"New Year, New Engagement"
Check List items & Ideas to help you begin the wedding planning process!
by Stephanie White
Copa Style Magazine Special Events Adviser
Happy New Year and Congratulations on your recent engagement! The Holidays have a way of bringing out the best in people; holiday parties, family dinners, gift exchanges, and marriage proposals are just a few of the most memorable events centered around the holidays!
So now that you are engaged what should happen next? As an expert on the Wedding Planning process, I recommend you FIRST get…..
So now that you are engaged what should happen next? As an expert on the Wedding Planning process, I recommend you FIRST get…..
*Exhibit A. –A Wedding Planning Binder
It is so very important that you get organized with your wedding planning from the very beginning!!
I’ve had brides come to me with spreadsheets, PowerPoint slide presentations and other formal documents! These brides were organized and they knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding day!!!!
Organization is KEY and if you are not organized, and I mostly say this to the brides, because generally the bride is the one who organizes most of the paperwork, you could lose important documents, contact numbers and vendor information.
Inside this “Wedding Planning Binder”, you need to include all your notes and information that you collect for your wedding. This information should include the name of your bridal party members along with their contact information. In this binder, you should also include a list of every bridal gown shop, florist, DJ, cake vendor and wedding planner you’ve reached out too along with their contact information. My suggestion is that you would want to also include every photo idea or inspiration that you find such as photos of flowers, event lighting, linens, centerpieces, etc, online or in magazines, as it relates to the vision for your wedding. I recommend using dividers to divide the sections of your Wedding Planning Organizer. This book should go with you to every vendor appointment that you attend for your wedding.
It is so very important that you get organized with your wedding planning from the very beginning!!
I’ve had brides come to me with spreadsheets, PowerPoint slide presentations and other formal documents! These brides were organized and they knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding day!!!!
Organization is KEY and if you are not organized, and I mostly say this to the brides, because generally the bride is the one who organizes most of the paperwork, you could lose important documents, contact numbers and vendor information.
Inside this “Wedding Planning Binder”, you need to include all your notes and information that you collect for your wedding. This information should include the name of your bridal party members along with their contact information. In this binder, you should also include a list of every bridal gown shop, florist, DJ, cake vendor and wedding planner you’ve reached out too along with their contact information. My suggestion is that you would want to also include every photo idea or inspiration that you find such as photos of flowers, event lighting, linens, centerpieces, etc, online or in magazines, as it relates to the vision for your wedding. I recommend using dividers to divide the sections of your Wedding Planning Organizer. This book should go with you to every vendor appointment that you attend for your wedding.
*Tips & Ideas for choosing your wedding date and things to keep in mind!
Wedding Holiday weekends such as Columbus Day and Veterans Day and now the ever so popular New Year’s Eve day are great holiday weekends for couples to get married. Most of these holidays fall on a Monday, which will allow your guests the ability to plan for a 3-day weekend! Perfect for a Holiday Wedding!!
The most popular wedding day choice for couples is Saturday. Some venues may charge a premier charge for Saturday evening weddings opposed to Saturday afternoon weddings. Fridays and Sundays are becoming very popular days for couples to get married as well and can be less expensive than Saturdays. I have had brides & grooms get married on all 3 days and some of their weddings were planned around a holiday weekend which can be fun if you are planning for other wedding festive events with your guests. I personally, would not recommend a wedding date during the Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving Holiday. These holidays are generally reserved for family. Of course, this decision is totally up to the couple!
Wedding Holiday weekends such as Columbus Day and Veterans Day and now the ever so popular New Year’s Eve day are great holiday weekends for couples to get married. Most of these holidays fall on a Monday, which will allow your guests the ability to plan for a 3-day weekend! Perfect for a Holiday Wedding!!
The most popular wedding day choice for couples is Saturday. Some venues may charge a premier charge for Saturday evening weddings opposed to Saturday afternoon weddings. Fridays and Sundays are becoming very popular days for couples to get married as well and can be less expensive than Saturdays. I have had brides & grooms get married on all 3 days and some of their weddings were planned around a holiday weekend which can be fun if you are planning for other wedding festive events with your guests. I personally, would not recommend a wedding date during the Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving Holiday. These holidays are generally reserved for family. Of course, this decision is totally up to the couple!
*Tips for picking your venue!
Venue shopping for your wedding is always exciting! Museums, banquet halls, parks, concert halls and theaters are just a few of the types of venues that couples consider as venues for their wedding.
When looking at wedding ceremony and reception venues it is important that you check to see how many people the venue can accommodate. Also depending on what time you want to schedule your event, check to see how late the venue stays open. For your alcohol consumers & lovers, check out whether the venue offers a bar. Not all venues offer a ready-stock bar and sometimes the bride & groom have to create the bar option on their own, which means getting the appropriate documentations that will allow you to bring liquor into the venue. See your venue for more information. There are several types of bar options and the type of bar includes:
· Unlimited Bar (open bar, all liquors)
· Soft Bar (champagne, beer & wine)
· Specialty Drink Bar (Signature drink for guests)
· Cash Bar
The first 3 options above are options that usually the couple will purchase for their guests. The 4th option, though I don’t recommend, couples from time to time will use this option for their guest. If you are a couple that is considering the CASH BAR option, please inform your guests ahead of time.
Another BIG tip to remember when researching and looking at venues is to find out what décor items the venue allows. What I have found over the years when planning weddings is that some venues don’t allow candles or for that matter any type of fire or hazard items. In the process of finding out this information, also find out what décor items the venue has for couples to use. Some venues come prepared with linens, event lighting, china, etc. These options generally make wedding planning easier for couples when they can knock all of the details out in 1-2 meetings with the venue.
