There are lots of things to think about when planning your wedding. Generally nailing down a venue and a reception space is a great place to start. I have found it can be a little intimidating to know where to start, so I thought I would give a few tips about things I have learned so far.

Helpful things to think about when starting this process include:

• Your budget

• Your guest list

• Your expectations surrounding your wedding photos

Let’s Start with your Guest List:

Your guest list is one of the first things you should try to estimate when planning your wedding. Almost all of the vendors you hire will need an idea of how many people you will be hosting for your wedding. The way I view this, there are two ways you can approach your guest list when picking a venue.

Option 1:

Pick a venue based off the expected number of people that want to come.

or

Option 2:

Pick your venue based off your desired number of guests and use that to keep your guest count under a certain number.

Let’s Talk About Budget:

The best thing you can do when planning your wedding is creating a clear description on your budget. This is obviously not the funnest part of the wedding planning experience, so making sure you have open and clear communication about expectations and responsibilities is crucial!

When I was building my budget, I wrote down two different lists. There was a list of things I knew I was passionate about having at my wedding and a list of things I knew I would need.

For example,

Passion List:

• Photography

• Wedding Dress and Suit

• Outdoor Ceremony Venue

• Specific guests that I couldn’t get married without

• Floral and Color Inspiration

Necessity List:

• Indoor Backup Space/Reception Space

• Reception Decorations

• Reception Snacks and Drinks

• Hair Stylist

• Florals

• Dress Alterations

By writing down what was important to me and what was important to the process, it helped me clearly communicate what my expectations were for my wedding.

Look around in your area to find a realistic estimate for your wedding budget in each category and decide who will be responsible to pay for that category. I assigned specific tasks to my Maid of Honor and took care of the tasks that were on my Passion list. Doesn't that sound much more enjoyable?! Don’t forget to revisit your budget as you go. If you happen to go under budget on one category, you can give yourself a little more wiggle room in another category!

Photography Tip!

Add a cash fund for wedding photography on your registry! Most of your guests would be happy to contribute toward a gift that will last you two a lifetime!

In my experience, most vendors will be able to give you a pretty accurate estimate for their services. Don’t be afraid to shop around and find someone that fits your needs!

Wedding Photography Expectations:

The reality is, your ceremony and reception space will greatly determine what your wedding photos will look like.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Is the aesthetic of your photos important enough to determine where you get married?

• Do you have expectations on the style of photography you recieve

  • flash or no flash

  • candid vs posed

  • indoor vs outdoor

  • natural light vs artificial

I personally don’t think photography needs to dictate every decision of your wedding. If the aesthetic of your photos doesn’t matter that much to you and you want someone there to photograph things as they happen, it isn’t anything you need to worry about. If you want to craft something that is a little more cohesive, don’t be afraid to discuss your expectations with an expert in the craft. Professional photographers will be able to guide you through realistic expectations and help you understand what the relationship between your venue space and your photography will look like!