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Welcome!
My advice is to start tackling your list! If you haven't done so already I would try to figure out a solid budget and guest list. I have found that doing those things has helped a lot with planning.
I have primarily approached things one item on my list a time. Focused on photography then moved on to floral etc. I think at this point in the game you should try to book all you major vendors (photography, floral, caterer, DJ/band etc) and then try to plan out your DIY projects and start working on those.
Just my two cents, everyone has a different planning strategy. It's also funny that you feel like you wedding is really far away because I am just starting to feel like my wedding is fast approaching! I think that is mostly because I have been engaged a year already.
Good luck with your planning.
I bought my dress, bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dress, ring bearer pillow, and flower girl basket first (within a month of getting engaged!) I was really excited :)
After that I just bought things randomly when I saw them on sale over the following few months. It was nice to check things off one by one and I would browse ebay, cragslist etc. for good deals and freebies which was even nicer!
I waited to by decorations and stuff so I could figure out how many tables I would need and that sort of thing. Also, it gives you more time to browse through ideas :)
Welcome! Having your reception and date is the best place to start!
The real first place to start is budget! If you don't have a budget set, do it! If you start seriously planning without a budget in mind, you can easily go over whatever you have vaguely in mind. With that, I would also think about where you want to allocate those funds . . . where do you want to splurge and where do you want to skimp?
Next, I would recommend doing research research research on your bigger vendors . . . photographer, DJ, florist and caterer. I feel like these are the vendors who book early and quickly, so I know I didn't feel comfortable until I had them nailed down.
Then it's time for fun! Coming up with the style, colors, decor, etc. that you want!
At least, that was my train of thought when I started planning! Good luck!
Thanks for the input!
My planning is a little weird, as we're going SUPER SUPER low budget and casual. Venue is free, it's my step-dad's mom's lake house in the Tennessee mountains (theres been 4 family weddings there in the last 2 years! it's BEAUTIFUL!), we're going DIY silk flowers for the floral (I'm not a big flower person, I don't even have an idea what kind of flowers I like...), and the "DJ" will be a multi-disc CD player over the outdoor sound system with a family member playing the specifics for ceremony/first dance/other important musical cues. For food, we're going buffet style with finger foods and some home cooked entree items and a candy "bar"/buffet. I had a friend who was going to be my photographer (I'm a photographer, so it was an easy "hey, wanna do my wedding?"), but we had a falling out, so that's about the only vendor I'm really going to have!
Bridesmaids are purchasing their own dress, I just gave them a color. Is that improper etiquette?
Welcome to the bee hun!!
Are you having your ceremony and reception in the same venue?
I would check out Real Simple's checklist - it will help you a Lot with what order you should do things in. Not that you have to stick to that order, but gives you guidelines if you want them! There can be so much to do and think about that it can get very overwhelming! The biggest things to tackle first would be venue, which youve done, caterer, photographer, DJ and florist. If you square those things away then it will be a HUGE weight lifted off of you! Im 6 months out and I just got bridesmaid dresses yesterday and I havent ordered invitations or anything like that. I will be going in April to do cake tasting, talk to a florist and possibly food tasting.
Here is the checklist... http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/weddings/planning/wedding-planning-checklist-00000000000222/index.html
Hi Starr, and welcome. My weddding is the week before yours, and is also at my Mother's lake house. Neat, huh?
Anyhow, I really recommend starting by browsing the internet for awhile. You have the time, and you should get a solid idea on exactly what you want. I found lots of things that I thought were "the thing" until I found something better. Make a list of all of your things, for example, I have a list of the cupcake flavors I'm trying to decide between and I'm giving myself time to mull it over.
When you're on a very small budget, you don't want to rush out and buy things, and then change your mind later, because that's money you'll be needing.
Secondly, Michaels has a 40% off coupon every week. Make a plan, and give yourself time to utilize these coupons--spread things out. It'll take a bit longer, but you'll save more money, in the end.
Feel free to PM me if you like, I have a system for a small wedding like yours that I feel good about, and am happy to help.
The Knot also has a great checklist that I used and it kept me completely organized and ahead of the game. I would start booking people first. After our venue and church we went on to pick a photographer. The great photographers get booked very quickly! I also found that hair and makeup stylists are booked very far in advance but I found that out the hard way. Get an idea of your colors and the kind of wedding you want to have and then you can start looking at invitations, BM dresses, and all the little accessories/things you need.
Sorry, I made it look like I BOUGHT all of those things :) My bridesmaids bought their own dresses, I just helped choose. It's definitely the norm to have your bridesmaids buy their own dresses/shoes. :)
Looks like you got the vendors down! I would start making a list of specific things you like for reception and ceremony and shop those sales til the big day! As for dresses, bridesmaids can take about 4 months, flower girls much less. Are you doing STDs? I recommend magnetstreet.com for cheap magnet STDs, so cute! Start working on invitations too! Do you have a wedding website?
I would avoid the knot til you have an idea of what your doing....I logged in the day after being engaged and I had 75 tasks overdue!!
By the way, if you want to sell your dress, try posting it on the classifieds section of this board, weddingdressmarket.com, encorebridal.com, oncewed.com, bravobride.com
I bet you'll have luck with one of those sites!
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Hi everyone! Super newb here!
My wedding is 10/23, and I have a 4 page list of things to buy.. and I have no idea where to start! So far.. I have the date and the venue. And a dress, but I'm trying to sell it because I found one I like ALOT better, but can't afford unless I sell the first one... I have a pretty clear idea of what I'd like, as far as decorations and what-not.. but I have no idea where to start on my list.. do I buy decorations first? Invitations? (seems logical, but I'm going the DIY route and won't be sending them out until August..) Shoes? I'm in that stage where it still seems sooo far away, but at the same time, like I don't have long enough!
Any advice would be welcome!
Sorry if i posted in the wrong section.. couldn't find a "planning" board.. and still new and figuring everything out!