Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming experience. This is one of the only times where everyone is a first timer and it’s rare that you might plan more than one or two events of this magnitude in a lifetime. So where to start? This is a practical approach to getting the planning underway!
Your Budget
Photo: Carhart Photography
Starting with a budget can be hard just because it’s hard to know how much things cost before you really have the chance to dig in. That’s why these first three planning ideas really go hand in hand rather than in order. In order to select any vendors, type of wedding, number of guests and all that, you’ll need to have a general idea of what your budget is. Not all the way down to the dollar, but what’s your guesstimate?
How do you come up with this? Well – who might be contributing to the wedding? Are you paying for it yourselves? If so, then think about how much you can realistically save in the amount of time you’d like to be engaged. Since there are a lot of variables here, stay engaged longer, ask for more help from family and friends, it’s difficult to really nail down a number and that’s ok! Just a guesstimate will do.
To know how this breaks out – we suggest using one of several free budget planner tools. Check out our 5 Ways to Stay in Budget for more ideas on what the next steps are in terms of budgeting.
Your Venue
It’s hard to know your venue without a date, but it’s hard to know a date without a venue. That’s why these go hand in hand rather than one in front of the other (just remember to take a deep breath. …).
Need some help starting with venue selection? Check out our Top 5 Venue Questions so you can be on point when you’re ready to find that special location.
Your Date
Selecting your date is much more important than some lead on. It’ll be your anniversary every year, so keep that in mind when you’re selecting what date might work best for you this year. Be sure to google your date and your area so you’re aware of other events that might be going on in your area that may impact your decision.
Until you have a date, you can’t really move forward with hiring other vendors because they can’t predict if they’ll be available. Until you have a venue you can’t really have a date and until you establish a general budget, you can’t really select a venue. See the conundrum here? That’s why these all go hand in hand. Start by having some open conversations about what you’d like and what you’re hoping for and the rest will follow. And of course, you can always ask Truly Together Event Co. for a little help!
