Plan Your Ceremony Playlist with these Popular Wedding Ceremony Songs

From the moment the guests file in, your music has the power to set the tone for your ceremony. With such a variety of options available and so much riding on the selection, choosing your wedding ceremony music can seem a daunting task.

This list of popular wedding ceremony songs will get you started. It lists popular song selections by ceremony section; prelude, processional,bride's entrance, recessional, etc. - which makes things super easy for you.

Once you've planned your ceremony selections - don't stop there. The same guide lists all popular wedding songs for the reception too!

How to Find the Right Bridal Shoes for Your Wedding Day

The shoes you wear on your wedding day will affect not only your overall look – but your comfort level as well – so brides will want to choose wedding shoes with care.

This article details four easy steps to finding the right wedding shoes. Below are the steps the article walks you through for the perfect pair of kicks to finish off your wedding ensemble:

1) Choose Your Shoe Fabric - the article explains that while satin and silk are the most common, there isn't any rule that brides have to wear cloth shoes.

2) Choose your Color - White is the obvious choice, but some brides are opting to be a bit more original, donning metallics or even using their shoes as their "something blue."

3) Go For Comfort - the article offers some useful tips on ensuring comfortable shoes, including shoe pads, breaking them in, and even wearing more than one shoe.

4) Choose Your Style - some tips to go by: follow the season, complement your dress and the formality of the wedding, and consider the surface you will be walking on at your ceremony and reception.

This complete guide to wedding accessories has even more advice on bridal shoes, veils, gloves, and headpieces.

Super Bowl Sunday and Other Wedding Dates to Avoid in 2009 and 2010

So you’re ready to set the date and want to pick one when all your nearest and dearest will be available and enthused to share in your wedding day. This list of 2009 and 2010 blackout wedding dates will help you avoid booking a wedding date that may inconvenience you and your guests. We're not saying that any of these days are off-limits, (and if you've got your heart set on one of them - go for it!), but you may want to check around before setting your wedding around these types of days (get the full wedding dates list here, including actual dates for all of these holidays/occurances in 2009 and 2010)

1) Days of Religious/Cultural Observance - i.e. Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Kwanzaa
2) Holidays/Three Day Weekends - i.e. Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day Weekend
3) Other Major Holidays - i.e. Valentines Day, Mother's Day
4) Major Sporting Events - i.e. Super Bowl, World Series
5) Potentially Unlucky days - i.e. Friday the 13th, Ides of March
6) Days of Remembrance - i.e. September 11, Pearl Harbor Day

How to Set up a Wedding Registry

Creating a wedding registry may seem self-serving, but it is actually a convenience to your wedding guests since it eliminates the guess work when picking out wedding gifts.
Before setting up your wedding gift registry, you will need to determine when to register, how to choose your stores, and what to register for. This wedding registry guide will walk you through the process. Here are some key bridal registry tips:

When to Create your Wedding Gift Registry
Aim to register at least 6 months before the wedding. Remember, there may be engagement parties, showers and other pre-wedding festivities where gift-giving is appropriate. Help out your guests by providing them with some options.

Where to Set up Your Bridal Registries
Think about what stores you like and patronize frequently. If you will be creating a more traditional bridal registry, a good bet is choosing an all-inclusive department store for items like china, glassware and flatware and also choosing a homegoods specialty store (Pier 1, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel etc.) There is no hard fast rule about the number of stores you can choose for your gift registry, but 2-4 is a good number. Before making your final selections, consider the store’s wedding registry policies:

Selection
Does the store carry an array of items and price ranges? More importantly, do you actually like their selection?

Service
Does the store have a registry department or handle a lot of wedding registries? If so, you can expect the store to be knowledgeable and able to offer guidance and assistance along the way.

Convenience
What is the purchase process like for your guests? Does the store have locations that are convenient for the majority of gift-givers? Will your bridal registry be available online? Can your list be faxed? How long will the gift registry be kept active after the wedding? (technically, it should be at least one year)

Updates
How long does it take for a purchased item to be reflected on your bridal registry? How easy is it for you to make modifications to your list?

Bonuses
Many stores offer a completion program, allowing the bride and groom to purchase anything left on their gift registry at a discount.

What to Register For
Again, there is no rule that says you have to fill your bridal registry with china and flatware. However, please remember that these wedding gifts will be with you for the rest of your life. Even if you are not the entertaining types and dinnertime takes place on the couch with paper plates, fast forward to holiday meals and social events of the future. It’s a good idea to have at least a set of 12 matching place settings - whether formal or casual - so that you won’t find yourself limited down the road.

