Wedding Details to Book Well in Advance
Planning a wedding any year can be chaotic and stressful. Planning a wedding during a global Pandemic, that has been on another level. Not only are you dealing with the usual organization of sorting through vendors and styling details, now you have the added concerns of unexpected safety concerns and government issued restrictions.
If this experience has taught me anything, it is to never lose hope. There will be highs and lows and there will be moments your heart sinks to the pit of your stomach and you’re just about ready to rip your hair out. Right when you think you have something figured out, surprise, now there are all these other details to consider.
As a soon to be bride, I have noticed everyone caters to you when they want you to give them your money for your big day. This gives us brides an incredibly useful yet sometimes dangerous super power. The sky is truly the limit, but as life will always show us, it comes at a cost. With that being said, this is your big moment that a lot of us have waited our entire lives for, but you do not have to go into serious debt to have the day of our dreams. And if this past crazy year that continues to linger on has taught us anything, we can’t always be in control of every single thing.
Our wedding is 6 months away at this point and I have already had my share of mental freak outs and visible stress cries due to things that are completely out of my control. Continuous lockdowns in Ontario have caused numerous wedding dress appointments to be cancelled, to be rescheduled. Tasting for cakes or the catering we’re serving on the big day, moved to a later date. Zoom meetings with officiants, virtual venue tours, never actually seeing the face behind the mask of the person you are hiring for whatever you’re checking off the list. No one said this was going to be busy, but buckle up. It is hard!
I also want to make something very clear to anyone reading this, this is no ones fault. When your vendor has to reschedule that appointment, when your wedding planner has to make adjustments due to the new government enforced rules or if you can’t get that particular colour of that particular flower due to import limitations, take a breath. As much as we would love someone to blame, we are literally all dealing with this together and could have never predicted this would happen, let alone the longevity of this whole ordeal.
Now, I am a planner, through and through. It is in my blood. Heck, my side hustle is an organization business so you better believe I have been taking notes on everything and anything and I have excel sheets filled with details for every step, but I am no where near perfect. Contrary to popular belief, I have never been married before. I too am constantly asking my married friends “What did you do?” or “How much did this cost?” or searching on Pinterest for blog posts much like this one for any guidance I can find. And as much as I feel I have no idea what I am doing, I am constantly being told I am so prepared and organized. Why thank you!
Here are a few things I highly recommend booking in advance, simply based on my experiences so far.
The Venue
My fiancé and I got engaged on November 8th, 2020. We agreed we wanted to enjoy being engaged for just a little bit, let it sink in, get used to saying “my fiancé”. We also wanted to get through the holidays before diving head first into wedding planning. We initially planned on not even looking into venues until the new year. Well…. I couldn’t help myself! And are we ever glad for my impatience. Out of 30 venues we initially contacted (yes 30!) half of them were already booked for the Fall season of 2021. We were battling against weddings that were pushed up a year due to cancellations in 2020. Of course then you face locations who never get back to you, who are incredibly expensive or end up being not at all what you had expected. You start to develop this mindset of “let’s just try and see”. We narrowed it down to our top 4 locations, had virtual tours with 2 and on site and masked-up tours with the other 2, and n the end, we found the best location for us and we couldn’t be happier. Every venue journey will be different, each will have it’s own challenges, but I can assure you, it is not impossible to find one. Venues can be indoor facilities or outdoor spaces. This could even mean someone’s backyard. Securing your space and the date of your wedding allows everything else to fall into place and it’s easier to book other vendors when you have a date to give them.
The Caterer
If your venue does not come with catering, I highly recommend booking your catering services right after you book your venue. A lot of the time, venues have preferred vendors they like to work with or have a relationship with. Sometimes they offer special package prices or have a discount agreement. Try to find one that also offers bar services if you are planning on servicing alcohol at your wedding. And do not be shocked by a liquor license being included in the fee, this is completely normal, not a rip off and the law. You can go with a sit down three or four course dinner, family style, buffet or even hors d’oeuvres all night long, it all depends on how formal you want to go and ultimately, what fits your budget.
