Planning the day that could be the happiest day of your life requires creative input from the spouse, family members and friends you decide to be involved in planning, as well as careful preparation to ensure the D-day runs smoothly. Wedding planning can be very challenging and stressful. Granted, you can be sure that some plans won't work out the way you want them to, so plan for that as well! The key is to stay organized, stick to a budget and give yourself plenty of time to get things done.
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Method 1 of 10: Budgets, Schedules, and Records
Step 1. Set a budget
It's important to stick to a budget and have realistic expectations. Even if it's the most special day of your life, it's no excuse to want extravagant luxury with money you don't have. Remind yourself when you're feeling restless that there are still good days ahead and you don't want them to be ruined by paying big unplanned bills.
- Aim to never exceed the amount specified as your total budget. If you spend more money on one item, cut the budget from other items to keep it within budget. Be prepared to be flexible and prioritize big expenses for what really matters. You can always make your own less important things or even trivial aspects but you want.
- If your parents or future in-laws fund the wedding in half or in full, you have additional help. However, be aware not to burden them. Ask their budget ceiling and stick to that amount.
Step 2. Set a schedule for planning
Of all the planning this is the most important aspect. Set a reasonable and reasonable schedule based on the time you give yourself. Start with the calendar in front of you and try to follow the schedule suggested by the wedding guide. You can find the schedule in wedding guides, magazines, online and even in this article. In general, you will find that most guides assume you have about 12 months to plan your wedding. If your time is less than that, adjust your schedule according to the time you have (most importantly the last three months). (Suggestions for setting a schedule will be provided throughout this article.)
- Don't panic if you don't have 12 months. In general what planning guides suggest in the first months is preparations that can be done fairly quickly, such as announcing the engagement, buying planning software and books, planning a budget, selecting the bride and groom and setting the wedding date.
- One of the main reasons for long planning is wedding and reception venues, the most popular venues are usually booked a year or more in advance and many people plan weddings based on space availability. If this is a problem for you or you don't have a year's time, look for alternatives around you, from public park spaces, to lesser-known churches and mosques or town halls. Avoid getting caught up in the thought that you have to use the venue the other brides wore this year!
Step 3. Choose a method that works for your note-taking
You have to keep an eye on everything that has been decided and planned in advance. Invoices, quotes, receipts, seating plans, photos of desired clothing/decor, clippings, instructions, etc. must be stored in one place, so you should have at least one large plastic bag to store all of these. If you're more organized, use multiple pockets to separate by category.
Wedding planning software or apps can be very helpful for digital planning. If your tech-savvy friends are helping you plan your wedding, you might consider opening a wedding wiki just for those who help you with the planning. This can be very helpful as it allows for joint strategy planning and setting. The downside is that software and wikis have to be managed by entering information and scanning documents, while notebooks can be taken anywhere and you can write anything down quickly and store ever-increasing numbers of papers in one binder. For some, a combination of digital and paper planning works best
Method 2 of 10: Wedding Size, Venue and Dates
Step 1. Decide on the size of your wedding
Remember you should discuss this with your fiancé. The dream wedding for one party may not be what the other wants. You'll need to know how many people will be in attendance to determine the venue, catering, and invitees.
- As part of this decision, choose who will be the bride and groom. How many bridesmaids and grooms do you want? From one to a dozen, the choice depends on what you have always dreamed of and the space available at the wedding ceremony. Remember that the total number of invitations includes the bride and groom.
- This decision is usually made about ten months before the wedding.
Step 2. Choose a place
The sooner, the better, so you get where you really want to be. Check the spaces offered, deals with caterers, wedding fees, permits to decorate churches or mosques, spaces for wedding ceremonies, etc. Find out if the price offered is all inclusive or you will pay an additional fee.
- Also find out if the church or mosque charges a fee.
- Research for wedding and reception venues usually begins about 12 months before the wedding, and reservations are made within a month of you deciding.
Step 3. Set the date
Factors that influence date setting include the availability of space, friends and family. Think about who you want to be at your wedding, and try to set a date according to their availability. Most people will try to adjust their schedule to attend a wedding, so unless they are going to have major surgery or attend another wedding on their calendar, you can set the date as you wish.
- Send notifications about your wedding date to invited guests. Once the venue and guest list have been determined, let them know your wedding plans. Email people who will read it, otherwise send a card or notification to their address.
- Dates are usually set at the same time that you determine the venue for the wedding and reception. The final determination of the guest list must be completed about seven months before the wedding. There will be the possibility of adding guests and last-minute cancellations due to illness, pregnancy, travel, etc. This can be unexpected at times, so adjust to the changes.
