Wedding planning is definitely tough! Luckily, Sarah is back this week for another round of #WeddingWednesday to help you with just that. These tips are spot on and a great way to get any couple jump started on their wedding plans!

Once you’re engaged, it seems like there’s a million things to do. Sure, you’ve got your Pinterest boards, but now you mean BUSINESS. The last time I wrote here, I talked on some things to do immediately following the engagement. Now It’s time to get down to the nitty gritty planning. Whether you’re a lover of all things orderly or you could care less if you make it to that 2pm tasting, here are some quick checklist items to get you going:

• Get a planner. It will be worth it, I promise you. If you don’t think you have much wiggle room in the $$$ department, think again. Get creative! I don’t mean that you need a planner that costs over $2,000 by any means. I opted for the middle ground – a wedding consultant. For $300 I have roughly four consults with my planner. We talk through the logistics and she helps me dream big! I absolutely love the ladies at Wedding 101 and I am sure there is something in your neighborhood that offers something similar. It is important to have people speaking into your visions that have had experience. You need someone to tell you, “I like where you’re going, but have you considered this instead? I saw this happen with another bride once…”
• Create a budget. Do some research on how much the average wedding costs where you live. I found it helpful to sit down with my planner and tell her what all I envisioned first. From there she was able to guestimate how much I would be looking at spending. If you have a specific price point, stick to it. Make a list of your priorities when it comes to your big day and allocate the money accordingly.
• Pick your ‘maids. After all, you need a bridal party to party! This was a stressful decision, so make sure to leave yourself a lot of time to think it through. Who do you envision standing beside you on your big day? For me, I envisioned five gals – the one who will support you no matter what, the one who will tell you the absolute truth and not care, the one who loves to have fun and be silly, the rational one, and the one who embodies a little of each (hey, Tori). Take into consideration that these girls are going to be taking some financial sacrifices to be with you on the big day. If you’re a people pleaser like me, you will find this decision to be the very hardest. But, fear not! There is room for all of your friends to surround you on your day.
• Say “yes” to the dress! I know it might sound crazy, but the sooner you find your dress, the better. I picked mine out when we were about nine months from the wedding. That sounds like a ridiculous amount of time, but you would be shocked at how long it takes to order your dress if you aren’t buying right off of the rack. Do some research before going, but keep an open mind! I ended up picking a dress that was nothing I had envisioned, but everything I had wanted. Be upfront with regards to your timeline to the person assisting you. They have a good idea of how long certain designers take to make the dress. For inspiration, binge watching “Say Yes to the Dress” doesn’t hurt 🙂 To get more tips on organizing a low stress wedding dress shopping trip, check out Tori’s post here.

No matter what, remember what the planning is all about. You are getting married to your “forever”. Your person. The one whom your soul loves. The one who will cheer you up on any rainy day and kiss you till your lips are bright red. Keep that in focus and let the rest fall into place. In the next post, I’ll be posting on the things they don’t tell you about getting engaged and planning a wedding! See you then, party people.