Most girls dream about their wedding day … When you were younger, you probably thought of Cinderella and pictured yourself being whisked away, white steed and all, by a handsome Prince Charming. As a teenager, your hero was more likely to have resembled a rock star than a blond, perfectly featured fairytale prince!
But now you’re all grown up – you have found the man you love, and you are about to be married. Suddenly your dreams are becoming reality. A fairytale of your own is about to unfold. The preparation for your wedding will be one of the most exciting, emotional and special times of your life, and you should savour every moment.
And your wedding day? That will be pure magic. So let the story begin…
Your mum’s in tears, dad’s popped out to buy champers, your sister’s already surfing the net looking at dresses, the dog’s barking, the household is in uproar … and you? Well, you’ve just told them that you’re going to be married, so you’re far above the hubbub floating on air.
But when you do come back down to earth – which won’t be for a while yet, so enjoy! – there are a few things that will require your attention. You are about to enter one of the most exciting, busy, rewarding, and sometimes stressful times of your life. Usually it’s not until you begin planning your wedding that you realise just how much there is to consider. Not only do you have to source a range of service providers while remaining true to your budget (more on that later), you also have to consider your pre-wedding beauty, health and fitness program, book hairstylists appointments, find a gown, arrange fittings, select shoes ... the list goes ever on!
The most wonderful thing about a wedding is that you are going to share with the people you care about the most the love that exists between you both – and it doesn’t get much more special than that. That said, in the lead up to the big day there’ll be tears, laughter, probably the odd tantrum, humorous moments that will go down in the annals of your family history, and no shortage of things that you’ll need to do.
The Bride’s Diary and our website bridesdiary.com.au, are your keys to getting from go to whoa in style. At the back of this edition, you’ll find comprehensive wedding planners to help you get a fix on your timeframe, and to work out exactly what needs to be done and by when.
On our website, you’ll find a members only section (which is free to join) where there are interactive planners and calculators designed to make your life lots, lots easier. We also have the most wonderful on-line community of brides-to-be who happily share what they’re experiencing, problems they’ve overcome, and handy hints they’ve learned along the way. Some of these brides have remained friends long after their wedding day was over, and are now sharing pregnancy and parenting tips through our message boards.
You will want your wedding day to be perfect: an exciting, romantic, beautiful event that you and your guests will remember for years to come. And we’re here to help you with every step along the way.
So while you’re still in that glorious, dreamy “We’re getting married” phase (read, before you have to get down to the nitty gritty), here’s an overview of some of the first tasks you’ll need to tackle once your feet have touched down.
No better place to begin than at the beginning … you need a date! Some couples take their honeymoon into consideration when setting their wedding date. Why? Because the honeymoon destination of their dreams may be more enjoyable/less expensive/warmer/cooler to visit at one time of the year than at another. Well ask yourself, do you really want to share your honeymoon with hundreds of holidaying schoolchildren? No, we didn’t think so!
The next biggie is budget. Unless you’re lucky enough to have unlimited funds at your disposal (don’t we all wish) budget is going to be a consideration. You will need to cost – and here’s where our on-line calculators come in handy – a whole raft of items and services, including wedding gowns, flowers, cakes, car hire, photographers, videographers, caterers and venues (was that bump we heard you returning to earth?).
Some of these costs will depend on the number of guests at your wedding, which leads us nicely to our next point: the invitation list. Where to begin? With the help of your respective families, you and your groom should first compile separate lists. Once you’ve done this, get together to decide upon one combined list. Ideally, you should include an equal number of guests from each list.
You’ll want to be surrounded by the people you love on your wedding day, so your invitation list will usually consist of family and close friends. Although your nearest and dearest know that they are invited to your wedding, send an invitation to all your family members so that they have a keepsake of the day. Also, formally invite your minister or celebrant and their spouse (if they’re married).
And did we mention that tact, diplomacy and patience are fundamental to organising any wedding? You are likely to find yourself juggling some potentially tricky situations. Parents who are divorced, parents who are divorced and remarried, a family feud that’s been festering for years … let’s face it, it would be an unusual family indeed that had somehow missed out its fair share of dramas.
So right from the get go, realise that working your way around these issues is part and parcel of the deal. Enlist the help of key members of both your families, and try to come up with some solutions.
Above all else, keep your sense of humour and remember: this is your romance, your wedding, and the start of your lives together … does anything else really matter?
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