My Guest Post For Agape Bridal Boutique: Wedding Post.

So I have something a bit exciting to share. I was asked to co-write a post on a stunning bridal boutique's blog and, of course, I jumped at the chance. It was to share tips on organisation during wedding planning for those who are getting married this year - like me (eek!)

It went live last night and it was a real buzz to see my words featured on another site. The site is http://www.agapebridalboutique.com/ and is full of gorgeous bridal bits - their blog is fantastic for anything from hen-do tips to features on their now legendary window displays.

I'm also being a bit naughty and, with their permission, am going to print the post below for those of you who would like to see it.

Here goes...

"Happy New Year Brideys!

I wonder how many of you woke up on New Year's Day and thought "WEEEEEEEE! I'M GETTING MARRIED THIS YEAR!!!", swiftly followed by "ARGH! SO MUCH TO DO!"

Suddenly, it all becomes very real when you realise that you will be saying ‘I do’ in a matter of months, and those months are going to whizz right by, I tell you now!

Some brides are super organised and have spreadsheets with a million different pages, listing every last detail from placenames to order of service and everything in between. I live in awe of these people. If you are one of these brides I applaud you and your colour-coded file full of to-do lists, booking confirmations and balance sheets!

You might have guessed that I wasn’t one of these brides. I work better under pressure and although I like to be organised at work, I was most definitely a last minute lady whilst planning our nuptials.  Take the day before the wedding, for example. I had visualised fluffy robes, pampering and girly time in the day, followed by a relaxed and nostalgic family meal, a glass or two of champagne and then early to bed for some beauty sleep. In reality we were dressing our venue, arranging flowers and hand-writing out place names late into the eve of our wedding. Although this was not the nice chilled way I planned to spend the day before, in hindsight I wouldn’t have had it any other way. This eleventh hour habit is something I share with all my family, so it was only fitting that we celebrated my last day as an unmarried sister and daughter working as a team in this crazy chaos: the storm before the calm.

 

After divulging the above information, I cannot expect you to take advice from myself on wedmin related organisation, so I am now happy to pass you on to my beautiful friend, fashion and lifestyle blogger and Agapé Bride-to-be Sarah, whose organisation skills I have admired since playgroup when all her ducks were-quite literally- in a row...

Well, what an intro. It’s true. I am a bit of a nut when it comes to organisation – so much so that I earned myself the nick-name of ‘Monica’ at school after the beloved Friends character with a penchant for alphabetising her entire life. I’m not *that* bad but I have been known to embark on holidays with a plastic folder of everyone’s tickets, itineraries and plans. It’s just something I do. I organise. It doesn’t mean I’m a fun free-zone – it means I’m mostly a stress-free one and believe me, when you’re organising your wedding that is what you need; to be as kind to yourself as possible. It is a magical time but it is also a very highly-pressured one and who wants rogue grey-hairs from strain on their wedding day? Certainly not I!

I got engaged in November and I’m getting married in July. Yes – that will be a 9 month engagement. I’m not entirely sure how the date kept creeping further and further forward but it has and I am nothing if not an embracer of challenges.

Over the coming, crucial weeks I am going to have to have my i’s dotted and my t’s crossed so here are a few things I’m doing to try and keep on top of it all – and I highly recommend them:

 

1)        GET A WEDDING PLANNING JOURNAL – If, like me, you’re not one of those lucky brides who can afford to employ someone to plan The Big Day for you then a wedding planning journal is a must. There are tons available online; some go down to fine details like, “How many doves to be released,” (I kid you not) and others, like the one I opted for, cover all the bases you need, keep a running tally of expenses and inject some fun into the situation so you don’t lose sight of the end goal – marrying the person you love.
Mine is cheerful and to the point and available here.

2)       PRIORITISE PROPERLY – I know it’s so much more interesting to think about table decorations, guest favours and hen- do activities but these can all be dealt with later. What needs to be nailed down first is the church/venue you want to be married in, the reception venue, your finalised guest list(s) and any accommodation required.  Trust me – once those are defined you will enjoy the other details so much more.

 

3)       GET THE GUESTS SORTED – I mentioned the guest list in point 2 but it’s obviously a huge factor. My mum said something really interesting to me when I told her about our day/evening lists and it made a huge difference. She said, “Make sure you have those important to you there so you have a full dance floor and a good party on your hands.” And she’s right – I *know* you may feel that you should invite second-cousin Shirley’s boyfriend’s son; but at the cost of an active member of your life who you want there to toast you? No. I can’t go for that.

 

4)       COMMUNICATE – I am a control freak. I accept this. I like to do things on my own and I struggle with delegation but this is one task where I’ve had to admit partial defeat. I need my fiancé, not only to calm me when I can’t find the perfect shade of ribbon for invitations, but actually to organise with me. I think too many brides-to-be take this enormous assignment on alone and it’s simply impossible. You need your partner, your mum, your sister, your best-friend etc. to help you with it.
Admit it.
It’s so much nicer to discuss flower arrangements with someone than to be standing on your own in the florist cursing yourself for refusing to let those who love you help. And it heightens the excitement to be able to natter away about things that to most people sound dull but to you, and those who are important to you, are thrilling.

 

5)       DRINK BUBBLES – Maybe not just bubbles but certainly remember to relax a bit along the way. My lovely other half has, in recent weeks, been known to recognise when I am on the cusp of a meltdown. He simply hand me a glass of bubbles (prosecco is always, always chilled in our house) and tells me to go and take a long bath with my book. It’s amazing what a break can do to clear the mind and re-focus you on what’s important.

And remember – YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED THIS YEAR – YIPPPEEEEEEE!!!"

And that's it - are you getting married this year? Do you have any organisational tips? I need as many as I can get!