Ask a Planner: Lace and Lavender

Many of you have just gotten engaged over the holiday and are at the start of your planning, which means you probably need a hand figuring some things out. Luckily for you, today we're getting an extra hand from Lace and Lavender!

I get asked the same question often from my brides: Where do I start?
At Lace and Lavender, our goal is to keep it as simple and as stress free as possible but still bring you that dream day with all the details you were hoping for.
Here are a few things I recommend when you’re first getting started on planning your day:

1. Don’t buy anything until you’ve set your budget
I know, easier said than done, but it’s important to know what you can afford and what you need to rethink.
There’s nothing worse than planning a large part of your wedding only to find out that it’s not in your budget. Debt is not one of the things you want to bring into your marriage.
Take the time to talk to your fiancé, your family, or who ever else might be helping you with your day so that you can have a clear budget from the beginning.

2. Start Dreaming and get on Pinterest
Pinterest is such a great tool for wedding planning and it really helps you get organized and started on how you want things to look. It’s also great for helping you find those unique details and lots of wonderful DIY ideas.
It’s great to be able to easily collect your ideas and you don’t have to worry about saving photos to your computer or having different files all over the place.
Don’t get too intense about it, just create a couple of main boards for things like dresses, flowers, reception and ceremony decor, colours and desserts and pin as you see things you like. This should be one of the fun parts of planning your wedding; dreaming of all the beautiful details!
Also, being able to take your computer or phone to a meeting with a vendor to show them your vision is a great tool to help ensure you’ll get the look you want.

3. Decide on your “must have” items
For every couple there seems to be at least one or two things that they just have to have at their wedding. For some it’s a certain type of food, designer dress, live music, or your favorite dessert from your favorite bakery. Take some time and think about what elements are really important to have in your day and make sure you place them at the top of the list in the budget and planning. It’s your day so take the time to make it uniquely yours.

4. Create your guest list early
Even if it’s just a first draft, give yourself an idea of how many people you plan to have at your wedding. It adds up much quicker then you realize so it’s important to create your list early on, before you book your venue.

Tip: If you’re wanting to keep it below a certain number give your parents a certain amount each that they can invite to the wedding.

5. Check lists are your new best friend
Find a good program, app, or downloadable check list that will help you plan and keep on track for what you should be doing at what stage of your engagement.
Use your check list like a diary putting in notes and reminders of anything and everything wedding related. You’d rather be organized and have everything in one place then searching for that one piece of paper you can’t find.