The first five steps to take when wedding planning

So you have just gotten engaged. Congratulations. There’s a lot of couples that get engaged around this time of the year and start the planning process. That’s all the more reason for you to take note of these five steps to take when wedding planning.

1. First and foremost, choose your reception venue. These places book up a year or more in advance. If there’s a special place you want, you will need to book early. Quite often the availability of the reception hall will determine your wedding date. When I got married, I found a great venue that just by chance had a cancellation on a great date in June. I booked them immediately and had my wedding date. If you want a Saturday in a popular month, you will need to choose your options and make your calls — FAST.
2. The second step is booking the actual ceremony location, most likely your church or synagogue. Call the office and get your date scheduled. If it’s a big facility, it probably does a lot of weddings, which is even more reason to call early and get this scheduled. At the same time, talk to officiant you want for your ceremony and schedule him or her as well.
3. Pick your dress. Finding the right wedding gown can be a chore. You go to a store and have numerous dresses to look through. You want to find one that flatters your figure and make you look beautiful. Once you do, the ordering process begins and this can take a lot of time, which is why you should start this process early. Once the gown comes in, there usually are alterations needed, and that adds to the time it takes to bring that dress home with you.
4. Make your guest list. This can be a daunting task. You should come to some kind of number of guests you want to host then go from there. Of course, the more guests you have the more money it will cost you. So decide carefully if you really need your dad’s boss at the wedding. Consult with parents or other family members to decide who to ask, and be prepared to cut the list if necessary. Remember, you should want to invite only the people who you want to share this day with.
5. Choose your photographer. Some couples book a photographer a year in advance. It is not uncommon for photographers to book up so make your decision and book early. Look through a photographer’s portfolio to make sure you like the photos you see. Then you will need to reserve the date with the photographer with a retainer fee, which often is non-refundable. So make your choice carefully.

Wedding planning can be fun but challenging. A lot of decisions need to be made, so get the big tasks out of the way and happy planning.