Your wedding day is supposed to be magical and heartwarming, but it won’t be if you’re too busy running around like a chicken with its head cut off. That’s why planning the wedding down to the very last detail is important to ensure that your ceremony will go as smoothly as it can. And don’t forget to include these six things in your wedding plans:
1. Lights, Sounds, and Generators
You can’t have a ceremony or an after-party without good music pumping through a reliable sound system. Plus, your microphones would be useless if you don’t have enough speakers around the venue because the sound wouldn’t resonate. That’s why you need to hire lights and sound professionals.
The light technicians will help keep your wedding day bright and well-lit through their spotlights or LED lights. And usually, they know a thing or two about fixing up displays, so it will be perfect if you’re planning to show wedding clips or videos to the guests during the reception. Now the icing on top is if they can bring their own generators, particularly if you’re holding an outdoor wedding.
2. Tables, Chairs, and Other Furniture
It would be uncomfortable to hold a wedding ceremony without the appropriate furniture for you and your guests because everyone has to take a seat at some point. Although there could be times when all the guests are on the dance floor during the reception, there should still be tables and chairs for lunch or dinner.
Sometimes, these tables and chairs are brought by the caterers, but if they aren’t, then it might be best to get a rental. The lounge furniture can also be rented if you know where to get them for low prices. Don’t even consider buying these things because you’re never going to use them again unless you’re planning to start a wedding planning business.
3. A Cleanup Committee
When the party’s over, the mess doesn’t just magically disappear. A cleanup committee would be in charge of ensuring that the venue is as tidy as possible and that no valuable items are left behind. But the most important thing of all, they ensure that all the trash is bagged and disposed of properly.
Of course, if you have a wedding planner, they will usually take care of this part. But if you took the DIY route to plan your wedding, then it might be more practical to rent a roll-off dumpster and hire a cleaning crew to make sure that your venue is spotless after the ceremony. And you can put someone you trust to be in charge of the cleanup after you’ve gone on to your wedding suite or honeymoon.
4. An All-around Catering Service
For all things food-related, it might be best to hire a dependable catering service. This would entail that they’ll be in charge of all the food and drinks for the reception, including the beverages, finger food or snacks, entree, dessert, and alcohol. Plus, they should have their own dinnerware and cutlery.
It could also be great if your catering company could provide all the linens, napkins, tablecloths, and glassware that you’re going to need for the event. If not, there are always places where you can rent these items so that you won’t have to buy them and waste money on items that you’re never going to use again.
5. Floral Arrangements and Props
Flowers are a staple in every wedding, but this doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune on floral arrangements alone. While it’s not possible to rent the flowers themselves, you can always work with your chosen florist to use their available props for the flower arrangements, so you don’t have to buy your own.
For instance, this can include arches, aisle marker stands, lanterns, candles, canopies, or vases to decorate the venue. These items are usually available for rent at the florists, so make your reservations early to avoid having to rush the process. This also gives you plenty of time to DIY other arrangements if possible.
6. Outdoor Restrooms
You’re only going to need to provide restrooms if you’re holding an outdoor ceremony because most wedding venues come with their own. But if your wedding is outdoors, you will need to rent restroom trailers or spacious portable toilets for you and your guests because not having accessible toilets is simply a disaster in the making.
Since wedding planning is already a handful, you should do your best to lessen the burdens weighing on your shoulders. Even if you’re sharing that burden with your soon-to-be spouse, it would be a waste of time and effort to take the long road when there’s an easier path. So don’t make this harder than it has to be by using a few wedding planning hacks here and there.