When selecting a wedding florist, do shop around. You may think, "A rose is a rose is a rose." But as with any vendor, even those who come highly recommended may not be the best fit for you. It's all about the vibe you get when you talk with them or meet with them, so don't just pick the first florist you come across. Think of it this way: Florists are the people who are decorating your wedding. They can use their creativity to be as elaborate or as minimalist as you want them to be. You need someone who "gets" your vision and can set the tone for the style of your wedding. While some vendors (like photographers) can differ greatly in price, it's likely that two florists in the same area can order very similar flowers, containers and ribbons for just about the same price. So if you're looking at two proposals with near identical grand totals, what it really comes down to is whose personality you connect with. Remember that when you first sit down with these people.

When managing your registry, do check on items often. You're likely selecting dishes and other home essentials several months prior to the wedding, so things are bound change. Throughout the six months or so you're registered for gifts, you're bound to run into discontinued patterns, items on backorder and sets that are either out of stock online or unavailable in the store. Just keep an eye on your lists, and turn to associates in the store's registry department to help you check into the availability and status of certain items.

When getting married in a Catholic church, do request a recently issued baptismal certificate from your Church of Record. The priest who is officiating your wedding will guide you in meeting certain requirements, but here's the deal: "Recently issued" means the certificate has to be issued within six months of your wedding date. So this isn't something that can be checked off your list right away. I do suggest calling the church where you were baptized early in the planning process, just to check that your records are actually on file there. But don't bother formally requesting it until your wedding is six months away. Someone at the church rectory will take your name and birth date and you can arrange to pick up the certificate in person or have it mailed to you.