One month before the wedding in Kythira: 16+1 ways to have a happy ending

You dreamed of getting married in Kythera and made the big decision to have your wedding there. You have booked the venue, catering, church/mayor, photography/video, music, drinks, hotels, etc., you have sent out invitations, you have discussed the decorations and other details and May is well and truly here.

The countdown to one of the best summers of your life has already begun and you are wondering what to do to make everything run smoothly until the wedding day.

Let's start with an assumption. There is a good chance that not everything will go smoothly in this period. And that's okay.

As the days get closer, the stress increases, the details that need attention appear, the professionals you need to consult with don't respond in the time you would like, the guests and the family environment start the «will there be a high chair for the child where we are», «which beaches have a canteen», «George is allergic to peanuts», «will you get me a hairdresser to do my hair so I don't look like a mess at your wedding» and other such wonderful and imaginative things that you will be asked to deal with every day until the big day and may get you one step closer to Bridezilla/Groomzilla status.

It would be good to avoid this. So let's go through some ways to make things as painless as possible.

A month ago:

1. Kindly press your undecided guests for a definitive answer within five days. Start making the table plan according to what you have agreed with the caterer.
2. Check, if necessary, the latest changes to your clothes. Make sure you have two pairs of shoes available (one of them comfortable for the rest of the evening). Especially for brides who have a weakness for heels this applies.
3. Complete all the decorative details, the favors and the individual items you will need (e.g. menu cards, guest labels, etc.)
4. Contact the relevant body (church/mayorate) and confirm that all your paperwork is in order.

Three weeks ago:

5. In case you have given a choice in the menu for main course, vegetarian or vegan, inform the catering staff about the choices of your guests (which you will have taken care to record) so that they can obtain sufficient quantities of each. Also, let them know of any allergies or intolerances guests may have and if child seating will be required or how many baby carriages will be available and at which table.
6. Contact all the professionals you have booked, confirm they have the right date and time and discuss if they each need anything (e.g. a table for a DJ or a wild card for a photobooth, etc.). Make sure everyone is settled in terms of transport and accommodation.

Two weeks ago:

7. Make a plan for how you would like the wedding day to go. What time your preparations will start, when the professionals will arrive, when everything needs to be set up, who will set up, when the guests will arrive at the reception, who will greet them, when your entrance will be, when the food/sweets/sweet treats/bar/music will start, etc.
8. If there is a relative or friend who wants to speak or has prepared an event, make sure that the professionals involved are aware of it.
9. If you haven't already done so, decide on the entrance/dance/any other event songs and let the DJ know.
10. Contact your florist and make sure that the flowers you have chosen are available and will not need to be changed.
11. Towards the end of the week, start working on the favors. Wrap the confections tightly in an individual bag to protect them and store them in a suitable storage place.

A week ago:

12. If you want to do a facial or body treatment, do it at the beginning of the week so that if any irritation is caused, the body has time to recover.
13. Make your last hair and makeup appointments and «lock in» what you want the final result to be.
14. Make sure that all orders have been placed correctly for any treats (e.g. almonds or diplets).
15. Make the final plan of the tables and the seats of the guests. Inform the catering department.
16. Go to the institution you have chosen (church/mayorate) and confirm the marriage licences. Talk to the priest or the deputy mayor in charge about the details of the ceremony.

On the wedding day:

17. Take a deep breath and smile. You have done the best you could. Time to get married!

Remember that as the wedding day approaches, as well as the day itself, everyone will want something from you. To confirm, to clarify, to report a problem to you, whether it's your wedding professionals or your own guests. A wedding in Kythera, or any other similar island, always hides an extra difficulty. In case you have chosen not to have a wedding planner, it is advisable to have a person from your environment to act as a link and take on some of this load.

Choosing to have a wedding planner from the start will be a lifesaver in those last few crucial days and, especially, on the wedding day. Aside from proper planning and guidance all the time beforehand, a proper (or a right) wedding planner will relieve you of about 80% - 90% of all the things mentioned above so that you can truly enjoy without stress and worries this important day of your life.

Either way, though, don't forget that if there is good mood and love, anything can happen!

Article by Elise Bakopoulou, Wedding Planner and founder of the Imagivent.