There are many wonderful things about weddings. One of the most special is how weddings can bring people together. Think of your wedding not only as a day to celebrate the bride and groom, but also as an opportunity for a reunion.
 
People can drift apart for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes close friends live far apart. Other times there may be a dear friend or family member that you cherish, but rarely get to talk to. Then there are the more serious situations, where there is an actual estrangement. In all of these cases, you can use your wedding to reconnect with the people that are important to you.

Weddings have a way of putting people in a sentimental mood. There is something about the joyous nature of the occasion that tends to bring out the softer side of people. If you have a friend or family member with whom you have had a falling out, this could be the perfect time to mend some fences.

Let’s say that the groom and his brother had an argument a few years ago and stopped speaking. Chances are that both men regret the estrangement, but neither one is sure how to go about fixing it. In the normal course of things, it can be very difficult to swallow your pride and be the one to extend the olive branch.

But if you are getting married, you have a ready-made reason to get back in touch. The groom can let his brother know that he is getting married, and that his wedding day just wouldn’t be the same without his brother standing at his side. Ask your brother to be a groomsman, and include him all of the pre-wedding festivities, including the bachelor party, and the presentation of groomsmen gifts. When you are handing out the gifts to your groomsmen, you can include a little note letting him know how happy you are to have him back in your life.
 
In some families, the members are scattered all around the country. A wedding is the ideal excuse to splurge on the plane tickets to see everyone. When you are having a large number of family members reunite at your wedding, it is a good idea to plan for some extra time for them to spend together besides the wedding reception.
 
If possible, have everyone come in a few days before the wedding for a special family-only dinner the day before the rehearsal. It does not need to be anything elaborate or fancy. You could just make a reservation in a restaurant or have a cookout in the backyard. The idea is for all of your long-lost relatives to have some informal time to hang out together and catch up.

The bride and groom will also want to spend some time with their old friends who are flying in for their wedding. The best time to do this will probably be at a brunch the morning after the wedding. With all of the wedding hoopla behind you, it will be easier to relax and get to simply enjoy the company of friends who you have not seen for a while.
 
Use your wedding as a time to bring together your families, as well as a special day for the bride and groom.

Whether you are re-connecting with old friends, or reuniting with estranged family members, it will add another layer of meaning to your wedding. The best part is that once you have re-connected, you can continue to nurture those relationships long after the wedding. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

The bottom line when planning a wedding is the money. Weddings are expensive, with the budget for the average wedding at approximately $20,000 depending on which survey you look at. Wedding gowns can run five figures, and you can pay $150-$200 per-guest in some big-budget areas.

Weddings are expensive and yes more than a few couples have been tempted to elope and use that cash to make a down payment on a nice house. It is just as tempting to “keep up with the Joness’” and to go all out with the ceremony, reception and honeymoon. So the key is be realistic, stay with what you value most and be able to live with yourself afterwards.

 Everyone bride and groom knows their wedding dream comes with a price tag. Some choose smaller guest lists to lower the cost, and some pick a destination wedding with a few intimate friends. Others slice and dice their wedding too much and live to regret it.

 Then there are the fortunate among us where money is no problem. Either way good planning can save you money and headaches.

No matter how much or how little you have to spend there is really no getting around the issue of money. There is also certain things that must to be in the ceremony and will be an expense, such as the rehearsal dinner, officiant, the wedding gown, special music, the reception, you get the gist ~ I’m sure so let’s look at the rules of each families responsibilities according to tradition.

Things have changed a little in the last few decades. It used to be the brides family payed for nearly everything. Now it is acceptable for the expenses to be more evenly divided and some if not most weddings are customized to fit the needs and desires of the bride and groom. Basically the rules are changing dramatically and as you might guess so are the costs. The following is a traditional list of who is responsible for what. Keep in mind these are not etched in stone so feel free follow it or just use it as a guideline.

What the Bride pays for:

Groom’s wedding ring Groom’s gift Bridal attendants’ gifts Accommodations for the traveling bridal party members

What the Groom pays for:

Brides engagement ring
Brides wedding ring
Brides wedding gift
His own wedding day wardrobe
Gifts for the male attendant
Brides bouquet
Corsages for mothers
Marriage license
Officiant fee
Honeymoon

What the Brides Family pays for:
 

Wedding coordinator
Ceremony cost
Entire cost of reception (catering, cake,entertainment, beverages, etc)
Brides attire
Wedding gift
Wedding announcements and invitations (including postage)
Bouquets for bridesmaids
Photography and /or videography
Favors

What the Groom’s family pays for:
Rehearsal expenses
Rehearsal dinner

This is the traditional structure of how each party pays for their part of the wedding. Just keep in mind who pays for what is very flexible and very well might depend on who has the money. Remember to be polite, grateful and smile a lot, because the wedding is just the beginning of a life together.

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????????? Questions??? Hints, Suggestions???? Love to hear from you at  ~~~           weddingsbyashlee14@yahoo.com   By Bob Ragman, For a free wedding music tutorial and video goto http://freeweddingmusic.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Ragman