9 Secrets to Planning the Perfect Wedding

Have a Vision

Before you actually start planning, take the time to envision the perfect wedding. Envision the place, the season, the light, the colors, the smells—every imaginable detail.

We know some women have been doing this since they were ten, so it might seem like you don’t have to be told to take this step, but you have something now you didn’t have when you were ten: a man who is going to be part of this ceremony. Talk to him about your vision and listen to what he thinks and work together to get a vision that is (almost) as much his as it is yours.

This can seem tough, but it’s also a necessary step to practice for making decisions as the married couple you soon will be.

Prioritize

Now that you’ve got your perfect vision, figure out the things that are most important to your vision, and which are more marginal. You can make an ordered list, but it might be easier to envision what matters most if you make a priority cloud or similar diagram in two dimensions. You can also try downloading an app that can help you with planning. There are specifically wedding-oriented ones, but many business apps have better features with fewer distracting bells, whistles, and marketing.

Budget, Don’t Fudge It

This is where vision meets reality. Figure out what your actual wedding budget is. Make it firm. If you don’t, your costs can easily spiral out of control.

Once you have a budget, put in some realistic estimates for what things are going to cost, and immediately cut anything on the fringes of your priority cloud that you can’t afford. As you get hard numbers to replace your estimates, incorporate them into your estimates and cut things that are at the edges of the cloud as necessary.

Have a Timetable

Wedding planning can stretch out forever. Don’t let it. Make concrete deadlines for all the planning steps. Your wedding may seem a long way out, but if you don’t start working today, it will be here before you know it and find you unprepared. Putting everything on a timetable also makes you free to focus on one thing at a time, which can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.

Start working in the center of your priority cloud with things like the wedding venue and work your way outward. This ensures you will always get the most important things done first.

Delegate

Another way to keep from feeling overwhelmed is to delegate tasks and decisions to your friend and family. Make sure the people you give tasks to can be trusted to follow through with them, or else you’re not doing yourself any favors. Increase the amount you have delegated as you get closer to the wedding. On the day of the wedding, you should be making no decisions. You should be focused on enjoying the wedding. If you don’t have people you can trust to delegate tasks to, consider hiring a planner.

Make It the Wedding You Want

Remember your vision. That’s the one you want. During the planning process, people are going to second-guess practically every part of your vision. Listen to their point of view politely and consider whether it changes your vision, but don’t let anyone talk you out of getting the wedding you really want.

Have Something for Everyone

People will be more likely to have a good time at your wedding if they’re invested. Make them a part of your wedding, and we don’t mean by assigning them meaningless jobs. Give them something in the wedding that matters to them. Have an uncle who makes microbrews? Invite him to make a special beer for your wedding. A cousin who plays in a band? Invite them to play at the wedding. They’re not that good? Have them play a single number, or convene an afterparty where they can play. It can be minor, like putting your aunt’s favorite song in the playlist, or your grandpa’s favorite dish on the menu, but people will be more excited and happy at your wedding if you put in thoughtful touches. That will ramp up the festive atmosphere and help everyone enjoy themselves.

Make Time for Your Guests

In order to make the most out of those thoughtful touches, make sure you touch base with your guests and let them know you’re thinking about them. This doesn’t just mean the day of the wedding, but in the days before as people start arriving in town. By this time you should have delegated most everything away and should be able to spend time with people.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Things are going to go wrong. Something is going to fall through. It’s inevitable. As the day of the wedding approaches, let go of all the little details and focus exclusively on the most important things: your family and friends coming together in a spirit of love and joy to celebrate the union between you and your beloved. Keeping an eye on those essentials will help you enjoy your wedding, and make it perfect, even in its imperfection.

At Stonebrook Manor in north Denver, we’ve seen all kinds of weddings, and we can help you put together your perfect wedding. Please contact us today to talk about your wedding.