The Top 10 Tips for Planning the Perfect Wedding
Everyone can make mistakes when trying to plan the perfect wedding. Follow these foolproof tips to avoid unnecessary fumbles during the wedding planning process.
1. The first impression you make on your guests will set the tone for the entire wedding. That’s why it’s so important to perfect your wedding invitations! As quick and convenient email may be, do you really want to send your wedding invitations by email? Dedicate some time to creating beautiful wedding invitations to announce the magical day that awaits your guests. Plus, a lot of people save invitations as a reminder with all of the event details, and an email can easily get lost in an overflowing inbox by the time the big day arrives.
2. As you can imagine, no one wants to be rushing around during the last hour leading up to the wedding. The last thing you want to be doing when guests start to arrive is finishing up the wedding installation. Leave yourself extra time to ensure sufficient time to complete the installation. Some guests are bound to arrive early, and you wouldn’t want to be seen rushing and cleaning up as guests filter in.
3. The wedding ceremony should begin on time. What will your guests think when they have gone to the trouble of arriving on time, and the ceremony begins significantly later than the time you had listed on the invitation?
4. Of course wedding flowers are an important aspect of the wedding decor, but it is also important to keep in mind that they should be in full bloom on the day of the big event. This can easily be overlooked, so be sure to take the time and make the effort to ensure your flowers are nurtured properly and are ready to be in the spotlight.
5. It’s one thing if your flowers aren’t quite in full bloom yet, but it’s a completely different story if the flowers are already beginning to wilt or turn brown. Be prepared for the worst-case scenario and order some additional fresh flowers for back up. Remember, your guests will be sitting around the centerpiece at their table all night. What would you think if you were staring at a wilting, brown centerpiece? Don’t think of this tip as obsessive compulsive, but it wouldn’t hurt to check each centerpiece and arrangement for flowers that need to be replaced before the event gets started. Replace any sad looking flowers with the fresh back up flowers you remembered to order.
6. You want your guests to enjoy the food and catering at any event. You already know you’ll need to do your homework and serve the best food possible. However, another thing you should keep in mind is the actual serving of each dish. Never serve plated food before guests are seated. They’ll be wondering how long it’s been sitting out. You should always have food servced once guests are seated, and try to have everyone served in a timely manner so everyone can dig in sooner. If you’re going for the buffet approach, try to do what you can to prevent long lines.
7. You may have managed to get your favourite band/DJ to play at your event, but be sure to continue to manage the music during the event. If the music is too loud, your guests won’t be able to enjoy the music or hear eachother speak. Be concious of the volume, otherwise you may lose a few guests as the evening of unbearably loud music progresses.
8. Event lighting shouldn’t be too bright. It should be intimate and romantic. You don’t want to find out that a spotlight was blinding half of your guests the entire evening. On the other hand, some people opt to use candles instead of bright lights, but beware: the heat may become overwhelming.
9. Timing is everything. Every step of the wedding should be timed in order to maintain organization and an appropriate flow of events. Things may not always fall exactly into place, but having a realistic plan going in will make a big difference. If something changes last minute, don’t sweat it! You’ll need to stay calm and make sure things get back on schedule and go smoothly moving forward.
10. Be sure to check in with your clients throughout the evening. It is up to you to diffuse feelings of anxiety and nervousness and remind them to enjoy their party. If they’re too preoccupied with worry, they’ll forget to enjoy themselves.
Remember, there’s no such thing as perfection, but if you follow these 10 tips to ensure an optimal event experience for everyone involved, the rest will be a piece of cake!