Misc

Things That Do Matter

Your feet. Make sure to bring a change of shoes. Consider using white sneakers- nobody will be able to see them under your dress, so wear them while taking pictures and dancing
Have a way to pin up the back of your dress. Most dresses come with bustles, anyhow. Make sure the bustle is pretty secure. Poor Christina ran into trouble when someone stepped on her dress and the bustle attachment tore off
Make sure to thank the people closest to you- your family
Eat, eat, eat. I know you're nervous. But eat! You have a long day ahead of you and need fuel in your tank to get through it!
Relax. Try your hardest to go with the day and enjoy every aspect of it
Smile lots and avoid making silly faces because there are cameras everywhere
Your wedding photographs are an important keepsake, so take the time to pose for photos. Yes, you want to party, but you also want a lasting memory of your big day
Your undergarments should be comfortable and hidden. How trashy would it be if your corset kept making an appearance every time you moved?
Make sure to tell your husband how happy you are to be spending the rest of your life with him

Tipping Guidelines and Suggestions

Choose a member of the bridal party to distribute the tips. Good choices would be the Father of the Bride or the Best Man
Label a separate envelope for each vendor and place their tip inside it and give this to your selected tipper
Set amounts for the vendors and include these in the envelope
Find out tipping policies from your vendors. Ask about policies when you are going over the contracts- is gratuity already included in the quoted package cost or not?
Keep an extra envelope with money in it in case a larger amount is required, a vendor is forgotten about, or a vendor goes the extra mile to help out
Tip the employees- not the owners- it's the employees who are doing all the hard work
Who and what to tip:

Hairstylist, Make-up artist: 15- 20%
Delivery Staff for florist, baker, etc: $10 -$15 per person
Officiant: Approx. 10% of budget, or $100 - $200. Or you may make a donation to the church
Transportation: 15-20%
Valets: $1.00 -$1.50 per car
Musicians: $20 -$25 per band member
Photographer -$20 - $25
Wait Staff: $15- $25 per waiter, if not already included in catering contract
Catering Manager: $200 - $300, if not already included in catering contract
Bartender: 10% of liquor cost

The Things You're Going to Forget To Do

Eat: ask your Maid of Honor to bring you a plate of hors d’oeuvres and to keep your beverage glass filled. The Best Man should also take care of the groom in the same manner.
Pay: In the days before your wedding, write out final payment checks for your vendors and have a trusted family member pass them out the day of the wedding. Or, you could pay everyone in full days before the wedding.
Book a Room: Make sure you have reserved rooms for both you and your groom as well as the bridal party and out of town guests.
Keep your gown bustled at all times during the reception: Have your Maid of Honor or mother, or anyone, for that matter, make sure your gown is properly bustles so you don't drag the hem on the floor and soil the dress. Not to mention you don't want to trip over all the fabric
Take care of the centerpieces: If you aren't giving your centerpieces away, have a member of the bridal party or a family member or friend drop off the centerpieces at local hospitals, nursing homes, etc. as a donation
Late Night Snack: Have the caterer pack up a picnic basket for you and your husband for a midnight snack. Chances are you didn't eat much during the reception, and you're going to be hungry later on
Leftovers: Make sure your caterer knows what to do with the leftovers from the dinner. Ask them to donate the leftovers to a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, if you'd like
Clean-up Crew: Make sure someone is in charge of gathering up all the stuff you want to keep from the reception- the cake knives, toasting glasses, etc.

Your Wedding & the Dollar Store

Here are just some examples of the goodies you can save money on by shopping at dollar stores:

Tableware: If your catering site isn't providing the tableware, stock up on plates, dishes, silverware, glasses, etc. in all sorts of colors
Silk Flowers: Use them in centerpieces, make favors out of them, drape them all over the place, etc. Some silk flowers look so real no one will even know the difference
Crafts: For centerpieces, favors, decor, etc.... candles, clear fish bowls, colored stones and marbles, bath goodies, potpourri, etc.
Picture albums for favors, or even for decorations
Coloring books for the kids
Bubbles, sunglasses, confetti, banners, white lights, etc.