Planning your wedding can be as elaborate as hosting 300 or more guests to celebrate throughout a long weekend. Or it can be as simple as an intimate backyard ceremony under the stars with a few of your closest friends and family members.
No matter how you slice it, though, you’re going to have to do some sort of planning. Before you get to the nitty-gritty details.
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Here Are A Few Things You Ought To Consider First:
1. Do You Have Your Engagement Ring?
Not everyone gets an engagement ring when someone has proposed. Very often, couples will arrive at a mutual decision to get married before they go about purchasing a ring.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get one week or even months after the proposal. Start thinking about the style of ring you want.
There are many variations of cuts, shapes, qualities, and colors. You may also want to save some extra money by deciding whether or not to buy a lab-grown diamond.
Don’t forget to look into getting it properly sized and insured. You can do this fairly easily by adding your ring to your current renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy.
Related Resource: Tips To Remember When Choosing A Wedding Gown
2. What Does Your Dream Wedding Look Like?
For years you may have compiled beautiful images and saved them to a Pinterest board whenever you dreamt about your wedding day. Now the day is almost here, it’s time to take those dreams and turn them into a reality.
Ask yourself what your dream wedding looks like. Is it big or small? Indoors or outdoors? Are all the bridesmaids wearing matching outfits or will stand at the altar by themselves?
Think about the big picture for what your dream wedding looks like. This will help you throughout the process as you focus on the logistics.
3. Are You Getting Help to Pay For It?
Your budget will largely determine whether certain elements of your dream wedding are feasible. Knowing whether you’ll be getting financial assistance or not should help you prepare before any wedding plans become official.
If you’re paying for the entire event yourself, you’ll have to evaluate your budget with care so that it’s feasible according to your and your partner’s financial resources. If your parents plan to help pay for it, you should know how much or which items they’re willing to cover.
4. When Do You Want to Get Married?
Selecting a date might seem like a no-brainer, but many factors may influence the date of the wedding. You want to pick something that’s far enough out that you and your guests can plan accordingly, and also not conflict with everyone’s previous commitments.
For instance, if your sister is getting married in August, it might not be convenient to schedule your wedding in September. Many of the same people will want to attend. If they have to fly from out of state and book suitable lodging, it may place a financial strain on them.
Depending on which season you plan to get married, or what day of the week, these will also make a huge difference in the price. Prime seasons usually are those with better weather, such as late spring or early fall.
Weddings are also primarily set for weekends. If you’re interested in saving money, you might consider getting married in the middle of the week.
5. Do You Need Special Accommodations?
Certain weddings may require special accommodations before you’re able to get married, especially if you wish to hold the ceremony in a religious facility. Some churches require the couple to attend a weekend retreat to prepare for marriage.
Others expect both individuals to be of the same religion to marry in the church. If you desire specific spiritual content, make sure to verify the requirements before you make any official plans.
6. Who Do You Know?
Now is the time to tap into your networks. You may have connections that can alleviate some of the financial burdens during the planning process.
Maybe you know someone who is just starting into photography and wants to add to their portfolio. Perhaps you have someone in your family who is a registered wedding officiant and who would love to perform the ceremony.
Make a list of some of the people you intend to invite who may be able to assist in various non-financial ways.
7. To Eat or Not to Nibble?
Catering will be an essential service in your wedding event. But you have the option to refrain from hosting a sit-down meal at your wedding.
Some wedding receptions provide only small appetizers if the aim is to have a brief gathering after the ceremony. But if you’re inviting more than 200 people to an event with an open bar, you ought to consider furnishing a full meal to your guests.
No one wants the potential consequences of guests drinking on an empty stomach.
8. Are You Having Fun?
planning your wedding is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Some elements might indeed make you want to pull your hair out. But overall, you should be excited about the process.
If you’re not having fun, it might be worth reevaluating your current plans. Maybe you need to hire a wedding planner or weigh the possibility of an elopement.
Remember, your wedding day is about you and your partner becoming a family. If you lose sight of this along the way, you’ll find yourself even more stressed out on the actual day of your wedding.
Conclusion
When you get engaged, but before you start making any serious plans, let yourself dream about your special day. Play out different scenarios of what it could look like.
Ask yourself what would make you and your partner happiest. It shouldn’t be about comparing your wedding to anyone else’s.
Have fun throughout the entire wedding planning process rather than stressing over your budget. Most important, before you make any final decisions for your wedding, don’t forget what the day is really about.
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