Hey, friends!!
If you are reading this, you most likely are sporting some new sparkle. Let me first tell you congratulations!! What a super exciting season!!
Maybe you just got engaged or maybe you have been engaged for a few months now but you honestly don’t know where to begin…well girl, I am here for you!!
Trust me… you are not alone.
Because of this, I have worked on a list of the first five steps to help get you started and in the right direction. My heart for this series of blog posts is to ease your mind + make the wedding planning process SO FUN. Because YES, it can be fun!
So let’s get started:
01. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET
Ahhh! I know what you are thinking. This first step sounds like a dreaded conversation just waiting to happen. But I can’t stress this step enough. You can’t start wedding planning without this. You need to know who will be contributing to the wedding funds, if you will be taking it on on your own, or a combination of the two. By having this conversation, it will make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward. Transparency is key!
02. DETERMINE THE SIZE OF YOUR WEDDING
Big or small, if you want your families input, etc. If it were me, I would sit down with you and your fiance + figure out a general guest list. It doesn’t have to be your final guest list but you want to know a general ballpark number that you can take when looking at venues.
03. SELECT A WEDDING DATE + VENUE
Most Bride + Grooms I have talked to usually have one that trumps the other. They either are dead set on a date or dead set on a venue. Regardless of which one is more important to you, being flexible is key. If a specific look + location of a venue is what you are going for, then go check out those venues + see what dates they have available. Picking a date + a venue are critical in moving forward!
04. CHOOSING A PHOTOGRAPHER
Photographers calendars fill up quickly. So getting on their calendar ASAP is important!
Do your homework, pursue social media accounts and websites, and ask for recommendations – it is likely that there will be a photographer who’s style really vibes with yours. Reach out immediately to check availability and set up initial meetings. It’s important that you find a team player, someone you trust, + someone that is there to serve you. When you know who you want don’t delay getting on their books. If you want to know more about the wedding collections I offer + how I can serve you guys, head over to the contact page on my website + fill out the form! I will get everything over to you!
05. BOOK OTHER MAJOR VENDORS
Do some research + find your vision for your day. Make sure your vendors align with your vision + would be fun to work with. Your vendors are supposed to be there for you!! Here are some vendors for you to start with: Caterer, Florist, Cake, Videographer, Attire, Rentals, etc. If you need any recommendations for vendors, reach out to you and I can send you my list!
Come up with the three things that are most important to you + make them high priority on your list. For me it was Photographer, Venue, Flowers. Take some time to figure out what is important for you + go in that direction. Start making a vision board on Pinterest + share that with all the people who are helping you plan so everyone is on the same page. If you decide to book me as your wedding photographer, share it with me so I can help make your vision come to life!! I wish you the best in this wedding planning season. Don’t get overwhelmed because at the end, it all comes together + it will be perfect!!!
I hope this brought value to you in this season of life you are walking through. If this is something you liked, leave me a comment below so I know to keep writing this type of content. I love you guys so much!!
xo,
Maddie
