Countdown to My Sister’s Wedding

Four months to go to the BIG event. The one my dear sister has been waiting for since the whole marriage proposal came about May of last year.

Yes that’s right, my sister Jhoanna and her boyfriend Jonathan is getting hitched.  And it feels like I am the one having butterflies in my stomach after being asked to become one of the the Maids of Honor (in our case one matron and one maid of honor).

Truth be known I actually talk her into it, telling her that I should take on that role by default being her eldest sister, but then our youngest sister Vanessa appealed her disagreement, so to cut the story short, we are now both taking the role no need to focus on the minor details. Haha. We’re good.

I am sharing this article now, in a manner that I hope would somehow help future brides, bride maids, and maid of honor to effectively plan and fulfill their respective roles, up to the big day. Here are some important pointers:

First and foremost, find out from the bride how involved she wants you to be. There are brides who despite their hectic schedules, would still prefer that SHE has the first say in all the wedding choices and decisions the couple make (like in the case of my sister). I was an obedient assistant, I would always suggest but would not be pushy on my favorites (nor would I make face when I didn’t agree) among the brides choices. It’s her wedding after all.

Things to Oversee & Never to Overlook. At least a year before the wedding date, make sure to start reminding the bride- and the groom-to-be to: book a venue; pick an officiant; attend the important pre-wedding seminars; register and apply for marriage license for everything to be in place. Determine the number of wedding guests and consider the budget when compiling the list.

The Ring. If tradition says the engagement ring should cost at least “two months’ of the guy’s salary” how much should a wedding ring cost?

It depends on the bride and groom, there is no general rule about this. The key is to start the search early and set a budget that the couple would agree on. Check for quality and size it right. In case the bride- and groom-to-be are too busy, well, there are online shops now where one can actually get the wedding rings of one’s dream, check out joy jewelers wedding bands and choose from the wide variety of rings they have. Bottom line, remember that the ring is only a symbol.

Wedding Pegs. In the early stages of planning a wedding, either the bride or you should come up with at least a list of wedding ideas. Pinterest it! For me it is the easiest online platform for pre-planning stage. Pinterest uses boards that you can fill in with different pins that basically consist of the bride’s wedding pegs. This may include the wedding theme style and color scheme, bride’s wedding gown and entourage gown ideas, the setting, shoes, make-up, invitation ideas, souvenir ideas, photoshoot ideas, cake design, practically everything that has to do with the wedding.

Confirm Suppliers. At least six months prior to the wedding event, the weds-to-be should already have decided on the dress makers, floral vendors & designer, cakes and souvenir suppliers, caterer, photographer and videographers, musicians, hair and make-up, and every small details of the wedding.

The Fun Part. In every wedding preparation, I guess both the bride- and the groom-to-be has every right to enjoy the process by all means, and being involved in it to give a third person point of view, your opinion not only matters, you also get to enjoy that feel good vibe, as well as some of the perks and privileges the bride is getting. There’s the wedding dress shopping, venue ocular, hair and make-up trial, cake and wine tasting, the pre-nup shoot, and one of the most crucial aspects in a wedding preparation…the food tasting.

We had a day to check out one of the trusted names in events catering, Hizon’s Catering. Hizon’s doesn’t only provide you with the most sumptuous food entrees they also assist in the overall catering process which comprise of conceptualization, budgeting, planning and implementation. Below are some of the photos taken from the Grand Food Tasting held recently.

Keep things in Perspective. When all the bullet points are CHECKED in the official timetable and To-Do-List, remind the bride- and groom-to-be that their marriage is what is most important, not the wedding day, so keep cool, get the pampering they deserve, practice speeches and vows. Go over any specific tasks with the wedding planner, relax and enjoy the big day! #jnv