If you are reading this post, the chances are that you are newly engaged so Congratulations! You have such an exciting journey ahead of you and the start of a new chapter in your life.
The thought of planning and organizing a wedding is some peoples dream, but for others it can be a daunting experience. Please don’t worry, I am here to help you every step of the way. Here are 10 things to consider as you start the process.
1. Enjoy the moment
This is the moment every person has been dreaming of, don’t rush your feelings. People react in different ways when newly engaged. You might want to go straight into planning mode and others may have a longer engagement. Everybody has their own timelines and that is ok, just because your friend got married within the year, doesn’t mean that’s right for you. My advice is to crack open a bottle of bubbly and enjoy the moment.
2. Tell your family and best friends
I know it is the most exciting news ever and you will just want to shout it to the world, but make sure you take the time to tell your closest family and friends first, they don’t want to find out on a social media platform. If you can (where able), go and see your friends and family face to face, this way you get to celebrate multiple times, making it a time you can truly cherish.
3. Get a manicure
Your hand is going to be the center on attention for a while! Treat yourself to a manicure so you can bling that ring to anyone that wants to see it. Use the excuse of the manicure to take some beautiful images of the ring with your fiancée, these will be memories you can look back on forever.
4. Location
You may already know where your dream location to get married is. Perhaps it’s a Manor House, Registry Office, Country Barn or a designation venue. It is important to understand where in the world you want to tie the knot, this will help with the rest of the planning process and the next step … the budget!
5. Create a Budget
Most clients I work with hate it when I ask this question, but it is so important to set a budget. Once you have a budget everything else will fall into place. All the little bits for your big day will soon add up, so creating a budget and sticking to it is the best thing you can do to keep you organized and on top of the planning process.
6. Set a date
Sit down with your fiancée and find the best day that suits you both. Once the date is set, you can then organize your venue. This should be one of the first things your book. Venues get booked up very quickly, normally a few years in advance, so to avoid disappointment book this first along with a place of worship for the ceremony if desired.
7. Guest list
Because you have set your budget and booked your venue, you should have a better idea of how many people you want to invite to celebrate your special day with. This will also be dictated by the capacity of your venue. (Always check with your venue regarding the minimum and maximum numbers of guests they will accept).
8. Pintrest is your best friend
I love Pintrest. It is one of the best tools to help you picture what you want your wedding to look and feel like. I advise starting a Wedding Board, saving images of everything that you love, keeping your budget in mind all the time. To start with you might see lots of different colour themes and designs you like, if it helps, maybe create a board for every colour theme and then you can go back to these and decide the final one from there.
9. Begin the planning of suppliers
There is no wrong or right answer to what suppliers you should book first for your wedding, though I highly recommend booking the big purchases first. As I said above, the venue should come first, followed by the photographer, cake, stationery, florist and band. Once you have the things which are a must, you can see what budget you have left for the extras.
10. Book a Wedding Planner/ Co-ordinator
Married friends and couples I have spoken to in the past, have said to me that they wish they had hired a wedding planner. If not for the whole planning process, then just to run the day. As a wedding planner, I offer on the day coordination. I look after all the suppliers, make sure everything is set up ready for your arrival and make sure everything runs smoothly throughout the day. My favorite quote from a customer is, ‘We booked Becca as an 'on the day' co-ordinator for our wedding and it was the best money we spent on the wedding’.
To see what previous clients said about my service, click here.