How to Plan Your Own Wedding
Calling all Brides-to-Be…
When it comes to your wedding day you want it to be perfect but you also don’t want to break the bank, which is why more and more of your fellow brides are ditching their planners to do it all themselves.
While it appears daunting and might potentially reduce you into a temporary state of Brideziller, it is doable… And you will recover.
‘Where do I start?’ I hear you ask. Well firstly I suggest that you get well acquainted with Pinterest, a social media platform that will quickly become your best friend.
From floral boutonnieres and lacy dresses, to invitations and decorations, it contains everything you can think of and all the things that you were destined to forget. Advice is provided by successful wedding do-it-yourselfers, and in-numerous pins of printable checklists and tips to keep your budget in check.
Ah yes, the budget!
This is the least exciting part but it could potentially make or break your master plan. Set a limit, but leave room for things to go wrong. (Like a last minute need for a marquee at an outdoor venue.)
Your budget is going to rely heavily on your guest list so organise that before you do anything else, keeping in mind that at least 5 per cent of your guest list wont be able to make it.
Break down the budget into categories; photography, videography, invitations… Note that if you go over your individual budgets just a little? Your overall budget can go over a lot. If you are tech savvy then don’t forget to check out what apps are available on your smartphone. You are bound to find one to help keep track of your wedding finances.
Now the thing about professional wedding planners is that they know how to get you value for money so be careful of vendors looking to pull the wool over your eyes. Get multiple quotes straight away! That way you can get an idea of what is value for money and what vendors interest you the most. You can then go back and question your preferred vendors, ask them why you should hire them over their competition. It will show them that you mean business and may even provide an opportunity for them to negotiate their price with you or add any features that may make it worth your while. They may even have a relationship with another vendor that saves you money if you book them both together!
Keep a paper trail for all plans with vendors! There may be a mix up of dates or details on your end or theirs so make sure you have in writing to double check in the months before. If you set or change specifics over the phone send a follow up email confirming the details so that there are no inconsistencies that could effect your day.
Check in with your venue, sometimes they have a wedding coordinator on hand at no extra cost that keeps everyone happy and the day running on time. If they don’t, you know that bossy friend you have? (Think Monica off Friends! – yes that one), well they could be your lifesaver on your wedding day. The last thing you need is to be tracking down the flowers just hours before the wedding. Take a back seat on the day you will thank yourself for it! I promise.
And lastly but most importantly, be realistic! You are not going to be able to do it all on your own! And why would you want to as planning your wedding is half the fun! Whether it’s your friends, family or even your family-to-be it can be a great opportunity to deepen relationships and take the stress off of you and your partner.