When a bride begins to coordinate her wedding preparations, that is one of the most exciting times of her life – in anticipation of the coming marriage. From hunting down a reliable professional wedding photographer to the music and more, organizing all the particulars that help to make the day so memorable are huge.

The wedding venue itself is certainly among them, and the city of Philadelphia serves as an excellent choice.

If you’re in the midst of some serious Philadelphia wedding planning, keep reading for five great tips that are full of local resources sure to make your wedding planning experience simple and enjoyable.

Tour a Wedding Show or Bride Expo

Bride expos or wedding shows are a great way to evaluate multiple wedding suppliers and vendors in one spot and in one day. So, instead of calling around to different vendors or hitting the Philadelphia streets, you can simply spend a day at the bridal fair.

Bridal Event (bridalevent.com) seems to have the monopoly on bridal shows in the Philadelphia area and hosts a number of seasonal bridal expos and wedding shows across Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Check their website for upcoming dates, times and locations.

Get Your Photography Permits

Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, and wedding photo opportunities are everywhere. Whether you want to take your shots at the infamous LOVE statue or beautiful city hall, Philadelphia is a city that’s brimming with history, tradition and romantic settings. However, remember to arrange your photo permits before you start shooting.

For example, to take pictures at the Longwood Gardens you need to fill out a permission slip, pay admission for each member of your wedding party and adhere to a strict no tripods and no lights rule. Other areas in the city, like Fairmount Park, also require permits, so plan ahead.

Get In Touch Online

If you’re in the midst of Philadelphia wedding planning, you need to get online to make your life easier. Try a national wedding website like TheKnot (theknot.com) or a local site like PA Brides (pabrides.com) to connect with vendors, other brides in your area or research wedding ideas.

Try logging on to local forums to connect with other brides in your area. They can offer advice or recommendations for service providers as well as provide an understanding ear.

Invest in a Philadelphia Wedding Planner

Of course the “city of brotherly love” is home to piles of well-qualified wedding planners. So, if you need someone to take over the whole process or just a one-hour consultation to help with budgeting or other plans, check the yellow pages or the websites listed above for a recommended, local planner. Popular companies include The Wedding Factor, Megan Kennedy Events and I Do Wedding Consulting.

Check Out Philadelphia Wedding Magazine

Philadelphia Wedding magazine only comes out four times a year, but its pages are full of local ideas, creative resources and helpful suppliers.

So, rather than waste your time on national publications that don’t offer the local information you need, use this local publication as your Philadelphia wedding planning guidebook.