Photo: Amanda Drost Photography
The best tips and tricks for planning your wedding | Part 3
Written by:
Wedding planner the Bridesmaid
Let's continue!
In our previous 2 blogs, we talked about (the start-up of) planning your unforgettable wedding. Read these blog If you haven't found a wedding venue, wedding planner or wedding dress yet! And these blog If you are still looking for a wedding officiant, photographer, wedding film or awesome entertainment and music.
Photo: Amanda Drost Photography
Styling: "the perfect picture"
Planning an unforgettable wedding also involves thinking about how you want the styling to create the atmosphere you have in mind. The styling actually ensures that the picture is just right.
How do you tackle it?
1. Create a Pinterest board with the style and atmosphere you have in mind.
2. Divide this Pinterest board into the following boards on:
A. Flowers, including bridal bouquet
B. Print
C. Wedding cake / sweet table
D. Ceremony
E. Drinks
F. Dinner
G. Party
H. Other if it does not fit within 1 of these boards but you would really like to
3. Ideally, you should engage a professional stylist at this point. Should you want to use all the venue's furniture and only add flowers and perhaps some small items, you would also be fine just using a florist (today's florists often do a lot more than just beautiful floral arrangements too). Professional help with this part is very important though. After all, styling is something that often has to be done on the day itself and you really want everyone to be able to enjoy it and make it even more beautiful than you could have imagined beforehand!
4. Personalised items: this really adds that personal touch to your day! Think of a nice welcome sign, printed matter with your wedding logo, a handwritten welcome letter in the hotel rooms, fans for a hot summer wedding, blankets for a winter wedding and much more, that cocktail bar with your favourite Mr & Mrs drinks.
5. Create a styling plan with how you envision each moment (stylists often create this for you!), with the corresponding colours, flowers, furniture, printed materials, lights, etc.
Styling really takes a lot of work and know that flowers have gone up considerably in price due to the energy crisis. So it is not just a closing item, but really a part of the wedding for which you need to set a good budget. Of course, this does depend on your wishes, what the venue already has, when you get married (flowers are extra expensive at some times, e.g. around Valentine's Day or Mother's Day), how many guests you have, etc.
Photo: Thijs Huizer
Hair stylist & make-up artist
The most beautiful version of yourself is what every bride wants on her wedding day. There are many different types of hair stylists and make-up artists. Some are more into the natural look and others want something a bit more "out there".
You have hair stylists and make-up artists in one but also people who only do bridal hairstyles and yet others who only do bridal make-up. If you have a separate hair stylist and make-up artist, they can work simultaneously or one after the other. Time-wise, it is of course best if they can work with you at the same time.
In the script, I normally assume 1.5 - 2.5 hours for hair styling & make-up. After the trial session, your professionals are very good at indicating how long they think they will need on the day itself. They usually ask you when you want to be completely ready and then they will let you know what time they will be there. Putting on the dress with accessories takes between 20 and 45 minutes. If you have all loose buttons on the back, if the dress needs to be laced or if your wedding dress has a zip closure, it obviously makes a difference.
If family or friends would also really like to have their hair or make-up done and it is possible in terms of planning, it is always handy to hire someone separately for this. Then your professional will really have all the time and quiet for you. Because you don't want to start the day stressed, but relaxed and completely yourself!
THE GROOM
The Groom: this paragraph is especially for you!
Men often think very easily about their wedding suits. Ohh I'll just go to a suit shop for an hour and walk out with it. For a wedding day, I always recommend going to a tailor-made suit shop. But few men really have a ready-made size. And on your wedding day, you really want a suit that fits you like a glove. All eyes will be on you and more photos will be taken of you than will ever be taken of you in your life. Make no mistake about the many choices to be made. I often see that many grooms are quite overwhelmed by the many choices after they have had their first interview at a bespoke suit shop.
Choices on what type of suit, how many buttons, double or single breasted, what fabric, what colour, three-piece or two-piece, tie or bow tie, o legs or x legs trousers and so on. Making a tailor-made suit normally takes about 2 months and in February of the new year, usually the latest fabrics come in and most grooms' appointments take place. So be there on time!
Wedding rings
Choices, choices, choices . when it comes to wedding rings, you again have lots of choices. Do you want to buy the wedding rings from where the engagement ring was made? Will the bride's wedding ring be attached to the engagement ring? You can get inspiration from shops around town, but you can also really go to a goldsmith who will make your wedding rings completely custom-made, giving you something truly unique that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. There are more (precious) metals than just gold that you can have your rings made from. Do you want a stone or several stones in it? Get advice from your jeweller or goldsmith and create something unique that suits you!
Photo: Amanda Drost Photography
A wedding has so much more printing than just the save the dates and invitations. These days, all printed materials are also ordered in one line, from the save the dates, invitations to the menus, welcome sign, programme board, name tags, dinner seating plan and so much more! Printed matter can be customised by a graphic designer so that it really is completely custom-made, but you can also have one of the many wedding card specialists customise a design to your wishes. Very often they have a very handy tool that allows you to easily design your own printing (within the possibilities they have). Often you can also order a proof or have the graphic designers behind these websites look at it with you to make sure there are no mistakes. Because believe me in 9 out of 10 final proofs of cards, I always pick out some mistakes or elements that have been forgotten.
Here is a checklist for your invitation and what not to forget:
- Your names
- Reason for the invitation: obviously you are getting married!
- Wedding date (do not forget year)
- Information on location(s):
Address
Parking
Directions
- Programme of the day or at least when the reception is
- RSVP: If not already done via the save the date
Date for which to register or cancel the wedding (at least 4 weeks (6 weeks is even better!)
in advance, so people can receive another reminder)
- Dress code
- Possible wedding theme
- Gift wishes
- Address of your home
- Contact details of master of ceremonies / wedding planner
- Possibly whether children are invited or not
Not all the above elements have to be on the wedding card itself, but can also be on a personalised wedding website or in a master of ceremonies letter.
Photo: Thijs Huizer
Besides the elements mentioned in these blogs, there may be many more things you would like to arrange for your wedding. Think of thank yous, guest book, wedding shoes, personalised items, marquee, wedding transportation, transportation of the guests, babysitting for the children, wedding day insurance, opening act etc.
Should you need help with all these choices, know that you can always seek advice from a wedding planner.
This can also be done in 1 single wedding consultation. And is definitely recommended!
If you are missing any tips that you find really indispensable: please share them with me and maybe a new blog will be coming in the future on the topic you would like to read more about.
If so, let me know at: vivian@hetbruidsmeisje.nl
I hope you enjoyed the tips & tricks and that it made planning your unforgettable wedding just a little bit easier.
Lots of love,
Vivian - The Bridesmaid
Photography:
www.amandadrost.com
www.thijshuizer.com
www.mooibelichttrouwreportages.nl
