Our Guide to Help You When Planning Your Wedding

So you’re planning your wedding.

Breathe.
You got this.

We know it’s hard, (we planned our own wedding BEFORE there was internet, so trust us, we know hard!) but with a few simple tips, you can take the stress away and plan the day of your dreams! So let’s get started!

1.Get Organised

The first step is to get yourself organized. Stay focused and concentrate on one step at a time, in a logical order. (You can’t book your DJ if you don’t have a date yet.) Get a binder and download some printables, buy a ready-made planner like this <a href="http://<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770433367/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0770433367&linkCode=as2&tag=avalonwedding-20&linkId=1de8ccf92952c6e9fc8abf6585444030">The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer [binder edition]: Worksheets, Checklists, Etiquette, Calendars, and Answers to Frequently Asked QuestionsUltimate Planner from The Knot, (affiliate link) or consider a wedding planning app like Wedding Happy if you prefer to go digital.

2. Guest list

One of the most important considerations for all of your wedding planning is your guest list. Almost every part of the wedding will be based on how many people will be attending, so you need to get a handle on this early on in the process. Inviting everyone we know and love would obviously be the best case scenario if money was no object, but you have to be realistic. We have another guide that will help you with that process here.

3. Referrals

Have you been to a wedding recently that you’ve enjoyed? Reach out to the newlyweds for the do’s and don’ts. They have just lived it and can definitely help steer you away from the pitfalls, and may be able to guide you towards vendors that they loved, and resources that helped them. Reach out to vendors as you book them and ask for recommendations. Experienced vendors have worked with many industry professionals, after all, we do this every weekend, and they may have an opinion on who some of the better choices may be. Many vendors have a preferred vendor list, and some even offer discounts for booking services together.

4. Get everything in writing 

Receipts, extra hours, freebies. Just like you are dealing with more than one vendor, the vendors are working with more than one couple. What was “promised” or talked about may be forgotten or misunderstood, or confused with a different vendor or couple, so be sure to have everything written down and verified to make sure. Vendors will usually have you sign a contract, so make sure to read it and ask questions if you don’t understand something, and make sure all of the information is accurate. (Especially the date!)

5. Make a list of priorities

What three things are the most important aspects of your day? Limo? Live band? The city’s best gelato? Make a list and stick to it as non-negotiable, and be willing to compromise on the rest. This will also help keep you on budget. 

6. Limit your choices

Creating too many choices is just overwhelming. Create a vision board or use Pinterest to select the theme and style, as well as your colors. You can use these boards to share your vision with your vendors. Stay focused on your style and theme and don’t be distracted by all of the information out there, and above all, do not get bogged down by simple decisions. This is just a big party. YOUR party. The guests won’t remember much beyond what they ate and if they had fun, so do what YOU want to do. If you are having a hard time making a decision ask yourself: Will your guests like it, appreciate it, or will they even notice it? Will it make a big difference to your overall enjoyment? How important is it?

7. DIY what you can…

…but realize that you also get what you pay for, and that you still have to do all of the work. Some things should be left to professionals, especially items that are time-sensitive close to the wedding. What are your abilities? Are you good at arts and crafts or did you see something on Pinterest and watch a YouTube video? Is your wedding really the place where you want to test out a new skill? Don’t be afraid to say, “Maybe we should pay somebody to do that.” Know your limits.

8. Have fun planning your wedding

Use this time to get together with your significant other. If they are hesitant to get involved, give them assignments so that they feel included to get the ball rolling. It’s their wedding too, and when they say they don’t want to be involved, it’s because they don’t know where to start. Guide them and they will come around.

Planning a wedding is a lot of work, but you will remember the day as well as the planning for the rest of your lives. There are a lot of details, but these tips should help take away the stress. Don’t get caught up in perfection. There are no wrong decisions.

If you have any questions on planning your wedding, we are here to help and we would love to answer your questions! Click below to book a consultation with us.

Help us plan our wedding!

We would love to meet you!

Guylaine and Gord
Avalon Wedding Photography