If you’ve made it to my little blog, you must be planning a wedding. First of all, super-duper CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement! Exciting times. Overwhelming times, perhaps? With endless options, a sea of advertisements, oh and good old Covid, it’s a tough time to be wedding planning. However! This should be a fun experience with minimal stress. That being said, where on earth do you begin? I’ve been in the wedding industry for a few years now. I have photographed countless weddings and spoken to hundreds of couples. I’ve drawn on my experience to write these top ten tips for planning an awesome wedding! Enjoy…
1. Do You!
This first one might sound generic, but the best weddings I’ve attended have been packed with personality! When you are unapologetically yourself, and making decisions with your heart, your day will shine as bright as you. Couples are often faced with societal and family pressures about with their big day ‘should’ look like. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to spend a certain amount of money or follow tradition. It’s easy to get swept up, and of course, you’ll care about what your guests think to a certain extent. Remember you’re planning a day to celebrate your love. You can do that however you want!
2. Use A Wedding Planner
A common misconception is that wedding planners are elite and expensive. This isn’t the case! Nowadays, everyone seems busier than ever. On average, it takes 200-500 hours to plan a wedding. A lot of that is fun stuff but it’s also a lot of admin, RSVPs, contracts, logistics, spreadsheets and more. Hiring a planner means you have professional advice on tap, someone to do the bits you don’t want to do, and a guide to make sure you aren’t being overcharged or ripped off. They can save you a lot of money AND stress! They often charge a certain percentage of your budget, so they are accessible for any couple. You can find a range of packages with different amounts of assistance. Life’s too short to stress!
3. Do Your Research
Research your suppliers, read reviews and ask them questions. Do they have insurance? Do you understand the contract? What’s the cancellation policy? What if you need to postpone? Be thorough in this aspect of your wedding planning to protect yourself and avoid hidden fees. By researching, you might even learn new things or find out about possibilities you didn’t know existed!
4. Get To Know Your Suppliers
The people you hire for your wedding really contribute to the vibe of your day. Get to know them, make sure you get on and that they understand your vision. When selecting suppliers, you’re choosing your dream team. You want to know that they’ll all go the extra mile and sprinkle their magic over your wedding day!
5. Delegate! A Wedding Planning Essential!
You aren’t alone! It can be easy to want to do it all yourself, especially when all the details are in your head. Don’t cause yourself unnecessary stress! Can you give little jobs to family and friends? Especially on the day itself, delegate jobs to people you trust so you don’t have to worry about a thing! Planners are great for this reason!
6. Make Some Chill Time When Wedding Planning!
Don’t let your wedding planning become all-consuming. You deserve a day off! Make time to enjoy being engaged, and to rest! Remember to put your mental health first.
7. Don’t sweat the small stuff
There are SO many tiny details that you could faff over for hours. In fact, you could probably plan for years and there’d STILL be more you could do. It’s important to know when to stop, when to settle on a decision, and when to call it a day. People won’t remember what shade of napkin ring you choose, but they’ll remember how they felt on your wedding day and the great memories that were made.
8. Embrace Your Inner Monica Bing
So I know I just said don’t sweat the small stuff,’ but there’s nothing wrong with getting organised! Spreadsheets and lists will help your wedding planning big time. Keep track of what you’re spending, what you need to do, and what you’ve already done. It’s also quite satisfying ticking things off lists!
9. Incorporate The Things You Care About Into Your Big Day
When wedding planning, It’s worth making a list of values you have as a couple and finding ways to incorporate them into your wedding. Do you have a pet that you adore? Find a way to include them! Do you both care about the environment? Have a zero-waste wedding! Having your priorities on paper gives you a solid starting point and means your day will revolve around things you love.
10. Have Fun With It!
Wedding planning is FUN and exciting! When you’re feeling stressed, remember that the only opinions that matter are yours and your partner’s. Your day will be awesome! You got this!
PS: Need a fun wedding photographer? Check me out here! I’m super nice, I promise.