Back to Basics – Wedding Planning Made Easy

Newly engaged and still buzzing with excitement? At some stage you’ll need to come down off cloud nine and crack into the wedding planning. It’s scary thought and you’ve probably got a million questions – the biggest of which issue to be: where to begin? The steps below will help you get started

Budget – who’s paying

Money is the linchpin for everything else. How much are you able/willing to spend? Establishing an upper figure from the start will help keep you on track, but you’ll need to build in some flexibility, as unexpected items could push your costs up by 10-15%. Work out whether you can afford to pay for the entire wedding. If not, who will you approach for help, and how much financial assistance do you nee? If involving others, you’ll have to be open to their preferences and suggestions, so think carefully.

Numbers – the guest list

Sit down separately and each make a preliminary list. Start with family and close friends, working through to those you’d like to be there, if possible. Remember to include your wedding party in the numbers. If your parents are paying, they’ll probably want a say in who attends, so be prepared to compromise. Discuss whether you want to invite children, and if you’re prepared to make any exceptions. Are you going to split the numbers 50-50 or is it okay for one person to invite more guests than the other?

Timing
The time of year and day you choose to marry will greatly affect your wedding bill. Reception venues and wedding specialists are busier and more expensive during the January-to-March peak season. The dearest option is a Saturday night reception; so if you need to cut costs, consider a different day of the week or a lunchtime reception.

Reception

Feeding and entertaining your guests makes up the biggest chunk of your wedding budget – most New Zealand receptions cost between $10,000 and $15,000 – so research your options thoroughly. Check the following: how many guests the venue can accommodate; available dates; parking facilities; catering options; exactly what’s included in the price and what’s extra; the deposit required; the BYO alcohol policy; and cancellation fees. Consider the venue’s proximity to your ceremony venue. Always get written quotes and don’t leave your decision too late – many couples book their venue one year in advance.

Theme

This will tie your whole wedding together, reflecting your style and personalities, and setting the mood for the day. You might choose a colour, motif, symbol, location or hobby, and weave it through all aspects of your wedding, from the invitations to the cake. Keep it simple, ensure it is practical and achievable, and limit yourselves to one or two key ideas. Avoid anything too wacky – you’re likely to cringe in years to come.

Church or civil ceremony

Discuss your preferences, and the possible expectations of your families. Even if they’re not religious, many couples like the romance and tradition associated with a church wedding. Investigate whether there are any prerequisities/restrictions on marrying in your chosen church or civil ceremony location, such as the beach, park or other public space.

Formality & Style

You can do what you want, within reason, but there are certain unwritten rules. For example, it’s inappropriate to wear tails to a beach wedding, or bare feet in a church. When planning each element of your wedding – the ceremony and reception locations, time of day, menu, attire, size and theme – make sure they all reflect your chosen style and level of formality.

Key players

You may already know who you’d like in your wedding party. Check that your partner has no major objections to your choice. Consider how reliable, responsible, organized and otherwise committed each of these people are. How many attendants do you want? An equal number of male and female attendants usually works best. Ensure the size of your wedding party is appropriate for the size and formality of the wedding.

Planning a Stylish Wedding

Plan your wedding invitations to suit your wedding theme. Our invitations are the first indication of the type of wedding your guests will be attending, so the degree of formality and style of your invitation is quite important. Silver is a stylish alternative to gold, and simple white invitations are timelessly elegant.

Selecting a wedding dress depends on your personal style, and the only style rules you must obey are fit, cut and type of gown. It’s important that your dress fits you properly, is cut well and that you can ‘carry’ the type of gown you are wearing. If you adhere to these simple points, any gown will epitomise your own particular style.

Style is all about the person wearing the dress. It’s not about how you look or what size you are – if you’ve got confidence, you’ve got style.

If you want a dress with classic style, it’s best to avoid trends and fads that will define the dress as from a certain year or decade. Simple and elegant gowns don’t date and will look as timeless in 20 years as they do today. And a stylish gown is not necessarily an expensive gown – it’s the way you wear it that counts.

