Wedding Season, It’s Here… HELP!
A wedding is a time to share your love and commitment to someone in front of all your friends and family. However, the ‘I do’ is only the last part of your wedding that you need to think about. Instead of getting caught up in the stress of the wedding why not plan the wedding properly and leave the stress where it belongs, at the door.
In order to successfully negotiate a wedding, you need to follow this basic five step process:
- Budget
- Venue
- Guests
- Catering
- The Unexpected
Number One – The Budget
The first thing you need to do once you have gotten engaged is to set out a budget for the wedding. Most couples tend to take a loan from the bank or other financial institutions. This allows them to have the wedding they so desire and not start their marriage without cash in hand. Taking out a loan will ensure that you are able to pay for all the expenses and then repay it over the course of a year or two.
Number Two – The Venue
The wedding venue is the second most important decision after taking out a loan for your wedding. The wedding venue needs to capture the moment correctly as well as be a reflection of what the couple. Therefore, choosing a venue is difficult. Ensure that you make a list of places you would like to get married and places you do not want to get married. This will help you, together with your partner, choose the right venue.
Number Three – The Guests
When planning a wedding, making your guest list can be more stressful than the actual wedding day. The problem is that you do not want to offend anyone. Your first step is to calculate how many people you are able to have. Once you have done that, then you can start making a list of all the friends and family that you would like to share your special day with. Remember, if you need to cut down on guests try this approach. First, do not invite partners that you do not know and second, do not invite people that you have not been in regular contact with.
Number Four – The Catering
Everyone, except the bride and groom, remember the food. In order for it to be a success, ensure that you keep it simple. Remember to ask any guests in they are allergic to any foods and to then make a plan to prevent the person coming in contact with the food. The best way to cater on a budget is to make light finger snack time foods, this not only saves money, but is also a fantastic way get guests to mingle with each other.
Number Five – The Unexpected
In life you need to plan for the unexpected. The same is true for your wedding day. Take a proactive approach and ensure that your day is not defined by the mishap, but rather something that you can laugh off at a later stage. For instance, ensure that you are prepared for all types of weather; ensure that you have a back-up vehicle, suit and pair of heels in case something goes wrong.
In conclusion, your wedding is a time of great joy. Remember to plan first your finances and then make the wedding about you.
I am Greg Jones, a loan consultant and wedding lover. I remember my wedding day, we had all our close family and friends with us to celebrate the day. We had everything plan down to the second, however as luck would have it I left my tie at home and needed to borrow a tie from my dad, thank-fully my wife now sees the funny side of that.