It’s all About the Planning When it Comes to Planning a Wedding!


Marriage is about a lifetime of love and commitment and weddings are a special day meant to be exciting and filled with love and enjoyment. So once the proposal has been accepted and celebrated, the fun begins! Now it’s all about the planning. But don’t be fooled, planning a wedding can be extremely hectic, time consuming and stressful.

Planning a wedding is something most brides (and some grooms) have been thinking and dreaming of for most of their lives. But often, what we imagine and dream about doesn’t translate to the actual experience. Things can get pretty crazy, pretty fast when planning a wedding. But don’t panic, there are lots of ways to preserve your good sense and rationality.

It is imperative to establish, early on, a plan and checklist that will help you to define and accomplish the undertakings required to plan a successful wedding.

Planning a Wedding – Let’s Get Started!

Create the Budget – First and foremost set the budget, outlining the maximum amount you can and want to spend. Once the budget is set be sure to follow it! You don’t want to spend your time as newlyweds agonizing about all the debt.

Determine the Wedding Date – Choose the date the works best for the couple, taking into consideration symbolism, significant dates, seasons and prices. Be sure to allow enough time for the actual planning and organizing of the celebration.

Decide on the Size of the Wedding – The style of wedding will help determine the size of the wedding which must be decided before a venue can be secured. The couple should think through how they see their wedding day. How many can the budget support and will it be a large or small event are key factors.

Choose the Wedding Venue – Now the couple starts searching out venues and researches the per person costs while ensuring the venue is able to accommodate their ideal number of guests. When considering, keep in mind the wedding style and location. Remember, the budget is very important because the greater the budget, the more money you have to be dedicated to the venue.

Decide on the Wedding Party – The wedding party should match the budget, style and size of the wedding that is being planned. Life is busy and it’s key to decide and choose the wedding party early on and let the chosen know. Select the suitable mix of a fun, reliable and responsible group of attendants that will ensure the wedding day is effortless and a great time is had by all.

Find and Confirm the Officiator – The person selected to perform the ceremony has a major impact on the tone and feel of the service. So finding and booking the best person to marry the happy couple is an essential decision. Choose the person that you are sure will execute the type of ceremony you are visualizing.

Pick Wedding Colors/Themes – The event color scheme helps to set the mood and ambiance and is has a large influence on the design and style of the wedding. It also will help to establish some of the other areas such as invitations and bridal party attire. Themed weddings are not imperative, however it is very in-style for many brides and grooms.

Create The Guest List – When planning your wedding, it is never too early in the process to start putting together the guest list. Once you have decided on the wedding location and the number of guests that fit into the budget, you are ready to start creating the guest list. One would think that compiling the wedding guest list is one of the most fun parts of the wedding planning, but don’t be fooled. It can be one of the hardest. You have an unbelievable amount of things pulling you in many directions, budget, wedding size, venue capacities and parental opinions to name a few. So get started early.

Select the Wedding Wardrobe – For the bride, it’s all about the dress. There are countless wedding dress styles and designs that are appropriate for all tastes and budgets, from designer to gently worn. Equally important is what the groom and wedding party will be wearing. Every bride is different, some will coordinate the wardrobe with the wedding colors and theme and some won’t. Don’t forget about the ever important accessories and factor them into your wardrobe budget.

Every wedding is different but they all require attention to so very many details. So many in fact that they can’t all be covered in one blog. Be sure to check us out tomorrow for more wedding planning musts!

Choose and Order Wedding Invitations – Invitations are a necessary part of planning the wedding. No invitations will result in zero wedding guests. So it is imperative to have the guest list completed and the invitations ordered so you have them in plenty of time mail and receive back the response cards. Choosing and ordering the invites should happen earlier in the process to allow enough time to manage the ordering, the approval and the printing process.

Register for Gifts – The wedding gift registry is a perfect approach to let guests know what the bridal couple want to receive as gifts. The idea is to choose a couple of stores and set up the registry by choosing items and letting the guests know. This provides a go-to guide for the wedding guests, letting them know the needs and wants of the bride and groom.

Plan the Menu – Some say the food is the most important part of the wedding. There are lots of things to consider when planning food for a wedding. Keep in mind the budget, style of wedding, number of invited guests and type of cuisine you want. Different caters specialize in different kinds of food. It is imperative the caterer or in-house kitchen understand what you are envisioning for your special day.

Choose the Wedding Cake – Finding the right cake varies depending on the bridal couple needs and wants, the wedding theme and colors as well as the budget. Enjoy samples before making your final decision. The cake is a special part of the event so be sure your vision is what you in fact end up with.

Decide on the Flowers and Decorations – Decor is a crucial part of the wedding ambiance and look. Be sure to talk to your wedding decorator/florist and share your vision, the what, where and how as well as the kind of feeling you want to convey. It is imperative that the decorator and caterer work hand in hand so their services and efforts balance and complement each other.

Hire the Photographer – Wedding photography can be very demanding. A wedding photographer must bring the creativity, originality and a level of professionalism that meets your standards. Who you ultimately trust and assign the task of recording your very special day will hinge on the budget, your expectations and their photographic style. Be specific in your wants and needs and be sure to get and check references, this is your special day and you only get one chance to get it right.

Select the Wedding Music – Wedding music helps to create the perfect wedding ambiance and set the mood for the occasion. When it comes to music there are various routes to go. Choose the kind of music that best reflects and/or matches the theme, the question is do you want to go for a band or DJ or something else in the middle. Don’t forget you will have to select music for all parts of the wedding, the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception.

Plan the Honeymoon – The honeymoon is the trip you want to be perfect from start to finish. Give it a lot of consideration and begin the thought and planning process early on. If unsure ask others who have been to locales you’re considering, for advice. Go online and research, don’t decide in a rushed or uninformed way, and take the time to plan that memorable and perfect trip.

Choose The Rings – Don’t forget the wedding rings! They too are an important and exciting part of the ceremony and a necessary piece of the budget. Allow enough time to shop for, find, select and receive them prior to the walk down the aisle.

Mail the Wedding Invitations – When possible, wedding invitations should be mailed out at least eight weeks prior to the event. By doing this, you allow guests the time to make arrangements prior to returning the response card. It will also leave enough time for the bridal couple to receive back the response cards, come up with a final number and create seating plans and all that comes with those decisions.

Address The Vows – Vows can easily get lost in all the wedding planning hoopla. Be sure to sit down and have a talk with your partner. This is an important decision, find out what the vows mean to you both. For some, the traditional vows are the way to go while for others writing their own vows own will add a personal touch to your special day.

Congratulations! You said yes and now you’re ready to start your life together. Jump in with both feet and start planning that wedding of a lifetime. There are lots of steps involved in planning a successful wedding but there is also lots of help out there to assist you in reaching that ultimate goal. But one the best tools (and cheapest) that will get you to the finish line is a plan and a checklist. So put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and get planning!

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