By: Alison Kirk
February 2020
Planning your wedding can be overwhelming if you are not a born organizer. If your budget will stretch to a wedding planner this will remove a lot of stress for you. If not, call in the help of a person close to you. Someone who is a good organizer, who understands your dreams, who will help you and take charge of the details.
Start your plans early by making a list of what you hope your wedding day will be. This can be changed, added to or subtracted from, as you proceed with your plans. The first priority is to book a venue early on, as well as an officiant for the marriage service. Without these two important things a wedding cannot take place!
If you are a people pleaser or are afraid to be assertive, this can be a major pitfall for you. Everyone has an opinion or suggestion. A way to respond is to thank them and to say that you and your fiancé will think about it. This will give you time to process this without offending anyone.
Budget is another pitfall. You need to decide what is most important to you. More can be spent on those things and less on others. For example, choose a dress that is in keeping with the style of your wedding. An amazingly elaborate dress which costs a fortune will not be appropriate for a beach or rustic wedding. If a band or string quartet is important to you, spend on that, and cut down on something else.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Hiring companies have an endless supply of décor and ideas. Florists will advise on flowers. Seasonal flowers will be less expensive than hot house or imported flowers.
Beautiful pre-worn dresses are available for hire and you can try them on and see which suits you best. Caterers will make suggestions for food and service.
Bridal fairs are a great help in that you can talk to suppliers and see what they have to offer. Because of COVID bridal fairs are also held online and suppliers are available to talk to.
Above all don’t be overwhelmed and resentful about what other people want. It’s your day but it’s also important to be kind and considerate but firm. You want it to be a happy day for all.
