Planning the Perfect Wedding: A Short Guide

Transforming some thoughts, pages in a magazine, and pictures on social media into a beautiful wedding is not simple at all. When you start to work on the wedding of your dreams , you might soon find out just how much of a nightmare organizing all of it can be for you.

Fortunately, getting the wedding you want is totally a possible and achievable goal. But to get there, you might need the right approach and outlook. Also, a short wedding planning guide to help you out. So let's get right into it.

Your Budget

It's unfortunate that one of the, or the only, most important day of someone's life entirely depends on the amount of savings they have or the money their parents can fork over.

You may have dreamed about a royal sized wedding to celebrate the day you marry your significant other, but your budget may not allow it. However, you should know that the wedding is not special because of the fancy things or how much money you spend on it. The only thing that makes a wedding sensational is the love, creativity , and care that goes into the details.

When you sit down with your fiancé and start to plan the wedding, the budget is the first and most important thing you should agree on. These four things may help you decide:

● The parents, grandparents, and the almost in-laws may have already calculated an estimated figure that they can contribute. You can sit down with them, one by one, and talk about it.

● You are in the beginning stage, and taking most or even all the out of the savings account might make sense, but you might end up regretting it after the honeymoon. So, carefully consider how much you can comfortably put down for the wedding. You should not forget about the future, like buying a home or something.

● Make a rough guest list to help you decide the budget.

● Create a list of the priorities in the wedding, and the nice-to-haves.

The Venue

Whether you want a glorious wedding in an art gallery or on a beautiful beach at sunset, the venue should be the second thing on the list.

The potential number of venues for your wedding might be endless. That's why you need to take a closer look at a couple of them and figure out how they match against your budget. This will help you identify the features that fit your budget.

Before you settle with a venue, you need to see how it looks like in action. If you are booking with a busy organization, then they will probably be having weddings or events a couple of days a week. You can ask the representative that you would like to attend a wedding to get some insight.

You should also ask the venue about their vendor situation. Some venues provide some of the services by themselves, and they don't allow external suppliers. Some venues may have a list of vendors that you have to stick with. Also, make sure to note down all the other restrictions of every venue, such as the maximum and the minimum number of guests.

The Right Theme

The wedding themes are something that can be quite a lot of fun, and you can let your imagination run wild. Some people go with a traditional classy wedding, and others may try a theme such as a winter wonderland or vintage. Then some tell their guests it's a costume party; when everyone shows up in creative and crazy costumes, it's a great surprise.

However, you may have to handle one restriction in your theme planning: the venue. You should talk with the representatives and ask them if your theme is something that they will allow. This is incredibly important, as many venues don't care for creative themes. If they don't allow, go to someone else. It will be your special day, and don't let anyone ground your ideas.

Organizing the Wedding

Organizing the wedding is an incredibly challenging and complicated task. You might have a stack of appointment notes, contact information, color swatches, and brochures in a part of the house. On top of that, you may also have printed out images, pages from magazines , samples of invitations, and just so many things all together.

It might seem quite simple when the whole process started, but now it may seem a little overwhelming. It can get a lot crazier when one or a few of the vendors mess up, as it's nearly impossible to make everything work.

Unless your organizational skills are off the chart, you might benefit from having a wedding planner take care of the complicated part of the job, and you can make the big picture decisions.

The Guest List

Finally, something simple on this guide, right? Well, comprising the guest list can get a little complicated as well. There are uncles, aunts, best friends, old school buddies, people from work, cousins, and then your fiancé's side as well.

When you start comprising a list together, you might see that it can quickly get out of hand. Then you might realize how complicated it can be to stick with your budget.

Your budget is essential and may be the only factor when it comes to deciding the number of guests for your wedding. Try to stay realistic about your budget, and have an accurate number of guests for the wedding.

There is a common tradition for weddings that people like to do. They give some, many, or everyone on the list the choice of a plus one. If you are planning on extras, then be very careful about your budget.

Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations

Even though the big day might be far away, you need to get an accurate number of guests noted down for the wedding day. Having a precise number of guests well in advance can help you make many of the decisions.

Also, sending out save the dates early on can prevent your guests from booking holidays or trips. They also get a great deal of time to make arrangements to attend your wedding.

Before you send out these cards, you need to have a venue booked for a date ready to go. Otherwise, you might need to change the date on your save the dates.

The wedding invitations, on the other hand, can go out when the wedding comes closer. These will provide all the details your guests will need to know. You should also consider making separate cards. One type for the people you want to have around all day, and the other can be for the people only attending the reception.

The Services

Finally, something exciting. Picking out the right vendors for your big day can be an incredibly exciting experience. But it can easily get daunting if you aren't prepared for it all. That's why you might want to talk with your planer beforehand and check out some recommendations that they can give. You can also get some advice from loved ones and find reviews online.

Dresses and Tuxedos

The dresses and tuxedos are at the top of the list, as they are the most crucial. For your special day, you need to work with a tailor that understands your needs, wants, budget, style, and wedding plan.

Also, working with a boutique that provides the services of a bridal salon as well can make everything much simpler for your day. So, don't settle for anything less when looking for the best Los Angeles Bridal Salon and boutique.

Caterer

People generally look at a few things when they go to a wedding, and the food is definitely one of them. That's why the food has to be delicious.

Some venues prefer or require you to use their own catering services. If they don't, then you can freely pick out the best one in town. Don't be shy to attend as many tastings as possible before finding the perfect one.

Also, you should convey the dietary restrictions of your guests to the vendors. They can prepare something special for them.

Photographer and Videographer

The photographer and videographer can capture the essence of your wedding quite well if you pick the right ones. Otherwise, you might be incredibly frustrated when the result comes out.

That is why finding the right photographers and videographers is a decision you should not take lightly. Go through their samples, and ask them to provide contact information of some of their previous clients.

Other Vendors could include:

● Baker
● Entertainment
● Florists and Decor
● Transportation
● Rings
● Officiant

The Legal Aspects

You can plan the entire wedding perfectly, but it won't matter if your marriage license isn't approved in time. That makes this arguably among the most crucial tasks that you need to get out of the way as soon as possible. Remember, it can often take weeks for the state to approve your wedding.

If you're thinking about having the wedding in a place not approved for legalized ceremonies, then you will need to apply for a wedding venue license. This could be the case if the event is at your house or something.