How to Plan a Wedding Without a Wedding Planner?

One thing that all wedding planners have in common (though this is certainly not true of all of them) is an obsessive need for order. 

They have their processes down to a science after years of planning, designing, and executing dozens of weddings.

However, it would help if you didn’t let that put you off or make you feel like you can’t organize your wedding. 

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking, but just because you have never done it before doesn’t mean you can’t do it effectively.

We hope you have a wonderful time conceptualizing and making a plan for your wedding! If you follow the steps outlined below, organizing your wedding will be a breeze, and the big day will feel like something out of a fairy tale.

In What Order Should a Wedding’s Events Be Planned?

A wedding checklist is a helpful tool for organizing the many moving parts involved in the big day. 

It’s not all chaos; you may plan a well-organized wedding quickly with a bit of forethought and a checklist.

As an illustration, you should schedule the event and reserve the location before deciding what to wear so that your outfit is appropriate for the time of year and the site’s ambiance. 

That’s one reason why it’s crucial to stick to the wedding planning checklist; there are plenty more reasons below.

If you find the idea of a wedding checklist too daunting, this one should help you get through the essential tasks necessary to make your special day go off without a hitch. 

Naturally, there are extra things you could do, but we’re only covering the necessities here. We’re prepared to start making plans. A wedding checklist is provided below.

Imagine Your Big Day in Your Dreams

You can create whatever wild and wonderful spectacle your heart desires on your wedding day. 

If you’re lucky enough to be planning your wedding, the first step is to buy a diary or an essential wedding planner and use it for nothing but your ideal ceremony.

Write down your wedding day ideas as you have them, including the color scheme, the theme (fairytale, beach, spring, rustic, etc.), and any other details that are important to you.

Remember to enjoy coming up with creative ideas for your wedding. Inquiring minds need to know: do you seek a unicorn? Hire a unicorn! You might wow your guests with fireworks and a dramatic entrance. Which mood are you hoping to evoke? How do you envision your wedding day going?

Pro tip:

Prepare for a “meeting” with your significant other. Each of you should bring at least two photographs to serve as an inspiration & your ideas for the following to the meeting:

• Location
• Theme
• Colors
• Food
• Activities

Both of you will be able to express your ideas and be heard from the very beginning. Surprises are not something you want to happen while arranging a wedding.

Set a Wedding Budget

Setting your wedding budget is the first and most crucial step in arranging your big day. 

Although it’s not necessarily the most exciting part of wedding planning, you must get this done before moving on to the fun stuff. 

You don’t want to fall in love with a venue, vendor, outfit, etc., to find out that it’s much out of your price range. 

You should discuss a total budget with your parents or potential donors and allocate funds to individual providers or services.

Think About Your Wedding Dates

You can wait to pick a specific date, but it might be helpful to eliminate certain times of the year from consideration. 

Wedding venues, in particular, benefit from at least a rough sense of when the ceremony will take place.

Plus, having a broad plan in mind will help you zero in on the specific sources of inspiration you seek on platforms like Pinterest. 

I don’t see the point in looking for spring flowers if a winter wedding is the best option.

Form Your Wedding Party

Inviting your loved ones to share on your special day is the best part. When you’ve finally narrowed it down to the females and the boys you want to ask out, don’t hesitate!

You may have a great time with this; some innovative things brides do include giving their bridesmaids a handwritten message, a gift, and even a surprise! 

A few years ago, the bride asked me to be a bridesmaid with a lovely handwritten letter and bracelets that matched those she gave to each of us.

Take a personal approach and show your appreciation in a way that feels right to YOU.

The Pro’s Secret

Who you invite to participate in your wedding party should be determined by your desires and sentiments. 

Egos will be bruised, but if you have an open talk with those who weren’t selected but were hoping to be, you can ease their disappointment. 

If you’re having trouble deciding, check out this helpful flowchart created by Brides of North Texas. 

The guests who didn’t make a list should still be invited to “special” wedding events like the rehearsal dinner, bachelor/bachelorette party, etc.

Create a List of Invitees

A complete guest list isn’t required until much later, but having an anticipated number early on is helpful when thinking about how to arrange a wedding step by step. 

Venue possibilities, in particular, vary significantly between a wedding with 50 guests and one with 300. 

Get a sense of how many people you’ll be inviting to the wedding before you start looking at reception halls.

Get Inspired and Pin It

We don’t necessarily recommend Pinterest because it might lead you down a rabbit hole. 

Still, you can benefit from pinning ideas for wedding decorations, outfits, accessories, colors, flowers, a cake, table settings, and other elements on Pinterest. 

Pin things you like, but go back and look for any recurring themes as you go. If you can, you’ll have a much easier time DIY-ing or coordinating with professional wedding planners because you’ll have a clearer picture of your ideal style. 

Try to refrain from pinning once you’ve amassed a sufficient quantity of ideas; twenty pins is often enough. Having an abundance of ideas can be a burden, so it’s best to stop while you’re ahead.

Including some of your favorite Etsy finds on your Pinterest board is terrific. Use it as a helpful shopping guide for when you need it in the future!

