An Essay on Wedding
A wedding is viewed as one of the greatest occasions in the life of a person. It’s a moment when two lives connect, and two hearts become one. Family and friends come together to witness the love that two individuals share with one another. Throughout the years many weddings have been planned; huge weddings, costly ones, and ones done on a budget. There are such a significant number of steps that goes on in a wedding to make it successful.
The first step is to set your budget and set your theme, sit down with your fiancé and talk through your ideas, you should be making every decision together. Ask each other what type of wedding the other has envisioned, because you may both have completely different ideas. Would you want a Church ceremony or a civil ceremony? When you have done this look at your budget. Discuss what you can afford, how much money you have, and the amount you can save every month. The amount of time you have to save will depend on your wedding date. Once you’ve had this conversation, you can now discuss ideas on how you would like your wedding day to look and feel.
The second step is to prioritize the most important things with your finance, what is important to each of you. A photographer and the entertainment may be the most important thing to get organized first. This way you’ll know where and how you need to spend your money and where you can save it.
The third step is to start getting organized. Purchase a folder containing dividers and plastic envelopes, this way nothing will get lost. Make a section for everything you can think of; venue, photographer, food, music, and magazine cuttings. You will also be able to keep all your contracts, emails, and contacts in one place. A spreadsheet should also be created to keep a daily agenda, list of your attendees, and most important a budget planner.
The fourth step is to set a date and create a guest list. Choose what part of the year you both want to exchange vows. Be prepared to be flexible in the event that you have to change due to a venue not being available. When you have this, make up a guest count, remember the more guests you have the more expensive the wedding will be.
The fifth step is to keep a record of a checklist. Create a list of each activity that needs to be done and then create a breakdown of how many months you have to get it all completed before the wedding date. Keep this list in your wedding organizer and check off each activity.
The sixth step is to do some research, which could be time-consuming, but you don’t want to ever make impulsive decisions. You need to research each supplier, what was good for one person may not be good for you. Having a variety of options could save you money.
The seventh step is to find a venue. Choosing a venue could be the hardest part of the entire planning process. It will be the biggest decision you make, and it will set the whole tone for your wedding day. Lots of well-known spots get booked up quickly, especially if you are considering a venue for Friday or Saturday. However, you may find that a venue may have more availability on a Sunday or mid-week.
The eighth step is to decide on a photographer. This is one of the first suppliers you will need to book because great photographers usually get booked up a year in advance. If you have your heart set on a particular person, you don’t want to be disappointed because you didn’t book quick enough. Choose your top two or three and go and meet with them, you may want to check out their blogs and their website as well.
The ninth step is for a bride to choose a beautiful wedding gown. Most brides find dress shopping to be stressful and they usually tend to put so much pressure on finding “The” dress. The bride should first search the internet and through magazines before going into any dress shop.
The bride should also be ready to try on as many styles as possible, what you thought you may choose may not be what you decide on. Keep in mind that many wedding dress shops have a 9-month time frame, from choosing the dress to it being delivered to the shop.
The tenth step is to make a decision on your entertainment. The type of entertainment you choose will have a huge impact on your wedding reception. If you are choosing a band, try getting the opportunity to hear them play first.
The eleventh step is catering and drinking. Catering services can also get booked up pretty quickly, you should book services way in advance. In your research, you may find that not all venues have on sight catering, you may have to reach out to outside catering companies. You have to also consider what kind of alcoholic beverages you would like to serve, will the venue be able to provide the alcohol?
If so, will bartenders be available to serve the drinks? If not, you may want to hire a bar company. Consider what type of food you would like served to your guests. Catering companies will help you with your menu choices by presenting you with ideas and different variations of food. “Remember, there are so many options these days, you don’t have to go for a 3 course sit down meal, and something more relaxed may be up your street!” Hood, K. (2014). Boho Weddings. You may want to consider having a BBQ, maybe fish and chips, or even a sweet treats candy buffet, which by the way are very popular right now.
The twelfth step is to choose your suppliers and get organized. Once you have made a decision on a dress, photographer, entertainment, the venue and catering suppliers, everything else will fall into place. Create a “left to do check list”, wedding attire, decorations, flowers, cake, and transport, etc. You should figure out a month by month time frame when each activity needs to be done, using a check list will help you to stay on budget and to stay focused.
The thirteenth step is to enjoy the process. Often times when planning a wedding, it is all you can think about, don’t let your thoughts consume you. Try putting a day aside, at least one day out of the month to get things done. Keep in mind it’s your day, you will invest a considerable amount of your time and your energy attempting to fulfill other individuals, particularly your family and other guest, however it’s your day, remember that!
Yes, you must be thoughtful to other individuals’ needs and wants, however the two individuals that have the last say are both of you. What’s most important is to never forget why you are getting married. Most couples loose site of the bigger picture, which is celebrating the love you have for each other.
The final step of planning the most beautiful day of your life is to love beyond the moon and the stars up above, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
