Where to begin on your wedding planning journey
Photographed by Younger Photography. Written and published in March 2023.
It’s only fair to say that the idea of planning a wedding and knowing where to start can be a little daunting. You may not have clear image or even any image at all, and that’s ok. Below, we have listed a few leading steps, which may help you discover that you have a bigger picture in your mind than you realise…
1. Thinking about what you want
This may sound incredibly basic, but for some, it will be one of the hardest things to decide. You may have a crystal-clear image of what your wedding looks like, and if you do, fantastic! If there’s just one picture that you visualise, then the trick will be to communicate that to the people who are going to make your wedding happen; primarily your venue, your decor stylist, your wedding coordinator, and those that are participating in a role to make your vision happen. For those who simply don’t know, there is plenty of inspiration online – why not check out our Real Wedding stories. There are endless possibilities, but getting your day just perfect, is what all wedding venues and suppliers strive to do.
2. Look at dates or your preferred time of year
Do you imagine a sunny summer or a crisp winter day? Is the summer too hot, but the winter too cool? If so, you may be inclined to lean towards a happy medium with a spring or autumnal wedding. Whilst this is just a general train of thought to direct you towards a time of year, some couples will already know their dream wedding date; the anniversary of their first date, a birthday, or another significate occasion. Dependent upon personal circumstances, you may have good reason to consider a date that is specifically within the school holidays. Half term dates can be big contenders for those wanting to avoid the peak of summer holidays. They often fall within a lower tiered pricing tariff too!
3. Create a rough guest list
When searching for quotes, suppliers and venues often respond asking for a couples preferred wedding date and an idea of guest numbers (read why here), so it is incredibly important to sit down and write of list of the people you want to attend. Many couples have different envisions for the size of their wedding. Some dream of a traditional big white wedding, some dream of a wonderfully intimate gathering with just close friends and family, some even dream of a smaller affair by romantically eloping. Elopements step away from wedding party politics to concentrate on the two most important people – you and your fiancé. There is no right nor wrong. It is a personal decision, and one that only you will know feels right.
It is also crucial to consider your finances when talking numbers, as your finances may limit how many guests you can invite. A food and drink bill for 100 guests will understandably be double that of a more compact guest list of 50. Your wedding breakfast notoriously eats a large proportion of your overall wedding budget, so it is something to think about carefully. After all, when you add together a wonderful three course meal, canapes, table wine and reception drinks, it is likely going to cost far more than just £50 per head. As a guide, we suggest budgeting around £100 - £125 per person. Multiply that by your desired number of guests and you have a good indication of the amount you should be budgeting for food and drink.
4. Create a budget
Setting a budget from the start of your planning journey is an essential component. We could all spend an infinite amount of money spoiling ourselves and indulging in the overt and wonderful. If you are in the fortunate situation of having uncapped finances available, then you will also have the freedom to indulge until your heart’s content! However, for most, we will have to quantify and budget before justifying such spending. It is important to be realistic on what you want and what is financially affordable. This is very much a personal discussion between you and your fiancé. A great starting point is to break your wedding down into the various elements and to look at the costings for each. Our budget planner is a fantastic tool for helping you allocate funds and look at where larger proportions of your budget will likely be spent. Remember to include even the tiniest thing. Overlooking the little details such as table favours and wedding invitations, can soon create a void between your wedding budget and actual spend. Prioritise the items that are important to you and allocate budget funds in those directions.
A summary
Let’s recap on our vital first steps…
Sit down with your fiancé and discuss what you would both like. What is essential, what you would like, but also what you don’t want.
Consider potential dates or at the very least a time of year. Does it have to be a weekend or could midweek work for you?
Decide who you would like to invite. Do you all your guests need to attend the ceremony, or can some be invited to just the evening reception?
This is the big one - create a budget. No-one wants to begin married life with the huge burden of unaffordable debt weighing them down. Be realistic about what you want and what you can afford.
With these four basic steps you will accelerate into the next stage of your wedding planning journey and be assured that you are one corner closer to marrying the one you love. Remember, this will be a momentous occasion no matter how big or small your budget, who is on your guest list or when and where you make your wedding happen. You will have an incredible day, you will make incredible memories and you will walk out of the day united with the love of your life ready for forevermore.