If you don’t have the budget for a wedding planner, or if your venue doesn’t offer this service, you needn’t worry. We’ve combined the knowledge of our expert team, and here we share their many, many years of experience with you (with 16 pieces of wedding planning advice to be exact!).
Read on for the wedding planning advice you didn’t know that you needed to hear. From practical suggestions to stress-reducing tips, these are the things that no soon-to-be-wed should be without…
1 /
Set your budget early on and prioritize spending on what is important to you both: that might be décor, or food, even entertainment. There’s no right or wrong, do things your way.
2 /
Do your research, and don’t settle! Consider a number of venues, photographers, florists etc. Ask lots of questions about price, inclusions, availability, and restrictions. Panic booking will likely mean that you regret your decision later on; take your time. AND remember, expensive doesn’t always mean expert.
3 /
When it comes to venues, ask yourself two questions: (1) what kind of wedding do you want? (2) how many guests do you want to invite?
4 /
Prioritize guests. That doesn’t mean making decisions only with your guests in mind but rather splitting your guests into groups based on how much their attendance means to you. This may come in useful if your budget just won’t stretch.
5 /
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself – or your wedding. You will be surrounded by your best friends for the party of your life, with the love of your life.
6 /
You don’t need to incorporate trends into your wedding day. Let your own style guide your wedding style… the day is yours, trust in yourself and have a bit of fun with it!
7 /
Don’t wish the planning stage away! Whether that’s a boozy lunch to decide upon wines or creating the dinner playlist – enjoy the little moments. Your wedding day will go by so quickly.
8 /
Don’t sweat the small stuff. It is likely that not everything will be perfect, and that is okay! Remember, the marriage is the most important part of the day.
9 /
Follow your own traditions and ditch anything that doesn’t resonate with you. Don’t fancy a first dance, don’t like cake? Then simply don’t have them.
10 /
Delegate, delegate, delegate! But be sure to note down who is doing what, so that you don’t lose track.
11 /
Don’t overlook set up times when booking your suppliers (especially entertainment). It’s better to understand how much time is needed for each part of the day and build from there, then to try and squeeze everything in once bookings have been made! Your venue will thank you for this one.
12 /
Trust in your suppliers. You’ve done your research and found the right people… now leave them to do what they do best!
13 /
Exercise caution when discussing the wedding with family and friends (We can’t stress this enough) – a mere mention of any detail and the choice that you have made will be up for debate. If you’re not open to the opinions of others, don’t mention a thing! Surprises are good.
14 /
Family and friends can be a wonderful resource. Especially married ones. If there were elements of their wedding day that you loved, don’t be afraid to ask about them.
15 /
Grooms mustn’t forget to pack a spare shirt! Because, (1) accidents happen, and (2) no one’s judging!
16 /
Most importantly, don’t forget what is important – you are marrying the love of your life.
We do hope that you found our expert advice to be useful… Are there any pieces that you think me may have missed?
