So, you just got engaged! You’re probably thinking, “I’m so excited!” (or, “I’m so overwhelmed!”). Wedding planning is exciting for some and daunting for others, but one thing we can all agree on is needing to find the best place to start.

Written by: Megan Adams & Julia Strange

What is step one? Is it the venue? Is it a Pinterest board? Is it buying every wedding related magazine you can find and scouring them for inspiration? Okay, here’s the real step one – the foundation upon which all of your wedding planning will be based. It is your budget.

Find out where your money is coming from to pay for your special day. Weddings can be expensive (did you know the national average spent is $34k?!). What are some common options? Are you and your fiancée paying for it completely out of your own pocket? Great! Sit down and decide how much money you can commit. Are your parents funding the big day? Fantastic! Find out exactly what they are committing, and decide if you’re planning to chip in as well. Do you have a benefactor who’s not setting a limit? Amazing! Just make sure you know where you want to draw the line.

Once your number is established, plug your budget into a formula that will help you know exactly how much to spend in each area. Here’s one example of a budget breakdown:

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Photos by: Eileen Call Photo

Next (and this is important) – be realistic. Make your guest list. If you have a tight budget, it’s likely that you won’t be able to feed 300 people. You’ll either have to make some hard cuts to your guest list, or find more money to ensure everyone can attend. Then, pick what is most important to you. Do you love cake? Are you a flower queen and want to spend more on turning your space into a garden? Prioritize the areas closest to your heart, but make sure you cut elsewhere to make it work!

Photos By: Peter Gubernat Photo & Kalli June Photo

Once you have a financial plan and have laid down the groundwork, you can finally do some dreaming. Think about what your ideal day would feature. Where do you picture yourself saying “I Do”? Are you feeling traditional, industrial, or rustic? What’s your style? Make sure you gather all of your ideas in one place (I recommend pinning to a board on Pinterest). Just be aware that your ideas are absolutely going to evolve as you move through the process.

This is also a great time to start looking for a wedding planner. Begin to reach out to a few of them and see who you click with on a personal and aesthetic level. Finding the right planner to help you through out the process can take your ideas and eleveate them so something better than you imagined. Not to mention take the stress out of the process.

Next step is finding a venue. I recommend visiting at least three at the beginning of your search. In fact, for this, I would apply the Goldielocks philosophy: try one at the high end of your budget (which would probably be all-inclusive), one in your mid-range, and one on the low end (probably more DIY). Doing this will help you (and your planner) get a clearer idea about exactly what type of venue will best fit your needs, even if none of those venues are the one for you. You will now be better prepaired to know what you need. Once you have something booked with a date, you’ll be ready to move on to the remaining vendors on your list!

Who should you book first? Personally, I would start looking for the right photographer. Find a photo and editing style you love, and then research photographers with that style in your price range. Keep in mind that your photographer should be an investment. Your photos are likely the only thing you will keep after to remember the big day. We all have a friend who’s a photographer and will do it for less, but you’ll likely regret it if you hate your photos in 10 years.

The next one will probably surprise you, but pleasebook your favorite hair and makeup artists as soon as possible! It might not seem urgent, but the best ones (and probably the ones you like the most) tend to book up quickly.

After that, look back to your venue. Will it have a caterer & bar on site? If not, this is a good point to begin looking. Again, depending on your budget, you should talk to a high, mid, and low-end caterer. Some caterers and bar services are going to be more full-service than others. Your low-end caterers are likely not going to stick around to clear the tables. Make the decision on what level of service you are most interested in, then pick your favorite.

You can also start the search at this point for a great DJ or band. The biggest thing to pay attention to is whether or not they’ll have all of the equipment needed for both the ceremony and the reception. Also be sure to ask questions about how they would like the music selections given to them. It’s important to find a DJ with strong communication skills that will reply if you have questions as you move forward. Something additional to note – a good DJ should NEVER use Wi-Fi (only occasionally for requests).

Finally, don’t forget about the flowers! Decide what floral styles you love and meet with a few of your favorite florists. Your planner should be able to give you a few options in each design and price category.

At this point in the process, it might also be a good time to hone in on other details that make up your overall aesthetic. This means taking care of any additional décor or rental items, cake, officiant, photo booth, as well as paper goods like save the dates and invites.

This is a great start to kick off your wedding planning experience. If you have already checked all of these boxes and hired the vendors, then all you need to do is focus on the details which frankly deserves it’s own blog! Let us know if you would like to see a details breakdown!

So, you are Engaged – Now What?

So, you just got engaged! You’re probably thinking, “I’m so excited!” (or, “I’m so overwhelmed!”). Wedding planning is exciting for some and daunting for others, but one thing we can all agree on is needing to find the best place to start.

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