I was married about three months ago and have had a lot of time to reflect on the day itself, the planning process and everything wedding-related. So I thought I would share some thoughts and tips from a recent bride. A lot happens during wedding planning and there are plenty of tips for me to give you. So there will be part two, possibly part three. But for now...
When you first get engaged, don't plan. Just enjoy it for a while. Don't set a date, don't pick your bridesmaids, don't even think about your colors. Just enjoy saying "fiance" instead of "boyfriend." There will be plenty of time to plan (ignore this if you're knocked up and want to get married before you pop the kid out).
When you start planning, figure out what you can afford. If any parents are going to help out financially, figure out what they want to do. Do they want to pay for a specific aspect or contribute a dollar amount? Or are you guys footing the whole bill yourselves? However it's going to happen, figure it out before you get your heart set on certain aspects that could take a big chunk of your budget.
A lot of people will tell you to pick the location and date first. We picked our date, and less than two weeks later I had my dress picked out. Obviously my dress set the tone for the formality of the wedding. And somewhat influenced the venues. I would recommend picking your date first. And be prepared for it to be somewhat difficult. We were lucky and had it narrowed down to two pretty quickly. It was one of the easier things we did. That said, you also need to be prepared to wish you had chosen a different date at some point during your planning. Every once in a while I found myself wishing I had been able to have the fall wedding I had always envisioned. But I love how my April wedding turned out. If I had been married in the fall, where would my hot pink shoes and crinoline fit in?
The last tip I'll give you for today is a good one I read on theknot. Sit down, just you and your fiance, and decide what parts of the wedding are most important to you. Make a list of your top three and have your fiance do the same. Then compare. Don't just say the reception is most important either, what part of the reception is important? The food? Alcohol? Cake? Music? Figure out your big three based on your lists (yes, you may have to compromise) and tell yourselves that those three things will be what you spend the most time and money on. Those three things should be what you want guests to remember, and what you feel is really "you" as a couple. I wanted little touches that really brought our personalities to the party. Tim's groom's cake had a pirate topper. His cuff links were pirates. We had a pirate bar with specialty drinks. Then there were my pink shoes and crinoline. All these little things that people LOVED when they noticed them. I had more compliments on my pink crinoline... because it was distinctly me.
So there ya go, part one down. Hope it helps any brides who run across it!
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