Getting hitched? Avoid last-minute disasters

Wedding preparation is a hectic task but with proper planning, time management and help, you can ease the burden a little. Here's how.

Sushma Gohil, Chief Customer Relationship Officer, The Wedding Brigade and Tanuja Sharma, Director, TAP Events, have suggested things you can keep a check on to avoid last-minute glitches on one of the most special days of your life

Money Matters: Follow your budget calendar You'll always find reasons to spend more money on the function, so deciding on the budget early in the planning is a must. It is always better to chalk out in advance a list of things where most of your money will be spent.

Make sure you prioritise and figure out which matter to you the most as a couple. Some may decide to spend lavishly on the outfits, while others may feel that they want to have a lovely destination wedding.

Also, it is always better to design the budget by making your families agree on combining the functions of both the bride and the groom. It's always more fun and budget friendly.

• Keep a check on your guest list

One of the trickiest tasks during wedding preparations is creating a guest list. The guest list governs most of the other elements of your wedding -- from the catering bill to the ceremony seating arrangement. To make your planning easier, you may take help of guest list managing applications, where you can categorise the guests under ‘maybe' or ‘surely' and ‘finalise later'.

• Book your dream destination/venue on time

Avoid any last minute hassles or dissatisfaction regarding your wedding venue by being the early bird. Advance bookings should be done way prior to your wedding day especially if your date is during the peak ‘wedding season'. It is ideal if the couple plans and decides on the wedding venue mutually, taking into account the convenience of both the families.

• Your wedding outfit should not go off trend Choosing a perfect outfit for your wedding can be daunting.

For the latest trends, surf online but do not forget to raid the offline markets too. Offline stores give you the chance to try out the attire before you make the big purchase. The time of the wedding function should also be an important factor impacting your attire choice, especially the colour of the outfit.

• Choose your vendors sensibly Behind every fantastic well-planned wedding, there is a team of hard-working vendors who make it happen. Do thorough research about the vendors, their past work, reputation and track records before you finalise them. If you cannot afford to get in touch with all the vendors yourself, hire a wedding planner and let them spearhead all the functions.

Making a detailed contract document and incorporating all deadlines, quality, quantity, and expectations is also a must-do. Avoid any vendor disagreement at the time of wedding and save yourself from last-minute blunders. You don't want an absconding vendor two days before the wedding.

• Check on the weather

Weather is one of the things you can't control. An ideal weather is obviously subjective, but most of us look forward to having a dry and sunny day for a perfect function. Decide early between an indoor or an outdoor set-up and prepare accordingly.

In case you choose an outdoor setting, make sure your property vendor provides canopies. Backup plans are a must as added protection serves well. So consider getting an event insurance if possible.You can't predict weather and disasters but you can surely prepare for them.

• Make travel arrangements on time

We all have significant number of friends and families living out of town. And it is obvious for the 'out-of-towners' to go through a lot of effort and expense to come for your wedding. Right management of transportation is very crucial especially in a destination wedding where all the guests need transportation throughout the trip.