Start Planning Your Wedding

Chances are, you’ve stumbled across this blog because someone put a ring on it and you’re ready to start planning your wedding!  Congrats! Now is the time to create the wedding day you and your partner want. Easy, right? Well….sometimes this task can quickly overwhelm couples, replacing that glow of being newly engaged with the headache of not knowing where to start. Don’t worry!  That’s why I’m here to give you some insight and help take the headache out of wedding planning. So, without further ado let’s jump in and learn how to start planning your wedding!

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Be Present and Relish This Time

First off, I would encourage you to start by taking a few weeks to really soak in the love and beauty of your engagement.  The love of your life just popped the question, and your relationship deserves some love and attention for a while. This is a magical time, so be present, soak it up and enjoy!

 

Start With The Most Important Place For You

When those butterflies settle a bit, you’re ready to begin planning your wedding!  The first step in planning depends on your personality. Stay true to yourself and build your day from there. Are you a free spirit who loves capturing and celebrating the candid moments of life?  Then a photographer is a good place to start. Are you Type A and want things planned to a T? A planner is going to be the best step for you. Are you a foodie who loves new flavors and food experiences? Then catering and your cake is going to be the first thing on your mind.

 

Visualize Your Wedding and Choose the Professionals that Fit

When you know the best place to start, then you can fine-tune the right professional for you.  In the world of Pinterest and Instagram, research can be fun! What kind of “feel” do you want your wedding to have? Farm style, casual? Large, formal? Small, intimate?  Close your eyes and think about what you see when you look at your wedding day. Do your research and be inspired! What evokes the right feeling for you? Be sure that you choose someone with references and good social media that show their work.  Next, set up a face-to-face meeting. Connecting with your vendor is important. Never put a deposit down with someone you haven’t met with and interacted with. You’ll be spending the next 6-12 months working alongside these vendors, so be sure you connect professionally, as well as on a personality level. Click here for my interview guide to help you decide if someone is going to be the perfect fit.

 

Create A Budget

Create a budget and prioritize where you’re willing to compromise and where you’re not.  We all have that dream wedding scenario that we could only pull off if money were not an issue.  But the reality is that money is an issue for every couple. The good news is that you can choose to spend your money on what is higher on the list for you.  While a wedding at the Biltmore may not be in the cards for you, you can create an experience for your day that captures everything you want.

 

Four Major Wedding Vendors To Consider

Once you’ve created a budget, it’s time to fill in those details.  Be resourceful! Let the vendor you started with help guide you. Your major vendors will be your wedding photographer, venue, food and planners. These four categories should receive the majority of your budget, then you can address the smaller details as you go and as you learn more through the planning process. For example, some venues won’t require as much decor as others, eliminating some of the decorating hassles.  

 

Dress and Details

Once you’ve settled your four main vendors, then it’s time to get down to the details!  With your visualized wedding set firmly in your mind, enjoy pulling together things like stationery, favors, and decor.  And, of course, reserve some special time to shop for your wedding dress! Surround yourself with positive and supportive family and friends. Be present, be kind to yourself and enjoy trying on dresses until you find the ONE.  

 

What is your Timeline?

Establishing a timeline is key to streamlining your wedding day and eliminating stress for you and everyone involved. It’s crucial to keep everyone on task, allowing everyone to work well together.  Spend the most time on details that are most important to you with regard to the timeline. Give your bridal party a copy of the timeline so everyone knows where they’re supposed to be and at what time.  Click here to access some example timelines.

 

Remember to get as much done as you possibly can without losing sight of the main goal:  you’re getting married! This day is about being present and celebrating the love you share with your partner.  Don’t let anyone tell you how your day should go, this is about you saying “I do” to the love of your life! Enjoy the planning process and don’t take it for granted. I have created a free Trello board to help you in this planning process so click below to grab that for yourself. Ready to start planning your wedding? Happy planning!

What do DIY your wedding day timeline as well?  Grab the FREE workshop here!