Wedding Design Building Guide

Wedding design is a world of endless possibilities! You have an opportunity to create a fully custom event that perfectly reflects you and your fiance’s personalities. The best part is there are no right or wrong answers! There are, however, some steps to getting started on your wedding design and guidelines to refer to throughout the planning process that will make developing and implementing your design simpler and fun. Follow the guide below for a smooth wedding design building process. 

This blog is divided into 11 sections:

1. Where to start with wedding design

2. How to select a color scheme

3. What comes first, the venue or the design?

4. Furniture and design consistency

5. Where to find decor

6. How to select decor

7. Utilizing lighting to accentuate your design

8. Utilizing florals to accentuate your design

9. You, your fiance, your bridal party, the guests & your design

10. How to budget for wedding design

11. Tying it altogether

Where to start with wedding design-

Budget- The absolute first step will be settling on an overall wedding budget and deciding how many guests you will invite (more info on budgeting specifically for decor in the second to last section of this article). While neither of these two factors are inherently design oriented, they are the building blocks to wedding planning and will help guide the design process! As you work through the next steps, keeping your budget and guest count in mind will help manage your expectations and ultimately narrow down exactly what design elements are financially attainable to achieve your desired aesthetic. Click here for guidance on building your wedding budget!

YOU- After your budget is decided, start building your wedding design by turning to yourself for ideas. Your own mind is already chalk full of your likes, dislikes, interests, etc. Although your wedding style can vary significantly from design choices you make in other areas of your life, your vision should start with you (and your fiance, of course)! Thinking through what kind of colors, textures, and styles you are already drawn to will help you shape and maintain your vision as you move through the design process.

The Internet- Next, turn to the internet for some guidance! Pinterest has had a massive impact on the wedding industry, especially when it comes to design. Since Pinterest first launched, we have seen wedding styles become increasingly more diverse and creative. In addition to Pinterest, Instagram and wedding blogs offer loads of inspiration! Find a few pages that you like and keep up with their latest information and ideas. It is easy to get lost in the rabbit hole of Pinterest and Instagram and the further in you go, you may find that your vision is shifting from what you initially thought you wanted. That is okay! Save the inspiration pictures you love along the way and then look at them all together. Find what works, doesn’t work, or simply needs to be adjusted to fit into your evolving vision.

Consult a Professional- Finally, consult with a professional. A professional wedding planner or wedding designer can help develop your vision. If you have a few loose ideas they can help you fill the gaps and tie everything together. If you have no idea of what you’d like, they can gather some general information about you and your fiance in order to build your perfect wedding that you couldn’t quite envision in your mind. If you have a very specific vision, these professionals will be able to take your wants and needs and turn them into reality!

Pro-tip #1: Be aware as you search the internet that a lot of the beautiful designs you come across will come at a price. This may seem obvious, but Pinterest has a way of captioning very beautiful things in ways that make them seem very attainable budget-wise. Just take the ideas with a grain of salt until you do your own research to decide if it will work with your budget.

Pro-tip #2: Often Pinterest will depict DIY projects with incredible results. It is totally possible to break out the hot glue and create some amazing decorations for your wedding! Know your strengths and proceed accordingly. Budgets are easily blown on failed DIY attempts. If you want to try a project, try a smaller project using similar materials to gauge how the bigger project will go! When in doubt, look up a video tutorial!

Pro-tip #3: Keep your Pinterest boards organized! Instead of having one large “our wedding” board, divide the board into sections. Having a designated space for each design element is convenient, not only for yourself, but also for the vendors you will share these boards with. A lot of planners, designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, florists, bridal boutiques, etc. will ask to see your inspiration to understand your vision. Providing a streamlined and up-to-date vision board is a must!

How to select a color scheme-

How many colors?- Typically selecting between three to five colors total for your wedding is suggested. Anything less can be understated or non cohesive, anything over has the potential to become busy or non cohesive. There are, of course, a million and one exceptions to this, but having this range in mind is helpful when starting your color selection process! Ideally you will have two main colors and two to three accent colors. The main colors don’t necessarily need to go together on their own, because the accent colors will bridge the gap between them. Stick to one consistent factor among your colors (tone, hue, base color, etc.) your end result will be lovely!

Season- Season is a great place to start when considering colors for your wedding. If you are hosting a fall wedding deep reds, burnt oranges, and mustard yellows will be your friend! For a winter wedding, deep forest green, red, white, and even charcoal work beautifully! If your wedding is in spring softer colors like blush pink, denim blue, and champagne gold are perfect! For a summer wedding bright colors are perfect! 

Pro-tip #4: Seasonal colors are a great guide for more than just being fashion forward. The seasonal colors are common in the flowers and decor available during that time. By choosing “in season” colors, your corresponding flower options will be less expensive and your decor options will be more readily available.

Venue- It is also beneficial to consider what colors will work with the venue you have chosen. If it is an outdoor venue, the season will impact what colors are naturally occuring and therefore alter your overall aesthetic. An indoor venue will have existing design elements such as carpeting, wall colors, furniture, or even specific styles of lighting fixtures that are worth considering.

Mood- Colors also help to set the mood for your wedding, so talk with your fiance about what message you want to send to guests. If you want something more traditionally romantic, lighter pastels will help convey this. For a more dramatic and passionate vibe, deeper darker tones will help create this atmosphere. No matter your desired mood, there are some great color options to help set the tone.

NO RULES… except one- While all of this is great in guiding color choice, you certainly don’t need to base your color choice on any of it. If you are choosing to theme your wedding (more on themes in the next section) pick colors that are prominent and relevant to your theme. If you have a favorite color use it and choose accent colors that will accentuate it. If you have a favorite flower, choosing the colors based on this flower will work! If you just really love typical “winter” colors, but are having a summer wedding, GO FOR IT! The only real rule of thumb is finding some kind of common factor to create a sense of cohesion for an aesthetically pleasing wedding.

Pro-tip #5: When in doubt, head to the paint aisle of a local store and check out some splotches! If you want to play around with colors and see how they work together, the paint strips at hardware stores are a great place to try different combinations out!

To theme or not to theme-

Inherit themes- Weddings have a way of inherently developing a broad “theme” as the design vision starts to take shape. Some of the more common themes are rustic, boho, minimalist, modern, and traditional/romantic. Oftentimes these inherit themes will coexist with one another. The key is keeping the design elements cohesive as you blend these themes. You don’t have to necessarily title your theme, but it can help you when it comes time to select decor and describe your overall aesthetic to vendors. For example, as you look back over your developing vision board you may notice that you are drawn to romantic, whimsical, boho designs. Congrats! That is now your “theme.”

Full-on niche themes- Some weddings have very specific niche themes that will shape the design vision. Themes can be anything! For example, beachy, Disney, Jurassic Park, Halloween, Star Wars, baseball… the options are endless! When a theme like this is chosen it is usually meaningful to the couple. If you love a theme, but your fiance isn’t quite on board, you can always use this theme for your engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, or even rehearsal dinner instead!

Subtle themes- Not all specific themes have to dictate the entire wedding design! If you love Jurassic Park, you don’t have to fully commit. Instead of going all in to the point the groomsmen are in inflatable dinosaur costumes, consider just having a dinosaur cake topper, perhaps a few dinosaurs on signs, and maybe order more lush, prehistoric feeling fauna from your florist! A common trend for book lovers is using stacks of books for the centerpieces. Disney lovers often will include a Mickey Mouse charm on the bride’s bouquet and a few quotes from Disney movies displayed. If you don’t want to have a full on themed wedding, a simple nod to your passion is more than enough to convey the message.

What comes first, the venue or the design?

