The first step to planning a wedding is to create a budget for it
Booking certain vendors in advance can help you in getting better deals
Manage your finances effectively to make your dream wedding a reality
Good food, great music, family, and the celebration of love – that’s what all weddings are about. Planning the perfect wedding, however, is a task that’s far more complicated than we imagine it to be. Be it coordinating with multiple vendors, juggling 20-odd things, and handling the big Indian family, it’s easy that you may skip a thing or two.
Before you begin planning your wedding, here’s a wedding checklist to help you stay on track of all your wedding preparations, so you don’t miss out on anything.
Creating a budget for your wedding is the first and the most important step in planning your wedding. This will help you understand how much are you likely to spend on the wedding and thus help you organise your finances accordingly. This will also help you finalize the events at your wedding. In case you are planning to take an Instant Personal Loan for your big fat wedding, this will be a good indicator of the amount you choose to borrow.
Booking a wedding venue is usually the first thing you do on your checklist. Ideally, you should book your wedding venue almost 6 – 9 months in advance. Not only will this help you save money, it will also allow you to book a venue of your choice.
During the off-season, you’ll find that several vendors, whether it is florists or caterers, are offering early bird discounts. Take advantage of such offers to keep costs down.
Since you will send wedding invites to friends and relatives, take the effort to be sure that they are well-designed, thoughtful and have all the information your guests need. Moreover, a wedding invite will be a keepsake for you, so it is worth spending extra time on it.
Once you decide on a caterer, decide what cuisines you want to serve. Choose between a buffet service and a sit-down dinner and pick the live counters you’d like at your reception. If you plan in advance, you can also have a tasting to be sure of the food you’ll be serving.
Since your wedding photos will contain a lifetime of memories, select your photographer and videographer with care, instead of leaving it to the last minute. Ensure that they understand your aesthetic and the expectations you have. You can also do a small shoot informally to discuss your likes and dislikes with them.
Musicians are a busy lot and if you wait until the last minute, you might lose out on your preferred band and/or DJ. So, ensure that you make your booking well in advance and always have a back-up that you can rely on.
Book a beautician for yourself and your partner much before the wedding, whether you are planning it in peak season or not. Make sure you send him or her the colours you plan to wear during the wedding, so they can be equipped with the right essentials.
If you are expecting guests from out of town, make necessary arrangements for their stay. If you can do this in advance, you’ll be able to wager a better deal. If hotels are too expensive, service apartments make for a more affordable option. Make sure that you book the accommodation close to the venue, this way transportation of guests becomes more convenient and economical.
Selecting the right wedding attire may take time as you need to find the right design, require multiple fittings and search for matching accessories. So, plan in advance and reduce the hassle of last-minute panic!
To ensure that you don’t miss out on anyone, make a master guest list and stick to it. Too many additions will throw your plans off track. You don’t want problems such as insufficient food or seating.
To help your family and other guests reach the venue easily, book transport. Depending on your budget and needs, you can hire a fleet of cars or buses. Even if you have a car, it may be a good idea to hire a driver to help run last-minute errands.
If you’re planning a destination wedding or are having one on a large scale, it pays to hire a security guard to keep your jewellery and other valuables safe.
Wedding planners take a lot of responsibility off your shoulders and make sure that everything goes as per plan. If you don’t want to do the running around or don’t know how to bring your vision to life, entrust a wedding planner’s services.
This is an important and often-neglected aspect of wedding planning. Since it is mandatory to register your marriage, doing it early can be helpful. Experts suggest getting the licence right when you are booking your wedding venue.
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Whether it is jewellery, clothes, or wedding favours—make a list of all the shopping you need to get done. This way, you’re sure that you won’t miss out on anything.
Making lists is a good way to stay organised, but if you have too many of them, you may not be able to keep track of the various tasks. So, maintain a folder or a digital file that consists of all your lists. This will help you save time and keep you on schedule.
Apart from hotel rooms, you must also make other arrangements for guests attending the wedding. Having enough water, sending out directions to the venue, arranging for their food and taking care of all their needs is also something that you’ll need to worry about.
It is tempting to spend lavishly considering the fact that your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, but it is wise to be prudent of all your spends. You’ll probably have bills to pay after the wedding as well, so plan accordingly. Consider taking a personal loan customised for weddings to ensure that funding your wedding and other events don’t add to your stress.
If you do everything yourself, you will be too tired to enjoy your wedding. Instead, ask friends and family to volunteer to help you make all the arrangements.
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but not when you follow this checklist. These 20 steps will ensure that you leave nothing to chance.
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