There it is, that ring you have always dreamed about sitting on your finger, placed there by the man you love. After you’ve shared the news with your friends and family all over Facebook and Instagram, it’s time to begin planning your next dream — your wedding day. Here are a few tips as you get started:
1. Think about the when. Talk to your family and your fiancé, (with input from his family!), about what general time or season would be best for everyone. Does it need to be a weekend event? Or is your fiance a die-hard Razorback fan making home game days off-limits for possible wedding dates? Food for thought.
Pro tip: Most reception venues offer healthy discounts on winter dates, days other than Saturday, etc. so you might take this into consideration.
2. Establish a rough budget. This step is not so much about the possible costs but establishing how much money you and/or your family can comfortably set aside for the ceremony, reception, gown, florals, etc. There are tons of ways you can cut down costs, but having that sometimes awkward money talk and nailing down the overall number will make everything easier in the future.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to factor in your honeymoon expenses into your budget!
3. Choose a ceremony and reception site. Vows being exchanged on Waikiki Beach may sound ultra-romantic but will your family and friends be able to join you? Exotic sites may eliminate attendance by those closest to you thanks to expensive travel costs and time. But brides sold on a destination wedding site might want to look into unique places in their home state, which will allow friends and family to come together for a full weekend of memories. Make sure, however, that your destination is one that has the credentials of producing successful, custom weddings like the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs.
Pro tip: Most destination venues can help you find vendors with a list of proven vendors such as ministers, florists, photographers, musicians, etc.
4. Buy your gown. This might be one of the hardest steps. Not only does your gown have to meet your high expectations but it will have to fit into your general budget. Luckily, Arkansas has plenty of great bridal boutiques to help you find “the one.”
Pro tip: Explore our favorite bridal boutiques here.
5. Fine-tune your budget. Some brides will spend up to 50 percent of their budget on the ceremony/reception with the honeymoon expense and the gown following close behind. Then single-digit percentage amounts for such things as the wedding attire for attendants, rings, flowers, music, invitations, etc. based on your personal preference.
Pro tip: Use our budget template to help you prioritize!
6. Merge and refine invitation lists. You have friends and relatives you want to invite and so does your fiancé — and both families will have added people that just have to be invited. Once these lists have been merged, see how the total number of possible guests multiplied by the “per person reception cost” fits into your budget. If it fits comfortably, no problem. If not, you will need to calmly begin the chore of refining and reducing names from the list. Then you send out your invitations!
Pro tip: If you would not have a someone over for dinner, you might consider cutting that person from the list.
7. Plan for your wedding day beauty. Most well-known ceremony and reception venues will have hair and makeup vendors they can recommend to you, your attendants, moms, etc. If the hair and makeup artists can’t come to your venue, make sure the salon is near and be sure to make your salon reservations and include these times in the photo timeline you create. Oftentimes when you do your site visit to a ceremony and reception venue, a visit to suggested stylists and makeup artists will help put your mind at ease. (P.S. Here are some of our favorite makeup and hair professionals in the state.)
8. Work your plan… and relax. Nothing allows you to enjoy the days before your wedding like having an established budget and timetable. Following both will help you to put a check mark next to all the boxes in a comfortable, worry-free fashion.
Pro tip: Surround yourself with relaxing fragrances. Many scents have been proven to take the edge off of stressful situations.
9. Tell your fiancé that you love him. This is a good daily habit to start long before — and after — the ceremony. After all, love is the reason for the season.
If you’re looking for more timely tips for your wedding planning process, be sure to sign up for our monthly planner e-newsletter series that lets you know step-by-step what you need to be doing in all the months leading up to your big day! Sign up here.
Plus, the Bride team has come up with a “Bridal Toolbox” including a budget template, all sorts of checklists, a wedding gown buying guide and a wedding day timeline.