The moment has finally come! You said "yes" to the love of your life and are ready to welcome a brand new chapter in your relationship. While you’d probably wish to stay in this bubble of happiness forever, it's time to take a deep breath and start thinking about the next big step: planning your wedding. We know how exciting (and maybe a little scary) this can feel, so we've put together a simple guide to help you get started on your journey to the most special day of your lives.
Find Your Wedding Vision
Before going headfirst into the logistical side of things, take some time to define your wedding vision. What does your perfect wedding look like? Sit down with your partner and start imagining what type of celebration you both want. Will it be a small, intimate event with only close friends and family or something more formal, large-scale? Indoors or outdoors? What kind of vibe, theme, and overall aesthetic are you drawn to? Talk it out, share your thoughts and ideas and don't be scared to dream big!
To make this part of the process even more exciting, we recommend creating a moodboard that will help you visualize your day. And for endless style and real wedding inspiration, THE WED is always here for you!
Set the Budget
Once you’ve got a vision, it's time to channel your inner accountant to help you plan and set your budget. Decide on how much you want to spend overall and then make sure you know your priorities too. What’s most important to you? A luxurious venue? Event design? Content? Michelin-level catering? Or maybe you'd prefer to keep costs low and save for an amazing honeymoon? Whatever you choose, keep things realistic. To avoid overspending, create a budget spreadsheet to track everything. Make sure to list every major service, fee, and potential expenses.
Betsy-Blue English, photography by Bushwhacked
Set the Date
Choose your wedding date as soon as you can! Deciding when you want to tie a knot will impact many other parts of your planning, so don't take it lightly. It might be a symbolic date that is meaningful for you two, an astrologically lucky one or the date that numerically looks beautiful.
However, it's best to have a few dates in mind, so as to stay flexible if your dream venue isn't available or the majority of your guests can’t attend, especially if you’re considering a weekday celebration. Think about the season too — spring and summer are popular for weddings, but off-peak times such as winter can offer some great benefits. Once you’ve picked your date, everything else will start to fall into place.
Research & Book Your Venue
Now is the time to research venues and start taking venue site tours. Your venue is the backdrop for all the beautiful moments of your special day - a stage for love, connection and all those incredible photographs you'll treasure for years to come. So make sure it matches your vision. It might be a grand hotel with a chic feel, a palace with spacious ballrooms and luscious gardens, a beachfront resort with mesmerizing coastal views, or modern art gallery space. As soon as you find a venue that matches your size, style, budget, and has all the right amenities, secure your spot. Remember, popular venues can book up really fast, so start your search early on!
Jason Lloyd Evans, November Studio
Hire a Wedding Planner
While planning your wedding on your own is doable, having the support of a planner or coordinator can make the whole process more enjoyable and less stressful. If you have room in your wedding budget, we highly recommend booking their services. Being in the industry for years, wedding planners know all the ins and outs and how to make your event truly memorable and special. They will come up with the perfect concept that reflects your and your partner’s love story, offer you a selection of venues that might potentially suit you two, recommend the trusted vendors and just orchestrate every detail in the best way possible.
But even with a planner here to help, make sure to stay on top of all the planning to-dos and tasks. To keep everything organized, try using task management apps and planning spreadsheets. Some great options are Notion with a variety of templates, Todoist and Any.do.
Book Your Dream Team
Your vendors — photographers, videographers, florists, stationery creators, caterers, and more — are the ones who will transform your vision into reality. We recommend starting by making a list of all the suppliers you’re going to need to hire. To make the search easier, ask your planner for vendor recommendations or explore THE WED's talented members. Since vendors fill their schedules quickly, with many in-demand ones hired more than a year in advance, take action fast, in the early stages of planning. Be sure to read reviews, browse their portfolios and meet with the vendors you feel are the best fit.
Create a Guest List & Choose Your Wedding Party
Deciding on who to invite requires a lot of consideration, patience, and making quite a few hard decisions. Ask yourself: who do you want to share your big day with? You have probably already thought about it and you know the key people you want to see next to you. Here are a few tips on creating a wedding list that everyone feels happy about.
