Wedding

This is your special day and we are here to help you with 23 hot tips for planning your wedding.

After fantasizing about this moment for most of your life, you are now on the cusp of realizing your dreams. Although you might not realize it, you have never been more ready for anything else. You are now the princess in your very own fairytale with everyone looking to pamper, spoil, support and guide you through this magical time. Buckle up tightly for this crazy ride, soak it all up, live it, love it and cherish it because these are your first steps on an incredible journey.

So, whether you are getting a professional wedding planner or you are looking to tackle the challenge on your own, always remember that organization, comfortable timelines and having fun are key to successfully planning your wedding.

If you are looking to get a wedding planner involved, whether only for certain or all aspects, we have listed the best planners across Canada:

Wedding Planners: Calgary | Edmonton | Halifax | Hamilton | Niagara Falls | Ottawa | Quebec City | Toronto | Vancouver | Winnipeg 

23 Hot Tips for Planning your Wedding

Here are 23 hot tips to help guide you through your wedding planning adventure. It is not all work – there are plenty of excuses to have fun along the way.

1. Work Out Your Budget

The first of our tips for planning your wedding is setting a realistic budget. This not only provides the framework but also the peace of mind that you are not overspending. You do not want your wedding day to financially harm the rest of your life.

• Find out who is eager to contribute to your special day and how much they are able to spend.
• Decide how much you and your fiancé(e) are able to spend.
• Be responsible when looking at drawing from your savings.
• The number of guests you are inviting will influence the majority of costs, consequently affecting the costs of the venue, food, beverages, favors, cake slices and certainly equipment hire.
• Identify the one or two “must-haves” important to you and your fiancé(e). Budget for these first and this will determine how much you have left to spend on the other “nice-to-have” options.
• Research all ceremonies, rentals, and services for hidden or additional costs.

2. Choosing Your Date

With your budget in place and a rough idea of the number of guests, you are able to start choosing the perfect date.

• Choose the perfect season for your wedding day.
• Avoid certain dates which will make it difficult for your guests to attend.
• Look at dates that could have significant importance to you or your fiancé(e).

3. Deciding Your Theme

This is certainly the perfect opportunity to show the world how unique you are and above all to stamp your identity as a couple on your wedding day. Another of our tips for planning your wedding is to focus on what you find special in your lives and then celebrate this by realizing it in your wedding theme. So, here is a quick checklist to get you on your way.

• Your theme might influence the type of venue you will need to book. Outdoor themed weddings will have a different set of criteria than the more traditional indoor themes.
• Your theme should showcase your and your fiancé(e)’s personalities. The more comfortable you are in your surroundings the more infectious your happiness and, as a result, you will have a magical day.
• Choose colours that will flatter you. In this age of social media why not play to your strengths by surrounding yourself with the most flattering photo opportunities?
• Consider how formal you would like your wedding day to be because this will have an impact on your theme.

4. Who is in Your Wedding Party

Before we go any further it is important to understand the importance of the Wedding Party. In a traditional wedding, the party assists the couple with various wedding planning tasks and, above all, with running errands and providing much-needed support.

• The size of your wedding will determine how much help you will need and consequently how large your wedding party will need to be.
• While the basic roles of the members of the wedding party stay the same, certain roles can differ due to different religions.
• A Wedding Party will typically be formed around the following people:
  • Maid of Honour
  • Bridesmaids
  • Best Man / Best Woman
  • Groomsmen
  • Ushers
  • Mother and Father of the Bride
  • Mother and Father of the Groom
  • Grandparents
  • Officiant
  • Flower Girl
  • Ring Bearer
  • Readers
  • Pages / Train Bearers

5. Start your Guest List

• Firstly, be clear about your expectations.
• Be realistic on the number of Guests.
• Talk about your expectations with the families so there are no surprises.
• Additionally, be fair when breaking up the guest list between the couple, the bride’s parents and the groom’s parents.
• Categorize your list into 4 sections and rank your guests in these sections by priority:
  • Family
  • Close Friends
  • Professional Friends/Acquaintances
  • Special Relationships
• Make an “Imaginary List” of everyone you would like to attend and trim it down at a later stage.
• Agree on a list of rules that you will apply when cutting down the guest list.
• Have two lists, Original Choices, and those that you will invite in place of those originals who cannot attend.
• Make your list collaborative (updateable in real-time by all decision-makers).
• Finally, don’t be bullied into adding extra Guests. Firm but Fair should be your mantra.

