Those first weeks of engagement bliss are just the best, aren’t they!?
Now that the excitement has settled, you’re ready to jump into planning. But where to begin? We get it… it can be hard to know where to start. From the dress, to the venue, to catering, and all the other details, there’s certainly a lot to think about.
Have you had your eye on a certain venue for the longest time? Maybe you want a killer dress or if you’re a foodie, you’d rather splurge on the best caterer in town. Figuring out what’s most important to you will help you determine all sorts of things from the budget all the way to which vendors to connect with.
Yeah, talking about money can be awkward. But you know what’s even more awkward? Falling in love with an out-of-budget vendor and having to back out 😉 Have an honest conversation with anyone that may be chipping in financially, and figure out how much you have to work with. Then you can divvy up the overall budget and allocate it toward your priorities. The great thing about budgeting – if you end up coming in under budget in one category, you can always put the leftover funds toward something else!
📷 Photography by Alexis Kline Photography
From there, it’s off to the races and time to start the vendor search! We’re biased, but we think picking the venue first is the way to go. And often times, you’ll kill at least two birds (sometimes three) with one stone! Not only will you have your venue and wedding date, but you may also get a caterer out of it (since many venues have in-house catering or a list of preferred caterers).
Regardless of where you start, be sure to share the important details when reaching out:
Keep in mind, you may need to adjust the budget as you start receiving packages from vendors. Maybe you didn’t allocate quite enough for a vendor you really want; knowing where you can cut back on something else is going to be really helpful as planning progresses.
💡 Pro Tip: we always encourage couples to hire a wedding planner sooner rather than later. They’re one of the best tools to have in your wedding planning belt – depending on the level of service you select, they may offer budgeting assistance!