Family & Friends First
Before writing down all the names you can think of, determine your VIPs and must-invites. This would most likely be your inner circle and people you just can’t imagine your wedding without: parents, siblings, grandparents and very close friends. Be sure to invite them no matter what! Then, if budget and venue allows, add others such as extended family, work colleagues and mutual friends.
Create the A & B Lists
A very wonderful idea is to come up with two guest lists. It’s a very nice strategy that can make the planning process easier. Your A list would include the most important people in your life. Meanwhile, the backup list B would feature people you'd love to invite but may not have the same level of connection with. Here's how it works: if an A-list guest can't make it, you can move the B-list guest to the primary list. But make sure to keep these lists private to avoid any potential awkwardness or hurt feelings!
Set the Rules
Another important step is to decide whether you will be inviting plus-ones or allow kids, and if so, under what circumstances. We recommend coming up with some rules and sticking to them with everyone you are planning to invite. For instance, a plus-one will only be invited if someone is married, in a long-term relationship or already engaged. For kids, you can set a certain age cutoff or go for an adults-only wedding.
Quentin De Briey, Arina Kareva
Don’t Feel Guilty
It’s impossible to invite everybody, so don’t feel guilty every time you skip a name. You are not obliged to invite to your wedding a friend of a friend or an acquaintance only because they were nice to you. Set priorities! It's your day, and you are to decide who to invite. As an alternative, you can always arrange a relaxed dinner after the main event for some of those who didn't make it to the final cut.
Choose Your Wedding Party Thoughtfully
Having a wedding party isn’t a must, but many couples want to be surrounded by bridesmaids and groomsmen on their most special day. These should be the people who will not only be supportive but who can also handle the responsibilities that come with being in the wedding party, such as planning pre-wedding events, helping with logistics, and standing by your side on the big day. Whether you go for a small or large group is totally up to you —but keep in mind that the more people you have, the more this could impact your budget.
Send Out Your Save-the-Dates
Your guest list is finalized, so it's time to make things official. To give your guests as much notice as possible, send out your save-the-dates early — ideally, three to six months in advance. Being early with your announcement is especially important if you’re having a destination wedding or if your date falls during a busy season. It gives your guests the chance to clear their schedules and make sure they can be there to celebrate with you.
Plan Your Ceremony
Your ceremony is the heart of your wedding celebration. It’s the most emotion-driven and sentimental part of the day, the most intimate and beautiful. To make your ceremony everything you want it to be, do plan it thoughtfully. First of all, make sure your ceremony space is close to or at your reception venue, which is the most logistically-wise decision. Work closely with your officiant to personalize your ceremony with rituals or readings that resonate with your and your partner's values. And of course, pay attention to the flow of the ceremony — music, vows, and transitions should feel natural and heartfelt.
Monika Frias, Dos Mas En La Mesa
Plan Your Reception
Unlike a wedding ceremony, a reception is a more laid-back event where newlyweds can finally relax and enjoy their time with guests. It's where the party really gets started! Think about what kind of atmosphere you want and work out the flow of the night with your vendors, so it runs smoothly from cocktails to cake cutting and dancing. Plan the menu, seating, and entertainment to match your style.
Consider Pre & Post Wedding Events
Multi-day weddings are becoming increasingly popular, as more couples wish to extend the celebration and make the most of their special time together, beyond just one day!
The night before your wedding, invite your nearest and dearest for a relaxed rehearsal dinner. It’s a chance to unwind, shake off any nerves, and bond with closest friends and family before the major part of celebration comes. If you have a lot of out-of-town guests, you might also want to host a welcome party that has a bigger guest list than the rehearsal dinner. And after the big day, think of hosting a farewell brunch to spend extra time with your guests before they leave. There are no strict rules to follow, so you have the freedom to get creative and plan it exactly how you wish!
