Whether you organize your wedding alone (too strong!), or with the help of your loved ones, it requires patience, anticipation and many questions. Yes it’s stressful but it will be fine if you apply these tips!
Tip #1: Determine the number of guests and budget for your wedding
Even if this is likely to change, try first of all to define the number of guests because it is one of the criteria to give when you exchange with the majority of your service providers! But for that, you must also define your total budget to make the budget by services, you can have ranges of examples on the internet.
Trick : If you have a small budget, an intimate wedding with your loved ones in a magnificent outdoor location, for example in a garden, with a pretty decoration made by you will do the trick! For the sound? It’s simple ! Make a predefined playlist with the help of a friend, borrow a sound system and voila!
Tip #2: Plan ahead!
Start your search for providers as soon as your wedding date is set! A year in advance is not too early because you have to take into account the unexpected, but also the time to find the rare pearl, whether for the cameraman, the photographer, the DJ, the right room, etc. Time passes and the service provider must also be free for your wedding date, especially if you fell in love with his work, so it’s never too early! Make a table with the list of stakeholders you need and put your findings in order to select one for each provider after contacting them all.
List of service providers for your wedding : photographer and/or cameraman, makeup artist/hairdresser, reception venue, florist for the bouquet and decoration of the church/reception venue, DJ, caterer
Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s time to negotiate, even if you don’t like it and you’re rather shy about it, you have to dare! You may never see again. Put an ad with your maximum budget for each service provider, you have a good chance that a speaker will answer you and accept the budget straight away! Otherwise you can always negotiate with him if you found him on the internet by yourself.
Tip No. 4: Choose your service providers well
Many people are self-employed these days. It is therefore essential to do this little research on each service provider selected to be sure that the professional in question is indeed the author of his works because unfortunately, we are not immune to unpleasant surprises!
Tip #5: Stay in touch with your wedding stakeholders often
Whether it is in relation to your ideas which will probably evolve and to ensure the arrival and the seriousness of the service provider, it is important to stay in contact with them. Of course, you shouldn’t harass them every week, but depending on your needs, you can call them or send a message to communicate with them to find out if everything is OK and discuss your ideas with the decorator, for example. Don’t forget to exchange with the DJ for your playlists throughout the evening!
Tip #6: Watch out for down payments!
It is normal for some professionals to ask for a deposit to ensure that you are serious, but never pay the full amount before the event to avoid any scam! Avoid paying half the amount if it is substantial and you have any doubts, discuss it with your service provider. Some providers will still ask to pay in full a few weeks before the event, so be sure that it is a trusted speaker!
A few months before your wedding, after having selected all your service providers and more or less respecting your budget, you can devote yourself to the choice of wedding rings and engraving, but don’t wait to do it a few weeks before your wedding, because there too… we need to predict !
Jeanette Atme Daou