You’re engaged, you’re excited, and you’re ready to get going. But where do you start first? While some of the big stuff can be tackled with the help of your wedding planner, sometimes when you’re sitting in front of the TV at night it would be nice to be able to plug away on a wedding task while you’re feeling motivated.
Take a look at 6 ideas of things you can accomplish for your wedding NOW to make planning LATER easier. And keep an eye out for part II for the complete list!
Photos by Kayla Sue Collections
1. Family Photo Lists
Make lists of all the groupings for family photos to make it easier for your photographer to capture and any special moments you would be crushed if they were missed, so your photographers know your priorities.
Take a look at the Wedding Photo Guide in the button below for full worksheets to help you develop a complete list of photos so your photographer can make sure to capture all the photos you are hoping for, and more!
Photo by Narvold Photography
2. Decide on Speakers for Toasts
Who will speak at the actual reception? We suggest no more than 3-4 speakers. What order will they speak in? Will anyone speak at the rehearsal dinner? Give this some thought and make a list now.
Click the button below to read our Wedding Toast Guide to make sure you can get all your ducks in a row when it comes to thoughtful, successful wedding toasts.
Photo by Savannah Steiger Photography
3. Make Your Wedding Website
Starting your wedding website EARLY will help simplify your to-do list when it’s time to send invitations. Tweak it, enjoy it, and make sure to look through our checklist below to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Photos by O&B Photo Co
4. Write Your Vows
This is the perfect time to think about gratitude and why you love your partner. Don’t wait until the last minute – now that you have the time, spend some of it really crafting your vows if you’ll be saying your own.
Photo by Kailey Stencil Photography
Do Your Online Registry
Want a fun break? Decide on where you are going to register – and then get shopping! Yes, you can do more than one place. Yes, there are aggregators like Zola that will allow you to pick gifts from a bunch of different websites. And yes – there are sites where you can ask your guests to donate rather than buy you gifts if you already have a pretty set household. My favorite is The Good Beginning: https://thegoodbeginning.com/
Below, click on the button to be directed to Jessica Dum’s The Ultimate Wedding Registry Guide, which will help you make sure you have a complete registry.
Photos by Anya Kubilus Photography
6. Plan Those "Smaller" Celebrations
Now is the time to do all that research for those additional parties – the welcome party, rehearsal dinner, after party, next day brunch, or other creative ideas. While restaurants and bars might not be open for you to call and gather info, I guarantee you they will be more than happy to hear you want to book them in the future, and having extra time can allow for vendors being available on your wedding weekend.
Photo by Kailey Stencil Photography
Stay Tuned for Part II!
We’ve got the rest of the tasks you can take care of in our next blog, Part II! Click on the button below. For now, we hope these task ideas have gotten you inspired and excited for your wedding, and has allowed you to get ahead on some necessary wedding planning steps while you’re feeling motivated.