HERE’S SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PLANNING A WEDDING

 

It’s 365 days until I say ‘I do’

So this date has snuck up on me. Whoa there, we’re now on an official countdown until ‘Make Jade A Wifey’ day. I mean, hello. Exciting stuff.

So I’m not gonna lie. With everything that’s been going down lately I kinda haven’t thought about the wedding that much (shock horror, bad bride alert). This happens frequently:

Old pal: ‘So, how’s the wedding planning going?’ (cue beaming smiles and expectant looks to divulge that I’ve hired an elephant to arrive on and there will totally be puppies for wedding favours).

I stare back blankly and then remember that LOL I’m getting married next year – me, a bride! And I should be spending every last minute pinteresting and learning how to make paper pom poms like a good wife to be. But nope.

So Max & I spent a good solid month planning our wedding like pros. We’ve booked the venue, caterers, musical entertainment, a snazzy band and the photographer & videographer. All the ladies of the bridal party are sorted with pretty frocks chosen and measurements taken. I’ve had a flower consultation. I’ve even drafted up a seating plan for all our guests. So I mean, it’s nearly there right?

I went to a pals beautiful wedding this week and thought ‘oh wow, that’s gonna be me next year. That’s insane.’

So here’s what I’ve learnt so far about planning a wedding:

 

EVERYTHING COSTS A BOMB

Do you remember back in this post here where I was adamant that I could probably plan a wedding on a shoestring budget? Yeah well that dream was quite quickly squashed in about week 2 of the planning stage. I look back and LOL at myself that I ever thought this could be possible.

Don’t get me wrong, if I wanted a cute church wedding with a reception in a community hall I could totally do it on a budget. And yes, it could be really sweet and cute and amazing if I put loads of work into it. But guess what? That’s not what I wanted.

And so here we are, completely over budget but blissfully happy with our decisions.

Don’t ever underestimate how much a wedding costs. You think you know how much those silly little canapes will come to? Yeah, chuck a zero or two on the end of that.

 

TRYING ON WEDDING DRESSES ISN’T LIKE THE MOVIES

I touched on this one in this post here but I really wanna reiterate it again. I’ve seen so many films where the bride steps out in her wedding dress (immaculate  hair and really great teeth) and everyone in the bridal shop freaks out. There’s silence and then emosh music and crying and screaming. And I’m always like ‘THATS NOT REAL. IT DOESNT HAPPEN LIKE THAT. YOU LIE’.

It’s a bit like going normal shopping, just there’s prosecco on tap. And don’t get me wrong, it is special. But don’t continue searching because there wasn’t any fanfare music or doves flying out of bird cages when you stepped out in a gown.

It’s pretty simple; you love it? Get it.

 

 

THOUGHT YOU DIDN’T HAVE MANY FRIENDS/FAMILY? YOU ARE SO WRONG

‘We’re just going to have a small wedding’

Famous last words, mate.

Okay so me and Max have pretty large families but honestly, the guest list compiling gets OUT OF HAND. ‘Oh well if we invite Martha we have to invite Rita. And I don’t want to leave them out. Oh heck, we might as well invite Linda from the Supermarket that we see every Sunday morning because well, she has a nice smile’.

No. No no no. Draw a line. And stop worrying about hurting people’s feelings or inviting  people because your family believe they deserve a spot. Who do you want to be a part of your special day? And if budgets are tight, then you have to be pretty cut throat and prioritise.

Believe me, people do understand. And if they don’t, what the hell you doing being pals with them?

 

 

EAT ALL THE FREE FOOD & GET THE CATERING BANG ON

Who knew wedding planning involved so much free food? Even if it’s eating lamb and salmon and prawns at 10am in the morning. Come to Mumma.

What’s that? Free pizza? Yes please. We said that if we ever fall on hard times then we know what we need to do; tell everyone we’re getting married and cash in on those free wedding tasters.

Top advice; DO go to tastings and DO ensure that you ask for exactly what you want. We really wanted to go with our first choice caterer from the off but almost didn’t because of the china they were going to serve on (I know, that sounds insane but it’s all in the details Hun). We ended up chatting to them about this, resolving the issue and booking them there and then.

Don’t settle. For me, the food is super important at a wedding. If your guests are well fed and well watered, then that’s the makings of a really ace party.

 

RULES ARE TOTALLY THERE TO BREAK. TRADITION WHAT?

It’s not like I’ve gone with a yellow wedding dress or anything. But we do have three different types of invitations. It’s not traditional or conventional but it’s what works for our day.

We also don’t have a traditional 3 course meal. And Max *might* arrive on a llama.

Who says you have to do the first dance at that time and you must cut the cake like that and ‘oh my gosh you’re not wearing something blue?‘PANIC MATE.

Rules are there to be broken. It’s your wedding day, do whatever the flip you like.

 

PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT WEDDING IS LIKE THE PURSUIT OF ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD

Don’t try it. You’re setting yourself up to fail. Like all events, something won’t turn out exactly as you had planned. Hiccups will occur. It’s inevitable that things won’t be ‘just so’. So, in the famous words of Disney, let it go.

Perhaps you will cry and ruin your makeup. Perhaps you’ll get the steps slightly mixed up in your first dance. HECK, it might rain. But those are the things that make your day, your day. 

I’m gonna be embracing every bit of that special occasion, come rain or shine or falling flat on my face down the aisle.

 

So there’s the things I’ve picked up from the planning process so far. I’ll probably do a follow up of one of these next year, after the wedding, when I’m officially a wifey with all the knowledge about wedding planning.

One thing’s for sure – the count down is on. Cue me trying to get flawless skin, toned arms and long hair in 365 days.

Happy Sunday everyone.