Weddings are guaranteed to be a few things: unforgettable, emotional and stressful. Planning a big event that is supposed to be the highlight of your life, with lots of guests (including those with a lot of, ahem, opinions) is a huge undertaking. If you don’t stop it from getting away from you, it can start to feel like your wedding is more for everyone else that what it is supposed to be: a day to celebrate your love and the lifelong commitment you are making. Now, no matter what, there will be a few crazy moments in the wedding planning process, but with these 6 tips, we can assure you that the process can be much less stressful and even enjoyable! Here’s some key things we 100% recommend to help make the best of the wedding planning experience:
1.) Have the money talk.
Setting your budget is one of the first items mentioned on any wedding checklist. But it’s even more important to be sure you and your fiancé are on the same page as far as how much you’re both willing to spend. Consider your savings, any contributors to the big day, and even things like your current debt. Then, have “the talk” with your significant other to come up with a ballpark range. And since it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll run into some hidden fees or other unexpected expenses, make sure to give yourselves a cushion. We recommend using about 5% of your total budget as a buffer to cover any unanticipated costs. – Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
Also – plan a wedding that best suits you and your fiancé, and most importantly a wedding you can afford!! Do not go overboard for one day. No one at your wedding knows how much that floral arrangement costs and they don’t care. They may not even notice it. Make sure everything you do speaks to you as a couple.
2.) Get organized.
6 and 12 month planning checklists
As you start planning your wedding, you’re going to end up with lots of ideas, checklists, venue and vendor favorites, photo inspiration, contracts, etc. etc. Figure out an organizational system so that you can keep track of all your wedding-related collateral. It could be Google Drive, Evernote, a dedicated Pinterest board, a wedding binder, a nifty new calendar app, or a combination of several systems. Getting yourself organized early will minimize stress and allow you to hit the ground running with those all-important wedding decisions. – Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
3.) Secure your venue early.
It’s almost magical how things seem to fall into place once your venue has been booked. Your date is instantly set. You know how many guests will fit into the event space. You snag that preferred vendor list and can scope out nearby hotels for room blocks. The venue may even dictate the style or theme of your entire event! And since it also takes a healthy bite out of your overall wedding budget, it helps to have the venue nailed down ASAP so you know how much left you have to spend. – Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide. While you’re there, make sure you have this handy list of 10 important things to ask during your venue walkthrough.
4.) Work with vendors that allow you to minimize the number of decisions you’ll have to make.
Nothing impacts your wedding more than booking the right vendors. Sure, it’s easy to just call the same DJ your family “uses at every wedding,” but we encourage you to do your research. Go on The Knot vendor guide, read the ratings. The cheapest option is not always good and neither is the most expensive. You want vendors who you vibe with, and who have a lot of experience. And with experience, they will know how to guide you in the right direction.
“At Bloominous, we have over 25 collections in different styles to choose from so you can slowly build the design of your wedding flowers. What you see is what you get! You’ll have less to worry about in the long run, and you’ll have a much less stressful wedding planning experience.” – Euri Wong, Lead Designer at Bloominous
5.) Use a wedding planner, or at the very least a day of coordinator.
If you’re a fly-by-the seat-of-your-pants type of gal, or one of those rare unicorns who packs the morning they fly (how??) then planning may not be your forté. If this is the case, number one congrats because you’re probably a very chill person and I’ve always wondered what that’s like, and number two – I highly recommend a wedding planner. They will handle as much or as little as you’d like, and can offer SO much amazing advice along the way. If you love to plan, or a professional is simply out of the budget, consider a day-of planner who can help execute and manage vendors so you can focus on enjoying your wedding day and being present. While we’re on the subject, here’s a printable wedding day timeline to help you out AND a killer list of last-minute life savers to pack on your wedding day.
6.) Take time to remember why you are getting married…
…because you love each other and can’t imagine spending life without this person! Schedule wedding planning free days (or months). Have regular date nights and don’t discuss the wedding at all. Remember, this is one of the happiest moments of your life. Before you blink, it will be over. Have fun with the process and enjoying being a bride!
