planning timeline help?

katanne9

I HAVE: a date, ceremony/reception locations, officiant, dress, honeymoon, colors&vision, sort-of wedding party (I've decided who. I'm going to send them all something in the mail on Valentine's Day), and we've started our guest list....

What's the most urgent to do next? (Photog? Music? Invitations?). We're not doing STDs. I'm DIYing a lot, so things will take time.

Help?

paintgirl

I vote photographer. From what I've read, they can be booked as far in advance as venues. If you have a few photographers you really like, I'd get one booked now that you have the date.

Good luck!

jeanacorina

Photographer is super-important. DJ would be next.

Florists, bakers, etc can book more than one wedding on the same day, so those can wait. Anything that will book only ONE event needs to be booked ASAP.

pinkpinot

Jeana & Kat: are you guys using the DJ for the ceremony also? Or a separate musician/band? I never thought about this until recently and am thinking it's going to be expensive!

katanne9

Not sure Pink. We have a lot up in the air right now.

We may DIY music for the reception and hire musicians for the ceremony. But we will need to rent speakers etc. I need to weigh out the cost of renting a sound system vs. DJ.

If we do go the DJ route, we would probably use him for the whole day (it's all in the same location anyways).

If we DIY reception music, we'll probably get a string trio or something for the ceremony & cocktail hour.

We haven't ruled out a band yet though! We need to really sift through our budget and see what we can afford. Blahhhhh too complicated.

What are you doing?

hetshup

Oh this is so helpful! I find that I am totally useless when it comes to planning. Ok, so when the budget gets put together you: Book photog, ceremony & reception, caterer and offciant?


BTW Kat, I'm so proud of you and your DIYness. If I did that, everything would look like a 6 year old did it.

pinkpinot

I thought about DIY music but I feel like an experienced DJ will know how to direct the reception and announce things like first dance, etc.  You know?

pinkpinot

Hetsup I think the first thing you should book would be the venue - ceremony & reception and then book the vendors from there.

pinkpinot

Because of the DJ hopefully directing the reception so to speak, I'd like to go that route.  I found some guitarists (students) on Craig's List in my area that would play for an hourly rate which isn't too bad! I might consider using a person from there just for the ceremony and DJ after. 

Acrosthec

Based on my own experience, I'd say photog is the next most important thing.  That was truly the biggest PITA vendor to book so far for me.

And YAY for DIY!  Hetshup, it's not nearly as hard as you think once you have the right tools.  Just time consuming.

And Pink, I know you didn't ask me, but since our ceremony/reception are in two places, we're using the church's organist, and then a DJ for the reception.  Were it all in one place though, I'd probably still hire some musicians (you can get them cheap from schools in your area, and sometimes they're really good if you have a music MAGNET school or college or something) to play at the ceremony, and then a DJ for the reception so the DJ wouldn't have to set stuff up outside and inside, or move it all during the cocktail hour.  I just see that being a big hassle.

pinkpinot

I'm being a post hoar.  I'm DIY a lot too.  What do you think of my table numbers? This is just a first draft. 

pinkpinot

Acro - my thoughts exactly.  We are going to have the ceremony/reception all under one roof.  Craig's List is turning out to be a useful wedding tool.

pinkpinot

I'm also thinking of linens in this color hence the sepia tone to my pictures

Acrosthec

If it's all under one roof and in the SAME ROOM, I may save money and use the DJ for both because he won't have to move equipment.  Otherwise, I'd use two separate vendors for the music just to keep the flow of the wedding going.

I LOVE your table numbers.  But then again, I love anything sepia colored, so I may be biased.  :-)

katanne9

ohhh pink that's super cute!! it will look awesome!!!!


agreed about dj "directing" reception. if we do DIY music, we will designate someone with a timeline and written down schedule of when to say what.

Acrosthec

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_planning-timeline?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:22bab243-ccf1-45a8-890b-181b76a6cb53Post:a7e558f7-58ee-4c59-8e12-5dc69a356127">Re: planning timeline help?</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh this is so helpful! I find that I am totally useless when it comes to planning. Ok, so when the budget gets put together you: Book photog, ceremony & reception, caterer and offciant? BTW Kat, I'm so proud of you and your DIYness. If I did that, everything would look like a 6 year old did it.
Posted by hetshup[/QUOTE]

Once you decide on a budget, I'd hash out how many people you want to invite, then start scouring ceremony and reception venues that will be in your budget and that will hold that many people comfortably.  From there, your reception venue will probably either have an in-house caterer or leads on caterers they work with a lot, so that one shouldn't be too big of an issue.  I'd go straight from venues to photographer, then worry about an officiant.  If you're getting married in a church, they'll probably have all kinds of rules for officiants (like you have to use their pastor, etc.).  After that find your music vendors, and then florist and cake baker.

