First things first:
You're engaged! Congrats!
Now what?!
There are so many things to think about when it comes to planning a wedding. Here are my suggestions on good places to start.
- Notebook: Acquire a wedding notebook. You can buy these already made, or use a 3 ring binder to create your own. Obtain tabs for sections, checklists and clear plastic sheet covers for pictures you find in magazines or online that you want to have on hand. You want all your information and ideas to go in the same place...disorganization will only bring chaos! And make sure you USE your notebook! It is better to have your notebook jam-packed with ideas verses to skimpy to help. It might just turn out to be your best friend during this planning process!
- Date: Decide when you want to get married! 4 months, 6 months, a year from now? Decide that first and then start looking at dates. Avoid major holidays if possible (it will cost more), and don't plan to get married the week after finals (you'll have enough stress already!).
- Location: I don't mean picking a church or vendor, but more so the town/area. Do you want to get married close to home? An exotic vacation spot?
- Budget: The most important thing to determine first is who is going to be paying for the wedding. You and your man? Your parents? His parents? If it is the two of you, start thinking about how much money you have saved already and how much you can save every month starting then (20%) is a good figure. Things might be tight, but it's' worth it. If it is either set of parents, it is a good idea to sit down with them and have a conversation about how much they are willing to invest. Yes, it will be awkward, but it needs to be done. Just remember to smile and remain respectful, even if you don't agree with something they've said!
- Attendants: Choose which men, ladies and children you want on stage with you for your big day. Keep in mind that the people you choose will be representing you. You may want to steer clear of the party girls and frat guys, unless of course they truly are your best friend in the whole wide world. You want people who reflect your morals and who will be helpful to you during the planning process. The last thing you want to be doing is fighting with a bridesmaid over what shade of purple looks better on her!
- Gown: The guideline is to order your dress 6 months in advance if possible, so start shopping! Do research online ahead of time and get a few pictures in your head of what you want your gown to look like, and which wedding shops carry those styles. Make sure you take a trusted companion with you who will provide honest yet loving criticism. Have her (or him) keep a list of which gowns you liked from where, and which styles looked best (or worst).
- Envision: Start to envision what you want your perfect day to look like. Start with color schemes and go from there. The colors yo
u choose will effect every other aspect of design, so make sure you choose colors you actually like, not just that you saw someone else have. You do NOT want to be changing your mind half way through the process. Also, think about what type of wedding you want; modern, romantic, exotic, traditional...these things will effect color schemes as well. Themes, or motifs, will help as well. Do you want an outdoor or indoor wedding? Country club or church? All of these things need to be thought about now, rather than later.- Guest list: As grueling as this process is, the sooner you start the easier it will be. Make a general list and see what the numbers are. If you must start cutting people, it is suggested that you list guests by priority. Place a number 1-3 besides each guests/couples name; 1 being they must be there (ie, family, best friends, etc) and 3 being you could possibly go without. Then start eliminations with the 3s.
- Bring in the big guns: Last but not least, decide if you have enough in your budget to hiring a wedding coordinator/planner. There are different levels of involvement that most planners allow you to choose from, so do your research on how much it will cost for how much. Also, some churches/venues might have a wedding consultant on staff that is included in the price, so if you are considering a venue make sure to ask about that as this could help save you money. I planned my wedding by myself, but that is why I am the one typing this blog...not everyone can handle the stress (and trust me, you will have stress with our without a planner)! If you think/know you can do it yourself, kudos to you! Just make sure you enlist trusted friends and family to do some of the work for you. If you are a perfectionist like me, it will be hard to let go, but it will also be easier on your sanity in the end.
That's all I have for now! This first post is a little more generalized than the rest will be. More specific information will coming for each item listed a little later. Good luck starting your planning!
