"It’s our day, it has to be magical”—this is something most couples say when they are planning for a wedding. Wedding planning comes with joy and excitement, and no one ever imagines anything unpleasant happening at their wedding. Nevertheless, experts say, there are options to better planning because not everything is guaranteed.

Rings

According to Sonia Muhoza, a wedding planner based in Kigali, couples should loosen the financial strings when it comes to wedding rings because the rings will be with you long after the wedding. 

She says, however, people should not feel the need to give up on a wedding because they cannot afford fancy rings. You can buy the rings after, but if well budgeted for, there shouldn’t be a problem. 

Photography and videos

When planning a wedding, photography should be taken into serious consideration. Muhoza says these pictures are a lasting and visual memory of the day, something you will always live for, hence worth spending on.

MC

A master of ceremony plays an important role in the memory of your wedding. Besides representing both sides during the ceremony, and controlling all the speeches, a great MC will keep wedding guests happy and engaged, especially if everything sticks to the schedule.

Venue

Muhoza says a great venue is also important, you do not want to subject your guests to a messy place, or one that is located in a very inconvenient area, for example, hard to get to or not car parking friendly. 

"The location of your wedding can ruin the ceremony, where some guests might choose to not show up. A good venue with splendid decor will create a beautiful moment,” she says. 

Wedding attire and salon

Choose gowns and suits that won’t give you a hard time to breath, or provide any discomfort, remember it is your day, make it memorable. It doesn’t really matter if you have planned more than one dress to wear, as long as you are comfortable. 

Amanda Umurerwa, a businesswoman who has wedding garments for hire in Kigali City Market, says many of the women returning the dresses complain about how a new salon didn’t do their hair or makeup to their liking.

"No one is going to tell which salon you went to for hairstyle. You can use your usual hair stylist, and only if you trust their skills,” she says. 

Food

Peter Musoni, a wedding planner in Kigali, says sometimes couples consider having drinks or meals on their day.

"This is a choice, it is okay to use either of the two,” Musoni says. 

He further says a big cake may not be necessary if you are on a tight budget. 

"If you have a rich menu, a six-tier cake isn’t really necessary as most guests will probably not even eat the cake,” Musoni says. 

Wedding invitation and guests

Your wedding invitations are a reflection of your dream wedding and a first glimpse your guests will have into your perfect day. They create excitement and announce one of the most important days of your life. That is why you want the invitation to make a wonderful first impression.

Your invitations will most likely be the first contact point you will have with your guests and will serve as the starting point of your wedding theme. Handwriting your guests’ names and addresses on the envelope adds a personal touch and is the traditional way to go, this is according to the article ‘5 tips for the perfect wedding invitations’. 

Plan your wedding to the last detail. All Photos/Net

Whitney C. Harris and Jaimie Mackey in the article ‘How to Decide Who to Invite to Your Wedding’ suggest, "Narrowing down the guest list is one of the most stressful parts of planning a wedding. It’s a little more complicated than simply making a list of everyone you’d like to celebrate with. There are people you’ll have to invite, others you really want to skip, and those who may or may not make the cut, depending on your venue’s capacity.

"Before you involve your families, sit down with your partner to start the guest list. Begin with your immediate families and then add those close family members you really want to have there. Next, move on to your closest friends—the ones you simply can’t imagine getting married without.

"After your families have been invited, determine how many extra spots you have left and divide it evenly between both of your families. Let your parents use these seats however they’d like—and make it clear that there are no more seats available.”

Honeymoon

This is your first holiday as a married couple. It is something you should also plan ahead, so that everything goes smoothly. If you plan to travel out of the country, make sure everything is in order before you get on that plane—the last thing you want is to get to your destination and the hotel that you thought you’d booked doesn’t seem to know anything about your reservation. It happens all the time.

Understand that you do not have to leave right away. Take as much time as you need to plan the perfect honeymoon. 

"As with any amazing trip or vacation, you’ll want to research places to go, things to try, great restaurants, or must-see museums. This can be a fun respite from wedding planning itself. Think about needed supplies, too. That might mean a sun hat and sunblock, hiking boots and a windbreaker, a camera, a book (or two) to read, a guidebook, or a travel journal. Take a weekend, a month or so ahead, to shop, get organized, and pack,” writes Darcy Miller in her article ‘Everything You Need to Do Before Leaving for Your Honeymoon’.