Congratulations! Perhaps you recently got engaged over the winter holiday, New Year’s or during Valentine’s Day. Either way, it is definitely a magical moment you will never forget. Take a deep breath, soak it all in and let the celebration begin!
Sharing the exciting news with family and friends, making it official on your socials and planning your life together are truly some of the happiest days ahead but when it comes to wedding planning, it may also seem overwhelming. So, whether you have a short engagement or long one, I’ve put together a few wedding tips that may be helpful to reduce your stress and they all have a common-theme.
HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER
You may be thinking – will a wedding planner cost too much? Can’t we plan our wedding with the help of our family and friends? We already have a date in mind, know how many guests we are going to invite and also where we want to get married. So why should we hire a wedding planner?
I’ve received many phone calls from couples who start off planning their own wedding. They do their research, call a few different venues and are assured their on-site team will handle everything. However, what most couples don’t realize is that there are many details that are not included. Everything from the wedding cake, wedding flowers and décor, photography and videography, entertainment, transportation and most importantly someone to orchestrate all of the vendors, venue, guests and activities leading up to your wedding day. Wedding planners work closely with couples to help them stay organized, work within their budget and ensure their dream wedding is executed flawlessly.
DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET
There are so many things to take into consideration when putting together a budget for your wedding. Do you want an intimate micro wedding or large lavish wedding? Or maybe something in between? Whichever you decide, it’s important to be realistic. With travel, accommodations, venue, catering, photography, entertainment and florals and decor, wedding expenses can add up quickly. A wedding planner can work with you on your “must-haves,” offer alternative options, where you may be a little more flexible, and still make your wedding spectacular.
CHOOSE YOUR “I DO” DATE
Any date you choose, will be the Best Day Ever. However, sometimes when you’re planning your dream wedding, you may run into some challenges with the specific date you want. Perhaps the venue or hotel is already booked, flights might be expensive due to heavy travel dates, or other big events might be taking place during the same time frame. Many wedding dates are planned anywhere from 6-months to 18-months in advance. Instead of focusing on a specific date, you may want to consider looking at a season and narrowing your wedding date down from there, especially for a destination wedding. Peak-season, off-season, the holidays, coordinating vacation time off and the weather, should all be considerations when determining the perfect date to tie-the-knot. Working with a local wedding planner can help coordinate dates that work best for you and your budget.
PLAN A DESTINATION WEDDING
Destination weddings are a great option for many couples wanting to wrap their wedding and honeymoon into one big celebration. It’s also a great opportunity to extend time with your family and closest friends. Having a destination wedding planner on your team has its advantages too. They work diligently on your behalf, have deep relationships with local vendors and can help with travel and language barriers but most importantly, their communication throughout the process is key. Emails and video calls are a great way to stay connected and help make decisions but a site visit (or two) will be essential to executing your dream wedding.
In addition, whether you’re planning on spending an entire week or an extended weekend, there are a host of pre-wedding activities a destination wedding planner can plan around your Big Day. From Welcome Parties and Outdoor Excursions to Spa Days and Post-Wedding Brunch, all the details will be expertly handled so you can enjoy your time surrounded by loved ones…and the one. XOXO, Tara
