There's a ring on your finger. Now what? Read on: Perfect wedding planning starts here.
Getting Started
Some couples just don’t feel right if anyone knows their big news before their parents and other close family members do. If possible, tell both sets of folks in person. If your parents don’t live nearby, put in a special phone call.
Sit down with your fiancé and talk ideas. Think about the style you’d like, whether it’s a beach wedding, a hotel wedding with a sit-down dinner in a ballroom or a ceremony on a mountaintop. No talk of money. Yet.
While you don’t have to set a firm date now, as you will be holding your wedding abroad (in Cyprus) the earlier you decide on a month or season you want to marry in, the better. Then you’ll know how long you have to get things organized. Because your wedding’s size determines where you’ll hold the party, how much it will cost (prices usually rise per guest), creating a guest list is one of the most important things to do. So make your list; your fiancé and both families should do the same. You can, and likely will, cut later, but this first number will be your base.
It’s rare these days that the bride’s parents pick up the whole bill, so decide on your bottom line. Find out from both sets of parents if or how much they can contribute.
Buy a notebook and separate it into sections for each budget category. This way you can write down the amount you want to spend on the item and then note your expenditures. As you near your limits, you can start to figure out ways to cut costs.
Hiring Your Suppliers
Photographer and Videographer: You only want the very best wedding photographer so for sure, you're only going to want to use STUDIO X™. Don't forget to checkout our wedding photography galleries to examples of our best work Beach Wedding, Beautiful Brides, Black & White Photography, Wedding Details also our Recent Weddings and Customer Reviews.
Entertainment
Your wedding planner will help you chose the type of entertainment that you would like. These range from DJ's that can play either there own music or from your specified list (or both), single wedding singer, duo singers, jazz band quartet, Greek dance show, guitarist, violinist, international dancers or belly dancer.
Once you have your reception site booked, you can decide on table arrangements and other decorations. A hotel ballroom may need little more than some simple centerpieces whereas an outdoor reception at a villa my require a little more decoration. Ask your wedding planner to ask your florist to incorporate tons of greenery to make fewer flowers look like a lot more.
Holding your wedding in Cyprus you will be spoilt by choice for the quality and variety of fresh food available for your wedding reception. By far the most popular choice is a traditional Cyprus barbecue with lots of tasty barbecued meat, fresh salads and traditional starters and main courses not to mention the mouthwatering deserts.
Buying Your Wedding Gown
If you were the girl who pinned towels in her hair to play bride, you may need extra help with this step. Pulling the emotion out of the event and remaining level-headed as you shop for your dress will help you stay within the bounds of both budget and practicality. If it helps, bring your mom and a down-to-earth pal along with you.
Know what kind of shopper you are. Some brides relish the hunt for the ideal dress, and happily book a number of appointments at bridal salons. They like having a salesperson who offers ideas and selects gown styles for them. Others would really love to just slip into a store (a department store, a specialty boutique, a second-hand shop) and find their dress hanging there on the rack. Both ways are possible. Decide which kind of shopper you are, and work accordingly.
Don’t second-guess yourself. Think you’ve found The One? Then you probably have. Look no further—and relax.
Tip: Getting married is Cyprus is generally a far more relaxed affair so do consider what the likely temperature will be when you will be getting married as obviously in the summer months temperatures over exceed 30 degrees Celsius and also whether you will be having your wedding inside, or at the beach, as if its being held at the beach then you will also need to give thought to suitable shoes....or perhaps get married barefoot!
Managing Your Budget
No matter what your wedding budget may be, here’s a rough idea of how much is typically spent in each category. Keep in mind that the numbers are not hard and fast. Some couples may, for example, choose to spend more on photography and less on flowers. It’s up to you!
Wedding budgets have a way of expanding like a balloon. Keep yours from popping (and give yourself some wiggle room for those unexpected expenses or must-haves) by reining in spending. Here, six smart saving tips:
Borrow. Did you totally love the tiara your sister wore?
Borrow it for your ensemble! You can borrow jewellery (just like the stars do at Oscar time) and other accessories, honeymoon luggage (no reason to splurge on new suitcases if your parents have good stuff), vases for centerpieces (if you’re doing these yourself) and so on.
Use people’s DIY skills. If your aunt is a sewing whiz, she can create a veil or even do alterations on your dress. A skilled artist can create wonderful personalized invitations. A crafty pal can come up with a fun favour. An avid scrapbooker can put together an album for you. Just tell them this is their gift to you.
If you chose to get married at a villa, then you can save money by buying your drinks from a local supermarket.
Limit the limos. It’s nice to pull up to the ceremony location in a sleek limo or classic car, but consider skipping the rides elsewhere to save money. Instead have your brother or a cousin chauffeur you and your new hubby to the reception.
Don’t go flower mad. There are plenty of ways to keep your bill from blooming: Buy a beautiful bouquet and then for decoration, consider candles and beautiful blooms.
Avoid impulse buying. Got everything on your list? Then stop shopping. If you’ve already bought your bridesmaids lovely shawls, and you see pretty handbags that would match…and sparkly earrings…put them down.
Your Wedding-Day Beauty
It’s easy to become so caught up in the planning that you forget one simple thing: you! So start now to create and stick to a self-care plan.
Exercise regularly and keep to a healthy diet. Even a 30-minute walk several times a week can be enough to keep you feeling energetic. To prevent fatigue, take a multivitamin everyday, especially if you’re skipping meals. Bring healthy snacks—almonds, a banana—along with you when you go shopping or to work.
Get plenty of sleep. Most brides-to-be find themselves having some late nights, but try your best not to skimp on sleep; not getting enough contributes to lowered immunity, and you don’t want to get sick now. Plus, well-rested gals always look their best.
Meet with a hairstylist. Try and arrange for her to do your hair a few days before the wedding for a practice session or to to try a couple of hairdos.
