These days, it seems wedding trends change so drastically— one year huge weekend celebrations with 200+ guests, welcome drinks, day after brunch/excursions are expected. Then the next, couples are eloping with their immediate family, followed by a lowkey dinner and photos. Whether you are going big or modest, there are a few things that every couple should keep in mind. Unsure what those things are? Lucky for you, I am basically your wedding planning BFF, so I have complied the top things you need to think about whether you are saying “I Do” at a campground, a cliffside, a ballroom, a golf course, your backyard, or a barn.
Sign a contract!
It does not matter if it is your venue, your friend who will be your make up artist, your DJ….sign. a. contract. Get verbal agreements in writing, even if it is a friend doing you a favor. God forbid something happens, but a verbal agreement with no proof does not hold up. On the topic of contracts….sign a contract before making any payments!
You don’t need to order Save the Dates and invitations for every guest
You are most likely mailing these things to households and couples…. if you have a guest list of 120, I would expect you to actually be sending out 70 or so Save the Dates and invitations! Before you order these, look at your guest list to see how many you actually need!
Speaking of Save The Dates, be sure to include your names, the city of your wedding, the date, and your wedding website!
A note on rentals….
If you are getting married somewhere where you need to provide rentals (think tables, chairs, linens, flatware, etc) there are a lot of logistics that go in to this. A skilled coordinator will help tremendously with this, but while you are getting quotes and trying to get prices a few things to consider:
When can your rentals be dropped off and picked up? If your wedding is a Saturday, will the venue allow for a Friday drop off, and Monday pick up? Or do items need to be picked up the night of? Usually there is a price difference based on the day of delivery/pick up. Be sure to ask your venue about this!
Are you renting chairs? Do you need to rent one set for the ceremony, and another set for the reception? Or can you rent one chair set and have staff move them? If going with the latter- who will move them?
Always always ALWAYS order 2-3 extra of everything. Your guest count is 113? Order 115 of whatever the item is. Things break, an extra guest may show up, better to have it and not need it that need it and not have it!
When renting plates and flatware- don’t forget about your vendors! Ask your caterer if they provide disposals for vendor meals, or if you need to rent plates for them as well.
Pick a vendor team you respect, trust, and- most importantly- like
“Clicking” with your vendors is crucial. Be sure to select vendors who you know will be there for you on your big day, who will stand up for you and who will be someone who want around you on your biggest day. By the end of the wedding planning process, you will be excited for your wedding day and you will want to be surrounded with people who will gas you up! If you love someone’s work but you don’t “click”- there is no shame on finding another vendor! But if you do go in another direction….
…Please don’t ghost your vendors while you are shopping!
If you reach out to a vendor and decide to go in another direction, please let us know! I love to know why someone doesn’t pick me. Was I out of budget? Did they pick a friend instead? Are they a Dodger fan so can’t tolerate the fact that I am a die-hard Angels fan? Did we just not “click”? Whatever the reason- please let vendors know you are not considering them if you have been chatting!
When making your initial budget, don’t forget tips!
I know- this can be awkward. But depending on how many vendors you have, you should set aside $500-$1,500 for tips. If you aren’t planning on this, it can be a huge surprise at the end of planning!
And last but not least- the #1 thing I tell every single client…
This is YOUR day. Do what makes YOU happy. Don’t want a garter toss but want to toss the bouquet? Go off sis! You want to do a first look then mingle with guest for the cocktail hour? Do it. You want an intimate ceremony followed by a dinner for 15? Let’s do it! Social media can make it seem like everyone has all the things and everyone had a perfect day— it will be perfect because you are marrying your person! Focus on what celebrates the two of you, and you will have no regrets!