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first of all... TAKE A BREATH!!! its not that bad.
My first step would NOT be getting a photographer. do you have a budget yet? I would wait till you figure out a budget before hiring any vendors.
My first step was to go to the library and grab a bunch of wedding books and flip through them. It will give you an idea of what you want.
Then talk to your parents about dates and dollars. I found it worked better if we talked to our parents seperately.
Then start looking at vendors, details etc.
here is a good start as far as a time line goes...
I definitely agree - it can become very overwhelming very quickly. Budget is key so you know what you can afford for each vendor. The vendors are also going to want to know your wedding date to tell you if they're available so you want to find a venue first.
I have a couple of suggestions to keep in mind when you get to that point:
Food:
Fresh Company - they use all local Hudson Valley food growers and they're wonderful to work with (www.freshcompany.net)
Photography:
Erica Lyn Photography - She's from NYC, but has great pics and is very reasonably priced. (www.ericalynphotography.com).
Hi Dollypalmer,
First off... SET YOUR DATE. Do you want it next summer? This winter? Get an idea of what season works for you. Have you always liked eating al fresco or like the idea of a intimate restaurant. Just think of your perfect party and that will help you set the tone and mood you want. After you set your date and time of year then its budget time. Figure out the absolute max you can spend and then start looking for your venue. You can at the same time start speaking to the photographers. I say locking in Venue and Photographers (if photography is important to you) are the first big steps. Spend a lot of time on WeddingBee for inspiration and in my opinion Martha Stewart and In Style are the only magazines you need to concern yourself with. Otherwise it gets overwhelming. Martha always has a GREAT checklist that can help you feel like you are on top of things and not forgetting anything.
Also look at stylemepretty and snippetandink's blogs for their inspiration boards to help you get a feel of what looks good to you.
I would advise against a student doing photography. Maybe you could do a student for film or videography but not for your stills. If that is important to you, you don't want to skimp.
Good Luck and enjoy this time!
A great place we would have loved to have gotten married was Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Amazing location, superb food, but they can only hold a small group (40?). We loved it there, but no way we could get our wedding small enough.
I'm not sure where in the Hudson Valley you are, but Monteverde (http://www.monteverderestaurant.com/) is the lower Hudson Valley and is absolutely GORGEOUS! And great food!! It's close to the Bear Mountain Bridge and West Point.
Do a lot of reading and research before you make any moves you may later regret. I went from a backyard wedding in Wisconsin to a wedding at an inn in North Carolina, for instance. I'm glad I didn't book anything before I changed my mind. Get a few wedding planning books (not magazines!). Your Stress Free Wedding Planner by Judy Allen isn't bad -- it focuses largely on what research and considerations you and your fiance should attend to before deciding on anything, but I'm sure others are also good. I would also focus on what you want to spend (in a level-headed state of mind), not necessarily the most you can spend, since even the most frugal of us are prone to splurge now and then and end up slightly over the ideal, initial budget.
At this point, you've got all the time in the world. Relax, be creative in exploring your options, and enjoy!
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Hi All This is my first posting. I just recently became engaged and don't know where to start. I think I'm about to turn into that girl!!! I don't even have a date yet. I wanted to have a small event (25pp) and GREAT FOOD! I think photographs are the most important. I was debating on hiring a student for a couple of hundred dollars.... I know bad idea. My friend just recommended kimberlycoccagnia.com I saw her proofs and they seemed very natural and she did work with her on price..... I sent an email and am waiting to hear back. Any other suggestions? Thanks. DP
PS: Looking for a great spot along the hudson for the ceremony...