The Wedding Planning “How To’s”
He finally popped the question YAY! After you’re done calling every friend and family member across the country, then what? You’ve been dreaming about your wedding since you were a child but now that it’s actually happening your world is spinning! So much so, you don’t know what to do first. Don’t you worry your pretty little mind. byPeterandPauls.com has you covered! We’ve worked tirelessly to prepare fool proof steps you should take when he put’s a ring on it.
- Let the Fairytale Begin – Sit down with your significant other and discuss your must haves (and of course have NOT’s) making sure to go into as much detail as possible. Get on the same page, what style? What theme? Sit down or buffet? Put all your ideas on the table so going forward you both know what you’re looking to make you happy. Do not discuss budget… YET.
- Time is Money – At this point, begin talking about when you’re ideal wedding date would be. You don’t need an exact date in mind. However, having a preferred year, season or month will help determine how long you have to get organized.
- Who Will Make The List? – Seeing as how all wedding costs depend on your guest list – determining one is an eminent step in completing before you move forward. Create a guest list and have your fiancé and family do the same. You will most likely make some cuts however this will give you a solid base number to start getting quotes.
- Let’s Talk Numbers – Now that you have your dream wedding and guest list laid out, figure out your bottom line. If anyone else is contributing to the wedding, find out at this point how much they are willing to give. A wedding budget is very easy to go over. Set a realistic budget to allow for what you want while making sure not to drain your pockets.
- Who You Gonna Call? – They may not be the Ghostbusters but they’ve certainly been there for you through thick and thin. Choose your bridal party. They can help ease the planning process and take less important things off your plate.
- Get Organized – Divide a notebook into sections for each budget category ie; venue, florals, entertainment etc. When you start to get close to that magic number you can look at ways to cut costs.
- Make it Official – Find an officiant and a ceremony site. Choose a ceremony site and ensure the date is available and you have all necessary documents. This location may be a church, hall or at city hall.
- Where’s the Party? – Remember the dream wedding you planned? It is now time to see how that actually fits in with reality. Use your resources to find venues accommodating your guest list as well as cost and arrange site visits.
- Teamwork Makes the Dream Work – Research the best of the best in vendors in your area. Make sure to meet with all of them to layout budget, and must haves. Have the vendors show you their work, and give you samples so you can choose what will fit best with your wedding.
- Save the Date – Your official invite should be sent out six to eight weeks prior to your wedding date so make sure you work backwards to figure out when they need to be ordered by. Basic information to include: hosts, date, time and location of the ceremony.
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