As some of you might know this, I recently got in engaged this past Spring (eep!). So like most of you, I am also in full wedding planning mode right now. As I share these months with all of you, I will share my insights and knowledge as a wedding vendor and what it will take to make it happen so you can create your dream wedding too!
First things, first, weddings are not CHEAP! This Wedding Planning Series is not for couples that are on a tight budget. It is not meant for the brides who are looking to save. This is for the couples who are looking to create a spectacular event effectively and efficiently. This series is meant to give you some insights and guidance on how you can get the best out of your money.
With that said, let’s begin with prioritizing.
Ask yourself, what is important to you? What do you want to remember from your wedding? How do you want to feel? Are you a festive couple or more intimate and down to earth? Do you want a grand wedding or small and intimate? Answering these questions early on will really help you visualize and get an overview of your wedding.
Photography is really important to me and my fiance, but at the same time we want our wedding to look good, not just in pictures, but also in person as well. In order to do this, we started with finding the right venue, planner, and florists first to pull together our vision. As a photographer, I can tell you this with absolute certainty; my photos will not look nearly as good as it does without perfectly coordinated colors and tones (florists & wedding planner/stylists) and a beautiful backdrop (the venue). These three vendors are VERY important on a wedding day. A wedding planner + coordinator will make your wedding flow much more efficiently.
Why is photography so important to us? Photography is what we have long after everything is over. It is the thing that will help us remember when we are older (and have memory loss from Alzheimer).
To give you an idea, below is our timeline/prioritization of vendors to hire:
- Wedding Venue & Caterer
- Wedding Planner
- Wedding Florists
- Wedding Photographer & Cinematography
- Bride’s Dress
- Hair & Make-up Artists
- Invitation & Stationary
- Entertainment DJ/Band
- Wedding Cakes
- Rentals
This list may be different from yours and it all comes down to how do you want to feel? If you are a flamboyant person and love the Hollywood lifestyle, you might consider splurging on a cinematographer, a great entertainer, and even having fireworks on the top of your list. I highly suggest that you start with finding a venue first, as this may be the biggest cost. Doing this first will give you an idea of how much you will have left for everything else.
Wedding Tip:
A great florist and wedding stylists can completely transform a space.
If you are getting married at a location with a beautiful backdrop, consider being more minimal as the surrounding already created a beautiful visual already and adding too much floral and material will take away from the scene.
Remember: “Good things aren’t cheap and cheap things are not good!”
I hope this help you with a better start on your planning. I look forward to seeing your comment and tell me all about your plans. If there’s anything you would like me to talk about. Leave a comment below and I’ll be more than happy to write about it on the next one.
Until next time, Have a great day and Happy Planning!
Sincerely,
Viet Le
