Love Your Wedding Planning

Besides being a photographer, I am also a high school art teacher. In that career I help others find their creative voice and make something that can be displayed for others to experience. Each student being unique in their ideas and feelings toward the project. There are always those that stare at the blank page and shout “I don’t know where to begin!”, and it is debilitating for them! I have come to realize weddings are the same, and I have made it my mission to ease that stress and help others create with confidence.

Weddings bring out the creativity in us, they allow couples to create a beautiful display of their love, sharing it with their friends and family. That display can be large and it can be small but no matter what, it is a reflection of their vision and style. A couple’s personality shows up in the decor, location, sentimental items and music! Remember as a bride and groom, this day is absolutely about you!!! So be confident and do what you want!

In talking with brides over the years one thing keeps coming up, where do I start!? Just like that blank paper in art class, the beginning steps to completing your vision can be overwhelming. Sometimes to get over that block you just need a little something to get you started. Below are some tips that I have used and seen work for other brides, as well as a helpful vendor booking timeline from Wedding Wire. This timeline gives you a visual aid (Teaching art I love visual aid :D ) of when to hire who. This way you don’t feel as though you have to do it all at once. Each month it gives you a task to complete and check off your list! Yay for getting things done!

 My tips:

• Make a list:     

Writing things down can help you stay organized and remember what you have already done.

• Delegate!

The people who love helping with weddings will come out of the woodwork so if you have someone volunteer to help give them a task, they will love it! Plus then you can just focus on the parts you are most excited about.

• Create a budget

Figure out how much you are going to be able to and want to spend and stick to it! Things can add up and money can be stressful so let your budget help you stay within your means and still create the feel and look you want.

• Nail down the Guest List

This can be one of the hardest parts but very important! Decide if you want to host anyone who wants to celebrate with you or if you would rather it be an intimate experience with just close family. The amount of people you have there affects everything else. You may want to invite a lot of people, and you can, as long as you can support the cost that will come with each person there (for example, food, seating, if you do favors, etc.) Make the list together, you are combining two lives worth of people! Start with a non trimmed down list and then go from there and remove as necessary.

• Ask your vendors!

We have done this all before and see the best and worst of it. Your day may bring different questions so ask us to share our experiences. We want your day to be a success!

• Timeline & Photo lists

Map out with your photographer when things will be happening. Photos can run smoothly and it helps to have a plan that gives you time for each part of the day. Having a list of names for family shots allows you to not worry if you forgot someone or a certain group you wanted together. When you are in the moment and just happy to be married things like this can slip your mind.

• Do we bring the kids?

This is one of the things that changes from wedding to wedding. Decide what is most important to you. The things to think about when it comes to kids: There is a potential for disruption. But they can be the life of the party and help get people off their seat during dancing! Do you have kids that you are close to? You can get away with letting just them be there by giving them a role in the activities of the day so they have to be there. Or you can do an age minimum. Most 5 year olds and up can behave during a ceremony. Be overly specific in invitations if you are not allowing kids. People like to assume that they can bring them and if you are tight on your seating you could run out of space. Guests may not come because of having to get childcare, or they may love the chance to get out without the kids. Just pick your fancy and stick to it.

• Don’t talk about the wedding

What? That’s a curious thing to say right? Planning can be consuming as you feel like you always have to be working on part of it to get it done. Your relationship was built on more than that, so don’t forget to still date. Make sure to give yourself time to just be engaged!! It is an awesome time of reflection and anticipation not only for your big day but the rest of your life. The wedding day yes takes time and planning, but to not get overwhelmed have some non wedding planning time. Enjoy it and each other :)

Click HERE to make a Wedding Checklist  & HERE for venues searches

I hope this helps calm you down and gives you somewhere to start. That this wedding planning experience will be a positive one that reflects the two of you in the art of creating your special day !

Much love, Bethany