Method 3 of 10: Wedding Theme and Invitations
Step 1. Choose a theme
The theme doesn't have to be anything specific, but a successful event usually has a consistent feel to it. Choose a theme with easy planning and decoration. Everything must be consistent with the theme.
- You can hire someone to decorate the wedding, but this can be expensive.
- Visit the wedding venue and take pictures. You may want to measure the dimensions of the existing space or area, to help you plan your placement and to see if there is enough space.
- As part of the theme, look for the flowers you want in your wedding. Find out if the flowers were available at your wedding or out of season (the cost of buying and shipping off-season flowers is very expensive). Finish the flower business about four months before the wedding date.
- Match the decor with the theme colors for the best overall impression.
Step 2. Send out the invitation
Research wedding invitation designs when you have about 10 months left, and try to buy or order printing when six months are up. Allow more time if you make your own and always have plenty of backups available, just in case there are unavoidable misspellings of names and other things.
- Creative. You can create your own invitations and add a personal touch or a professional message.
- Send out invitations about two months before the wedding. This should suffice if you have given your guests advance notice.
- Make a wedding arrangement. As with invitations, you can create professionally printed event arrangements or make your own. It is not recommended to print the schedule more than one week in advance because there may be unexpected changes, such as changes in the host, penghulu or pastor. If possible, ask the penghulu or the priest who married you to read and correct the order of the wedding ceremony.
Method 4 of 10: Officers Marrying
Step 1. Choose who will marry you
Weddings are usually presided over by a priest, pastor, penghulu, or religious leader that you follow. If they don't charge you for the wedding ceremony, show your gratitude by giving them an appropriate amount of time.
- Take premarital counselling. This requires a huge time commitment, but is very useful in the future. Be honest about your wishes and expectations about marriage.
- If you have 12 months, this process usually starts about eight months before it.
Method 5 of 10: Clothing and Accessories
Step 1. Research, design and order your wedding dress
About nine months before, start looking for your wedding dress ideas. Do you want a custom designed dress, change a dress that has been passed down in your family, or buy one? Whichever you choose, you may have to fit and adjust your dress several times until it fits perfectly. Or, you can make your own or avoid traditional wedding dresses and buy a dress that you like and can wear after the wedding. You don't have to stick to tradition or spend a lot of money on something you won't use anymore.
- Choose a hood if you want. Do not forget the shoes, from sandals or satin-lined shoes, make your choice and do the shoes require special effort or will you buy finished?
- At the same time also decide on the bridesmaid dresses. Are you paying or are they? You won't be able to say much about their choices when they're paying, but they'll be happy to be allowed to choose their own designs in the colors you choose.
- In some cultures and religions, it is a tradition that the parents of the bride and groom wear the same clothes, as do the bridesmaids. This varies depending on where you live and what your religion is.
- Order and select groomsmen suits and outfits about four months before the wedding. Get the groomsmen's suit or dress size a month before fitting.
Step 2. Choose a wedding ring
This is a fun task to do together, and is a symbol of your love. Most couples have the same ring to show that they complete each other's soul parts. When you order a custom ring, spend plenty of time and learn more about gold and its origins (such as which gold and whether it is taken in a friendly and fair manner). Make the right decision by doing some research beforehand.
Wedding ring selection should be done about five months in advance, and taken about one month before the wedding date
Method 6 of 10: Photos, Videos and Music
Step 1. Find a photographer and/or videographer
Consider hiring a professional for this special occasion, and make sure they are reliable so you don't have to worry about them forgetting about your wedding or collecting photos and recording. There are countless stories of disappointment at relying on friends or family to photograph or record weddings followed by years of regret that the photos were blurry, out of focus, or no footage at all because they were busy doing something else…
- Ask friends who are newly married for recommendations on which photographer or videographer they recommend.
- Ask for their portfolio. This will give you an idea of their abilities and style.
Step 2. Rent entertainment
Decide if you want a quartet, orchestra, band, or DJ. Professional musicians will keep the event flowing, make announcements, and plan special moments with you. Each option has advantages and limitations depending on what you are looking for.
- University-level music students are particularly worthy of consideration because they are at their best and much cheaper than professional musicians, and many of them desperately want the opportunity to perform in public.
- This one aspect should never be booked at the last minute, because all good bands and DJs are always booked in advance! Entertainment is very important and they are what make a wedding memorable! It is highly recommended that you decide on this aspect of your marriage at least 10 months before the D-Day.
