Weddings are an incredible experience, both for yourself as a couple, and for guests! Guests are immersed in your wedding weekend, from the welcome drinks, to the final dance. But, as you start the wedding planning journey, it can be a bit overwhelming to start. I have compiled my tried & true steps for newly engaged couples to follow so your wedding planning is easy, breezy. Whether you are dreaming up a destination affair, or a wedding close to home, I hope these will help inspire!
Celebrate!
Yes, they may seem like a given, but you would be surprised at how many couples dive head first into wedding planning the day they get engaged. Take a breath. Enjoy & savor the first couple of days because you have decided to make a lifetime commitment to each other! This is a big deal & time to celebrate with your closest family & friends. Wedding planning will be there for you, I promise.
Set An Appropriate Budget
The first step in wedding planning is to set a budget. This will help you determine what type of wedding you can have and what items are most important to you. It is important to be realistic about how much money you can spend and not go into debt for your big day. Your budget should be about YOU and what you want your wedding to be.
It’s important to create your own budget based on the items that are most important to you. For example, if your wedding photography & videography is so important to you (and I think it should be!), you might decide to dedicate a bigger budget to your photographer. If the food is really important to you, you might splurge for an extra amazing caterer. It’s up to you! You don’t need every single thing. You just need quality vendors for those must-haves!
Choose Who Will Be In Your Bridal Party
I always recommend determining your bridal party because this will help you determine the size of your wedding. When choosing your bridal party, consider siblings first. Will it hurt someone’s feelings if I don’t include my future sister-in-law? Next, with friends, consider will you be friends with them in 5 years? If yes, then add them to your bridal party. Also, be mindful of budget, reliability, feelings, and personalities.
Set A Date By Booking Your Wedding Venue
Until you book your wedding venue, your date cannot be set. Therefore, you cannot chat with photographers, videographers, wedding coordinators, florists, djs, caterers, hair and makeup and any other wedding vendors yet. They will all need to check their availability for your wedding date. Most wedding venues require a signed contract & 50% deposit to lock in your date. This is why we determine your wedding budget before deciding on a wedding venue. You will know how much you are able to spend. On average, most couples spend 10-30% of their wedding budget on their wedding venue.
Find Your Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Until you book your wedding venue, your date cannot be set. Therefore, you cannot chat with photographers, videographers, wedding coordinators, florists, djs, caterers, hair and makeup and any other wedding vendors yet. They will all need to check their availability for your wedding date. Most wedding venues require a signed contract & 50% deposit to lock in your date. This is why we determine your wedding budget before deciding on a wedding venue. You will know how much you are able to spend. On average, most couples spend 10-30% of their wedding budget on their wedding venue.
Find Your Wedding Photographer & Videographer
What are the two things you get to take away from your wedding day? Photo and video. This is why it’s so important to reach out to your preferred wedding photographer & videographer next. Wedding photographers & videographers book out 2-3 years in advance. When choosing a wedding photographer & videographer, it’s important to like their editing style, but more important, to like their personality. Besides your future husband/wife, you will be spending the majority of your wedding day with these vendors. It’s important that you trust them and feel at ease. You will also most likely be wanting engagement photos done for your save the dates. Most Likely, Your wedding photographer will include a complimentary session when you book them.
Relax!
You just did some major heavy lifting, but now it’s time to relax! You will now have plenty of time to figure out the rest of your wedding planning. Remember, it’s called YOUR wedding for a reason. Plan accordingly.
