Dear Future Bride…
Past B-Rad Bride, Bailey was not a normal bride… she was a cool bride ;) with a type-A, cut-the-bull-shit attitude (that we especially like around here). Post wedding she gathered her thoughts and shared this candid list of tips for future brides!
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Dear Future Bride…
Skip favors unless you can get them for free. No one takes them or notices them.
Book hair and makeup far in advance
Have someone take your phone for the day for pics and videos
Think about your ceremony more than 60 days out- Our officiant sent out a list of questions to have us answer that she weaved into the ceremony, it was unique and special!
Don’t get wasted at rehearsal dinner
Put tips in envelopes a week out
Open joint savings account ahead of time. Makes it easier for money wedding management and for depositing money post-wedding since checks will likely be made to Mr and Mrs xxxx and your name change will not have happened with the bank yet.
Have a joint email account for all wedding-related things. Can’t explain enough how helpful this is. Then as you move forward with big purchases you already have an established account.
Zola is the best platform. Seating chart, rsvp management, registry, ability to link from other sites to registry, separate event rsvp.
Add a hand vac to your registry (lol we like this one…)
Etsy templates are awesome for save the date, invites, signage, and programs. Print with moo.com or prints of love.
Budget for tips upfront or it will sneak up on you at the end and push you over budget.
Open up a travel credit card when you get engaged to max out your points so you can use it to pay for honeymoon
It’s okay to change your vision multiple times
Piyama has high quality pajamas for gifts
Hotels will charge to have bags delivered
Spray tan after nails!!
Put together your shot list well in advance so you can add to it and it’s not thrown together last minute. Big family shots will be the most painful part of the day.
Hire people you like (like us!)
Budget for decor. It adds up quickly. Toasting flutes, ring box, cake topper, pajamas, card box etc.
Don’t forget about jewelry
Menus don’t matter/don’t waste money. They already selected their food anyways. Easy way to save money.
Stay organized. Pull things out a week before and put together your packing list as you buy things. It will make everything less stressful leading up.
There’s a high medium low cost to every single thing you do. If you go high-end on everything you will blow your budget out of the water. So plan accordingly.
Re-read contracts before you execute the second payment. We saved at least $2000 doing this. We ended up having fewer tables, and fewer people so we could drop a bartender, our photographer didn’t come to Chicago for engagement pics so we removed the Travel fee.
You can add on a lot of things last minute like lighting or photo booths so if you aren’t sure decline it then add it on later. With that.
Add your vendors to your guest count so you are not surprised when you need to add 5 or so extra meals.
It’s your day. You get to do what you want and don’t want. So don’t let other opinions steer you. And omg will there be opinions.
The seating chart may be the worst part of wedding planning. You will not believe how many people have beef with each other.
Decision fatigue is a real thing and you won’t believe the decisions you have to make that you never considered.
It truly flies by so quickly. It’s like you blink and it’s over so make sure you take a few moments to yourself to look around and be thankful for all the people who came.
Isn’t this list great?! Thank you Bailey for sharing this list with us!
XO
B-Rad