For a newly engaged couple, a wedding can seem like an exciting but all too overwhelming thing. It is, after all, one of the most important days of your lives and as the bride and groom, you want everything to go absolutely perfect. But when the two of you sit down as a couple and try to plan things, do you ever find that you are stuck, even when it comes to where to start? Fear not, because I am going to help you organise it all with some helpful tips on where to start.

Set a Budget

If you are a couple that are paying for their own wedding, the best thing to do before even thinking about anything else is set a budget. Take into consideration what you make at your jobs, how many people you want at your wedding and how much you would like to spend per person for dinner. Remember you also have to factor in things like a photographer (ME), makeup artist, hairstylist, flowers, reception location, cars and much more. If you are working with your own budget, sometimes it is best to hire a wedding planner.
 

Set a Date

Seems pretty simple, right? After you've gotten your finances worked out either with one another or the parent paying for the wedding, it is time to start thinking of a date. You will want to give a little thought into what you would like the theme of your wedding to be as well; a beach themed reception may be nice on the coldest day of winter but it might be hard to find themed decor or flowers. Do you want a winter or summer wedding? If you want to save some money, winter is by far the best time to book.

Find Your Groomsmen and Bridesmaids

After you have a date in mind, it is time to start thinking about who you would like to have stand with you on your wedding day. Include your better half in this because they may have the same people in mind. Consider a friends financial situation if you are able to as well: you don't necessarily want to make someone commit if they won't be able to afford everything. Remember, they will likely be paying for their own dress or suit that day, may have to travel or find a sitter for their children. 

Choose a Location

By now you may have a good idea of what kind of theme you want for your wedding. If it will be a vintage inspired wedding, you can start researching inns or old estates that cater weddings and put them into consideration. It is good to compile a few choices that you really like just in case the place you want is booked. You don't want to have your heart set on one location and then find out your date isn't available. It is always best to do this well in advance because many popular wedding venues can book up a year or more in advance.

Make a Guest List

Before you even get to creating the invitations, your spouse and both sides of the family should make lists of who they would like to have attend. If you want to have a small wedding, make sure that your family members know this so they do not think they have to invite everyone at their place of employment. If you are having a larger wedding, it is still a good idea to set a cap on how many people you would really like to attend, and keep in mind that some people will not be able to go. Once you have a good idea of how many people may be in attendance, you can begin pricing out invitation options.

If you are reading this and are already married, comment below some of your tips for planning your wedding. What would you do first, or what would you have done differently. Let me know. 

Now that all the boring stuff has been done, let's get you sorted out with the good stuff, the photography! I have spent the last 5 years photographing weddings up and down the country and want to spend another 30 years doing so. If you think we would be a good fit, use the Contact Form and tell me about your wedding, I would love to hear all about it.

I specialise in relaxed and natural weddings. My unobtrusive style and hatred for cheesy posed pictures has allowed me to photograph amazing and romantic weddings and capture all the happy and fun memories that should be cherished forever. I can't wait to hear from you.