Wedding planning can be overwhelming, with many tasks to take care of and details to arrange. Although most couples often engage professionals to handle their wedding plans, there are several reasons they may also choose to manage most of the tasks themselves. To save you from these wedding hassles, I have compiled a list of essential rules for planning a wedding and ensuring it’s a success.
Perhaps you have a tight wedding budget, or simply you adore all of the DIY options. Whatever the circumstance, there are many extra details, but it’s possible to plan your dream wedding yourself.
Organization is essential in maintaining the timeline when dealing with deadlines, lists, decisions, and day-to-day life. First, ensure you give yourself enough time to plan your wedding- aim for about a year if possible.
So, where do you begin? Relax, we got you. Here are essential rules for planning a wedding to ensure it’s a success:
- Set your wedding budget
- Create a list of priorities
- Create a focused menu before your food tasting
- Make a guest list
- Choose formality and overall theme
- Set wedding date
- Book wedding venue
- Get back up
- Shop for wedding attire
- Determine the legal requirements in advance
In the section below, I’ll cover all the rules for planning a wedding in detail. So keep reading to find out how to apply each rule.
1. Set Your Wedding Budget
Most of your decisions regarding weddings will be influenced by your wedding budget. Therefore, the wedding budget should be among the first things to tackle. If you have any relatives who will be contributing, talk with them about what they are willing to give.
If you’re paying the bills alone, you need to take a close look at your finances. Get ready for a fact check regarding budgeting for your wedding, as most couples are unaware of the entire spectrum of expenses involved. Once you determine that number, stick to it.
Also Read: How to Plan a Cheap Wedding in Kenya
2. Create a List of Priorities
Have an open talk with your spouse and discuss what will be the three most essential elements of your wedding. Is it the location or a particular wedding date? Do you want a live band or a specific wedding photographer?
Emphasize these details and be ready to make concessions to others. It will enable you to stay within your budget and help you concentrate on what is truly important.
3. Create a Focused Menu Before Your Food Tasting
First, consider the kind of dining format you’re most interested in before planning your tasting with a potential caterer. Would you want a plated dinner or prefer to go more casual with stations or buffets? Discuss this with your spouse, and anyone else involved financially with the wedding.
Since many caterers offer only one complimentary tasting, ensure you’re tasting items that you’re seriously looking to serve at your wedding. If you want a family-style meal, ensure you’re tasting items that work well for family-style.
If you opt for entrees generally served for a plated meal, you will need to revamp your menu after tasting and may not be able to taste the food that will eventually be served at your wedding.
The serving style’s cost may vary, so that’s something you should also discuss with your caterer if you’re looking for areas to reduce the cost.
4. Make a Guest List
Suppose you can invite each and everyone, well. But chances are you can’t, so you have to put some effort into dishing out invites. When deciding the number of guests, consider your budget- the amount you can afford and the venue- the capacity it can accommodate.
Also, consider who is paying for what. Then decide how you are going to divide up the list. If you and your spouse are financing the tab, presume you will receive 70% of the invites, and the other 30% will be split between the two sets of parents.
However, if both parents are going to contribute, it’s customary to give each party involved one-third each; your parents, your partner’s parents, and you as a couple.
5. Choose Formality and Overall Theme
Now is the time to sit down and have an open conversation with your fiance. After all, the ambiance of your wedding should be a mutual agreement between the two guests of honor.
Keep the convo flowing by having a glass of water, wine, or tea, and ask yourself: what is essential to you and why? What do you value? Also, be aware that your venue will impact all this. Because in most situations, the glamorous, black-tie theme for a barn wedding is not recommendable.
6. Set Wedding Date
Choose a wedding date as soon as possible. There might be up and downs as you reach out to influential friends and family to work out dates that suit everyone.
Decide your date early since popular locations fill up quickly on weekends. But if you’re looking to have a weekday wedding -a good idea if you’re working on a tight budget, you will have more room to maneuver.
Have about three potential wedding dates as you start to search for a wedding venue so you can explore your preference or compare prices at the same venue. If you plan in 14 or more months before, incorporate one day in each season for variation.
But if you have fewer than fourteen months and have a dream location, find out what they have available before deciding on the ideal date.
7. Book Wedding Venue
After getting an idea of your wedding style, you can start researching the best venue. As mentioned earlier, you will also need to consider your guest list. Apart from consulting family and friends for suggestions, you can check these best wedding venues online.
Review the number of guests the venue can host, the prices, and if may hold your ceremony and reception there. Once you find an ideal space, book the venue.
8. Get Backup
You have realized you, and your significant other cannot do it alone. So you shouldn’t be afraid to request support when you need it:
- Utilize technology and resources: several excellent wedding planning apps help you stay organized and relaxed throughout the process. Alternatively, you can check some wedding planning books and follow wedding specialists on social media.
- Hire a wedding planner: a wedding planner will handle most of the tasks on your wedding checklist and help you with venue selection, dress ideas, and more. A wedding planner does not need not to offer full service. Some couples choose partial-service wedding planners. Analyze the wedding planner’s options and pick the ideal one.
- Seek help from friends and family: if you can’t afford a wedding planner, you can ask for help from elsewhere. Most likely, your family and friends will be more than willing to help you, but don’t depend on one person too much. Remember, they, too, have their daily lives and jobs to handle.
9. Shop for Wedding Attire
Getting the ideal wedding dress is a process on its own. You should start your search as soon as you choose your venue and complete the purchase nine months before the wedding day, as this will give you adequate time for fittings and adjustments.
Wedding party outfit shopping should start approximately 7-8months before the wedding day, while you can book groomsmen gear around the five-month mark. Remember you will also need outfits for pre-wedding events such as rehearsals, brunches, and showers.
10. Determine the Legal Requirements in Advance
Get to know what is required for the marriage license and whether you are required to notify the state of your upcoming wedding. Also, find out whether any payments are made for the permit or to the person performing the ceremony.
Be aware that some countries impose additional fees for weddings carried out outside religious facilities.
Bottom Line
wedding planning will be a piece of cake if you adhere to the ten rules for planning a wedding mentioned above. Begin your preparation as early as possible; everything will fall in place.
With all this knowledge, you’re ready to enter the unpredictable world of wedding planning and start preparing for the perfect day.
