I’ve been happily married for five months now, and I must say, it’s been great so far. Yes, I’m still in the early stages of marriage, but I’ve been with my husband for ten years. After he proposed to me, to many people’s surprise, it was me who actually delayed the actually wedding. I wasn’t only nervous, but I didn’t think I could organize such a huge event and I didn’t have the money to hire an event planner. After receiving some positive insight from friends, family members, the internet and party rental experts, I decided to “man up” and begin planning my wedding.

1. The Most Useful Wedding Checklist
I’ve been happily married for five months now, and I must say, it’s been great so far. Yes, I’m
still in the early stages of marriage, but I’ve been with my husband for ten years. After he
proposed to me, to many people’s surprise, it was me who actually delayed the actually
wedding. I wasn’t only nervous, but I didn’t think I could organize such a huge event and I
didn’t have the money to hire an event planner. After receiving some positive insight from
friends, family members, the internet and party rental experts, I decided to “man up” and
begin planning my wedding.
Before anything, I created a wedding checklist. This checklist somehow went from my sister,
to her friend, to her friend’s friend and so on. It helped a whole bunch of brides and brooms
with their wedding planning strategy. And so, I have decided to officially make it public, in
hopes of assisting you with you extremely exciting event!
The Checklist:
 Invitations
When it comes to invitations, you should be unique. Whether you send them through email
or hand them to your guests in person, there should be something that pulls them in. Check
this blog about Party Invitation Ideas That Will Blow Your Guests Away.
 Flowers
You need flowers that will completely blow your guests away. You can hire an expert who
can specifically arrange the flower decorations for you, or you can rent from a local
company. I personally visited a rental company and chose the flowers that I fell in love with.
They were beautiful red roses that matched my bridesmaid’s outfits.
 Videographer and Photographer
My pictures came out fantastic and I believe that’s mainly due to the fact that I told them
what my “must have” shots were. Give your expert a list of shots and videos that you really
need to have. Don’t forget to ask them for a breakdown of costs and if there are any last
minute or addition fees for certain requests.
 Setting Up Your Venue
If you don’t have an event planner, always ensure you have everything you need for the
venue. In most cases, the venue staff members will assist you with this for an extra fee.
Make sure you have all of the rental equipment that you need. In an event that you are
missing a few items, simply call your party rental company and have them deliver it to you.
They are usually available 24/7 in the case of last minute emergencies. Ensuring your venue
is set up and ready to go ahead of time will prevent delays and larger issues.

2.  Food, dessert, and drinks
In my opinion, it’s easier to order from one catering company or from the venue that your
location will be held at. My rental company provided catering equipment for the staff
members at the venue. This made it much easier for them to operate in a timely manner.
When it comes to food, figure out what your menu is going to be. Don’t forget to cater to
vegans, vegetarians, and those with allergies to peanuts.
Your drinks should be fun and enticing. Try including some unique beverages such as; Pena
coladas and Shirley temples. Fruit smoothies are also a great option. My guests loved those!
 Entertainment and Speeches
This is a big part of your event. You want to ensure that your guests remained entertained
and your speakers are ready to go. Double check with the people on the program to ensure
they are indeed prepared to present. The last thing you want is a group of people who have
no idea what they’re doing.
In terms of music, ensure the DJ knows what to play and when to play it. If specific
performances require specific sound tracks, always double check to make sure the DJ is
aware of what to play.
Most importantly…
Rehearse! Rehearsing your entire wedding multiple times will increase the likelihood of it
being a complete success! Schedule to rehearse at a time that is convenient for those
involved, and if there are certain people who are never available, then you might not want
them to apart of this event.