I'm Engaged!!! Now What?

The first and most frequent question I get from brides beginning their planning process is “Where do I start?”
For some who have been envisioning their special day since the age of 4, this sounds ridiculous. But I would urge even that bride to tap the brakes, and consider the following:

Form a Budget:

Ask yourself the question, “What is the most important thing to me about my wedding?”

For some the answer is “I want the most people possible to attend.” Perhaps it is “I want to have an amazing band.” Another common response is “I want it to be the most stress-free day of my life.”

Whatever your answer is, your budget will be dictated by it. In following our example answers, the first bride would need to decide what kind of food she could afford. This will help the bride decide if she can afford a full dinner or if she should have a cocktail reception. The second bride would need to price out bands, and then form a budget around the band of choice. She might have to sacrifice some on flowers, for example, but that is fine with this bride. Finally, the third bride would want to make sure her budget includes a wedding planner or wedding day coordinator to ensure she doesn’t have to deal with any problems that may arise on the wedding day.

Select a Venue/Save the Date:

Some people declare a date before shopping for a venue. While this is common, you might end up in a situation where the venue of your dreams is not available on that day. If time allows, I encourage shopping venues with a few different days in mind. This will provide you with the most possibilities in venue selection.

A Note on Picking the Date:

Make sure you run the date by any VIPs before signing contracts for that day – bridal party, grandparents, officiant of choice, band, florist, photographer, etc. Don’t let your day narrow down who or what you can have at your wedding. That being said, if there is a day that you know you want, you can definitely start from there, just be prepared for the potential of some people already being booked.

Get Emotional:

Select a few adjectives that you want to describe your wedding. Vendors will ask you this question a lot, so it’s good to have solid answers for them. Examples: Romantic, red, nighttime, candles; fun, celebration, lounge, big band; brief, daytime, casual, blue; elaborate, decadent, purple, lavish, fancy

Disclaimer: So I know the following sounds cheesy, but I promise it helps!

Set up a little meditation session for yourself on your wedding. Play the best sappy love songs you like, close your eyes, and let your mind wander. What do you see when you walk down the aisle? What do you hear? Is it dark or light outside? Are you surrounded by hundreds or only a few close friends? Is there sand under your feet? Are you on the steps of a cathedral alter? Is it cold outside?

Go with your instinct on this – do not think too hard about it!

These broad steps will help you start to develop a direction for your wedding.

Happy Planning!