These are the 10 most important pieces of wedding planning advice ever!
We were inspired by everyone’s beautiful Christmas and New Year engagement posts via social media to reflect on all of the wedding planning tips we have shared over the years. We could easily find 3,000 tips on the site. These include everything from budgeting to giving a great speech. But we wanted to limit it to the most important, the best advice you need when you get engaged. This is not a place to find tips for setting up your cake tables. These are the important details that get lost in the chaos of bridesmaid dress shopping and table planning. These tips will make wedding planning much easier and more fun. Here’s our best advice for wedding planning.
Be careful when discussing the wedding with friends and family
While it’s normal to share the details of your wedding with your closest friends, we believe that the more information guests have about the day the better. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you give details about your first dance song or the amount you spent on flowers, it can open up your choices to be debated. It helps to keep the details private and avoid any conflict or upset, especially with the more opinionated members of your circle as well as those who are more inclined to worry. For those who are pressed for information, keep a quick one-liner handy. You could say, “We want it to be a surprise” or “You’ll just need to wait and watch the day!” This works great. We should also point out that you should make exceptions for vital information that could impact your guests’ safety and enjoyment of the day.
Get started identifying your priorities early
Talk to your partner before you start the wedding planning. You should think about how you want the celebration to feel. Soon you will be able identify the most important things to you. You and your partner should agree on three to four priorities. Most couples prefer to have a great time with their guests, reduce stress and allow them to relax. They also want to throw a party that is true and authentic to their personalities. However, it’s okay if you do own a pair of designer shoes. It’s a good idea to identify a few priorities in the beginning. This will help you start to budget and give you something to reference when you make difficult decisions.
Do not get stuck in a research rut
Planning a wedding is a complicated task. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the information. It’s important to be informed but not overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. It’s important not to spend too much time researching details that don’t matter to you. It is a good idea to research how much weddings in your country cost. We have helpful guides for Ireland, the UK and other popular features about wedding costs. Use our directory to locate the best suppliers and set deadlines. For example, if you have spent three weeks looking for manicure inspiration, it may be time to choose your favorite and move on.
Learn the art of budgeting
A detailed budget can quickly cause the wedding cost to spiral out of control. This is true regardless of how much you have available. Here’s how to calculate your wedding budget (a contingency is recommended – 12.5%). This is the perfect place to begin. Then, you can find a way to track your spending. Spreadsheets are the most popular. You’ll be able to stay within your budget if you log all of your expenses.
Offer potential guests the A, B and C List Treatment
Although it sounds tedious, the fastest and most efficient way to make your wedding guest list is to split your closest and dearest into groups based on their attendance. This can be done by creating an A List (B List, C List, C List, and D List). It may seem a bit tedious, but there is another option: make a list of all your friends and use a pen to add them to it. This method is twice as time-consuming and no less tedious than the previous one. This section demonstrates how to use A to D List and provides helpful guidelines on where friends and family typically fall on each list.
Get rid of anything that doesn’t resonate with you
Weddings, like any other type of party, tend to follow a pattern. Although it might not sound personal, this will help you plan your wedding. However, it’s not a good idea to include a handfasting ritual just because your friends did one or give a speech if you hate public speaking. You can decide to get rid of the wedding dress, the bouquet toss, the photo booth and the colour white if you feel strongly. Your day will be unique and everyone will love it. They will enjoy your wedding more if it feels real to you and your partner. Be aware that certain elements can have a significant impact on your guests’ experience. It doesn’t matter how creative you are with your food offerings, it is important that everyone has enough food!
Rely on your suppliers
It’s not an easy task to find the right team of suppliers for your wedding. But once you have done it, you can breathe in a sigh of relief. Our preferred approach to suppliers is to find the right people and communicate your vision to them. Then let them do their best work! Wedding planning is much easier when you are happy with the vendors that you have booked. Good suppliers will be able and willing to work with you, offer alternatives, and solve any problems that may arise. You don’t have to be micromanaging if you find yourself in micromanagement mode.
Fake Deadlines for Work
Organising your wedding is crucial. Throwing a party that’s effortless requires a lot of effort and can be difficult to manage. We recommend that you plan your wedding as though it’s happening one month ahead of the actual date. You will likely find that you have some things to do by the fake wedding date, but you are still way ahead of schedule. You can relax and enjoy the days leading up to the big day.
Give your heart permission to speak
Planning a wedding takes a village. Trying to do it all yourself can lead to unnecessary stress. It can be difficult for many people to ask for help and call in favors. But, remember that most of your friends will be more than willing to help. Your parents, siblings, and close friends are likely to be looking for a job. Delegation is your friend in wedding planning, as long as you carefully choose your friends and family. While some relatives and friends will be able to take on large projects, others may prefer the more mundane tasks. Keep track of who is doing what so you don’t forget to thank them.
Do not stress about the small details
Even though you have a clear list of priorities, it is easy to get distracted by the extras and worry about things such as cake toppers, chair decorations and dinner music. These little details can have an impact on the mood of the wedding but they will not make or break it. Guests rarely notice them. Ask yourself if you are unsure about something. Will I be thinking about it the week after the ceremony? How about the next month, or the entire year? If you answer “probably not”, then give yourself permission to remove it from your list. Minor family dramas are also acceptable. Panic around the mother-of-the-bride’s outfit and upset over the guest list will likely be forgotten by the time the big day rolls around.