Throw It Back | Wedding Planning



For most brides, as soon as you get engaged the first thing you think about is "how am I going to plan this wedding?" or "Let me go to my Pinterest board!". We think we have it all figured out and now we just have to bring it to life right? Tell me ladies, how many of you truly knew exactly what you were doing and needed no advice or help? Nine times out of ten, unless you're a master wedding planner yourself, you probably realized you needed some advice and help really fast! Well, today on my "Throw it Back" post, I'm going to share some of my favorite tips I received while planning our wedding and then some tips I wish I had known sooner! I would love hear additional advice and tips in the comment section below. Enjoy! :)

1. YOU Are Not Alone in This: Speaking about myself personally, I know that I can be a little bit of a control freak at times and just want to have my hand in every aspect of everything. When it comes down to planning a wedding, do not try to do this or you will seriously lose your mind! If someone offers to help you do things whether it be calling a vendor you want to check out, helping you craft some DIY projects, or anything, LET THEM. You will feel much more relaxed and stress-free!

2. Leave Wiggle Room in your Budget: Okay so you've found your venue, you've found all of the vendors you would like to use and you have your budget set based upon how much each of these are going to cost. The ideal thing to do would be to sit down with your fiance, set a budget, and then find vendors within your already selected budget. Yeah, that doesn't always work out! However, once you solidify all of your vendors and your venue and you know where your budget stands, I strongly advice you to add at least 5-8% more to your budget for unexpected things that pop up. & trust me when I say, they will pop up! It's just better to be prepared rather than panicked.

3. Give Your Fiance What He Wants: Before ya'll go crazy on me, let me explain what I mean. My husband didn't really care about anything that had to do with planning our wedding. Not that he didn't care about our marriage, but he felt the wedding thing was for me, so he wanted me to do whatever I wanted. The only part he cared about was the music, and I let him handle all of that because that is what he wanted. Ladies, I know it can be hard to let go and let your man handle a huge part of this special day, but if they just want control over one thing, let them have it. Trust me, I was on him everyday asking questions and getting frustrated when he didn't have it planned out the way I would have done it, but at the end of the day it came together and he was happy (I was too! Our band and DJ was awesome!). It'll be a good start to a long healthy marriage with compromise! :)

4. It's Okay to Put Your Foot Down: Learn that it is okay to say no NOW. Before you get so deep into yeses that you can't take them back and now you're up a creek! It's okay to tell people no when it comes to your wedding day. No, I don't want $10,000 flowers. No, I don't want an expensive sit-down dinner with China. No, I do not want children at my reception. The list goes on! HOWEVER, I will say pick your battles people. Some things are just not worth an argument. Never ever be nasty, but be firm.

5. Take Your Time: Some people work really well under pressure and can plan a wedding within a couple months and be totally fine. If you're not that person, that's okay! When setting your wedding date, keep in mind how long you will need to plan and if you're paying for the wedding yourself how long it'll take to get the money you will need. Don't let anyone rush you to set a date or to push your date up once it's set. Enjoy the process!

6. DO NOT, I Repeat, DO NOT Get Caught Up in Perfection: Your wedding is one day. It does not dictate how the rest of our lives together will go. You can plan all day, but something can and most likely will go wrong. The most important thing to do is remain calm and embrace the changes and the unexpected. Some unplanned things might turn out to be that thing that makes your day unique!

7. Pick Your Favors Wisely: Ladies and Gents, don't waste your money on a wedding favor that your guests are going to throw on the backseat of their car and never think about again. When thinking of favors, think of something either edible or unforgettable. We went with a photo booth picture that our guests got to take home and see online and a candy buffet that they enjoyed probably for a week after the wedding, but then it was gone. Sometimes it can be so much cheaper to think of it that way than to buy 250 matchboxes with a picture of you and your new husband on it.

8. Accept That You Can't Please Everyone: You cannot make everyone happy and you cannot accommodate everyone's requests. Matter of fact, my advice is don't even start trying to accommodate anyone because then you will get stuck and it'll be hard to say no. Make everything about you and your beau. If you both agree you don't want to do something, don't do it and don't apologize for it. 

9. Make Sure Your Wedding Party Feels Appreciated: Your wedding party accepted an invitation to be a part of your special day, and what this means for them most of the time is that they have to shell out money! Money for your shower, money for your bachelorette/bachelor party, money for their dresses/tuxedos, etc. They also have to put up with YOU, the bride, during the whole wedding planning process! It is a huge responsibility to be a part of someone's wedding and I am a firm believer in making sure your wedding party feels appreciated. I went a little overboard with gifts for my girls, but it's because I appreciated all they did for me. You don't have to buy a lot of fancy gifts, but make sure to let them know you appreciate them and don't make them spend money on worthless things that they may never wear again. BE NICE! :)

10. HAVE FUN: This is the most important tip! Make sure that no matter what, you enjoy every aspect of this! From getting engaged, to planning your wedding, to picking out a dress, to your actual wedding day! Dance the night away, drink a couple glasses of wine, and make memories that'll last forever!

HAPPY WEDDING PLANNING! XOXOXO



3 comments

  1. I would like to know which season is good for a beautiful wedding. Actually I am planning for my wedding and looking for best time for an occasion and also want to know; in which season I get huge discounts on New York venues. Please share your reviews on it.

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    1. I'm not sure I can help you with New York venues because I'm not familiar with them (sorry!), however, I will say I think the best seasons for weddings are either the spring or fall! I say this because the weather is so perfect in both seasons. If you get lucky and it doesn't rain (fingers crossed) it's like never too hot or too cold! Just perfectly breezy! :)

      Sorry I was so late getting back with you, but happy wedding planning! XO

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  2. Isn't that coral color beautiful?! I loved it on my bridesmaids. I think they had some sizing issues because they were all told to order WAY too big, but luckily they were able to pull it all together. :)

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Through Jam's Eyes