A wedding is without a doubt one of the most important days in the lives of any couple and the planning that precedes it is equally important just like the actual day. From planning for the engagement photos to choosing vendors to organizing the wedding party, meticulous planning is always necessary to ensure that come the ultimate day; it will be all systems go with the couple to exchange the three magical words – Yes I do!
Of course, planning a wedding is never a walk in the park, but again, it should not be overwhelming and stressful. Below we take a look at some of the essential wedding planning tips and tricks to grant you smooth sailing through the entire process.
Table of Contents
1. Start planning early
The earlier you start planning your wedding, the easier and the less stressful it will be as the actual date approaches. A great overwhelm normally ensue when couples rush to have everything fixed when it is just a couple of months to the D-day. It is imperative to start the planning well in advance so that you stay on top of everything and deflate any pressure that may come with the last minute rush. Check out on the venues, service providers, and the guest list and be sure that you have an idea of where you will secure all the essential services for the day.
2. Have a budget and stick to it
One way to ruin your wedding planning is not to have a budget, or have one which you will not be committed to. Many are the desires that couples have for their weddings, but for you to pull off everything successfully, it is imperative to have a budget and commit to doing everything within the constraints of that budget. Stressing over finances as the wedding day approaches is a sure way to have a very disappointing day, not to mention that it is also a good recipe to start your lives with a lot of financial stress due to the debts accrued in attempt to have a wedding that was beyond your means.
3. Have very clear timelines
There are very many things that should be achieved before the wedding the day. For example, you need to choose a venue, sign contracts with the service providers, get a gown, propose to bridesmaids and groomsmen, and do pre-wedding photoshoots amongst other things. It is important that you create a checklist with all the items that need to be accomplished before the wedding day, indicating your preferred times that you wish all are accomplished. With such a timeline, you will know if you are well on track with the planning, and you will also identify in good time if something is likely to lag or cause delays then make the necessary arrangements.
4. Get helping hands
Though it is your big day, the process of planning it shouldn’t be your sole affair. If anything, a wedding is a social event which will be graced with lots of family members and friends. And as usual, your family and friends would desire to be part of your big day as they have always been a part of your life. As such, don’t tire yourself to death by trying to plan a wedding by yourself or just with your fiancée alone. This is the perfect recipe to get stressed and overwhelmed and have the most miserable wedding.
5. Figure out the guest list in good time
You should sort out the guest list as early as possible because it will impact directly on your venue selection, and sometimes on the ultimate budget. With most of the service providers, the rates will be based on the costs per head, and you need to know in advance who you want to attend your wedding and who you don’t want to attend your big day. Of course, selecting the guest list is one of the hardest and biggest decisions in most wedding planning processes, but you don’t have to stress over it since ultimately, it is your day and you have every right to choose whom you want to share the day with.
6. Vendors are the key to the kingdom
Your vendors are your golden ticket to the wedding of your dreams, and by no means should be sloppy in choosing them. Be very diligent when it comes to hiring your vendors. Do your research, get references and the get the agreements and contracts done in good time. You must meet them in person, and have follow up meetings to cross-check that there will be no surprises on the wedding day. To help you out, you can enlist the help of your trusted relatives or friends to help on following up on some of the vendors, because as the day approaches, it may too much work on your part.
7. Anticipate challenges and have a contingency plan
Challenges will always be there in every wedding planning, and whether or not the day is salvaged depends on you knowing the challenges you are likely to encounter and how to deal with them. Of course, you will expect your vendors to give their very best, but what will you do in case of delays with the bridesmaid clothes, or how do you plan to deal with a weather that suddenly turns harsh on the wedding day. What if the function and the reception are held in places that are a distance apart and which may require some good logistical planning? All these are likely challenges you may encounter, and you should anticipate as many of them as possible and come up with contingency plans on how you will deal with them.
Conclusion
There are other essential wedding planning tips and tricks, though we believe these are some of the core ones, and you did enjoy reading them. We have taken part in planning a plethora of weddings, and from an expert’s point of view, we strongly believe that if you get the above right, then nothing will come in the way of you getting the wedding of your dreams. We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on our tips and tricks. Kindly leave a comment below and share this article if you have liked it.
Vines of the Yarra Valley Blog
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