by Tiffany Wade
Photo by Ivan Garcia Studio
With all the wedding planning a beautiful bride has to do, her idea of what she wants for her and her husbands’ special day can become unclear. When there is no clear idea of what she wants, the bride is more vulnerable to letting other people’s ideas of what details of the wedding should influence her decisions. We don’t want that to happen to you! These are some steps we would like to share with you to help you have your own wedding full of “yes!”
Step 1: Saying yes to the venue!
Before deciding the perfect venue for you, make sure you know what you want your wedding theme to be, decide on your non-negotiables, and visit the places you are interested in, in person before settling on one. When looking at the venue, see if they can provide photos of previous weddings or if they have any posted on their website or social media. This may help you envision what your wedding may look like at the venue if they have had weddings similar to what you want. Regarding your non-negotiables, it is best to write these down and constantly keep them in mind when you are looking at a venue. If there is something you absolutely want in a venue such as proximity to relatives, budget, and capacity, then it is good to make sure that you don’t forget any amidst all the excitement of planning your big day. These can always change after you have already written them down and after viewing the venue. Remember that sometimes your idea of what you want can always change after you look at your options. That is why we recommend you look at the venues in person. Do not rely on website photos to help you decide. Go in person and try to envision yourself and your guests mingling and having a great time! A great way to do this is join the party bus on the Visit the Venues tour. www.Visitthevenues.com
Step 2: Saying yes to the dress!
Some of the most important things you must keep in mind when dress shopping are to bring people you trust to give insight without making the decision for you, take photos or have a friend take photos of each of the dresses you try on, and don’t settle for the first one you try on. We cannot stress this enough, but make sure you are choosing the dress that you love and not only what others love. You can quickly get wrapped up in the excitement of trying on a dress and love the way it looks instantly, but you can forget that another one may look even better than that dress. With photos to compare them with, you will easily be able to see what others are seeing and find out which one is the perfect dress that way!
Step 3: Saying yes to the food!
Once again, make sure you are keeping your budget in mind while choosing food for your wedding. Whether a buffet, passed appetizers or a seated dinner, there are many great caterers who can help you. Creative catering can be a great way to integrate your culture into the wedding. Ask for favorite recipes, or a relative to bring one special dish.
Step 4: Saying yes to the entertainment!
While searching for the perfect entertainment for your wedding, not only do you want to keep in mind the budget, but you want to pay attention to the size of the venue. It may not be possible for a large setup to fit in a venue with tons of tables for your guests. We suggest asking the entertainment how much room they will need and see if they have any photos of their performances on their website or social media. You do not want to commit to anything without knowing if it will fit in the venue or not!
Step 5: Saying yes to the flowers!
There is no limit to what flowers you want for your wedding and how you want them to look. Some brides have more flowers than greenery and other brides may have more greenery to make the flowers pop a bit more. You can even have neutral tone flowers or bright, bold flowers that make a statement. Something to think about when choosing the flowers is again the cost, but also the theme. A bouquet of sunflowers and baby’s breath are perfect for a country wedding theme. Eucalyptus, blush pink roses and daisies are great for a rustic or bohemian wedding. Orange and white roses pair well with a fall theme. These are by no means limiting you in your decision to have different flowers with your wedding, but a little guide to the many possibilities of flower arrangements at your wedding!
