The utmost easiest way to answer this question is to acquire a planning calendar, which will typically guide you through the traditional 12 month process of coordinating a wedding ceremony and reception.
In a nutshell, here are a few key things that MUST be done in order for a typical wedding to run smoothly:
- Discuss the budget first-thing. Once you know how much disposable income is available for wedding use, the rest of the planning will be much, much simpler.
- Determine the size of the wedding. Small weddings take less time to plan, larger weddings take much more. The same relation of size is applicable to resources needed, supplies needed, and the size of the guest list.
- Arrange for pre-marital counseling. This usually elicits groaning from one or both of the spouses-to-be, but it has been shown that couples who neglect this step are more likely to divorce, and sooner, than those who go to frequent sessions. It does not have to be in a church, however if you plan on getting married in a church be sure to see if pre-marital counseling from them is required. This is becoming an increasingly popular
trend with non-denominational churches.
- Draft a guest list. This does not have to be final, just get a general idea of who you would want to attend. Going by memory alone can be very misleading, while writing down person by person gives you a good idea of the size of reception venue you will need. In example, you may want to invite Suzie and her family. That requires only one invitation, but Suzie and her husband and children add up in chairs and tables needed.
-Find a wedding planner/bridal coordinator. The typical coordinator will offer services anywhere from suggesting ideas and guiding through the process of planning your wedding, to doing all the work and assisting you every step of the way. Always check credentials, compare pricings and review previous work history. Newer coordinators may be less experienced in the professional world, but will most likely offer cheaper prices (in exchange for recommendations) and will still have experience in the field, whether from their own wedding or that of family and friends.
-Find the officiant. This can be a spiritual leader, family member or close friend, just make sure they are legally licensed to wed. Establishing the officiant far ahead of time ensures the first-come, first-serve rule applies to you in a positive way.
After all this is done, all that is left is to go through magazines for ideas, buy the supplies (invitations, party favors, decorations, etc), choose the gown/tux, bridal party clothes and most importantly, pick a date! :)
(for more details and help, email nikki.everafterbridal@gmail.com)
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