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Weddings are exciting, Weddings are fun, and a wedding is the most anticipated day in the life of an intending couple. To some people it is just a day, to others it is a memorable and life changing event, whichever one it is for you, you need to plan, some people spend a year planning for their wedding, others six months, some even a month.
From deciding the venue to picking the right colours or shopping for that perfect dress/suit the hustle and bustle associated with weddings can be tiring, that is why planning is a serious business.
Ever wondered what makes that groom dapper and keeps the bride smiling all through their special day, trust me it is the joy of seeing the result of so much work manifest right in front of them.
So is that special day around the corner? Need help planning your perfect day? Here are 10 tips to help you achieve that wedding of your dreams.
- KNOW THE KIND OF WEDDING YOU WANT: - Before you even do anything in preparation for your wedding, the first thing is to decide the kind of wedding you want to have. Is it indoor or outdoor? What theme do you want to build your wedding around? Do you want a church wedding or a court wedding? Is it a one day event or more?
These are some of the questions you will ask yourself. You need to do this because it will guide you in making the right choices and decisions towards your big day. For instance if you want an indoor reception, deciding at this point will help you prepare your guest list, you do not want guests standing outside without seats. Also consider what time of the year or season you want the wedding to take place, it helps in the entire planning process.
- EMPLOY THE SERVICES OF A WEDDING PLANNER: Now that you have decided on what you want for the wedding; hiring a wedding or event planner is the next step. Some people like to plan their weddings themselves, but considering all that is involved in planning a wedding, the job should be handled by a professional. The stress of handling everything by yourself will be too much and you do not want to look tired and worn out on your wedding day. Ensure that the planner you are hiring is someone of reputable character, someone who is willing to understand, see the picture you have in mind and help you achieve your dream wedding.
Remember to check out past works, all of these will help you create a cordial relationship as you will be spending a lot of time together.
- FIX YOUR BUDGET: This is a very important aspect of planning your wedding; many times people forget there is a life after the wedding day you do not want to become broke in the process of achieving your dream wedding.
Know your limit, know the amount you are willing to spend, how much contributions you are receiving from friends and family and how much is your partner is contributing. Bearing all of these in mind will help you spend wisely as you can tell when you are exceeding your budget.
- DECIDE THE VENUE: Where do you want the wedding to hold? Is it in a church, mosque or a court? Are you renting a hall or a large space outside? You have to decide on your venue as it will help you in early bookings and avoid any last minute delays.
People get married every other Saturday, you do not want to your reception clashing with another person’s wedding, that is why you have to make inquiries and ensure that the venue is booked early enough.
When deciding the venue, consider the season as well, you don’t want to rent a space outside in the raining season or rent a space in a hall without proper ventilation is the dry season.
- ORGANIZE YOUR WEDDING TRAIN: It is at this stage that you choose your bridal train or grooms men. Ensure that you inform all your friends beforehand, you don’t want them missing out on rehearsals or important meetings. The wedding train helps complement the bride and groom therefore everything about them, from clothes, to their speeches should be well prepared for.
In the case of your wedding train, do not rely on any particular friend as you are not responsible for their schedule, endeavour to leave room for replacement if need be.
- PICK YOUR WEDDING CLOTHES: This is also important, shop for your wedding clothes beforehand in order to have enough time for any adjustments and last minute changes. Do not wait until your wedding is a month away before you pick your clothes, this is to avoid unforeseen circumstances. Take your time to explain what you want to your tailor, in order to get the right measurement and design.
Also, make arrangements for your makeup artiste at this stage, as a bride who wants to look elegant on your big day, do a makeup test, this will help you decide what shade of powder or lipstick will work for you. You do not want to look all sweaty in your wedding pictures because your makeup artiste did not pick the right foundation or concealer for you.
- DRAFT YOUR GUEST LIST: How many people are you inviting? How many are coming from your parent’s side? How many are coming from your partner’s side? You have to take all of these into consideration when preparing your guest list. You don’t want your guests to be left standing without seats because you did not make the necessary arrangements.
When preparing your guest list, do not forget your budget, try as much as possible to accommodate as many people as your budget allows. You don’t want your guests leaving the venue hungry or unsatisfied.
- ARRANGE FOR CATERERS AND USHERS Everybody wants to attend an event and be served with properly prepared meals, that is why you must not joke with your caterers or those who you have put in charge of preparing and serving food. Make arrangement for ushers who will readily attend to your guests.
Make proper arrangements for your wedding cake; do not get carried away thinking it is a small part of the whole ceremony, having a beautiful and well baked cake adds magic to your wedding.
- ARRANGE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS: Your wedding pictures are the only things that will serve as memories when the wedding is over, therefore it is very important to hire a professional photographer who knows how to take very good pictures that will tell your wedding story. Same thing applies to your videographer; these two people will help capture the entire event. Due to their level of importance it is advisable to have more than one to avoid unforeseen circumstances.
- ARRANGE FOR DJS AND MCS: The Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremony will help keep your guests entertained; they should be contacted early in order to avoid disappointments.
There are no perfect weddings but trust me there are beautiful weddings, while looking forward to your beautiful wedding, remember to involve your partner, ask him/her what they think about the decision you have made, this is because a wedding is only a wedding when there are two people involved.
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