You're Engaged! Now What??

The warmer weather means wedding season is right around the corner! I love this time of year-there are a lot of newly engaged couples getting ready to plan their dream weddings. I have had the pleasure of booking several new "southern brides" and have started planning away for several weddings this year, ooh and a tented reception for next year. I have always wanted to help plan and design a "tented" reception and can't wait to see how it all turns out. The property is absolutely gorgeous so stay posted for updates and pictures!

Congrats on your engagement! You have the ring, but now don't know where to start?? Here are some tips to help you get going.

Find your inspiration....

Start collecting inspirations and start your "tear out" sessions. Sit down with bridal magazines, fashion magazines, interior design magazines, and start tearing out anything that you like. Don't think about it-just tear! Anything you see you like.

Then go through all the pictures you have torn out and see what is striking in each picture. Is it a color scheme, pattern, lighting, or overall mood? This will help you get started in the right direction.

Create you theme....

Once you have your inspiration your theme is the realization of that. Your theme translates your vision into your reality. A wedding with a clear theme flows seamlessly. Every single detail of your wedding should reflect your theme.

I am working with a bride on her theme of "rustic elegance" and she knew her inspiration from the start. She loves the outdoors, wood, antiques, lanterns, etc. It all started with the perfect venue, Luckett Lodge, in Brandon, MS. From the moment I saw it I knew she had picked the perfect place for her dream wedding.

Decide on a season and some possible dates....

Don't just pick one date you have to get married on because that date may not be available. Pick a few dates in the season you wish to get married in case your fist choice is taken.

Hire a planner....

This is the stage in the planning process where it can be overwhelming for most brides. Locating a venue, vendors, etc. when they are working full time or in school and just don't have the 70-90 hours it takes to plan a wedding. Weddings are not cheap any way you look at them so why would you want to invest a huge

Guest list....

It is important that you sit down and start your guest list so you will have an idea of the size wedding you will have. Generally, the more guests you have, the more you will spend. Don't forget to get a guest list from the bride and groom's parents. After doing so you can compile a list together. You don't have to know every single person that you are inviting right away, but get a general idea of how many you must invite so you can get started on the next step...the budget.

Set a budget....

Setting a budget can be very daunting for couples today, but it has to be determined before you can decide on a dress, venue, photographer, etc. before you know who you can and can not afford. I suggest sitting down with your fiance or with whoever is contributing to your wedding and come up with two numbers. One-how much you would ideally like to spend on your wedding. Two-how much you are willing and or able to spend.

Get organized....

It is very important that you stay organized throughout the planning process. A 3 ring binder with divider tabs is a good way to stay organized. You need a place to keep all your inspirations, contracts, vendor contacts, etc. all in one place. SP brides get a customized binder full of timelines, checklists, etc. personalized to fit their individual needs. Make sure you follow a timeline to keep you on track.

Decide on a venue....

Once you have your budget in place you can now decide on a venue based on your style. Book your venue well in advance to ensure you can get one of the dates you choose.

After you have decided on a season and venue all you need to do next is set your date!

And then let the planning begin!