*Author's Note: I decided to start this blog to chronicle my experiences in planning my wedding, coordinating for our new home, and planning our honeymoon... all at the same time. I do hope that you, the reader, can get some ideas IF and WHEN you're going to be planning something.
This blog is actually a bit late already, since I've been in the process of planning my wedding for almost a year now, and it's already nearing my wedding date. But, I thought about it, and this blog can also chronicle other event planning experiences I can -- and most definitely will -- have in the future.
So here it is, the beginning. Please bear with me. :) Thank you! :)*
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Let me start by saying that I have 53 days to go before my wedding day. D-day, as I have marked in my calendar. And by now, I should have accomplished around 75% of the supposed tasks that a bride-to-be has to do -- without turning into a bride-zilla.
My mom used to tell me that during the time she got married, you can prepare for at least a month to 3 months before without any complications or problems at all. No marriage licenses, no pre-cana seminars, no marriage counseling. Just you, your Groom and the priest (and the rest of the cast in a wedding). But now, you literally have to plan more than a year in advance, if you want to keep your sanity.
The Budget
Fortunately for me, I had no budget to stick to, since my mom volunteered to shoulder all the expenses for me to have my "dream" wedding. I had spared her the headache of planning a debut, so this is my sort-of indulgence from my mom. Anyway, if you're planning your wedding and you have a budget to stick to, there are four things that you need to prioritize: your Church, Reception Venue, Attire and Photographer. Trust me, budgetting can be such a pain in the neck. Even for me, and I have no budget restrictions!
Booking your Church and Reception
How long before your intended wedding date should you book your Church? 3 months, 6 months?
If you want your intended wedding date to stay that way, you have to book at least a YEAR in advance. We've talked about getting married since last November. We hoped to get married in Batangas, since that's where my fiance is from, and we were hoping we'd get married in Caleruega. But when we inquired, they were already fully booked for all weekends of December, except Christmas. But who the heck would get married on Christmas Day, right? So yeah, we went to about 6 churches and got lucky on our last. By the fourth church I was already willing to change my wedding date just to be able to be accommodated by the church that I want but thankfully, we were able to find one that fits our date.
Reception venue-wise, I would say that book your Church first before booking the reception. That way, you would be able to plan the most optimal place not far from the church, making it easy for your guests to travel to and from your venues.
If you do not want to have your wedding in a traditional way, there are a lot of venues who offer both the nuptial mass and reception program. This may be more economical and practical if you're on a tighter budget.
The Attire
Again, you, the bride-to-be, have the option to sponsor the attire of your entourage. But if you have a tight budget, I would suggest that you just have a design drawn for your entourage and let them worry about where they're going to have their dress made and how they're going to pay for it.
Traditionally, the bride wears a white wedding gown, but nowadays, it's really all up to the bride. Apparently, white doesn't signify that you're still a virgin, the veil does. So, if you don't really care for white, then it's your decision.
Photos, Videos and more
One other thing to consider when planning your wedding is, 'who is going to cover my wedding?' Getting great pictures is very important since it will be the only memory of the grandest day of your life. Be sure to take into account how credible your supplier is, how long they've been in the business, and be sure to look at samples of their work. Don't hesitate to go back and forth before making your decision. Remember, how you look in your memories will be with you for the rest of your life.
So yeah, when I said above that I should be around 75% done? I can fairly say I'm almost to 80%. Planning in advance really helps with me keeping my sanity.
Case in point: For a church wedding, you have to take counseling if you're under 25. In our case, we are going to be 25 on our wedding day but during the entire preparation, both of us are still 24. Being able to plan a year in advance allowed us to schedule all our seminars, counseling sessions, meetings, etc. So as our wedding day nears, we're not as stressed, since practically all needed documents have been procured earlier.
Planning a wedding entails patience and perseverance. This is a crucial time for couples because arguments will arise, no doubt about that. What you need to do is have an understanding on what tasks each of you will undertake, because frankly, planning a wedding is a job for two people.
I'll post about other topics in the coming days, hopefully my next entries will be as helpful to you as it may be to me. :)
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