Budget
As creative and colorful you may envision your wedding to be, think of what is actually possible. Stick to the theme of the wedding and work around that. If you want a hot air balloon themed event, you may not get the actually thing, but your centerpieces can be handmade hot air balloons. Be realistic about numbers, but also resourceful!
Bridal Party
Whether you only have a maid of honor, a group of girls, or mix it up with a groomslady, you want to let the bridal party know as soon as you can. Each person can help you with a certain part of the wedding, such as centerpiece making or invitation designs. Find the strength of every person and offer them duties they would be glad to do.
Location
Maybe the wedding is at Disneyland or your grandparent’s backyard. Whatever the place, accessibility is essential. Are there steps? Stairs? Thresholds? Sidewalks with curb cuts? My favorite is when someone says the location is accessible, only to arrive and find grass everywhere. Pictures are important, but the ideal is to visit the place.
Invitations & Registry
First off, don’t announce anything on social media until your close friends and family know about the wedding. Invite people who support you and ones who are important to this celebration. A registry can work in multiple different ways; it doesn’t have to include physical gifts. You can choose to ask for home items you may need or honeymoon trip funds.
Dress & Accessories
Getting a wedding gown on is a whole new level of almost impossible if you’re in a wheelchair. And should you want a long dress train behind you? It may seem unimaginable. But there are tricks for making it all work! Have people who will help you and test as many dresses as possible. And if you want to dress up in a wedding jumpsuit, do it.
Food & Entertainment
Piñata? Dr. Seuss themed tunnels? Or the all-time popular: photo booth? Glow sticks? Live band? Music? If you want all of that, you can make it work, just be realistic about what will work for your wedding and theme. Keep decisions personal and what you like. Testing and tasting things will give you a good idea if you approve it all.
Making it Official?
There are many wedding traditions and culture celebrations, so this should be the first discussion to have with the fiancé. A civil one wedding is different than a religious one. Remember to have someone licensed to perform the appropriate officiant duties. And maybe there will be multiple cultures in each family that will be incorporated?
Florist & Cake
Flowers and dessert really tie a wedding together. It is one of the sweetest parts of the big celebration. If you’re a fruity person and your partner is into chocolate, how can you make the cake work? If you’re gluten-free, what are your options? You can offer different cupcakes as an option. Get referrals from people you know and taste everything!
Videos & Photos
Videographers and photographers get booked up fast in the popular months of summer and early fall for wedding season. They will also charge more for those months because the demand tends to be higher. Keep in mind that these people will capture the day, so you want them to be perfect. So always ask for samples of their work.
Book Honeymoon
A honeymoon can be a simple cabin getaway or a lavish trip to Paris. Whatever the place, think of what you’ll need based on the duration of the trip and where you’re going. Maybe you’d like to do a road trip or a cruise. Decide on how it will all play out between the end of the wedding and the transition into the honeymoon.
Transportation & Hotel
Getting to and from the wedding can become exhausting. Think about your guests and your wedding party. Don’t forget about double checking your wedding transportation accessibility options. If it’s just easier to book a hotel the night before that is walking distance to the venue, that can be convinient for people.
Hair & Make-Up
Long? Short? Lots of hair accessories? No makeup? Go over ideas and do a full wedding hairdo/makeup look months before the big day. This is your look, but keep in mind what is manageable. If your neck is weak, those heavy earrings may not work. Try everything on and play dress up to decide what you want.
Tell Me More…
Planning to celebrate your love story? There are a few things to making the wedding day come alive, and a little extra magic to make sure the wheelchair is just as fabulous. How will you hold the bouquet, your father’s hand, AND roll yourself down the aisle? How about that bride cover up so no one see the beauty too early? The Brides in Wheelchairs Wedding Planner is here to help!