i have no idea what I'm doing

I know it’s a bit overwhelming but start by creating a budget and a guest list then you will know how much you have to spend. Then look for your venue and get a date locked in. From there start looking for your photographer, caterer if not included with venue, etc. use the tools on this site to help guide you with the things you need to do and when. It’s very helpful and there are lots of people on here to help you. Good luck!

View Quoted Comment We want it very small and unfortunately more places want a minimum of like 100 people. Idk what alternatives there are that would be suitable for a small wedding

Where are you located? Could you do a park or something?

Find a venue first. I didn't realize that some venues will only work with certain vendors. But, just in case that might help.

Look at a weekday night, or a brunch, and venues might not have that minimum. Then you can consider a resort, hotel, restaurant, winery, historic house, garden, etc.

We have a lot of city lofts that are for smaller weddings in my area. I would use weddingwire and get theknot.com app. Both of which will allow you to search.

I was very overwhelmed at first too! You will get this - don't stress too much. I looked at venues on both apps. Made a list ( the ones I liked) and then sent emails. Some I called just to get the info I needed quicker. From that list - based on price I narrowed down to 3 that we visited. You could also google wedding venues near you. The best luck I had was planning a budget first. Then I booked my venue and photographer,dress int first month and the DJ and florist in the next month. This month I plan to send my Save the Dates and schedule cake testings and look into officiants if I have time.There are other smaller details but those are easier to fill closer to the big day.

I bought a planner and used the apps I listed to make a checklist each month of things I want to accomplish. It has helped ease my anxiety and focus on what needs done. Best of luck planning - remember its suppose to be fun!

View Quoted Comment I'm on long island NY and we are having it in December so I think it'll be too cold for a park

View Quoted Comment I'll definitely look into that thanks

View Quoted Comment I was looking at some planners to buy I wasnt sure if they'd actually help since this app is technically like a planner but I'll get one anyways ok sure having a physical one would help ke stay more organized anyways

View Quoted Comment You’re welcome! Prices are also a lot less. We had a small (15 guests) destination wedding and saved more than 50% off site fees because we chose a weekday night, off season. 👍

The book "The Budget Savvy Wedding Planner" by Jessica Bishop on amazon is great for this!

View Quoted Comment What months are considered wedding season?

View Quoted Comment Awesome thanks!

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Of course! Best of luck planning!

View Quoted Comment It varies by region. In Napa, CA, winter (Jan-Mar) was off-season and the cheapest. But for a ski area/venue winter would be in-season.


Ask your venue about off-season rates and see what they give you. 😃

View Quoted Comment There are lots of places for smaller weddings such as wineries, restaurants with separate rooms, destination spots, etc. Figure out your number than search for small venues. Many hotels have small venue spaces too

Lol Im 8 months engaged and still dont know either lol... Wedding wire and reading wedding stuff is helping me learn ways. Pinterest to figure out what you like. Other than that i havent done anything besides booked my venue... Gather Quotes?

Start by looking at the planning checklist here on Wedding Wire. It will give you a good picture of the whole event, and where you need to get started. It has a full timeline, showing you when you should be doing each task. It's a universal planner, meaning that some of the categories will not apply to what you want for your wedding. It's ok, just disregard anything that doesn't apply. There are also physical planners (books/binders) that you can buy that have the same kind of stuff. Also, I would consult these forums for information too. The discussions are all grouped into categories, and you can read past discussions about any topic! The men and women who contribute here have a lot of useful information.

Your first thoughts should be about budget and guest list. Those two things actually play a part in determining the rest of your plan, so talk with FH about these, and figure out what you want.

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There are lots of public spaces you could rent that don't require a guest minimum. Try museums, aquariums, theaters, parks, beaches, VFW halls, community centers, etc. Your options depend a lot on your area of the country. Start googling "places to get married" in your area and see what comes up.