The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Planning
Wedding Planning can be a very exciting time, or it can be your biggest stress. When your wedding day comes and goes, make sure you look back on this time as a fun and memorable experience rather than something you are hoping to forget. Here are some frequently asked questions to take you from Engagement Ring to the Wedding Ring with ease!
Engagement- I’m Engaged, Now What?!
Congratulations!! You have found the love of your life, and you are ready to start out on a life-long commitment to each other. This is something to be celebrated, and is not a time that should feel rushed. The minute you announce your engagement, you are sure to be flooded with questions about the wedding that you probably don’t know. Take a breath, smile through it, and use the words “we don’t know just yet.” You don’t owe anyone any answers yet, especially if you don’t have them. We recommend taking time with your fiance to celebrate, and telling your family first. When you feel ready, make the announcement to your friends and your whole social network. We know you’re going to want to SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS!
Check out our 5 Tips on What to Do After Getting Engaged
What are the best Bridal Subscription Boxes?
Part of your celebration of your new status should be fun surprise gifts for the soon-to-be bride. We have an awesome list of the Best Bridal Subscription Boxes to help celebrate your new Fiance title.
When Should You Start Planning Your Wedding?
This answer, for the most part, is going to be immediately. No matter when you decide you are going to get married, somehow it will always seem like not enough time. The professional Wedding Planners you see will have your wedding planning timeline starting 24 months in advance! Don’t get overwhelmed with those timelines. It is possible to plan your perfect wedding in even 6 months or less! Figure out what your timeline is, and then start your planning ASAP.
How Long Do You Need To Plan A Wedding?
You can plan your perfect wedding with whatever time you have. If you have 2 years to plan a wedding, then you will have plenty of time to choose every little detail for your big day. If you happen to have 6 months to plan your wedding, (we basically did this, even with a year and a half engagement) that can be the perfect amount of time, but you may need to compromise on some of your details. Planning a wedding for next week? It’s possible to make it work. According to this article and our friends at Wedding Paper Divas, the majority of couples plan their weddings in 13-18 months.
What are the First Steps in Planning a Wedding?
The first steps to planning your wedding will be figuring out your guest list, wedding budget, and the style of your wedding. Once you have those figured out, it will be easier to start in on all your wedding details.
Who Pays for What at a Wedding
Traditionally, it was the parents of the bride who paid for the wedding and reception, and the parents of the groom were in charge of the Rehearsal Dinner. Nowadays, every family is different, so this is something you will have to talk with your families about. Sometimes the Bride and the Groom foot the whole bill, while other times, both families will help out. Set a meeting with each family and have an open conversation about if they are able and wanting to help with anything.
How Do We Set Up A Budget?
After you know who is going to contribute to the wedding, it’s time to set the budget. You should know a good number from each family who will be helping, and then you can decide if you and your fiance will want to pitch in as well. If you are paying the full or partial amount for the wedding, be sure to figure out what you can afford to spend on the day. Don’t go into debt trying to plan the perfect party, you can save money on weddings in several ways, and still have a beautiful day.
Where Should We Focus Our Budget?
We recommend choosing your top 2 things at your wedding. What is most important to you and your fiance for the day? Is it having all 1200 people you know in attendance? Having the best food? The perfect band? The famous photographer? Choose 2 things you want the most, and you can save money on the other aspects of your day.
How Can I Save Money on Our Wedding?/How Do You Cut Wedding Costs?
Our first tip is AMAZON!! You can save sooo much money by skipping specific “Bridal Store” items. Take for example, your wedding veil. We put together a list of some beautiful veils worn by real brides who found their Veils on Amazon for cheap!
We’ve also listed some other items you can buy on Amazon to Save Money on your Wedding!
Another tip would be to DIY. You can find awesome ways to save money by doing it yourself. Ask friends and family for help too!
Don’t spend money on unnecessary things. You can skip the RSVP stamps, by doing online RSVP’s, skip programs for the ceremony that people don’t really need, or skip wedding favors that are often left behind. There are several ways to save money on your wedding.
How Do I Find a Good Wedding Venue?
The Wedding Venue is probably the first thing you will want to book after setting your wedding budget and guest list. After booking the venue, you will know what else you need to book. Some venues are all-inclusive, and you don’t have to figure out much more on your own. While other venues, like ours, are a DIY Venue (https://ourkindofcrazy.com/blog/best-outdoor-wedding-venues-southern-california)where you can have the freedom to bring in all your own vendors.
We have some great tips to find the best Wedding Venue for your big day.
Do I Need a Wedding Planner?
The short answer is no. BUT we HIGHLY recommend you at least get a Day of Coordinator. If it’s in your budget to get a coordinator, then we say book them now! Wedding Planners can make your wedding planning journey a whole lot easier. If you don’t have a Planner, be sure you have a good team ready to help you with your big day, and get a Day of Coordinator for the actual day. They will help everything run smoothly without worrying you with any details.
What are the Best Wedding Books or Apps to Help Plan?
There are several Wedding Apps or Websites that are great for helping track your wedding planning process. The Knot, WeddingWire and Zola are the more famous ones that many brides use.
We also recommend joining Wedding groups on Facebook as well. There are large groups that discuss all things weddings, but there are also more local groups, or even brides getting married in the same month. Jump into some of those groups and start reading reponses to questions others have asked. You can learn lots from these groups.
How Do We Make Our Guest List?
The guest list was personally the most important thing to me when planning our wedding. The people are the important aspect of our day that I did not want to sacrifice on. However, sometimes you may be limited to a certain number of guests, or you may have some problematic guests you aren’t sure you want to invite. This post helps break down who to invite to your wedding.
When Should We Send Out Invitations?
The typical recommendation is to send out your invites between 3-4 months. This can vary, however, depending on a few things. If you sent out Save the Dates, then you can send them around 3 months…if your wedding is out of town for most of your guests, you’ll want to send them out on the earlier side, so they can book all their accommodations, flights, etc. If you send your invites around the 2-4 month mark, you should be good.
Are Save the Dates Necesary?
Depending on your wedding date and location, sometimes Save the Dates are necessary. That said, as long as you are giving your guests enough time in advance to plan to attend your wedding, then you can do your Save the Dates however you would like. You can send them online, call your friends and family, or send the Save the Dates in the mail. If your wedding is less than 6 months, we would suggest you skip the Save the Dates and send your wedding invites a little early. Also, if you budget does not allow you to make fancy Save the Dates, then go ahead and skip them, and send free ones online!
One last thing…
The most important thing to remember while planning your wedding is that at the end of it all, you will be married to the love of your life, and that’s all that matters. Plan the wedding that you two want, and don’t worry about anyone else. There is nothing in your wedding that you HAVE TO do. Have the wedding you love, and everything else will fall into place!
Have More Questions About Planning a Wedding? Post them below!
Sara, a seasoned expert in wedding planning and date ideas, brings a wealth of experience to our couples blog. With a background in the television industry and hands-on involvement in a dozen weddings, including working as a wedding assistant on "My Fair Wedding with David Tutera," Sara has an innate understanding of the magic that makes weddings truly special. Growing up with four sisters has given her unique insights into the dating world, making her a go-to source for practical and heartfelt dating advice. Her knowledge and enthusiasm make her the perfect guide for couples seeking to infuse their relationships with creativity and love.