Congrats! You just got engaged! There is so much information out there about wedding planning! What do we do first? It can be overwhelming! There are many important items to decide on, like setting the date, setting a budget, finding a venue, and hiring a wedding planner/coordinator. Since you have most likely have not planned a wedding before, the process can be stressful. Here are our top five tips to help you as you begin the planning process.

Number One – Set a realistic budget. You can’t go shopping for vendors without knowing how much you can spend for each of them. Make a list of three priorities, of what is important to you. Is it flowers? Is it a band? Then allocate your budget accordingly to those items. Nothing is more disappointing than realizing you love a certain vendor, but you spent most of your budget elsewhere and now you don’t have the means to hire that vendor. Weddings cost more than you think. This leads to the next tip.

Number Two – Plan wisely, not emotionally. It is very easy to get carried away when choosing items for your wedding. Ask yourself, is it really necessary to have it! The costs add up! Take a step back and as yourself these questions: Why do I want this? Do I really need it? Will anyone notice if I don’t have it? Will the day still be special without it? Pinterest has lots of cool things, but you don’t need every single one!

Number Three – Hire a professional wedding planner/coordinator! Do not assign your friend, aunt, or mother for this job! They are to be guests are your wedding, not work it! Plus they are not professionals! Again, you have not planned a wedding before and you don’t know where to start but your planner does. Your planner has vendor connections. So trust your planner/coordinator to help you find the ones that are the best fit for you! In addition, your planner/coordinator will be the liaison between you and your vendors. All of these vendors will need to be coordinated and communicated before and on your wedding day. Do you have the extra time to get on the phone or email your vendors to create a timeline of your day? Will you be willing to stop getting ready to go to the venue to see if the band, flowers, or cake have arrived on time? How will your grandparents know what time the shuttle leaves the hotel? Having your professional wedding planner/coordinator who handles all of these details for you is the best money you will spend, and the best peace of mind you can receive! Don’t forget the most important piece of the puzzle, hire a professional wedding planner/coordinator to put all the pieces together for you!

Number Four – Keep it simple! Do not overthink everything and make it harder on yourself! Keep your choices simple. This will help you from being overwhelmed. This ties in with number two. You can have a beautiful, memorable wedding day without a ton of extras! Keep it in perspective! Remember it is about you and the love of your life finally tying the knot! This is the day you have been waiting for. The most memorable chapter of your love story!

Number Five – Enjoy the planning! Take your time, do not rush the process. It is a marathon, not a sprint. Wedding planning takes time, flexibility, and organization. There is a process to follow. Go back to Number Three and hire a wedding planner/coordinator. It will be so much easier for you to enjoy the planning by having a guide at your side. Don’t think you have to do everything the moment you get your ring. Date and Venue first, and the rest will follow. Enjoy choosing your color palette, enjoy the cake tasting and enjoy planning with your fiancee. Make the decisions together. After all, once you are married there will be many more decisions to make in the future! Like, when can we get a puppy?

If you would like more planning tips and more information on how Gloria Schulz Events can help you, click the learn more button below and we will get in touch with you asap!

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