I’m Engaged! Now What?

Congratulations! You’re engaged – now what?! Are you feeling overwhelmed? There are certainly a lot of moving parts when it comes to wedding planning which can be overwhelming for some.  Fortunately for us planners it’s just a lot of checking boxes and getting stuff done. Use this wedding vendor checklist to kickstart your wedding planning.

Pick a Date

It is most important to start by picking a date.  Wedding season is typically in its peak from May though October.  If you are looking to save some money, it is best to book your wedding during the off season.  Booking during the week versus on a weekend will also save you some money.

It’s important to think about what season might fit your wedding vision.  If you are looking to have an outdoor wedding, your best bet would be setting a date in late summer.  If you prefer a winter wonderland wedding surrounded by snow, look for a date in December.

You might also need to consider what other life events might be going on throughout the year.  If you are dead set on having your sister as your maid of honor, make sure you aren’t scheduling your wedding when she is due to give birth.  If you have a strong desire to leave for your honeymoon right after your wedding, you might want to pick when you can take some extended time off from work.

I suggest narrowing your search down to two or three different weekends that you would be happy with.  You can then take those dates with you to your venue and see what they might have available.

Guest Count

Finalizing your guest count certainly doesn’t need to happen this early in wedding planning.  However, it is important to figure out what size wedding you envision for you and your partner.  Do you want to make sure every family member is invited for an over-the-top bash or do you prefer something more intimate with just your immediate family and friends?  It is important to make this decision early on because it will help dictate what type of venues you choose to look at.

Venue

I utilized TheKnot.com for my first wedding venue search, which is a great resource for all things wedding.  Your date and guest count will help dictate which venue might work best.  Also, consider what type of style you might want for your wedding.  Do you prefer an elegant ballroom or a rustic barn?  Do you want it to be outside or inside?  Answering all of these types of questions will help you limit your search.

It is also important to consider if you want a local wedding or a destination wedding.  Consider how many of your guests might have to travel and if they would be willing to do so.  It will also make planning from a distance a little more difficult.  If you are doing a destination wedding, I strongly recommend hiring a local coordinator that is familiar with your venue.

Coordinator

My husband and I did a destination wedding in the mountains by a lake, which was about four hours from where we lived.  This makes planning a little more difficult because you can’t just pop over there to see the space or meet with someone.  This is where a coordinator can come in handy.

Coordinators can range from a full coordinator who helps plan every aspect to just a day-of coordinator who helps step in at the last minute.  Typically, when you book your venue, they will have preferred vendors they like to work with.  We found our wedding coordinator through a list that they had provided.  The benefit to finding a coordinator through the venue, is they already know the space and have suggestions on how things usually flow.

I strongly recommend a day-of coordinator at the very least.  Yes, they can be expensive, but they are worth every penny.  They typically will start to meet with you about a month before your wedding to go over all the details from start to finish.  On the day-of, they ensure that everything runs smoothly and acts as the primary problem solver when things inevitably go wrong.  Typically, as a bride, you won’t even know about the fires they are putting out behind the scenes.  Having a coordinator allows you to relax on your special day.

On my big day, the only thing I had to worry about was a pesky eyelash that refused to stay put.  Fortunately, my coordinator quickly located some eyelash glue and that got solved in (quite literally) a blink of an eye.  I can honestly say that was the biggest problem on my wedding day and I largely attribute that to my coordinator who was absolutely the best.

Photographer/Videographer

When it comes to vendors and budget, I recommend splurging on the one thing that matters most to you.  For me, this was getting an amazing photographer.  Again, it is best to find a photographer who is familiar with the venue because they can make sure you get the best pictures possible in the most efficient way.

I recommend looking at their website for examples of their work and setting up with a call with them to learn more about them.  On your big day, you will be spending A LOT of time with your photographer so it is important that you vibe well with them.  Many photographers might include engagement photos with their packages, which can be a great time to understand how they approach their job and make sure it is a good fit.

I’m telling you, do not ask your friend to take your photos as a way to save some money.  You will not regret hiring a professional photographer or videographer.  At the end of the day, your photos are the one thing you will look back on and remember your day by, so it is important to have the best photos possible.

