Congratulations! You’re engaged! Now what?!!
Often, wedding planning can seem like quite an arduous task, and it definitely can be! Creating a clear outline and plan from the beginning, and knowing where and how to start, will set you up for a more successful and less stressful planning process.
First, sit down with all involved parties. Do not feel the need to include individuals in this process who won’t be there to support you 100%. Think of the people in your life whose opinions you value, and who you know always look out for your best interest!
Second, set a budget. Just putting a number down on paper can help you start to create a bigger picture. If you cannot agree on a budget at the start, that is okay! Try to get a ballpark number with the knowledge that it might fluctuate a little bit (but on this note, make sure you set parameters!)
Third, draft a guest list. Start with the people you absolutely need at your wedding, and work from there. Also, don’t feel pressured to invite people if you need to keep your list tight.
Once you have those three things out of the way, hire a planner!! Having a wedding planner from the beginning will be one of your greatest investments. After all, they know the ins and outs of the business, and will be your greatest advocate. They also come with a plethora of vendor recommendations and contract knowledge, and can help set up venue tours, tastings, hotel blocks—they truly do pull your vision together!
We recommend staying fairly open on the date. Having a month or season in mind will allow for more flexibility to work with venue availability. You have to ask yourself, what is more important? A specific wedding date, or the venue of your dreams?
Next, find a venue! There are SO many options, especially in Philadelphia and its surrounding areas. All of these venues have varying price points, capacities, offerings, and vibes!
Once you have a planner, venue, and date, it’s time to book your other vendors. I know, this has already been a lot and you’d love to take a break. However, we recommend powering through and booking all of your vendors ASAP. Wedding vendors are booking up earlier than ever before. If you secure your vendors early, you won’t have disappointment later when your top choice is already booked. Another perk is that you may secure current pricing for your wedding which will go up if you wait to book after annual price raises typically occur!