Do I need to invite Pastor and family, organist and spouse, and ushers and families to the rehearsal dinner-and what do you do at a rehearsal dinner. Also other than the Pastor, who do you pay, the organist?

We are picking our song to be annouced to at the reception and we are having trouble deciding... we want something funny but upbeat.... any suggestions

DO NOT SHOP AT MARY ME BRIDAL IN ORANGE, CA!!! 

BRIDES AND BRIDESMAIDS BEWARE!!!  THIS STORE PURPOSELY ORDERS YOUR DRESS TWO SIZES SMALLER SO THAT THEY MAY CHARGE YOU ON THE ALTERATION FEES.

DONT LET THIS STORE RUIN YOUR WEDDING DAY!!!!

THE MANAGER THERE IS AN EVIL WOMAN NAMED ESTHER.  PLEASE TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE!!!

I have a problem with the engaement ring. I have to mention alot of the situation, its a long story sorry. I have been married for a year now, and I hate my engement ring. We had about a few months to plan the wedding, this is my second marriage. He said he was going to get me a carat ring. I waited. He proposed to me with no ring. It got up to the week of our wedding date, I had to pick my wedding ring on craigslist. It is a used 1/4 carat I3,which is the lowest quality. Its real small for me but I just accepted it becuase he said he cant afford a 2 thousand one which I can get just under a carat. Ok heres the money situation. My husband makes six figures. However we do have four children 2 are his 2 are mine. He pays only 600 in child support and I get about 874 a month in support for mine. I do not work however, and we are renting and do not have a big enough car to fit all of us lol. On the other hand I know my hubby just cashed a huge bonus of 10 grand. He is saying its closing costs for a new home. I just think 2 grand isnt so reasonable for a ring though. I am dissapointed that I didnt get a decent engagement ring. I finally fessed up to it, about how I feel the other day, and now hes angry and hurt. Are my feeling valid? should I just move on, even though I long for a nice ring. I feel the surprise factor is dead. My first marriage i got a .75 carat and it was beautiful. My new hubby says I should get one in our ten year anniversery! that is soo far away

Save the dates should go out as soon as you know your wedding date and location. I sent mine out about 10months in advance. Part of the purpose of them is to give out of town guests a chance to make their reservations and travel accomodations, so call up a few hotels and see what they offer for discount prices if you reserve a block of rooms for your guests. (they pay for their own rooms ... you just set it up for them at a discounted rate. Most hotels do this for weddings. Just ask.) Youll want to include the hotel andany other travel info in your Save the Dates if possible, or you can start a wedding website free and put the info there; including the address link in your STDS. Your registry information would also go on the website. You can also inform immediate family and bridal party of where you are registered; and they can spread the word if anyone asks. You never know; someone may throw you a Shower after all. Invitations normally go out 6-8 weeks before the wedding date. I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions, you can reach me at my own wedding site www.myaislerunner.com ...this site is not currently active.

so, my wedding is on valentine's day 2009, and i was wondering, when should i send out my save-the-dates, invitations, and what's the best way to inform people of where i'm registered if i'm not planning on having a bridal shower?   

Hi.  I saw a great posting on where to donate or sell wedding dresses, but I was wondering if you anyone has come across a website, besides e-bay, where I could try and sell some used (cleaned of course) banquet chair covers?  I tried Craig's list, but they don't have a wedding section so my posting just gets lost.  It cost me the same to buy these as it would to rent them, and if I can sell them at a fair price, I would recoop some money and still be able to give someone else a really good deal.  I have 50 of them (I know many people have larger weddings and thus would want more).   Thanks for the help!

My fiance and I are college students in NYC and are 100% financially independent from our families. I am an orphan and his parents are divorced and living paycheck-to-paycheck. Is there a polite (but not whiney) way to point out to our 100+ guests that we are twenty-somethings paying for a Manhattan Wedding out of pocket? We want to celebrate our day with family and friends... but we also need to have some money left over for a honeymoon--or groceries! What can we say or do to keep our guests conscious of our financial burdens and needs? Thanks in advance!

Hi Danille,

Check our blog for the response to your question!

What do brides do with all of their reusable wedding stuff after the wedding? Is there a place to sell your stuff or to buy secondhand stuff besides ebay? Wouldn't it be fun to donate stuff so a poor bride could feel like a princess too? With all the insanity of the wedding industry there should be a wedding thrift store. I guess I"m just rambling but I wonder if anyone but me would go to a wedding thrift store. I really hate all the waste. 

Thanks so much Kelley! That was really helpful!

Hey Stressed out, just wanted to let you know I replied to your question..check it out in the blog section, its called "Dear stressed out Bride.." Hope it helped.

For our wedding, I wanted to include 7 or my best friends to be my bridesmaids. However, my husband only has 4 best men. Will it look weird if the number of people are off? I really can't cut any of my friends.....hell, 3 of them are my sisters! Help!

My family is getting way too involved with the planning of my wedding.  They are putting up a lot of the cash so I don't know how to say no to their requests. what should I do? help!

Why did the insensitive,drunk & embarrassing members of my family get upset when they weren't invited to my wedding? Dont they see how loud and rude they are?Oh,and what if one of them is a ninja---the very same ninja who promised me years ago to train me in the ancient arts of ninjate,but didn't--should i invite him?

Hi Kelley, 
I am having trouble figuring out what kinds of gifts to give my bridesmaides. What's the typical amount that brides spend on the bridal party and what are some ideas!? Thanks!

I've been told I should keep a little emergency kit on-hand the day of the wedding, what kinds of items should this include?

I just found out the alterations at my shop start at around 0. I went for my gown try-on since the dress was ordered a size bigger to fit the bust properly it fits pretty large elsewhere. Do you guys know good seamstresses in NYC who don't charge too much money ?

Hi Becki!  If you haven't checked it out yet, Kelley has posted a response to your great question: http://www.brideorama.com/post/2040/get-advice-dear-becki

Kelley, I read and loved your music blog before. so I was wonderin if you had any suggestions for something to do insteadof the usual bouquet and garter toss? i dont really like those but i like the idea of giving away the bouquet. thanks.

I needed advice on finding locations in Houston, TX!!  I found a venue...but if I just want a nice scenic location...please help!!

Tiffany - your answers to your question are posted here: http://www.brideorama.com/post/1875/get-advice-dear-tiffany

Hope that helps you! 

We are planning an outdoor ceremony probably on September 27th 2008 in the Catskills, NY.  For a fall outdoor ceremony and reception when is a good time of day to begin the wedding? The reception will probably immediately follow a short ceremony at the same location.

Rodney,

I'm getting married in February '08. I've already chosen the bridesmaids dresses (burnt orange looked good on all four of my bridesmaids who have varying shades of brown skin!) I'm struggling to find a complimentary color that would look nince in a winter wedding. Also, what kind/color flower bouquets would be season appropriate to match the bridesmaid's dresses. What kind of flowers would would look good for me to walk down the aisle holding? I don't want to do the traditional white flowr thing.

giving you and your bride to be time would all depend on your budget. A Year is always good, I however gave myself 10 months...but like I said it all depends on your budget and what you have to work with. :-) 

er... i am a guy. Just wondering about how long exactly you should give yourself to plan for a wedding.  I totally suffer from IGS (Insensitive Guy Syndrome) .  So before i get to the point where i say something dumb like "lets get married like next month?" and then get yelled at for this......TELL ME PLEASE!!!!  :)