Wedding planning advice for a special and memorable day
Your wedding day is one of the most significant events of your life. So it makes sense that you want it to be nothing less than perfect.
Your big day is your chance to celebrate the love you share for your partner with family and friends and to dress up and look beautiful.
You may have been dreaming about your wedding since you were a child, and as a result you may feel pressure to ensure it’s ‘just so’. However, remember that when you stay focused and are committed to planning ahead, you’ll be on your way to creating a special and memorable day for all to enjoy.
If you’re ever feeling stressed out, take a step back and remind yourself of all the reasons you’re getting married in the first place to put a smile on your face.
Start preparing early
If there’s one piece of advice you absolutely need to heed, it should be to start planning early. You may think you have a lot of time, but it’s going to go by faster than you think. So as soon as you get engaged, start your checklist of tasks and get tentative wedding dates on the calendar.
The earlier you start, the less stressed out you’re going to be as your big day approaches. Get organised and know what it is that needs to get done and by what date. Carry a planner around with you to write down notes and ideas as they pop into your mind.
For example, if you want to get your wedding flowers preserved, you need to find a service that can do it quickly after the wedding before the flowers start to wilt. Shop bouquet preservations to find a service near you – the closer the service, the less distance your flowers need to travel.
You’ll be a lot happier if you plan right and design the day based on your wishes. Although wedding planning should consume a lot of your time, make sure you take breaks away from it too, so you stay well.
Create and follow a budget
It’s important to create and follow a budget when you’re planning your wedding. This will help guide you in making vital decisions about how your wedding day will go.
The last situation you want is to spend too much and have regrets later on when you feel broke. While you want your wedding to be nice and special, remember there will be other items you want to spend your money on after getting married such as a house.
A budget will help you narrow down your choices right from the start, so you don’t feel as overwhelmed when making important decisions about some of the big-ticket items.
Focus on the venue and reception
You can plan a special and memorable wedding day by focusing on the venue and reception. While people want to see you get married, they’re also looking forward to attending a good party.
The venue is where you’ll be spending the majority of the day, and it’s definitely an aspect of the wedding people will remember if it’s special. Make the reception exciting and enjoyable by having a band or DJ as entertainment and considering Pictureblast photo booth hire so your guests can capture all the fun they had with pictures.
You want to ensure that your guests are entertained and having a pleasant time throughout your reception. Having these aspects present will allow you to achieve this goal.
Enlist help
While you may be the bride, it doesn’t mean you have to do all the work and planning yourself. Reach out and ask for help when you need it. Otherwise, you risk trying to take on too much and burning out before your big day.
Your mother and friends may well be more than happy to pitch in and assist you. But you have to speak up and let others know what you need so they can take some stress off of you.
Make lists of what needs to get done and think about who may be best for the job, such as finding the right wedding celebrant to make your ceremony truly memorable. You might also want to consider hiring a wedding planner or coordinator if you need a hand in other areas of your wedding planning. They’ll be useful for helping you prepare ahead of time and making sure that all goes well and smoothly on the day of the wedding.
Involve your partner
You may be so busy and excited about your wedding that you forget to involve your partner. You may be surprised at how many men like to know what’s going on and have input to give.
So sit down and have a conversation about it with your partner and see what they want to help with, and which elements matter the most to them. It’s not only a great way to spend more quality time together, but it’ll take some of the to-dos off your list. Y
ou’ll have a more memorable and special day when you work together as a team and are both contributing to the success of your wedding.
Interview your vendors
You don’t want just any photographer or cake showing up at your wedding. You want the right people and items that will make your day special and memorable, and meaningful to you.
So it’s wise to sit down and interview your vendors and make sure you feel you can work well with them, and they ‘get’ your vision for the day.
Come up with a list of possible vendors and meet with them individually so you can see if they’re the right choice for you or not. You not only need to like their work and products but you should also confirm that they’re personable and easy to work with so you can relax a bit.
It’s in your best interest to read their reviews online too, and ask for recommendations, so you don’t regret your decisions.
Think through the invites
You may think that you want a large wedding, but big weddings come with higher costs, more planning and the potential for grater drama.
So think through who you want to come before you go too crazy with the invites. Who do you really want to be there? And who are you inviting because you think you should, or because they may expect an invite?
This is YOUR day and you get to say who attends. So make your guest list and then begin to whittle it down based on who you and your future spouse feel will be a good fit to have at your wedding.
You don’t need to have everyone you know at your wedding to make it special. It’s more about who you think is there to support you and will have a good time and not start any drama.
Have a conversation with your mother or mother-in-law about anyone they want you to invite that you feel uncomfortable having at your wedding. It’s better to address the issue head-on than to be miserable on your wedding day.
Practise self-care
The thing you want is to be so so stressed, worn down and exhausted when your big day finally rolls around that you can’t enjoy it. Or worse – fall ill!
So you need to make sure that you took good care of yourself throughout the wedding planning process. This means eating well, getting enough sleep and keeping active.
Don’t spend every minute poring over details and stressing about what’s gong to plan – and what is not. You need to keep having a life while planning for the biggest day of your life.
Recognise when you’re feeling overwhelmed and take a break away from wedding planning for a short while. Think about what you can do to calm yourself down when you’re feeling anxious, such as meditating or deep breathing exercises.
They’ll come in handy on the big day itself too, if you’re feeling a bit nervous.
Add unique touches
Make your wedding day special and memorable by adding unique touches. For example, consider the favours, wedding invitations, and décor or theme when you’re trying to make your day more distinctive.
Think about using your favourite and modern wedding colours and flowers and confirm that each detail speaks to you and your future spouse. Use your creativity and think about what elements are special to you and your relationship and that you can highlight.
Your guests will notice these personal touches and will appreciate the thought behind them.
Enjoy yourself
It’s important that you enjoy the wedding planning process, and actually enjoy and be present on your wedding day.
You can have a special and memorable event when you’re relaxed and remain calm. So try to be fully present and eliminate anything that may act as a distraction.
Focus on your partner and the love you have for one another. You want to slow down and remember each moment as it passes, which will be hard to do if you’re stressed out and rushing around at the last minute.
Once all the work is done, sit back, and have some fun on your special day. Remember that it’s possible something might go wrong, or you may face obstacles on your wedding day. However, remain calm and keep your emotions in check and under control so you can problem solve and move on.
Plan (and enjoy) a special day
Planning a wedding can be an exciting and thrilling time, but it can also be stressful and overwhelming. So use some of this advice to help you know what you should be focusing on and how to organise and prepare the perfect day.
Enjoy the ride because it will go by fast, and before you know it, you’ll be on a beach somewhere with your new spouse on your honeymoon.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao
