How To Plan Your Own Wedding

The One Fab Day Wedding Checklist And Planning Timeline

The list is a basic timeline based on a 12 month engagement and planning time, running through the typical timeframes for researching and booking different elements. Although each wedding is different – we’ve shown brides who have organised their whole wedding in just 10 weeks, others take two years – this planning checklist has general guidelines that will be helpful to every couple. You can also get our three-month planning guide here.

Read through our handy guide, then download your own free printable at the bottom of the page, highlight which ones apply to you, your other half and your wedding, and can tick off the tasks as you go .

Photo by Sarah Folega via One Fab Day

How To Plan A Backyard Wedding

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Backyard weddings can be extra special since often couples will exchange vows at their own home. A backyard wedding does allow you to have complete control over your decor, look and feel of your wedding but it also comes with a few challenges. When planning a backyard wedding you do need to consider a few key planning items.

• Parking. You will need to find a place for your guests to park for your wedding also the chances are you cant do it all in your driveway. So you might have to secure a separate parking location and shuttle guests to your backyard.
• Space for vendors. Your catering team will need a space for set up, food prep, and clean up. Your kitchen might not be the best spot so work with your catering team to make sure they can prep at a different location and bring food to your reception and remove all the clean up as well.
• Bathrooms. So, yes, you probably will need to rent portable toilets but thanks to all the new solutions in this industry you can rent nice ones for your guests.

Planning a wedding during Covid-19 will not be an easy task. There are no current ways to plan for perfection, but there are a few tips that you can follow to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible.

Make Your Own Bridesmaid Or Groomsmen Gifts

Its customary to give the members of your wedding party a small gift, but these can be costly.

You could choose to forgo the tradition altogether and write each person a heartfelt note instead. However, another option is to give hand-made gifts that dont cost very much to make.

Chances are, your wedding party will understand if youre trying to plan your wedding frugally.

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Scope Out The Local Musical Talent

You know that guitarist thats always playing at the local coffee shop? What about the woman who plays piano at church? Well, they might be the perfect option for the music in your wedding ceremony.

You could even contact a local university that has a band and ask about musicians who play certain instruments.

Hiring local music talent to play you down the aisle can be a great way to reduce the cost of your wedding.

How To Plan Your Own Wedding Like A Pro In 15 Steps

Just engaged? Unsure where to start with planning your own wedding? Check out this roadmap to plan a wedding like a pro in 15 simple steps.

One thing most wedding professionals have in common is their penchant for organization. Because they plan, create, and work dozens of weddings each year, they have their systems down to a science. But, dont let that intimidate you or allow you to think you cannot plan your own wedding. Just because you have not planned a wedding before, it does not mean you cant take it on and plan it well, for that matter!

The key to planning your own wedding is you guessed it organization. Events have tons of moving parts, and if you try to plan your soiree without a system you will quickly become disorganized. Outside of recommending that you start a Google Drive with a shared folder to keep everything in one spot, we also wanted to create an outline for you to follow.

We want planning your own wedding to be a fun process, with as little stress as possible! With this recommended process, your event will be impeccably organized and your day will feel like a dream when you finally get to celebrate. Below, were sharing the 15 steps you should take to can plan a wedding the savvy way! Keep reading to see how you can plan your wedding like a pro!

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Be Ready To Tackle The Basics

From the outset, couples need a firm timeline and some general ideas about the type of wedding they want, Lisa says. This helps take the stress out of making fast decisions when necessary. “So many couples get engaged at the same time, and they are up against each other for the same pool of vendors and venues,” she says. “If the can prioritize what they want, they will be able to make decisions faster and get the vendors they really want for their wedding.” Have one or two backup dates in mind in case your first choice isnt possible.

Things You Need To Know If You Aren’t Hiring A Wedding Planner

A veteran wedding planner shares her pointers for making your special day a success.

With dozens of decisions and dozens more logistical details, planning nuptials can daunt even the most intrepid couple. It’s no wonder that so many choose to hire a wedding planner to coordinate their big day so they can focus on the fun. But if you’re up for handling it on your own, you can pull it off as long as you approach it with a pro’s mindset. Consider these tips:

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Order Or Make Your Escort Cards And Place Cards

First, you should know the difference. While both place cards and escort cards designate where each guest will be seated at a wedding, place cards are more specificand also more formalthan escort cards. A place card not only directs guests to the table where each will sit during the reception, but also points each guest to his or her particular seat at the table. Whichever you choose, youll want your cards to complement the overall theme of your wedding, but again, the possibilities are unlimited.

Figure Out Rehearsal Dinner Details

The rehearsal dinner, which usually takes place the night before the wedding, requires some planning as well. Traditionally, the grooms family plans the rehearsal dinner, but its important to figure out whos planning for this event well in advanceand make sure a venue is booked and details are hammered out in a timely fashion, about six months before the big day.

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Create A Social Media Strategy

Juanlu Real

Whether you want your guests to share moments of your wedding day with the world or prefer to have an unplugged wedding, strategy is key. Hashtags, signage, and photo booths are a great way to get guests posting on social. On the other hand, if you don’t want your guests snapping shots or taking videos during the ceremony, have the officiant make a quick announcement before proceedings begin.

