The Modern Bride's Guide to Wedding Planning
There’s no denying it. Wedding planning is overwhelming AF. The bliss and sparkle of showing off that new diamond ring is quickly overshadowed by a mountain of tasks needing attention to pull off a 100+ person party. Yikes!
If there’s any advice I can give you after 10 years in the wedding industry, it’s to take a breath, squeeze your honey, and remember why you are doing this in the first place… to be with the person you love most in this world! If you keep this intention at the forefront of your mind, you will undeniably find much more joy in the wedding planning process.
So, for all the brides out there starting to lose their engagement sparkle - THIS IS FOR YOU! Here are several inspiring projects you and your honey can do together to reignite that wedding day magic!
Make your wedding inspiration board!
For couples at the beginning stages of wedding planning, grab a bottle of wine, a pair of scissors, a couple of magazines, and craft yourself a wedding mood board! Begin visualizing how you want your wedding to look at feel. Colors, seasons, textures… get it all out there. This is a great way to guide your decision-making down the road as well, to ensure you stay the course with your preferred style and vision.
Start browsing venues + book tours
Narrow down your top five venues, browse through what photos they have available online, and start booking tours! Turn it into a date night with a celebratory martini after the tour! Why not? Don’t forget to look up #yourvenuename on instagram to see photos other couples have posted too!
To view our favorite Michigan wedding venues - click here!
Connect with vendors + book Zoom dates
There’s one thing I can say for sure… when you connect with a wedding professional who inspires you, and totally gets your vision… you will breathe a mighty sigh of relief! Your vendor team will play a crucial part in bringing your wedding vision to life. If you can swing it, book your vendor meetings at a time you and your fiancé can both join and be part of the conversation.
To view our recommended wedding vendors - click here!
Write your vows
It’s never too early to begin writing your vows. Tuck away a notebook where you can write a few lines after a special date night or vacation together. Write about the time you overcame something difficult or heartbreaking as a couple. Write about your first few weeks with a new puppy, or a new home. Write beautiful things. Write challenging things. Don’t be shy to use the depth and intimacy within your relationship to write more impactful vows. Then when the time comes to officially write what you want to say to your spouse at the alter, you won’t need to start from scratch.
Make your guest list + collect addresses
Admittedly, collecting the addresses of all your guests isn’t the most exciting thing on your to do list, but it’s a number you’re going to need to solidify plans. Venues and coordinators will want to know how many guests to prepare for, and caterers and even photographers may ask you this so they can get a feel. I suggest organizing this somewhere digitally for easy access!
Create your wedding day timeline
This is a little daunting to do on your own, as you probably have never planned a wedding day before, but that’s what your wedding professionals are for! If your photos are a high priority, then your photographer is the best person to help you with this. It’s the best feeling to have specific times for hair + makeup, ceremony, family photos, dinner, etc… so when your friends and family start asking, you can keep them in the loop!
For a deep dive into how we plan photo timelines for couples - click here!
Work on those hand made projects
Plan a date night in to tackle those crafty projects you’ve been dreaming about. Here are a few ideas off the cuff: Macrame altar installations, dried floral centerpieces, pressed flower table numbers, polaroid style seating charts, engagement photo displays… just to name a few.
Rock that reception playlist
Looking for a great way to de-stress? How about a living room concert! Turn up the volume and jam out to your favorite songs while sipping cocktails and crafting a great list of songs to give your DJ! Don’t be shy to test out a few first dance songs too!
So there we have it! Eight ways you can keep your engagement excitement alive and enjoy planning a day that is completely centered around the one you love!
