Your wedding comes along once in a lifetime and you want it to go off without a hitch. From the venue to the dress you want everything to be perfect. Below is a list of necessary items to help make your wedding date memorable.
Create a Budget
Weddings are not cheap and if you want all the bells and whistles the cost can rise well above $10,000.00. Create a budget to include things like the church, the reception hall, invitations, hotels, dinner, the dress and wedding programs.
The Guest List
A wedding gives parents a chance to give away their children in style. It’s a proud moment that they want to show off to the world. Unfortunately, including everyone you know means another plate for dinner. This process can take a few weeks to sort out and in many cases, you will need to exclude distant family members and coworkers to fit your budget.
The Venue
The most popular venues for weddings fill up quickly. In order to ensure that you get the reception site you want you should start looking at least 9 months to a year in advance. Select a couple of places of interest that have the capacity to accommodate your guests and the facilities to make them comfortable. Then, visit them. If you need tips on your dream destination wedding, check out this article for Important Tips for Planning a Destination Wedding.
The Wedding Program
Couples have many choices to make when it comes to their wedding. There are many hidden costs and if the budget is tight, they may try to find ways to cut their expenses. When it comes to your special day, wedding programs provide a way to keep your family and friends connected. They will include the day’s itinerary, which allows guests to follow along and remain informed.
The Dress
When it comes to selecting your dress, the process can become overwhelming. It’s a good idea to have the type of dress in mind ahead of visiting several bridal shops. You will need to try on many dresses and more than likely you will need alterations. It’s also important to make sure that the dress fits you now. Some people anticipate losing weight and buy their dress a smaller size. However, if you don’t lose the weight, you’ll end up scrambling at the last minute to find a new wedding dress.
A Wedding Planner
You have a lot of preparation in front of you with regard to your wedding. You also work full time and that leaves very little time to find musicians, photographers, limousines, and an assortment of flowers. Many couples make the decision early on to hire a wedding planner to avoid having to interview and figure out all of the details. While it will add to your budget, the wedding planner has the expertise to put everything in place.
Honeymoon
With all the excitement of the wedding day on your mind, you don’t want to overlook your honeymoon plans. Similar to venues, hotels in popular honeymoon destinations fill up fast and airlines only have so many seats. Select the location for your honeymoon together at least 6 months prior to your wedding date.
The Wedding Rings
You already have your engagement ring and now it’s time to select the bands. Since you will wear the wedding bands for the rest of your life, they should be selected together and contain the metal, shape, and style you desire. If you are considering engraving, add an extra month to make sure that the rings are ready on time.
The Wedding Day
You have everything in order planned to the tee. Nerves are high with anticipation of the day’s events. Your last feat is to look beautiful throughout the day. It’s a good idea to create a small pack of essentials such as deodorant, makeup, nail files, and hair spray. This way you can freshen up and nail those wedding pictures.
You want your wedding day to be something that you look back on with fondness, a time of joy. If you create a budget, find the venue and rings, and hire a wedding planner, you’ll have the wedding of your dreams.