Everyone starts sweating when they think about planning a wedding, the huge amount of time that this 1 day event will consume you for the next 9-12 months can give everyone goosebumps. Let me give you 6 simple steps to conquer this fear of yours so you can be the queen or king at wedding planning without losing sleep.
1. MAKE A DRAFT OF YOUR GUEST LIST
Don't complicate yourself with this step, just grab a piece of paper and pen or if you are tech savvy open an excel sheet and start making a list of THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE you want to celebrate with on your wedding day.
Grab your phone, set up a 15 min timer and get to it. If you get stuck with a family member you haven't talked to in 2+ years or have not even met your fiance, MOVE ON! You can go back late to add them if you really want them there.
OUR FAMILIES | 35 |
COLLEGE FRIENDS | 20 |
COWORKERS | 10 |
GYM FRIENDS | 5 |
TOTAL | 70 |
2. CHOOSE A SEASON OF THE YEAR YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Boom! you are done.
3. HOW TO DO ENVISION YOUR CEREMONY AND RECEPTION
There are 4 only options to this: CHOOSE 1
Indoor ceremony- Indoor Reception
Indoor ceremony- Outdoor Reception
Outdoor Ceremony- Indoor Reception
Outdoor Ceremony- Outdoor Reception
4. BROWSE YOUR VENUE OPTIONS
The venue is the most important step before even thinking about the colors of your wedding or the type of the dress! Every step has its time and importance, and when you are thinking of getting married on a Saturday in August.. Well, YOU NEED TO GET A VENUE ASAP. If you haven't hired a wedding planner this is a good time to start reaching out to one, they have so many options and know a good 50% of venues in the area. If you're starting to be overwhelmed with this part, get one.
How far do you want your local guests to drive?
How many out of town guests would need accommodations/ reliable transportation?
5. SET UP A ROUGH BUDGET
Setting up expectations from the beginning will give you peace about your finances and a clear idea on how to set aside your money for all the different wedding categories you have to choose in the future.
6. GOT THE BUDGET FIGURED OUT? NOW YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING VENUE
Did you notice on point 4 how I said BROWSE and not choose a venue? Well, that is because you can’t just pick a venue without knowing the pricing, availability and if you even like what you see.. Choosing the right venue can take up 3 months. Crazy huh? Well, at Gatherings by Sharon we take the venue process very seriously. My hope is to get my clients the right venue within 30-45 days once the contract and deposit is paid. That way I can make sure we lift up all those stressful thoughts and get to the good stuff.. Which is Designing your wedding.
These steps will help you keep yourself focused on the most important things without going around circles.. Obviously you are excited to pick colors, flavors, design but we can't really know any of that before having a date and idea of the weather and location we are working with. I will continue the series of MY FIRST STEPS TO PLAN A WEDDING on my next blog, so you don't lose your mind in the midst of planning your wedding.
Love,
Sharon