As a wedding planner that has been planning weddings for over 10 years, I have seen some crazy situations with the bride & groom’s bridal party; more so with bridesmaids than groomsmen. I only ask and recommend, that when you chose your bridal party members please make sure that you choose people who want to see you as a couple succeed and people who are responsible!
**Know before you go….
But prior to all of the logistics and date setting the bride and groom must have a conversation about what they want for their wedding before any decisions are made. These are all important questions that the Bride & Groom should ask themselves and each other!!
· What type of wedding ceremony do you want to have?
Civil Marriage – Contract Marriage
Religious Marriage – Marriage ceremony performed by a minister, priest or pastor
· What is your budget for your wedding?
$5,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $25,000
$25,000 - $35,000
$35,000 - $45,000
$45,000 - $50,000
· How many guests do you want to invite?
50-100 guests
100-150 guests
150-200 guests
200-250 guests
· What theme do you want for your wedding?
Vintage/Rustic Theme Weddings
Beach Theme Weddings
Nautical Theme Weddings
Holiday Theme Weddings
Seasonal Theme Weddings
· What kind of food do you want served? What type of dinner setting do you want?
Seated Dinner
Buffet Dinner
Cocktail Style w/ Heavy Hors d’ oeuvres
Cake & Punch Reception for a small intimate & casual weddings
· What time of day do you want to have your wedding?
Brunch Time Wedding
Afternoon Lunch Wedding
Dinner & Night Out Wedding
These are just a few questions that should be asked! It is important that both the bride and groom stay on the same page in regards to what they want for their day and throughout the process of planning their wedding! There’s excitement in the air and YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED!!! Let’s Go!!
But prior to all of the logistics and date setting the bride and groom must have a conversation about what they want for their wedding before any decisions are made. These are all important questions that the Bride & Groom should ask themselves and each other!!
· What type of wedding ceremony do you want to have?
Civil Marriage – Contract Marriage
Religious Marriage – Marriage ceremony performed by a minister, priest or pastor
· What is your budget for your wedding?
$5,000 - $15,000
$15,000 - $25,000
$25,000 - $35,000
$35,000 - $45,000
$45,000 - $50,000
· How many guests do you want to invite?
50-100 guests
100-150 guests
150-200 guests
200-250 guests
· What theme do you want for your wedding?
Vintage/Rustic Theme Weddings
Beach Theme Weddings
Nautical Theme Weddings
Holiday Theme Weddings
Seasonal Theme Weddings
· What kind of food do you want served? What type of dinner setting do you want?
Seated Dinner
Buffet Dinner
Cocktail Style w/ Heavy Hors d’ oeuvres
Cake & Punch Reception for a small intimate & casual weddings
· What time of day do you want to have your wedding?
Brunch Time Wedding
Afternoon Lunch Wedding
Dinner & Night Out Wedding
These are just a few questions that should be asked! It is important that both the bride and groom stay on the same page in regards to what they want for their day and throughout the process of planning their wedding! There’s excitement in the air and YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED!!! Let’s Go!!
*The Timeline begins…..
Once you set your wedding date & book your venue, it is important that the bride and groom print a “Wedding Day Countdown” List. You can GOOGLE “Wedding Planning Countdown” and you will find the list. This list includes the breakdown by month and by week of every task that needs to be done during the process of planning your wedding and the list also includes Honeymoon task and Post-Wedding task. I generally like to provide my clients with this list after they have booked their venue. This list gives them a glimpse of what tasks need to be done
The “Wedding Countdown” list includes items such as what month to book your venue? What Month to book your cake vendor, your DJ and your florist? When to send out save-the-dates? When to send out invitations? When to go shopping for your wedding gown? When to pick out shoes and jewelry for the bride and when the wedding is over, the list will provide you the etiquette to when you should send out your Thank You Cards to guests.
The “Wedding Countdown” list also provides you the information on what month to schedule your honeymoon and when to get Passports for travel in the event you need them for your honeymoon. This countdown list is a wonderful tool to use and I recommend it to all NEW Brides & Grooms!! I hope this information has helped you begin the process of planning your wedding! Happy Planning!
Thank You,
Managing Director & Lead Coordinator of Stephanie White Events, LLC
Stephanie White
Once you set your wedding date & book your venue, it is important that the bride and groom print a “Wedding Day Countdown” List. You can GOOGLE “Wedding Planning Countdown” and you will find the list. This list includes the breakdown by month and by week of every task that needs to be done during the process of planning your wedding and the list also includes Honeymoon task and Post-Wedding task. I generally like to provide my clients with this list after they have booked their venue. This list gives them a glimpse of what tasks need to be done
The “Wedding Countdown” list includes items such as what month to book your venue? What Month to book your cake vendor, your DJ and your florist? When to send out save-the-dates? When to send out invitations? When to go shopping for your wedding gown? When to pick out shoes and jewelry for the bride and when the wedding is over, the list will provide you the etiquette to when you should send out your Thank You Cards to guests.
The “Wedding Countdown” list also provides you the information on what month to schedule your honeymoon and when to get Passports for travel in the event you need them for your honeymoon. This countdown list is a wonderful tool to use and I recommend it to all NEW Brides & Grooms!! I hope this information has helped you begin the process of planning your wedding! Happy Planning!
Thank You,
Managing Director & Lead Coordinator of Stephanie White Events, LLC
Stephanie White
https://www.stephaniewhiteevents.com/
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