This will depend on you and your unique situation. Some people will quickly develop an overall desired aesthetic for their wedding and search for venues that will accentuate their intended design. Others will choose to let the budget determine their venue and plan the design around the venue they select. There are no wrong approaches, but there are advantages to thinking through what aspects you value the most and then using those to guide the planning process.

Either way, it is beneficial to think through at least some general design ideas before venue shopping. If budget is going to be the absolute determining factor on the venue, keep your vision flexible! Even if money is no object, you may find a venue that steals your heart, but requires a shift in your design vision! Until your venue is booked, have a loose design vision but, keep an open mind.

Pro-tip #6: Don’t count out a competitively priced venue just solely based on the existing aesthetic. Draping and lighting can easily be added to any space to completely alter the look!

Furniture and design consistency-

Furniture rentals: Going the rental route is going to give you the most control over achieving the exact look you want. There is no shortage of rental companies out there, which means one way or another you will have access to the exact furniture pieces you envisioned for your wedding. However, these options may be limited based on your budget. 

If the gorgeous furniture you want isn’t financially feasible, a compromise may be finding something at a lower cost that is closer to your vision than what the venue offers, but not exactly your dream furniture. There are plenty of ways to play with the other design elements, to make the furniture cohesive with your vision. If this is still not going to work with your budget, then it is time to get creative!

Getting creative: If you cannot swing replacing the furniture at the venue, then it is time to turn those lemons into lemonade. Take a look at other weddings that have a similar aesthetic to what you are going for. There may be some more inspiration that you overlooked before, because you already had your mind set on a different look. Think of different table cloths, centerpieces, table runners, etc. that would be consistent with the look and feel you want to achieve. When considering table cloths, think about their texture, shine factor, and, of course, color. Table runners have a great way of adding dimension, which can make your tables feel fuller and more high end. 

Transforming the chairs at your venue can be a little tricky, but it is doable! The basic white folding chairs are the easiest to modify. Drape a blanket over the back (this doubles as a guest favor and climate control, too!), add some sort of embellishment to the back, or wrap them completely. It should be noted that all of these options will be the same cost or more expensive than renting chairs! The most cost effective way to work with these chairs is to dress the table up enough that the chairs aren’t even a factor. The white folding chairs blend in easily to any aesthetic, which is why they are so common for venues to have. 

Metal folding chairs and banquet chairs are harder to hide. Banquet chairs can be hidden with chair covers, but this has a very specific formal/traditional feel. You can consider draping something over the back to incorporate them into your design, or you can leave the chairs as is. If you leave the chairs alone, take a very calculated approach to how you decorate the table so that the chairs aren’t even noticed!

Metal folding chairs aren’t common at wedding venues, but if you are ballin’ on a budget, you may just have to work with them. If you can’t beat them, join them! The easiest way to work with folding metal chairs is to play into their industrial look. Incorporating other industrial elements, such as matching metals and clean lines, into the wedding will make the chairs feel more like a purposeful design decision rather than a budget-driven compromise. 

Pro-tip # 7: If your chairs aren’t going to match perfectly with the rest of your aesthetic, making the other design elements full yet consistent will keep the overall look from becoming messy. Consider expanding your color pallet to 5 colors, but don’t surpass 5. Avoid super bright colors and go for either deeper tones or more dusty light tones. Pick a texture or two to incorporate several places throughout the reception space. The best way to work around any chair is to make those tables beautiful and keep the rest of your design very, very consistent and cohesive.

Where to find decor-

Wedding decor can be sourced in a variety of ways and you don’t have to select just one sourcing method. Decor is often rented from rental companies, wedding planners, venues, florists, or wedding decorators. Decor can also be purchased from craft stores, the internet, local boutiques, or any store that carries items that work with your design vision.

Decor can also be handmade! Personal touches are a great way to achieve your desired look and make the decor meaningful. If you aren’t personally crafty, find someone who is! There are plenty of professionals and hobbyists who are willing and able to custom make the decor of your dreams!

Pro-tip #8: Be sure to check out Facebook Marketplace, thrift stores, garage sales, etc. for gently used wedding decor. Millions of couples are married every year and purchase decor that will only be used once. You can find essentially brand new items at a fraction of the cost by being creative with where you source these materials!

How to select decor-

With so much access to inspiration and physical decor items, committing to just a few ideas can be challenging. Before actually purchasing any decor it is best to run through your budget and decide how much money you will allocate to decor. 

Research accessibility & pricing- Once you decide on an overall amount, begin researching the cost of your favorite design ideas. If you can’t find the exact items you are searching for, look into commissioning those pieces! There are plenty of talented professionals out there that can create exactly what you are looking for! If your initial ideas don’t immediately fit into your budget, brainstorm alternatives that would produce the same effect for a lower cost. 

Mentally map it- Mapping out your venue and mentally placing the decor pieces will give you a clear idea of how many pieces you need, what size your displays should be, and how full the space will look. Doing this after running through your budget, but prior to making any decor purchases will provide valuable insight into how your design elements will work together and how your ideal decor will fill out the space. Click here to visit our details blog for support on mapping out these areas!

Collect your items- After you have everything mapped out, begin purchasing, crafting, and/or renting the items you would like. This may take some time to find the exact pieces you want at a price you are comfortable with, so ideally this process should begin at least three-four months prior to your wedding, if not sooner!

Try it out!- This is the exciting part! After collecting your items, clear your dining room table and make mockups of how the centerpieces, accent tables, and other decor you’ve chosen will look. This will give you an idea of how full and cohesive your design is. Once you put everything together, you may decide to leave something out or add additional items to complete the look. If you go the decor rental route, the rental company will typically do this for you, either with you present or send pictures if being physically there to offer feedback isn’t an option. You will create or approve a mock up and they will implement the design on the day of your wedding!

Pro-tip #9: After creating your mock up centerpieces, accent table arrangements, etc. take pictures! Make sure they are clear and include all elements of the design. Whoever is in charge of setting up your decor on the wedding day will be able to recreate the exact look you are going for! Even if you are the one setting up your decor for the actual wedding, the pictures are still incredibly beneficial. You will have a lot of things running through your mind on that day, and you don’t want to stress yourself over trying to remember the design you wanted. 

Pro-tip #10: If you don’t find exactly what you are looking for at a price you are comfortable with immediately, be patient! Check back with stores and second hand websites regularly as these items may become available or their price might drop as you get closer to your date! Don’t wait too long on items you feel particularly passionate about. If there is a decor piece that will make or break your day, commission the project so you are guaranteed to have it!

Utilizing lighting to accentuate your design-

In many ways, lighting is the single most important aspect of your wedding design. Lighting has the ability to make massive statements at a relatively low cost. This isn’t to say lighting is cheap, it is simply cost effective when considering the impact it will on the overall aesthetic. The main lighting categories you’ll need to consider include functional lighting, ambient lighting, dance floor lighting, and lights as decor.

Functional lighting- Guests and vendors will need to be able to see, so functional lighting is a necessity. This does not mean you need aggressively bright fluorescent lights, though! The functional lighting you choose can be beautiful and enhance your overall wedding design. 

Dripping string lights hanging from the ceiling or suspended by strings over the dining area help light up the dinner portion of your evening and translate into photographs beautifully. 

Tivoli market lights have been very popular over the past decade! They are a great way to increase visibility, correspond with a large variety of themes, and look amazing in pictures. They are so popular, in fact, that a lot of venues already have them and include them in their site fee.

Full “light canopies” are a more recent trend that can be accomplished in several ways. They are typically created by using smaller string lights placed closely together hung in a way that mimics a canopy. This look creates a “starry night” effect that works well with any theme! 

