Tackle the First Three Steps of Wedding Planning

So he popped the question - now what?

Unfortunately, for most newly engaged women – the excitement of finally finding “the one” is dampened by a hard dose of stress and anxiety. Sure, you’ll find about a gazillion wedding planning checklists out there, but they all tend to overwhelm more than they help, and all essentially fail to address the fundamental question: “Where do I begin?”

This article on the first three steps of wedding planning is here to help. After you’ve announced the exciting news and taken some time to bask in your newly engaged glow, it’s time to get cracking. Here are the first three wedding planning tasks you absolutely must accomplish before anything else. Cross these items off your wedding checklist – and you’re on your way.

Step 1: Determine Your Budget
Every decision stems from the wedding budget. Before you can plan anything, you must know how much you can spend and who plans to contribute. Your budget will determine the type of wedding you can have - from how many guests you invite, to where and when you host your wedding, right down to the specific blooms in your bouquet.

Step 2: Tackle the Guest List
Some “checklists” suggest setting a date and commencing other wedding plans before this step, but Elegala.com considers the guest count is the most vital decision after the budget. Here’s why: Capacity is one of the most important criteria in finding a suitable wedding venue – more so even than style and vision - and you must secure your location before you can successfully plan anything else.

Step 3: Set on a Site and Date
Only once you have an estimated budget and guest count can you begin searching for a place to hold your event with any accuracy. Remember – many reception sites book over a year in advance, so you really can’t decide on a wedding date until you have officially booked your venue with a signed contract.

Don’t stop now - this complete ideas and advice guide will walk you every step of the wedding planning process, from setting the theme and style to managing every wedding detail.