Be Your Own Wedding Planner, Here's Your Checklist

Each person has that dream wedding in mind and a plan for it either written down or in the head. From the honeymoon, cake, tuxedoes, wedding dress to bridesmaids and guests there're so many things to think about. It's also a wonderful time and the feeling can be really overwhelming to a point of forgetting a lot of things. Rather than get caught in the delightful feeling of expectancy and romance there're so many small and big things to be prepared accordingly before the wedding.

A checklist helps you put things into perspective and have every area or major areas in wedding preparation and planning covered. Here's a checklist that can help you plan almost every area of your wedding entirely without leaving anything behind.

Mind the budget

Obviously, every marriage comes with a budget of its own. If you don't have one or a structured budget, sit down and come up with the amount you intend to spend. Remember in a budget prioritizing is everything. Perhaps the flowers, dream wedding gown to extravagant drinks and food are important to you. Perchance pictures and video are way important or simply the decor. Whatever it's, budget for it. Don't forget to find the most affordable if working with a small budget or simply the best if quality is everything.

Video and photos

Today like in the past capturing the great day from the beginning to the end and everything in between is still very significant. As a result, you might want to make sure you have a professional videographer or photographer doing the capturing for you. Looking back years at the film and images will be one of the loveliest things a couple can ever do. The beautiful outfits, decor and colors need to be captured perfectly to last for a lifetime.

Ceremony area and reception venue

The kind of day you'll have is hugely dependent on the ceremony location. Think about the ceremony you intend to have; it can be a humanist, spiritual, secular or religious ceremony or anything you might decide with your partner. Once you've decided about the ceremony find the perfect location to suit your unique needs. The party venue is also very important particularly if it won't happen in the same location as the ceremony. Think creatively and find museums, industrial warehouses, picturesque villages, town halls, resorts, the beach, private ranches among many other places and earnestly find that proper party spot everyone will love.

Games and fun activities

If you're thinking about giving your guests a chance to let loose and enjoy themselves some fun and games might be included in the checklist. Think of all those ideas you've no problem injecting into your big day. These can be quiz contests, fete games to board game tables. With so many options, you can buy some or create some from scratch and cut the cost.

Personalized entertainment

Ensure the entertainment you're thinking about is hugely what both partners like. Agree on the playlist and the kind of music you want played in the wedding ceremony and eventual party. If keen on other forms of entertainment you might want to incorporate such fun activities as baking and dancing contests, among others.

Include honeymoon ideas

It's very important not to just agree on the honeymoon without putting it into the checklist to prepare for it effectively as in everything else at this time. The fact is, as you plan the wedding you could forget or think you prepared for the honeymoon, thinking that you booked the air tickets on time or booked a place in the resort you have selected. Planning a wedding and the day itself can be really long and tiring and you'll be itching to be away. Prepare everything related to the honeymoon well.

Meals

Food is a very critical part of a wedding and people expect to take a meal as in most memorable celebrations, something different and unique while at it. It's very easy for people to remember what they ate and forget what the bride wore or even the color of the groom's tux. The meal can include a wedding breakfast perhaps of three courses or something wholly different. Go through what you want and what the vendors or caterers cost. This takes a chunk of the funds and preparing efficiently is important. Planning well means nothing will be out of place in the wedding.

DIY extras

Homemade extras are huge today in a wedding. If you're crafty or have people who can help DIYing on different things can cut cost or cover other areas better such as the meals, entertainment and drinks that need to be bought. DIY is also a personal celebration of some sort, from creating bridesmaids outfits or even the wedding gown yourself, setting up flowers, decor, cooking your own meals and baking your own cake among other things.

Transport

Of course no one should enter a wedding ceremony without causing some stir. Transport makes a grand entrance special if you can be creative about it. From wacky ideas such as riding bicycles in the wedding venue together, finding an old truck, tractor, train, skateboarding or arriving on horseback or the longest limousine in the county, anything goes. You can find lots of things that augur well with your personalities and have fun while committing to one another.

Guest list

Starting the guest list as soon as possible is important, particularly if you have a specific number of guests in mind. You can create a guest list database with columns for gifts, their contact information, relationship, sitting arrangement to RSVPs among other details. In case you're thinking about cutting cost this is where you can do it really well by reducing the number of people on the list.

Planner if need be

If you're not really sure about your wedding planning abilities you might want to think about a wedding planner. This is particularly important if you don't have a great relationship with vendors.

Remember the officiant

Whomever you have chosen to officiate your wedding it's always important to book with them. You might prepare everything only to realize you don't have an officiant.

Bridal bag

Obviously on the big day you probably will need all manner of things. You can have a small bag packed containing all the different things you need. Find a relative or close friend and have them carry it discreetly. In the bag include your Smartphone, soft cups or tampons, white and colored ribbons for fixing or patching up hair issues, thread and needle just in case some mishaps that need a quick thread happen, bobby pins, hairspray, safety pins, deodorant or perfume, breath mints or dental floss and pain pills among other little things you deem important.