Yay, you're engaged, congratulations!!
But what now? Where do you actually start with your wedding planning? That is something I remember asking myself when I got engaged (I was not a wedding planner at the time).
Well here are my first 4 steps to planning your wedding!
Guest Numbers
First port of call, guest numbers! Without guest numbers you won't know the size of venue you're looking at or know whether your budget is realistic! Sit down with your partner and go over your full list together, have a glass of wine and enjoy that wedding planning process. Once that first step is done you can really get the ball rolling!
Budget
Budget is a very important step. Don't go into things thinking, it's ok we'll work it out as we go. Sadly it doesn't work like that and you'll either find you come unstuck, end up spending too much or have to miss out certain elements because yu spent to much on something else.
Work out what savings you have and are willing to put towards the day. Do you have family members that want to contribute? Do you need time to save? If so how much are you willing to spend, how long will that take to save and how much do you need to save per month to hit that? These are all things that you need to work out before you can start spending money and booking things. You'll then have a fantastic idea of what size venue you need (because you know your guest numbers) and how much you actually have to spend. Then you can suss out if you actually need to cut numbers, increase your budget or if it's spot on!
Location
this might not sound like a big, but trust me it is. Have you really thought about the location? Do you want to get married abroad or in the UK? Do you want a local wedding to where you live or are you happy to travel anywhere in the country to a venue that is right for you? Will your guests be willing to travel across the country or abroad and can elderly guests make the journey? These are all things to consider before starting the venue search. But once you've done all these steps, imagine how much easier that venue search will be.
Date
Not quite as important as the others if you're willing to be a little flexible. If you have month in mind, that can work, if you have a particular date in mind, be prepared that you may have to book a year or two ahead. You may be lucky, but venues to book up very far in advance and if you have an exact date in mind it might not be available. Choosing a month is usually easier or being very relaxed and seeing what the venue has is the other option. But do go to your viewings with an idea of when you would like to get married otherwise you'll be scrolling through a years worth of dates!
So there you have it, the first 4 steps to planning you wedding. Simple but crucial!
L x
