Have you and your partner been planning to get married soon? Has your fiance popped the question during quarantine?
The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and we have yet to go to the outside world from inside our homes. It is still considered risky to have many people in celebrations and gatherings including weddings as this may cause a spread of the virus.
Despite this, you should not let the pandemic stop you from simply planning for your future wedding. Take all this time to plan every single detail that you want for your dream wedding. It’s going to be your big day, so let’s make it happen!
When planning a wedding, what are the essentials you need to keep in mind?
Wedding Essentials
As you plan your wedding during quarantine, you wouldn’t want to miss a single detail. You now have all the time in the world to iron out the details because of the quarantine period — the silver lining to the whole COVID-19 situation we have got going on. So what are the wedding planning essentials that you need to keep in mind?
While your wedding is most likely still at least a year away, here are some things you can do while waiting for your big day.
Although your wedding is still a long way to go, it wouldn’t hurt to scout for venues. Browse online for churches in your chosen destination. You can also check for wedding reception venues that suit your theme and taste. Bookmark their website and perhaps you can make a call early on to check their availability.
Get lots of inspiration! The Internet is a full resource of everything bridal-related. Check out Instagram, Pinterest, and maybe even Facebook. Make mood boards of your favorite pegs, and compare them against each other to help you decide on the wedding look you want. Share this with your partner, so you two can help each other decide on the pros and cons of each design.
Early on is also the perfect time for you and your fiance to work out a wedding budget. This is a tricky part because you wouldn’t want to skimp on your big day but you also want to be practical given the current financial crisis. Allot enough for the non-negotiable aspects of your wedding, then work on a tighter budget on the extras.
One of the factors of wedding planning that takes the longest is determining who your guests will be. We have yet to find out how post-COVID weddings will be like but it’s better to err on the safe side. Try to limit your guests to only the closest family and friends.
If everything is starting to seem overwhelming, this is also a good time for you to hire a wedding planner. These professionals will help you stay organized, and they will take care of your relationships with your wedding vendors.
A year before the wedding is also the right time for you to book the wedding team which often comprises videographers, photographers, florists, and caterers.
While these are some things you can already prepare for even a year before your wedding, you should still be flexible with each element of your wedding given the current situation. The wedding date should also be negotiable because we have yet to know the situation of the country during that time.
Preparing for The Married Life
Although you and your fiance may already be ready to wed and be united legally, are you ready emotionally and mentally? If you live with your partner, try to take advantage of the quarantine period to get to know them better as a good introduction to married life.
Before your engagement, it should be a given that you two have already talked about each other’s values and beliefs — religious and otherwise. Although if you haven’t, now is the time to bring it up. Whether you plan to become parents or not, you two should be familiar with each other’s strongly held values and beliefs to avoid unnecessary conflict that may lead to misunderstanding.
Speaking of kids, you should also have “that” talk, if you haven’t already. Having kids is a major decision, and if one of you is against it, it might be something you should consider carefully. Being a parent is a big responsibility that should not be taken lightly. An unprepared parent may only lead to bad parenting and possibly neglected children. This is something that should be avoided at all costs. Also, raising kids takes up a lot of the household budget. You two should also consider if you can financially care for a child.
As you are on the topic of finances, bring up how you are to split the household expenses. Discussing money may not be the most romantic situation you want to be in but it is, indeed, essential for every couple to discuss such essential matters. Money can be the root of misunderstandings and conflict.
Getting married is a big milestone that you should enjoy. You and your partner should simply get to know each other and learn how to grow together to be able to sustain a strong relationship and marriage through the years.
A post-pandemic wedding may still be far off but feel free to make plans early on. Iron out the details with your partner, your wedding planner, or your maid of honor. This is your big day and not even the pandemic can take the happiness away from you!
