One of my favorite things about this business is getting to meet some absolutely wonderful people. I’m honored to have one of those great people on the blog today. Shayne’s love for wedding planning started back when she was a little girl and has only grown since then. She has been kind enough to share some of her wisdom on here and I hope her thoughts on wedding planning will help with some of your own weddings. So without further adieu Shayne Souleret….
Weddings. I love them! They’re beautiful, personal, heartfelt events that celebrate the beginning of a couple’s long life together. But, for most couples, they are also the largest, most stressful event that they’ll ever plan.
When Ryan asked me to offer words of wisdom for planning a stress-free wedding, I was thrilled. Not only do I love collaborating with local friends and vendors, but as a planner (and soon-to-be-bride myself) I know how valuable it is to have someone there to offer tips for making your planning process smooth and actually enjoyable!
Here are my top five tips for planning a “stress-free” wedding:
1. Build a solid budget. After you’ve had time to just enjoy being engaged, create a budget. Your budget is your wedding foundation. It dictates the venues you can view, how many guests you can entertain and just about everything else. I also see a budget as a couple’s opportunity to begin creating their wedding vision. I urge my clients not to follow the standard percentages suggested by many sources (40% to the reception, 3% to invitations, etc). Together choose three things that are most important to each of you and allocate the most money there. After all, this is YOUR day. It should not be “standard.” Why does building a solid budget decrease stress? It provides focus.
2. Pace yourself. Getting engaged is very exciting. I know! With sites like Pinterest and Wedding Gawker and beautiful blogs, you may find yourself jumping right in but doing so can cause more stress than comfort. Begin with the basics – venue and officiant. Then focus on the vendors that will book up most quickly – photographers, DJs/bands, and videographers. Use resources like the knot to map out your planning process. Also, pace yourself when it comes to décor. Your mind will change a million times before the big day. I’ve seen couples spend a large portion of their budgets on décor that they liked in month two but disliked by month five. Every $1/$5/$10 purchase adds up. Keep track of your favorite decorations in a binder or on an online mood board like Pinterest. Three months before the wedding finalize your décor vision.
3. Hire vendors that you trust. I can’t stress that enough. The best vendors will get to know not only your wedding desires but also who you are as individuals. There will be no surprises in quality, they’ll be in touch with you for important planning milestones and you’ll feel confident to just enjoy your wedding day.
4. Schedule. Schedule. And schedule again. While you’ll never be able to predict exactly how your day will be, you can plan ahead so that you’re not stressed and rushed. Start with your desired ceremony, dinner and end times and work from there. Incorporate a transportation schedule.
Decide ahead of time who will distribute final payments, who will pack gifts in the car, who is responsible for monitoring and taking home family heirlooms and who will be able to trouble shoot issues that may arise. Create and bring an emergency kit full of pain relievers and other necessities. You can find emergency kit suggestions online.
Before finalizing your schedule, consult with your officiant, photographer, caterer and DJ. If you don’t have a wedding planner, these vendors act as your planners and will keep you on schedule throughout the day.
5. Cherish every moment! Let’s face it, no one has the ability to predict exactly how his or her day will go, but that’s the beauty of it. The things that you never expected to happen on your big day may become your biggest laughs or your most cherished memories. Most importantly, it’s your first day as a married couple and you’ll be celebrating it with your closest friends and family. Enjoy it!
I hope that these tips help you while planning your wedding. Please check out my website- www.soireebysouleret.com. I hope that you’re inspired to create an event that is truly your own, as well as stress-free!
Thank you to Ryan for allowing me to be a guest on his blog. Ryan is one of the most talented (and FUN) photographers I have met. I’m so excited that my clients, and now myself, will have a chance to work with him on their wedding days.
Great advice!