He
Finally Popped the Question….Now What?
By
Victoria Thanoukos
Kensington
Florals and Events
He Finally Popped the Question…Now What?
Where to begin? Most brides want to
run to the nearest bridal shop and “Say Yes to the Dress,” but that would
actually be the wrong way to begin your wedding/marriage. Planning to find your
wedding dress prior to doing anything else can seem like a daunting task that
can make you uncomfortable [if you don’t find it right away] and it can eat up
a great deal of your budget without you even knowing it. Helpful hint…begin with the following: set
your budget, size of guest list, location and style of your wedding, along with
the season and time of day you would like your wedding to take place.
Setting your budget is one of the most
crucial parts of your wedding day and often overlooked and not discussed. When
not discussing a budget with your fiancé and family, it can lead to tension and
arguments followed by hard feelings and animosity. By setting a budget you can
start prioritizing what the most important things are to both you and your fiancé
to make your special day perfect!
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Bridal Gown
___
Cake
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Venue
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Photographer
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DJ/Band/Orchestra
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Flowers & Decor
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Event Planner
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Videographer
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Invitations & Stamps
___
Catering
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Linens
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Ceremony
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Honeymoon
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Transportation
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Hair & Makeup
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Etc.
Sit down with your fiancé and on separate
sheets list what is most important to you, and then see where your lists match
and where they don’t. This is the time
when you will need to start to compromise. Yes, the wedding day is considered
the “Bride’s” day but it is also the first day of the rest of your married lives
together and a good time to start meeting each other in the middle. If this
becomes overwhelming or your lists are far too different from each other’s, it
may be a good time to meet with an Event Planner and see if he/she has any
ideas on how to help.
Next is the size of your guest list.
Remember if you have a budget of 20k or less, having 800 guests is going to be difficult
to accomplish. Even the savviest Event Planner will find that a bit difficult
and try to steer you towards cutting your guest list or raising your budget. This
is also a great time to figure out where you would like to get married. If you
have fallen in love with a specific venue location make sure that their space
can hold your guests comfortably. If you
have a 300 person guest list but your venue has a maximum capacity of 150 people, you
either need to cut your guest list or find a new venue to fall in love with. (hint: small
ways to save on budget… create a smaller guest list…more guests equals more
invitations and stamps…those add up!)
Following your guest list and venue
is your wedding style. Are you modern chic? Vintage? Romantic and whimsical?
Eco-friendly? Etc. Sit down with your fiancé and ask him how he pictures your
big day together. Does he see waterfalls, a wooded location, a marble museum, a
hotel in a major metropolis? All these questions contribute to the style the
two of you want to encompass in the theme of your wedding day! Make sure it
fits both of your personalities otherwise it can feel forced and phony. Example: If you two are all about the country
and that is how your family and friends always see you [surrounded by hay
barrels and sunflowers] it would be a bit out of character to have your wedding
set at the Art Institute of Chicago. Now if you have always dreamed of that, by
all means, fulfill your wish but if it seems a bit uncomfortable then go with
your gut!
Lastly, the most magical element…
the season! Do you love the colors of the leaves changing in the fall? Could you
just picture that breathtaking backdrop behind you and the love of your life?
Do you love how the snow falls and how everything is covered in white with bare
trees all around and glistening lights? Or the new blooms of spring popping up
everywhere. Or even the warmth of the sun hitting your face in mid-summer and
water all around? What do you picture when you think of your big day?
Planning the time you would like your
wedding to take place depends on the season you choose. Winter months have less
day light to work with and will need to have an earlier planned weddings if you plan to take great snowy pictures outside. Summer
weddings can begin much later since the day light lasts so much longer but be
very careful if you are planning a sunset wedding. Make should you time it
correctly if you would like to capture the most perfect backdrop for your photographs.
No matter what you decide, remember this
is your special day and it should be as you have always dreamed but ….it is
just one day or at times a weekend (depending on culture and tradition). Make
sure that you make the right decisions for the both of you and your futures
together. This should be a joyous time
and not one of worry or doubt. Prioritizing from the beginning keeps you focused
on the goal without letting the wedding get bigger than the two of you!
Have fun! Fall
in love with each other every day! Happy Wedding!
http://www.pinterest.com/explore/heart-weddings/
