Ladies, I know the exact feeling, being a recently engaged bride myself, there are a lot of things to consider when planning your dream day. Season, Venue, Overall Look/Theme, Budget, but we have you covered with the top ten things you need to do first to start you off on the right “Wedding Planning” Foot.

1. Decide on a Date/Season (After the initial “Congratulations” and “Let me see the Ring!”, the next thing people will ask is “When is the wedding?” So it will save you lots of headaches if the two of you come up with a vague-yet-specific answer, like “next fall”. However, keep your timeline in mind when deciding on a date!
2. Get Inspired! Before Researching venues & vendors, you want to have a general idea of what your dream wedding looks like. What theme or personality do you want it to embody? After you have this in mind, the rest of the details will easily fall into place.
3. Make a Pass at your Guest List. Before looking at venues, you will need to know how many guests the venue will need to accommodate. Include your parents and groom’s parents in this task, as they may have family or friends that are important to them to invite. Keep in mind- you can always trim the list later! This will also give you an idea for your budget, as most venues/caterers quote based on guest count.
4. Set a budget! Do your research- find out the average wedding budget for your area, as some areas are more expensive than others. Keep in mind the most expensive part of your wedding is your guest count.
5. Go Venue Shopping! Make a day out of it, so they are all fresh in your mind! Keep in mind, some venues book up very fast, so inquire first to see what dates are available! Try and narrow this down to roughly 3-4, so you don’t become too overwhelmed!
6. Once you have a venue booked and date is set, start to research photographers (as they book up the quickest!) Once booked, you can schedule your engagement shoot and use those images on your save the date, for a more personal touch!
7. Get a Wedding Planner- and we aren’t talking about hiring one! Now a days, there are tons of websites (The Knot, Wedding Wire) and apps (iDoo, Wedding Happy) that help to keep you organized and send you friendly reminders along the way!
8. Begin to research other vendors- DJ, Musicians, Florists, Caterers, Bakers, etc. And start to get a general idea for what type of bridal dress style you like!
9. Start a wedding savings account! We all know that weddings can cost an arm and a leg- so best to start saving as early as possible! Every penny helps! Consider getting a new credit card with better rewards- we predict you will earn enough frequent flyer miles that you can then use towards your honeymoon! It’s a win-win!
10. Don’t forget to CELEBRATE! Throw a little engagement party- but make sure you only invite those that you are going to invite to the wedding! As easy as it is to get wrapped up in the planning, it is just as important to take time to celebrate and enjoy this time in your life!

XOXO,