Make a budget and stick to it
Top of your agenda needs to be how much you have to spend. We'd decided we just wanted to be married and our initial plan was to be married in a local park and actually just book out a local Italian restaurant for a dinner. We ended up with a little more budget than we expected so our wedding and reception was held at a surf club which we both loved. It is critical you work out not just your total budget but what areas you want to spend more money on. We prioritised our rings, honeymoon, DJ and photography. As we only had a three minute drive to the venue we didn't think spending money no transport was warranted. I went in a borrowed vintage car and my bridesmaids actually arrived in my mums Tarago!
Go to a wedding expo
Even if it isn't in your area with local vendors, find an expo so you can make a list of everything. From flowers and cakes to bridesmaid dress and honeymoon destinations you can just about plan your entire day at one of these expos. I didn't actually book anything except my cake at an expo but you will pick up anything you've overlooked and also really narrow down what you do and don't like. If you're feeling overwhelmed after this talk to your married friends for tips and if budget allows it, talk to a wedding planner.
Make a ruthless Pinterest board
My wedding Pinterest board is basically the preview to what my wedding was. I used it to store images of everything from jewellery, guest gifts and of course dress inspiration. Use Pinterest as a mood board and only put in there what is in line with what you like and your theme. If your board is a clear indication of your vision, it is much easier to show to your florist or decorator than trying to describe what you've always imagined. Click here to check out mine.
Lock in your vendors and pay the deposit
Make sure you follow all vendor instructions. Most bookings don't count unless you've paid your deposit and it's not up to the vendor to chase you. I would email as soon as I had made payment so they would know that it was on the way in case another booking came up.
You can't be too fussy
Remember the standard engagement in Australia is roughly almost two years! This means that a whole bunch of brides will have secured vendors well in advance so when you find a vendor you like, don't be disappointed if they are unavailable because thankfully the wedding market is large. I booked all my vendors about 5 months out and fortunately all were fantastic.
Go dress shopping immediately!
Unless buying from the rack, bridal shops have a long turn around. Usually a minimum of three months for bridesmaids and even longer for bridal gowns. I had five bridesmaids so there was no chance of buying something ready made. I put my order in 16 weeks before the wedding when the recommended was only 14. Even so, they ended up showing up on the Wednesday the week of the wedding and my mum was making adjustments at midnight the night before!
We were so fortunate that everything went to plan on the day and it was all that we had hoped. A short engagement doesn't need to be stressful and as long as you're organised and clear on what you want, your day will be nothing short of magnificent.
Share your engagement stories below!
Comments
Post a Comment