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Casey Fatchett is a New York City-based photographer with more than 10 years experience photographing weddings. He also recently went through the wedding planning process himself (congrats!), giving him a unique perspective on the wedding industry from both sides of the fence. Here, Casey discusses important things to keep in mind when planning your wedding.

Having seven sets of friends get married this year, I was called on fairly often for advice. It makes sense; I have been in the ‘wedding biz’ for over a decade, and I did my fair share of the planning for my own wedding last year. I am happy to give advice, whether it be to friends or my own clients (or both). I would like to take this time to give you five things to keep in mind when you are planning your wedding that will help you maintain your sanity and hopefully make things run a little smoother. So let’s get into the swing of things…

Photo Credit: Casey Fatchett Photography

1. Plan on Going Over Your Budget

Meet the winners of our Pin to Win a Dream Wedding Design by David Tutera Contest, Rigo Garcia and Claudia Hernandez! As part of their prize, the couple won a wedding-planning consultation with David Tutera himself. Here, Rigo and Claudia each share their recollections from the highly-anticipated meeting, starting with Rigo:

Bridal capelets, a very popular trend on the runways, allow for a fashionable alternative to strapless. This trend is perfect for the bride who prefers sleeves in the chapel and strapless for the reception. Who needs two dresses?

Here, three capelets from Alvina Valenta, Enzoani, and Maggie Sottero.

—Naima DiFranco

On the morning of her 14th wedding anniversary, Lucy Matthews decided to dig her wedding gown out of storage and put it to good use one more time. She wore the gown while picking up her husband, Derek, from the airport as he returned home from a business trip early that morning so that the pair could spend their anniversary together. As he came up the escalator, Lucy held up a sign reading "Derek, I'd do it all over again. I love you."

When Derek glanced up and spotted his bride, he was shocked and awed.

"The sweetest thing he said afterward was that on our wedding day, he got chills when I came around the corner. He said, 'I was expecting you to walk around the corner that day, so there was all this anticipation. But when I was coming up the escalator, I wasn't expecting you at all, especially in a dress. I'm so glad we're together.' He kept telling me, 'I'm going numb, I'm going numb,'" she told ABC News. 

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ. Marc Sense. His repertoire includes opening for major artists such as Snoop Dog, impressing big name corporations like Microsoft, and exciting party-goers at venues from coast to coast.  DJ Marc Sense's high energy sets are composed of a wide variety of genres, guaranteeing that the whole crowd connects with the music. "Music can bring people together, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, and I think that's what's really fun about weddings. I get to find that common thread among people.” 
  Photo Credit: Viera Photographics

The first dance song should always be as unique and special as the couple themselves. It sets the tone for the evening and can bring back memories of a first kiss or a song that brought the two newlyweds together in the first place.

Like many other aspects of the wedding night, a first song is an opportunity to put a personal touch on the evening and showcases your musical tastes. And if you’re transitioning right into dancing, choosing a universally-appealing song will engage guests and get in the right frame of mind to dance all night.

Here’s a pretty unique gift idea that came my way recently. It’s called the Conscious Box, and it’s a fantastic treat for your nearest and dearest.

Dedicated to all things eco, fair-trade and organic, the Conscious Box is filled with lots of yummy and healthful items. The fun part is that it’s a monthly subscription service, and you can choose a 3-month or 6-month program. You can also order a one-time only box. Each month, recipients are treated to a new theme that reflects the season. They also receive a message card introducing the theme along with a daily living card that offers tips on how to live more consciously. Now, who wouldn’t want their loved ones to live happier and healthier lives?

The Autumn Box message is to “Embrace the Vitality” and use this time of year “to reinforce the balance you see in your own daily routine — a vitality rooted in respecting other beings, loving unconditionally, and actively working to improve our world.” The inside contents include a package of organic whole grain wheat pasta, lavender hand and body lotion and bath and shower gel, hand and nail cream, loose tea and more.

You might just want to order the Conscious Box for yourself to help you keep your energy up and feel your best before the big day! For more information, visit consciousbox.com.

—Diane Forden

Guest blogger: Emma Arendoski, founder and CEO of Emmaline Bride, The Wedding Guide for the Handmade Bride, a website dedicated to all things handmade for weddings. Launched in 2009, the site has grown into the leading online voice for handmade weddings. Emma's mission is to empower her readers to support handmade through the use of handcrafted wedding items for all parts of the wedding planning process.

Here, she shares an excerpt from her first book, The Handcrafted Wedding: More Than 300 Fun and Imaginative Handcrafted Ways to Personalize Your Wedding Day (Sellers Publishing, October 2012).

Edible favors are always a hit; everyone loves food, and once it’s gone... it’s gone! No holding onto a wedding favor for months afterward or feeling too guilty to throw it away. Guests who are hungry before dinner can enjoy the favor right away, while others might take it to go. Here are some delicious ideas.

Homemade Jam and Other Preserves and Savories
Whip up a jar of your own delicious strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or peach jam, place a label on the front, and tie a ribbon around the lid. Spiced peaches, pickles, and marinated olives are other tasty choices. If making your own is too much of an undertaking, there are plenty of gourmet products available for purchase. Just add a ribbon and a thank-you tag. 

Join us every Friday for our Q&A column, where editor-in-chief Diane Forden answers one reader's biggest etiquette question. 

Q: I want to make sure that the first dance, toasts, cake-cutting and other activities proceed in a timely manner at our reception. Are there any specific guidelines to follow?

There's been a lot of buzz over an email from a bride to her prospective bridesmaids, where the bride laid out what she expects from her bridal party: buy the dress the bride selects ("everything will be affordable but if you think by affordable its [sic] going to be a $25 Forever 21 dress, then your [sic] going to the wrong wedding"), fly around the country to attend every wedding-related event (engagement party on the East coast, bachelorette party in Vegas, wedding in Vail, CO

Follow our new "Budget Breakdown" column, where we'll spotlight some of our favorite DIY projects and cost-cutting tips from real brides like yourself. We'll also reveal just how much it costs to put together those amazing celebrations from our Real Weddings gallery, to help you come up with a realistic budget for your area, guest count, and wedding style. First up: Dylan and Nancy's "Love, Rainbows, and Glitter" bash in Manitoba, Canada.

The daughter of a professional shutterbug, Nancy would tag along to Dad's photo lab and swoon over the proofs before newlyweds came to pick up their memories. So, it's not surprising that she chose to splurge on a top-notch photographer for her nuptials. She still believes that you should never leave home without your camera: "I love being there to freeze a hug, a knee-slapping laugh attack or a bride gently wiping a tear off her cheek as she listens to the love of her life profess his love to her."