Planning Your Wedding. Some things to concider

A wedding ceremony is an outward statement of a committed relationship and an officiant can help personalize that statement. If you belong to a church or have a religious affiliation you may want to consider choosing a reverend or other clergyperson from your place of worship to officiate the ceremony. If you desire general religious themes in your wedding but do not necessarily want to reference a specific religion or have a traditional religious ceremony, there are other officiants that can help you create a customized wedding ceremony. Otherwise, a civil servant can officiate the wedding if you want a ceremony without any religious content.

expert tip
When trying to personalize and coordinate your wedding, do not worry about choosing your colors and making those the building blocks of your theme. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas, look to other areas of inspiration. Is there a particular accessory you simply must include? Start coordinating your wedding around that instead.
vows
Another way to personalize your ceremony is through your vows. Some ambitious couples write their own vows. If you intend to do this, discussyour plans with your officiant so you can include any particular wording thatmay be necessary. Ask the officiant if he or she has any suggestions or has seenanything from previous ceremonies that you might want to include. If marryingin a church, find out if there are any conditions about personalized vows.

after the ceremony
Directly after the ceremony your guests can celebrate your union by launching rice as you brave the crowd of well-wishers. Rice is not as popular as it once was. Some churches simply do not allow rice since their small size makes them tricky to clean up. If you are not allowed to use rice or just want to do something different, try personalizing this aspect of your ceremony by providing real or silk flower petals for your guests to throw. Packets of birdseed work well too, and you don’t have to worry about clean up! Blowing bubbles is absolutely beautiful, but warn guests that they potentially stain silk clothing.
Other brides and grooms opt to have their guests release helium-filled balloons, butterflies or doves. White doves can provide a breathtaking image. Doves are a wellknown symbol of peace, but they also represent purity, love, unity and spirit. Available for release year-round, these doves are not left defenseless in the wild, but return directly to their aviary after released. Pyrotechnicians can add a dramatic effect by lighting the night sky with a variety of colorful fireworks, or your guests can carry sparklers to light the way.

nontraditional weddings
destination weddings
Travel agents confirm an increase in the number of couples that want to plandestination weddings. One travel agent has found that many couples lead very busy lives and do not have the time or energy to plan the extravagant wedding they want. Instead, they are turning to their local travel agents for wedding help.
Resorts usually have complete wedding packages, but are sometimes restrictive on who can come. For example, if you want to invite children to your wedding, you will have to make arrangements at someplace other than a “couples only” resort. One agent advises that you compile a list of people you think could come. Your agent can then find a resort to accommodate you.
Travel agents are essential when planning destination weddings. They can arrange the wedding date, time, and transportation details. They will also coordinate the trip for all your guests by getting passports, visas, and other paperwork in order. Your travel agent can help make your wedding an event you will never forget!
theme weddings
Theme weddings are not as common as you might think from watching weddings on television or looking through national bridal magazines, probably because many brides hear “theme wedding” and immediately assume “tacky.” One bridal consultant we talked to insists this does not have to be the case. Oftentimes,choosing a theme can make other wedding decisions easier to make. Themes can be as simple as a particular season or item from nature, or as elaborate as a particular historical era or ethnic celebration.