Are You Tacky or Tasteful? Plan A Wedding To Find Out!
Ever wanted to plan your dream wedding? Would you have an awesome, huge, fairy-tale wedding with an enchanted theme (dresses, flowers and decorations to match) at the biggest wedding venue in town? Or would you have a destination wedding at some beautiful, exotic resort in the middle of the ocean? On top of that - what about the nitty-gritty stuff? Planning a wedding is WAY more inter-connected than you’d think. Take picking a date, for example. Once you pick the date, you then have to send out “save the dates”. But the problem is that in order to send those out, you have to pick WHO'S coming to your wedding - which means picking a budget, picking a venue and also deciding on the meal that you want (because the venue is not just the meal, it’s also the space, the alcohol, the decorations, the number of people and the photos).
And if you didn’t think this amount of planning was ridiculous - YOU ALSO GET TO CHOOSE how involved you want your partner to be! (This could either be incredibly helpful, or not). And on top of that, you get to choose if you want to hire someone to do it all for you, Although, according to Bride Wars, this doesn’t always help the decision making process.
Where will your ceremony be?
A lot of people prefer the reception (PARTAY!), but in reality, your ceremony setting is what REALLY sets the stage for your weddings theme and your guests’ ability to pick that theme and notice if it is coherent throughout all areas of your wedding.
Where will your reception be?
Your reception hall is the next chance your guests will have to decipher your theme, and figure out if it is a coherent one, or not. Picking a reception hall also requires figuring out how coherent you want your two venues (or perhaps it’s just one?) to be.
What is your overall theme?
A wedding theme is simply a concept or idea that you’re planning the entire event around (i.e. “rustic”). Having a theme (as you’ve probably already guessed) is really important. It helps you figure out how to decorate, what colors, flowers, table-settings and even music, you will pick, etc.
How big will your venue be?
Many couples - once they do the math - realize that picking a venue is based more off of budget than they’d like to realize. Having a large venue - with the meal paid for, etc. - is QUITE expensive, but also really desirable. On top of that, you have to pick a venue that matches your theme.
Will it be lavish?
Having a lavish reception hall if probably the dream of every little girl who dreamed of big, fun, lavish weddings. The thing is, not only is this expensive, but it also requires a certain type of reception hall, decorating and theme that can pull it off. A minimalistic wedding won’t be lavish (you’d hope).
Will you have a hashtag?
Hashtags are the new way to personalize your wedding AND letting you and your SO see the fun pictures your friends take during your wedding. Not only are they a good reminder, but they’re also a helpful Instagram filter.
How will you ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids?
Asking your close-friends to be your bridesmaids has turned into a relatively big deal that can sometimes require a lot of thought to plan. Some people ask simply, others more extravagantly and with a lot of detail and planning going into it.
What kind of dresses will they wear?
Bridesmaid dresses are a tricky thing, and you have to consider ALL of the factors: do they fit into your scheme? Will they be complimentary colours to your wedding colours, or the same? Will you pick dresses that you like, or that your bridesmaids like? Etc.
What is your dress like?
Your wedding dress - aside from the fact that a marriage is about you and your SO - is perhaps THE next most important part of that day. It encompasses your dreams, your themes, your colours and ideally your personality all into one.
Will you get matching manicures?
Wedding manicures are a big deal and requires some thoughts on the bride’s part. Will you get matching ones with your bridesmaids? Will they be simple, themed or meant to show off your ring? On top of that - will this be something that you take photos of?
What will your cake look like?
Your wedding cake is an edible decoration that ties together your entire theme: from your decorations, to your dress, to your invitations and centre-pieces. While there is a way to pick a cake that isn’t the exact same as your theme and make it work - it is tricky to do and not recommended.
Will your meal be fancy?
Having a sit-down meal is definitely the more traditional way to go with weddings - but it can add up. Depending on how many courses you have, the type of food you serve and how many people you invite, you could easily spend over $5,000 on the meal alone.
Will you have an open bar?
An open bar is REALLY EXPENSIVE (first off), but also, it means that you are willing to hire and have everything that entails (aka: you’re either having a reception in a hotel where people can go up to their rooms, or willing to hire taxi’s for the night).
Will you have a photo booth?
Photo booths have become really popular at receptions. It allows you, as the couple, to witness the fun later when you’re going through the photos, and for your guests to have some fun. While these can be done tastefully - that’s not always the norm.
Will you have multiple snack bars?
Snack bars are - again - a grey area when it comes to having a tasteful or tacky wedding. Really, it all comes down to HOW you have this snack bar. Is it filled with awesome junk food that you just love? Or are they carefully chosen to fit into your theme?
Will you have a DJ?
Having a DJ at your reception is pretty part-and-parcel for many receptions. The thing is, how you do it, can create either a great atmosphere, or a complete moment of awkwardness among your guests. For instance: will it be themed music?
What kind of centrepieces will you have?
I know it seems like I’ve been talking about themes a lot - but there is a reason for it! They make your entire decorating life “easier”, specifically with the centre-pieces. How big will yours be? Will your guests even be able to see each other?
Will you have a seating chart?
Seating charts are traditional and they save you a lot of “time” day of helping people find a table. The thing is, it requires a lot of thought - such as who gets along with whom, etc. It also assumes everybody will show up!
Will you have seating tags?
Not only do you have seating charts - you also have individualized seating-tags to let your guests know where to sit! Now, with a lot of these things, tacky is HOW you do it, rather than if you actually do. What will they look like?
Will it be a buffet or service meal?
For a lot of couples, how a meal is delivered/served is dependent on their budget and what is more important. However, for either end of the spectrum there is definitely a line of how … interesting … things should be. Which end of the spectrum will you be on?
Will you have favours?
Wedding favours are traditionally a little gift/reminder of your special day that your guests can take home. Usually it’s something edible (like cookies, or candy). Recently (really, it’s just thanks to Pinterest), couples have been getting imaginative. What will you do?
Will you have speeches?
Speeches are a traditional, and often lovely, part of any reception. The problem is that sometimes it can become too much for your guests, regardless as to how much they love you, resulting in a solid amount of boredom and potential problems (depending on the inside stories that are shared).
Will you have an MC?
MC’s are often a good way to keep the reception on-time, things going and to fill in awkward silences. It’s also a GREAT way to incorporate one, or a couple, friends into the wedding when you couldn’t have them in your wedding party.
How do you plan on leaving your reception?
Leaving the reception has become one of the newest forms of “the BEST” wedding photos to have taken during the entire reception (aka the rival photo to your “grand entrance”). How will you do it? Will it be with sparklers?
Will you decorate your get-away car?
Decorating your get-away-car is something that was huge years ago, but has waned since. However you’ll still see the occasional vintage car with a “JUST MARRIED” sign and streamers as they drive down the road. Will you do that? Or just drive away?
