Wedding Planning Tips

Wedding planning is an exciting and unique journey. There are so many ways to make the planning process smooth and stress-free. Below are 32 of our favorite ways to keep the planning process fun!

1. Budget is a great starting place

Whether you are working with a $3k budget or a $300k budget, knowing your maximum budget will help guide all other aspects of planning your wedding. Come up with an overall number that you and your fiance (or whoever is funding the wedding) are comfortable with, and then do a little research to feel out how this money should be divided up amongst the many wedding vendors. Click here for a guide to building your wedding budget breakdown!

2. Guest count matters

If money truly is not an object, then guest count should be the first step to planning. Knowing how many guests you need to comfortably accommodate will help you select a venue, caterer, food service style, bar, sound system, etc. Guest count will have a huge impact on the overall budget. As you create your budget breakdown, play around with the guest count to see how it will affect the way money is allocated.

3. Consider outside factors that may affect guest and vendor availability

There are often a lot of factors to consider when thinking of a wedding date. It is fairly common for couples to go into wedding planning with a date already in mind. Before becoming too attached to any particular date, consider what other events are happening around this time that might affect guests ability to make it and overall vendor availability.

For example, if your town is hosting a wine festival on July 25, many local vendors might be booked to participate in this event. An event like this might draw a lot of visitors from out of town, making finding a hotel room or even reasonably priced flights harder to come by for guests. Not to mention, even your in town guests might already have pre-planned to attend the alternative event!

4. Check the weather!

Weather has the ability to drastically alter how your day will go and add a lot of unplanned expenses. A particularly windy day at an outdoor venue can cause a lot of problems! If the weather is too hot or too cold, guests might not be inclined until the end of the event. While it is always good to continue to check the weather and make reasonable climate control attempts (i.e. umbrellas, tents, heaters, etc.) picking a date that is generally at a time when the weather is temperate will save you a lot of stress throughout the planning process! 

Pro-tip #1: You can Google any date and find the weather trends on that exact date for the last few hundred years. Of course, this can’t guarantee the exact weather on your wedding day, but it can at least give you a little insight into what the weather will likely be. 

5. The sunset waits for no one

The sunset will happen when it happens. You can’t control it, so plan for it! In order to get those amazing golden hour shots, shape the rest of your event around this opportune time!  Sunset is important for more than just aesthetics, though! When the sun goes down, the overall climate will change, and accommodations may be needed to keep guests comfortable for the duration for the celebration! 

Pro-tip #2: Google what time the sunset will be when planning your timeline! Google knows all, so even 18 months away from your wedding date you can look up exactly what time the sun will be setting on your wedding day. Having this time in mind will make it easier to map out when certain events should occur.

6. Consolidate spending and rack up credit card points!!

Opening a specific credit card for wedding related expenses is great for several reasons. First, if all the expenses are made in one place it will be way simpler to track spending. It will also be easier to communicate these expenses to other people who might be financially invested in your wedding. This is also a great opportunity to rack up some points! Weddings are a huge expense, so you might as well get something in return! If you rack up enough points you may just be able to pay for your honeymoon!

7. Take vendor recommendations

There is no need to reinvent the wheel! Wedding professionals spend every weekend meeting and making connections with other amazing vendors. Vendors are highly likely to suggest vendors they only truly feel confident in, as they are putting their own reputation on the line by offering these referrals. 

8. Guests = Money

If you find yourself looking to cut costs, cut the guest list. Each guest costs money to host, so if you find yourself in a financially tough situation, take another look at the guest list! This is just another great reason why starting with the budget is ideal. By taking a careful look at how much money you can spend on the wedding you will have a clear understanding of how many guests and at what cost per person will work for you!

Pro-tip #3: Make sure that you have a very clear handle on the budget before sending out invitations. This way if you need to cut the guest list you don’t have to officially uninvite anyone!

9. Advocate early for yourself

Prior to booking, vendors will be more likely to make modifications to their packages and overall price to earn your business. Once the contract is signed and the deposit has been paid they are typically less likely to throw in freebies, because that isn’t what was in the initial agreement. A lot of vendors are firm on their prices, but many are happy to make custom packages to ensure you are satisfied with what you are signing up for!

Pro-tip #4: When asking for free upgrades or a discount, remember you are asking a favor, so ask nicely! These vendors are professionals which means they rely on your business to provide for themselves and their families. While they may want to accommodate your budget, they may not be financially able to do so. 

10. Stay organized throughout planning

Staying organized will help keep planning on track and fun. There are many approaches to wedding organization, but no matter what method works for you, stick to it! Update your information regularly, keep everything in one place, and check in on your to-do lists often! For a full list of tips and tricks on staying organized, click here!

11. Chunk out your planning

Remember in school when your teachers would write out the big goals of the day and the smaller tasks you’d do in order to achieve these goals? Well, they were really onto something! Break down your to-do list into sections to make planning more manageable, easier to track, and more rewarding! Click here, for some useful tips and an idea of how to build your own planning timeline.

12. Draft of your day-of timeline early on

Create a rough draft of your wedding day fairly early on in your wedding planning process. Map out how you would like the day to be paced and what time you’d like major events to happen. This may (and probably will) change quite a bit as your plans shift, but having a general outline will help you menally prepare and offer guidance as you book vendors. When it comes time to sign contracts with vendors they will want to know a start and finish time. Certain vendors (like your venue, bartenders, photographer, videographer, and DJ) will have packages that include a certain amount of hours. Having a rough draft of your timeline will give you a better idea of how many hours you need them onsite.

13. Stock your bar...

...with the appropriate amount of bartenders. Avoid long lines at the bar by hiring an appropriate amount of staff for your guest count. Typically for a simple bar (beer, wine, 1-2 pre batched cocktails), you need one bartender per 50 guests to keep the line down. If you are having a fully open bar where guests can order whatever drink they want you will need an extra bartender or two to make sure guests are taken care of in a timely manner.

Pro-tip #5: Take the bar size into consideration. If your venue has a smaller physical bar space, hire an amount of bartenders that make sense for the space. If you are having a large wedding with a small physical bar space, consider renting a second bar to keep the line under control! Small bar lines = full dance floor!

14. Plan for the un-plannable

When going through your budget, make sure to leave some “flex” money for miscellaneous items that may pop up over the course of planning. There are almost always unforeseen expenses that usually aren’t discovered until money has already been spent in other areas. Instead of feeling like you have to blow the budget on these items, anticipate them! 

15. When in doubt, ask your professionals

Wedding professionals spend a lot of time at weddings and have gained a lot of valuable insight over their years of experience. Your wedding professionals are usually very well versed in what seemingly simple touches can make the day run smoother! Take their advice into consideration. If it works with your vision, great!

16. Postage points

After carefully researching and designing the perfect invitations, no one wants to stick an ugly stamp on the envelope. Instead of choosing from the limited options available at the post office, consider ordering your stamps online at USPS.com. 

Pro-tip #6: Weigh your invitations before you send them out so you can be confident the postage attached is adequate to get your invitation to its destination. If you have an oddly shaped envelope, be sure to ask at the post office about the best method and postage amount to ensure delivery.

Pro-tip 7: Pre-stamp your return RSVP cards. Guests are more likely to quickly send their RSVP cards back if they are pre-stamped.

17. Not all the guests will be able to attend, and that is okay!

Things happen and not everyone will be able to attend your wedding. This is okay! On average about 15-20% of invitees won’t be able to attend. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you! Just remember, guests cost money, so even though you’d love for everyone to celebrate with you, saving money is a huge silver lining to the “No” RSVPs. Alternatively, this will open up a few spaces for the friends that you thought you might not be able to invite. 

18. Be consistent with the kiddos

Adults only weddings are becoming more and more common, but there is still a lot of grey area on what that exactly means. A lot of “adults only” weddings will still have a few rugrats running around for any number of reasons. When you send out your invitations specify the kid restriction. You have four options: all kids are welcome, "adults only," immediate family kids only, or you can invite everyone to bring their children and provide childcare for the kids, either at the venue, in a hotel room, or in someone’s home. Consistency is key, though! If you allow some friends to bring children, it is best to allow everyone to bring their children. (Immediate family and kiddos in the bridal party are an exception!)

19. The A, B, C’s to your guest list

This is not a fun guideline to suggest, but it is a good one to follow. When preparing your guest list, separate the list into 3 sections: your “A listers” (the people that are invited no matter what); the “B listers” (the people who you hope to invite if there is enough room); and the “C listers” (the people you want to invite, but will only invite if people from one of the first two lists drop out). This will make cutting down your guest list a lot easier if it becomes necessary down the road. It will also help you prioritize your budget. If having everyone from all three lists is important, allocate money in such a way that this is possible!

20. Limit the plus ones

Considering you are mapping out an A, B, C guest list and trying to track a budget, you do not need to allow every guest a plus one! 

A general rule of thumb, if a guest is married their significant other needs to be invited. Even if you don’t include a section for a plus one on their RSVP, their significant other’s invitation is implied. If, for whatever reason, a significant other is not invited that needs to be explicitly communicated to your guest. 

Aside from married couples, it is nice to allow guests who may not know a lot of other attendees a plus one. If someone is requesting a plus one and you simply can’t accommodate the other person, just let your guest know that you’ve already had to make difficult decisions about your guest list and you don’t have the room (or budget!)

For everyone else, they should not expect to be allowed a plus one unless specified on the invitation. 

Pro-tip #8: Try to avoid mentioning budget as a restriction unless the situation specifically makes sense to bring this up. Guests will offer to pay for their plus one in lieu of not bringing one which doesn’t really solve your problem if your real issue is space or simply not wanting strangers around for an intimate celebration.

21. Guest transportation

Providing guest transportation to and from a hotel is always nice, but it isn’t expected nor is it necessary if your budget is starting to be stretched a little thin. If faced with a choice, it is best to either skip it completely or provide transportation for everyone. Having one or two shuttles to take a portion of guests (bridal party and immediate family not included), but not the rest of your guests can be confusing. Guests may see a shuttle leave and wait for another one, that isn’t coming. 

