How To Start Planning Your Wedding (+ FREE Planning Starter Pack!)
BY CLAIRE BOON
6 MIN READ
Congratulations! You’re engaged! But…now what?
Most bride’s find the starting point the toughest part in the wedding planning journey.
And that’s why I created this Wedding Planning Starter Pack – specifically to help new Brides begin the planning process, but most importantly to develop your dream wedding vision.
Having a clear vision helps to make difficult decisions a heck of a lot easier throughout the process.
And don’t worry if you’ve already started planning; completing this step will enable you to weigh up your decisions so far and you may actually discover something you never thought about.
Click here to download your free worksheet and let’s work through it together.
When would you like to get married?
As soon as possible? A specific date thats significant to you as a couple? In a few years so you have plenty of time to plan?
Pro tip: I’d recommend the date being no less than about 9 months from now to give you oodles of time.
What is your budget?
Think of a realistic figure that is reachable for the date of your wedding.
Deciding on a budget is one of the most essential parts to planning your wedding, because everything will revolve around it from this point. Your venue, location and number of guests are all determined based on your budget. Setting a precise figure right from the start allows you to have a clear target and avoids wasting time.
If you’re unsure, sit down with your partner and discuss a realistic figure.
Where do you want to get married?
This can be your home town, somewhere abroad, or maybe a place that you and your other half have always envisioned.
Pro tip: Take into consideration the convenience for your guests. Nobody likes to travel for hours to a wedding.
What type of venue would you like to get married in?
Do you want a relaxed, boho style wedding in somewhere like a barn? Or perhaps a glamorous affair in a manor house? Use your budget as guidance to help kick start the venue search.
How many daytime and evening guests would you like to invite?
This can be just an estimate for now. Having an idea of numbers from the start massively helps determine the size and location of the venue.
How many are you having in the Bride and Grooms parties?
It’s best to decide on this sooner rather than later as A LOT works around these numbers. You’ll find most suppliers ask this exact question. And anyway, it’s fun asking your best friends and most loved ones to be involved in planning your wedding day.
List five absolute must haves at your wedding.
It’s absolutely essential that you complete this step. I ask all of my clients to do this during the first consultation and most only begin to truly realise their vision after doing so.
These can be something like hiring a photo booth for the reception, or perhaps having your dog as the ring bearer, or playing a certain song for the first dance. You really aren’t restricted when it comes to this. Just pick five things you absolutely want to see at your wedding.
List three things you absolutely DO NOT want to see at your wedding.
Going along the exact same lines as what you just did, I want you to list three things you absolutely DO NOT want to see at your wedding.
Don’t worry as much about completing this section, but it’s still important to realise what you don’t want.
All of these things are still contributing towards achieving your dream wedding vision.
What five things would you love to have at your wedding, if money was no option?
You can really let your imagination run wild with this.
Perhaps you’d love to rent a super car to pick your partner up on the morning of the wedding, or maybe you’d love to arrive by helicopter to your reception, or have the biggest chocolate fountain ever. This one’s a bit of fun, but it continues to develop your dream wedding vision and help you realise what you truly want.
Now you have all of those vital details decided on, you’re ready to start REALLY planning your wedding day.
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I’m sooo excited to announce my brand new online Wedding Organiser.
Download and print essential tools created by me (a real wedding planner!) for a smooth and fun planning process.
Hiring a full, dedicated wedding planner can be costly. That’s why I decided to create an alternative that’s much more affordable, but just as valuable.
Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine is the ultimate paper guide for stylish & fun loving couples. Each and every issue is full-to-bursting with the latest innovative fresh content & hottest trends.
withCLAIRE BOON and SARAH MACKLIN of Bouquet & Bells
Flick through the latest inspiring content including new wedding trends, your most asked questions answered, beautiful themed styled shoots and much more.
This shoot was inspired wholly by the vastness and beauty of the venue as well as the unitarians inspiring ethos: Ullet Road Unitarian Church. We chose a beautiful day for the shoot, meaning the light flooding into the building and outside of the building was beautiful. We had a selection of dresses to change into for different parts of the church, and we utilised the late in different rooms and at different windows, as well as the doors for the iconic confetti shots.
Your wedding is a magical day which will stay with you forever. However, it’s unquestionable that with a tag like that, there’s also going to be an element of pressure you need to manage. 84% of brides report feeling some sort of stress about their big day. And while a lot of this comes hand-in-hand with planning a large event, it’s unquestionable that standing in front of anyone as the “star of the show” is going to get the nerves jangling.
At St.Kentigern Hospice (Abergele) lies a bridal boutique like no other. Brides-to-be can discover their dream gown while supporting a cause dedicated to providing exceptional care. Every purchase helps fund the hospice’s vital services; from patient care, family support and bereavement counselling.
