Wedding Planning Tips for Newly Engaged Couples
4 Wedding Planning Tips to get your dream wedding
I’ve been seeing tons of engagement announcements coming up on my Facebook feed, followed by a flood of private messages that usually go something like this: “Just got engaged! I have no idea where or how to start planning, HELP!!” Chances are, many of you have never done any wedding planning before, so here are my tips for all you newly engaged couples to get your dream wedding!
Wedding Planning Tip 1
Get Organized
Write things down! This is the easiest way to keep yourself organized. Come up with a list of things that need to be done before your big day arrives, and do it together! Decide which items need to be taken care of now, and which can be put off until later. You can always re-organize this list as you go.
Consider using a colour-coded system. Go out and get yourself a monthly planner just for wedding planning tasks, appointments, and due dates. Assign a different colour for each vendor. This will make it easier to look ahead and see what’s coming up. This may feel like a lot of work but you will thank yourself when your agenda starts filling up.
Start planning early. To help reduce stress, be proactive and get started early! Getting some of the less exciting things done early will free you up to spend more time on the fun parts like dress shopping and cake tasting!
Keep your ideas in one place. We’ve all had that experience of seeing a perfect idea, and then losing track of where we saw it, right? Avoid this by making a dedicated folder on your computer, or a Pinterest board where you can save all of your wedding ideas. Having all of your ideas and inspiration together makes planning easy, and sharing your ideas with your vendors even easier!
Make a plan to plan. The only way all of this comes together is by actually sitting down and doing it. Schedule time to focus on your wedding plans. This will help keep your plans from getting behind schedule and prevent last-minute scrambling.
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Planning Tip 2
Budget, Guest List, Dates, Venue
Set your budget first! Set your budget early in your planning because it will dictate everything else. The next thing you should do is come up with a rough guest list, having an idea of the number of guests will narrow down your venue search drastically. Once you’ve set your budget, and have a rough guest list outlined, you should set a date range for your wedding.
With your budget set, guest list outlined, and some dates in mind, you can start seeking out venues. Once you’ve found a venue that fits your vision, a specific date can be set based on when the venue is available.
Wedding Planning Tip 3
Decide on a Style
Choose the style of ceremony and reception that you and your partner would like to have. Deciding whether you want a formal dinner or food stations, a DJ or a live band, etc, will have a big impact on who you hire, so it’s very important to do this before you start looking at vendors.
- Note: There is some debate about whether this should be done before or after you’ve selected a venue. After all, your reception style could be a big factor in deciding which venue you choose! You may want to have at least an idea of your reception style when looking at venues.
Planning Tip 4
Find Your Vendors
You will look back on this day for the rest of your life, and you want it to be perfect! To achieving this, hire experts with the skill and experience to make it that much more memorable. In Toronto, there are tons of wedding vendors, and finding the right ones can be stressful. Here are a few tips to help make finding your perfect wedding vendors easier.
The key to finding your perfect wedding vendors is … research! Start with referrals from family and friends, particularly those who have experience planning their own wedding, or hiring vendors for other events. Find out who they’ve used in the past and what they liked (or didn’t).
Comb through wedding directories like EventSource.ca and theweddingring.ca. Make note of those that strike you and pay attention to reviews! Visit their official website and social media platforms to get an idea of the quality and style of work.
Wedding expos and open houses can be another good way to meet vendors. Just remember, it’s always a good idea to research them online as well to see real customer feedback.
After some research, you’ll start seeing the same names pop up over and over. Make a shortlist for each service you’ll need and call or email them. After some conversations, you’ll undoubtedly have a few favourites. Discuss your plans and expectations, and before long you’ll know who fits your vision best!
That’s it!
A good vendor is one who knows what to do but is also flexible about what you want. Pick someone who understands you, your vision, and shares your excitement for it.
Finding the right vendor is like discovering your soulmate. Find someone you can count on, communicate well with, and will help you realize your dreams.
We hope our wedding planning tips help you on your planning journey!
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