You’ve become recently Engaged… Congratulations!!! Now many of you are asking – Now what?! Where do I start!? And your head begins to spin…
First… Take a deep breath, think of your fiance, and smile!
Second… Think about the best way to start your planning. Before you start creating your checklist like this one here, (for items such as booking your vendors) there are a couple of items to take care of first! ”
1. What is your budget? Every vendor is going to ask this, every venue is going to ask what you have to spend. Well, without going into too many overwhelming details, 50% of your budget goes towards any fees related to the Venue, Food, and Beverages. The other 50% goes to the rest of your vendor team, from wedding planner or coordinator, photography, videography, entertainment, floral design, rentals, invitations, transportation, officiant, and the list goes on. So, if you have a total budget (pulled together from family and the two of you) of $50K, your venue total budget is $25K (including taxes, service charges, food, beverage, and facility fees). If you don’t start with your budget, then you cannot find the perfect venue. We suggest that all our clients use Weddingwire.com for setting their budget and keeping their spending plan on track! They have great tools for free to use.
2. Determine the Style of your Wedding. This doesn’t just encompass your color palette, but includes the season you’ve dreamed about, time of day of your wedding ceremony/reception, along with general vicinity (beachside, garden, completely outdoor event, etc).
3. Decide upon your needs for a Wedding Planner vs. Coordinator. The main reason you decide this now, is a Planner can assist you in FINDING that perfect venue (which is the next step), and lining you up with a fantastic Wedding Vendor Team. A Coordinator is going to step back in closer to the wedding day (usualy 6-8 weeks out from your wedding) and wrap up your details. A Coordinator is NOT INVOLVED in the Planning at all.
4. Let the Search Begin for that Perfect Venue… Use online resourses, call for quotes, and schedule site tours. This can be a long process, but until you’ve booked a Venue, and secured a wedding date, you can’t move on to the rest of the Planning Fun!
Now… take a deep breath, smile, and call us if you need any advise!
