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There’s an old saying that a wedding only requires four things: an officiant, a witness, a groom, and a bride. While this may be true, having only four people at your wedding may not be the best choice – or even the liveliest one at that.
Once you decide to take your special day several notches higher, you may be looking at a hectic event planning and preparation in your hands.
Make your wedding as unique as you are without sacrificing the finer details by creating a wedding must-haves checklist. To help you remember everything, here are five things you must include in your list of to-do, to-buy, and to-rent in order that can make or break the event:
A Wedding Guest List
Tempting as it may be, you shouldn’t forgo creating a guest list for your wedding. Not only will this make sure that all the VIPs in you and your future spouse’s life are invited, but it will also help you cut wedding costs by giving you a good grasp of the number of people you must absolutely invite.
Plus, a guest list is useful in determining a closer-to-actual estimate number of guests you can expect, and order just enough gifts, food, and drinks to accommodate the size of the crowd.
Mouthwatering Food and Drinks
Food and drinks are two of the most crucial things you must prepare for during a wedding. Whatever you choose to serve, make sure it is well within your expected costs. It should also reflect your personality and coincide you’re your chosen theme for the wedding.
For example, if you want to have a Hawaiian Luau-style nuptial, you have to make sure that your guests are fed with plenty of tropical recipes. One great idea is to build a roasting pit called “imu” where you can cook an authentic Hawaiian roasted pig in. Other food items you can throw into the menu include:
- Macadamia Coconut Cake
- Pineapple Butterscotch Squares
- Hawaiian Grilled Fish Salad
- Aloha Sweet Potatoes
For the drinks, cocktails such as the Blue Hawaiian or Mai Tai are great additions, both of which emanate the theme of your wedding.
An Experienced Wedding Planner
Planning a wedding isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, preparing for your own wedding alone, without help from a professional may just be the worst mistake you can make before you enter married life.
Hiring an expert wedding planner can help take the pressure off the bride (and/or groom). These professionals can also ensure that everything is in proper order and that the wedding of your dreams is achieved without too much fuss on your part.
A Magical Venue
When choosing a venue, the first thing you need to decide is whether to hold the ceremony and reception in the same place or not. If you choose two separate locations as in the case of a church wedding, you should factor in the travel time you and your guests may need for the two places when creating a wedding schedule.
Also, remember that finding a wedding venue doesn’t necessarily mean you must stick to your locality. Destination weddings make for a memorable experience for both the couple and their guests.
Aside from these, there are several other things that you need to take into account. To factor them in, ask the venue vendor the following questions:
- Is the venue available on the target date of the wedding?
- What’s included in the package and how much does it cost?
- Is venue accessible for out-of-town travelers?
- Does it have enough space to accommodate all the wedding guests?
Remember that the perfect venue for your wedding is just around the corner. You just need to work with your wedding planner to find the right one that fits the type of event you’ve been dreaming of.
An Engaging Wedding Program
Wedding programs – even those that are organized according to tradition – do not have to be dull and corny. There are two things that can make or break your wedding reception: music and children’s activities.
Music
Music is crucial in making your wedding enjoyable. To avoid awkward moments when a previously packed dance floor is cleared out, build your own playlist, and assign someone to focus on delivering good tunes at just the right moment.
If possible, hire a DJ for the job. You can also rope in a band to play during the reception. After all, nothing beats dancing to soulful live music when you’re celebrating one of the biggest milestones of your life.
Activities for Children
A wedding is an occasion for adults, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that there won’t be any kids at the party. In fact, most of these events have children who may be distracting guests from the wedding program.
To avoid this, you should ask your wedding planner to incorporate activities that will keep the little ones busy while the grown-ups toast for your fruitful married life. Doing so will ensure that both the kids and their parents have an awesome time at your nuptials.
Hiring a babysitter may be the most obvious choice, but you can also set up board games, arts and crafts, and movies to keep the kids occupied. And don’t forget to provide them with enough snacks to fill their little tummies.
A Toast to Your Happily Ever After
Weddings are the beginning of a new chapter in your life. To make sure that you and your guests get the most out of the occasion, plan for your wedding systematically. One way you can do this is by creating your own wedding must-haves checklist and asking for expert help whenever necessary.
AUTHOR BIO
Masha Cain is a founder and a managing director of Fabulous Day Weddings & Events. Masha’s idea of having a wedding planning agency came from having a wedding planner at her own wedding. Now, 5 years later, there are over 100 successful weddings designed and planned by Masha and her team.
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