Pro-tip #9: If you are tight on money, but want to offer some sort of transportation accommodation, sign up with a ride-share company and provide guests with a discount code. You can pre-set the discount amount and the maximum amount you are willing to cover. 

22. Room blocks and your budget

If you have a lot of out of town guests it is nice to find a hotel in close proximity to your wedding venue for guests to stay during their visit. Setting aside a room block will often allow guests to book at a lower rate than finding a place on their own. 

That being said, a lot of the hotels that offer room blocks will hold you financially accountable for the unbooked rooms in your block. If possible, avoid this kind of arrangement! If this is your only option, only set aside enough rooms for your immediate family that you know will be booking or skip the block completely! You can typically add rooms later on if necessary, though they may be at a different rate than the initial block. 

Pro-tip #10: If there is a large event taking place nearby on the weekend of your wedding, a room block is crucial to guarantee guests can find accommodations! 

Pro-tip #11: Avoid being held financially accountable for unbooked rooms in your blocks by not making a block, but instead suggest a few nearby hotels for guests to choose from.  This takes the guesswork out of the hotel search for guests, but will potentially save you a massive added expense. 

23. Document everything in writing

Chances are, leading up to the wedding day you will have a lot of discussions with your vendors about small details that aren’t included in your contracts. In order to track the information being shared, and ensure that all of the details are covered, make sure everything is in writing. 

There are often several people working with each company you have booked for your wedding. Having everything in writing will keep information consistent between individuals within the company.  

Even if you have discussed something several times over the phone, send a follow up email outlining the details you need your vendor to take care of on the day of. After sharing the same details with so many people involved with the wedding, it can be challenging to remember exactly who was told what, but having everything in writing is a great way to keep track of this. 

24. Think through the day-of set up logistics

Talk to your venue about what time you and your vendors will have access to the space for set-up. Carefully consider how much time and helping hands your decor will take to set up. Remember that if you aren’t hiring outside help, you will need to make sure you have enough vehicles to transport decor, hands to delegate the set up between, and ample time to have everything done and done well! If you are hiring outside help, it is still important that transporting everything to and from the venue has been thoroughly planned and enough hands have been hired to properly set up in the time allotted! Click here for a thorough day of checklist to make sure you have accounted for all of the details!

25. Make it official with your marriage license

Do a little research into the process for applying for a marriage license prior to showing up at your courthouse. Make sure that you know the timeframe before your wedding that you can apply for your marriage license. 

On the day-of designate someone to be responsible for storing your marriage license in a safe pre-determined space so that you can send it in and legally be married! 

Pro-tip #12: In the state of California, technically, it is the officiant’s responsibility (and legal obligation) to return your marriage license within 10 days of the ceremony. However, if, for whatever reason, the marriage license isn’t returned you are still married. (source)

26. Become well versed in your venue’s policies and protocols

If you are holding your wedding ceremony at a place of religious worship, discuss what expectations the venue has of you and your guests. For example, do they have a specific time that all guests need to be off the property?; how strict are they on ceremony start time?; do your guests need to dress a certain way?; are you allowed to place any decor?; is flash photography allowed?; etc.?

Reception venues (or combined ceremony and reception venues) often have their own policies and protocols that they expect you and your vendors to adhere to. Most venues will provide a list of these rules, but if you are not provided any, ask for a specific breakdown of their policies. This will help you prepare appropriately and protect/mentally prepare you if something goes wrong that would result in the venue charging additional fees.

Pro-tip #13: Venues will often ask for signed copies of their rules from your vendors. If they don’t require this, it is still a good idea to share the house rules with your vendors so they have an opportunity to understand what the venue restricts and requires of them.

27. Discuss your values, and allocate money accordingly

When you begin to breakdown your budget into an outline (see item #1 on this list), typically you will want to start by writing out the full list of vendors that you will need. From there, discuss with your fiance what matters the most to you both and allocate money accordingly. You may LOVE flowers and want to designate a higher percentage of your overall budget towards this! By doing this in the beginning of planning you will help guide your vendor selection and stay within budget.

28. Keep guests engaged by putting yourself in their shoes

The guests are there to celebrate YOU, so make sure they are well taken care of! Prepare an adequate sound system so that they can see and hear throughout your ceremony and reception. Keep them comfortable by providing climate control and offering amenities such as blankets, flat shoes for dancing, and plenty of access to food, water, and shade. Schedule the day so that activities aren’t during high distraction times or too spaced out allowing guests to get antsy. Click here for timeline building help! Think through the day from the guests perspective to ensure everything is engaging, comfortable, and fun throughout the event.

29. Keep contact information handy!

Keep all of your vendor contact information organized and easily accessible on your wedding day. Things happen, and you don’t want to waste too much time tracking down a vendor’s phone number if you need to contact them.

Pro-tip #14: Designate someone as a point of contact for vendors on your wedding day. If you have a coordinator or planner they will be the go-to person for the other vendors. If you don’t have a professional, designate a family member or bridesmaid to be the point of contact so you don’t have 20 vendors calling you with set-up questions on the wedding day. Even if you have a planner or coordinator, it is still a good idea to designate a bridesmaid as a contact for that person!

30. Gals gas gals up; dress shop with your friends

Dress shopping is best when done with a small group. This can be an emotionally taxing process for so many reasons and its best to have a solid support system there to keep you grounded. Make sure to bring honest friends so they can tell you what is flattering, keep your energy up if you start to feel discouraged, and help you stay firm on your budget. 

Pro-tip #15: Support is so much more than telling you are gorgeous in everything (we already know that you are!). True support is helping you make a realistic choice based on your budget, vision, and body type. Make sure that the people you bring along are ready to keep your spirits high, but your expectations realistic.

Pro-tip #16: Don’t bring too many people while you are trying on dresses. Ideally, you will have 1-3 people tagging along to your dress appointments. Two main reasons for this: (1) too many people can be distracting. Having voices for guidance is important, but too many opinions will quickly become overwhelming. (2) Most bridal shops have small showrooms so there isn’t a ton of room for a whole gathering. If you do show up with more people than they are comfortable with, the stylist may feel the need to rush you along to clear the space. 

Pro-tip #16.5: Call ahead to the bridal shop to see how many people they can comfortably accommodate.

31. Manage your to-do list

Staying on top of your to-do list throughout planning will help you accomplish every nitty-gritty task you have planned. However, when you get down to the wire, don’t push yourself to the point of wedding burn out! In that final month, the smallest little details that somehow managed to slip through the cracks are finally coming to light. Skip the things you don’t truly need, delegate the things you can, and tackle what you really need to do head on! In that final month stretch, you want to be getting excited for the wedding, not pushing yourself to the point where you’re excited for it to be over.

32. Don’t sweat the small stuff

This is the best and most consistent wedding advice you will probably receive. Things may not go as planned. Some things may not go as planned to the point that you will need to address them after the fact. On your wedding day, the most important thing is getting married! Everything else is extra. No matter what happens, as long as you are with the person you love, your wedding day is already perfect! Stay focused on the positives and live in the moment! Chances are, if you are able to focus on all of the best parts, you won’t even notice the little hiccups that may occur!

Pro-tip #17: Hiring a day-of coordinator will offer peace of mind so that you don’t feel the need to look for the small hiccups. You can live in the moment and feel confident that someone else is handling the behind the scenes aspects for you! A great coordinator will take care of everything before you even notice something wasn’t quite as planned!

All Things Bridal Party

Aren’t best friends great? They are there to offer love and support through all of life’s good, bad, and ugly moments. Having friends stand along side you on your wedding day is a beautiful symbol of this friendship. But there are often a lot of questions surrounding the bridal party. Here is some insight into all things bridal party.

This blog is divided into 7 sections:

1. Deciding what level of support you need from your bridal party

2. Asking your bridal party to be your bridal party

3. How to select bridal party wardrobe

4. Who should pay for what

5. What to delegate to the bridal party & managing your own expectations

6. Tips on keeping your bridal party happy

7. Bridal party gifts

Deciding what level of support you will need from your bridal party

Before asking your bridal party to be in your wedding, you will need to figure out what level of support you need from them. This is important for several reasons. First, you will need to let them know up front if you need a lot of support. Not everyone will have the time, money, or skills to offer that you may be in need of. Second, someone who has been in a wedding previously, may have their own preconceived notions about what being in a bridal party entails. This may be either more or less support than you are expecting, and you will want to be able to let them know right off the bat what being in your bridal party will be like.

If you are having a DIY wedding, having a lot of extra hands makes for less stress for you and often a lot of fun with the right bridal party. If you are planning to book an all inclusive venue, you won’t have as many projects and therefore won’t need as much support.

Typically the bridal party will plan your bachelor/bachelorette party and bridal shower. You should at least have a general idea of what you are wanting for these events. It is ideal to let your bridal party know upfront if you want to travel for your bachelor/bachelorette party so they can a) manage their own expectations b) plan accordingly and c) let you know upfront if they can afford the time and money this will require. While not being able to attend or financially contribute to this party shouldn’t count them out from your bridal party altogether, it will be easier on everyone involved if you know this upfront. The bridal shower, while typically a less expensive party, does still require some money from your bridal party and if you are wanting one, this is important to let them know upfront! Even if you don’t necessarily “require” one, they may still throw one for you, but the bridal party may feel less obligated to spend big on this party (that can either be a positive, negative, or neutral thing to you, depending on your expectation).

It is important to work through what you expect from your bridal party before asking them to be a part of your wedding so they can make an educated assessment of whether or not they would like to take on this role. Remember you are asking your friends to be in your wedding, not telling them. If someone says they can’t be a part of your wedding, don’t take it personally! This is easier said than done, but if someone can’t take on the expense and time, it will save you both heartache down the road if you give them to opportunity to make an informed decision from the get-go.

Did you know: According to a 2017 WeddingWire article the average cost of being a bridesmaid is $1,200. Keep this in mind when setting the expectation for your bridal party- and definitely keep this in mind if someone is hesitant to make the commitment to being in your bridal party!!

