A wedding is one of the most important moments in one’s life. It is an official ceremony two people go through to officially live together forever. Planning a wedding, however, can be very stressful and daunting. You have to make a number of arrangements, sort out lots of details, and still have the anxiety that you haven’t done enough or there is something you have missed. To lower the level of your stress, there are several factors to consider. Here are 7 things to remember when planning a wedding.
1. Planning the Costs
The first thing you need to consider is how much money you have and how much you are able to spend. A wedding can be costly, and you should be careful about your budget.
It is better to create a list of things associated with the wedding, including the guests, the venue, the afterparties, etc. Then, you should do research on how much each one will cost.
You can create a list of priorities and their details. At the top, you can, for example, have the venue, and at the bottom, the flowers. Now, assign a cost for each category and see how much they cost overall. If it is beyond your budget, you can make some cuts, remove some categories or simply go for the cheaper ones.
2. Setting Plenty of Time for Planning
Preparations for weddings can be hard and time-consuming, so don’t try to rush them. Give plenty of time from the start of the planning to the actual wedding date. Start with the most important thing, and then think about less essential things later.
Suppose you budgeted your time perfectly well, and with a month to the wedding, you still have things left to do. It is time to eliminate some of those things that have a lower priority. For instance, at the bottom of your list, you may have the preparation of “Just Married” cards or welcome bags. They surely can be dismissed if you are running out of time.
3. Preparing a Wedding Guest List
How many guests do you want to invite? It is probably something you need to answer by consulting your family. Depending on your budget and your interest, you can have a very large wedding and invite everyone or limit it to only a few family members and close friends.
So, you probably will have to prioritise the people you want to invite. Your immediate family and your best friends will top the list. Then, you will go to aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends. After that, you can have your neighbours, coworkers, and parents’ friends. Suppose you have a list of 100 people on your list now, but you can only afford 80. So start from the bottom, and cross out some less important ones until you reach the ideal number.
4. Choosing a Suitable Date
When selecting a wedding date, you need to take several factors into consideration. One is whether the date coincides with other national or social occasions. For example, Halloween night or Thanksgiving day are not suitable for a wedding because your guests prefer to spend those days doing other things. Of course, there are exceptions, such as when you want to give a Halloween theme to your wedding. Every community might have special dates, too.
For instance, the locals might have a particular date for charity meetings or walks. Make sure your wedding doesn’t fall on those blackout dates.
If your wedding is in a busy period, you have to ensure you book in advance and don’t end up postponing your ceremony. You might have a plan B in cases of rain. If you plan well, this unwanted incident could create many wonderful opportunities.
5. Finding a Good Venue
Your choice of venue should be based on the number of your invitees and the extent of the ceremony. The decor and atmosphere should also provide a good general mood for everyone.
A suitable venue would have plenty of tables and chairs, a big dance floor, and good acoustics for sound and music. Proper lighting is also essential.
You also have to consider if you want to hold your ceremony outdoors or indoors. If your date falls during a summer day with good weather, holding it outdoors may give extra pleasure. But, if your wedding is during autumn or cold winter with chances of rain and snow, you should consider an indoor venue. It goes without saying that, in either case, the venue should have good air conditioning.
Paymán Weddings offers a good list of venues that you can book for your wedding. Be sure to check the venues out and see if they suit your desire.
6. Having a Meal Plan
What kind of meal do you want to serve to your guests? What eatery or restaurant will be the provider of the food? These are some of the questions that you need to answer before the wedding.
Of course, you have to also take into account the meal plan for the crew you hire. The photographer, musicians, DJs, and the rest of the staff will need a proper meal even if it is not in their contract. You don’t want them to be famished and hungry during the ceremony. So, it is good to ask them what kind of food they prefer. Would they want the same meals as the guests or something different?
7. Dress Shopping and Bookings
Perhaps there is nothing more important for the bride than her wedding gown. So, it is essential to find a good store or a skilful tailor to make the ideal dress. When dress shopping, take a family member or two with you. While you should go for your own taste, another bystander can still give a good insight into how the dress looks on you. It is not just the bride that needs a good set of clothes; the groom has to look stylish, too.
Plus, you need a good photographer and videographer to record your wedding. This is a chance to record your most memorable moment in life. You have to book some musicians or DJs, too. After all, your guests need some entertainment. You shouldn’t leave them to get bored or tired.