For most people, wedding planning is a complete unknown. After all, you have never done it before! There are tons of resources to get you started online or maybe you have decided to use a professional wedding planner to walk you through it. Below are the top five questions you might have about wedding planning and design and some helpful answers.
1. How to keep from being overwhelmed with the wedding planning process?
The best way to keep from being overwhelmed with wedding planning is to break each part into chucks, make decisions and try to stick to them along the way. Working with a planner can really help you stay on track and keep to your budget, but if you are planning the wedding on your own, set deadlines for yourself to complete each wedding task and stick to them. Don’t keep pushing your decisions down the road.
2. How to I create the best timeline for my wedding day?
The three top things you’ll want to take into consideration when putting together a wedding day timeline is the sunset time, the time you’ll need for photography and time needed for catering. You’ll need to know the sunset time to avoid running out of daylight, especially for photos or if there isn’t outdoor lighting for any part of your event. You will also want to take into consideration the lighting for your ceremony to avoid glaring sun, squinting eyes and the comfort of your guests... shade can be so important on a hot day! Your venue or wedding planner should be able to steer you to an ideal time based when the sun sets on your day. Let your photographer help make your timeline since he/she will know best how much time is needed for all the pictures you are hoping to capture. For example, don’t assume family pictures will only take 15 minutes if you have a large extended family. Finally, your caterer will need time for each meal period to prep and transition the food. You’ll want to work with them to create a realistic expectation on how long it will take to serve dinner or set up for a dessert station. Again, a great planner or a vendor team that has worked together will be able to collaborate and put together a timeline for you. The biggest thing to remember is to make sure all your vendors have the same timeline and are communicating any changes along the way.
3. Flowers are expensive! How can I save money on decorations and flowers?
Just like everything else, the price of florals has gone up significantly since the pandemic, but there are a few ways that you can cut the price of your florals and still have a gorgeous wedding to fit your style. First, finding a venue that already fits your aesthetic and includes some decorative inventory can really save you. If your venue is already stunning, you won’t have to add as many decorations. The more inventory your venue offers, the less you’ll spend on decor overall. Even small items add up, so if your venue includes candles, signage or basic linens, you’ll save a ton by utilizing what they have. When using fresh flowers, talk to your florist about how you can re-use them during different parts of your wedding celebration. Could the bud vases you’ll be using at cocktail hour be used on the tables for the rehearsal dinner or farewell brunch? Can the arch installment for your ceremony be moved to your sweetheart table at the reception? Get the most bang for your buck by using the flowers as many times as possible. Just be sure you have someone assigned to handle this for you on your wedding day.
Finally, be open to as many seasonal flowers as possible. If you are set on having a specific flower that is out of season on your wedding date, you are going to pay top dollar to have it shipped from the other side of the globe. Talk to your floral designer about what you love about your favorite flowers and see if they can suggest a seasonal alternative that can save you some money. If a specific but expensive flower is super meaningful or important, consider using it just in your bouquet and leave the other florals to something more seasonal.
Finally, be open to as many seasonal flowers as possible. If you are set on having a specific flower that is out of season on your wedding date, you are going to pay top dollar to have it shipped from the other side of the globe. Talk to your floral designer about what you love about your favorite flowers and see if they can suggest a seasonal alternative that can save you some money. If a specific but expensive flower is super meaningful or important, consider using it just in your bouquet and leave the other florals to something more seasonal.
4. Do I really have to do a seating chart? I don’t want to tell people where they have to sit.
We highly suggest assigning your guests to a table for your reception for a number of reasons! First off, guests really don’t mind being assigned a table versus needing to rush to the reception space to try and get a “good seat”. Assigning tables gives your guests a more seamless experience where they feel taken care of. It will eat into your reception time if guests need to roam around the room trying to find a seat near their friends before the festivities can get started. Keep in mind you don’t need to assign seats (unless you are doing a formal plated meal with options) so spend the extra time making your table assignment and a simple seating chart...you’ll thank yourself later!
5. Should I just plan my wedding myself? Isn’t that a lot cheaper?
If you are crafty and have the time, it’s possible to save some money creating your own decorations, florals, table settings, centerpieces, bouquets, etc. The problem most couples run into is time and stress.
