Franklin Dean
Planning a wedding can be stressful, and it's easy to forget things, even if you're usually detail-oriented. While guests may not remember every little thing, they will remember the food, the music, and whether they had fun. So, it's important to make sure you've remembered everything to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch. From remembering to eat to ensuring you have the right utensils, here is a comprehensive list of things you may have forgotten for your wedding.
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What You'll Learn
Budgeting and venue
Budgeting for a wedding can be a tricky task, but it's important to establish and stick to a budget to avoid unnecessary financial stress. The average wedding costs $33,000, but this can vary widely depending on location, guest count, and style. It's essential to tailor your budget to your individual circumstances and priorities. Here are some tips for budgeting and choosing a venue for your wedding:
Budgeting:
- Start by identifying who will contribute financially and how much they can contribute. This may include you, your partner, and both of your families.
- Consider your financial capacity and be realistic about what you can afford. You may need to save up during your engagement to reach your budget.
- Use a wedding-specific bank account and a spreadsheet or budgeting tool to outline all costs and track your spending.
- Be mindful of hidden expenses, such as travel costs during the planning process, vendor fees, and taxes.
- Shop around for cost-effective options, and don't be afraid to be thrifty. Reusing and repurposing items can save money.
- Prioritize the areas that matter most to you, such as food, transportation, and entertainment. You can allocate around 40% of your budget to the venue, food, and beverages, and about 9% to decor, including flowers.
- Look for ways to save, such as opting for digital invitations, choosing seasonal and local flowers, or having a wedding during off-peak days or times.
Venue:
- The venue will typically be one of the largest expenses, so it's important to choose wisely.
- Consider the location and whether it will require additional transportation costs for you and your guests.
- Decide if you want separate venues for the ceremony and reception or a single venue to cut down on costs.
- Evaluate what is included in the venue rental, such as tables, chairs, linens, and dishes. Some venues may also include catering, cake, or drinks in their packages.
- Be aware of any minimum headcounts or restrictions on bringing in outside vendors, as these can impact your budget.
- If you have a specific venue in mind that is over budget, consider cutting back in other areas that are less important to you.
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Guest list and invites
Guest lists and invites can be one of the most challenging parts of wedding planning. The size of your venue and budget will determine your guest list, but a general wedding guest list includes immediate family members (parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, and cousins), close friends, and their partners. If space permits, you can consider more distant relatives, friends you haven't seen in a while, colleagues, and children.
To create your guest list, start by listing the people you and your partner are excited to have at your wedding. Write down names as they come to mind without overthinking it. Look through your phone for people you text or hang out with often and those you've recently celebrated with.
When deciding on numbers, remember that each guest means an extra chair, dinner, slice of cake, and favour. You can allocate invites by splitting them equally between families or giving more to those who contribute financially to the wedding.
To manage expectations, let people know early on if you're planning an intimate wedding. You don't have to invite everyone you've ever known, and it's okay to decline invitations to your wedding. If you're not close to someone, they're unlikely to be offended.
For invites, consider using online tools for RSVPs, guest lists, and seating charts. You can use Excel or Google Sheets to track names, addresses, RSVPs, and meal selections. Don't forget to order extra invites for last-minute changes, and when addressing invites, be mindful of guests with the same address or last name.
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Wedding party and attire
When it comes to wedding attire, there are a few key things to consider. Firstly, the dress code specified on the wedding invitation or requested by the couple should be followed. If no dress code is specified, use context clues such as the tone of the invitation, the venue, the time of day, and the season to choose an appropriate outfit. It's important to avoid wearing white unless specifically requested by the couple.
For the wedding party, which typically includes the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, and ring bearers, here are some attire recommendations:
Bride:
- Opt for a dress that complements the style and theme of the wedding.
- Choose a modern dress with clean lines, such as an on-trend fit-and-flare style or a one-shouldered gown.
- Consider the weather and season when selecting your dress fabric and style. For example, sequins are better suited for cold weather months and winter weddings.
Bridesmaids:
- Mirror the simplicity and elegance of the bride's gown in your choice of bridesmaid dresses.
- Choose a consistent colour scheme or fabric while allowing for some variation in shades and textures to create a visually interesting effect.
- Consider the weather and season, especially if the wedding is outdoors.
Flower Girls:
- Coordinate the flower girls' outfits with the bridesmaids' by incorporating similar colours or fabrics.
- Choose age-appropriate styles, such as lace-and-chiffon dresses with detachable bows.
Groom and Groomsmen:
- Ensure the groom's attire complements the bride's style and the overall theme of the wedding.
- For groomsmen, suits in darker colours like blue, grey, or green are a safe choice, and they can add a touch of personality with unique accessories.
Additional Considerations:
- Be mindful of the wedding location and theme when selecting your attire. For example, a beach wedding will typically call for more casual attire.
- If the couple has requested a specific theme or concept, such as an "all-white formal" or a Gatsby-inspired wedding, choose your attire accordingly.
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Vendors and catering
The food and drink you serve at your wedding are likely to be among the things your guests remember the most. So it's important to choose a caterer that can provide a menu that suits your taste, budget, and timing. Many venues offer in-house catering, but if yours doesn't, you'll need to hire a separate wedding catering company. Full-service caterers can provide everything from food and beverages to staffing, chair and table setup, and linen and equipment rentals.
Before finalising your food and drink choices, it's a good idea to do a tasting to get a sense of the caterer's style and offerings. You can hand-select each item on the menu or leave it to the chef to decide. Either way, make sure the menu fits within your budget and timing requirements.
In addition to catering, you may want to hire a wedding planner to help with the overall coordination and management of your wedding. A good planner can help set your budget, facilitate the hiring of other vendors, create a timeline, and take care of the small details. If you don't want to hire a planner, you can assign a trusted person to be the point of contact for vendors and to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day.
Other vendors to consider include a photographer, DJ or band, baker, rental company for furniture and decor, stationer for invitations and paper goods, and a calligrapher. If you plan to serve alcohol, you'll also need to hire a bartender or a catering company that offers bartending services.
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Honeymoon and after-party
The honeymoon is a reward for all the hard work you've put into planning your wedding. It is also a time for you and your partner to rejuvenate and reconnect. If you haven't already, start by dreaming up your honeymoon. Consider using a honeymoon travel agent to help you plan your trip. Think about how your honeymoon location matches up with your wedding timeline. For example, will your trip fall into the potential location's busy or off-season? Are there any weather-related concerns to keep in mind?
Make sure you're packed and ready to go for your honeymoon. If you are planning to leave for your honeymoon immediately after the wedding, you should also make sure you have everything you need for the reception and ceremony in the car.
After your honeymoon, there are still a few things on your post-wedding to-do list. Write vendor reviews and send thank-you notes to your guests. You can also send thank-you cards for shower gifts and any early wedding gifts.
If you are planning to host an after-party, there are a few things you should remember. Firstly, hire a DJ or a band/musician for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Work with them on the wedding playlist and finalize the song list. Secondly, don't forget the cake knife and server! Thirdly, if you have a guest book, bring plenty of pens so guests can sign it. Finally, assign someone to return any rental items or tuxedos the day after the wedding.
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Frequently asked questions
It's easy to forget something for your wedding, even if you've been planning for months. Here are some checklists to help you remember:
Have I remembered all the wedding-day items like the rings and marriage license?
Have I assigned someone to pack up my gifts/belongings after the reception?
