Planning a wedding is a challenge at the best of times, and with so many things to arrange, it is easy to overlook something. You want this most special of days to be perfect, so you do need to think about every aspect of the event, and the best place to start is making a list.
- Prioritise – The first things to tackle are the guest list and the venue, as without these, you really can’t go forward, so source the venue and pick a date, preferably a few months away, at least. Once your guest list is drawn up and approved by your partner, you can think about wedding stationery, such as the invitations, and, of course, personalised wedding thank-you cards, which can be ordered online for a very reasonable cost.
- List of Vendors & Services – This is essential, as the list will have contact numbers for all services, along with notes as to the current status, and your list will likely include marquee hire, disco and light show, perhaps some independent food vendors and possibly a bar set up. You can even hire dance floors and furniture, should you wish, and you can make all the arrangements online.
- Parking – It might sound amazing, but sometimes car parking is completely overlooked, and this normally results in unhappy neighbours who are inconvenienced by the sudden number of cars. Signs should be put up, and it is always a good idea to have one person with a flashlight to guide vehicles in and out.
- Ice – Believe it or not, some wedding parties actually run out of ice, and you either need a few ice making machines, or a huge cooler box that is filled to the brim. You can never have too much ice at a wedding party.
- Overnight Accommodation – None of your guests might be planning to stay the night, but often, drivers have had a little too much to drink, and rather than risk driving, they decide to stay the night. Chek with a local hotel for rates and availability, and if you have a spare room, this can be used for temporary accommodation.
- Coats, Bags and Hats – There will be those who wish to hang their overcoat or jacket, and umbrellas and hats are frequently seen at weddings, so a small cloakroom would be fine, preferably with a few hanging rails and coat hangers. Of course, the more guests you have, the more storage space you will need, and if the wedding is in the winter, there will obviously be a lot of garments to be stored.
You should always work from lists, which need to be updated regularly, and by double checking as a habit, you are not likely to overlook anything. All printables can be sourced from a cheap online provider, where you get to choose the design, the paper, the font, and, of course, the images, and with the invitations dispatched, you can begin to plan the reception.
