This was on my google page this morning and I thought it was superb! We do drive a Nissan X trail which is great, so I'm impressed with their cars. However, I'm not sure when Nissan started being Wedding Planners but they certainly know their stuff. Read on ...

How to simplify… wedding plans
So you're engaged. Once the initial bliss fades, you find yourself staring down the barrel of innumerable wedding lists, spiralling expenses, tense negotiations on etiquette with the in-laws and rebellious bridesmaids - but does it have to be this way?

Wedding planning stress is fast following wedding day cold feet into modern matrimonial folklore. Despite the best of intentions, it’s far too easy to get caught up in finicky details and over-elaborate arrangements that at the end of the day matter little.

Decide what's essential, discard the rest.
Shortly after your engagement, you and your intended should make a list each - 'My Wedding Must-Haves'. Should your wedding be indoors or outdoors? Would you want a professional photographer? Who would you invite? Will there be a dress code?

Once you're done, compare the two lists. Hopefully you'll both be thinking along the same lines, but if not, negotiate until you have a list of wedding fundamentals that suit you both. In the planning process, any time a new idea is pitched to you refer back to this basic plan - if it's there, go for it; if not, let it go and save your time and money for aspects that are important to you.

Set your budget and stick to it.
Be realistic about what you can afford for your wedding and remember that the day will be much more enjoyable if you’re not racking up huge credit card debts. Ideally, start a savings account at the time of your engagement and budget accordingly. If you only have £300 saved up, plan a £300 wedding. If parents contribute £3000 to your wedding fund, then plan a £3000 wedding. Even better, spend less than you’ve budgeted and put the extra towards your honeymoon.

Don’t think that you ‘have to’.
Lots of people may try to persuade you that you ‘have to’ organise your wedding in a certain way, with a teetering cake, traditional speeches, the first dance and a bouquet toss… the list goes on. The point is, if you don’t want to spend your time and money on something, just leave it out. You and your wife or husband-to-be are free to throw the wedding etiquette rule book out the window if you so wish.

Be ruthless with your guest list.
Don’t feel pressured to invite people you don’t care for or don’t know very well. By inviting fewer people, you’ll not only save money, you’ll actually get to spend time with each of your guests. Plan to get married in front of a group of people that really love you, rather than a bunch of second cousins twice-removed and friends of your parents.

Delegate.
Don’t be a wedding planning martyr – once you’re sure that everyone’s on the same page, let others help you with as much of the planning as you are comfortable with. Always retain the right of veto though!

Use a wedding coordinator.
Even if you plan your wedding yourselves, make sure to have someone there on the day to co-ordinate activities, perhaps just a willing friend if it’s a small do or a professional if you’ve planned a larger function. You can focus on getting married, enjoy your day and leave the finer details in their hands.

Choose your friends carefully.
Thinking to save money by asking a friend or family member to help with catering, flowers or photography? Be sure they are good, as you’ll have no comeback in the event of a disaster. If these aspects of the wedding are important to you, it’s probably worth shelling out for a professional – just for peace of mind.

Consider food alternatives.
Organising a traditional sit-down reception can be expensive and stressful – planning a menu that accounts for the full gamut of allergies and the last minute conversion of your brother’s family to veganism, for example. Instead, why not choose a buffet lunch, a cocktail party with delicious hors d’oeuvres or a picnic? Your friends and family will get to mingle more than if they’re spending most of the evening at a table of just eight people.

Elope.
One fine way to avoid wedding planning stress and keep your day special for the two of you is to quietly slip away and marry in private. Plenty of couples have done so on holiday or even in their lunch breaks! You can break the news to family and friends afterwards, and, whilst some may feel aggrieved at not having the chance to participate in the ceremony, they’ll be pacified by the big celebratory party you throw afterwards.

Focus on the future.
Keep a sense of perspective. Wedding days are very special, but they are just one day. Keeping your wedding plans simple allows you both to focus on what's important – your marriage.

Now, want to simplify driving in the city? Find out more about Nissan's range of city cars.
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