What girl doesn't dream of a beautiful wedding! Anticipating this event, each of us imagines in great detail the dress, the cortege, and the ceremony itself...
However, in reality it turns out that there are many more such details than we could have imagined. That is why some couples turn to wedding agencies for help , shifting a significant share of worries to professionals.
Those who want to keep the entire preparation process under control and take direct part in every stage of it cannot do without a clear action plan .
6 months until the wedding - where to start preparing
Organizing a wedding takes on average 3 months. However, some measures should be taken a little earlier, so that you can then calmly make preparations:
- Select the date of the wedding and wedding. The latter should definitely be checked with the church calendar: there are days when wedding rites are prohibited.
- Submit an application to the registry office (don’t forget your passports and money!). There you will be offered a wide selection of booklets and catalogs from companies providing wedding services.
- Find out the departure days of planes to the country where you plan to spend your honeymoon.
- Collect the package of documents required to obtain a foreign passport.
- Estimate your approximate wedding budget.
- Make a preliminary list of guests and, based on it, determine the number of invitations.
- Join a fitness club to stay in shape on your wedding day.
Celebration place
According to the tradition of the genre, most newlyweds rent a cafe or restaurant for the banquet part of the celebration. However, no one forbids going with the whole cheerful group to nature or even celebrating a wedding in Mauritius or the Maldives.
Freedom-loving people who miss the old days can have an unforgettable wedding in Cuba. If you have a limited budget, you can also celebrate your wedding at sea, for example, in Crimea.
Last month
- Sign up for a solarium, which you need to visit several times.
- Visit the dental office, taking your betrothed with you: everything should be perfect on your wedding day.
- Visit a beauty salon and have your face cleaned.
- Buy the groom a suit, shoes, shirt, cufflinks, shirt, tie or bow tie.
- Make a follow-up call to all persons providing their services on the wedding day to confirm their participation.
- Go to the registry office (to the place of exit registration) together with the witnesses, study its interior, so that on the day of registration they can easily “orient themselves to the area” and can orient everyone else.
- Conduct the final dress fitting, select a veil, shoes, handbag, jewelry, etc.
- Start breaking in your wedding shoes so that they don’t present any unpleasant surprises at the most inopportune moment.
- Pack the bride’s handbag, adhering to the principle “More is better than less.”
- Discuss with the witness the script and list of guests for the bachelorette party, resolve the issue of the venue, buy everything necessary.
- Prepare glasses, buy champagne and sweets for the registry office and a walk around the city.
- Take a break from the wedding bustle at a bachelorette party.
- Start spiritual preparation before the wedding (fasting and prayers).
- Pack your things for your honeymoon and attach a sticker to your suitcases with a list of things you need to check before leaving home.
- Visit a beauty salon, get waxing, pedicure, wedding manicure, make sure there are no unpainted roots.
- Check the weather forecast and, if necessary, provide an alternate route for a walk around the city.
- Buy your own alcohol and food for the restaurant, and resolve the issue of delivering them “to their intended destination.”
- Prepare envelopes with money as tips (waiters, musicians, etc.) and fees for the work of a photographer, videographer, presenter, etc.
- Give the witnesses a reminder “Don’t forget on your wedding day...”.
- Go with your loved one to a movie or cafe, take your mind off exciting thoughts about tomorrow and enjoy a calm, romantic evening.
Celebration style
When preparing for a wedding step by step, you need to immediately decide what its style will be, since the outfits of the newlyweds, the decoration of the hall, and much more depend on it.
Themed weddings are no longer uncommon; they are held as often as classic ones. Each couple can emphasize their individuality, for example, someone wants to get into a fairy tale in reality, others create a romantic atmosphere in a Parisian theme, music lovers choose a musical style, and rebels by nature can organize a Gothic wedding.
On that very day
Get a good night's sleep, have a hearty breakfast and greet the new day as the beginning of a happy life married to your loved one.
If the sacrament of a wedding awaits you, early in the morning you need to go to church for communion with the groom.
Don't forget the witness on your wedding day
- Check the details for the bride price.
- Pack the rice and flower petals into bags to hand out to the guests at the registry office doorstep.
- Organize the decoration of the motorcade or check the quality of the work performed by the customer.
- Check that everything is collected for the registry office, a walk around the city (water, champagne, sweets, snacks, glasses, disposable tableware, napkins) and a photo shoot.
- Meet the photographer and videographer if you plan to film the bride's preparations.
- Monitor the timely arrival of the hairdresser and makeup artist.
The list of tasks that need to be completed “before everything starts,” that is, before the groom arrives, can be continued depending on the circumstances.
Don't forget the witness on your wedding day
- Together with the groom, pick up the bride's bouquet from the florist if delivery is not provided.
- Make sure that passports and rings are not forgotten at home.
- Help the witness with car decoration.
- Make sure that the marriage certificate is not forgotten at the registry office.
- “Keep your finger on the pulse” by ordering a taxi to meet out-of-town guests as they arrive at the station, airport, etc.
- Don’t forget to pay the janitor for cleaning the registry office porch after the newlyweds leave.
Naturally, these are not all the questions that a witness may encounter, so your memo may contain more points.
