Is 2023 the year that you will be exchanging vows with your partner and getting married? Are you filled with excitement as well as stress and nerves at the prospect of planning the big day? Everyone gets excited about the engagement, but once it sinks in that there is a big event to plan, those other emotions start to seep in and it can be very difficult to calm your stress. So rather than run yourself haggard with wedding planning, it’s best to lay everything out in a cohesive plan that you can follow step-by-step.
To help keep things on track here are five essentials when planning the perfect wedding for 2023.
Use a Wedding Planning App
Perhaps one of the best tips there is for engaged couples is to use a wedding planning app. If you aren’t hiring a professional wedding planner, these apps will help fill the void and keep things organised. Look for one that allows you to customise details and lists, so that it will work perfectly for your needs.
Depending on the app, you may also be able to share it with others in your wedding party so everyone is on the same page.
Work on the Guest List as Early as Possible
And before you get too deep into wedding planning, there is one big question you need to answer – how many guests will you be inviting? This number will be a huge deciding factor in choosing the venue.
You can approach it in two ways. If you already have your heart set on a venue, then you need to keep the guest list in check and ensure it will accommodate everyone. But if you’re more focused on the size of the guest list, then you can use that as the criteria when researching venues.
Save the Dates Can Be Extremely Helpful
Couples often wait until they have the wedding invitations in their hands before they send out the information to guests, but this isn’t always a great plan. Guests may need more lead time to plan so getting a heads-up would be very much appreciated. This is exactly what a save-the-date card is – it simply lets guests know the date of the wedding and the location. There is no response needed, but it will allow people to plan.
Save the dates can be sent in the mail, or you can make things more cost-effective and faster by sending out electronic cards.
Set a Budget and Stick to It
The wedding industry is huge and with that said couples can spend a small fortune on their big day. But that may not be what you want to do, which is why a budget is important. Setting it before the planning begins means you can determine what does and doesn’t fit into the budget. Many wedding planning apps have built-in budgeting tools that will allow you to track expenses in real-time.
The most important thing about setting a budget is making sure you stick to it, that may mean you have to make some sacrifices and concessions along the way.
Take Time Picking Your Wedding Bands
A huge part of the wedding ceremony is the exchanging of wedding bands, so you also want to be sure you have purchased these and they arrive in time for the big day. Because this is a piece of jewellery you’ll wear daily, you want to be sure it’s perfect. This means it needs to work with your style and aesthetic and not necessarily what’s trending at the moment. Check out the many classic and modern styles at shops like this Hatton Garden jewellers to find inspiration.Â
For the bride-to-be, there is also the question of how the wedding band looks next to the engagement ring. While they don’t have to be from the same collection, they should be the same style and metal so it’s a cohesive set. There’s also the question of whether the two of you want matching rings, and if so do you prefer a customised set?
Make It the Day You’ve Been Dreaming Of
All of these tips and essentials will help you to plan the perfect wedding, the one you’ve dreamed about your whole life.