Christmas 2024 is fast approaching, and this is the most popular time of the year for couples to get engaged.
To prepare couples for the Wedding Planning process in my next series of Blogs I will outline the process of Planning your Wedding from the beginning to end under the following headings,
The Beginning - 1- 2 years before the Wedding, the booking process.
6 - months before the Wedding
4- 6 months before the Wedding
2-4 months before
6- 8 Weeks before
The Week before the Wedding
The day before the Wedding
The day of the Wedding
Order of the day
Timing
Before the ceremony begins
Processional down the Aisle
the ceremony
Photography
Reception & first dance
The Beginning - the booking process.
The minimum planning process I would recommend for a medium to large Wedding in Ireland would be 18-12 months, but I have done it in much shorter time frames where required.
During the beginning of the Wedding Planning process, the most important things to book are
Reception venue
The ceremony Venue - if different
The celebrant to perform the ceremony
These three elements have to be booked before the Wedding date can be fixed.
Securing your venue of choice should be your first port of call. Arrange a short list of three and arrange viewings.
When you know you know, you may ultimately go with the first venue you view.
If you have a mind set on a particular celebrant priest or church, you will need to check their availability.
Choosing Venue’s
The important factors to consider when choosing the venue,
Availability - Is the venue available for your preferred date? ?
Cost - is the Cost of the Venue in keeping with your budget?
Capacity - How many guests are you planning to invite?
Venue Minimum Numbers - Many venues will have a minimum number requirement, do you meet that criteria?
Practicality - Can the venue cater for children and older guests with disabilities for example ?
Accommodations - Is there alternative accommodations nearby if the venue cannot sleep all your invited guests.
Approved for legal Ceremonies - Is the Venue approved to carry out legal Wedding Ceremonies.
If you are having a traditional Church Ceremony, you need to check the church and priest availability.
Sixty percent of Ceremonies now take place at the Venue, so you will need to ensure your chosen Celebrant is available, or look at alternatives.
Choosing your Photographer, Dress & Music
The photographer is a crucial aspect of any Wedding day and good ones can be in demand.
Shop for your Wedding dress early, as they often need to be ordered eight months in advance.
If you're having a band, the really good one’s can be in big demand, book early.
Choosing other Services
The next Items to book are,
Florist
Hair Stylist
Make up
Videographer - surveys show the biggest regret is not having one.
Wedding Cake
Transport
Entertainment , magicians are currently very popular.
And any other service providers you may require.
Create a google Doc’s spreadsheet to keep a record of the total cost of each service provider, and the remaining balance due, and the due date.
Have a clear contract of understanding with each service provider to ensure you have a clear outline of the service being provided.
In my next blog post I will outline the tasks you should be completing 6 months to 2 months before the Wedding.
Daragh Doyle - the Ireland Wedding Planner
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