The second you’ve got a ring on your finger, the questions from everyone under the sun start flowing in – Did you set a date yet? Where will it be? Are you having a small wedding or a big one? Are you inviting all the cousins? What should I wear? Can I have a plus one?!
It’s overwhelming to say the least.
Once you figure out how to handle this barrage of questions from everyone you meet, you start the process of filling out a lot of contact forms, inquiring with different wedding vendors.
As you start the planning process, you might quickly find yourself thinking – Wait. This is not fun at all. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I don’t know what I want anymore. Why is catering so expensive! It’s just food! Maybe we can DIY everything. Scratch that – I have no time for that. I’m not even crafty. Forget the wedding. Let’s elope. *starts looking up flights to faraway countries*
Any of this sound familiar?
I’ve been there. I planned my own wedding and I know exactly what that stress feels like.
I’m here to help you! Keep reading for my 6 steps to start planning your wedding –without totally freaking out!
1. Determine your priorities.
Think through what matters most to you both, and keep that at the forefront of your mind when you’re planning!
What’s most important to you and your partner? Why are you having a wedding and not eloping? What do you want your guests to remember?
I ask couples these questions on consultation calls, and here are some real examples of what they’ve said:
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We just want to have fun and not be stressed!
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Good food, drinks, and music are important to us – we want to throw a really fun party and give our guests a great experience.
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Quality time with each other and our family and friends is the most important thing.
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Photography is a top priority for us – we really value photography and want our day documented beautifully.
Write your priorities down and keep coming back to them – put them on a sticky note on your desk or on your phone’s lock screen if you have to.
It can be incredibly easy to forget these priorities when wedding planning gets stressful and you get caught up in all the little things. You’ll need frequent reminders for why you’re doing this and what matters most to you!
2. Don’t inquire with too many vendors at once.
If you inquire with too many vendors at one time, you are just asking for overwhelm and confusion. It might sound like a good idea at first, but here’s what’s probably going to happen – you’re going to get replies from all of them, all in a very short time frame. You’re going to receive a ton of pricing information, all in different formats, to look through.
It’s easy to start confusing vendors with each other, and then no one will stand out. And you might pick someone just because you want to make a decision rather than because you really connected with them or liked them.
Don’t cause extra overwhelm for yourself if you can help it! I recommend that you start with just a few of your top picks, wait to hear from those first, and go from there.
3. Hire a wedding planner.
A great wedding planner will make your life so much easier – trust me. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone who regretted hiring a good wedding planner, but I’ve heard from plenty of people who regretted not hiring a planner.
Wedding planners will save you a lot of time, stress, and even save you money – making sure to use your budget wisely and eliminate unnecessary spending or costly mistakes. They know all the ins and outs of venues and have great vendor relationships. Wedding planners are worth every penny, I promise you!
Not sure who to hire? I’ve got you covered. All of these wedding planners are so talented and a joy to work with:
4. Book your venue before other vendors.
This sets your wedding date and makes it possible to continue wedding planning. Many vendors will not let you book them without a firm date and venue in place.
The venue is not only important because you need a place to host your wedding, but also because it sets the tone for your wedding plans from here on out. Is it a rustic barn? A classic hotel? A winery?
All venues have their pros and cons and play into how your day will look and feel. Keep your priorities at the forefront when choosing your venue! And remember, your venue will become the backdrop for all of your photos (and memories) too!
A good place to start: check out my Nova Scotia Wedding Vendor Guide to see my venue recommendations, complete with details like the max guest capacity and some other details about each venue.
If you want to know more about my experience working at a venue, send me an email or message me on Instagram. I’d be happy to share my honest thoughts with you!
5. Next, book vendors that only take one wedding per day.
Some vendors can only service one wedding per day – such as wedding planners, photographers, videographers, catering, live bands, etc.
Once your venue is booked, you want to book these types of vendors next, since they have less availability than other vendors.
Grab my wedding vendor guide for recommendations for all of these vendor categories!
6. Take time off from planning.
Yes, you and your partner are planning a wedding – but first and foremost, you’re a couple. You need to take breaks from Pinterest and seating charts and budgets.
Spend time together doing things that have nothing to do with the wedding. Go on dates where you intentionally don’t talk about wedding stuff!
Looking for a new Halifax restaurant to check out on your next date night? Check out these great spots:
Was this helpful? Do you have any questions about wedding planning?
I’d seriously love to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s talk about your wedding!
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6 Steps to Start Planning Your Wedding