Planning a wedding before you’re engaged? No, we are definitely not crazy! It’s not a secret that you can often sense that your relationship is heading towards the marriage road, even though your special someone has not yet formally proposed. While you’re waiting for that coveted question to be asked, you can begin relieving some of the post-engagement stress by doing some early planning for your wedding day. After all, being prepared is one of the most important aspects of getting ready for your wedding day.
Alright, so it all sounds great to start preparing for your wedding before the question has been asked, but where do you even start? Check out these 5 tips:
1) Start brainstorming ideas for your wedding’s theme. Maybe use Pinterest and set up a secret board to collate favorite images. Many bride-to-be’s on Pinterest are in the habit of doing this already, according to a social media survey by Mashable.
2) Know your budget and start factoring out what your expenses will include. If you want to fulfill your dream wedding, knowing how much it will cost is a key part of the planning process.. “Think about it: You wouldn’t buy a house, car, or make any type of big purchase or investment without knowing what you want to spend,” said wedding planner Jaclyn Fisher of Brides.
3) Start to figure out your wedding guests so that you can begin to gain an understanding of how big or how small your wedding is going to be. Creating this list will also help you to not leave any important members off your list that you might accidentally forget amidst the entire planning process later.
4) Begin looking for location and venues. Having an idea of where you want to have your ceremony and reception is important because it can allow you to get the venue booked quickly after your engagement. Remember, a lot of places book up pretty quick so it is important to jump on it when you get the chance! To avoid disappointments, look for more than one wedding site so you can be flexible about changing the venue if the other one is already taken.
5) It’s never ever too late to start doing some research. Begin looking at rates and availability for wedding service providers or wedding vendors, such as dress designers or photographers who might have prior engagements in advance. Start out by making a list and tuck it away so you can refer to it later.