Research, Tour, & Book Wedding Venues

The number of suppliers you’ll need to hire for your wedding will vary based on aesthetic preferences and geographical location, among other things. 

If you choose an all-inclusive venue, they will handle most of the vendor coordination for you, but you will still need to meet with them to discuss the finer details of your wedding’s aesthetic and menu options. 

A wedding planner will also conduct the necessary research, tailoring their findings to your tastes.

A few of the providers you might contact if you’re handling the weddings on your own are:

• Musician for the ceremony
• Band or disc jockey for the party
• Photographer
• Videographer
• Catering service
• Hair/makeup
• Florist
• Officiant

Pro Tip

Before anything else, prioritize your financial constraints in your investigation of potential vendors. 

The next step is to solicit local suggestions, ideally from guests at weddings you’ve already attended. Lastly, set expenditure priorities. 

Consider what you’d like to spend more on and what you’d like to spend less on. 

Some couples may prioritize the cuisine over the flowers, while others may want to hire a professional videographer yet have the same DJ for the ceremony and reception.

Make Your Strategy

Once you’ve found your wedding’s muse, it’s time to start thinking about what you can make yourself. 

Make sure to write these down so you may refer back to them (and cross them off!) as you go along with your project from beginning to end.

For successful DIY, you must limit the number of tasks you take at once. DIY should be a fun and rewarding experience, so take on only what you can handle.

Make a Website for the Wedding

Modern nuptials would only be complete with a dedicated wedding website. You might not think of it as a must-have for your big day, but it will significantly help get the word out to your guests. 

Having a wedding website can save you from the burden of asking your guests the same questions repeatedly.

You may give your guests all the information they need to join you in celebrating your wedding day, including registries, hotels, ceremony and reception times, and more.

If you want to inform and collect RSVPs for numerous wedding events like the rehearsal dinner, engagement parties, day after brunch, and more, a site like Joy that allows you to restrict some facts to select guests is a perfect option.

Start Looking for the Dress!

You can start your search for the perfect wedding dress on Pinterest or another online resource and either buy it online or visit a brick-and-mortar shop to try it on.

Depending on your wedding date, you should look for your wedding dress six to nine months in advance. 

It means you can take your time to make a final decision, but it is a good idea to start trying on dresses as soon as possible.

You presumably already have wedding rings, but if you don’t, don’t forget them!

Make Your Wedding Reception Food and Drink Selections

There are many options to consider regarding food and drink, regardless of whether you hire a separate caterer and wedding cake designer or choose an all-inclusive location that offers these amenities.

Suppose you want to ensure that everyone attending has a good time. In that case, it’s essential to provide something for everyone on the menu (including vegan and vegetarian alternatives) and to ask visitors to indicate any food allergies or intolerances on the RSVP.

Plan a wedding tasting to help you choose the best option once you’ve narrowed your list.

Get Dressed

Wedding gowns are available off the rack, but in many cases, special orders are required. 

Start looking for your wedding dress at least 10 months before the big day to give yourself enough time to try on numerous styles, place your order, alter it, and finally pick it up.

It’s the same for the groom, his attendants, and the guys at the wedding party. The truth is that you will feel more at ease once you begin browsing for clothes.

A Wedding Ring Purchase

Shopping for wedding bands should be done at least two to three months before the big day. It is because bands may need to be bought and perhaps resized.

It’s essential to find a wedding band that not only complements the engagement ring but also suits your future spouse’s taste. Retain custody of them until the big day arrives, and assign someone to deliver them to the altar.

Quick Tip:

A lot of people have doubts about the value of warranties. There are several threads on Reddit devoted to this topic. 

From the perspective of one user, here are some arguments in favor of giving it some thought:

If the plan is life with no limits on the number of uses or total repair value, AND you live close enough to get it checked twice a year, you will likely save a ton of money. 

Find out the limits of your coverage and if the stones themselves are covered or if it only applies to the setting.

The following is not a comprehensive list of the most common types of repairs:

• Platinum resizing ($50) and rhodium dipping ($20)
• Repair of loose or broken prongs (at least $15 for each prong)
• To fix a ring, you’ll need to spend between $50 and $200 to replace the shank.
• Replacing missing lateral stones (variable)

Another rule of thumb says a warranty is worth the cost if you can’t afford to replace everything with cash right now.

Get a Marriage License

You can’t legally wed without acquiring a marriage license, but the requirements vary by city and county.

You must apply for your marriage license 14 and 30 days before the ceremony. Not to mention that you should expect to pay for a marriage license! In some regions, you might expect to pay up to $100. (of course, this can vary).

Making Honeymoon Arrangements

Keep sight of the honeymoon in the midst of all of your pre-wedding preparations. 

If you want to go right after the wedding and have a memorable honeymoon, you should pick a destination, reserve flights, and lodging, and begin making plans.

Don’t Miss Out On The Pre-Wedding Celebrations!

Your schedule will likely be jam-packed with pre-wedding festivities, such as engagement parties, the bridal shower (or a coed wedding shower), the bachelor and bachelorette parties, and more. 

It would help if you made time to be the honored guest at these events, even though the engaged couple typically plays a minor role in the preparation process.

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