So you’ve experienced the romantic proposal, the initial excitement of saying YES!, and received countless congratulations from family and friends – but now the dust has settled and you’re left wondering, how on earth do I even begin wedding planning?! Believe us when we tell you you’re not the first newly-wed-to-be to feel like this, so we’ve put together our top tips of how to start planning the day of your dreams. Remember, this should be an enjoyable experience!
Set your budget
Admittedly not the most exciting of wedding planning tasks – but this should always be number 1 on your list. This number will influence all the decisions to follow and is an important step to avoiding falling in love with something you can’t afford. Once you’ve decided on your overall wedding budget, it’s time to make a list of the things that absolutely must be part of wedding day. Now is also the time to explore your wedding insurance options – a must have for security and peace of mind.
An atmospheric winter wedding or an al-fresco high summer affair?
Whilst you may not have an exact date in mind for the big day, it’s important to decide on a rough idea of when you are aiming for. When contacting venues and suppliers this will be the first question you are asked and it is important in terms of determining availability and costs – wedding venues will often have different price brackets depending on the time of year. It’s also important to investigate ‘wedding blackout dates’ (they are a thing, we promise!), as there are likely to be dates in your chosen year you want to avoid – from world cup finals to local events that could affect traffic. On top of these practicality factors, choosing a time of year is often pivotal in wedding planning – think cosy fur shawls for December dates, and barefoot boho vibes in high summer.
The all-important guest list…
Deciding on your wedding guest list has been known to turn into a not so enjoyable experience! You will often be surprised at how many people you know and even the most extensive guest lists must stop somewhere. So make the decision early on and stick with it! This will organically help with narrowing down your venue choice. It’s not uncommon to discover that the venue you have had your heart set on is not able to accommodate your extensive guest list. If you are struggling to decide on your guest list size, then our Is an intimate wedding right for you post might help you with your decision.
Get creative!
Now the ‘boring’ decisions have been made, the fun wedding planning can begin! You have permission to immerse yourself in all things wedding – from beautiful gowns to decadent cakes and everything in between. There is a world of inspiration out there – Pinterest and Instagram will be your friends on this exciting journey! If you prefer to flick through inspiration in print, there are so many beautiful wedding magazines available, but we have a soft spot for Wed Magazine – a wonderful read anywhere in the country, but essential reading if you are planning a wedding in Devon or Cornwall.
You can follow our Instagram journey here.
A little organisation
Future you will thank you for this one: Invest in a wedding folder and keep everything neatly organised with separate pockets for each supplier. Keep records of all the meetings and phone conversations you have – as well as any contracts. As a lot of suppliers will contact you via email, it can be useful to set up a wedding-only email address, to avoid losing important emails in between Asos sale updates and Pinterest notifications. A google-docs file is also a good organisational alternative to printed copies of documents and notes.
Don’t forget what it’s all about…
There are likely to be moments when you feel a little overwhelmed by the whole wedding planning process – so it’s important to take a step back and remind yourself what your wedding is really about – marrying the love of your life!
Are you currently planning your big day? Or maybe you’ve already said ‘I do’ and picked up some valuable advice along the way that you would like to share? Let us know!