We write about what we know, and for the past year my life, I’ve been consumed with wedding planning… for better or worse. From finalizing the menu to getting the decorations and choosing a Minneapolis wedding photography specialist to take your wedding photos. There are just so many things to consider. So, what have I learned through the whole process? That there’s a reason why wedding planning is an actual job occupation. That’s because it’s hard and time-consuming.
At first it might seem fun planning what’s supposed to be the “most important event of your life,” but those notions (at least for me) quickly faded as I began to dig in. Here are some things to consider if you’re on the precipice of planning your own wedding…
Budget: This is a huge piece of the “puzzle” as I like to call it. Sit down with your significant other and determine a budget. If you’re paying for a large portion of the event, it’s helpful to determine a date (far in advance) and set saving goals for each month… and STICK to them! Be sure to refer back to the budget regularly, and remember that you don’t need everything no matter what Pinterest says.
Wedding Planner: If you’re not hiring a full service wedding planner, (prices can range from $5k – $10k), chances are you’re going to be doing a lot of the leg work yourself. Look into partial or day-of coordinators whose prices are a lot more manageable and will be able to provide you with guidance and recommendations during the process.
Vendors: This can be tough to navigate at times, but your choice in vendors are important. It can mean the difference between your wedding photographer Charlottesville capturing that really special moment between you and your spouse-to-be, or the perfect mixture of music to make sure your guests are entertained all night, or the difference between a memorable meal vs a cold one. Biggest piece of advice is to refer to personal recommendations whenever possible. If that fails, refer to wedding websites such as The Knot and Wedding Wire that have a ton of real life reviews.
Timeline: Whether your planner provides you with a timeline, or you find one online, be sure to keep tabs on it regularly. When I was just under 4 months out, I thought I had all the time in the world to choose and purchase my invitations, only to find out that I was cutting it really close (who would have thought??)
The Details: There are so many little details that go into planning a wedding – decorations, gifts, etc. that it’s important to try to think of as many of them as possible ahead of time so you’re not scrambling a few weeks prior to the wedding.
When all else fails, take a deep breath and remember why you started doing this in the first place. If that doesn’t work, a tall glass of wine has gotten me through a few really rough planning sessions 🙂 Cheers!
