Newly engaged / Planning tips & advice

My main advice is to do what you want people will judge and have an opinion regardless of what you do so you may as well do what you want.

And I think what I wish I would have known before was - everyone is there to celebrate you so all those extras we want and think about and stress over during planning... They end up being stuff that's not that important in the end. And also, everything will come together in the end

Congrats Meghan, and welcome! The big the decisions to start are usually 1) budget (done!), 2) estimated guest list, 3) venue and/or theme (if you do t know if you want a winery, hotel ballroom, zoo or something else figuring out a theme like country, classic, Harry Potter will help you see which type of theme would be best. The rest of wedding planning starts becoming easier after these decisions are made.

Tip: Saturday night weddings cost a lot more. Consider a Sun-Thur night. A Sunday brunch wedding should be even cheaper (for rentals too because you won’t pay for “after hours” pick-up fee). Unless you decide to have a smaller guest list (under 75) then could can probably swing a Saturday night at most fabulous venues for up to $25K! A big guest list limits your options unless you have a huge budget.

One more... think about the guest experience most at the ceremony and reception. Guests want good food & drinks, comfortable climate (no uncovered outdoor venue if it’s freezing or burning up), convenient venue and parking, an overall fun time. They don’t care about decor, favors, and details we couples typically obsess over—we just don’t need stress as much over those because most guests won’t care or remember so do what makes you happy without an insane amount of stress. 😊

View Quoted Comment So true! Thank you so much xo

View Quoted Comment Thank you! Absolutely love Harry Potter and absolutely love that tip! Lol.

Oh after hour pick up fee is a great point. Didn’t think about that.

thank you! Xo

View Quoted Comment Appreciate your help!!! That’s what everyone says it’s the food, music, and experience. ♥️

Have a designated folder for all things wedding, induding receipts, payments, and brochures businesses give you.

Keep track of who you owe and how much.

Come up with a guest list BEFORE you head out to look at venues. This will give you an idea of how big the venue needs to be and how expensive.

Don't sweat the small stuff like how big the vases are or if the candles have your initials engraved on them....legit no one will care and they'll just be wasted.

Have good food and drink and good entertainment

Start thinking about your timeline now rather than later. If you choose a venue with limited parking then you may have to consider getting transportation for your guests which chips away at your budget. If you decide to have your ceremony at a different venue then make sure you think about the time it takes to travel from one place to another.

Give yourself time! Don't overbook your day and give yourself and your significant other some time to breathe.

View Quoted Comment Thank you! I did create an email address for him and me to have just all wedding stuff. Definitely going to create a folder...great point and will def make things easier / more organized.

these are great points, thank you!

Congrats! My best advice is to plan early but not at the expense of rushing your decisions. I made several decisions very early on just for the sake of “getting things done” and then ended up changing my mind later on and creating more work for myself having to redo it. It is good to be prepared and to plan early but don’t pressure yourself into making decisions you aren’t sure about. Also branching off that, once you DO make a decision, just let it go. So many people on here post about having dress-regret, etc. Once you’ve made a decision just remember that you made that choice for a reason, and let it be. If you don’t, you’ll end up driving yourself crazy and planning 5 different weddings lol.

Also, don’t share your ideas with too many people... you’ll never make a choice that EVERYONE will agree with, and too many opinions will clutter your thoughts. Speak with your fiancé and choose a couple relatives or friends who will be your designated opinion-people (for me it was my mom and my best friend who was my maid of honor).

Most of all try to enjoy it! This is such a special time and it’ll go by so quickly. Remember it’s just one day and just try to soak up every moment of the day and the time leading up to it

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OMG, if you guys decide on an HP theme, a lodge or castle venue would be the perfect venue! Because we decided on a pirate theme for our destination wedding, we chose a wine cave for the reception because it had the perfect look already:

wine cave reception

Muuuuuch easier and cheaper to decorate a venue that already fits your theme.

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You're welcome! Yup. Think of food, music & fun are for guests. The decor & any special rituals/tributes are for you. We went overboard on DIY decor and while the big pieces were key, all the little details went unnoticed. A waste of time and money.

View Quoted Comment Such great points! Thank you!!! I think that’s what I’m nervous about is changing my mind or listening to others opinions so love having just a select few involved. Thank you!

View Quoted Comment Omg this is absolutely beautiful and fits your theme PERFECTLY 😍😍!
We we did a lantern festival once and absolutely loved it. So our venue will probably be decided on which place will allow us to do that in NY area.

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Thank you!

Sweet. Just make sure it's all legit and eco-friendly. Heard lanterns can be electrical or environmental hazard.

View Quoted Comment Yesss 100% that was actually a concern of mine ! So will def have to do some reasearch. When’s your

When’s your big day?

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Oh good. Glad you'll do your research.

Already happened! 2017. We had a destination wedding and local reception. Almost killed ourselves with DIY projects and stress. So worth it.

our DW

our local reception