Engaged? Now What?
This is an exciting time for you as a couple, you met the love of your life and now have decided this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You have just made a major decision. Now comes the “what’s next?”
Planning a wedding will be enjoyable but also stressful at times. Your wedding should be about you as a couple, your love story, your values, your likes and your interest. It should reflect your hearts and your love. Therefore, there are many decisions to make to have your wedding your way. To begin with, start early, set some time to sit down with your fiancé to discuss the budget for your wedding. Most weddings cost more than couples expect and if you have never planned a wedding before it can come as a shock, so depending on your budget you may have to allow yourself some time to save and pay for your wedding. Here are just a few suggestions on what to do next:
Hire a Wedding Planner
If your budget allows, hiring a wedding planner will be helpful. They can save you time, money and help with all of the decisions. Most planners have a list of preferred vendors that they can recommend.
Select Your Venue
If you are looking a very poplar venue you have to book it 8-12 months in advance. Some venues booked a year to two years out so have a couple of dates ready just in case your preferred date is not available.
Hire a Wedding Officiant
So many couples wait a few weeks before their wedding to contact an officiant. They will hire all of their other vendors and the officiant will be last. This is a common mistake and I think most couples don’t understand the necessity of contacting the officiant early because they are more focused on other things. Some have even forgotten about the officiant. You should book your officiant 6-12 months in advance.
Another mistake couples make is not researching the cost of an officiant. They have not adequately budgeted for their officiant and because of that, will select someone who is not a professional and their ceremony will memorable, but in the wrong kind of way.
When you hire a professional wedding officiant, you are paying for a specialized service. At Living Ceremonies, we invest up to 10 hours to create your unique wedding ceremony, it can be spiritual or non-spiritual, include whatever unity ceremony, reading music, family members you like. We spend with you, getting to know you as a couple so that we can create the ceremony of your dreams. It is our desire to make your ceremony one that you and your guest will enjoy.