Music

Music can really set the tone for your wedding.  Do you want an elegant string quartet or do you want a raging DJ to keep the party going all night?  Live bands can add a fun element to weddings, but it does limit the type of music you can play.  With a DJ, you can have a greater variety of music.

Additionally, think about what type of guests you might have at your wedding.  Are your guests the type of crowd to get up and dance?  If so, I would lean towards hiring a DJ.  However, if you are looking to have a quiet dinner among your closest friends, then maybe an acoustic guitar player might better suit your vision.

Music is not something to be overlooked.  I have been to weddings where they only played 90s hip hop in a crowd of older guests (that was awkward).  I have also been to weddings where there was long periods dead silence between the band’s sets (even more awkward).  Think about what type of music makes you happy and go from there.

Florist

Florals aren’t necessary by any means, but they can make weddings absolutely stunning.  Figure out what colors you like and what flowers might be in season for your wedding.  There are a lot of ways to cut corners when it comes to florals, which can all be discussed with your vendor.  Do all your groomsmen really need boutonnieres or just the groom?  Do you really need the most expensive hydrangeas or will some beautiful greenery do the trick?

The best thing about our florist was she doubled as our coordinator.  It made it simple for her to plan set up and clean up since she was going to be there anyway.  My favorite part of our flower arrangements was that they donated our main flower arrangements to a nearby senior home so they could be enjoyed longer than one night.  As an added bonus, we also did a second, more intimate ceremony two days after our bigger party so we were able to put our bouquets in the fridge and recycle them as well.

Wedding Dress

This is the fun part and will get a whole blog post of its own down the line!  I recommend looking online for wedding dress shops that are local to you.  Don’t write off consignment stores as well for a place to find cheaper options.  When your find a dress, ask the store for local tailors they recommend if they don’t provide in house tailoring.

Hair and Make Up

Find salons that are close to your venue.  There are many salon that offer on-site services, but these typically cost more and may require additional hair and make-up artists depending on how many people are using their services.  There is a convenience factor for sure, so figure out what suits your needs and budget.

The most important thing about hair and make-up is scheduling a trial run.  You might have your heart set on a stunning up do, but once you try it you realize it just doesn’t look good.  For me, I had an idea in mind, but it fell out about an hour after I got it done.  For the day of my wedding, I let my hair stylist know and we adjusted the style and put it significantly more bobby pins to make sure everything stayed put.  Doing a trial run helps you figure out how long it might take to get ready and work out anything that needs to be tweaked. 

Tip: If you are doing your trial run a month or so before your wedding, make sure you take lots of pictures so your stylists can refer back to them.

An easy way to save money is to do your own hair and make-up, but if you can afford it I definitely recommend it.  It makes your day feel extra special in the morning and makes you feel your absolute best.

Officiant

When it comes to officiants, it is most important to make sure you give them enough notice and that they are available.  Nowadays, more and more people are opting for their friends to marry them.  It is easy enough to get ordained (a blog post for a future date), but it does take some time.  So, if you are asking a friend or family member to marry you, just make sure you build that into your wedding timeline.

Guest Hotel

The last thing to consider is how your guests are going to get to and from your wedding.  If your guests aren’t local, then you can find a nearby hotel to book a block of rooms.  Essentially the hotel will put these rooms on hold and your guests can call to make their own reservations.  Often they will get a slight discount for booking, so strongly encourage your guests to go to the hotel where you have a block of rooms on hold.

It is important to remember to find affordable options for your guests.  If you have your heart set on an expensive boutique hotel, make sure you have a standard hotel option as well.

You will also need to consider if you need to rent a shuttle from the hotel to your venue or perhaps you expect your guests to drive themselves.  If you think your guests will be drinking at your wedding though, then it is pretty common courtesy to provide transportation.  Another option to look into are Uber vouchers that you can pass out to your guests to offer them personal rides to and from your wedding.

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Hot Tip: For all these new vendors, create a wedding specific email address. This makes all your wedding info easy to find in one spot.

Now that you have all the basics figured out – it’s time to get to the fun part!  Check out my blog post on all the must-haves for your wedding décor.

Vendor Checklist

• Pick a Date
• General guest count
• Venue
• Coordinator
• Photographer/Videographer
• Music
• Florist
• Hair and Make Up
• Officiant
• Guest Hotel

Wedding Photography Credit: Asheville Wedding Photography