1) Propose or be proposed to....this is a given right??
2) Announce to family and friends that you are engaged - enjoy the celebration before the planning begins.
3) Talk with parents about finances! Where will they come from, who wants to contribute what - THIS IS IMPORTANT!! No one should start planning without a budget. Try to get a dollar amount rather than – I will pay for "blank" - This will allow you to retain control over aspects of the planning. Be realistic about what you can afford to contribute.
4) Talk about time of year for the wedding, are there dates you can't have a wedding?
4a) If you can - book a wedding planner!! A planner can save you time, stress and costly mistakes.
5) Select the wedding party and ask them to be in the wedding. Talk with each other about the number of attendants you would like to have.
6) Start the guest list, with names not just guessing the number of people you think will be invited. It might be way higher or lower than you think. You also don't want to fall in love with a location that you can't fit in, can't afford because of your number of guests or would swallow your guests because it's too big.
7) Look into locations. Ceremony and reception venues can determine the date based on availability. Also like before, you don't want to fall in love with something you can't afford or later find out that your budget is blown because the guest list has grown and the per person cost is more that you should have locked into.
8) Once the venues are selected, finalize the wedding date.
9) Start researching vendors, in order of importance to you. Don't assume anything will be available or easy to get. If you have the money for deposits - lock em' in. Some of the online budget sheets have breakdowns of what percentages go where, but I don't always find this the case. Remember if photography is most important book what reasonable (see following chart) but if you really want one that is out of the budget range, then you must give up something that you aren't as concerned with having. It's about balancing what you want with what you can afford. This goes for anything. If food or location is most important then maybe you’ll have to have DJ rather than a band.
10) Start a wedding binder, tracking all information found, received, collected. Tracking all payments made or to be made. It will become your wedding world. Come into The Wedding Design Stuido and purchase one of our custom wedding binders already loaded with tips, tricks, checklists, budgeting and so much more!
This is some great information for brides!
Posted by: Dennis | 01/14/2010 at 08:33 AM
Tips #3 is very true. Finances in wedding is not just between the couple alone, you could also ask assistance from parents. I'm telling you they are willing to help.
Posted by: Andre Nievo | 02/01/2010 at 03:41 PM