Wedding Advice Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Planning a FABULOUS Wedding

Top Ten wedding planning ideas to put on your ‘Do list’
Do’s … Fabulous Celebrant advice on the Sunshine Coast Mooloolaba, Noosa

Do your research and hire professionals
This is one day in your life where your research will pay off in bundles so read reviews, checkout online social media history, ask questions until you are confident your supplier is a professional and respected industry supplier. Your Marriage Celebrant will be a font of golden information so ask your celebrant for suppliers they know will suit your personality, have a proven quality track record and are professional and fabulous.
Do hire a videographer
A video captures words and actions, micro looks and laughter, moments with guests that you may not have experienced on the day. Your children and their children will adore watching this footage for years to come. This footage will become priceless to you as the years roll on, featuring moments with your most important friends and family and those very important moments you share as a couple on the day. This will become one of the most treasured decisions after the day.
Click here to
check this video snippet out!! LOVE – Jensen and Young Videography

Do send out a ‘save the date’ card
Send your ‘save the date’ cards as soon as you have your date locked in. Your important guests will appreciate the lead up time to organise themselves, this is especially important for guests travelling to the wedding for flights and accommodation.
Do book a Wedding Planner
A wedding planner can seem like an extra expense on the surface however your planner will guide you with suitable suggestions for all of your needs knowing your budget and style. Your planner will make the entire process so much easier for you, they do this every day, they know the ins and outs of the industry, so trust them, they really do know what they’re doing AND as well as saving a lot of stress and running around for you, will more than likely save you money in the long run.
Visit this fabulous planner: Cloud Nine Weddings for planning on the Sunshine Coast
Do consider the weather
Book a ceremony location venue with a wet weather back up option OR have a separate wet weather option planned. If holding the ceremony outdoors, do cater for guests in hot weather, they’ll be standing in the heat for sometimes more than an hour so see my ‘hot weather ceremony’ blog for so many tips! You’ll love it. Think about booking an all weather ceremony venue where weather will not impact your ceremony such as a Chapel.
Do Consider a Chapel
Most Chapels cater for civil (non religious) ceremonies. When choosing a Chapel you will be confident when sending out your invitation with details no matter the weather, your ceremony will be held there, no stressing about weather and last minute wet weather alternatives. All guests will be seated and comfortable, the acoustics will be perfect, parking and toilets will be available. Costs for a Chapel are set pricing, as opposed to a beach or garden style ceremony set up where you pay for settings, delivery and permits. So pricing is usually comparable for either option.

AnnaBella the Wedding Chapel, Sunshine Coast,
The Chapel, Montville – Weddings at Tiffany’s Chapel, Maleny
Do consider a ‘first look’ on your wedding day
This is becoming so popular! So what is this? The bride and groom meet all dressed and gorgeous earlier in the day .. usually as a surprise, photographed unveiling and usually with tears and joy; accompanied by their bridal party they can enjoy lunch or nibbles and champagne, start the celebrations with the photographer for those s
pecial portraits and on location shoot… This allows for a later ceremony, and bridal party are ready to join and mingle with guests as soon as the ceremony is over. The additional bonus is no waiting guests whilst you leave for photos, no rushing off for photos, no worrying about timing after the ceremony… This is a fabulous idea!
First look photo thank you TaraLee Photographer
Do have an unplugged ceremony
Do ask all guests to put away their devices and be present for ceremony, HOWEVER Do also ask your photographer, your celebrant or one guest to take a few photos of you at the signing table and then standing at the ‘altar position’ with YOUR own phone or camera or their own phone and send them to you after the ceremony.
Only the professional photographer will have these photos and you can wait days or weeks to see them so having this sneak peek will be beautiful. This is a great idea if you’re planning on posting a photo on social media before your guests .. you’ll have a few gorgeous photos to choose from
Do book a professional MC for your reception
It’s lovely to have a friend to introduce speeches however, the role of MC for the evening is a big responsibility. The MC is on duty all evening… and won’t be able to relax until their role is complete. The role of MC is much more than just speeches, a professional MC will be keeping time with all of your important moments, and the kitchen for service and be able to entertain your guests professionally from the beginning to the end of the evening. Consider your DJ or a band member may be an MC so ask the question of them, a professional MC keeps the timing perfect and keeps the energy flowing in the room.
Do book fun!
Add something unexpected to your run sheet and plans for your day. It could be an ice-cream cart to arrive after the ceremony on a hot day, release doves! Invite a troupe of samba dancers at the reception to entertain and get the guests dancing, a magician walking around mingling with guests, something different! A photo booth is always fun and questionnaires to complete about the couple for guests can be hilarious if used later by the MC and a great keepsake for the couple. So think outside the box.. your wedding doesn’t have to be like anyone elses make it fabulous!! Make is an ‘occasion’, create the fun and memories.

