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| Image from Big Wedding Tiny Budget |
Having a budget for your wedding does not mean that you are having [what has been become known as] a 'Budget Wedding' [i.e. wedding on the cheap]. A wedding budget is the specific amount of money you have, will save or have set aside to spend on your wedding. Before finalising what you budget will be, it is very important to establish what are your priorities for your wedding and also to have a rough idea what various wedding suppliers in your chosen area charge. Just because you have allocated €500 for a wedding dress doesn't mean one exists. Know your wedding market.
2. Booking 'Weekend Warrior' Wedding Suppliers
The Wedding Industry is an industry that generates billions worldwide each year. Many weddings take place over the weekend and over the years 'Wedding Weekend Warriors', who have full time paid jobs as Accountants, Shop Assistants, Engineers etc brush up on their hobby skills and book themselves out as professional Photographers, Videographers, Planners, Chauffeurs [and much more]. Many of these 'Wedding Weekend Warriors' [on the face of it] seem like excellent value, often charging up to half the price as their professional counterparts - an attractive proposition to any cash conscience bride. But what few brides realise that these [mostly] unqualified 'wedding suppliers' lack the proper resources, experience, connections, insurance and equipment to provide the service they have advertised and brides only discover this when its too late: after their wedding!
3. Taking forum advice as gospel!
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| Image from Zankyou |
Competing wedding suppliers and vendors often register as brides and grooms and belittle and in some cases write slanderous views and posts about competitors. If you ask for advice or recommendations or read something that appears to a 'fact' - do not take it as gospel. Do your own research too.
4. Your wedding is not your life.
A wedding is but one day of your life. Yes, you've possibly dreamt of it all your life, but don't loose sight of the fact that your life will continue afterwards, as will all your friendships and relationships [hopefully]. Don't strain friendships because your bridesmaids aren't as excited about your day as you are, or that they aren't willing to drop everything to run over and see if the latest shade of nail vanish you have bought will bring out the colour of our eyes at the Rehearsal Dinner. Be considerate, remember why you are getting married and don't sweat if those who you were sure would attend can't you have the rest of your life to spend with them.
Be a gracious bride, not a grumbling bride.
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| Image from Perfect Wedding Dress |
A designer wedding dress can take between 6 - 8 months to order through a designer or bridal shop. The average bride will visit between 3-5 wedding dress before she orders a wedding dress and will have some 1-4 additional fitting and alternation appointments, collecting her finished wedding dress 3-6 weeks before her wedding.
With this in mind, realistically you want to starting wedding dress shopping some 9-12 months before your big day. Of course there are 'off the peg' dresses, and seamstresses who can make the dresses in a shorter space of time but these are all things to bear in mind when you start to look for that all important dress!
6. Do not keep your guests waiting for you at the ceremony.
It is often said that a Queen is never late, that everyone else is merely early. It is also said that it is a brides prerogative to be late. When you are the ruler of your own country you can [pretty much] 'get away with murder', it is not the same when you are a bride, - remember this. 10 minutes is the ideal length to keep your guests waiting, anything beyond 15 minutes is plain rude.
7. Having a facial the day before the wedding.
If you plan on have a facial or treating yourself to some nice beauty treatments in advance of your wedding day, do so a minimum of a week to 5 days out from the wedding. The last thing you will want to wake up to on your wedding day is a break out that would give any pizza a run for its money, which is what could have if your have a facial too close to your wedding day.
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| Image from Humor Post |
Of course we all want to look our best on our wedding days, and for some of shedding those last few pounds will give is that extra confidence and boost we need.... remember though, wedding dresses are not as easily [or cheaply] altered as a normal dress and if you drop a dress size before your big day, you could have some serious wardrobe malfunctions the day of your wedding if your wedding dress does not fit the way its suppose to.
9. Not telling the Grooms-men what colour shoes and socks to wear.
Men are great. I love men, but lets face it, sometimes they can get it wrong. White socks and brown shoes with the grey pinstripe trousers might look great in their eyes. And they probably wont see your eyes bulge and widen when they reply to your 'What the hell were you thinking' - 'Sure it'll do' [a common response I got]. Take the time to tell them what will be supplied for them and what [exactly] they will need to bring. One way of getting beyond all this is to buy black underwear and socks for them all, even the novelty grooms-men/ best-men range and look at hiring shoes through your Tux hire if you are particularly concerned.
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| Image from Brooks Video |
Your wedding day is but 24 little hours. You wont get to see it all. I'm sorry, you just wont. You'll be off having your photo taken, being nabbed by Auntie Doris in the hotel lobby, wrestling in the loo with your layers of taffeta and taking a moment with your new husband in the bridal suite and everything else will be going on all around - all part of your wedding day. Have a videographer - see the extra things that are happening on your big day, here those messages your loved ones will leave you, capture the silly dance your granddad thought no-one else saw - you'll be sorry, after - when its too late - trust me.