Talia Bell Events, Open the Door Events
Photography: Dos Más En La Mesa, Ginger's Eyes
Weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, and the responsibility that comes with them can feel both exciting and overwhelming. It's only natural to want everything to go perfectly, but you might be asking yourself: Where do I even begin? How do I prioritize all the details? Or what if I forget something important? To help, THE WED asked 10 top wedding planners to share their best advice, tips, and reminders so you can plan a celebration you’ll truly love and cherish.
The Wedding Bliss Thailand, Grushi Pro Event
Photography: Vlasta Weddings, Alexa Curly
Hire a Planner Before Booking the Venue
"Choosing your venue is one of the most exciting steps in planning, but doing it before consulting a wedding planner can lead to costly mistakes. A planner can help you evaluate whether a venue aligns with your vision, guest list, and logistics. They’ll know the ins and outs of each location—like whether it has noise restrictions, suitable vendor access, or hidden costs. We work closely with couples to find the perfect venue, ensuring it’s not only breathtaking but practical for your needs."
Start Planning Well in Advance
"Ideally, start planning at least one year in advance. This will give you enough time to calmly select the vendors you like, choose the best date and month, create a custom design, and manage any unforeseen issues. Don’t rush—relax and enjoy the process. It’s one of the most beautiful days of your life!"
Agence LB, Georgia Louise
Photography: Nadia Krawiecka, Matteo Coltro
Prioritize Your Must-Haves Early
"Make sure to identify your top priorities as a couple—whether it’s a specific venue, a dream photographer, or a unique cultural element you want to incorporate. Allocating your budget and energy toward these priorities early ensures you secure what matters most, especially for a destination wedding where vendors and venues can book up quickly. Communicate these preferences clearly to your planner so they can help make your vision a reality without unnecessary stress."
Have a Weekly Wedding Planning Hour
"Set aside 1-2 hours a week with your fiancé to go over wedding stuff. Make it fun—throw on some music, grab a glass of wine, and turn it into a mini date night. You can switch up the location each time to keep it interesting. Even with a wedding planner, you’ll still have decisions to make, songs to choose, vows to write, and emails to answer. Having a set time for this every week will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed, and add some excitement to the process!"
Open the Door Events, Valeria Stva
Photography: Joy Zamora, La Dichosa
Venture Outside Resorts & Hotels
"Luxury resorts offer plenty of practical perks for weddings, but hosting your reception off-site can provide a delightful surprise for your guests. For a destination wedding, embracing the sense of discovery and adventure is key. Opt for unique locations like beaches, nature reserves, orchards, or other hidden gems. These settings showcase the destination's true charm beyond the resort, leaving a lasting impression. At the end of the day, your guest will enjoy the resort during their stay and you can still host pre or post wedding events there."
Remember the Importance of a Thoughtful Timeline
"For your wedding to have a perfect flow, you need to carefully plan and layout a timeline, this is important for everyone enjoy an event that feels seamless and not rushed. Traditional formats are familiar, but mixing things up with unexpected experiences will make your celebration unforgettable. A non-traditional timeline lets you break away from convention, allowing the event to reflect your personality and priorities. Surprise your guests with creative sequencing, and your wedding will leave a lasting mark on their memories."
Marianna Idirin, Moon Realm
Photography: La Dichosa, Blake Hogge
Implement a Health & Wellness Routine
"Planning your wedding can be a whirlwind, but it’s essential to prioritize self-care. A balanced health and wellness routine will not only help you look your best on your big day, but also help you feel centered, calm, and grounded. We love a chill bride! Regular physical activity, a skincare regimen tailored to your skin’s needs, and taking time for mental health can alleviate stress and boost your confidence. When you feel good, you radiate that energy on your wedding day!"
Ensure All the Creative Vendors are Aligned
"Check if your vendors share the same vision of beauty, whether they have worked together before, and what their specific requirements are. Have a site inspection with the entire creative team prior to the wedding to address key details. Walk them through the overall program to ensure they know, for instance, where the guests will be seated, the exact bridal entrance location, or how the light will look during the décor shoot."
Ksenia Ridolfi Weddings, Senya Studio
Photography: Marcijus Studio, Our Bowie
Trust Your Wedding Team
"When selecting the designers and creative partners who will create and document your day, be discerning. That way, when you do choose your team, you can trust them fully. Let the team you’ve built guide you through the process and ultimately bring your wedding weekend to life in a way that exceeds your expectations."
