Top 5 Things You Two Should Know Before Planning Your Wedding!

There’s no shortage of wedding planning advice out there. Just a quick Google search of “How to plan a wedding” yields a flood of articles, blogs, and videos, all brimming with tips and tricks.

But let’s be honest, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming. The thought of sifting through it all might even make you want to elope just to avoid the stress. So, I’ve put together a streamlined list of my own considerations for you to think about before you book a venue, sign a contract, or pay a deposit. Hopefully, this list will help you see wedding planning as a team sport and provide ideas to make the process more manageable.

1. Enjoy Your Engagement Without Rushing to Set a Date

The moment you update your Facebook status from ‘In a Relationship’ to ‘Engaged,’ your world will spin into a whirlwind of congratulations and inevitable questions about the wedding date. If you had a dollar for every time someone asks, “Have you set a date?” or “When’s the big day?” you’d likely have enough to fund a significant portion of your wedding.

Remember, people are excited for you, but you don’t have to let their questions rush you. Take your time to savor this unique moment in your life. Enjoy being engaged without immediately diving into planning. After a month or two (or however long you need) of soaking in the joy of your engagement, you can then shift your focus to wedding planning.

2. Get on the Same Page About Your Wedding Vision

You know the saying, “Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth”? This rings especially true for wedding planning. Before inviting anyone else into the conversation—especially if they’re financially contributing—you and your partner need to be aligned on your vision.

Start by asking yourselves some key questions:

• Do we even want a wedding or would we prefer an elopement?
• What’s important to us as a couple and how can we incorporate that into our day?
• How do we want to feel on our wedding day, and how do we want our guests to feel?
• How much are we comfortable spending?
• Who gets an invite and who doesn’t?
• What’s important to others that we don’t care about, and how can we eliminate or replace these elements?

3. Play by Your Own Rules

There’s a lot of chatter about the do’s and don’ts of wedding planning, but your wedding day should be a reflection of you and your partner. Forget the rule book and focus on what truly matters to you.

Maybe you’re not cake people but you love peach cobbler—serve mini peach cobblers instead of a traditional cake. If you adore a themed cake over a classic white one, go for it! Your wedding should be about what makes you happy, not about adhering to tradition.

4. Communication is Key

Planning a wedding is a massive undertaking, and strong communication between you and your partner is essential to avoid feelings of overwhelm and resentment. Discuss the planning process together, but don’t let it consume your lives.

Set designated days to talk about wedding details and stick to those days. This way, you can focus on other enjoyable activities, like date nights or Netflix binges, on the non-planning days.

5. Hiring a Planner is an Investment You Can’t Afford to Skip

I understand the hesitation around hiring a wedding planner—it’s a big decision and not a cheap one. But consider this: to be fully present on your wedding day, you need someone else managing the myriad moving parts.

Think of it this way: you can’t afford NOT to hire a planner. When something inevitably goes awry, you’ll be grateful to have a professional there to handle it. While you can enlist a friend or family member to help, unless they have event planning experience, it might end up being a costly mistake. A professional planner ensures a smoother, more seamless experience.

Remember, no one can promise a completely stress-free wedding planning process. There will be moments of overwhelm, whether it’s dealing with the guest list, parents, or vendors. But by considering these five points before you start planning, you’ll set yourself up for a more relaxed, stress-less journey.

What other tips would you add to this list?