Wedding Pro Tips Every Bride Needs to Know
There is a lot of work involved in wedding planning. The months leading up to the big day are a whirlwind of emotions and decision-making that can quickly make you feel overwhelmed.
But fear not! At Kendall Point, we’ve hosted our fair share of weddings, and we’ve got your back with a list of pro tips to make your wedding day and wedding planning a breeze.
We cover everything from shopping for your wedding dress to making a seating chart. Read on for our best wedding pro tips!
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Wedding Pro Tips: The Early Days of Wedding Planning
Wedding planning is not an easy task—no matter how big or small your wedding is or how much outside help you have.
To make things a little easier on you, here are some wedding planning tips sourced from experts and seasoned brides.
Hire a Wedding Planner
It’s an added cost you will not regret! Wedding planners are professionals, so they know this business inside and out.
A wedding planner will help you create a wedding planning timeline and help you stick to it so nothing gets lost in the shuffle. They help you read contracts from vendors so you know exactly what you’re getting, and they might even be able to save you a bit of money along with all that stress they’re taking off your shoulders. And if you’re looking at short engagement, a wedding planner will make the planning process that much easier.
Many wedding planners offer various coordinator packages as well if you’re looking for help but have a tighter budget.
Pick the Venue, Then the Date
The wedding venue will have a much bigger impact on your wedding day than the date, so be flexible about when you get married. If you have your heart set on a specific wedding date, you end up waiting longer than you want to get married. (Or paying a lot more because it’s in the peak of wedding season.)
And don’t worry because Kendall Point has you covered when it comes to the best months to get married too.
When choosing your wedding venue and your date, check the local calendar as well. Is there a major music festival in town? Is it a big football weekend? These things might make it harder or more expensive for your guests to travel.
Stay Organized
Easier said than done of course, but there are plenty of ways you can keep your wedding planning organized.
Create a dedicated wedding email so messages to vendors don’t get lost with all those newsletters you forgot you signed up for. Put reminders in your calendar so you don’t lose track of important dates, like when to order the invitations or when your cake tasting is.
You can even go “old school” and get a wall calendar or planner dedicated to all things wedding as well so you have everything in at least two places.
The bottom line is don’t just add your wedding planning responsibilities to your everyday organizational hacks. This is a special day, so dedicate some special spaces to it.
Ask Lots of Questions
From your venue tours to your vendors, don’t be shy about asking questions.
Research all your choices as much as you can and ask every question you can think of. If you can’t find much information beforehand, it might not be a great fit.
If the venue or vendor is withholding information you need to know before you book, it’s not the one for you.
Wedding Pro Tips: Your Wedding Budget
A wedding budget is not easy to stick to, but it is possible! Having a wedding planner will actually help you more than you think here, and so will the following tips.
Prioritize
Make a list of everything that comes with a wedding (including bridal showers, engagement photos, rehearsal dinners, etc.) and rank them.
What’s most important to you and what’s least important?
You might cross a few things off your list entirely and you’ll definitely pinpoint exactly where you want your money to go. It will also tell you which vendors you need to lock down first.
Tax Deductible Décor
If you turn some of your wedding purchases into charitable donations (like all those centerpieces you won’t need after your big day), you can mark them as a tax dedication! Just be sure to keep the receipts.
Go Local and Seasonal
One of the best ways to save money on your wedding is to opt for local, in-season flowers and food options. This requires less out-sourcing and long-distance delivery for your vendors.
Everything will be fresher, it’s more cost-effective, and you’re supporting the local community—whether it’s your hometown or you’re having a destination wedding.
Wedding Pro Tips: Your Wedding Dress
Other than the beautiful couple, the wedding gown is the star of the show, so here are our tips on finding the right one and how to care for it.
Match Your Dress To Your Venue
If your venue has a rustic, bohemian theme but your dress is more sleek and modern, there might be some clashing between the look of the venue and the dress.
But most importantly, picking your venue determines your wedding date, and you want your wedding dress to match the date. You don’t want to be too hot or too cold, and the season could inspire some accents you add to the gown or how you style your hair.
Take Care Of Your Dress
Between taking your wedding dress to fittings to traveling with it on the big day, a lot goes into caring for your wedding dress.
If you have several months before the big day, let your dress breathe every now and then, and make sure you’re storing it properly for the material.
No direct sunlight, temperature controlled setting, and don’t do anything that will mess with the natural shape of the material.
Rock a Reception Dress!
If your wedding gown is particularly extravagant (read: ornate and heavy) or it’s a family heirloom you’re afraid to damage, no problem! Just opt for a second outfit!
A reception dress shows off more of your unique style and ensures you’ll be comfortable throughout your reception.
Wedding Pro Tips: On Your Wedding Day
The big day is here! First rule of thumb: there will be last-minute hiccups and mini-disasters. Don’t sweat it! Take it in stride because you’ve prepared for all of this accordingly.
Tipping Vendors
Some of your vendors will include tips in the contract, especially for weddings of a certain size. Make sure you (or your wedding planner) read contracts thoroughly. If tipping isn’t included, 20% of the total invoice is appropriate.
Tip whatever you feel is appropriate and remember the other ways you can reward your vendors for their exceptional service as well: reviews!
Leave reviews on wedding sites, Google, Yelp, and tell as many people as you can.
Alphabetize the Seating Chart
We tell everyone about this one! Even for smaller affairs, we’re used to looking for our names in alphabetical order, so make sure your seating chart is organized as such. Be sure you’re going by last name, since you’ll likely have some couples and families in the mix.
Your seating chart can also be a great piece of décor for your wedding, so make it stand out!
And when it comes to your guest count, don’t forget you and your spouse in the final tally.
Taking Wedding Photos
We have a few different suggestions for this one. For starters, consider taking all your wedding photos before the ceremony so that you and your spouse can get right to the party after saying “I do.”
Next up: you’ve gotta stand “nuts to butts” or “boobs to backs” if you want the photos to look right, so tell your bridesmaids and groomsmen and family members to get comfortable with each other.
Finally, you’ll be spending A LOT of time with your photographer on the wedding day. Make sure it’s someone you like.
Don’t Forget To Celebrate!
You and your guests are here to celebrate love—keyword celebrate!
Keep the food and drinks flowing throughout the night, and make sure your band or DJ knows the timeline for your reception so nothing is missed.
And most importantly, don’t let anything spoil your fun. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, after all!
The Ultimate Wedding Pro Tip: Have Your Wedding at Kendall Point
Hiring dedicated, professional wedding vendors will go a very long way to giving you your dream wedding and so will choosing the perfect wedding venue.
Look no further than Kendall Point in Boerne, TX, just minutes from San Antonio with the beauty of Texas Hill Country everywhere you look.
We have unbeatable amenities, a top-tier vendor list ready to work with you, and we’ve made hundreds of wedding dreams come true. Our magnificent venue is ready and waiting to be transformed into your ideal wedding.
Contact us today or schedule a virtual tour.
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