Planning the perfect wedding is invariably an exciting and occasionally intense time!
It registers as one of life’s most stressful events along with bereavement, the arrival of a baby, and moving house… You’ll know that you’re in the thick of an organisational challenge when you’re trawling through lists of venues and country houses to rent, dress fittings, vows, entertainment ideas and choices and more.
Once you’ve decided on how you want to marry and ensured your wedding will be legal and above board, it’s time to get down to the fun bit – organising the big day itself! Here are a few ideas to chew over that will help you to focus on priorities and enjoy your wedding day.
This is after all, a chance to celebrate with your your loved ones!
Checklist
Good news! To help you out, we have created a ‘Complete Wedding Planning Checklist‘. This covers everything you need to cover from the moment you start planning your wedding, to the week before the big event.
Who Will Be In My Go-To A-Team?
Perhaps you have a close group of mates, or one or two special friends that you could ask to be your go-to team – people you can rely on to provide support and help with organising your party. It’s very helpful to have trusted, reliable people on board, who will help you to keep a sense of perspective and remind you that there may be a budget to manage. Trusted friends will have your best interests at heart and they will love being asked to help you with practical tasks. For instance, if one of your friends is busy filling up tiny jars with sweeties to decorate tables, you can focus on the something that needs your full attention.
Set a Realistic Budget
What you want versus what you can afford can on occasion be a delicate area – so work out what’s truly important and if your budget has a limit (and most do) accept that very often, less is more. Keep written notes on single, significant unavoidable costs and then review what extras will suit you and your partner.
An opulent wedding might seem essential, especially if you are comparing wedding events that you may have attended yourself, but be honest about what is important – and what your can truly afford. You might feel an open bar is key to people enjoying themselves, but you don’t have to follow anyone else’s wedding party.
You and your guests can have a wonderful time with a bit of entertainment, some great sounds and everyone could bring a bottle…just one way to keep on track with the finances.
The Non-Negotiable List
In the early days of planning, sit down with your partner and talk about the things you have to have on the day. You might want to arrange for a long lost relative to be flown in or book a particular location. Once you have chosen the key elements, you’ll have the building blocks for the rest of your wedding.
Compromise to Move Things Forward
There are two of you getting married, so it’s good to to remember that both of you are allowed to express an opinion! For instance, you might long for a specific type of Nepalese Vegetarian menu and your partner isn’t fussed AT ALL, but your partner definitely wants to hire an experienced wedding DJ whereas you were aiming for a live band to play at the evening reception – top tip…Book Early!
Organising such a big event may well test your patience – so work out where you have flexibility and accept that you don’t need to agree on everything – just the important stuff!
Wedding Planners
If you’re not the Monica Geller type from the 80’s TV Show “Friends” then the chances are you would benefit from the skills and experience of a Wedding Planning. There is a world of top notch Wedding Planners waiting to help you – just take a look at some of the publications produced by the Wedding industry, or scan on-line for local support.
Help plan the perfect wedding – suppliers on ChooseYourWedding.com
They can help you through every stage of your wedding – and ensure you have the most stress free day possible with their organisational experience and ability. If you want something more home-based and informal, why not set up a few Pinterest boards? You could have one for menus, one for the evening party, one for gift ideas – anything goes!
During the run-up to the wedding and even on the big day – events might unfurl that are beyond your control. Someone close to you may be unwell – you can’t cover every single eventuality so try not to get upset by any hiccups if they occur. It’s a fact that most people will revel in the drama rather than feel the day has been spoiled and so long as it’s not too serious, little accidents usually get people giggling.
Whether you’re just starting your wedding-planning adventure or checking off the very last things on your wedding checklist take a look through some of the Wedding Planning Apps suggested by Bride magazine. We were impressed with the range of services supplied by All Seated that helps simplify the wedding planning process by taking care of include managing the guest list, floor and seating plans
Pick a Theme That Works For You
You aren’t beholden to anyone to replicate a particular wedding theme; if you want to do something unique then feel free to reset the rules. Perhaps a rural campfire party is your thing, with fairy lights, yurts and friends singing with a backing band. Be as boho as you like – it doesn’t have to be a formal dinner and dance arrangement, with half a dozen bridesmaids in fuchsia pink. Some have chosen themes which include everyone attending in fancy dress – or beach weddings dispensing with shoes and long white gowns – do your thing – it’ll work!
Don’t Skimp on Photography
When you get the right photographer they really capture the feel and magic of your wedding day. By all means, let your friends loose with their own digital cameras and smart phone to snap away and you’ll have some great informal pictures to treasure. Another idea is to leave disposable cameras on tables – the pictures can be printed out, old style and compiled into an album. Or set up an app that people can send their own pictures to, that way you’ll create the biggest shared wedding album ever! There are a few great options – Wedding Snap is just one of them. It’s always worth reviewing these services because they can make such a difference on the day.
Keep An Eye On Your Contracts
If your wedding is taking place in a formal venue – go through your contract with a fine-tooth comb. Make sure you know what you have signed up for, check delivery arrangements, insurance and cancellation procedures. Insurance may not be at the top of your list but a large wedding can cost in the region of £25,000 to £30,000 – so insurance is vital. Ensure you have an e-mail or paper trail for all your communications and keep these in good order. Pay close attention to the dates and times on the contracts. For example, it wouldn’t be the first time a cake has been delivered 24 hours after the wedding! Simple errors do happen – so keep your attention levels high when dealing with bookings and deliveries.
Evening Guests
You might invite everyone you know to both the ceremony and wedding party – that’s cool. It’s a good idea to draw up your invitation lists early on. Cousin Stacey might be a total raver when it comes to a night of partying, but you know that she’ll be cringing at the thought attending a formal ceremony – so think about what your guests might want too! Don’t be too worried if you have to contend with an element of disagreement or a bout of family politics – accept the fact that you cannot please all of the people all of the time and that your guests needs to be grown up and get on with each other. They are there for you, not to settle old scores!
Weddings are fun, emotional, and enjoyable events. All that planning will pass by in the blink of an eye on the day, so don’t sweat the small stuff and ‘be’ in every moment!
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