Congratulations newly engaged couples! Your wedding planning is about to start, but where should you begin? Although the wedding planning process can be tedious and stressful, we are here with a few helpful tips about where to begin your planning! Start by cracking a bottle of wine and answering these 4 really important questions to get a basic idea of your and your fiancé’s dream wedding.
WHO is contributing to this wedding and how much?
Money talk is never easy, but it is crucial in order to build your special day. Establishing a realistic budget will allow you to make smart decisions when booking vendors. It is really important here to be honest with yourself and with your partner about how much you can afford to spend. Realistic budgets with set expectations and also help in determining how many guests you can afford to invite. Another tricky money situation: who is paying? If you parents are contributing to your day, it is important that their opinion counts, in part, when you are making decisions about spending.
Courtesy of Union Eleven Photography.
WHAT kind of wedding do you want to have?
Here is where you and your partner address stylistic elements and questions to dictate how your budge will be used and how many guests can be invited. Do you want a small ceremony or do you have a large family? Do you want the attire to be formal or more casual? This will help to narrow down a perfect venue or location. Do you want a scenic, outdoor ceremony or an indoor wedding? A backyard wedding may be charming, but it can be logistically more challenging than an indoor wedding at an established venue. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of these basic wedding details before diving into more!
Courtesy of Kennedy Event Planning.
WHEN: do you want your wedding to be?
Deciding on the season of your wedding will help to determine the style and theme of your wedding as well, for example, summer fun VS winter wonderland. Sit down and really figure out what year, month and day of the week that is perfect for you to host your wedding. Time of the wedding is important too! Hosting a daytime wedding instead of an evening wedding is a way to save on overall costs, like dinner.
Expert tip: some venues and vendors offer discounted pricing to couples looking to book off-season months or alternative week days!
Courtesy of Joel Bedford Photography.
WHERE: do you want your wedding to be?
In the same way that you decide the ‘what’ of your wedding, the ‘where’ is important in making future decisions. Would you like to stay local in your current town? Maybe travel to your hometown? A romantic destination? On the water? A church? Your parents’ backyard? A destination wedding? Are your ceremony and reception going to be held in the same place? Depending on the location of your ceremony, different marriage laws may apply, so don’t forget to look into those. It is important to educate yourself on the requirements for a marriage license based on your province or country of choice.
Courtesy of Union Eleven Photography.
Most importantly, have fun with your planning! This is going to be a very exciting time for you and your fiancé, so ENJOY the process together!
Happy Planning!
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