Nancy Curtis's Posts - BridalTweet Wedding Forum & Vendor Directory2024-03-29T06:35:51ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2649451285?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.bridaltweet.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2b88dzncorw9t&xn_auth=no5 Essential Wedding Planning Tips to Reduce your Stresstag:www.bridaltweet.com,2021-03-11:3145964:BlogPost:8203802021-03-11T14:47:57.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<h2>5 Essential Wedding Planning Tips</h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to share with you 5 of my most essential wedding planning tips you should know in preparing for the lead up to the big day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When planning your wedding there are so many details that it makes your head spin. I certainly don’t want to add any more to it but I feel there are some things that should go to the top of your list that might make everything else work…</span></p>
<h2>5 Essential Wedding Planning Tips</h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to share with you 5 of my most essential wedding planning tips you should know in preparing for the lead up to the big day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When planning your wedding there are so many details that it makes your head spin. I certainly don’t want to add any more to it but I feel there are some things that should go to the top of your list that might make everything else work just a bit better.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s take your wedding day for instance, and maybe include the week leading up to it. This is when things start coming together (or falling apart) but let’s go with the first because you’ve worked hard to get this far. </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1. Accept that things will go wrong</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> As frustrating and upsetting as that may be, the thing here is to realize it may happen and be prepared. How you handle the situation will make all the difference. This is where a sense of humour and understanding can go a long way. A good laugh can reduce the stress levels big time and make you see things differently.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8656514676?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-left" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">2. Remember to Eat and Hydrate</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This tip applies to the week leading up to the wedding as well as the day of. Running around getting all the last minute details in place can often lead to missed meals and dehydration. Be aware of your body’s need for fuel and feed it. You don’t want to get sick before the Big Day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On your wedding day, make sure you have a good breakfast. The day will fly by so have someone close by with some snacks and water in case it’s awhile before the reception. During the reception, enjoy the food you choose. Ask for a moratorium on kissing so you can eat uninterrupted.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong> 3. Put together an ‘In-case of’ kit</strong></span></p>
<p><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8656526255?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-right" style="padding: 10px;"/></p>
<div class="wp-block-columns"><div class="wp-block-column"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Survival kit, Bridal bag, Emergency kit – call it what you want but it’s a </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">definite must – have. If you have a wedding planner on hand, she will mos</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">t likely have one. Ask her just to be sure. If you’re on your own, take the time to make your own.</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-block-columns"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Touch ups for your makeup can be carried in your clutch or by your bridesm</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">aids. But the actual ‘kit’ should contain some basics like tissues, adhesive bandages, sewing kit, static</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">g</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">uard or laundry sheet, pain reliever. You get the idea. Check</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">online for other ideas but also think of what your specific needs might be.</span></p>
</div>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">4. Outdoor wedding must have</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Getting married outdoors? Wearing high heels? One definite essential wedding tip is this one. You need <a href="https://bridesmaidprep.com/best-heel-protectors-for-grass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high heel attachments</a> that go on the heels of your shoes to keep you from sinking into the ground. They are life savers! Don’t forget to get some for your best girls too! You want to float down the aisle and this will help.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">5. Seating ‘Johnny come-latelys’</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are always those guests that arrive late. Put out some extra seating at the back (if outdoors) so they can seat themselves quietly and not disturb the ceremony. If inside, your wedding planner (or designate someone) will seat them at the back.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now that you have some idea of what to expect and how to handle them, these 5 essential wedding planning tips should help you feel a bit less stressed. There are lots of things to deal with so take it one step at a time and remember what your end result is.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8656536060?profile=RESIZE_710x" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8656536060?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<h3><span>If you’d like to get started or move on with your wedding planning, there are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-white-color">Wedding Basics - <em> the perfect starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</em></span> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank">Click to read more.</a> ONLY: $99.00 - <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VPF7LRJVPWCWJ" target="_blank">I Need This Now</a>!</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wedding SOS - <em>I’ll work with you to flush out your dreams & develop an easy to follow plan that you can put in place.</em> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank">Click to read more</a>. Only $450.00 - <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2Q3LAHBTNZXU4" target="_blank">I Want This!</a></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Just click on either package to get the full details. And remember, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home! What have you got to lose - Stress? Anxiety?</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Join other brides and put yourself back in control of your wedding planning. A Virtual Wedding Planner is your new best friend.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nancy Curtis</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Virtual Wedding Planner</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Plan it Perfectly Weddings</span></p>Planning your Wedding Ceremony - Why you Should make it a Prioritytag:www.bridaltweet.com,2021-01-25:3145964:BlogPost:7892422021-01-25T15:55:23.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the grand scheme of things where does the planning of your Wedding Ceremony come in? There are so many details that go into wedding planning that it’s difficult to know where to focus your time and energy and money.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Did you know that the cost for your ceremony is only 2 - 3% of your overall budget? Yet without it, there really wouldn’t be a wedding, certainly not a marriage.…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the grand scheme of things where does the planning of your Wedding Ceremony come in? There are so many details that go into wedding planning that it’s difficult to know where to focus your time and energy and money.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Did you know that the cost for your ceremony is only 2 - 3% of your overall budget? Yet without it, there really wouldn’t be a wedding, certainly not a marriage.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s take a look at the wedding ceremony and how much attention it deserves in the planning process.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8475885299?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h2><span><strong>Wedding Ceremonies of the past</strong></span></h2>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Over the years and the scores of couples I have helped with their planning, the wedding ceremony has evolved. Not only in its structure but in the couple’s involvement. Gone are the days when a bride and groom simply did what the clergy told them to say or do. Civil ceremonies were often basic quickies with no personal touches whatsoever.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Couples were limited to where they could be married and the amount of input they could do to make it their own. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How many times in the past have we attended weddings in which the ceremony was just the same words we have heard over and over? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sometimes, it could be that the couple took the easy way and did what they were familiar with or had seen elsewhere … see above. Or they were confused by the rituals and beliefs they had and not sure where to begin.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>3 Thoughts on the Wedding Ceremony</strong></span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There tends to be 3 trains of thought that couples come to me with regarding their wedding ceremony.</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Those who know they need to have a ceremony but not sure how it should play out.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are those who seem to realize it's important, have some ideas and are open to more.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And those that make it the most important part and have it mostly planned out but keen to explore more options.</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Which category or approach best describes you and your partner?</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span><strong>Make planning your Wedding Ceremony a priority</strong></span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I know there is a lot on the to-list that’s demanding your attention. And it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the decisions that need to be made. As a result, the planning of your wedding ceremony tends to go the bottom of the priority list and doesn’t get the attention it deserves.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want you to take the time now to think about making your wedding ceremony the most important part of your wedding day. It’s not too late even if you have already got a lot of your planning done.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s important to remember here that your ceremony should not just happen but something that you both are totally involved in. You need to be aware of what you’re saying, doing and committing to.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not so long ago I attended a wedding where the bride looked totally shocked by the words of her vows. It was obvious she had not gone over them with the minister beforehand. You don't want to be her!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It should be the two of you that set the tone, the style and format because it is your ceremony. You need to be comfortable with it and be comforted by it.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8475887853?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
