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6 Wedding Planning Hacks That Will Save Your Nerves And Money

vintage wedding dress

Anyone who’s ever planned a full-sized wedding will always tell you one thing: it’s absolutely stressful. There are so many big and small things that require all your focus. From the venue selection to the catering, lighting, dress, florals and more, there’s a ton of stuff that requires your attention.

So, what’s the solution? How can you make your Big Day feel as awesome as possible without succumbing to all the stress and nerves that go with the whole thing? We’ve got some pretty amazing hacks to help you out right here:

  1. Go vintage with the dress
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Photo by Vitor Pinto on Unsplash

Out of all wedding expenses, it’s the dress that costs the most. Logically, every bride knows that you’re only going to wear it once – but! You’ll only wear it once, so why not make it the best dress of your life, right?

However, you can always do splendidly in this regard without actually spending a ton of money. In fact, you can easily get a classic vintage wedding dress and get it altered to your liking by a reputable wedding gown tailor. The classics never fail and if you find one at an affordable price, it can save you a lot of hassle, expenses, and a ton of headache to simply get it professionally outfitted at a wedding gown alterations shop instead of going to an upscale boutique.

  1. Outsource vendors
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Photo by Alasdair Elmes on Unsplash

Wedding planning is all about finding the best vendors at reasonable prices, but many couples don’t know where to start. The answer is simple: ask your venue. This is the easy part, because the venue owners usually have preferred vendors and you might not get the best prices. 

But talking to them will give you a baseline on the expenditure, so when you find and meet new ones, you’ll have an idea on the benchmark prices of most services and how they are provided. You’ll also get some great recommendations. Some might even overlap, so you can always prioritize those at the end of the day.

  1. Keeping on top of your expenditure

Wedding preparations can turn into a black hole where you can throw an inordinate amount of money until you end up with nothing. Money management can become really, really hard once you start prepping for the big day. There are vendors asking for money here and there, and no matter how many recipets you try to save, you always end up losing track of where those bucks actually went away.

The best way to manage this problem is to rely on technology. In fact, there’s an app called Honeyfi that lets you manage your savings in the best possible way. It allows you to manage your money in a responsible way while helping you keep track of your spending.

  1. Get smart with communications
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Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

The biggest hassle you’ll encounter before your Big Day will come in the form of communications. Once you’ve decided on all your vendors, venue, and more, you’ll have to keep in contact with all of them. Most days, your email is going to get spammed with a massive amount of queries and coordination messages. This is why it’s always smart to create a separate email ID for your wedding plans. This way, you’ll always have all your wedding-related correspondence, quotes, and important messages in one place.

Secondly, you can also invest on a wedding website, which is an excellent way to coordinate and communicate with all of your guests. These websites are a great way to feature all the important details that your guests need to know about – i.e. gift registries, venue directions, dress code, etc. – all at the same time. No one can fall prey to bad communication this way.

  1. Rely on backup plans
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Photo by Shardayyy Photography on Unsplash

Outdoor weddings and unreliable vendors are a dime a dozen in this market, so you always need to have a backup plan. If you’re getting married during the rainy season, then you need to make sure that your venue is covered. Even if you’re hosting outdoors, make sure that your marquee is water-proof and able to withstand the elements.

You also need to have a second DJ option, and if you’re able to hold some backup in catering, then you need to get that as well. This way, you’ll be truly stress free on your big day, in case any of your original plans fall through.

  1. Do everything in advance
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Photo by Photos by Lanty on Unsplash

The one thing that always hits like a curveball from the left field when it comes to wedding is this: unpredictability. You just never know when you might hit an unexpected speedbump, which is why it’s always best to be prepared in advance.

Now, you might be wondering how you can do that, and it basically entails taking care of all the major stuff beforehand. Summers are busy wedding seasons, so you need to order all your things in advance. As far as dresses are concerned, find a good custom tailoring service and get them altered a few months ahead so there aren’t any mishaps and you’re able to shop for shoes and jewelry accordingly. 

The only thing that needs to be last minute is catering and floral arrangement. Anything that can be done in advance should be done that way.

So these are some wedding planning hacks that you can use to save a ton of time, money, and stress. They’ll definitely help you out in the long run and keep your groove going as the Big Day comes closer and closer!

Tony Kantzavelos is the owner of LoveYourDress and Love Your Tailor Toronto. Specializing in dress cleaning, clothing alterations and tailoring since 1986. Tony loves sharing tips and trade secrets for customizing and taking care of almost any kind of dress, and especially helping women look their best no matter the occasion.

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[2024] How To Prepare a Gay Wedding [The Ultimate Checklist]

How To Prepare a Gay Wedding [The Ultimate Checklist]

Thanks to the Australian legislation to make same-sex marriage a legitimate affair. This true liberalization on the exchange of love came into the process since 9th December 2017, through the Marriage Amendment Act 2017. It has also received royal acceptance on the same day from the governor-general. The antiquity of the same-sex wedding has suffered a great vetoing by the Howard government in the year 2004. But thanks to the legislation, for making the gay wedding a legal affair after a long fight, it has been finally approved in the year 2017.