Berta De la Presa, Shanna Jones Photography
Shop for Bride & Groom Looks
One of the most exciting and fun steps in the planning process is without a doubt shopping for your attire. By now, you and your partner likely have a vision of your perfect looks, so now it’s about time to visit all those wedding boutiques you have on your list. Finding the gown of your dreams might take up to a few months, and quite a while to make one based on your measurements. Most bridal designers require an average lead time of around 8 months, with some couture designers needing over a year. So, don't wait too long to get started!
Groomswear, however, doesn’t take as much time. Made-to-measure suits generally require 4 to 6 weeks, while bespoke outfits take an average 8-10 weeks.
Set Dress Code & Wedding Party Looks
When setting your dress code, think about your venue. Whether it's a centuries-old villa, church or even beachside hotel, its type and formality of the location play an integral role in setting the tone and guidelines for the attire. For example, a ceremony within a sacred church or temple may require more respectable, formal wear, whereas beachside and garden celebrations can often be more relaxed. Some of the key standard dress codes include: the strict and ultra-formal white tie and black tie, slightly less demanding formal, comfortable yet fancy cocktail, relaxed casual and playful festive.
Another important part is thinking out the style of your wedding party, especially bridesmaids. Though it’s a wedding classic to have all your bridesmaids wear matching dresses, many brides today are choosing mismatched styles instead. This way each bridesmaid can show her own personality while still coordinating beautifully with the rest of the group.
Send Invitations & RSVPs
With most of the wedding planning and organizing already taken care of, you can now send out your wedding invitations and RSVPs. Be sure to include all the details such as the time, location, dress code, and any other important notes. Use clear and precise wording in your invitations so your guests have all the information they need and aren’t left confused.
To make tracking easier, keep all your guest information organized in spreadsheets or use helpful management tools. And if you are open to new formats, consider sending digital invitations, which are currently on the rise too.
Buy Wedding Bands
Your wedding bands are a symbol of love and commitment, a promise to be there for each other through thick and thin. When shopping for your rings, think about whether you want your wedding band to match your engagement ring or if you’d prefer a complementary style, keep your lifestyle in mind, and of course your personal taste. Don't hesitate to try on various styles and designs. Sometimes, what looks good in pictures might feel different on your finger, while a design you hadn’t even considered might turn out to be the best choice for you. The classics are: metal bands that typically feature no gemstones; pavé bands with diamonds or gemstones set closely together, and eternity bands featuring a continuous line of gemstones or diamonds around the entire band.
Create a Day-of Timeline
Create a detailed timeline that covers everything from getting ready to the end of the reception. This is a very practical solution that ensures everything runs smoothly and naturally. The timeline of your wedding day will help everyone involved stay organized and know exactly what's happening next.
Confirm the Details
It’s time to lock everything in! Double-check your vendor contracts, finalize your rentals, decor, transportation, menu, guest count and go over every little detail to make sure nothing is missed. Yes, it might feel like a lot of work, but it’s all part of planning a day that is as perfect as you’ve dreamed.
Finishing Touches
With 2-3 months to go, focus on the final touches. Get your wedding favors and welcome gifts ready as a way to thank your guests for taking time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with you. This might be hand-painted espresso cups, personalized journals or candles, customized tote bags and many more. Also finalize your seating chart, making sure it’s easy for guests to navigate and fits in with your décor. And for a bit of extra fun, consider setting up a photo booth with themed props and a custom backdrop to keep everyone entertained!
Make Your Wedding Registry
Who doesn't like getting gifts? Chances are you and your partner already have something in mind, so start building your gift registry. Think about what you really need or want as a couple — whether it's home essentials, vintage items, unique devices, fun experiences, self-care products, or something totally different. A wishlist makes gift-giving super easy for your guests, since they'll know they're getting you something you’ll actually enjoy.
Write Your Vows
Exchanging wedding vows is such a beautiful and special part of your wedding day. And it's such an intimate moment! They show a different, more emotional side of yourself. When writing, reflect on your relationship and what you want to promise your partner. Keep your vows personal, short and, above all, genuine. Since it can be nerve-wracking to declare your love in front of so many people, be sure to practice beforehand.
