Preparing for the holidays can be a fun but stressful time. When you add a wedding to the list of priorities, it only exacerbates your emotional and financial overwhelm. Couples often have a lot going on, and they may be worried about overspending or not getting everything done. Fortunately, there are some tips and advice that engaged couples can use heading into the holiday season.
Make a Budget
It’s not uncommon for many individuals to overspend on their wedding. You can keep this from happening by creating a budget. It’s a good idea to figure out how much money you want to spend. on everything from food and cake to flower arrangements and wedding bubbles.
When creating a holiday wedding budget, you need to make sure you remember items like food that you’ll need to purchase for your reception, decorations, and special effects like sparklers for wedding celebrations. You should start setting money aside every time you get paid to have enough money to buy everything for your wedding.
Create a Shopping List
After you’ve created a budget, you need to create a list of everything you want to buy for your special day. This will make shopping go a lot smoother as you will have a general idea of what you will have to buy. Even if you have fully decided on what you want to buy, you should still write down a few ideas. Whether it’s sparklers for wedding exits or favors for your guests, a list makes it a whole lot easier for you when shopping for them.
Start Shopping Early
Many couples cannot find what they are looking for simply because they waited until the last minute to start shopping. This is why wedding experts recommend shopping early, especially during the holiday season. You can probably find many great deals by looking for sales online if you start shopping now.
A lot of websites offer substantial discounts and free shipping during this time of year. This can save you a lot of time. If you find something you are looking for at a reasonable price, make sure you purchase it right away so that you don’t risk this item being sold out when you go back to buy it.
Book Reservations as Far in Advance As Possible
Don’t wait until the last minute to select your wedding venue. As the holidays are a popular time for celebrations, you need to book reservations early. Restaurants tend to reach capacity fairly quickly during this time of year as well as hotels.
If you are flying for your honeymoon, you need to make these reservations as far in advance as you can as well. This will ensure that you can find a flight that’s convenient for you.
Pay Attention to Advertisements in the Mail
You may find that you are getting more advertisements now than you typically do at other times during the year. Direct mail marketing is a lot more sophisticated today than it was in the past. This type of marketing often includes things like catalogs, brochures, and postcards. Today’s direct mail automation can make it seem like a letter or postcard came right from the CEO’s desk. While some of the advertised items might be something you actually want, remember to read the fine print before purchasing.
Schedule Some Time Just for Yourself
A lot of couples feel very overwhelmed planning a wedding during the holidays because there’s just so much going on. You can keep this from happening by scheduling some time just for yourself. Although you want your day to be perfect, overexerting yourself can have grave consequences. You should strive to schedule a few hours a week where you can do something that you enjoy that has nothing to do with the wedding. It can be anything from relaxing on the couch to going out to eat with your partner.
While the holidays are a hectic season for virtually everyone, it’s even worse for couples planning a wedding. You can do some things to be more prepared and less stressed during this time. A lot of the emphasis around weddings is about the decor, fashion, and festivities. However, don’t become so overwhelmed with trying to be perfect that you lose sight of what’s truly important.