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Wedding planning – where to start

In our previous post we shared some tips on what to do immediately after the question has been successfully popped and the engagement ring is on your finger.  In this one we do something similar but look at the very first steps of your wedding planning journey.  It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at this stage – there’s so much to think about!  So, we’ve picked out six key areas you should concentrate on for starters.

Money, Honey

Your wedding day is obviously about romance and celebration – you want to make it as magical as possible.  Having said that, there’s nothing like financial headaches to take the shine off things.  So, you need to be clear, right from the start, on your budget.  It’s better to agree this before you get carried away with lots of wonderful ideas that you really can’t afford.  

Think about how much you, as a couple, can stretch to.  Also discuss with your respective families if they are willing to contribute.  Another thing to discuss is your expenditure priorities – would you rather splash out on a great band or prefer to put more into the catering?   If you splurge in one area you can cut back in another. 

Guest list

No discussion of budget is complete without considering the number of guests you plan to invite.  Do you have a small intimate occasion in mind or something on a grander scale?  Talk it through with your other half at an early stage – it’s important that you are both on the same page!  Also bear in mind that if your relatives are footing most of the bill it may be hard to keep the numbers down – they’ll expect to invite a few of their friends.

Venue choice

To some extent this will be determined by your budget – no point in looking at somewhere out of your financial league or too big/too small to comfortably accommodate all your guests.  That’s not the only consideration, though.  Your choice of venue will be influenced by the theme you have in mind.

Pick your theme

All great wedding tends to have a particular theme – a stylistic thread running through everything so that all the different elements, from the invitations to the table decorations and the canapes to the bridesmaids’ dresses, are in perfect harmony. 

There is no right or wrong – just pick a theme that appeals to you.  This could be anything from rustic (think restored barn or marquee in a meadow) to fantasy (Frozen, Harry Potter, Bridgeton, Game of Thrones…), boho (macramé wall hangings, tipis and big cushions, a naked cake, Tibetan singing bowls) to classic (venue with a vintage vibe, string quartet, tuxes and ballgowns).  You could just pick a colour scheme or take your cue from a set of cultural references. 

Pinterest is a great source of inspiration – create one board or different ones for cakes, dresses, flowers.  Before long you’ll probably see certain trends emerging and this will help you narrow down your choices.

Set the date

Check with close family and friends to make sure they will definitely be free.  Then start looking for venues that are available on this date.  There’s also no point in talking to vendors until you have the day finalised as they may be booked already. 

Get some help

Planning a wedding is a big undertaking, so you need all the support you can get.  Try to pick a chief bridesmaid and best man who are super good at organising things!  Do you know anyone that can help with decorations, flowers, catering, the cake, music, photography?  Be realistic about how much you can handle yourself.  If you love project management, are a whizz with spreadsheets and enjoy negotiating with suppliers you might not need much assistance.  If, on the other hand, this is not your skillset and you’ve already got plenty of commitments, hiring a professional wedding planner could be the answer.

Final tip

Regardless of how much you decide to do yourself, and how much you delegate, we recommend you invest in one of our wedding planners. That way you’ll have a clear overview of everything you need to consider, a timeline to help you schedule everything, tips on how to make your budget go further and room to keep all your plans and notes together. 

All that remains is for us to wish you happy planning!