Weddings
Don’t let the joy of your wedding be overshadowed by the stress of planning. Our Weddings Web Guide uncovers some great resources for spouses-to-be, whether you’re just looking for inspiration or want close guidance during all stages of planning and preparation.
Expand All Guide SectionsWedding Ideas
Outdoor or indoor? Religious or secular? Day or evening? Catering hall or city hall? Using the Web, you'll find loads of wedding ideas and inspiration to start planning your wedding.
Insights for Wedding Ideas
- Have a friend (or member of the wedding party) who needs a date to your wedding? Check out our findingDulcinea Dating Web Guide for some dating advice and Web sites, and you might just help your friend find a future fiance.
Top Sites for Wedding Ideas
For sites bursting with wedding ideas ...
Brides.com
has a color studio that might help you choose your color palate, while the "Real Weddings" section has lots of photos from other weddings to get you inspired.
Martha Stewart Weddings
offers plenty of information about every aspect of your wedding: flowers, dress, favors, etiquette, wedding themes and more. Look for instructional videos to help you do parts of your wedding yourself (such as favors for your guests).
The Knot
provides inspiration for every aspect of your wedding, starting with the very first detail—your engagement ring (check out the engagement ring builder). On The Knot TV, you can view fashion shows, how-to's and other videos for wedding ideas anytime you like.
For blogs that provide wedding inspiration ...
Bridalwave
gives you plenty of inspiration for all of your wedding accessories: the dress, the cake, the rings and more. It also provides suggestions for the groom.
Something Old, Something New
has lots of products and design inspiration for weddings. You'll find wedding book reviews, suggestions for honeymoon destinations—even some do-it-yourself ideas for decorations.
Offbeat Bride
provides inspiration for those couples who don't want a traditional wedding ceremony or reception. Browse photos of, for example, pink hair/teal dress combos or weddings that take place in a cemetery. You'll also find links to vendors that can make your offbeat wedding dreams come true.
Wedding Planning
Many couples attempt to plan their wedding ceremony or reception. Even the most organized wedding novice can get themselves into quite a mess trying to keep all of the details straight. Online you'll find plenty of wedding planning tips, along with some great tools to help you stay on top of even the smallest details.
Insights for Wedding Planning
- Online spreadsheets can help you track wedding details and allow access for many users, so you can collaborate more easily. Google Docs is a free service that can work well for this purpose.
- Starting your own Web site is a great way to keep all your guests and members of the wedding party up-to-date on the latest wedding developments. A blog is an easy way to do this, thanks to sites like Blogger and WordPress, but there are also places to go to start a wedding-specific site. We've listed our favorites below.
Top Sites for Wedding Planning
For wedding planning advice ...
Weddingbee
is the collaborative blog of soon-to-be brides. Read about their wedding planning experiences and learn from their mistakes. You'll get real advice about food, clothes, music, the ceremony, the honeymoon and more.
Bridal Guide
is a comprehensive wedding site with sections devoted to wedding planning, etiquette and traditions, and advice.
For etiquette advice ...
OurMarriage.com
has a "Wedding Etiquette" section that helps you determine who traditionally pays for what, what the responsibilities of each person in the wedding party are and more.
Frugal Bride
contains an "Etiquette Do's & Don'ts" section that covers issues like who pays for what, gifts, second marriages and more.
For wedding planning tools ...
Wedding Tracker
creates wedding Web sites to help you keep track of every detail. After a two-week free trial, the service costs $60 for one year. Wedding Tracker is a division of The Knot.
WeddingChannel.com
has several tools to help you plan your wedding. You'll need to register with the site for free to access the tools.
Wedding Mapper
lets you create a Google map of all the events of your wedding, complete with the ability to add photos, driving directions or links to other sites to help your guests figure out where to go.
SimpleSeating
helps you create seating charts for your wedding. The free package allows you to seat up to 50 guests but for a paid package (starting at around $20), you can manage more events and seat up to 350 guests.
For printable checklists ...
Bliss
has a few printable checklists that should help every member of the wedding party keep track of what they need to do for the big day.
WhatHappensNow
has a list of things that should be in a wedding day emergency kit to help the bride, groom or anyone in the wedding party stay happy and spotless before the big event.
Wedding Services
There are tons of wedding services out there and finding the ones that are right for you can be a chore. Let the Web sites below point you to the best places to find wedding planners, wedding photographers, wedding favors and more.
Insights for Wedding Services
- If you haven't found a vendor for some part of your wedding, try using an online directory like Yellowpages.com to help you find local florists, photographers and more.
Top Sites for Wedding Services
To find a wedding coordinator or consultant ...
Frugalbride.com
helps you choose a wedding coordinator. Find out if you need one, what one will do for you, questions to ask when interviewing coordinators and what should be included in your contract of service.
Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants
trains and certifies wedding coordinators. Search their database of wedding consultants to locate a member in your area (though not every state is included).
June Wedding, Inc.
allows you to search for wedding professionals by category and area (although not every state is listed). Choose the "Consultants/Coordinators/Planners" category to begin your search.
To find and choose vendors ...
