Congratulations on your engagement! I've got more good
news: tying the knot is seriously good for your health! Scientist
say so. Marriage increases your health, wealth and your lifespan by
up to three years. According to researchers at England's University
of Warwick, being married inspires you to work harder whilst
boosting the immune system. (This of course assumes you've survived
the wedding planning…)
First up for the recently engaged is our 'Big 5' of wedding
planning: these are the five key elements that need to be
considered before you can get down to the detail of planning your
wedding. Crucial is that everyone who is involved in planning and
eventually paying for the celebration should ideally be consulted
when considering these key Big 5 elements (this will save arguments
later on).
HOW will you get married? Will it be in a civil
or a religious ceremony?
WHERE would you like to be married? Have a
rough geographic area in mind - narrow it down to county/state.
WHEN will you get married? The more
flexible you can be, the more options you'll have. So spring,
summer, autumn winter: this year, next year - just approximately
and ideally when.
WHO? That's whom you'll invite. This could be
dictated by budget or how many guests a must-have reception venue
can accommodate. But sit down and compile a considered guest list
so you can accurately assess guest numbers. Do this with everyone
who reasonably needs to have a say in it.
BUDGET - the million-dollar question: how much
can you AFFORD to spend?
You might want to defer some 'Big 5' decisions until other key
elements have been put in place and you will need to take a
flexible approach. But the 'Big 5' are your wedding road map,
and until they have been agreed upon you can't get down to the
nitty-gritty details of planning your day. If you do you'll in all
likelihood tie yourselves into things and services you don't want,
are inappropriate or are outside the budget.
So complete the 'Big 5' checklist together and know you're
agreed upon it And do check out my 10 Top Wedding Planning
Tips on the blog too.
For more help with your big day don't forget our range of
wedding plannning smartphone apps and books available via our Boutique.
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© Sarah Haywood 2012