Planning what’s likely to be the most important day of your life is, of course, exciting and fun, but weddings can also be a source of big stress! There’s so much to think about in terms of planning the ceremony, the reception, and the honeymoon. And, of course, you have to keep to a budget – when it seems the costs are mounting. Here are some ways to ease the stress in the run-up to a wedding.
Decide who’s coming
Picking the guests for your wedding can be one of the most difficult parts of all the planning, especially if both in the couple have a big family and friend circle. You have to be ruthless with this though, as you could end up inviting far more people than you can afford to cater for.
Think about whether those distant relatives you haven’t seen for years or the friends that kind of broke away from your group, should really be invited. Should you concentrate more on your close friends and family?
Make a list and agree on it together. Once, you’ve done this, you need to get the invites out as soon as you can. You don’t have to splash lots of cash on these, you could check out online wedding invitations, for example.
Pick a wedding venue early
The amount of time between engagement and the wedding ceremony obviously varies for couples – sometimes there can be more than a year between, for the others, it may just be a matter of months or even weeks! Regardless of how long you have, you need to be thinking about the wedding venue as soon as possible. Churches, hotels, and other licensed premises can get booked up a long time in advance. Remember, you’re not the only ones getting married! So, if you have your heart somewhere in particular, make some calls!
Once you’ve earmarked potential venues, visit them as soon as possible – go through your needs and requirements and ensure they can meet them, in line with your budget. Once this is ticked off the list, it’s a major tick off the stress list!
Plan the party
What kind of party are you planning to have after the wedding? Are you going for a formal sit-down meal, with a DJ and disco after? Or are you planning something more informal? The after-wedding bash needs as much planning, if not more than the ceremony itself!
Maybe the venue will be the same as where you’re getting married, that can make it easier. But, if it’s not, then look for a party venue as soon as possible. Be realistic when searching – think about how many people you need to accommodate; how much you have to spend on catering and entertainment etc. And factor in whether anyone will need somewhere to stay. Does the venue have rooms, or can people find somewhere easily nearby?
There are lots of choices for wedding reception venues, ranging from community centres and barns to lavish hotels. Have a look around online for inspiration.
