What’s the Most Important Thing?

            What’s the most important thing when planning a wedding? Well the bride and groom, of course!  All joking aside, for most couples, the wedding venue is the most important thing.  Finding the perfect wedding venue that is available for the special date that’s been chosen can be a tricky endeavor -- that’s why this should be the first thing couples secure.  The venue is the foundation of the wedding.  Some couples have a specific date that they must be married on and others may have a specific location where they must be married at.  Weddings can take place on the anniversary of when the two first met, in a special church or next to the ocean as the sun sets.

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            If a couple is having a traditional church wedding, they should contact the church office first to see if the date is available, and if it is, reserve it right away.  With a church wedding, a reception location is also needed.  So, once the church is secure, find that perfect setting for the celebration.  If living in a small town, these venues are going to be harder to come by, so the availability will be more limited.  In a big city, there will be more to choose from, but there will also be numerous other people to compete with.  Venues such as hotel ballrooms can also be hard to reserve because not only do folks have their weddings there, they are used for business meetings, corporate parties and other large events.

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            The bride and groom may decide that the date isn’t as important as the actual location where they want their nuptials to unfold.  If they want to make sure that the wedding and reception are at a favorite winery in the fall or on the beach in Hawaii, but the date can be flexible, then they may have an easier time.  However, it’s still the first and foremost thing that should be determined.  Once the venue is set, then the details can fall into place.  The dress, the flowers, the photographer, the decorations can all be selected and based around the special location.  For instance, if being married in a beach setting, the bride’s gown will probably differ than if she were to be married at a formal church.  Some venues will not need many decorations due to their existing elegance, but if the reception is in a relative’s backyard, then appropriate décor will have to be purchased.  For all these reasons, no matter where the wedding will take place, the venue should be secured first to guaranty that the show can go on!

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The Beggining....

Planning a wedding can be fun, exciting, and yet stressful. For many brides, they feel overwhelmed by the endless possibilities that make up a wedding.Where should a bride start? Well there are a couple things that should be decided before anything else.

1. The date

2. The budget

3. The type of wedding i.e. destination, large, small

4.The guest list

 

Once these four things are finalized, it will make planning the rest of the wedding go a lot smoother. The date will be the first question every vendor will ask you. It is important to set a date at the very beginning so that everyone has enough time to prepare, whether it be for vendors preparing food or floral arrangements, family members who are from out of town, or for the bride to plan the wedding. 

The budget is probably the biggest factor in deciding what type of wedding you are going to have, so try to get as close in estimate as possible. Come up with a plan about how you are coming up with the money. If your parents are helping, make sure everyone is on the same page with the price. Some brides may want to create a separate savings account at the bank that will only be used for wedding funds, this way it will help track costs.

The type of wedding is also an vital first step when planning the wedding. The couple must choose if they would like a small, intimate wedding or a large wedding. This also includes the location of the wedding. Destination weddings are becoming more popular with the economic downturn. Many couples decide that they would rather take a trip with their closest family and friends for a small wedding in a tropical location.

The last portion that is a must for the beginning stages of the planning is the guest list. This does not have to be exact, in fact many people go through their guest list two or three times when planning a wedding. However, by getting an idea of how many people will attend the search for a wedding venue will be a lot easier. Also, a guest list helps couples see how many children and elderly people will be invited to the wedding, which can have an effect on the location and style of the wedding. 

It is important to keep all of the wedding information together, so it would be wise to create a folder or binder. This way, all of the wedding ideas and information are kept together in an organized fashion. 

Happy Planning!!!