To help the bride and groom plan a successful and stress-free wedding, there are many ways that family and friends can be helpful. It can be as simple as helping carry gifts from the reception site, to offering baby sitting services to small children from a previous marriage. After asking for help, the couple will need to assess the availability of time and resources of their friends and family, and act accordingly. Here are some helpful ways that others outside of the bridal party can be involved:

· Making an appointment with house of worship
· Compare prices of caterers
· Compare prices of reception sites
· Helping the bride select flowers
· Pricing photographers and videographers
· Pricing limos
· Pricing bands and disc jockeys
· Helping select prerecorded music
· Requesting honeymoon brochures
· Booking hotel rooms
· Choosing and making wedding favors
· Making seating arrangements and writing place cards
· Addressing wedding invitations and going to the post office
· Being a contact person for out of town friends and relatives
· Decorating the reception site
· Setting up disposable cameras and collecting them to be developed
· Bringing gifts from reception site to bride's home
· Decorating the "Just Married" car
· Taking car of pets while you are on your honeymoon

About the Author

Kathleen Terrana is the owner of Beautiful Bridal specializing in discount tiaras, veils and bridal jewelry.