16/06/2022
Planning for the big day can be hectic. My daughters wedding was planned over 2 years, not by plan but due to COVID! we were ready after a year, but COVID had other plans and Australia shut down and the wedding was postponed for a year. That extra year was really hard and added more expense because we all had time to rethink the decisions made the year before.
What things should the couple start thinking about once they are ready to start the nuptial planning?
Budget - how much are you willing to spend? What are your 'must haves' and 'would be nice to haves'? (Be prepared for the budget to flucuate, the more planning you do, the more the budget takes the brunt of the changes)
Guest Lists - who do you want to invite? Dont you wish you could just invite everyone? The number of guests will be dictated by that pesky budget yet again.
Wedding planner? - it takes a lot of time to plan a wedding, those incidental trips to organise, collect, view, plan...all takes time. Can your budget extend to a professional wedding planner? Or is there someone you trust who can help you or even take the heavier load for you?
Formal? Informal? Are you having a theme? What kind of 'vibe' are you after? What will fit with the venue?
Venue - where will you have the ceremony and the reception? This is the biggest decision you might make, this is where memories are made. And this is the biggest hit on your budget. Realy important to visit multiple places, dont put any deposits down until youve seen them all, taken time to talk about them with your significant other and agreed on the best venue to suit you, your guests and especially your budget.
Catering - who will do this? I honestly recomend getting your day proffesionally catered. The last thing you want to think about on your special day is if there is enough food, who is clearing the plates, who is doing all the running around to prepare and serve foods if its your family or friends. Let everyone enjoy this day, find an affordable caterer and get creative. Lots of great food truck ideas, such as gourmet pizza trucks, the taco truck, the icecream truck. Ask around, you will find there are lots of ideas!
Celebrant - who is going to officiate your ceremony? You want to meet them a few times to talk through your ceremony, plan for the 'you-niqueness' They'll have questions, ideas and recommendations, dont overlook the expertise of your celebrant, they are going to help you make your day special.
Wedding attire - its not just the dress, its the suits, bridesmaids outfits, the smaller people in your wedding party, the mother of the bride, there is a lot to consider. Your budget will experience a lot of dents whilst you work through this section!
Flowers - yes or no? The traditional bouquet has been making a bit of a comeback for those social media pics, and a great florist can really make or break those pictures.
there is so much more....
Photographer.....Music.....Wedding Cake....Honeymoon.....
Once you start your budget discussion, everything else will flow....brace yourself, it can get costly!
