Web Weddings: Use the internet to plan your big day Other languages 中文

Written by RuthAnn Raycroft

Planning a wedding takes time, energy, patience and careful thought. There are so many choices to be made. Options to be considered. Traditions to be preserved.

Just imagine the wedding you could have with a world of possibilities at your fingertips.

Wedding sites are some of the fastest growing on the Internet and there is almost nothing you can’t do here. Pick out a china pattern. Tour a honeymoon location. Select invitations. Choose the rings. Announce your engagement. Find THE dress.

There is a lot of information out there, so congratulations and happy surfing.

Budgeting

Regardless of where you live, it’s difficult to have a wedding of any kind for nothing. Costs, currencies and expenses differ, but getting married anywhere can be expensive. So make the most of the money you have and PLAN.

• This helpful “pamphlet” from the MetLife Consumer Education Center is a great introduction to the financial aspects of getting married. It contains helpful advice and a good basic budget outline for your wedding.
  

• Northern California wedding expert Doris Marie Rowlands has prepared a comprehensive breakdown of traditional western wedding expenses, as well as an etiquette guide (who usually pays for what). Two charts help to keep track of budget percentages by category, estimates and actual dollars spent.

Announcements

This is one of the most cost-effective and fun ways to use the Internet for your wedding. Send the news of your engagement or your wedding to the world in a matter of minutes.

• Lycos offers easy, step-by-step instructions for building your own personal wedding page. Check out the sample pages from other couples.
  

• Check out these free announcement services:
  • Brides and Grooms
  • Weddingnet.com

• If you haven’t already proposed, do it here. Announce your special day to the world, with or without design assistance. Lots of options and clear rates.

Invitations

Shopping for your invitations online may save time and money. Be careful to shop locally and compare prices, and be very careful about giving credit card information over the Internet.

• Stylish invitations on unique papers, vintage artwork, vellum printing and more. Select either printed invitations or do-it-yourself kits.
  

• A good listing of wedding services catalogues, including several for invitations, and how to order them. Organized by where they are available.
  

• Not sure what to say or how to say it?
  

• Personalize your invitations with an Arabic calligraphy design.

• For the do-it-yourselfer, a sample version of The Complete Wedding Publisher. Desktop publish all your wedding stationery.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…

Fashion is perhaps one of the most important parts of any wedding, though a bride’s (and groom’s) attire may be vastly different from one culture to another. Choosing just the right dress or outfit can be a painstaking proposition, but the Internet can make this process not only easier but a lot more fun.

• Check out the latest designs from a variety of designers. This site is great for Canadian or US users, allowing you to select a country-specific directory so that you can avoid trying to find a dress that is not available where you live.

• The changing face of bridal fashion. Modern Bride’s overview of Spring/Summer 1999, bridesmaid fashions, shopping hints and more. Check out designs for African-centred weddings.

• If you’re not an average-sized bride, never fear. Check out these great tips for finding great plus-size bridal fashion.
  

• Making your dress or having it made? Find what you need on the Internet.

For him

• Informative guide to buying a diamond.
  

• All the details come together here on theknot.com’s “grooms and guys” community. Find out everything he needs to know.

All in one

These are some great sites that offer a lot of information, all in one easy-to-navigate package.

• Great comprehensive site for brides in the UK.
  

• For brides in the Hong Kong area. Listings for services, Chinese calendar and online marriage counselling. In English, but perhaps best enjoyed if your computer is compatible with Chinese characters.
  

• Lots of information for brides in South Africa.
  

• A large site with lots available. Register online, find local resources in the US, view thousands of dresses by designer or style, buy gifts, get advice and find just about everything you could possibly want related to the big day.
  

• This is our staff personal favorite. Theknot.com is fun, its hip and it has everything.

Make it last

One of the most important things about a wedding is the marriage it celebrates. Two become one. Get off to a good start–find out how you can make your relationship better and build a strong marriage in the future.