Planning a wedding requires perfect organization, solving many issues, and patience. You should notice every detail because this is one of the most important days in every couple's life. With the right approach, even a long and seemingly difficult process can become interesting, easy, and memorable.
You can organize a celebration and set up everything in a month or even one day. But for the ceremony to be held at the highest level, it is better to start preparing 4-6 months in advance. This way, you will not miss anything, especially if you use the advice of wedding planning professionals.
Everyone dreams this special day to be unforgettable. Using a detailed wedding plan you will organize an event with ease. Enjoy not only the celebration itself but also the whole process from the very beginning. Start preparing plans for the wedding now using tips from our professional experts. We have tried to explain the steps to planning as clearly and concisely as possible. But every wedding is unique, so you feel free to make your adjustments to the process.
Wedding Preparation Plan: Key Steps to Success
Start preparing plans for the wedding 4-6 months in advance. This is enough time to make all the necessary preparations. For your convenience, we have divided the process of wedding planning into several stages:
1. 4-6 months before the ceremony, you should decide on such important things as:
- date and place of registration;
- approximate guest list and whether there will be children at the wedding;
- will the celebration be organized on your own or with the help of a coordinator;
- the total budget and distribution of expenses;
- contractors and a venue for the celebration.
At the last stage, you should conclude contracts with contractors and make advance payments.
2. 3-4 months before the event, do not forget to set up the following preparations:
- Create a design for invitations and send them out when they are ready.
- Think about the menu and drinks.
- Choose decorations for the hall.
- Discuss plans for the honeymoon and start processing passports and visas if necessary.
- Decide on the show program.
- Tell guests about the dress code, if there will be one.
- Find designers if the bride and groom's outfits will be custom-made.
- Think about providing accommodation for guests from other cities.
3. 2 months before the celebration, you should submit an application to the registry office and pay the state fee, as well as other important steps for planning:
- Conduct a love story photo session, if one is planned.
- Do the final fitting of the bride's dress.
- Help close relatives to choose outfits.
- Think over the bride's bouquet.
- Pick the cake design.
- Approve the program of the celebration.
Decide on the route if you are planning a ride with guests.
4. A month before the wedding, you already have very little time left. You should:
- Provide the transport company with the exact route and schedule.
- Approve the final estimate.
- Organize the bachelor and bachelorette parties.
- Confirm the hotel and restaurant reservations.
- Check whether all the invited guests will be present at the wedding.
If you make your wedding plan without a coordinator, a month before the ceremony you need to decide exactly who will be responsible for what. 1-2 weeks before the wedding, all arrangements with contractors should be agreed upon. The tip to the bride is to try on her new shoes. Otherwise, you may have an unpleasant surprise on the wedding day. Also, some relaxation during the preparation process is a must, for example, go for a massage or arrange a romantic date with the groom. Preparation takes a lot of energy, and it will still be needed on the wedding day.
After the event, do not forget to thank the guests for coming and for the gifts. Decide what to do with the bride’s dress and suit and take the items to the dry cleaner. Also, change your documents and statuses on social networks and be sure to order photo albums as a keepsake.
Wedding Budget Planning: Tips for a Perfect Celebration
It is better to find a wedding planner. He will think about all expenses, calculate the final cost, and answer all your questions. But you can make a list of things you are willing to spend money on yourself. To do this, calculate and write down how much and and for what you are willing to spend.
When making a wedding plan, a rough list will include several major key points:
- Images of the bride and groom. You can wear an outfit from a little-known brand or one of the luxury brands. Wearing your mother’s dress is also a good option. Do not forget about the groom's outfit and choose wedding rings.
- Invitations. Write down invitation cards, seating cards, event programs, and menus in the expense items.
- Ceremony. This should include the state fee for registering the marriage at the registry office, as well as the cost of an official off-site ceremony or an unofficial registration.
- Venue rental. If you plan to organize a gala dinner in a restaurant, most restaurants provide a hall for free when booking a banquet. In all other cases, you will need to include the rental of the venue to the list of expenses. The amount will depend on the size, equipment, and popularity of the place.
- Decoration and floristry. When making plans for a wedding, decide what kind of decoration you want. The minimum package is a bridal bouquet and a boutonniere. If you plan to decorate the tables, the podium, the arch for registration with flowers, the amount will grow indefinitely. Everything depends on the size, complexity of the structures, and the number of specialists needed for installation.
- Banquet. The cost of the banquet will depend on how many guests you invited, the category of the restaurant, catering service, the menu, as well as whether your venue provides furniture, tablecloths and chair covers, dishes, equipment for the dance floor and performances, etc.
