Wedding planning is an exciting yet sometimes overwhelming process for those preparing for their special day.
From finding the perfect venue and creating your guest list to choosing your wedding theme and deciding on the entertainment at your wedding reception, it’s a beautiful process to see all the details come together to encapsulate you and your partner’s style and personalities.
To help you with the planning stage, here are 11 essential details to consider on your wedding planning checklist.
11 Essentials In Your Wedding Planning Checklist
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Pick A Wedding Date
While selecting your wedding date may seem easy enough, there are definitely some seasonal, financial, and personal factors you may want to consider.
First, if you’d like to have your ceremony or reception outdoors, you’ll want to be mindful of the weather and the season you select.
When picking your date, you’ll also want to keep in mind that busier times of the year such as May through September, the holiday season, and weekends are the most popular times for a wedding. These times may equate to being more expensive and more difficult to reserve your venue and vendors.
However, if you do choose a popular wedding date, just make sure you book your vendors well in advance.
Finally, you’ll also want to take note of the schedules and availability of your family, friends, and wedding party. While you may not be able to select a date that works for everyone, try finding a date that doesn’t conflict with major life events or known travel plans of those closest to you.
2. Create A Wedding Hashtag
Creating your own wedding hashtag can be a fun step in the wedding planning process.
Take a break from wedding logistics and have some fun brainstorming a perfect tagline that reflects you and your partner’s unique relationship.
If you’re running low on creative ideas for your perfect wedding hashtags, you can always turn to a professional writing service like Wedding Hashers.
By submitting a brief questionnaire about your names, relationship, and wedding details, a pro writer can take care of the rest. Within one business day you’ll receive a list of customized wedding hashtags for you and your fiancé to choose from.
Once you have a wedding hashtag celebrating your relationship, you can start using it on your social media accounts, wedding website, wedding invitations and other clever locations that will get your friends and family excited about your upcoming nuptials.
3. Decide What Type Of Wedding You Want
When you imagine your ideal wedding day, what exactly does that look like to you?
Are you on the beach reciting vows by the ocean or at the chapel with your family and friends? Do you want your celebration to be big with extended family and plus-ones or smaller to create an intimate atmosphere?
Now’s the time to settle on the style and vibe you and your significant other are looking to achieve. This initial idea will help set the tone down the line as you look for your venue, settle on a guest list, and choose a wedding theme and color scheme.
4. Settle On A Budget
Budgeting for your big day is a pivotal part of your wedding planning. Before you start hiring vendors and purchasing wedding decor, you’ll want to consider your finances and discuss with your partner how much you’d be willing to spend on your wedding celebration.
Start by researching the average costs of various wedding expenses and set a realistic limit that works for you. There are plenty of ways to cut down on your budget so don’t be afraid to seek DIY wedding alternatives or to start cutting down on your guest list.
5. Reserve Your Wedding Venue
With your wedding budget and your ideal wedding date in mind, it’s time to start searching for wedding venues. When it comes to your wedding planning checklist, this step should typically be done between nine to twelve months in advance, especially for popular venues.
Once you book your venue, you can dig further into the logistics of your big day by planning out what wedding decor and reception entertainment would work best within your space.
6. Pick Out A Wedding Theme
Picking out a wedding theme can be the perfect way to further incorporate your style and personalities into your celebration. When selecting a wedding theme, you may want to consider the season, the location of your ceremony, as well as any cultural or religious traditions you want to incorporate.
A coordinated color scheme can also make for an effective theme. Once you’ve decided on a theme or scheme, you can start designing your wedding invitations, choosing your wedding decor, and thinking about the wedding attire for yourselves and the wedding party.
7. Make Your Guest List
As you begin to piece together your wedding details, you’ll definitely want to finalize exactly who you’ll be inviting to the celebration.
Aside from the friends and family you’re choosing to invite, you’ll also need to figure out which guests, if any, should receive invitations for a plus-one.
Your guest list is totally up to you and your fiancé, but the total number of guests you invite will ultimately have a big effect on the rest of your wedding planning.
Each guest has a cost associated with them when it comes to the food, drink, and cake they will consume as well as the space they’ll take up at the venue. Therefore, don’t forget to consult your budget when finalizing your guest list.
8. Select A Reliable Caterer
Catering is pivotal to the wedding experience. In order to select a reliable caterer that fits your needs, you’ll have to do your proper research. Consider their service, reputation, and the menu options they offer.
Be sure to read reviews, sample their food items, and compare and contrast the differences between a variety of different vendors. You should ultimately choose a caterer that understands your needs, can work within your budget, and is proficient to match any and all dietary restrictions you and your guests may have.
9. Choose A Photographer & Videographer
Your wedding day will be filled with many special moments and memories that’ll last a lifetime.
You’ll want to hire a professional wedding photographer and videographer who can help you capture these precious instances.
When booking photographers and videographers, make sure to view their portfolios and previous work experiences to ensure that their artistic style matches how you envision your photographs and wedding video to be.
10. Decide On Your Music & Entertainment For The Reception
In celebration of your lifelong commitment to your partner, you’ll want to consider the types of entertainment you’ll want at your reception for you and your guests to enjoy. This may include hiring a DJ or live musicians that’ll help set the atmosphere of the party and get everyone on their feet.
Aside from music, other forms of entertainment to consider may include a photo booth, yard games, a bounce house, a s’mores station, a cocktail lounge, or even hiring a caricature artist.
Afterall, it’s your party. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make it your own!
11. Start Thinking Of Wedding Favor Ideas
As the party winds down and guests begin to leave, it’s always a thoughtful gesture to leave out wedding favors to thank your guests for their love, support, and attendance in celebrating your big day. As you hone in closer to your ultimate wedding vision, start thinking about what wedding favor ideas might make the most sense at your reception.
These small favors are the perfect opportunity to leave your guests with a cute trinket to represent your relationship. This can be in the form of personalized candles, honey jars, a bag of coffee beans, a small succulent, a custom wine glass, or anything in between.
Preparation & Planning Is Key
While wedding planning is no joke, your hard work and preparations are sure to pay off when your big day arrives.
We hope that this checklist of tips will prove useful as you embark on your planning process. Remember to be practical when it comes to your time, money, and expectations.
No matter what obstacles may stand in your way during the planning process or on your wedding day, don’t lose sight of the celebration of it all.
Your wedding day is bound to be a magical milestone as you fully commit to the love of your life. Savor every second of it!
