As you’ve probably figured out by now, the wedding world can get a little overwhelming. Lots of choices, lots of unknowns, and a ton of voices talking at you while you’re just trying to create the wedding you want. Stress seems inevitable, but it’s really not. You just need a guide to help you focus. As a wedding planner, here is a wedding planning checklist on how I start planning a wedding and keep my clients on track. The bonus is that this will keep wedding stress and overwhelm away.
Let’s get started…
1.Set a budget.
I start here first and foremost and will not move to the next step until this one is determined. It is your foundation of all your decisions.
2.Select a wedding date.
When deciding your date, take some time to contact your family to see if the date works for all key people involved. Also, check the local events calendar for large community happenings. If the hotels are full due to these events, that is not ideal for your out-of-town guests staying for your wedding.
3.Prepare your guest list.
With your budget in mind, start gathering a list from both sides to see how many people you just could not foresee your wedding day without.
4.Decide on your wedding style.
I like to define a wedding style as something that describes a wedding’s look and feel. Often times a wedding style is an adjective – modern, elegant, vintage, rustic, etc. A wedding style is a necessary part of wedding planning because it helps you to define all the other elements of your wedding – venue, decor, type of reception, and so on. Your wedding style will also help you when trying to convey to your vendors what your wedding vision is. Trust me on this – you absolutely want to define your wedding style!
5.Secure a ceremony site and reception venue.
When choosing a venue, research will only take you so far. Visiting a space is a necessity to see the realistic view of the venue and what it offers. Besides taking into account all the logistics like how many can be accommodated, the cost etc., also take notice about how you personally feel in a venue, whether the overall aesthetic adheres to the type of event you want to host and how you want to celebrate.
6.Hiring your wedding vendors.
These key people are going to bring your wedding to life and make lasting memories of it. It’s such an important day and so personal that it’s important to have the very best. You’re spending a lot of money on these elements and much more money than any event or party you will ever have, so you want to make sure that you have good people and you’re happy with them.
Here is a list for you to start with:
- Wedding planner and/or day-of-coordinator
- Photographer
- Caterer
- Florist
- Cake Designer or Bakery
- Music Entertainment
- Videographer
- Officiant
- Hair Stylist
- Make Up Artist
7.Select your wedding attire.
Do your research. Before you even begin to look around and research gowns. You should always have a bit of knowledge about dresses (and know some of the lingo) before you even set foot into a bridal shop. Otherwise, you are just going to feel overwhelmed by the amount of choices that will abound you. Start with some bridal magazines that will provide a ton of information, including Brides, Modern Bride, Bridal Guide, Wedding Bells, etc. All of these magazines have websites, where you can find quick information without paying for the magazine, too.
8.Wedding design & details.
There is a reason that this is the very last. I encourage you to not get ahead of yourself with this list. Trust me that design and details with fall easily into place once you have worked through the other items on the list. It will prevent wedding overwhelm if this isn’t started too soon.
If all this sounds too time-consuming and overwhelming, there is always the option of hiring a professional wedding planner to guide you from start to finish, assist you where you are at or just help with your wedding logistics as a day-of-coordinator.
Planning a wedding doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you have questions and don’t know if a planner is right for you, give me a call and let’s discuss how you need to get started.
