Planning a Wedding

No, I'm not getting married. At least not yet...but I plan on getting married some day so it's a good idea to at least know what I'm going to have to prepare for. Since I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there might be a few things on here that may not apply to everyone:

Wedding Day Preparations:

• Location
• Which temple? For me, it would be the Los Angeles Temple if everything goes the way I'd like it too, and since it's my wedding, that's how it should be.
• Get endowments
• Invitations
• Which guests/ family members will be going into the temple with me?
• Should be those people who mean a lot to me (endowed, close family members and only the very closest friends [maybe] that I would want there).
• Marriage license
• Set a date and get it cleared with the temple
• Photographer?
• My sister is going into photography and can take pretty good pictures, so I doubt I'd have to pay for a professional.
• Babysitting
• While parents of young children go into the temple with me and my fiance who is going to look after their children?
• Wedding Dress/ Tux or Suit
• Rings
• Bridesmaids' dresses/ Groomsmen outfits

Just a somewhat personal thought, but I believe that the plans for the reception should be handled by those other than the bride or groom. Yes, they should get a say in what goes on, but I feel the reception should be more of a celebration put on by others to signify an acceptance of the united couple into society. That way the couple can just focus on their wedding and the significance of their becoming one. This is supposed to be a happy day, not one overcome with stress. Still, here are some plans that need to be put together for a typical reception no matter who puts it together.

Reception Preparations:

• Location: indoors or outdoors (get it booked)
•  Guest book
• Decorations
• will there be a theme?
• Colors? (I'm thinking of going with yellow and purple)
• Cake
• whose gonna make it? Family? or Store bought/Professional?
• Food
• Will dinner be served? or just finger foods? (I'm thinking of going with finger foods)
• Who is going to prepare it? (volunteers/friends/family or catering?)
• Wedding Line?
• I am against wedding lines. I feel that time would be better spent if the couple could go around and visit everyone throughout the evening instead of having people stand in lines to wait for to see the couple themselves. Plus, the poor bridesmaids and groomsmen who know hardly anyone coming through the line, have to stand there the whole time and pretend they want to be there.
• Set up a Wedding Registry/ a wish list

Post-marriage Preparations (just to touch on a few):

• Honeymoon
• Where is the couple going to live?
• Thank you notes
• Changing of name (for the bride)
• Combining accounts
• Adjusting
• Etc.