Top Ten wedding planning ideas to put on your ‘Don’t list’
Don’ts … FSunshine Cosat wedding day advice Mooloolaba Nooosa

Don’t use public forums for advice
Don’t ask for supplier recommendations or advice for your wedding on public social media forums, you don’t know the calibre or quality of the advice or person giving it. So, best advice from me is to go directly to the web, google and do your research, speak to professionals directly and see who ‘you’ love, ask friends who’s taste is similar and who’s advice your respect. Once you’ve started booking suppliers you love, ask their advice on who they love to work with, who they recommend, and if you like the social media forums join the private professional groups, such as The Brides Tree online, their ‘Brides Tribe’ is for brides only, (They also have a fabulous free quarterly magazine you’ll love too!) no suppliers or general public allowed so a qualified group of people experiencing the same as you are I LOVE this.
Visit the Sunshine Coast private BridesTree forum
Don’t take too many people bridal Gown shopping.
Too many differing opinions can be confusing and upsetting when choosing the iconic gown, so take one or two people with you who’s opinions you absolutely value. OH and make sure you wear great underwear for the shopping day
Don’t book your ceremony too late in the day
You really do want to enjoy the entire day…. think about your own experience and what ‘you’ want for your day. One suggestion … check out the ‘do have a first look’ suggestion OR alternatively consider a late morning or early afternoon ceremony which gives you and the bridal party a gorgeous relaxed afternoon to have something to eat, relax, have photographs, refresh and touch up makeup and head to the reception with absolutely no rushing. Guests can go off and have a free afternoon before re-grouping at the reception. This might seem different however it’s much easier and much more relaxed and fun on the day! and after all, it is ‘your’ wedding day.
Don’t leave payments to the day of the wedding.
Make sure to plan for all suppliers are paid in advance so there are no awkward moments on the day handing over or forgetting envelopes.
Don’t ‘go cheap’ for the sake of saving money
Of course organise your budget, and when planning, remember you really do get what you pay for so find your favourite suppliers who are going to make your day perfect and fabulous, and if they happen to be slightly more expensive, you’ll find out soon enough why, a couple of hundred dollars extra can mean the difference between and ok experience and a fabulous one!(this cake disaster wasn’t one from anyone on the Sunshine Coast, but it’s a reminder to book a professional! omg this was a peacock! )
You Don’t have to have a huge bridal party
Keep in mind that every person you add to your bridal party is a lot of extra $$$’s.. It’s another dress or suit, shoes, jewellery, gift, hair and makeup, bouquet and of course an added personality into the mix. The reality is you don’t actually require any bridal party at all legally, not even for signing, that can be any person over the age of 18 who is present and can understand the language in which the ceremony is held. So think outside the square, you can choose one attendant each or even none at all.
Don’t organise your own reception music
You’ve poured your heart into every detail of your day and the reception is where you let your hair down, have fun, laugh and dance… If you’ve booked a DJ or band your night will start to pump and have an energy that will have everyone dancing, they get to know you and your music taste, they read the room, get everyone up and it’s their job to do that. If you choose to have a speaker and ipod with a playlist you will find there maybe really no heart to the entertainment and there can be a lack of atmosphere. These are usually the weddings where you may find guests waiting for the cake cutting to leave and the dance floor sees not much action.

Don’t plan for too many speeches
Keep speeches short and give instructions for the length of time these speeches should be given. Speeches going over time can create a problem with the kitchen and hold up service of courses so make sure the MC is aware of timing and informs the speakers.
Don’t skip the wedding cake
If dessert is included with your menu, a cake can seem like an extra that isn’t needed .. don’t underestimate how fun and special it is to ‘cut the cake’ on the evening, it creates a great photo moment and many guests look forward to the cake. Even if you choose a small cake for cutting it can be topped with flowers and look fabulous and really does finish the wedding decorations. ( I love cake! )
Don’t go dashing off on honeymoon too soon
I went on mine the very next morning and missed out on a lot of the after fun! So many guests love to stay around especially those who have travelled to the wedding… a post wedding day late breakfast or BBQ is a great way to de-brief, find out about all the shenanigans that went on the night before, see the photo evidence of said shenanigans, laugh and bask in the glow of memories made. Cocktails the night after can be a wonderful wind down, and this creates more of a wedding festival feel rather than just one day.

These are my tips for planning a fabulous wedding… Hope you loved them!

DO YOU HAVE ANY FABULOUS TIPS !!! I’d love to hear them and add them!
Comment here or on my facebook page ….

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To book email me on suzanne.riley@bigpond.com

Have a fabulous wedding! love Suzanne xx