JymWrites | 14 Easy Steps to Planning the Perfect Wedding

Planning a wedding is not only financially demanding but can be time-demanding as well. You may have the money and want to hire a professional to take care of everything, which is a good idea. But it is also important that you and your partner take care of some details together. Be actively involved in the wedding planning process to make sure it is the perfect wedding you want.

And because this can overwhelm you, I have some simple steps you can follow to help you plan a perfect wedding. Read on!

1. Set Your Wedding Budget and stick to it
It is important that you know how much you want to spend on your wedding. Your wedding budget sets the tone for all other planning concerned with your wedding. It is a hard conversation to have sometimes but if two people who want to spend the rest of their lives together cannot sit and agree on how much they want to put into their wedding, then what are they doing, right? So it’s time to take a candid look at your finances and decide how much you want to spend. And please don’t budget to please people, I don’t think they matter here. Once you decide on what to spend, stick to it. And to stick to it, follow the rest of the steps for your perfect wedding.

2. Pick the Wedding Date and seasons
The next thing that should follow the budget should be the wedding date. The best thing to do is try and set the date early and be flexible so you don’t put constraints on yourself(s). So you need to pick a wedding date that is practical; you can decide to marry within the next six months so you have the space to plan. And what season do you want to get married? Do you always dream of a spring wedding or do you want to marry on your birthday? Remember to involve families when deciding on the date. Getting the important people on board in deciding the wedding date is how you begin the process of a perfect wedding.

3. Time to start working on your guest list
Hands in the air if you have always dreamed of having a small wedding; with just a few family members. Yeah, you would like to invite every friend, family member, and co-worker, but be naïve, and invite only the people who need to be there. Sit down with your partner and immediate key family members and put together a wish list. As you are doing that, remind them of your budget. Because the guest list largely depends on your budget and also the venue. When you need to make some cuts, be bold and do it.

4. Book a wedding venue for your perfect wedding
After picking a date and guest list, you need to book a wedding venue. I won’t advise that you wait till the last minute before you start looking for a venue. You don’t want that pressure. So now that you have a budget and a guest list, start working on a venue. Some venues you can consider are an outdoor garden, a hotel ballroom, a country club, a gallery space, a farm, or the event grounds. If you have a large family compound, you are in luck, save the money and use your family house. Also, know the season you are in when deciding on an outdoor venue. There are uncertainties that come with it and make sure you can deal with them before deciding on such places.

5. Determine the bridal class for your perfect wedding

This task has always been left to the brides to be but I think it is totally wrong. It’s not like the wedding is for the bride alone. When it comes to the type of wedding you want, make sure you decide that with your partner. This will help both of you have the wedding you both want and not the wedding the bride wants. Remember you have a budget when you are deciding on the class you want. You can start looking for bridal inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, Magazines, and trusted bridal sites. What color scheme do you want? Do you want a traditional feel, a romantic vibe, or modern simplicity? Once you are certain about the class you want, deciding on the flowers, the cake, or the dress will be much easier and the event will have a cohesive feel. This should help you have a good sense of the wedding you want when you start deciding on potential vendors.

6. Shopping for wedding attire for the perfect wedding

The next step is to shop for wedding attire. And finding the perfect attire for the wedding can be a whole process on its own. If your wedding attire is custom-made, experts advise that you order for them nine to twelve months before the wedding. This gives you enough time for fittings and alterations. In selecting your class and silhouette, take the season and the theme of the wedding into account. Don’t forget to shop for pre-wedding outfits for events like brunches, showers, and rehearsals.

7. Book wedding vendors you are comfortable with
Wedding vendors are the rock behind the wedding day. They are responsible for making everything run smoothly and memorable. When booking wedding vendors, make sure you go for vendors you will be comfortable with. Don’t rush into making the decision but take your time to consider different options. Make sure the vendor you go for understands your vision and can make it happen within your budget. Make sure you pick people you can vibe with well. And make sure you trust them to deliver well.

8. Consider a Full-service wedding planner
You probably haven’t hosted a party as big as your wedding before. Weddings are very important and can be complicated too; this is where a full-service wedding planner comes in. It is their job to make sure that when you show up on the day of your wedding, everything will be in order. But hiring a full-service wedding planner should be an option if it is a big wedding. If it is a smaller wedding, you may have the capacity to handle every detail so you can choose to do it yourself. As long as you have the perfect wedding you want.

9. Book hotel or guest Rooms for your guest
I will say that you give this duty to a friend or family member you can trust to deliver. If you have guests traveling for the wedding, make sure you have a hotel or a guest house booked for them all ahead of time. You can book a hotel or guest house block for your guest to make sure they are all at one hotel. This will put them all in one vicinity. Putting them together can create a positive atmosphere for your perfect wedding. This is a thoughtful thing to do to make sure your guests are well-settled for your wedding. You may also get a discounted rate if you book a room for them at the same hotel or guest house.

10. Take some time off together
If it is possible, the two of you should take some time off before the wedding day. The week before the wedding can be a good time to take a break. Take a break from work too, to make sure you have time to check on all last-minute arrangements before the wedding. A break towards the rest of the days leading to the wedding can make the wedding less stressful.

11. Understand what you don’t want
Understand the wedding is about just you and your partner. And make sure it is just about the two of you as a couple. If families are forcing aspects on you that you don’t want, then don’t include them. The wedding is not about them. Family traditions and suggestions can be lovely but don’t do them if they are not meaningful to you.

12. Postpone honeymoon planning
Planning a wedding alone is expensive and stressful especially if you are doing everything yourself. So imagine adding your dream honeymoon to the pressure. It may be a great idea to postpone the honeymoon planning just a bit. It is recommended to space out the wedding and the honeymoon to really appreciate everything. To have a perfect wedding, don’t put yourself in a position where you are too drained from the wedding which can prevent you from fully enjoying the getaway.

13. Book a photographer
Photographers are like venues, they can be booked up for the year. This is why you start your search early. Look out for photographers who can give you value for your money. Look for them on Instagram and check their works out and if they move you, they are likely a good fit. There are a lot of startup photographers, like Bilth Studio, with amazing packages at affordable prices. Reach out to check our packages, we have a team that will make you relive your perfect wedding. When you find the photographer you need, set up a meeting by phone or in person. Discuss what you want at the end of the day and make sure you are on the same page. But remember, photographers will only become how you relive your wedding day as a couple.

14. Involve your significant other
Don’t be in this process alone, involve your partner. I need to mention this again because it is that important. Most times, it is the woman who is in charge of the planning and the only thing the guy is involved in is paying for the process. Work on this as a team along the way and make decisions together; this makes the entire process fun. This will further strengthen the bond between the two of you and help you grow as a couple with every wedding challenge you tackle as a team. Spoiler alert, if your partner doesn’t feel the need to plan the wedding with you, I don’t think you should feel the need to marry him. If he can’t make time for something simple and important like this, how will he make time for the entire journey?

Bottom Line
You may decide with a tight wedding planning budget or you just want to do everything yourself. In any case, planning a wedding comes with extra responsibilities, but if you follow these steps and search for more information on how to have the perfect wedding, it is possible to plan your dream wedding either on your own or with the help of professionals.

And when you get to the stage where you need photographers you can trust, we are just a call or a WhatsApp message away. Check our packages and let us know how we can help you.