Planning The Wedding - Part 3

Setting the date and time of your wedding can be a juggling act between doing what's best for your guests and getting the best rates for your budget.

The most economical times to hold a wedding are off-season and Friday and Sunday evenings. On the other hand, Sunday night means some people won't be able to work the next day, and Friday night means some people will have to leave work early.

In general, you want to pick a time that isn't going to cause a lot of scheduling conflicts for your guests. Family holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter/Passover, or July 4th, are not recommended, although other holidays such as Memorial Day or Labor Day may be better. Think of who you're inviting and their lifestyles. If there are a lot of students, consider when school breaks occur. If your guests are mostly families with young children, weeks reserved for vacations may cause conflicts.

You're not going to be able to do what's best for everyone, so in the end just consider the different factors and then check with the people you most care about to make sure they can attend.

Catering / Selecting a Menu

The first question you should ask is whether the location you have selected for the reception handles the food and catering services. If not, then you probably will want to hire a caterer. Set some budget guidelines and consider what you would like to see on your menu before you start shopping.

The menu will vary depending on the time of day of your reception. It can consist of a morning champagne breakfast or buffet brunch, with breakfast foods and salads on the menu, or it can be a mid-afternoon or early-evening tea and buffet affair, with mini-sandwiches, pastas, salads, and coffees and teas. If it's in the early evening, you may want cocktails followed by a three- or four-course meal. For a late evening reception, hors d'oeuvres and a light dinner may be desired.

When considering a buffet or a sit-down dinner, there is often little difference in cost. While the sit-down dinner requires more staffing, a buffet usually includes more food because you want the buffet table to look inviting.

When interviewing caterers, find out what services the caterer provides. Some include little more than food, while others include tables, linens, flowers, liquor, and cake. Do more than look at the menus: Sample their food.

Here are some other tips:

• Get referrals from friends and family. If the site of your reception is not supplying catering services, they may be able to supply referrals.
• Check references through local business organizations and associations and through the Better Business Bureau.
• If you can visit an event the caterer is hosting, do so.
• Find out what happens if you need to cancel or are not satisfied with the service. Make sure it is in writing.
• As with all the other services you will be hiring, get the terms of service and prices in the form of a written contract.

Making it Legal

At least a month before the wedding, the couple should start thinking about obtaining a marriage license. Rules vary from state to state, and most require some type of waiting period for blood tests and physical examinations. To find out about local requirements, the couple should ask the officiant of the service, or the city or county clerk's office where the ceremony will be held. It is at the clerk's office that the couple can obtain the license, which needs to be signed by the officiant, the bride and groom, and two witnesses before it is considered legal.

If the couple is married abroad, the couple should consult the country's consulate in the United States to find out what requirements are necessary for legally marrying in that country. The United States will not recognize a marriage unless it is legal in the country in which the ceremony is performed.