Truth be told, planning a wedding is not in any way easy: there are hundreds of details to consider, which can put a lot of external pressure put on you, and there’s a lot of internal anxiety as well.
Combined with a race against time, planning a wedding can easily become one of the most stressful things in some people’s lives.
What are some of the essential tips you should keep in mind when planning your Big Day, so that you make sure to plan a perfect event without losing your mind? We have gathered them for you to hopefully take some of the stress out of planning your wedding.
Keep things organized from the very beginning. Given the large number of details you have to handle when planning the wedding, it is very easy to lose track of some things (and sometimes, these things might be quite important). Put it all on paper. Create a timeline. Take things in their natural order (e.g. first you find a wedding venue, and then you establish the décor details).
Get the big tasks out of the way first. The budget, the guest list, the venue, the catering, and the entertainment come before the napkins, the shoes, and the boutonnieres. There is a reason they should come first: they lie at the very foundation of building the ideal wedding day, and without them, you are very likely to plan a lot of details that won’t make sense all together when the day arrives.
Your seating chart is important. It may not be the most pleasant thing to plan, but it is essential when you want to make sure everyone will feel great attending your wedding reception. Even a small slip or a mistake in putting incompatible people together can ruin the atmosphere (not just for those people, but for everyone around them too).
Don’t forget about the lighting. Even the simplest, most inexpensive wedding venue can turn into a fairy tale-worthy space if you use the right lighting. Twinkle lights are especially popular for their whimsical vibe, but you can use gobo lighting (for a modern and elegant wedding), lanterns (for a casual, boho-chic wedding), or even candles (for an ultra-romantic wedding).
Go beyond trends, go beyond rules. This is YOUR wedding and it should reflect YOU. Let your personality shine through. Think out of the box, even when that means doing something most people don’t do (like wearing a colored wedding dress, if you feel that’s more suitable for you than a classic white gown).
Most importantly, though, smile through it all – your wedding planning is a time just as unique as the Big Day itself. Enjoy it and seize every beautiful second of it!
Creative Team
Ceremony Venue: Trinity Episcopal Church
Reception Venue: Elings Park, Santa Barbara
Photographer: Sara Weir
Planner, Designer and Floristry: Burlap & Bordeaux
Catering: Taqueria Movil
Lighting: Bella Vista Designs
Rentals: Elegant Event Rental
Hair & Makeup: La Rouge Artistry
Bakery: Sugar Lab Bake Shop
Linens: Dreams America Linens
DJ: Music by Bonnie