Congratulations to you if you are newly engaged!!! I am sure you are excited and possibly a little apprehensive about the wedding planning process. From personal experience, I really did not know what to expect when it came to planning my wedding. If you are like me, you have already begun buying wedding magazines, and searching online for tips on how to get started planning your wedding. Before we get started,”TAKE A DEEP BREATH” and don’t forget to “LET IT OUT” (SMILE).
While planning your wedding day, you will have moments where you will need to PAUSE and do that simple exercise. I wish I could tell you that there will be no stressful moments, no confusion, no bumps in the road, but that would not be truthful. The truth is that you will have all of the above, but in the end it will all be worth it!! I encourage you to stand on the scripture “All things will work together for your good, because you love God and are the called according to his purposes.” Romans 8:28
In this blog, I wanted to share three initial wedding planning tips!
1. Write a VISION: Sit down with your fiance’ and write down a vision for your wedding. “Write the vision, and make it plain….” Habakkuk 2:2 I highly suggest that the couple does this exercise together, maybe over nice dinner. Having a vision for your wedding day, will help you in more ways than one. It will give you a sense of direction. Now, it is normal for the Bride-to-Be to already have a few ideas about what she desires for her BIG DAY, but we must remember that a marriage consist of “two” people. It is also important to get your fiance’s ideas and desires for the wedding. Ladies, even if your fiance’ gives you the flexibility and the ability to take control, be sure to include him in every chance you get. The wedding planning process can also serve as a great time of bonding for you both. Here are some questions to get you started.
1. What do we desire the theme for our wedding to be?
2. What are our top 5 desires for the wedding?
3. Where would we like for the wedding to be? (indoor/outdoor, combination of both,church)
4. What do we want to remember most about our wedding?
5. What would we like our guest to remember most about our wedding?
2. Set a BUDGET for your wedding before you start intensively planning. Finances can be one the main stressors of planning a wedding, but setting a REALISTIC wedding budget can help to decrease that stress. You and your fiance’ should discuss and decide the absolute maximum amount that you would like to spend for your wedding. I have learned that you can have a beautiful wedding and not go bankrupt in the process. My husband and I decided that we did not want to exert all our finances because after the “Wedding” comes the “Marriage”. It is important to understand that you will need to be wise with your money output so that you can “live after the wedding”. (Smile). After you set your budget, shake your fiance’s hand and covenant to Stick With It! If you have no idea how to set a budget contact me, and I can help you out:)
3. DIY or Wedding Planner: Decide whether you are going to plan your entire wedding on your own or contract a wedding planner/bridal coordinator. In our generation, there are many brides like myself that take on the animal of “planning their own wedding”. I did it, so I know it is possible. Was it easy? No. Would I do it again? Yes. But I love planning and organizing events. I also had a lot of help along the way. In addition, the day of the wedding I had a Bridal Coordinator that ensured that all of “my plans” were carried out.
I believe many people shy away from the idea of hiring a wedding planner because of three reasons: 1.) They assume it will be too expensive 2.) They do not want someone to plan their entire wedding and it turn out to be something they did not desire. 3.) They underestimate the amount of work it takes to plan a wedding
A wedding planner will help you with most (if not all) of the tasks involved in planning your wedding. In all actuality a good wedding planner should carry out your “VISION” for your big day. Hiring a wedding planner could help you to enjoy the planning process more by taking stress out of the equation!
I am not strictly for or against either option. But I do believe that each couple should take the time to decide. When making the decision I suggest, looking at the framework of your lives, your skill sets, your ability to handle stress, and your current schedules.
If you decide on a wedding planner, I would love to help to bring your VISION to life!! Check out Simply Beautiful by RG. http://bruceandrotoya.com/simply-beautiful-by-rg/
If you are considering a wedding planner or a bridal coordinator and have questions about it please feel free to ask.
I hope these three initial wedding planning tips offer some help as you prepare for your Wedding!!! Please feel free to share this post with others and post your comments!!
God Bless You!!
Happy Planning!!
Rotoya G~
~Lifetime memories are born in simple moments~
Check out the following videos for a glimpse of Bruce and I’s wedding day!