The first conscious moments after the proposal - at the same time so dizzyingly worrying and full of love, and at the same time - you have to deal with the practical issues of planning and organizing a wedding.

Where to start, how to plan what you want and weed out the excess, and how to create a wedding budget - we consulted with the wedding organizer Liena Kalna / Event Mafia.

Wedding organizer Liena Kalna

What are the advantages if we do not organize the wedding ourselves, but hire a wedding planner? There are so many things that don't cross the mind of a couple who hasn't experienced wedding planning.

Couples, visiting other weddings, tend to see what they could do themselves. Yes, due to financial considerations, you can do a lot yourself, but do you enjoy the wedding process?

When organizing a wedding, of course, you can ask your friends a lot, but it is difficult to come to a conclusion. However, the organizer has tools - where is better to order invitations, music, caterers... It is a huge time consumption if you do it yourself. However, the organizer offers options and the couple has the opportunity to choose.

The organizer is also the one who takes care - when you need to make table cards, when you need to plan the arrangement of seats.

Also, many people have an idea - I will take a group and the group will play the same way. No, it's not like that - the band needs sound, the rooms need lights. It is safer with an organizer - you go through the plan from the very beginning and understand what you can afford, what you can't, and how you will do it.

It is also possible to organize the wedding yourself, but to attract a coordinator for the wedding day, who coordinates the guests, waits for the cake, and artists. Because if you do it yourself, you don't enjoy the wedding and wake up exhausted the next morning. This is very important, otherwise we can really miss our own wedding, dealing with organizational matters.

What are the biggest stumbling blocks? You mentioned dubbing...

Couples tend not to think that the groups are very busy, or that the leader of the evening has to prepare a script, but the leader is not an organizer - we can help to avoid mistakes.

You should think about accommodation, in which place whoever sleeps, information leaflets should be posted at the door and in the right places.

Another stumbling block – what to do for the guests while the new couple is taking photos.

Also, a stumbling block is taking pictures after getting married in the church, when everyone wants to take a picture and congratulate, but they don't know what to do at what moment. This is what the organizer helps to put on the shelves and in a real order, and to tell and explain to everyone what others do not think about.

How long does it take to organize a modern wedding? What would you recommend to couples?

Ideally, it is half a year. But the wedding can also be arranged within 1-2 months. If the couple has chosen a wedding date and already found a place for the celebration, a lot depends on that. Finding an event venue is very difficult, especially in the summer when many people celebrate weddings.

What would be the most correct order? Choose a wedding venue and then turn to you or vice versa?

As the couple wishes - you can contact the organizer both if the venue for the celebration has already been chosen and the group and manager have been arranged, and if there is nothing yet.

Regardless of what stage the organizer joins, it's important to find chemistry. Because maybe you have chosen an organizer, but you don't agree and can't find a compromise. It is worth organizing the first meeting - even if there is no chemistry, the consultation will be beneficial.

What are the observations of how young couples, aged 20+, want to realize their wedding day, and what is it like, for example, after the age of 35?

In my experience, mostly younger couples already know what they want, but it's a bit of a mess because they want everything but don't know how to structure it.

But those who are more experienced and more balanced want concrete things, a clear vision.

If a couple comes in with a lot of desire but no structure, how do you help create that structure? How easy is it to give up on things that were originally planned?

When starting the planning process, first of all, you need to understand the overall budget. I listen to the couple's ideas, create a draft of the script, put together what it will realistically look like in a timeline, and add an estimate with costs. Then it's easier to say what we don't take and what we want to fit into the budget.

Of course, it is a couple's day, but you have invited people who spend their time arriving - we have to give them a good opportunity to spend time, so we organize a celebration so that we ourselves and the guests have a good time.

Where to start to orientate yourself in wedding costs?

At first, you need to understand how much you are ready to pay for your wedding day. Next, an estimate and an offer are made. The most expensive is not always the best. There have been weddings where the budget is minimal, but they are so heartfelt and beautiful.

The wedding organizer should provide 1-2 thousand euros. We count the fact that this person is with you for half a year, there are countless meetings, driving to the venue, talking with artists, preparing the script. We also make a surprise for couples.

The rest is adjusted according to preference. Even if you have a small budget, you can find solutions. It is cheaper to have a wedding on a weekday, as many do. Weddings can be made starting from 10-15 thousand, not including dresses, suits, manicures and make-up artists.

What types of entertainment are relevant at weddings?

The first thing couples don't want is a traditional wedding.

I organize wedding quests. At a big wedding, where each guest comes from his circle, the question arises of how to introduce them, what to do. At weddings where guests from abroad have arrived, we have tasked the guests to find them and find out what "I love you" means in their language. In the evening it is asked. Light pranks, such as water tattoos, cigar master classes for men, and animators for children are relevant. It is interesting to create a painting that remains as a memory during the whole evening.

At a wedding, there is so much to do, to talk, to get to know each other, to do, that there is no time left for activities. But activities that are interesting for everyone and create something lasting are relevant.

Wedding budget landmarks:

Budget 5k

Wedding ceremony in a beautiful place + photo session + musicians + brunch with guests.

A suitable idea not only for those who do not want to spend a lot of money, but also for those who want to go on a honeymoon in the evening of the same day after the marriage ceremony.

The idea, if you also want to dance, is to look for a green ball nearby and reserve a table there.

Another option:

Wedding ceremony + photo session + restaurant with family.

The next day, friends are sent invitations to a party after a month with a small snack table, drinks, activities.

The party can also be made after a year by showing pictures of the wedding and the honeymoon.

Budget 10-15k

Outdoor wedding ceremony + wedding venue + catering + group with evening party + evening leader.

The price also depends on the number of guests.

This will be a celebration for up to 30 guests.

What drives up costs?

Place, arrangement of tables, decorations, tablecloths, cutlery, plates, glasses, tableware rental, each catering position, accommodation.

If, for example, catering costs 30 euros per guest, then it will be 900 euros for 30 guests, and 1500 euros for 50 guests.

There are places where rent and accommodation are the same amount. But if you don't stay overnight, the amount is less. These are the positions where the costs are growing.

Budget over 20k

To realize a 10-15k budget wedding, we take a group that is part of it, but above 20k you can already invite artists with your name, as well as a DJ, grandly decorate and grandly celebrate.

There are weddings where one group performs before the ceremony, and a completely different one during the ceremony. The next day, you can organize a pancake or waffle brunch and also invite a band for background music, enjoying the first day after the wedding in a relaxed environment and mood.

Prepared by: Ieva Simanovića