So, you’ve got a ring on your finger and perhaps a date in mind. You might have an eye on the perfect dress, be planning that wonderful first dance, or simply just wrapping your head around guests and table arrangements!
There’s not a right or specific way to feel or go about planning your wedding – it’s as diverse and complex as you are. A DIY wedding is a great way to go. You can be sure to stick to that budget, see (or taste) firsthand the quality of marzipan on that cake, liaise directly with your event managers et cetera, et cetera, the list goes on… and that’s what can be daunting! So we’ve compiled here some of our tops tips for the early stages of planning a wedding, we hope they help and make things a little easier for you!
The Budget : Arguably the most important thing to get organised early on in your wedding is the tedious but necessary budget! Be realistic about your finances, how much can you afford to spend? Is your family able to contribute at all? Are there any opportunities to save costs? You’d be amazed at how much second-hand or preloved wedding paraphernalia is out there – it’s good for your wallet and the environment! Are there expenses you can do without? Do you reeaaaally want and need 57 different personalised pieces of paper stationary for guests to stuff in their bags and never look at again? Ultimately, worrying about money is a sure way to feel stressed about your wedding before it has even begun – to paraphrase Biggie… “mo’ money, mo’ wedding problems”!
The Research: This can start at home – think back to any good parties or weddings that you’ve been to recently. What did you like about them? What didn’t you like or would have done differently? Have a brainstorming session with your partner, this can be a fun activity for the both of you to get ideas flowing and start a helpful channel of communication about how you both want your wedding to be! Start a wedding folder or notes page on your phone where you can save important information or promising ideas. Consider making a separate wedding email account to keep meetings and consultations in an easy to locate environment. Google and local wedding blogs are your friend!
The Planning: Whoa there! Slow down! Take a deep breath and take things one day, one task at a time… and don’t be afraid to ask for help! It’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of the big picture when putting together an event like this, but seriously, don’t rush. For certain things (the venue, photographer/videographer, catering etc) should take priority as bookings often fill up quickly at certain times of year. With that said, don’t make impulse bookings! If you’ve done enough research and taken enough time to consider all your options, then bookings should feel right! If the vibe is off, it’s time to step back and reconsider! Don’t forget to take legalities into consideration – it might take a few weeks for your wedding licence to be processed…and you wouldn’t want to be stuck at the end of a beautiful but unofficial wedding ceremony! Things like permits for ceremonies in public locations will need to be approved by local councils.
…and finally, The Fun: we know, we know. We said that we wouldn’t put too much emphasis on having fun; realistically planning a wedding is too big to be totally carefree and enjoyable. However! We’re firm believers that when the working day is done, there’s always time for fun. Take some time off from being a Boss Babe Wedding Planner and forget about it occasionally! You and your partner are going to be spending quite a lot of time together from this point onwards, so it would be weird to forget about your connection in the time leading up to your wedding… or even consider putting something as (subjectively) unimportant as a few pieces of paper and a tall cake before the person that you’re choosing to be with. Here’s where you can find fun, not necessarily in fittings and meetings, but in the time spent with the people that you’ve chosen to celebrate love with.
