|
|
Wedding Planning 101: Create a
Wedding Planner
by Mrs. Crystal Paine
Did your wonderful husband-to-be recently “pop the question” and now you
are wondering what on earth you have gotten yourself into with trying to
plan a wedding? Don’t panic! I was there once and I remember the first
few weeks of having no idea what to do or where to start. Our wedding
date was only five months away and I was completely clueless as to what
type of ceremony I wanted, what colors I liked, who would officiate,
where the wedding would take place, and on and on the endless unknowns
went. There seemed to be an enormous amount of details to figure out,
and time was running out.
Before you do anything, make up a “wedding planner.” This was literally
the best thing I did and it saved me so much hassle and allowed me to
have a beautiful, stress-free wedding day. There are all sorts of lovely
pre-made wedding planners available, but I recommend you make your own.
Get a 3-ring binder and notebook paper. Title a separate sheet of paper
for each month until the wedding. For the last month, make a separate
page for each week. For the last week, make a separate page for each
day.
As you are thinking of the 1001 things which need to be done before the
big day, instead of letting them overwhelm you, write it down in your
wedding planner on the appropriate page when you would like to have that
item figured out, done, or taken care of. Use these monthly, weekly, and
daily lists to help keep you on track. As items are finished, cross them
off your list. If something doesn't get done one month, move it to the
next month.
In my wedding planner, I not only had a whole section with these lists,
but I kept everything else needed for the big day. There was a section
for receipts (I put some clear plastic pockets to hold these in), a
section which listed everyone who was involved in the wedding (so no one
would be overlooked on the program), and fabric swatches (so we could
match the dresses, the flowers, and the decorations). Another section
listed all the out-of-town guests, where they were staying, when they
were coming in, and if they needed transportation. There was a section
for wedding and shower gifts and thank you cards which still needed to
be written. As we met with various individuals (florists, wedding
coordinator, and so on), I took notes and kept these notes in my wedding
planner for future reference. There was also a section which listed all
the contact information for the key people/businesses involved in our
wedding (from cake decorator to officiator).
Your wedding planner will be different than mine, because no two
weddings are the same. Customize your planner to fit your exact needs
for your special day.
As you plan your wedding, make sure and take time to enjoy preparing and
looking forward to it. Don’t get so caught up in all the details that
you drive yourself and everyone around you crazy! In the end, everything
will work out and it will be a beautiful day!
About the author
Crystal Paine is the owner of Covenant Wedding Source, LLC, an online
retail bridal business specializing in custom-made gowns and other
unique wedding products. She lives with her husband and daughter in
Kansas. For more information on her business, visit her website:
www.covenantweddingsource.com
|
|
