He’s gotten down on one knee, popped the question and you’ve got a year until the big day, so now what? The long winding road that is the planning process can seem almost never-ending but don’t stress ladies! The team at Adorn Invitations have put together a comprehensive timeline for you with a bunch of industry tips and tricks to save you your pretty pennies and keep the stress at bay. That long winding road of tulle, lace and peonies will be much easier to navigate. We promise. Keep reading for the ultimate wedding planning timeline…
When you mention your event is a wedding – their prices may triple…
Keep track of the cash flow and budget
Probably the most important tip we can give you, is to set a budget and for you lovely brides to actually stick to it! Some of you may be fantastic type A personalities who know the importance of sticking to your estimated budget but for the other brides to be, this is just a reminder. You want to make sure that when you come back from your honeymoon, you still have some cash in your pockets – so follow this formula bellow and stay on track:
48-50% of total budget to reception
8-10% for flowers
8-10% for attire
8-10% for entertainment/music
10-12% for photo/video
2-3% for invites; 2-3% for gifts
8% for miscellaneous items like a wedding coordinator
5-10% of your budget tucked away for any extra expenses
Keep on top of both your budget and the time you have available! Graphic by Adorn Wedding InvitationsSometimes you just need to know when to keep your mouth shut
The most secretive tip that your vendor WON’T tell you is that when you mention your event is a wedding – their prices may triple. Yes, you’ve read that correctly. TRIPLE. If you can avoid telling your vendor that the event is for your wedding day, you’ll be able to save some big bucks. Obviously you won’t be able to keep this information from your wedding photographer (who specialize in weddings anyway) but if you can avoid telling your florist or baker, that’s a plus.
Trials are your best friend
We’re not just talking hair and makeup trials. We’re talking spray tans! Probably the most important thing for you to experiment with is the colour of that spray which will be all over you on your wedding day. You do not want to be walking down the aisle in a tangerine hue ala Anna Hathaway in Bride Wars.
You can do it yourself
You may think you have no idea how to DIY, but I promise you, you do. Even if it’s just table numbers or a DIY bonbonniere package – this will save you a lot of cash. Have a sprawl through Pinterest one night and stock up on DIY ideas that you can use throughout the wedding. Not only will you be saving your pennies but this will be a great way to inject your personality into the celebration.