Coquettish’s Pearls of Wisdom – 3 Tips for Planning Your Wedding

We here at Coquettish have gained many pearls of wisdom through planning our own affairs and being involved with other couples as they go through their journey. We’ve learned how to pull off a successful event, create a realistic timeline and how to make sure the couple experiences a seamless day. But in order for all this to be possible, we first need to focus on the planning process.

We here at Coquettish would like to share the 3 most important tips for planning your own wedding:

1. DO IT YOUR WAY – This celebration is ultimately about you, your fiancé, and the joyous occasion of your marriage. That’s right – it’s about the couple. It’s not about your parents’ friends or which dresses best suite your bridesmaids or about how far your guests have to travel to the reception. Don’t get us wrong, these are all factors to consider, but in the end, do what’s right for yourselves.

Example: Hard to believe, but neither Andrea nor Eric love sugary treats.  They wanted to skip the traditional wedding cake and offer a dessert buffet instead.  There were grumblings amongst the traditionalists, but the savory-minded duo held their ground. They featured a semi-sweet mix of American, French and Asian desserts. It was a hit and with a taco truck to distract the guests, nobody ever missed the cake cutting.

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE YOUR MIND – If you aren’t 100% sure you LOVE something, then go with your gut and change it. The options for dresses, colors and themes are endless and choosing one can be rather daunting. Even if you’ve purchased something, chances are you’ll be able to sell it. (Check out sites like Project Wedding, Weddingbee and Preownedweddingdresses.) It’s better to change it while you can than look back on your wedding with regret.

Example: Jamie purchased bridesmaid dresses for her gals. They were cute, affordable and off the rack, thus requiring minimal alterations. She’d had them for months but she just didn’t love them. So, she went back to square one and started the search over. After numerous shopping trips and countless hours of online shopping, she achieved her initial goal and each gal wore a different grey dress with her Maid of Honor wearing a floral frock. It was one of the best decisions she made – the new dresses were so much more Coquettish and better yet, re-wearable! And who doesn’t love Nordstrom’s return policy?  The first lot went right back to the store and was credited to Jamie’s card.

3. BUDGET’S ARE ADJUSTABLE – Any event planning guide will tell you the first thing to do is to set a budget. However, most newly engaged couples don’t even know where to start. There are many factors to consider – venue, vendors, attire, décor, music, etc … Don’t freak out ladies and gents! Take a deep breath and talk to your fiancé. Figure out what’s important to the two of you and collectively agree upon a number. Tada, now you have a starting point.

As you start to research, adjust your budget accordingly. If photography is more than you thought, then see where you can lower your costs – maybe you don’t need to have silk pintuck linens. Also, leave some buffer for miscellaneous stuff because it will come up. (Jamie called it her “WTF fund.”) When planning, don’t tempt yourself. If your dress budget is only $2,000, don’t try on Vera Wang or Monique Lhuillier gowns. There are endless wedding gowns in all price ranges. If you decide to go over your budget, make sure everoyone involved is comfortable with the decision and don’t stretch yourself too thin. You don’t want to have to eat ramen for a year because you over stretched yourself.

So there you have it – Coquettish’s indispensable words of wisdom when it comes to wedding planning. To all of our married readers, what advice would you give your best friend if she told you tomorrow that she’s engaged? Click below to dispense your tips and tricks!

{Images courtesy of Greg Ma}

Tags: "budget", "dessert bar", "mis-matched bridesmaid dresses", "printed bridesmaid dresses", "wedding planning", bridesmaid, grey, wedding