Just Engaged! But wondering where to start? Look no further:
HERE ARE MY TOP 5 THINGS TO START PLANNING YOUR WEDDING
1) Decide what you want your guests (and yourself) to get from your wedding day!
To get started with my Top 5 Things To Start Your Wedding Planning Process, let’s talk about what you want your day to be like. Do you want it to be a formal event, laid back and fun, or a big dancing celebration? Or maybe you want to go off to an awesome destination!? Do you want it to be something just for you and your love to do by yourselves or do you want to bring the whole friends and family gang with you?
Start by thinking about the key things you want your venue to have and the photography style you want your dream wedding photographer to have. Do you want the wedding to be classy, boho, modern, upbeat, fun-loving, whimsical, or have a touch of adventure? Brainstorming wedding colors to fit your vibe will also fall under this step! I have lots of inspiration and ideas on Pinterest, just click HERE to take a look.
2) Look at Venues AND Photographers First.
Be sure to start picking vendors by starting with your venue and photographer!! This is super important because if you fall in love with either, you will want to make sure (of all the vendors) that these two have available dates that align! I feel that these two vendors shape the rest of your wedding. The venue sets the atmosphere, the ease and flow of your wedding day. Then, the photographer is with you throughout the ENTIRE wedding planning process AND is by your side for the majority of your wedding day. How they capture your wedding day is how you, your family, and your friends will remember the day. Not to mention, it’s a bit hard to start booking other vendors if you don’t have a date and location locked down! 😉
Here’s a post on things to look for in your wedding venue!
3) Figure out your overall budget.
Typically the venue and photographer (and videographer, if you desire) will be the biggest items AND milestones! These two aspects will have the biggest impact on your wedding day for reasons I have mentioned above. I will say, that the food/caterer is the 3rd vendor that takes a big chunk of your the budget! We had a local pulled pork barbecue cater our wedding, and it cost more than our photographer! It was such a hit, though, and cost quite a bit less than wedding & event based caterers. If this is overwhelming (I know it was for me) you can sign up on The Knot or WeddingWire to get their automated budget calculator and planning checklist! It will show you expenses you probably didn’t think about taking into account. You will also get to set up a wedding website through these sites.
Don’t forget that you don’t have to have a huge wedding budget to have a gorgeous wedding. If you value your venue and photography, magic can be made of a smaller budget wedding.
Secondly in this step, consider if you want a wedding planner or coordinator! They can take a ton of stress off your shoulders and connect you with tons of amazing vendors. If your budget is tight, they can also help you stick to the budget! It’s a win-win!
4) Find the best dates for your wedding day.
Be sure to consider big family events, budget, and ease of travel for your family and friends. But after all of that is considered, pick the dates that work well for you and your fiance(e) and then see what your number one choice of venue and photographer have available. If you are in love with either of those 2 vendors, you will want to make sure they have the same date available! Do be aware that if you choose to have your wedding near or on a holiday, you may have to be okay with some guests not being able to make it and holiday fees from your vendors. Vendors usually plan trips and want to spend time with friends & family around holidays, too!
5) Take time to BREATH and relax!!
This is also SOOO important! Wedding planning does not need to be stressful and bear you down for months. If you are already feeling overwhelmed, make sure to have relaxing or fun date nights with your fiance(e), schedule a massage, go get a spa pedicure (my favorite), or make a spa day at home with bath bombs, candles, etc!
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