Typical wedding registries are divided into: china (formal and everyday), stemware (formal and everyday), barware (formal and everyday), flatware (formal and everyday), linens, kitchen appliances and gift items. Review and print and bring this complete wedding registry checklist with you to your chosen stores.

How to Spread the Word About Your Wedding Registry
It is never appropriate for the bride and groom to include gift registry information with invitations. They can, however, be included in other pre-wedding party invitations—since the bride and groom typically do not host those. Tell your closest friends and family and anyone who asks where you are registered, and they will spread the word. If you have a wedding website, you can also post your bridal registry information there. For more etiquette advice, consult this complete wedding etiquette guide.

Wedding Traditions - Meanings behind Common Rituals Explained

Traditions and customs… modern weddings have tons of ‘em. Flowers, rice, something old, something blue..., you know the drill.

Have you ever thought about how all these wedding traditions originated or what they actually mean? I know I have. The folks at Elegala.com did some research to bring curious brides, grooms - and anyone interested - the the meaning behind some of the most popular wedding traditions and rituals, including the bridal shower, wedding rings, ring on the left hand, garter toss, wedding flowers, getaway car and many more.

Double Duty Wedding Flowers

Re-using ceremony arrangements at the reception can save money and reduce waste, but the logistics of removing and transporting cumbersome vases hinders many brides from putting the idea to practice. Answering the call are these stylishly-wrapped multifunctional paper flower pots that make it easy to invite ceremony wedding flowers to the reception.

Cathyswraps (TM) are versatile vase/wrap combos that can be hung from church pews or aisle chairs by punching a hole in the soft plastic and tying with a ribbon. The lightweight arrangements are easily untied post-ceremony and transported to the reception, either to be placed on tables as centerpieces, re-tied to chair backs, or even given away as wedding favors. Don’t fret if the plastic pots sound less than chic - the whimsical paper wraps stylize them in a variety of colors and patterns that can be customized to match any decor scheme.

Learn more about these reusable flower pots and get tons of other unique wedding ideas at the Unveiled Wedding Blog

Wedding Invitation Wording Examples for Nearly Every Scenario

Wording wedding invitations - it's the age-old etiquette dilemma. Gone are the days when wedding etiquette mandated that the bride’s parents, and the bride’s parent’s only, hosted the wedding. Today anyone can foot the bill, and with modern familial arrangements often anything but nuclear, there is no straightforward rule for wording invitations.

Thankfully, this exhaustive list of wording samples steps in to help. They've got wedding invitation wording examples for nearly every possible arrangement answer the question of how to word your invites.

Wedding Planners - What are the Types of Services Offered?

Thinking of Hiring a Wedding Planner? You’ve Got Plenty of Options…

While many orchestrate entire affairs from start to finish, professional planners can facilitate in a number of capacities. Costs vary: Some charge by the hour and others charge a flat fee depending on how much help you need.

This article offers a simple breakdown of the various types of professional wedding planning services. Read the article for a complete description of the services offered by each:

1) Full Planning

2) Partial Planning

3) Week of/Day of Planning

4) A la carte Services

This complete guide to hiring and working with a wedding planner offers budgeting advice and a planner checklist.

How to Plan Your Wedding Photography - The Basics

As one of the most important decisions you will make concerning the big day, planning your wedding pictures should be considered with care. This article on wedding photography tips offers a list of points to get you started towards capturing these priceless memories. Below are the 4 crucial steps outlined in the article (you'll want to visit the article for more detail and advice):

1) Select Your Photography Style
How do you envision your wedding photographs? Wedding Photographers generally fall into three stylistic categories: traditional, photojournalist, or a combination of both.

2) Consider the Cost
Expect to allocate at least $1000 to your Wedding Photography Budget (the bottom line in metro areas will be even higher).

3) Hire Your Wedding Photographer
Compile a list of potentials and commence the “meet and greet.”

4) Plan Your Wedding Pictures
Well before your wedding day, make sure you have considered the must-have photography shots and their execution.

Now that you know the basics - this complete wedding photography guide will walk you the rest of the way towards ensuring a memorable wedding album!

Top 10 Ways to Save on Wedding Costs

In this tough enconomy, more brides than ever are tightening their wedding day budgets. Wouldn't it be nice to keep your bank account intact and still have a memorable celebration with all the trimmings?

This list of ten ways to save on wedding costs will help you do just that.