Stock The Bar Yourself

When it comes to weddings, alcohol tends to be a huge expense.

So, consider asking your bartender or venue if you can purchase the alcohol for them to use. Buying your own liquor from the grocery store tends to be less expensive than what vendors charge.

Another way to save money on alcohol is to only offer beer and wine. Or, you could offer a free cocktail hour followed by a cash bar.

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A Definition Of Marriage Isn’t Necessary

A wedding is not the time and place for the officiant to lecture on the definition of marriage. “No one attends a wedding hoping for insight into the existential meaning of marriage,” says Reynolds. “They won’t remember what was said five years from now, but they’ll remember the tone and how the ceremony made them feel. When done well, guests should leave your ceremony feeling refreshed and ready to celebrate your love.”

Choose Your Bridal Party

Your bridal party will be there for you at every step of the wedding planning process, so make sure you choose wisely. Once you ask someone to be included in your wedding party, you cant take your offer back. Give yourself adequate time to consider your options. If youre unsure of how many bridesmaids and groomsmen youd like, consider the size of your wedding. For a smaller wedding with around 50 guests, have no more than four. On the other hand, larger weddings over 100 to 200 guests could have room for up to 12. With that said, feel free to break the rules. Make sure you choose friends and family who you truly want standing next to you during your big day.

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For Including Guests Who Couldn’t Make It: Webwed

WebWed

If you didn’t stream your wedding online, did it really happen? For those of your loved ones who can’t make the ceremony, consider a cross-platform mobile app like WebWed to provide guests with a 360-degree view of your big day from the convenience of their mobile device. In fact, WebWed promises to handle the entire wedding processfrom obtaining the marriage license and scheduling a wedding officiant to posting a video of your ceremony through its app or website. You can even send out invites to all your guests. Once the wedding video is finished, it’s archived for 30 days for download.

For A Registry That’s As Easy For Guests As It Is For You: Amazon

Amazon

If you’ve been saving items to an , it will be easier than ever to get started on the mega e-tailer’s registry site. You can expect to see familiar houseware staples , plus spruced-up sections like a list of the top 100 most popular items, curated lifestyle collections , and “boutiques” for products by Jonathan Adler, Michael C. Fina, and the MoMA Design Store . It’s also a gift for your guests since most just have to log in to shop.

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Other Tips To Make Your Wedding Binder Work For You

A wedding planning binder should make your life easier. If it starts to feel like a burden, youre doing something wrong.

The most important thing is to keep your planning book organized at all times. But, there are some other tricks that you can do to make yours even more helpful.

Here are a few suggestions:

What A Bride Needs To Do Before Marriage

The Big Day

• Keep blotting papers handy so you can blot excess makeup and oil throughout!
• Dont keep touching your face. Go through the usual cleansing-toning-moisturising routine.
• A salt scrub can soften elbows so do it on the day of the wedding.
• Use SPF on your lips + face + body but especially on your lips.

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For Keeping Your Planning Crew Informed And On Point: Google Drive

Google Drive

Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, photosanything and everything can be uploaded, stored, and shared in Drive for seamless viewing and editing by anyone with a Gmail account. Want to pull up your guest list, budget, vendor contacts, or decor inspo during a venue walk-through? The mobile app is there in a pinch. Need to share important dates with your fiancé, parents, and planner? The hub links directly to Google Calendar, so no one can complain about being left out of the loop.

Top Tips For Planning Your Wedding

1. Before you start doing anything, pick a timeframe that works for you. Dont pressure yourself to get married within the year if that will be too much of a rush. 13 months is average but take as long as you need.

2. Work as a team with your other half dont try and do all of the planning yourself, and remember that communication is key. You can also delegate to friends and family you trust.

3. Only choose suppliers youre comfortable with and who understand your style and vision. The last thing you want is a photographer who you don’t gel with as they’ll be around all day.

4. Consider figuring out a social media strategy for your big day. Is it important to you that no-one is distracted by their phones, or that day guests dont post photographs until the evening guests arrive? Check out our guide on how to have an un-plugged wedding for more information.

5. Consider setting up a wedding website. Your guests are likely to have a lot of questions for you, so to avoid endless voicemails and WhatsApp messages, set up a wedding website where they can check out details of the big day, see the schedule and view your gift list. Itll save so much hassle.

6. Talk to other married couples! Ask them what worked and what didnt. After all, experience is the greatest teacher.

8. Read every contract before signing. Read reviews, find out about cancellation policies and get clued up on their payment methods its always better to be safe than sorry!

Helen Pye

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Tips To Plan Your Wedding On A Budget

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Planning a wedding on a budget can be a difficult endeavor for couples. There are so many considerations and expenses that its easy to become overwhelmed.

Thankfully, your wedding doesnt have to cost you a fortune to be a beautiful, memorable occasion. In fact, many of the best weddings, arent necessarily the most expensive!

You can plan a wedding on a budget it just requires some extra creativity and intentionality.

So, if youre ready to celebrate your marriage in style, but dont want to break the bank, here are 25 tips to plan your wedding on a budget.