There are countless details to consider and plan for when it comes to arranging a wedding. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the little and major things, from choosing a venue and hiring a photographer to choosing the type of souvenir you’ll gift your guests. Planning for a day you’ll never forget is not simple. However, this article will attempt to help you put things in a more superficial perspective, and serve as a manual for wedding preparation. Let’s dive right into it.
1. Make a budget and keep an eye on your spending
Possibly the most important factor in planning for your wedding will be your budget. It affects every aspect of the wedding, including the venue and the attire worn by the bride as she walks down the aisle. In light of this, you must establish a budget at the outset of the planning process that covers all the many aspects of your wedding. By doing this, it will be simpler to make those challenging choices along the road.
The last thing you want is to fall over the top for a location, vendor, outfit, etcetera. just to discover it’s absolutely out of your price range. Decide on a total budget with your parents or other prospective donors, and then allocate the funds proportionally to each vendor or service.
2. Picking a date: Focus on Specific Dates
Every couple goes about choosing their wedding date in a different way, but a smart place to start is to think about how much time you’ll need to spend on wedding planning. The typical engagement lasts 16 months, and more than half of couples are engaged for longer than a year, according to a 2021 Real Wedding Study.
While choosing a wedding date needs to be among the initial stages in the planning process, there are other approaches you can use. Some couples initially select a special date for their wedding and then only look at venues that are available on that day. Some people are more flexible; they first choose their ideal location and then choose their date in accordance with that location’s availability. We advise using the latter approach if at all feasible so that you have more venue possibilities.
One other thing we advise you don’t do while considering a date is putting too much effort to consider everyone else’s schedules. Whether you like it or not, you can’t make everyone happy while planning your wedding. Sometimes you’ll have to follow your own path and act in your own best interests, even if it doesn’t suit some people.
3. Hire a wedding planner and other vendors
One of the most important things you can do to prepare for your wedding day is to hire a wedding planner. A wedding planner will help you with all of the details of your big day, from choosing the perfect venue to selecting the right vendors. They will also be able to help you stay within your budget and keep track of all of the little details that can easily be forgotten in the midst of planning a wedding.
Hiring a wedding planner is one of the best decisions you can make when it comes to preparing for your big day. If you are in need of a wedding planner in the UK, you can hire us by filling our consultation form and we will discuss giving you the best wedding day. By the way, we also travel abroad. 😉
4. Get a venue
One of the most crucial steps in our how to plan a wedding guide, booking a wedding venue, may be done now that you have a budget, an anticipated guest list, and a few prospective wedding dates in mind. To locate your ideal wedding site, read internet evaluations of nearby wedding venues, go there in person, and collaborate with your partner. You’ve officially selected a date for your wedding once you’ve carefully read the venue’s contract for the ceremony and reception and signed on the dotted line. At that point, the real fun can start!
5. Create Your guest list
Who to invite and how many people to invite are two of the most crucial parts of wedding preparation. It might be difficult to choose, but it’s crucial to think about who you want to spend your special day with.
Make a list of people you really must invite first if you’re having trouble whittling down your guest list. This may be close friends, family members, or anybody else you simply cannot imagine not being present on your special day. After that, you may start eliminating names from the list until just a tolerable number of visitors remain. Remember to account for plus-ones as well!
It’s time to start sending out invites once you’ve determined who to invite!
6. Send out invitations
You should start thinking about sending invites to your guests as soon as you’ve decided on the wedding’s formal date and location. Even if you’re having a local wedding rather than a destination wedding, it’s ideal to let your preferred attendees know as soon as possible so that they may make appropriate plans and you can determine the approximate amount of guests to plan for for the remainder of the planning process.
Understand that creating invitations may take time, so you might want to allow yourself extra time to collaborate with a designer and personalize your invites. Additionally, you’ll need more time to make copies and double-check the spelling, font, and wedding date. This is especially important if you plan to add some individual details to your invites to improve the appearance of your wedding card. Keep in mind that you may send out your invitations to your guests more quickly the sooner you create them.
7. Pick the right wedding party
Your wedding party is a group of people who will be at your side throughout the whole planning process and beyond. It’s not always the simplest decision to choose who should be at your wedding party, which is often reserved for your closest relatives and friends.
So choose the members of your bridal party you want to play this significant role, whether they are bridesmaids, groomsmen, groomsladies, or bridesmen.
8. Get your wedding dress and other clothing
Allow plenty of time to locate the ideal attire for your wedding. Don’t wait until the last minute because it might take months for your clothing to be properly cut and ready to wear, especially when it comes to wedding gowns.
9. Initiate your wedding registry
Your loved ones will inquire about your registration very soon after you announce your engagement. It’s a good idea to start building your wedding register very early on when thinking about how to organize your wedding step-by-step. You may always update and add to your registry later. Your relatives and friends might wish to buy engagement presents for you.
If you’re getting married somewhere you’re not from, make sure you get there early enough to get your marriage license. Be mindful of local regulations as they might differ substantially.
10. Attend the pre-wedding events
Your calendar will probably be filled with pre-wedding activities, including engagement parties, the bridal shower (or a coed wedding shower), the bachelor and bachelorette parties, and more. You’ll need to free up some time in your schedule to attend as the honoured guest, even though the soon-to-be bride and groom often play a little part in preparing these ceremonies.
11. Plan and schedule the honeymoon
Remember to plan your honeymoon even if you may be spending a lot of time thinking about how to organize your wedding. It’s time to pick a destination, reserve your transportation and lodging, and begin creating an itinerary if you intend to go for your honeymoon soon after your wedding.
Traveling in the off-season might help couples on a tight budget save money on expensive honeymoon spots. While off-season travel is hardly a novel idea, for young couples who are paying off college loans, saving for the future, and satisfying their wanderlust, it is a cost-effective option. It’s crucial to keep this in mind while looking at the top honeymoon locations by month.
12. Make self-care a top priority a week before the wedding
Make time for the things that give you the most energy. That can entail participating in a challenging exercise studio session for some people while running a hot bath for others.
Don’t push yourself too much. It takes a lot of work to prepare for a wedding, but with the aid of this guide, you may almost certainly be completely set for the big day when it eventually comes. Although at times intimidating, the procedure is not insurmountable, and like all good things worth waiting for, it is imperative to have patience and put your best foot forward.
