Sergi Studios Videography wants you to enjoy your wedding day!
Your vision requires lots of planning and we think it’s a good idea to be prepared for anything.
It’s impossible to avoid every mishap, but communication and thinking ahead is key.
Here are 40 Tips For An Unforgettable Wedding.
1. Enjoy Your Wedding Day
Have fun and enjoy!
Sergi Studios Videography is here to serve you on your big day!
2. Include All Responsible Parties
From the very beginning, include all decision makers into the discussion.
Your partner may not care about what color the invitations are, but probably will have an opinion on what to wear.
Keep an open flow of communication to prevent surprises and unneeded stress.
3. Establish A Realistic Budget
Know your numbers and set priorities.
A few money saving tips: trim your guest list, avoid Saturday weddings, and open a honeymoon registry.
According to this article, the number 1 thing brides wish they would have spent more money on is a videographer.
Contact Sergi Studios with any wedding videography questions.
4. Start A Checklist
Make a list, check it multiple times and revise it as needed. Yes, plan before you plan. This is an imperative step. When writing your list initially just write everything down that comes to mind. Even if it doesn’t seem practical, at the time.
5. Remember Your Why
It’s important to remember why you are doing this.
Marriage is a way of expressing your love and devotion to one another.
You’re organizing a day that you want to share with your closest family and friends.
Remembering this throughout the process will help you keep the planning in perspective and to take things as they come.
6. Be Willing To Compromise
This goes hand in hand with realistic expectations.
You have to be willing to consider other options to make the big day an event that is memorable for both you and your partner.
7. Consult A Wedding Planner
Even if you have decided to do the vast majority of the planning on your own, it’s always helpful to consult a professional. They do this for a living. This can also prevent you from running into more stressful situations down the line.
Check out my interview with Sarah of Plum and Poppy Weddings to learn more about the wedding planning process.
8. Have A Backup Plan
Yes, another plan. It’s safe to assume that you should pre-plan, plan, and then ensure that you have another plan.
What if it rains?
What if you’re sick?
How are you getting to the hotel after your wedding?
9. Talk To Your Friends and Family
Did you attend a wedding where you liked the venue or the flowers? Did you want to get the name of the Indianapolis Videographer that did your best friend’s wedding? Having a conversation with someone who has already been through the process can help shed some light on the task of planning for your own wedding day. There is a lot to be said for experience.
10. Consult A Wedding Planner
Even if you have decided to do the vast majority of the planning on your own it’s always helpful to consult a professional. They do this for a living. This can also prevent you from running into more stressful situations down the line. Besides, the obvious benefits they can provide you with invaluable resources that you may not have considered before.
11. Write and Rewrite Your Guest List
Knowing how many people you have to accommodate will help you to choose the correct venue, plan a menu accordingly and give you a more realistic idea of where you have to delegate your budget.
12. Remember The Reason
It’s imperative to remember why you are doing this. Marriage is way of expressing your love and devotion to one another. You are organizing a day that you want to share with your closest family and friends.
Remembering this throughout the process will help you to keep the planning in perspective and to take things as they come.
13. Decide On A Theme
Did you want something fun or funky? Are you opting for something more elegant and traditional? These are things to take into consideration before you move forward. Know where you are going with it before you go any further in the planning process. This is also a step where you may want to consult your partner. Make sure you agree on the theme, the guest list, the budget and then consider all of the things you may need to bring this plan to life.
14. Set A Date
Keep in mind that a lot of your planning will revolve around the date. Everything from the venue available to the number of guests who can attend. If you plan a wedding on certain holidays like Valentine’s Day, Sweetest Day or even New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, the venues available, as well as the number of guests who will be able to attend, will be limited. These are popular dates in the wedding industry and these blackout dates are first come, first serve and could be pricey. So, unless there is significance on a certain day, like say, Valentine’s Day, consider choosing a date that is “off-season”. It will leave you many more options when it comes to venues and available vendors.