Large light up hanging lanterns or globes are also gorgeous and versatile. You can choose to select one size and color or use a variety of lanterns to add depth and dimension. The hanging lanterns are usually paper globes with light bulbs inside, but depending on your venue and desired aesthetic, larger metal lanterns can also be used! The paper globe lanterns are typically used for a more playful, whimsical design. The metal lanterns can be boho, rustic, vintage, or woodsy depending on the specific lanterns you find. Since there are so many lantern options, this approach is perfect for any theme! A recent trend is for lanterns to be used on tables in addition to an alternative overhead lighting option. 

Chandeliers are available in an array of styles and add a touch of elegance. Chandeliers are even being used at outdoor events! By bringing a typically “indoor” element to the outdoors you add an element of interest with your lighting.

No matter what lighting you go with, be sure that the bar, catering station, buffet table, water station, coffee station, and restrooms (including lighting on the way to the restroom) have plenty of lighting! Not only do the vendors at each respective station need to see particularly well, so do your guests when they are in these areas! If possible, add additional lighting (such as pinspot lights, overhead lighting, or a lamp) in these areas, to ensure everyone has plenty of visibility in order to do their job to the best of their ability.

Ambient lighting- Lighting is the perfect way to create ambience and complete your wedding design. While the functional lighting can be used to create ambience, there are several niche lighting options that can be added to set the mood!

Candles can be used in so many ways and send a lot of different messages. They are often placed on dinner tables to accent the centerpieces. They can either be free standing, in candelabras, candle votives, lanterns, or any other candle display you find! Since candles and the devices housing them come in so many colors, shapes, sizes, and styles they work well with any design theme. 

Candles can also venture right off the tables and into other areas of your wedding! Large lanterns, candelabras, wall sconces, floating candles, and free standing large candles displayed in clusters are just a few more unique ways to utilize candles. A more recent and unique trend is to create “candle gardens” with an array of large free standing candles for guests to either exit or enter through!

Uplights (lights that shine upwards on walls, trees, draping, etc.) can add to the overall ambience by adding pops of your wedding colors around the room. Most professional uplights can be set to whatever color you choose or even change colors if you prefer variety.These are an efficient and effective technique to incorporate your color scheme into the physical wedding venue. They truly have the ability to transform any space dramatically from one event to the next!

Pro-tip #11: It should be noted that lighting solely intended to enhance the ambience does not usually provide enough visibility on their own and should be used in conjunction with another overhead lighting source. 

Dance floor lighting- When the dancing portion of the evening arrives, dance floor lighting will communicate to guests that it is time to party! Typically your DJ or musician will provide these or offer them as an upgrade. There are a lot of options when it comes to dance floor lighting! Dance floor washes are great because they encompass your dance floor in colorful lighting creating a big impact with a single light type. Laser lights are fun for guests, because they can play with the light strands as they dance! Pulsing dance floor lights, rotating lights, or light shapes are some more fan favorites! There are also entire dance floors that light up and change colors to the beat of the music! Talk with your DJ or lighting professional to see what will be best to create your desired level of “party vibe.” 

Pro-tip #12: Avoid strobe lights if possible. Many people have strobe light sensitivities that you (and potentially even they) aren’t aware of. With so many dance floor lighting options available, choosing to leave out the strobe lights won’t take away from the dance party at all! If you absolutely adore strobe lights, by all means have them! Just be sure to have a strobe free space for guests to retreat to if they start feeling uncomfortable.

Lighting as decor- Certain lights can be utilized on their own as decor or to highlight other design elements. These lights are definitely “extras,” but if you have room in your budget to include them, they will add a lot to your wedding design!

Pinspot lights (mini spot lights) are perfect for accentuating specific design features. These are much smaller than standard spotlights, which makes them ideal for drawing attention to your cake, desserts, sweetheart table, or other areas you worked hard to design.

Gobos are a great way to add a level of customization to your wedding. This is a light that projects monograms either on a wall or the dance floor usually of the newly weds’ initials and sometimes the wedding date. Depending on your venue size and desired effect, usually one or two Gobos will be plenty!

Neon signs can be placed anywhere around the venue as a sign, photo op, or just a pretty piece of decor. The more generic ones that say things like “love,” “cake,” “drinks,” etc. are readily available for rent. Alternatively, you can commission a custom neon sign that says your names or whatever else you like. Going this route will leave you with a fun souvenir from your wedding to use somewhere in your home! If you are interested in having a custom sign created check Etsy and Amazon.

Pro-tip #13: Be sure that you have a way to hang or prop up your neon sign if necessary! Most venues won’t allow you to add nails or any other hanging technique that may cause permanent damage, so if your intent is for them to hang, create a plan to do so. 

Metal marquee letters are beautiful and can serve a variety of purposes. The small-medium ones can be used on or in front of your sweetheart table, dessert table, welcome table, etc. The large ones can either be used behind any of these tables, the dance floor, or any other area as a photo opportunity for your guests. 

Small string lights, or “fairy lights” can be incorporated into your centerpieces or other accent arrangements on special tables to achieve a whimsical feel. These are a great option if your venue does not allow candles!

Pro-tip #14: A huge bonus of lighting is how it impacts your photos! Photographers often account for a large portion of your overall wedding budget, so making sure those pictures are beautiful throughout the event is important! Adequate and particularly lovely lighting features will ensure your photo quality and content is consistently worth the expense all evening long!

Pro-tip #15: When placing lights be conscious of the effect they will have on photos. For example, placing large marquee letters directly behind the sweetheart table may create a backlighting effect on your faces. Talk with your photographer about the lighting you are planning to ensure your photos won’t be affected by your light placement. 

Pro-tip #16: Some lighting features require an outlet in order to operate. Take this into consideration when choosing placement, as they will need to be close enough to reach a power source. If they require an outlet, you will want to make sure the cord is not visible as this will take away from the rest of your beautiful design!

Utilizing flowers to accentuate your design-

Flowers are the perfect touch to complete your design and provide cohesion between your other decor pieces. Even if you choose to go a minimalist route with the flowers, they are still making a statement. By using flowers that have complimentary colors to the rest of your design, they will often bridge the gap between otherwise miss-matched pieces!

Personal flowers- Bouquets and boutonnieres help to incorporate you, your fiance, family members, and your wedding party into the overall design. The flowers will help make you and the VIP attendees appear cohesive with the rest of the colors and overall style without being too “matchy.” This is great for pictures and the general aesthetic as you walk around the celebration to greet guests. 

Centerpieces- The flowers in your centerpieces make the table feel fresh, full, and help spread your design across the reception area. They also assist in conveying the mood of your wedding to your guests! If you are having a formal wedding, a beautiful arrangement of roses on each table will help maintain the beauty and formality. If you are having a casual wedding, a bouquet of wildflowers spreads the vibe throughout the space. 

Altar/Aisle flowers- The ceremony space is usually the first designated area of your wedding that guests will see. This is a great chance to set the tone for the rest of the day! Wedding ceremony altars are often plain in order to provide each couple the opportunity to customize and make it their own. With an arrangement or two the altar is suddenly a gorgeous backdrop that you will be excited to be married in front of. Some people choose to add arrangements either at the front, back, or along the aisle to fill the space and incorporate more of their colors. Some florists will even repurpose the arrangements lining the aisle for your centerpieces and the arrangements on your altar for your sweetheart table!

Sweetheart table- You and your fiance are the stars of the show (for better or worse!) at your wedding, which means your sweetheart table will be getting a lot of attention! This space should not only be beautiful for aesthetic reasons, but also for your own happiness. Floral arrangements on and around your sweetheart table will help make this space a personal oasis to pop in and out of throughout the night!

Accent arrangements- To complete the wedding design, accent arrangements are often used on the dessert table, welcome table, gift table, and bar. Having these touches of color will help carry the design throughout your wedding!

