September 20, 2024
Planning a wedding can feel like a whirlwind of decisions and tasks, and it’s easy to get caught up in all the details. To help make the process smoother, here are three key things you should do when planning your big day—and just as importantly, three things you should definitely avoid.
TOP 3 DO's WHEN PLANNING YOUR WEDDING
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GET CLEAR ON YOUR VISION
Before you start booking suppliers or diving into Pinterest boards, take a moment to think about what you and your partner really want. What kind of atmosphere do you want to create? Is your ideal wedding a laid-back beach celebration or a formal black-tie affair? Sit down together and make a list of your priorities—what matters most to both of you on your big day. This will guide every decision you make, from the venue to the decor.
Knowing what you want helps to avoid decision fatigue, which can come from constantly juggling opinions and ideas without a clear direction. Stay true to your vision, and the planning process will be much smoother.
CONSIDER HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER or COORDINATOR
Let’s be real: wedding planning is a big undertaking. On average, couples spend between 250-300 hours planning their wedding. That’s almost like having a part-time job! If you have a busy schedule or family commitments, consider hiring a Wedding Planner who can take care of the details. If a full-service planner isn't in your budget, a partial Wedding Planner or On-The-Day-Management option can still make a huge difference, - ensuring everything runs smoothly on the Big Day so you can simply enjoy the moment.
A Wedding Planner will handle everything from keeping you on schedule to dealing with last-minute issues that might pop up, so you don’t have to.
LOCK IN KEY SUPPLIERS EARLY
The best suppliers tend to get booked up months (or even a year) in advance, so don’t wait too long to secure them. Start with the most essential: your venue, photographer, videographer, and caterer. Once those are locked in, you can move on to florists, hair and makeup artists, and entertainment.
Nailing down these early decisions will give you peace of mind, and from there, you can build the rest of your wedding day around them. Be sure to review contracts carefully and confirm that all your suppliers understand your expectations.
WHAT TO AVOID WHEN PLANNING YOUR WEDDING
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DON’T SET THE DATE BEFORE FINDING
THE VENUE
One of the most common mistakes couples make is locking in a wedding date before securing a venue. Instead, choose a season or a general timeframe, then look at venues to see what dates they have available. Many popular venues book up quickly, so being flexible with your date will give you a much better chance of securing the venue you love.
This also helps with aligning all your suppliers—when you lock in the venue, you'll have a confirmed date that works for both the venue and your team of suppliers.
DON'T SKIMP ON PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
Your wedding day will fly by in a blur, and after it’s all over, the photos and videos are what will help you relive those precious moments. While it may be tempting to save money by hiring a friend with a camera, this is one area where you don’t want to cut corners.
Invest in a photographer and videographer whose work you genuinely love and who you feel comfortable with. Quality images and footage are worth every penny because they’ll be your lasting memories for years to come.
DON'T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE
Everyone will have an opinion about your wedding—family, friends, even strangers! But remember, this day is about you and your partner. It’s easy to get caught up in what others think you should do, but the most important thing is that your wedding reflects your personalities and values.
If you want a non-traditional ceremony, go for it. If you dream of wearing two dresses, do it ! Don’t let anyone else's preferences take over your vision. Stay true to yourselves and focus on creating a day that celebrates YOUR Love Story.
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A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS MAGICAL JOURNEY
Planning your wedding should be an exciting and enjoyable experience, not a stressful one. Keep these tips in mind, stay organised, and remember that at the end of the day, what matters most is celebrating YOUR LOVE in a way that feels right to both of you.
For more wedding planning tips and inspiration, peruse my other blogs, and if you need personalised help, feel free to reach out for a chat!
Wishing you all the best as you plan the wedding of your dreams!
Inge x
Wedding Planner
@ Dorset & Somerset Weddings
@ Destination Weddings
I AM A HOPELESS ROMANTIC
I travel where Your Love Story Begins
Click to Browse my Wedding Planning services
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