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DON’T HOLD THE WEDDING CEREMONY TOO EARLY
On your wedding day don’t hold the wedding ceremony too
early. You will end up having to provide for everyone
twice if you do. Guests won’t have had time for a proper
meal at lunchtime and will arrive at the ceremony or
wedding reception very hungry. It also means that you have
to provide alcohol, or guests will be drinking alcohol,
for a much longer time. This can lead to extra expense and
other unwanted alcohol related problems! We usually
suggest between 3 & 4 as the best time for the ceremony.
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MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MORE THAN 100 GUESTS.
If you want a good party in the evening with music and
dancing it’s a good idea to have more than 100 guests. If
you have numbers less than this - once you have taken away
the ones that have to leave early, the older ones that
don’t want to or can’t join in and others that would
rather just sit and chat - it can leave the atmosphere on
the dance floor a little lacking.
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IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP THE MENU SIMPLE.
When planning your menu keep things simple. A simple menu
made from quality ingredients served nicely is generally
much better than a poorly executed sophisticated menu.
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DECIDE ON WHO PAYS.
Decide from the outset who is going to pay for what. Make
a list of everything you’ll need to buy or hire and check
off which things you’re paying for, what your parents are
paying for, what the groom’s family is buying. There will
also be things that pop up unexpectedly. Ask yourself who
is going to pay for any extras. It may seem hard but it’s
well worth sorting all these issues out in advance to save
any problems and misunderstandings later on.
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IT’S A BAD IDEA TO HAVE YOUR WEDDING ON A SATURDAY IF
YOU NEED TO KEEP DOWN COSTS.
If you’re trying to keep costs down, plan to have your
wedding on any other day than Saturday. Venues and other
service providers are at a premium on Saturdays, but often
offer discounts on other days. The same goes for the time
of year. It is far easier to get a bargain in the off
season/winter and you will have the pick of the suppliers.
Most won’t be so heavily booked.
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PLAN YOUR BUDGET.
Before you start any planning whatsoever, make sure you
know your exact budget. It’s not fun to make big plans and
then have to cancel them because you can’t afford them.
Starting your planning with a budget can save you a lot of
heartache later.
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PLAN CAREFULLY.
There is no specific price range that ensures success. You
can spend tens of thousands and still have a disaster if
you haven’t planned carefully.
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DON’T ALLOW OTHERS TO DICTATE PRIORITIES.
Remember, it is YOUR wedding. There may be others who want
to plan your day for you and think they know what is best.
But also try to remember that there will be compromises
to be made. So give a little but at the same time if you
have you heart set on something remember it is your day!
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DON’T GO ON YOUR HONEYMOON IMMEDIATELY.
It’s not a great idea to go on honeymoon straight away.
You may both be stressed and tired from a long run up to
the big day. A long journey or flight is not a good idea
when you are already exhausted. Take a couple of days off
at home to chill out, take stock and get yourselves ready
for a honeymoon on which you can really relax and enjoy
yourself.
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PLAN WELL AHEAD.
It is true that nothing guarantees success, but a lack of
planning can lead to great disappointment and upsets. The
further ahead you plan the more options you will have.
Write it all down and keep a clear check list of what you
need to do. Make sure you have contingency plans and be
ready for possible hitches. Try to plan how you will deal
with and overcome any surprises should they happen.
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BOOK ACCOMMODATION EARLY.
If a number of relatives and friends have to travel from
far away, book some local hotels and B&B’s in the area
before they all get booked up.
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MAKE A CONTRACT IN WRITING WITH SUPPLIERS.
Arrange proper contracts with your suppliers - bands, DJ,
florists, caterers etc. Make sure you have everything in
writing from your suppliers and give them in return
written confirmation. Make yourself aware of any
additional costs that could be charged for such things as
accommodation, traveling and meals; and ensure the details
are in the contract.
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CHECK ON POTENTIAL TRAFFIC JAMS.
Check locally to see if any sporting or other major event
in your area may cause traffic problems near your wedding
reception or whether a holiday period may make air travel
or transportation difficult for people getting to
locations on time.
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ARRANGE FOR A VERY TIGHT AND EFFICIENT SCHEDULE FOR
PHOTOGRAPHY.
When negotiating for wedding photography, tell your
photographer that you want a very tight and efficient
schedule for picture taking. Concentrate on photos. Put
into the printed schedule when and where the photo
sessions are to take place before and after the ceremony.
Appeal firmly to the wedding party and relatives you want
in the photos to go immediately to these locations so that
you don't waste precious time trying to round up everybody
scattered all over the property. Your other guests will be
waiting patiently for the photography to be finished.
Also, remember that your caterer is depending on you
keeping to schedule so the meal will not be spoiled.
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THE VERY BEST OF WEDDING RECEPTION IDEAS: INVOLVE THE
GROOM!
Involve the Groom in at least some of the planning!
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