Signage- Signs on their own have the potential to be a bit lackluster. If you have a simple sign, but your overall design isn’t minimalist, adding a garland or other floral arrangement will add a pop of color and make the sign feel like a more significant piece of the overall design.

Though flowers are a great addition to any design, they aren’t always necessary. Some people choose to skip them and only use greenery, and some people even choose to skip any kind of flora and fauna altogether!

Pro-tip #17: If you are working with a limited floral budget it is better to invest in a few special arrangements that you love, instead of spreading your budget thin and feeling disappointed by all of it! When you look back at your wedding photos you will see the bridal bouquet, the altar, and the sweetheart table over and over. Make sure you are happy with what you see!

You, your fiance, your bridal party, the guests & your design

Certain attire, hair, and makeup works better with different aesthetics. How everyone is dressed matters in relation to making everything cohesive! 

The bride- The bride’s dress, hair, and makeup are such special components to a wedding. All eyes will be on the bride, and by proxy, the dress. Choosing a dress that works with the overall aesthetic is important for the final wedding design. This doesn’t mean your colors or even textures need to match, per say, but rather that the dress style should match your design style. For example, a boho wedding needs a boho dress; a formal wedding needs a formal dress; a minimalist wedding needs a minimalist dress. There are so many options within each category, so your options are certainly not too limited! The bride’s hair and makeup should also be taken into consideration. While you do have more wiggle room on how these aspects will play into the overall design, it is still important to think about how they will work with the overall design and feel of the wedding day.

The groom- Much like the bride, the groom has a spotlight on him so the groom’s attire will be a focal point of the evening. It will look the best and complete the wedding design if the attire works with the rest of the aesthetic. Often, to make the groom stand out next to his groomsmen, his suit will be slightly different. This is a great opportunity to play even further into the wedding design. Both the groom and groomsmens’ suits should work with each other and the overall design, but they can do so in different ways! In addition to his attire, the groom should be groomed. Grooms don’t typically have their hair and makeup professionally done on wedding day (though it does happen!), but a fresh haircut and beard shaping is key! 

The wedding party- The wedding party gets a lot of attention, so what they wear matters for the overall aesthetic. Their attire should complement the bride(s) and/or groom(s) attire without distracting from or overshadowing it. Their attire is typically the two main colors of the wedding aesthetic, though occasionally one side of the wedding party will wear an accent color. In more recent trends, bridesmaids have been wearing mismatched dresses which provides the opportunity to incorporate all of the colors! Their attire should be flattering so they are comfortable and distractions inspired by an ill fitting wardrobe are minimized. Their attire should also match the formality of the event. Tuxedos and super formal evening dresses are not appropriate for all weddings! You can’t control the color or cut of your friends hair (though some people try!), but you can request they be freshly groomed and appropriately styled!

The guests- The exact attire the guests will wear is up to their own discretion, but you can (and should) specify the level of formality your wedding will be. This not only looks better and affects the overall aesthetic, but it also will make the guests more comfortable. No one wants to show up to a casual wedding in a ball gown! You can suggest or request colors and styles of attire for immediate family and Ushers who are participating in the ceremony and/or taking formal pictures with you, but typically people don’t suggest attire colors for the rest of their guests.

Pro-tip #18: The best accessory of all is a big, beautiful, genuine smile! Make sure everyone is feeling their best and going into the day in good spirits! 

How to budget for wedding design-

You can budget however much you are comfortable with spending on decor, but a good place to start is 6-8% of the overall budget for flowers, 5-10% on lighting and/or other rentals, and 2-3% on miscellaneous decor. 

While these percentages are a good starting place, in reality your own allocation of money may look very different. Your design budget will depend on what kind of aesthetic you are going for, the specific decor pieces you want, and what your venue or other vendors already include in their packages. 

Since lighting and flowers create such an impact and require their own respective vendors, they typically earn separate places on the budget breakdown aside from the rest of decor. However, it should be noted that florists often offer decor rentals, so some of your decor may be lumped into the florist category of your budget.

Table linens, chargers, special drinking glasses, centerpiece components aside from flowers, and signage will usually be the next largest cost for decor. A lot of venues, caterers, florists, wedding planners, DJs, or any combination of these vendors may include some or all of these items in their packages or offer them as upgrades. If this happens, these elements may fall into a separate category on your overall budget.

Candles, votives, or other smaller decor pieces are usually the smallest portion of the design budget. Again, one of your vendors may include these items in their packages or offer them as rentals. 

As you piece together your decor, track where each decor element is sourced from and reallocate money in the budget if needed. 

Tying it all together-

Design vision can, and almost always will, shift as planning moves forward. It is important to keep the design cohesive as the vision evolves. When certain aspects are altered, added, or removed be sure to consider how this change will work with your other design elements.  

As decor pieces are purchased, created, or rented be sure that new pieces will complement the existing pieces. This is most easily done by keeping the items or pictures of the items organized in one location so everything can be compared and contrasted as they are added to the wedding design!

Consult with your wedding planner, decorator, or florist as your vision evolves for a second opinion on your evolving vision. These professionals can offer valuable insight into how everything will work together, keep you on track if necessary, and provide advice on how to turn your dream into reality!

For More info & Helpful resources -

https://bumblebeelinens.com/blog/wedding-resources/

Save the Dates, Invitations, and a bit on RSVPs

Sending out Save the Dates and Invitations are SUCH fun parts of wedding planning. For so many people this is the first step that makes everything feel real. Soak in these vital steps, and feel confident you are doing it right by reading the information below!

Before reading on, here are two super useful tips!

Pro-tip #1: A common mistake people make is ordering for guest count instead of household.

Mistake: ordering 250 invitations for 250 guests

Pro planning: ordering 1 invitation per household (i.e average household 3 people/house: 250 divided by 3 = ~83 Save the Dates and invitations)

Pro-tip #2: Order extra! You may want to invite additional people and you will probably want one for keepsake. While you still don’t need to order one for every single guest, rounding up is always good in case you make new friends, have people drop out that you want to replace, or just want a few extra for your own (or parents, family, close friends, etc.) keepsake! Another huge pro to this- the big name stationary sites base their discounts on round numbers, so ordering 100 vs. 84 will end up being less expensive.

Mistake- Ordering 84 save the dates/invitations for ~83 households.

Pro planning: Ordering 100 save the dates/invitations for ~83 house holds.

Save the Dates

Save the Dates are a great way to mentally prepare your guests for your upcoming wedding. You might not have all the details like time, location, attire, meal plan, etc. hammered out, but a Save the Date will let guests know the most basic information about the wedding to plan for. While these are helpful with communicating this information to guests, they do add some cost to your wedding and aren’t necessary for every situation.

When are Save the Dates REALLY needed?

Save the Dates can be useful for every wedding, but you don’t HAVE to have them for any wedding. If you are tight on money, time, or simply just don’t want them you can skip them altogether. Save the Dates are most useful when planning either a destination wedding or when planning a wedding where most of your guests will be traveling. In a situation where guests will need to be traveling it is useful to let everyone know ahead of time. Save the Dates allow guests the opportunity to save money/sent money aside for travel and gifts, communicate with work, and plan for childcare (if necessary).

When should I send my Save the Dates out?

Save the Dates can be sent whenever you have solidified a date and location. You can technically send them before a venue is booked if you are 100% positive of the city and date the wedding will be held, but it is best to send them once the venue is booked. Couples will often fall in love with a venue that isn’t available on their desired date, so they change the date to accommodate the venue. If the date you have chosen means a lot to you and you are positive you will be selecting a venue based on the date and not the other way around, go ahead and send the Save the Dates!

