Preparing for the wedding is an exciting, but very enjoyable process. The bride and groom will have to face a lot of trouble. So, where to start preparing for the wedding? This article will help you plan the preparations for the wedding day in stages.
Start of preparation
Where to start preparing for the wedding yourself? Get a thick diary specifically for this event, select the folder where you will put the magazine clippings, advertisements, leaflets and other papers that relate to the topic of preparing for the wedding. Also set up a calendar where you will celebrate meetings with the photographer, stylist, dance director, host, organizer and other important people, rehearsals and trying on. If there is very little time before the celebration, and nothing is ready, it may be worth hiring a wedding organizer who will remove most of the trouble from the bride and groom. If this is not possible, you should seek the support of at least a couple of friends, preferably married, who know from their own experience what preparation for the wedding is.
Date of celebration and application
Where to start preparing for the wedding? First you need to decide on the desired date of the celebration. It is necessary to take into account the scale of the celebration and the desired time of the year, month, day, the opportunity to take a vacation or several days off at work at this time, the availability of the banquet hall, the time required for preparation. If you are planning a small wedding, at which only the closest will be present, you need to have three months left. How much to start preparing for a wedding with a large number of guests? To prepare a truly large-scale celebration, you need 6-9 months. Within six months, you can book a suitable restaurant and apply to the registry office on the desired date. So where to start preparing for the wedding? The plan should have enough time to complete, so consider this right away.
Having made a choice on the date of the event, you need to choose a registry office. At district registry offices it is usually easy to apply for a specific date, but if you want to register a relationship with the Central Wedding Palace, difficulties can arise. This is especially true for large cities. That is why a reserve of time is needed. After all, an application must be submitted in advance. When applying, ask your staff what additional features you can take. Some registry offices come to romantic music, selected personally, somewhere you can order an orchestra and a buffet table directly during registration, or maybe you want to invite a registry office employee to conduct an exit ceremony.
Event Budget
How to start preparing for the wedding? Of course, one of the first items is the budget. All expenses cannot be taken into account at this stage, so at least decide on the maximum amount that you are willing to spend on an important event. If parents plan to help the newlyweds in organizing the celebration, then it is advisable to hold a family council, on which to decide who and what contribution can be made. It is not necessary for relatives to help with money, perhaps the groom's sister is an excellent hairdresser, and she can make the bride a wedding hairstyle, and her uncle will take care of high-quality photo and video shooting of the event.
- Of course, the budget is individual. The costs depend on the wishes of the bride and groom regarding the celebration of a festive day (someone wants to celebrate at home in a narrow circle, while the other couple rents a whole ferry), financial opportunities, help from parents and other relatives. To make it easier to navigate, first we list the expenses that you need to consider in terms of preparing for the wedding, and then consider the stages of planning the celebration. So, the budget:
- Registration of marriage costs 350 rubles, it will be more expensive to invite a registry office employee for field registration.
- Wedding dress of the bride. The most budget option is 10-15 thousand rubles, the average cost is 20-45 thousand. You can think about renting or buying in the secondary market.
- Shoes of the bride. Modest shoes can be purchased for one to three thousand rubles, the average price is 4-7 thousand, good shoes for the celebration will be from 8 to 15 thousand rubles.
- Other accessories for the bride: a clutch will cost from 500 to 3000 rubles, a garter will cost 200-1000 rubles, a veil - 500-2500 rubles, wedding jewelry - up to 5 thousand rubles, stockings - 500-1500, underwear for the bride - 1000-5000 rubles.
- You can make a bride’s bouquet with your own hands, but it’s best to trust the florist. His services will cost 1000-5000 rubles.
- A wedding hairstyle will cost 3-5 thousand rubles, professional makeup - 1-3 thousand, manicure - about 500 rubles.
- The suit of the groom will cost at least 4-7 thousand, the average price is 10-20 thousand rubles. Inexpensive, but high-quality costume from Italy or Germany can be purchased for 24-40 thousand.
- A shirt will cost another 500 rubles to 4 thousand or more, a tie - 500-3000, shoes - 1500-5000.
- You may need to trim the groom's hair or beard in the salon, do a manicure. In the budget for this you need to lay from 500 to 2500 rubles.
- Props for the bride’s wedding ransom will cost from 500 to 2000 rubles.
- The services of a photographer will cost from 1,500 (for a small photo shoot on a wedding day) to 3,000 (shooting up to seven hours, several dozen processed photos).
- The videographer can make a small clip for 5-10 thousand rubles, the average cost is 15-30 thousand.
- Wedding rings can be done for free, because in some families there are those that are inherited. An inexpensive pair of silver wedding rings can be purchased for 2-5 thousand rubles, but gold will cost 10-20 thousand.
- A buffet reception at the registry office immediately after registration is at least 700-900 rubles per person, and an average of 1,500-2,000 rubles must be paid.
- Car rent. The wedding procession consists of a car for newlyweds and cars for guests. To save a little, you can think over logistics (do not overpay for downtime), rent a minibus (800-1200 rubles per hour), and not four-seater cars for guests. Cars for the newlyweds will cost from 600 rubles per hour for the Toyota Camry to 6 thousand rubles. for the Cadillac.
- A restaurant. Here the cost depends on the number of guests, menu, wedding venue. With a modest budget, you can keep within 1000-5000 rubles per person, on average you need to give 2000-3500 per guest, a good banquet can be organized for 4000-6000 rubles per person.
- Loaf and rushnyk. You can bake a loaf, but if you decide to buy it, you will have to pay about 800 rubles for a small one. Towel can be an indispensable attribute of a traditional wedding. Embroidered on a typewriter can be bought for 700-1500 rubles.