Make Your Wedding Personal and Unique
"Weddings are deeply personal, and while Pinterest boards are a great starting point for inspiration, your wedding shouldn’t feel like a replica of someone else’s day. Trust your planner to bring a fresh, creative perspective and add personal touches that reflect your story. Don’t be afraid to embrace something new or unexpected. We encourage our couples to follow art, not trends. A wedding designed around your individuality will always feel timeless."
Agence LB, Encore
Photography: Jessica Lily Davies, Nadia Krawiecka
Balance Beauty & Function
"As much as styling is important to a wedding, styling and planning are even more so two mindsets that need to be brought together. You can’t have beauty without function at a wedding as it begins to impact guest experience. So always keep in mind how your guests are able to interact and experience as well as maintaining beauty."
Use Trends as a Guide to Discovery
"Observing trends for the sake of popularity is not the ideal way to start wedding planning. However, to use them as a guide to discover your own style and preferences and what resonates with you and your partner is a great way to use them."
The Lynden Lane Co., Isla & Smith
Photography: Sarah Falugo, Cara Mia
Focus on the Guest Experience
"While your wedding day is a celebration of you and your partner, it's equally important to consider how to make the experience memorable for your guests at every turn. Think about the little details that elevate their experience, such as providing clear and helpful information on your wedding website (including logistics, accommodations, and dress codes), being mindful of weather conditions and providing appropriate options (like shade, parasols, and water stations), and overstaffing the bartenders and servers to ensure attentive service. Thoughtful planning makes a big difference, and the more you invest in your guests experience, the more they’ll remember your celebration for all the right reasons!"
Consider a Welcome Drinks Event
"Incorporate a welcome drinks event into your wedding plans so you can relax and enjoy each moment of your day without feeling guilty about not talking to someone. Briefly conversing with everyone at the welcome event takes the pressure off you, and it ensures that everyone is focused on having an amazing time rather than trying to pull you away for a catch-up. It also means that guests who haven’t met before can get acquainted, so no one feels like a stranger on the wedding day."
The Fíor Collective, Open the Door Events
Photography: Faye Wilde, Ginger's Eyes
Don't Be a People Pleaser
"This might be an unpopular opinion, but when we make ourselves happy, we make those around us happy too. The same goes for your wedding day. Stop trying to please everyone else and focus on what you want—the music, the food, the vibe. Not everyone will like everything, but if you’re on a high and the energy is right, they’ll enjoy it too. This will probably be the biggest party you ever throw, so go all out and make it you!"
Curate the Perfect Soundtrack
"In music we trust! Spend a good amount of time planning the musicality of your wedding weekend together as this really helps to create what we like to call “the energy arc” which is basically the creation of the vital atmosphere throughout the various points of your weekend. Peak too soon and it’s hard to keep the momentum, and start too slow and atmosphere can fall flat. One tip we highly recommend is having the music start before the celebrant has finished speaking to announce your kiss for a movie-like moment."
Giulia Risaliti Weddings, Vanessa Pence Events
Photography: Lilly Red, Ali Beck
Always Have a Plan B
"To avoid disappointment, due to wet weather, plan any outdoor elements of your wedding day as plan B. Plan A being the inside, a covered alternative. Less heartache as you refresh that weather app relentlessly in the final days leading up."
Feed the Team
"You know that photographer whose work you are obsessed with, and the flower team who have worked tirelessly—well, they are like magicians with the dreams and memories they deliver. But they are still human and thus need to eat. Factor in a meal during their build times—a watered and fed team will ensure a happy team, thus, they deliver above and beyond!"
Niemierko, Casamentera's Event Design
Photography: Niemierko, Días de Vino y Rosas
Be Present
"By the time your wedding day arrives, you'll have made all major wedding decisions—now it’s time to relax and enjoy the moments! Delegate any last-minute concerns to your planner and focus on being present with your partner and loved ones."
Make Time for You
"Take yourselves into consideration. So often the day can get bigger than you as a couple, slow it down. Choose moments that allow you to understand the moment. We often suggest taking 20 minutes alone after the ceremony to reflect on what just happened. Make sure your favorite cocktails and appetizers are present!"
White Dots Weddings, Bow Creative
Photography: Días de Vino y Rosas, Maegan Brown
