5 Ways to Kickstart Wedding Planning!

What is it about actually being engaged that takes all the fun out of a Pinterest search? Couples spin their wheels down rabbit holes online while every social interaction is plagues with your admission that "we haven't really started planning..." I get it. You are busy, and the internet is actually built to steal your attention, not get your wedding planned easily. So here are a few worthwhile pursuits to kickstart you in planning. 

1) Bust out the calendar

Events can be spurred up and anchored by many things, a date is definitely one such thing. Perhaps a season to shoot for motivates you to look into planning, or a certain date feels sentimental. I recommend taking out a physical calendar and considering a few factors. What busy seasons would you like to avoid is one thing. Perhaps avoiding the holiday season if it already feels full or a busy season at work should be avoided. Also, If you are having an outdoor wedding and weather is important, when is the weather best in your area? Even picking Fall 2027 as a target range for dates can be extremely helpful in beginning to plan your event. This not only gives you a target season, but also informs how actively you should be planning based on how far away the season is. With at least 6 months to a year away, you are in a great position to have your pick of the litter with venues and a few key vendors, so feel free to pick a season, and use the momentum to plan a few key items like venue and photographer. 

2) Where in the world do you want to get married?

Some couples cast a wide net, which actually makes it harder. I recommend using a few weekends to really search the internet in a comprehensive venue search. Don't just settle for the ones that pop up first on Wedding Wire, or Here Comes the Guide. These are often the most expensive and most in demand venues. Instead consider public parks, national and state parks, Elk and Moose lodges, Women's Club's, wineries, resorts, and private land. Be focused with your time searching and take notes on which venues you find and reach out to. Pro tip: keep the name of the venue in the subject line of your outreach: it will quickly get confusing!

3) Actually Visit Venues

Once you receive feedback from your outreach, organize a few days to accomplish site visits of your top choices. If that requires travel I recommend building out a weekend or excursion to the areas you are considering and visiting a few venues in each place. Don't "death rush!"  This is a sorority term for only applying to one sorority. Most couples I know fall in love with one venue option, and since the process is challenging they refuse to continue researching alternatives. However, you the couple has power in the planning process only if you have options. Even (maybe especially) in the case of private weddings, it will help you sleep at night knowing you have an alternative in case your private property ends up falling through or that dream venue's fine print doesn't work for you. 

4) Go Wedding Dress Shopping:

This has become a universal first step for brides to be. I have mixed feelings about recommending it because truly it's not pushing the needle on getting your actual event coordinated. However, some dresses have long ordering times so getting right onto dress shopping can be helpful to spur your inspiration. Even finding a few shops and making a few appointments can be a great first step to build up confidence to do the same with your venue or catering (hopefully simultaneously). Dress shopping is a delightful experience so obviously I recommend it to keep spirits high even as you contend with other less fun details like budget. 

5) Actually Write out your Guest List

Man oh man do people stall on this step. Pull out a piece of paper (or preferably for me at least), create a google document. A guest list accomplishes many things that you are only speculating about before you actually build it. The guest count is important for sourcing spaces and pricing catering. Also, you will think through decisions about whether you are including children and plus ones. I always encourage couples to write out the guest list by household in order to save a step later since you can use the guest list to create the addressing on the invitations. There's a bit of stress to initially tackle those hard choices of selecting who will be invited (especially for couples trying to keep it small). However there is also a huge sense of relief AND empowerment in knowing what your number is looking like. *You can account for 30-40% attrition in most cases of guests not coming who are invites.