Steps To Planning A Wedding

Planning a wedding is not an easy task to handle.  If you don’t have a plan to follow or anyone to help you then there are many things that can go wrong.  Your wedding day is one of the biggest events that will happen in your life and you will want it to be perfect! That’s why you need an easy to follow list of steps to planning a wedding.  If you are like some women, you won’t need a wedding planner if you intend to have a very small or simple wedding.  However, you will definitely need a wedding plan to follow.  Even if you do intend to hire a wedding planner, you should still have an initial wedding plan as your guide.  A wedding plan is the easiest to follow when it is simple and broken down into easy-to-follow steps.  Listed below is a simple and easy-to-follow guide of steps to planning a wedding.

Plan a Budget

Setting a reasonable budget is the very first step you should take before anything else!  You need to have a budget that is within reasonable spending range.  Whether you and your husband-to-be are paying for your wedding yourselves or your parents are paying for it, the budget you set should be affordable.  Sit down with your partner and decide how much you would like to spend on each part of the wedding, reception and honeymoon.  You should set the maximum amount you are able to realistically afford so that you will not spend your honeymoon worrying about how to pay your wedding bills when you return.

Plan a Wedding Date

After you have both decided on your budget you can decide on a date for the wedding.  To start off you may want to decide on a specific season (spring, summer, fall, winter) to get married in.  From there, you can decide on a month and then an actual date.  Make sure you allow yourselves ample time to plan and organize all the details of your wedding, reception and honeymoon.  Most couples choose a date that is at least a year from their engagement to give them enough time without having to stress and rush through the process.

Plan the Wedding Party

You will want to plan your wedding party fairly early in the wedding planning process.  This is important because you will need to give the people you want in your wedding party ample time so that they can plan their schedules accordingly.  You will want to choose a maid of honor, best man, flower girl, ring bearer, groomsmen, and bridesmaids as well as any other important people who you want to be a part of your wedding.

Choose a Location for the Wedding Ceremony

Choosing a location for your wedding ceremony is very important and is something that needs special attention.  There are many options for your wedding location.  You can have your wedding ceremony at a church, at an outside venue, at a family member’s or friend’s estate, or any other special place you may have in mind.  You will need to call ahead and see if the church or venue will be available on the day of your wedding.  If it is, then you will want to ask about prices and possibly book it for your wedding.  If you plan on having your wedding ceremony at a specific church that you are not part of, you may need to contact the church to see if there are any special arrangements that you need to make before you can have your ceremony there.

Choose a Location for the Wedding Reception (if you are having a reception)

If you plan on having a wedding reception then you will need to pick a venue to hold it at.  Talk to your partner and come up with a place that you both find suitable for the reception.  Once you have a list of a few venues, you should call around and price them out.  Ask each venue if they will be available on the day of our wedding.  Once you have gotten all the information for the venues on your list, choose the one you both like the best and book it.  Remember to choose one that is within your budget and available on your wedding day.

Choose an Officiator

The person who officiates your wedding depends on the location of your wedding.  If you are having your wedding ceremony at a church, the pastor or preacher of that church will most likely be your officiator.  If you aren’t having your wedding at a church, you can check with the local clerk magistrate and ask if he or she officiates off-site weddings.  Also be sure to inquire about fees.  Typically the officiator gets paid up-front for their services.

Decide on a Color Scheme or Theme

Now that you have taken care of the most pressing matters, you can begin to plan the style of your wedding!  Talk with your partner about specific themes or colors that you both will like.  This is an important step because the theme of the wedding sets the tone for the rest of the planning steps such as favors, décor, wardrobes, and mood.

Wardrobe

This is pretty simple as far as the bride and groom are concerned.  As the bride, you may have your dress already picked out.  If you don’t, you should at least have your choices narrowed down.  Remember to factor in the cost of shoes and jewelry into your budget.  You will need to start looking at bridesmaids dresses that will coincide with the color and theme of your wedding.  The groomsmen will also need the proper attire to match the rest of the wedding party.

Choose Your Invitations

This is a very critical step in your wedding planning as well.  You will need to discuss your guest list with your partner and decide how big you want your wedding to be.  This will determine the amount you will need to spend on food and drinks.  Make sure that your list of guests is not too large for the venues you have booked for the ceremony and reception.  Think about what will be included in the invitations such as maps, reception cards, programs or other elements.  This will help determine the cost of the invitations as well.

Wedding Rings

Your wedding rings are an integral part of getting married.  Make sure that you factor your rings into your budget.  Shop around and give yourselves plenty of time to have them sized correctly and even engraved if you choose.

Plan the Food (Rehearsal and Reception)

Planning the food for your rehearsal dinner and your reception is critical.  Refer back to your guest list and wedding party list to determine how many people will be at your wedding.  You will need to make sure you plan to have enough money in your budget set aside for the cost of food for the rehearsal dinner as well as the reception.

Plan the Music (Ceremony and Reception)

You will need to talk with your partner and decide if you will want music during your wedding ceremony and at your reception.  There are many options when it comes to the music for your wedding.  You can refer back to your budget to see how much you have set aside for music.  If you are tight on money then you can play recorded music for both the ceremony and the reception.  However, if you have a little extra to money to use for music, you can hire a band or a DJ for your wedding.  Remember to check all of your options and see who is available on the day of your wedding.  Also be sure to ask what their fees are so you can incorporate them into your budget.

Wedding Vows

Your wedding vows are one of the most important parts of your wedding.  While following your steps to planning a wedding, it is very easy to get caught up in everything else.  You must talk to your partner about your wedding vows.  Figure out if you will both be writing your own, or having someone write them for you.  Since this day marks the sacred union of love and devotion to one another, your vows should be heartfelt and meaningful.

Marriage License

Just before the big day, you will need to get your marriage license.   It us usually issued by the church or a state authority.  If you aren’t getting married in a church, you can go down to your local county clerk’s office and have it taken care of there.

Setting a budget and planning your wedding within your means will allow you to enjoy your wedding and honeymoon stress free without worrying about coming home to a mountain of bills!  Now that all your planning and preparation is done, it is time to go enjoy your wedding!  Celebrate your love for each other at your perfectly planned wedding with your dearest friends and family!

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Thanks for reading!