The widget on my phone tells me there are a little over 200 days until my wedding day. I’ve been patiently (mostly impatiently) checking this timer every day, wondering when the numbers will drop to zero. At this stage in the game, all that’s left to book is catering, and it feels like I’m doing something wrong. I should be panicking and stressed, right? Isn’t that what all brides feel like?
Throughout this process, I’ve learned a lot about the planning experience, a lot about myself, and a lot about the business of weddings. Here’s a summary of what I’ve personally learned over the past year:
Involving Your Fiance: During Thanksgiving dinner, I asked the table what was one thing each person was thankful of this year. Petar, my fiance, said that he’s thankful I’m planning the wedding. In a way, that’s true, but along the way, every time there’s a crossroads or a major decision (which photographer, what style of invitation, who to invite, etc), I’ve always been candid with him and asked for his opinion. This person will be your future spouse, so there should be a safe space for open discussion, not a fixed plan for the wedding you’ve been dreaming of since you were five years old.
Having a Longer Engagement: My countdown widget started over 500 days. Although I’ve been telling Petar almost everyday, “Let’s just elope. This engagement is way too long!” in the long run, it’s the best decision we’ve made. We had our choice of venues and vendors, because many of them were shocked that we were planning so early. This is especially true for higher demand locations, for instance Toronto, New York, or L.A. I follow a wedding group for Toronto, and people were saying that some venues were fully booked for 2017 in early or mid-2015.
Budgeting, Budgeting, Budgeting: Before we did anything (besides choosing a date), Petar and I sat down with a list of categories and wedding items/services (which I stole from lists on the Internet). I made a spreadsheet with a few columns: Budgeted Amount, Vendor Estimate, Amount Spent, Gifted Amount, and Variance:
We went through all the categories, and we searched and guesstimated the budgeted amounts based on our total proposed budget. Every time I did more research, I could adjust the budgets, keeping in mind the total costs and if they went up or down. Anytime we booked anything or received a quote, I would fill out the Vendor Estimate or Amount Spent categories. We’re lucky to have our parents step in for a few payments, so I would add that to the Gifted Amount section. The budget helps to know what you’re working towards and helps you not to overspend. Continue reading
Pudding and Cake 