First of all…CONGRATULATIONS! You’re about to embark on the whirlwind that is wedding planning. It’s a whole new world out there – or should that be ‘in here’ as we’re technically part of the process?
The first decision most couples will make is what date you’d like to get married and what sort of wedding you would like to have. You might already know where you’d like to get married. A lot of people have a family church or place of worship that has always been part of their plans ever since they started to dream about their wedding. Or the idea of a sun soaked beach wedding with your closest family and friends might be at the top of your priority list. Either way, date and venue are the must haves.
Once you have these, it’s on to supplier research. Venues are great for recommending their preferred suppliers – people who they’ve worked with numerous times, know the team, know the venue which equals less stress in the planning process. Instagram is also such a good platform as it’s visual and gives you real life examples of work.
Any wedding supplier will advise to book as early as possible as most only take one wedding per day or weekend. Most will ask for a deposit to secure the date – this is usually 25-50% of the final price, the balance being due normally two weeks before your big day. One of the biggest wedding nightmares we hear from our couples is that ‘two week fear’ where all balances for all supplies are due and it all feels a bit overwhelming. Ask your supplier if they will allow you to pay in instalments leading up to the wedding. Far kinder on your pocket and anxiety levels.
So many people will want to be involved and try and have an opinion on what you’re planning – just remember…this is your day. Having the day that you want is so, so important. But most of all, try and have fun.