Destress Your Wedding Planning

Getting married is right up there as one the single most important moments in a persons life. It also can end up being one of the most overwhelming.

Planning a wedding is full of the most magical moments from selecting a venue to that wonderful moment you first step into your wedding dress. A lot of our clients say to us that they just feel totally overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.

There are three key decisions you need to make before any of the real planning can begin.

1. Style and Size
Decide what sort of wedding do you want ? A small and intimate wedding with just your nearest and dearest OR the biggest party of the year were even your second cousins boyfriend Harry gets an invite. We are spoilt for choice in Hawkes Bay with a huge variety of venues which all have their own style and feel.

2. Time of Year
The time of year you choose to get married will have an impact on where you get married and what you can do, (you can’t have a beach wedding in August )

3. Budget
It’s really important to have a clear idea about what you can spend on your wedding day. It all adds up and very quickly and you will need to choose wisely about where and how you allocate your budget.

The first thing we suggest is to buy a journal where you can record your thoughts, ideas and start writing those lists! (trust us there will be a lot of those).

Once you have decided on your style, budget and time of year, you need to go Venue shopping. Locking in the venue with help to determine the date and you can start working on researching and booking in all your other suppliers. When you are looking for your suppliers shop according to your budget !

One key piece of advice we offer is PLEASE leave it to the professionals. Don’t get Uncle Frank to be your photographer just because he has a “nice” camera because there is a very good chance it will all go pear shaped. Uncle Frank may just have one to many whiskeys and all your pics may end up being of peoples feet - we have seen this before. And don’t let Grandma make your cake that is suppose to feed 100 people. It may save you money at the time but if it all turns to custard it will cause stress and unnecessary drama. Just budget appropriately and you will be able to afford to use the pros !

Beware every man and their dog will give you their opinion but remember at the end of your day this is your day no one else’s. If you don’t want a wedding cake don’t have one, if the thought of having a first dance terrifies you, don’t do it. Don’t worry about what others think and do what feels right for you. Your wedding day is one you’ll never forget so put your own stamp on it. Walk down isle to the Starwars theme song if that’s what makes you happy.

Don’t lose sight of the fact that this is your day!