First Steps to Wedding Planning
Did you just get engaged and already feel overwhelmed with wedding planning? Let us help you by giving you the first steps to take for your wedding. Of course, many couples want to jump right into planning decor and floral arrangements, but first, you must iron out a few significant details. Follow along as we help reduce the stress of starting the wedding planning process.
Photo by Dearly Beloved Photography
Budget: Arguably, the most important thing to set before you do any planning is setting your budget and what the maximum you want to spend is. Having a budget will then set you up for choosing a venue, vendors, and the amount of decor for the wedding. Once your budget is set, you can allocate how much you want to spend within each category, such as photography, food, flowers, etc.
Date: Without a date, you won’t be able to connect with vendors, venues, or planners. Having a date for your wedding is the first step in your wedding planning. Talk with your partner about what season they would ideally like to get married in, then slowly start narrowing it down to a month, then a date. Peak wedding season is usually May to October, so keep that in mind when planning your date.
Vision: Having a vision for your wedding is important because it will guide many categories after this. Think about what you envision your wedding day to be like. Will it be big, modern, outside, or small, old school, and inside? Do you plan on having a different venue for your ceremony and reception? Think of some themes you want for your wedding so you can shape your venue, vendors, etc., around this vision.
Wedding Party: Choosing your wedding party should be a fun part of your wedding, and doing it early means you can have some additional help during the planning process. Think about who you want standing by your side on your wedding day and someone who can help with the planning process. Once you know who you wish to have at your wedding party, have fun asking them to participate in your big day.
Guests: Before looking at venues, you will want to decide whether to have a large wedding or a micro wedding. A guest list will help you narrow down venues as well as help determine your budget and how much will need to be allocated for each section.
Venue: Once you have a date, next is choosing a venue. When selecting a venue, consider whether your wedding will take place indoors or outdoors and if you want in-house catering or catering from a vendor. Without a venue, you may be unable to book specific vendors, so it is essential to start planning a list of potential venues and then visit them.
Vendors: Aftering deciding everything above, you can start looking for vendors. This is not the first thing you do because many vendors will need to know the date and venue before they can give you a quote. During this time, you will also need to prioritize what vendors you want and what vendors you can spend less on.
Planning a wedding takes time and sometimes can seem more overwhelming than exciting. Take planning one step at a time so you can control the overwhelming feeling that comes with the process. Being organized will also be a key player in planning your wedding. Consider starting an email specifically for wedding planning and a notebook to help keep track of ideas, budgets, etc.
If you looked at this and still need to figure out where to start, that is ok! Our team is full of talented professionals to help guide you through what will be one of the most exciting parts of your life. Check out our Instagram to see some of our past weddings and how we helped other couples have their dream wedding. If you are interested in working with our team, check out the packages we offer for our couples or schedule a complimentary consultation.
