From The Straits Times    |
peony bouquet thumb


Peonies, hydrangeas and silver dust leaves, $450, from Green Point Flowers. Photo: Her World Brides September – November 2014.

So I’ve written an exhaustive A-Z list that’s all about prepping for your wedding and we’ve offered many other helpful tips and ideas to ease your planning woes and burdens but perhaps all you really need to heed are the points here:

B is for Budget
Think, plan and confirm your budget before embarking on your wedding prep.  Planning for a wedding is a lot easier with a fixed budget in mind. Break down the budget into a detailed cost-per-item on an excel sheet and bring along a copy for reference when you go out and meet vendors or suppliers. You may want to consider setting aside some extra funds for some unexpected items and costs that may crop up along the way. But try to stick to your budget as much as possible. It’s there for a reason.

R is for Research
Do your research to get all the ideas and tips you need to create the wedding of your dreams. Pinterest and bridal mags are great references for wedding gown designs, makeup looks and setting ideas. Always prepare a folder of your edited ideas and references to show your vendors and suppliers.

I is for Investigate
You don’t have to embark on a full scale “investigation” but it’s essential that you find out as much as you can about the wedding vendors and suppliers you plan to hire and work with. Go online and find out about them, check out wedding forums and sift through other brides’ comments about these vendors before you decide to confirm a package with them. It’s always best to be prepared and not end up in a situation where the vendors and suppliers deliver sub-standard work, or worse, close down and leave you stranded.

D is for DIY
It would be nice if you could add some personal elements to your celebrations. Besides items like a list of favourite songs or vows that are personally written, another way is to add some DIY elements into the decor settings or wedding stationery. A hand bouquet you created yourself, cute signboards designed by your fiancee or even a dessert table filled with goodies made by your family can be a meaningful touch.

A is for Appointments
Always make, and stick, to the appointments you make with your vendors, suppliers and other wedding contacts. These meet ups enable you to get progress updates of the work. Always call two to three days before the appointed date to confirm the appointment. Some couples, and vendors, think that delaying an appointment for a few days is not a big issue, but that few days can result in major delays. So be prompt and on time for all your appointments.  

L is for Leeway
As mentioned before, even the best laid plans can go awry. So be mentally prepared that the unexpected will happen on your wedding day. When it comes to wedding planning, it’s best to have some leeway for unforeseen events and circumstances. Be open-minded, flexible and creative to deal with unexpected problems and come up with solutions on-the-spot.

Most importantly, get your priorities right and remember what the wedding is all about; at the end of the day, it’s about celebrating your union and love with close family and friends and that should be the focus of your day.