How to Plan a Wedding

Now that you’ve gotten engaged and have some beautiful engagement photos, it’s time to start planning your wedding!

If you’re not sure where to start with planning your wedding, use this step-by-step guide. We’ll help you through the process, since it’s different from any other event you’ve organized.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start with your wedding planning, we can help you take the first steps and figure out how to make sure your big day is a big hit with everyone.

If you’re looking for a more detailed wedding planning checklist, this one will help you out.

Pick a Theme

brainstorming a theme for your wedding is a good way to start piecing together the rest of the details for your big day. Consider what colors, aesthetics, time of year and vibe you prefer. Imagine the ceremony and reception and determine what you and your partner are comfortable with. Would you prefer a small, intimate wedding on the beach or a black tie event in a hotel?

Start by picturing the overall feel you want for your wedding. This will help you make decisions and keep your planning organized as you move forward.

Set a Wedding Budget

You should also ask both sets of parents about how much they would be willing to contribute. The first thing to do when planning a wedding is to set a budget. It is crucial to plan this with your significant other so that they are not left out. You should also ask both sets of parents how much they would be willing to contribute.

Make sure you and your partner are on the same page about the kind of wedding you want. Talk about whether you’d prefer a small ceremony, a large reception, or a destination wedding. The next step is to figure out your guest list. Although your relatives and friends may want to help with the wedding, find out what they’re willing to contribute first. A little assistance with the wedding planning can go a long way.

It’s important not to go overboard when spending money on your wedding. You have to be smart about this since it’s just one day. You also need self-control because it can be easy to go beyond your budget while planning a wedding.

Create a Checklist

To avoid becoming overwhelmed, it is important to stay organized. Creating a wedding checklist is a great way to do this. You can create a wedding checklist on Excel or Google Sheets.

If you create your own checklist, you can tailor all the items to your own special day. Start by adding every action item to one column. Then, set a deadline for each item to make sure it gets done on time. Checking off items on a to-do list can be satisfying, so make sure you include a completed column.

Set the Date

Your wedding date won’t be set in stone until you have found the perfect venue to suit your wedding vision. Until then, keep an eye out for potential dates that will work with the type of wedding you want.

What are the best dates for you and your partner? Would another date work if your first choice wasn’t available? Having some flexibility will make the process go more smoothly and prevent any setbacks.

It is important to consider the season and day of the week you want to get married when you are planning your wedding. Weekend and holiday weddings can be more expensive and hard to book because they are more popular. If you are planning to get married in the next 6-12 months, you should book a venue soon. You may have an easier time finding an available space if you choose a less common day, like Sunday, or even a weekday.

Determine Your Priorities and Expectations With Your Partner

It is important to discuss your expectations and priorities with your partner before taking any further steps in the wedding planning process in order to prevent any pressure from ruining the moment.

You and your partner may have different taste in decoration and overall wedding style. If you are not both minimalists this may cause some conflict.

Consider a Wedding Planner or Consultant

If you have the budget for it, we recommend hiring a wedding planner or wedding planning coordinator early in the process. These professionals have extensive experience planning weddings and will be able to help you through the process.

If you need help deciding what kind of wedding you want, you can hire someone to help you figure it out based on your specific situation and what you want. You can also get help from a part-time consultant or planner to get an overview of what your wedding could be like including a budget, timeline, and list of good vendors and venues before you start planning everything.

Having the help of a wedding planner or coordinator can make the process of planning your wedding more enjoyable and less stressful. A wedding planner has a lot of experience and can be very helpful, either in person or via a wedding planning app.

Make your Guest List

Making cuts to your wedding guest list can be difficult. Consider everyone’s requests, but remember your goals of staying on budget, not exceeding your venue’s capacity, and being happy with the final list.

Prioritize Your Wedding Vendors

If you’re looking to book a vendor for your wedding, we recommend talking to your most desired providers first. Oftentimes, wedding vendor schedules fill up quickly, so this conversation may help you determine the best date for your wedding, depending on the availability of your top pick(s).

A wedding photographer is often the first professional you should book for your wedding, as they are responsible for creating memories through photos that will eventually replace your actual memories of the event. Therefore, it is important to choose a photographer that you are comfortable with.

Organize All Wedding Material

The most important thing to remember when wedding planning is to stay organized. You can share virtual documents with your partner and family members to help with the process. If you prefer physical documents, keep them in a wedding notebook. Make sure to keep a master checklist of everything you need to do.