If you are having a lot of out of town guests or planning a destination wedding Save the Dates ideally will be sent a full year in advance. If your wedding is more intimate and still requires a majority of guests to travel, Save the Dates should be sent in the 6-8 month prior range, if possible. If you are planning a more intimate wedding in a shorter time span it may be more efficient to skip the Save the Dates, touch base personally with guests to give them a heads up, and send invitations a little sooner than you would typically.

What is the latest I should send a Save the Date?

This, again, will vary depending on the situation. The absolute latest in any situation that you should send a Save the Date is 2 months out from the wedding (and this still only works for a really intimate wedding with short planning period). For a larger wedding this deadline should be by the 4 month mark. For a larger travel heavy wedding this deadline should be 5 months out. If you can’t make this deadline, skip the Save the Dates altogether and just send an invitation. Even for an intimate wedding, 2 months would be cutting it pretty close. Keep in mind, you will need to confirm with the venue and caterers the final headcount about a month prior to the wedding so you need to have time for people to receive their Save the Date and invitation and then RSVP.

What information should my Save the Dates include?

Save the Dates are just a quick, formal heads up to guests that you will be hosting a wedding on a particular date in a certain city. At minimum the Save the Date should include your names, date, and city. A lot of couples will build a wedding website and include that on the Save the Date as well. Even if the wedding website isn’t 100% completed (and frankly at this point it probably won’t be) providing the link will give guests a resource to check in to for more information as it is made available. If you have your venue locked in you can also include this in the Save the Date.

What should my Save the Dates look like?

Like everything else with a wedding, this completely depends on what you want. A common trend is for people to use a photo from their engagement session as the background of their Save the Date. Another common trend is for people to make their Save the Dates magnets so people can keep them on their fridge or somewhere convenient to find the information.

Invitations

What information should I include in my invitations?

Invitations should be a quick snapshot of all the vital information guests need to know in order to show up to the right place at the right time on the right day. They should include the who, what, when, where, and why of the day (not necessarily in that order). Include both the bride(s) and/or groom(s) names. If someone other than yourselves are paying for a chunk, the majority, or all of the wedding it is common to word your invitation: “X and X invite you to the wedding of their [son/daughter/other- name] to [fiance name here].” The name and address of the venue is vital. They will also need to know what time to arrive. If you have a wedding website you can include the website and let people know that they can RSVP and find more info there. If you don’t have a wedding website, you’ll need to include an RSVP card and pre-stamped envelope for guests to send back. You’ll also need to include a meal card if necessary, attire expectation (even if super casual, let them know!! No one wants to show up in a ball gown when everyone else is in sun dresses!), whether kids are invited or not, hotel block information (even if you don’t have a room block, they will need to know!), transportation accommodations, and information on events surrounding the wedding (pre-wedding welcome event, after wedding brunch etc.). Again, if you have a wedding website, you can list all of this info on the website and have your invite include just the very basics.

Pro-tip: directing guests to a wedding website for more info is a great option if possible. You can update information as plans evolve, include an FAQ page so guests can refer to this instead of having everyone individually reach out to you with questions, and, last but certainly not least, you can have your registry on your website so when guests visit to RSVP they can conveniently purchase a gift.

What should my invitations look like?

Again, the aesthetics of the invitations completely depend on your taste. If possible, it is ideal to have your invitations aesthetic inline with your wedding. Chose colors, shapes, and fonts that are relatively similar to those that will be at your wedding. This will help with a few things. First, this will give guests an idea of what to expect. It can set the tone of formality and give them an idea into color scheme. If you don’t want people to dress in the same colors as your bridal party or vice versa, let them know! Either way, invitations are a great ay to start communicating what those colors will be. Second, photographers love to capture your invitation as a prop on the wedding day. Having this match the overall aesthetic will create for some more cohesive pictures. Again, this is just a suggestion. It is your wedding and there are no rules; do literally whatever you want.

When should I send my invitations?

This will vary depending on a few factors. Some things to consider: when do you need to confirm numbers with the caterer and venue? How many people will be traveling for your wedding? How many people are you inviting (the more people you invite, the more people you will need to track down to confirm RSVP status!!)? For reference, for an average wedding of 150 guests with 33% traveling domestically, you should send the invitations out 2.5 months prior to the wedding, with the RSVP date 1-1.5 months prior to the wedding depending on catering and venue requirements.

When should I have guests RSVP by?

For your own sake, it is best to set the RSVP date at least 1 month prior to your date. Guest count will alter your seat/table count, plate count, party favor count, etc. Never have I ever been a part of a wedding of any size where 100% of the guests RSVP on time on their own without a nudge. Giving yourself some extra time will help alleviate some of the planning that just can’t be done until the final headcount is in. While a month is the minimum, I highly recommend giving yourself at least 1.5 months so you have a full 2 weeks to track people down and get all RSVPs. If you are having a wedding with over 250 guests, give yourself a full 2 months. Even if you are having a wedding of 1,000 don’t give yourself more than 2 months, though. Expectedly, things happen in our guests lives and anything longer than 2 months will allow for too many unforeseeable variables in guests lives and you’ll have to do a lot of adjusting as people’s plans change.

Some great resources to purchase your Save the Dates and/or invitations

There are plenty of boutique vendors that can create incredible custom pieces for you. Everyone will have a different niche aesthetic. If you are looking for something on the less niche and more affordable end check out the following:

www.vistaprint.com

Why I love them- you can really create whatever look you are going for. There are some preset templates you can use if you are ~creatively challenged~ or you can fully customize your own cards if you’re into DIYing the design. Their prints are consistent and good quality. Another huge plus, they are CHEAP.

Pro-tip- Google discount codes before ordering! They are almost ALWAYS running a special. If you can’t find one, create an account BEFORE creating your cards. Save your design and then sit back and wait. Within a week they will email you a discount code.

www.minted.com

Why I love them- Their designs are lovely, their prints are consistent, and they give my clients a discount. Use my code: WEDPLLA for 35% off Save the Dates and 25% off all wedding things.

www.basicinvite.com

Why I love them- My very favorite thing about this site is they offer clear invitations for about $1 each. The next least expensive clear option I have found is $8/each. The price is unbeatable. They offer plenty of other designs or fully customizable blank slate options as well. The prints are consistent and good quality. They allow you to fully customize the invitations and Save the Dates.

Pro-tip- look for discount codes! They aren’t as common as Vistaprint discount codes, but their prices are already lower so it balances out. It is still worth looking for a code though!

Have additional questions? Feel free to reach out via email! theweddingplannerla@gmail.com

As always, happy planning!!

Select Your Vendors Like a Pro

Selecting vendors can be a daunting task. There are SO many options out there so how can you be sure you are making a good choice? It is challenging selecting vendors that fit in your budget or are worth stretching the budget for! There are a few specific steps I take when sifting through and vetting vendors before sending them to my clients. Follow these steps and you’ll be picking vendors like a pro!

***Before you get going on vendor research, I highly recommend making a full budget!! Making a full, realistic budget will help guide your vendor selection. See my full budget guide here***

Decide on a general vision for each specific vendor-

Before diving into the deep end of vendor research, have an idea of what you are after. A few things to shape this vision: budget, what you hope to get out of your contract with this vendor (i.e. how many hours, how many assistants, etc.), what “style” do you want (i.e. what kind of venue do you want, what style of photography do you like, what kind of food do you want, etc.).

1. Venue- indoor, outdoor, mix of both, beach, woods, mountains, all inclusive, DIY, somewhere in between, how late do you want to be there into the evening, will they be hosting other events in the space that day, will they take care of trash removal, do they provide restrooms, power, or any other basic amenities, do they provide tables, chairs, an arbor, a bar space,etc.? For reference, a wedding with 100 guests at a venue that provides only power and restrooms will cost about $7k in rentals, if you go with the most basic rental options. This should absolutely be factored in to your overall cost when selecting a venue.

