If your holidays included one of those wonderful engagement stories we’ve been hearing about, it’s time to make a whole new New Year’s resolution: a wedding planning resolution. (Or a whole set of wedding planning resolutions!) Trust us: you’ll be glad you adopted one of these New Year’s resolutions when you’re enjoying the most important day of your life dancing the night away and loving every minute of it.
I will not procrastinate during wedding planning.
It’s so easy to see why this common wedding planning mistake happens: your wedding day seems far off, right? Don’t fall into the trap. Many a bride and groom has waited too long and missed out on booking their favorite DJ, caterer, or wedding venue.
How to fulfill this resolution: Don’t procrastinate when searching and hiring the wedding vendors that matter, such as the venue, DJ, caterer, and any other parts of your wedding that you really, really want (the best vendors’ calendars fill up fast!). Once you have your ‘must haves’ booked, use a wedding planning calendar to make sure you get all your wedding planning tasks done on time.
I will think about those ‘what if’ wedding day situations.
We see this happen when couples book DJ’s: they hire that friend of a friend that’s going to give them a killer deal—without thinking about what’s going to happen if their friend gets sick. The same thing can happen when they book an outdoor venue without a plan ‘B’ for the weather. The list of possible disasters could go on and on if you don’t have a contingency plan (or hire a vendor with a plan).
How to fulfill this resolution: Be aware that things can go wrong, and think through possible contingency scenarios. Have a plan B at your outdoor venue in case the weather goes bad. Hire a wedding DJ service so you have a back-up DJ or equipment available just in case. If you have any questions, ask your vendors about their plans for those ‘what if’ situations.
I will not just book the cheapest wedding vendors.
When your wedding budget is tight, it’s easy to feel that the cheapest is the best option. However, you’re going to feel that on your wedding day when the cheapest vendors provide service that feels, well, cheap.
How to fulfill this resolution: If you have the budget to do so, don’t just automatically book the cheapest vendor. Look for quality over cost. That doesn’t mean you need to book the most expensive, but it does mean to do your research and book quality wedding vendors that can give you top-notch service. If you want to save money on those quality vendors, use these tips to save money on wedding planning. In short, allocate more foods for the things that count: venue, entertainment, all the things that matter to you—and save money in other areas for a memorable night you’ll be glad you made a New Year’s resolution for!