Once you set a date you are ready to start to tackle the big question. Who will you invite to the wedding? This starts to become a very difficult decision to make. You have a budget and you need to stick to it. As we know the more people invited to the big day the more money you will spend. You also must consider splitting the list between yourself and the groom. Then there is your mother's and father's friends. And it grows bigger by the second.

I would advise you to write down everyone who you would like to attend. Then go through the list and be realistic about the people you are inviting. If you only see them once a year then they get crossed off the list and maybe added to the list for your housewarming. After you have finished this step then see how many people are left. If that did not get the list down to a workable level then go to the 6 month rule. If you have not seen or talked to them in 6 months remove these people from the list and invite them to your first cookout as husband and wife. Oh, one last thing I forgot to inform you is that you should give each set of parents at least 10 of their friends to invite.

I know this sounds like a difficult task but hard decisions have to be made. This does not mean you do not love these people but sometimes life gives us lemons and we have to make lemonade. People will understand and forgive you after realizing that your finances may not allow them to come. The advise I will give you is do not ask these people to show for the ceremony only. If you can not afford for them to enjoy the party it is not worth their time. A wedding should consist of the 3 F's - Fun, Friends & Family, and Food. Do not stress it will be a great ocassion.

Spring of the year has arrived. Easter is around the corner. This is a great time to look for your flowergirl's and ringbearer's ensemble.

I have worked with clients who want the kids in their wedding to look great but not break the bank. We have found the flowergirl's ensemble for a total of $75.00 or less. The ring bearer ensemble just a few dollars more. In the case of the flowergirl it has included the shoes, sweater, and socks. Your ringbearer can wear a suit and add a bow tie and he is ready for a formal ocassion. I know you are saying to yourself how that is possible. Well I am going to give you some shopping direction. Here are some stores to check out.

Burlington Coat Factory - Girl's dresses starting from $19.99
- Boy"s suits starting from $29.99


Marshalls and TJ Maxx - Girl's dresses starting from $24.99
- Boy's dress slacks and shirts starting from $12.99

Department stores are great too if you make purchases during promotional sales along with a coupon. Macy's has a sale on girls' dresses and boys' suits. Lord and Taylor has a 20% coupon.

The little prince and princess in your life will sparkle. They will add the finishing touches to your wedding without making you take out a second mortgage. This is a great time to make this purchase and check one item off your list.

In a wedding everyone has a role -the starring actor, supporting actor, and extras. Well if you are not certain, the bride is the star of the wedding. I know that there were a lot of people involved in making this happen but remember we stand in awe waiting for her to come down the aisle. The bride will take the Oscar home everytime. Or she can take home Jim, Tom, William, etc... (lol).

Do you know who is next in line? It takes the supporting actor honor. That is right, it is the cake. I know you were expecting the groom but he comes in third. The cake is the centerpiece of what a wedding represents. Todays couples are looking for very authentic looking cakes. They want it to fit their personality, decor, or just be a showstopper. It sits at its own table with layer on top of layer. A lot of wedding cakes are very ornate on the outside as well as on the inside. There is a huge selection in flavors, decor, icing, etc...

I have some advice to make your supporting actor shine without breaking the budget. Be careful selecting fondant. Since it is hand rolled and layered on the cake it can be real expensive. Anything that is labor intensive will cost you money. Think of maybe a 3 layer cake instead of a 4 layer. Always know you can get a sheet cake to cover your number of guests. The other option is keep the icing to a buttercream and make it decorative with flowers and a great cake topper.

Know the pecking order of the individuals in this wedding in order for it to be an Oscar winning night.

Do you know all the colors in a container of 128 crayons? What color car do you drive? What colors are in your home? Does your ensemble match? Color is essential in our every day lives.

Color is so important at weddings. You will need to know how to implement color in a way to give that "WOW" factor. My advice on color is to go to the local home improvement center and look at the color chart. Take some color cards home as if you were looking to paint your walls. Decide on what color will best compliment your wedding. Remember color will have impact on what your bridesmaids wear, invitations, tuxes, favors, etc... Select colors that blend together. If you want a rainbow of colors do not splash them through out your theme. Learn to use color as an accent not the main focal point. The bride and groom has that starring role.

If you decide on more than two colors use the extra ones as undertones. Just give hints of the color but do not make it appear dominant. Little touches of color makes your table decor pop. But if you throw all the colors together it could start to look like a Mardi Gras parade. Have one prominent color and lightly dab the other colors into your theme. Such as the linen could be aqua blue but the napkins may be a sky blue with your flowers being red. You just made an impact without overwhelming your space and your guest. Think of color as the signature to your wedding.