Wedding planning

Congratulations on your choice to get married! But how do you start planning the perfect wedding, especially if you don’t have a clear vision yet?

The best place to start planning your wedding is by choosing the date of the celebration itself. This is important because of the many services and professionals you will need to involve in the organisation of the event. Many couples choose their wedding date during the summer season, especially the popular months of July and August. Therefore, it is important to choose a date and start planning as early as possible to ensure that the desired professionals and venue are available.

By choosing wisely, you can avoid the period of peak demand, when both prices and availability of services may be higher. You may want to consider an off-peak wedding, choosing spring or autumn when prices may be less expensive. Recently, September has also become a popular month for weddings due to the warmer climate.

The importance of the day of the week should also be taken into account. If you decide to have your wedding on the day of the week of your wedding celebration, you may experience a lack of discount on a particular cost source. However, it may be worth considering the alternative of a non-weekend wedding. In this case, careful consideration should be given to the possible attendance of guests and the possible difficulty of their travel during the working day.

You may have already thought about it, but Thursday can be a good compromise as it can be considered as a weekday. However, bear in mind that not all suppliers offer discounts for weddings during this week. So it all depends on your priorities and expectations. The most important thing is that the date you choose meets the needs of your family and friends, gives you pleasure and does not present too many logistical challenges.

You can secure your chosen wedding date by reserving a place at the church or at the civil registry office, depending on what kind of marriage you are planning. It is important to remember that if you choose a church marriage, you will have to attend classes or courses, so it would be a good idea to estimate the time and register in advance. Each parish may have different deadlines and course periods, so it is advisable to find out this information in advance. Some parishes may have a limited period of validity and if more than 6 months have passed between the end of the course and the marriage ceremony, the certificate of completion may not be valid.

It is recommended that you register at least 5 months before the planned celebration, and you may enquire about the course even much earlier. Courses usually take about a couple of months and more information, especially if you live abroad, can be found on the Lithuanian Family Centre website. It is important to remember that fiancés often have questions about the „fiancé course”. Briefly, the courses can be organised physically, by meeting in one place, or remotely, where participants can choose a convenient time and place. Courses are paid, usually with a set „donation”. The most important thing is to pass the course. In distance courses you usually receive video tutorials and have to complete assignments by a certain time, usually within a week. There is usually no exam, and the way it is organised can vary from short quizzes in each lesson to a test in the last lesson or even just a chat/discussion after which you get a token certificate.

To register a civil marriage, you first need to find a civil registry office in your preferred location (city or district). You can check available dates and times and get information about online registration by visiting the official websites of these offices. For example, the Vilnius Civil Registry Office publishes its Civil Marriage Registration Calendar by logging in through the e-service system (see the instructions for ordering the service), selecting the service „Getting married.” You can also check the civil registry offices in other cities, such as Kaunas Civil Registry Office or Klaipėda Civil Registry Office.

Once you have chosen and booked a date, but you receive a message saying that your desired venue is not available on that day, don’t despair. You can usually change your wedding date quite easily, depending on the working schedule of the office and your needs. The most important thing is not to be afraid to contact and consult the staff of the department, who can help you find a suitable solution and suggest alternative dates or venues for your celebration.

When planning a civil marriage, you have the option not only to choose from the Town Hall, but also to book an away ceremony. This ceremony is usually not long – it takes about 15-20 minutes. During this special moment you can prepare to say your signed vows to each other.

The marriage can be registered at any place chosen by the newlyweds, which must be within the boundaries of the town whose Civil Registry Office the marriage is being registered. It is important that the registration of the marriage does not contravene public order or endanger the life or health of others or the participants. The flag of the Republic of Lithuania must also be flown during the ceremony.

If you want to register your marriage in another place, you must apply to the Civil Registry Office. If you choose an itinerant marriage ceremony, you will need to arrange for a member of staff from the Registry Office to travel to and from the place of the marriage and the necessary means to register it. The worker will need to stand on level, non-slippery ground, with a table nearby to place the documents, rain protection etc.

The newlyweds undertake to leave the marriage venue clean and tidy after the ceremony. The marriage shall be registered only during the opening hours of the Civil Registry Office or at a time specially chosen for the registration of the marriage ceremony at the place chosen for the registration. The owner of the chosen venue will need to provide the Registry Office with the permission of the owner of the venue to hold the ceremony on his/her property.