15. Research
Every professional can agree that this step is an important one. Research your venues and your vendors. According to the most reputable wedding planners in the industry, today researching is important. Don’t just take the pictures in a gallery and assume that they are an accurate depiction of the final product or that the ambiance is what you are looking for. Visit the venue, explore the grounds, ensure that the space is adequate and provides the kind of environment that you want for your wedding. The same applies to vendors. Meet with them, look at samples of their products, talk to people that may have done business with them previously, read their reviews. A candid conversation can prevent you from hiring the wrong person for the job and not realizing that until it is too late.
16. Decide On A Venue
You have a date, you have a finalized guest list, you have your budget worked out, you and your partner have agreed on a theme and you have seen several venues that you think might work with your plan. Now, it’s time to decide. Chose wisely and take into consideration location, accessibility, ambiance, space, layout, etc. Once you have decided, you are more than likely going to have to put down a sizeable deposit and they are usually non-refundable, so take some time to make this decision. You may even have more than one venue to decide on, so consider proximity to one another, if you have opted to take your vows in one location and have the reception at another. This is one of the more pricey decisions and one that should be made early on in the process so do not make this decision in haste.
17. Choose Your Attire
This could also be one of the more pricey decisions in the planning process and choosing your attire is an important factor. I recommend you decide on what you are going to wear before you decide on what your partner and your wedding party is going to wear. Take some time, try on several different styles and designs before you make a decision. Or you may have opted to wear a family heirloom. Either way, you’re going to want to be confident, not self-conscious on the big day. Make sure you are comfortable and that it is a good fit. This may mean several trips to a seamstress for fitting, but that’s okay.
18. Pick Your Dream Team
Your wedding party is your support team through the rest of the process. Chose them wisely, as well. These are going to be the people who have your back and take care of the issues that may arise before and during your big day. I always suggest picking people who know you best. That way when you have a meltdown [and you will, possibly several] they are familiar with you and are able to deal with the mood swings.
19. Sending Out Invitations
When sending out invitations remember to include everything they may need to know. Whether or not they R.S.V.P, the directions to all the venues, the backup plan [should you encounter inclement weather and you are doing the event out of doors], hotel information, menu, wedding gift registry or donation information, alternate phone numbers [that do not belong to you or your partner], expectations for single invites regarding your “plus one” policy, and if you are inviting children the expectations regarding their participation, etc. Making sure your guests are made aware of the game plan ahead of time prevents a lot of last-minute phone calls on the day of the event that can seriously put you and your wedding party on a time constraint. You may even want to consider including the details in an email or group chat in text or social media a week or so prior to the event for those who may have misplaced their invitations.
20. Reserve Hotel Rooms In Advance
Call surrounding hotels to accommodate out of town guests. To ensure you do not have a ton of family crashing in your living room and guest room, you should make calls to local hotels, securing a few rooms to accommodate your guests should they need it. Depending on the number of out of town guests you may have to accommodate you can sometimes reserve rooms under a discounted group rate.
21. Make Expectations Regarding The Attendance Of Children Clear
Whether or not you chose to invite children to the event, make those expectations clear. If you are accommodating them, designate an area for the younger children to play or horse around that will not endanger themselves, other guests or your cake display. If you have an open or cash bar, consider also including a time limit of hours when children are expected to leave the event and either ensure your guests make prior arrangements or designate someone to see to their care.
22. Choose The Right Photographer and/or Videographer
Again, choose the vendors and professionals that you are comfortable with. Whether you have chosen to go with a photographer or an Indianapolis Videographer or even both to commemorate the occasion, make sure they share your vision and know what you want.
23. Choose The Right Florist
Establish your style, determine your needs, and create your floral budget.
It’s a good idea to get recommendations and to schedule a consultation.
Make sure you chose a florist that understands this and is able to bring your vision to light.
24. Choose The Right Entertainment
Whether you have chosen to go with a DJ or a live band, ensure that they are able to play the type of music that you and your guests will enjoy. The last thing you want is to book a band or DJ that can only play polka when you are more of a Top 40 or Pop kinda person. You want to enjoy the festivities that follow your event so ensuring that your entertainment is conducive to your style is recommended.