Asking your bridal party to be your bridal party

You can take many approaches to ask your bridal party to be in your wedding. It can be as simple as a phone call or as elaborate as you’d like! There is no shortage of ideas on Pinterest! If you like the idea of a gift, but aren’t up for creating something cutesy on your own, check out Etsy or Amazon! There are a lot of pre-made bridal party specific boxes, bags, etc. for both men and women that you can purchase to gift to your bridal party.

So when should you ask them? It is a good idea to give them as much notice as possible, for a few reasons. First, they want to be excited, too! Being a part of someone’s wedding is a huge honor and, frankly, a big validation of your level of friendship. Second, this will allow them time to financially prepare for the expense. Some people might need to save money for the events surrounding the wedding and their wedding attire. Enough notice will allow them ample time to prepare. Third, they have some planning of their own to do! As discussed later in this article, the bridal party plays a huge role in your bachelor/bachelorette party and bridal shower. The more time they have, the better they will be able to plan to the best of their ability.

How to select bridal party wardrobe

This can be a challenge for a lot of people, especially those with larger bridal parties. The more people you have in your wedding the more body types and financial situations you will need to take into account.

If you want all of your bridesmaids in the same dresses, take everyone’s body type into account. You want to pick a style and color that will be flattering on everyone. Besides the fact that these are your best friends and you want them to be comfortable and able to enjoy your wedding day, happy bridesmaids are smiling bridesmaids, and smiles look better in pictures.

There is a more recent trend of allowing your bridesmaids to pick their own dresses. Some people give no parameters and have the bridesmaids pick whatever they want. Some people give a color scheme and/or length requirements. Giving your bridal party some free reign will give everyone the opportunity to pick an outfit they feel confident wearing, in a price range that they feel comfortable with.

For shoes, keep in mind the type of venue you will be married at. If you are getting married in a chapel and having the reception at an indoor ballroom, no problem. Have the bridal party wear something they will be comfortable and look great in. If you are getting married at an outdoor venue with a lot of grass, dirt, or mulch avoid stilettos or anything they would have trouble walking in.

For suits, again, take budget and body type into consideration. If you have a lot of larger men, skip the slim fit suits. If you have a lot of people with tighter budgets, skip the $300 rental and go for the $150 purchase options!

Who should pay for what

This can be a tricky situation, but again, setting the expectation from the get-go will help alleviate any confusion or awkwardness around money down the road.

Wardrobe- Typically the bridal party will pay for their own dresses and suits. Some couples have it in their budget to cover everyone’s wardrobe, so they take care of this. That is awesome if you can, but if you can’t don’t sweat it. It is best to keep everyone’s financial situations in mind when selecting outfits, though. If the majority of your bridal party is working with tighter budgets, picking a dress and/or suit that is $300 is a quick way to create some resentment from your bridal party, especially when there are some amazing companies that offer beautiful, high quality dresses in the $50-$150 range and high quality suits in the $150-$250 range.

Bachelor/bachelorette parties- Typically the bridal party will pay for this. Even if you insist on paying for your part, it is best to plan as if the bridal party will refuse your money. Take this into consideration when giving them ideas of what you would like to do. Maybe they will take the money, maybe they won’t, either way, plan as if they won’t to avoid financially burdening anyone.

Bridal shower- This is a party for you, not by you. Typically either family, the bridal party, or both will put together this party. A bridal shower is when all, most, or some the womyn invited to your wedding come together and shower you with gifts. This can be as big or small as you like or the host(s) can afford. Since you are not personally throwing this party, the host(s) typically pay for this event.

Hair and makeup- General rule of thumb: if you require bridesmaids to have professional hair and makeup, you should pay for it. If you give them the option for professional hair and makeup, they can pay for it. If you are giving them the option, keep cost in mind when selecting a hair and makeup team. A bridesmaid who doesn’t excel at hair and/or makeup may refuse the service because it is too expensive.

What to delegate to the bridal party & managing your own expectations

You can delegate as much or as little as you’d like to the bridal party, but again, set this expectation when you ask them to be a part of your wedding. If you tell them you won’t need any support when you ask and then suddenly need 10+ hours of their time every week there is a good chance you will inspire a little resentment.

Read the feedback you get from your bridal party. If you have some one who is constantly asking how they can help, give them tasks! If you have someone who acts like you are asking a little too much of them, give them less to do! Try not to be offended if someone who said they would love to help suddenly isn’t able to or simply isn’t interested anymore. It can hurt a little when this happens, but you will end up stressing yourself and taking the fun away if you lean into those feelings too much. This is, of course, way easier said than done, but you will thank yourself later if you can accomplish this!

Play up people’s strengths. If you have a crafty bridesmaid, ask them to help with crafty things. If you have a thorough researcher in the group, have them do some research into a particular vendor or two. (Pro-tip: very clearly explain your vision and budget for these vendors so they don’t spend a lot of time and energy compiling options that aren’t what you’re looking for! Remember, you aren’t paying this person you definitely don’t want them to waste their time!). Have your musically inclined friend create your playlists. Playing up people’s strengths will give you better results overall and they are more likely to enjoy helping out!

Remember these are your best friends and they should be treated as such! These people love you and are happy to support you on your big day, but they are not hired help!

Tips on keeping Your bridal party happy

A happy bridal party is a helpful bridal party, so keeping them happy is key. Do this by making helping fun! Here are some ideas on how to accomplish this:

• Ask for help, don’t demand it. If they have the time and energy to help, great! If not, try not to be offended. Ask if a different project would be more up their alley, or if a different time would be better.

• Talk about things other than your wedding. If your whole relationship becomes just the wedding, they are going to get burnt out on it.

• Turn a craft or planning date into a wine or movie night!

• Positive reinforcement is always nice. Compliment their work, show appreciation, buy them dinner while they are helping, etc. They are offering valuable time and energy, for free. Remember, the things they are supporting you with are services you could pay someone else to do.

• Ask for their input, and take it to heart. You may not ultimately go with their ideas, but listening to their thoughts will show you value their opinion. Providing the opportunity to express ideas and opinions throughout the planning process makes everyone feel more involved and therefore care more!

Bridal party gifts

Show your gratitude, not just for their support with the wedding, but for their continued love and support throughout your life! If you don’t have a ton of money to spend, that is okay! There is no set or standard amount to spend. So whether you have $0 or $1000 don’t forget to show your bridal party some love!

Bridesmaids gifts- In a world of Pinterest there is no shortage of inspiration for bridesmaids gifts! A common trend is the gift baskets or bags. Pre-made baskets or bags can be purchased from Etsy or Amazon, but you can always make your own, too! These baskets can include anything you think your gals will love, but some of the common favorites have been robes to wear while getting ready, jewelry to wear at your wedding (earrings, bracelets, and/or necklaces), ring pops (sooo inexpensive, cute sentiment, and fun), and personalized champagne flutes or water bottles. Spa themed boxes are also cute and simple to assemble! With a few multi packs of face masks and bath bombs from Marshall’s, an eye mask from Etsy, and a scented candle the gifts are complete! They can cost as low as $10 each and the ladies will be ecstatic!

Groomsmen gifts- We have all seen the personalized flasks and shot glasses, and while these are awesome, there are so many other great options out there! Ties are quite pricey, consider taking care of the cost for the guys by including their tie for your wedding in a gift box along with other items such as whiskey, engraved watches (definitely a more expensive option, but so cool!), personalized key chains, pint glasses (can be personalized, blank, or say “groomsman”), or special or personalized cufflinks.

The most important part of any gift is a heartfelt note. Express why you are grateful for these lovely people and how their presence has impacted your life! If you are on a tighter budget, personalized notes can serve as your entire token of appreciation! It is just nice to let people know they are valued and their love is reciprocated!

These gifts are typically given during the bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, and/or on the wedding day.

Pro-tip #1: If you are creating a basket or bag, collect items over time to avoid a big chunk of expense at once. Collecting over time also allows you to select items that are meaningful instead of just sifting through the internet and purchasing random items over the span of a day or two.

Pro-tip #2: No matter when your wedding is, be sure to check out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for bridal party gifts!

Some useful links to gifts I love (Last updated 4/7/20):

Inexpensive/good quality robe link (allow up to 60 days for delivery): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32663276771.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.a7e4545aPgmntu&algo_pvid=66e4c635-5b8a-4328-8a25-1f7a3dbf8f5c&algo_expid=66e4c635-5b8a-4328-8a25-1f7a3dbf8f5c-0&btsid=21cf40e7-f794-478d-8e42-f7804bfb7ff8&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_7,searchweb201603_52

Personalized Champagne Flutes (inexpensive, but plastic):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/618495701/set-of-7-personalized-flutes-name-and?ref=yr_purchases

Personalized Eyemask:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/593636412/eye-masks-funny-hangover-gift-custom?ref=yr_purchases 

Ties:

https://www.daziusa.com/

https://www.bows-n-ties.com/

Personalized cuff links:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/697865633/customized-cufflinks-personalized?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=cufflinks+personalized&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&pro=1&col=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/257203258/personalized-round-gunmetal-cufflinks?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=cufflinks+personalized&ref=sc_gallery-1-3&plkey=db63e26614ab6c6accb06ebbd35ecaa6633b9e8b%3A257203258&pro=1

USEFUL LINKS:

https://www.bachtobasic.com Want to throw an incredible bachelorette party, but don’t have the time to plan? Let Bach to Basic do the planning for you!

https://misc-goods-co.com?ref=lX2K3 Use Promo Code WPLA_25 to save 25% on great gifts for your bridal party

https://flipsidez.com Use promo code WPLAW10 to save 10% on unique Bachelor/ette Party accessories and gifts!

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!!

10 Ways to Stay Organized While Wedding Planning

Staying organized is key when it comes to wedding planning! While this may come more naturally for some than others, getting an early start to organization will help everyone equally. If you have found yourself already knee deep in wedding planning with no real organization plan, don’t fret! It is never too late to get on top of organization! Here are 10 great ways to get and stay organized throughout wedding planning!

1. Create a wedding email and check it often.

   Having an email specific to your wedding is helpful for two main reasons. First, this will help keep all of your wedding related emails organized and in one place. Second, once the wedding is over, this will save you from having promotional emails sent from vendors crowding your regular email’s inbox! Having a separate email will only work if you check it often, though!

