Life is crazy busy and now you’re engaged,  congratulations on your engagement, and you want it to be fun and simple but it feels… daunting?  Let’s removed the overwhelm and talk through practical starting steps and giving you a clear plan of action, you can successfully plan your dream wedding without sacrificing your life.

While these steps are “simple” they take action steps that might take time… like this first one.

1. The terrifying ‘Budget”, while there are some out there who aren’t worried about this, mass majority this is huge and the place to start.  Sit down.  Write down not what you want your wedding to be but how much you want to spend, the max amount you will spend and when you’re coming up with a number: I suggest using AI or google to look up what your area average wedding costs.  This question is one that will need to be discussed, possibly with a glass of wine. Consider how much you and your partner can comfortably spend on your wedding without going into debt. Knowing your budget will help you make informed decisions about everything from venue to catering.

2. Pull out the calendar!  Do you want a long engagement or short?  What time of year?  I’d suggest you pick out a few dates that might work unless you are ok with your date limiting your options with other vendors.  Things to consider: work and best times of year, family/friends, do you want a wedding outdoors?, some venues offer discounts for Monday or Thursday weddings: would you consider that?, if you have your heart set on a venue or vendor, ask their availability in the season you are considering.

3. The best of the best sir!  The scary guest list.  I suggest this before you look at venues because if your list matters most to you this will limit the venues that are available to you.  When making your list your budget also needs to inform where you cut the list off, the greatest cost of your wedding will be guest count.  A thought I place out to my couples if you wouldn’t buy them a $150 birthday present then maybe they shouldn’t make the cut.

4. Get Pinterested: Sit down with your partner and talk about feel.  Ask: what is most important to you?  What do you want to have be the feel?  This can be a theme or colors or it can be a vibe or focus.  But getting clear on intention can help inform where to go from there, plus it can be a very fun date if you let it 😀

5. GET HELP!!  If you really want to have a stress free wedding and spend the least amount of money: Hire a wedding planner: (if you’re curious on more reason why I say this, check out my article on the top reasons to hire a wedding planner). Wedding planners are the quarterback to your coach, they are the teacher to your principle.  They can help you in as much or little as you want.  If you want help on the best ways to find a perfect wedding planner for you, check out this article

6. ALL THE HELP!  Choose vendors: again if you have your heart set on a vendor you will want to check with them about availability before you start picking your date but if you don’t then at this point with your date set it is time to start looking at who will be with you.  If you have hired a wedding planner they can be extremely helpful on pointing out wedding vendors that would be great for your needs.  When finding a venue:  Keep in mind your  budget, date, and guest list in mind, start searching for a venue that fits your needs. Consider factors such as location, capacity, and amenities. When hiring a wedding photographer there can be a lot of questions that come to mind if you wonder “how much should I invest in my wedding photography” you’re not alone,  that article walks through the answer.

If you don’t and you want more help with finding the perfect vendors feel free to book a free consultation and I will help you with referrals for your wedding!

7. Get Artsy!   With your guest list finalized, order invitations that match your wedding’s theme and style. Make sure to include important details such as dress code, directions to the venue, and RSVP information.

8. Plan the details: In the weeks leading up to your wedding, finalize details such as seating arrangements, menu selections, and music choices.

9. Remember to have fun: The whole reason this started was to celebrate your love story.  Wedding planning can become a lot very quickly.  Have grace for yourself and find things you can enjoy along the way and protect your peace.  If you get help from professional/established/service based vendors you can not only have help on referrals and along the way but you can also on your big day, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. And let them handle the logistics, so you can focus on making memories with your loved ones.

Wedding planning can be a daunting task, take your time and give yourself grace.  Your wedding doesn’t have to fit another person’s box, it is about your and your partner’s desire.  If you ask each other a lot of questions in the beginning and do the hard money talk at the start you can avoid a lot of even harder talks later. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If you’re feeling lost in your planning process, book your free consultation today!