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Tips that make for a successful Wedding
A wedding is the biggest event most people will ever plan, and this is a very exciting time for everyone concerned. Planning is the key to a smoothly running day - the more you can picture each individual detail, the more smoothly the day will run!
Your budget is vital - do not underestimate how much you will have to spend, and how far ahead you should plan! There are many wedding professionals who are experts in their individual areas, so spend time talking to them and be sure that your budget is realistic.
- Your wedding is a wonderful day when you and all your family and friends are 'out there' for everyone to see! Choose your attendants carefully, for there are many people who are not able to bear the 'out there-ness' of weddings and would be much, much happier as your chosen guests!
- There is no specific dollar range that ensures success. It is the time you take to visualise each detail and then arrange for its execution!
- Lack of planning will almost certainly mean that some unexpected event will upset the smooth running of your important day, so plan, plan, plan for every detail and put it neatly and legibly on paper and be sure those chosen as your 'helpers' are people who understand the importance of such planning.
- The more months you have to plan, the more options you have for everything, including some room to re-negotiate with different wedding professionals if you choose to do so.
- The weather
- Whether the most important people have scheduled commitments for that day that they cannot change
- Whether some huge event in your town may interfere with traffic patterns around your wedding location or reception
- Whether a close by Holiday may make air travel or transportation problematic as far as having people in town on time
- When planning the date consider:
- If a number of relatives and friends are having to fly in, check with some local hotels or motels as far as a group rate for those dates and let people know right away.
- Get specific contracts with your wedding professionals - bands, DJ, florists, caterers, bakery - have everything in writing. And ask for additional costs that could be charged to you such as traveling, over time or GST. Insist on all the details in the contract. Choose your wedding professionals carefully.. they need to be people you like and who are not going to 'take over' your wedding day!
- When negotiating on a wedding photography package, specify to your photographer that you want a very efficient picture taking schedule. Concentrate on the photos you would like taken and be sure that he/she understands clearly what these are. Put into the printed schedule when and where the photo sessions are taking place before and after the ceremony. Appeal firmly to the wedding party and relatives you want in the photos to go immediately to these locations so that you don't waste precious time trying to round up everybody scattered all over the property. Your guests are waiting patiently for the photography to be finished. Also, remember that your caterer at the reception hall is depending on you sticking to your schedule to show up so that food will be at its peak.
- When planning the ceremony you should certainly try to personalize your ceremony. However, please don't overdo things ... such as three or four voice solos, extended memorized speeches or poems, or singing songs to each other. Your emotions WILL sneak up on you, no matter how calm you are even through a wedding rehearsal the night before.
- Weigh the cuteness factor versus the unpredictability factor when thinking about using children in the ceremony under the age of five. They have notoriously small attention spans during the boredom of dry clerical recitations.
- If you plan to have a friend or relative read a poem or selection during the ceremony, please have a rehearsal reading to check for mispronounced words and clarity - and be sure it is not too long.
- Make sure the groom has some involvement in the planning...he is the 'other party' to the wedding so it is his wedding day too! Grooms can often have some special little thing they would like included in the day, so be sure this is discussed.
- Enjoy the planning - choose those around you to help you who are like minded and will enjoy this wonderful planning period too.
- Your wedding is the joining of two entire families. If you are different in religion, background or culture, celebrate each side's uniqueness and emphasize the things in common - love for the bride and groom, for instance.
- Discuss with the mothers your wedding plans. By including them in as much as the planning as possible and letting them in on as many of the details as you feel comfortable, everyone feels included and not 'left out'. This is a big day for the 'Mums' too - their child has now grown up and is making their own life away from them, so be understanding of these feelings and help them feel they are an important part of the wedding arrangements, not just the cheque book!
- On your wedding, the bride should have a bag packed for the church and reception - an emergency pair of this and that, plus white chalk/talcum powder for touching up smudges on white shirts, blouses, and dresses.
- When it comes to a bachelor party or even bachelorette party, discuss your feelings with each other. Agree not to do things that will get you off on the wrong foot with each other. Be sensitive to each other's feelings and do not engage in behavoir that you will regret and do not create a huge amount of anxiety for each other. Perhaps a dinner for all the friends would be preferable to causing hurt or anxiety to each other.
- Be sure that all expenses are paid prior to the day of your wedding. Should any of the wedding professional require payment on the day then put the money into a sealed envelope with their name on it prior to the day and give the envelope to your 'trouble shooter' to take care of for you.
- It is not necessary to leave on your honeymoon immediately. You will both be tired so allow some time to relax and recover from the busy few months you have just completed. If you have family and friends from interstate or overseas, stay and spend a little time with them. Then everyone will feel happy and relaxed about your wedding time. Wait a few days, open gifts, sleep in late, slow down and rest before you pack and take off on your honeymoon.
- To wrap up - use patience, plan, write it down, get the details, divide
work into teams, compromise where needed, give yourself months and months
to organize, and enjoy the planning process itself. And
never assume anything. Check, and double check for all contingencies and
possible snags and emergencies. Plan how you will cope and overcome these
if they happen - and most of all ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL TIME IN YOUR
LIFE with all those who are nearest and dearest to you.
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