6. Choosing Your Venue

• It is very important to try and secure a venue as far in advance as you possibly can. As a rule of thumb, it is best to secure your venue at least 12 months ahead of time.
• Having already sketched out your list of possible dates and themes for your wedding, this step will be a whole lot easier.
• Before choosing which venues to contact, look at possible locations that will promote your chosen theme and will be most reasonable in terms of accessibility for your guests.
• With your locations mapped out you can start looking at possible venues in those locations which will fit best with your theme.
• If your budget allows, there is no reason why you cannot hire an events company to set up a venue in exotic locations.
• Listing all your venues with location, contact details, facilities that are important to you, and pictures will make later decision-making a lot easier.
• Research your list of venues. Reviews on platforms such as Trip Advisor and other social media platforms are a great place to start.
• Personal experiences of people you trust or word of mouth reviews are also extremely valuable.
• Make a shortlist of your favourite venues and start calling to check availability of dates.
• Arrange site visits to the venue. Pictures can lie but, most importantly, you need to feel comfortable with your chosen venue so trust your gut.
• Take your own pictures of the venue. This is especially helpful when you are viewing multiple properties.
• Make sure it fits your budget by reviewing wedding packages and access to transportation.
• Check out flexibility for a Plan B either within the venue or have a backup venue in mind just in case life happens.
• Get that deposit in and secure your dates as soon as possible.

7. How to Start Your Registry

Another of our tips for planning your wedding is working on your wedding registry. Do not attempt this on your own. This is a task for both of you and is your chance to get all the little (and big) things that will make your lives together so much more special. It is also an opportunity for your Guests to show you how much you mean to them.

• Your registry is a highly personal list of what you need as a couple. Focus on what type of lifestyle you live and list things that would improve or enhance it.
• As a starting point, it is a good idea to take an inventory of what you both already have and would like to keep.
• Look into having more than one registry so that there is a bit more variety. Don’t overdo it – you will be fine between one and four registries.
• You can set up your registry online but it is so much more fun to visit the store and walk around with their registry specialist.
• Give your guests more choice by first providing more options and second, choosing different price ranges to fit into all of your guests’ contribution comfort levels.
• There is nothing against asking for money or donations to a charity of your choice.

8. Get Your Social Media Rocking

Most of us spend loads of time on social media platforms and this is a really great way to include your friends and family in the loop of all the exciting steps you are taking leading up to your big day. Creating a social media strategy for your wedding is not as difficult as it sounds. Plus, it will help you avoid all these pesky cellphones popping out at moments that are intended to be more intimate.

• First of all, it is a great idea to create a catchy hashtag for your wedding. This not only helps you consolidate all the pictures that your guests take but also makes them feel like a valued part of your planning.
• Overposting can become a bit much for some people so it is always a good idea to keep your posts to a happy medium and focus on relevant, punchy and interesting content.
• When it comes to the more formal ceremonies, which are intended to be more intimate, you need to set some guidelines for where and when pictures can be taken.
• Discuss these guidelines with your professional photographer as there can be nothing worse than cellphone flashes spoiling the lighting when that magical first kiss needed to be captured.
• Finally, get one of your trusted friends to help with your social media posting on your wedding day. You are going to be way too busy to keep an eye on that as well.

9. Choosing Your Wedding Outfits

Brides

This is the moment of dreams for many of you the world over. You finally get to pick the wedding dress you have been fantasizing about for as long as you can remember. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions. From excitement and hope, through anxiety and frustration, finally arriving at the moment you have been waiting for. The instant you look in the mirror and feel your eyes prickle with tears or goosebumps and butterflies take over, you know you have found the perfect gown.

