Have you ever jumped into something super complicated, possibly life-consuming and probably the single most expensive venture you’ve ever taken on? If you’re getting married, the answer is yes! And to make it even harder, there really is no step by step guide (that makes sense) on how to plan it. Or is there?
I’m Brandy Blackford, an award-winning wedding planner with Sweet I Do’s and the producer of the Arizona Online Wedding Show. You’re in the right place if you’re ready to plan your wedding!
Let’s get started!
Intro
I know if you Google wedding planning checklist, you’ll get over 27 million results. Talk about overwhelming! You click into a few and realize that this whole wedding planning thing is going to be a lot more time consuming and complicated that you ever thought possible. I’ve talked to couples that use some of these resources and the consensus is almost universal, they are complicated, don’t really take into account your local community and talk about things that you don’t know if you need or even want. And to be frank, they aren’t designed from a real wedding perspective.
Let me make things a little easier for you.
First, you get engaged! Watch my video - I’m engaged!! Now what?? It has the 4 sub steps that have to happen right after you get engaged (tell your VIPS and find out what dates they are unavailable, talk about money/create a budget (I have a resource for that as well, link below), pick a date (or my recommendation a date range) and create a very rough, estimated guest list).
12-18 months from your wedding day book the following services. These three things book extremely quickly, so if you find one you love, sign on that dotted line.
Venue - This will require a conversation about what the wedding vision/dream is – indoor, outdoor, church, ballroom, garden, woods, barn, desert, etc.
Heads up - your venue will take between 30% and 50% of your budget depending on what is included. Off season and non-peak dates may help save money. To get the most accurate quote you’ll need a date and an estimated guest list.
Planner - They’ll be able to help you wisely spend the rest of your budget and get the most bang for your buck. If you’re going to do this wedding planning thing without one, your next vendor will be a photographer. After you book your photographer, have a chat about the ideal time for your ceremony. Typically, it will happen 30-45 minutes before golden hour starts. What is golden hour you ask? It is the 30 minutes before and after actual sunset.
Dress - Lead times are beyond extended due to supply chain issues. I know that some of you will say, I want to lose a little weight, get more toned, etc. before I try on dresses. Don’t wait. Alterations are your friend, last minute dress shopping because of shipping delays isn’t.
9-12 months out you’ll book your videographer, caterer/bar (if your venue doesn’t include catering and/or alcohol), hair and makeup, and entertainment. This is also when you’ll ask your wedding party to stand by your side. Yes, you can ask sooner, but at this point you’ll have more information to make attire suggestions as well as if anyone will need to cover travel expenses.
6-9 months you’ll want to book all of your remaining pros – suit/tuxedo, florist, baker, stationer, officiant
At this point in the planning, you’ll have finalized your guest list and may have a little money left in your budget. Before you go and spend it, make sure you’ve covered postage and gratuities. You can also start looking for all the unique, smaller items and services that you have on your wish list.
3-6 months away is when you’ll have your tasting and should start your alterations.
8-10 weeks from your wedding date is when you’ll send out invitations. Ask for your RSVP’s to come back 4-5 weeks from your wedding date.
You’ll also want to get your marriage license at this point. In Arizona, at this time, you have to make an appointment and those times are limited.
6-8 weeks – if you have a planner, this is when you’ll start putting together your day of timeline and scheduling your rehearsal. If you don’t have a planner, start talking to your pro team about setting up a timeline.
At the one-month mark, your entire pro team should be booked, final payments made, and you should have had your final venue walkthrough.
Sounds easy, right? It is and it isn’t. There are a ton of smaller decisions that need to be made throughout the process. If you’ve hired a great wedding team, they’ll be able to help you get through those decisions. But, if you’re like me, you’ll want to know what those things are in advance. That’s why I’ve created a detailed checklist just for listeners of this video. Use the link below to get access to this amazing resource.
There are a ton of steps and decisions to make after this, but for now, enjoy being engaged, start planning and I’ll see you next week!
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