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<h2><span><strong>Reflecting who you are</strong></span></h2>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Giving your wedding ceremony the attention it deserves, starts with the question: where will we hold it? Here the list can be endless depending on the time of year, parental input, religious circumstances, what you want, among other considerations.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Locations like:</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Church/Faith Center</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Park</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Botanical garden</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Backyard</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">River or lakeside</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your reception venue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Farm/Barn</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Winery/Vineyard</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hotel/country Club</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Historic Castle or Mansion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Beach</span></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now you have thought of a location, you need to have an <a href="https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/how-to-choose-wedding-officiant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officiant</a>. The person that is responsible for legally marrying you must be certified to do so by the authorities in your area. Make sure to check with your local government to find out who is available to do that in the location you desire.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It would be devastating to choose a lovely venue and not be able to find an officiant who can perform the ceremony. This is why it’s so important to work out the details of your wedding ceremony before anything else.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Other personal touches like the wording of your vows, the décor, the music are all things that you can work on together to make your ceremony uniquely yours.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8475895461?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="350" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Devote the time your ceremony deserves</strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your wedding ceremony is the legal part and the part that makes all this official. But it's also the most emotional part. It sets the overall feeling you want your guests to experience and share with you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s the moment you become legal partners in love and the moment you will always remember.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You can’t really have a wedding without a wedding ceremony. There are some couples that understand that the wedding ceremony is a key part of the wedding day, while others look at it as a formality that they need to rush through so they can get to the partying.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Making your wedding ceremony a priority in your wedding planning will make sure you are in the first group. This won’t be the only party you will celebrate together but it will be the only wedding ceremony (unless you renew your vows) but that’s another story. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am encouraging you to stop, think about what is important, and most of all, what will feel important in years to come.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8475912057?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Need some help mapping out your wedding ceremony?</span></h3>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 1 –</strong> <strong>Wedding Basics</strong> package – a starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 2 –</strong> <strong>Wedding ‘SOS’</strong> package – I’ll work with you to flush out your dreams. We'll develop a plan that will be easy for you to follow and put in place.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Click below to learn more about each and book your spot: </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8476025675?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-right" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8475995263?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-left" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></span></p>Planning Your Own Wedding – Why a Virtual Wedding Planner can help – Big Time!tag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-11-23:3145964:BlogPost:7883362020-11-23T15:38:48.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Planning your own Wedding</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8207871859?profile=RESIZE_710x" style="padding: 10px;" width="354"></img></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Planning a wedding should be fun! And it can be. But planning a wedding alone can be a little overwhelming and daunting at times! Especially when you’re first starting out.…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Planning your own Wedding</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8207871859?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Planning a wedding should be fun! And it can be. But planning a wedding alone can be a little overwhelming and daunting at times! Especially when you’re first starting out.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are like most brides, you’re dealing with a lot more than just the wedding planning. Work/school, family, personal issues – it’s called LIFE. And that so-called life has a way of throwing you curve balls when you least expect it or can deal with it. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are you struggling with finding the balance between living your life and now you’ve added a huge life-altering event like planning a wedding to it?</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Raise your hand if you are experiencing any of the following:</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8207772497?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-left" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your emotions are all over the place – excited, confused, anxious, excited....again.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You have no clue about what things cost or how to budget for them.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Parental and family expectations are not gelling with your ideas.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You’re doubting your decisions or not sure how to proceed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You worry too much about what might or might not happen.</span></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The struggles of planning your own wedding</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I feel your pain. Some brides don’t get bothered by much and have no problem juggling all the balls that come with life and planning a wedding. However, there are many of us who can only handle so much and things just go off the rails. And the result is not always pretty. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In case you haven’t heard, planning your own wedding can be a very stressful time. Even if your big day is a year or more away, many things can and will jump in your way, cause you grief. No matter how organized you are or keeping it simple, wedding planning isn’t easy. That’s why there is a whole professional career called ‘Wedding Planners’. But not everyone can afford one nor want one.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8207779898?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Wedding planning can suck!</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lots of brides that I have worked with over the years, like Paige and Michele, have wanted to plan and do most of the heavy lifting of putting their dream weddings in place. That is so cool and I admire them for it. What can be more special than your wedding reflecting exactly who you are as a couple? That is how it should be.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, most of those brides, including Paige and Michele, also realized they had limitations as to what they could do on their own and what they needed some help with.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There’s so much information out there! Everything from the check lists to blogs and magazines, Pinterest, friends and family input. It can be very overwhelming and confusing.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve had a lot of brides come to me over the years after they experienced bouts of anxiety, information overload or just plain stuck as to where to start. A date had to be set, a venue to be chosen, dresses to try on, make a budget.…decisions had to be made. But the whole wedding planning process was sucking the fun right out of them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sound familiar?</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Problem solved with one easy solution</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But it doesn't have to be that way. I truly believe that you can do this, you just need a little help. Nothing wrong with that. And I have just the solution for you that I know will restore balance in your life and make your wedding planning a much more enjoyable experience.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Listen to what Paige had to say about how my virtual wedding planning services helped solve her problem with her day-of timeline:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>“I can definitely say that after speaking with you, I am looking at the day-of through a whole different set of lenses. I spoke to Logan regarding having our own private first look and photos before hand, and after backing up the reasoning with your examples, he agreed and said he never thought to look at the situation in the way you suggested. We’re a lot happier with our decision for the itinerary now that we’ve made the recommended changes. Even my traditionalist parents were on board!!! Lol”</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is one of a couple of problems that I helped Paige work out.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8207796058?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are you struggling with similar concerns like:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">where do I even start?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">what can I expect in the months ahead?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">how can I be less stressed and enjoy planning more?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I can help with any or all of these and much more. No problem is to small or too difficult. It can be as simple as a quick chat or a more in-depth talk to get you started or over a hump.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I don't want to plan your wedding. That's your baby. I just want to help you get the most from your plans and make you happy. Getting some guidance and support along the way will make the planning so much more fun. And that's what it's all about isn't it? </span></p>
<p> </p>
<h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>If you’re ready to take charge of your wedding planning and restore fun and balance to your life, then I offer two ways we can work together:</strong></span></h4>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-white-color">Wedding Basics - <em> the perfect starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</em></span> <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click to read more.</a> ONLY: $99.00 - <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VPF7LRJVPWCWJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I Need This Now</a>!</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wedding SOS - <em>I’ll work with you to flush out your dreams & develop an easy to follow plan that you can put in place.</em> <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click to read more</a>. Only $450.00 - <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2Q3LAHBTNZXU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I Want This!</a></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Just click on either package to get the full details. And remember, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home! What have you got to lose - Stress? Anxiety?</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Join other brides like Michele and Paige and put yourself back in control of your wedding planning. A Virtual Wedding Planner is your new best friend.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nancy Curtis</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Virtual Wedding Planner</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Plan it Perfectly Weddings</span></p>
<p></p>Choosing your Bridal Party - Know this before you asktag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-10-02:3145964:BlogPost:7874672020-10-02T19:21:12.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<h2><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Tell me – How are you going about choosing your bridal party?</strong></span></h2>
<p><strong><span><a href="http://www.planitperfectly.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993857873?profile=RESIZE_710x" style="padding: 10px;" width="450"></img></a></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Choosing your bridal party - You know all those lovely maids in a row – smiling for the camera, wearing matching dresses and bouquets? Do you see yourself surrounded by 6 or more, or just you and your best…</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Tell me – How are you going about choosing your bridal party?</strong></span></h2>
<p><strong><span><a href="http://www.planitperfectly.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993857873?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Choosing your bridal party - You know all those lovely maids in a row – smiling for the camera, wearing matching dresses and bouquets? Do you see yourself surrounded by 6 or more, or just you and your best friend/sister? Before you think about asking (and I do seriously mean <strong>THINK BEFORE YOU ASK</strong>), make a list of the people most important to you that you would like to have with you on the journey to your wedding day.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Does that list include:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">your sister,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">your H2B’s sister,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">current best friend,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">child hood friend you still see on Facebook,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">a favourite cousin or two, former roommate,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">friend from work,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">a friend you were bridesmaid for,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">OH MY! I could still add a few more. How do I choose you ask?</span></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Don't sweat. I’m here to help you figure out what the right number of bridesmaids are for you and your wedding.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993875866?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 30px;"/></a></p>
