Wedding Day is a very special day, especially for the Bride and groom. This day symbolizes the beginning of the journey together. A Christian ceremony consists of several memorable moments to treasure like prayers, vows and pledge, music, lighting if candles together, giving away the Bride, exchange of rings, the pronouncement of the relationship as husband and wife etc. A basic understanding of the Christian marriage customs and rituals can help while doing the planning.

Every Bride wishes for a Dream wedding. Experts say that if you are planning your own wedding day, the preparations should start at least 3 months before the actual date. One can also hire a Wedding Planner who would plan and take the responsibility from sending invitations to decorations to catering. If you are doing the planning you should assign responsibilities to people who can handle the same and plan to the smallest of details. After deciding on the marriage budget the following has to be decided.

• Venue of the Wedding and Reception: The venue has to be decided and booked in advance. Make sure the place is suitable and can accommodate all the guests. Sitting arrangements and Decorations of the wedding should be arranged in advance too. Also a photographer to capture the ceremony pictures, music band and entertainers, caterers, bakers etc should be hired in advance. Arrangements also have to be made for out of town guests stay in advance. Transportation for you and your guests should be arranged prior to the marriage date. Arrangements for marriage advertisement in newspaper, licenses etc should be made.
• Invitations: This is a very important step and one can make a basic guest list of all the people who need to be invited by consulting with all the family members. Marriage Invitations can be sent by post, courier or email. Some people have to be invited by personally visiting them or by inviting them by phone depending on their priority. You can even register yourself with free marriage website and publish yourself on the Internet. Also decide on the people who would be giving toasts on the wedding day.
• Bridesmaids: Christian Marriages normally also would have Bridesmaid and flower girls. Bridesmaids are selected by the bride and mostly would be best friends of the Bride. Bridesmaids are people on whose support you can count on in organizing your day. Choosing the right bridesmaids is a very vital aspect for the Bride. Bridesmaids also are a major source of help and support for choosing your gown, jewelry and accessories. The Bride has to first take consent of her to be bridesmaids by asking them.
• Beauty Care and Health: Every bride wants to look her best on her special day. The beauty regime should start at least a month before the day. What you do six months before will affect how you look and feel on your wedding day. So shed some extra pounds from your body if you are plump or fat. There are several brides who have fallen sick on the venue because of tension and stress and lack of sleep or food. The Bride should avoid junk and fatty food and follow a healthy diet with a lot of fruits and Vegetables. It is very important to drink a lot of water on a daily basis to flush out toxins out of the body. Doing proper exercises or yoga can make the Bride look good and feeling great on the wedding day. There are a lot of other things to be taken care of like beauty treatments, haircuts, pedicure and manicure etc before the day. Hire a beautician if required to take care of the marriage day make up. A spa treatment is a good idea for relaxing.
• Bridal Costume: The Wedding Dress or Gown of the Bride has to be ready before the marriage day. White is the most preferred color of the christian brides gown signifying purity. The brides dress or gown should not be uncomfortable for the Bride. One can buy wedding gown, rent it or get it stitched from an expert designer. Online Stores have a good collection of gowns at reasonable rates. The Bridesmaid dresses and accessories are also normally gifted by the bride to the bridesmaids for their love and support, so those have to be purchased as well. Veil is another part of the Christian brides costume which has to be ready before the wedding. The dress which should be worn on the engagement, under garments etc also has to be purchased.
• Bridal Bouquet: The most popular flowers of the christian brides bouquet are white roses to orchids signifying purity and innocence. The bride has to choose the right bouquet to suit the gown and theme of the marriage. The overall color scheme of your flowers should convey the emotion you want to convey. Floral arrangements are an integral part of your wedding theme. The floral displays at the wedding and reception venue also have to be taken care of.
• Accessories & Jewelry: Picking the perfect set of accessories to complement the dress is one of the highlights of a bride’s shopping list. Tiara and jewelry to be worn on the wedding day has to be decided in advance. Pearl and Diamond jewelry are preferred jewelry for the Christian wedding. Pearl Jewelry is also normally part of Bridesmaid accessories. The Bride should have perfect shoes to match the gown. After all, imagine a Bride limping to the ceremony because of her tight shoes or shoe bites. Wedding band or ring should be ordered and made in advance. Also carry an extra outfit, makeup articles etc to the venue on the safe side.
• Other Requirements: One or two people can supervise the entire arrangements needed for the marriage. Keeping a list of phone numbers and contact details of vendors and other important people is essential. Also assign responsibilities to responsible people to receiving guests at the wedding avenue, handling gifts, music to be played at the venue, catering, reception and wedding day party arrangements etc. The Bride can pack her bags to take to her new home and honeymoon with the help of the bridesmaids.

If you wish to have a Dream Wedding, it has to planned in advance and responsibilities assigned properly so that it would be a sweet memory to remember forever. Guides are available on Christian wedding ceremony and planning which can come handy while planning the event. Also check out my Hub Wedding Anniversary Gemstones for ideal gifts on wedding anniversary.

Is there anything i have forgot to mention? Feel free to add up through comments.