WEDDING MISHAP

Avoid these common faux pas that can turn your thanks into thuds.

Few things make a bride and groom more anxious than thank you notes—there are just so many of them to write out for different gifts, favors, and assistance with the wedding plans. Many couples worry about coming up with wording that is genuine and truly expresses their gratitude.

Tackle this last wedding task with confidence by avoiding these common blunders:

1. Getting the names wrong. Nothing is worse than writing a thank you note to guests you don’t know very well and spelling their names wrong! If their names aren't clear on the wedding gift card, check back to your master invitations list and contact a loved one who can provide the correct spelling.

2. Forgetting about the children. If a gift comes from a family with kids, be sure to list all of the childrens' names in your thank you card. If their wedding card doesn't include all of them—sometimes guests are informal and write "...and family" or "and the girls"—call a parent or friend for the full list and correct spellings. Every family (especially large, extended families) has an in-the-know relative with all of the details.

PLANNING THE PRE WEDDING AND POST WEDDING BUDGET

Q. What should couples consider about their finances before tying the knot?
A. Before you get married, each of you should prepare a statement of what you own and what you owe and share it with your spouse-to-be to ensure you both understand the financial union you are entering into. Talk about what your expectations are for each other in terms of sharing paychecks, paying on car or student loans, merging bank accounts, paying bills, balancing bank statements, etc. Newlyweds have enough adjustments to make so now is the time to talk and tackle any challenges as a couple.

Q. What tips can you share for merging bank accounts?
A. Generally it is easier for one of the partners to be in chargeof the account and ideally that person should be the “number cruncher” of the couple. The account should be balanced monthly in order to ensure that all checks, ATM withdrawals, debit card transactions, car payments, etc. are entered into the check register. The current account balance should always be known in order to avoid making charges against insufficient funds. Overdraft fees are not only expensive—they can hurt your credit rating.

NEWLY WEDS BUDGET PLANNING

Create A Buffer Zone
Jetting off to somewhere for your destination wedding the morning after your wedding sounds romantic. But a better plan is to schedule your departure for a day or two later. After the whirlwind of the big day, this will give you time to get some rest and accept the fact that the wedding you spent so many months planning is actually over. "We left for our honeymoon early on the morning after our wedding," says Megan McDonnell, from New Fairfield, Connecticut, regretfully. "We went from this amazing feeling of having so many people around us the night before to being alone. If we'd stayed an extra day, we could have enjoyed being with our family and friends a little longer and relived the fun of the wedding with them. The finality of it would have felt less abrupt and harsh."

BRIDE TO BE STRESS TIPS

Too often brides compare their ups and downs to the pictures of pure ecstasy they see in the magazines and 

conclude there's something wrong with them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Wedding jitters happen

The emotional cocktail can be stressful and confusing, even though you have probably experienced it many times before. If you ever have moved or changed jobs, you are familiar with the wide range of feelings that accompany any major transition. This is because all transitions create gains and losses.