Are you recently engaged and ready to start planning your dream wedding? Congratulations! Or are you an inspiring wedding planner who loves all things wedding? As interesting as wedding guides sound, sometimes they can miss out on the most important information to consider when the time comes to plan your wedding. What you need to look for is an ultimate guide that encompasses almost everything. You must do your research and note down what you think it is you want for your wedding. Don’t be afraid to change your mind one hundred times, but make sure the final decisions you make are the right ones that you won’t regret.
So, you’ve seen that incredible wedding scene in Crazy Rich Asians directed by Jon M. Chu, and you’ve decided you want the most luxurious wedding you’ve ever been too and will ever dream of attending. Or, perhaps, you’d like something small and neat to truly focus on the family side of things. Either way you swing in the wedding scene, you should not fall short in creating an all-encompassing checklist to make sure you don’t miss a single thing. Continue reading for five tips making up the ultimate guide to planning your wedding.
Consider a wedding planner
The wide scope of wedding planning can be extremely difficult (even if it isn’t your first time). So, party planning and hiring a wedding planner might be your best option. Think Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner and all the amazing things wedding planners have to offer. Some say that hiring a planner is the best investment you’ll ever make. If you currently have a mood board or a lot of saved pins on Pinterest, wedding planners can bring your dreams and ideas to life. They can also put some perspective on things and mould your ideas to suit your budget.
Your wedding should definitely be one of the most memorable days of your life so do not go at it alone and ask for some help. Hiring a wedding planner might actually help you save some money, as they stick to your budget and find the best value possible. Nothing comes at too high a cost for a wedding planner as they are still able to provide that luxury you’ve been longing after. Save yourself time, keep calm and put your trust in an expert planner – you won’t regret it.
Guest list
Time for the dreaded guest list. Should you invite those two people who you haven’t spoken too since high school, but you know they would feel really bad if they missed out on an invite to your big day? Putting a guest list together for your big day can seem frightening, but it’s your big day for a reason and you get to make these decisions.
That’s not to say you still don’t try your best to keep everyone happy. Choose the people who mean the most to you – both family and friends – and make sure they will make your day the success you want it to be. First of all, write down all your guest considerations, compile all possibilities into lists of importance (this will be harder if you want a smaller wedding) and filter down to who matters the most to you and your partner. Begin trimming the list down and separate the definitely and the maybe lists. With advice from your wedding planner, work out how many guests you can afford. Lastly, try to take some advice from married friends and family for their advice and regrets they have about their own wedding guest list. Overall, to save a lifetime of guilt, just invite those two high school friends.
Choose a venue
Now that you have your guestlist secured, it’s time to choose a venue. Close your eyes and what’s the first venue that comes to your mind? Before saying yes and choosing that one, make sure it’s within budget and free on your chosen date. There are also some key considerations that you must think about when choosing your venue. Firstly, explore the many different opportunities you have. You can get married almost anywhere so choose something memorable for both you and your guests. Second, is it big enough to hold your entire guestlist and more to make room for the plus ones that you haven’t invited? Make sure the venue fits with your ideal theme too.
Catering
One of the best things about choosing catering for your wedding is that you get to decide what everyone eats on the day (with exception of the dietary requirements, of course). Would you like a grand sit down three-course meal, or a buffet style help yourself? Both can be done perfectly with the right caterer. If you’re not sure where to start, ask your wedding planner for some tips. Some couples even share the want to create a signature drink or cocktail for the event which is a sure memory. However, wedding experts are soon trying to forget this trend. They wonder why part of your budget should be spent on this and suggest to just let your guests drink the drinks that they like! Truly think about what you want out of your big day and spend your money on the right items. Personalised party favours are a good shout.
Music
Whether you’re having a small or large wedding, you’ll need some form of entertainment to keep your guests entertained. This decision should totally be based on your taste and there are many options to choose from. These options may include a small jazz band, a DJ, a record player with a great sound system, or your local folk band. Once you’ve made your vows and listened to (and cried) at all of the speeches, you, your partner and guests will now need to relax and enjoy the big night. So, choose wisely and don’t forget to select your perfect wedding song.
Now begin sending your save the dates!