You’re getting married, now where to start?
After the celebrations and the scramble to unearth your childhood book of wedding dreams, reality sets in. The dress you always fantasized about wearing is best suited for an eight year olds dress-up play date, and that reception theme you dreamed about – what were you thinking!? The key to wedding planning is being informed and do research.
1. Keep It Within Budget Money! The reason for most of life’s stresses but if handled well, the bringer of great things. Starting out the wedding planning process without a budget is similar to starting the construction of a house without having the floor plans drawn up.
- Agree with your partner how much money you are willing to spend on the entire wedding (assuming no financial contributions are received).
- Knowing beforehand what you will not compromise on will make future decision making easier.
- Keep a scrapbook/ journal of any ideas you might come across. Shop around for discounts and sales, and keep the details in your journal.
- Get recommendations from friends and families on service providers they think can be the best choices to help you realize your wedding vision.
- Seat with your family, as a couple, and discuss with them what your plans for YOUR wedding are.
- Ask for their help in finding the best deals and bargains but ultimately it is your decision on what gets included in the wedding.
2. Give It Time Whether your engagement lasts five years or only a few months long you need to allocate enough time to plan your wedding. Anything done in a hurry rarely turns out well.
- A larger wedding will require more time to plan even with a team of eager volunteers. Estimate at least a fortnight for every million on your budget although if you are running a small budget you might need more time to find those bargains and negotiate those deals.
- Do not make a decision to sign on a service provider right after meeting with them for the first time. Meet with at least three other providers in the same industry and compare products, prices and reputations.
- Make a ‘to do’ list of your wedding details and dates of accomplishment to guide you on what needs to be done when. Devote time to working towards updating your checklist every day.
- Consider getting a friend or relative to volunteer to help you do research and make appointments with service providers.
3. Consider Hiring a Professional Planner While wedding planning is a relatively new industry in Uganda, the need for a wedding planner has never been greater than it is today. Busy schedules and full social calendars do not leave a lot of time left over for couples to plan their weddings.
- A good wedding planner should be able to work with your budget but deliver beyond your expectations. She will be able to give you her undivided attention, help you develop unique concepts that tie in with your vision, all while not pushing your budget out of range.
- When choosing a planner for your wedding, pick someone you are comfortable with, trust and can rely on. After all, you are going to hand her the reins to pull together all the details that make up your wedding.
- Choose someone who does not impose his or her ideas on you, belittle your vision or is disrespectful: even if they are the hottest item in town, you do not need that kind of person in your life.
Do you think these tips are helpful? Let us know in the comments below.
Happy Planning!
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