"Must-Read for 2021 Brides: What Preparations Should You Make If Your Wedding is Over a Year Away?"

2016.10.10 published

Wedding Preparation: What Can You Do a Year in Advance?

Are there any brides who have decided on their wedding more than a year in advance and are unsure of what to do with their long preparation time?

Popular wedding venues are already booking dates even a year in advance. It's not uncommon for brides to start searching for a venue more than a year before the wedding and finalize it a year out!

However, once you’ve reserved the venue so far in advance, it can be confusing to figure out where to start with preparations. Today, we'll introduce wedding preparations that you can start even more than a year in advance.

@yuih_wd

Let's Prepare Intentionally / Wedding Preparations You Can Start a Year in Advance ① Try on Wedding Dresses and Colored Dresses

One of the biggest dilemmas for many brides during the wedding preparation is the [outfit]. Since most brides don’t wear wedding dresses often, it’s hard to know [what they want to wear] or [what looks good on them].

@nao_0111_0422

Especially, [what looks good] can be a major challenge. For example, even if you think, "I want to look great in a mermaid line wedding dress!" or "I want a pink dress full of flowers!", it’s common to find that “it’s not what I imagined” once you try it on.

@haru___1109

There's even a term called "dress lost," where brides become unsure of what they truly want or what suits them! If you have more than a year, take your time to carefully evaluate what looks best on you, so try to visit shops regularly.

@mmeg_1020wd

Let's Prepare Intentionally / Wedding Preparations You Can Start a Year in Advance ② Choose BGM

Do you know how many songs are typically used for the BGM at weddings? It’s said that there are about 30 to 40 songs used, from main songs for the entrance and the bride's letter.

@nao_0111_0422

Narrowing down from the countless songs to 30 or 40 is really tough. But if you have over a year until the wedding, you can take your time. Listen to a wide variety of songs and stock up on your favorites! This can also be done while driving with your fiancé, which is great.

Let's Prepare Intentionally / Wedding Preparations You Can Start a Year in Advance ③ Research Paper Items

The paper items used at weddings include invitations, place cards, seating charts, and profile books, among many others! Senior brides have created beautiful items through DIY or by commissioning them.

@ma_wedding1111

To create lovely paper items, start requesting samples from various brands now. By holding them in your hands, you’ll get a sense of your preferred designs and paper qualities. This will also help you choose brands you want to work with or serve as references for when you DIY.

@szk_wedding

Let's Prepare Intentionally / Wedding Preparations You Can Start a Year in Advance ④ Just Make Something

Are there any brides who’ve made a reservation for the venue more than a year in advance but don’t feel motivated to start preparing? If so, I recommend that you "just make something."

@haru_0611wd

It can be anything! Try DIYing simple things like marquee lights, thank-you tags, or welcome wreaths made with paper napkin flowers.

After doing one DIY project, you should be able to tell whether you're suited for it or not. If it suits you, you'll want to keep DIYing, and if it doesn’t, it's best to give it up early and look for cute brands. DIY can be really tough, so if you feel it’s not for you, I recommend calling it quits early!

@tobe.wd1130

Let's Prepare Intentionally / Wedding Preparations You Can Start a Year in Advance ⑤ Gather Various Information!

There are many items and performances at weddings. If you have more than a year until your wedding, having more options is definitely better. Choose what suits you from the wide range of performances available.

@yuih_wd

Instagram is a great platform for gathering information. If you want to see upcoming brides, check out [#プレ花嫁], or if you want to see post-wedding brides, look for [#卒花, #ウェディングレポ]. For DIY inspiration, check out [#花嫁DIY, #結婚式DIY].

@kiide69

“Marry” also has a wealth of wedding information. Currently, there are over 4,700 articles available on Marry! Since new articles are published daily, you could read different articles every day for a year, even if you read 15 per day. It’s very user-friendly when viewed by genre, so definitely utilize it for your wedding preparation!

⇒ Click here for the genre list on marry＊

Even with More Than a Year Until the Wedding, There’s Plenty You Can Do

Even if you have a year until the wedding, there are many things you can work on. Take your time with preparations and consider [what kind of wedding you want].

If you think there’s still a year left, remember that the wedding will arrive before you know it! To avoid ending up with "I had a year, but nothing was done," strive for a wonderful wedding and prepare bit by bit.

@aya_cocomi