Your big day can be everything you ever dreamed it would be and more with proper planning and attention to the right details. There really is alot of things to get in order when you are preparing for the big day. Here are my top 5 tips and things to budget for when planning for your big day
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT
Once you announce that you are planning to marry you're likely to get a lot of feedback and suggestions from outside sources as to what you should do, shouldn't do, who you have to invite, what DJ you should hire, food you should serve etc. It is important that as a couple you sit down and decide what the most important things to you both are. I mean aside from the ceremony and becoming husband and wife, what are the things that you most want in your memories of the big day.
HIRE A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER
Hiring a photographer was one of the first things I did. Chances are if you are hiring a quality photographer they will likely be booked nearly every weekend through the summer months so you have to make sure you contact them in advance to book your wedding. Beautiful photos to look back on were an absolute must. When talking to other post wedding brides that was the piece of advice most of them provided. A good photographer will not only preserve moments in time they will make moments in time. Having someone with a fun personality and the confidence to make suggestions will help take the edge off everyone and foster an environment that feels more natural. Age old saying of you get what you pay for held true and photography is where I chose to spend a good chunk of our budget. If you are in southern Saskatchewan check out Dane Roy Photography out of Moosejaw, he is amazing! http://www.daneroy.ca/
CHOOSE THE RIGHT VENUE
Ever hear the phrase "you can't put lipstick on a pig!" well it is true! LOL The location you choose for your ceremony and reception is the biggest factor in setting the mood and providing good 'vibes'...Ambiance is everything! The venue you choose is going to set the tone for the entire event. Considering everything from an outdoor location or a large hall, the type of lighting, seating and tables available to the floor plan and overall structure of buildings is so important. We wanted a place where our guests could relax, stay the weekend and enjoy the outdoors. We were fortunate enough to be able to have my entire wedding outdoors at a beautiful little camp in the valley and the location itself with all of the old buildings provided so much of the charm and whimsy that our guests felt that day. People were able to camp, sit around the fire and thankfully the weather cooperated and we were able to have the ceremony and reception both take place outdoors. Rental of the camp cost more than renting one of our local halls but it was worth every penny to be surrounded by our guests all weekend.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS!!!
This is an ongoing life lesson for me but I am learning! The highly creative and ambitious side of me had all of these amazing ideas and wanted everything to be perfect (after all this is how I make a living) and for the most part it was but, I had completely stressed myself out over things that really didn't matter in the end. There were additional decor installations that I had prepped for and planned to do, guest welcome gifts for those spending the weekend with us that never got made and games tables that never got setup and when the day had come and gone did anyone know the difference and did it really matter in the end? NOPE! I completely drove myself mad for a few months leading up to the wedding trying to fit every wild idea that came into my highly imaginative brain into just a few days... don't get carried away!
HAVE A GOOD TEAM AND DELEGATE DELEGATE DELEGATE!
Having a solid wedding party and family to help makes the preparation leading up to the big day go so much smoother. LOL We were so fortunate to have a great group of friends and family to help us pull off what seemed to be the impossible and keep us calm when we started to panic. It poured cats and dogs and the wind howled the day of setup but everyone pulled together and we got it all done. If you don't feel confident to go it alone hire help. Most wedding planners and stylists can help with the entire event or simply to help you gather inspiration, provide vendor lists, help with set up
Above all have fun and enjoy the day. It goes by quick
