Some might say that one’s wedding day is the most important. It is a union that is only surpassed by the birth of one’s children. The key to a happy and well-organized wedding is preparation and organization. That is the goal of this step-by-step wedding planning guide. Some may think that all the hype about wedding planning is just overplaying; however, that is not the case. Planning your wedding can be one of the most complicated things, especially if you don’t prepare yourself for the long list of things that need to be done. This quick little wedding checklist should help you get all aspects of your wedding moving in the right direction.
Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide- The Breakdown
Let’s break down planning your wedding into three sections. First, we will talk about the budget, location, guest list, and theme for the wedding. Once we have a direction on where we will move to the when. Those are the first and foremost things that need to be considered and decided before taking further steps.
Then we will move over to all the booking and reservations involved with wedding planning. It would include aspects like catering, the band, and the photographer. The last thing that we will cover in this wedding checklist will be the maid of honor and the bridesmaids; the best man and the groomsmen; the ushers, the ring bearer, and the flower girls.
Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide- Section One
When you begin planning your wedding, the first thing to consider is the budget. This is usually a touchy subject, as traditionally, the bride’s parents will foot the bill. However, now that we have entered the 21st century, the parents are no longer expected to carry all of the financial weight, just like many other common traditions. The funds can come from anywhere, but the most important thing is getting a realistic estimate of what you will have to spend. Once you know how much you can spend, you know how much you can afford.
The guest list is next on the wedding checklist in this step-by-step wedding planning guide. Many think this is the hardest part of wedding planning because it has to be budget-based. Deciding how many will be on your guest list does take presentence, to most people, over the location and theme. This is because of how special this day is. It revolves around how many close friends and family members you want to share your special day with. Some may want to decide the location, theme, and guest list all at once, as these will significantly contribute to the overall expense. Either way, the guest list is a crucial factor when considering the realistic budget you have to divvy up for the other aspects of your wedding.
Now the wedding checklist comes to the location and theme. The further ahead you book the place you want to have the wedding ceremony, the cheaper it will be. Some people are very traditional and want to be married in a church, but there are many alternate locations to consider when planning your wedding for those who wish to choose another special place.
Here are some ideas for planning your wedding location:
-The Park
-The Beach
-A Place of Historical Significance
-A Place of Personal Significance
-At A Family or Friends Home
-Overseas
Once you have decided on the location, the theme is next on the wedding checklist. The composition and location sometimes go hand in hand. For example, if you choose to have a beach wedding, the theme will most likely be based around a luau. After choosing a theme to match your budget, location, and guest list, you can move on to the more intricate pieces of planning your weddings, like the actual reservations and bookings. (See section two of this step by step wedding planning guide)
The final aspect covered in this wedding planning section is all about the when. Ask yourself: When do I want to have my wedding? There are 12 months every year. Some are warm; some are cool; some are hot; some are cold. You may want to choose a particular time of year that is significant to you when planning your wedding date. This could be a reminder of when you met, based on a memorable holiday that you shared, or simply your favorite time of the year.
People come with different likes and dislikes, meaning the groom may want to have the wedding in the dead of winter, while the bride may want the flowers to be blooming while she walks down the aisle. Coming to a compromise on the time of year to have the wedding is only one of the many compromises that will need to be made throughout the wedding planning stages.
Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide- Section Two
This part of the wedding checklist covers the reservations and booking of all the fine details of a wedding; this includes everything from the caterer to the band, from the wedding location to the photographer.
If one thing is not reserved or booked correctly when planning your wedding, it could throw the whole wedding off course. Double-checking and then triple-checking again can never hurt. The last thing anyone would want is to show up at their wedding location and who set up nothing there. For the most part, they are booking and scheduling your wedding activities months before the actual wedding will save lots of money. Last-minute weddings always tend to cost more than planned ahead of time.
This next section consists of the more intricate and detailed tasks outlined in this step-by-step wedding planning guide. This is instrumental to the overall flow of the wedding in general. You will need to choose a caterer for the reception meal. The catering company needs to be reliable, professional at what they do, and most importantly, offer quality service and great food. Caterers can provide testing samples during your decision stages to ensure that the proposed menu will meet the bride and groom’s tastes.
Coordinating the music is usually a pretty easy aspect of planning your wedding. All that is needed is a musician, band, or DJ that can be versatile enough to meet the music likings of the bride and groom. It is essential to seek out a semi-professional band, as one of the worst things would be if they never even showed up. You would also want to look for someone who has experience with weddings, as they will need to entertain the guests and keep the mood and events of the reception flowing, leading your guests through a series of predesigned reception events.
So at this point of the wedding checklist, one must first look at the type of music that the married-to-be couple enjoys together. This same logic applies to choosing your photographer, as this is an important decision because the pictures taken will be wedding keepsakes forever.
Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide- Section Three
This is the final section in this wedding checklist covering the wedding party. This part of wedding planning may be the toughest. Choosing the actual wedding party is very important to the bride and groom and the ones who are chosen.
It is a great honor for most to be chosen as a best man or maid of integrity; that’s a given; but it is also an honor to just be selected to participate as a bridesmaid, groomsman, flower girl, and/or ring bearer. It is usually what makes up the wedding party, though additional roles and positions can be added or removed depending on the bride and groom’s wishes.
Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide- In Review
The critical thing to remember when planning your wedding is the budget. Everything else will fall into place once you know how much you have to spend! Though there are other aspects of planning your wedding that should be on your wedding checklist, this Step By Step Wedding Planning Guide should get you well to make the appropriate arrangements and decisions.
