by Johanna Osborne

Every wedding is different and unique, and just like every bride, each and every wedding is beautiful. Variety is the spice of life and as a guest it’s a real treat to be privy to sharing the most amazing moment in a couple’s life with them. There is no hard and fast rule as to what a wedding must be like, no set guide as to what is required, but there is in our opinion a certain number of things every wedding simply “must have”… both in the lead up and on the big day. What on earth could they be? Let’s get cracking so you can see what we are on about!!

1. Planning a wedding, no matter how into it you are, is stressful at times. Time consuming. Don’t let your inner Godzilla take over. Say “I love you”—often. Leave little notes for each other. Post-its, secret notes in wallets and lunches, lovely texts and sweet emails. This is the time to be romantic – after all, that’s why you are getting married. And a happily in love couple will breeze through the wedding planning marathon much more easily than one that is frazzled and overwhelmed.

2. Ok, totally unsexy and unromantic, but your wedding must have a Budget. Unless you are Donald Trump. You want to start your marriage off on the right foot and not buried in credit card debt. Create a realistic budget and allocate it to items that are important to you, which you simply can not compromise or scrimp on. The earlier you identify what they are, the better. Our recommendation – photography, food, drink and music!

3. And that brings us to our next point. Every wedding must have good cheer, atmosphere, happiness and joy. Those are usually created by the bride and groom – a simple bi-product of the event. Love is contagious, a good mood is infectious and an overall festive vibe is exactly what will be the result. But good plentiful food, lovely alcohol and some high quality entertainment will keep everyone’s spirits high – whether it be in the form of music (very important) or a photobooth for guests to get groovy and silly in. Yes, that’s what will keep people happy, and whilst the wedding is for you, the slice of your life that guests will take home with them will be very much a reflection of you. So let them eat cake, drink bubbles and have a blast – you will be glad you did! A late night buffet is another awesome sampling – snacks, sweets, ice creams, treats (donuts, mini burgers etc) are always a welcome addition as the clock nears midnight… it’s not a must (on the contrary a real luxury), but it’s an awesome bonus if you can manage it!

4. BE PREPARED! Make a little box of the necessities you will need on the wedding day: fashion tape, a needle and thread, deodorant, safety pins, bobby pins (all colors), a pen and paper, band aids, breath mints, Panadol, flip flops, and extra cash- just in case. Every wedding needs a well organised and forward thinking bride – and bridesmaids – who have got it covered. You never know when you might need something.

5. If you’re having a wedding without assigned tables (which is all the rage nowadays and admittedly very cool) you need to have 5 percent extra seating available. Not all of your guests will sit in perfect little pairs or all of the single people together. So if you have a wedding of 200 people, you’ll want to have enough seating for 210. This buffer will save you some headaches as no one wants to think they don’t have a seat, or have to sit with a bunch of people they don’t know. Awkward.

6. Refreshing drinks. If you don’t have a huge budget this is even more apt – homemade lemonade is yummy and totally affordable, can look stylish and guests will LOVE it! Whatever you do, serve something non alcoholic that is tasty, everyone – even the die-hard boozers – will enjoy a refreshing pallet cleanser every now and then. Having said that some good quality champagne or cocktails are equally as essential and add to the frivolity of the event. It’s a celebration remember, so the drinks should reflect that.

7. You. The wedding must have YOU in it. Your story, your history, your relationship, your essence. Whether it’s how you first met in the speeches, a timeline on a chalkboard, or portraits with your pets, don’t every feel like you should hide who you are as a couple! Let it shine! It’s your day and your way. Quirky, cute, embarrassing… this is one time when everyone will think everything you do and say is adorable.

8. Coffee and fun! Getting ready, enjoying girlie time prior to the wedding and having a blast with your friends should by no means be underestimated. Getting glam with the exciting anticipation of all that’s still to come wafting over you, well, it’s little wonder that the girls time in the morning is of the highest quality. If only you could bottle that stuff!! Savour it, it’s over far too quickly!

9. A record of gifts. No matter how busy you are, how many presents you get – always take the time to record who gave you what and thank them personally for it after – in the form of a handwritten thank you card preferably. If a guest took the trouble to get you a gift, they at least want to know you got it. It’s good manners and it’s worth every second of the effort! It will take your style-o-meter up a notch, trust us.

10. Happily ever after! Yes, look towards your future with a view to always being as happy as you are today. Happy thoughts create happy realities. And that is the most important thing of all.