Method 7 of 10: Food and Gifts
Step 1. Decide what kind of food and drinks you want to serve at the reception
Try to find a middle ground between what your guests will like and your abilities. Consider the pros and cons of hiring a professional caterer, as it's not cheap, but it's one thing you don't have to handle yourself. Some couples choose a menu based on culture, or something that everyone is sure to enjoy, such as Italian or Asian food.
- Some people like to provide a candy sideboard. This is for guests who love sweet treats so they can enjoy delicious sweets and cakes whenever they want.
- At the same time as determining catering, make reservations for reservations or rental of additional necessary equipment, such as tents, chairs, tables, cutlery, tablecloths, etc.
- Focus on this business while there are still 6 months left.
Step 2. Choose a wedding cake
Before deciding, you better taste first. And also look for a cake that fits the theme of the wedding, and that both the groom and the bride like. Sample the cake about eight months before the wedding and choose a design at this time as well.
- Check with the baker a few months before the wedding to make sure that your cake is still in the order book and ready to be made as planned.
- It is best if the cake is delivered directly to the reception. Relying on the family to do this task will put them under enormous pressure and if the cake is dropped by anyone other than the responsible baker, you have no recourse to a quick solution!
Step 3. List the gifts you want 9 months before the wedding
This will give guests plenty of time to go through the list and get the gift for you.
Be realistic about the price of the gift. Adjust the range of abilities of guests by including very affordable to more expensive items on the gift list. And give the possibility for non-gift options, some people don't like being forced to give certain gifts
Method 8 of 10: Transportation Options
Step 1. Choose the appropriate transportation
If there are multiple venues, plan your journey from the wedding ceremony location to the reception location. Some couples may rent a limousine or drive a classic car. Others may opt for a horse-drawn carriage. If you want to use your own car, take it to a car salon for cleaning and give details a week before the wedding.
- If there will be alcohol at the reception, is there a way for you and the bride and groom to get home safely? You may want to ask a friend or relative to be an overnight driver.
- Some families have a tradition of decorating a married couple's car, so if your car is good, it's a good idea to keep it safe in the garage!
Method 9 of 10: Honeymoon and Honeymoon Room, Plus Out of Town Guests
Step 1. Decide whether you want a special bridal suite or go straight to your honeymoon
Many couples choose the bridal suite on the night of the wedding to experience the honeymoon atmosphere before leaving, while others prefer to leave immediately after the wedding. This choice is entirely yours.
Step 2. Make sure guests from out of town have accommodations
You may have to book a block of rooms for guests arriving from out of town or overseas. Ordering all at once will usually get the best price if it is done long before the wedding, at least four months in advance.
Make it clear whether you will pay the hotel bill for the guest or not. You can explain that you have booked a special room rate but that you expect them to pay the fee. Be careful not to expect too much from guests coming from far away, they already pay for the trip themselves, so if you can reduce their accommodation costs even better
Step 3. Research on honeymoon 6 months before the wedding
This will give you the advantage of special offers and good prices. Book as soon as possible but make flexibility in booking just in case you have to cancel. It's better to pay a little and still save most of the money in case something prevents your trip (such as illness, wedding delay, etc.) than to get nothing.
Method 10 of 10: Rehearsal
Step 1. Plan rehearsal and dinner
This should be planned about five months in advance of the wedding date, including reservations for the rehearsal dinner. Also, send advance notice to invitees who are expected to attend the rehearsal. This event is held in the week leading up to the wedding.
- You should make a schedule for the bride and groom on the day of the wedding, so they know what time they have to come for everything like hair styling, photos, ceremony, etc.
- Rehearsal dinner is an American tradition that is also starting to be applied in other countries. If you don't want to host this event, it doesn't matter.
Tips
- Consider reading home life and marriage at least twice as much as you read wedding plans, even as you prepare for your wedding day. This will keep better priorities in perspective. Marriage is only one day, but domestic life lasts a lifetime.
- Stay organized. Find a binder and insert every page and paper every detail of your wedding. Take notes and paperwork for every detail and you will be well on your way to having an unforgettable wedding and this will reduce stress.
- On your wedding day, be prepared for things that don't go according to plan. It's a happy day, consider all incidents as part of happiness!
- Make sure you relax. Stress can cause breakouts and you don't want it to spoil your appearance, do you?
- If you have friends and family who can legally marry you, ask them to officiate at the wedding ceremony.
- If you want to get your dog involved in the wedding, dress him up! Some people dress their dogs with flowers as "flower dogs."
- Remember that you can hire a little help writing wedding speeches, wedding speech links
Warning
- If you are trying to plan your own wedding, you may feel overwhelmed. You can ask your future husband for help.
- Try not to let your friends and family overwhelm you with all their opinions and suggestions. Remember, it's your day, not theirs.
