In Part I, we walked you through some of the first steps to planning a successful wedding without working with a professional wedding planner., including the all important selection of your wedding venue. Now we will go into some of the other important details to make your big day a truly memorable event.

How to Make Your Wedding Planning Fun

The planning process for a wedding lasts much longer than the day itself, so to truly enjoy this magical time in your lives, it’s important to remember to have fun together as you finalize the details of your upcoming nuptials. In other words, enjoy the process. You may also want to schedule regular breaks from wedding talk, for instance, maybe have a date night once a week where you are not allowed to mention  wedding stuff. 

In addition to the primary tasks listed in Part I, there are several more steps you can take to ensure everyone has a wonderful day as you celebrate your new life together. 

Organize Your Wedding Materials

You will want to keep all the information, such as addresses, phone numbers, suggested vendor contacts, etc. in one place where everyone involved can find it (without calling you at 10:30 on a Sunday night). Creating a shared Google Sheet is a perfect way to gather unrelated but important information in one place. Additionally, you might want to get an old-fashioned wedding notebook (preferably with some pockets) where you can keep physical records, like receipts and menus.

Plan Your Wedding Guest List

Now is the time to think about your wedding day and how you hope to interact with your guests. Do you want to be able to spend quality time with each of your guests? Or do you want to throw the party of a lifetime with everyone you care about in the same place? You will also need to keep in mind that the guest list is one of the biggest factors affecting your wedding budget. 

Create Your Wedding Registry

There really is no such thing as making a wedding registry too early. With engagement parties, showers, and out-of-town relatives, your forethought will be greatly appreciated by all involved. While some parties and pre-wedding events may not require gifts, it is thoughtful for you to have everything set so guests don’t have to ask if they want to give you something to commemorate the occasion. 

Create a Wedding Website

While this is relatively new in the world of wedding planning, it is an indispensable tool for family and friends, and the perfect way for you to communicate important information without making countless calls or sending confusing group texts. The sooner you have this up and running, the smoother things will go!

Get Wedding Insurance

Yes, there is such a thing as wedding insurance and we highly recommend you check into this cost effective way to protect your special day as well as providing peace of mind. While we are on the subject, it’s a good idea to get your engagement ring and wedding rings insured as well. 

Choose Your Wedding Party

Now is the time to formally invite all those you want to be intimately involved in your wedding ceremony. Remember, you are asking them to spend money and dedicate time to you, so let them know all the details, including expected costs, as soon as possible.

Select a Stationary Suite

A stationary suite provides everything you need from “Save the Dates” to the wedding invitations, menus, and reception place cards. By choosing a stationary suite rather than selecting each item separately, you will be sure that everything coordinates without you having to figure that out. 

Shop for Wedding Attire

This should be one of the most exciting and fun things you do in regard to planning your wedding. Make sure to spend some time figuring out what you want  (especially when it comes to your wedding dress) before you head out to the shops - it will make the process easier and less stressful. 

Plan Pre-Wedding Self Care

In addition to making sure you get your rest, plan any beauty or dental treatments well in advance, and try out anything that is new to you in plenty of time to undo it. In other words, we wouldn’t recommend trying a new hair color a couple of days before your wedding (read, no orange hair-unless you want it).

Think About Your Honeymoon and Plan Accordingly

If you are going to head off on a honeymoon the day after your wedding, now is the time to make sure all those arrangements are finalized. 

Enjoy All the Pre-Wedding Parties

This is a once-in-a-lifetime celebratory occasion, so don’t get so involved in planning for that “one” day that you don’t enjoy all the days leading up to it. When your friends or family are throwing you a shower or an engagement party, make sure to take in the joy of the moment, laugh, talk, spend time with those you love and don’t obsess over menu items, play lists, or any other minutia of the planning process. 

Final Tips

It doesn’t matter if you are planning a Lake Geneva country club wedding or are planning to elope, you need to apply for your marriage license. 

You should also make sure to add those personal touches to your wedding plans, for instance, if you have pets who are important to you, maybe place their pictures on the gift table. Personal touches are what make guests go home and say, “that wedding was really “them.”

Lastly, relax. Make sure to communicate, in detail, everything you want and expect from your vendors, invite your guests, and then simply enjoy the day - let it all go and be present at your own wedding. After all, isn’t that what all this planning is for?