10 Tips for Wedding Planning

1. SET A BUDGET

I know this has been suggested by EVERYONE. But seriously it is important to sit down with your fiancé and determine a budget. Now while it is important to have an overall budget you really need to itemize all the areas of your wedding. Before you start booking vendors you need to determine what percent of your total budget you will spend on each area. You don’t want to book your venue and florist only to realize you don’t have enough left for a caterer. 

2. Have a Timeline

I speak from personal experience on this one. YOU NEED TO HAVE A TIMELINE. We didn’t have a timeline for our wedding and people were constantly asking us questions. We felt rushed from one thing to the next trying to fit everything in and even missed taking photos of just the two of us. One of the reasons to have a timeline is that your wedding day run smoother when everyone knows when things are supposed to happen. This also keeps people from asking you questions all day and allows you to relax (as much as you can on your wedding day ;). When you take the time to plan this all ahead of time you can sit back on your wedding day and let things happen. 

 3. Talk to Your Photographer about Your Timeline

Now you have your timeline next it is important to consult your photographer and other vendors. Now you can find a lot of great timeline on the internet for free and adjust it to your wedding. However I would encourage you to talk to your vendors. While you know all the details of your day and what you want your vendors are professionals. Many vendors have done hundreds of weddings and can give you some tips and suggestions for how long to allow for certain parts of your day. We love sitting down with our couples and helping them layout their time line with photography in mind. We love to make sure your day has enough buffer to not feel rushed and to make room for the photos you want from your wedding.

4. Consider Everything Included with Venues

When looking at venues, look at all the details before making your decision. While one location may cost less upfront you need to consider what is included. What starts as a cheap location may end up very expensive when you add renting chairs, tables, bathrooms, and linens. Also consider if you want to deal with more vendors and more things to arrange. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when looking at venues. Does a vendor offer a onsite person for the day of the wedding or will they setup the tables and chairs for your reception for you?

 

5. Don’t Wait Too Long to Get Your Marriage License

Make sure to research how long it takes to obtain a marriage license in the county where you are getting married.  Some states take a while to receive your license and have extra requirements. While other state you can get a license the same day you apply. So take the time to know how far in advance you need to start the process.

 6. Prepare Your Details

Do as much as you can before the day of your wedding! The more you can prepare before hand the smoother your day will go and the more you can focus on just enjoying yourself. One thing you can easily prepare ahead of time is setting aside everything for your detail shots for your photographer. By putting everything aside, your photographer can get right to shooting your details and get those items back to you. When preparing this think of anything you would like a photo of or any small pieces of you outfit. We usually encourage our brides to think jewelry, shoes, your wedding bands, engagement ring, wedding invitation suite, and perfume.

7. Have a Weather Plan

 While everyone hopes for beautiful sunny wedding day sometimes that doesn’t happen. Make sure to take the time to consider what will happen if you it rains or snows. What if your outdoor ceremony gets rained out? Is there a backup inside location or a tent that can be setup? Do you have an umbrella you can use for portraits ?

 8. Have a Go to Person

The last thing you want on your wedding day is to be answering everyone’s questions, especially the silly ones. Delegate someone you trust to be the point person for the day. Tell this person all the details like when vendors should arrive and where they should setup. This person should also be able to make small decision on your behalf if day of adjustment need to happen. Make sure they have a copy of your timeline.

9.Expect for something to go wrong

 Okay so hear me out, EVERY wedding we have been to something doesn’t go as planned. It could be the cater is behind schedule, the Maid of Honor can’t figure out the bustle, the cake is melting or there is a drone demonstration outside your venue. You can plan for most things but usually there is something that doesn’t go as planned.

But in all of these real life examples it got worked out and the day went beautifully. It is normal and on your wedding day it important to set your focus on your fiancé. When you look back you’ll laugh and it will be a memory from your wedding day or if you’re lucky you won’t even know it happened 😉 

10. Plan for Food Throughout your Wedding Day

While we are sure you spent a significant amount of time planning what you are serving at your reception, that is not the only meal you will be eating on your wedding day. It is important to consider what you will have for breakfast and lunch on your wedding day. Often these happen while you are getting ready and we find brides are so excited and focused on getting ready that they forget to eat.

We always recommend our brides to have at least a small snack before getting into their dress. However sometimes they don’t always have something available and we do keep snacks on hand for ourselves for the day of the wedding and have shared with our brides on an occasion or two. But it is always better to plan ahead and have easy mess free options on hand. Some snacks we recommend to our brides are granola bars, clear beverages, protein bars, fruit snacks, and bananas. And don’t forget to drink water!!