IMPORTANT: Working out your wedding priorities
Surprise! Planning a wedding can be overwhelming. So much so, that there are people you can hire to take all the logistical pain away.
But since JLo isn’t available for your wedding planning, we’ve put together a list to help you find your way forward, and start prioritising the things that will make your day amazing.
The foundation of getting hitched
Every wedding can be divided into these two categories:
Step 1: Get married
Step 2: Be married
More than anyone, we understand and respect that these two steps look very different for each couple. You might say your ‘I do’s’ in front of 100 people, and then have a three course meal at the Hyatt afterwards. Or, you could be married in front of three other people, then settle in for a night of takeaway and your favourite show with the cat. Both are special, and are perfect examples of couples planning a wedding day that prioritises the things that are special to them.
Want a horse drawn carriage? Go for it!
Turn up in an Uber? Great choice!
The secret? Start with what feels right for you, then adjust from there.
You can’t go wrong with good company, and a hot pizza.
Wedding categories
Let’s chat about wedding categories, because there’s more to this than meets the matrimonial eye. While your ceremony is our area of expertise, we’ve seen the benefit of seeing the entire vision of your wedding as a whole, and how this flows back into the decisions you make about how you say your vows.
Key people
The both of you!
Celebrant (Fun fact: without us, you can’t get married!)
Photographer and Videographer
Musician
Venue coordinator
The wedding party
Will you have one?
What will they wear?
What roles do they play before, during, and after the wedding day?
Will they stay with you the night before?
Family and guests
What roles and responsibility will your guests have?
Will you have any guests at all?
Tip: If you’re not sure if you’d like a small or large wedding, start by making a list of everyone you would ever want at your wedding and see how many you end up with. Multiply that by an average of $75/head. Want more budget for the bar tab? Time to cut a few friends loose.
Ceremony
Do you want to be married in less than 5 minutes or do you have more to say?
Rings and vows - are they important to you?
Seating for everyone or just Grandma?
Will you arrive separately or together?
Does the time of day warrant refreshments?
Will you have music, or just appreciate the soundtrack of nature?
Reception
Would you like to have a post-ceremony celebration?
Do you want to celebrate with others, or would you prefer to have some quiet time as a couple?
Venue and style of party - will you sit or stand?
Seating charts
Your menu and drinks package
Speeches, first dance and cake cutting - what’s your run list like?
Transport
How will you get between venues?
Clothes and accessories
Wedding outfits (dresses / suits)
Shoes and belts
Bouquets / buttonholes
Hair accessories and jewellery
Rings
Beauty
Hair, nails, spray tans, and waxing
Haircuts and skincare
Relaxation and self-care
Decorations
Flowers, balloons, and table centres
Signs to let your guests know they’re in the right place
Entertainment
Band or a DJ?
Photo booths, lawn games, and guest book craft
Stationery
Invitations - digital or post?
Envelopes, stickers, RSVPs, and thank you cards
Place cards and bonbonniere
Accommodation
Night before and night of the wedding
Gifts
Wishing well, gift table, or none at all
Will you have a wedding party? Remember that your wedding party/support crew don’t have to be symmetrical up the front - mix it up if you like!
What’s next?
This list might give you shortness of breath and chest pains, but it also might give you reassurance that you could plan this thing overnight. The list we’ve given you takes a larger, more detailed event into consideration, but the good news is that you can have the same size affair with less bits and bobs within it.
But where do we go from here?
Our suggestion - go through this list and cross out anything that you don’t think is important, or doesn’t set your heart on fire. For example, if table centres aren’t your thing… don’t have them! If you want to shoot your guests an SMS instead of a gold-leafed invitation accompanied by 47 rare love birds delivered by a French speaking footman, that’s totally acceptable too. Go with your gut, because believe it or not, you already know what you want.
Next, answer yes / no to the remaining things. When you’re faced with only two options, the decision paralysis becomes a bit more manageable.
Soon, you’ll have a clear picture of your wedding day in front of you, and we can choose a ceremony option that suits it perfectly.
Some truth bombs
Still getting chest pains? We’d like to give you some hardcore facts that might help.
To be legally married, you only need a Celebrant and two witnesses. That’s it - the basic truth. Sign of your Notice of Intended Marriage at least 1 month before you want to be wed, and we’ll get this thing signed, sealed and delivered.
Think about who you are as a couple when no one is watching - perhaps a vision of you on an average Tuesday night after work. If public speaking makes you want to vomit, maybe elaborate and emotional vows aren’t your thing. On the other hand, if you’re snapping selfies with the Duck a l'orange you just whipped up, maybe food should be at the top of your list.
You’ll outshine every single part of your wedding, no matter how important the blue stitching underneath your petticoat is to you. The person standing at the end of the aisle (or garden path, or sitting on the couch, or in the church) wants to marry YOU, and if they’ve turned up, it’s a good day already.
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Interested in chatting more about your ceremony? We have a number of options available to you, no matter where your priorities are. You might also be interested in our pop up wedding days.