As weddings can get chaotic, having an organised approach right from the start is important. To avoid losing credibility not only with your family but also with suppliers, it is vital that you stick to your plans once you have made them. We hope that our tips will be of use to you as they have to several couples on numerous occasions.

Suppliers:
Do get a few quotes from various suppliers to compare and check against the best deal. If it is caterers, make an appointment for a food tasting or if you could see them in action in a practical situation. If it is D.J.'s or bands, ask to see them in performance to get an idea of their style.

A wedding off-season will definitely keep costs down.

The best choice of suppliers are available only if you book well in advance. Leaving it late means you will have to settle for someone less than the best.

Although you have a budget to stick to, this does not mean you go for the cheapest. It's possible that the cheapest supplier could turn up late or not at all!
Get everything in writing from from ALL suppliers to avoid any misunderstandings later.

Invitation:
Always order a few extra invitations to allow for damage or unforeseen invites.

Gifts:
It is advisable in this day and age to either have a wedding gifts list for people to choose from or alternatively a 'No Boxed Gifts' request printed on the invitation which means that gifts of money would be better appreciated. These methods avoid replica gifts or worse, ones, which are not at all of your choice.

If you would like to give your guests a keepsake of the day, favours with your names and the date of the wedding are excellent choices.

Venue:
The venue should ideally be booked at least 8 months beforehand so you can plan well ahead.

Make sure that the venue caters to the capacity of guests you are planning to invite.

When choosing a venue, do not restrict yourself to a 10-minute drive from home. Sometimes it is better to choose a nicer place and pay a little extra, if the alternative is a school hall which will need a complete kit-out to make it even remotely pleasant for you and your guests.

Be sure to find out beforehand if the venue of your choice allows for the Havan (ceremonial fire) to be lit during the ceremony for Hindu weddings or if you are planning to have smoke machines, pyrotechnics or indoor fireworks during the reception at the same venue.

Give enough time for setting up the venue before the wedding guests are due to arrive.

Mandaps:
As heights of mandaps can vary, make sure that the ceiling height of your venue will be able to accommodate your mandap. If you are planning to have a triple mandap, then make sure the area allocated will be sufficient.

The style of your mandap will be enhanced further if it compliments the overall colour scheme of the room.

Guests:
Start compiling the guest list as early as possible to avoid embarrassing moments where you realise you haven't invited people you ought to have. You can always keep adding to the guest list as you remember people you want to invite.

As there may be times when the marriage ceremony could consist of a smaller number of guests than the reception, plan separate guest lists for each ceremony/event.

Try not to get coaxed into a large wedding, of guests you do not know nor are likely to in the future. It is better to spend more on your quality guests.

Limit your guest list, and then you can treat your nearest and dearest to a spectacular event that's closer to the ideal celebration you've always imagined.

If your function is due to start at a specific time and your guests have a tendency to be late, have printed in your invitations 'Please be Prompt', your guests will normally take this into consideration when making arrangements to travel there.

It has become increasingly popular to have ceremonies with translations or booklets printed with explanations of the rituals taking place. This gives guests the opportunity to share the experience and bless the couple with a better understanding of the traditional ceremonies taking place.

As children generally get bored during ceremonies, it may be a good idea to have a crèche or clown/magician to entertain them. This would enable the adults to enjoy the ceremony without any disturbance.

Cake:
Do order your cake well in advance and arrange for someone to pick it up if the bakers are not delivering it.

Do make sure that if your guests consist of people who do not eat eggs, then an egg less version is also made.

Cutting of the cake should not be kept very late, as serving it may become a problem.

Make sure someone remembers to put a knife and plate on the cake table - you'll be surprised how many people forget.

Photography:
When it comes to wedding photography, don't settle for an 'uncle' offering to take photos just because it happens to be his hobby. Many a time, the photos are not taken properly and lighting is all wrong. Once gone, the moment can never be recovered. So, enlist the services of a professional photographer.

Make sure the photographer knows what you expect of him/her. Have a look at their existing portfolios so that you can choose what kind of shots you would like for yourselves.

If you have a large family and many relations, then it may be worth the while to have lists of people to be photographed with the bride and groom. The list can be called whilst one group of guests are having their photos taken. This could eliminate time wastage.

Flowers:
Choosing flowers, which are in-season, may cut down on your costs if you are trying to stick to a tight budget.

Table Plan:
If you are preparing a place name table plan for your event ensure each person has at least one person they know or alternatively, someone they can relate to at least, sitting at the same table.

If you have table arrangements in the centre, ensure Guests can still talk to one another easily (if they are sitting on opposite sides of the table) without having to look above or under an arrangement.

If you are having a buffet service meal, allocate someone to go around to tables individually asking them to go and collect their meals. This will help alleviate the usual scenario of a big queue forming in the room, making your event look more like a canteen instead of it's graceful status of 'Your Wedding Day'.

If you are having waiting staff, ensure they are being booked through a reputable company; the last thing you want is inefficient food handlers.

If you have booked an ice sculpture for the event, check with the venue whether they have a large enough freezer to store it if it is being delivered early, also make sure that a disposable tray is supplied with the order unless you are hiring a rotating light box.

Music:
Sometimes, a nice hall may not have the best acoustics for music. If music is an important part of the evening reception, it may be a good idea to get advise from the band/D.J.'s. on getting the best position for them to set to get a good sound. Setting up speakers opposite reflective materials such as glass windows could cause some problems in getting good sound.

Honeymoon:
Make sure that the Honeymoon arrangements have been made and booked to your specification.

Insurance:
It is worth taking out wedding insurance if your event is taking a formal style.

Take out wedding insurance early so that you are covered should a supplier or venue cancel (read the small print of the policy you take out).