Diamonds epitomise sophistication and style. Platinum and white gold are the quintessential metals of style, particularly for engagement and wedding bands. And while it may seem that platinum is the metal of the moment, it has actually been popular for centuries. Yellow gold is also a popular choice, although the cool look of white metal is timeless in its appeal.

The classic six-prong ‘Tiffany’ solitaire ring is a great example of timeless style. Launched in 1870, this design continues to be Tiffany’s best-selling ring over 100 years later, confirming that simplicity and elegance leads to enduring popularity.

Your wedding ring will continue to look stylish only if it is maintained regularly. Platinum should be professionally polished yearly for it to retain its lustre finish and avoid turning grey. Similarly, white gold should be rhodium plated every two years.

Looking fresh and healthy will beat even the best make-up application, so start looking after yourself early. Eat a balanced diet and avoid fatty and sugary foods. Look after your skin by starting a cleansing regime at least six months before your wedding day and invest in a series of facials. Begin an exercise program and aim to lose any excess weight sensibly over a reasonable amount of time. Cut and polish finger and toenails regularly, as there’s nothing more unstylish than unsightly nails. And invest time and money in having professionals style your hair and apply your wedding make-up.

Your wedding reception is the highlight to a stylish wedding and the venue you choose sets the scene. The location, the view, the décor and the atmosphere all contribute to how stylish your reception will be, so look for a venue that meets your requirements. The basics such as walls, flooring, chairs and tables must be scrutinised carefully before you book, as it can be extremely difficult and costly to decorate a room if the essentials are or ideal in the first place.

If you can’t find a venue that suits your requirements, you do have options. A marquee is a great alternative as you can set up your reception area in the location you want and decorate it to suit your tastes if you are willing to spend time and money, you can transform a space into anything your desire. Remember to ensure that the marquee is adequately heated and to have enough seating and toilet facilities.

If you want a stunning wedding that will be left ingrained on the memories of your guests, perhaps think about a reception venue with a difference like a catamaran or yacht – it’s a great way to have an intimate, private party with an ever-changing view. If the catamaran or yacht is not really your style then why not ask your reception venue if they can tailor a menu that benefits your theme and style. If you choose to have an elegant, sophisticated affair then consider creating an elaborate degustation menu. Or, for a wedding by the sea, incorporate some fancy fish and chips into your menu. You could even decorate the tables with goldfish in their bowls!

The food and alcohol you serve at your reception is a most important style factor and is not the place to skimp or cut corners. This doesn’t mean you have to choose the most expensive item on the menu – it simply means that quality should be considered over quantity. With a few clever selections, you can maintain a high standard without blowing the budget.

Good service is the epitome of style and can really make or break your reception. Hire outstanding professional waiting staff to ensure your guests receive speedy and polished service and your reception runs like clockwork. You’ll be amazed at the difference quality staff can make.

While wedding flowers may seem like an easy place to trim dollars from your budget, avoid this if you can, as flowers literally transform a room from an ordinary venue into a truly spectacular space.

Stylish wedding cakes not only look fantastic and taste superb but should be placed on a decorated reception table. As there are many different wedding cake styles to choose from, make sure yours suits the theme of your wedding and is big enough for each guest to take a slice home or to enjoy a piece for dessert. And a wedding cake smothered in fresh flowers is a stunning alternative to sugar-dough icing.

Another alternative to the traditional wedding cake is to have several identical small wedding cakes placed in the centre of each guests table so that there isn’t one main wedding cake but as many wedding cakes as there are tables. These cakes look and taste delicious and can replace floral table centres.

Your reception music should include a mix of musical eras and cater to various age groups. A cool jazz group or a lively swing band can be great, but have some subtle, relaxing music for when the evening winds down.

Bomboniere is a stylish memento of your wedding day for guests – chocolates are a delicious, stylish and relatively inexpensive bomboniere gift, as re miniature bottles of wine and miniature cakes.

There are a few basic style pointers that will lead you in the right directions, the most important being that quality should prevail over quantity, even if it means paring down your guest list. And do not compromise your style. If your budget is limited simply do a few things but do them well.