Congratulations on your engagement! Woohoo! Now what?!?
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Congratulations on your engagement! Woohoo! Now what?!?
The first step to wedding planning is a heart-to-heart with your betrothed about the kind of wedding you want to have. You likely have a good feeling, but I think it is important to talk about the size, the style, and the budget. I am big on budget. The more you talk about money the easier it is, and money is often a big source of tension in a relationship, so shed a little light on the topic right away!
If your wedding budget is more than $35k, discuss hiring a planner, chances are they can save you money – at least enough to pay their fee and make the process much less stressful!
Next – the date and venue. These choices tend to go hand in hand. You likely have an idea of when you would like to get married, so don’t pick a specific date, try to have a range, like spring or fall. Then when you go to look at venues you can be flexible. 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 take that info with you as you begin to look for venues.
One common mistake is to select a single venue and not shop around. If budget is in any way a factor in your decision-making, try to keep at least two options on the table as you negotiate pricing. For a venue under serious consideration, ask for a complete price soon in the decision-making process, there are all kinds of fees, gratuities, and taxes that are added to your price, and they vary from one venue to another. A sample BEO and contract should help you estimate the final number! This is also your biggest budget item and will help you get a feel for what this wedding is actually going to cost.
Once your date and venue are secured you can reach out to other vendors. Next comes the photographer, band, bakery, and florist. Often your venue has a list of recommended vendors, what a great starting point! 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, but the flower experience was good. Bingo!
Two of my favorite online checklists are the Knot and Zola. 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! Let’s get busy! When you are ready to talk flowers, call me! If you are not in New Orleans, I have a network of talented professionals that are ready to rock your world.
