If you’re reading this, then you may have gotten engaged over the holidays. Congratulations! This is such a special time. Once a little bit of time has passed to allow you to enjoy your engagement, it’s time to start planning the wedding! Today, we’re bringing you 10 tasks to get you started with wedding planning in the new year.
10 Wedding Planning Tasks for the New Year
Here are 10 things that you can check off your list while wedding planning in the new year!
1. Book your venue
Booking your venue should be one of the very first things that you do when wedding planning! Wedding venues book up very quickly — usually at least a year in advance for weekend dates! So, as soon as you have figured out the season that you’re hoping to get married in and a rough idea of how many people you want to invite, then it’s time to start taking a look at venues.
Ask friends and family members who have recently gotten married what their experiences were like, do some research online and on social media, and start booking a few in-person tours! You can get a really good feeling for the vibe of your wedding day when you are actually at the venue in-person. Plus, a lot of venues will not give you pricing information until you tour the venue.
2. Hire a planner
Hiring a planner should be another step that you get done right away when wedding planning. This is especially true if you’re looking for a planner to plan and design the entire wedding for you! If you’re looking for a month-of coordinator, then you may have some time… but it’s really never to early to book one! This will ensure that we have that weekend open to work your wedding.
Because a planner helps with wedding planning every step of the way, it’s important to get in contact with us early on in the process!
3. Find a photographer and videographer
Photographers and videographers are another vendor that book up very quickly. We are talking at least a year out, again!
Photography and videography is also one of the wedding items that you may want to allocate more of your budget to. Photos and videos are the only physical memories that you’re going to have left from your wedding day!
4. Book tastings
Here is one of the more fun parts about wedding planning… the food! If your venue offers in-house catering, then you will want to go ahead and set up a tasting so that you can start planning the menu for your big day. If your venue gives you a list of preferred caterers, start reaching out to each one to get a pricing and menu list. You’ll be able to narrow it down from there and set up a tasting with one or two of them!
If you’re completely on your own with catering, then you will definitely want to get started early! If you have a planner, they will be a huge help to you here. We can recommend caterers based on your budget and what type of food you’re looking to serve. If you do not have a planner, then research will be your best friend here!
5. Research florists
Florists are another one of the major wedding vendors that may book up well in advance. Thankfully, some florists have large teams, meaning that they can handle multiple weddings in a day. However, they will still book up in advance — so don’t wait!
6. Go wedding dress shopping
Did you know that you should start wedding dress shopping at least a year before the wedding? This will give the dress enough time to come in after being ordered, and allow you time for alterations — which pretty much every dress requires! If you are in the greater Baltimore area, we suggest shopping at K&B Bridals.
7. Create a guest list
You most likely have a rough number in your head of how many people you’re planning to invite to the wedding, especially if you already have a venue booked. However, at some point, you need to create a guest list to decide who exactly will be invited! Remember, there are a lot of people to consider: both families, friends of each of you, co-workers, etc.
8. Ask wedding party members
Haven’t taken the time to ask anyone to be in your wedding yet? Now is the time to do it! You can go all out, and create an elaborate gift box for each person to ask them to be in your wedding. But that absolutely is not required! Anyone will appreciate a nice handwritten, personalized note asking them to be in your wedding.
9. Start planning a honeymoon
Planning a honeymoon is another one of the most fun aspects of wedding planning! It never hurts to start planning this early, especially if you are going to a far-away destination. And that’s the first step — deciding where you’re going to go!
10. Choose wedding colors
Finally, if you haven’t chosen your wedding colors yet, you’re going to want to do that pretty early on in the planning process. Your wedding colors and/or theme will dictate a lot of other things in the planning process, from the bridesmaids dresses to the cake to the overall decor.
Feeling completely overwhelmed with everything that you need to get done in the planning process? No worries! Reach out to us here, we would absolutely love to help you plan your special day.