WE'RE ENGAGED!!!!
Now what?
Planning your wedding can be overwhelming, stressful, infuriating, etc. BUT it is also an extremely exciting and emotional time in your life that you will never get back. The best way to make this process easier on yourself is to get organized from the start. Here are the first few things you should check off your list:
1. Determine your budget. It's no secret that weddings can be expensive. Before doing anything, you want to make sure you can afford what you want. Make a list of your must-haves and have a general range of what you're able to spend on this special day in order to book your vendors/venue accordingly. Booking the venue and later realizing it was out of your budget after inquiring with vendors is a bullet you want to dodge. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.
2. Schedule up to 5 venue tours. You probably have an idea of the type of venue you want, but it doesn't hurt to tour a few other completely different locations to get an idea of what else is out there (this is also a good time to completely rule out what you DO NOT want based on wedding venues you've been to before as a guest. Wasting time in that sense is a no no). There are gardens, ballrooms, barns, mansions with outdoor tents, etc. When you look at different options, keeping in mind your budget, it can open your mind to new ideas. Why 5? You want to keep this process short and sweet. Any more than 5 can make things confusing and stressful. Trust me, when you find your venue, you'll know it.
3. Inquire with vendors. Once you book the venue, YOU HAVE A WEDDING DATE!!! This is when you want to start inquiring with vendors so you have a date to present them with to first and foremost check their availability. The following are the vendors you'll want to inquire with ASAP:
-Photographer/Videographer
-Caterer (if not included with the venue)
-Hair & Makeup
-DJ/Band
-Coordinator/Planner (if not included with the venue)
These vendors tend to book up quick and the longest in advance. Keep in mind some don't have teams or associates for you to work with.
"Once establishing your venue - then move onto your service based/singular in nature vendors first being: catering, photo/video, hair and make up, and entertainment/music/DJ/Band. These vendors are providing a service and therefore once they are booked they have only singular availability for each day, or they’re aesthetic by nature so you choose them based on their aesthetic or artistry (photo/video, hair and make up), if you really love a specific persons work/style and they fall in one of those categories you need to book them sooner rather than later. Then move into your product based vendors, those who won’t necessarily be working or serving your event but will be providing a product like florals, rentals, lighting/dealing - these types of vendors come install or deliver the product and then move onto the next location and do the same. You aren’t as limited as these vendors often work with several couples or locations in a day."
-Lexi Giambanco | Lead Planner at The Farm at Eagles Ridge | 12 years in the industry.