A wedding can be an intimidating event to plan. Not only is there the anticipation of the big day and what it represents, there is also the stress of having everything go smoothly, be beautiful, and an event that both you and your guests will enjoy. Take some of the pressure off of your planning by tackling the big items on your list first. The next thing you know, your wedding day will be right around the corner, and you will be prepared to enjoy it to its fullest.
Choosing a Place For Your Wedding
Before you start looking for a place to hold your wedding, try to envision your perfect day. Do you want an outdoor ceremony among lush gardens, or a more traditional setting at a hotel or function hall? How many people do you want to invite, and what type of place can accommodate them? Having a vision of your perfect wedding in mind will help you significantly narrow down your choices. Once you have a list of places that my accommodate your vision, choose four or five to visit, then make appointments that fit within your schedule. Once you’ve made your final decision, nail down the date and give them a deposit. This will be one important item that you can cross off your list.
Picking a DJ
You will likely have people tell you that the DJ you choose will make or break your wedding. This can add a lot of pressure to your wedding planning, so it is a good idea to start looking for a DJ early. Contact a few different agencies that provide DJ services, and request a DVD of past performances. This will help you choose a musical style for your wedding. Also, before you sign a contract, make arrangements to meet the DJ in person. They may look great on DVD, but if your personalities clash you may have difficulty working with them in the coming months. In my opinion, if a DJ is not willing to meet and discuss your wedding prior to being hired, look elsewhere. You don’t want any surprises the day of your wedding, so having the opportunity to meet them face to face and understand their musical style can greatly reduce the stress of planning the music for your big day.
Officiant
The person who performs your ceremony, whether it is a minister, or justice of the peace, should be someone that you can work well with. Decide first on the type of officiant that you would like for your wedding, and then start looking for officiants that perform ceremonies in your area. When you have narrowed down your search to three or four officiants that are of interest to you, make an appointment to meet with them to get a feel for their style, experience, and overall personality. Your ceremony should be a reflection of you and your fiancé, so you want to hire an officiant that will work closely with you to help make your ceremony exactly the way you want it to be. Also, if you are planning to prepare a custom ceremony for your wedding, it can be extremely helpful if the officiant can provide you with sample ceremonies that you can review and choose from. This can save you the time and frustration of researching ceremonies and/or trying to come up with the words on your own.
Photographer
This is an area where you can spend a lot of money, so you definitely want to shop around. In addition to their level of experience, it is a good idea to get an overall feel for their photographic style. How do they plan to capture your special moments during the ceremony and reception, and where do they normally place their focus? Remember that this is the person that is going to capture a day that you want to remember fondly for the rest of your life, so sometimes choosing the right photographer is more important than choosing the photographer who offers the lowest price.
Also, before you sign a contract with a photographer, make sure you understand exactly what their services include. Will they be present before the ceremony to take pictures of you getting ready? Is a professional photo album included in the price they have quoted? Photography can be expensive, so make sure you have a clear understanding of the services they will provide before you sign the contract.
Florist
Flowers have a personality all their own, so you want to make sure that the flowers you choose reflect the mood you want for your wedding. Therefore it is important to choose a florist who is attentive to your needs and is supportive of the vision you have for your wedding day. You definitely want to choose someone that you can trust. Do you feel confident that they will accomplish your goal, or will they ignore your requests and prepare arrangements according to their own style? Their willingness to work with you will be important as the wedding gets closer, so choose a florist that you communicate well with, and that provides you with the greatest sense of security.
Planning a wedding can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a lot of fun if you get yourself organized ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time to plan. Take the stress off of planning this big event by tackling the big items first. Once these items are complete, you can move on to the more enjoyable tasks, like picking out your perfect gown, and arranging centerpieces and favors. Your wedding day will be as special as you make it. Bask in the joy that this day will bring by taking your time and enjoying the choices you make along the way.
Choosing a Place For Your Wedding
Before you start looking for a place to hold your wedding, try to envision your perfect day. Do you want an outdoor ceremony among lush gardens, or a more traditional setting at a hotel or function hall? How many people do you want to invite, and what type of place can accommodate them? Having a vision of your perfect wedding in mind will help you significantly narrow down your choices. Once you have a list of places that my accommodate your vision, choose four or five to visit, then make appointments that fit within your schedule. Once you’ve made your final decision, nail down the date and give them a deposit. This will be one important item that you can cross off your list.
Picking a DJ
You will likely have people tell you that the DJ you choose will make or break your wedding. This can add a lot of pressure to your wedding planning, so it is a good idea to start looking for a DJ early. Contact a few different agencies that provide DJ services, and request a DVD of past performances. This will help you choose a musical style for your wedding. Also, before you sign a contract, make arrangements to meet the DJ in person. They may look great on DVD, but if your personalities clash you may have difficulty working with them in the coming months. In my opinion, if a DJ is not willing to meet and discuss your wedding prior to being hired, look elsewhere. You don’t want any surprises the day of your wedding, so having the opportunity to meet them face to face and understand their musical style can greatly reduce the stress of planning the music for your big day.
Officiant
The person who performs your ceremony, whether it is a minister, or justice of the peace, should be someone that you can work well with. Decide first on the type of officiant that you would like for your wedding, and then start looking for officiants that perform ceremonies in your area. When you have narrowed down your search to three or four officiants that are of interest to you, make an appointment to meet with them to get a feel for their style, experience, and overall personality. Your ceremony should be a reflection of you and your fiancé, so you want to hire an officiant that will work closely with you to help make your ceremony exactly the way you want it to be. Also, if you are planning to prepare a custom ceremony for your wedding, it can be extremely helpful if the officiant can provide you with sample ceremonies that you can review and choose from. This can save you the time and frustration of researching ceremonies and/or trying to come up with the words on your own.
Photographer
This is an area where you can spend a lot of money, so you definitely want to shop around. In addition to their level of experience, it is a good idea to get an overall feel for their photographic style. How do they plan to capture your special moments during the ceremony and reception, and where do they normally place their focus? Remember that this is the person that is going to capture a day that you want to remember fondly for the rest of your life, so sometimes choosing the right photographer is more important than choosing the photographer who offers the lowest price.
Also, before you sign a contract with a photographer, make sure you understand exactly what their services include. Will they be present before the ceremony to take pictures of you getting ready? Is a professional photo album included in the price they have quoted? Photography can be expensive, so make sure you have a clear understanding of the services they will provide before you sign the contract.
Florist
Flowers have a personality all their own, so you want to make sure that the flowers you choose reflect the mood you want for your wedding. Therefore it is important to choose a florist who is attentive to your needs and is supportive of the vision you have for your wedding day. You definitely want to choose someone that you can trust. Do you feel confident that they will accomplish your goal, or will they ignore your requests and prepare arrangements according to their own style? Their willingness to work with you will be important as the wedding gets closer, so choose a florist that you communicate well with, and that provides you with the greatest sense of security.
Planning a wedding can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a lot of fun if you get yourself organized ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time to plan. Take the stress off of planning this big event by tackling the big items first. Once these items are complete, you can move on to the more enjoyable tasks, like picking out your perfect gown, and arranging centerpieces and favors. Your wedding day will be as special as you make it. Bask in the joy that this day will bring by taking your time and enjoying the choices you make along the way.
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