Weddings
6 Smart Wedding Tips
Great ideas that make a big difference.
Wedding planning doesn’t have to be tough. Take the edge off with these tips:
1. Borrow your dress before buying
Yes, I said borrow! Kirstie Kelly allows brides to borrow her gowns and try them on in the privacy of their own home or invite friends and family over for a viewing party! Whichever you choose, you’re not limited to only the selection of the gowns in your nearby bridal salons.
2. Create a shot list for your photographer and videographer
Yes, they’ll know to take pictures of your cake cutting or of your first dance… but they may not know you want a picture with your Great Aunt Sally and you will likely not remember on the day. It’s helpful to your planner/photographer to have the list, and it ensures you get all the shots you want!
3. Incorporate trends carefully
When it comes to popular trends you like and want to incorporate into your wedding, the best piece of advice I can give is to do so sparingly. For example, if you love ombre, not everything in your wedding needs to have ombre. Pick a few elements (like your escort cards, or table runners) to bring in the trend. It’ll make a statement without being too much!
Whichever you choose, you’re not limited to only the selection of the gowns in your nearby bridal salons.
4. Save money and time with smart scheduling
Schedule your hair and makeup trial the same day as your engagement pictures shoot. That way you kill two birds with one stone and look great doing it!
5. Set your budget before hiring anyone
You may already know the photographer you want to use, but it’s important to layout your financial plan before spending any money.
6. Find a way to give back with your wedding
Weddings can sometimes become all about “me/we” when planning them, but it’s important pay it forward during this special time. I’ve heard of brides volunteering as part of the bachelorette party or making a donation to charity in lieu of favors. However, one of my favorite ways to give back is with OneHope Weddings wine. Half the proceeds from each bottle sold goes to charity, and each variety supports a specific cause (ie: their Chardonnay supports breast cancer research, their Zinfandel supports the troops, etc). Since you already have to purchase wedding wine, it makes the experience a little sweeter knowing you made a difference.
Ashini Mehta
This is such a good blog. I wish the writer had mentioned about buying wedding apps before the big day to make the wedding planning easy.
Gabrielle Williams
I believe "setting the budget" should be on top of the list. Having this on top of your list will definitely make preparations less stressful.
And oh… set the budget and be sure to stick to it 🙂
ArabellaClarington
I wish I’d seen this before I got married! I’m going to share this with my colleague who’s getting married in a few months. Hopefully it’s not too late for her to implement some of these ideas. 🙂
Joanne Samonte
Fantastic tips! Wedding preparations are really stressful! As a matter of fact, the moment a woman get engaged, she’s feeling that stress. She’s overwhelmed with the upcoming “big” event (though it will be in 2-3 years time).
The moment I got engaged, I had a visualization of a perfect wedding. It was not time constraint because I had over a year to prepare. Budget was not much of an issue, but I really tried to stick to it. I wanted to be the most beautiful and glowing wife 🙂 I was a wedding planner and organizer for a number of years before I got married so I had a clear idea on how things work and what I need to do. But it felt very different preparing my own wedding.
I would have to agree with tip #3, wedding apps are wonderful help in this big event preparation!
Paula Lowe
Definitely sharing this with my recently-engaged sister! A lot of times brides want to run everything on their own, but we all know if you try to bite more than you can chew you might just find yourself in deep problems. Planning takes time, effort, and a little bit of stress can be healthy – you just need to make sure you are not too stressed to the point you’re not thinking straight.
Auriane Desombre
#10 is a great idea to ensure that there's at least one moment you can take for yourself to enjoy.
Jen Spillane
I love #10. The consensus for many brides seems to be that the actual wedding day is a blur. Taking some time before greeting guests is a great way to ground yourself and take it all in. After all of that planning: you're here! It's happening!
Zenab Bello-Osagie
I know weddings can be very stressful to plan. But with these tips it can help brides-to-be ho w to effectively plan their time. I really think having a professional planner can help with the stress of planning a lot!!!
Randie Cadiogan
I know planning weddings are very stressful moments. Hopefully with these tips bride-to-be's can be well informed and plan strategically. Hiring a professional planer can take off a lot of stress!
Dena Gershkovich
This article was so cute! I learned so much! Thanks for writing 🙂