30 Commonsense ideas on planning and hosting a wedding

A weddings is a beautiful occasion. Be in India or overseas, Indian or non-Indian, a wedding brings festivities, celebrations, joy and love. However, along comes the responsibility and the headache of hosting – planning, decorating, arranging, rearranging….The Weddings and the wedding parties are fun, business and responsibilities – all combined in one.

These commonsense tips can be of great help for planning for a wedding, as well as in alleviating the pain of hosting one. Please note that this is not a complete wedding planning check list; you can find many of those online.

1. Season and weather: The summer is the main wedding season in America and many other Western countries. Consider a wedding during the months of moderate weather – spring or autumn. The off-season wedding is also lighter on the wallet.

2. Banquet Hall and venue: Decide on the ceremony and the reception venues ahead of time. Many good banquet halls need reservation many months (or even more than a year in many cases) in advance. As always, planning is the key to execution and the end results.

3. Things-to-do list :This step should also get covered in the planning and the check-list. Make a list of things to do and prioritize. There is a lot to be done. Get organized, you cannot afford the carefree approach of a single lifestyle anymore! :)

4. Guest list: Be realistic in making the list of the guests to invite. Take everything into consideration – the size of the party, the budget, the venue ….

5. Delegate to friends and family: You cannot do everything by yourself. Assign tasks and responsibilities to the friends and family members. You are the boss for now; everyone will listen to you, at least until your wedding! :)

6. Invitation: Include the event details in the invitation – the ceremony, the location, the exact time for the different functions etc. Give enough notice to everyone invited. Think in months if possible. People need time to lose some weight for the weddings, to look good on camera! :)

7. Party Coordinator: Hire a party coordinator if it is a big extravaganza, if the things are getting out of control. professional help can minimize the headache of planning.

8. The budget: Don’t go bankrupt just for a few hours of glory. Fix the budget and stick with it. To save money, look for a package deal - to combine multiple services.

9.  Decide on the hired help: Shop around to hire some dependable help – photographers, florists, caterers, DJ….

10. The Fights: Don’t seat the battling friends or relatives next to each other. People get too excited too soon at the weddings, especially after a few drinks.

11. Rest: The wedding day is very demanding and very hectic from dawn to dusk, and beyond. Get some sleep before the big day; you will need it.

12. Bouncers at the door: Have a security at the reception party, especially if there is free alcohol. The wedding crashing is a universal phenomenon.

13. Translate those verses: Provide English translation of the ceremony (prayer etc.) if possible, especially if attendees are from many different cultures.

14.Vegetarian: Keep a vegetarian option in the food. It is not the Indian and religious thing anymore, vegetarian food is a trend now-a-days.

15. Stay calm: Accidents can happen, things will get off track – it’s the reality. The priest may be late, the limo may not show up on time….Don’t overreact ; keep you cool.

16. Flexible: Be Flexible to accommodate any minor last minute changes or situations based on the needs of the moment.

17. Don’t rush: Don’t rush through the ceremonies; it is okay to be a bit delayed or a little late. The ceremonies are a part of the wedding; enjoy them.

18. Don’t nitpick: Don’t pick at the every little detail. Don’t measure the size of the cake, or the light patterns etc. Look at the big picture and enjoy the day.

19. The Speech:Avoid long boring speeches if you can. It can go from cute and funny to boring and monotonous pretty quick. Limit the speeches to only about 10-15 minutes and find other ways to entertain the guests.

20. Comfortable shoes: You will be on on your feet all day long, and the most part of the night. Wear a pair of shoes that you can comfortably walk in.

21. Meeting and greeting: Mingle with the guests; they have all come to see you get married.

22. Dress fitting: Get your dress properly fitted for the wedding day.  Don’t buy a dress six months in advance with the hope of losing some weight before the big day.

23. Dancing away: Don’t take over the dance floor; well, not for the whole duration of the party.

24. Stay hydrated and Eat: Don’t forget to drink water and eat something for energy. All the running around, ceremonies and dancing – your body needs food and water for all this!

25. The entertainment: Avoid bad entertainers. Check out local colleges for bands or DJ’s. And, if you really have money to throw around, hire a Bollywood star to dance at your party. :)

26. The drunk host: Don’t get too drunk, it is the day of your mental presence. You have the whole married life to get drunk! :)

27. The end game: The end time of the party may slide, it takes time to wrap-up! Don’t close the curtain if the clock says so. Give the guests some time to leave.

28. The farewell: Try not to leave before the guests, unless you have a plane to catch for your honeymoon.

29. Thank You cards: If you decide on the ‘thank you’ notes – make sure to cover all the attendees, not just the ones who brought expensive gifts. :)

30. It’s YOUR wedding for goodness sake: Enjoy the planning, and enjoy the party – it is once in a lifetime opportunity!

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