Planning your perfect wedding? Don't forget your diamond engagement rings

It's that time in your life when you and your loved one have decided to make the jump, to take that leap and dive into a marriage, but hopefully with the following tips you won't be diving head first into the unknown. First, marriages can be stressful, expensive and taxing, that's a given, but the last thing you want to do during it is fall out with the ones you love.

Firstly you need to plan your time management well; you cannot skimp on how long things should take by shortening that time to suit you. Nobody likes a rush, so plan it with lots of time to get everything right, to make your wedding the one you have always dreamed of. Arranging the wedding it is a time consuming task and the time it takes should not be underestimated. Sure, you could work on getting it planned in two weeks, but at what cost? You will be stressed and have no time to do anything that is not wedding related. Take your time and you will be happy bunnies.

One of the main things regarding a wedding is the amount of money that it is likely to cost. If you and your loved one decide in the beginning how much money you are going to spend and who will foot the bill then you will have a lot less head and heart aches later down the line. You can bank on prices spiralling out of control once you get started and those diamond wedding rings won't pay for themselves. Money is a touchy subject at the best of times with the best of people, so it is good to approach the situation with care and sensitivity. No one likes to lose money and no one likes to spend money on things that aren't justified. Make sure the spending is fair and you're all happy with the terms. A lot of the costs incurred can be based around the number of people you are likely to be expecting to turn up at your wedding, a small wedding means small monies are needed and a large one... well, you catch my drift.

Booking. You should book your chosen church or civil ceremony location as soon as you are set on a date for your wedding. Popular churches and popular times of the year always get booked up and fill out very quickly, so it is a good idea to act as soon as you are set on a date. You should schedule a meet with either your church minister or the registrar so that you can make arrangements for your big day and so that the notice of intention to marry can be issued.

If you are having an all out church wedding then you really need to discuss details of the ceremony itself with your Minister. The details that need a lot of thought from your point of view include the style of the service you'd want, any music that you want played, church bells playing etc. It is a good idea not to assume that confetti will be allowed as well photos inside the church, so check before you start throwing the rice and paper about all over the place.

On the other hand, if you are meeting with a local registrar to cover the topics of your wedding then you will need to go over the legal requirements involved. Registrars are also expert wedding planners and will be able to help you out with numbers to invite etc if you need it, more over they will tell you of the number of people that are acceptable in the Registry Office itself.

Insurance. I know it sounds like a bit of a downer to put on a wedding as you have planned it all to be perfect, but wedding insurance is a must because little unforeseen things do happen when you least expect them. If your big day has to be cancelled or postponed then obviously everything has to be put on hold. The only thing that won't stop is the money being charged to your account. No one wants to pay for their wedding twice.  

Reception venue. Pick a nice place that is easily accessible for everyone, or somewhere that you are willing to cover the costs of inviting people to, for example if you are planning on having your weddings abroad or more specifically: weddings in Spain then be prepared to cover travel costs. Make sure the location has good reviews and is family friendly.

All in all that is a slimmed down summary of everything that is needed for a wedding, but these are the important bits. I wish you the best of luck in your marriage.