I
 | t's a very good idea to begin planning your wedding early. Of course, the earlier you start, the less stress you'll have as your big day quickly approaches.
Start by sitting down with your groom to see what you both want for your big day. Once that is determined, get your maid of honor and your bridesmaids lined up - and then let the fun begin! Start looking for dresses. Work out color schemes. But be mindful of your groom. Many women tend to (unintentionally) push them out of the picture- so make the effort to keep him in the mix and planning. Start researching venues, talk to rental companies, and make an idea board, or something similar. |
Make notes as well. Planning and organization are key to making things run smoothly throughout the whole process. Utilize the internet – search online for information, message boards, and forums. You can even do some shopping online, from wedding favors to wedding dresses!
The most important things to do first are: book the venue and the reception hall. Unfortunately, that means choosing a date (which is hard to do). Once those two things are done, the rest will come pretty easily. Venues and halls can often be booked two years in advance, so it's important that you lock in your date as soon as possible.
It's also important to set a budget for the big day and beyond. The next thing you might want to do is request a guest list with addresses from your parents and your fiancé’s parents. Next, you might want to figure out who will be in your bridal party and ask them to be in your wedding. If you have someone who is a bit short on cash, this will give her enough time to save some money.
You will quickly realize that the earlier you start getting things done, the less stress you'll have. Although you will probably need to bend on a few things, don't forget that this is your wedding! So try not to let the many opinions of others get you down. You are the boss!