Wedding Planning Tips for Your Special Day

Getting married can be one of the most definitive moments of your life, and it will certainly be a day to remember. You and your partner can’t wait to start married life together, and all of the new and exciting adventures that will bring. Although your wedding day might seem like a long way off at the moment, there is still plenty to do!

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As incredible as your wedding day will be, planning your upcoming nuptials can be stressful at times, and it isn’t uncommon for some couples to feel overwhelmed with all of the finer details, and the pressure to make these big decisions all while sticking to their budget. While these tips might not be able to remedy all of the stresses attached to wedding planning, they could help you to get organized and take back some control.

Deciding on Your Budget

After you have finished celebrating your engagement, it’s time to get stuck into your wedding plans. The first place to start is forming a reasonable budget that you are both comfortable with. Your parents or other loved ones might offer to contribute to your wedding fund, and if you do have this extra money to play around with that is a bonus. However, no matter how your wedding is being financed, you mustn’t be getting yourself into mountains of debt or putting financial pressure on others as this is not the ideal way to start your married life! The budget you have to work with might mean making some compromises when it comes to your dream wedding ideas, but this will be worthwhile in the end and you can still have an incredible day.

Who Are You Inviting?

When you know how much money you have to work with, this is a good time to decide on how big you want your wedding party to be. The reality is that the more guests you have the more expensive the wedding will be, as you will need to provide catering for everyone and find a venue that is big enough to fit everybody comfortably. It can be hard to determine who to invite to your wedding, especially if you or your partner, or both of you, have large families and a big group of friends. You certainly don’t want anyone to be offended that they didn’t get an invitation, but you do need to be realistic about the scale of wedding you can afford as well. A way to get around this is by limiting the number of guests attending the ceremony and the wedding dinner to your nearest and dearest and then asking others to join you in the evening for drinks and dancing. Alternatively, you could simply tell people that the wedding will be a small affair and that you are only inviting close friends and family.

Make sure to write down the names and addresses of the guests that you are inviting so that printing your invitations is a relatively quick and easy process. You can also send out save the date cards a year before your wedding, and send invitations out no later than six months before your wedding to make sure that they reach everyone on time.

The Venue, Catering, and Entertainment

When you are picking your wedding venue, your budget will play a big part in your final decision, but there are some other factors to take into consideration. Firstly, is the venue easy to get to for your guests? Even if you are looking for a tranquil setting in the middle of the countryside, it needs to be somewhere that is easy to drive to, or where transport can be arranged for those arriving by train, plane, etc. You will also need to think about guest accommodation – can your venue provide this? Or are there options nearby?

Most wedding venues will offer a variety of catering packages for your special day as well, so always ask about this when you are viewing potential wedding venues. If they don’t, you will need to arrange this yourself with a catering company. When you are choosing your wedding menu, make sure to ask guests if they have any allergies or other dietary requirements so that you can let the caterers know. Although you might want to offer an exciting menu to your guests, make sure to offer some classic crowd-pleasing dishes for those who have a less adventurous palette.

You’ll also need to hire entertainment for your wedding, especially if you want people to get up and dance the night away with you! DJs are always a popular choice and can be very versatile, but live music can create a slightly different atmosphere, particularly if you want a formal affair or are trying to capture a festival vibe. You can find wedding bands and other entertainment options on sites like alivenetwork.com which can connect you with local entertainers.

Getting Your Marriage License

While finding the perfect venue, the dress, choosing your wedding menu, and so on, are all important things you need to do, do not forget to get your marriage license! You will need this if you want your marriage to be legally binding, and it’s a good idea to get this ticked off of your wedding checklist as soon as you can. You will need to have a date and venue for your ceremony booked before you get your license, so make sure these parts of your wedding planning have been arranged beforehand.

Finding a venue for your ceremony and wedding reception should be done as soon as possible, as these venues are often booked up months or even years in advance. You will also need proof of your identity when going to apply for your marriage license, so remember to take with you a passport, driving license, or birth certificate. It’s a good idea to bring the latter as they might request this from you anyway. You will also have to pay a fee for your marriage license, so make sure you have the money set aside for this before you go.

There are a lot of other areas you will need to cover when it comes to planning your wedding, but these tips are a good starting point to help you feel more in control and get all the essentials out of the way.

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Dan Dunn

Executive Managing editor

Editor and Admin at MarkMeets since Nov 2012. Columnist, reviewer and entertainment writer and oversees all of the section's news, features and interviews. During his career, he has written for numerous magazines.

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