Happy Tuesday!! I can’t believe Charlie and I have been engaged for 6 months now! We are deep into wedding planning and have been spending the past 6 months researching and booking vendors for our big day. We will be getting married in Sedona, AZ (where I grew up) on September 14, 2019. Since we have been doing this whole wedding planning thing for 6 months now, I thought I would share some wedding planning tips for those of you who just got engaged and have no clue where to start or have been engaged for awhile and just feel overwhelmed.
- Do your research, read reviews, and book reputable vendors. Nobody wants to put a down deposit on a vendor who doesn’t show up the day of the wedding.
- It is never too early to start booking your vendors. These days, weddings are a big deal and people book their vendors a year to a year and a half in advance.
- Budget, budget, budget! If you are paying for your wedding on your own or have parents helping you, make sure you set a budget at the beginning and stick to it. This will prevent unnecessary stress and will keep everyone on the same page.
- Spend the money on a quality photographer. This is SO important. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard other brides tell me that they tried to save money and now hate all of their wedding pictures. At the end of the day, all you have are your wedding pictures and memories so be very selective when choosing a wedding photographer.
- Ask for help. Since my schedule is overloaded, my mom so graciously offered to look at venues and meet with vendors for us. We are also getting married 45 minutes away from where we live and I didn’t have time to meet with vendors and venues during the week. If people are willing to help you, let them. Plus, everyone wants to be involved and at the end of the day, if you don’t like their idea, you can kindly tell them you have a different vision.
- On that same note, include others. The first time I tried on wedding gowns, I included all of my bridesmaids, my mom, Charlie’s mom, and Charlie’s aunt. I have also been sending email updates to all of my bridesmaids to keep everyone in the loop. When Charlie and I tasted all of the food and cake for our big day, we included both of our parents and it was SO fun. You only get to plan your wedding once and it is more fun to share the planning memories with others.
- Book a planner. I didn’t think I would need a planner, but everyone said getting a planner was the best money they ever spent. Planners are able to recommend vendors and help with the overall vision of the wedding. If you can’t/don’t want a wedding planner, I highly recommend getting a day of coordinator, especially if you are having a large wedding.
- Choose the wedding dress YOU want. You want the dress that is going to make you feel the most confident and the most comfortable. It is good to get other people’s opinions, but you need to choose what YOU want to wear because you will be the one wearing it on your big day.
- Use wedding websites such as zola.com, theknot.com, weddingwire.com. These websites have electronic wedding checklists, registry assistance, guest lists, and so much more! These websites are so helpful and keep you on track.
- My last tip and this is the most important tip, enjoy this time! You will only be a fiancé for a short period of time so enjoy this moment! Don’t let all of the stress of planning get in the way of the excitement that comes along with planning.
Also, a big thank you to Shop at Bash for gifting me this super cute and soft bride tee! Shop at Bash has the cutest apparel for all occasions! If you are engaged and are looking for cute tees for yourself or for your bachelorette party, Shop at Bash has you covered! By clicking on the image of the bride shirt below, you will be redirected to their site. Shop the look below:
I hope all of these tips help you during your wedding planning journey!
Xoxo,
Jonica