2. Keep all of your wedding information in one spot.

   There are many ways to go about this. I have come across some amazing hard copy wedding planning journal style books, however, I highly recommend going digital. This allows you to easily edit or add information as your planning evolves. I personally love Google Docs for this. With this platform it is simple to keep your information organized, the documents are easy to send out if you need to share any of the information, you can save all of your contracts into your Google Doc wedding folder, and you can invite your fiancé, bridal party, parents, planner, or whoever else to edit relevant documents (think: to-do lists!!). No matter what platform you choose, it is immensely helpful to keep everything together in one space!

3. Make a planning timeline.

   Map out the days/months/years that you have to plan your wedding and then breakdown your vendor searches and planning process into smaller more manageable timeframes. Take into consideration what will be going on in your personal life during this time, and plan your planning around that! Mapping out your “plan of attack” for wedding planning will help you feel confident you are making progress, help you stay on top of your to-do list, and (hopefully) make the whole wedding planning process more fun!! Click here for more on creating a planning timeline.

4. Create a budget outline.

   I may be a little budget obsessed, but it is for good reason! Budget is important! Not-so-fun fact: I once had a friend blow their budget by $60k. That was 200% their initial budget. So how did that happen? The budget wasn’t being tracked and it wasn’t accurately assessed before vendors started being booked. Avoid this situation by creating a full budget breakdown BEFORE booking any vendors. Do some research to make sure your estimates are accurate and allocate money to the things you value most. This will guide every single aspect of your wedding planning, so it is important to get a head start on this early on! Make sure that you stay within budget (or consciously decide to extend the budget) by carefully tracking every expenditure. If you have multiple people funding the wedding, track who paid what, when and using which method. This will be important not only for tracking your budget, but also for tracking what outstanding balances you still have coming. Click here for more on creating a budget outline.

5. Create a Pinterest board(s).

   Wedding planning in the days of Pinterest has been a joy. There is a world of inspiration out there just waiting for you to tap into it. While scrolling through the millions of inspiration pictures your vision may change and that is okay! As your vision shifts, take away pins that are no longer inspiring to you. If you like something about a picture, make a note of what it is specifically that makes you want to incorporate this into your wedding. Pinterest boards are great to share with your wedding planner, florist, decorator, hair and makeup team, and baker, so keep is up to date and organized! Pro-tip: bare budget in mind when looking through Pinterest. Pinterest doesn’t filter for price, and it can be painful to fall in love with a dress or floral arrangement. That being said, just because something looks super expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be. If you really love something, look into it! Maybe it is more attainable than you initially thought! Visit The Wedding Planner LA Pinterest page for inspiration!

6. Keep a running list of booked vendors.

   Have your basic vendor info all on one page so you can find the necessary info at a glance instead of shuffling through contracts. You can format this however works best for you, but it is super useful to include the following information for each vendor all compiled in one document:

   1. Service being provided

   2. Company name

   3. Contact person name

   4. Contact person email & phone number

   5. Number of hours booked (start and end time as soon as known!)

   6. Remaining balance, payment due date(s), and preferred payment method

   7. If they require a vendor meal & dietary restrictions if applicable (usually this will be your planner/coordination team, photographer, videographer, DJ/Musician, and anyone else onsite for longer than 5 hours).

   8. Instagram handle

7. Make lists.

   Lists are your friend. List out everything. Your big to-do list, smaller to-do list, wedding vendor research information, style inspiration, etc. Lists are great because you can track your progress and remember all of the little details that you have been or intend to work on.

8. Build a wedding website.

   This will save you SO. MUCH. WORK. A wedding website will do a lot of organizing for you. Have your registry on the website to easily track gifts. You can even track who you have already sent thank you cards to! Have guests RSVP on the website to easily track those. Provide useful information and updates about the wedding so you don’t have 50 guests calling to ask the same question. A wedding website is an incredibly useful tool

9. Send thank you cards as you receive gifts.

   Speaking of your registry and thank you cards, stay organized and save yourself a lot of time by writing thank you cards as you receive gifts. It is easier to track this if you have a wedding website, but even if you are going a less techy route, be sure to list the gifts you have received, immediately send a thank you, and track the thank you’s once you have sent them. Pro-tip: Trying to write 100 thank you’s at once is daunting and tiresome. Sending thank you’s as gifts come in will allow you the time to write a thoughtful response.

10. Create a seating chart.

    First, let me say, creating a draft of this is helpful if you find yourself randomly with a few extra hours in a day, but you cannot finalize your seating chart until you get your RSVPs back. Second, this topic deserves its own blog. Check back for that one soon! In the meantime, here are two very vague reasons why a seating chart is useful:

    1. Food service. If you are doing plated dinner, you need people committed to a seat so that they can have the meal they were intended. If you are doing food buffet style you need everyone evenly distributed so when table 1 is called there is a predictable amount of people coming over for the catering staff. If you are doing family style, you need to know exactly how many people will be at each table in order to distribute food properly.

    2. Think back to your days of eating lunch at your high school cafeteria. It’s the first day of school and everyone is figuring out who to sit with. There are large groups of people who all love each other and want to sit together so 20 of them crowd around one lunch bench. There are five kids who are kind of friends with some of those people and they want to hang out with them, but they don’t see room for themselves. They scatter and feel a little hurt they weren’t specifically invited to the big table. There is the kid who doesn’t really know anyone so they sit off by themselves in a corner and don’t socialize with anyone. There is also everyone in between. Get ahead of the drama by assigning seats. It will make everyones life easier in the long run

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 :)

DIY: Is it right for me, how much should I do, and how do I get started?

When getting started on wedding planning I think most people go through a few stages. Stage 1: excitement! You just got engaged and you’re stoked! Stage 2: overwhelmed. You jump on Pinterest, maybe do a little venue research and suddenly feel like there are 10 million decisions to make and have a quick panic. Stage 3: confidence. You book that first vendor and suddenly feel like you’re back on top of the wedding planning game. Stage 4-6: repeat stages 1-3 a few times. Stage 7: check in on how much you’ve spent and toy with the idea of cancelling everything and eloping instead. Stage 8: realize you don’t want to cancel your wedding and consider planting a garden so you can do your own wedding flowers for free. Stage 9: repeat stages 1-3 again. Stage 10: acceptance and love. Your wedding day comes and everything is okay, because you got to marry your person and that was all that ever mattered.

At some point in the wedding planning process most couples are faced with a choice: what can I DIY and what should I buy? I adore DIY Weddings. But, as much as it pains me, a huge focus of this blog will be “is DIY for me?” and “how much DIY is too much DIY?” We are going to tackle this topic by answering a few questions: first, “I want a DIY wedding will it work for me?” second, “what kind of things are easy to DIY?”, and finally, “is there a such thing as too much DIY?”

I WANT TO DIY BUT IS IT RIGHT FOR ME??

To figure this out you need to ask yourself a few questions:

• What time frame am I working with? Are you planning a wedding 2 years away or 6 months away?

• How much time every week will I be able to spend working on these projects? Maybe you are planning a wedding 2 years away but you work 60 hour weeks and won’t have as much time to spend. Maybe you are getting married in 6 months but have a lot of time to dedicate to wedding preparations.

• Am I crafty or is this new territory for me? Being already crafty is a huge plus, but don’t count yourself out on the DIY if you aren’t already into crafting. Just take into consideration, if you are new to crafting you may need a little more time and support to bring some of your ideas to life.

• What is my support system like? Think about your friends and family. Are they involved in your wedding planning? Do they have time to help you with projects? It is important to look at this really carefully. Remember, it is your wedding and nobody is going to care about it quite as much as you do. There is nothing wrong with that! But you want to make sure that you don’t lean too heavily on certain members of your support system or else they will burn out! So make sure you have enough people to delegate tasks to!

• Is my support system crafty or skilled in areas that will make this process smoother? Having a support system who is already great at crafting is a big bonus.

• Will I actually save money doing this? DIY can be a great way to save money, but it also can add up very quickly if you aren’t careful to track your spending.

• Will the money I save be worth the time I will spend? Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it doesn’t even come down to money; maybe DIY is just a way to stay connected to your wedding throughout the planning process. Just be sure to have realistic expectations about how long some projects will take. 

• It is infinitely better to ask yourself these questions before you get going and realize that maybe you’ve bitten off a little more than you can chew. Or maybe are on the fence and by asking yourself these questions you found the inspiration to go for it! 

• Once you have worked through these questions and decided you would like to take on some (or maybe all) DIY projects, it is very helpful to come up with a clear vision for your wedding aesthetic. Even if you want a hodgepodge of eclectic decor, it is great to decide what kind of eclectic you want! All vintage items?  All boho items? Super modern and minimalist? Whatever you decide, try to do so before starting projects. It will make your life a lot easier, trust me.

What kind of things are easy to DIY?

You can DIY virtually every aspect involved with a wedding. From the venue, to the food, to the decorations, to the music, to the bar, literally every single aspect could be taken on as a project. That is all A LOT to take on, and most people don’t choose to DIY every single aspect. There are a few easy projects that you can take on yourself though. Table numbers, seating charts, wedding signs, party favors, and centerpieces rank among what I would consider to be the easiest.

• You can do Table numbers so many different ways. You can make this as simple or as involved as you would like. Some of the most common easy DIY table number tricks are

  • Printing out the numbers on card stock paper and clipping them into free standing picture holder. You can find these at any craft store, target, Walmart, or of course Amazon.

  • Printing the numbers out and putting them in picture frames

  • If you have access to a vinyl printer there are even more options, including staining wood planks and putting vinyl numbers on them. You can leave the wood raw or stain it to match your color scheme and aesthetic. Another idea is to use clear acrylic sheets and print the numbers on those. Make them stand by using the free standing picture holders on the bottom.  

  • If you don’t have a vinyl printer you can always order the vinyl numbers from Etsy and apply them yourself.

• Seating charts are also another relatively easy item to create on your own. There are plenty of approaches to take on this too.

