Any couples you know who are recently married or planning their own wedding can be
invaluable in planning. Local couples will be especially helpful, but
even a long-distance couple can help you work out some of the logistics.
Other Couples' Wedding Pages
If you're planning your own web page, or would just like to see what other
engaged couples are doing, other couples' personal pages are a good place to
start. Personal web pages also often include little extras, from directions for
wedding-related crafts to ideas for wedding favors. It's also great to look at
all the photographs on many of these sites, in order to get ideas for dresses,
decorations, etc. You never know, you just might find someone who is in your
area listing local wedding resources. To find some great personal pages, visit
our webrings page.
Wedding Planners and Coordinators
This includes not only the full-time coordinators you can hire to handle all the
details, but also coordinators that work for reception and ceremony sites and bridal
shops. They may know just the place where you can get that elaborate cake you're
looking for. Take their advice with a grain of salt, however: some coordinators or
planners are paid to recommend certain vendors.
Wedding Magazines
Publications, especially local publications, can be very helpful in locating vendors
or getting a handle on planning. Like planners and coordinators, though, be careful of
recommendations in magazines. They are often motivated more by money than merit. In
some magazines, the articles are just thinly veiled advertisements. Use these as a
jumping-off point for a list of vendors to contact for more information. Then do your
own homework to find out which ones are worthy of praise.
Wedding Newsgroups
Personally, newsgroups are my favorite source of wedding planning information.
Frequented by engaged couples, newlyweds, vendors, and those who just love the romance of
weddings, the newsgroups are an endless well of ideas for all areas of planning. Topics
range from invitation etiquette to how to use the bathroom in a wedding gown, and
everything you can think of in between. If you have never visited these two newsgroups,
please sit back and read for a while before participating (this is called lurking). By
doing so you will get a feel for the climate and culture of the newsgroup, which will help
you to form more amiable relationships within the groups by following the group norms.
The 2 groups are alt.wedding and soc.couples.wedding. Don't have access to newsgroups
through your service provider? Visit Deja News for
easy, personalized access.
The Yellow Pages
Either online or the paper version, the phone book can be another jumping-off place for
making initial lists of vendors to contact. One caveat: don't assume the biggest ad is
the best in the field. Some vendors may save money on advertising by doing great work and
getting endless word-of-mouth.
Books About Weddings
There are a million of 'em. My favorite is Bridal Bargains
by Denise and Alan Fields
(click on the title to get info on the book from
Amazon.com). They give you the inside tip on how to save and how to protect yourselves
from unscrupulous vendors. Also visit their web page
for continuously updated information.
There are a ton of other books at your local library or bookstore. For a list of other wedding books available on Amazon.com, click here.
The Better Business Bureau
Call them up to find out if your potential vendors have any complaints listed against
them.
Find more wedding resources on Amazon.com!
