AS SOON AS YOU GET ENGAGED

Congratulations on your engagement! What an exciting time you have ahead of you. Take a deep breath and be rest assured all couples go through the same stress that is inevitable (sorry to tell you!).

We have created a guideline list to help you to prepare your wedding with a peace of mind and to support you to figure out what to do first. We would like to ensure that your wedding is one of your best days ever and does not cost you your family relationship, your friendship and not to mention your sanity. Don’t forget, despite of all the decisions to take and information to gather, your wedding is a once in your lifetime event and the main goal is to enjoy every second of it!

If you feel that things are just getting out of hand and you don’t want or can handle them on your own, it is no failure to seek a helping hand from family members and friends - or professionals. It is their job to assist you to make your life easier inpreparation of your wedding day and to make memories last forever.

ENGAGED - WHATS NEXT? BY ELFI BÖSINGER CO-FOUNDER OF YES! EXCLUSIVE WEDINGS & EVENTS MANAGEMENT BYELFI LLC

ONCE YOUR PARTNER POPPED THE QUESTION AND YOU ARESERIOUS ABOUT PLANNING YOUR WEDDING

Discuss your ideal dream wedding with your partnerto make sure you both are on the same page it all startswith a dream.

Get real about your budget. Take a realistic look atyour finances and agree out how much you can comfortablyafford. If your families are willing to contribute, get a clear understanding of what that really means. If you dont want to accept cash, suggest that they can contribute to certain items like the flower arrangements, a DJ or a wedding cake. The key to any event planning is to understand how much you have to work with and then to set your expectations accordingly and to do your best to turn your dream wedding into reality with what you have set aside for this special occasion.

Plan your guest list and decide on the estimated number of guests (Do you want a small and intimate party or a lavish reception? This may influenceyour choice of venues).

Pick possible wedding dates (check with important guests that they are available).

Research potential ceremony locations (Do you want a church ceremony or a civil ceremony?) and reception venues (Would you like to get married outdoors or indoors?).

Propose to you bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Sign up any talented friends or family members with aspects of the wedding (for the stationary, wedding cake, dresses, guest gifts, etc).

Celebrate your engagement party (just to get a feeling of what you can expect in terms of planning for your wedding).

Visit and book your ceremony location and reception venue.

Introduce your reception coordinator to your wedding planner (if you'rehaving one), or bridesmaid/bestman for questions or problems during the reception.

Research potential wedding services and vendors invitations, photographer, videographer, florist, cake, decor, music, lighting, kosha/stage, entertainment, hair and make-up, guest gifts, transportation.

Decide what type of entertainment you want for the ceremony (e.g. singer or band), drinks reception (e.g. classical or lounge music) and dancing (e.g. belly dancer, band, DJ, traditional dance).

Book a videographer.

Book a photographer.

Research options for your ceremony and venue décor.

Start looking for your wedding dream dress(es).

Send out Save the Date cards, it is especially important to share the dateof your wedding to your guests as soon as possible, if you are planning on a destination wedding, even if your venues are not confirmed as yet butyou have fixed your special date, communicate it, so your guests can plan attending your big day, submit their vacation etc. They will be grateful for considering that booking tickets and making travel plans is less expensive in advance to your wedding date.

12 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Decide for a key color and we theme of your wedding, like having a circus themed wedding, combining unusual wedding colours or themes such as the colour purple, butterflies, peacock feathers or creating a winter wonderland with snowflakes. Your wedding is your event that should ideally reflect your both personalities and can be as original as it can get. Here you can be creative and express any great ideas soaring in your mind!

Book the ceremony music, band, DJ and lighting, kosha/stage for the reception.

Research and reserve accommodations for guests.

Contact décor/ hire companies if you need to rent anything for the ceremony orreception setup, such as chairs, tables, tent, patio heater, etc.

Book your honeymoon. we can recommend Villa Oceanvoice at the SouthAfri-can Garden Route, the perfect paradise for nature lovers in the beach in front of the Atlantic Ocean, just minutes from the domestic airport George.

8 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Make sure your passports are valid for your honeymoon or apply for new ones if required.

Let your best man and bridesmaids start planning the hen & stag party.

Order your wedding cake and candy bar arrangements according to your color theme.

6 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

4 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Shop the groomsmen’s suits and bridesmaids dresses if they don’t do it them-selves and share your color code.

Start gathering addresses (email or residence) for your guest list and createspreadsheet for (RSVP for French: répondez s'il vous plait or Weddingacceptance cards)

Select and order the wedding invitations and stationery, lots can be said aboutstationary, here some of the items that should not be missed:

FOR THE WEDDING DAY

Order of service/ceremony booklet.

Wedding reception programme (optional) as it can also be written as a blackboard sign and is helpful if you have lots of things planned, or a venue with different rooms.

Table seating plan.

Place cards to correspond with the table seating plan.

Table numbers or names.

Menu.

Candy bar labels (optional).

Guest book (optional).

Signage, e.g. to photobooth (optional).

Wrapping of guest gifts and tags (optional).

BEFORE THE WEDDING

Save The Date cards (optional as mentioned).

Be my bridesmaid/groomsmen cards (optional).

Engagement Party Invitations (optional).

Hen & stag party invitations (optional).

Wedding RSVP cards including direction (maps and informa-tion of your church/ceremony location and reception venue and accommodation information containing contact details) and wedding events itinerary (schedule of events).