  • The easiest way to do this is to create a seating chart on your computer and printing it out at Costco, Staples, or any big printing company. Check with your local stores to make sure they can print in the size you want (most are happy to print on large sturdy poster board). You can dress it up by downloading some layouts from Etsy or create your own design!

  • Finding or creating a structure that you can hang the table assignments from. I have a lovely copper structure that works amazing for this. I use some wire to string from side to side and then use mini clothespins (Dollar Tree sells packs of 50 for just a dollar) to hang the individual table assignments from.

  • You can also write your table assignments on a mirror or chalkboard paint pens, just be sure to measure out how much space you have first before writing.  Pro tip- while measuring, tape ribbon to the outside of the frame to create equally sized sections for your seats. This way you don’t make marks that need to be erased later and your sections are equal.

  • If you are going the rustic route, find an old pallet, stain it, and either hang printing table assignments using the techniques I mentioned earlier, or write them on with a paint pen!

• Wedding signs are also fairly easy to make! 

  • You can of course print them on poster board using the same place you choose to get your seating chart, if you choose to go that route.

  • You can also print the signs out and put them in picture frames! I always love this option. They look so cute and classy.

  • Another option is going to chalkboard route. You can either find cute frames and paint the glass part with chalkboard paint. A simpler option is to buy chalkboard signs from your local craft store.

  • You can also go the mirror sign route or the acrylic sign route. You can use paint pens on either of these or if you have access to a vinyl printer, printing vinyl letters always looks nice, too!

• DIYing party favors can be simple and is a really nice personal touch since these will be going home with guests. 

  • There are really so many routes to take on this one. You can make goody bags, koozies, something that relates specifically to you and your fiance’s life, some kind of homemade snack or craft, really the list just goes on and on.

  • My sister and her husband made these adorable little coasters by slicing a tree branch that fell in their backyard, sealing and staining them. 

  • A couple from a few weekends ago used small plastic drink shakers that they put their wedding date using vinyl letters. They filled the shaker with candy wrapped in their wedding colors.

  • Another couple used shot glasses that doubled as place cards for their guests. 

  • The possibilities are really endless.

• Centerpieces can be as easy or as intricate as you make them. We will talk about some more simple centerpiece options for now.

  • If you are choosing to not use a florist you and are going to do your own flowers (really a whole other DIY project that deserves its own podcast) you can find simple vases. I’m a big advocate for finding vases or candle holders from thrift stores. This is more cost effective and creates less waste.

  • You can also find vases and candle holders (including the large clear hurricane candle holders) from the Dollar Tree.

  • I’m always partial to upcycling. I love when people putting together more casual weddings use empty wine or beer bottles. Just take the labels off and you have got some amazing and unique vases!

  • There are SO many directions to go with these, so it is really helpful to have a clear vision of color and style that you want before you start collecting things.

Check out my Instagram @theweddingplannerla to get some ideas and more in depth tricks on how to create some of the DIY projects mentioned here

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH DIY

A wedding is such a big milestone in your life. The day comes and goes so quickly, so doing small projects over a period of time to prepare for this moment is a great way to stay connected and truly savor this special time in your life. A lot of people take a year to two years to plan a wedding, and that’s a lot of time to get things done… or so it seems. So to answer our question “Is there such a thing as too much DIY?” we need to go back to the questions you asked yourself in the beginning of this blog. 

There are plenty of people out there that can really pull off incredibly involved 100% DIY weddings. This requires an incredible amount of time and discipline. If you have a lot of support that really does go a long way, too. You could also DIY 100% of your wedding but go the very simplistic, minimalist route. This vibe has been very popular lately, too. Just because you can DIY everything, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. If your reasons are purely budget related, make sure you weigh all options. By the time you are done DIYing things, you may just end up spending more than if you had gone the rental or all inclusive venue route. If you really just love projects and you have the time and the support, then GO FOR It. Again, little projects wedding related are a great way to stay connected to such a monumental event in your life, especially when you start planning a long time in advance.

So what happens when you start a DIY project and it isn’t coming out how you pictured? 

• I have two very opposite philosophies for you:

  • 1st, did you ever read the book “A beautiful oops” as a child? Basically, the idea, is in art, there is no such thing as a mistake, just an “oops” that might change your outcome from what you expected, but the outcome will still be beautiful. 

    • When you are working on your DIY projects, be kind to yourself. Just because your craft isn’t looking just like what you saw on Pinterest doesn’t mean that it isn’t beautiful. Perhaps it your trial and errors you will come up with something completely unique!

  • 2nd, have you ever heard of the sunk cost fallacy? Sorry, this is going to get a little philosophical, but I think this is relevant to many aspects of wedding planning. The Sunk Cost Fallacy is the idea that because you spent time and mney on something, it is better to see it through to the end, instead of quitting when you realize its not working. 

    • When you are working on a project and it simply isn’t working, don’t keep pouring time and resources into it. Those resources and time could be used to work on a different project that you will LOVE!

  • I told you those ideologies are complete opposites, but they are both really great to keep in your mind and balance between while working on your DIY projects.

No matter what you decide to DIY or not DIY your wedding will be beautiful and unique because it is yours! I’d love to hear all about your projects and just generally how wedding planning is going! Shoot me an email at theweddingplannerla@gmail.com to let me know how the process is going for you!

Making your Wedding YOURS: The Ins and Outs of Wedding Customization

Congrats on your engagement! What an exciting time and FUN new hobby you have. Wedding planning is such a unique task of life. There are so many different stylistic directions you can go in, so many different rabbits to chase. But how can you make sure that your wedding is truly reflecting you and your fiance’s personality? Well, the possibilities are endless! Here are a few things to consider when creating YOUR vision.

1. Party size- are you and your fiance wanting a huge party with lots of loved ones surrounding you? Or are you both more of the low key type, who would prefer an intimate wedding or even an elopement? There are no right or wrong answers here, it is just what you both want. If you both have different temperaments and one would like a big wedding and the other small, consider a compromise. You can have a small intimate ceremony with a larger reception to follow. Or even an elopement with a larger reception at a later date!

2. Venue- are you more of the classic-romantic-indoor-golf-course type people? Maybe you are more of the boho-beach type? Perhaps you could only ever see yourself getting married in a vineyard? Again- the only correct answer is to find a place that matches YOU and YOUR FIANCE’s vision. If you both have very different ideas of where you’d like to be married, don’t worry! There are so many venues that offer combinations of certain elements that can make everyone happy. If you want a beach wedding but your fiance wants a wedding in the woods, consider somewhere in Malibu or even further north on the west coast. If you want a wedding in vineyard but your fiance wants a wedding at a hotel ballroom, consider a vineyard with a gorgeous indoor reception area. There is bound to be a compromise out there, no matter how different your visions may be.

3. Style- There are plenty of amazing themed and styled weddings out there to use for inspiration, but don’t forget to put your own personal touch on it! Wedding “styles” and “themes” are only a thing because someone at sometime thought a certain combination of items would be pretty together. Don’t be afraid to be a pioneer! One of my favorite weddings I worked incorporated small gold dinosaurs all over the place because they were both archeologists! Conventional? Of course not. Cool and memorable? You bet! At my own wedding we had a petting zoo and beer donkey’s, because we love animals and wanted to be surrounded by them on our wedding day! Even if you love the rustic look, or the boho vibe, or the classic romantic wedding idea there are so many ways to incorporate your own personality into the decor.

4. Food- there is absolutely no rules when it comes to food. If you want a plated dinner of chicken and fish go for it. If you are more of a pizza person, get a pizza buffet. If you just want your wedding to be super casual have a potluck! Just find something that works for you, matches your personality, and matches your vision. (Full disclaimer: I don’t recommend a food truck or buffet with a larger wedding. The lines can get long and it takes a lot of time- BUT that is only my opinion!)

5. Flowers- Do you love flowers and want a million? Have them! If you hate flowers then don’t have a single one. Find a color scheme that fits you and run with it. If yellow and purple are your favorite colors, GO FOR IT! If you just want white roses and greenery, that it totally fine too.

6. Wedding attire- You want to find something to wear that you can be comfortable in, but you also want to find something you feel your very best in. For some people that may be a bright white dress with a beautiful princess skirt. For others that may be a sleek crepe formfitting dress. For others it may be a cool suit. You don’t need to dress like anything you are not just because “its a wedding.” your fiance wants to marry YOU because they love YOU and that includes your personal style.

7. Dancing- One of my favorite weddings I have ever worked had ZERO dancing. They planned a wedding that was around food and conversation. I personally LOVE to dance and made it the largest time allocation for my wedding. You know yourself, your fiance, and your friends. Is that something that is important to you all or are you not into dancing?

8. Special dances- I am asked about these a lot both as coordinator and a DJ. Not all families are the same. You do not have to dance with a parent if they are not a part of your life anymore. If you still want to do a dance, dance with a brother, cousin, other parent, aunt, uncle, anyone who has had a big and positive impact on your life. If you don’t want to share a “spotlight moment” with anyone skip it altogether! It will be totally fine and no one will notice.

9. Other “traditional” wedding events- are uncomfortable with the thought of your new husband swimming through your dress in front of your whole family, there is no need to do a garter toss! If you don’t want to do a first dance, skip it! If you don’t want to eat cake while everyone is watching you, don’t do the cake cutting, or skip the announcement so it isn’t a spectacle. If you want to add extra events, like the shoe game, or extra special dances, that is totally fine too. Traditions weren’t traditions until someone started them. So start your own!

10. The bar- to open the bar or to not open the bar, that is the question (kind of). There are a lot of variations of this (i.e having an open bar for cocktail hour and then a paid bar for the rest of the night, only providing champagne for a champagne toast, or having a dry wedding). Take your preferences, your fiance’s preferences, and your friends and families interests. If you think having an open bar is going to keep people dancing all night, go for it! If you don’t want an open bar, that’s fine too (just let your guests know ahead of time).

Creative Ways to Save Money on a Wedding

A huge hurdle for many people in wedding planning is creating the day of their dreams on a very tight budget. It can be discouraging to see vendors with such amazing quality products and services at prices that seem so unattainable. Don’t let this get you down! I always try to remind people of two very important things:

1. the absolute most important part of the entire day is committing your life to someone else. Everything else is extra.

