I spend my days chatting with newly engaged couples. And with 40% of engagements happening between December and February I have this discussion alot right now. You get engaged, crazy excited happy dances, tell the fam, and you can’t wait to start planning your dream wedding! You sit down and start looking through pinterest and blogs for planner checklists and start to get overwhelmed at all of the logistics to consider and don’t know where to start. You might even just not want to start at all. Procrastinate a little… and just spend some time enjoying being engaged.

First of all, do that. Stop for a second and just soak in every moment.  This time is less about a wedding and more about your next chapter, together. Enjoy it.

The statement I hear all the time is “We didn’t even know where to begin!”

Don’t look at everything you have to do and think you have to do it all at once. Break it down little by little. Where to start? Start with the 3 most important things. Prioritize them. Begin with the one that is most important to you two and go from there! What are the 3 most important things? A date. A venue. And a photographer.

Your Wedding Date –

Most planners you find at the bookstore or online might say select a date first. Well it doesn’t HAVE to come first. For you there might be a very special date and that has to be it. And if that’s the case, this is your first priority then. If not it doesn’t have to be your first choice, you can select your date around your venue or photographer. Remember when selecting your date it also doesn’t HAVE to be a Saturday. There is no rule and if it were it should be broken anyway! Friday, Sunday, midweek. Whatever you want. And don’t think people won’t come to your Friday wedding because they have to work… seriously? Who doesn’t want a really good excuse to take Friday off for a long weekend with family and friends? So if you two have a special day that must absolutely be the day, start there. If not maybe move onto one of the other options.

Your Venue –

This is where your whole day is going to take place, so it’s a little bit important. If there is a certain place that’s extra special to you two be it a milestone happened there or maybe it’s a family or friends property then start here. You can select your date based on the availability of the venue. Another reason to start with just these 3 things. You may have a color scheme or vision for what you want your wedding to be. A pinterest board you’ve filled over the years. But until you have a venue, none of that matters. Once you have your spot that’s when you can really create your vision. How things will lay out. What will take place where. So on and so forth. If you don’t have a specific place where this day must happen then start with one of the other options 😉

Your Photographer –

I’m really not saying your photographer is of top importance because I am one. I’m saying it because they are. When your wedding is over all that is left is you two married, the memories, and the photos. And as much as I hate to say it… over time memories fade. But your images will help you remember. So being that photos are really all that’s left afterwards…. it’s important. If there isn’t a specific date that it needs to happen or a certain place you may find your photographer first. Someone you’ve been following for what seems like forever! Or someone who photographed a friends or family members wedding. Or you might just find yourself searching for the perfect person to spend with you two on your big day. Find their availability and move forward from there.

There is no specific order you must do things in. Break each step down along the way and prioritize to your own personal desires. And along the way you may find that you both are wanting something a little different. Ok lets be real…. that is most likely, absolutely, going to happen. Remember that it’s more about you two than it is about a wedding 😉

 

 

 

 

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