Here is a list of guidelines to keep in mind when planning your perfect wedding dress:

• Inspiration should come from the theme of your wedding day.
• Research what you are looking for and make bookings with the various boutiques before heading out.
• Have a few words to describe your dream dress to give boutiques a good idea of what you are looking for.
• Choose fabrics that will flatter you and that will best suit the season or climate.
• Don’t shop with your goal weight in mind. It is always easier to take in a dress in a few moments than to restitch.
• As with everything, there are additional costs that you will need to keep in mind. These costs, like accessories, additional fittings and tailoring are often not thought of until too late.
• You might feel overwhelmed at times and there may be some salespeople trying to force you into a sale. Do not feel pressured, rather, leave. You can always come back later if you haven’t found anything better.

Grooms

No, we haven’t forgotten about you. Your wedding day is as much about you as it is about your beautiful bride. Your choice in attire should do yourself, your bride and your wedding ceremony proud. I am sorry to break this to you but there are also many things for you to keep in mind when choosing what to wear for your wedding.

• Unlike the bride, whose wedding gown is not to be worn every day, you guys can actually either wear a well-chosen suit or tuxedo to many events throughout your life.
• Decide if you are going to rent or purchase your suit upfront.
• Choose fabrics that are going to match the theme of your wedding, that will be comfortable in the venue and season of your wedding, but which, most importantly, will compliment your bride.
• There is no reason that you should not have your shirts tailored. You are the man of the hour so you can look amazing standing at the altar, taking your first dance, or enjoying the wild party at the end of the day.

10. Finalizing Your Guest List

Oh yes, we actually do get it. By now the mere mention of your Wedding Guest List is enough to get the veins in your forehead throbbing. You have felt the pressure not only from your parents, in-laws to be, closest friends, not so close friends, and worst of all, your own conscience – but you are so close now.

Your original list was done a few months ago and, as it is with life, little things happen. People move away, relationships change, other dear friends may have moved closer and can replace those who will be falling off the list. Needless to say, this is the time to get your list updated as the next step, the ordering of the invitations, is just around the corner.

11. Yum, Time to Pick Your Cake

You guessed it, choosing a wedding cake is not as simple as popping over to the local bakery and grabbing one off the shelf. To make sure there are no surprises on the day, we have a few things that you might want to bear in mind.

• Firstly, it is a very good idea to choose a baker. Working from word of mouth, wedding fairs and online reviews, it should be quite easy to shortlist about three bakers who could fit the brief.
• Next, make a list of likes and dislikes you will use when briefing your bakers. Think along the lines of:
  • Wedding Theme
  • Climate. Yes, this is important as some types of finishes tend to melt when they get too warm.
  • Your favourite cake flavours. Remember to keep an open mind. Sometimes bakers will have an amazing cake idea that you might not have considered.
  • Decorations. Think sugar or real flowers, iced or rustic, tiered or flat.
• The number of guests as this impacts style:
  • The more guests, the larger your wedding cake or the more tiers that need to be considered.
  • Consider having the main cake, which will be symbolically cut, and then other cakes that are pre-sliced and served to your guests’ tables.
  • This is important as wedding cakes are normally priced per slice.
• Meet with your bakers and arrange tastings.
• Keep within your budget!

12. Booking an Officiant

No matter what type of wedding you are having, your officiant is instrumental to your proceedings.

In our modern age, weddings are so diverse that it is incredibly important to choose the right officiant for your ceremony. The officiant will handle and advise on all the legalities and paperwork that needs to be adhered to in order to make your union official. So whether you are planning a same-sex, religious or non-religious ceremony, there are officiants who will have your back.

• Religious Officiant:
  • They will officiate a religious wedding ceremony and will most likely be a religious leader such as a Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Imam or a Pastor.
• Civil Officiant:
  • These officiants can be justices of the peace, judges or municipal clerks.
• Professional Officiants
  • These people are happy officiating either religious or secular unions. They can bring elements of each into your ceremony.
• Friends and Family as Officiants
  • This is also a popular choice in many modern weddings when the person chosen has very personal bonds with the bride and groom.
  • This person usually needs to be ordained, so it is very important to make sure that where you are getting married actually recognizes such an officiant.
  • In Alberta, as of 2020, a friend or family member can apply to be a Marriage Commissioner for one day in order to perform your wedding as long as they don’t charge a fee or advertise for business.

