5 Tips On How To Plan Your Own Wedding
So you’re engaged! Congratulations!
Now what?
Planning a wedding is a huge event that people tend to underestimate until the wedding day is closing in and decisions still need to be made. There are so many decisions that need to go into a solid wedding plan, and even starting to plan can be overwhelming.
Since as jewelers and a major part of the wedding process, we always get asked some version of “how to plan your own wedding on a budget” at least a couple of times a day. The answer is many people hire a wedding planner to help them, but that may not be necessary. It is possible to plan your own wedding and make your special day as perfect as you always dreamed it would be.
We’ve got five tips for you to help make this process as smooth as possible.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Many couples plan to get married at least a year after getting engaged! This is because the whole process takes so long.
So take a breath and give yourself the time you need to ensure everything is done right. Many wedding venues and vendors book months ahead, so planning is crucial if you want to find the right fit for your big day.
Giving yourself at least a year also gives your family and friends time to plan. Some people may have to travel or get time off from work, and letting them know when the wedding is happening several months out will help to make sure everyone can make it.
Remember Who the Wedding is For
The next thing to remember seems like common sense, but many people forget it in the hustle of making sure everything is perfect. Remember that this is a special day for you and your fiance. Sometimes family members will push for certain venues or vendors or a bigger or smaller wedding. But it is your wedding, and it should look and feel however you want it to. Always keep in mind that you should consider other people’s opinions, comfort, and finances if you invite them. You want your guests to feel welcome, but it is ultimately your day and your call.
Communication with your fiance about what the day should be like is crucial. You’re going to be making many joint decisions with each other in the future, so make sure one person isn’t taking over all the planning and shutting the other out.
Writing your own vows can also help you remember that the wedding is ultimately for you and your fiance to celebrate your love and your future together. Vows can be whatever you want them to be and are special to each couple. Taking time together to discuss and write your vows will help bring you closer.
The dress is one of the most important aspects of a wedding and should be something that both members of the couple love. Dress shopping is something that the bride usually does with close friends or family, and even picking out the dress should be a great experience that everyone will remember.
All of these things are important and should be for you and your fiance. And so, they should be addressed with care. But there’s one more thing you should keep in mind for yourself. You should remember to take a break. Planning a wedding is hard work, and you don’t want to burn yourself out. This day is for you, and you should enjoy planning it along with all the personal aspects, like vows and dress shopping leading up to the big day.
Think Big Picture First
It’s easy to get swept up in all the nitty-gritty details of the wedding and start panicking about the guest list and the weather on the day of a whole year out. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are bigger details that can be worked out before focusing on the smaller details. If you prioritize and address things in a logical order, the whole process will go much smoother.
To start off, you and your fiance should decide what is most important to you. Ask important questions like:
Is having a big white wedding important?
Or is having a small wedding with just close friends more important?
Do you want to have a fantastic destination wedding somewhere you’ve always wanted to travel to?
What is important to you, and what do you want your wedding to be like?
What is our vision for the wedding?
Ask yourself, does this fit into my vision?
What are my preferred venues and dates?
Do we want an indoor or outdoor wedding?
How many people do we want to invite?
Should we have traditional invites or Einvites?
Once you have chosen a date and wedding venue, you can look into vendors and other wedding details. But if you pick those before you pick a date and venue, you might end up rescheduling and losing a deposit.
And, of course, there is the guest list. It’s tempting to start with the guest list first, but until you know where and when your wedding is happening, it is hard to finalize that list. The building you choose may have a small capacity, or the wedding may be too far away for some family or friends.
Organize Everything
Creating a budget and sticking to it is difficult but incredibly important. It’s too easy to go way over budget without even realizing it in an effort to make everything perfect. So it’s best to invest in a wedding planner. It will lay out exactly what you need for the wedding, and you can record how much everything costs as you go. And it will help you keep track of everything you need to do. It is also helpful to create a master checklist so that you can glance at it and get an idea of what still needs to be done.
A planner and checklist are great for keeping track of vendors, when each one is coming, what they cost, etc. There can be many vendors to keep track of, including a wedding florist, wedding catering, a DJ or live band, and so many more.
A planner can also help you keep track of your guest list and who has RSVPd. That way, you can plan for transportation and make arrangements for people who are coming from out of town.
Another helpful tip to keep you and your guests organized is to create a wedding website and registry. A website should have all the essential details about the wedding so that guests can check it without having to harass you anytime they forget. You can also link to your gift registry and make gift buying easier for all your guests.
Know When to Ask for Help
And our last tip is simple. Don’t forget to ask for help. Your family and friends are there to help.
Planning the whole event and breaking out your sewing kit to DIY all the decorations sounds great until you are in over your head. But planning a day for everyone to help make decorations or asking for opinions on a decision, or even delegating some of the planning to someone else is ok.
You can even buy gifts for your bridal shower to say thank you. Bridesmaid gifts and groomsmen gifts are an excellent way to show appreciation for all the work your closest friends and family put into helping make your day memorable. Trust in your friends and family, and don’t get burned out trying to do everything at once.
Wedding Ring Sets From Carats and Stones
We hope that this guide has been helpful and you feel more confident about how to plan your own wedding!
One wedding aspect that we didn’t mention is the rings. Since the wedding ring sets are an important symbol of the relationship, they should be chosen with care. The rings you get should be exactly what you want and something that makes you happy every time you look at it.
That’s where we come in: we invite you and your spouse-to-be to shop directly with us, either in-store or online! We have an amazing bridal shop for you to choose from, or we can custom create a piece you and your future spouse will love.
Book a time with us today to make your dream wedding set come to life!
