10 Things You Can Start Planning for Your Wedding Now

So, the date is set, or you have a time frame in mind. Congratulations! Now the fun begins!

Wedding planning is one of the most involved and lengthy processes you will experience in your lifetime. You have to find and book a venue. Accounting for guests is necessary. Lodging, catering, food, and entertainment must be chosen. There are decorations to select, and smaller events to think about. You might have to book a separate rehearsal spot and even a separate reception venue. You also have to find and order your rings, whether that’s Tungsten wedding bands or another material. It doesn’t stop there, either.

The list certainly seems insurmountable, especially when you first get going. As easy as it is to do, don’t stress. Everyone that gets married eventually goes through the same process.

Most of the common tasks require you to be more hands-on and present, so you have to put aside time to check out venues, taste foods, and cakes, and more. All of that will come with time. But if you’re ready to get going now, there are a few things you can do early.

10 Things You Can Start Planning Now

Here are some things you can start planning right away, from the comfort of your home or couch:

1. Enjoy the Moment

You and your significant other have a long road ahead. Before you dive in and take on all the stress, all the duties, all the responsibility, take a moment to enjoy your new engagement. Spend some time being together, just the two of you. Revel in the idea that you’ll soon be joined as one. Maybe take a date night for yourselves, or spend some time with family. Before you start scouring the market for his and hers wedding bands, select your meals, or scout out venues, just be.

Bask in the wonderful moment and celebrate with one another. You both deserve it.

2. Announce Your Engagement

It’s likely some family and friends already know the news, but if they don’t, you should definitely share with everyone that matters most to you. Once the most important people know, it’s time to announce to everyone else. How you handle it is entirely up to you. You could invite everyone to dinner or a get-together and announce it verbally. Maybe you could send out cards or mail customized announcements. Or, you could use social media or create a website. Think about what works best for you and then announce. Remember, you’re not selecting a date yet or giving out any venue information, you’re just letting everyone know that you’re now engaged and more information is soon to follow.

3. Choose a Date

Before you do any other kind of planning, you need to select a definitive date. Not a season, not a general period, an actual date. It always works best if you choose a date that’s more special to you and your significant other, such as your dating anniversary. If that’s not possible, choose a date that you’ll want to cherish for years to come. Having the date in hand makes it much easier to book venues, find service help — like caterers — and it also gives your guests time to prepare.

4. Set a Budget

How much are you willing to spend on your wedding day, all in? Choose both a minimum spend amount and a maximum, the latter of which should set the limit for what you will absolutely not surpass. Once you have a budget, you know what types of venues you can afford, what amenities and activities you’ll offer, and you’ll have a baseline for some of the other savory decisions — like an open bar, cash bar, or no bar.

5. Choose a Theme

Have you always dreamed of a princess-style wedding in a castle or an elegant hotel? What about a country-style wedding out in the open? Whatever your preference, find a theme that works for you and your loved one. It’s going to go a long way towards helping you choose a venue, foods, nearby reception halls, and more. It will even influence the design of your wedding cake in most cases!

Once you have a theme, you should also spend some time designing the invitations!

6. Find the Rings

Next, it’s time to select his and hers wedding bands. Whether you’re looking for one of the more unique Men’s wedding bands, a la Tungsten, or a classic design, explore your options. Remember, there are many unique Men’s and Women’s wedding bands out there, so don’t settle on one pair or design right away.

The best way to handle this is to take your time, visit many different jewelers and stores, and suss out your options. You never know, some of the cheap wedding bands may catch your eye, even though you expected to spend a lot more money.

7. Narrow Down Your Wedding Party

How many Best Men or Bridesmaids do you want to have? Who is going to be in the wedding party? Will they be able to attend, because if they can’t you’ll need to find a replacement? This is something you’ll definitely want to take care of early on. You’ll also want to coordinate with everyone that you’ve chosen to make sure they know their role and what’s required of them.

8. Research Some Venues

Before you can even visit and select your venues, you’ll need to consider where you’re having the wedding and what’s in the area. Hopefully, you already have some idea of the location or spot.

If that’s the case, spend some time researching potential places, whether that includes a restaurant, hotels, event venues, or something else. You also have to be aware that some venues charge extra for weddings, specifically, while others do not allow weddings or receptions to take place on the grounds. Consider your options, reach out to potential location contacts, and don’t forget to make sure the venues are available during the date and time when you’re planning the wedding.

9. Build a Website

Whether you build the website yourself, or you decide to hire someone, or you find an existing service, you’ll want a web portal in place to show your guests, family, and even contacts. It’s best to have it set up and live before sending out the wedding invitations because including the URL on those makes things a whole lot easier. There are wedding registry sites and services that allow you to easily build a portal, using drag-and-drop tools, even with minimal web development skills.

10. Try-On Your Wedding Bands

Both Men’s wedding bands and women’s bands can be hit or miss depending on the size of your fingers, and even whether or not you’ve gained or lost weight since they were ordered. It’s important to double-check the bands to ensure they fit you properly before the big day. The last thing you want to happen is to find out they won’t slide on your finger while you’re standing at the altar.

You’d be surprised how many people forget this little detail.