Xylophones were used for that extra touch at the Xmas wedding of Xavier and Xanthe.

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Extras – not really an ‘X’ but we’ve put them in for you to Xerox in case you need them!

There are many ways you can give yourself a better sense of security on your wedding day if something goes wrong. Leaving yourself a lot of extras will allow for mishaps and allow you not to stress out over tiny details. The things so easily forgotten, the ‘doh!’ moments. There are also extras you can splurge on during your wedding day for a bit of extra fun.

Extra stationery- Extra invitations come in handy when you realise you’ve forgotten your Aunt Martha, extra placeecards and seating cards are a good idea in case plans suddenly change.

Extra time- Leave extra time in your schedule for anything that runs late on your wedding day. Leave extra time for makeup, extra time for photos, extra time for dancing!

Extra Confirmation- Don’t forget to confirm all of your vendors before the wedding. if you have a wedding planner (or even a Day Of Coordinator) they may look after this for you. Ensure they know the right details and scheduling of the day.

Extra information- Make sure you give as much information as possible to guests (especially if they are travelling) maps, directions, activities. Consider providing an open house to guests or planning activities such as golf or luncheons so out of towners are not left stranded.

Write up your own wedding contact list and schedule and distribute to important people within your wedding. This will save you from having to Google the florists phone number on the morning of your wedding.

Extra Ceremony Touches

Add extra information in the ceremony program or order of service booklet about the different traditions and ceremonies

Add rice, confetti or bubbles, doves or butterflies for a ceremony departure.

A sign at the entrance to the venue reminding guests to switch cell phones off.

Make sure you have a few umbrellas on hand for if there is any doubt of rain.

Photo by Brooke Schwab Photography

On a hot summer’s day provide water, parasols and fans to keep guests cool. In winter ensure there is adequate heating and consider soft wraps and hot drinks.

Ensure there is plenty of signage at your venue (especially if all events are held at the one place) for restrooms, the reception area and any other places the guests will need to know.

Extra Reception Touches

Children’s Table- If inviting young children, ensure you have provided them with a quiet child friendly activity to keep them happy during long speeches.

Buffets- Lolly or candy. coffee, chocolate, coffee, ice cream even a juice buffet are great ways to give your guests extra choice for food.

Bathroom Baskets- Provide miniature size versions of amenities such as band aids and tampons to help out guests.

Midnight Snacks- Extra food at midnight is the perfect way to keep guests appetite sustained and wake them up for the drive home.

Fireworks – definitely an ‘extra’ but they will add sparkle to a night time wedding. Permission will need to be obtained from local fire authorities.

Transport- Ensure everyone has a way to get home, whether you hire a bus or ask the venue to call cabs at the end of the night, make sure noone is left stranded! (your parents included as they may have travelled in the same car as you to the wedding)

Photo by Rae Lytham Photography

Sparklers- Consider a send off from your reception with sparklers or confetti

Thereafter- Don’t forget to have someone pick up items such as gifts, your special cake knife, your champagne flutes, leftover wedding cake and other personal items.

Extra Care

Emergency Kit

Have an emergency kit at hand. Visit sites like Bridal Survival site for kits with those little things you never thought that you might need for travel, the wedding day, for mums of the bridal party and more

Backup Plans

Ensure you have backup plans! These are essential if your wedding ceremony is going to be outdoors! Backup plans are also essential if you’re relying on a CD or Ipod for your wedding music.

For Your Honeymoon

If you’re marrying overseas or taking an overseas honeymoon make sure that you know the entry requirements for each country.
Take extra copies of your travel documents with you, and leave a copy of them at home with a trusted person.

Make sure that if you need vaccinations for your destination, you see your doctor and get them done well before the wedding.
Have contingency plans set up at home in case your credit card is stolen or you get stuck in a difficult situation. Make sure someone at home knows where you are.

Check out the Australian Smart Traveller Website for handy hints and requirements for the country you are visiting.

There’s always guests at a wedding who don’t know where they’re going and could use a little help. Wedding Mapper creates custom wedding maps- even for Aussies! It’s a little nicer to give guests than a blocky computer printout and it can also include other points of interest in a fun way.

