You’re engaged (congrats!!) and now you’re starting the process of planning your wedding. While this is a very exciting time, I know from personal experience how daunting the first few steps can feel. If you’ve found yourself wondering, “where do I even begin?” then you’ll be really happy to have ended up here. As a former wedding planner, and current photographer, I have years and years of experience in the wedding world. I’ve put together a list of the first five things to consider at the very start of your wedding planning process. As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or just find me on insta and say hey! Let’s get into it…
1. Create a mood board + Set a budget
Ok, technically a mood board can come later. BUT they are so fun. They’ll help to get the inspiration flowing and give you an idea of what type of aesthetic you lean towards. When making a mood board (yes Pinterest is still amazing for this) I suggest gathering any image that speaks to you without analyzing why. You’ll be able to look at the entire board later and see common threads in the images you’ve pinned. This exercise isn’t just for fun – it will also help you search for vendors that best achieve the aesthetic you’re drawn to.
The second part to this tip is to set a budget. Don’t panic! You can always adjust the budget as you dive deeper into planning. You don’t need to know how much everything costs just yet. But starting off with an idea of what you are willing to spend will be really helpful once you start contacting vendors. Setting a budget will help you and your partner have important conversations about your wedding and encourage you to get on the same page about what you value most for your wedding day. As you start to reach out to vendors it will be really helpful to confidently know what you are and are not willing to spend.
2. Hire a wedding planner
Wedding planners are actual angels on earth. I could write for days about why they are the MVP’s of every wedding day. If you have it within your budget to hire one, do not waste any more time wondering whether or not you should. They are worth it 100% of the time. A planner will make your life so much easier during the planning process and they will give you invaluable insight into the flow and logistics of a wedding day. Not to mention, during the actual wedding, they will handle every single question or problem that arises. This alone is worth having a planner. Hire one immediately.
3. Create a guest list
Having your guest list figured out ahead of time (even if it’s a rough idea) will help with the next item on this list. You’ll want to have an estimate of how many people will be in attendance as it can potentially limit your options of venues. If you know you’re having a larger wedding, some venues will not be able to accommodate you’re higher guest count. Knowing this ahead of time will immediately rule out certain venues, and help narrow down your search.
4. Choose a venue
Venues get snagged pretty quickly. They also determine so many other wedding planning decisions. They are the foundation of your day and will influence the design, what food your serve, what season you get married in, your dress, the color palette, what drinks you serve, and which vendors you work with. Find your venue and you will have a jumping off point for so many other decisions.
5. Choose your date
Notice this comes after choosing your venue. This isn’t critical, but if you keep your date flexible while looking for a venue you’ll have a better chance of snagging an open date. When choosing your date consider the change in seasons and how your venue will look at each time. If you’re in love with a venue for their gorgeous gardens, you’ll want to avoid the seasons where the flowers are dormant. If you love a venue for their gorgeous outdoor ceremony site, consider you might not get to use it if it’s winter. During your site visit, come prepared with a list of questions and don’t be afraid to ask!
Final words of encouragement
I don’t want you to leave a “how to” post without a final thought about wedding planning. Despite what our culture tells us, weddings do not need to be stressful. It is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed at the thought of planning an entire wedding. For sure. BUT do not let stress steal your joy. The wedding industry is full of professionals that genuinely care and want to help. We all want you to have a successful and smooth event. Reach out to vendors and ask questions. Find vendors that you feel connected to and comfortable with. We are more than happy to guide and encourage you throughout the planning process.
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