So, you’re getting hitched…

Your sweetheart put a ring on it [queue happy dance] and you’re about to start planning the wedding of your dreams. First things, first. Slap on your war paint and hang onto your pantyhose, the chaos is just about to start. From finding ways to cut down costs to deciding who gets to attend your auspicious day, it’s almost a guarantee that at some point you’re bound to feel overwhelmed.

So, I decided to call in some of our team members to hear about their wedding experiences and share some of their well-learned advice to give you a leg up during your planning.

How do you choose what to wear on your wedding day?

I asked our seasoned wedding planners to give us the low-down on what they chose to wear on their big day.

The best of cultural and western traditions: “Chinese weddings have become more like western weddings which is why we wore both western and Chinese-traditional bridal clothing to our wedding.” – Xiaofei

Making it personal: “I wore my mom’s wedding dress. I knew she had kept it and I’ve always wanted to wear it. It fit me perfectly, the only alterations I made were removing the sleeves and changing the style of the skirt.” – Paige

What to wear ultimately depends on the style of wedding you’re having as well as when and where your wedding festivities will take place. I urge you to think about this while planning! Hobbling on the cobblestoned streets of Rome in four-inch heels and a poufy ballgown – not my brightest moment.

What type of reception meal service would you recommend?

The results are in and buffet or family-style win by a long shot when considering your reception meal style! Yes, a classic sit-down plated meal is oh-so elegant, but eating and sharing food in itself is an experience.

“Buffet-style service provides people a break to get up and chat with others. Otherwise, you end up spending time with the same people all night.” – Daniel

“We had over 2000 wedding guests and everyone had to eat at different times. We chose a buffet and family-style meal, so we could efficiently accommodate all our guests and give them the ability to eat when they wanted to.” – Priya

If done smart, DIY can save you tons of money.

It’s a common misconception that weddings cost a lot of money or that you must spend a bushel’s worth of dollars to have the BEST wedding ever. But this is simply not true.

“We did most of the planning, along with my parents and husband’s parents. My dad built a trellis, my mother-in-law grew sunflowers for our floral decorations, my mom made a ladder with a basket to hold our cards, and we did our own wedding favours. We were able to stick to our budget and have a beautiful wedding with all of our handmade touches.” – Paige

Sidebar –  if you’re going to do it all ‘yourself’ and by this, we mean, ‘hiring’ your friends and family to share the load, be selective. “Ask responsible and dependable people to give you a hand.” – Daniel

Hiring a wedding planner can save YOU tons of time.

From handling the details of your ceremony to selecting vendors who will get the job done right, wedding planners have built up a network of connections that will save you time and stress.  

“If getting married in another country, it’s much easier to work out the details if you hire a wedding planner!” – Xiaofei

 “I agree! Our wedding planners in India took care of all the arrangements. From the decorations, setting up the venue, and handling all of the logistics the day of – all we had to do was relax.” – Priya

Any parting advice for future wedding planners?

Daniel: For the bride and groom: “When planning a wedding, make sure you manage expectations, yours and of those around you. Your wedding is going to be the best day ever and no matter what happens, it’s not going to affect your relationship unless you let it.”

Xiaofei: For your pockets: “Chinese weddings can cost a lot! So, try to keep it simple if you don’t have a huge budget.”

“Also, communicate! If having a multicultural wedding, have a discussion with your future spouse and your future in-laws. Work to negotiate and come to common agreements ahead of the wedding.”

Priya: For the parents of the bride and groom: “Let the bride and groom be happy and peaceful at their wedding. It’s their day and they should fully enjoy it.”

As you set off on your great adventure of wedding planning bliss, remember to take it all in and enjoy every moment. Don’t feel like you have to do it all (#YOLO) or give up things that mean the most to you. Keep what makes you happy and leave the rest behind. Happy Wedding Planning!

– Rosana Mookshah is a Product Consultant on the Brand & Digital Platforms Team at Directwest.