Bride like a boss. #WeddingWednesday
You're recently engaged and very eager to start planning your wedding. Only one problem, you have no clue where to start.
You've collected an abundance of magazines, followed every bridal blog imaginable, and pinned your little heart out, but what next? One of the first things I tell brides to do is to simply, breathe. It's so easy to become overwhelmed with just the THOUGHT of planning a wedding that many brides give up before even getting started. Since your here, take a second to read a few of MY suggestions, to help guide your planning process.
1. CONSIDER a budget:
One of the most important questions when exploring options is, how much are you willing to spend on your wedding day? Not everyone desires to have a $30,000 + wedding and this is completely understandable. Having a limited budget doesn't mean you can't have the day of your dreams. It just means budgeting is KEY and focusing on priorities is the best way to tackle this. Sometimes it’s as simple as “Guest Count OR Wedding of your dreams”? - Your Choice.
Weddings cost - per guest…
In my opinion this is equally as important as number one. The bulk of your budget is spent on your wedding guests, therefore a smaller guest list means less money spent. Guest lists are difficult, and will take a considerable amount of time to perfect - Drafts galore. You want to make sure you are involving those who genuinely support your union, and your future as a married couple. Don’t just invite people to satisfy someone else.
Ask yourself and your partner the following questions: “Are we willing to pay $350 for this one guest and will we be mad if we never get it back?” The answer to that question alone can help you cut unnecessary plus ones and sympathy invites. When you consider an overall wedding cost, $350 per guest is 100% realistic as the minimum for ideal wedding experiences. What this means? You should tailor your budget to cost per guest instead of a general number.
Let’s consider what google considers the average wedding budget of $30,000…
$30k may seem like a lot so $30k isn’t a bad budget, but $30k for 200 guests is unrealistic and will not be fun to plan. It’ll requiring cutting lots of corners, favors from friends, DIY, and somethings you may ultimately regret. A more practical approach is $30k for 85 guests. ($30k divided by $350 = 85 guests)
2. CONTACT A PLANNER
Before committing to any venues, please contact a wedding planner. Focus on finding a planner that has executed events you LOVE, if budget is a concern - make sure they’re based within 2 hours of your ideal location. Contacting and consulting with a planner FIRST should give you insightful details to the relativity and reality of your established budget. The sooner you know, the better you can prepare and ultimately the better your experience will be.
The best weddings are backed by amazing planners - hands down, that’s the recipe.
Our team, By Love Events & Design, offers a Discovery Service, just for those newly engaged to help determine the best wedding planning approach. We created this service to serve those early in decisions to make sure they don’t over commit to anything (wrong planner, wrong venue, etc.). Sounds like something you’d want to consider, click the link below :)
3. choose your wedding party
Having a large wedding party may have perks when it comes to splitting the cost of your Aruba bachelorette. However, gathering a large group of individuals on one accord, can be painstakingly difficult for many couples. You want to make sure you choose individuals who are excited about your wedding, supportive throughout the process, and understand of your requests. Now this doesn't mean ask your bridesmaids to purchase $500 plus dresses. Communication is KEY, and honesty is vital. Inform your entourage of the cost upfront and understand if they are unable to participate.
It’s more and more popular to avoid the traditional party as is and allow your friends to enjoy being guests for wedding day. You can still prioritize coordinated group portraits on wedding day. This allows you to book your dream team without making considerations for the style preferences or budgets of others.
Happy Planning :)