How to Plan a Wedding?

How to Plan a Wedding: Breaking It Down Into 8 Easy Steps

There’s a reason that wedding planners exist: The wedding planning process is no easy task. There’s so much to do, so much to keep track of, and so much you could potentially forget if you’re not familiar with planning large-scale events or the wedding industry in general.

Calm down — we have you covered. Here are the eight major steps to follow in your wedding planning journey. These steps will help you get a firm grasp on planning a wedding in the months ahead.

Step 1: Set Your Wedding Budget

After all of the engagement hoopla — buying the engagement ring and engagement ring insurance, popping the question, getting engagement photos taken — settles down, it’s time to think about your wedding. And the first thing you have to do when you plan a wedding is make a decision that will influence all your other wedding planning decisions. You have to set a budget.

Setting a budget isn’t always easy. You may have to have some difficult conversations about who will pay for the wedding. However, before picking a wedding date, you must know how much money you’re working with.

Step 2: Set Your Date

Then, once you have a wedding budget in mind, you can pick your preferred wedding day. Knowing the budget before you choose your wedding date is essential, as you may want to pick a typically cheaper date.

For example, venues and wedding vendors are cheaper in the off-season (so any time that’s not summer). You may likewise get good deals on venue and vendor services if you have your wedding on a day of the week that’s not Saturday.

Step 3: Decide on Your Wedding Style

Then, sit down with your partner and decide on your wedding style. Make sure you’re on the same page. Look through wedding inspiration via social media and wedding industry publications. What do you envision for your wedding? What are your wedding priorities? For example, will you prioritize a big party or a reception so all your family members can make the big day? Or are you envisioning exotic destination weddings with few guests and a big emphasis on fun?

At this time, you’d also pick your wedding colors and theme if you want one. Then, as you go through planning a wedding step by step, you’ll be able to refer back to this wedding style and vision and let it (along with your budget) guide your decisions.

If you decide to work with a wedding planner, now is the time to begin interviewing potential candidates and bringing them on board with the wedding planning.

Step 4: Put Together the Guest List and Pick a Wedding Venue

Your guest count will inform you of your perfect wedding venue and vice versa. You need a venue that fits both your number of wedding guests and your wedding budget. Your budget may dictate that you cut some guests from the list. Keep these elements in mind as you pick a venue, whether that’s a traditional ballroom or one of many unique wedding venues that can make your celebration stand out.

You’ll also want to purchase wedding insurance when you book a venue.

When finalizing the guest list, it’s also a good time to decide who will be in the wedding party and to make your bridal party announcements.

Step 5: Begin Hiring Your Wedding Vendors and Notifying Guests

After you have a venue and guest list, it’s time to begin booking vendors and letting guests know how to plan for the wedding.

Vendors you’ll need to book or think about booking after securing your venue include:

• A wedding photographer and videographer
• A DJ or live band
• Florists
• Caterers (if you’re not using your venue’s in-house caterer)
• An officiant
• Hair stylists and makeup artists

You’d also send out save the dates around this time. Don’t forget to include information about your wedding website on the save the dates (so make one if you haven’t yet!). While you’ll need to include information about all wedding events, wedding transportation, accommodations for out-of-town guests, and the wedding registry on your formal invitations—this information should also live on your wedding website, making finding this info easy for everyone.

Also, begin shopping for wedding attire (buy the wedding dress and establish the wedding party attire) and wedding rings.

Suggested Read: Average Wedding Venue Cost

Step 6: Book Smaller Necessities

Once you have all the big stuff finalized, you can begin checking smaller details off your list of steps to planning a wedding. For example, book a venue for the rehearsal dinner and make travel arrangements for your honeymoon.

Step 7: Send Out Wedding Invitations

While it might seem odd when you look at your wedding timeline, sending invitations is one of the last things you’ll do about three months before the wedding. Sending out your invitations closer to the wedding day serves as a reminder to your guests. Sending guests the invitations only a few months in advance can keep your wedding top-of-mind while still giving guests time to book travel and accommodations.

Step 8: Get Your Marriage License

And one of the final things you’ll do? Get that marriage license.

You’ll also want to create a day-of schedule for the wedding ceremony and wedding reception to ensure both events go according to plan.

How to Plan a Wedding FAQs

How long does it take to plan a wedding?

Simply put, the answer will depend on the individual wedding. But how long does wedding planning take in general? Experts say that the average wedding planning time is about a year.

How can you keep the steps for planning a wedding organized?

There are many tools out there that can help with this. If you like to mark things off your to-do list the old-fashioned way, look for a printable wedding planning checklist, or enlist the help of a wedding planning app.

Does the couple need to worry about how to plan a wedding?

If you hire a wedding planner, they will know how to plan wedding details and will take on any wedding-related responsibilities. Meanwhile, a couple without a planner must figure out how to plan a wedding step-by-step.

How to begin planning a wedding, and what’s the first step?

How to plan for a wedding begins with setting a budget because all decisions will hinge on this.

How soon should you start planning your wedding after the engagement?

You can start as soon as you like or wait as long as you want. However, it’s important to remember that how long to plan a wedding depends on your wedding choice and usually takes about a year to accomplish.

Get the Insurance Your Wedding Needs

Buy your wedding insurance as soon as you book a venue. BriteCo can help. Learn more about wedding insurance and get a quick, free quote now.

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