Your wedding may be the largest, most complex, and most expensive event you ever orchestrate. In this day and age of unlimited possibilities and equally unlimited choices, it is increasingly important for you and your fiancé to strategize and prioritize their needs, wishes and desires even before a ceremony site is searched-out or a wedding vendor is hired. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Lay the groundwork - I work with couples for 2-3 weeks before anything is actually done. I use a myriad of resources so that brides and grooms have a realistic view of the wedding industry. I want to stress how important it is to take the time to lay a strong foundation before anything else is done. I suggest starting the process with in-depth research into all of your options. This will give you a better idea of what is possible for you and your fiancé. It will also save you a lot of stress and anxiety in the later stages of the planning process.
- Set the Budget - Next, I sit down with the couple (and anyone contributing financially to the wedding) and decide on a dollar amount for the cost of the entire wedding. After obtaining a number that everyone is comfortable with we begin!
- Prioritize - Once you have a budget to work with it is very important to define your overall priorities for the wedding. Answer the following questions:
Something To Think About:
What is important to you? An exceptional site? Great food? Fabulous fashions? An exotic honeymoon? Top notch photography? Make a list of your wants and rate them-1 being the most important and 20 being the least important.
What type of event do you want? Black tie? Garden? Casual?
How many guests can you reasonably afford with the type of event you choose?
Where do you want to get married? In a church? Outdoors? In another location?
When do you want to marry? Which season? Is there a special date you'd like to have your wedding on?
What special details do you want incorporated into your wedding? A videographer? A chocolate fountain? An ice sculpture?
If you have done the preliminary work, you will find that the answers to these questions come easily. After you make your list, you will clearly see what needs to be done and where your money should be allocated. For example, maybe it is important to you to have a black tie gala with a sit down dinner and a live band for 200 of your closest friends and family but do not have a budget to allow you to have it in June. Perhaps you could think about having it in the off-season when costs are less.
Once you have done the important work of setting a budget stick with it! If your budget is realistic, you will find that sticking to it is not terribly hard to accomplish!
Elegant Event Planning and Design is a professional, full time, event planning firm specializing in commitment ceremonies and weddings. Elegant Event Planning and Design www.eleganteventdesign.com
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