Planning a wedding should be a fun, stress-free experience. But it also requires thorough organization and careful planning. If you are recently engaged and not sure where to begin, I’ve highlighted the first steps to get you on the right path to planning the wedding of your dreams.
1. Discuss your wedding day vision and values
When planning your wedding, it is important to remember that your wedding should be a celebration of you as a couple and represent your unique values and style.
Your Values: Before all the formal planning starts, it is important to sit down and discuss your values as a couple. Consider your personalities and write down the key things that you would both like to have as central elements to your wedding day. E.g. a spiritual ceremony; a non-spiritual ceremony; a big celebration with friends and family.
Your Vision: Here is where you get to daydream! How do you envision your wedding day? Think about the look and feel you would like for the celebration, your desired colour palette, theme, and ambiance. Write down some keywords to help you narrow-down your vision and begin to collect images that capture your vision by creating a board on Pinterest. This is a great way to share your ideas with your fiancé, bridal party, and wedding planner.
2. Compile your guest list
Compiling your guest list is a highly personalized task and depends on a variety of factors that are specific to you as a couple. Consider all factors that would affect your guestlist from the budget available to cultural aspects, and whether you want a large or more intimate wedding party. Remember, this should be a gathering of the people you hold most dear – let that guide you as you write your list.
3. Map out your budget
Setting your budget is one of the most important steps in the planning process. Take time to discuss this in detail – from who will be paying for what, to agreeing on your budget. Your budget guides every decision throughout the planning process; it is important that it is mapped out correctly so that you do not find yourself in a position where you have overspent. Make sure to outline all the line-items and expenses that you could encounter during the planning process, and then decide which elements are most important to you and which you can do away with. Revisit your budget frequently throughout your planning process to ensure that your costs and requirements consistently remain aligned.
4. Book your wedding planner
A wedding planner offers a variety of services ranging from full-service planning to on-the-day coordination, and can assist you with the following tasks during your planning process:
- Assist with narrowing down supplier options by recommending tried-and-tested wedding service providers;
- Handle all communications, payments, bookings, and admin related to wedding service providers;
- Compile a realistic timeline for your wedding day;
- Co-ordinate all setup on the day so that you, your family, and friends can relax and enjoy the celebrations.
My approach to wedding planning is all-inclusive. This allows me to combine all my skills – planning, styling, and coordination – into one offering to provide every couple with the highest level of service and attention to detail. I offer a personalized service and I am there with you every step of the way during the planning process. My team is completely focused on you and your vision and we are there to ensure that all your design elements come together seamlessly.
Has timeless elegance and heartfelt romance captured your imagination? I offer a full wedding planning service to ensure your planning process is as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Enquire to schedule a complimentary discovery call to learn how I can help you plan the wedding of your dreams!