28 Nov INSIDERS ADVICE TO PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL WEDDING – PART 1
7 things you ought to ensure BEFORE the big day
1. Screen the speeches
To avoid your dearest friends and family feeling like they want to punch the best man when he mentions your pre marriage escapades, screen the speeches (or have your trusted MC or family member do it for you). I’ve seen a bridesmaid in tears after being insulted by a groomsman who had too much to drink and thought a story about her sleeping with his best friend on a drunken night out was hilarious. It absolutely wasn’t.
2. Don’t invite every man and his dog.
Yes, guest lists can be challenging to keep down. If you narrow it down to them or the money, there’s your answer right there. If they don’t understand that you need to work to a budget and that doesn’t include them, well…tough luck. If your sister wants to bring her young children and you don’t want kids at the reception, she may have to forfeit her spot, or get a babysitter. Remember it’s your wedding, not hers. Creepy Uncle Michael? Be brutal, he’s not worth it.
3. Don’t forget vegetarians and vegans.
Always, always ask the venue to cater for “special” diets separately. If your family are all carnivores and you think that being vegan is ridiculous and “too bad”, well just remember it’s no trouble for the chefs as long as they have 1. Notice 2. Names. With special diets, it may be better to ask the guest what they CAN eat rather than what they can’t eat. Get all this confirmed well before the day. This will save last minute requests which the venue may not be able to accommodate (although we always try, it does get annoying when a “vegetarian” sees the salmon and then decides they are “pescatarian)”. Consider sending the menu out with the invites so there are no surprises.
4. Bring a safe box to put the wedding envelopes in.
While the venue supervisor will make sure your wedding presents are locked up overnight in the safe or office, you don’t really want to risk hundreds of dollars in cash or expensive gifts being lost or stolen. Ask someone responsible to keep everything safe in a lockbox that can be taken home, or lock presents in a deso’d driver’s car boot.
5. Make sure your guests can read your venue floor plan.
The floorplan that you will have at the entrance of the reception room should be easy to read by people who wear glasses, but either forgot to bring them, or can’t be bothered putting them on. The light could be dim as well. Big, bold, black non cursive print is best.
6. Use good quality makeup that can be sweated in
Your makeup will need to last through tears, sweat, heat, wind, sun, dancing, eating, kissing and drinking. A makeup artist with all the heavy duty stuff is a must and worth every cent. Your photos will look much better as well. Ask them for a touch up kit for post ceremony, pre reception. Special makeup blotting paper to get rid of shine is a really good idea. Lipstick retouch a must. Baby wipes for panda eyes and sweaty underarms. Did anyone say Impulse?
7. Put together an emergency kit
We always have an emergency kit onsite but it’s always good to have your own with personalized items. Give it to your mum or aunty to look after. Deodorant, tampons, needle and thread, makeup wipes for shoes or dirty marks on clothes, breath mints and a comb are some of the items you may like to consider.