Congratulations on your engagement! Planning a wedding is an exciting time, but it is easy to get ahead of yourselves when you're just engaged. Here are 7 steps to successful wedding planning as you begin this amazing journey...
Talk... a lot!
You probably already have a good idea of your perfect wedding, but is your partner dreaming of a very different day? Spend time talking about what is important to you, and to them. More importantly, make the key decisions with your partner, not your friends. Everyone will have an opinion on how you should plan your big day and they will happily share those opinions with you. It’s important for the two of you to establish what is really meaningful to you rather than be swayed by others.
Don’t make promises yet
Telling your cousin she can bring her children before you have tackled the guest list. Asking a friend to do a reading before you have decided on the ceremony. Choosing a colour scheme based on just one bridesmaid's demands. All these are likely to come back to bite you! If you're just engaged, don't make any promises until you have done enough planning!
Find your style
Check out Pinterest and start your own mood board that you can later share with your florist, cake company and anyone else involved in creating the style for the reception. Pin anything that catches your eye. This can help the wedding professionals you work with understand your vision for your big day.
Tackle the big stuff first
While it can be tempting to dash straight out and choose your dress or embark on sampling wedding cake flavours, start with the big elements. The budget, the guest list, and booking the wedding venue should all take priority. After this, you can focus on any other key businesses that are limited to taking just one booking per day, such as wedding photographers.
Be flexible
Keep an open mind and be prepared for a few compromises along the way. There might be some details that are just plain out of your control. When plans aren't going your way, step back, take a breath and think how much it really matters to you both. The more you can go with the flow, the happier you will be and the less likely you are to waste your budget on trying to achieve the impossible.
Don’t make solo decisions
When you're just engaged, there are lots of decisions to make and you may just want to cross some off your long checklist. However, don’t sign any contracts without running it by at least one other person, preferably your partner.
Shhhhhh…
Don't discuss all the details with your friends. Leave a little mystery and a few surprises until the big day - particularly when it comes to what you will be wearing.
Looking for more wedding advice? Check out our brand new podcast, starting January 2021, for everything a newly engaged, bride-to-be needs to know!