Top 10 Tips for Wedding Planning!

1. Start Early

There is nothing worse than finally reaching out to your favourite vendors and realizing everyone is booked. Start booking things early on so that you are only focusing on the fun stuff for the remainder.

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2. Overestimate Your Budget

When making your initial budget - don't undersell what you think you will spend. The likelihood is that you will most likely go over this. Always plan for the top end of the budget you want to spend and once you start planning and saving along the way - it will be much less stressful than penny pinching.

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3. Don't Feel Obligated to Have a Large Bridal Party

Just because she's your cousin or just because you have been friends since grade school, doesn't mean they are the right fit to help you throughout the stresses of a Wedding. Make sure you are choosing people who are supportive of you, only want the best for you and are ultimately there to help at the drop of a hat when you need them.

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4. Make Sure This is What YOU Want.

There have been countless times that my couples start out with their dream vision of their big day and throughout the planning start to end up with something different because of what their friends of family want. Don't let this dictate one of the most important day of your lives. Keep checking in with yourself on your needs and wants and stay true to yourselves.

5. Always Plan for a Plan B

While we always wish for sun and beautiful weather, there are some things we cannot control. If you are planning on having any of your events outdoors, make sure to ask about what would happen if it started to rain and if we needed to come inside. This way, the stress levels will be removed around "what if" if you have a solid plan in place.

6. Ask for Help.

I cannot stress this enough. If you are choosing not to get a Wedding Planner (which is crazy to me) PLEASE make sure you have formally asked a friend or family member(s) to help you. Planning a Wedding on your own is really hard to do especially when you are not a professional in this field.

7. Make Sure You are Planning Around Your Life

If you have a newborn baby or are moving to a new province/ state around the same time as when you want to have your wedding, ask yourself. Is this something that I can deal with on top of my social life, potential job and other stressors that might come into play. This might push your "dream plans" of having a September wedding but hey - if you're stressed the entire time it's happening - is it really your "dream wedding"?

8. Keep Track of Documents

There is nothing worse than trying to refer back to an email where a discount was mentioned or trying to confirm you actually did order soft grey napkins instead of blush pink and cannot find the paper trail. Make sure that every document you are sent whether that be an invoice, a quote, a contract is saved onto your desktop in a folder marked "Wedding". This will help you find things 10 times easier than if you are just searching through your email correspondences.

9. Put Yourself in the Guests Shoes

To help you understand what you want out of the day - a great tip I have asked many of my couples is "What did you enjoy the most about the wedding you have attended?" "What stood out to you?" "What was the most fun detail you remember?" Most of the time, its not the colour of the Bridesmaids dresses or the type of chair you chose. This helps us prioritize what they are really wanting to put their money towards as well as focus on the things that will make them and their guests amazed

10. Remember What is Important

Ultimately, at the end of the day - your Wedding is about the two of you and your love for one another. If you are starting to stress about the smallest little things and finding that there are arguments with loved ones around these tiny details - take a step back and remember why you are doing this. Reconnect with one another and remember that it will all work out the way it's supposed to.

All my love,

Charlie.