Got engaged during Valentine’s? Here’s what you should remember as you prepare for your big day
Weddings aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. As all events go, behind the magic is a logistical nightmare that stresses out even the most organized and prepared. And we’re not just talking about the ceremony itself, the days and months leading up to it are some of the most taxing any couple will ever experience.
“The concept of a wedding to me was very magical. I wanted to be a part of that process,” shares wedding planner Kathryn Puyat. A graduate of De La Salle University (DLSU) in Business Management, Puyat’s first foray into the art of event planning began with organizing a number of corporate events. However, as someone who’s admittedly “in love with love,” she knew she’d end up one day pursuing a career in wedding planning—which she now does under Kathryn Puyat Events.
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Perhaps you’ve just gotten engaged, are planning to propose, or taking notes for a dream wedding with your significant other. As you continue to visualize the perfect matrimony, here are some tips you should keep in mind.
1. Teamwork makes the dream work
Planning for your wedding is tough work. It can’t be done alone, but don’t worry, you have your partner after all. However, if you’re already detecting a lack of support and participation this early in the game—that’s saying something.
In the many couples she’s worked with, Puyat has identified support and mutual respect as the secrets to wedding planning success. These are the key characteristics that make not only a successful wedding but a wonderful relationship as well. Whether through splitting tasks as a pair or letting the other make all the decisions, the presence of trust and support between a couple is all that matters.
“It’s a partnership. They complement and trust each other—they’re always aligned. There’s always someone that decides and someone that gives in.”
“They also trust their partner to know—or at least for a specific moment—give a chance to what their significant other wants. There’s sort of a delegation and a partnership between them. And of course, mutual respect with each other’s decisions.”
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2. Identify your non-negotiables
Are you planning for a destination or garden wedding? How many guests will you be having? These are some of the questions couples have to answer as they prepare for their big day. However, with so many inspirations online for the perfect wedding, sometimes couples just end up wanting too many things. Trim it down to what you actually want to make the entire planning process run smoother.
Puyat also advises to make sure that whatever decision you make is aligned to your budget. And that includes identifying your non-negotiables and how much you’re willing to pay for them. Is there a specific church you want the ceremony to be held at? Is there a caterer that you just have to book?
That point also emphasizes the importance of wedding planners. As Puyat explains, “Getting advice and guidance from a wedding planner early on would save you a lot of money and effort.”
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3. Find a wedding planner that you can trust
Weddings aren’t planned overnight. These take time. With numerous back-and-forths, meetings, oculars, and tastings that can take over the course of a year, it’s important to find yourself a wedding planner that you can trust.
“People forget that your planner will work for you for sometimes even more than a year. It has to be someone you’re comfortable with—someone whose input and opinions you can trust. It’s a long-term working relationship with your planner,” adds Puyat.
4. Set aside ample time to plan (but not too much)
As for any matter of importance, sufficient preparation is vital. However, there is such a thing as overdoing it. And for planning your dream wedding, for Puyat, a year’s worth of preparation is more than enough—don’t be the couple that starts two years ahead.
She explains that at its early stages, the majority of the initial work entails simply booking and securing your major suppliers. These include selecting your reception venue and the church where the ceremony will be held.
Other aspects of the wedding, from dinner menus to table settings and entertainment segments will all be finalized months before the big day. She adds, “That’s why a lot of the detailings are three months, two months before the wedding. You won’t even remember the food you tasted a year ago.”
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5. Let go. Trust your wedding planner
There’s no such thing as the perfect wedding. What can go wrong will go wrong—from out-of-the-blue rainstorms and brownouts to absentees and surprise technical difficulties. It won’t be the smoothest ride out there, but your wedding planner will be there to guide you through it—trust them.
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For more information on Kathryn Puyat Events, you can follow them on Instagram and Facebook, and contact them via email at [email protected].
