Newly engaged? It’s time to start planning your wedding! You’re no doubt excited to move on to your newest venture, but you might be wondering where to start. For seamless wedding coordination, follow these expert wedding planning tips.
Figure out the When
Are there any seasons, holidays, and major events to consider before finalizing the big day? Are there certain times of the year you consider “wedding blackout dates” or holidays that you definitely want to avoid?
The traditional busy wedding seasons also impact your budget. Summer remains the most popular season, followed closely by fall. Choosing an off-season date might be the better option, and it still gives you endless options for wedding planning. Picking a date during a busy time of the year requires more advanced planning. Keep that in mind to ensure you work with the vendors you want.
Decide on the Where
What kind of wedding do you want? Will it be rustic, modern, or a greenhouse garden? The location of your wedding venue sets the overall tone of the wedding. There are several helpful ways to find a unique wedding venue.
Your guest list affects your venue options. From a big gala or intimate reception—venues all have different capacities. Savvy wedding planning tips include researching a number of spaces to find the one that checks off all the boxes on your list.
Don’t Forget about the Two of You
Don’t forget that your wedding is about the two of you. It’s not about sacrificing individual hopes and dreams of the perfect wedding, but meeting in the middle. What aspects of the wedding are the most important to the both of you?
Talk openly with your partner about each other’s wants to make choices you’ll both be happy with. Make a list of what you both want, then compromise as necessary.
Delegate If You Can
You don’t need to do it all alone! You and your partner can enlist the help of friends and family —even a wedding planner—to plan the big day. Trying to manage every last detail solo will leave you burned out.
Let your family members and friends help where they can, and try not to micromanage when they do. You never know what ideas they’ll bring to the table.
Book Early
The average wedding planning timeline is 12 months long, which will go by faster than you think. Stay organized and keep everything on track, with either an old-fashioned excel spreadsheet or a wedding planning app.
Create a list of caterers and venues, in case the first choice is no longer available. Booking rooms and hiring a photographer—these are just some tasks you don’t want to delay. Why save it for the end when you can get this done today? The earlier you start booking parts of your wedding, the less stressed you’ll be closer to the date.
Set the Budget
How much does the average wedding cost today? More than you think. One of the hardest, yet most important, tasks of wedding planning is nailing down how much you have to spend.
Discuss with your partner how much you’re willing to spend on each part, from the vendor and caterer to the linens and cutlery. Setting the budget first makes it easier to prioritize costs, allocate money properly, and keep expectations in check.
Keep Social Media in Check
The new rules of wedding etiquette have changed with the advent of technology—it’s one of the newer wedding planning tips. Show a little tact and give the important people a heads up on the engagement before spreading the news to all your followers.
There’s no need to share everything on social media—you may even choose not to share anything.
