Congratulations on your engagement! If you are recently engaged you may still be up in the clouds about your engagement! After he proposes there is so much to do….you have to call all of your friends and scream that you just got engaged, post it on Facebook so everyone knows, bask in the attention of friends and family congratulating you, show off your beautiful ring, and then……start planning the wedding of your dreams. Once reality hits that you now have to plan a wedding many brides are left with the question….now what?
We have created a list of the five most important things to do over the next few weeks to start your wedding planning!
1. SET A DATE:
Setting a date may not be as easy as it sounds! Of course your need to think about the time of year you want to get married. Do you want a Spring, Summer or Fall wedding? You will want to consider the day of the week to get married. To save money look at getting married on a Friday evening or even a Saturday afternoon versus an evening wedding. Make sure the date you choose allows enough time for planning and enough time to pay for the wedding of your dreams. Giving between six months to a year to plan and pay for a wedding is usually best. Also, try not to be too specific on a date before you visit venues. Having a few dates in mind (maybe 1st, 2nd, 3rd choices) can open up available venues for you!
2. CREATE A BUDGET:
One of the hardest things you will do during your wedding planning is to decide on a budget. Talk with both sets of parents and see what each will contribute, if anything. This will help in deciding on an overall budget. Most parents have no idea how much a wedding costs. Preparing a sample budget is a great way to show realistic numbers to your parents. A great tool available for any bride to use is the Cost Calculator at Glendalough Manor. This tool gives you accurate numbers on everything from your venue to your flowers.
3. WEDDING PLANNER?
You will need to decide on whether or not you will need a wedding planner. How much time do you have to plan a wedding? If you don’t have much time to contribute to planning a wedding, consider a planner that will take some of the stress off of you. Are you planning a destination wedding that requires local knowledge and expertise? Do you want someone to be there on your wedding day to execute the day so it runs smoothly? Answering these questions will help in determining whether you may need a planner and how much help you will need!
4. OVERALL THEME:
Think about what you want your wedding to look like. Do you want an outdoor or indoor ceremony and reception? Do you want a traditional venue or untraditional venue? Do you have certain wedding colors you want to use? Make a list of the top five words you would use to describe your dream wedding. Keep these words in mind as you make decisions along the wedding planning process.
5. BOOK WEDDING VENUE:
Most brides say finding the perfect wedding venue is one of the most difficult decisions you will make. Make sure to do your research. Come prepared with questions. Look for hidden costs that can add up as well as making sure you can afford any minimum requirements on food or alcohol. Trust your gut. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Once you set a date, create a budget, hire a wedding planner, decide on an overall theme for the wedding and book a wedding venue you can start on what we like to call the “fun stuff”. Buy magazines and search the internet looking at wedding dresses, cakes, flowers and all of the fun and exciting wedding details. Try to enjoy the experience as stressful as it can be sometimes. At the end of the planning you will be marrying the man of your dreams so that is what is most important!
Congratulations again and happy planning!