While it may be cheaper to buy flowers in bulk and create your own bouquet. Since flowers are perishable, you’ll need to pick them up and put them together right before your wedding ceremony. However, that’s the exact time you should be getting hair and make-up done or spending time with your friends. And don’t fool yourself that your friends will find the DIY projects “fun”... it is more likely to seem like a chore. Often, they will run out of time, have last minute commitments or work overloads and end up doing their “projects” at the last minute. Exactly what you don’t want to happen.
Additionally, when you bring your own DIY items to your ceremony or reception space, you’ll have to make sure that there is someone to place them to your specifications... unlike when you hire a florist who is handling all of that for you. You don’t want your wedding weekend to feel like “work” for all your loved ones.
Most florist and decorators will provide services for the un-installment and removing of decor items... you’ll be stuck doing this yourself with your friends at the end of your wedding day, if you are doing everything on your own.
Keep your DIY projects to a minimum and only take on projects that you enjoy. If crafting a cute welcome package is fun for you, go for it. If building an eight-foot photo back drop isn’t... hire a professional.
In our experience, the bit of money you save, doing it for yourself on your wedding day will be paid out in stress and conflict. Let a professional handle the details. A professional wedding planner has a proven checklist of ALL things that need to be done so that your wedding day is all you want it to be. Being a wedding planner takes experience, an incredible eye for detail and monumental project management skills. Are you that person? You might be now be saying: “No! I have no idea what to do nor do I have the skills. I’ve never planned a wedding before.”
Planning your own wedding can feel like having a second job. If your regular job is demanding or won’t allow for time off, then trying to juggle all the balls will end up being an impossible task that will add to your stress levels and those around you. Most couples, when doing a DIY wedding, miss $15-20,000 in expenses only because they’ve never done it before. You may have no idea what everything costs until you are well into the planning process. As time goes on, more costs and details will come up so you’ll need more budget to make them a reality.
A great resource for finding out the average budget for your wedding and the list of things that go into the planning, you can go to www.theweddingreport.com. This third-party site gives you a list of things to check that you’d want for your wedding and then sends you the budget number it would take to have the wedding you are dreaming of. Remember, you want your wedding day to be your best day ever and a day that your family and friends will never forget. So our advice is to figure out what that best day ever looks like to you and go from there!
While it may be cheaper to buy flowers in bulk and create your own bouquet. Since flowers are perishable, you’ll need to pick them up and put them together right before your wedding ceremony. However, that’s the exact time you should be getting hair and make-up done or spending time with your friends. And don’t fool yourself that your friends will find the DIY projects “fun”... it is more likely to seem like a chore. Often, they will run out of time, have last minute commitments or work overloads and end up doing their “projects” at the last minute. Exactly what you don’t want to happen.
Additionally, when you bring your own DIY items to your ceremony or reception space, you’ll have to make sure that there is someone to place them to your specifications... unlike when you hire a florist who is handling all of that for you. You don’t want your wedding weekend to feel like “work” for all your loved ones.
Most florist and decorators will provide services for the un-installment and removing of decor items... you’ll be stuck doing this yourself with your friends at the end of your wedding day, if you are doing everything on your own.
Keep your DIY projects to a minimum and only take on projects that you enjoy. If crafting a cute welcome package is fun for you, go for it. If building an eight-foot photo back drop isn’t... hire a professional.
In our experience, the bit of money you save, doing it for yourself on your wedding day will be paid out in stress and conflict. Let a professional handle the details. A professional wedding planner has a proven checklist of ALL things that need to be done so that your wedding day is all you want it to be. Being a wedding planner takes experience, an incredible eye for detail and monumental project management skills. Are you that person? You might be now be saying: “No! I have no idea what to do nor do I have the skills. I’ve never planned a wedding before.”
Planning your own wedding can feel like having a second job. If your regular job is demanding or won’t allow for time off, then trying to juggle all the balls will end up being an impossible task that will add to your stress levels and those around you. Most couples, when doing a DIY wedding, miss $15-20,000 in expenses only because they’ve never done it before. You may have no idea what everything costs until you are well into the planning process. As time goes on, more costs and details will come up so you’ll need more budget to make them a reality.
A great resource for finding out the average budget for your wedding and the list of things that go into the planning, you can go to www.theweddingreport.com. This third-party site gives you a list of things to check that you’d want for your wedding and then sends you the budget number it would take to have the wedding you are dreaming of. Remember, you want your wedding day to be your best day ever and a day that your family and friends will never forget. So our advice is to figure out what that best day ever looks like to you and go from there!