Make a Wedding Registry and a Wedding Website

A wedding website is useful for family and friends because it has information about the wedding like the date, time, dress code, and how to get there. It also has pictures of the proposal and engagement, and recommendations for things to do in the area.

Make your wedding website as soon as possible and update it with new information as you get it. Put the link to the website on your save-the-dates and invitations so your guests will know where to find it.

Build an Online Registry

Before creating your online registry, take some time to think about what you and your partner actually need. This will help you to narrow down your options and choose the websites that are right for you. Once you have decided which gifts you would like to receive, be sure to complete your registry before any of your wedding events. This will give your guests the opportunity to buy you gifts in advance.

A convenient way to manage your wedding registry is to use websites like MyRegistry or Zola. These websites allow you to create your registry by selecting items from various online retailers. Once you have created your registry, you can then embed the link onto your wedding website so guests can easily purchase gifts for you.

You can make sure that there are options for all of your guests by including items across various price points. You can also use the Get Funding app to set up a cash fund that your guests can contribute to if they prefer. This can be used towards your honeymoon or a new home, or anything else that will contribute to your new life together.

Send Out Invitations

The act of sending out your wedding invitations is an exciting way to let everyone know that your special day is coming up soon. This is also a great opportunity to make sure that your invitations fit with the overall theme of your wedding. Make sure to include all of the important details, such as the date and time of the ceremony and reception, as well as the locations of both.

You Should Insure Your Wedding

No matter which route you choose, getting your rings insured is a wise investment. Although you may take precautions, the security that wedding insurance offers you and your spouse is immeasurable, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. It is also a good idea to insure your engagement ring and wedding bands in addition to your wedding event. You can purchase a jewelry protection policy as an extension to your renters or homeowners insurance (which will reimburse you for a set dollar amount if you lose the ring) or from a jewelry insurance company (which will replace a lost or stolen ring and may provide more coverage than a standard homeowner’s policy). No matter which route you choose, getting your rings insured is a wise investment.

Choose Your Wedding Party

Now you get to ask your close friends to marry you. While you don’t have to have a wedding party, a lot of couples want to be surrounded by their closest friends and family members on their special day.

Be sure to notify your wedding party as soon as possible about your plans for the big day, including any fees for attire, bachelor and bachelorette parties, etc. By doing so, you will be respectful and considerate of the time and money that your loved ones are investing in your special day.

Draft the Seating Arrangement

While you’re waiting for people to RSVP, make a list of the people who said they’re coming and those who said they’re not. You can use Excel or Google Sheets for this. That way, you can start figuring out who you’re going to seat together during the reception.

When coming up with your seating plan, you’ll need to take into account how many people each table will seat as well as the general layout of the reception hall. Try to seat family members with other family members and groups of friends that know each other from similar walks of life.

You want your guests to be comfortable throughout the wedding, even though people will be moving around during the reception.

Book a Hotel Room Block

If you have a lot of out of town guests coming for an event, it’s a good idea to book a room block at a hotel. This way, your guests can get a discounted rate on their rooms. You can also ask the hotel to deliver gifts and other amenities to your guests’ rooms as a thank-you for coming.

It’s a good idea to book more rooms than you think you’ll need when making an initial reservation at a hotel. You don’t need an exact number of rooms when you first make the reservation, and you can always cancel any extra rooms later if you don’t end up needing them.

Buy Your Wedding Attire

Searching for wedding clothes is one of the most delightful parts of arranging a wedding. Start by seeking out wedding dress and suit thoughts on the web, and keep in mind to spare your top picks so you can bring them with you to your appointments. At that point, study the language before going into a store. In case you’re searching for a wedding dress, become familiar with the styles, necklines, trains, and hues you need to attempt. Ponder if you need a conventional suit or a present day tuxedo while searching for a suit.

When searching for wedding attire, it is important to start your search as soon as possible. This is especially important now due to possible disruptions in the supply chain for the wedding industry. Custom orders, such as tailoring, could take months to complete. You will also need more time for touch-ups and adjustments.

Find an Officiant

In order for your marriage to be legal, you’ll need an ordained minister to conduct the ceremony. There are three primary options when it comes to wedding officiants:

• Religious clergyman
• Friend or family member
• Justice of the Peace

Obtain a Marriage License

completion of paperwork is necessary to get married. One cannot simply walk down the aisle without a marriage license. The license is what makes the marriage legal, so it is important to not wait until the last minute to get it.