He FINALLY proposed, yay!
End of story… NOT!
For a lot of women out there, like me, being engaged is probably one of the happiest momentum of your entire life. But then, people around you start to ask specifics of your wedding planning over and over again, you start to wonder and be overwhelmed. Right?
Trust me, I’ve been there and up to this point that this blog is posted, I am still on the run to the finish line of our wedding planning.
Although, suggestions from ex-brides who are your parents, family members, friends, co-workers and sometimes strangers are very much appreciated, let’s be real, the redudancy can get under your skin.
You could say these are tips on how to effectively plan your wedding but I’d like to call this blog as learn from the experience of this bride here:
1.) Take the moment and enjoy being engaged. It’s ok to not talk about the breakdown of your wedding day right after the engagement. Remind yourself to be kind and thankful to this wonderful blessing of a new chapter in your life. Your partner forever has chosen you and only you. So, take this in and keep it tucked away in your happy corner. Trust me, it will come in handy!
2.) Start with yourself and your partner to be. You and your other-half probably have a good amount of idea about your own preferences. I’d say that this is important, because there are lots of wedding ideas out there that are eye catching and would be “nice to have”, but hold your horses, stand your ground and be true to yourself. Write them down if you have to.
3.) Plan. I said it, the dreaded word that a mildly scattered brain like me, struggles with (lol). But to be honest, you will thank yourselves later. To have a checklist is a great start. I would say from experience, that if you don’t have a good idea of what you want for your wedding, it can get easily get out of hand fast (especially on your budget). Now I know a lot of people will say, it’s your wedding, you can spend as much as you want. For people who are wealthy enough to have unlimited budgets that may be true. But for me and Eric (especially Eric), we would like to be practical, somehow.
4.) Budgeting – should be the first thing in your plan. If you hate numbers like me, there are lots of online resources that you can find out there. For me and Eric personally, we just picked one and used it. It’s a good thing that our wedding website has helped us with budgeting. Also, this site specializes in weddings (obviously) so the contents are really great.
Now, budgets can get some changes as you discover vendor prices, what you can live without, etc. As long as you get the important things that reflect you as a couple, get them done. Again, don’t go overboard!
I can conclude that the major items that will eat most of your budget are:
- Food
- Venue
From what I’ve seen in the few weddings that Eric and I attended to, these two are the ones that will stand up more on a guest’s view. These two will greatly affect the experience of the wedding guests because they reflect the couple’s taste. From the type of food to the overall feel and experience at the venue. So, I would say to be careful in your options.
Notice that I didn’t include the bride’s dress, because brides are always beautiful on the dress that they fall in love to. It doesn’t matter how expensive or inexpensive it is. So, it’s a given that guests will remember how captivating your look was.
5.) Do DIYs. I am so biased on this one, it’s not even funny (lol). There are tons of projects that you can DIY. If you are crafty crazy just like me, you can do a lot. Again, this depends on what is important to you. Could you live with a simple wedding invite? Or a few centrepieces? Don’t get yourself overwhelmed with projects that are too hard to do. Be realistic, focus on one task and finish it, then onto the next. Most importantly, if you are doing a DIY, do not procrastinate.
6.) Do I get a wedding planner? I could have made this number one and call it a day. Coz, why not right? Let a wedding planner do the “planning and executing”. If it is within your budget and if it is important to you as a couple, then go for it. Eric and I needed a wedding planner simply because our wedding reception venue can only accommodate setting up on the day of the wedding.
Setting up on the day of our wedding wasn’t realistic for us, so instead of being worried about logistics, we hired a wedding planner. Now, depending where you live, you might have Day of wedding organizers. From a brief research about them, they will provide services on the actual wedding day depending on what you needed done. I could be wrong but I suspect that they are less involved on the planning process.
Another option is, if you know someone reliable and responsible enough to do an organizer’s job then that is a bonus.
7.) Go local. Do your research. A great way to find your vendor is to go local. They would know more about the little perks of the area where you are having your wedding and they could accommodate your wedding needs better. Plus it’s a great support for small businesses!
Our wedding planner, cake maker, caterer, church and wedding reception are all local establishments.
In conclusion, a wedding could be the biggest party that you need to plan in your entire life. Just enjoy every progress and remember that you are marrying your lifetime partner. If plan A doesn’t work, go plan B. Don’t get too hang up on an idea, be realistic. Stay on budget, and if I can say so myself, stay away from the temptation on getting a loan for your wedding. Focus, pick one task and finish it. Stay true to your personality as a couple, take other’s suggestions into careful consideration.
Happy planning and congratulations on your marriage!
The glamour of a wedding will only last a day. A marriage is a never-ending path of growth to fulfilling your vows on that glamorous day.
Disclaimer: This blog is not sponsored. All the links from Wedding Wire are used here because it is what me and Eric personally used to plan our wedding. The links from our wedding planner, RSVP event, and wedding reception, LB Distillers, also are not sponsored and are used in this blog to encourage readers to look for local vendors.
Clynis Creations 