Congratulations! He popped the question during Christmas or New Years!! Many people say it’s tacky, but quite frankly, does it matter when you get engaged?! I think the idea of being around your family and friends for this occasion during the holidays really suits some people!!
You’ve gone through the excitement of telling everyone….now what?! Starting wedding planning or not, thinking about it will always be on your mind and a lot of people don’t know where to start.
This is different to each couple, but my step one is prioritizing your vendors. You may or may not be able to get every vendor you want – all depends on your date.
wedding date | venue | photographer
For many, those are the top three…as they should be ;) Your date will be your anniversary, your venue will be the place you spend your entire day, and your photos will be the only thing left after you have gone home, your flowers have wilted and you’ve run out of perfume.
A lot of planners will say choose your date first, but unless you’re really in love with a set of numbers, I personally disagree with that. It doesn’t HAVE to come first. You set a date but your dream venue AND photographer are unavailable – what’s the point in that? You may be able to get both if you choose your date dependant on when they’re available. Nor does it have to be a Saturday! Anyone who really wants to be at your wedding will book any day of the week off for you. And who doesn’t want to book off a Friday to spend a long weekend with their family and friends.
Like I said earlier, you will probably be spending all day at your venue – so let it be somewhere you really love. Even if its not usually a wedding venue, if somewhere has a special meaning for the both of you, make it happen. Find a place where you can make your vision come to life for real.
Of course I’m a little biased on your photographer – but when you and your guests go home, the suits are returned, the dress is in your closest, flowers wilted….you can look back at your photos. With my clients, I really revolve the wedding experience on how you felt when your photos are taken. If you feel awkward around your photographer, you will remember that when you look back at your photos. Personally, I want to look back at mine and remember how much fun I had that day and how silly we were while having a blast taking our photos. As much as you tell yourself you’ll remember, memories fade. Especially the little details. Digital photos are convenient to have, but especially having a tangible wedding album will bring back the experience that much more. There’s something different about seeing your photos in your hands versus on a computer screen. Because I know I almost don’t care about anything else. If Katelyn & Michael aren’t at my wedding, I know I’ll regret it. Don’t skip the engagement session either, it is a lot less about the photos and more about getting to know how your photographer works and them getting to know you will teach them how to serve you better on your wedding day.
There is no order you HAVE to do things in. Put everything in a list and then put it in order of necessity to YOU. Know going into planning that you are willing to juggle things around to acquire the tops of your list.
If you’re a foodie, a caterer is probably up there. Music buff, maybe a band of DJ is top priority!
Happy planning!