<p><strong><span><a href="http://www.planitperfectly.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></span></strong></p>
<div id="block-925d6991-be8b-4666-aeca-1919ae8ff7be" class="wp-block block-editor-block-list__block has-selected-ui"><p class="rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block-paragraph"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before we delve into the whole – how many bridesmaids are too many? story, <a href="https://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Wedding_Party_History" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">let's look at some past wedding history</a>. For many, many years most couples chose another couple to be their witnesses and given the title of Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honour. Other than royalty, who had scores of people in the bridal party and mostly on the bride's side, the bridal party has been fairly limited. </span></p>
<p class="rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p class="rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block-paragraph"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, as the population grew, people had more family and friends, travelling became easier, weddings got larger and so did wedding parties. And in some cases now, wedding size has diminished but wedding parties have not. The average number for bridesmaids is 5. The average wedding guest list is 100. Add your groomsmen in plus the bride and groom and your have 10% of your wedding is the bridal party. Another metric people use is 1 bridesmaid for every 50 guests. </span></p>
<p class="rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p class="rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block-paragraph"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The number of ladies you pick when choosing your bridal party is entirely up to you. But let’s take a moment and look at what those numbers can mean for you and your wedding day.</span></p>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<div id="block-925d6991-be8b-4666-aeca-1919ae8ff7be" class="wp-block block-editor-block-list__block has-selected-ui"><h2><span>Large or small - choosing your bridal party - the pros and cons</span></h2>
<p></p>
</div>
<div id="block-925d6991-be8b-4666-aeca-1919ae8ff7be" class="wp-block block-editor-block-list__block has-selected-ui"><h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Pros:</strong></span></h4>
<p></p>
</div>
<div id="block-f4df6ea0-c35b-40fc-b3ca-167029f1ba06" class="wp-block block-editor-block-list__block has-selected-ui"><div id="editor-f4df6ea0-c35b-40fc-b3ca-167029f1ba06" class="wp-block-freeform block-library-rich-text__tinymce mce-content-body mce-edit-focus html5-captions"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– A larger bridal party means no one feels left out, and these are your besties after all. It’s a great way to honour them and show how much you appreciate them. They have been a big part of your life and you want them close to you as you take the plunge</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– Think of all the wonderful pictures you will have, lots of people milling around the happy couple. A imaginative photographer can get some really neat and quirky shots that will make great memories.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– If you’re thinking of doing some DIY projects, there’s the added bonus of more hands to help you with them. You’ll also have more support when choosing your bridal gown, organizing showers, parties, helping with your to-do list and all that comes with a wedding. And did I mention, the day of and all the fun and emotional support that goes with getting ready and down the aisle?</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– You’ll have a great turnout at your pre-wedding events. All those ‘maids' and their partners mean a good time at your engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette, and other events is pretty much guaranteed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Cons:</strong></span></h4>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">- The more the merrier they say, but also the more cost. While many bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own dress, the bride usually picks up other costs such as hair and makeup, bouquets, attendant gifts. If your budget is limited, you may want to really think of where you want to put your money. You want your friends around but is there some other way they can participate that won’t cost you as much.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">- With more people comes more attitudes, personalities and sometimes conflicting advice. You may get along with all your ‘maids’ but will they get along with the others in your party. The last thing you need is refereeing or soothing hurt feelings. You have enough to worry about. And everyone has an opinion of how things should be done.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When choosing your bridal party girls, think about how they will all gel as well as how they will ‘behave’. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/free-opt-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993881073?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 30px;"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">- Dress Drama - The joy or not of many bridesmaids is finding a dress style that suits not only your theme but also the different body and personal types that each of your girls brings. If you’re open to the challenge of different colours and styles of bridesmaid’s dresses, then it will work. If not, it could be a nightmare and one you’ll want to avoid.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– Keeping everyone organized on the day-of could get a little crazy. Scheduling for hair & makeup, getting dressed, down the aisle, photos, you need to appoint someone to keep everyone in check.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span>How NOT to hurt anyone's feelings</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You’ve written down all the people that you would like to be in your wedding party. The number is a bit higher than you want. Now the problem – how do you reduce that to a manageable number and not hurt anyone’s feelings. <strong><em>I’m afraid you may not like my answer</em>:</strong> there is no way. It’s a wedding and people’s expectations and excitement may cause them grief.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How you handle it though could make all the difference. Explain to those that didn’t make the ‘cut’ that you couldn’t afford or choose everyone but there is something you would like them to do as that is what they are good at.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It could be doing a:</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">reading,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">organize the bridal party to get down the aisle if there isn’t a planner,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">pin boutonnieres,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">they could sing or play an instrument – you get the idea.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And then remember to thank them either with a small gift and a shout out at the reception.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993882452?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 30px;"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>The bottom line</strong></em> here is that there is no right or wrong number of bridesmaids or for that matter bridal party that you should have. It’s entirely up to you and what you can afford and manage. There’s nothing to say you can’t have guys on your side and girls on his side. I’ve had more than one wedding where this was the case.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And there’s nothing wrong with having more on one side than the other. It’ll make for more interesting photos. Or you can opt to go with none as long as you have 2 witnesses to sign the license or register. It’s your wedding and your vision.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Choose people who will support you, make you comfortable and above all make you glad you have them by your side. But the main thing is to think it all through before you ask anyone.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993884467?profile=RESIZE_710x" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993884467?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 1 -</strong> <strong>Wedding Basics</strong> package - a starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 2 -</strong> <strong>Wedding 'SOS'</strong> package - I'll work with you to flush out your dreams and develop a plan that will be easy for you to follow and put in place.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Click below to learn more about each and book your spot: </span></p>
<p> <a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993887865?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-right" style="padding: 50px;"/></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/7993886688?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-left" style="padding: 50px;"/></a></p>
</div>
</div>Newly Engaged? When to start planning your weddingtag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-06-10:3145964:BlogPost:7783792020-06-10T14:21:44.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<h2><span>Do you know where or when to start planning your wedding?</span></h2>
<p><span><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800772675?profile=RESIZE_710x" style="padding: 10px;" width="354"></img></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Just Engaged? Congratulations!</strong></span></p>
<h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You got your ring! You’re going to get married. You are officially a Bride-to-be and you are about to plan the perfect wedding!</span></h4>
<p> …</p>
<p></p>
<h2><span>Do you know where or when to start planning your wedding?</span></h2>
<p><span><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800772675?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="354" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Just Engaged? Congratulations!</strong></span></p>
<h4><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You got your ring! You’re going to get married. You are officially a Bride-to-be and you are about to plan the perfect wedding!</span></h4>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">When you start planning your wedding depends on a number of things. At the beginning of your engagement, it’s very tempting to get planning right away as people are asking all kinds of questions, especially: When’s the wedding? Now you may have been anticipating this day for awhile so have a date in mind. But if you were caught unaware (how romantic), then you probably have no clue as to what date you will choose.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Before you go any further, please take this piece of advice: <strong>Wait! Pause! Breathe! Repeat!</strong> Why you ask? Because I want you to enjoy this time of being engaged. You won’t get it again. Once you start the planning process, there’s no going back to this time. Allow your partner and yourself the opportunity to relish this ‘just engaged’ feeling before reality sets in.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Long or short engagement</span> </span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span>After the original giddiness of the engagement starts to wean a little, it’s time to have a serious conversation with your soon to be better-half. Do you want a long or short engagement? There are advantages to both depending on your circumstances from financial to practicality. </span></p>
<p><span>You don’t have to commit to anything just yet but having a general time frame is a good start. That allows you to work on a timeline of when things need to be done. Do you need to get things done quickly or can you slow down and book things at a more leisurely pace?</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Journal your engagement and journey</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Whether your engagement period is long or short, the time will go by quickly. Moments like this in our lives have a tendency to fly by and we can’t always remember what took place. This is a real good time to get yourself a nice journal and start recording or making notes on the journey to your wedding day.</span></p>
<p><span>Writing down how your proposal happened is a good place to start. Include how you felt that day and the days to follow. Why not add in the planning stages and how they went. All this will make a great memory book to read after your wedding day. Plus, it could also act as a c</span>entering point when you are overwhelmed or feeling a bit frustrated by things that are happening around you.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800557472?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800611460?profile=RESIZE_710x" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<h2><span>Engagement length and when to start planning your wedding</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Most engagements, under normal circumstances, run about 12 – 14 months. I have seen some go as long as 2 years and some as short as 6 months or less. I’m going to touch the most common ones of more than 18 months, 1 year and less than a year.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More than 18 months</span></h3>