2. Wedding Planner- do you want to be involved in wedding planning or do you want to think about it as little as possible? You will spend a lot of time with your wedding planner and your wedding planner needs to be able to see YOUR vision in order to create your special day. Make sure that this is someone you are ready and excited to spend time with!

3. Photographer- do you want light and airy, dark and moody, true to color, posed photos, raw emotions, or a mix, how many hours will you need them, do you need 2 photographers or will one suffice (2 are recommended for larger guest counts and spread out venues), do you want an engagement shoot, how many photos are you hoping to get back? Ask to see a full wedding album instead of just the highlights!

4. Videographer- what do you want included in the video? Montage of key events throughout the day, full vows, speeches, and special dances, or a combo of the above? Be sure to look through several examples so you have a clear idea of what your edit will include.

5. Caterer- what kind of food do you want, how will it be served, will they provide apps as well, do they offer plates, cups, and flatware rentals, how experienced are they with larger events, do they provide bussers?

6. DJ/Musician- will they make announcements for you throughout the event, how many sound systems will they bring (you will need 2-3 for most venues if you are doing ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception in different spaces), will they allow you to provide song requests, do they have experience playing to a crowd, can they provide a microphone for the ceremony and reception, how active are they on the mic? HINT: A sound system is the full set up which will include a set of speakers (1-2 speakers for ceremony cocktail hour, 2+ speakers for dinner/dancing), microphone (confirm this with your DJ! Some charge extra), amp, mixer, music device (usually a laptop), and dance floor lighting (where appropriate).

7. Bar- do you need a full service bar, or would you like to build your own bar and hire just the bartenders? Will your venue allow you to DIY the bar? If you are DIYing the bar, will you ned to rent the physical bar? Are you bartenders licensed?

8. Florist- do you want more “traditional” bouquets and centerpieces or would you like something else? Are you looking for other decor rental? A lot of florists also offer vases, candles, and other decor to add to your order. Be sure to look through their portfolios! If you have a go-to florist you typically use, but are looking for a different style, show them some examples of what you would like and see if it is something they have experience with or feel comfortable doing. A lot of florists will do special designs that are outside of their norm but not show examples of this work on their Instagram or website because it isn’t “on brand.”

9. Dessert- what kind of dessert do you want, how do you want your cake to look, how many tiers do you wants the cake to have, will they deliver or do your desserts need to be picked up?

10. Hair and makeup- up-do, hair down, braiding, something in between, heavy contour makeup, natural look, something in between? Be sure to look through portfolios and ask for a trial run day! Trial runs are very important! Not just to make sure you like the styles they come up with but also to see how long your hair and makeup are holding up throughout the day.

11. Rentals- does the company offer unique pieces that will work with your venue, are the rates competitive with other comparable companies in your area, what will they charge for delivery, do they offer same day delivery and pick up, can they extend delivery and pick up is necessary?

Do your own research-

Recommendations from friends or professionals are a great place to start, but doing your own research to make sure they are a good fit for you is vital. Just because a friend or professional has had a good experience with someone, doesn’t mean they are going to be a great fit for you! Friends of friends may offer discounts, but if these people are not professionals then you may be wasting $400 instead of feeling good about spending $800. Ask to see pictures or videos of these “friendors” in action! If they do this professionally on the side, ask for a website or review site link! I’ve seen plenty of vendors that recommend other vendors that they haven’t worked with for a long time. Business quality can change overtime so it is important to confirm the recommended company is still worth your while!

Diversify your Research sources-

Conduct research from a few different angles. A quick google search might not yield the kind of options that you are looking for. WeddingWire, The Knot, Thumbtack, Facebook wedding groups, and sites like these will give you more diverse vendor options! Depending on the type of vendor you are looking for search on Instagram, too!

Always cross reference reviews-

Reviews can vary from platform to platform so it is important to cross reference and be sure that you are getting the most recent takes on the company. Some insight into review companies: anyone can leave a company reviews on Google so companies may ask their friends to leave reviews to raise their overall rating. WeddingWire is similar, but it is more challenging to leave a review on, so friends are less likely to pad the reviews for vendors. Yelp has an algorithm that is meant to weed out “fake” reviews, but a lot of real reviews are taken down in the process (there are also a lot of theories on their marketing approach that can also affect the reviews that show). Be sure to scroll down on the Yelp pages to the “unrecommended” section to read reviews that aren’t weighted in overall.

Read reviews with a different perspective-

Even if you like the quote a company sends and they have five stars across review platforms, be sure to read the reviews and look for consistencies. For example, if I’m looking for DJ/MCs and I see a lot of five star reviews saying how the MC "is really active on the mic,” I’m not going to send that company to a couple who really just wants music and a few key announcements.

Schedule phone or in-person meetings before booking-

It is important to feel comfortable on your wedding day and your vendors a huge part of your comfort! You will spend so much time with certain vendors on your actual wedding day, and even the ones that you won’t, they will still interact with guests! If you have a vendor that runs a little high strung, they may create unnecessary anxiety on your special day. A great way to accommodate this is to make sure your personalities mesh beforehand!

Read through your contracts very, very closely-

This is a legally binding document that should protect you as well as the vendor. Make sure that there is fine print written in about what will happen in the event of cancelation (on either the couple AND vendors part). Numbers and dates should be firm (I.e. by what date will you get sneak peek pics back, when can you expect the full album back, how many photos can you expect back, etc. These examples are specific to photos, but all contracts should be quantitative and clear. This does not apply when booking a wedding planner if you don’t already have a venue secured). A contract that doesn’t protect you is definitely a red flag!! If you find any of these issues and bring them up to a vendor and they are unwilling to adjust the contract to protect you, that is a major red flag and a good sign that you should continue your search!

Other notable tips:

1. A vendor’s experience doesn’t necessarily chalk up to quality of service! Just because someone hasn’t been working weddings specifically for a long time doesn’t mean they should be immediately counted out. If you like their style, food, etc., they are well informed on the effort that weddings take, and they are ready to do what it takes to do an awesome job on your wedding they are still worth considering. If you unsure about them, ask your wedding planner or coordinator! They may be able to offer valuable insight to make sure you are making the best decisions for your wedding!

2. Break up your search into several days. It is easy to get burnt out on sifting through vendors. Packages start to run together, things that would normally stick out become easy to overlook, and the whole experience may become less enjoyable.

3. Be thorough! Don’t settle! You can find the perfect vendor out there for you!

Be sure to check out my preferred vendors list to kick start your search!

Useful links:

Budget planning tips: https://www.theweddingplannerla.com/blog/wedding-budgeting-the-first-step-to-planning

My preferred vendors: https://www.theweddingplannerla.com/resources

Day of Decor/Photo Op Props Checklist

As you think through your wedding day and are organizing the pieces you have bought or rented, work through this list to make sure you have accounted for everything! This will be particularly helpful as you are in those final stages and packing everything up to be moved to the venue! Remember, every wedding is unique and you may not want to incorporate some of these pieces. If you don’t want some piece, don’t force it just because it is on this list! If you have planned for other pieces, feel free to copy and paste this then add in your own specific bullet points.

Getting Ready Space:

• Food

• Something to serve food on

• Plates

• Napkins

• Drinks

• Something to serve drinks from

• Something to drink drinks from

• Signage

• Invitation/Save the Dates (for pictures)

• Speakers to play music from

• Phone or other device to play music from (pro tip: if you are getting ready in a place that won’t have wifi or cell reception download your playlist ahead of time!)

• Special hanger for dress

• Something to wear while getting ready

Ceremony:

• Altar flowers

• Altar Floor decor

• Aisle decor

• Ceremony programs

• Table for special ceremonies (i.e. sand ceremony, glass ceremony, wine ceremony, etc.)

