Planning a Wedding? A Simple Guide

They said yes! Now the excitement is only growing as you look forward to the day you promise each other forever. However, wedding planning has a lot of details, from invitations and venues to flowers. Make the process simpler by using this simple guide below.

Set It in Stone

First, you’ll need to choose the overarching elements of your wedding. These will determine many of your other choices, so pick them wisely. Some of the elements include:

• Budget . This is not the most fun place to start, but as you start buying and renting, you’ll need to set a maximum figure to make sure you don’t spend too much, so set up your budget before choosing anything else.
• Venue . If you have your heart set on a particular location, you’ll need to check for when it’s available before doing anything else. Some sites offer additional services when you rent the space.
• Date . If you don’t have a venue in mind, you can choose the date first and find an available spot afterward. If you want to save money or have more availability, you can pick a date in the wedding off-season when services usually cost less.
• Theme . You don’t have to have a splashy theme for your wedding like you might for a child’s birthday party, but you should have an idea of how you want things to look. Many wedding websites and apps offer ways you can narrow down your preferred theme or style.
• Invitations . Once you’ve nailed down these elements, you can send out invitations to everyone you want to celebrate with you and your future spouse. Don’t forget to give them a way to RSVP and an option to view the service online if they can’t travel.

Pick Your People

The people involved in your wedding are usually the ones closest to you in your everyday life, so some of these should be easy choices. People to pick should include:

• Wedding party . You and your beloved will want to choose a few close friends or siblings to stand by your side. They’re not merely to fill out your pictures; these are the people you’ll rely on to help you throughout the days leading up to the wedding, so choose carefully.
• Wedding planner . Some couples only need someone to send people down the aisle at the right times. Others might rely on a wedding planner to execute every aspect of your vision. At some venues, an expert planner familiar with the area will come with the package.
• Entertainment . If you plan to have live music, hire your musicians as soon as possible so they’re ready for the day when it comes. If you’d prefer to use recorded music, make sure someone is responsible for playing everything at the right times.
• Caterers . Most weddings have some kind of food at the reception, and self-service is rarely an option in the present circumstances. Your venue may provide food and staff to serve your guests, or you may want to find another catering service. Don’t forget the wedding cake!
• Photographer . You’ll likely treasure your wedding pictures for years to come, so you’ll want to hire an expert to take them. You can also hire a videographer to record the ceremony.

Assemble Bits and Pieces

You can fill in a lot of the details yourself in this section once you have a handle on the big picture. Have fun with choosing the:3

• Decorations . Think flowers, table settings, aisle runners, and candles. If it’s decorative, it goes in this category.
• Menu . Your catering service might provide you with various options, so narrow down what you want to serve at your reception.
• Gifts . You don’t have to, but many couples give gifts to their wedding party and new in-laws. List reception favors here as well.

Once you have these elemental details figured out, you can expand on any of them to create the wedding of your dreams. Choose a venue like Pristine Chapel Lakesideand enjoy your special day.