- Hall decoration. If the bride (or her friend, relative) decides to do everything on her own, the decoration of the hall will cost 5-7 thousand, the standard decoration (gift table, young table, flower arrangements on the tables, bow decoration of chairs) will cost about 30 thousand.
- The wedding cake. Small and modest will cost 3,000 rubles or more. On average, a cake will cost 7-10 thousand.
- The staging of the first dance. One lesson costs 1-2 thousand rubles. On the statement of the dance on average 2-3 lessons.
- Toastmaster. It is possible to have a wedding without a host, the economic option will cost 3-6 thousand, the average cost is from 10-15 thousand rubles.
- Other expenses: a pillow for rings (about 300 rubles), a cover for a wedding certificate (200-600), car decoration (1-3 thousand), invitations (15-50 rubles apiece), wedding glasses (from 600 rubles. for a couple), renting a hotel room for the bride’s fees and the first wedding night, wedding artists, fireworks.
- Significant expenses are expected if a second wedding day or trip is planned.

Making a guest list
Where to start preparing for the wedding step by step? As soon as possible it is advisable to precisely determine the list of guests. Sometimes the number of people who will be present at the registry office and at the banquet varies, so two lists are needed. Think about whom you want to see at the gala dinner, and whom do you invite only to the registry office? The number of guests often depends not only on the wishes of the bride and groom, but also on financial opportunities, because the final cost of the banquet and car rental will depend on this figure.
Wedding rings selection
Where to start preparing for the wedding? Many couples start planning a family with the purchase of rings. Traditionally, the groom should acquire wedding rings. Prior to marriage, they must be kept by him or his parents. How to start preparing for the wedding of the groom? Of course, with the purchase of rings. This should be taken care of in advance, because then it may turn out that the desired model, the right size or design is not in the store. Decide on the style of the rings, they should be comfortable, not too heavy, moderately classic. The design of the rings of the bride and groom can be a little different, the main thing is that the rings should have some common detail, for example, engraving, the location of the stone or the same color of gold.
Event Location
Where to start preparing for the wedding? The plan and form of the event should be thought out in advance. Decide whether it will be a classic wedding with dinner in a restaurant, an outdoor celebration in the countryside or just at home? You need to choose a restaurant that you like, decide on the menu and the decor of the hall. Discuss with the manager of the institution the possibility of ordering music and so on. If you decide to hold a wedding in an open area, book a rental in advance, because the demand for outdoor ceremonies is very large. You need to agree in advance with the florist and with representatives of the registry office, who will register the marriage outside the walls of a state institution.
Costumes for the bride and groom
3-6 months before the wedding, you need to choose a dress and accessories for it. You can buy a new dress, buy in the secondary market, rent for one day. But do not deny yourself a pleasant fitting process! You can try on several models in the nearest salon, and then order a suitable one via the Internet. It is necessary to take care of a suit for the groom. Do not forget to buy comfortable shoes, jewelry, a bandage for the bride and beautiful underwear.
Wedding organizer
The services of a wedding organizer will significantly relieve the bride and groom. This person will find out the wishes of the newlyweds for the holiday, select a photographer and videographer, toastmaster, restaurant and menu, several times consult with the bride and groom about all the little things, book and order everything you need. This is a great way out for busy people or when there is very little left before the solemn event, and everything seems to just fall out of hand. If you decide to contact the wedding organizer, then you will not need to wonder about where to start preparing for the wedding. The to-do list is already in the possession of the organizer, who will do everything for you.
Rent a car on your wedding day
Where to start preparing for the wedding? The budget is determined, the venue of the banquet is reserved, the dress is chosen. All? No, there are some more very important things. Issues related to the rental of wedding cars are traditionally assigned to the groom. He needs to choose cars, order them at the right date, invite decorators to decorate the cars. We must not forget about transport for guests. As mentioned above, you can order a minibus that will take guests from the registry office to the restaurant (if the budget is modest, then you can refuse to walk around the city with guests, taking only witnesses with you).
Creating the image of the bride
Where to start preparing for the wedding is now more or less clear. But the choice of dress, restaurant, wedding rings is not all. After all, the image of the bride will not be complete. You still need to choose a hairstyle and make-up, make a manicure directly a day or two before an important event. It is advisable to conduct a rehearsal - to do the wedding hairstyle and makeup about a month before the registration of the marriage, to see if everything is like, whether it suits the dress and so on.
Distribution of duties
It is necessary to decide who will help with the gathering of the bride, meet the guests and take them to their places. If there is a wedding organizer, then it is he who will do it. But otherwise, it is necessary to entrust these responsibilities to someone from relatives and friends. The responsible person is the mother of the bride or groom. But after all, on the wedding day of their children, they really want to enjoy this important event. Therefore, it is advisable to distribute responsibilities. Let the witness have the rings, seated guests can be entrusted to the witness, several cheerful friends can meet them. So everyone will be in business, no one will get bored, nothing will go wrong. In addition, consider everything so that, if necessary, another person responsible for some stage of the wedding day can be replaced by another person.
Wedding timing preparation
Where to start preparing for the wedding, when there is not much time left before the solemn event, a restaurant and a car are ordered, a dress is chosen, the host is preparing for the event? All is ready? Not really, because you also need to prepare for the most solemn day, when, due to excitement, everything can mix in the head. To prevent this from happening, it’s worth making a timing. This is a wedding day plan, painted literally on the clock. Not everything can be planned every minute, but timing will help the newlyweds at least understand the plan of the event.