You’re engaged! Congratulations! Now the fun begins – planning your dream wedding. There is a lot to organise and it may seem overwhelming to begin with, but with our helpful insider tips, you’ll have the ball rolling in no time. Let’s get started!
Acknowledge that hiccups will happen
It’s your wedding day and understandably you want everything to be PERFECT, however, the reality is with such a big day, there is bound to be a hiccup or two. It’s a good idea to accept this in advance so you don’t stress out on the day if something doesn’t go exactly how you may have hoped.
Have backup plans
Having backup plans in place is something that is often overlooked as most just trust that everything will be ok. Here are some big ones to consider:
- It’s always recommended to have a plan B location if any part of your wedding day is outside.
- If you are outsourcing catering vans, always get them to arrive ahead of schedule to ensure you are not waiting on food. Also, have a backup plan in case they have car troubles and are unable to get to your venue.
- Have a music playlist downloaded on your phone or device just in case. Online music streaming apps can be unreliable at times, and if you are hiring live music and there any issues with them arriving, you have your backup playlist ready to go.
Book your photographer and videographer before your venue
Booking the venue is at the top of the to-do list, but if you’ve never been to a wedding where you want to get married, how do you know it’ll be everything you want for your day? It’s smart to book your photographer and videographer first and ask them about the venues they have been to. Who else do you know that would have visited such a diverse selection of venues and can give you unbiased feedback? They are with their clients from the very beginning of their wedding day to the end. They can give you an insight into the service, the food, photo opportunities and any pros and cons to be mindful of.
Sometimes less is more
A ceremony that is long and drawn out is going to get boring quickly and it doesn’t set the tone for a fun-filled day. A short and sweet ceremony will keep everyone’s attention and your guests are more likely to enjoy themselves. The same applies for the whole day, instead of spending hours on end doing planned activities keep them to necessary time limits. This allows for more free time to dance, catch up with loved ones and most importantly, have fun! Chat with your partner before your wedding to work out what parts of the day matter most for the two of you and determine whether doing additional things that are meaningless to you both are worth chewing up time on your special day.
Make your cake cheaper
Anyone that’s been married before will tell you as soon as you mention the word wedding the prices skyrocket. Wedding cakes are expensive, right? To cut down on costs, get a family friend that’s handy in the kitchen to make your cake or get a professional to make it but use foam instead of cake for one or more tiers. You can decorate it yourself by adding fresh flowers that are the same as your bouquet to the top. Just send your florist a picture of your cake design and where you’d like your cake topper to go and they’ll arrive ready to go on the day.
Have a detailed run sheet
Put together a detailed run sheet of the day. This can eliminate some of the stress as you’ll know what’s happening and when. Having designated time slots can make the day flow with ease, and it can save potential confusion with the vendors. Ensure that everyone has a copy of your run sheet including your photographer, caterers, makeup artist, venue etc. Make sure you don’t have stringent time frames on each component as some may run slightly over time. Allow a buffer of around 10 to 15 minutes before and after each.
Start planning early
It’s best to start researching and booking vendors early. At a minimum, you should start at least 18 months before the big day. It may sound excessive although popular wedding suppliers book out years in advance so, the earlier you book the more likely you’ll get your preferred vendor. Make sure you read all of your vendors contracts before signing and ensure they are good communicators and get back to you promptly. If they don’t from the beginning, this can lead to stress down the track.
Remember
It’s easy to get carried away with all the bells and whistles and before you know it you’re implementing every detail suggested by beloved friends and family. Just remember, it is your and your partner’s special day, not anyone else’s, so stay true to what you both want and what’s important to the two of you. You don’t want to look back on your day and have any regrets. If you would like any more helpful tips on planning your big day or if you’re looking for a wedding photographer or videographer in South East Queensland, get in touch with our team here at Florido Weddings, we’d love to chat.
