I am sharing all of our wedding planning tips – From Engagement To Last Dance. As a mother of the bride, I have researched all of the things. I love planning and found the wedding planning process really fun. If you are a DIY Bride or loved one helping with wedding planning, we have lots of great information about how to plan the wedding or your dreams.
Introduction – Let the Wedding Planning Adventure Begin
The start of the wedding planning journey is more than a step-by-step process. It’s a time to strategize, dream, and make memories with the couple and family. As the mother of the bride, my role constantly pivots between planner, confidante, and supporter. Therefore, as you step into this fun adventure, remember to weave in memories that will linger even after the wedding.
Planning a wedding is quite an experience! I love it. My daughter and I are sharing responsibilities and enjoying it every step of the way, however, it can be overwhelming, so I have created this Comprehensive guide to How to Plan a Wedding.
We luckily have had over a year to plan her wedding. This helps, however, please keep in mind that it’s totally doable with less time. The key is starting strong with realistic expectations. Then, set a plan and budget, and go. You will find all of the details here with links to more in-depth posts on each topic. This includes our Wedding Planning Checklist and Wedding Planning Timeline.
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Starting the Wedding Planning Journey
Heading out on the journey of wedding planning, especially as the mother of the bride, brings up a lot of emotions and responsibilities. We knew when we started this was going to be primarily a DIY Wedding Planning adventure and therefore, we were up for it. Whether you are a DIY Wedding Planner or getting the help of a professional, our process can help you along the way.
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR WEDDING PLANNING CHECKLIST HERE!
Early Discussions with the Bride and Groom
We started by gathering everyone’s wishes and ideas. It’s important to hear what both the bride and groom would like at the upcoming celebration. I recommend diving into conversations with the soon-to-be-wed couple and exploring their vision for the big day. It’s important to understand their ideas, ensuring that your contributions as the supportive mother and planner are included in what they are hoping for. Moms, I know this can be hard sometimes.
I recommend curating a space where ideas flow freely, ensuring that the couple’s wishes are honored and included in every element of the upcoming celebration. I recommend creating a Pinterest Board for Wedding Ideas. Share the board with the couple (and any other contributing parties) and start curating ideas for the wedding.
The Wedding Budget
While a topic most of us don’t want to think about, it’s really so important to start with your wedding budget. The costs of a wedding add up quickly and starting with a clear plan and budget will help you avoid unexpected costs when the invoices start coming in. The Wedding Budget really is a key chapter in our “how to plan a wedding” guide.
I suggest honest conversations about finances with everyone involved. Approaching your wedding planning budget with understanding, transparency, and a bit of realism is important. Creating a budget that mirrors the couple’s aspirations while staying within budget is a must. You want to allocate resources across various elements like venue, attire, catering, and decor, to ensure each aspect is a reflection of the couple’s wishes while maintaining fiscal integrity. Remember, smart, and conscious spending is the secret ingredient to easy wedding planning, reducing stress, and making the process fun.
For a detailed outline of The Wedding Planning Budget, head to THIS post. We outline the Wedding Cost Breakdown and share our Free Wedding Budget Tracker.
Forming the Wedding Planning Team
Building a resilient and reliable wedding planning team becomes the backbone of orchestrating a celebration that’s personal and fun for everyone. This team will vary for everyone. For my daughter and me, it was really the two of us with input from friends and family.
Defining roles and responsibilities, while leaving room for creativity and spontaneity, ensures a structured yet flexible wedding plan. You can even engage family and friends in key planning tasks, unifying everyone under the umbrella of creating something special for the couple. Having a DIY spirit not only offers a personal touch to the festivities but also adds a layer of unique sentiment to the occasion.
I will outline my thoughts on building your wedding planning team in THIS post (coming soon). I outline team member Roles and Responsibilities and share different types of input your team can contribute to help as you plan the wedding.
The Wedding Planning Checklist: A Comprehensive Guide
When we started planning this wedding, we really had no idea where to start. You think you do, but then you realize that you likely haven’t planned a wedding for 20 years or so. And guess what, a lot has changed. Beyond the wedding timeline, it’s important to keep track of the details and tasks at each stage of the process. I love a good list any time I am planning something.
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR WEDDING PLANNING CHECKLIST HERE!
In THIS post I outline the importance of a comprehensive Wedding Checklist to ensure you don’t forget any detail. In this post, we explore every phase of wedding planning and the associated tasks. Start by listing your tasks, and assigning a due date and a responsible person. This checklist will really help with the logistics of wedding planning and take some of the stress off of worrying you will forget something.
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Wedding Planning Timeline
Having a comprehensive Wedding Planning Timeline will help you navigate the wedding planning process with ease. In THIS post, we share the chronological steps of wedding planning. We cover everything from Engagement to the Last Dance and all of those Thank You Notes. Use the suggested timeline to form your own. Everyone’s process will be different and everyone’s timing will be different. Use this guide to get you started.
Conclusion – Have Fun on your Wedding Planning Journey!
In summary, this blog post outlines all of the key stages of our wedding planning journey. We will share our research and update the content often.
Do you have a DIY Wedding Planning tip or story you want to share? Tell us in the comments! We would love to hear about it.
