If you’ve recently become engaged, iso probably feels like a strange time to start planning your wedding. But if you’re able, we highly recommend getting the basics sorted during this quiet period, as popular 2021 wedding dates are filling up for many venues and vendors.
Before you select a wedding planning package, visit venues, or even choose a wedding date, our lead wedding planner, Lily Jenkins, says it’s best to get your wedding budget and your priorities straight.
Here, Lily shares the first four major wedding planning tasks to do once you’re engaged, and advises on some of the changes you might see during these strange times.
Start by sorting out your budget.
Lily says: First step is always budget! This will determine a lot throughout the planning process. Outlining every possible expense in one place helps you to talk through your priorities as a couple and figure out what each of you really want to include in your wedding day.
When you set your budget, it’s important to research wedding prices to ensure that your budget is realistic for your vision. It’s also important to set a budget that you’re financially comfortable with, and that takes into consideration any contributions you might be receiving from your families to cover the costs.
If you’re not sure what to factor into your budget, or how much of your budget to allot to each category, please reach out to our Planning Team. You can book in a time here to chat with one of our Wedding Planners.
Select a time of year and day of the week you’d like to host your wedding.
Lily says: The next step before the venue search begins is to decide on the day of the week, month, and year you would like to get married. I usually tell people not to get attached to a specific wedding date until they find their venue, but the venue needs to know the basics so they can send you pricing and availability.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, I recommend that couples be open-minded when it comes to a wedding date. Many venues are offering back-up dates for couples in case the closures and wedding restrictions last beyond their initial wedding date. That might be something to consider with your venue if you’re hoping to get married before the end of this year.
Find your venue and get a date booked.
Lily says: The biggest impact of COVID-19 to newly engaged couples who want to start planning their weddings right now is the restrictions to venue site visits. If you’re unable to lock in a venue and a date, your planning process can be delayed.
If you already have a wedding venue in mind, I recommend reaching out to them to see if they can offer you a FaceTime tour, a virtual tour, or an in-depth phone call to talk you through each of their event spaces. Our Planning Team can also talk through the options with you.
If possible, I’d also go ahead and lock in a date for 2021. I personally feel like you’ll have peace of mind having a date locked in, and it’s something that you can tick off your list. A lot of wedding venues are rescheduling their 2020 weddings to later in the year or to early 2021, so it’s a good time to get a date booked before all the best dates are taken at your favourite venue.
Celebrate your engagement when you’re able.
Lily says: If you recently got engaged and haven’t been able to celebrate with your friends and family yet, I hope you’ve found a creative way to celebrate as a couple. I’ve heard some lovely stories in the midst of all this!
As I’m sure you’ve experienced over the past weeks, our friends and family are all looking forward to any social time they can get, even if it’s only virtual for now. So, I’d suggest sharing the good news over a happy hour Zoom call or FaceTime session one-on-one with your closest friends and family members. What better way to be social than through celebrating love!
Unsure how to start planning your wedding right now? Book a time here for a FREE one-on-one consultation with our Wedding Planners.
