Guest Post: Tips for planning your wedding - what every bride needs to know

This is a guest post from YNC from YNC Lounge.

Not in any particular order but some tips to help you as you plan your big day.

a) Makeup and good hair is a must and it has to be very good. When planning a wedding, you need to ensure that you have your makeup and hair done different, don’t just do it yourself, hire a professional and see yourself looking like a celebrity for one day. Even if you are the type of girl that avoids wearing makeup, take risk and be that glowing bride for one day.

b) Lighting can break or make your pictures, ensure that it is great. I have seen wedding pictures that suck and they really do, yes it’s not the photographer that was bad, it was their choice of lightening, a lot of brides tend to worry about venue pricing more than the lightening of their venue. You need to ensure that the place you would be exchanging your vows or celebrating your reception is well light to allow for good photography. The beauty of good lighting can be well reflected in your pictures and everyone not just yourself will be able to tell the difference.

c) A good DJ that knows how to blend old school music with more contemporary ones based on your guest list type. In picking a perfect DJ for your dream wedding, I would say the first thing is to know your guest list, what type of guest are you expecting at your wedding, is it a pure African wedding or a diverse crowd, ensure that your DJ knows how to blend the music to flow in a particular order, you don’t want to have your guests confused during the dance routine, mix up the music and you would have guest talking about your party for years to come.

d) A good and friendly planner that you feel comfortable talking to at all times: if you see certain behaviours when interviewing them, it’s best not to hire them as your wedding planner, it’s as simple as that. Always ensure that your planner is pleasant and very informative about the whole wedding planning process, ensure you check out their previous work to be on the safe side to avoid confusion.

e) Bridal party that you can trust at all times and will do their best to ensure your day is awesome. What more can be said about a bridal party that one can trust, you will need your girls and they should be able to have your back when things go wrong, they should be willing and friendly to help you into your dress, take you to the bathroom when it’s time to pee and just be super supportive. Just to name a few.

f) Good food that tastes fresh knowing that your guests will be disappointed if the food isn’t right: Have you ever been to a wedding that the food just wasn’t right, I hate to admit it but a wedding where the food just don’t taste right is not a wedding at all. In as much as your vows have been said and you are now man and woman, your food says a lot about you, your class and whether you care about your guest. You need to ensure that the food that would be served at your reception or during the cocktail hour is fresh and tasty at all times. Don’t forget the drinks too, chilled and one of a kind, you would have your guest saying…Wow!

g) Emergency kits kept at all times in case of the unthinkable: Yes, things might go wrong on your special day and an emergency kit is your best saviour when such occurs. You would need things like safety pins, extra brush, face or blotting paper, eye brow pencil, lip gloss, cream for ashy legs, just the little things people fail to carry with them.

h) Plan your menstrual cycle to avoid having your period on your wedding day. I have seen brides that fail to plan their menstrual cycle with their wedding dates and end up being very uncomfortable plus stressed out a day before the wedding. If you must mark your calendar for your dream wedding, ensure you plan alongside your menstrual cycle, see a gynaecologist to ensure that no disaster happens on your special day.

I) Relaxation is key on your special day, learn to stress not: I have seen brides that stress out when it comes time to planning their big day. There is no perfect wedding but a creative and unique wedding. Don’t’ fret the small stuff or worry over how the day will play out. 90% of brides who worry about having a perfect wedding end up not enjoying their special day, just learn to breathe and enjoy every moment. You can still check to ensure everything goes well but don’t stress over everything, knowing nothing is ever 100% perfect

j) Respect is Key. Avoid being rude to everyone on your special day, the people in your life that are attending and helping you plan your wedding still deserve for your respect.

k) Creativity: You want your wedding to be unique and different from the other girl next door, try to challenge yourself with your wedding, explore colours and use the best of your imagination, it’s your wedding. Make it the very best you can!