Congratulations, it’s finally time for you to tie the knot with the love of your life. Not only is this likely to be the most amazing event you’ll attend in your life, but also the one that will require the most organisation and preparation. From the invitations to the catering, your own body and of course the attire, even if the wedding isn’t going to happen for another year, you still may be behind the schedule. It sounds overwhelming, but we can help you prepare everything in time, with a few simple tips.
Invitations
Many brides have some idea about how their wedding invitations will look, even before they say yes to a marriage proposal. It’s only natural to think about your wedding day way ahead of its time, but now that’s it’s actually happening, you need to give it a second thought. Consider practicalities like your budget and how much time you have to plan ahead. Make sure you know the exact number of guests that will be invited to your wedding, so you don’t waste money on too many invitations, or even worse, find yourself left without enough. Consider ordering all your stationery at once when you order your save the dates, so you have your wedding invitations, RSVP cards, thank you cards and other stationery there right when you need it.
The venue
The search for the perfect wedding venue doesn’t always have to be a challenge. This is especially true if you decide to have your wedding ceremony and reception at your or your parents’ home. However, if you’d prefer the wedding to be in a ballroom, a vineyard, park or maybe at the beach, you’ll need to start looking early. Certain venues tend to be booked out months or even years in advance, so don’t risk missing out on your favourite wedding spot just because you didn’t start planning everything on time. If your time frame is tight, it’s okay to send your save the dates out before you have your venue picked out, but remember that this limits your options if a venue is not available on the day you have chosen.
Yourself
Every bride wants to look and feel her best on her big day, so many women choose to indulge in some pampering and preparation in the lead up to the wedding to help them feel like a princess. This can be a time to really care for yourself, working towards health and fitness goals or just taking the time to do something you wouldn’t usually. If fitness is on your pre-wedding to-do list, you might need to plan ahead a little further. Consider hiring a personal trainer, joining a gym if you want access to certain fitness equipment, or simply take up a new activity like dancing, swimming or yoga. If you’re more interested in the pampering, remember to book all the necessary appointments in the lead up to the big day. This might include a haircut, wax, nail appointment, facial or even a massage. You should also book any on-the-day services like a hairdresser and makeup artist well ahead of time, to avoid disappointment.
Dress
The dress is one of the most important details of your big day, so don’t let it drop off your wedding planning list! Make sure you start looking for a dress at least six months before the wedding so you can order ahead and make any necessary alterations in time. If you’re hoping for a custom dress made by an in-demand designer you’ll need to allow even longer, so start shopping as soon as possible to avoid missing out. If you would hate to wear a sample or something off-the-rack, make dress shopping one of your earliest priorities.
Catering
Finding a caterer for a wedding is a piece of cake, but finding the perfect catering service that’ll meet all of your needs ‒ now that can be quite an undertaking. If the venue you’ve chosen for your wedding doesn’t offer catering services, feel free to ask some of your friends that are already married to recommend you the caterer who did their wedding, or maybe some other event where the food was delicious. Book your caterer early and ensure you liaise with your venue as well so you can provide both vendors with all the necessary information about the other’s requirements.
Final thoughts
Wedding planning is all about good organisation skills. You’ll need to master a few of them in order to have keep your wedding planning as low-stress as possible. While you won’t be able to avoid stressing out a little, it’s important that you always keep a clear head and think rationally before you make any big decisions. Make sure you think everything through ahead of time, know your timeline, and enlist help from friends and family when necessary.