Engaged! Have few Q's.

Re: Engaged! Have few Q's.

• rainsfallsoftly member

  

  January 2010

  Congrats!  I would start with figuring out your budget and how many people you plan on inviting.  Then, you can start searching for appropriate venues in your area.  Some people on your local board might be able to help you with that.  I am getting married the month before you and have already put a deposit on a venue, because venues tend to book quickly in my area.  However, some people wait until a year out to secure their venue.  Good luck planning!

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• MyNameIsNot member

  

  January 2010

  First, figure out your budget.  If someone has offered to help you pay for it, great.  Find out how and when you can expect that money, and if there are strings attached.  Don't enter any contracts or anything that depend on money from anyone else until you have it in hand. 
  
  Next, work out an approximate guest list.  You don't have to be certain, but you'll want to know how many before you can do anything else.
  
  From there, start looking for a venue.  If you want to wait a while, that's fine, or you can start now.  A reasonable goal is to have the venue worked out by the 1 year mark. 
  
  Once you get your venue, you can start thinking about your other vendors, decor, attire, etc.  Wait until about 9 months to ask anyone to be in your WP.  Also, wait until about 6 months to buy anything for decor.  You most likely will change your mind on colors and decor a few times between now and then, and you don't want to end up with a bunch of stuff you can't use. 
  
  You certainly don't need to get started at all now if you don't want to.  Many people plan weddings in less than 6 months.  18 months gives you plenty of time to take your time and put stuff aside when you get burnt out. 

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• I <3 Seabass

  

  January 2010

  Definitely start with budget. And then get an overall idea of what type of wedding (size, formality, etc) you want to have based on that budget.
  
  There are some good articles about getting started here.
  http://www.soulfulengagements.com/1/category/getting%20started/1.html

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• emilyinchile member

  

  January 2010

  MyNameIsNot has pretty much laid it out for you.
  
  Once you start looking at venues (and have the other considerations figured out), you may have to decide whether the place is most important and you can be flexible on date or vice versa since some venues may be booked on dates you're thinking of. Neither is right or wrong, it's just what's most important to you and your FI.

  

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• ewinkler1977

  

  January 2010

  Figuring out your budget is key.  Then since you plan on a 2011 wedding you can find the venue that best suits you and set a date then.  You are in no rush to set a date. 
  
  Do you plan on hiring a planner or doing it yourself  because that will dictate your next move about securing a venue.

  

  Photo by K & S Photography

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• leoraanna member

  

  January 2010

  For me (recently engaged), I knew that I wanted us to get married in the fall, and I didn't want a long engagement, so I pretty much had to choose some time next fall. A lot of factors came into choosing our day:
  - Jewish holidays (some months and weeks in the fall are loaded with them!
  - Day light savings time
  - When "Aunt Flo" was coming to visit, no one wants a PMSing bride!
  
  The day that we ended up choosing was perfect for all of those criteria and also was our dating anniversary!
  
  Of course we also had to choose where and you seemed to have that covered by other people's advice: budget, size, etc

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  282 Invited
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