Singaporebrides | Weddings 101
March 2012
Planning A Stress-free Wedding
Planning a wedding is no mean feat. In the months leading up to the Big Day, expect to juggle work and relationships while ticking off a long to-do list at the back of your mind. With so much to do, it’s only too easy to get all stressed up and lose control of what’s really important. SingaporeBrides keeps you organised and stress-free with the Top 5 planning tips below.
1. Draw up a wedding to-do list
This is one of the very first things you should do because it sets the tone for your wedding planning. Coming up with a game plan that works is not difficult – it’s all about finding time to sit down and think through what you want in a systematic way. If you haven’t already, check out the SingaporeBrides Wedding Planning To-Do List. It comes with pre-added items so you’re not completely at a loss of what to do, but you can add and delete items as you wish. You can even track your progress on your smart phones.
A tip: The SingaporeBrides To-Do List also provides links to our directory. From those links, you can note down the information from the various wedding vendors and save them immediately on your computer or smartphones.
2. Stick to your wedding budget
If you don’t want your wedding to cost you an arm and a leg, take care to stick to a predetermined budget. To begin, make sure the both of you understand and agree to the type of wedding you’re going to have. Obviously, planning a DIY-oriented party costs far less than organising an elaborate bash at a five-star hotel. After you’ve done that, do some research on average wedding-related costs in Singapore. You can easily get estimates by calling wedding vendors.
Once you’ve sorted out your budget, make a pact to stick to it. Plenty of bridal couples exceed their wedding budget. So if you’ve just spotted an oh-so-gorgeous tiara that you didn’t originally budget for, please don’t buy it immediately. Weigh its importance against other things in your checklist and see if you can take something out to balance out the cost. Also, discuss with your other half before spending the extra money. As you make wedding decisions over the next few months, constantly look for ways you could trim your budget further. For instance, if you can settle for four bridesmaids, don’t have six.
A tip: Build up a cash cushion that is about 10 to 20 per cent more than your wedding budget. This is for situations of last minute, unanticipated expenses, like when your mum suddenly tells you she has to invite her old neighbours to your banquet.
3. Delegate, delegate, delegate!
One of the key mistakes that bridal couples make is that they do not delegate their tasks. Couples tend to take it all upon themselves, whether it’s flipping through wedding magazines for research, tracking down everyone’s mailing addresses or picking up the party favours. But planning a wedding is really a time management game. No matter how capable you are, you will need help to finish every single task on that checklist. And chances are, there are family members and close friends who will be more than happy to lend a hand.
A few tips:
a) Only ask those close to you: By this, we mean you shouldn’t call up a primary school friend whom you haven’t met in years. Instead, call close family members – like your younger sister whom you know wants to be part of the action – and best friends. These people are the ones who genuinely share in your joy, and so will be willing to go all out for you.
b) Be gracious: When you ask, explain that you will understand if they turn you down. After all, everyone has a day job. When they agree, let them know what they have to do and give them a realistic deadline (read: don’t stress them till they break down in tears!). Oh, it might help them say yes if you promise not to morph into a Bridezilla.
c) Match the right person to the right job: You know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. If your gal pal loves online shopping, have her help you pick out some party favours that fit your theme – you just have to make the decision. And if your best man John is crazy about music, why not let him select a playlist for your ceremony?
4. Don’t get carried away at wedding shows
In Singapore, there are wedding shows, fairs, workshops and exhibitions all year round. These events showcase a variety of wedding services and packages. Bridal couples usually get to view the latest collection of couture gowns from participating bridal boutiques, check out hotel ballrooms, sample signature banquet dishes by participating restaurants and interact with wedding vendors like wedding planners, florists and entertainment providers. At larger-scale shows, bridal couples can even stand to win prizes like complimentary hotel stays and a huge discount off a gown package. So it’s always a good idea to drop by some of these wedding shows.
A tip: As you move from booth to booth, some wedding vendors can get pushy (they insist that you need to rent a Mercedes limousine, for example). This is when you need to stand your ground and not get carried away by over-the-top suggestions. Constantly remind yourself of what your wedding vision is (for instance, an intimate cocktail reception for family and close friends) so you will not end up booking a 10-course Chinese banquet on the spot. Grooms-to-be tend to be better budget-controllers. So if you’re the kind of bride-to-be who will gush over everything, get your groom-to-be to hold you back – then discuss rationally before making any decision.
Check out a regularly updated list of wedding shows on SingaporeBrides.com.
5. Focus on some important aspects… and go easy on the rest
When planning your wedding, realise that you’re not Kate Middleton. Not everything has to be top-notch (read: an eight-tier cake decorated with 900 sugar-paste flowers, £50,000 worth of potted trees). For ordinary mortals like us, it is best to save your sanity – and your wallet – and focus on some important aspects while going easy on the rest.
So have a good talk with your groom-to-be. Discuss what’s truly important to the both of you. Is it the church ceremony? Or is it about treating your extended family to an impressive banquet? Would you prefer to splash out on a couture gown but scrimp on your wedding flowers? You can’t have everything, so it’s all about priorities here.
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