2. Where there is a will there is a way, and a tight budget doesn’t mean any less quality of a day. I originally wrote this list of budget saving ideas for a bride with a $3k budget for her whole wedding. So if some of these measures seem extreme, that is why.

EXTREME WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON A WEDDING

1. Use someone’s backyard! A free/cheap venue will save you big time. The venue typically makes up for a huge chunk of the wedding budget. By finding an extremely inexpensive/free venue you will save yourself thousands of dollars. Is a backyard not available? Look into city owned parks! You will need a permit, but these are typically anywhere from $50-$200 for the day! Be sure to consider alcohol licensing if you are going the park route!

2. Lulu’s has super inexpensive and pretty wedding dresses (less than $100). Notable mentions: Cocomelody, JJs House (the quality from JJs House is a bit hit or miss), Shein (check reviews), etc. By finding a beautiful dress from a less expensive shop you can save A LOT! Lulu’s dresses tend to be a bit more casual but most of their wedding dresses range from $90-$350. Cocomelody has a lot more “bridal” options that are absolutely gorgeous in the $350-$850 range.

3. Have food either be potluck or get a taco truck! “My Taco Man” is shockingly inexpensive (we’re talking less than $1000 for 200 people) and has good reviews. My Taco Man is specific to LA, but the idea holds up across the country. Taco trucks or generally any caterer who is familiar with large events but not necessarily weddings are a great way to save money. If you are thinking of going to potluck route then you will really save money. Ask everyone to bring a dish as a wedding present!

4. Get a keg or two instead of a full bar. Renting a full bar or opting for a venue that provides a bar (at a price, of course) really adds up. Depending on your venue you may need someone to serve the alcohol, but if you are able to use a friend or relatives backyard that is one more expense you don’t need to worry about

5. Check out thrift shops and craigslist for decorations and get creative!! People throw weddings every single week. There are so many decorations that are available to buy second hand. If you want to get really creative, look for items in thrift stores that aren’t wedding specific. They will be even less expensive. Candle holders, items for center pieces, even cake stands are great examples of items you can repurpose.

6. Have a friend officiate. Becoming ordained online is completely free! If you have a friend who you think is an awesome public speaker and can capture the tone of your wedding ask them to officiate your wedding. In Los Angeles most officiants range from $250-$600 depending on your needs. This could be a huge savings if you have a friend or family member up for the task!

7. Buy your flowers from the flower market and make your own arrangements. If a flower market isn’t available in your location Trader Joe’s or Costco also have beautiful flowers for very inexpensive. This will, of course, mean someone will need to set up all of your centerpieces, bouquets, or any other place you may want to set up flowers. If you, your bridal party, coordinator, or family are able to do this you can save a lot! Florists can be very expensive and for good reason! The work they do is beautiful, but if it’s not in your budget, this is a great way to save!

8. Have a friend coordinate. I, obviously, say this with severe reservations, BUT it can save you money. It is important to have some one spear-heading all of the behind-the-scenes happenings of your wedding day. If a professional is not in your budget make sure you have delegated this task to someone. BUT! On the other side of that, a good coordinator can actually save you a lot of money and stress. I allow my clients to use my decorations. This is a huge savings for them. I have relationships with other vendors who offer special deals to my clients. Again, this is a huge savings. If you are planning on using a day of coordinator, find one who is well connected with great decorations in addition to being an amazing coordinator!

9. Find an up-and-coming photographer who is trying to build their portfolio. This can definitely be risky business. At the end of the night the wedding ends, everyone goes home, and pictures or video are really going to be what you have to remember the day by. If you are taking a chance on someone be sure they fully understand what goes into wedding photography. Find someone who has some samples of their work that you really like, but be sure that those samples include action shots. It takes a special kind of talent to capture the mood of a live moment in a picture! Ask for an engagement shoot to see if their talents and style translate to you!

10. rent a speaker and make an awesome Spotify playlist. I think splurging on a DJ is worth is because it ties everything else together and a good DJ will also end up coordinating for you, BUT I’m super biased because I started in the wedding industry as DJ. It truly pains me to say this. DJs have so much to offer to the overall feel of the evening. They are your MC, they read the room and keep the music moving in a way Spotify never can. At the end of the day though, if you can’t afford it don’t do it. Rent a speaker and microphone, make an awesome playlist, and save that money! Pro-tip: make multiple playlists. The vibe of cocktail hour is different from dinner, and the vibe of dinner is different from dancing. While we all love to shake it to Lizzo, she’s not exactly what grandma wants to listen to while eating her chicken.

11. Make your own cake or buy one from the grocery store. Wedding cakes can cost A LOT. The irony, it almost never is fully eaten (trust, I throw away A LOT of cake at the end of weddings). I have left many weddings where only a few slices where even taken. Yes they are pretty for pictures, and cake cutting is a wedding tradition, but do you really need to break your budget for a Pinterest worthy cake? Probably not. If you or someone you know is particularly gifted at cake making GREAT! If not, Costco makes amazing, simple, multi-tiered cakes for under $100. Best part, they’re yummy!

12. Make a wedding website (free on Zola if you don’t buy the domain) and have people RSVP there. Send invites via email. If you have your heart set on mailing invites, print your own. Skip the save the dates. Invitations and save the dates seem so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but once you add postage they really start to add up. Websites like Vistaprint or Shuterfly offer inexpensive options. You can also buy an invitation format on Etsy, customize it and then print them at home! Reduce your spending further by having people RSVP online at a wedding website. If you are on a very tight budget consider sending invitations via email. Bonus- its a very eco-friendly option.

13. Skip party favors! Yes it is nice to send your guests off with a little something, but it is not necessary. I can’t tell you how many times dozens of party favors are left at the end of the night. Your guests are not going to cherish whatever trinket they receive from your wedding, but they will cherish the opportunity to be there for you on your special day!

14. Have a small bridal party or skip the bridal party altogether. Having a bridal party adds up. Even if you are going to have them pay for their own clothes, make-up and hair, believe me, it adds up. $15/person for a bridal party gift may not seem expensive, but multiply that by 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen and you’ve really added a huge expense. Save yourself the cost by cutting down on your bridal party.

15. Have a smaller guest list. It can be tempting to invite every person you’ve ever met, but if you are on a tight budget don’t succumb to the temptation! Every single person you invite is an added expense. If your budget won’t allow a huge guest list, then make sure the people you are inviting will truly add something to your special day by being present!

My Very Real Wedding Budget

Weddings are expensive. Budgets are hard. The sky is blue. Fish swim. Yeah yeah yeah. But what are all of those teeny tiny details that add up to so much?? Here is my personal breakdown of exactly where my money was spent on my summer 2019 wedding.

Some additional details worth knowing before looking at this: I chose a very DIY venue because I love projects and I have a lot of connections with vendors given my career choice so I needed to be able to bring my own vendors. I was lucky enough to have some of my wonderful professional wedding vendor friends gift me services. Those vendors are still listed here as part of an overall checklist, but if you are using this as a guideline for your own budget definitely consider the actual cost. This wedding was planned in 2019. The exact same wedding today, even with all the gifted services, would easily cost another $10k.

Wedding Budget

Venue- Reptacular Ranch

• Venue fee $3,995

• Zebra $300

• Petting Zoo Package $250

• 2 Extra Hours $350

• Cleaning fee for trailers $100

• Extra people charge ($11x100) $1,100

Total: $6,095

Caterer- Rutt’s Catering

• 175 people @ $1,293.03

• 2 service staff for 2 hours @ $100/each

• $300 tip

Total: $1,793

Hors D'oeuvres- TJ’s Charcuterie/Cheese/Fruit (Items bought independently - board assembled by a catering friend)

• Brie 6lbs $36

• Yellow mild cheddar 4lbs $20

• White sharp cheddar 4 lbs $20

• Blue cheese 4lbs $25

• Goat cheese 4lbs $24

• Charcuterie 16 packages $48

• Plastic shot glasses $20

• Mini plastic forks $6

• Shrimp $40

• Cocktail sauce $10

• Chips $10

• Mango salsa $15

• Pasta salad (1-2 bites in plastic shot glass) $20

• Crackers 12 packages $40

• Spinach dip $20

• Bread for dip $20

• Fruit (berries, pineapple, figs, etc) $30

• Olives $20

• Tax & platters $60

• Attendant (set up and break down- 2 hours) $60

• Attendant Tip $20

Total: $540

Cake- Gelson’s Bakery 2 tier cake/Store bought or homemade pies

• 2 tier cake (9” base, 6” top) naked design w/ succulents applied later @ $175

• 5 pies @ $8/each + tax = $45

• 20 mini pies @$4.50/ea. = $99

Total: $319

Bar- Self Made

• 1 Bartender x 10 hrs @ $20/hr + $200 tip (+ tip jar for guests to tip) $400

• Water & Soda $150

• Beer 1 Keg $250

• Beer 74 btls of beer for pre-ceremony $100

• 2 cases of white wine $210

• 2 cases of red wine $250

Old Fashion Materials

• 10 btls Bulleit Bourbon $500

• Oranges $30

• 5 btls bitters $50

• Sugar cubes $10

Moscow Mules Materials

• 10 btls Kirkland $340

• Five 4 packs of ginger beer $90

• Limes $25

• Lime mix $50

Total: $2,455

DJ & Photo booth- Electric Entertainment

• 8 hours DJ $800 (FRIEND)

• Coordinator $250 (FRIEND)

• Photo booth (FRIEND)

• Photo booth decorations (FRIEND)

Total: $1,050

Photographer- Ryuji Morita

• 8 Hours w/ second shooter $800

• Tip $200

Total: $1,000

Videographer- Light up Video

• Videographer (FRIEND)

Total: $0

Officiant-

• 30 Minute Ceremony

Total: $250

Hair & Make Up

• Hair: Nikki (FRIEND)

• Makeup: Sam (FRIEND)

