By now you have probably had all of your friends and family tell you congrats on your engagement. Maybe you even posted the shots of the ring to Facebook and Instagram. After the initial joy of him proposing wears off, you have to get down to the work of planning your event. You need a venue, catering, chairs, table cloths, photographers, an officiant, and a dress. Where do you start? How do you keep from being buried under all of those appointments?
Start planning early-
The longer the engagement, the more time you have to plan everything you need. At the top of your list should be a coordinator, venue, photographer, and DJ. Depending on the company you choose to go with, you may also need to hire other services like catering or florists early too. The second reason for startin
g early is it allows you more time to pay everything off and ensure you get the vendors you want. It can be a big let down if you love a vendor and someone else books them first.
Hire Professionals-
We are not talking about people that have to tell you they are professionals. Ask them about their business, the awards they have won, and the associations to which they belong. A business card can also tell you a lot about the person you are looking to hire. If the cards look cheap, the service is probably not much better.
Outsource-
Where in the getting married guide does it say you have to do everything yourself? Ask your bridesmaids, your friends, or family to help take some of the stress away from you. However, know when and where to draw the line so you don’t suffer in the quality area. If you feel stressed about the planning, hire a wedding coordinator or planner. Have 150 guests, then definitely get a caterer…
Pamper yourself-
Who doesn’t like a message or a good chat with your hair stylist? Taking a little vacation or trip to your favorite restaurant can help relieve stress. It is especially important to do as little as possible in the days leading up to your wedding.
Prioritize-
List what the most important things are on your wedding day. Plan on getting these services first. The average wedding in the US costs more than $28,000. With that in mind, start saving early. No one should go into debt to pay for their wedding, but on the same token, paying for a great wedding takes more money than just a couple hundred dollars. If photos are important to you, budget for them first. However, if you just want a great party, spending more on drinks and a good M.C. might be a better bet.
Let Go-
When you finally get to the wedding day, let go and trust in the planning that you have put into your wedding. This is especially important if you hired professional vendors. Their job is to make sure your day goes the way you planned. And if you prepare yourself with the idea that something can and will go wrong, when nothing does, it is great. In the event that something does go wrong, it may make for a great story later on. In any case, none of your guests will probably ever know that something happened.
Communicate-
This tip goes beyond your wedding and well into your marriage. Explain clearly with each of the people you ask to help you what it is you expect. This goes for your future in-laws and your soon to be spouse. It is unfair to want others to read your mind, and while you may not think it is what you are doing, assuming someone will have the common sense to do it the way you would is exactly what will cause problems. A lot of yelling and pressure can be alleviated by talking about it first. Another thing that can be helpful is saying “I trust you, take care of it.” Obviously you have to trust the person, but this lets them know that you want them to make the decision and you don’t want to think about it right now.
We really do hope you have a great wedding day and these little tips should go a long way to helping with your planning. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.
