The First Steps In Planning a Wedding...


It finally happened.... you're engaged! :) Congratulations! You have given your heart away, and you have the ring to prove it. Now let the planning fun begin!

Knowing where to start can feel overwhelming and if you are feeling that way, this blog post is for you.

So where to start? Let me break it down into steps :)

Set a Date


  • Have a date in mind before searching venues
  • Think about what is more important to you, the date or venue. You might find the perfect venue but they are booked for your date.
  • For a discount consider another day besides Saturday

The Bigger Picture


  • Think about the style or theme of the wedding you want, such as rustic, country, vintage, etc.
  • What time of year will it be?
  • What atmosphere do you want to create that day?
  • What color scheme do you want, this might be to do with your favorite colors or the time of year.
  • Create a Pinterest board and start adding ideas.


Have a Budget In Place


  • Your finances can quickly get out of hand if you don't create a budget right from the start.
  • Setting a realistic budget before you begin planning will make the entire process a lot less stressful.
  • Looking up the average cost of each vendor you will want to employ for your wedding will also help you have a more realistic budget.
  • Decide where you want to make cuts and where you think your money is best spent.


Draft Your Guest List


  • Your guest list affects your budget, and it will also play a role in your venue search. Your guest list doesn’t have to be final but it helps to have a rough idea of how many people you think you will be inviting to your wedding.
  • Be sure to discuss your draft with your family, they may have an opinion about who should be added to your guest list.
  • Having the guest list discussion at the beginning of planning your wedding could save you added stress and possible hurt feelings later on


Organization is Key


  • The more organized you are, the better your wedding planning experience will be. Keep a digital copy of all of your important documents, contracts, and information in one file on your computer (or in the cloud)
  • Set aside one day a week to make your “wedding planning check-in day.” Maybe you have nothing to get done that week, but checking in on your planning at least once a week will ensure that things do not pile up too quickly.


Click on check list below and screen shot it to help you get started :)

The First Steps In Planning a Wedding by an Arkansas wedding photographer.