Planning
a wedding is probably one of the biggest (if not the biggest)
projects you’ll ever take on in your life. It’s well worth all
the trouble, of course. The light at the end of the tunnel is your
happily ever after with your significant other. But getting there can
be challenging at best and downright painful at worst, especially if
you aren’t on top of your planning. It’s important to get all
your ducks in a row well before the big day to make it as stress-free
as possible.
Here are 10 questions you should ask yourself.
1.
Who’s in the Wedding Party?
First
thing's first: who
do you want standing up there next to you on the biggest day of
your life? For some people, this is obvious. It’s as simple as
calling up your siblings or a close friend or two. For others with
larger families or friend groups, it can be tricky. At the end of the
day, make sure you ask those people who you’re closest to —
everyone else will get over any offense by the big day.
2.
Who’s on the Guest List?
This
might be the most difficult part of wedding planning to navigate,
especially if your parents or your fiancé’s parents are heavily
involved in the wedding planning. Confer with your fiancé to decide
if you’d like to keep it to close friends and family or if you’re
comfortable opening it up to your parents’ friends and colleagues.
Then present a united front when you discuss the matter with anyone
who needs to know.
3.
What’s the Budget?
Once
you have a rough idea of the guest list, you can think about the
budget. You might want to get some quotes from venues and vendors
before doing this. If you have only a certain amount of money to
spend, then set the budget early and find vendors that can fit within
your range — even if it means getting creative.
4.
Inside or Outside?
While
you’re perusing venues, you’ll realize you have to figure out one
key component of your day: should it be inside or outside? If you’re
okay dealing with heat, rain or other potential weather snafus and
don’t feel that they’ll cause stress on your big day, go for an
outdoor wedding. Just make sure your venue has contingency plans in
case of bad weather.
5.
What’s the Vibe?
Once
you choose your venue, that’ll make some decisions for you,
especially in terms of aesthetic. But still, you’re in charge of
the
vibe of your wedding. Do you want modern or rustic? Glam or
simple? Classic or totally unique? It’s up to you, just decide with
your significant other and stick to it.
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Photo by Tom The Photographer on Unsplash |
6.
Do We Want Free-Verse Vows?
While
most people stick with the traditional “I do,” if you and your
fiancé are the creative types who don't mind a bit of public
speaking, consider writing your own vows. It's romantic and always a
crowd pleaser, but more importantly, it's a special thing for the two
of you to share during the ceremony.
7.
Should We Assign Seats?
If
you’re going more casual, you might consider letting your guests
seat themselves at the reception. Designing a seating chart that
works for everyone can take hours and lots of brainpower. More
laid-back settings don’t necessarily require them.
8.
Do We Stick with Traditions?
Will
you throw the bouquet? Do the garter toss? Have first dances with
parents? These are some things you should discuss in advance. You
might find that you and your fiancé aren’t really interested in
upholding all these old traditions, but do want to pick and choose a
few.
9.
What Will Our Registry Look Like?
It
used to be that you went to the store and scanned everything you
wanted in your married home for your registry. But today, you have
lots of options. You can ask people to contribute to a fund for your
honeymoon or purchase gift cards so that you can make updates to your
home. Feel free to think outside the box when it comes to your
wedding registry.
10.
Should I Hire a Wedding Planner?
If
you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the details of your big day, you
have one question left to ask yourself: should
you hire a wedding planner? A wedding planner can help alleviate
a lot of the stress of your impending nuptials, but also comes at a
cost. Weigh the pros and cons and make the right decision for you and
your fiancé.
Now
that you have the checklist you need to start wedding planning, hit
the ground running. Just keep in mind that, at the end of the day,
your wedding is about one thing: you and your sweetie devoting your
lives to each other. Try not to lose sight of that as you dive into
the wedding-planning process.
Kacey Bradley is the lifestyle and travel blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.
Along with writing for her blog, she frequently writes for sites like US Travel News, Thought Catalog, Porch, Tripping.com and more!
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