First 3 Wedding Planning Decisions
Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 @ 05:26 AM
What to plan first?
All brides have a dream – a dream of the perfect wedding…that dream includes the perfect dress, the perfect reception hall, the perfect menu and the perfect wedding cake all creating that perfect day. No matter how large or small the wedding is, a lot of work goes into coordinating all the details of this once-in-a-lifetime day.
1. The Wedding Venue
Where is the grand celebration going to take place? You should look at several locations, even if your heart is set on one. Why? Because the price of a venue can eat up a substantial portion of your budget, so be sure to find out what’s included with the rental and make a spreadsheet to compare all the elements of one venue versus another. Popular party halls and reception sites book early – months before the actual day and brides will feel a bit pushed to rush and reserve. Don’t be hasty. Before you sign anything – be sure to know what’s included with the rental. Are tables and chairs included, linens, centerpieces, use of any common area and any other feature unique to that venue? Because no two venues are the same and no two rental packages are the same the only way to really see what you’re getting it to break it down and look at it.
2. The Wedding Time
Depending on what the venue has available, if your date is most important, you may have to alter the ideal time you wanted to have your reception. If you dreamed of a candle light wedding, but the venue is only available in the afternoon, you’ll have to decide which is more important- the date, or the candles. Whatever time you end up selecting will drive other decisions like your attire, your wedding party attire, your menu and maybe even the flow of the reception. You probably wouldn’t have a black tie reception at 1:00 in the afternoon – serving a full 7 course meal. As a guideline, if your budget is conservative, then an afternoon reception would be best; if not, then some of these considerations won’t matter.
3. The Wedding Colors
After years of working with brides, we can tell you they have an idea of what colors they want to incorporate into their wedding. This determines what color flowers they wish to carry, what linens and décor they want, what colors and maybe flavors are used to create their wedding cake, and sometimes, even down to what reception catering menu they want.
Most brides have a color scheme in mind when they first start their planning. It helps if these colors complement the time of year, geographical location and time of day this celebration is going to take place. When asked, brides will eagerly tell you the colors they’ve selected, but typically, even though this has been their dream, those colors may and often do change. Maybe that shade of lavender they so counted on, can’t be found in dresses that coordinate with the wedding dress, or, maybe that shade of lime green isn’t flattering to the wedding party. Or maybe the ladies want a dress they can use again since this is an investment on their part…and just maybe, some new trend they’ve seen completely changes their original color scheme. Whatever the wedding party dresses end up being will ultimately be the colors the bride ends up selecting.