A wedding is a big deal. It is a symbol of commitment to each other, an opportunity for couples to create core memories together and celebrate shared values and beliefs. It can also be a time to honor traditions that are important to families and heritages. Regardless of how a couple chooses to celebrate, however, there is no doubt that planning and executing this event can be a very complicated task. Especially for those who haven’t had to do so before, it can be challenging to know exactly where to start.
Often, the first step in planning a wedding is to secure a venue and date. It is a great idea to complete this step early on in the process so that other venues and vendors are not able to book up on your preferred day. Once this is done, you can begin the more tedious tasks such as researching vendors and creating a budget.
When you’re ready to select your venue and vendor options, make sure that you take the time to carefully read any contracts you sign with them. If something is not clear or does not match up with your expectations, do not be afraid to ask questions. Choosing the right vendor is incredibly important because they will be responsible for helping to ensure that your wedding goes smoothly.
The next step is to create a wedding-day schedule. This should include all of the key milestones of your day such as hair and makeup appointments, when transportation will be arriving at/from the ceremony location, when you will be taking your assigned seats for the ceremony, when dinner and speeches will occur, etc. It’s a good idea to share this schedule with your vendors, maid of honor, and key family members to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
Another thing to consider is the number of guests you want to invite. It is a good idea to limit the guest list to no more than 100 people, especially if your venue is on the smaller side. It can be difficult for your guests to travel long distances to get to your wedding, so keeping the guest list to a reasonable amount of people is a good way to make it easier on them.
It’s a good idea to reach out to other brides and grooms who have recently been married for expert tips and insights. They will likely be more than happy to help you plan your big day, and they may even have some tips and tricks that they learned along the way that they can pass on to you.
The most important thing to remember about your wedding is that it is about you and your partner. Don’t be pressured into doing things a certain way because of what you have seen on television or because your parents did it that way. If you do what feels right for you, it will be more authentic and meaningful and will likely be much happier than if you try to recreate an “as-seen-on-tv” wedding.