The Photographer
One of the most important expenses for a wedding will be your photographer. You are putting a lot of money into this one big day, the biggest take away from this event (other than your marriage of course) are the captured memories. Do not, and I repeat, do not cheap out on this. Now, you don’t have to pay a fortune (unless you want to). There are reasonably priced photographers out there, but this is not something you want to give this huge responsibility to just anyone. Most photographers offer tiered packages at different price ranges to fit your desired budget. Don’t be afraid to ask for adjustments on the packages to match exactly what you are looking for. Really good photographers respect the importance of this duty and will be very accommodating to meet your needs. If you’re anything like my fiancé, you may be completely shocked by the price of a photographer. Please keep in mind, this person is devoting their entire day to you, usually 8 hours or more, but the work they do afterwards on selecting and editing and the hours they put in after the actual day, is more of less what you are paying for. And goodness sake, feed these people! They are humans too and while yes they are “at their job” while photographing your wedding, you get a lunch break at your job, they deserve one too. Do you really want them taking photos of you trying to stuff a few bites of your stuffed chicken in your mouth before the next round of thank-you-for-comings commences? I think not!
Entertainment
Whether you are having a DJ or a live band at your wedding, these people shockingly book up very quickly, up to a year in advance. Weddings are not their only gig, so it is a good idea to do your research and book them almost as soon as you have your wedding date is selected. You don’t have to have all of your songs picked out right away, this can be done a few months prior to the day, but it is important to book as soon as you can to get the good ones! The DJ’s we have hired are also radio DJ’s so they are true professionals in knowing what music to play for the audience they are serving and how to please a crowd. It’s also a good idea to consider a DJ that can double as your MC if you are not having a friend or loved one take on this role. If you go with a band, consider looking for one that can also provide DJ services, or at the very least, have a playlist to put on when the band takes a break. Nothing worse than an awkward silence during intermissions.
The Decor
Decor can be as elaborate or as subtle as you want it to be. Some venues come fully equipped with all you would need. Others come with next to nothing. You can DIY a lot, or you can rent a bunch of stuff. Having a colour scheme will truly help you here. You will need to consider tables, chairs, linens, centerpieces, reception tables, candles and candle holders and any other personalized details. Also keep in mind the venues fire codes when it comes to candle and candle holder selections. To save money, try to DIY as much as you can. If your as lucky as I am, I have some very crafty friends and a handy soon-to-be husband who, like myself, don’t mind pitching in to create my wedding day vision. This also allows for that personalized touch to the day. It’s a great feeling to hear compliments of how beautiful things look and you can have the honour of saying “I made that” or “I helped!”.
The Florist
Much like your decor, flowers can be as grande or as simple as you’d like. Try to be open minded about the look you are going for. Have a colour theme to guide your florist, but do listen to their suggestions. This could save you money in the long run. If you go into selections with a very specific flower and colour or shade of that flower, you very well could be setting yourself up for failure. Believe me, there will be a bunch of ideas you come up with of how you want things to look, but nothing in life is perfect, especially in a global Pandemic, and things can change constantly. As an alternative to flower arrangements, how about greenery or succulents. Even silk or faux flowers. The nice thing about these is they can be forever keepsakes from your day. You can even rent these! Check out Evermore Floral out of Whitby, Ontario for some amazing options.
In conclusion, you can truly book as much as you want in advance. We also have our officiant booked, cake selected, hotel blocks scheduled, hair and makeup arranged and my bridesmaids have their dresses. Again, I’m a planner! I am not at liberty to risk missing a detail or miss out on something, especially in these questionable times.
While the challenges keep coming up, I am trying to enjoy the planning process. I have an incredibly supportive and level-headed fiancé who keep me positive and our budget in check. Our family and friends are so kind and generous with their excitement for us. As unfortunate as this unspeakable past year has been, we have something to look forward to.
Stay positive. Stay safe. Stay organized.
Melanie xoxox