Photo: Rodney Bailey
Go back and read Part 1 (Words of Wisdom), Part 2 (the Big Picture), and Part 3 (Budgets) of this Wedding Planning Start Series for newly engaged couples.
Maybe a better title for this post is How to Plan a Wedding without Killing Each Other? All jokes aside, weddings bring out the best and worst in people probably because everything about it is so emotionally charged.
Here are my Top 5 Keys to Successful Wedding Planning:
- Prioritize. We talked about prioritizing when discussing the wedding budget and assigning more budget to those items that are on the top of your list. It does not stop with budgeting money. Prioritizing also applies to your time – so spending more time on planning your higher priority items and less time, if any at all, on those you don’t care as much about. On the less important items, trust the professionals that you hired and let them handle it. The bottom line here is that you don’t have a limitless budget and you don’t have a lot of time and you are not the Energizer Bunny. You want to make your budget and time work as efficiently for you as possible.
- Compromise. It takes two to be in a marriage and that begins when you start planning your wedding. There are two of you, two opinions and two sets of priorities. Chances are you will not agree on everything. Be ready to pick your battles.
- Organize. Planning a wedding is a big project with many pieces. It can all get out of control really quickly so it is crucial that you get organized and stay organized. Whether you do it electronically or using binder/folder system, select a method that will help you corral all the information packages, proposals and contracts you will be receiving. Set up a separate email account for wedding related emails to keep them from being mixed up with your other emails. When you purchase items for your wedding, designate a box/area/room for these items.
- Communicate. Communication is extremely important, not only with each other but with your family, friends and the wedding professionals you hire. Your vendors will appreciate you expressing your expectations and concerns. It allows us to do our job better and to provide you with better service. As a wedding planner, I get phone calls frequently from brides and grooms alike venting about each other or about a family member, and I find myself ending many of those conversations with “have you told this person what you just told me?” If you try to communicate and you hit an impasse, you might need to seek an impartial third party to help. I have had clients who attend pre-marital or couples counseling while planning their weddings and they have all said that those sessions were helpful.
- Perspective. Constantly remind yourselves what this wedding is all about. Like it or not, it is not about finding that perfect favor to give to your guests. Amidst all the planning, you can easily lose yourselves. I suggest having date nights or even weekend getaways where you are forbidden to talk about the wedding and decompress a bit.
Now that you are prepared to plan your wedding, be sure to subscribe to our blog for more helpful tips on planning your Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia wedding. Be sure to read our series of Real Weddings. We are here to help so contact us. Have fun! Vicky