Sun Tzu once wrote, “The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.”
“Okay,” you may be thinking, “why did you just mention war in a blog about weddings?”
Sun Tzu short treatise on war has been translated and read numerous times over the past 2,000-plus years, but what is perhaps most fascinating use of the text is how it’s principles have been applied to things besides warfare. Some companies make it required reading for executives –likening national warfare to the take-no-prisoners, thrive or perish landscape of the corporate world. Others, have reapplied Sun Tzu’s words as a personal philosophy, translating the text into a positive message where planning and being prepared for every circumstance ensures failure is impossible.
We’ll be focusing on the positive aspects of the text, as when it comes to wedding planning, even the tiniest details matter, and the more time you spend strategizing, the more likely you’re going to have the wedding of your dreams.
We’re going to start from the earliest stages, and take you step-by-step in what needs to be done first, and how it makes subsequent tasks easier. Chances are, your wedding is coming up (for one, congratulations!) and you’ve passed certain time periods or steps. Fear not. This is a framework for wedding planning. There’s no pressure to go, “Oh, I missed that step! Now nothing else can be done!” One of the virtues of the Art of [Wedding Planning] is that adaptability is key to success. And no guidebook, however thorough –can apply to every personalized situation. So please, remember, this is here to help; not to judge you and tell you, “you’re doing it wrong.”
With all that said, let’s do some planning:
One Year+ From The Big Day
Typically, a couple announces their engagement anywhere from a year to eighteen months before the wedding date. This isn’t just for building suspense. Weddings are huge time and financial commitments. Not only does the wedding couple need that time to plan, but all of the guests need to start saving and make travel arrangements as well. Here’s a useful to do list:
- Announce Engagement!
- Pick a Date.
- Compile Guest list.
- Research planners, top wedding venues, photographers, caterers, etc.
- Discuss and create the wedding budget.
- Get engagement ring ensured, and see if wedding insurance is right for you.
- Take an engagement photo.
- Send out the “Save The Date” cards.
- Decide who’s in and create the wedding party.
- Create the wedding website and group pages.
Of course there’s no stone tablet declaring that these steps be handled in exactly this order, but we can’t stress enough that this should be done at least one year before the wedding. You’re likely to find yourself overwhelmed with tasks if the “Save The Date” cards go out eight months or so before the big day, and your guests will be scrambling to make it on time.
Next time we’ll jump right into the things best tackled during the first two months after the date has been announced. Things like booking the officiant and purchasing the wedding dress are best handled during this period. Until then,
When you know yourself, and you know the wedding, you’ll find victory in every ceremony.
Contact Nanina’s In The Park for best wedding ideas.
