10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Wedding Planning
Planning a wedding is a lot of fun and most couples-to-be thoroughly enjoy the process so let’s see how we can make it even more delightful by streamlining the planning. Sure, if you’ve decided to hire a wedding planner, go for it. But you’ll still have to make some important decisions to personalise your special day. To help make your commitment ceremony beautiful, romantic and memorable, the following are some things to think about. These are some gems of wisdom that many couples are glad they knew before they organised their special day.
Get Someone to Help You Plan
Ask a friend, or a family member to be your ‘point person’ if you’re planning the wedding yourself rather than hiring a professional organiser. The person you choose should be someone who loves and is good at organising, capable of dotting every I and crossing every t, so nothing is missed or overlooked. You need to give this volunteer a checklist so everything can be ticked off as completed. For instance, one friend of mine says nobody marked an X on the spot where she and her groom had to stand so all the photographs were skewed and the sun shone right in the bride’s eyes for the entire ceremony. These are the small but crucial things that need to be appropriately organised. Here are 10 essential tips to remember:
1. What Matters Most to You and Your Partner?
While it might look as if you need to organise your wedding all in one day, it doesn’t, so get all your priorities right. Think about what matters most to you and your partner. Booking the venue and the celebrant would be first on most people’s list rather than whether Uncle Bill will be able to fly down from Queensland. The ambience, a chart for the seating arrangements and the music might be what matters most.
2. Choose the Right Venue
The venue can have sentimental value (where your parents were wedded, perhaps) or fit within the budget but they ought to be just what you prefer whether you’re marrying in the Springtime or off-season. Wherever you hold your special day, the comfort of you and your guests is important and be sure there are contingency plans in case it rains if you’re holding it outdoors.
3. All Final Decisions Are Yours
For things such as filling invitation envelopes and getting quotations for the photographer, the flowers and cars, etc., ask your point person or family members to lend a hand. However, remember that all final decisions are yours and your fiance’s.
4. Ask For Samples
When you’re deciding on what you want for your wedding, it’s helpful if you have samples so don’t be backward in asking for them if they’re not suggested.
5. What About the Colours?
While your colour palette will be part of a lot of your wedding decisions such as the flowers and the bridesmaid’s dresses, don’t be ruled by it, just guided. Not every aspect of your wedding has to be a perfect match, rather, see your wedding planning in terms of formality, mood, style and texture as well as in colour.
6. Agree Only to What You Want
When you’re planning your wedding remember this is your special day to celebrate your unique relationship and loving bond, so you can have the wedding you want, whether it’s high up in a plane, or down under the sea – quirky, yes, but it has been done. In other words, you don’t have to have a standard church wedding if you don’t want one.
7. Choosing the Music
While you can select the music that sings you down the aisle, the reception music should be a mix of your favourites and what your guests will also enjoy. The best advice is to find a middle ground if you like house music and your grandparents.
8. Everyone is There for You
You might feel a bit anxious, that’s normal on anyone’s wedding day, but the joy of the occasion will no doubt see you through. Feeling a bit panicky about standing there with everyone watching can be a bit overwhelming but remember you matter to them. They are your family and friends, so, even if you mess up saying your vows, or someone drops the ring, they’ll laugh with you, not at you.
9. Control the Open Bar
If you don’t want your guests getting too wild, consider keeping the bar open for two or three hours max and stocking just beer and wine. They can always get the hard stuff at the after-party.
10. Where the Budget Lands
Finally, if your planning doesn’t match your budget, you can ditch some extras such as the fancy going away outfit, the huge engagement party and the monster buck’s night.