- Cake. It is easy to calculate the size of the cake. Usually, 150-200 g of dessert per guest is more than enough. The cost of the cake depends on the filling, complexity of decor, and the popularity of the master.
- Entertainment for guests. This can include master classes, photo booth rental, DJ work, invited artists, and special effects (fireworks, etc.).
- Specialists. Write down all the contractors you are going to work with and check the cost of their services.
- Transfer. Include to the list expenses for car rental for you and your guests. You will need to buy train or plane tickets if you are willing to pay for guests from other cities. Think about how they will get from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the restaurant. Also decide how guests will move between the locations if you have more than one.
- Accommodation. If you plan to accommodate guests from other cities and countries at your own expense, then you will need to include the cost of rooms in the selected hotel to the estimate.
Before starting wedding planning, do not forget about the season. Late spring and summer are the most popular time of year for ceremonies, and therefore during this period, renting a venue, hotel accommodation, a banquet, and the services of professionals will cost you more than in autumn and winter. Also we advise you to book contractors in advance to ensure that the specialist you need is available.
Essential Wedding Vendors: Who You Need for Your Big Day
Take a responsible approach to creating a team of contractors when making plans for a wedding. The success of the celebration will largely depend on them. Usually the team include the following vendors:
- a wedding planner (their cost depends on the region, experience, skill, and size of the company);
- a makeup artist and hairdresser (the amount will depend not only on the category of the specialist but also on whether you will do your makeup and hair in a salon or call a specialist to your home, as well as on the number of people who will need the services of a stylist and makeup artist);
- a photographer and a videographer;
- a florist;
- a decorator;
- a host;
- waiters.
Of course, the rates of all specialists vary greatly depending on the city, the duration of the event, the popularity of the chosen date and day of the week, as well as the category and experience of your professionals. The exact list of specialists will depend on the specifics of your ceremony.
The first and most important piece of advice when choosing a vendor is to proceed to this important decision only after the number of guests, concept, and budget of the wedding are clearly defined. It is not always possible to find specialists quickly and easily. Getting ready for wedding planning, not to waste extra time and nerves, answer a few questions for yourself:
- Determine how much money you are willing to pay for the team. But when choosing contractors, consider not only the cost of their services. If this becomes the only criterion for you, then at the most crucial and important moment you can be bitterly disappointed.
- Always evaluate the format of the specialist's work. See if the expert's style suits your wedding.
- Then carefully study contractors' portfolios. If it is a photographer and videographer, then evaluate not only love stories and stylized photo sessions. Be sure to look at the format in which the specialist works at real weddings. After all, you need a contractor for your dream day with exactly this kind of experience!
Selecting reliable vendors is one of the key steps to a wedding. It almost guarantees the success of the event, so the process of choosing them must be taken very seriously.
How to Create the Perfect Wedding Day Timeline
It doesn’t matter if you are going to have an intimate celebration or party with 100+ guests. A good schedule is necessary for every wedding plan. The program should be written down in advance by the hour and minute. Detailed plans for a wedding will help to avoid mistakes in the organization, implement everything planned, control contractors. Most importantly, good wedding planning will allow you to enjoy the day without rushing.
Begin with choosing a general time for the ceremony. Most hold a one-day celebration but some couples decide to party for 2-3 days. The duration of the event is determined based on the number of guests. The more relatives and friends you want to invite, the more time is needed.
Also keep in mind that the bride will need at least 3 hours to prepare her image. It is better to do a manicure and pedicure a day earlier.
Next, you should determine the key points of the celebration, the most important events that you want to implement at the wedding. Such timing points can include getting ready for bride and groom, photo session, welcome time with cocktails, ceremony, dinner, dancing and bringing out the cake.
Determine the priority events, adding additional ones to them. For example, time allotted for congratulations from guests and breaks for dancing. The main starting points are the beginning of the wedding (getting ready for the couple), photo shooting, ceremony, banquet, the end of the celebration (cake, fireworks, etc.)
Sometimes couples, due to lack of experience in wedding planning, fill the day with events and activities that either will not be appreciated or will tire the guests. Remember that you need to spend the day with pleasure, without rushing, and with smiles on your faces. Both yours and your guests'. For example, you should not ride with guests through photo sessions or force guests to participate in some activities they may not want to.
Thinking about steps to planning, you should adhere to the timing. Being 10-20 minutes late is acceptable, but panic is the enemy of a good ceremony. If you plan your time wisely, there will be no room for anxiety.
Planning a wedding can bring you stress, especially if you are going to invite more than 50 guests. With the help of a professional planner, you can enjoy your dream day without difficulties of thinking about every detail. Specialists bring expertise and creativity. They have valuable connections to handle the logistics while you focus on making beautiful memories with your loved ones. This way you will experience the best day in your life.