This is my little mock wedding map. Let’s pretend Mr Polka Dot & I were getting married at St Paul’s Cathedral located in Melbourne city, our pretend wedding guests would then head to the Melbourne Aquarium for our ever so stylish reception. We recommend to guests that they stay at The Langham Hotel on Southbank.

I can email the link to the guests or put it into my wedding website ( like the mockup above) I can input extra venues like the airport, the after party and restaurant recommendations with a note of explanation. Perhaps its a weekend wedding- in which case I can also provide points of interest such as Mr Polka Dot’s favourite museum or my favourite park. It’s easy to use (and setup!) and even the most computer illiterate guest will be able to find their way around.

Guests are able to see the descriptions and photos I input and can also get directions from venue to venue. Wedding Mapper works from Google maps so allows guests to see the whole city and zoom in and out. There are also many tutorials on getting the map right for your invitations, or you can pay to have it artfully designed.

The site isn’t just limited to helping guests out though. As the busy engaged couple you can plot your florist, wedding planner and even hairdresser on the map and seek directions, there is also a community to chat to other brides, though for Australians there isn’t much action happening.

Wedding Mapper is completely free, though some extra features are available for a fee, it’s so easy to setup it’s worth a try!

A fun idea after the wedding is to create a wedding time capsule of sorts. Possibly not something to dig a hole in your backyard for, but using a nice box, a place to hold some special tokens.

Plympton White Leather Boxes from Whiteport

Your wedding ‘time capsule’ could include

• A letter to each other for the future
• Wedding invitation
• Wedding accessories such as napkins, wedding favours and programs
• A menu listing your reception meal
• Newspaper/Entertainment/Sport magazine/television from your wedding day
• Your wedding guest list
• Cork from your champagne toast
• Honeymoon brochures
• Ticket stubs
• Predications and well wishes from wedding guests.

It may be the perfect thing to open on your 10th wedding anniversary with a bottle of Cristal and some pretty good cake in hand (I suggest a brand new cake for this part of course!)

Chronic illness is something that affects so many people, yet those who are touched by it march on silently, often alone.

For those in a relationship, it stretches the boundaries, tests the bond you have and requires so much emotional energy, patience and loyalty. It’s a journey which can provide many rewarding jewels but can also be something which makes your soul ache with the strength it requires and pain it causes.

Modern Bride (USA) has created a website called BeMyRock.org which is designed as a support community for engaged couples who have been touched by chronic illness to help them plan a wedding. It includes a community forum, reading list, advice from the editors of Modern Bride and plenty of resources.

The site is not only for those who suffer a chronic illness themselves, but also for those who have been touched by illness of family members or friends.

Tackling the task of planning a wedding is enough to send any person bonkers (or to use a certain zilla term!) Planning a wedding while dealing with chronic illness brings even more challenges- How do I deal with standing for my half hour ceremony? How do I involve my dad who has cancer?

BeMyRock.org is something the wedding industry has needed for a long time, if you’re touched by a chronic illness check it out, tell your friends and spread the word!

Jo Gartin is an internationally renowned wedding planner and author. Having penned a book I received two Christmases ago from a very knowing family member i was delighted to learn Jo is a born and bred Australian!

As a regular ‘wedding writer’ Jo contributes to Instyle Weddings, Daily Candy and has a client list that includes Brooke Shields, Courtney Cox Arquette and Kate Walsh through her coordination company Love, Luck & Angels. She’s also written a book ‘Jo Gartin’s Weddings: An Inspiring Guide For The Stylish Bride’

One of Jo’s designed weddings from Love, Luck & Angels

‘Jo Gartin’s Weddings: An Inspiring Guide For The Stylish Bride’ is a fabulous book full of little ideas and inspiration for your wedding day. The ideas are achievable for the average bride but are creative enough to allow you to put your own touch on it.

In the book, Jo showcases some of her wedding invites, transforms budget wedding gowns with simple tricks, provides simple guides on colour choosing and little thoughtful gestures for your guests like a basket of pashminas or parasols, lolly buffets and guestbook ideas. You can buy the book from any bookstore or Amazon.

Check out Jo’s appearance on Get Married TV to see her in action.