Getting Started

You felt your heart skip a beat when you saw your partner for the first time. You had many enjoyable late night conversations about life and the little things. Your love has weathered several storms but the two of you always seemed to come out of it stronger together. Now you feel it’s time to take your commitment and devotion to each to the highest level: marriage. Now you are asking yourselves:

We’ve come this far. Yet with so many tasks to do, events to plan, and detailed decisions to make, where do we begin? What exactly goes into a great wedding?

You are not alone in this; it is actually one of the most common questions couples ask when the moment arrives. What we recommend as the first step on the path to a great wedding: look around the site and read our free short e-book (insert hyperlink) that will explain everything you need to know for your wedding. The book will walk you through the series of decisions in each of the stages of planning your wedding. You will learn how fluid the entire process is and how traditional or personalized a wedding can be. We typically see couples do things that are way out of order, such as ordering decorations before checking out and reserving their venue or ordering a wedding cake before getting a complete count of guest RSVP’s. While there are many ways to do a wedding, you only have one chance to get it right. Why risk it when you can follow the tried and true method to a great wedding? Let’s start with a few simple questions:

1. What is our realistic budget? How quickly can we attain that money?
2. What venue(s) will we use for our wedding and reception? How many guests do we invite? How formal or informal is the attire? What time of day is it held?
3. Do we hold it during wedding season or outside of it? How much will typical weather conditions play a role in our wedding and reception?
4. How much will we each be involved of? Who else will play a role in the planning process?

By having a game plan and being able to know the potential obstacles that lie ahead, you will have a distinct advantage on the couples who chose to fly by the seat of their pants. Organization and communication with your significant other and those who you invite into the planning process is the foundation to a getting the best wedding possible for your budget. Giving that the average couple spends $28,427 according to the 2012 “Real Wedding Surveys” from the Knot, even a few missteps could cost thousands. Whether you want to go on the exciting path to marriage alone as a couple or bring in some support with a wedding consultant is your decision. Regardless of your choice, knowing what you want your wedding day to look and feel like as you consider all the details will make the goal of the perfect wedding day truly achievable!