Wedding planning 101

Advice from Gail Cornhill, Spotted Owl Events

Let’s start by saying that there is no mandatory timeline for planning your wedding. If you give yourself three months to plan your event, you will get it done in three months. But for most couples the ‘average’ engagement period is around twelve months, which is why we have structured our suggestions around a one-year lead time. If you need to fast-track your planning, you can make the necessary adjustments to the below timelines.

• Start off by agreeing what you both want your wedding to look like. It’s fine to get ideas and inspiration from other weddings that you have ogled online but make sure your vision reflects your personality, preferences, and style. You don’t need to come up with a detailed and specific plan at this stage but you should have an overall style (and theme, if you wish to have a themed wedding) that fits you as a couple.

• Then work on a rough guest list – this is very important as you can’t even start looking at available venues until you have an idea of how many guests you are going to have and there is no point in looking at venues that are the wrong size.

• Next, finalise your budget.

• Are you a DIY bride or do you have a team that will be assisting you? Our advice – rope in some trusted people to help, but remember that it is your wedding day, listen to their advice and ideas but make sure it is your wedding day.

• And don’t underestimate the value that a wedding planner can add to your special day. A professional planner will help you avoid making costly mistakes and guide you through your selection of flowers and décor, and because they’re in the business they will often help you to source other trusted suppliers that they know will offer good value and professional service for your wedding day. They will also help you stay on top of deadlines so that you can enjoy the lead-up to your big day, knowing that the details have been taken care of!

• Book yourself and your fiancé/mum/bestie on a Marriage Meander Journey, where you will have the opportunity to visit four stunning venues and meet a range of experienced wedding professionals, who will help get your planning off to an inspired and organised start.

• Choose a date and secure your ceremony and reception venues.

• Book your marriage officer. Good people are hard to find and Home Affairs have really complicated procedures these days.

• Read the contracts!

• Choose your wedding party and invite your nearest and dearest to be part of your celebration.

• Start researching and shortlisting suppliers for all the other aspects of your wedding – caterers, stationers, dressmakers, photographers, videographers, DJ’s, musicians, makeup artists, hair stylists, florists, cake makers etc.

• Start dress shopping.

• Set up a gift registry.

• Finalise your guest list, appoint a stationer, and send your Save the Date.

• Once you reach the halfway mark, you should be ready to finalise and order your wedding invitations.

• Shop for your wedding rings.

• Plan your honeymoon. If you have booked international travel packages for your honeymoon, renew your passports (if necessary) and research any other travel requirements such as visas and yellow fever injections.