Here are our Top 10 Tips for you planning your Big Day!
1) Set Your Budget
One of the first things to think about when planning a wedding is your wedding budget and how much you can afford to spend. the key things you need to do are sit down together and have an open discussion about your finances. How much you can both afford, will anyone else be contributing, and how much you will be able to save over the coming months?
2) Discuss Your Priorities
We would strongly recommend you sit down and discuss what is most important to you when it comes to the wedding. Priorities will differ from couple to couple, but some common wedding priorities are:
Music for your Reception,
Music for the Ceremony,
Your Guest List big or small,
Table Plan for the day.
Whatever your priorities are as a couple, once you have decided them together, write them down somewhere. They are a great thing to be able to refer back to if you are trying to save money on your wedding or choose between two things. It helps you to maintain focused on what's really important to you and will ensure you have all the main ingredients to your dream wedding.
3) Get Organised!
Buying or having a book to write all your ideas in is essential! Every little thought can go in there along with your suppliers and their details, Wedding Coordinators name, phone number, email address and so on! Think of it as a scrap book to refer too. Also, when you’ve booked your chosen suppliers, do ask them questions as they can also help you out if your stuck!
4) Research Wedding Ideas
You may have been to several weddings before as guests, But this is YOUR big day! Take a look around the web for ideas you may want to incorporate into your big day.
5) SETTING YOUR DATE!
This is quite possibly the most important thing on the list! Deciding when you want to get married will have a domino effect on so many other aspects of your wedding planning. When deciding this, you want to consider what season/weather you want on your wedding day and what day of the week you want to get married.
When thinking about specific dates, there are some wedding dates you'll want to avoid due to sports event clashes, unlucky numbers and national holidays. It's also worth remembering that the date you choose for your wedding can impact your budget significantly.
Deciding on your wedding date will also allow you to book a wedding venue, send save the dates, and get the ball rolling with suppliers.
6) Make a Wedding Guest List
Where do you start with planning your guest list? The truth is, you have probably already thought about it, and you know the key people you want to invite, however, you might need to have a bit of time to decide who to invite to the day versus the evening and what to do about the wedding guest list drama such as plus ones and the ever-pressing issue of whether or not to invite your colleagues...
Finalizing you’re wedding guest-list and booking your wedding venue are two wedding planning tasks that need to be done with the other in mind. When enquiring with wedding venues, you will have a rough idea of how many people each place allows and how much budget you are now able to spend on catering. Your guest list may need to be determined by how much you want to spend per head.
7) Finding Your Perfect Venue
As mentioned above, you may have been to Wedding Receptions before as a couple, looked around at the particular venue and thought “this is lovely, I’d get married here” Or maybe you’ve said “I don’t like here it’s not what I expected at all” You need to find a venue where your both comfortable and if you need too, visit it a few times if you can, so you both still feel comfortable with it! You will also need to factor in guests staying, travelling to the Venue as well. You also need to think about your Guest count too.
8) Sending your “Save the dates”
While you’ve probably already told everyone you know about your upcoming marriage, now is the time to make it official. Your wedding invitations should be sent out approximately three to six months in advance of your big day, but it’s never too early to choose a design, style or stationery supplier that you love. In order to give your guests as much notice as possible, we'd recommend sending out save the date cards as soon as the venue is booked to announce your wedding and ensure your guests keep that date free, with an ‘official invitation to follow’ note.
9) Choose Your Main Wedding Suppliers
When it comes to planning a wedding, this is probably one of the most important step of the wedding planning checklist, as choosing your wedding suppliers will shape the overall theme, style and cost of your wedding.
Start by making a list of all the suppliers you’re going to need to hire. Your wedding venue may already have a list of recommended suppliers which is a great place to start, but make sure you widen your search if you want something a little different before you book and pay deposits.
Here are your main suppliers to look for:
Photographer
Caterer
Bar and Drinks
Florist
Cake Maker
Stationer
Music and DJ
Hair and Makeup
Wedding Planner
Contact the wedding suppliers you think suit your wedding style and then sit down with your partner and spend some time comparing prices and services to find what suits your style and your budget. Don’t be afraid to shop around!
10) Choosing Your Wedding Party
you may instantly know who your maid of honor, bridesmaids, ushers, best man, flower girls and page boys will be, or you might need a little bit of time to think about it. When making these decisions, it's important to understand what the different wedding roles consist of. Who do you trust to carry out the important duties?
If you’re not sure, then don’t feel rushed into your decision. Think carefully about who the best people will be to support you and your partner on this special day and in the run up to it. You may also want to consider the cost as your wedding party will need outfits, bouquets, buttonholes and thank you gifts, so the more people you have, the more this could impact your budget.
One of the most fun parts of wedding planning is often asking your chosen friends if they’ll do you the honor of being part of your wedding party, so plan this out and make sure you have your phone to capture the moment.
There is a whole World Wide Web on Wedding Planning with lots of companies all wanting to help you plan your big day the best way possible. These are our Top 10 Wedding Tips, and we really hope it is helpful for you in moving forward with your Wedding Planning. Most of all, don't stress or worry about anything just enjoy!