Will and I got engaged on April 2. That means we are now eleven weeks into planning our wedding and (WHOA!) it has been a roller coaster ride so far. But, I hear this is only the beginning! So today I would like to share an update on the planning progress I have made so far and share my top five most helpful wedding planning tips for my fellow brides-to-be.
The Update
So far, I have gotten a handful of things locked down. We have a venue for the ceremony and reception. Our venue, the Goodstone Inn, also includes catering so this was sort of a three-in-one decision. This also means we are locked in to get married on April 28, 2018 (eeek! :-)). We have also secured a photographer – Jof Panlaqui, aka Joffoto – and we are super excited to be working with him.
This past weekend I went wedding dress shopping with my mom, and we found a perfect dress! I’m quite excited about it because my dress will incorporate lace from my grandmother’s wedding dress, which was also on my mom’s dress and I’ll get to wear the veil my late grandomother made for my mom. I was named after my grandmother, so it means a lot to me to have her be a part of my wedding day.
In addition to these big things, we have drafted our guest list, chosen our wedding party, made some decisions on the timing/agenda for our big day and have come close to solidifying our band. Outstanding items for us to figure out include a florist, cake/dessert, our send off, specialized signs, our officiant, stationery, our hashtag and the list goes on and on!!
The Wedding Planning Tips
- Prioritize! Before you book or buy anything, think about what’s most important to you. A lot of timelines will advise you to book things in a certain order but remember – timelines are guidelines! If something is “the most important thing” for you, then book it first and let that be the foundation for your other plans.
- Pick a theme that’s true to you and your fiancé. You’re planning a BIG day that revolves around the two of you. Avoid creating a false personality for your wedding. Think about both of your styles at the very beginning and pinpointing an authentic theme. This will help with so many decisions along the way. You may like many different styles, decor and ambiances, but if you’re indecisive think about think about which element matches your identity best. Ideally guests will come to the wedding and think, “Oh! This is so them!”
- Brainstorm! Whether it’s Pinterest or bridal magazines, dive into a resource that will get you thinking creatively. Save anything you like for plans that you still need to solidify. There are great websites too that can help you think about fun personal touches you can add to your wedding. Southern Weddings, which a friend recommended to me (thanks Emily!), has amazing profiles of real weddings. There are tons of great resources out there though. Check them out, find out what you like and maintain a way of organizing your creative brainstorming sessions so that you can easily find the information later on.
- Take a break! I try to have a couple days each week when I “forget” about the wedding planning. This helps prevent burnout and maintains the element of fun. There’s no right or wrong cadence for breaks. It is important to have some time away from the wedding plans throughout the process. Some people want to wait on the wedding planning and have a break for a few weeks once they get engaged, while others (like me) want to dive right in, get a few things solidified and then take a break. Think about what’s most realistic for you and have your fiancé hold you accountable (he/she will probably enjoy distracting you from it!!).
- Expect to feel overwhelmed. At some point (if not several times) you’ll get overwhelmed and that is 100% normal. There’s a learning curve with wedding planning and SO many different things to figure out. Just work through the overwhelming feelings and remember why you’re planning in the first place. This is an exciting time, so have fun and enjoy the crazy ride that is wedding planning!
So, these are my tips for anyone who recently got engaged, has recently started planning their wedding or those of you who are friends with a bride-to-be. Have you planned a wedding? Or have you been part of the planning process with a close friend or family member? I woul d love to hear about your personal experiences and if you have additional tips.
Cheers!
Sarah Camille
These are all such wonderful bride tips! Planning a wedding can be very stressful at times haha!
Wedding planning has been the happiest time of my life but also very overwhelming! Happy planning and try to enjoy every minute, it goes by so fast!
Wedding planning is so much fun sounds like you have a great handle on it! https://mylogicalliving.com/
I love the picking a theme tip. My theme spoke to my husband’s and my personality and it made it all the more special to us!
These tips are great! I’ve been married for almost a year now but I miss wedding planning haha.
These are great tips! Especially to prioritize–so important and helps not to get too overwhelmed. I got married last year and my spreadsheet kept me sane haha
Haha oh yes! I have a few spreadsheets too!! 😊
Such great tips! I always needed some time to step away from planning and just relax. There was a point when I spent too much time relaxing and couldn’t get back into it haha. Thank goodness for my mom – she helped me get back on track! Congrats on securing a date and good luck with the rest of planning!
Thank you!! Haha I think I’m at that point where I’ve spent too much time relaxing. Time for me to get back on track soon! 😊
These are such great tips for any bride to be!
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
I love that you schedule a few days each week to take a break from planning. Although I’m sure it’s a fun process in many ways, it also seems like it can get overwhelming! Scheduling days to forget about planning can help you enjoy other aspects of your life and not let wedding planning become all-consuming.
Planning a wedding is so much fun! These are such great tips for any bride to be!!
Yes!!! These are great tips! Isn’t wedding dress shopping so great?! I had the BEST time. Sometimes I wish I could just go back and keep trying dresses on haha
Such great tips for brides to be! I’ll keep these in mind!
Love this! As a bride to be, I can use all the help I can get! Thanks for sharing!
So glad it was helpful. Us brides to be are in this together haha!! Good luck with your planning. 🙂
All of this is so true. We are about 6 months away from the wedding and we just went to a friends wedding. Going to another wedding so close to ours really helped open our eyes. There is so much we haven’t even thought about yet! These are great tips! Good luck on your wedding day!
Thank you! I so agree – I’ve been to a couple recently and it totally gets the wheels turning. There are so many little details to think of too. Good luck with your planning!!
First of all, congratulations!!! These are some great tips! Planning a wedding can be so overwhelming but it seems like you have things under control.
Thanks so much! 😊
As a wedding planner, I couldn’t agree more with your tips! While it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, it’s important to remember that wedding planning isn’t a prescription for stress. It’s okay to ask for help too!
Planning a wedding can be so overwhelming. Thanks for these practical tips!
These are great tips! I’m getting married in four months and it can feel a little bit overwhelming but taking breaks really does make it stay fun!
My husband and I planned our wedding in two and a half months – start to finish! in another city! We had to because of work/leases but your point about prioritizing is key.
Wow! I’m sure that was a wild ride. I’ve heard some challenges of planning from a different location too. I just keep telling myself – it WILL come together.. eventually! 😂
Great tips, huh cant use them now, as its been 6years of marriage.. But then its really exciting to finalize the marriage dress!
These are all great tips! I can’t wait to plan my wedding someday 😀
Firstly, congrats! Your tips are super practical..all the best!
This was awesome — I remember how overwhelmed I was when planning my wedding, these tips would of helped so much