Brides.com
has helpful guides that walk you through many of the important purchases and decisions for your wedding.
Project Wedding
has vendor reviews and planning tips to help you find what you need for your wedding day. Find your location to narrow your search.
For photography ...
About.com
has a list of "must-take" wedding photographs so that you can make sure you don't miss a thing when documenting your wedding day.
Digital Photography School
has a blog entry called "21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographer" that proves very useful for couples using a friend to shoot the photos rather than a professional.
Wedding Invitations and Wedding Favors
Unless you're eloping, you'll need to round up some guests and think about wedding favors. Use these sites to find wedding invitations and wedding favors that reflect your true personality.
Insights for Wedding Invitations and Wedding Favors
- Did you know that you can customize the stamps for your invitations or wedding announcements? See the U.S. Postal Service Web site for more information.
- Most stores with gift registries let you register online. Guests can then visit the store's Web site and see what you've registered for. Some stores even let you print or order registry cards to include in your invitations.
Top Sites for Wedding Invitations and Wedding Favors
For wedding invitation advice and etiquette ...
Verse it
is the site to consult before you send out engagement announcements or wedding invitations. You'll find proper invitation etiquette, suggested wording for invitations and announcements, and tips on how to address envelopes properly.
To buy wedding invitations ...
Wedding Paper Divas
has a great selection of very chic wedding invitations. Order invites, response cards, shower invites, save-the-date notices and more.
The White Aisle
makes custom wedding invitations that have a very old-fashioned and elegant look. This is an excellent choice for couples looking for very traditional wedding invitations.
MyGatsby
might be especially useful for those on a tight budget. Along with discount wedding invitations and other stationery, MyGatsby has some invitations that you can buy card stock for and print at home.
For an alternative to snail mail ...
eVite
might be a way to go if you're looking to save on invitations and postage. You'll be able to customize an electronic invitation, send it out to all guests at once and then track the RSVPs online.
To buy wedding favors ...
Beaucoup
not only has wedding favors and supplies (such as decorations, bridal shower gifts and silver wedding keepsakes) but also provides couples with wedding ideas and themes.
Your Wedding Favors
maintains a catalogue of more than 2,000 wedding favors and wedding and honeymoon accessories. Use the search box or hover your mouse over the "shop wedding accessories" link to see a breakdown of merchandise.
My Wedding Favors
has favors for wedding guests, bridesmaids and groomsmen to help make the gift-giving aspect of your wedding as easy as possible. Sort the available favors by wedding theme, season or price.
Weddings on a Budget
Having a memorable wedding shouldn't mean putting yourself in financial ruin for years to come. More and more people are choosing to plan weddings on a budget. Learn how with the sites below.
Insights for Weddings on a Budget
- Buying some items used can help you save money on your wedding. Try eBay or a classified ad site such as Craigslist to find what you need.
- Our findingDulcinea Bargain Hunting Web Guide is chock-full of tips on how to save money when shopping online.
- Eloping is one way to significantly cut the cost of your wedding. Let's Run Off provides ideas, advice and help planning for your elopement.
Top Sites for Weddings on a Budget
For cost calculators and budget tracking ...
WeddingChannel.com
has several tools to help you plan your wedding, including a budget calculator. To use it, you'll have to sign up for a free account.
For tips to help you save money on the wedding ...
Sound Money Tips
has a blog entry with ideas to help you save money on your wedding. Take a look at the reader comments for more money-saving ideas.
DIY Bride
has blog entries that offer do-it-yourself (and often eco-friendly) wedding ideas. Find tips on using your iPod to DJ your wedding, Web resources to help you make your own invites and more.
To buy a used wedding gown ...
PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
sells used designer wedding dresses for reduced prices. After the wedding, you can recoup some of the cost and help out other brides by selling your dress here.
Marriage Laws
If you’re confused about marriage laws, changing your name or prenuptial agreements, find everything you need to know by looking at the Web sites we've included here.
Insights for Marriage Laws
- Because laws are constantly changing and marriage laws differ by state, make sure that any information you gather from the Web is up-to-date and pertains specifically to your place of residence. If you're unsure about any legality regarding your marriage or union, consider consulting a lawyer.
- Planning an international wedding? Consult the embassy for the country where you plan to marry for information about the legalities of getting married there; check for embassy Web sites at EmbassyWorld.com.
Top Sites for Marriage Laws
To help you with marriage laws and the legal process ...
FindLaw
links to the marriage and blood test requirements in all 50 U.S. states, and has resources to help you change your name. If you're interested in a prenuptial agreement, the site offers samples and forms.
Bridal Guide
offers legal advice on topics like getting a marriage license, cleaning up your credit and insurance options.
NOLO
covers prenuptial agreements and explains what they are and who uses them. Find links to other articles that can help you decide if a prenuptial agreement is right for you.
If you're planning a wedding in a foreign country ...
U.S. Department of State
offers helpful tips on the legal aspects of planning a wedding in a foreign country. Learn about the validity of marriages performed abroad, and find information on satisfying local laws in your wedding location. Some country-specific marriage information is also available.
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
