About the author : Entourage Events Group
You just got engaged, you’ve told your family and friends and you’re overjoyed about spending the rest of your life with your now-fiance, but now the reality is setting in that you have to start planning your wedding. Some people are excited about this prospect, while others may be a little anxious or overwhelmed, and all of those feelings are completely normal. But no matter what you’re feeling at this moment, many brides and grooms come to the same realization at some point, which is “where do we begin?”
Once you get the ball rolling it becomes easier to start getting everything in order for your wedding, but what should you do at the outset to set yourself up for success down the road? In today’s blog, we share some tips for starting the wedding planning process.
4 Tips For Starting Wedding Planning
Everybody will have their own individual preferences when it comes to planning their wedding, but we’ve found that starting off with these basics is a great way to start the process and help guide you on your wedding planning journey.
- Develop A Budget – Before you start booking venues and caterers, it’s important to have a conversation with your fiance about a realistic budget for your wedding. You can also include your parents in this conversation if they are hoping to provide some financial support for your wedding. You may not know exactly what to expect when it comes to certain costs, but start talking about a budget so that you can make some informed financial decisions later in the process. Having a budget in mind is a great way to start planning your wedding.
- Find A Venue/Date – A lot of people have a day or a month in mind for their wedding, but you need to find a venue capable of accommodating you on that day before you just elect to choose a specific day. So while you can have some dates in mind, you can’t pick a day until you choose a venue that can host on that day. Also, considering that Minnesota experiences all four seasons and the weather can change on a moment’s notice, it’s a good idea to consider choosing a venue that has both indoor and outdoor ceremony options so that you can have a beautiful ceremony regardless of the weather. Our beautiful venues like The Riverside and the Minneapolis Event Centers each offer indoor and outdoor ceremony options, so consider scheduling a tour and learning about our availability. High demand venues tend to book out well in advance, so finding a venue and a wedding date should be one of the first things you do when planning your wedding.
- Reach Out To The VIPs – If there are things you just can’t live without on your wedding day, reach out to these parties and ensure they can fit you into their schedule. For example, if you want a certain band to play at your reception or your favorite bakery to handle the desserts, reach out to them as early as possible to get on their schedule. Don’t wait until later and then assume your wedding will take precedence over other obligations those businesses and individuals have made.
- Let’s Talk Guests – Cultivating a guest list is another aspect you can work on early in the wedding planning process. You don’t need to have a perfect list right away, but again it’s helpful to have a conversation with your fiance about the size of your wedding to ensure you stay within budget. Also, your venue may have restrictions on how many people can attend, so you can start developing a guest list based on these restrictions and how many people you envision inviting to your wedding.
These are great stepping stones on your way to planning your wedding, and if you have any questions about the process or want to talk with a professional about touring any of our venues, reach out to the team at Entourage Events Group today at (612) 564-3777.
