So he popped the question and you’ve said yes. First of all, congratulations! Once you get over the initial ecstasy, it’s time to start planning for the big day! What follows is going to be a strange mix of stress and excitement. You’re in the driver’s seat for planning the happiest day of your life. It’s natural to feel pressured; ceremonies like this only come around once in a lifetime. And although you’re probably bursting with ideas, organising the whole thing might feel a bit daunting. To help you out, here’s a guide to planning your big day and your perfect honeymoon.
Budget
As with anything, you should start with the budget. When you look at the finances available for your wedding, this can be a little disheartening, and that’s without adding in the cost of a honeymoon. We’d all like to get married under the northern lights or in a beautiful Tuscan village. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the means for something like that! The good news is that wedding prices are pretty versatile. Whether you’re spending thousands or are a little more limited, there’ll be a venue and catering service within your budget. If your budget is looking a little tight for what you had in mind, my advice is to look at where you could make savings – whether this be a few less guests, or swapping a sit down meal for a buffet. It’s all about deciding what is most important on your day. Shop around for items like bridesmaid dresses, maybe look at hiring rather than buying the ushers suits, look at what can be made at home rather than shop bought, the savings you can make are endless.
One way that you could get the honeymoon that you really want is through setting up a honeymoon fund, this is in place of a wedding present list or traditional gift ideas. The idea is that you do the costings for your perfect honeymoon, taking in everything including travel, hotel, food and transfers and then you present this like a traditional online wedding gift list on a site like Travelers Joy (I so love their hashtag #skiptheblender ). Those who want to buy you something can then contribute to your dream honeymoon instead if they wish and you get the chance to truly relax after your big day.
The Venue
One of the most important aspects of your wedding is the venue. When it comes to choosing the venue, there are things you need to bear in mind. First, have some dates in mind, and allow a bit of flexibility, as you might get a bit of a shock when you first check the availability of venues. The further ahead you plan your wedding, the more options you’re going to have available. If you’re not too fussy and want something traditional, then you should be fine. However, if you were planning something extravagant or unique, then I recommend pushing the date pretty far ahead in order to not put yourself under to much financial pressure in a short period of time.
The Rings
Next we have the rings. Even if you’re quite laid back about the aesthetics of your wedding in other areas, I advise taking your time with this. You’ll be wearing your ring for the rest of your life, after all! There’s a massive industry for wedding rings, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find something both you and your partner will agree on! There are some gorgeous classic bands out there, but that’s no reason that you have to use them! It’s your day, and your marriage, so take your time finding a pair of rings which says something unique about you. Weddingrings-direct.com has a fantastic selection.
The Guest List
Next up, the guest list. This is probably the one area of your wedding which you have planned for. While you were working out your budget, you should have set a limit on the reception. Aside from that, the limit on your guest list is completely up to you. Do you want it to be a large and glamorous occasion, or a smaller, intimate affair? I advise creating a kind of family tree structure to draft your guest list. Start with the close family of you and your partner. Then, extend out into your closest friends, and important people in your lives. Keep a strict numbers limit, and soon you’ll have a guest list which you’re both happy with.
The Dress
Choosing the dress is probably the part you were looking forward to the most! You’d have a good reason for this; picking out a dress is probably the most exciting part of the whole planning process. Take your time and have fun! Make sure you try lots of styles and don’t rush into buying the first dress you see.
Once you find your dress ,you’ll need to consider the ushers, bridesmaids and pageboys. Getting a whole dress scheme which fits in with your tastes will give you a uniquely satisfying feeling and will make your wedding a truly stylish affair.
Invites And Finishing Touches
Traditionally, the invitations should be sent three to six months in advance. There’s plenty of time to look at different designs and fonts. Many companies can send out samples so make sure you shop around. After all this, take a look at your budget and shop around for any finishing touches. This could included Chinese lanterns, sparklers, confetti and anything else that could make your day even more magical.
There you have it; my guide to planning your wedding. Do you have any further tips for planning that perfect wedding?
