Information overload: sorting through wedding day advice to make good decisions for you

The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use oneself."
- Oscar Wilde
So you've found the man of your dreams, and he finally popped the big question!!  You've been dreaming of your wedding your whole life, so where do you start planning?

Chances are if you're like many brides (and assuming this is your first marriage!), you will most likely begin your planning by asking the advice of those around you:  Your parents, relatives, close friends who have already been married.  You'll spend time on-line, Googling wedding topics and reading tips & tricks from so-called "wedding experts."  You'll probably buy a few dozen Bridal Magazines and completely immerse yourself in the world of weddings......But while all of those are great sources of information, always remember this:  It is your wedding.  Too many brides rely solely on the advice they read on-line or in a magazine, and they miss the bigger picture.  You should always keep in mind that the advice you are receiving is not always 100% relevant to you...Your mom, for example may not have had a Wedding Video back in the day, and therefore isn't going to give you good advice when it comes to fitting that in as a priority.  Magazines and websites normally base their advice on polls and statistics gathered from many sources throughout the 
United States. So if a magazine tells you that you should budget no more than $500 for a DJ, this may be based on data collected country-wide...In the Detroit area, a good, experienced DJ can easily be around $1000, and if you budget your DJ based on the magazine's recommended $500, you could be in real big trouble when your DJ ruins your Reception! and sometimes this information doesn't even apply to us here in Michigan.

The Knot, a popular Wedding Website has an article entitled "Ways to Save Money."  They (and most Bridal publications) recommend that your Attire should take up 8-10% of your total budget.  What would happen if you wanted to make it 15%?? 25%??  The wedding police will not come to arrest you, what you've done is take control and put your own priorities on your wedding, the way it should be!

It is always smart to not only check the source of the article, but to make your own priorities for your wedding.  You may really like the Chicken Dance or the Hokey Pokey, who cares if they are on nearly every "Top 10 Worst Wedding Songs" List!!!  It's your wedding, it's only going to happen once, and you shouldn't base your decisions on what a magazine or website tells you!  Plus, you know your crowd better then anyone, and are more in tune with what will work and what won't.
A good practice is to take as much information in as you can, and then translate that into something that works for you.  Talking to other brides is also a good resource, but remember that most of these brides have received their information from the same sources.  Be aware too that on many Bridal websites, vendors that are "featured" or "preferred" often pay for this status.  Nothing wrong with that, but doing research on what information is being presented to you from "experts" will help you sort through the massive amount of information that is out there.
But don't just take the advice offered in this article!  Do your own research and stay true to your own priorities if you really want the wedding of your dreams!
 
Post your comments, or contact Tom at [email protected] or www.cvideosolutions.com