Carolyn Burke STL Blog

Here are 10 ways to avoid the whole wedding racket, or what I call “the wedding industrial complex .” 1.    Never lose sight of why you’re planning a wedding. You have chosen to spend your lives together—and that is a wonderful thing.  I have seen brides and grooms experience amnesia during the planning. They forget why they’re getting married and let the  stress overwhelm them. “Bridezilla” may be an exaggeration, but these women—and their crazy grooms—exist. The planning process is not always pretty. It can take over your life—if you let it. 2.   Think of wedding planning as a joint effort.  You and your mate should work on things together and have designated tasks (give him lists of things to do with due dates), but also do a lot together. It makes the process fun. 3.   Consider a  budget ahead of time and stick to it. Don’t let anyone persuade you to do something you don’t want. Consider what you could buy or invest in post-wedding....

Many wedding magazines, planners, and bridal shows provide a multitude of great ideas and resources to help make your day special. They focus on everything from hairdos and headpieces to transportation and can be a couple's best friend as they plan their special day. Carolyn Burke with Chris + Michelle But what really makes your day special is the ceremony. A wonderful ceremony will make for a wonderful celebration. A terrible ceremony may cast a shadow over the remainder of your day. So being prepared and taking care of the small details, before your ceremony begins, can reward you with fun and pleasure for the remainder of your momentous day. Below are a few suggestions; lessons I have learned to help you have a stress free ceremony. Arrive to the ceremony location early; 1 to 1 ½ hours early if you plan on taking pre-ceremony photographs. If possible it is a good idea for you to dress in the bridal room. If that is not possible it is still wise to arrive at leas...