Many couples decide to plan their own wedding, perhaps to save some money, or because it sounds fun to dive head first into all things instead of letting someone else plan every last detail for you. The DIY route isn’t always easy, but it can be a lot of fun, and the results are incredibly rewarding.
8 Tips from Wedding Planners to Make Wedding Planning Go Smoothly
Set Your Budget
First and foremost, it’s important to decide upon a budget before you begin meeting with venues and vendors. That way, you have an idea how much you can spend on different aspects of your wedding.
If you jump right into the process without establishing a budget, you could easily end up spending more than you’re comfortable with, or having to forgo important elements because you’ve already shelled out your entire budget on flowers and a DJ.
Remember, no matter what your budget may be, you can have a beautiful wedding as long as you know your budget from the get-go and plan accordingly. There are countless ways to get creative and turn just about any dollar amount into a magnificent event.
Find A Venue with More to Offer than Just A Beautiful Setting
If you are planning most (or all) of your wedding on your own, it’s super important to pick the right venue to facilitate your dream day. The venue is usually the first thing you pick because you can’t plan for an official day until you make sure the venue you want is available on that date.
The venue you decide upon can make your life easier or harder, it all depends on what they have to offer and what is included in their wedding packages. Some venues offer an open canvas and nothing else – that means you’ll need to bring in everything from the tables and chairs to the silverware. This can get pricey and complicated, very quickly.
Finding a venue that offers all of the basics in-house will make your wedding planning feel more like an exciting adventure and less like a never-ending chore list that grows in cost by the second.
At Lighthouse Point Yacht Club, we have everything you need to put on the wedding of your dreams. We even offer a wedding planner to help bring it all together and keep the show running smoothly on your big day.
Create a Priorities List
Your next matter of business is to make a list of your top priorities. As a couple, decide on the most important facets of your wedding – is it the food, flowers, entertainment, or having a large guest list? Get estimates from vendors for every priority on your list so that you can keep track of costs.
Create a Wedding Planning Book
Get a binder or notebook and dedicate it as your wedding planning book. There are going to be so many elements up in the air at once so it’s important to keep everything organized and in one easy-to-access place.
This is where you can make your budgets, tally up running costs, keep the guest list with addresses, and store all of your vendor information. In addition, this is a great place to store magazine cut outs and inspirational images that you want to incorporate.
Get Advice from Married Couples
Turn to people you know or complete strangers via online discussion boards, seek out advice from anyone and everyone who has ever gotten married before. You might get advice you don’t care for, but you’ll also get great advice that could change the way you do things for the better. No one knows everything, but people who have walked down the aisle before tend to know a lot of good insider tips.
Get Second Opinions
Get quotes from two or more vendors whenever possible, from florists to photographers to bakers. There’s a wide range in price and quality when it comes to the wedding industry. Sticking with the first vendor you interview could cost you extra money or result in lack-luster quality.
Get a Day of Coordinator
Even if you are planning your entire wedding on your own, a day of coordinator is a valuable investment to ensure your best day ever truly is the best day ever. Without someone managing the day of, it’ll fall on you and your family to take care of every last detail, which takes away from your chance to fully enjoy the day.
Host Your Wedding at Lighthouse Point Yacht Club
Beautiful venue (check!)
Wedding planning help + a day of coordinator (check!)
Chairs + silverware + a stunning ceremony site and everything else you need (check!)
At Lighthouse Point Yacht Club, we excel at throwing beautiful weddings that check off all the boxes. Learn more about weddings at LHPYC. We welcome you to come visit us to see what all the buzz is about!