• Decor for special ceremony table

• Signs (welcome, unplugged ceremony signs, etc.)

• Easel for signs

Cocktail Hour:

Gift table

• Linen

• Sign for gift table

• Card box

• Guest book

• Pen(s) for guest book

• Something to hold pens

• Decor for gift table

• Flowers for gift table

Appetizer table

• Linen

• Signs/labels for apps

• Serving utensils for apps

• Plates

• Forks

• Napkins

Self service drink station table

• Linen

• Drink dispenser

• Labels for beverages

• Cups

Bar

• Bar menu

• Flowers

Reception Area:

Seating chart

• Easel for seating chart

• Flowers to dress up easel

Place card table

• Linen

• Place cards

• Sign for place cards

• Flowers

• Other decor

Cake/dessert table

• Linen

• Display for cake

• Cake topper

• Serving set of cake knife and server

• Plates for cake

• Forks for cake

• Napkins

• Cake stand(s)

• Other display items for other desserts

• Other decor

• Flowers

Sweetheart table

• Linen

• Special plates

• Special cups

• Flatware

• Napkins

• Flowers for the top of table

• Other decor for top of table

• Flowers for front of table

• Other decor for front of table

Guest tables

• Linen

• Flowers

• Candles

• Table number

• Table number stands

• Other decor/personal touches

• Plates

• Flatware

• Drinkware

• Napkins

What Information to Share With a Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator is immensely valuable. You are essentially investing in your peace of mind on the day of your wedding. With adequate prep, a great coordinator will walk into your wedding day ready to take care of the details and make sure that all of your hard work is brought together just the way you wanted it. In order to do this, though, there has to be ample communication between you and the coordinator leading up to the day of your wedding. Prior to your wedding good coordinator is going to work with you in the weeks leading up to your special day to thoroughly discuss your plans, vendor contracts, and vision to help you catch any missing details, find solutions to potential issues, and make informed suggestions on how to create the best flow possible for your wedding day. A coordinator will do their absolute best work when all necessary information is communicated!

What to share with your coordinator:

1. ALL vendor information- If you have booked a vendor because you are getting married, your wedding coordinator needs their information! Send each vendor’s company name, service they are providing, contact person’s name, email address, phone number, and contracted start and end times. Sharing this information will take a ton of pressure off you immediately. Instead of turning to you to fill in arrival time, start time, and strike time of all vendors, the coordinator can begin communicating directly with the vendors. Once the coordinator reaches out, those vendors begin to ask them logistical questions instead of you! As a coordinator, I prefer to have every vendor’s contract. Your coordinator may not necessarily need each one, but it is always best to have them on hand in case anything comes up before or during your wedding so that they can easily find information without having to bother you for basic information.

2. Order lists from vendors- If you have rentals, florals, food, or anything else being dropped off by vendors make sure the coordinator has a list of what needs to be accounted for. Every now and then pieces will be missing from orders. The coordinator can ensure those items are either brought by the rental company later, make sure you are reimbursed for the missing items (depending on time), and/or find replacement items from another company on the spot! *If you aren’t able to share this information, by sharing the contact info, the coordinator can collect the order lists from the vendors on their own!

3. Venue rules and regulations- typically the venue will share this information, but if you already have this information (you should receive it at the time of booking) share it with the coordinator! They may catch some logistical issues, such as trash removal, time restrictions, or other potential issues that can be avoided if thought through ahead of time. When wedding planning there is a ton of information coming at you from a lot of different vendors so it is easy to overlook some of these details. Your coordinator is there to advocate and problem solve with you, but they need all the tools to be able to do this to the best of their ability!

4. Getting ready information- Even if your coordinator won’t be onsite while you are getting ready, sharing this information is important. The photographer, videographer, hair and makeup teams, or even members of your bridal party may need this information. Instead of sharing with everyone individually, sharing with your coordinator streamlines this information into the timeline which will go out to everyone at once. Your coordinator may also catch some logistical issues with transportation, access to water or food, or other details that may have slipped through the cracks!

5. Any rough draft timeline you may have- I typically try to connect with my clients within a few weeks of booking to create a rough draft timeline, even if their wedding is months away. This helps with logistics when booking other vendors. If you already have a rough draft, share it with your coordinator! Most coordinators will help create your timeline, but if you already have one this is a great baseline for the coordinator to build off of. There are, of course, a lot of logistics to think through when mapping out a timeline, but this is YOUR wedding so the order that you want events is the most important thing for coordinators to consider. 

6. Floor plan- if you already have a floor plan, share it with your coordinator! This is the person that will be onsite to make sure everything is coming together while you are focused on getting ready and getting MARRIED!! In order to create the wedding you have worked so hard to put together, your coordinator needs the floor plan! Sometimes the venue will send this over, some coordinators will even help finalize this, but no matter how it is finalized they need a copy!!

7. Decor list & set-up plan- As intuitive as coordinators can be, they aren’t mind readers! You have worked so hard to create your overall aesthetic, so make sure that your efforts are put into practice. Let your coordinator know exactly what pieces of decor you have, where they belong, and how you’d like them arranged. Even if you have hired a decorator, communicate these pieces to your coordinator so you have an extra set of eyes on the project to make sure everything is being done the way you want! If you have a lot of decorations that you don’t have a predetermined vision for, let your coordinator know! They usually have a great eye for design and would be happy to bring this together- but they will need to know this is the case!

8. The name’s of everyone in your bridal party- The bridesmaids and groomsmen are not only likely participating in some key moments for your day, they are also your best friends and therefore a great ally to both you and your coordination team!

9. Ceremony plan & details - Your coordinator will need to know the names and order of everyone walking in the ceremony. They will also need to know who will be sitting, who will be standing, where those sitting will sit, the order in which those standing will stand, the music you plan to use for your ceremony, and which groups will be walking to which songs. They will also need to know about any special ceremonies you plan to have during your wedding ceremony.

10. Any and everything you know about your wedding! The coordinator needs all of the information in your brain to be in their brain! It sounds like a lot of information to share, BUT once they have this knowledge you can take a huge sigh of relief. Your coordinator can take it from there. They may need to ask you a few opinion questions on details after that point, but everything else logistics wise can be taken care of between the vendors!

You gave yourself a gift by hiring a coordinator! You don’t need to worry about anything once you let your coordinator take the reigns! All you need to do is give them all the information in order to maximize the services you have hired them to perform. So share, share, share, then sit back, relax and GET MARRIED!!

Wedding Planning Timeline Outline

Wedding planning is different for everyone and everyone operates on their own timeline. Some people are more comfortable having two years or longer to plan while others only take a few months to plan! This list is a general outline of a suggested timeframe to get the larger tasks done. Of course, you may not want all of these vendors or perhaps you want additional vendors. If you are unsure of how to work those vendors into this overview feel free to reach out! I’m always happy to guide people through the planning process!

I always start with my Full and Partial Planning clients by creating a customized planning outline for them. It is important for me to make sure that the outline both manageable but also realistic. We typically start broad, and then fill in the finer details to make sure everything is done, done well, and done in a timely manor so everyone is happy and no one is overwhelmed!

18-12 months before the wedding

• Have engagement party (typically hosted by family or close friends)

• Decide on a budget and determine what aspects of the wedding you value the most

  Pro-tip: everyone has different things they care about most for their wedding! Decide what you are most looking forward to and what you’d like to allocate a bigger portion of your budget to!

• Decide whether or not you want to purchase event insurance for both the day of (some venues will require this anyway) and also in the event you need to cancel or reschedule for any reason (illness, weather, etc.)

• Decide whether or not you want a wedding planner.

