Engagement season, unofficially the period between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, is in full swing! According to Wedding Wire, nearly 40% of all engagements occur during the holidays. The In Bloom Wedding + Events Team is busy fielding questions from couples wondering how and when to start the planning process. While the average engagement lasts 14.5 months, you will find time speeds by as you create the perfect wedding day. Where do you start to plan the day of your dreams? Below are some tips from our award-winning In Bloom Wedding + Events team to start you on the wedding planning journey. Looking for inspiration or ready to book a consultation? Check out our wedding & events website.
- Celebrate!
Take time to enjoy this special moment. Gather your friends and family for an engagement party to share the good news. A party is a great way to test run a potential wedding caterer and to pick floral centerpieces that hint at favorite colors for your special day.
- Take Time to Dream
Is your dream wedding a beach-side affair or a formal church service? Fall wedding or holiday themed? Indoor, outdoor, rustic, bohemian – the possibilities are endless! Not sure what type of wedding is your style? Sites like The Knot, offer style quizzes to help you zero in on your perfect wedding vibe.
- Gather Inspiration
Once you get a feel for your wedding style, start gathering inspiration! Our In Bloom wedding + events team encourages couples to save pictures from Pinterest, Instagram, and Lookbooks that include elements they want to incorporate into their wedding. Many vendors, like us, post trending styles on Instagram and offer Lookbooks loaded with floral ideas in a variety of styles and budgets. The more inspiration the better as it helps your wedding team understand and execute your overall wedding vision.
- Check Dates
While dreaming of your perfect wedding, you may have settled on a particular season or month. Touch base with both of your families and determine if there are any family commitments that make some dates or months better than others.
- Get Organized
Once you have defined your wedding vision, it is time to get organized! Whether you are using a wedding planner, day-of-coordinator, or doing it yourself, the internet is filled with planning tools to help your day go smoothly. Check out our lookbook to gather names and inspiration of vendors you may want to use!
- Set a budget
Before you start diving into the nitty-gritty of wedding planning, you need to set a budget. From the dress to the venue, to flowers, the budget will be the determining factor in those decisions, so the earlier you set the budget the better.
- Determine Size / Guest List
Another critical part of the early wedding planning process is to determine the size of your wedding. The size of your wedding is closely tied to your budget and will influence your venue choice.
- Select a Venue
Once you have a sense of your style and know roughly the size of our wedding and budget, the next step is to secure a wedding venue. The best advice from wedding experts? Just like a wedding dress, “try on” numerous wedding venues. Once you have a list of possible sites schedule visits to see the venues up-close and personal. Venues book quickly so your wedding date may need to be flexible to secure the venue of your dreams. Looking for venue inspo or ideas of nearby locations? Our website has a list of venues our brides have used when you click on the style wedding you are inspired by.
- Interview Vendors
Flowers, food, entertainment – there are a lot of elements that contribute to making a dream wedding! Our In Bloom wedding + events team suggests meeting with florists as early as possible, a year out is ideal, to discuss your wedding vision and floral dreams. Looking for ideas on vendors or have no idea who to use? Our team can also suggest our preferred vendors with you!
And the list goes on…….
While the list may seem endless, all your hard work will result in the beautiful day of your dreams. Our best advice? Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses!
Sources: In Bloom Wedding + Events, The Knot, Wedding Wire
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