<p><span>A longer engagement time allows you to bask in the glow and relax a bit more before you start the planning process. As well, you can take your time in booking your vendors and not be pressured into making hasty or costly decisions.</span></p>
<p><span>Most vendors won’t talk to you before a year anyway, except your venue, especially if it’s a very popular spot. The biggest advantage of a longer engagement is that it allows you to have more time to save up and not go into debt. (add blog on debt-free wedding)</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A year or more</span></h3>
<p><span>Planning your wedding with a 12 – 13 month timeline should give you ample time to get everything done and still keep your sanity. An engagement period of 2 – 3 weeks lets you take a breather before you start planning in earnest.</span></p>
<p><span>The year will go by quickly, so having a good step by step plan at the beginning is the key to getting through this. Setting your budget, an estimated guest count and possible venues would be the first steps to put in place.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Less than a year</span></h3>
<p><span>If you’re planning your wedding with less than a year to do it, your engagement celebration time will be limited to a week or two. Use that time to not only enjoy being engaged but to prepare your mindset for the rush that’s about to come. Weddings can be planned in a manner of weeks but the more you are focused, the easier it will be.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800611460?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="400" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h2><span>Organizing yourself</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span>As I have mentioned earlier, a good step by step plan can be your saving grace during this time. (HINT: as a Virtual Wedding Planner, I can help you with that). Organization is the key to moving through this and reducing your stress levels. Get yourself either an online tool/app(s) like <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-planning.html" target="_blank">Wedding Wire</a> or a downloadable pdf from <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-planning-checklist" target="_blank">Truly Engaging</a>. Help yourself to my Time line schedule to guide your through what you should be doing and when.</span></p>
<p><span>Spreadsheets are great for things like your guest count, budget, and vendor contact list.</span></p>
<p><span>Speaking of budgets, this is an essential item that has to be done sooner rather than later. Here you have some homework to do. Take my </span><span><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Wedding-budget-planner-2020.pdf" target="_blank"><b>Wedding Budget Planner</b></a> and start filling it out with what you think things will cost. Then do some research to get a more specific cost. Keep in mind, that your reception is 50% of your total budget so the more guests you have the higher your wedding will cost.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h2><span>What to book and when</span></h2>
<p><span><br/> <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5800740075?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-left" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>It’s important to note that most wedding vendors are grouped into two major categories: those who can do more than one wedding per day (i.e. cake designers, florists, officiants – though timing may be limited ), and those who can't (i.e. wedding planner, venue, caterer, musicians and photographers and or videographers.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h4> </h4>
<h4><strong><span>TIP:</span></strong><span> </span><span>Always book the service providers who cannot take on more than one wedding first. Then those vendors that are able to do multiple events on a single day can then be considered. </span></h4>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span>Suggested timeline:</span></strong></p>
<ol>
<li><span>Venue/Caterer - 10-12 months</span></li>
<li><span>Wedding Planner (full or month of) – 9 – 12 months</span></li>
<li><span>Photographer/videographer – 8 – 10 months</span></li>
<li><span>Wedding Officiant – 9 - 10 months</span></li>
<li><span>Music – 9 months</span></li>
<li><span>Dress – 8 – 10 months</span></li>
<li><span>Save The Dates – 8 months ~ Invitations – 5 – 8 months</span></li>
<li><span>Flowers – 6 – 9 months</span></li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>The guideline I gave you is for a wedding timeline of more that a year and can be adjusted based on your shorter or longer wedding timeline. As well, depending on where you live and the availability of resources, you will have to adjust your booking schedule accordingly.</span></p>
<p><span>If you plan to marry on a Saturday or the Sunday before a long weekend, you should start looking at vendors earlier. If you are getting married on the most popular dates during the year, start your work even earlier and add a few months to the timeline. Having your wedding on Friday or Sunday will give you more flexibility, options and possibly save you some money.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Planning your wedding</span></h3>
<p></p>
<p><span>While most couples usually work in the framework of a year or so, there’s no reason why you can’t think about your style, budget, and guest list before then if you’re planning a longer engagement. And of course, it’s never too early to start saving up!</span></p>
<p><span>Enjoy being engaged. Kiss each other hundreds of times, take pictures of your ring, tell your story and think of all the wonderful things to come. Make your engagement time as special as you can before you start the wedding planning journey.</span></p>
<p><span>I hope this has been helpful to you if you have recently become engaged and are wondering when to start the planning process!</span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><strong># 1 -</strong> <span><strong>Wedding Basics</strong></span> <span>package - a starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</span></p>
<p><strong># 2 -</strong> <span><strong>Wedding 'SOS'</strong></span> <span>package - I'll work with you to flush out your dreams and develop a plan that will be easy for you to follow and put in place.</span></p>
<p><span>Click here to learn more about each and book your spot:</span> <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wedding Planning Packages</a></strong></p>5 Smart Tips to Help you through a Wedding Crisistag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-04-06:3145964:BlogPost:7772772020-04-06T17:41:20.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/5-smart-tips-to-help-you-through-a-wedding-crisis/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4343290178?profile=RESIZE_710x" style="padding: 20px;" width="450"></img></a></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <strong>5 Smart Tips to Help you through a Wedding Crisis</strong></span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wedding planning in the best of times can be a challenge. So how does one cope and plan when circumstances can change in a flash. Look at the world crisis' taking place over the last while –…</span></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/5-smart-tips-to-help-you-through-a-wedding-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4343290178?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-full" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <strong>5 Smart Tips to Help you through a Wedding Crisis</strong></span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wedding planning in the best of times can be a challenge. So how does one cope and plan when circumstances can change in a flash. Look at the world crisis' taking place over the last while – wildfires, unprecedented flooding, and now COVID-19 - situations not only affecting those around us but globally. It almost makes you want to go find a cave and stay there.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But that is not who we are as a human race. We are people of resilience and none more so than a bride who has a wedding to plan and execute. So how do you cope when you have a wedding crisis going on around you?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to share 5 tips to help you through a wedding crisis that you can use to help reduce the stress.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Stay Local</strong></span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are planning your wedding in your hometown or local area, think about sourcing local shops to get the majority of your wedding items. This will help eliminate delays or cancellations. Most wedding dresses come from China so either plan well in advance of getting your gown or find local alternatives. There are a lot of advantages to having a custom-made gown – uniqueness and availability being two.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your choice of flowers should be carefully considered as to where they come from. Orchids, Birds of Paradise, Calla Lilies, even tulips are all beautiful and exotics blooms but often have to be shipped in from other countries especially if out of season. Talk to your florist about availability of your chosen blooms before you book. And while you are at it, ask if they have any <em><strong><a href="https://www.tobeynelson.com/choose-locally-grown-flowers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">local alternatives</a></strong></em> that might fit the bill if yours can’t be delivered.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4343309360?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-full" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></span></p>
<h2><span><strong>Communication is the key</strong> - a smart tip to help you through a wedding crisis</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As you make your plans and meet with the vendors – venue, photographer, caterer, florist, etc. make a list of questions for each of them and include as to what their cancellation policy is – both if you have to cancel or they do.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There’s a good chance you may lose your deposit. Check to see what alternatives there are available to you. And if you are in crisis mode, make sure to connect with your vendors as soon as possible to get their reaction and plans. It’s important to work together to get through the situation and arrive at the best outcome for all.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Make sure you communicate with your partner so they know the scoop. If you have to make a decision, try to make it together and prepare a ‘script’ to tell your family, bridal party and friends. It’s tres important that everyone is informed and on the same page as to what is happening.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></h3>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wedding Insurance</strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Insuring your wedding isn’t top of mind for most couples. In fact, it’s safe to say that it probably doesn’t even get discussed. You don’t think twice about getting insurance for your home, car or health. But a wedding? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Think about it though. Your wedding will cost you a small fortune relatively speaking so Wedding Insurance protects you from losses that may happen due to various factors, such as:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">unforeseen events causing damage or injury at a wedding</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">external event(s) beyond your control that may prevent your wedding from occurring</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">extreme weather</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">problems with the venue or vendors</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Point of Interest: The most claimed areas last year were:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Event cancellation or postponement </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Accident or injury </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Issues with wedding vendors</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A lot of time, effort and planning go into the wedding day. The cost of wedding insurance is minimal compared to the cost of the wedding and what is at risk. Certainly food for thought.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>In a Wedding Crisis - Should we cancel or postpone? <a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4343335387?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="348" class="align-right" style="padding: 10px;" height="513"/></a></strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No one ever wants to be in the position of having to make t</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">his decision when it comes to the most important day of your life. Should we postpone or cancel? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All that hard work, guests to consider, food, pictures, décor – so much to think about. