Top 10 Things Not To Forget When Planning A Wedding  

Planning your wedding is a busy time. If you’re not methodically organised, you’ll begin to feel the stress. While wedding planning can be tough, it is also a fun time that has its beautiful moments.

To help you navigate the intricate landscape of weddings and preparing for them, here is a comprehensive guide to the questions you must ask yourself to plan the perfect wedding.

Is my wedding budget realistic?

It’s important to have a wedding budget, but it is twice as important to ensure the wedding budget is realistic and, where possible, utilises true numbers that are perhaps over-estimations rather than under-estimations.

Prioritise what matters to you and your partner in your wedding plan, and then associate the appropriate budget accordingly. If you’re not into flowers but want the world’s best DJ and party – cut back in one area and put the funds into what matters.

Regularly revisit your budget (I would suggest weekly) to see how you are tracking and ensure you spot overspending early.

Do I have a detailed timeline leading up to the wedding?

You must create a detailed timeline of tasks, outlining each milestone and step to accomplish said task. A task shouldn’t simply be “send invites” it should be broken down into sub-tasks like selecting the paper stock, choosing the fonts, writing the words, organising printing followed by sending invites through the post.

Timelines and a breakdown of tasks are critical to staying on track.

Do I have clarity on wedding day attendance numbers?

One of the key aspects of wedding plans is to ensure you get RSVPs and reminders out ASAP so you can start to articulate the true attendance numbers. These numbers can drive decisions around venue choice, meal choices and how much alcohol is required.

Most weddings are booked on estimations; this can be costly and create excess wastage or overspending. Where possible, always use actual numbers.

Have I proceeded to vet our wedding vendors for trustworthiness?

Be sure to fully research your vendors. Look for Google reviews, ask for references, where possible use people your friends have used before. The wedding industry is filled with vendors who come and go. Where possible, don’t fully prepay expenses ahead of time unless you have wedding insurance (which will protect you if said vendor goes out of business prior to your wedding).

Don’t be afraid to schedule face-to-face meetings and never sign off on a vendor if you haven’t spoken to them twice and met them at least once.

Do we have a plan B for our wedding day?

I am not referring to your spouse if they fail to show, I am referring to things like the weather being unsafe and forcing the venue to change and the like. For instance, if you’re intending to have an outdoor wedding, don’t wait until the day to have a backup plan if it’s rained out. Perhaps budget for the hiring of an outdoor tent, which can be kept at home if not required, but at least you have it ready if required.

Conversely, if it proceeds in the rain, do you have umbrellas for you and the bridal party? Be sure to buy a bunch of classic Bunnings umbrellas to have at your disposal.

Are we methodically managing wedding invites & RSVPs?

Multiple pieces of paper with RSVPs or emails in an inbox do not constitute good management. Have a central invite list with statuses assigned to each attendee and their guests. Set follow-up times to reach out to people who do not respond so you can rapidly get an accurate guest list of friends, families, plus-ones, children and potentially last-minute additions.

As mentioned above, it helps to have accurate numbers but it also pays dividends to centrally manage all RSVPs to avoid confusion and unnecessary stresses.

Are we covered if something goes wrong on the day of the wedding?

Ensure that legal and financial logistics are in place. If good old Uncle Al decides to spill a double Johnny Black on the DJ’s turntable, you are likely going to be liable. It is for this reason that wedding insurance becomes somewhat of a necessity for weddings these days.

You will want to ensure you’re covered for vendors going out of business, medical emergencies, 3rd party property damage and the like.

Are our outfits organised and going to fit on the day?

One of the first things people often do when planning a wedding is go dress shopping or suit shopping. Remember that if the wedding is a long way off, you will need to do fittings and final adjustments closer to the time to ensure a proper fit.

Are we overcomplicating our wedding plans and thus wedding expenses?

It’s a matter of personal taste, however, things like invites these days can be handled via websites/email instead of paper/envelope. This is a great example of how something that was once complex and expensive, is now quick and free (and some would say, easier to manage). Just a thought!

Do we have an emergency wedding day kit?

You will likely be at a venue, at a church or somewhere else that is not close to home when the unthinkable happens. Your hem comes down. Your jacket splits. Your beautiful hair gets wind-swept and won’t stay down.

It is for this reason that you should have an emergency wedding day kit that includes a range of essentials; bobby pins, sewing needles, extra make-up, hair gel for your groom, tissues, etc. Don’t leave this to your maid of honour and instead pack a range of things you may need and have your loved ones keep them close by. Perhaps chuck in a pair of gumboots too!