Your Big Day Ideas - Ideas For Your Wedding Day

Author: Bob Hamilton

You’re getting married, and you have decided to plan and do this wedding by yourself. There are many details that have to be addressed. Just a few of the details to be considered include attendees, wedding meals, the location, and so much more. So how do you begin? Start by developing a definite plan.



Start by deciding on how many people you intend to invite. If it is a dozen or so people, a nice Italian dinner could be easily done without a lot of fuss or expense. Four dozen people or more requires a bit more planning; now you need a place for this reception dinner.

Will the weather permit you to have an outdoor event? Plan a Hawaiian luau on the beach, or a fancy picnic at the park. Remember; you may need a permit to do this. A rented hall is your best bet if the numbers are getting higher.


What kind of food do you have to plan to serve? After all wedding meals offer so many options. Self-serve is the best way to go, but you must have a good selection for your guests to choose from. Plan for several appetizers, including one hot dish, such as meatballs, along with tiny finger sandwiches, and cheese, crackers, and fruit. Two meat dishes, such as ham and turkey, or roast beef and chicken. A cold-cut platter of deli meats and cheeses, with small rolls would be a nice addition. Be sure to include a tray of condiments for sandwiches.

Three salads would be nice. A tossed salad for the meat dishes, and potato salad and coleslaw for those who preferred sandwiches. Two or three starches, such as mashed potatoes, a sweet potato casserole, and macaroni and cheese. Cooked vegetables, such as corn, peas, and green beans, are options that are liked by almost everyone. French or Italian bread or hard rolls do not have to be kept warm and take longer to get stale.


Little details will dress your wedding meals up and make everyone feel special. Use attractive china and decent flatware. It can be rented. Rent your table linens and napkins if you can afford it. It adds an instant feel of luxury to your dinner. Salt, pepper and butter should be available at each table. Place a simple centerpiece on each table. It could be a small vase with a single flower and some greenery, or a floating votive candle in a low glass dish with potpourri or flower petals floating in it for color. The head table should have a flower arrangement. Some kind of party favor for each guest is nice. It can be a bag of mints, tied with ribbons in the wedding colors, a little scroll with a love poem printed inside, or a little box to take home some goodies from the sweets table.

High end weddings usually have a large sweets table, filled with pastries, candies, and a chocolate fountain. They cost a fortune. Why not have cookies and fruit table instead? Have your friends and family donate their favorite homemade cookies. But don’t forget to provide fruit for guests who shouldn’t be eating refined sugar!

Wedding meals can be difficult to plan. But you’re almost done. You need a wedding cake, which can be your big splurge, or you can have several small cakes, all different, and decorate one of them with your bride and groom. A bar can be free, cash, soft drinks only, beer and wine, or hard liquor, whichever you can afford and are comfortable with. After all, it’s YOUR wedding!

To your beautiful wedding!