PLAN YOUR WEDDING
He proposed and you said yes! It is all so exciting – it is time to plan your wedding! To help the process stay smooth and stress-free, here is a wedding checklist to lend a hand.
First Steps
Do you want a long engagement? Do you want (or need) to get married quickly? A long engagement can be exiting as you and your partner enjoy this special time together and the planning process but for others, they just want to get the job done! There are a lot of couples who plan everything in six months – around 19% to be exact, but there is no need for stress just because of a shorter time frame. You can still accomplish everything and have a beautiful wedding.
When it comes to planning your wedding, there are so many things to think about. Here we come to your aid with a useful checklist to plan your amazing day.
Pick a Date
The first thing you need to do is decide on the date of the wedding. It sets up your whole planning timeline as well as influencing the theme and place.
Destination or Home?
You don’t need to select a venue right away but you need to decide if you are going to have a destination wedding or if you are getting married in your home city or country. Destination weddings have a different timeline and may need a different set of skills to plan. You also want to tell your guests this right away, so they can make arrangements.
Set a Budget
Now that you have a date and general idea of a place, it is time to decide on a budget. Are you and your partner paying for it or will your families help out? Maybe your families have been saving money towards your big day. Establish ground rules early on. You don’t want a financial contribution to mean they have control of your day. Decisions need to be made together.
Create a To-Do List and a Calendar
We can’t stress enough how important a to-do calendar will be for you. Keeping track of what to do, when to do it, deposits paid, balances to pay, meetings arranged etc etc is essential. A wedding checklist and calendar will certainly save your nerves!
Create a Guest List
Wedding venues often have minimum numbers for during the day and all have maximum capacities for fire safety. Creating a guest list will help find venue that suits the size of your wedding. You don’t want to be squashed in or look lost with too much space. You may want to go through the list with members of your family to make sure you haven’t forgotten anyone.
Choose a Theme / Colour
While you don’t need to have a strong theme, it is usual to at least have at least a colour scheme. This makes it easier to choose your venue, coordinate items and helps your vendors know exactly what you want.
Hire a Wedding Planner
If planning a wedding is too much for you, consider hiring a professional to help. They can keep you on track, save money and massively reduce your stress levels. The next things on this wedding planning checklist can be done together with the wedding planner.
Select a Venue
Since you know how many people are invited, it is time to look for a venue. It should also match the theme or feel you want from your wedding. Do you want to be married at the venue? Do you need accommodation on site? Inside or outside wedding? There are lots of decisions to be made that a good wedding planner can guide you through.
Don’t Forget the Paperwork
For your ceremony, don’t forget the paperwork you need to complete. Giving notice and booking your registrar is a vital early step!
Choose the Wedding Party
Maid of honor, bridesmaids, best man, and groomsman are an important addition to your day. They will also be your support in case anything goes wrong. They play a big part in your planning, stag and hen parties and your wedding day so choose wisely.
Create a Website
Consider creating a website for your wedding with lots of information for your guests. From local places to stay to the right address and postcode of the venue! Plus, you can have your own space to post updates for everyone to see.
Find the Vendors
This is where things get interesting. Now is the time to think about all aspects of the wedding. Florist, photographer, videographer, outfitters, cake maker, caterer and so on. Consider attending some Wedding Fairs local to your place of wedding.
Send Invitations
You have your date and place all set so it is time to send out the invitations. You can have them printed and sent by post or be eco-friendly and send only electronic invites. Don’t forget to give the deadline for RSVPing.
Wedding Photographer and Videographer
The most important vendors on this wedding checklist are probably the people who will capture the whole event. You want those pictures and videos to last forever, so spending a little more here is definitely money well spent.
Band or DJ?
Some venues can provide a DJ for you but if you want a band, it is time to do some research. Ask friends or take time to look at videos of local performers. Most bands have showreels available on YouTube to help you decide.
Gift Registry
Creating a gift registry can help your guests as most struggle with what gift to buy. It also saves you the trouble of getting things you don’t want or need.
Gifts and Wedding Favors
The little memorabilia for your friends and family should be chosen carefully. Set the time aside to properly thank every one of them for attending. Also, you will need something special as a ‘Thank You’ to your wedding party.
Shop for Rings
Since you have found the best place to buy an engagement ring, it is worth checking to see if they have wedding rings too. If not, they may be able to design and create exactly what you are looking for.
Wedding Attire
For every bride, the single most important thing is the wedding dress. To see a reception dresses that don’t cost too much, you can check out convertible wedding dresses.
For the groom, there are so many styles and combinations available. You may look at suits together or leave the option to see each other’s wedding outfits on the day.
Hair and Makeup
On the day, you want to look your best, so choose a good stylist and makeup artist and have a trial run. You may opt to do this yourself but it is nice to be pampered on your wedding day.
Transport
You may need to book wedding cars for the wedding party. Classic cars, a limo or even a supercar can be hired! Do you need to think about transport for visiting friends and family? Busses, taxis, mini busses? Telephone numbers of local taxi companies or places that hire mini busses can be added to your Wedding Website.
Accommodation
For friends and family travelling to your wedding, some hotels will give a block booking discount if you book a few rooms. It is always worth asking.
When the time comes for you to plan your wedding, we hope this checklist will help
