How to Be a Calm and Collected Bride
Weddings can be an incredibly stressful time as you try and plan everything right down to the last detail. And sometimes it can bring out the worst in people. However, hosting your wedding at the award-winning Granny Mouse Country House & Spa will be an absolute breeze.
Considered one of the most romantic venues in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, weddings at Granny Mouse are truly spectacular, with everything you could need based on-site, from the chapel with panoramic views over the Caversham Valley, a reception venue catering for up to 120 guests, and a culinary team ready to create your unique wedding feast to surprise and delight your guests.
“Your wedding guests are well catered for, with an array of accommodation options too, including the 12-sleeper Farmhouse 900 metres from the hotel, as well as the spa to assist you in preparing for your big day” says GM Sean Granger.
With no detail being too big or too small, the Granny Mouse team will take the stress out of your wedding experience. They also have some very useful advice to help you avoid becoming a “bridezilla”.
On Interacting with Your Bridal Party and Family
1. Remember They’re Your Loved Ones, Not Staff
Your inner circle goes through a lot in pursuit of your bridal bliss.
They make room in their budgets, their calendars, and their emotional bandwidth to support you. They’re happy to do it, but not if you abuse your (temporary) power over them.
2. Be Mindful About Budgets
Before asking friends to be in your bridal party, help them determine whether they can afford to participate by giving them context about what, exactly, they’re expected to pay for. Are you having a destination bachelorette party, and is attendance mandatory? Should they budget for an expensive dress, or can they choose their own? Who is paying for your bridal shower(s)? Even if you have this conversation from the start, don’t be surprised if budget concerns still arise down the road.
3. Do a Vibe Check
If you have close friends from various chapters of your life, the members of your bridal party may end up only having one thing in
common: you. While it’s not your job to make sure everyone becomes besties, you should ensure everyone is at least comfortable with one another.
4. Chill Out with The Required Attire
You have a vision, but forcing a group of individuals to all wear the same thing (and pay for it) is a dicey move. Your friends might struggle to speak up if the looks you’ve chosen for them are too expensive or not something they feel confident in.
Consider letting your bridal party pick their own ’fits, with some guidelines and a colour scheme — or just a general aesthetic. It ensures your people are wearing something they actually like, at a price point they can stomach.
5. Don’t Force Your Bridal Party to Pay for Hair and Makeup
If you’re going to require your bridal party to get their hair and/or makeup done by professionals on your big day, you should pay for it.
This can absolutely count as your gift to thank them for supporting you during this time. If paying for your group’s glam puts a strain on your budget, consider making it an optional service.
On Working with Your Vendors
1. Get them fed
If you want the best service on your wedding day, make sure your vendors aren’t just fed, but well-fed, and that a place has been set for them somewhere in, or near, your venue.
2. Tip your vendors (and we don’t mean in cash)
The best thank-you you can give a vendor is a genuine hug at the end of the night, a great review on their websites, and a referral to your friends. We guarantee that they have slaved away all day making sure everything you wanted came to fruition, so tag your vendors on social media and sing their praises.
On Celebrating with Your Guests
1. Set a Clear Dress Code
You might think it’s a “chill bride” move to not set a dress code, but it’s more helpful to give your guests guidance. Say if you want them in a sundress or an evening gown so they don’t have to text others to see what they’re wearing.
2. Ensure Your Wedding Is Inclusive and Accessible
Not everyone can climb stairs, eat gluten, or hear the DJ. Your guests deserve to feel welcomed and appreciated. You can help ensure they don’t feel forgotten by asking about accommodation on your RSVP cards.
3. If You Don’t Actually Want Someone There, Don’t Invite Them
There’s usually at least one person you feel like you should invite but really don’t want to. Don’t do it. More often than not, they’ll know their invitation was out of pity or obligation and they won’t go but feel like they have to send a gift, or they will go, and it’ll be awkward for everyone.
4. Send Thank-You Notes
A thoughtful, personalised note is an easy but impressive way to show your gratitude and it lets your guests know their gift wasn’t overlooked.
On Planning with Your Partner
1. Don’t Make It a Wedding-tatorship
Your partner may be interested in planning and seeing their own vision come to life.
2. Set Wedding-Planning Meetings
It doesn’t sound romantic, but it is actually a bonding experience.
Not only does it give you a set time to keep track of deadlines, correspondence, and decisions, but it also ensures you aren’t bombarding each other with wedding-related questions during all the other hours of the day.
3. Schedule Alone Time on The Big Day
Take a look at your wedding day timeline. Add in some downtime with your partner. You could do this by doing a first look before the ceremony or sneaking away during cocktail hour to eat and unwind.
On Actually Enjoying Yourself
1. Remember You Have a Life Outside Your Wedding
Your wedding is only one aspect of your life- and a temporary one at that. Plan wedding-free hangouts with your friends, take care of your mental and physical health, pursue your hobbies, get good rest, and get excited about the life you’re going to build after you get married.
2. Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
There’s going to be at least some point during the wedding process that you’re going to go through it- managing budgets, familial expectations, merging two families into one, plus the logistics of emailing vendors...
If you snap at your mom over floral arrangements, be sure to apologise and hear your loved ones out if you hurt them. But then allow yourself to move on and enjoy the process.
3. Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Brides
Someone is always going to have a bigger budget or a more raucous bachelorette party. All you can do is focus on your vision, your plans, and your love with your partner. Nothing else will matter on the big day.
4. Select a Point Person
At some point before the festivities begin, make a conscious choice to take off your ‘planner hat’ and put on your ‘bride hat’. After all the time and money put into this event, you and your partner deserve to be fully present during it. Remove yourself from the behind-the-scenes chaos and let your support team take over- ideally, someone whose literal job it is to make sure everything runs smoothly, takes the pressure off you, your loved ones, and your other vendors. If you don’t have a pro to handle the day-of stuff, select someone trustworthy (and sober!) to take the reins - and definitely get them a nice thank-you gift.
5. Have Some Fun
At the end of the day, you’re throwing a massive party because you found someone that you love.
Let the Granny Mouse team help arrange that party. Email banqueting@grannymouse.co.za
Article Courtesy of www.sanda-marketing.com