If all these official conditions do not meet your expectations, you can opt for a sham marriage ceremony. In other words, organise a beautiful oath of love for each other with an existing organiser providing such a service, such as a humanist ceremony. However, the real marriage will have to be arranged and legalised at the Civil Registry Office at some other time.

If you are planning a church marriage and want to get married in a church other than your parish church, this is possible, but you need to contact the parish priest of your parish (in which area you live and to which congregation you belong). You will need to obtain a consent form from him/her, which will enable you to book a wedding date in any church you wish.

In order to obtain the pastor’s consent, you will need to meet certain conditions and provide the following documents or copies of them:

ID or a copy of it.
A baptismal certificate (i.e. an extract of the baptismal certificate) from the parish where you were baptised. This certificate must have been issued at least 6 months ago. It should contain the parish’s Baptismal records, information about the person, whether the person has received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and whether the person has been married, that is, testifying to his or her unmarried state.

Please note that these documents are necessary to obtain the pastor’s consent and to reserve a wedding date in another church. The requirements and procedures of the particular pastor must be checked and followed to ensure smooth planning of the celebration.

Make a list of who you would like to see at your celebration, whether it is just immediate family and friends or perhaps a whole group of acquaintances. Coordinate this list with your future spouse. This list is very important as it will have a significant impact on the total cost of the celebration. Understand that not all invited guests may not turn up, so use these statistics:

If there are 50 or fewer guests, the chances that they will attend are about 90% or more of those invited.
If the number of guests is between 75 and 100, the chances of them attending are around 75-90%.

It is worth noting that as the number of guests increases, the number of refusals may also increase.

Also include special guests – witnesses to your marriage. Choose and invite them as early as possible, giving them enough time to prepare for the celebration. Recently, it has become popular to invite the witnesses in a special way by giving them a symbolic and unexpected invitation. This can add originality and joy to your celebration.

Set a budget

This is a crucial step that will have a big impact on your future decisions. It is suggested that you take a certain amount of money that you are willing to spend on the celebration and allocate this amount to the main elements of the wedding, including the venue, food, drinks, dress, costume, etc. It should be remembered that in more than 90% of cases, the pre-established budget increases by around 10%. Be prepared for this reality when planning your expenses.

The advantages of hiring a chauffeur-driven car for your wedding are numerous, and here are some reasons why it can be a great choice for your special day:
* Comfort and Relaxation: with a chauffeur-driven car, you can relax and enjoy your wedding day. You won’t have to worry about driving, traffic rules or road maps. This will allow you to focus on yourself, your partner and all the joys of the wedding.
* Choice of luxury and comfortable cars: chauffeur-driven car hire allows you to choose from a wide range of luxury cars. This will allow you to choose a car that reflects your tastes and the theme of your wedding.
* Excellent air conditioning: weddings can take place in a variety of weather conditions, and a quality air conditioned car will keep you and your guests comfortable and refreshed even on the hottest day.
* Car washing and preparation: rental services often include car washing and preparation, so you can be sure that your car will be clean and properly prepared when it arrives.
* Free time: no matter where you need to go for your wedding, you won’t have to worry about finding roads, routes or parking spaces. Your personal driver will take care of all that.
* Safety and reliability: Professional drivers are usually experienced and familiar with local road conditions. This will ensure a safe and reliable journey throughout the wedding day.

By choosing a chauffeur-driven car rental, you can be sure that you will have a comfortable, safe and relaxing journey, allowing you to fully enjoy your wedding day.

A champagne table on your wedding day can add a special touch of elegance and joy to the celebration. Some reasons why this accent is an indispensable highlight of the wedding day:

A dreamlike atmosphere: champagne bubbles and the glow of the glasses will create a luxurious and romantic atmosphere, adding to the exclusivity of the wedding.

Greetings and the start of the celebration: the champagne table can be the perfect place for greetings. It will give you the opportunity to remember this moment for a lifetime. The table is not only a delicious choice of drink, but also a wonderful way to create a luxurious wedding day filled with memories.

A champagne table is a photogenic accent that looks great in photos and videos. It can complement the wedding decoration and contribute to creating great memories.

Importance of the Welcome Moment: A champagne table is the perfect choice for the welcome moment. It will help to create a special moment when everyone gathers to congratulate the newlyweds.

Variety of choice: You can choose from a variety of champagnes, exclusive jars and décor items to match the theme of your wedding. This will give you the opportunity to personalise the touch.