  Pro-tip: If you decide against one initially, but ultimately decide to go with one later on, plenty of planners offer partial planning options! If you are planning a destination wedding outside of your home country, a planner is critical!

• Decide on the time of year you’d like the wedding to take place

• Narrow the date down to a few options

  Pro-tip: unless you are 100% married to a date in your mind, find a few dates, or a range of dates, that you are open to! This will help if you decide on a high-demand venue with a tendency to book out far in advance!

• Create a rough outline of the guest list to help guide your venue search

  Pro-tip: Have at least a ballpark figure of how many guests you will host before you decide on a venue! Many venue’s can only accommodate a set number of guests, so it is important to find one that can hold all of your guests!

• Book a venue (both ceremony & reception spaces if you choose to have the ceremony at a separate location)

• Create day-of timeline draft

  Pro-tip: you can (and will!) make changes to this timeline as you work your way through planning, but having a general idea of the timing of key events on your wedding day will help as you book vendors!

12-8 months before the wedding

• Book caterer (if not included with the venue)

• Book photographer

  Pro-tip: it is best to do this before creating save the dates if you want to use pictures from the engagement pictures for your save the dates!

• Have engagement shoot with photographer

• Figure out what items are not provided by the venue or caterer and source them through a rental company

• Create wedding website for guests to find relevant information, registry, and RSVP.

• If the majority of your guests are traveling from out of town, create save the dates & send them!

• Begin looking for attire (i.e. wedding dress & tux/suit)

  Pro-tip: on average, wedding dresses are purchased 8 months prior to the wedding, but as long as it is purchased with enough time to have it altered (2-3 months prior) you will be okay.

• Ask friends/family to be in your bridal party

8-6 months before the wedding

• Book bartender if not included with the venue or caterer

• Book a florist and discuss what arrangements will work best with your budget and desired aesthetic

• Book videographer

• Book DJ or band for the reception and ceremony.

  Pro-tip: Remember, many ceremony locations will need an outside sound systems brought in. Make sure that if this is the case with your venue your DJ or musician can make this accommodation

• If most of your guests are local send your save the dates

• Create a room block for out of town guests

• Reserve transportation from hotel to venue and from venue to hotel for bridal party and other guests

• Find a seamstress to alter your dress (you won’t be able to alter this far out, but it is important to reserve your space, as many people will book up)

• Book day-of-coordinator if you have chosen not to have a full planner or if your planner does not include day of services

• Begin working on playlists & song choices for special moments/dances

6-4 months before the wedding

• Begin planning your honeymoon

• Pick out attire for bridesmaids & groomsmen

• Find hair and makeup artist(s) and have a trial run

  Pro-tip: trials aren’t meant to be perfect! They are learning experience for you and your makeup professional. Your professional is learning your skin tone, facial structure, and general preferences. You are learning how your preferred style translates to your face, how well your hair and makeup will hold up throughout the day, and, of course, figuring out if your hair and makeup team is able to hear your feedback and make adjustments accordingly. Now, if by the end of the trial the professional hasn’t earned your trust, of course, consider finding someone who can achieve your hair and makeup goals. It is much better to have this revelation during a trial than on your actual wedding day!

• Hire an officiant

• Order the wedding cake and/or other desserts

• Begin planning gifts for bridal party

• Make reservations at a hotel for bridal party, bride/groom, and family for the wedding night

• Select & order wedding rings

4-2 months before the wedding

• Pick out shoes to wear with your wedding dress

• Take dress to seamstress

• Begin writing wedding vows

• Begin planning bachelor/bachelorette parties

• Begin purchasing decor/personal touches OR decide on decor rental company

• Schedule rehearsal time with venue and reserve a location for rehearsal dinner

  Pro-tip: most venues will allow you to schedule this 45-90 days prior to your scheduled wedding day.

• Apply for marriage license

  Pro-tip: In California 9and many other states), you can apply for your marriage license up to 90 days in advance. Appointments can be difficult to come by! Be sure to schedule an appointment early!

• Design, order, & send invitations

  Pro-tip: If most of your guests are coming from out of town, send the invitations 3.5 months in advance. If most guests are local send invitations 2.5 months before the wedding. Either way, the RSVP date should be no less than 1.5 months prior to your wedding date.

  Pro-tip: RSVP dates should be no less than 1.5 months prior to the wedding, but ideally no more than 2.5 months in advance. 1.5 months allows you time to follow up with guests who haven’t RSVPd prior to any final head count dates w/ the venue, caterer, etc. Any date much more than 2.5 months in advance allows guests a lot of opportunity for things to come up that will change their RSVP response and you’ll find yourself needing to reconfirm numbers with vendors and reworking seating charts!

2-1 month before the wedding

• Bridal shower (typically family or bridal party will plan this)

• Bachelor/Bachelorette parties (if most of your bridal party will be traveling for the wedding, consider having these earlier so that you aren’t asking your friends to travel too much too close together)

• Make sure all bridal party have purchased or reserved their attire for the wedding

• If any bridal party needs alterations, these should be dropped off

• Plan party favors for guests and order the items you need

• RSVPs due- check in with guests who have not responded to invitations yet

• Have final venue walk through

• Create floor plan(s)

• Creating seating chart

• Decide on ceremony details:

  • Processional song(s)

  • Who will walk in your ceremony

  • What order they are walking in

  • Who will stand for your ceremony & the order they are standing in

  • Who will sit after walking in processional & where they will sit

  • If you want any special ceremonies, readings, songs, etc.

  • Recessional song

  • Who will participate in the recessional

  • Where you will go after you recess

  • Where your bridal party and/or family will go after you recess

  • Who your witnesses will be

  • Who will carry rings and vows for ceremony

1 month before the wedding

• Send all song requests to DJ

• Check in with vendors to confirm services, obtain insurance policies (if required by venue), and track any outstanding balances remaining

• Revise timeline & make sure it is up to date with your wants/needs & vendor contracted times

• Send timeline to vendors

• Collect vendor insurance information & share with venue

• Have final dress fitting (this way there is still time if any other alterations need to be made)

• Finalize and confirm all details of honeymoon

• Decide what order you will have bridal party walk for the ceremony and grand entrance

• Finalize floor plan with venue

• Check in with caterer to confirm headcount and finalize the details of the menu

• Pick up dress from alterations if it had to be left behind for further alterations

• Make sure all bridal party has picked up dresses/suits from alterations

• Pick out outfit for rehearsal dinner

3 weeks before the wedding

• Map out all decor and organize it into clearly marked boxes to ensure everything is set up properly on the day of your wedding

• Begin writing thank you notes for any gifts that have already been purchased from your registry

• Finalize wedding vows

• Finalize all song selections (i.e. first dance, parent dances, cake cutting, grand entrance, etc.)

2 weeks before the wedding

• Have final meeting with DJ to go over details

• Have final meeting with photo & video teams to go over details

• Finalize seating chart and transfer it to display form

  Pro-tip: this may seem a little last minute, but THINGS HAPPEN! Last minute guest cancellations and last minute guest confirmations come up so it is best to save this for as late as possible without letting it fall by the wayside!

1 week before the wedding

• Get hair done (color and cut)

• Create day-of checklist to make sure that no personal items or decor is left behind

• Get nails done

• If spray tanning, get spray tan (ideally 36-48 hrs prior to wedding)

• Prepare all bridal party gifts

1 day before the wedding

• Pack for wedding day/night

• Pack for honeymoon

• Have ceremony rehearsal

• Have rehearsal dinner

• Give bridal party gifts out at rehearsal dinner

• Go home. Sleep well

The wedding day

• Read through the timeline in the morning

• Be sure to eat!

• Get ready

• Get MARRIED!

• Have fun :)