A wedding is meant to be a beautiful, meaningful experience that you and all your guests remember for a lifetime. It shouldn’t be memorable because of everything that went wrong! Planning even a simple wedding takes a lot of effort and thought. So, to make sure your wedding goes well, try the following easy tips.
Consider making your own bouquet for your wedding. You can pick up flowers at grocery stores for a song and then you can customize your own floral arrangement to match your dress and decor. Look online for instructions on putting a ribbon on the bottom for you to hold onto.
If you are going to have an open bar at the wedding, make sure that there is someone to monitor the people who are drinking so that no one goes overboard. Also, everyone who purchases alcohol should have to show identification to be served. This can limit any accidents at the wedding.
Find out before your wedding ceremony when and where you are permitted to take photographs. Some venues won’t permit flash photography at all, while some officiants don’t want anyone taking photos while they are conducting the ceremony. If you find out the rules ahead of time you can plan out the shots you are allowed to take beforehand.
When you are planning your wedding, and you just don’t have the time to spend on every little detail, consider hiring a wedding planner to take care of those things for you. A wedding planner doesn’t have to plan the entire affair for you, and most would be happy to take on fewer tasks for a lesser fee and the ability to handle other jobs alongside your wedding.
Plan early if you’d like to have a destination wedding. You need to book far in advance to ensure that all the locations you’ll need to rent, from hotel rooms to ceremony to reception, will be available during the time you wish to use them. You should also check into renting vehicles ahead of time, just in case.
Bridal fashion changes drastically from year to year. Unless you are set on spending the money and storage space necessary to preserve and keep your wedding dress, consider renting a gown instead. Most formal wear rental companies are very reasonable in price and policies, and you can wear the expensive designer dress of your dreams for pennies compared to buying it for a one-time wearing.
Unless you have a specific date to commemorate with your wedding, look for a date outside the peak season. May through September is the time of year when weddings are booming. This will drive prices for venues, vendors and service providers to its yearly height. Look for dates off season and save some of your budget for your honeymoon.
Buying locally can save you tons of money and help your community’s economy, too. Choosing local vendors means you won’t be charged for the extra distance they have to travel, which is especially important when it comes to catering. Using a local florist also means that you will receive a fresh bouquet on your wedding day.
Think about your guests if you are having a destination wedding. Some of your guests may plan a vacation around your big day, so be sure they have enough time to make preparations. Invitations or a “save the date” card ought to be sent out eight months prior to your wedding day so guests can make plans.
These tips should help keep your wedding less stressful and more enjoyable for you, your guests and everyone else involved. If you follow this advice, you’ll be able to look back at your wedding photos and remember only good times, as you’ll have avoided any mistakes or mishaps that could taint the memory of your wedding ceremony.