It’s 2023 and you’ve decided it’s going to be your best year yet! For one, you’re engaged (congrats!) but now what? After the excitement of freshly being engaged settles, you might have some questions. When should we have our wedding? Which venues should we look at? Who do we need to hire? What is our wedding budget? There is a lot to organize when it comes to weddings – and there’s also some things couples often overlook while planning their wedding.
As a photographer with years of wedding experience, here is a comprehensive list of things to keep in mind when planning your dream wedding:
1. Hire a wedding planner.
Planning your wedding is incredibly exciting, but it can also be stressful. Even if you enjoy planning and being in charge, hiring a wedding planner is a great idea! Hiring help doesn’t mean giving up total control over your wedding day. It simply helps you manage the details and logistics better, so you can focus on the bigger picture, such as dress shopping or taking care of yourself!
2. Take care of yourself, seriously!
Self care isn’t always top of mind when you’re busy planning a wedding. Who has time for bubble baths anyway?! But, self care is so much more than long baths. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes to yourself and being mindful and present before rushing into your next decision or cake tasting meeting. Your planning shouldn’t be so stressful that you wish your wedding day was already here. Instead try to enjoy the process while taking care of yourself!
3. Stay flexible.
Accidents can happen. Flowers might get damaged in transit, your cake may have one less tier than planned, or a bridesmaid might step on your veil right before you head down the aisle. While all of these situations are not ideal, if you keep your expectations open, those mishaps won’t end up ruining your wedding day. In fact, they may even be a source of laughter later on! These moments, that inevitably will pop up, are yet another reason why a wedding planner comes in handy. They’ll be able to mitigate and find a solution quickly so you don’t have to!
4. Assign roles ahead of time.
To save yourself from family and friend drama before the planning even begins, assign roles to everyone! When each person has a specific responsibility, nobody’s toes will feel stepped on and the planning can go on without a hitch.
5. Enjoy the moment!
Even with everyone having specific roles to play, make sure those involved (including you and your partner) have plenty of room to enjoy themselves as much as possible throughout the wedding planning process and wedding itself. Try to avoid getting so wrapped up in the planning that it all feels like a big blur when it’s done. Take time to soak up every moment and focus on being present!
6. Consider your guests for important input
While this day is all about you and your partner, there are a few areas you will want to keep your guests in mind for when it comes to your big day. For one – dietary restrictions! Remember not everyone may share your dietary preferences. Make sure to ask everyone ahead of time so you can pass this information on to your caterer. Including a menu option on the invitation or save the date will allow you to poll your guests before your day arrives.
7. Plan activities for kids
Should you choose to have a kid-friendly wedding, something for you and your planner to consider is how to keep the kids entertained so they are not being a distraction on your day. Weddings can be difficult for kids as there is a lot going on! You can either introduce a no kid policy or plan activities for the kids who do attend.
8. Plan guest interactions
You and your partner may have different personalities. Mingling with each guest might be energizing for one, but totally draining for the other. Figure out how to speak with everyone before, during, or after the reception so that you don’t leave wishing you had been able to schmooze more. One way you can arrange this is to eat privately during cocktail hour, so you can mingle when dinner is served.
Planning ahead and keeping these things in mind when planning your wedding can avoid some last-minute surprises and ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible while setting realistic expectations. Do any of these tips sound like something you’d like to try for your wedding? Leave a comment and let me know what you think of these suggestions!
For more tips and tricks, sign up for my biweekly newsletter here!
Hi there! Thank you for sharing this informative post. I found it really helpful and insightful, especially the tips on things couples often overlook during wedding planning. It’s always great to have a reminder to keep the focus on what’s truly important on the big day.