How to Start Planning Your Wedding

Finally, he has popped the question and you’re suddenly overwhelmed with all the decisions that need to be made and the planning that needs to be done. So, where do you start?

The logical first step after an engagement is to decide on a wedding date. If you are on a tight budget, consider getting married on a Friday or during the week, or even during low season (i.e. the winter months) – as most venues and service providers seem to be more negotiable with these times regarding their rates.

The biggest factor when determining how “big” your wedding is going to be, is your budget. You need to find out if anyone else, like family, is willing to contribute financially to the wedding, and who will be responsible for which costs. Once you have a budget limit you can officially start looking for wedding suppliers.

A good idea is to decide on the top 5 items you are prepared to spend the most money on. Usually the venue and food takes preference, with your wedding dress and photographer coming in next. Some couples even feel that the DJ/entertainment is a high priority and often this is ranked amongst their top 5. Items such as wedding stationary, the wedding cake and often the décor are ranked amongst the lower items. You can then allocate your budget accordingly.

Many brides start a wedding file or scrapbook, where they keep all their wedding related ideas together. This is a great idea especially if you have found specific elements that you like. It also aids in showing your wedding vendors, such as your florist, what flowers you like and what your tastes are when it comes to décor. Always take this file along to meetings, so your wedding vendors can have a good idea of what you have in mind.

Remember that it’s also important to tell your suppliers what your dislikes are. For example, if you HATE bows make sure you tell your decorator and anyone else that’s involved how much you dislike them. This will prevent someone from making that inevitable last minute bow around your wedding cake, and you hating it.

Keep everything together. Organise your budget in an Excel spreadsheet by indicating your budgeted amounts as well as your actual amounts. This way you’ll always be only a click away from seeing where you stand financially. Keep your spreadsheet updated with payments made, outstanding payment, and dates of final payments.
Once you have all the “paperwork” in order, you can go ahead and start booking appointments with your preferred wedding vendors.