It is easy to get caught up in the idea of a fancy wedding and all the trappings. It is all about the dress, the ring, the food. Will the banquet hall big enough to hold the hundreds of guests that will pour through the doors eating your food, drinking liquor, and hopefully giving you enough in gifts to cover it all?

Why do it? It is a special day. You want it to be memorable. But do you want to remember the stress of planning your wedding? The friends and family you lost over hurt feelings? Here are five tips to keep your wedding simple and meaningful:

1. KISS. Keep it simple sweetheart. All the fancy stuff won’t make your marriage any better. It is the bond you will be creating with your beloved that is important. Trim down the trappings to the essence of the day.
2. It is your wedding not theirs. Even if you’re parents are paying for your wedding keep in mind that it is still your day. If they insist on paying- be thankful but clear that this is your wedding. Set a simple budget and establish loving ground rules for what the day. If your sisters want a big party thank them for the idea and do what you want.
3. It is the money honey. Weddings are expensive. All that food and drink, the catering hall adds up to the down payment on your first home. Trim down the guest list. Eliminate a couple of attendants. Have a town car instead of limo. Separate the fantasy from the reality and create a workable budget.
4. Elope. I know the idea is absolutely scandalous. But remember the wedding is not about the event, it is the commitment you are making to another to spend the rest of your life together in wedded bliss. Couples have had fabulous and fun Las Vegas weddings. Get a Justice of the Peace and visit the park where you proposed. You can have a dinner party afterward to celebrate with family and friends.
5. Wear comfortable shoes. You will thank me for this piece of advice at the end of the day. Brides can wear heels for the service and change into decent and great looking flats for the dinner or reception. The groom should break in his shoes before the day. Happy feet mean a happy couple. Your day will be really memorable if you are not in pain.

Spend some time with your beloved and discuss your expectations for the wedding day and the marriage to follow. When you know the kind of marriage you want to have it will be much easier to plan a wedding that represents your love and commitment to each other.

As the popular wedding season is now upon us, there are many wedding related topics in which future brides and grooms are interested. One such wedding topic relates to where to hold the reception after the exchange of nuptials. A wedding banquet hall is a great place to hold this festive event and there are a few tips engaged couples can follow to help ensure that they choose the best one.

Shop Around to Produce the Best Possible Options

Perhaps one of the most important tips to keep in mind in order to find the best wedding banquet hall is to survey your options in depth. There are many banquet halls and event facilities in existence these days which will make the perfect setting for your wedding reception. By visiting various places and seeing all that they have to offer, the engaged couple can get a good idea of what is available to them and choose the best option in the end. It is a good idea to call the establishment prior to visiting in order to set up an appointment with the individual in charge of wedding reception planning. This way you will have someone to speak with, and he or she will be prepared to provide you with not only option lists but a guided tour as well.

Ask Friends and Family Members for Recommendations

Recommendations from people you know are a great way of learning which places might be the best ones to hold your wedding reception. The good thing about recommendations is that they are the result of unbiased opinions from individuals who truly know how good, or bad, a place might be when it comes to choosing a wedding banquet hall. Since weddings happen quite frequently, one is sure to know someone in their local area who can recommend or dissuade the couple from selecting a particular wedding banquet hall.

Find the Best Value for Your Money

It is also wise to obtain a price list and option list from the potential wedding banquet halls which you are considering to host your wedding reception. By having written lists from each establishment, the couple can peruse the lists at their leisure and determine which banquet hall offers the most amenities for the money which will ultimately be spent on this often pricey yet special occasion. When looking over the lists, try to determine what all you are looking for in a wedding banquet hall and determine which place offers the most options for the price range which you are hoping to stay within. Affordable banquet halls in Illinois.

The wedding banquet is one of the most significant events for many wedding couples in Chicago. Deciding on the venue to hold the perfect wedding can give many first-timers major headaches. In this article, we shall look at the things to take note when deciding on the venue to hold your wedding banquet.

Due to the high demand, wedding packages offered by hotels are usually booked one year in advance. This is especially true for those who like to hold their banquet on Friday night or Saturday. For many hotels and restaurants, the wedding packages are usually more expensive on the weekends. If you are trying to cut cost as much as possible, it is wise to consider having your Chicago Wedding Venues and banquet on weekdays.

When choosing the venue, it is important to take note of the minimum as well as the maximum capacity for the ballroom or function room. While some hotels specify the minimum number of tables to be booked, others place a limit on the maximum seating capacity. It is wise to make a good estimate of the number of guests you expect before you proceed with the booking.

One of the important issues you have to clarify during the negotiation is how will the alcohol be charged. It is common for hotels to charge a corkage fee for every bottle of wine or champagne. However, you can always negotiate for free corkage or free flow of beer. The alcohol issue, if not handled properly, may cause you to blow your budget.

While most hotels offer one complimentary night stay in the bridal suite. If you are good at bargaining, you can try to request for two nights of complimentary stay. In some cases, you may get voucher for a free one night stay on your first anniversary.

Other details you may also want to take note are: the number of parking lots for confirmed guests, whether the usage of LCD projector and screen is complimentary or chargeable, any discounts for the food tasting session, will there be any venue decoration and whether dry ice effect can be added for your march in.

With engagement season in full swing, brides-to-be across the country are making decisions on every detail of their big day, from ceremony dates to napkin colors. With limited planning time and hundreds of details to consider, choosing a wedding reception venue can seem like an overwhelming task. Thankfully, for brides armed with the right tools, it does not have to be.

With so many things to think about, some couples rush into choosing a reception site without considering all of the details. Determine what your needs are first, and find a venue that will work with you to create your vision.

Before signing a contract, consider the following:

The Guest List: Some couples mistakenly pick a venue without considering how many people they plan to invite. Nail down a guest list tally, and then choose a venue with appropriate accommodations – not the other way around.

The Budget: A wedding reception often consumes more than half of the bride’s total budget (including catering and decorations). Consider potential fees for the room rental, catering, bar service, setup and teardown, and chair or linen rental.

Also be sure to ask about hidden fees, such as corking or cake-cutting. These are details many couples do not think to ask about, but are surprised by on their wedding day.

The Convenience: To cut expenses, consider a location that offers full-service wedding reception facilities, where basics like tables, chairs and linens are provided in the rental fee. A hotel with banquet facilities and room accommodations also reduces transportation headaches for out-of-town guests.

The Catering: Determine the type of food you plan to serve. Whether you envision a full meal, or just hors d’oevres or a dessert bar, consider whether the venue has in-house catering to accommodate your requests. If not, be sure to ask if the venue allows guests to use an outside caterer for a meal or dessert

The Decor: It might be difficult to picture how an empty reception site can be transformed for your wedding day. Ask to see photos from other wedding receptions held there, and find out what types of decorations are allowed.

Most importantly, choose a reception venue where you and your guests will receive excellent service. No bride-to-be wants to be stuck coordinating details at the last minute, and picking the right vendor ensures you will be able to kick back and celebrate with friends and family on the big day.