— December 18, 2019
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re engaged. And if you are: congratulations! Take it all in and prepare for an incredible season of life ahead. While it’s certainly exciting, it can also be stressful, especially if you’ve never planned an event. We recommend basking in the happiness you feel in this moment and following the ten steps below to ensure you’re heading into wedding planning well prepared.
1. Celebrate
It’s a gut instinct to start planning the wedding the second you have a ring on your finger, but hold on! Consider taking a moment to celebrate just the two of you before sharing the news with family and friends. Pop the bubbly and make a toast to yourselves. This is the time to revel in that pre-wedding bliss and make it special! 
2. Set a Budget
It’s no secret that weddings can be expensive. It may not be the most fun conversation to start with, but it is the most critical! The budget will dictate your venue, dress, catering, transportation—everything!
Do some research online and you can find a handful of helpful budget spreadsheets like these. Be sure to browse sites like WeddingWire and the Knot, which provide you with wedding planning tools and inspiration based on your budgetary needs.
3. Compose Your Guest List
Who do you want to share your special day with? The guest list will dictate venues you can look at due to capacities, and it will directly impact your budget; every chair rental and plated meal adds to your cost.
4. Explore Venues
Now that you have a budget and a guest list, you’ll be able to narrow down your list of venues. There are so many incredible venues to discover—one major perk of living in the Houston area!
Here are a few of our favorites:
5. Save the Date
Once you’ve found your dream venue, choose a date! Have you always dreamed of a fall wedding with pumpkin décor, or maybe a winter wedding wonderland? For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates eight to 12 months in advance. For a local wedding, send save the dates four months in advance.
6. Enlist Help
Enlisting help is two-fold. You’ll want to invite your closest friends and family members to be in your bridal party and assist with all things wedding, but you also want to think about what vendors and professionals you’d like to have help as well.
Are you and your partner too busy to even cook dinner after work every night? You may want to think about hiring a professional planner who can help you with every detail, manage all your vendors and make sure the day goes off without a hitch—all with no stress for you!
This also includes vendors like us. We love working with great local companies to pull off a fabulous fete to remember! Sometimes, it’s easy to forget about details to consider like valet services, hosting a full bar, renting the chairs you’ve been dreaming of—the list goes on! We can help organize it all, make recommendations and make sure you have all of your event bases covered.
7. All the Events
Even though you’re planning a wedding, that’s not the only event that comes along with being engaged. Consider whether or not you’d like to have an engagement party, a bridal shower, a stag party and a rehearsal dinner. These events will all require venues, catering and plenty of help as well!
8. Think About Personalization
The personalization is the part we love the most. There’s nothing more special than the little details that make your day all about you two. Create a playlist with your favorite songs, frame photos of family, choose your favorite flowers—it’s all about you!
Regarding the food, do you both love cider donuts? Create a donut display with apple cider or give them away as favors! Choose the perfect flavor cake after lots of fun tastings. If neither of you are fans of cake, what about mini pies for dessert? The options are endless, especially when it comes to food!
9. Create a Checklist
Create an account on The Knot or a similar site where they have pre-made wedding checklists with date guidelines so you can customize for your own big day. The Knot and WeddingWire even have an app so you can take it on the go! It feels incredible being able to check everything off your list one by one.
10. Don’t Forget to Enjoy!
The stress of wedding planning can sometimes take over, which is why it’s essential to focus on the joy! Take everything in stride and don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, family and professionals. Everything always comes together in the end. Trust us, we’ve seen our fair share of wedding days—it’ll be the best day of your life.
If you want help crafting your wedding, contact us to get started! We can’t wait to help you with all the personal details that will make your big day truly unforgettable!
More articles you might enjoy:
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning the Perfect At-Home Party
- Crafting a Personalized Experience with Baked Goods
- Unique Anniversary Party Ideas for You and Yours