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As you go about your wedding planning, think about a <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/wedding-plan-c/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Plan B or even C</strong></a> for things like weather, vendor failure, what if. Obviously, you can’t cover everything, but determine what are the most important “must-haves’ for your wedding and see if you can have a back up plan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, if factors are beyond your control and you are forced to make that awful decision, first of all contact your insurers and your vendors and find out (again) of what is covered and what is not.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The number one piece of advice that I can give couples, whenever possible, is to postpone, don't cancel. Depending on the circumstances, many venues and vendors will allow couples to postpone their events at a reduced penalty or possibly no fee. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance you will lose your money if you cancel.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In most cases, vendors and venues do not legally have to let couples out of their contracts. With Mother Nature or a pandemic on, it is all purely good will gestures on their part to do so. This is where your insurance might help to cover any loses.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Be Flexible</strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You have 3 choices when a situation beyond your control causes you to think about whether to have your wedding or not. You and your hubby to be will need to decide whether you postpone your wedding and re-arrange it for a different date once the situation is under control, cancel everything and start over at a later date or consider an alternative plan by making the most of the friends and families able to attend and dedicate your lives to each other as husband and wife.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Once you are realistic, you can process and move to a point of acceptance and start looking at options to move you forward. If you really have your heart set on a particular date, you can always elope and have you big wedding celebration at a later date.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With today’s ever-changing world – be it a natural occurrence or a personal one, there’s a possibility that your wedding plans may not go exactly as planned. If changes are inevitable, consider these 5 tips to help you through your wedding crisis. Being flexible will help, knowing the ultimate goal is marrying your true love.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The reason I am so passionate about wedding planning is because I realized years ago that I love to make life easier for brides like you. By sharing my experiences you can plan with less stress. Helping brides plan their awesome wedding allows me to do what I love and see your dreams come true.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 1 -</strong> <strong>Wedding Basics</strong> package - a starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 2 -</strong> <strong>Wedding 'SOS'</strong> package - I'll work with you to flush out your dreams and develop a plan that will be easy for you to follow and put in place.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Click below to learn more about each and book your spot: </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4343373545?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="260" class="align-left" style="padding: 30px;"/></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998396125?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="260" class="align-right" style="padding: 30px;"/></a></p>
<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<p></p>Pros & Cons of DIYing your Weddingtag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-03-03:3145964:BlogPost:7763272020-03-03T20:30:00.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-diying-your-wedding/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" height="285" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998185252?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="507"></img></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Pros and Cons of DIYing your wedding often depends on what your budget is.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Around the world the average cost of a wedding ranges from $90K AUS, £27K UK, $33K US, $30k CDN and on down. Deciding how much you want to spend on your wedding will determine how…</span></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-diying-your-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998185252?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="507" class="align-center" height="285"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Pros and Cons of DIYing your wedding often depends on what your budget is.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Around the world the average cost of a wedding ranges from $90K AUS, £27K UK, $33K US, $30k CDN and on down. Deciding how much you want to spend on your wedding will determine how you want to plan it and how much you want to do yourself.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With so many options (Pinterest boards galore!), ‘must-haves’ and ‘want-to haves’ it doesn’t take long to see your budget numbers go up. But this isn’t a blog all about money though if you’re interested in finding out how to have a <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/debt-free-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Debt-Free Wedding</a></strong>, read this.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>This is about whether you want (or should) DIY your wedding not.</em></strong> It’s also about understanding what is involved if you’re leaning towards wanting to do-it-yourself. Lots of brides do and it turns out wonderfully. Others not so well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>Where are you on all this talk of DIYing your wedding?</strong></em> After OD-ing on Pinterest, maybe you’re thinking ‘if it’s possible to do all those things myself and save a ton of money', then it should be easy for us to DIY our wedding planning, too. Right? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Word of caution</strong>: lots of things that look easy on Pinterest aren’t quite as easy to execute as the pictures would have you believe.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s look at what you can DIY: </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wedding invitations,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Reception table centerpieces,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Guest favours,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ceremony and wedding decorations,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Your flowers, bouquets, bouts.... </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The possibilities are endless of the details of your wedding that you can possibly do. The trick is that you shouldn’t take on more responsibility for your wedding than you have time to actually commit. There’s nothing wrong with choosing to DIY only some parts of your wedding.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-diying-your-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998219341?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="358" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-diying-your-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Pros and Cons of DIYing your Wedding – the Pros:</strong></span></h2>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em># 1 - A DIY Wedding Helps Keep Costs Down</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most couples I’ve worked with haven’t had an endless supply of money or a no-limit budget. And I don’t imagine you do either. Therefore, you have to watch what you spend.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First find out what costs are fixed (i.e. not much wiggle room) like your venue, the menu, marriage license, and what things you do have some flexibility on like flowers, invitations, decor. <strong>Note:</strong> Check with your venue as sometimes they have restrictions on what you can bring in of your own.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Doing things yourself can be a huge money saver. Designing and printing your own invitations, buying flowers wholesale and arranging them yourself or decorations made by you and a few friends has the potential for some great savings.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Tip:</strong> Take a few minutes and compare the prices of things already made on a platform like Etsy with the materials you would need to make something similar on your own to see if it is worth it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Or check out the many wedding buy and sell online groups to see if there are similar décor items on sale that would be comparable to what you are looking for.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>***</strong>If you are needing some more information on what wedding costs to expect, check out my Blog: <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/wedding-budget-costs/">https://planitperfectly.com/blog/wedding-budget-costs/</a></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em># 2 – Adding that ‘Piece of you’ into your wedding</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><a href="http://www.planitperfectly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998250986?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="299" class="align-right" style="padding: 25px;" height="415"/></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think it’s safe to say that one of the best parts about doing things yourself is getting </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to put your ‘stamp’ on every detail. Maybe it's designing those personalized invitations or creating centerpieces by you and your friends. Or bouquets with flowers from your gardens or playlists filled with your favourite songs. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All are details only you can bring to the wedding. Making your own chocolate dipped strawberries as favours gives the wedding an extra touch that makes each guest feel special.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you want your wedding to be truly yours, then put your personal touch on it. This is probably one of the strongest pros for diy-ing your wedding that brides have. But before you get too excited, you might want to check out the cons side of this story.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em># 3 - A Reason for a Party</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are always people around you that love to get together for a party and making wedding décor is one of those occasions. Invite your family, friends, neighbours with a talent for crafting to have a few glasses of wine and start a production line of crafts. They can bond together over cutting, pasting, preserving, tying favour bags while you laugh and share stories creating lasting memories. Take some pictures of the fun to add to your wedding story.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Word of Caution:</strong> Your bridesmaids know that there are certain things expected of them. But helping you make jam or stenciling 100’s of napkins maybe asking too much. It’s ok to ask your girls for help, but definitely don’t expect it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Make sure to discuss the pros and cons of DIYing your wedding with your partner to see if you are on the same page. As well, understand what kind of input they are willing to give. What you thought might be doable could quickly become a pain or too much trouble. Read on....</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Pros and Cons of DIYing your Wedding – the Cons:</strong></span></h2>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Is it possible to have a DIY wedding, save money, come out sane and enjoy the wedding planning process? We just looked at some possibilities of how that might work. Now it’s time to have a look at the other side – the cons or the Down side.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first thing you have to ask yourself is this: <a href="http://www.planitperfectly.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998296554?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-left" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em># 1 - What is your Time worth?</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">DIY-ing isn’t expensi</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ve (unless you mess up some expensive piece of material and have to buy more) but it does cost in the form of your time. How much time to you <u>really</u> have in the grand scheme of things to take on these projects – a little, some or bunches? Designing invitations, researching flower prices, searching for the perfect mason jars will take hours — there’s just no getting around that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Check out this article - <strong><a href="https://www.tayloredweddingplanner.com/single-post/2017/11/10/Time-is-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Avoid Wasting Time and Money when Planning a DIY</a> <a href="https://www.tayloredweddingplanner.com/single-post/2017/11/10/Time-is-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wedding</a></strong> to give you some insight into the phrase 'Time is Money'. The font is a little hard to read but the information is good.