25. Choose The Right Caterer
You might have chosen to go with a buffet-style reception or have it formally served. Either way, ensure that the caterer is able to produce a quality product. You want it delicious, fresh and safely prepared. No one wants to risk food poisoning being the one thing that your Great Aunt Alice remembers about your big day.
26. Keep It Simple
Don’t go overboard on the details. Keeping it simple is great for the budget and even better on your stress levels. If you keep things simple there is less that can go wrong.
27. Do Final Checks In Plenty Of Time
Finalize any details, check on venues, florists, photographers, caterer, and any other details a few weeks prior to the date. If you do this a few weeks in advance you are leaving time to attend to the important things like you and your partner. This helps alleviate stress on the day of the event, for those of us who are control freaks.
28. Delegate
You have come to that point in the process where it is time to let go of some of the responsibility. Now, you should delegate the remaining responsibilities to your wedding party and trust that they have things under control. Make sure someone is attending to your attire, gifts, transportation, gifts, etc. The rest is on them, your job is done.
29. Don’t Wear New Shoes
Make sure you have worn the shoes you intend to wear during the ceremony and reception prior to the day.
Breaking in new shoes while walking down the aisle is not recommended.
30. Have A Comfortable Outfit For The Reception
Once the day goes on you may want to ensure you have a comfortable outfit to change into. Going several hours in formal attire can sometimes get uncomfortable and make you anxious for things to come to an end so that you can go home and get into something that is less itchy or constricting. Ensuring you have an outfit that you can change into will allow you the freedom to enjoy the rest of the night at ease.
31. Have An Emergency Kit
Make up an emergency kit consisting of extra deodorant, toothbrush, and toothpaste, a sewing kit, a first aid kid, feminine products, Tylenol or Advil along with any other medication should you need it. Prepare for the unexpected. Making sure you have what you need on hand should the occasion arise will prevent you from stressing out over a headache, a tear in your dress, blisters or any other possible emergency that may come up.
32. Get Some Sleep
Get a good nights sleep the night before. This may sound impossible but it is important to help you make it through such a long, eventful day that will require your constant participation. It is your day after all. Besides, no one wants puffy bags under their eyes in their wedding photos.
33. Eat Breakfast
The day of the event can be even more stressful than the planning process. So, make sure you eat a good breakfast to help keep you energized. Eating throughout the rest of the day may prove to be more difficult than you might think.
34. Make Sure To Have Snacks and Drinks Available
Have a member of your wedding party make sure there are snacks like fruit and crackers as well as water and even Gatorade available for the wedding party. This will help keep everyone hydrated and sugar levels at an acceptable level to prevent anyone, yourself included from getting sluggish and moody.
35. Make Sure The Bride or Partner Is Attended To First
So many time constraints are due to the bride/groom or partners not being ready. Make sure their hair and makeup or any other preparations are attended to first. That way when it’s time to take pictures or walk down the aisle they are able to without any delay.
36. Allow At Least 2 Hours For Pictures
Give yourself and your photographer time to take the pictures that you want. Make sure everything you want commemorated is available and accessible to them.
37. Make Time For Your Partner
Remember this day is meant for the two of you and making time to step away from everyone and spend some alone time together will keep things in perspective and keep your stress levels low.
38. Keep Speeches Short
Try to keep the toasts, speeches and vows short and sweet. It will help keep things flowing in a timely manner and allow for more time to enjoy the event.
39. Don’t Over Drink
If you have alcohol at your event try not to drink too much. Save it for the honeymoon. Over drinking on the day of the event could lead to so many issues.
40. Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
Every professional will agree, including the worlds leading wedding planner Lisa Vorce, who has planned celebrity weddings like John Legend and Kristy Teigan, on the day of the event, just let it go. You are at the finish line. You have planned and detailed yourself into a virtual frenzy to get this point. Now, all you can do is sit back and go with the flow. Let whatever happen, happen and just enjoy the day. Celebrate the first day of the rest of your life with the one you love.
