Wedding Details: Get What You Want—Painlessly

Preparing the perfect wedding can be tough, especially when everyone has their own ideas about how your day should play out. Smart brides will find creative ways to get what they want. “These aren’t necessarily bad brides—they just have to pull strings to get what they need,” says Sheryl A. Garman, president of Perfect Weddings in Philadelphia.

Brides who want friends and family to follow a color scheme should be sure to mention it in the save-the-date card, invitation or a newsletter. And be creative: “I had one bride who wanted an all-white wedding, so on the invitation she expressed it in a poem,” says Megan Kline, owner of Megan Kline Events in Philadelphia.

If your dream reception includes meringue, salsa or classical dancing, hire a dance instructor or entertainer for your wedding. The professional dancer can perform before the meal is served, and after the cake is cut, he or she can begin teaching your guests the soulful steps, says Garman.

If you have nightmares of someone in your wedding party getting drunk, it’s fine not to serve alcohol before dinner. “Or you can just tell your wedding party your wishes and hope that they respect them,” says Kline.

Another tactic, says Garman, is to ask your wedding consultant to speak with the bartender ahead of time. Leave instructions for the bartender to make weaker drinks for any guests who clearly don’t know their limits.