When it comes to wedding planning it can be difficult if you decide to plan it solo ( without a wedding planner) so here are some things that you must remember while planning your big day and they are as simple as ABC!!!
A-announcements ....at last your love has come along and you should tell the world...send out announcements. Postcards or place an add in your local paper . Announcements are a way to get the guest pumped for what's next.
B-bridal party ...so you found your mate so now you need to choose the people that will be right by your side on the biggest day of your life...
C-cake tasting one of the things that people talk about at your reception will be your cake so having a cake tasting prior to your wedding is a must !
D- date decision ..picking your date can be really exciting but it can also be frustrating. When choosing your date you need to keep in mind holidays and poplar vacation months. ( not saying that people won't come but if your looking for a big turn out keep their personal time in mind.
E-entertainment ...next to food entertainment is very important. Don't base your selection on referrals alone visit them...go see them in action . Whether its a live band or a DJ you will want to see them at an event to see if the fit your style.
F-food is the number one thing that people will rave about long after your wedding . Before picking the caterer see if the have a complementary food tastings...just like the cake you don't want to be surprised on your wedding day.
G- gift registry...some couples are against gift registries because it limits the amount of money that they receive on their wedding I encourage a gift registry because this is the only time in life that you create a wish list and receive things that you absolutely love without spending a dime!!!
H- honeymoon - where will you go??? Your honeymoon is a reward ... After you have planned every detail and spend tons of money a honeymoon is needed for you and spouse to get away and relax and enjoy each other.
I - ideas when it comes to your wedding it should be a combination of both of you and not everyone else. Use social media , wedding guides and wedding tv- shows to gain a sense of what you want and then you put your own twist on it.
J- journey...wedding planning can be stressful but not a time to fight .. Enjoy this journey as you become one....believe me you will have plenty of time to fight.
K- kiss.. One of the cute little things that my husband and I did during our wedding was kiss every time we disagreed. This helped us remember why we were doing this it wasn't to fight but is was because of love.
L- little things count ...while planning your wedding and even after your married do little things for each other ... Whether it's a little note or a delivery of fresh flowers.. Do things to remind your spouse that you love them and you care.
M- minutes alone.... During the actual planning process always find time for each other ....whether it be dinner and a movie or just coffee before work. Make time for each to do nothing but spend time with each other .
N-notes... If you happen to hire wedding professionals ...take notes because sometimes you talk about a lot in consultations and you want to remember everything that you discussed .
O-online search engines.. Google was my best friend and still is. Any time that an idea stumps me or an idea requires something else I turn to google or Pinterest ... Try it could make planning a little easier.
P- photography... Sometimes when I look back on my wedding the one thing that I wish I had was an professional photographer. Don't get me wrong I love the pictures that were taken but some moments were missed and I can't get them back.Photography is something that up you should want to splurge on.. You may not think so today but you will years from now.
Q- q & a... Blogs and wedding forums are so important because some of the things your struggling with other brides are to .. Use these sites to gain ideas and get advice. A big stress reliever for me is knowing that I am not alone .
R-be REALISTIC!!! Sometimes we want things that are not possible or within reach ... Know how much you have and let that determine how much you can get.
S-savings... Some couples have discussed their big day prior to getting engaged and set up a savings account and others just pay as they go...but if you are the pay as you go couple keep in mind that this may be the biggest day life but its not the last day of your life.. So don't deplete your savings.
T-test run... When it comes to hair , makeup or vendors... You want to do a test run... Before booking your make up artist and hair dresser see if they do consultations prior to the big day because you don't want any surprises.
U-uniqueness- I am big on no repeats....so when creating something for a client even if its the same idea I try to add something different to make it uniquely created for them. So my suggestion to you is if you are going to recreate something make it your own...make it represent you.
V-vendors- if you decide to use professional vendors I suggest that you do some shopping .. Read online reviews , and testimonials ... Pick at least three and then call them... When you search for vendors in your area it can be overwhelming so create a criteria check list and make sure they meet that criteria before adding them to your list.
W-wedding day timeline-set a timeline and stick to it!!! On your wedding day one thing can set you back... One late appointment can reunion your timeline and your day. Be mindful of time!!!
X-xtra..xtra...xtra.... buy extras ...a wedding planner will tell you that you should always have a plan for the plan so get extra of things that can possibly be easily broken or miss placed.
Y- young guests ...if your family has a lot of young children ....hire a baby sitting company to entertain the children....when family's have a lot of children you can't put a limit on how many can come so bring em all bring em all
Z-zero regrets!!! Even if everything doesn't go as planed .... Don't look back and say what you shoulda,coulda ,woulda did ... Just be happy that its over ..and enjoy what can't be planned YOUR Life!!
I hope that helps..and I hope that your day is filled with nothing but happiness...
Happy planning ....# living2plan