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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-02-14, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1990. PAGE 15. \1 VQR YOUR WEDDjjy^. Wedding countdown A checklist to help you organize your wedding SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AHEAD □Your first responsibility as a newly-engaged couple is to inform your families and close friends of your decision. Traditionally, the bride’s parents are informed first (and the groom may or may not go through the formality of asking her father’s permission), then the groom’s. If the families have not met before, a get-together should be arranged, usually by the groom’s family. An engagement party may be appropriate. □ Once the engagement is official, it’s time to decide tentatively, in consultation with both families, on the time and place of the wedding and reception. Together, you should also draw up a preliminary list of guests. □ Consult your priest, minister, rabbi, or other officiator to choose a firm date and time for the cere­ mony. There may be restrictions on the date (e.g., no weddings during Lent) or on the time of day (e.g., Jewish wedding ceremonies per­ formed on a Saturday must be delayed until at least one hour after sunset). If a civil ceremony is planned, a licence can be obtained much later (see Three Months). □ Budget for the wedding, recep­ tion, clothes, honeymoon, etc. Whereas in the past, the bride’s family undertook to pay the entire cost of the wedding, now both families, as well as the bride and groom themselves, are likely to share the expenses. □ As soon as the wedding date is set, reserve a hotel, restaurant, hall, or tent (for outdoor weddings) for the reception. (For groups of more than 200 people, reservations should be made even more than a year in advance; for smaller wedd­ ings, the hall should be booked eight months to a year before the day.) □ Contract a photographer early since the best ones are often booked six months to a year in advance. You may want to have some engagement photos taken at this time. If you are planning to have a wedding video made, book a video photographer as well. □ If you want live music at the reception, enquire if the hall is unionized, then book an appropri­ ate band. Otherwise, book a DJ for the reception. FOUR TO SIX MONTHS AHEAD □ Contact a caterer (if your recep­ tion location does not offer a catering service) and decide on the budget, style of service, and menu. □Choose your attendants. Tradi­ tionally, there should be one usher for every 30 to 40 guests and a corresponding number of brides­ maids. These days, the number of ushers and bridesmaids does not have to be equal. □ Arrange for speakers at the reception. □The bride should shop for a gown and headpiece. If she intends to have her dress and the attendants’ dresses made, she should book a dressmaker and arrange for consul­ tations and fittings. □The groom should make rental arrangements for formal wear for himself and the ushers. The best man should help with this, and arrange for a final fitting two or three days before the wedding to allow for last-minute alterations. □ Order announcements and invi­ tations and acquire notepaper for thank-you letters. Also, consider printed matchbooks, napkins, cake boxes, order of service cards, and place cards for the reception. Hand-drawn maps showing the location of the ceremony and reception sites are useful, espe­ cially for out-of-town guests; these can be inexpensively printed. □Consult a travel agent and make travel and hotel reservations for the honeymoon. □ Discuss the invitation and an­ nouncement lists with both families and finalize them. THREE MONTHS AHEAD □If a marriage licence is required in the province where you are getting married, now is the time to go about obtaining it. Blood tests may also be required. □ In consultation with your officia­ tor, plan your wedding ceremony. The organist, if there is one, can help you select music for the service. You may wish to contract a soloist or other musician(s), or ask a musically talented friend to perform. □ Choose your china, crystal and flatware patterns and list these with the bridal registry at selected stores. You may also register such items as linens or small appliances, since some department stores and specialty stores (e.g., bed and bath boutiques) offer bridal registry services. □ Shop for wedding rings, or, if they are to be specially made, order them. □ If the cake is to be made by the bride or one of her relatives, it is important that this be undertaken early, and you should arrange to have it iced. Otherwise, you should order a cake, either a large dummy and pre-cut, pre-wrapped pieces to serve to guests, or a real cake, in which case you must make sure that the caterers can cut it expertly. Keep in mind that if it’s a traditional fruit cake, pieces may be sent as mementos to friends and relatives who could not attend the wedding. Also, part of the cake (usually the top tier) may be reserved for the first anniversary or christening. □ Compile a list of flower arrange­ ments required for the wedding and consult a florist regarding design, composition, and colour. Check with your ceremony officia­ tor about any restrictions regarding the kinds of flowers that can be used during certain religious festi­ vals. □Decide what beverages will be served and whether there will be an open or cash bar. If you reception is to take place in a hall, contact a wine and liquor representative to advise you on quantities. This free service usually includes arrange­ ments for liquor licence and deli­ very of supplies. Otherwise, the local liquor control board will give Continued on page 26