13. Selecting a Stationer/Graphic Designer

When it comes to your wedding, you will be amazed at how much you will be able to rely on these guys. From wedding announcements, Save The Date cards, wedding invites through to Thank You notes, wedding programs and even napkins, they can design and keep your theme constant through all digital and traditional print communications. A few tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure that they agree not to charge you for mistakes they make.
• Keep your instructions to them clear, documented and signed off.
• Get a few different people to proofread the text before you sign off on it.
• Ensure you see an actual sample of your printed items before signing off on them. Colours differ when viewed on different computers, so it is really important to make sure that all printed material is correct.

14. Send Save-the-Dates 6-9 Months in Advance

Try to get these out well in advance of your wedding date. Sending your Save-the-Date notices between 6 to 9 months prior to your big day seems to be ample notice.

You do have a choice of media available to you, however, the two most used are e-mail or posted via snail-mail. It is a good idea to match your delivery method with your wedding theme.

15. Send Invitations 6-9 weeks in Advance

By now you will have chosen your printers, have the designs in place and have your guest list finalized. There is no time to relax. You do still need to be very involved. The golden rule is – check, recheck, recheck and just in case, recheck again as with all printing, there are many things that can go wrong.

• Check that your wording and font are clear and concise.
• Make sure that your dates and RSVP details are 100% correct.
• Give your guests a reasonable amount of time to respond.
• Sending your ‘A-List” invites out early enough means that if they can’t make it, you can still get the next batch of invites out to your “B-List” Guests without them realizing that they were the second choice.
• Ensure that your addresses are correct. It would be terrible if the people you really want at your wedding don’t get their invite.
• Include stamps on your RSVP envelopes if you want them to be posted back to you. This will make it easy for your guests to respond.

16. Plan your Honeymoon

This is your chance to allow yourself to dream of all the beautiful places in the world that will wash all those wedding planning stresses away.

Here are a few pointers that will make choosing and booking the perfect honeymoon a breeze:

• Make a budget. Your honeymoon budget should not be part of your wedding budget.
• Have a “bucket list” of options that you both love and can afford.
• Hook up your TV with Youtube and watch videos that travel bloggers and other travellers have made of their visits to these places. These insights are invaluable.
• Use a travel agent or professional to make reservations for you. They know how to juggle and merge transport and hotel reservations, and they know the Travel Industry so are able to leverage contacts and favours.
• Travel agents also know what questions to ask and where to identify hidden costs such as taxes and additional gratuities.

17. Scout Hotels for Out-of-Towners

While on the subject of travel, perhaps you can use your travel agent to identify suitable hotels in the vicinity of your wedding venue that would be able to accommodate those of your guests who are from out of town.

• Group bookings generally get more preferential rates.
• Have a few options of hotels in varying price ranges to accommodate all budgets.

18. Plan that Rehearsal Dinner 

Traditionally the rehearsal dinner is hosted after your wedding rehearsal and the evening before your wedding. This is your chance to thank all your immediate family, your wedding party and their partners for all they have done.

It also provides the opportunity to discreetly distribute gifts to your wedding inner circle.

Regardless of whether you have decided on a formal or informal setting for your rehearsal dinner, there are a few protocols that you should observe to make it a really memorable moment:

• The Bride and Groom should be at the venue to greet the guests as they arrive. Remember, even if the Groom’s parents might be hosting your dinner, it is your time to say thank you and to set the tone for the evening.
• Walk around and bond with as many of your new in-laws and close friends as you are able to.
• Traditionally, the toasts take place after desserts have been served:
  • Up first is the host, most often the Groom’s father who will toast his new daughter-in-law-to-be and her family.
  • Next up would be the groom who should toast his soon-to-be wife, the guests and the hosts.
  • It is also an opportunity to offer a few reminders about the processes for the wedding day tomorrow.

19. Booking Your Makeup and Hair

We know, there are many gifted girls out there who can flawlessly apply makeup that will last for the entire day. There are, on the other hand, many brides to be who either do not have the time to do their own or who do not trust the artist within.

Never fear. For all in the latter group, there are professionals who will be able to help you shine. If you are going with the professional route, make sure that you meet with them well in advance of your wedding day. Making sure you have a good rapport with them will set your mind at ease.

If they are able to relate well with you, your professional makeup and hairstylist will be able to give you the look you have been dreaming about.

