Legal Details

o Marriage license
o Blood tests
o Changing your name on your drivers license, car registration, voters registration, social security card, passport, stocks & bonds, property titles, leases, employee records, medical insurance, taxes, bank accounts, bank cards and at your post office.
o Are your belongings adequately insured? Does it cover your wedding gifts and rings.
o Plan the future custody of children either of you may be bringing into the marriage.
o Wills, changing beneficiaries

  Photography - decide early on the best way to capture your special day’s cherished memories.

Today's wedding albums bear little resemblance to the cherished ones belonging to your grandparents and parents which probably had page after page of the same size and posed photos. Today's photo albums will capture the feel of the entire day with candid shots that show spontaniaty and timeless. Digital prints black white and color create a wonderful contemporary look. Decide if you want  high-fashion wedding imagery that resembles the style of couture bridal magazines or more the black and white timeless art school look. 

Start looking for a good photographer months before the wedding. Ask to see sample wedding albums or a set of proofs from a recent wedding. Clarify your expectations by specifying the time of arrival, the number and kinds of pictures to be taken and the time of departure. Ask about the cost of duplicate albums for your parents and how long they hold onto the negatives in case you want to purchase more pictures in the future. Have a written contract or signed agreement.

Wedding Cake -  Your wedding cake is an important focal point at your wedding ... it should be beautiful and a gastronomic delight. The wedding cake table will be used for lots of the wedding photos so invest in a nice display including tulle draping, garlands and most importantly a cake stand or plateau. Even if you have to rent one, you will glad you did when you see the photos.It is a good idea to begin thinking about what kind of cake you want at about the same time that you are deciding upon your budget. Think of weddings you have attended, and collect pictures of cakes you like. Do you want a traditional or a contemporary design?

Look at cakes available from your local bakeries, cake specialists, and your caterer. Check to  see if there are any culinary schools near you. If there is a baking class you might find students creating wedding cakes as part of the course. The price for your cake would be considerably less than if you ordered it from a professional.  The easiest option is to order the cake from your caterer our  your favorite restaurant's  pastry chef. But if you are wanting a tiered cake -you will probably have to go to a bakery or professional baker. If so, find out if the price of the cake includes transporting it to the reception. 

Plan and order your cake in plenty of time. Start interviewing bakers about 6 months out, but place your order no less than 3 months before your wedding.  Or you can have a friend or relative bake it for you. If you want to use fresh flowers to adorn you cake, be sure to check which are safe to use. A great way to keep expenses down is to order a small wedding cake for the cake table display. Then have a large sheet cake to cut and serve from the kitchen. 

You may consider ordering grooms cakes, a standard size cake in his favorite flavor.
It is placed next to the wedding cake and small portions are served at the same time or given to the guests in small boxes to take home as favors.