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even for the bride who loves crafting, it still requires a commitment of time. You not only want to add your personal touch but you have all the other ‘to-do’s’ with your wedding planning. If you‘re the bride who wants to save money but not that crafty, i</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">t can become a hassle. You’ll probably see it as just one more thing to do on the To-Do list instead of having fun planning. You need to understand that details take time. Is your time for a DIY Wedding worth it to you?</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>#2 - Trusting Others to Get the job done</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s obvious t</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hat you can’t do your DIY Wedding all yourself, single-handedly. So that means you’re going to have to ask for help from friends and family members rather than hired vendors. Be aware that these people are volunteering their time to help you and though they mean well, they may not have the same commitment to getting it done as you do. They have a life too and that will come first.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Loved ones often ask if they can help, but they don’t always understand just how much work you really need done. Be explicit in what you want them to do so they know how much is expected of them. More than once I have been told by couples that they have lots of people coming to help decorate or set up tables. Guess what? Only 2 show up because they either forgot, the kids got sick, car broke down – you get the drift. A 2-hour job becomes a 6 hour one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Friendships and working relationships can become strained during this time, so tread lightly when using your loved ones to help. Consider some help by reading this earlier blog - <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/9-things-diy-weddings-wont-do/">The 9 Things DIY Weddings Can't Do for You.</a></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span><em><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998342369?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="225" class="align-left" style="padding: 10px;" height="294"/></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#3 – The Persistent Procrastination</span></em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Taking on all of the details of a DIY Wedding yourself can lead to stress no matter how much you love being in control or how organized you think you are. Often when we are overwhelmed or feeling like we are free-falling and losing control, we tend to put off doing things thinking we are giving ourselves a breather.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It might seem easier to put things off until the last minute. But you need to remember that wedding details take lots of time and lots of effort. You can only tie so many ribbons or write so many place cards before your hands start to give out! Pushing your to-do list’s limits might mean some things can’t get done in time. I don’t think you want that to happen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em># 4 – A DIY Wedding Bride's last words – ‘It looked easier than this’</em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Why is it that Pinterest and wedding magazines make cute favours and decorations look like a 5-year-old could do it? But in reality, when it’s finished, it does look like a 5-year-old made it. Ribbons never tie up like they are supposed to; you have more glitter on you than on the jars. You get the idea. If you are going to tackle some DIY touches, make sure you fully understand what is required. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can do it. Be honest and realistic with yourself. And the other thought is – what are you going to do with it all after the wedding?</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Remember that planning a wedding should be one of the best times of your life as you get ready to marry the person you love. Seriously consider the pros and cons of DIYing your wedding before you make any final decisions. DIY can have a place in your wedding but make sure you think very carefully where that will be.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The reason I am so passionate about wedding planning is because I discovered years ago that I love to make life easier for brides by sharing my know-how with them so they can be less stressed. Helping ‘savvy’ brides plan their awesome wedding allows me to do what I love and see their dreams come true.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hi! I'm Nancy, a Virtual Wedding Planner and there are 2 ways you can work with me:</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 1 -</strong> <strong>Wedding Basics</strong> package - a starter package for the DIY Bride who wants to get her planning in order and done right.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong># 2 -</strong> <strong>Wedding 'SOS'</strong> package - I'll work with you to flush out your dreams and develop a plan that will be easy for you to follow and put in place.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Click below to learn more about each and book your spot: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998396125?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-right" style="padding: 60px;"/></a><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3998382846?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="200" class="align-left" style="padding: 50px;"/></a></p>5 Reasons to Attend a Bridal Showtag:www.bridaltweet.com,2020-01-13:3145964:BlogPost:7749952020-01-13T15:15:23.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817136003?profile=RESIZE_710x" style="padding: 20px;" width="550"></img></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With today’s abundant options for your wedding shopping and ideas – mainly online shopping, Pinterest and Wedding Facebook Groups, is there a reason to attend a Bridal Show or Fair? I say ’Most Definitely’. Now I will admit I’m a little biased as I ran my own successful wedding show for 20 years.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But as…</span></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817136003?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="550" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With today’s abundant options for your wedding shopping and ideas – mainly online shopping, Pinterest and Wedding Facebook Groups, is there a reason to attend a Bridal Show or Fair? I say ’Most Definitely’. Now I will admit I’m a little biased as I ran my own successful wedding show for 20 years.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But as result of that, I saw so many brides and their wedding parties tell me how glad they were that they attended. Why? Because of the 'realness' of it.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The main purpose for these shows – whether they be large or more intimate, is to show you, the bride, all things wedding. Of course, they would like your business. But it also gives both you and the vendor a chance to connect.</span></p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Would you like to work with this person or company?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are you feeling comfortable with them and/or their product?</span></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is nothing like the human connection and the touch of the real thing to help you in making those important decisions.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817139102?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<h2><strong><span>With that in mind, here are my top 5 reasons to attend a bridal show!</span></strong></h2>
<h2> </h2>
<h2><span>Inspiration in Abundance</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Bridal show is the Ultimate one-stop-bridal-shop. There is no other place where you can meet so many vendors face-to-face and ask questions. Now you may not be able to ask all your questions, but you should be able to get a good number answered.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Plus, you should be able to get a feel for whether you connect with them. Are they pleasant, reliable, easy to talk to, confident? If all the stars line up, go ahead and book them not just because their work looks amazing, but because they make a really good impression.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Often vendors have bridal show booking discounts so you can save some moolah! Definitely a bonus right there.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817143178?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="350" class="align-left" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></span></p>
<h2><span>Seeing is Believing</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even if you’ve been reading bridal magazines and blogs, pinning on Pinterest, or checking out websites for ideas, nothing compares to seeing the real thing – up close and personal. This is one of the greatest pluses and reason to attend a bridal show. With so many vendors, you’re going to see a large selection of all things wedding.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From glitter and glam to make-up and music. Here’s the perfect opportunity to get those wedding inspirational juices flowing. There’s always examples of the latest trends as well as something for the traditional bride. You’ll see things you never even thought of before, and also things you thought you liked… but now...maybe not.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span>Free stuff and discounts – what’s not to love?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Usually bridal shows have some type of swag bag for their brides that include coupons, samples and magazines. Most vendors will have samples at their tables - cake, sweets, and goodies for the brides to take home. There are usually door prizes for all kinds of things, including décor packages, DJ discounts and sometimes entire weddings!</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s no secret that weddings can be tres expensive, so many vendors will prepare a special offer for the show. This may be a reduced price on their services, or something extra with a booking. Whatever it is, take it into consideration as you make decisions.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817145480?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="350" class="align-right" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h2><span>OMG - the Amazing Dresses!</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There’s no better place to see a wide variety of beautiful wedding dresses than live on the runway. You get to see tons of beautiful gowns and elegant footwear, bridesmaids and occasional wear. These lovely ladies are often joined onstage by male models showcasing tailored suits and tuxes. It’s the perfect way to get you inspired to start looking for that perfect dress. Once the fashion show is over, take note of your favourites and head to the booths to try them on. If they are not available to try on, talk to the vendors, see what they do have and make an appointment to try on at their shop.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even if you already have your dress, you may still pick up an idea or two. Plus it’s a good excuse to take a break and relax.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And one more good reason to attend a bridal show .......</span></h2>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bridal show = Fun time</span></h3>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Treat attending a bridal show like a fun outing that may bring unexpected yet delightful benefits. Maybe you’ll find your dream florist, taste the best cake of your life, or win a fabulous prize. You’ll get lots of freebies ranging from magazines and samples and possibly a free makeover and a picture of you and your besties.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bring your mother or MIL, bridal party or your fiancé (more guys are attending these days). Whomever joins you, it’ll be an unforgettable experience. You are the Bride and this is your moment to revel in all that is weddings. Make the most of it!</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Bonus tip:</strong> Take pictures of everything you like, and you may have your wedding all figured out by the time you go home.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3817152368?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="450" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Where to start:</span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As you start planning for the big day, the list of things involved can feel seemingly endless. From the venue, photographer, food, wedding attire, music, photo booth, and more; the list of things to book or buy and decisions to be made goes on and on. There's something to be said about the power of face to face interaction with potential vendors. If you're hoping to make a more personal connection and be efficient with your planning efforts, you should definitely try to attend a bridal fair in your area. It could get your wedding planning into high gear.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Knowing what your wedding will look like and possibly cost is a good first step in planning your wedding. Take a moment and read an earlier blog of mine <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/wedding-budget-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>Do you REALLY Know what Your</b> <b>Wedding</b> <b>Day will cost You?</b></a> before you start your wedding planning. It should help you work through some thoughts and ideas you have. </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now if you still need some help sorting out all the information you've collected, <strong><a href="https://my.timetrade.com/book/3CL21" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here</a></strong> right now for a Free 15 minute chat with me. I'd be more than happy to answer your most pressing question and get you started on your wedding planning. </span></p>Do you REALLY know what your Wedding Day will cost You???tag:www.bridaltweet.com,2019-10-22:3145964:BlogPost:7725022019-10-22T17:10:08.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<h2><span>For most couples, a wedding is the first time you’ll ever have to think about planning a huge event, let alone creating a plan for wedding budget costs.</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>As a result, lots of brides and grooms start planning in a similar way:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First you think about the wedding you want.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then you think about how much you’re comfortable…</span></li>