Continue reading [2024] How To Prepare a Gay Wedding [The Ultimate Checklist]
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17 Unique Gift Ideas for Your Bridesmaids That Everyone Will Love

17 Unique Gift Ideas for Your Bridesmaids That Everyone Will Love

Do you feel that every responsibility has fallen on your shoulders as the wedding day approaches? On the one hand, you have an opportunity to arrange a wedding from your dreams, all according to your preferences and desires. 

On the other hand, every last detail counts – especially when it comes to a group of friends that have accepted a bridesmaid’s responsibility. Each of them deserves a token of gratitude, but your head is buzzing from all the wedding information you need to keep on your mind twenty-four-seven before you dash for that altar. 

Have no fear! Here are some neat gift ideas for your bridesmaids to get your imagination going!

Continue reading 17 Unique Gift Ideas for Your Bridesmaids That Everyone Will Love
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9 Tips To Plan a Successful Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding

You have finally found your lover whose laughter is a question you want to spend your entire life answering, right? You even chose your bridal gown. Well, whether you plan to tie the knot on an elegant mountain resort or a closer-to-home escape, a destination wedding offers you and your spouse an extended vacation. 

You have to plan your destination lest you get overwhelmed.
Are you uncertain where to start in planning for your soon coming destination wedding? Don’t worry. Here are 9 sure tips to planning a successful destination wedding.

1. Envision Your Big Day
When destination wedding comes calling your name, wedding planner experts advice that you should think big. You should ensure that the demands of a destination wedding get along with your vision. 

Factor in your budget, guest list to get the whole picture. Once you understand the entire picture of the event, then you can quickly work on small details such as your style, theme, colors, and design.

2. Select a Destination That Works For You and Your Guests
Well, it’s essential to pick the right location for your big day. You probably would wish to tie the knot in a stunning private island somewhere, but how about your guests? Are they able to get there hustle free? 

What about the travel concerns and complexity of the journey to get there? Basically, if the trip to your destination is too long, chances are your event will be boring. You won’t want your family and friends to be left with dull memories of your big day either. A perfect destination for both parties should be your priority.

3. Check Out Your Wedding Destination Early
Although it might cost you some additional bucks, taking a scouting trip will give you a destination wedding the way you dream it.  

You should plan to visit venues and meet local vendors to ensure everything slides well into your vision. A scouting trip will also give you first-hand experience and identify any concerns which need to be streamlined in advance.

4. Engage a Travel Agent
One of the undeniable truths about planning your dream wedding is that you can’t do it all by yourself. You got to seek assistance while arranging travel to your destination. Travel agent services prove to be extremely helpful in offering ideal travel deal for you and your guests.

A good travel agent can design your travel to minimize the number of stopovers when flying to your destination. Some travel agents also partner with various destinations to negotiate for discounts for their clients when they engage them for travel arrangements. Be quick to grab such money saving tips–the savings will certainly come in handy later.

5. Consider the Budget
Everything revolves around the budget–location, time of year and how long the festivities can last.

The costs you incur sometimes depend on if you’re traveling during peak-season versus low-season or during a holiday weekend.

Let’s keep prices lower. Once the location is set, you need to find an all-inclusive resort with wedding packages that fit the couples’ budget. If you consider the stunning ceremony venue, a bouquet, boutonniere at Beaches, there is a way you can get wedding free of charge. When you choose their honeymoon getaway package for 3 days, you get a free wedding.

What a money saver!
The more you stay, the more you save.

6. Hire a Wedding Planner
Hiring another pair of hands for your destination wedding can save you time, money and unnecessary headaches. There is a whole lot of logistical things behind the scenes with a destination wedding. You need a good planner to make it happen and will help you with the right connections for everything you want your day to be.

She or he will advise you on any legal requirements for getting married at your chosen location, offer guidelines for hiring vendors, help you with accommodation rates negotiations and much more. If your chosen destination is in a country where the natives are non-English speakers, then a bilingual is more recommended to facilitate the entire process.

7. Create a Wedding Website
Presumably, you have guests from all over the world. A wedding website that shares useful information makes saves you much stress. This is a place for you to provide details regarding any pre- or post-wedding events. Include the wedding planner’s information here along with any other travel tips as well.

8. Get Married (Legally)
The legality of the marriage is also a detail the couple should plan.
Get all the legal requirements that go with the wedding to ensure that you are not on the other side of the law. As far as local marriages requirements are concerned, you can always consult with the local venue for guidance.

9. Celebrate Your Big Day
Aside from post-wedding honeymoon getaway gorgeous experiences, a destination wedding is always a great way for both families and friends to come together in jubilation. Ensure that you factor in luxurious packages for you and your guests to spur memories of your great day. How about an all-Inclusive resort in Negril, Jamaica?

A destination wedding is a host of unique experiences which comes with tiresome planning, but it’s well worth it! So enjoy your destination wedding by following these tips. Oh, and don’t forget to share some decent pics!