Recently engaged? Congrats! Take a moment, enjoy this exciting time in your relationship! If you're feeling overwhelmed about wedding planning, you're not alone.
With so many details to think about, it's easy to get lost in the planning process. But don't worry, we're here to help. In this blog post, we'll share some tips and tricks on how to get started with creating your budget and guest count - and choosing a date!
DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET
When it comes to wedding planning, one of the most important things to consider is your budget. Whether you’ve been saving for
this day for years, or have generous family that are willing to help out – weddings aren’t cheap! We fully believe that you can have the day of your dreams and make it work within your budget – but you need to keep your expectations in check. You may want the most extravagant, Pinterest worthy, jaw dropping wedding – but will your budget allow it?
We also always recommend having a contingency allowance in your budget for unexpected expenses – whether it be last minute umbrella purchases for a rainy ceremony, or extra last minute guests needing meals.
Being able to compromise on your must have vs your nice to have vendors, will make sure you stick within your limits. Remember that your wedding is unique, and just because you’ve seen it done at other weddings, doesn’t mean you have to have it at your own!
GUEST COUNT
One of the more difficult tasks when starting the wedding planning process is determining your guest count. The size of wedding that you want to have is also determined by your budget – a small, intimate wedding with family and close friends can be more budget friendly than an all out party with everyone you know.
We suggest sitting down with your partner and writing down everyone you would like to invite. That number may total to a guest count that’s perfectly doable within your budget! But if necessary, you may need to slowly chip away at this list to reduce your guest count down to a number that works for both of you.
You’ll also need to decide if you’re having a kid friendly or kid free wedding; are you allowing plus one’s; extended family or close family. Whatever you decide, don’t let other people sway your decision – unless they are helping finance the big day of course!
PICK YOUR DATE
12 – 18 months out is a great time frame to plan a wedding – it should give you plenty of time to research and confirm most of your wedding planning. But if you’re eager to walk down that aisle sooner, a wedding can be planned in less time – just be aware that you may have less choice of vendors and a bit more of a rushed timeline!
Now where that 12 – 18 month date falls is dependent on a few things – is there a special date that is important to both of you? This makes your decision pretty easy if your special date falls on a day that works for you! If you are flexible with the date, think about what season you’d like to hold your
wedding (check out our last blog post about why we think you should have a winter wedding!) Each season comes with it’s own pros and cons, so determine which time of year works best for your wedding vision.
If you have a dream venue in mind that you have your heart set on, your wedding date may be determined by their availability – many popular venues book over a year in advance! Additionally, your guest count will determine your venue choice.
HIRE A PLANNER!
We hope that these tips can give you a little bit of guidance when beginning the wedding planning journey – but if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, we can help! A planner can help ensure that no details are missed, and keep you on track from start to finish, being able to enjoy your day to the fullest. We offer full planning packages that can assist you from the get go – shoot us a message and we would love to chat with you!
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