Planning a wedding, especially if it’s your own wedding, can be a really stressful endeavor. With so many things to account for and so many little details to consider, many people even get to the point where they start wondering if it is all worth it.
So, instead of running the risk of it all becoming too much to handle, and starting to plan on how to elope instead, here’s an in-depth, stress-free guide on how to master your wedding planning process like a pro.
Secure the essentials
First and foremost, when it comes to wedding planning, you need to ensure that you secure all the essentials well ahead. What this means is that you should start wedding dress hunting as early as possible, to leave yourself enough time to change your mind – because you will probably change your mind and that’s okay.
Furthermore, you should also think about your hairstyle as well as the jewelry you plan on wearing on your big day. Aside from your engagement ring and your wedding band, you should also choose earrings, a nice necklace and even maybe a nice bracelet to complete the look. Most people don’t know that jewelry, like engagement rings, are covered by their renters insurance, which is why many don’t consider insuring the rest of their wedding jewelry prior to the big day.
However, by doing so, it will bring additional peace of mind and take some of the stress off your shoulders.
Choose a venue
Next, you need to think about where you want to get married. Choosing a venue is not too difficult of a task, but it does require a careful approach.
You will first need to make sure that the venue you’ve chosen is big enough to welcome all of your party guests. If it’s not, it will only feel too crowded. But you also need to make sure that it’s not too big, to avoid having a venue that feels too empty.
Finally, if you’re planning on having an outdoor ceremony, make sure that the venue also comes with an indoor space you can freely use in case of bad weather or any other unforeseen circumstances.
Take care of the décor
When wedding décor is concerned, you can take two different approaches: you can either hire a professional decorator or choose to do it yourself. If you opt for the latter, however, make sure you start making the décor pieces as soon as possible.
If you keep putting it off, there are high chances that time will simply escape you, and the last thing you want is to have to put something together at the last minute.
You can also ask your bridesmaids, groomsmen, friends, and family to help you out, if you feel like you can’t do it all on your own.
Another thing you need to secure as early on as possible are the professionals, such as a DJ or a band, and the wedding photographer.
These people usually have really tight schedules, particularly during the wedding season, so make sure you choose and hire your own before they become completely booked.
If, on the other hand, you’re having a budget wedding, you can always allocate some of these tasks to your friends and family.
Stay organized with the help of an app
Since we’re living in the age of technology, there really is no reason not to rely on it to help you out. Nowadays, there are plenty of useful and reliable wedding apps that can help you stay organized and keep you on the right track at all times.
When choosing an app, make sure you do your research and see what other (previous) users have to say about it. And, if you don’t like the original app you’ve chosen, you can always choose a different one that will better suit your needs.
Put together the guest list
Next, you should move onto creating a guest list. Keep in mind that guest lists work somewhat like living organisms, which means that they can often grow out of their original proportions if you’re not careful enough.
So, make a preliminary guest list where you and your partner will note down all the people you would like to have at your wedding. Then add all the people that you need to invite due to one reason or the other – like that aunt you haven’t seen in ages, but who you know will be upset if you leave her out.
Once the list is full, and you’re once again wondering should you just elope instead, start cutting the list down.
Realistically, you don’t need to have tons of guests at your wedding to make it a successful one, so don’t go overboard.
Think about the sitting arrangements
When you’re more or less happy with your wedding list, it’s time to consider the sitting arrangements. Here, it would also be wise to consult your family and friends and see if there are some guests you should do your best to keep separate for everyone’s sake.
However, don’t stress too much about your guests’ special wishes and requests, as the fact of the matter is that all of them will shuffle around as the party progresses.
Make peace with the fact that not everything will go according to plan
And finally, you need to realize that no matter how carefully you plan everything and no matter how detailed you get with your organization, not all things will go according to plan.
Many brides get simply devastated by the fact that not everything went as they thought it would and allow that to shadow over the overall experience.
The only thing we can say is – don’t be that bride. If the band plays the wrong song, just keep on smiling and dancing like nothing happened. If your uncle Joe happens to have one-too-many and holds a long speech, try to signal to some of your guests to quietly escort him out. If that doesn’t work, simply put on a big smile, thank the man and steal the mic from him.
The more calm and laid back you are on your wedding day, the better the overall experience you’ll have. And all of those things that didn’t quite work out as you’ve intended will most likely only bring a smile to your face years later. So, relax and enjoy your big day!
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