I am assuming this is your first experience planning either your own or someone else’s wedding and, therefore, I will try my best to break the wedding mojo down into the simplest and easy to follow steps.

First of all: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation. These are the three rules all wedding are based upon. If you plan for any and all eventualities you are gonna be fine in any scenario possible. There Plan, Plan, and Plan.

** I am making a number of assumptions here: You are A. The Bride or B. Someone who is supposed to plan the huge monster of an event (Good Luck!). 

Second: Lets actually dive into the wedding planning list:

1. Just got engaged? Everyone will start asking for your wedding date now! Well, you can’t give them one just yet since there are a ton of details to work out! So don’t give out the date yet!
2. Schedule; set up a schedule for yourself where you set a deadline for all the things that need doing. For example booking the venue, the gown etc. Also, decide on the range of dates that you want to have the wedding during (i.e Summer, Spring etc – you might wanna consider holidays, vacation times, or other events that might be happening during your desired time to avoid conflicts)
3. Get Inspired!; Now is one of the most fun parts of planning this important day! Imagine your wedding and think about things that you want for your wedding such as the colours, the vibe (vintage, modern, nature etc), the location (a beach vs a church). I would even suggest getting a wedding planning folder or binder to start collecting the ideas into. If you want to find inspiration, Pinterest is one of the best resources out there!
4. Budget it! I realize this might be problematic in the beginning but its one of the most important steps of the way. One cool tool to budget stuff is the one from Theknot.com and it can be found here. This helps ensure any decision you make later are well within your control and budgeted for!
5. Guests eh? Your budget will decide how many people can be part of your big day so think about your budget and then think about what kind of ceremony and reception do you want? A large and extravagant one or a small and intimate one with close family and friends? Most caterers will usually charge on a per-head basis so its good to stick to your guns (i.e budget) when deciding on the guests.
6. Wedding Party!!! This is also crucial! Once your man proposes to you, you gotta get your ducks in a row with all your friends and family member who you want to be part of your bridal party. These people are gonna go all out for you so ensure you appreciate them and take care of them!
7. Planner maybe? In case you are a busy couple who can’t spend the time planning the wedding or have complex ideas about what you want with your wedding, it can be a huge stress relief to hire a wedding planner! We know a couple of really good ones and if you get in touch with us we will connect you both! Keep in mind the budget again!
8. Location, Location, Location: Now comes the time to get a location for your big day (and in turn get a date set for your wedding! woohoo!!). Keep in mind the budget and theme of your wedding! Usually, you can bargain for a better rate from a location by doing your wedding during a weekday or in off-season times if that is a concern. Some venues come with in-house catering so its always a good idea to ask for extras (if you need any). You should also book early for this (a preferable couple of months at the least in advance).
9. Book Vendors: Have you always looked an photographers work and thought “Oh I wish I could get photos like that?” Well now is the time to book that photographer. Also, get the florist while you are it! And your favourite cake designer! Oh and the Dj too!  Keep in mind popular vendors are booked up to a year in advance and once booked they can’t be booked for the same date so keep that in mind while you search for them. Prioritize here: Do you want the best Dj in the city or the best-looking album of photos to commemorate your wedding? Decide what you want and dedicate larger chunks of your budget to it! Get in touch with us if you are still looking for vendors and we can connect you with some great ones! (we might be able to snag a discount for you as well 😉 ;).
10. Dress up time! Now comes the time to get the dress on! Look for inspiration in photos and put them in your binder before you go for your appointment at the boutique. If you are on a budget Facebook groups like these are the great place to look for used bridal gowns! :
    1. Edmonton Wedding Related Group
    2. Edmonton Wedding Vendors

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