Meta Description: This step-by-step wedding planning timeline will help you stay organised and stress-free as you prepare for your big day. From securing vendors to finalising details, follow our guide for a smooth planning process.
You and your partner have decided to get married — congratulations! Now that you have found your lifetime partner, it’s time to face another challenge together: preparing a wedding. This task can feel overwhelming as you’ll have a lot on your plate. But don’t worry, with the right strategies, you won’t have any problems planning your creative wedding gatecrash ideas in Singapore.
Organisation keeps everything on track when you’re faced with a long list of to-dos for your wedding day. Give yourself plenty of time to plan — if possible, one year. The more time you have on your hands, the easier it’ll be for your and your future spouse to plan the wedding together.
So, where to begin? We’ve listed a step-by-step guide below to cover the basics!
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Set a Wedding Budget
The first essential step in planning your wedding is setting the budget. It’s not the most exciting part of the process, but it’s a priority because it impacts the rest of the planning process. The last thing you want is to fall in love with a dress or venue only to realise that it’s something out of your budget.
Sit down with your partner, parents, or other potential contributors to come up with a realistic wedding budget. After that, divide the budget by service or vendor accordingly.
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Get Inspired
Getting inspiration from online and offline sources is definitely one of the fun parts of the planning process. Think about how you want your wedding to look. Are you looking forward to tying the knot in a rustic style? Or do you want the event to be classic and formal?
Browse through Pinterest and Instagram or ask for recommendations from your newlywed friends and family. By getting inspiration from different sources, you can start considering décor ideas, wedding colours, venues, and more.
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Think About Your Guest List
You don’t have to finalise your guest list just yet, but having an estimated guest count as early as possible is important. Planning for a 50-person wedding will be different than when you’re planning for 300, simply because the number will affect your budget, venue choices, and other considerations.
Before you look into wedding venues and suppliers, make sure you already have an idea of the number of your guests. This will save you the stress of changing venues or supplies to better accommodate all of your guests.
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Narrow Down the Dates
Instead of setting a wedding date after finding a venue, it’s best if you choose a few potential wedding dates before looking for a venue. First, think about your preferred season — do you want to have a beach wedding during summer? Or tie the knot in a rustic barn during the autumn?
Next, assess if a Saturday night wedding is a must or if you’re open to being married on a different day. Saturdays are often more convenient, especially if you’re expecting guests from out of town but expect to pay more and wait for vacant dates longer. Weddings on less popular days, like weekdays, are often cheaper but might prevent some guests from joining the event.
Once you have a date in mind, check your own and your partner’s calendars to see if there are any work schedules, family events, or holidays. After that, narrow things down to arrive at a few wedding dates. Having some potential wedding dates will expedite the venue selection process.
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Scout For Venues
After setting a budget, an estimated guest count, and potential wedding dates, it’s time to look at winter wedding venues. Read reviews online first before you schedule a visit. This way, you’ll avoid wasting time, money, and effort in visiting a venue that doesn’t meet your expectations.
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Book Vendors
You’ll have to work with several vendors to ensure your wedding goes smoothly. On average, couples hire 12 vendors to help turn their vision of the perfect wedding day into a reality. This number might seem a lot, but hiring the right people in advance is essential.
For instance, if you’re looking for wedding cars for hire in Leeds or a DJ for your reception, scout for options months before the wedding. This way, you can compare options and pick a vendor that fits your needs and budget.
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Send Save-The-Dates to Guests
Share the excitement of your upcoming wedding with your guests by sending them save-the-dates. These should be sent in advance to ensure your guests can plan accordingly. You don’t want your loved ones to miss the big day simply because you sent the save-the-dates too late, right?
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Pick Your Wedding Dress
Give yourself plenty of time to look for the perfect wedding dress. Keep in mind that wedding dresses take a few months to be properly altered after you’ve purchased them. So don’t wait until the very last minute to start shopping for your wedding dress.
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Buy Wedding Bands
You and your partner will be wearing your wedding bands for life, so browse a few options before choosing which to buy. Ideally, you should start looking for wedding bands months before the wedding. This will help keep stress at bay and ensure that you find a wedding band that’s comfortable and matches your own and your partner’s style.
Enlist Help
Certain aspects of planning a wedding can be challenging for most people. Maybe you already have a few vendors in mind but can’t find the perfect wedding dress. Or perhaps you’re looking for something simpler, as Pinterest suggestions are too unrealistic for you.
Fortunately, once you’ve hired vendors, you’ll have a team of pros who can assist you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family members to delegate tasks to them, too. With the right strategies and people helping you out, planning your dream wedding will be a piece of cake!