Planning
a wedding? Don't stress! Here are some tips to make the
process flow more smoothly.
Articulate your vision
The bride and groom should each begin by writing at least
one full page of their "dream" wedding. This will
help them to see what is and is not important for the day.
Go wild with ideas and sort through the reality of those
ideas as you plan.
Manage your budget
Be clear about your full budget -- if others are
participating in the funds, know what they are willing to
give in the beginning so that you can plan around the figures.
Sometimes a bride or groom will say that his mom and dad
will pitch in but they are unclear how much.
Make it your own
Go ahead and personalize your wedding -- one bride and groom
I worked with named the tables after events in their relationship
-- i.e. First Xmas, trip to Hawaii. A photo of that event
served as a table locator instead of a number, Vendors see
lots of great ideas and may be happy to offer them to you
if you ask.
Get the price right
Read all contracts carefully. Make sure that you understand
what you have agreed to. Know ahead if the band will stay
later if you and your friends want to dance longer, and
know what the price will be. You don't want a several hundred-dollar
surprise.
May I have that in
writing?
If you make any change in your contracts before the event,
ask for a confirmation in writing. If they are not willing
to do so, you write it up and snail or email to the vendor.
Make sure that they receive it and agree. If you have decided
to change the floral colors to periwinkle and rose because
the attendant's dress color changes, you want to know that
the florist got the change.
Keep the peace
Communicate with all members of your families what events
will take place, at what time, locations and attire if necessary.
People like to know in advance what is planned. I remember
a stepmom who was expected to be at two semi-formal events
and knew very few details. She was asking me since there
was poor communication and tension in the family dynamics.
Deal up front and early on.
Confirm, confirm,
confirm
A few weeks before the wedding, confirm in writing with
all vendors, especially noting any changes, no matter how
small. Ask them to sign and fax back (or email) their agreement.
At a recent wedding that I coordinated I asked the other
vendors what was the worst wedding mistake they had seen,
and two of them said a caterer that did not show up. Mistakes
in scheduling can happen, even with the best organizations.
I believe that this final confirming should be in writing.
Create a timeline
of the day
Do some research and find out how to make a timeline --
it enables a family member or guest to know what to expect
that day and call for help if something does not happen
as it is planned. Someone who is helping on the day can
know what all plans are and supervise arrivals etc.. It's
very common to find your work colleagues standing around
when they arrive as they o not know which side to sit on
or where to sit - remember most rarely attend an Indian
wedding !