Small usefulness
There are useful tips for newlyweds at a wedding that not everyone knows about, but which would be useful to everyone. Let's talk about them now. It is worth putting some useful little things in the main car:
- transparent or white umbrella;
- a piece of fabric or a small blanket so that you can lay it down and sit on a bench or stump without ruining your holiday clothes;
- a small sponge for shoes;
- bactericidal patch;
- a small bottle of clean drinking water;
- threads with a needle and pin;
- comb, wet wipes, hairpins.
If you want to drink champagne during your wedding walk, then avoid plastic soft cups. It is better for guests to buy plastic wine glasses , and for young couples - glass wine glasses.
White umbrella for a wedding walk
Hall decoration
It is better to entrust the decoration of the celebration venue to professionals if there is no time left for this. Most often, pastel shades or white in combination with red or gold are chosen to decorate the room. But no one bothers you to stand out from the crowd and decorate the room, for example, in green, yellow or purple, if they are combined with the overall style of the wedding.
Plan and seating cards
Some people forget that when preparing for a wedding, be sure to prepare a plan for seating friends and relatives at the table. But this largely determines how comfortable the guests will be! Most often, modern weddings use a European seating scheme , that is, guests do not huddle around one long table, but are located in groups at several small tables.
You can make cards and a seating plan with your own hands, regardless of the chosen style. These attributes will save time because guests will immediately know where they are sitting and will not be fussed about.
Invitations and bonbonnieres
The plan of where to start step-by-step preparation for the wedding must include the purchase/execution of original invitations. They are usually made in the same style as the celebration itself. Postcards can be sent by mail, sent by courier or delivered personally.
Bonbonnieres are a kind of compliment to guests, consisting of sweets or pleasant little things. You can make boxes or bags with symbolic gifts yourself, and then place them near each plate at the banquet.
Attention! A girl's preparation for a wedding will become more interesting if she tries to make such accessories herself (of course, if she loves needlework at least a little).
Bachelorette and bachelor parties
Preparing the bride for the wedding is not only troublesome, but also enjoyable - thanks to the bachelorette party. Many girls, for example, love Tiffany-style gatherings and cowboy-style parties. And the groom's preparation for the wedding can include a great bachelor party in a sauna or even at home.
You need to spend your bachelor and unmarried life with taste. You can say goodbye to freedom at home in a close circle of friends without frills, or you can go to the sauna or organize a themed party. or cowboy themed, and guys can fool around by pretending to be comic book superheroes.
Wedding location
When you reach this point on the bride’s checklist, don’t rush to call your favorite restaurants - maybe you’ll first pay attention to other options?
In a country complex you will have more space, a private house will give you a feeling of home comfort. Or maybe you want to amaze your guests with your originality and say the cherished “Yes” during sunset on a rooftop overlooking the city or in an old factory? Organizing a wedding in such unusual locations is a little more difficult, but our article will help you cope with this task.
We give you a little guidance on how to choose a location. On site, ask yourself these questions:
- Capacity. Is there enough space for all the guests, equipment and dance floor? Will the bride and groom's presidium be visible from anywhere in the hall?
- Location. Will it be convenient for your family to get to the place or do they need a special transfer? Will they be able to leave earlier on their own if necessary?
- General form. Does the hall look neat or is the renovation already “tired”? Will the chosen style fit here? For example, organizing an Urban style wedding in a Ukrainian restaurant with towels and a wicker fence is not the best idea if you are not a fan of eclecticism
- Technical part. Is there enough electricity for all the equipment? Is there an additional power generator in case of a sudden power outage?
Of course, each location has its own specifics and the selection criteria for a restaurant and a former factory are completely different. But this universal list of questions will help you avoid the most common troubles in preparing a wedding.
When: 6 months before the date or at the very beginning of wedding preparations.
Bridesmaids
These are your Baywatch lifeguards, therapists and stylists all rolled into one, so choose wisely! The assistants will go through the wedding preparations with you step by step, so you must be confident in them.
Of course, you won’t be able to throw off all the responsibilities on them: your friends can look for dress shops for you, reviews of a restaurant, or, for example, find out the prices of a printing house for printing invitations. You must make your own choices in all important matters of wedding preparation.
Plus, bridesmaids have two very important missions: helping you find the perfect dress and planning the best bachelorette party ever! Although this is an inveterate cliché from romantic comedies, we do not recommend abandoning it
When: 6 months before the wedding - that is, at the beginning of preparations, if you want to involve your girlfriends in this process. If you can manage without them - 1.5 months before the wedding date.
Buy wedding rings
This step is even more important than the best dress in the world: you will only wear it a few times, but the wedding rings are with you forever. We have many articles on how to choose wedding rings , so here we will only give the most important tips.
To narrow down the choice of rings (and it tends to infinity), immediately decide on the metal: platinum, gold or silver. Believe me, when you filter out two thirds of the options, it will become much easier. After that, consider whether you like inlaid stones or are a fan of classic, minimalist rings.
Important: when trying on, do not forget about convenience. The most beautiful and expensive ring will irritate you in a month if it dangles, clings to clothes or squeezes your finger.
When: 3-4 months before the wedding date.
