Your Guide to Planning your Special Day

Wedding Services — Blogs & Ideas —  Your Guide to Planning Your Special Day

Wedding planning is an incredibly special time in your life, where you embark on a journey filled with love and excitement. However, for some, the mere thought of putting together such a grand event can be quite overwhelming. It's completely understandable if you find yourself feeling daunted by the task at hand. But fear not, because we're here to help make this process easier for you. Whether you choose to plan your special day yourself or enlist the assistance of a wedding coordinator, there are a few key things to consider. Our aim is to alleviate some of the guesswork involved in planning your dream wedding. So, let's dive in and make this experience as enjoyable and stress-free as possible! 

Where would you like to have your wedding? It's important to consider your budget when deciding on a venue for your special day. Take the time to explore different options and visit various venues to see what they have to offer. Many venues even provide food tastings, and some may even include a wedding cake! Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you need to. If necessary, jot down your questions beforehand so you're prepared.

Timing is also crucial. If you're planning to tie the knot in a year, for instance, it's a good idea to start looking for venues early to get the best pricing options. Once you've found the perfect place, secure your date by making a deposit. Keep in mind that most venues require full payment about a month before the wedding. Make sure to check with the venue about their payment arrangements, options, and refund policy. Don't forget to read the fine print!

Secure the marriage license at the courthouse. Every state have different requirements so you may want to inquire to learn when you'll have to apply for your marriage license.

Guest Deadlines

Ask the venue, when do they need to know how many guests will be coming.  This will be helpful for you when taking responses from your guests.  Some will tell you that they need to know 2 weeks before the event or 6 weeks before.  Whatever the date the venue tells you their deadline, you should push your guests deadline a few weeks before that.  For example, your wedding date is June 5, and your venue says they need to know how many are coming by May 15th, you would then require your guests to respond by April 30th.  This gives you time to work on the table seating, if necessary. Of course, you will have people who will not respond on time, but you can begin working on who will be sitting with whom and at what table. Don’t stress yourself out!

How many guests are you planning to invite?

Are invited guests allowed to bring a guest?  Does that include all the guests you would like to attend?  For example, if you want the total guests at your event to be 150, and on your rsvp cards- you allow them to bring a guest, that would mean you should be sending out 75 invites in total?  Think about how many people you like at your event and then think about if they are allowed to bring a guest.  This information can be included on your rsvp cards.

Are children allowed at your wedding?

Work with your venue to budget the cost of how much it will cost for each person, including children and work from there.

Food options

If you are going with a catering, banquet hall or hotel for example, many of them will supply the meal and colored table cloth of your choosing.  Inquire with the venue to find out what does the cost include for these items.

Florists and decorations

Table centerpieces for the reception are important.  You can opt to hire a florist to decorate with floral arrangements at the ceremony and reception.  You can also do this yourself.  As with a venue, call around and visit different florists to inquire about pricing, taste and care on the day of the event.  Some couples opt for non floral center pieces or  faux (fake) flowers.  We know- how dare we introduce fake flowers?  But faux flowers can be a cost saving item.  Check your budget and find out which of these are right for you.

• Hobby Lobby for great faux floral arrangements

• Amazon has really great finds as well with a host of floral decor and bouquets.  Here are some of my favorite floral bride bouquets.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

  • CEWOR Wedding Bouquets for Bride Bridesmaid https://amzn.to/3Smjgta

  •  Champagne White Rose Bridal Bouquet https://amzn.to/3NZOnba

  •  WIFELAI-A Ivory Cream Bouquet for Bride https://amzn.to/48VmAkq

  •  Floinla Wedding Bouquets for Bride https://amzn.to/3tVfwW4

  •  Cascading Bouquets for Bride Beige Rose Artificial https://amzn.to/48Kbleq

  •  HOMENERGY Bridal Bouquets for Wedding - White Artificial Flower Bouquets https://amzn.to/4b7Mkfg

  •  Burnt Orange Artificial Flowers Bridesmaid Bouquets for Wedding https://amzn.to/3vCZ0uj 

Will you have a sweetheart table at your reception?  A sweetheart table is where the newly married couple sits.  It can be decorated to suite your style and taste.  

Signs

• Day of event details

• Bride and groom "welcome" wedding sign

• Reception wedding sign

• Table seating wedding sign

All optional, but not required

Secure the officiant 6-8 months in advance

Secure the photographer 6-8 months in advance

Secure the Band or DJ 4-6 months in advance

Who's giving you away? Traditional yes, but not required

Will there be a wedding party? Bridesmaids, groomsmen.  How many? Maid of honor?  

You will want to ask them in advance and then begin planning a schedule for fittings and such.  Will everyone be dressed the same, are you wearing the same shoes, jewelry, etc.   Traditional, yes, but not required.  It is your wedding and ultimately you want it be in the style and taste that suites the both of you!

Seating arrangements at your wedding

This is not an easy task, but you can begin working on the seating arrangements 4 weeks prior to your event. It may help that when responses begin to come in, to group rsvp cards together to begin creating your seating arrangements.  This will be helpful when creating your seating chart and then finally designing your table cards and/or table seating chart sign.

When do you send out your announcements, see our guide to sending save the dates and invitations

Invitations

It is customary to send out invitations for a wedding 8-12 weeks prior to your wedding date, giving your guest a little over a month to respond. For example, your wedding is June 5th and you need to tell the venue how many are coming by May 15th, your rsvp card deadline should be on or around April 30th, which means your invitations should go out no later than March 1.

Post Wedding: Thank you notes

A month after your wedding has ended and you're back from your honeymoon, you should begin sending out thank you notes. Who is on your thank you list?

• Guests

• Parents

• Those that sent a gift but didn’t attend

• Vendors (dj, hotel, florists, etc)

• Officiant

You get the idea- those that celebrated, supported and helped to make your wedding special.

We hope this very brief guide was helpful to you as you go on your journey to planning your wedding celebration.  Overall, planning your wedding should be an exciting and enjoyable experience. Take the time to research and explore your options, and don't be afraid to ask questions. By being organized and proactive, you can ensure that your special day is everything you've dreamed of. 

I earn a commission from any qualifying purchases made through links in this post including Amazon as an Amazon Associate