Wedding planning is filled with so much excitement and many moving parts. The in between months of engagement can feel both energizing and overwhelming. Whether you’re recently engaged or already deep into the planning process, you may be wondering what to prioritize. This wedding planning checklist outlines the most important steps to take early so you can move forward confidently and stress-free.
1. Define Your Wedding Vision
Firstly, CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement! Before you begin your vendor calls and curate your Pinterest boards, it is important to pause and reflect together. In order to create your dream day, you will need to figure out:
What matters most to us about this day and how do we want our guests to experience it?
How do we want our faith or family traditions reflected and who do we want to play a special role in our day?
By doing this early on, every choice that follows from venue to ceremony to your music selections will be more intentional and ensure your vision comes to life.
2. Set Your Planning Priorities
Next, as you begin to formalize your vision and budget for your big day, you will realize that not all elements hold equal weight. Make time to list your top three vendor priorities; we usually recommend photography/ videography, dining experience and florals. These may change as you flesh out your vision, but it is helpful to decide together where your priorities lie when designing your dream day.
3. When to Book a Wedding Planner
Wherever you are at in the planning process, contacting a planner early offers clarity and strategy. Planning a wedding in the DC Metro Area? Our team at Boizelle Affaires specializes in luxury wedding planning for couples who value intentional design and seamless execution. Given the limited number of couples we work with each year, we recommend reaching out as soon as possible. Most of our couples inquire twelve to eighteen months in advance. We offer Comprehensive or Partial planning packages, as well as work with couples to curate a perfect package for them. By bringing in a planner sooner than later, it saves both time and stress.
4. Gather Ceremony Inspiration
Next, your ceremony is an important part of your celebration. If you are planning to get married in a church, it is important to go over options with your priest or pastor. If you are planning a ceremony elsewhere, it is important to choose a venue and officiant that meets your vision. While planning religious or non-religious ceremonies, couples will need to gather music selections, scripture reading or special traditions that are meaningful to you. Getting a headstart on these will allow your ceremony planning to feel intentional and deeply personal.
5. Determine Printed Materials
Another item that can set the tone for your wedding is your wedding stationery. Your save the dates and invitation suites as well other special signage can play a significant role in your design. Most couples choose to go through various websites to personalize and order their paperie. Others choose to elevate their signage through personalized engraving, calligraphy or custom artwork. Do not forget to have a plan for your table menus and numbers, your escort and place cards as well as ceremony programs, if you choose to have all or some of these included in your day.
6. Commonly Forgotten To Dos
Everyone remembers the big decisions when it comes to wedding planning like date, venue and vendors. However, there are quite a few miscellaneous details we have found couples often wait to decide on until the last minute. Here are a few things worth knocking out in the between months:
Do you want to provide wedding favors or hotel welcome bags? If so, consider ordering sooner than later especially if they will include personalized items.
Do you plan on having toasts at your reception? If so, it is a good idea to give these folks a heads up. Traditionally, there is a welcome toast and a blessing said before dinner service. The Best Man and Maid of Honor follow dinner with toasts to the newlyweds.
Do you have food arrangements for the morning of your wedding? It is crucial to stay hydrated and fed before you say your “I do’s.” We recommend providing items to snack on while getting ready especially ones that do not create a mess while slipping into formal attire.
Do you have a plan for what you would like to save from your wedding day and who will collect it? Everything from your wedding cake to bridal bouquet to miscellaneous décor used to personalize and beautify your space will all need a home at the end of the reception.
In our experience, couples who think of these small details in advance find that they make a big difference on their wedding day!
7. Enjoy the Process
While it is not uncommon to experience stress while planning your wedding, we always recommend to our couples to enjoy themselves and have fun, by prioritizing date nights and other pre-wedding activities. Everything from taking engagement portraits or creating your wedding registry to choosing your wedding bands or breaking your dance shoes in during lessons can be meaningful and an enjoyable way to alleviate the stressors of planning.
In the end, it is important to remember that wedding planning is a fun process filled with countless decisions. By carefully selecting your vendor team and following this wedding planning checklist, you can eliminate stress and feel confident moving forward in your engagement season.
Photography: @kylajeanette, @alivaldez.photography, @nikkidaskalakis, @josephinemanetphotography