</ul>
<h2><span>For most couples, a wedding is the first time you’ll ever have to think about planning a huge event, let alone creating a plan for wedding budget costs.</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>As a result, lots of brides and grooms start planning in a similar way:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First you think about the wedding you want.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then you think about how much you’re comfortable spending.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And then you hope really hard - fingers-crossed - that the two concepts match up.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Did you know that well over ½ of all brides spend more on their wedding than originally planned?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The problem is, it’s almost impossible to know your wedding budget costs until you start getting into the nitty-gritty of planning.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Getting a handle on the cost of things is really important to making a budget you can stay within.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span>When couples overspend it’s thought they just got caught up in the expectations of the wedding industry. But guess what?</span></h2>
<h2> <img class="wp-image-836 alignright" title="Wedding Budget Worries" src="http://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/anxious-bride-and-groom.jpg" alt="Wedding Budget Worries" width="239" height="342"/></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The <em><strong>culprit</strong></em> was that they thought chair covers cost $2 when they really cost $4. Or they found out their parents would be terribly upset if they just served chicken instead of the lovely surf and turf buffet they imagined. Then it turns out that the only wedding photographers in their area who did the type of pictures they wanted, charged $4,000 instead of the $2,500 they were hoping to spend. Next thing they knew, the combined total of those surprises was $6,000 and rising.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Remember:</strong> Things don’t always end up costing what you thought or what vendors promised. Be sure to read the fine print and ask the questions regarding extras and hidden/unexpected costs. Build a cushion of around 5% into your wedding budget to help offset any surprises.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And you know what?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s often the little things that we either forget or just ignore. The ones that are apart of the wedding process like invitations, audio-visual, favours and transportation that we forget to put a true price on so they can quickly add up. Do your research! <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/education/how-much-does-wedding-cost-14693474" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong><u>Average wedding cost breakdown</u></strong></a></span></p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2><span>The Importance of creating your wedding budget</span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Creating a wedding budget for your special day is an integral part of the planning process. The size of the budget helps you determine the size and grandeur you can afford. Knowing your wedding budget costs is important to figuring this out.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Typically, most weddings no matter big or small, all have certain elements that are required. That means a venue, catering, flowers, photography, entertainment, music, a cake...</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here's an example of what part of your budget you can expect to pay for these categories:</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Reception:</strong> 50%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Ceremony:</strong> 3%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Photography:</strong> 10%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Flowers/Décor:</strong> 10%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Wedding Planner:</strong> 10%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Dress & Tux:</strong> 10%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Miscellaneous/Cushion:</strong> 7%</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For a more detailed budget breakdown and worksheet, download my <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Wedding-Budget-Breakdown.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wedding Budget Breakdown Sheet</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><img src="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/wedding-budget-costs-683x1024.png" alt="wedding budget costs" width="267" height="401" class="align-center"/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you fail to keep a track of it, your spending could spiral out of control. Or you could overspend on one element at the expense of something else.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A realistic budget provides you the balance of quality in the exchange for goods or services. In other words, your budget will reflect in the quality of the vendors you choose as well as your guest’s experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And most of all, by staying within your budget, you protect yourself from going into unnecessary debt. I don’t think you want to be still paying off your wedding until your fifth anniversary.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span>Determine your Wedding Budget Costs – do it now!</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While it’s not the most fun, or the easiest of conversations to have sometimes, sitting down and figuring out your bottom line is important, whether it’s $1,000 or $100,000.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Where is the money coming from?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are there restrictions on how it’s allocated?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And the most important question: what do you place the most importance on when it comes to your wedding day (food? venue? alcohol? dress?)?</span></li>
</ul>
<p><img class="wp-image-508 size-full aligncenter align-center" src="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/gallery_wedding2-940x460.jpg" alt="Wedding budgets, wedding costs, wedding planning" width="582" height="285"/></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Working out these answers, will have you one step closer to the <em><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/wedding-guests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>wedding of your dreams without the debt. </u></a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When you know how much you want to spend on every different aspect of the wedding day, you’ll find searching for venues and vendors to be a lot more streamlined. You set yourself up with options you can be excited about.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Budgeting for couples’ weddings, is something I love to help with. Getting your Dream Wedding for the price you can afford is what a <a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong><em>Virtual Wedding Planner</em></strong></a> specializes in. I’d love to work with you so check out how I can make your wedding budgeting process more fun!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Happy Planning~~~</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nancy Curtis</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Plan it Perfectly Weddings - a Virtual Wedding Planner</span></p>
<p></p>What you should know before you start your DIY wedding planningtag:www.bridaltweet.com,2019-09-30:3145964:BlogPost:7721762019-09-30T18:06:56.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><span><em><strong>Disclaimer:</strong></em> </span>This is not a blog about the perils of do-it-yourself wedding planning and then suggest you need to hire a wedding planner. Nope. This is about what a DIY wedding is – to you, to others, to me, and what to expect.</p>
<p>Planning a DIY wedding is certainly a very trendy and popular type of wedding for a lot of brides and grooms. But while everyone assumes that they know what DIY aka Do-it-Yourself is, I‘m not sure everyone’s definition is…</p>
<p><span><em><strong>Disclaimer:</strong></em> </span>This is not a blog about the perils of do-it-yourself wedding planning and then suggest you need to hire a wedding planner. Nope. This is about what a DIY wedding is – to you, to others, to me, and what to expect.</p>
<p>Planning a DIY wedding is certainly a very trendy and popular type of wedding for a lot of brides and grooms. But while everyone assumes that they know what DIY aka Do-it-Yourself is, I‘m not sure everyone’s definition is the same. When I hear brides tell me that their plan is to DIY their wedding, I need to hear more.</p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/wedding-coaching/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3637052746?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="314" class="align-center" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<h2><span><strong>DIY Wedding Planning And You</strong></span></h2>
<p>When you envision your wedding and all that leads up to it, what do you see? Beautiful floral cascades, ceiling draping, hand-painted seating charts, a five-piece band, small cake/lots of cupcakes, tons of family and friends? Now, how much do you see yourself doing – personally – to make that happen?</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><em><span>What does “Do It Yourself” mean when it comes to your wedding?</span></em></h3>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><ul>
<li>Does it mean that you’re not hiring professional vendors to do anything for your wedding?</li>
<li>Is it a theme or a style?</li>
<li>Does it mean that you’re making your own décor and putting it up? </li>
<li>Are you going to do your own invitations or flowers?</li>
<li>How much are you planning on doing yourself? </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>These are questions you need to ask yourself when you say you’re going to DIY wedding planning.</p>
<p>In my 20+ years as a wedding planner, I have noticed that one bride’s DIY isn’t the same as another bride’s. It has become such a broad term to describe weddings that you have to ask the question – what exactly are you DIY-ing? </p>
<p>For example, say you’ve decided to DIY invitations and centerpieces or maybe make all the jams for the favours. Does this qualify as a DIY wedding?</p>
<p>To some, it might be. In reality, and to most people, especially in the wedding industry, it just means that you’re adding some details that you made yourself. And that is wonderful. You definitely want your wedding to reflect who you are. It is YOUR day after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span><strong>What to expect if you decide to DIY your wedding planning</strong></span></h2>
<p> </p>
<p>My definition of a DIY wedding is that you are going to do everything yourself and that you aren’t hiring professionals to help. You’ve consciously, or maybe unconsciously made the decision to take on the roles of</p>
<p><span> ♥ </span>designer</p>
<p><span> ♥</span> coordinator</p>
<p><span> ♥</span> florist</p>
<p><span> ♥</span> caterer</p>
<p><span> ♥</span> and decorator</p>
<p>to name only a few of the roles it takes to plan and pull off a wedding.</p>
<p>That’s a pretty tall order and a lot of stress to put on yourself. Even if you’re a really good organizer and love to do this stuff. </p>
<p>It’s also an agreement with yourself and your family that the majority of your engagement period is going to be extremely busy with making decisions, adding your personal touch, gathering things, among scores of other little details. Some of it is going to be fun, and other times, not so much.</p>
<p><span><em><strong>Time</strong> </em></span>– how valuable is it to you and your family? Planning a wedding can and is going to take a big chunk of your already busy life. No matter how much we think we can do (and it always looks good on paper), things don’t usually go entirely as planned.</p>
<p><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3637058150?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-full" style="padding: 20px;"/></a></p>
