Planning a formal wedding takes weeks, if not months, of careful preparation. And it needs to be managed with as much care as a general planning a battle.

As the general's assets are his troops and supplies, a wedding planner's assets are the money she is allowed in the budget, and the other professionals she can afford to hire to work for her and for the wedding couple. It's all got to be completed in the time available, even when things go wrong.

There are the hairdos and clothing for the bride and bridesmaids, and for the groom and the groomsmen. There is the church minister or other wedding celebrant to be booked and paid for. The wedding reception venue to be picked and reserved, caterers and menus arranged. And there are the wedding invitations and wedding flowers as well.

Don't forget the disc jockey or musicians who will provide the music for your wedding guests, and then there's the professional wedding photographer to be chosen and possibly an official wedding videographer.

Friends and relatives will have their own still cameras and camcorders, to be sure, but you need to use them as a backup in case the offic

ial photographer fouls up. It's rare, but it can happen, even to a Pro. So always try to have a 'Plan B' you can fall back on.

Hire cars or limosines… white wedding doves… the list goes on and on. Just as the cost can go up and up.

People in some countries and cultures go deep into debt to have a big wedding, but you need not be so extravagant, thank goodness.

At the very least you will need to read a good book on the subject of Wedding Planning, or you can hire a professional wedding planner to do it all for you. But be sure to do a little research at least before you decide which way it's going to be.

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