Wedding Planning 101
Denver Couple Getting Married in the Mountains!
So You are Engaged and You are Embarking on Wedding Planning
I remember when I first got engaged, I had no idea what the next steps were. Honestly, no one prepares you for wedding planning, and most brides don’t have any experience planning a wedding! I suppose if you have been around other brides during the process, you may have an idea, but you don’t totally know what it’s like until you are in full planning mode.
Before you know it, the most commonly asked question you will get from your friends and family becomes, “How is the wedding planning going?” Suddenly, you’ve put on the wedding planner hat and feel like you are clocking into your second full-time job every time you get home from work.
Don’t worry—the Lord is with you even in the moments when you feel overwhelmed! Write down some tips below.
1. DECIDE ON THE WEDDING DAY, HEAD COUNT, & BUDGET
Before any other decisions can be made concerning priests, vendors, invites, or honeymoon planning, you need to have a date picked out, because everything else hinges on that date! Take some time in the adoration chapel and see what the Lord sways you toward. When my husband and I were choosing, we looked through the liturgical calendar of that year to see which saint feast days landed where. You’ve got this—trust the process and trust the Lord!
2. START TO LOOK FOR VENDORS
Now is where the tricky part comes in! Once the date is locked in, it is time to begin looking for vendors who are available, aligned with you, and within your budget. This is the moment when the sifting begins! Here are a few different vendors you will want to lock in as soon as possible:
Priest to Celebrate your Nuptial Mass
Church to Celebrate your Mass in
Wedding Photographer & Videographer (Click here to inquire)
Venue for the Reception (unless it is at the Church)
Food Caterer
Your wedding date, headcount, and budget will come into effect once you begin talking with vendors. Typically, you will get a yes or no depending on those factors. Another thing to take into account concerning the venue is whether you have to bring in rentals (tables, chairs, silverware, etc.). Some reception venues can also be strict when it comes to bringing in outside caterers, so be sure to ask if you plan on bringing catering from outside their company.
3. PLANNING ALL OF THE MINOR DETAILS
My husband and I thought we were well ahead when we had our vendors booked within a month of our engagement. We thought all the mumbo jumbo about wedding planning being the worst was just a bunch of pessimistic people needing something to complain about. However, after the vendor search was over, what we coined “death by details” began.
Now, obviously, engagement is beautiful, but I believe Satan has a special knack for going after engaged couples during this period. You will begin to make a lot of minute decisions—more than you could care to even think about—in a very short period of time. This puts engagement in a sort of crucible.
You and your fiancé will begin hashing a lot of things out on top of working (typically) full-time, staying involved in community, doing marriage prep, and, of course, planning your beautiful wedding! Ultimately, your wedding day is about the sacrament, not the colors, flowers, or your dress, so stay prayerful and always look to Christ when things begin to feel overwhelming.
Here are a few details to start thinking about:
What is your color scheme? Monochrome? Spring Colors? Classy? Winter Pallete?
What are you going to do for florals? Are you making them? Will you hire it out? What type of florals do you want?
Will you have a wedding cake? What size? Who’s making it?
How big is your bridal party going to be? Who will be in your bridal party? How do you want to ask them?
Do you want to send save the dates? Do you want to send them physically or digitally?
Where do you want your wedding website with details hosted? The Knot? Zola?
How do you want to collect RSVPs and addresses for the invitations?
What do you want the wedding timeline to be? Do you need help planning? (Click here to inquire)
Where do you want to host your registry? What do you want to register?
Do you want to do a bridal shower? Do you want to do a bachelorette/bachelor party?
What type of decorations do you want? Do you want to DIY or hire decor out?
Where are you and you fiance going to live after your wedding?
Are you going to go on a honeymoon right after or wait? Where do you want to go on a honeymoon?
These are just a handful of the questions that are helpful to begin asking as you embark on the planning process. Of course, this is also a great time to delegate things to family members you trust who are willing to help. Remember to lean on the Lord during this time, and don’t forget to simply enjoy your engagement. Continue going on dates, and don’t let the planning steal the joy of you both entering into your vocation!
If you are still searching for a photographer, look no further:
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