing sweat socks. You may not be able to wrap a sweet French twist, but you can put your hair up in a neat ponytail!

TIP 4: Trust YOUR instincts and you'll know exactly when you've found THE DRESS. Don't let anyone pressure you to buy a dress that doesn't feel right.

Shopping for your wedding gown should be fun, not stressful! If you're not having a good time, then grab your team, leave the bridal salon, and go cool off over a latte. The shop will still be there tomorrow, and as long as the dress you like is current, the salesladies will be able to order you one. More than anything, don't feel pressured to buy immediately -- unless your wedding is in a few short months, you probably have plenty of time.

Click for more tips you can use when shopping for your wedding gown

Gifts for the groom don't have to be complicated

Everyone knows about bridesmaids gifts and groomsmen gifts, but far fewer newly engaged couples are familiar with the bride's gift and the groom's gift. No one knows where the tradition came from -- it may be new and it may be old -- but it's a nice way to calm frazzled nerves and soothe away tension just before the wedding.

The groom-to-be usually has it pretty easy because he can get away with buying a piece of jewelry if he's at a loss. The bride doesn't get off so easily! Men, as you may know, can be pretty hard to shop for. The good news is that gifts for the groom don't have to be complicated. It's likely that your groom will dig anything that he's been eying for his groomsmen.

Here are four cool, dude-friendly ideas:

A personalized humidor
A fancy shaving set
A steak branding iron (no kidding!)
A real personalized pocket watch

Want to know more? Smart Wedding Planning has put together a short primer on gifts for groomsmen, and you can draw some more ideas from there. Now start shopping!

Choosing A Wedding Reception Site

Choosing a wedding reception site isn't as easy as you might think. Most couples have never rented a commercial event facility. With that in mind, here are some of the questions the staff at Smart Wedding Planning recommend you ask when looking for and ultimately choosing a wedding reception site:

• How much will it cost to use the site?
• What are the deposit requirements?
• What are the conditions of cancellation?
• Is there a payment schedule or plan?
• Is there a reception package?
• If there is, how much does it cost?
• What is included and what is not included?
• What "extras" cost how much?
• How long can I have the site?
• Is there a minimum?
• Is there an overtime fee?
• What is the overtime fee?
• Is your party the only party? Or is there one before or after?
• If there is, will there be sufficient time to clean, prepare, and redecorate the site?

Once you've chosen a site that meets your needs, don't forget to get all the details in writing. Contracts can be hard to understand, but if you read carefully and make sure all the important information is there, both you and the reception site will be protected. Good contracts benefit both parties entering into a deal!

Click for more questions you need to ask when choosing a wedding reception site

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Officiant

Just as with all your other wedding vendors, the officiant you choose should harmonize with your personal style and the type of wedding ceremony that you'd like to have. For instance, the officiant you might choose for an informal wedding in the park may not be the same officiant you'd choose for a formal religious ceremony in a church.

Your officiant may ask to meet with you several times before the wedding to discuss your feelings about love, marriage, commitment and sometimes your religious beliefs. Now, we can't help you with that -- but we can point you toward a great list of questions to ask your wedding officiant so you make the very best choice.

Go check it out!

The History of the Wedding Cake

Why white? Why tiered? Why do the bride and groom feed each other?! We hear these questions A LOT, especially from brides- and grooms-to-be who aren't so keen on the idea of white cake with pudding or fruit filling. It's true that wedding cake can be pretty boring, but the history of the wedding cake is anything but!

The first "cakes" were actually just loaves of bread that guests brought to break over the bride's head, thus ensuring that the newlyweds would have plenty of babies. That tradition evolved until guests were stacking actual cakes...and the happily married couple had to kiss over the pile without knocking it over.

It was only in the 1600s that an enterprising French chef transformed that pile of pastries into the tiered cakes we typically see at modern weddings. After that, cakes became standard wedding fare. Its only competition was the bride's pie, a savory dish filled with mutton and a glass ring, of all things. The lady who found the ring would be the next to marry...and in need of a dentist!

Click to learn more about wedding cakes

Unusual Wedding Favors

It may be difficult to believe, but choosing wedding favors will probably prove almost as difficult as choosing your local wedding vendors. It used to be as easy as buying some Jordan almonds or monogrammed matchbooks, but not anymore! The first decision you'll need to make is whether you want personalized wedding favors, edible wedding favors, practical wedding favors, or DIY wedding favors.

Some cool brides go a different route and choose unusual wedding favors. What makes a wedding favor unusual, you ask? Anything that's decidedly different...think favors that aren't silver picture frames, candles, or wedding bubbles. How about:

Asian wedding favors, like sake cups or cherry blossom chopsticks
Wine wedding favors, like a heart shaped wine stopper
Golf wedding favors, like personalized golf balls
Eco-friendly wedding favors, like plantable seed packets

Unusual wedding favors aren't for everyone -- and there's no guarantee some guests won't be a little confused by your choice -- but they're a great option for those brides- and grooms-to-be who want to personalize their reception and send their loved ones home with something really special and unique.

(Learn more about wedding favors here)

All Time Favorite Wedding Movies

Now that you're engaged there are so many things to start thinking about: choosing your bridesmaids, finding a wedding reception site, picking out wedding favors, finding the best local wedding services...

Before you know it the wedding stress starts to set in.

Here's what to do when that happens. Sit back, pop some popcorn, and watch one of these all time favorite wedding movies.

Enjoy!