When it comes to romantic relationships, one of the most romantic moments for a couple can be the moment when they get engaged. However, actually planning the wedding can sometimes be far from romantic, in fact it can be downright stressful. Here are some ideas for couples who want to make planning a wedding just as enjoyable as the thought of the wedding itself.

It’s a nice gift to give the groom his own little cake. Have the cake designer make it resemble his favorite hobbies, like carpentry or football. If it’s a surprise it will be even more meaningful to him! Just make sure that the cake itself tastes good – a wedding cake that looks gorgeous but tastes bad will not leave a good memory.

Look for a unique touch with your food such a ethnic theme, a style of cooking or something else to add flair. This will add to the specialness and memories of your reception. Variety is important and you want everyone to remember your wedding dinner.

One of the things that you can do to show the support that you have for your church is to get your priest to do your wedding. This will make things feel personal on the day of your nuptial, especially if you are a devout Catholic and have a strong bond with the leader of your church.

If you have a lower budget for your wedding, don’t include flowers in your decorations. For centerpieces you can use branches you find on a walk in the forest, and surround the containers you put them in with stones from a nearby river or creek. Make a bouquet out of local plants and flowers for a locavore touch!

If you have to buy linens for your reception, make sure that they fit your table at home. Another option is to ask family and friends to bring theirs from home so you can just return them, after being professionally cleaned, when you’re done. If you have to mix and match you can adjust your color scheme to make it look intentional!

For some people the best part of the wedding is the planning. So go ahead, and knock yourself out, this is your moment! Go all out with invitations, with decor, with everything. You will find it may end up costing you, but you will end up happier because you made your special day exactly as you wanted it.

For brides-to-be, do not settle for the first wedding dress you find. You want to make sure that you explore your options and end up with the dress of your dreams. If your dress is just going to end up sitting in the closet, you may even want to consider renting a dress for the day.

If your family joins you for a destination wedding, have them join your on your honeymoon as well. Everyone can save money by staying longer, as hotels will give you great discounts for longer stays. That will also help them to have a great day and a wonderful vacation!

It may be wise to put an announcement for your wedding in the newspaper. It is common to forget to invite certain people to your wedding, and you do not want to make anyone feel neglected. Do not forget to put the location, date and time of your wedding in the announcement.

When inviting parents to your wedding, consider what time it will be held if they’re planning on bringing their kids. A night-time wedding with a reception that runs into the wee hours of the morning will not work well for children, so either move your ceremony to an earlier time or provide accommodation for children to have a nap during the reception.

Start your wedding guest list off huge, and then cross people off as you think of excuses for not inviting them. Soon enough you should have a manageable list which you can afford to invite, and good reasons for not inviting the people you have removed from the list, reducing your guilt.

You can have a sit down dinner if you desire, however, a buffet meal will be less expensive. The labor cost associated with a sit down dinner can be very pricey because of the staff needed to accommodate the service needs. By offering buffet style you can allow your guests a bit more freedom and save much needed dollars.

A couple that keeps these tips in mind will probably find that planning their wedding brings them closer together. Learning to plan a wedding together is a great way to build the foundation for planning a marriage and a life together. These tips will help any couple invest not just in having a romantic wedding, but also in having a successful long-term romantic relationship.