Flowers- Los Angeles Flower Market

• Bouquet flowers $100

• Table flowers $200

• Random other flowers $50

• Succulents $125

Total: $475

Decorations

• Table linen (white linens and lace overlay) $300

• Empty wine bottles FREE

• Weird vases/jars/decanters from Goodwill $70

• Giant flower pots for alter $30

• Big mirror $70

• Miscellaneous free/cheap things $180

• Teapots/teacups for centerpieces $50

Total: $800

Save the Dates & Invitations- Vistaprint

• Save the Dates $200

• Invitations $156

• Thank you cards $30

Total: $386

Dress/Shoes/Alterations-

• Dress $375 (Cocomelody)

• Alterations $175

• Cleaning $150

• Custom converse $60

Total: $760

Suit/Shoes

• Suit $250

• Shoes $50

• Accessories (tie, socks, etc.) $100

Total: $400

Miscellaneous-

• Plates $350

• Cups (rented from bartender)

  • 175 Water glasses

  • 100 Old Fashioned glasses

  • 100 Wine glasses

  • 175 beer/other beverage glasses

    = $440

• Water carafes $50

• Coffee & tea station (via bartender) $175

  Total: $1,015

Gifts

• Bridesmaids: Robe, personalized Champagne glass, bracelet $15/each x 8 =$120

• Groomsmen: Tie, pocket square, socks $35/each x 8 = $280

• Nikki Thank You- Custom bath wine holder, wine, spa things $75

• Sam Thank You- $75

• Dave Thank You- $75

Total: $625

GRAND TOTAL: $17,963

Wedding Budgeting: A Building block to wedding planning

Wedding planning can be overwhelming. The question I come across most is “where the heck do I even start?” The answer (for me) is quite simple: BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET. Weddings have a reputation for being expensive and often exceeding budgets. The absolute best way to avoid this is to begin wedding planning by fully mapping out exactly how you will allocate your money. It doesn’t matter if you have $3,000 or $300,000. All weddings, in my opinion, should start with budgeting.

How do we actually do this? Begin by deciding on a firm budget. Let’s use $100,000 as our example budget with a guest count of 150. From there you want to figure out exactly what you will be budgeting for. To simplify this process create a list of all vendors you will be using and items you will absolutely be purchasing. Here is my example outline:

Venue

Caterer

Rentals

Planner or Day of Coordinator

Music/Sound Equipment

Officiant

Photographer

Videographer

Bar

Dessert

Florist

Dress/Suits

Wedding Bands

Hair & Makeup

Save the Dates/Invitations

Decorations

Misc. (i.e bridal party gifts, photo booth, etc.)

As a guideline, the budget is, on average, allocated as follows:

• 48-50 % of total budget to reception (venue/rentals/food/bar/cake)

• 6-8% for florals

• 8-10% for attire

• 8-10% for entertainment/music

• 10-12% percent for photo/video

• 1-2% percent for invitations

• 1-2% percent for gifts

• 10-12% for miscellaneous items like an officiant, wedding coordinator, decor, hair and makeup, etc.

• 5-10% of your money for unforeseen expenses. Things happen, so it is best to set money aside from the beginning in order to address these expenses as they arise.

How your budget is allocated will vary dramatically depending on what you value, access to vendors, and a million other little details. Take this snapshot with a grain of salt. As you read through the rest of this blog you will see that in the example budget, the money is not exactly inline with this breakdown!

Before we go any further, there are three very important things to note.

1. Price out everything before booking anything to ensure you are able to stay within your budget after you chose all of your vendors. This process should go a few steps further than simply Googling the average costs of a vendor. Be sure to look in your area within the parameters that you are interested in booking. This process can be tedious without a planner, but it is possible! Patience, diligence, and perseverance will go a long way in this search!

2. Manage your expectations. The interest can be a blessing and a curse when it comes to wedding planning. On the plus side, inspiration is easy to come by. On the downside, the readily available examples of gorgeous wedding features can make otherwise incredible designs seem… insignificant. Before falling in love with anything wedding related (easier said than done), be sure to research the cost of that particular design, service, element, etc.

3. Vendors will book other clients! This isn’t meant to worry you, or rush you, it’s more to help you have a realistic expectation. Vendors cannot hold a date without a deposit. If you find someone you love, try to price out the other vendors fairly quickly so you can pay your deposit and secure that vendor you have fallen in love with.

VENUE

The biggest expense of most weddings is the venue. Venues come in so many shapes and sizes. Some will include every single thing you will need for your wedding, others will be a complete blank slate. Just choosing what kind of venue you want can be overwhelming. Narrow down your process by first deciding what kind of aesthetic you would like. Have you been picturing a banquet hall? A beachfront wedding with an indoor reception? Or perhaps a 100% outdoor wedding in the mountains? Once you decide on one (or maybe two) styles of venue that would bring you the most joy, begin doing research into venues that match your vision in your area. This can be done through a simple google search, word of mouth, or even social media. Price out a few options and add this information to your overall budget, BEFORE BOOKING. Before booking is key. Maybe you found a $15,000 venue that is almost a blank slate. $5,000 sounds like a lot, but it is important to price out each vendor before booking anything to make sure this will actually fit in your budget.

For our example budget, I am going to use a beautiful DIY outdoor wedding in Los Angeles that costs $10,000 for the full day. Our example venue will include onsite parking, bathrooms, and a gorgeous space to host a wedding.

The venue will require security (+$2,500), valet (+$1,850), & an additional fee to use their dumpsters (+$500). With these additional required charges, the venue total is $14,850.

CATERER

Catering is another huge expense. There are so many options out there and your approach to finding this vendor really depends on your budget. There are many venues that include catering, and they can actually be a great way to save money and time. This doesn’t work with everyone’s wedding vision though! If you have found a venue you love that does not include catering then selecting this vendor is a great next step. Before deciding on a caterer you will want to decide how you would like the food served. Do you want a more involved plated, elaborate, five course meal or are you more interested in a buffet? Find a caterer that is willing to serve the food in a way that you would like. Also consider the accommodations your ideal venue offers for a caterer. Does your venue have a full kitchen for a caterer to work in? Will your caterer need to bring a mobile setup? Can you afford the type of caterer that can work with the venue? These are all things that need to be discussed prior to booking your venue or your caterer. Don’t forget to budget in a 20% tip for the staff!

For our example budget, let’s use a fusion caterer who will provide 3-4 tray passed appetizers during cocktail hour and a plated dinner with two protein options for your guests to choose between. They do not provide plates, utensils, glassware, or napkins, but they will clear the tables & return the dinnerware rental items to the delivery vessels the rental company provides. They will slice & serve a cake that I purchase separately and take care of trash removal for the duration of the event. They will charge $76/person + 9% service fee + 20% tip for a total of $14,706.00

Rentals

You may or may not need rentals for your wedding depending on the venue that you go with. It is important to accurately gauge the cost of rentals prior to booking a venue in order to fully understand whether or not everything will wok into your budget and maintain your design vision.

For our example, I will need power, a kitchen build out for my caterer, dinner tables, table linens, ceremony & reception chairs, 4 8ft wooden miscellaneous tables, 2 physical bar rentals, overhead lighting, drinking glasses (water, wine, rocks, pint, & champagne), plates, silverware, napkins, space heaters, and umbrellas. Assuming I edge of the more conservative side of design, my rentals will cost roughly $18,000 + $950 delivery, install, & pick up fee for a total of $18,950.

PLANNER/COORDINATOR

A planner can absolutely help you map out your budget. Planners have experience and relationships with other vendors that can actually end up saving you money in the long run. Even if they can’t save you money, they can save you a lot of time by using their experience to pinpoint vendors that will help your unique wedding vision come to life. The irony is, what if you can’t afford the planner once you have budgeted everything else? I recommend doing at least a rough draft of your budget prior to booking a planner to make sure you can fit one into your budget. If you cannot fit one into your budget or are excited to do the wedding planning journey on your own, a Day of Coordinator will go a long way. On the day of your wedding you don’t want to have to stress about the details. Let someone else do this for you! Look into a few options and add the prices to your outline. Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will say we will use a Day of Coordinator who will set up and breakdown all of my decorations, coordinate with my other vendors, and generally vibes well with (spoiler alert, it’s me). The price will be $2,050 for 12 hours of coordination on the day of my wedding and a few meetings throughout the month leading up to the wedding. I will budget in $500 tip for a total of $2,550.

MUSIC

Music and your MC are very important for the flow of the evening. You want to start your budgeting process by considering your preferences and needs. Do you want a DJ and MC? Have you been envisioning a live band? If you want a live band, will the one you find also MC or will you need to find someone else to do this. Decide on these factors and then begin looking for musicians that offer exactly what you’re envisioning. Again, a Google search goes a long way. Websites like The Knot or WeddingWire are great resources to find these types of vendors as well. The prices can vary significantly, but my biggest advice would be to read reviews!! If you found a DJ who is super fun on the phone and is only charging $400 for eight hours, you definitely want to do your research. If it seems too good to be true, it just might be. You only get one shot at your dream wedding and it is better to spend a bit more to be happy at the end of the day then feel like you wasted any money by choosing a cheaper option. Whoever you end up going with, don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will choose a DJ who doubles as an MC. This person will work with my coordinator throughout the day, make announcements, and keep the party going throughout the night. They will charge me $2,500 for 8 hours of actual music, two sound systems, and lighting for the dance floor. I will budget in $250 tip. In total I will spend $2,750.

OFFICIANT

There are many directions to go when it comes to your officiant. You may want a very religious ceremony and you will want someone who can match that tone. Perhaps you are not religious at all and you would like to avoid any mention of religion in your ceremony. You will want to find an officiant that can really capture you and your partners relationship and lifestyle in a ceremony. Officiants range in price. Find a few that you are interested in meeting with and put the price of the most expensive officiant from that list on your budget outline.

For our example budget, I will use a non denominational officiant who meshes well with my personality. They will charge $750 for a 30 minute ceremony. I have found two back up officiants in case this one books someone else before I am ready. They are both willing to work for the same price.

MARRIAGE LICENSE

The cost of these vary a bit from city to city. In Los Angeles (as of 2019) the cost of a marriage license is $90. If you aren’t getting married in Los Angeles a quick google search will tell you the going rate!

PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER

I’m lumping these two together for research purposes. There are so many styles of photographs and videos out there. You want to start your search by looking into the many styles available. Do you want pictures that are darker and more artistic? Are you interested in very light, bright, and whimsical photos? Find your style and then find a few photographers in your budget. There are many great photographers/videographers out there, but there is definitely something to be said for someone with wedding experience. Everyone has to start somewhere and giving a new vendor a chance is AWESOME! Just be sure that they are prepared to do all of the above and beyond work that an experienced wedding photographer or videographer are willing to do. Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will choose a photographer whose style I LOVE! I looked through their portfolio, I read the reviews, and this person offers all of the things I was hoping for. They will include a free engagement shoot when I book them for my wedding. They will charge $4,200 for eight hours on my wedding day, a second photographer to capture different angles, and 500 edited photos. I will choose a videographer whose style I also love. They will offer eight hours of video coverage and deliver a 6 minute clip of the highlights of my wedding. They will charge $2,700 for all of this. I will tip the photographer $500, and their assistant $100. I will tip the videographer $500. In total I will spend $8,000 on photo & video.

BAR

The bar can be included with some venues or even some caterers. If it is not going to be included or if you’d like to create your own anyway, then you’ll need to consider a few things. First, there are many bar rental companies that include EVERYTHING. This will get you the physical bar, a bartender, full open bar for the evening, set up and breakdown. There are many companies that will send just bartenders who will show up, serve the alcohol you have bought, clean a little at the end, and leave. There are of course many options for anything in between. If you have your heart set on making your own bar make sure that your venue allows this! Many venues will either insist you use their bar, or at very least hire a licensed bartender. This is another reason you want to research all of your vendors PRIOR to booking anything. Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will have two signature cocktails, beer, and wine. I will hire two bartenders to serve alcohol throughout my wedding. The cost of the standard bar package including the alcohol I want is $45/guest + the hourly rate of 2 bartenders x 6 hrs of bar service (plus $250 tip each). I will spend $7,730.

DESSERT

Cake cutting is a staple at many weddings. The artistry that goes into cake making comes at a price, though! Find a style that you would like and then find a few bakeries that can create your vision. A more recent common trend is a full dessert table. Some people lay out a selection of cookies, maybe you love pie and want a whole table of pie, maybe you want a donut wall, whatever it is you want, budget for it! Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example wedding, I will go with a smaller two tier cake and eight pies. I will choose to use a bakery for the cake and find pies at my local baker. The cake will cost me $875 and the pies will cost another $35/pie x 8 pies. The bakery will not be providing cake or pie stands., but they will deliver for free. I will tip $200. My total is $1,315.

FLORIST

Flowers are beautiful. They enhance any event they grace. They are expensive, though. Consider exactly what kind of look you would like to include at your wedding. Are you wanting big bouquets of roses on every table? Are you more of a wildflower person? Maybe you just want a bunch of greenery everywhere! No matter what you like, make sure that you have a vision and then find someone who can accomplish this vision within your budget. Again, read those reviews! Price out a few options and put the price of your favorite on your budget outline. Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will choose to use big green garlands and palm fronds to decorate everything. Even my example bouquet will be a collection of greenery with just a few flowers mixed in. My florist will charge me $5,500 for six bridesmaids bouquets, my bouquet, 5 50ft. garland table runner for centerpieces, greenery on my altar, and a three garlands for my dessert table, sweetheart table, and gift table. My groomsmen will not have boutonnieres. I will budget a tip of $250 for all of the hard work I anticipate going into my greenery. The total for florals will cost $5,750.

WEDDING ATTIRE

The wedding dress hunt can be an intimidating one. It can also make or break your budget. There is no shortage of dresses or suits out there but the search can still be tireless. This can be a little tricky, and maybe not so fun, but think of a number that you will not spend a penny over. You can always come back to this aspect at the end if you need (or have) a little more wiggle room in your budget. Don’t forget to budget for alterations, jewelry, and shoes!! Almost every wedding dress will need to be altered to fit your body properly, even if it is custom made.

For our example budget, I will budget $2,500 for my dress and another $500 for alterations. After looking online and deciding on a few designers and local bridal shops I like, I am confident I can find something within my price range. I’ll likely need another $150 for shoes, $150 for undergarments, but my accessories will be gifted to me. I will also budget $550 for my future husbands suit, another $100 for his tie and pocket square, and another $100 for his shoes. Our attire will total is $4,050.

WEDDING BANDS (rings)

These are also often left out of budgets. People have different reasoning for this. If you are choosing to think of these as a separate expense from your wedding that is fine, but I personally consider it an expense. Like so many other wedding related things, there are a lot of styles and options. Find some that you like and add the most expensive ones to your budget. It is always better to over budget, than under budget.

For our example budget, I have found a beautiful wedding band that I love. I already love my engagement ring so much and I don’t want it to be overshadowed by my wedding band, so I found something simple that is only $120. My partner wants something a little more unique and involved and they range from $250-$450. I will budget the full $450. This lands us at $570 for wedding bands.

HAIR & MAKEUP

Much like photography and videography hair and makeup can come in many styles. Before actually booking this vendor(s) you will want to do a trial run, but for our budgeting purposes find a few (1-3) that you really likes style and put them on your budget outline. Don’t forget to budget in a tip!

For our example budget, I will go with a makeup artist who does a lovely natural look. She will charge $650 for my makeup. She has a great recommendation for a hairstylist who is willing to package their deals and will cost me another $250. My bridesmaids will all pay for their own hair and makeup services. I have found two backup makeup artists and one back up hair stylist who are willing to work at the same rate in case my trial run with my first choice does not go as planned. They will all charge $250 for the trial which I am absolutely going to do. No matter who I go with I will budget a tip of $75 for my hair and $75 for my makeup. My total cost is $1,600.

SAVE THE DATES/INVITATIONS

These guys often are forgotten when it comes to budgeting. They seem so incidental, but add up quickly. Consider how many guests you will invite, but remember you only need one invitation per household. Also remember to budget for stamps. They may only be a few cents each but if you are sending 150 invitations that‘s another almost $75 you will need to account for!

For our example budget, I will need 70 invitations for the 150 guests I plan to invite. I will order 90 just in case some get lost in the mail or I think of other people I would like to invite in the event some of my guests decline the invitation. I also want the same amount of magnetic save the dates. I will order them through a well known large print company. Both will come with envelopes but I will need stamps. My save the dates will cost $250, plus another $75 for stamps. My invitations will cost $320 plus another $75 for stamps. My total spent on these will be $720.

DECORATIONS

Decorations and personal touches can add up quickly! Whether you chose to hire a decorator, rent decor items, or source decor items independently, this is an expense that shouldn’t be left out of your budget! If you are choosing to find your own decorations make a careful list of the things you *think* you will purchase and budget accordingly. When it comes to decorations it is always better to assume you will need a larger budget than you would expect.

For our example budget, my day of coordinator has a selection of decorations that I have access too which I plan to use to save some money! I will use her table numbers, unplugged ceremony sign, bar sign, candle votives, and a few other miscellaneous items to supplement the other design elements I will source independently. I know I need a seating chart and seating cards, but I know there are other things I will want too. I’m still not sure what they are. Even if I decide now, I will probably change my mind before the wedding. I am going to give myself $1,000 to come up with my own decorations.

MISCELLANEOUS

Depending on what your other vendors will provide or offer as upgrades you may find yourself needing a few other things. Many caterers provide plates and utensils, but some don’t. Sometimes the caterer, bar, or venue will provide drinking glasses, sometimes they won’t. If you are getting married at an outdoor venue you may need to consider climate control (i.e space heaters, tents, or umbrellas). Some other more common miscellaneous items are wedding website, photo booth, coffee station, party favors, cocktail hour entertainment etc. There are any number of miscellaneous items that you may need to consider for your own individual wants and needs. Try to plan for as many of these items as possible when writing out your budget.

For our example budget, I am going all out. I know my DJ offers a photo booth for $495 for 3 hours. I want that. I know they also offer uplights at $30/each. I want 16. I want a coffee station by my dessert table. My caterer offers this upgrade for $150. I need party favors, a wedding website, a mimosa bar for while I’m getting ready, a change of shoes for when I’m dancing, gifts for my bridal party, a special car to pick us up at the end of the wedding.... THE WORKS. I have looked into every single one of these ideas and learned that between the packages offered by my vendors and the things I need to collect on my own this will all cost me at least another $1,600, assuming I don’t think of anything else I’d like to add (I will). I know that I should allocate ~8-10% of my overall budget to misc. though so I will allocate $7,500 to this category. Maybe I spend it, maybe I don’t, but it is better to be prepared!

NOW WHAT??

Once you have completed your budget, total everything up and see where you land. Maybe you have realized you need to change a few vendors you had in mind for someone that will work better in your budget. Maybe you have found extra money in your budget and you can splurge in other areas. Now jump on those vendors, because finding a vendor you love just to learn your date has been booked is no fun!

So how did we do on our example budget? Remember we are planning on around 150 guests. Let’s tally.

Venue- $14,850.00

Caterer- $14,706.00

Rentals- $18,950.00

Planner or Day of Coordinator- $2,550.00

Music/Sound Equipment- $2,750.00

Officiant- $750

Marriage License- $90

Photographer & Videographer- $8,000.00

Bar- $7,730.00

Dessert- $1,315.00

Florist- $5,750.00

Wedding bands- $570

Dress/Suits- $4,050.00

Hair & Makeup- $1,600.00

Save the Dates/Invitations- $720.00

Decorations- $1,000.00

Misc.- $7,500.00

TOTAL: $92,881.00

GREAT NEWS! The example budget came in a bit under what I have set aside to spend on my wedding! Maybe I will take that extra money and put it towards a trip or a house. Maybe I will decide that I can splurge a bit more in certain areas of my budget! Whatever I need to do, at least now I have mapped everything out and know exactly where I will stand on my budget. Now I am ready to take on the next steps of wedding planning.

Happy budgeting!!