Evening invitations (optional) for additional guests that may not be attending the ceremony. Evening invitations are formal invites for the wedding reception and celebration only.

Meet with florist/wedding stylist to discuss the options for your selected venue/theme/color and wedding dress.

Book for the groom's suit.

Organise the legalities and give at least 3 months’ notice to the registrar or priest/religious celebrant.

Agree on prayers, readings and music for mass booklets — check with your priest /registrar.

Approve invitations and order of service booklets and all other.

Arrange travel vaccinations for your honeymoon destination if necessary.

AFTER THE WEDDING

Thank You cards, those are sent to your guests shortly after the wedding, thanking them for their gifts and for attending your wedding and being part of this special day.

Change of address cards (optional) if your residence address changes after your wedding.

4 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Have a final wedding dress fitting.

Make any last-minute adjustments with vendors.

Get in-room welcome baskets for out-of-town guests (optional).

Select your music for ceremony and reception.

2 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Send out invitations to guests.

Buy/order your wedding rings and ring cushion.

Attend your dress fittings.

Get gifts for your parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen and each other (optional).

Book a make-up artist and go for a make-up trial.

Book hairdresser and go for a hair trial.

Book the wedding transportation for you and your guests.

1 WEEK BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Give your venue/caterer the final guest head count.

Supply your wedding coordinator from the venue with a full list of supplier requests such as a table for DJ, candy bar or setup space needed by the florist etc.

Call all wedding suppliers to confirm arrangements, create timetable for the day.

Give ceremony and reception site managers a schedule of vendor delivery and setup times, plus contact numbers.

Get manicure, massage, waxing and all your preening and prep.

Do a full wedding dress rehearsal from underwear to veil.

Pack an overnight bag for the reception.

Pack for the honeymoon.

Organise money to be paid to suppliers on the day.

2 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Review final RSVP list and call any guests who have not yet responded.

Create your table seating plan.

Hand over must-have shot lists to photographer and videographer. Include who should be in formal portraits and determine when portraits will be taken.

Print place cards.

3 DAYS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Make last minute changes to table seating plan if necessary.

Groom: Go for final fitting and pick up your formalwear and ask the best man to make sure all groomsmen attend fittings and pick up their

outfits.

Confirm pick-up times with wedding car company.

Reconfirm final details with all vendors. Discuss any necessary last-minute substitutions.

Drop off place cards, table cards, menus, favours, table plan toreception coordinator.

Provide all wedding professionals with an emergency phone number to call on the day of the wedding.

Sort out payment (write cheques/organise cash) for any final balances to be paid at the end of the reception.

Ensure the cake is on track to be delivered to reception venue.

Rehearse ceremony with the full wedding party ceremony readers and your officiant.

Get a good night’s rest and don’t party!

1 DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

YOUR WEDDING DAY!

Give the gifts for your parents to the best man/bridesmaid for after the speeches.

Groom: Get flowers or a small surprise delivered to the brides house.

Give the best man the officiant's fee envelope, to be given after the ceremony and any other payments to be made for the day.

Assign a family member or attendant to be the photographer's and videographers contact so they knows who is who.

AFTER YOUR WEDDING

Pre-arrange for someone to return any rentals

Pre-plan for attendants to take the bride's gown and grooms suit for cleaning

Write and send thank-you notes to gift-bearing guests and vendors who wereespecially helpful.

It is been said that it can take an average of 300 hours that go into weddingplanning. This is a huge time commitment, especially when you and your partner are also balancing work and your social life. Therefore, many couples look for a professional to help plan their dream day. A professional wedding planner will help organise every detail of your big day, do the legwork when it comes to following up on vendors, absorbing the stress of negotiating contracts and helping you to keep your wedding on budget, because an experienced planner hasestablished business relationships with a wide range of suppliers.

We have seen that minor scuffles related to decisions for a wedding can turn into earthshaking blowouts, but remember not to lose sight of why you are really organizing this event. Essentially, your family and friends won’t remember the font on your invitation card or the name of your signature drink. Instead, they will be talking about how happy you looked and what a great time they spent with you on your special day.

About Yes! exclusive weddings & events.

Yes!exclusive weddings & events is an event management and wedding styling company with offices in Germany, South Africa and in the UAE.

We bring ideas from across the continents to discerning couples tailored and customized weddings are designed to leave all guests speechless. Invitees are taken on a journey to a spectacular event world that is created with a creative mind, an experienced team and an innovative approach to eventmanagement.

We specialize in creating tailor-made, stylish and unforgettable events. Dream occasions become reality.

Due to our prestigious associations and professional partners across the globe, no request is too large or too small.

We are passionate about what we do and we fell in love with crafting unforgettable event experiences surpassing our client expectations due to our dedica-tion, approach to design and love for flowers.

Our style is an original just as each client we meet. Our designsand expertise create the perfect atmosphere for your specialoccasion. We strive to unite your personality with a little sparkof inspiration, and we will bring our creativeness, experience,and passion to the table to plan your special event.

We design and style weddings and events with great love forthe smallest details, with a creative eye for trends and themesand a personal touch that makes working with us a real pleasure. May it be a traditional wedding in a ballroom, anelegant nuptial with a modern twist in a courtyard or a vintagebeach wedding we guide our bridal couples with expertadvice through all planning phases from creating innovativeconcepts to the prefect execution.

With love,Elfi Bösinger

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