Weddings involve a lot of work. If you’re planning a wedding, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the task. There’s the menu to finalize, the venue to dress up, and a slew of other choices to make, from choosing the rings, favors and flavors of icing to when to send your save-the-dates. Clearly, there’s a whole lot of decision making ahead of you.
Here are the ABCs of wedding planning designed to make your preparation easier and ensure that you pull off an affair to remember.
Accomplish the big tasks first. Here’s your immediate “to do” list: book the venue, hire a caterer and decide on basic decor. With these major tasks done, you’ll be ready to focus on the smaller details.
Budget. Take a realistic look at your finances and figure out how much you can comfortably afford. The key is to understand how much you have to work with and then set your expectations accordingly.
Check wedding packages early. Most wedding venues in Clarke Quay, for instance, have created a number of wedding packages for you to choose from, catering to events of all sizes and budgets. Make an early booking – the sooner you book, the greater the chance of confirming your preferred date, time, and venue. What’s more, you may be able to lock in lower rates.
Dress. Finding your wedding dress should be one of the most exciting parts about your wedding planning. Choose a design that fits your personality, body shape, and style of your wedding.
Enlist your family and friends. Is there a musician in your family who can perform during the ceremony? What about an artistic friend who can design and print the invitations and table cards? Enlisting the help of people you know can make your wedding even more memorable while saving you money in the process.
Food. The food is probably one of the things that guests will remember about your wedding day. So make sure that the reception venue whips up good food for everyone to enjoy.
Guest list. Determine how many people you will invite to the wedding. How many tables, food and drinks do you need?
Hair and makeup. Your wedding is your chance to be a star for a day, so why not draw inspiration for your bridal hair and makeup from your favourite celebrity beauty looks?
Invitations. Choose a unique invitation that reflects your personalities and wedding themes.
Joy. Your wedding is a celebration. You want people to walk away saying, ‘That was so much fun.’
Keepsakes. Look for a memorable gift or keepsake that your loved ones will remember. There are a lot of specialty shops that customise traditional and classic to fun and modern keepsakes.
Loosen up. Don’t sweat the small stuff. You cannot make everyone happy, and trying to accommodate others will just make the whole process more daunting.
Music. Set the tone of your wedding with the right music – from the bridal march and ceremony to the reception music and your first dance as husband and wife.
Nitty-gritty. A wedding reception requires you to consider a seemingly endless array of details and logistics. Prepare a checklist of the things you need to do with a timeline on when the tasks are supposed to be accomplished.
Open communication. It’s so easy during wedding planning to not take time to check in with each other and just get straight to wedding to-dos. Remember to constantly talk to your partner and keep each other updated.
Plan. Planning ahead for your wedding day can save both money and time. A timeline and budget are important components of any plan.
Quiet time. Amid the hustle and bustle of planning for D-Day, take some quiet time to appreciate what the planning is all about.
Remind yourself what’s truly important. Never forget that it is a celebration of the union between two people – you and your partner.
Savour everything. Make sure to savour everything – the emotion, sights and sounds. The wedding day goes by so quickly and before you know it, all of that planning is over.
Take things one at a time. You can be easily overwhelmed in planning a wedding. Make a to-do list and slowly cross things off as you go.
Understanding. Keep an open mind that things can go wrong on your wedding day (and they do go wrong). Understand that a wedding isn’t about perfection. It is about the love you share and the vows you say.
Videographer. Hire a videographer-photographer who can capture the moments of your special day. Make sure to review their portfolio and the quality of their past works before you engage them.
Wedding Coordinator. Hire a coordinator so that you can enjoy your wedding day. Your coordinator allows you to take in all of the details so that you can actually spend time with your guests and family.
Xtra Attention. When dealing with suppliers, be sure to clarify all the details and your expectations during the initial discussions. Make sure you get a contract specifically stating dates, times and locations. Spell out everything. Be sure to read the fine print on every contract before you sign it, and make sure you’re aware of cancellation policies and fees.
Yes. Say “yes” to happiness – fun moments, merrymaking, and dancing like nobody is watching.
Zest. On your wedding day, soak up all the love, joy and bliss! Enjoy!
