Before You "I Do" - Quick Tips For a Successful Wedding

Being one of the most important occasions in your life, your wedding must be approached with careful fore-planning.

That way, you ensure that nothing goes wrong on your special day, affording you (and your special someone) the opportunity to actually enjoy the day.

Start Early: A year is hardly enough time within which to plan and pull off a successful wedding. Really. You will need to establish a credible budget, engage service providers, sew clothes, book venues, etc. all before your wedding. And you will need to raise all the cash you will need as well.

Budget Early: You must have an idea of the amount of money you will be able to spend on your wedding. This is the only way to determine the items and activities that will comprise your special day.

Give Early Notice: Inform your church (if applicable) of your intention to get married at the onset of your planning. This will give your church ample time to organize counseling sessions for you.

Book Early: Book the venue(s) for your blessing and refreshment early to avoid disappointment.

Shop Early: As soon as you determine when you are going down the aisle, identify and engage competent service providers - Photographers, Videographers, Dressmakers, etc. Before you engage a service provider, be sure to obtain credible referrals and peruse their professional portfolios.

Ask Early: Contact people that you want to play roles in your wedding ceremony - MCs, Ministers, Bridal Party, Groomsmen, etc. These contacts must be made as early as possible to ensure maximum availability of these persons.

Buy Early: If you have to buy clothes and accessories, do so early, say two months to your wedding day. Have these fitted two weeks to the day.

Rent Early: If you intend to rent some clothes and accessories too, place your orders early and pay the necessary deposits promptly.

Sew Early: If clothes will be sewn for the bride, bridesmaids, groom and groomsmen, ensure that this is done at least a month to the date of your wedding. These must be refitted two weeks to the wedding to ensure that everything is perfect.

Bake Early: The wedding cake must be ordered early enough to ensure that it will be delivered in time for your wedding. Ascertain whether your baker will provide a cake stand and knife. If not, make arrangements for these early.

Ring Early: Get measured for your wedding rings early and pay the necessary deposits promptly too.

Coordinate Colours: In choosing the colours of your wedding décor, cake, invitations, clothes and the like, ensure that there is coordination in line with the chosen colours theme of your wedding.

How Refreshing!: No matter how small, short or simple you wedding ceremony itself will be, it is important to serve your guests some pastries and soft drinks (at least). Some may travel long distances to support your special day. Do well to sample food from your intended caterers before engaging them.

The Invite: Have your invitation cards printed and distributed at least two months to the wedding. Be sure to check the final proof critically for errors prior to printing.

The Programme: If you are issuing programmes of your wedding, get them printed at the time of printing your invitations.

Remember To Remind: Send out reminders of your special day to your invitees some two weeks to your day. You can do this via email or sms.

Fill The Fleet: Whether you intend to use horse-drawn carts, limousines or even aircraft, it is important to buy, rent or borrow (request that is) these at least four months to your wedding day. As a rule, secure three vehicles for you and your special someone and have them travel in your convoy on that day. That way, you can be assured that in the event of an eventuality like a breakdown, you have backups.

Pursue The Moon: Choose and book a destination for your honeymoon together with your partner. Select a quiet place away from family and friends that will afford you the opportunity to spend time together to begin your life as a ‘united person’.

Appoint Liaisons: Enlist reliable and competent persons to coordinate various aspects of your wedding ‘project’. You should appoint a liaison for your fleet, another for food, yet another for clothes, honeymoon, etc. The ‘officials’ would be empowered to take necessary decisions on matters within their AOOs (areas of operation). This way, no single issue would be brought to distract you when you are busy trying to get married.

Backup The Fleet: Depending on the size of your wedding, have three to ten well-fuelled vehicles on standby to help with any unplanned errands that may need to be run - picking up stranded or lost guests, etc.

Rest ...Assured: If you plan and delegate well, you should rest a lot in the days leading to your wedding. It is bad to have stress and tiredness carved on your forehead on your most special day. Ideally, do not drive for 48 hours prior to your wedding and in the same period, let a trusted person take telephone calls, passing on only very important calls to you.

Arrive Early: On your wedding day, make it a point to arrive half an hour ahead of your advertised time and park in a secluded area while you wait to make your appearance. It is rude to keep your guests - including ageing grannies - waiting for what some have postponed even death to witness (in a manner of speaking that is). Also, ensure that all setups are done very early, nothing is more embarrassing than draping decorations in the full glare of your guests.

Truly, the watchword here is early. Make your preparations early to have a relaxed, stress-free and enjoyable special day. See you at the altar ...on time.