So you’re engaged – congratulations! It’s a wonderful time for you both! You feel full of excitement and joy, surrounded by love from friends and family, and then you start to think about planning your wedding… If that thought seems overwhelming and stops you in your tracks then don’t panic! These top tips can help you get started and enjoy your wedding planning journey.
1. Budget budget budget
First things first – how much money can you both, are you willing to, spend on your wedding? It’s no good starting your married life buried under debt stress, so take some time with your partner to go through your finances and set a budget.
Having a clear idea of what you can afford will help you at every stage of the planning process. If you’d like a hand in working out your budget, I offer budget planning and management in my full planning package.
2. Sort the guest list
This task is one of the most challenging ones to tackle, but it’s best to do this at the start! For example, if you’re planning an intimate wedding of 50 guests, you don’t want to book a huge venue that your guests and décor will get lost in. Equally, you won’t be able to cram your 100 guests into a room that only seats 30!
I would recommend making an initial draft of your guest list together, listing everyone you and your partner think you want or should have at your wedding. Then narrow it down afterwards to the people you both deeply care about and want to see on your special day.
I’ve recently started listening to the Bridechilla podcast with Aleisha McCormack and she does an excellent episode on ‘obligation guests’ – people who are invited to weddings because the couple feel they need to invite them, even if they haven’t met them before or spoken to them in years.
These guests can push your guest list count up and over your budget, or out of range for your ideal venue. So, once you’ve got an initial draft of your guest list, keep this in mind and edit your list until you’re both happy with everyone who will attend your big day. P.S. – Go check out the podcast: www.thebridechilla.com/hello-bridechilla-podcast.
3. Pin down your style
Weddings are magical when your personalities shine through the wedding décor. Choose a colour scheme for your wedding that you both love, and think about any personal elements you want to add to the wedding. Creating a consistent theme throughout your wedding day will help your wedding look beautiful, and will help guide your planning process e.g. flower colours, decoration ideas, table centre pieces.
With my full planning package I can help you determine your wedding vision and develop a theme that suits you.
4. Snazzy stationery
Personally, I can’t get enough stationery items… folders, cute pens, notebooks – I want it all. But it’s not just about having pretty things.
When planning a wedding, it’s important to have a plan written down for what you want to complete by when. Keep a folder of your vendor notes and invoices, and make sure to note down when any payments are due. If you choose stationery that excites you, you might be encouraged to keep your paperwork in order!
If you need help with this, my full planning and partial planning packages include payment schedule reviews and vendor contract management.
5. Make sure to have fun!
In all the planning, you can forget about what is most important – that at the end of the day you will be married to the person you’re absolutely smitten with. Remember to take a step back out of wedmin mode and spend time with your loved one away from wedding-talk.
If you would like some extra advice and help with planning your wedding, then I am here to help. Get in touch and see what I can do for you, or have a look at my services by clicking here.
