Planning a wedding can be an extremely stressful process. There are so many decisions to make, and it’s all happening in such a short time frame. We want this article to help you plan your wedding in 10 easy steps, without the stress! Let’s get started!
Step 1: Set Your Priorities
The most important things to address first when planning a wedding are your budget, venue location, and date. You should set these factors as top priorities because they’re the most determining of what you can spend on everything else throughout the planning! Once you’ve got those three pinned down, come back to us.
Know how much money you have to spend on your wedding
A wedding budget is an essential element in the planning process, so it should be one of the first things you address. If any family members will be paying, discuss their budgets with them.
If you’re paying for it yourself, it’s time to have a serious look at your finances. When it comes to really budget for your wedding day, many couples are shocked by the total cost of their plans. Once you’ve found that magic number, stick to it!
Choose a time frame for when you want your wedding day to be
Choose a few ideal dates for your wedding and be flexible if possible so that you are not restricted when it comes to booking the wedding venue and vendors.
Consider external factors such as how popular those dates may be for other couples planning weddings (making availability limited and costs higher), whether the dates would be tough for your guests to attend, and if venues or providers change prices throughout the year.
Find venues in that area/time frame within your price range
Before you put your name on the dotted line, check out the costs, packages, and any limitations (including minimum budget spend or guest count) at a few different potential wedding and reception locations.
Even if you’ve found a venue and a price that you like, keep looking at additional reviews. Before deciding on a price, inquire about the costs of other venues.
Step 2: Research Your Vendors
When it comes to arranging wedding vendors, it’s vital not to make any hasty judgments. To ensure that your important wedding day partners understand your goals and can work within your constraints, consider at least a few different options.
Vendors for a wedding are the nuts and bolts of making your day truly unforgettable, so make sure they’re people with whom you genuinely click. They should have a good feel for your vision and be able to trust them to carry them out effectively.
Wedding vendors include:
- Photographers
- Caterers
- Florists
- Musicians/DJs
- Stylists & Makeup professionals
- Tailors
- And more
Step 3: Decide on a Wedding Style
Start by looking for a variety of wedding inspiration on Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, trustworthy wedding sites, and begin researching. Having a thorough knowledge of the kind of wedding you want is really beneficial once you start meeting with potential vendors.
Don’t get overwhelmed by all of the wedding inspiration available. Creating a Pinterest board—or, better yet, a visual collage on a cork or poster board—can help you figure out what sort of style and feel you desire while also keeping you on track with your bigger vision.
Step 4: Select a Wedding Theme
Whether it’s unique wedding colors, seasonal trends, or style inspiration, picking a theme to guide your wedding design can be beneficial.
When you have a design concept, it’s much simpler to make aesthetic judgments, and generally, everything appears more cohesive.
Step 5: Start on your Guest List
Choosing who to invite to your wedding can be a difficult process, and it will mostly rely on your venue and budget. Make a guest list wish list with your spouse and most important family members. You’ll probably need to make some cuts. You’ll also want to figure out whether you want kids and who will get a plus one.
Step 6: Hire a Wedding Officiant
Finding the appropriate officiant for your wedding might be a highly personal experience for couples. Whatever you pick will not only impact the event, but will also usher you into your marriage, establishing the tone for the rest of your lives together.
If you’re hiring a marriage officer (rather than hiring a friend or family member to officiate), it’s critical to do your homework, obtain feedback or recommendations, and ask the relevant questions, such as whether personalizations are permitted and how disruptions would be handled.
Step 7: Design & Send Out Wedding Invitations
As soon as you’ve decided on your wedding style and secured the venue, start planning your wedding stationery. For a destination wedding, save-the-date cards are generally sent out nine months before the wedding date, whereas for local weddings, they are usually sent out four to six months prior.
At six to eight weeks before the wedding, you should get feedback from your invites. To avoid any last-minute snags, request that replies be received no later than a month before the event.
Step 8: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Don’t forget: You’re not on your own. Your bridal party, family members, and soon-to-be spouse are all eager to assist in whatever way is most effective for them. But you must ask questions—and occasionally delegate duties.
Delegating duties is especially critical on the big day when you’ll need extra hands to handle things that you can’t do alone, such as distributing cheques to providers. You should never feel bad about asking as long as you’re also sensitive to their right to decline if they so choose.
Step 9: The Wedding Attire
Finding the ideal wedding dress may be a difficult task in and of itself. We recommend starting your search nine months before the wedding day and completing the purchase at least six months before to allow for fittings and modifications.
Shopping for wedding party outfits should start seven to eight months before the wedding date, while groom and groomsmen attire can be planned around the five-month mark. Remember that you’ll need clothing for any pre-wedding parties, such as brunches, showers, and rehearsals.
Step 10: Enjoy Your Big Day
Feel the love—you’re getting married! Don’t worry about the small stuff. What is most likely to catch visitors’ attention? A couple who is overwhelmed with last-minute details, no doubt.
When the big day arrives, try to unwind and enjoy all of the wonderful moments with your loved ones. It will go by in a flash, ask any married couple.
