I thought that I would write about the things that the "brides and grooms to be" need to be doing and organising. How do I know this? I was married 2 years ago which was the best learning experience, and I have also worked as a wedding planner for 2 and a half years. I no longer organise weddings, but my sister is getting married in March and I am helping with some of the planning. There are lots of little tips I give her along the way that many of you might be interested in.
I am going to start with how to get your guests excited and organised for your wedding. Here in New Zealand our wedding season is January to March. This is a short window of time and it can be competitive to get dates and venues. I always recommend to my brides that they use "save the date" cards to give their guests advanced warning about the date and location of the wedding, and to give them a teaser of what’s to come.
Choosing the date of a wedding can be difficult at times. Make sure you check what else is on that date in your area and check with other engaged friends to make sure you haven’t got the same date. You don’t want your guests to have to choose between weddings. Friends of mine one year had to choose between 7 couples! How did they choose? Well, they went by who was first in and who they were closest to. They managed to get in 4 couples in a weekend as they were all in the same area. They went to the wedding of a family member on the Friday, a close friend on the Saturday and then made appearances at the other 2 at their day after BBQ’s.
The location on the ‘save the date’ card can be broad such as a city or region. Overseas guests will need time to organise flights and your friends and family will need to book accommodation. There is a lot going on in summer besides weddings and accommodation can book very quickly with many places only allowing you to book for a minimum of 2 nights. Don't fall for this trap, please hunt around. It is hard work with many couples opting not to get involved with organising their guest’s accommodation, but it will give you peace of mind to know they won't get frustrated and will come to the wedding in a happy state of mind.
For my wedding organising the accommodation was the most stressful part. There was a big event on in Wanganui the weekend of our wedding and everyone told me all the accommodation would be booked out. So I tried months in advance to work out how many rooms I would need, who would want what accommodation, which would stay with relatives etc. It was all guess work and I didn’t want to let the hoteliers or my guests down. Most places would only allow a minimum of 3 nights. Luckily 2 hotels gave me the rooms I needed for one night as I was the first in. Most places don’t work on a first in first served basis. Another trap we found were people putting the prices up when they realised it was going to be a busy weekend. What we found was that there was heaps of accommodation available that weekend, and some people thought the accommodation I booked for them was to flash. I should never have tried to organise it and wouldn’t do it again.
This was my stand when my sister wanted to organise the accommodation for her wedding in the Hawkes Bay in March 09. She ignored my advice however and although it wasn’t easy as there were many events on the same weekend, she now feels that her guests won’t be left out in the cold. She has pre-booked with 2 hotels and given their names to her guests to reserve and pay the deposit for their own accommodation by a certain date. This means that whatever rooms aren’t taken by this date will be released. This is a great option as she personally doesn’t have to pay money in advance and she has done her best to provide for her guests.
A few suggestions when booking wedding accommodation are: Often I find that B&B’s are a more suitable option for a wedding rather than having everyone in the same hotel. Be wary of keeping families with young children in accommodation away from raucous singles and the main event so the kids can get a good sleep. It’s always nice to have a room or a house close to the main event. This can be used for nursing mothers, a place for the bride and groom to catch their breath, you could hire a nanny to look after all the kids so they are close to the event but also giving the parents time to enjoy themselves, or as a place for the bide and her maids to get ready. Lastly; just a reminder to get nice accommodation for the bridal couple. Maybe the grandparents can look after the kids if there are any.
My favourite thing about ‘save the date’ cards is that they are the first piece of stationery that you send out and they set the tone for your wedding. I find that once the design is settled upon for the save the date cards or invitations that the style of the dress, the look of the venue and setting of the tables all follow and tie together.
Things to think about when designing your stationery: The atmosphere of the wedding, how do you want people to feel, relaxed and soft, excited? Use soft colours to create a dreamy, loving environment and black and whites for a crisp formal setting. Is it a garden wedding or in a city church, is there history? Look to the seasons for colours. Is it a small or large wedding? (In many cases black and white stationery will be cheaper). Think about what colours your bridesmaids suit and tie that in also. What flowers would you like to carry down the aisle (make sure they will be in season).
Stay tuned for more helpful tips. Email me if you need any advice. I would also love any feedback.
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