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"Just like Prom night, the dress is the most important thing. Once the bride has the dress, it is all downhill from there." Not to scare the wedding bubbles out of all the future brides out there, but it is not all about the dress. Dress shopping should be one of the first things the Bride does during her trek towards walking down the aisle assuming the proposal has already occurred. Dresses for the bridesmaids and tuxes for the Groom and attendants should also be chosen during this time to ensure plenty of time for alterations.

The bridal party customarily pays for their own garments and alterations. The wedding rings should be purchased and sent off for sizing about the same time as choosing wedding attire. But the wedding attire is the easy part. The wedding process is much more apt to give the Bride and Groom "jitters" when they look at the big picture.

It is customary for the Bride's family to take care of the expenses and planning for the actual wedding day and the Groom's family's responsibility for the wedding rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal dinner is usually the evening before the wedding day where immediate family, wedding party and special guests gather to have a relaxing evening, dinner and toasting. Be wary of providing a full bar for the evening to avoid a hung over wedding cast but for those guests who wish a cocktail or two, open the bar as guests arrive. Have a cocktail hour allowing everyone to arrive and mingle. Passed appetizers are a wonderful idea to keep guests happy until dinner and the alcohol consumption to a minimum. Once guests have arrived, seat them for dinner. Close the bar but still have drinks available table side when requested. Passing wine with dinner is always a good idea. After dinner, champagne can be passed to guests for toasting.

The rehearsal and wedding menus and venues should be chosen at least six months prior to the event. In some cases, popular wedding venues are booked as far as a year in advance. When setting your wedding date, check with your list of possible venues for the rehearsal dinner and the reception and select a date that they are available. A deposit is the norm to secure the venues and most will require damage deposit and cleaning fees as well. Depending on the venue, tables and chairs may be available and included in your rental fees. If the venue does not have their own, they will help you order rentals to be delivered and set up for buffet tables, seated tables, bars and seating.

After your date

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