<p>Most everything in life has 2 sides and wedding planning is no different. To give you a bit more perspective when deciding to DIY your wedding, take a moment to read my previous blog on<span> </span><strong><span><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/5-wedding-planning-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Ups and Downs of wedding planning and how to get through it.</a></span> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Would you rather enjoy your wedding day as it unfolds or be the one running around making sure that everything that is supposed to happen happens before, during, and after your wedding?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s probably the former. Either way, you’re going to be tired so let’s try and reduce as much stress and anxiety as possible. </p>
<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<h2><strong><span>So how do you plan your own wedding and keep your sanity?</span></strong></h2>
<p>We all want to be involved in how our wedding goes together. I mean you’ve thought about this day and the time leading up to it for a long time. How did you picture yourself – calm and happy or stressed and upset? </p>
<p>Hopefully, the first two, right? </p>
<p> </p>
<h3><em><span>Here’s what you can do to make that happen</span></em></h3>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li>When you start planning, write down all the things that you want to do to put your ‘personal touch’ on your wedding. Maybe you’re great at calligraphy, so you want to write out your seating plan. Are you good at baking? Rather than take on making your own cake, why not put your efforts into something edible for your favours.</li>
<li>Next, write down all the details for the overall wedding planning. This may take a bit as there are lots of details. Grab this detailed checklist from<span> </span><strong><span><a href="https://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-planning-checklist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truly Engaged.</a></span></strong></li>
<li>Now look at it with a realistic eye. What touches can you add that are yours and what details can be looked after by professionals or by trusted family and friends? </li>
<li><span>Then picture yourself as the planning goes along and how you want to look and feel. This way you are focusing more on creating memorable details, but not taking on the burden of it all.</span></li>
</ol>
<p>Does that sound like a plan?</p>
<p>That is what it is – not a DIY wedding but putting together a wedding plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><em><span>Moving forward</span></em></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong><span>“I’m planning my own wedding with some DIY touches and some professional guidance”</span></strong></em><span> </span>says the smart bride. It’s a way to choose to be hands-on without being overwhelmed.</p>
<p>You’ve seen and heard as many horror stories as happy ones when it comes to brides planning their weddings. Obviously, you want to be the happy, stress-free one. Know what you are capable of handling, how much support you have and most of all be honest with yourself. You can’t be expected to know it all so don’t be afraid to ask for help.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still not sure about the whole DIY thing? If you need help in moving forward with your wedding plan, check out how a <span><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/wedding-coaching/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtual Wedding Planner</a> </span>can help you get started. Remember, you want to be able to plan as much of your wedding yourself as possible but to do it in a fun and relaxing way. I can help you with that.</p>3 Tips to Reduce Wedding Overwhelmtag:www.bridaltweet.com,2019-05-21:3145964:BlogPost:7695442019-05-21T14:42:56.000ZNancy Curtishttps://www.bridaltweet.com/profile/NancyCurtis511
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Wedding overwhelm is real.</em></strong> And it can happen to any bride-to-be no matter if you’re planning a small or huge wedding. And it can happen at different stages of the wedding planning process. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think it’s fair to say that you can’t totally avoid wedding overwhelm but I can almost guarantee that with some of my helpful tips, you can eliminate or reduce a lot of it.…</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Wedding overwhelm is real.</em></strong> And it can happen to any bride-to-be no matter if you’re planning a small or huge wedding. And it can happen at different stages of the wedding planning process. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think it’s fair to say that you can’t totally avoid wedding overwhelm but I can almost guarantee that with some of my helpful tips, you can eliminate or reduce a lot of it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No matter how you envision your day to be, chances are pretty good that it will require some level of work. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning your wedding for 50 people or 500 people, either way, you need a plan.</span></p>
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<div class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/3-tips-to-reduce-wedding-overwhelm/www.planitperfectly.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/My-Wedding-Plan-FB.png" alt="Bride writing her wedding plan in a journal" class="wp-image-2144 align-center" width="351" height="294"/></a></div>
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<h2><strong><span>Check the signs for Wedding Overwhelm</span></strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But first, let’s sidetrack for a moment and identify some signs of wedding overwhelm. Are you experiencing any of these?</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Putting off your to-do list more frequently</strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>You start questioning all of your decisions.</strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>It’s not feeling much like fun any more. </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Eloping is starting to sound better and better. </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Pinterest has taken over your life</strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>No time for the ‘Love of your Life’</strong></span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you’re not having any of these feeling right now, there’s a good chance you will. And if you are already, then that’s fine. It’s ok. There are many, many details to take into consideration, and those details can be overwhelming to think about at first.</span></p>
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<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Meet Nicky</strong></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nicky came to me just days before her wedding. Her well-laid plans were starting to come apart and so was she. Her DJ was unresponsive to her emails; the florist wouldn’t commit to a delivery time; the delivery and release of the butterflies was uncertain. These were all little snags along the way but as the wedding drew closer they became much more overwhelming. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Actually, Nicky was experiencing wedding overwhelm long before but didn’t want to be seen as not keeping things under control. After all, she was a successful businesswoman so she should be able to keep a wedding under control. Right? She plowed through but eventually realized she had to do something if she wanted to enjoy her wedding day with Jason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For her to call me and admit she needed help, was a big step for her. That move, allowed her to get back to enjoying those moments leading up to her wedding day. But if she had gotten help with the wedding overwhelm earlier on in her planning, she might have been able to avoid some of the situations she found her self in.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>“I’ve heard so many brides say they wanted to give up, </em></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>but I thought I was realistic and organized enough </em></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>for it not to happen to me! </em></strong><strong><em>Boy, was I wrong!” — Nicky</em></strong></span></p>
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<div class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/3-tips-to-reduce-wedding-overwhelm/www.planitperfectly.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3-tips-to-reduce-wedding-overwhelm-1024x768.jpg" alt="bride and groom enjoying wedding day" class="wp-image-2171 align-center" width="441" height="331"/></a></div>
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<h2><span>Wedding Overwhelm – What can You do?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I’ve said before and you’re probably starting to realize, wedding planning involves so many to do’s and decisions that the journey to the wedding day will almost seem impossible. From choosing your bridal party to planning the menu, and all the big and little things in between, it’s going to get hectic and stressful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You know what? It doesn’t have to be. It can actually be very enjoyable and not a chaotic mess. Trust me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s take a look into some tips on how to reduce or even eliminate some of that overwhelm. </span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>Map out your Wedding costs</strong></em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No one ever wants to talk about the money side of their wedding but I still bang on about it. Mainly because I know how important it is to reducing your stress level. And that is what we are trying to do here, right? Trust me when I say your wedding planning will be much more enjoyable if you have a basic idea of what you can afford. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have written several blogs on this very topic including <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/debt-free-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘How to Have a Debt-Free Wedding’</a></strong>. Take a moment to read up my tips on how to figure out your wedding costs in a fun and easy way. </span></p>
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<a href="https://planitperfectly.com/blog/3-tips-to-reduce-wedding-overwhelm/www.planitperfectlhy.com/work-with-me" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://planitperfectly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3-tips-to-reduce-wedding-overwhelm-2-1024x465.png" alt="Collage of wedding planning items" class="wp-image-2177 align-center" width="616" height="280"/></a><br />
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<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>Get Organized – Make that Checklist</strong></em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Get organized! How many times do you hear that when it comes to wedding planning? But how do you organize something when you don’t know the first thing about what to do? I find the best way to get organized is to search for some checklists on the Internet – there are some great apps that include everything. Check out no more than 3, pick one and work with that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wedding websites like Wedding Wire offer a number of planning tools: <a href="https://www.weddingwire.ca/my-wedding-planner">https://www.weddingwire.ca/my-wedding-planner</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are you a digital or paper and pen Bride? Or maybe a combo like me? Whichever lets you get the job done, go with it. Start as soon as you have set a date. The sooner you have an idea of what you want and how you can get it, the better chance you have of staying organized and not being overwhelmed.</span></p>
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<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>Set Aside Time to Plan & Execute</strong></em></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Set aside a couple of days each week to focus on wedding planning. You and your partner should both be involved every step of the way so sit down together and plan. Make your list of things that need to be taken care of and divide it up. This eliminates confusion and allows for each of you to do what you are best at – phoning, emailing, visiting sites, etc. Then report back at an assigned time so both of you are kept up to date.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have <em>3 more tips for curbing wedding overwhelm</em> coming in my next blog. But start with these and I have no doubt that your stress levels will be significantly reduced. There’s no magic pill but with a little work it is definitely doable.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you’re feeling the overwhelm in whatever form or whatever stage of your planning, that’s normal. But reach out so it doesn’t take over your life. I’m here at any time to offer you support and guidance to get you back on track and enjoying your wedding plans.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you’re having some trouble with your wedding planning or some anxious moments, now is the time to check out my great <strong><a href="https://planitperfectly.com/work-with-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Wedding Ready Offer. </a></strong>It will give you a taste of how easy your plans can be put in place. I’d love to work with you and help make your wedding dreams come true.</span></p>