I've been to a lot of weddings, and I've had the good fortune to speak with plenty of brides and grooms and hear about their experiences planning for their wedding. I also work often with wedding planners, and I've scoured the internet to compile some of the best tips to make sure your wedding is lit! 🔥
1. Take your time. Plan in advance.
There’s a lot that goes into a wedding. Take it step by step, and don’t procrastinate. Book all your vendors early, and make sure they're legit. If it sounds like too good of a deal, it probably is.
2. Make a to-do list.
Having everything written down and being able to check off items as they’re completed will help you stay on track. Plus, it keeps you sane. Google Docs/Sheets works great for collaboration.
3. Don’t get caught up in “perfection.”
It’s humanly impossible to have perfection. Just make it the best you can and have fun with it!
4. Set a budget, and prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.
Determine how much you can spend on your wedding, and keep track of it with a spreadsheet. Decide what’s most important to you, and be flexible on other things.
5. Be creative!
You don’t have to follow a “trend” or anything, if you don’t want to. If you want a Star Wars wedding, go for it.
6. Hire a day-of coordinator.
Having someone in charge of the little things and making sure everyone is where they should be will be a godsend.
7. Use the right tools for the job.
There's a lot that goes into a wedding, and there are a ton of tools and resources out there to make the task easier. Sites like Wedding Wire, or The Knot provide pre-made checklists, and you can even set up diagrams of your venue to plan and keep track of guests.
8. Respect your vendors and benefactors.
The right vendors will do everything in their power to make your wedding day the best day possible. But things can get hectic, and a bit of patience and humility will go a long way. When they know you care for them as a human being, they will go above and beyond to make you happy. And then it's your job to keep your benefactors happy. If your parents are paying for the wedding, be prepared to make compromises. It's your day, but it's their money, so communicate with them and plan a wedding you can all be happy with.
9. Remember the bigger picture!
Your wedding day is special, for sure, but remember the most important thing – it’s a wedding! After the wedding, you will be husband and wife for the rest of your life. Cherish that.
Bonus Tip:
Hire an awesome photographer. Oh wait - what's that? You're on a great photographer's site right now? How convenient! 😜 Make sure to share this article with your friends! And download a PDF of this article here!