20 Essential Wedding Planning Tips for Brides to Keep in Mind
wedding planning tips
Planning a wedding can be pretty overwhelming at times. There are so many things to consider when it comes to planning the perfect soirée. But once you have grapsed some essential planning tips, you will find your wedding process smoother and even more fun! Check out the following wedding planning tips to help you plan your special day without a hitch.
1.Create your guest list
In order to begin the process of booking your vendors, you need to know your guest list. It might seem early on in the process to sit down and think about who you are going to invite, but this crucial step will save you many headaches and frustrations once you start planning. Once you know how many guests you want at your wedding, you can begin to look for venues that will properly accommodate everyone.
2.Set your wedding budget
Guest list and budget go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. This is why it’s so important to have a budget conversation with your fiancee (or family if they are hosting or contributing). If you don’t have a budget from the very beginning, you can easily go off track and end up overpaying for your wedding. Decide what your budget will be and most importantly, stick to it!
3.Pick your colors or theme
What vision do you have for your wedding decor? You can go with soft hues and delicate lighting for a romantic theme or you can go the complete opposite and opt to have a tropical wedding reception. Deciding on your theme or colors will make things a lot easier once you start looking at vendors. You can easily come to the right decision if you know that certain vendors will provide the decor you want.
4.Get rewarded
Many couples don’t think of this strategic idea but that’s why we are here! Have you considered opening a credit card that rewards you with cash or travel points? If you haven’t, now is the time to start your search. Consolidating all wedding related expenses to one card can help you accumulate thousands of reward points. You can then use these rewards for your honeymoon!
5.Organize
Stay organized. We can’t stress this enough. If you want to take on the wedding planning process without the help of a professional, buy yourself a wedding planning book or create a master wedding planning checklist. These tools will help you stay on track and keep you stress free as you plan the perfect wedding.
via Rock My Wedding
6.Book your wedding planner first
If you don’t want to deal with the small details and prefer to not plan yourself, another option is to hire a professional wedding planer. It’s better to have them step in early in the process so they can begin to handle all the details for you. Bringing them in last minute can be a hassle for both you and them.
7.Prioritize your guests
The main focus of any wedding is obviously the couple but don’t forget about the guests! Yes, they matter. You will want to keep them in mind, especially for those traveling to the wedding. Events occurring in and around your city such as parades, graduations, or sports will greatly impact hotel and transportation dates.
8.Pick out several dates
Before booking your wedding venue, be prepared and have at least 2 or 3 other dates. Having only one date can greatly constrain you and make it very difficult to book or very pricey (or both). Consider external factors like the popularity of the date or if the date is difficult for your guests to attend. Also, certain seasons will cost you more.
9.Make your wedding feel more personable
After all, it’s YOUR wedding so why not incorporate a little more you? A great way to do this is to DIY a project with your family and after your wedding you will have unforgettable memories. Another great way to personalize your wedding is to have a family photo wall or polaroid place cards of all your guests.
10.Meet vendors in person
You will get a better sense of who you are working with if you meet your vendors. It might seem a little too complicated, especially in todays world where everything is done online but trust us on this one. Even a video call will suffice, but talk with them and get to know them. If the vibe isn’t there, things become awkward as the planning process moves along.
11.Don’t forget your wedding stationery
Start to think about your save the dates and wedding invitations as soon as you book your venue. Save the date cards usually go out 9 to 12 months before the wedding. Wedding invitations go out 6 to 8 weeks before the big day. And don’t forget, RSVP cards should be returned 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding. If you are doing custom stationery, then start the process early.
12.Read before you sign any contracts
Closely review every detail in any of the contracts you sign with your vendors. Things to look at are the date, times, location, deposits, additional fees, colors or quantities. Be careful when contracts have extreme cancellation policies or clauses that prevent you from reviewing the vendor after their services have been completed. When things are crystal clear for both parties (and are written in a contract), you will have peace of mind.
13.Meal plan
Couples typically think of feeding their guests, but what about the vendors or your wedding day crew? Before you sign a contract with your venue, make sure the meals for the crew will be different from a guest meal. You could end up paying for 20 lobster tails at a higher per plate charge. We don’t want you to be skimp out on your vendors but there are less expensive options for them that are just as hearty.
14.Don’t focus on the micro details
Please remember this: everything won’t go exactly as you planned it. And guess what? That’s ok! Memorable moments can sometimes happen when things don’t go by the book. Have a support team that you can trust and will have your back. Relying on friends and family to be there when something unexpected happens can be a huge help. Don’t sweat the small stuff and remember to be present mindfully because your wedding day will go by faster than you could imagine.
15.Give a second life to your flowers
We love daydreaming of the colors and style of our flower arrangements. We meticulously plan how the bouquets will be made and what style of centerpieces we want. But we never put much thought into what happens after the wedding. Donating your flowers is a great way to brighten up someones day. Large flower centerpieces can be repurposed into smaller arrangements which can then be delivered to your local hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.
16.Ignore the “rules”
It is YOUR wedding. We are living in 2020 and things aren’t the same as they were “back in the day”. Many times we see couples getting wrapped up in what they are supposed to do, which ultimately squeezes the fun out of wedding planning. Remember that you can do whatever you please on your wedding day. If you want to skip out on the bouquet and garter toss, then so be it.
17.Recreate your favorite wedding elements
Have you ever been to a wedding and thought to yourself how much you enjoyed it? Think about what in particular you liked and see how you can incorporate that into your wedding. Did you love the flower arrangements? The food? The music and dancing? Sometimes couples can get wrapped up in the small details like the color of the napkins or the type of flower for the flower girls headband. Guests won’t remember these things, what they will remember is the experience!
18.Give priority to photography
One of the most important purchases you will make is hiring your wedding photographer. Take your time and choose a photographer that will capture your vision. These photographs will hold lifelong memories that will be cherished for years to come. Plan ahead and budget for this expense ahead of time.
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19.Collect guests’ phone numbers and emails
This may be somewhat unusual to hear, but 2020 has taught us to prepare ahead of time in case the unexpected happens. Covid-19 is responsible for last minute changes to weddings so we want to warn you ahead of time if this might be the case for you. If there is a last minute change to the location of your ceremony, you can easily send out a mass text to all your guests informing them of the change.
20.Have fun!
Last but no least, enjoy your wedding day! Eat, dance, sing! Be in the moment and reward yourself for all the hard work you put into creating a memorable and personable wedding.
