10 Things You Didn’t Know About Wedding Planning
I know you've seen the movies and heard the stories about the girls that have been planning their weddings since they were little and have a whole wedding book or Pinterest page dedicated to every detail of their special day. What you don't hear about as often are the couples that are planning their weddings together and struggling because of lack of time or lack of vision. Wedding planning isn't as easy as people make it out to be. Here is a list of 10 things you didn't know about planning your wedding.
1. It's okay (actually better) not to have everything already planned before you even have a date set.
Life isn't a fairy tale, and let's face it, if my wedding were the way I pictured it at eight years old, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did. I don't even believe that a photographer would have been able to photograph my lime green wedding dress in good conscience. People's styles and wants change dramatically as time passes, and fads fade. It's in everyone's best interest to save the planning until closer to the date to keep things current and make sure what you have planned aligns with what you currently want.
2. You don't have to take anyone else's advice.
Unsolicited advice is given after telling people you're engaged. Everyone will want to tell you about what they did for their wedding day and what you should do for yours. Take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes advice is great, but sometimes it's not. If you don't like an idea someone is offering, even if that someone is close to you, stick to your vision. After all, it's your day, not theirs. You wouldn't want to look back on it and wonder why you went with a different style just to keep everyone but yourself happy.
3. You're not going to please everyone.
More often than not, someone is going to be disappointed with what you chose, and that is okay. I might sound like a broken record here, but… IT'S NOT THEIR DAY! The only people that need to be completely happy with the decisions made are you and your spouse.
4. You don't have to invite everyone you know.
Save the invitations for the special people in your lives. You wouldn't invite a passerby on the street, so don't invite your entire Facebook Friend List. A large guest count means a large budget. If you have 1,000 close friends and family and a budget that allows for that many people, by all means, go for it! But if you're like the rest of us, stick to the immediate family and friends. Your guests feel more special for being invited, and you'll save a lot of money and stress.
5. Your fiancé's opinion matters.
Now, this one might seem obvious to some, but you'd be surprised at how many people don't take into account their partner’s wants. It's their day, too, don't start on the wrong foot. If they show an interest in helping, let them. Planning can be a lot more fun doing it with your best friend. Make wedding planning outings dates. Go to bakeries together for cake tastings and have consultation meetings with different caterers. These activities are usually free, and let's be real, who doesn't like a free date?
6. You don't need a huge bridal party to have a great wedding.
I know it's easy to get wrapped up in who you want to be in the bridal party. You don't want anyone's feelings to get hurt or think, "If so-in-so is in the wedding party, their significant other has to be too," and next thing you know, you have a 20-person wedding party. It is not necessary to have everyone you have ever been friends with in the bridal party. Pick a few of your closest friends or family that you couldn't imagine saying "I do" without them standing next to you. If the others are really your friends, they will understand, and they might actually be a tad relieved because being part of a wedding party usually involves a bit of money.
Another common misconception is that only the people at the bridal party can come to the pre-wedding events. Invite all of your friends to the engagement party, bridal shower, and bachelor & bachelorette parties, but save the wedding party for the close few.
7. You don't need to spend a million dollars to have the day of your dreams.
There are a TON of ways to save money while planning your wedding. Check out the tips and tricks here in one of my previous posts.
8. Having your wedding planned out before you're even engaged is okay too!
If you are the person that had their wedding planned since before they even had a partner, more power to you, this will make figuring out what you and your fiancé want for your day that much easier. Just remember number 5. Just because you have everything already planned doesn't mean that your partner will want to do the same thing or that your budget allows for it. Stay open to change and use your previous plans as a guide to creating a day that both of you will enjoy.
9. You don't have to be a particular age to be getting married.
Whether you're 20, 30, 40, anything before, after, or in between, there isn't a right age to get married.
There are stigmas for everything.
"You're too young to get married; it'll never last," "There's still time to find someone, don't worry," "Are you ever going to get married?"
Don't let someone else's opinion change yours. If you and your partner a ready to commit the rest of your lives together without hesitation, no one else's opinion matters but yours.
10. It's okay to ask for help.
Anyone who has planned a wedding knows how difficult and stressful it can be. If someone tells you otherwise, then they probably didn't plan it themselves. People nowadays have hectic lives. With working full time and most of us running side gigs, no one has time for planning an entire wedding. There is no shame in asking for help, especially from a professional. Rely on someone whose job is to help you plan the day of your dreams. Chances are they’ve done it once or twice before. Whether you just need help on the day of or for the entire planning process, wedding planners usually have packages to fit it all. Click here to check out SWP’s packages.
With Love,
Macy
