The wedding planning process is a notoriously stressful time, or at least, that’s how it can seem. Of course, it can be a great deal of fun. You’re trying on dresses or suits, you’re visiting locations in advance, and perhaps you’re making a day out of these things. However, sometimes, especially during time-constraints, it can be that preparing for your wedding is somewhat of an intense proposition, and your intentions to get everything perfect may only bite you in the end.
This in itself can be a troublesome problem, especially when you wish to make the best time of this possible. Thankfully, you needn’t feel as though you’re somehow stepping out too far by trying to plan a worthwhile wedding. You are well within your rights to be discerning and wish to make everything as close to your first intentions as possible.
For this, we would humble suggest a ‘pre-preparation’ period. Once the engagement butterflies have settled down and you’re interested in starting the wedding planning, a period of a couple of weeks before you actually get down to brass tacks to check your options and get some responsibilities out of the way can be nothing if not useful.
Let’s see what that may look like in the final analysis:
Locations Recce’s
You may not yet be in a position to view locations and make a vast and final decision, but you can spend some time figuring out just what options are available. If you have the rough dates, contacting a few locations you like the look of and asking them if they are free at a certain time and if they support weddings can be a great idea. It might be that they are more than accommodating, or perhaps they are short with you on the phone and dissuade you from selecting that particular venue.
At the very least, this can make for a wonderful day out, particularly if the location is open for public days. Perhaps the large manor that functions as a front for a local golf club may be worth looking around and eating a meal in as you spend some time viewing the beautiful arrangement. Of course, it’s also important to consider that it is almost Christmas time as of the time of this writing, meaning that many locations will be decked out in beautiful decorations, perhaps with a large tree. This can give you a chance to see how the event can be decorated should you need it to be, or what it looks like when lit up in the evening.
The same goes for visiting a religious institution within which you hope to marry, or a location close to you with sentimental value, even if it’s silly to others. There have been people to marry in tire shops, which can seem ridiculous on the surface, but who knows just what sentimental or wholesome value this may have provided the couple? Sometimes, a great location recce is the means to satiate that niggling ‘what if’ thought in the back of your mind.
A Preliminary Invite List
A preliminary invite list can also serve as a great means of taking the time to make those hard decisions. It’s not always that easy to try and fit those you love and care about into a limited invitee list, and it’s also important to remember that if you wish for a large amount of attendees, it’s only fair to allow your partner to use the exact same number should they wish for their side of the family.
However, invite lists can be so difficult because we all know how complex and difficult families can be. Perhaps your uncle created a real scene at your sister’s wedding two years ago, and this is something you really hope to avoid. Making those hard decisions and talking through them with your wedding planners or family now can be important, and it may also help you avoid spoiling the fun process of actually planning things correctly.
Save The Date Cards
When you have your preliminary guest list somewhat chiselled out, you may start to think about notifying those that you plan to get married and when. Of course, your family will likely know that you’re engaged, but they may not know where or when you’re likely to get married. Of course, unlike an actual invitation, a save the date card is not as specific but is still advisory and useful for people to know. They will be grateful knowing when they should book time off work, or where they may have to travel to, or what arrangements they may have to make when finding accommodation nearby. There’s nothing worse than being dropped with a wedding date only a month before and still being expected to attend and move mountains to get there, and then having the wedding itself postponed the moment you make those plans.
With this approach, you’ll be doing the opposite of that, and spreading no uncertain amount of goodwill as a result. Save the dates design can also be a very enjoyable thing to take care of, as a custom card can also show you some loving photography from your proposal, or perhaps use this as a starting design for how you might wish your wedding trimmings to look. At the very least, this can be an enjoyable and exciting thing to take care of, and take care of it you will.
Fitness Planning
What we’re about to write here is completely optional, and not intended to harm or offend anyone. However, it can also be that now you have some time before your wedding planning even begins, you may wish to chisel out your fitness routine after the festive period ends. Not only can this help you shed some pounds after the Christmas period, but it may help you feel more confident on your wedding day, look back at your wedding photos with pride, and simply feel healthier getting married and going into your honeymoon.
If you’d rather not, that’s completely up to you. This is just a suggestion to help some feel much more confident on their wedding day, to opt for that dress they have fallen in love with, or to feel like an absolute bombshell on in their bridal procession, which of course, you will be. Of course, if you partake in this, asking your partner to can also be a benefit. It’s only fair, after all.
A Dreamy Honeymoon
Are you justified in thinking about your honeymoon at this stage in the wedding planning process, as in, before you’ve even begun thinking about it? Well yes. This is your wedding, and you can think of anything you like. Perhaps looking at a few travel agent brochures or researching online can help you find a lovely resort or winter’s cabin you would love to spend some time with your newlywed husband or wife can be a lovely cherry on top of the planning.
Who knows? You may even be able to secure a package deal or book a slot for an exclusive vacation coming up. Maybe you’re happy to register tickets for a cruise starting at this time next year as part of your honeymoon. It may seem like you’re running before you walk, but thinking about this and talking with your spouse-to-be can’t hurt, can it? Who knows, it might even help you become even more excited for this wonderful time of year.
Speaking With Services
It may be that learning your options ahead of time can be a great idea, especially when it relates to the services you use. Perhaps you wish to check out the portfolios of some of the photographers you may consider, and through that also ask a family member with photography skills to cover as a backup ahead of time. It can’t hurt to gauge the prices of these professional services and figure out what concessions they need to apply their jobs in the best manner possible. A phone call or two can only bear fruit and help you become more informed, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a little transparency like this to be the norm.
Considering The Menu
It’s likely that you wish to eat at this wedding. A wedding feast is perhaps one of the main reasons that extended family are more than happy to come, although of course, they wish to see you also. While you may have no idea as to the cuisine you wish for, or the budget you have, it can be important to gather dietary needs for all of your guests and save that somewhere special. This can inform your decision going forward.
Costing Everything In Advance
A very, very rough estimate of costing can help you move forward with a very rudimentary working budget. It can also help you prioritize certain measures over others, or begin the long conversation of figuring out what elements of the family will help you fund it, or if you will do this yourselves. It’s not an easy conversation, but with this in mind, you’ll be more likely to achieve it well.
With this advice, we hope you can focus on the best pre-preparations for your wedding. We also hope that whenever your wedding comes, it is just as joyous as you hope.
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