Finally, you are engaged! Now to announce your engagement to everyone!! What next?
Plan a wedding can be a stressful task for some couples specially if you are busy with jobs and not time to plan. Plan a Wedding can be very time consuming, to find suppliers and venues so maybe you will consider hiring a professional like me a Wedding Planner. I will work with you to make your dreams into a reality saving you time. I have created this guide line to help you to plan a dream wedding.
1. WEDDING DATE
One of the most important decisions you will make when you plan a wedding is choosing a wedding date. It will be the first question everyone will ask you, it’s essential in order to start the progress on planning the wedding.
You won’t officially “set a date” until you book your venue. I recommend choosing a few potential wedding dates before you start looking at venues. First, think about the season in which you’d like to wed summer is always a peak season and more expensive for travel and accommodation costs for you and your guests. Weekends are the most demand for couples so is more competitive and sometimes have some restrictions in terms of the amount of guest so if you are flexible maybe consider getting married during the week. Then,look at the calendar, work schedules, holidays, family events, etc., and narrow things down to a few choice dates. Having some potential wedding dates in mind will be very helpful during the venue selection process.
2. BUDGET
Start off by setting a budget. Look at your savings, and how much you can save each month. Talk to each of your parents and ask them if they'd like to contribute to your wedding or what specific things they'd like to pay for. I strongly advise couples to avoid debt as much as possible and try to stick to the budget. At the same time, you may consider opening a new account just for the wedding. It's a good way for you to keep track of wedding expenses and can help you pay for your honeymoon.
3. TYPE OF WEDDING
This is the time to decide if you're having a religious wedding, a blessing or a theme wedding. If you are planning to have a religious wedding make sure you have all the paperwork required have a meeting with the priest and check the available dates with the church of your choice. Blessings are not a legal ceremony so make sure you do the signing on the Civil register first.
4. BRIDAL PARTY AND GUESTS
Now is the time to ask your Bridal party bridesmaids and groomsmen if they want to get involved before you make your final choices if they live nearby plan a party or get together for a casual dinner to talk about everyone responsibilities.
When thinking about plan a wedding the number of guests is key, particularly when it comes to choosing a venue. There is big difference between a 60-person wedding and a 200 person wedding
5. DREAM VENUE
At this time is when you can start your venue search .Many venues are very popular so they get booked a year in advance. When plan a wedding make sure you ask for the available dates , time , noise restrictions , capacity of guest , options for rain if its an outdoor wedding , menus or any additional cost like rental fee .Finally when the venue is booked make sure you received a contract with terms and conditions for your wedding event.
6. GET SUPPORT
If you feel overwhelmed by everything why not consider getting some help! This may be from, wedding magazines, online app resources, or trusted family members or friends who've planned their own weddings.
Plan a wedding by a wedding planner can save you time especially if both of you are busy working. They will work along with the best suppliers and venues to create your wedding day and save you money .
7. INSPIRATION
Now it’s time to have some fun and start looking for some inspiration. Think about how you want your wedding to look and feel. Are you going for traditional one? Or perhaps something romantic or rustic? The choice is yours, but it’s a good idea to start looking at Pinterest, Instagram, and wedding websites to get some colour schemes, decor ideas, and more. I recommend starting this process early on, but narrow your search once you’ve selected your venue.
8- WEDDING WEBSITE AND HASHTAG
Wedding websites and Hashtags are the easiest way to keep your guest in the loop when plan a wedding. Make sure to include all the important information about your wedding day on your website—date, location, travel information, room block details, and more. Use your wedding hashtag on your social media and keep family and friends updated.
9. PLAN THE HONEYMOON
You may be thinking a lot about how to plan a wedding step by step, but don’t forget about the honeymoon! Especially if you are planning to go shortly after your wedding.
So it’s time to think about a location, visas and vaccinations if required ,book your travel and accommodations, and start planning an itinerary.
10. SEND INVITATIONS
Sending your invites on time is one of the most important steps to planning a wedding.
Make sure you sent your invitations eight to six weeks before the big day and the RSVP deadline is around two or three weeks in advance make sure they send information related to food options, special needs or allergies.
Now that you've made these decisions and have a clear understanding of your big day! It's now time for the fun stuff like hen and stag parties, dresses, flowers, music, favours and more!
Ocean Weddings Spain
Lali Prada
Wedding Planner