Using the KISS method for Simple Wedding Planning

 

The way we’re planning this wedding is the same approach we used when we were looking for a house. We weren’t in a huge rush and there wasn’t too much of a driving force to buy a house, except for the fact that living in my apartment was starting to drive me nuts. We didn’t have a real deadline either.

With our so-called wedding, we don’t have a real deadline either. (Heck, we don’t even have a real anniversary date for when we first got together. Guess he lucked out in that sense that I have no reason to bug him about celebrating an “anniversary”). I guess your deadline is basically when you book the church and hall. We looked at one potential place to hold the ceremony and reception.  I’m all for everything being in one place or at least having the church and reception venue close by, with minimal waiting time in between.  It looked great on the website, but once we actually visited it, it was a lot smaller than it looked on the website.  (Man, those photographers do a great job). Our goal is to have a smallish intimate wedding, but this venue felt more like cramped, too close for comfort.

I believe that the type of wedding should reflect what type of person you are. Neither of us are very outgoing or extroverted or really into big celebrations. We’re more of blending into the background types. The thought of being the centre of attention in the presence of 150-200 people already gives me a slight panic attack.

We’re down to earth, casual people who are frugal and not really into spending the big bucks for celebrations (but I’m well aware we’ll have to shell out some money).

I want to use the KISS method-keep it simple, stupid. I’m all for simple wedding planning.

At first I had thought about going the sit-down route, but was pretty aghast by some of the quotes I received per person. I also thought about how much I wasn’t a big fan of assigned seating. It’s even worse if your significant other is at the head table and you’re at a table with random people. I’ve been there and I’m sure many of us have been there.  I know sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it, but on top of being socially awkward, I have a very low tolerance for alcohol, so I couldn’t even use liquid courage if I wanted to initiate small talk.

I always thought the head table was kind of odd. I guess it’s to make it seem like the wedding party is royalty and they’re overseeing the celebration.  If anything, I would prefer to sit at a table with my family and my closest friends sit at the neighbouring tables. That way everyone could be sitting with their significant others and/or people they know.

Thus, I have been looking into alternative food options such as buffet or cocktail reception. Although I really go to buffets nowadays, just because I can’t pack it in like I  used to, I still like the idea of being able to see the whole spread at once and being able to choose what you want. I’m a person who snacks a lot throughout the day, so appetizers are right up my alley.  What’s even better with a cocktail reception is that it’s more casual. Yes, you do still have to mingle, but it isn’t as forced. You have the freedom to float from group to group as you float from appetizer to appetizer.

Photo Courtesy of tiverylucky/FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

Another rule we’ve been thinking about breaking is having a wedding party. Ideally, I want to keep it small, but it always gets kind of tricky. One side will have either more or less siblings than the other side. Or another case will be one person has a couple of close friends and then the other person has a whole group of close friends.

How do you choose? Or who do you choose?

I’ve been looking online and noticed that nowadays, some people don’t even have wedding parties. It’s just the two of them.  They even arrive at the wedding together (which does make sense if you do live together already).

I’m beginning to wonder if the trend of the big, traditional cookie cutter wedding will die down and people will opt for more casual, unique weddings. It may go as far to become a trend and then these casual style, low-budget weddings will be become cookie cutter.

Then people wouldn’t have to worry so much about how much to give as a wedding gift or go into a great debate about how “you have to pay for your plate”.

Give whatever the hell you want and can afford.

You’re here for the food, booze, good company and having a good time.

 

Have you been to a non-traditional wedding? Would you have a non-traditional wedding? Why or why not?