There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to planning a wedding. This obviously includes planning the day of events, picking out your dress, tuxes and decorations and preparing for the big day. Another big part of wedding planning that some might not consider is planning all of the events surrounding your wedding.
Of course, you can do whatever you would like for your wedding. If you only want to have a few or even none of these events, you totally can! Typically there are about six events surrounding the big day that will be planned out. Again, you can pick and choose what you have, if you have any at all!
Here are some tips for planning the events around your wedding and wedding day checklist with ease!
The engagement party
This may seem like a no brainer, but an engagement party is thrown to celebrate the engagement of the couple! Typically you will need to decide on a time and a place, venue, guest list and menu. Traditionally, the bride’s parents will host the engagement party, but more and more couples are hosting their own. This event can happen at any time, but consider the length of your engagement and plan the event for when it feels right!
If someone else is throwing your party, be sure to work around their schedule and needs. The great thing about an engagement party is that you can make it totally your own! When it comes to choosing a menu, you can have a full course meal, a buffet or even just a few easy appetizers. This is a great opportunity to mingle with people and celebrate this big step in your life!
The shower
Another thing to add to your wedding day checklist is the bridal shower, which is usually thrown by the bridesmaids, parents or close female relatives. Typically you would invite the bridal party, close female family members and friends from the wedding guest list. The average time for a bridal shower to be thrown is between three months to two weeks before the wedding. Of course, this usually depends on whoever is throwing the shower. This is a great time to have some food and drinks, play games and open gifts!
The bridal luncheon
The bridal luncheon may seem very similar to the bridal shower, and they can often be confused as the same thing, but they are actually quite different! While the bridal shower is usually thrown and hosted by a bridesmaid or maid of honor, the bridal luncheon is usually thrown by the mother of the bride or the bride herself as a sort of thank you to her bridesmaids. It is usually limited to those who are participating in the ceremony and can consist of anything from brunch, a cocktail hour or a trip to the spa!
The bachelorette party
The bachelorette party is probably one of the most well-known events surrounding the wedding event. It is a great time to spend some fun, quality time with your friends before the wedding takes over. There isn’t necessarily a rule of when this needs to take place, but about a month before the ceremony is usually a safe time to plan for. This event is usually thrown by the maid of honor or even the bride herself.
The rehearsal dinner
The rehearsal dinner is a celebration immediately before the wedding. You can mark it off your wedding day checklist the night before the ceremony and it is a way to celebrate the upcoming day and relax after everything is planned and ready to go. Anyone who will be playing a role in the ceremony should be in attendance at the rehearsal dinner. This is also completely customizable, meaning that you can pick a location as casual or as fancy as you’d like! Traditionally, the groom’s parents will host/pay for the rehearsal dinner, but of course, anyone can plan and pay for this event!
The post-wedding brunch
This event is held the day after the ceremony and is a great event to have if you have many guests traveling to attend your wedding. This makes the wedding a whole weekend event, which can make it more worth it for those who are traveling. Anyone who volunteers can plan the event. Typically invites are given out as an insert into the wedding invitation, but an announcement on your wedding website works great, too!
A wedding is supposed to be fun and exciting, which can sometimes be overshadowed by all of the event planning surrounding the ceremony. By doling out tasks to willing friends and family to help you celebrate, it can make the planning process much easier. If you are looking to book your date, give us a call today and let’s get started helping you plan!
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