Are you planning on getting hitched in the near future? If so, congratulations! You are probably excited to marry the person of your dreams, but you also need to make sure the process proceeds as smoothly as possible. No matter how excited you are and no matter how studious you are, problems are going to arise, and you need to be able to deal with them. But, if you take a look at a few of the most important tips below, you might be able to reduce some of the headaches you need to deal with. What are some of the most important tips you need to follow when you are planning a wedding?
1. Get Started as Early as Possible
There is a saying that planning a wedding will take as long as you allow it to. If you need to plan a wedding in a week, you can probably do so. If you need to plan a wedding for a year from now, it will probably take you a year. The most important thing to remember is that obstacles are going to come up, so you need to start the planning process as early as possible.
When starting the wedding planning process early, one vital aspect to consider is the collection of engagement rings. Finding the perfect ring takes time and careful consideration, so beginning the search can ensure the engagement ring is a unique and meaningful part of the wedding day.
If your wedding is two years away, do not wait two years to plan your wedding! Get started right now, give yourself and everyone else plenty of notice, and the process will be smooth sailing when your wedding date approaches. As the wedding date gets closer, there will be a lot of other thoughts going through your head, so you need to make sure you clear as much room on your calendar as you can.
2. Think About the Budget Now
Before you start picking out a venue, inviting people to the wedding, and trying out various food options, you need to have a budget in mind. How much money do you think you can spend on the wedding?
This is a very complicated question. The first thing you need to do is talk to your spouse about how much money you both have to spend. You and your spouse might be in completely different financial situations, but you are about to share that financial situation. How much money do you think you can afford to spend on the wedding?
Then, you need to think about your families. There are a lot of couples who have families that pay for the wedding. Perhaps one spouse’s family is going to pay for the wedding, or maybe both of your families are going to chip in. Maybe both of your families and both of you are going to be responsible for paying for the wedding.
Regardless of how you address the issue, it is important for you to have a budget in mind before you start planning. You do not want your appetite to be larger than your stomach, so make sure you understand exactly how much money you can spend on the wedding before you get started.
3. Set Boundaries
It is important for you to talk to your families about your budget because this will allow you to set boundaries. No matter how excited you and your spouse think you are, there is a good chance that your parents are going to be even more excited. They will want to jump in feet first, and they might completely take control of the wedding if you allow them to do so.
As a result, it is important for you to set boundaries with your parents. Remember that this is your wedding. It does not belong to your parents. Even though they might want to help out, and even though you might welcome their opinions in some cases, you do not want to let them run roughshod over your wedding.
This could get a bit more complicated if your parents decide to pay for the wedding, but this is just another reason why you need to discuss this issue ahead of time. That way, your parents understand exactly what the rules are, and they will not overstep their boundaries.
4. Ask for Help When You Need It
With the financial issues in place, it is time for you to ask for help when you need it. You and your spouse are going to handle a lot, but you don’t have to handle everything on your own. After all, you are probably getting married for the first time, and you may not have any experience with this process.
Your parents have probably been through this process in the past, so if there is a hiccup along the way, do not hesitate to ask them for help. You might even want to give them a small issue that can be theirs to focus on. This is a great way to keep them occupied while reducing your stress levels along the way.
If you plan on having a fancy wedding, such as a yacht wedding, you might even want to consider reaching out to a wedding planner who can help you. A wedding planner might even have some connections throughout the industry that he or she can use to get you some amazing perks at a discounted price.
5. Plan Your Guest List
With a budget in mind, it is time for you to think about your guest list. How many people do you want to invite to the wedding? There are two ways to plan your guest list. The first option is to take a look at everyone who you think should come. This includes your family members, close friends, and potential co-workers who you might be close with. There is a chance that you may have significantly more (or less) people that you want to invite on your side of the family when compared to your spouse. That is okay!
The other option is to take a look at your budget, think about how many people you can financially support, and work backward from that number. Neither approach is incorrect, but you need to get the guest list set as early as possible. That is because you need to send out invites to ask people to save the date. The more notice you give your wedding guests, the greater the chances of them coming.
6. Think About Your Venue
With a guest list in mind, you understand exactly how many people you need to plan for. The next step is to think about your wedding venue. Where do you think you want to have your wedding? There are two categories of options. The first option is to have the wedding in the local area. If you and your spouse live in the same place, and if both of your families are from the local area, this might be the easiest option.
The other option is to do a long-distance wedding. This might even be considered a destination wedding. If your families do not live very close to one another, you might want to pick a venue that is halfway between the two families. Or, you might want to pick a beautiful, tropical location. There is no wrong answer to this question, but you should try to pick out your venue as early as possible. That way, you maximize your chances of getting the date you want.
7. Taste Test the Food Options
Arguably, the most enjoyable part of this process is picking out the food. With a venue in place and a guest list in place, it is time for you to talk to some caterers. If you have a wedding planner, they may already have a caterer in mind.
This is your wedding, so you are in control of the food; however, in addition to the taste of the food, don’t forget to think about dietary restrictions. It will be impossible to navigate allergies for everyone coming to your wedding, but you do want to have at least one option on the menu that is either vegetarian or vegan. That way, just about everyone will have something they can eat.
On the other hand, if you know someone who has particularly restrictive dietary issues, they are probably used to bringing their own food to get-togethers such as this. Have fun taste-testing some other food options, and put together a comprehensive menu that everyone will love!
Get Ready for the Wedding of Your Dreams
In the end, there are a lot of tips you need to think about when you plan your wedding. This is an opportunity for you and your life partner to announce your love to the world. Therefore, make sure your wedding is perfect for you and that you are not pushed around by anybody else. Furthermore, try to get open, honest, and transparent estimates from everyone who is involved in pulling off your wedding. That way, you can spend the entire day focusing on each other without having to worry about anything else. Do not forget that there are professionals who are available to help you plan your wedding.
Featured Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
