As soon as I got engaged I hit the internet to find out what I needed to do next. I knew my wedding was not going to be right away but Mr. Modern and I are planners so we needed a game plan. These are the best tips I found on the net:
Size
Make a rough draft of your guest list to get an idea of about how many guests you think you want to invite. This amount effects many things such as budget and what venue you can use. Plus everyone will be asking about when the wedding is and if they are invited, so if you have a rough idea of who you plan to invite, you know what people not to make any promises to.
Budget
Another important thing you need to determine is your budget. You should really try to be realistic and research the price of the average wedding in your area. You have to consider the size, time of year and style in coming to this number, and how much you can really afford. I you already have a date in mind, figure out how much you can save per month from now until that date, and that can be your budget. Mr. Modern and I decided on an amount that we could save comfortably, without changing our normal spending habits too much, and what we thought was worth spending on one day.
Style
By style I mean formality. If you want a casual affair, it may not make sense to check out ballrooms, and if you are thinking black tie, having it in your back yard may not work out.
Location
Do you want a destination wedding? Would it be easier or cheaper to have it in you hometown?
Time of Year
Even though you may not have an exact date in mind, it’s a good idea to think of the time of year you want. If you have always dreamed of a spring wedding, so have many other brides, so you need to book your dream venue quickly. Or if you are considering a winter wedding in the Midwest, you might want to determine if weather would be an issue for out of town guests that need to travel.
This could also effect your budget, since off season weddings can be substantially cheaper. And it can effect your theme (winter wedding in July?).
Time of Day
And lastly time of day. Having a wedding brunch can really benefit your budget, but it could also put a damper on your black tie dreams. And if you want to party late into the night, you may need to reconsider inviting a lot of small children.
These things really helped us shape the vision of our wedding day, and hopefully they can help you.
Great list!
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