Congratulations on Your Engagement!!! Hooray for Love, But What Comes Next?
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What a beautiful thing to be engaged!
There’s a magical, glittery, light feeling that comes from a new engagement, and I always tell people to do their best to drink it in and savor that feeling the very best they can. Mateo & Company Photography
Your wedding still needs a plan though, and the very first step towards the wedding of your dreams is a heart to heart with your betrothed. Take the time to get down to the specifics about the three biggest pieces of your wedding:
1) Budget
2) Size
3) Style
Personally I’m big on Budget. The more you talk about money, the easier it is, and for a lot of people, a wedding will be the most money you’ve spent together on something so far!
If your budget is more than $35k, definitely consider hiring a planner. A lot of times they can save you money once you hit that level— at least enough to pay their fee, and the good ones will make your life much less stressful down the line!
Next is Date and Venue. These choices go hand and hand with Size. You likely have an idea of when you’d like to get married, but don’t pick a date yet! Try to have a range, like spring or fall. That way, when you go to look at venues you can be flexible with their schedule, and that way a great spot won’t slip through your fingers. If you are planning a church wedding, that is a natural starting point. Ring the church and see what dates they have available in your season, and then take that info along with you when you’re ready to look at reception venues.
One common mistake with venues, is to select a single venue and not shop around (I was totally guilty of this when I got married). If budget is a factor in your decision making, make sure to keep at least two options on the table as you negotiate pricing with them. If you have a serious contender lined up, ask for a complete price early in the decision making process. There are all kinds of fees, gratuities, and taxes added on to any venue’s base rate, and there’s no way to know what they are until you ask. They aren’t consistent across venues either! So don’t get your heart set on a location until they spill the beans. Ask for a sample Banquet Event Order (BEO), and a contract, which should help you estimate the cost. Venue will be your biggest budget item, so this will get you much closer to how much of your budget will be left for other elements of your wedding.
Once your date and venue are secured it’s time to reach out to other vendors! Next comes photographer, band, bakery and florist (yay!). And all of them will be happy that you have a date and venue locked down,
Often your venue will have a list of their favorite folks to work with, and that can be a great starting point, but don’t stop there! Instagram is a great way to vet a list of recommended vendors. My favorite way of getting clients? Word of mouth. My brides recommend me, and I am always so delighted and flattered when someone comes to me from a past bride. It means that not only did she love her flowers, the flower experience was good. Bingo!
Two of my favorite one-stop online tools are The Knot and Zola. (link!) While I don’t always agree with their budget calculator (does it surprise you that I think the flower budget is too low?) I think a budgeting tool is a great starting point.
So congrats again, it’s time to get busy! When you are ready to talk flowers, call me! Even if you’re not in New Orleans, I have a network of talented professionals standing at the ready to rock your world. Let’s get the wedding magic happening!
