First of all… CONGRATS on your engagement! I can’t wait to hear all about your proposal story and the journey you two have been on that has lead you to this point. Today we are talking about a few key items to get you started on wedding planning and fulling enjoying engaged life!
1. Gather Inspiration
As much as I hate to say this, Pinterest is a great starting point for finding out what you do and don’t like in regards to venues and general esthetic. Create a basic wedding planning board and start dumping ideas into it. You can go back through and weed out more of your do and don’ts as you refine your ideas through out this process.
For more wedding inspiration and swooning, pick up a copy of a local wedding magazine like Baltimore Weds (for those of you here in Charm City!) You can also more specific website Junebug Weddings, Magnolia Rouge, Style Me Pretty, and Green Wedding Shoes to name only a few.
2. Draft A Guest List
This may seem like a very premature point while you’re in the beginning stages of wedding planning however, knowing this information ahead of time will only help to narrow down your search when selecting a wedding venue. Is your wedding going to be a large event with all your extended family or maybe you’re leaning more towards an intimate affaire, with only your dearest and closest ones witnessing. Two very important items to consider and you draft your tentative guest list.
3. Pick An Ideal Date
Many of the most sought after wedding venues book 12-24 months in advance so make sure to be on top of booking your venue and be ready to put that retainer down when you find THE ONE. Also, try to be as flexible as possible in case your dream location has limited available dates.
Friday’s are great alternative to Saturday wedding dates. In fact, we got married on a Friday and it was wonderful! We had the whole weekend to spend with our families and out of town guests.
4. Research High Priority Vendors
Good, high priority wedding vendors such as venues, photographers and videographer are often booked pretty far in advance, so you may not want to leave this to the very last minute. The same goes with catering, florists, ceremony venue/churches etc. because they can only take on so many weddings at a time. Other vendors to consider are: wedding bands and DJ’s as it might take a little while to find the perfect one, invitations and paper goods, photo booths, decor and lighting etc.
And just think, with planning and getting these vendors booked a head of time you’ll be able to sit back and relax during the final months leading up to your wedding day.
5. Book Your Engagement Session
This time in your lives together is going to fly by! One of the best ways to document and remember this time in your lives is to plan an engagement session with a professional photographer – and why not, your future wedding photographer? Planning an engagement session is a great way for you and your photographer to get to know one another and it gives you the chance to become pros in front of the camera!
If you’re not sure how to prepare for this, rest easy, all JHP clients receive a client portal and documents filled with information on prepping for your session and planning the perfect location.
6. Discuss a Budget
Now that you’re engaged it’s time to discuss a wedding budget so you know how much you’re willing to spend and where that money will be spent. Something to keep in mind is being prepared to go over your set budget a little if your dream vendor is out of your ideal price range. Sometimes spending more money in one area like photo/video or entertainment and spending less money on food or flowers can be worth it in the end.
7. Shop Wedding Dresses… or maybe a custom Suit!
That moment, when it suddenly hits you that you are actually getting married, often happens when you start trying on wedding dresses or searching for the attire to wear as you say I DO! Its so cliche, but completely true, when its the right dress you just know! Gather your bridesmaids, mom and planning a weekend to say yes to the dress. Don’t be afraid to try something on even if it see totally off base from what you wanted. This is the best way to see what suits your body shape and what you love and don’t love.
Its really important to remember that unless you plan to buy off the rack you need to allow enough time for your dress to be made. You can expect a 6 month wait from the time you order your dress to the time you can pick it up. Keep in mind that most boutiques have Winter sales or end of the season sales as well as designer trunk shows. These are great times to shop dresses at a discounted price. Or maybe you prefer the idea of a custom wedding dress? Either way, it’s always worth making an appointment to try on some wedding dresses. Who knows, you might find “the one” pretty quickly!
