The Five Wedding Jigsaw Pieces
So far you have chosen your priorities and decided what you both want on your wedding day. Now it’s time for you to put the big edge pieces of the jigsaw in place.
The big four wedding “W’s.” The Who, What, Where, and When! and then not forgetting the How? Budget, and Planning but that is a little later. Lets concentrate on these pieces first. Once these are done you will have your plan in place and then you can fill in the pieces in the middle.
The Who? – The Guest List
Until you know who will be coming to the wedding it’s difficult to choose the venue, and the number of people will of course help determine your budget. So who do you really want to share your day with? Once you have a list it would be wise to check out their availability. If it’s a summer wedding and up to a year in advance, it may be a good idea to send save the date cards.
I was chatting to a new bride to be and she asked me how to choose who is on your guest list when you want everyone to come and they all seem important. This is tricky but if you lay down some rules and stick to them it should help. Be careful not to be drawn into the “we went to their wedding so they must come to ours” scenario. If you have not seen these couples since, ask yourself if they would really be the special people to share your day and let’s not forget “your budget” with.If you need some help to see your list at a glance perhaps our wedding genie tools will help.
All wedding planners will tell you to make an “A” and “B” list. That way if anyone can’t make the wedding from the A list then you can choose from the B. I know these are very tricky subjects. Check out a little more information here. If you feel you want a little help I run Bridal Workshops to discuss and cover these issues in more detail.
Friends and family really do make a wedding day special, so you definitely want to check they can attend on the date you have in mind.
The What? – Type of Ceremony
It is now time to choose between a religious or civil ceremony. Once you have decided make an appointment to see the vicar to discuss dates and availability, or if you are having a civil service you need to give notice of your intention to marry. The notice is valid for 12 months.
Remember to be sure that the registrar is free to marry you on the date you require before you book your venue.
The Where? – The Venue
Once you have a rough idea of your guest list you can think about where you want to get married. Maybe you have your heart set on a venue that is special to you so check if it’s free. Check the venue has a licence to perform civil ceremonies if that is your preference and please don’t confirm the booking until you have made sure if the registrar is free.
You need to be comfortable with the staff and the venue. Most brides do know as soon as they walk in. BUT be sure what you are getting for your money and ask plenty of questions such as, how many weddings are on one day? Is there any decorative or building work going on when my wedding is taking place? What can I use in terms of candles, confetti etc. Check out our blog here and here to answer some of those pointers. Sometime you won’t even know to ask these questions that is where a wedding planner can help you. Booking me for an hour to brief you may save you money and ensure you get the best deal. Not many brides think wedding planners can be booked for small amounts of time.
The When? – The Date
Having taken into account who will attend the wedding, where, and what type of ceremony, now is the time to decide on the time of year. If you have to save then think about how long you have to gather your funds together. Also if you are dreaming of a summer stylish affair that would be difficult to achieve if your date was in November.
The time of year is important, especially if you want to go to a certain honeymoon destination. It may be their rainy season so it’s best to check. I know I chose August and did not realise that some honeymoon destinations were a no go at that time of year.
These are the corners of your jigsaw and congratulations if you have got this far. My best advice at this point is to ensure you start as you mean to go on. Choose the wedding you want. It is hard when everyone around you seems to suddenly turn into a wedding expert when you tell them you are engaged. Stick to your guns and as long as you are diplomatic and reasonable there is no reason why you shouldn’t have the wedding day you always thought you would have.
Now we come on to the last corner piece which is one of the most important.
The How? – The Budget
How are you going to pay for this fabulous day? Well because this is such an important part of planning. I have dedicated a whole page to it next, but suffice to say that if you don’t set your budget NOW!! at the beginning of your wedding planning you will most certainly run up a very large bill and that is guaranteed. Adding figures up in your head do not look the same numbers when you write them down in black and white.