I wanted to make sure this blog post is simple and straightforward, because organizing and planning a wedding is hard work. I want to make sure this is an easy and enjoyable read as you start planning your big day!
First off, congratulations! This is such a special season of your life, and I am just so happy I can be a part of it to celebrate you and your partner!
There are so many parts to planning a wedding, but today let’s focus on the timeline that will be so helpful for planning and coordinating your wedding. This timeline organizes when to have things set and stone to continue a smooth and stressfree transition from checklist to checklist. Okay, here we go!
1) Budget
There is no better way to start planning than knowing how much money you are putting aside for your wedding. Getting the budget out of the way will take so much stress off of you. After figuring this out, the fun part begins!
I think it is important to note that the amount of money put into the wedding does not determine if the wedding is succesful or not. I know so many people that had a lower budget than they would have liked and had the best time on their big day. No amount of money makes the day better or worse.
Here is a typical list of items that will help you when forming a budget:
Venue
Travel expenses
Wedding photographer/videographer
Catering/food/drinks
Wedding planner
Invitations
Amount of guest
Rehearsal dinner
Flowers
DJ/Music
Rentals (chairs,tables,tent)
Lights
Decorations
Party favors
Miscellaneous items
It is important to budget for unexpected things that happen. For example, you are renting a set of chairs and one breaks. You want to make sure that is covered in the expenses.
2) Style
This part is so fun! But I know a lot of brides and grooms take so much time and effort into figuring out what they want the style/theme to be. This is so important that all five senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste) are all cohesive and coordinated. Having a set style and sense of direction you want will help every other part fall into part.
Also, you don't have to settle on one specific style/theme, but it is a good idea to coordinate colors, patterns, and how you want the aesthetic to feel and be like.
Here are some example of the most popular styles/themes:
Traditional wedding
Bohemian wedding
Beach wedding
Garden & Outdoor wedding
Indoor wedding
Modern wedding
Nautical wedding
Rustic wedding
Seasonal wedding
Here is an example of a seasonal wedding:
We had the cutest couple do a seasonal bridal shoot at a local ski resort called Kelly Canyon. Because they love skiing and winter, we wanted to incoporate that in their pictures. Just look at how cute it turned out!
By narrowing down the style of wedding, you can more freely pick decorations, music, venue, etc. It opens up the endless opportunities to make your wedding day just what you want. It also relieves stress from so many choices! By narrowing this down, you can easily pick and choose the details that make your wedding day stand out.
3) Make a list
Make a list of everything you need to organize, buy, design, and delegate responsibilities. Having a set list of literally everything you could ever think of will help keep everything less stressful. I would also suggest getting close family and friends suggestions so that you don’t forget any big, small, and/or miscellaneous item.
We briefly mentioned this with the budget. However, this list is a lot more specific. It has the details of each item listed. It has the amount, where to find it, and amount needed. This is going to be so helpful when it comes down to crunch time trying to get everything transitioning smoothly.
Here are a few examples of what the list should include:
Guess List (seating list, special accommodations, etc.)
Venue details (rules/regulations that may need to be considered in planning)
Music List
Schedule of wedding day
Rentals
Decorations
Delivery Dates for rentals/bought items
List of questions/concerns (this can help with resolving any future problems)
So many of my clients share that these three tips helped them enjoy the wedding planning process. So let's get started!
What helped you plan your wedding? Comment below!