(ARA) - Couples heading to the altar have a lot to think about. Planning a wedding is no small feat, but, as many people will tell you, planning for your life together beyond the big day is even more important. While thinking about the future is definitely exciting, you should also be sure to have a discussion with each other about topics like buying a home, merging your finances and managing debt.

If both of you have relatively low debt - or better yet, no debt - you should talk about the steps that you need to take to keep your finances in good order. Living debt-free is a great goal to have as a couple, and doing so will eliminate one of the major stressors of any marriage.

Having a frank conversation about your finances now can help prevent future marital conflicts about money. Consider these points for discussion with your fiance. Keep the tone of your conversation kind and understanding - it's easy to get aggravated, but that won't help anything in the long run.

* Should we combine our finances after getting married or keep them separate?
* What kinds of purchases do you think it's appropriate to make with credit cards?
* How will we budget for major expenditures, like cars, vacations or home repairs?
* Who will be responsible for paying bills?
* Are you open to seeing a financial advisor or having an outside party prepare our taxes?
* What is the total debt load between the two of us and how will we address it?

When it comes to debt, make the conversation realistic, but optimistic as well. It's important to ask tough questions like why you got into debt and what could happen if you don't deal with the situation. Those answers can help paint a clearer picture of how you're going to start paying down your debt.

But to give yourselves something positive to work toward, ask what living debt free would mean to each of you - or to you both, as a couple. Maybe it means you'd be able to afford the home of your dreams or take yearly vacations - those answers can be the inspiration that keeps you working toward being debt free.

Using a tool like Debt Wise, from credit reporting agency Equifax, can make the process easier to manage and enable you to get out of debt faster. Using the information that the agency already has from your credit card companies and other lenders, Debt Wise automatically prioritizes your debts into a plan designed specifically for you and updates as you make progress. Not only can it help you tackle your debt faster, it can also help you save on interest charges - giving you even more financial room to achieve your goals. For more information, go to www.debtwise.com.

(ARA) - Acting as your own planner can help save money on your wedding reception. From ordering wedding napkins and favors to deciding how much cake and drinks to have on hand, you can keep a handle on costs by self-managing as many reception-related tasks as possible.

But how do you know how much to buy? Buy too little of any important item and you could run out, leaving guests hungry, thirsty and disappointed. Buy too much and you'll waste money and be faced with the challenge of getting rid of leftovers.

The reception experts at My Wedding Reception Ideas.com, a leading online resource for brides seeking unique wedding favors, wedding decorations and wedding supplies, offer these tips for calculating how much you'll need of key reception items:

Beverages

With all the dancing and celebrating they'll be doing, your guests are sure to work up a thirst. It's important to calculate the right amount of beverages to buy so you don't run out. A good rule of thumb is to plan for one drink per person, per hour. You may need more or less depending upon the make-up of your crowd. Lots of kids? You'll probably need less alcohol and more soft drinks. Plenty of adults who love a good party? You may need to adjust the amount of alcohol accordingly. Here are some averages to give you a starting point:

* Beer - Three to four beers per person.
* Champagne - Two glasses per person (mostly for the toasts).
* Wine - Three quarters of a bottle per person. One bottle of wine or champagne yields about six to seven glasses.
* Soft drinks - Three to four servings per person. A 2-liter bottle holds seven to nine drink servings.

It's always good to err on the side of caution and order more than you think you will need - about a third more is standard. Check with your distributor before you order; some will allow you to return unopened bottles.

Food

If you'll serve cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before the reception, limit this time to an hour or 90 minutes - you don't want guests filling up before the main event. Estimate three hors d'oeuvres per person, per hour - roughly five per person for the entire time. If your reception will be a cocktail/hors d'oeuvres event without a sit-down dinner, increase your calculations to 12 pieces per guest. If you're serving a sit-down dinner, one plate per person per course should be your starting point. You may choose to ask the kitchen/caterer to have some extras on hand in case anyone requests seconds or some last-minute guests arrive.

For the wedding cake, simply tell your baker how many guests will attend and they can recommend the size cake you'll need. It's good to estimate more servings than invited guests as some may want seconds or bring last-minute additions to the party. If you'll serve desserts other than cake, estimate one to two servings per guest.

Napkins

Personalized or plain, linen or three-ply, wedding napkins are a wedding reception must-have item. It's hard to imagine going overboard and having too many napkins, but it could happen - and if it does you may find yourself using those napkins at your first anniversary celebration. To ensure your napkin buying is on target with your needs, follow these guidelines:

* Two to three cocktail napkins per guest for the bar area.
* One cocktail-sized napkin per guest for the cake table.
* One and a half dinner or luncheon napkins per guest at the meal table if you won't be using linen napkins. For example, if you'll have 100 guests, plan for 150 dinner napkins.

Finally, favors

This one may seem obvious - one favor per guest. In reality, however, you need to allow for breakage (What if someone drops a box of favors on the way into the reception hall and several shatter?) and guests who may ask to take an extra favor home for a relative or friend who wasn't able to attend. Increasing your favor purchase by just 10 percent won't cost that much more, but could allow you to send guests home with an extra favor or two.

(ARA) - When you think of prime wedding months do May and June spring to mind? You might be surprised to learn that October and November are also popular months for nuptials. When you realize autumn brings not only cooler weather, but less busy caterers or wedding venues, the season's appeal is easy to understand.

Whether you're finalizing plans for a wedding this fall or planning ahead for autumn 2012, you'll be looking for ideas to add seasonal spice to your big day. From fall wedding decoration ideas to seasonally appropriate menu suggestions, here are some trends to consider for your fall wedding:

Alfresco and all natural

"Many brides cash in on fall's ample sunshine and cooler temperatures by holding their weddings outside," says Ray Miller of My Wedding Reception Ideas.com. "An outdoor wedding celebrates the season and plays to another popular trend - eco-awareness."

In many areas of the country, autumn brings less heat and rain. Plus, saying your "I do's" outside, surrounded by fall's vibrant hues, makes Mother Nature your co-decorator.

If you're considering having your wedding outside, don't overlook unusual venues. Municipal parks, national parks, botanical gardens, fruit orchards and even zoos can all be fun and interesting places for a wedding.

Seasonal decor and accessories

The colors and spirit of fall can also inspire your accessories and decor. Rustic materials and touches like raffia, twigs and straw can add seasonal flair to decorations. Leaf motifs and autumnal hues can be used to adorn everything from cake cutting sets and table linens to table centerpieces and slipcovers.

You can even tie your theme to fall holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving. Leaf-shaped votive holders, personal-size pumpkins and other Halloween wedding favor ideas can add seasonally appropriate fun to your celebration.

Remarkable menus

A fall wedding also opens up opportunities to create memorable menus that play on the flavors of the season. Just as spring and summer wedding menus benefit from the season's fresh produce, you can incorporate the fruits of the fall harvest into your autumn nuptials.

Fall vegetables like pumpkin, butternut squash, beets, carrots and rutabagas can be served slow-roasted for a side dish that capitalizes on the season's most colorful and nutritious offerings. Greens such as spinach, endive and celery root come into season in autumn and can be incorporated into soups and salads for a pop of flavor and vitamins.

Main course choices also open up in fall, when great game comes in season. Replacing boring beef with venison or mundane chicken with pheasant not only puts a seasonal stamp on a menu, but creates a culinary experience wedding guests will remember.