Congrats, you’re engaged! Now what?!
Oh my gosh- CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so happy for you and your beginning to your happy ever after.
But now what?!
Oh...my...gosh. Uh...
Ya you may be overwhelmed once your excitement settles, but it's okay! Take a deep breath....and relax. Here are a few tips and tricks that will answer some of your big questions. As always, feel more than welcome to contact me for any questions!
To start, I could put the first tip as "Get a wedding planner". BUT what if we don't have the money for it?! Totally okay. You can do it yourself. And I'm not just saying that. I didn't have the money to put toward a professional planner, so I did it myself!
7 Steps to Plan Your Dream Wedding
Figure out your Budget & Include your Partner
First thing is first. How much do you want to spend? Write this down, then write down what vendors you want at your wedding (officiant, DJ, photographer, flowers, dress, shoes, groom tux, bridesmaid accessories & dress, cake, centerpieces, venue cost, etc). It is helpful to also budget each item individually.
Even better, find a wedding planning spreadsheet to help you figure out how much to spend on each vendor.
Make sure your partner is involved in the process (or figure out what they don’t want to be involved in). Decide if you’ll both be in charge of booking vendors, or just one of you. If you’re both in charge, make sure to schedule all of your vendor meetings together so you can both decide. Most vendors book you on the consult, so make sure both parties are there to help solidify the decision and get a vendor checked off your list!
2. Start scouting venues
Figure out where you want the wedding. A barn? A church? A garden? Where do you see yourself getting married? This should be done a 1-2 years out from your wedding date, but I had a short time span (and also a small wedding) and found a venue about 4 months before my wedding.
Keep in mind that May, September, October, and sometimes November are the hottest months. We typically book our clients out from 1.5 years ahead of time for these months and so do venues. Wedding dates go faster than you think!
Once you figure out what TYPE of venue you want, you have to figure out what specific one you want! Here are some things to look for in a venue:
-Wedding packages- Most venues have this. It usually is best to go with a package with chairs, tables, and decor, as these things add up very quickly and it’s a hassle you don’t want to be responsible for. Another thing to keep in mind is a DJ and photographer. Very few venues have these, so plan accordingly. If they DO include them, be very wary. We’ve seen some disasters happen with venue-included photographers and have redone many wedding photos for couples.
Some good websites to look on for vendors are weddingwire.com or theknot.com.
To note: If you are handy, you can easily make wedding decor yourself. This will largely cut down the costs. There are many cute wedding table centerpieces on pinterest.com! You can also cut down on floral costs this way, as flowers are very expensive.
3. TOUR the venues
I cannot stress this enough. Photography can make things look fantastic when they are not. Make sure the venue is something you really want by going to visit in person. We have had several clients love our photos at a specific venue, then go tour and find out it’s not what they really want.
4. Big 3 Vendors - Book ‘em!
Schedule your DJ, photographer, and catering. These are the “Big 3” vendors in the wedding industry that book up to 1.5 years out. (I’m writing this in Jan 2023 and we are booked through Dec 2024 for reference)
If you have given any other vendor priority, book them up front as well.
With our No Date/No Venue Program, you’re welcome to book with us at any time. You get first spot for dates, even in hot season, (super important considering we’re booking almost 2 years out), and get to plug in your chosen venue and date later with what would usually incur a fee, for absolutely free!
5. Take a Step Back
After you get everything scheduled, you need to focus on YOU. Don't stress, you got this. If you have a maid of honor or a close family member, have them help you manage wedding tasks to lessen the stress on you. Hire a day or month of coordinator if you have room in your budget!
6. The Final Details
Now is the fun part! Go get your dress, shoes, and accessories.
Of course each step is a little more drawn out, but just make some checklists and check each item off as you complete it. Assign different tasks to the groom, mother-in-law, or other close family or friends will help speed the process along.
Well, Congratulations!!! And I hope this helped work out some of your worries and questions.
As always, if you need anything, I'm only one message away!