I know it sounds like a lot, but if you just take it one at a time, you'll have a handle on it in no time!

And I'll reiterate:  DIY is fun and simple!  If you want the DIY look without putting the time in, Etsy is your best friend.  I've used them for a few things that I wanted but didn't have the time or tools to do myself (ring bearer bowls, hanger for my dress, etc. - pictures are in my bio, I think.)

hetshup

I'm thinkin of DYI table linens, but that's b\c I have a sewing machine and can sew in a straight line and escort cards. Is anyone else wanting a band instead of DJ? Is that a southern thing? Is it bad that all I want to do is try on dresses, eat cake and try food?

pinkpinot

I'd love a live band but from what I'm seeing, they are out of my price range :-(

I never even wanted to plan a wedding! I wanted to get married on the beach but it is fun envisioning this party we are going to have.

katanne9

Hahaha no!!! that's not crazy!

My career is designing and production for printed materials and event planning, and I also have an art degree. If I don't DIY all my stuff, i'm pretty much rendering myself totally useless.

Acrosthec

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_planning-timeline?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:22bab243-ccf1-45a8-890b-181b76a6cb53Post:ae9190cd-1797-42bd-9db5-9993943c891f">Re: planning timeline help?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm thinkin of DYI table linens, but that's b\c I have a sewing machine and can sew in a straight line and escort cards. Is anyone else wanting a band instead of DJ? Is that a southern thing? Is it bad that all I want to do is try on dresses, eat cake and try food?
Posted by hetshup[/QUOTE]

DIY linens is a great start!  And escort cards are relatively simple.  See?  You can do it!  :-)

FI and I wanted a band, it just wasn't in our budget.  I have a wonderful musician friend that offered to put together a band for us that would learn our playlist of songs we wanted and would play in the budget, but I wanted him to be able to enjoy the reception as a guest, so I declined.  I don't think it's necessarily a Southern thing to want one though.

And no, there is nothing wrong with only wanting to do the fun parts of planning and say to hell with the rest of it.  Unfortunately, unless you hire a planner to do the not-fun parts, you're kinda stuck with all of it.  But think of it this way, if you do things that are the least fun first, you'll get rewarded with cake, food, and pretty dresses!

pinkpinot

The hardest part for me so far is getting names & addresses from FI's family that are Latvian.  They all have names that I need the correct spelling on and he is just taking his good ol time! It's impossible to figure out a guest list when every time I ask him, the number of cousins changes!

jeanacorina

OMG, Pink--- varying numbers of cousins? I have that problem, too! FI somehow has 16 people missing form his list... his mom gave me a "number" but no list, and I'm like.... who are the missing people?!?!

Whoever asked about DJ-- it was included in our venue. We get a DJ for the ceremony and reception, they have outdoor speakers and mic, a lapel mic for the officiant, and all I have to do is fill out a little worksheet on what songs we want played and when (and what songs should NEVER be played), and they take it from there.

Catering and cake is also included, along with a coordinator who will set all my decorations up and keep things running smoothly... oh, and they have table runners in tons of colors and several different types of centerpieces.... and flower girl basket/ ring bearer pillow / guest book....

And they provide personalized cocktail napkins.... oh yeah and the bartender and alcohol...

I'm telling you, I've got it made! Now if only my DRESS PROBLEM goes away magically, like, in the next couple of weeks, I'll be set for a very smooth ride.

jeanacorina

Did I mention we're coming in at about $10k for everything? Yeah. I'm doing SOMETHING right.... not sure what....

Button5807

Jeana that is awesome, I think I'll pay you to plan for me when the time comes.

katanne9

Jeana, what's your dress problem? Did I miss this??

pinkpinot

Uh Jeana I need to book my wedding at your venue!!!!!!

jeanacorina

OMG, Katanne, how could you miss that post? It's floating around someplace..... "Another LONG Jeana-post"

It's the first BIG, REAL problem I've had this whole time, and I am hoping that the new dress comes in lickity-split and the alterations are no biggie so that this problem can just POOF disappear.

Also, you guys are welcome to use my venue............ just not on June 4.