If you thought the wedding proposal was a lot of work, you ain't seen nothing yet. Welcome to the world of wedding preparation. Hopefully, this guide will give you some insight into the work that is necessary for your wedding. The list below will cover the general areas for wedding planning. It is advisable to sit down with your other half and discuss these areas before attempting to co-ordinate your wedding.
1. IMAGINE YOUR PERFECT WEDDING
Think about the type of wedding you want. Is it going to be an elaborate affair with everyone you met since your nursery days, or an intimate dinner celebration with family members and close friends? What kind of decor and ambience do you want? A live band and fireworks? Well... maybe not the fireworks unless you're getting married on National Day. Imagine your perfect wedding without worrying about budget constraints or reality checks, feel free to let your imagination go. There's plenty of time for reality later. Once you've gotten the list of everything you want for your dream wedding, we can proceed.
2. SETTING YOUR WEDDING BUDGET
Well... now is the time to worry about budget constraints. The fact is, all the wedding glitz and glamour will cost quite a hefty sum. So best to decide on a realistic wedding budget right at the start. List out the wedding essentials and the amount you need to spend on them. After that, start sorting out the list for your perfect wedding into what you want and what you can do without. Don't forget issues like dowry, invitations, bridal car, honeymoon, ang baos and other forms of 'tax'. It is also advisable to set aside 10% of your wedding budget for incidentals.
3. CONSOLIDATING YOUR WEDDING GUEST LIST
After setting your wedding budget, you need to decide on the single largest expenditure of your wedding. The guests. All wedding venues charge according to the number of people attending. So the more people you invite, the more expensive your wedding would be. Luckily, in Singapore, most guests understand that and are likely to give you a red packet to help cover part of the cost. However, only about 70% of the wedding banquet cost is usually recoverable. Of course, this depends on how generous your guests are.
Money matters aside, you would want to sort your guests into 2 main categories. The 'must invite' A-list guests and the 'would like to invite' B-list guests. Make sure you send out your invitations early so that if any A-list guests are unable to attend, you can still send out invitations to your B-list guests without making them feel like last minute additions. Alternatively, if you are short of time, and can only send out one round of invitations, it is generally safe to assume a 10% rejection rate and send out extra invitations.
4. GET YOUR WEDDING ORGANIZED
I'm sure you realise by now that planning a wedding takes a lot of hard work and it pays to be organized. Firstly, it would be good to get a camera, a file, dividers, business card holders and a stack of post-its. Talk to some of your recently married friends and ask them for advice on vendors and contacts. Add these to your collection. There are usually wedding shows all year round so keep a lookout for these events and bring your camera along. Feel free to take photos at these wedding events to get ideas for your own wedding. These bridal shows also tend to sport the latest in wedding gowns, bridal veils and other wedding accessories.
5. SELECT YOUR WEDDING DATE
Decide what time of year you want to get married and select two tentative wedding dates -- it's important to have a backup in case your first choice isn't available. If your families are superstitious, make sure to consult the almanac for suitable dates to get married. Don't forget to check the calendar to make sure there isn't a major holiday or event on your desired wedding date. Otherwise, the turnout for your wedding might be less than spectacular. Not to mention the higher rates.
6. CHOOSE YOUR CEREMONY AND WEDDING RECEPTION LOCATION
Hotels, zoos, botanical gardens - let your imagination run wild when selecting a wedding location. Don't be afraid to try something new for your wedding. Afterall, it only happens once. But remember, it needs to be big enough to accommodate all your wedding guests. You'll want to find out how many events each site hosts per day, and whether there are any hidden fees and charges. Don't be afraid to ask for variations in the wedding packages offered, there's no point paying extra for items you could do without. Most wedding venues are willing to accommodate for your particular needs.
7. SHOP FOR THE WEDDING DRESS
Take your time to shop around various bridal boutiques for different styles of wedding dresses. Most bridal boutiques offer package deals which are perfect for the price conscious. However, no shop is the best at everything. So if you don't mind paying a little more, better to look separately for your wedding gown, photographer and videographers.
Also, be aware that most bridal dress shops require at least a couple of months to order your dress, if you're not wearing off the rack. Don't forget to bring stockings, shoes, a strapless bra and a hair clip to your appointments. Also bring any tear sheets or printouts from our fashion section of those dresses you adore, so that the sales staff can get a sense of your style. After that, it's time to start a fitness program to get in shape and look your best in that dream dress.
8. BOOK THE WEDDING BASICS
Top wedding locations and vendors are booked as much as a year in advance, so as soon as you've agreed on the type of wedding you would like to have, best to run to make your reservations in the following order: ceremony and reception locations, ceremony officiant, caterer, photographer, florist, cake designer, videographer and finally, the rental company.
Reception sites go particularly fast so if a site meets 80% of your requirements, reserve it!
9. GET A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS
With all the excitement and numerous details to keep track of for your wedding, it is best to rope in some of your good friends to help out with some aspects of your wedding. Be it your wedding reception, car rental or simply advice, don't be shy to ask.