20. Order Wedding Rings

Wedding bands are a symbol of your love and commitment to each other. With no beginning and no end, your rings represent eternity so you should give your choices a lot of thought.

• Although your wedding bands should be an extension of your personality, it is important to think well in advance and choose a style that will age well.
• Make sure you shop at reputable jewellers so that you can be comfortable that the metals and jewels that you choose are top quality. Make sure that there is a manufacturer’s trademark and a quality stamp on the inside of the rings.
• Traditionally the groom will pay for the bride’s ring and vice versa, however, this is no longer the norm. So budgeting for quality wedding rings can be done together.
• It is not necessary to match His and Hers wedding bands. Your individual style and even skin tones could mean that very different metals complement each one of you.
• A bride can also decide if she will be wearing her wedding band with her engagement ring, so the two would need to complement each other.
• Make sure that when you go for your fitting that you do it at the right time of day. You will be wearing your ring almost constantly so it needs to fit well. Avoid early mornings or times when you have elevated heart rates such as after exercise or when you are stressed.
• Temperature can also influence how thick or thin your fingers will be.

21. Create Your Seating Plan

Relax, you have got this. Although this step is fraught with danger, take comfort in the fact that you do actually know your friends, family and co-workers, so you should be fine grouping everyone into suitable tables. Here are some tips to help guide you through your seating allocations:

• Head Table

  • You have the choice to do what you like here but it is always a good idea to have a head table where the bride and groom are the centres of attention.
  • Here you can flank yourselves with your maid of honour and best man and then parents of bride and groom.
  • You don’t have to stick with the traditional straight head table. A round table is as effective but take care to seat yourselves facing your guests.

• Wedding Party

  • It might be a nice idea to have a table or two for your wedding party and their partners.
  • They do not have to be seated at the head table.

• Parents

  • Depending on the setup of your main table, you might decide to let the parents host each of their own tables with grandparents and family members who weren’t part of the wedding party.

• Family Members

  • If your family is like many others, there are bound to be one or two members who really do not get on well with each other. Try to seat them at different tables.

• Friends and Colleagues

  • Know the dynamics of these groups of guests. Seating people with similar interests will make for a much easier evening.
  • Don’t be tempted to force reconciliations or spice up the tables with personalities that will clash – this is your wedding day and not a social experiment.

• Singles

  • Ok, so here again, not a social experiment so it might not be a good idea to have a singles only table or to make glaringly obvious attempts at matchmaking.
  • Scatter singles tastefully across the room.

22. Obtain a Marriage Licence

The legalities and processes differ from country to country and even province to province. Because of this, you need to do a bit of research to avoid any nasty last-minute surprises. For the most part, however, there are some commonalities that you need to keep in mind.

• First of all, a Marriage Licence is not the same as a Marriage Certificate.
• Don’t try to apply for a licence too early. In most cases, they are valid for certain periods of time. Make sure that they will not expire before your wedding day.
• In some jurisdictions you might be able to download a Marriage Licence Application, however, you as a couple would still need to appear in person to collect your licence from your local city hall, municipal offices or other designated building.
• You will have to have identification with you when collecting your licence so please make sure that you know the requirements.
• If you have to send someone on your behalf, make sure that they have the required signatures and documentation.
• As with most formal documentation, there will likely be a fee that will be payable.

23. Writing Your Vows

Writing your vows is deeply personal and intimate. They should come right from your heart and are meant only for your partner. Yes, we know that everyone near and dear to you will be listening but your vows are not for them.

Focus on your soulmate and follow these easy steps to keep you on track:

• Think back on your history with your partner. How you met, fun times, awkward times and special moments and trips.
• Jot down little things that your partner might have done that melted your heart, especially if they were really funny or cute.
• Visualize what you see yourself doing in the future years together. Think of the things that you know you will be able to do that will add meaning, excitement and substance to your marriage. These are the actions and gestures that can be made into your vows. They will be relevant, personal and quirky.
• Try to keep your vows down to a few minutes. This will be plenty of time and also will help you get through without forgetting something special that you wanted to say.
• Read through your vows aloud a few times so that they flow.
• You can always send them to your officiant for some feedback. They will be familiar with many weddings and vows and will likely have some valuable feedback for you.
• Finally, just be yourself and speak from your heart.