Often newlyweds start reserving wedding services right after getting engaged. But a successfully organized wedding is not only a successful selection of services and staff.
What do you need to start preparing?
The first and most important step in the right emotional mood. Unfortunately, few people understand the importance of this step. On the Internet, it is possible to meet a lot of advice on how to choose a photographer, operator, decorator, but nobody speaks about the importance of the emotional mood!
What does this mean and what does it require?
Talk to each other. Let each of you speak frankly about how you imagine your ideal wedding to be. You need to start with the main aspects: the size of the wedding, the style, and the budget. It may surprise you how different your views are, but that's completely normal, and even a good thing. Remember that your wedding is your shared joy, not a cause for argument. Try to understand what your other partner wants. The ability to give in is the key to success.
And after you have set yourself up emotionally, here are 10 basic steps to prepare for the wedding.
1. Decide on a date and a budget for your wedding. If you want a summer wedding, book your contractors and venue at least 3-4 months in advance.
2. Make a guest list. The list will probably change over the course of preparation, but when choosing a wedding venue and style of celebration, you need to know the approximate number of guests.
3. Select and purchase wedding rings. After buying the rings, it is advisable to put them away in a safe place so they don't get lost.
4. Choose a wedding venue and reserve it. Remember that if the celebration is planned in the summer, restaurants and country hotels should be booked well in advance of the wedding date.
5. Choose and order a wedding dress and accessories, as well as a suit and accessories for the groom. Begin your dress search no earlier than 6 months before the celebration, when the style and location of the wedding have already been decided. If you plan to lose a little weight before the wedding, buy the outfit a little later so you don't have to alter it later.
6. Send out wedding invitations: by courier, by mail, by hand, or on social media. We recommend notifying your guests about your wedding in advance so that everyone will be free on the day.
7. Make an appointment with a wedding planner, who will select a team of specialists and help decide on the concept of the wedding. Or find florists, decorators, and a wedding host and discuss with them the style and program of the event.
8. Choose and hire a wedding photographer and cameraman. Make an appointment in person to discuss your wishes, and be sure to make a contract.
9. Inform guests of the dress code. So that guests can prepare, do this in advance; you can even add this information to the invitations.
10. Rent transportation. It is advisable to approve the list of guests and book transport for a certain number of seats.
11. Decide what your wedding dance will be, choose the music. You can rehearse it at home or start studying with a professional choreographer.
12. Choose musicians or a DJ. Music will set the tone for the whole party, so be careful about the music in your evening.
13. Discuss the bridal bouquet and floral arrangements with a florist. Everything you need to know about wedding floristry can be found in our article.
14. And most importantly: don't forget about the final fireworks.
15. Choose a hairdresser and makeup artist and sign up in advance for a rehearsal of the wedding image to decide on the hair and makeup even before the celebration.
16. Choose a pastry chef and order a wedding cake. Check-in in advance with the manager of the wedding venue to see if it is possible to store it there if it will be brought in advance.
17. Prepare a seating chart and print seating cards for guests. Seat guests according to affinity, age, and interests so that everyone is comfortable.
18. Distribute duties at the wedding. Decide who will help with bride gathering, greeting, and seating guests, etc. This should preferably be handled by an officiant.
19. Write and print out a wedding timeline and distribute it to everyone involved in organizing the celebration. Do this in advance so that everyone has time to prepare.
20. Contact all contractors, schedule arrival times. Write down all the phone numbers and give them to your planner (or coordinator) along with the schedule so he or she can control everything on the day of the celebration.
And remember, it's better not to take on everything at once, but to prepare gradually, so as not to get confused and not to miss something important!