Before the Event

"A wedding is a start of togetherness... of walks in the rain, basking in the sunshine, shared meals, caring for one another and sensing the love that a marriage carries." Anonymous

You just got engaged and are on top of the world, but what comes next will give you sleepless nights if not tackled correctly. Planning your wedding day is one of the most exciting things you will ever do but, like most brides, you are frenetically busy in your own mind, considering everything that can go wrong on your big day. But rest assured, SA Weddings has everything covered.

In this newsletter we will be discussing the events 'Before the Event'. We will be providing you with a checklist to guide your planning – from the moment of your official engagement until your wedding day. We will also give you an electronic diary planner which you can use to remind yourself about all your important meetings, such as your dress fitting and lunch with the girls!

Service providers from various categories will also give you great tips and recommendations from their respective expert vantage points.

First and foremost it is important to register yourself as a bride on SAWeddings.co.za! Congratulations, you have just become a member of the no.1 Bridal Directory!

Be sure to make your profile as unique as possible. By adding a profile picture, you will differentiate yourself from the other brides – especially when entering the Bride of the Year 2010 Competition.

On the top menu bar in your profile, you will see a tab labelled 'Checklist'. Click here, and prepare to meet what will become a loyal planning companion.

Next up is the Diary for your fabulous self – here you can add, remove and set reminders where applicable. Be sure to visit this space regularly - you don't want to forget that fitting you had an hour ago!

Before you start ticking your list and confirming your meetings, get an idea what you can expect from the SA Weddings service providers. We offer super-useful tips and recommendations from the leading experts operating across the wedding industry:

Tip: Charlene Lubbe from Oopsie Daisy Flowers suggests you "let your florist make you a sample of your guest table arrangement before your wedding. By doing this you know exactly what you'll get on the day with no surprises!"

Tip: Lindsey Swart from Lindsey Swart Makeup’s tip for all brides is "to have a trial before the time so we can match the foundation up as skin is a big thing at the moment. If your skin looks amazing the rest is easy!"

Marisa from Musaic gave us her side of the story, "The best tip for brides is to always have a Plan B that they are happy with, when getting married outside. We have played at weddings of 44 degrees, rain and wind, where the entire roof of the gazebo blew off! All true! So they must be as comfortable with plan B (inside) as they are with Plan A (outside)."

Loudeax from Angelic Wonders very kindly shared her expertise:

1. When you meet your décor advisor for the first time you need to ensure that you know your budget, know how much you have to spend on table décor, room decor and flowers.

2. Know your colours. Use your imagination with colours. As part of the design, your choice should reflect your individuality and highlight your unique flair.

3. Don't overspend on the things that can be forgotten.

4. Most important make sure that the company or individual that you work with is compatible with you and your taste.

Rehearsal Dinner – All your questions answered:

THE "WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE AND HOW" OF THE REHEARSAL DINNER?

WHO TO INVITE? Invite family and close friends. The main aim of having a rehearsal dinner is to break the ice between the two merging families as well as friends. It is also advisable to invite your photographer, as he/she will get an intimate feel for the family – this will make the photographer’s job much easier when looking for those special moments on your wedding day!

WHAT IS A REHEARSAL DINNER? A wedding rehearsal is done so you can have a practice run through the events at the ceremony. The rehearsal dinner usually takes place afterwards – with all the pre-event festivities. This is also the perfect opportunity for the bride and groom to thank everybody involved. The giving of the bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts can also be done here – to make them feel special as well.

WHEN DOES IS TAKE PLACE? The rehearsal dinner usually takes place 1 day prior to the ceremony, but nowadays it is popular to have your rehearsal dinner 2 days before. This gives the bridal couple the opportunity to also enjoy the dinner and be rested for their big day!

WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE? In previous years, the rehearsal dinner would take place at a high-class restaurant; nowadays it is acceptable to host it at your favourite pizza palour or at your home. The main aim is to have your guests relax around each other and mingle. When in a more relaxed environment, this is inevitable.

HOW TO INVITE? The invitation is a crucial part of the rehearsal dinner. It is advisable to send an invite. Remember, the rehearsal dinner is for the most important people in your life, make them feel as special as they are to you!

A little something extra from our service providers:

You are engaged! Congratulations! Now for all the planning...

There are so many things to think about before this momentous day that you may be completely overwhelmed and just not know where to start.

Start with how you would like to FEEL on the day. This will help you with the big things like location, time of year and the key people you would like to be involved.

For example, if you want to feel relaxed with family and close friends, then a simple beach or garden wedding may be the thing for you.

If you want to feel regal, then a grand and opulent venue is what you'll be looking for.

Once you've got the big things, find the right people to help you put your wedding together. Nothing can ruin your day more than an unreliable service provider. Do your research and ask for referrals.

Get a timeline in place, so you know when you should send out invitations, have your dress ready, order the flowers etc. This way you'll be confident that everything is coming together at a nice steady pace.

When the big things are in place, focus your attention to the details. Confirm the spelling of names with your guests. Be creatively consistent with your décor and stationery.

You can keep your guests involved in your progress with your wedding website from TheGuestList.co.za It's really easy to create the site using your content and any one of the myriad of templates. You can make changes and update your site as often as you like, so no stressing about getting things done for a deadline. Let guests know where to stay, things to do around the area. They can download and print maps, make comments and RSVP.

Most importantly, this day belongs to the two of YOU, remember that every time you make a decision.

Have fun with the planning!

Jacqui Foord The Guest List Wedding Website.

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The planning of your wedding day is as important as the day itself, but be sure to enjoy it! It truly is a once in a lifetime experience. Brides, be sure to include that soon to be husband of yours – nowadays the groom does more of the planning than the bride!

If you have any questions or queries about the planning of your wedding day, please feel free to email me at jana@saweddings.co.za or visit www.saweddings.co.za to start the planning of YOUR magical day!

Before the Event | Wedding Articles