Thousands of weddings happen across the country every day. Some will have been the result of years of planning, while others may have been pulled together in the space of a few short weeks. In any case, each wedding needs the perfect ingredients to make your big day extra special. With the year drawing to a close, people are already making plans for their 2019 weddings. Promises of new wedding dress trends, exotic honeymoon destinations, and fresh color palettes are keeping every bride and groom on their toes. To make sure you start your planning off the right way, it’s wise to follow some essential tips.
Establish the basics
Numerous people start their wedding preparations without any ideas in mind. This can lead to confusion, stress and rising costs, which is why it is always recommended that you find out some key basic features of your day before planning is in full swing. For example, knowing the size of your wedding: whether you want a large one, or a more intimate gathering.
To make sure you remain organized throughout your planning, it’s a good idea to store your wedding ideas in one place, keeping magazines, contacts and inspiration in a scrapbook. If you start off on the right foot, you can be assured that you will encounter minimal stress along the way.
You must always remember that your wedding should be about what you and your partner want, rather than what everyone else is telling you. Although taking on some advice is valuable, it is ultimately your wedding.
Always budget
Once you have determined the key elements of your wedding, you can then set a budget. This budget must account for every aspect of your big day, but you should also set a back-up budget. This back-up fund will be your saving grace in times of financial stress, where problems can be solved without eating into your everyday savings.
If your budget is not within your ideal price range, you can use it to see where you can cut costs. Some people find that re-working a vintage dress, or pulling in favors from friends and family can be a huge help. However, if you wish to have each small detail of your dream day, you can always start saving in anticipation. Yard sales and couponing are both great ways you can do this. You could even set a later date for your wedding, which will give you more time to save.
Keep track of new trends
The fashion industry evolves to new heights every year, and weddings are no exception. If 2018 was anything to go by, 2019 is also set to be full of new wedding ideas. You can use these to bring your visions to life. The easiest and most affordable way of doing this is by investing in wedding magazines, which will chart all the up and coming trends for the months to come. Some people also like to visit wedding showcases, where dresses, shoes, and floral arrangements can be seen. The best thing about these trends is that you don’t always need to spend lots of money to recreate them.
If you have no time to dedicate to keeping up to date with modern trends, there is no need to panic. In fact, there are some timeless pieces in most good wedding stores that will enable you to plan a classic, beautiful day.
Consider the best time of year
Some people envision winter wonderland settings for their special day, whereas others would rather have their ceremony blessed by blue skies and warm weather. With people wishing to plan a local wedding, this is often the deciding factor in when people set their wedding date for. For those choosing to ignore seasonal regulations, you can always head further south for better weather conditions. If not, overseas weddings have always been a popular option for those seeking vivid sunsets and sunny days.
There is nothing quite as magical as a winter wedding, meaning some wedding planners will choose to venture up north or wait until the holidays. The only thing to bear in mind when planning a winter wedding is that there are many national celebrations occurring around this time, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. These dates are something to take note of if you want your entire guest list to attend.
Don’t forget the honeymoon
When you are caught up in planning your wedding, it is easy to forget about the romantic aftermath. Your honeymoon is the first vacation you will be taking together as a married couple, so it should never be neglected. Some people even prefer it to their big day, with honeymoon planning acting as a fun break from wedding planning.
As with weddings, honeymoons have changed over the years. Where they used to be reserved exclusively for couples, they now encompass what it means to be married in the modern world. This means that some couples choose glamping retreats over beach getaways, and others may choose to bring the whole family along to share in their memories. Those hoping to do this can find a blissful family-friendly resort to stay in. If you are hoping to take a much-needed break from wedding planning, you can always visit some prospective destinations to help you decide.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for the nice pics and the nice insight! This helps!
You’re welcome! I hope you found a tip or two that might help!
great tips and ideas for future wedding
I could talk weddings for hours
When I’m wedding planning in the future I know it will be key to be sticking to budget, and I know how much you have to focus on that.
That bottom line is so important!
I loved planning my wedding! So many fun decisions to make. The key was giving myself enough time, and not getting stressed!
It’s the biggest event you will ever throw, you might as well slow down and enjoy every moment
With 4 daughters, I am patiently, yet anxiously, awaiting this day. Thank you for the lovely tips Stephanie.
So many weddings to plan! How wonderful for you
There is so much to do in the planning but also many options.
And Pinterest can make a girl go crazy, so many ideas on there!
very interesting to read this the resort looks heavenly
The Beaches and Sandals Resorts are heavenly!
Wedding planning has changed so much since I was married in 2007! There are also so many more resources and ideas available online and through social media.
Oh my goodness, have you looked on Pinterest lately? The ideas are endless!
Budget is the first thing to keep in mind when planning a wedding. Thanks for the tips.
You’re welcome! And thanks for reading!
Wish i knew these things before my wedding
Things have changed so much since I planned my wedding too. Hindsight is 20/20
I am 100% in agreement with your reminder that a wedding is “about what you and your partner want, rather than what everyone else is telling you” – so many people forget that!
This exactly! This is your time to make memories for you!
I have always wanted to see a winter wonderland wedding. All of the planning of any wedding can be so stressful. People need to not over-analyze & try to save money in any ways they can.
Oh and with a Winter wedding you have the best honeymoon down south afterwards!
So many things to consider, thanks for the tips.
Thanks for reading!
If you don’t stick to your budget, money can get out of hand quickly!
It happens so quickly and you don’t want to start your marriage out with a great big debt to pay off.
Weddings I love. Wedding planning ugg. My daughter got married 2+ years ago. Let just say if it was a tradition or trendy the couple wanted nothing to do with it. The two rebels! After this realisation….well they actually said it out loud. That was this moms sign to back off cause this mom is a traditionalists. The wedding was beautiful. Glitches? oh ya
Once thing tho, they still have not taken that honeymoon. She wanted to finish school first. Then as school just ended she was pregnant. Now baby. Hopefully they will go and leave baby with Nana…woohoo! Thing about it now it all worked perfectly hahaha
LOL I loved your stream of consciousness in this post. It seems that everything turned out as it should. Congratulations!
Thank you!! Our grandson is the light of our lives.
PS Please excuse my spelling errors