Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
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Does anything match the thrill of getting engaged? Well, maybe the stress of having to plan a major event that all your loved ones and colleagues will attend and by which they will silently judge you.
But listen, it doesn’t have to be like that. Don’t let anxiety over the planning and logistics tarnish your moment of bliss. A little preparation and organization go a long way, and we’ve got a few tips to help keep things simple (and hopefully budget-friendly).
1. Share the news.
First, and arguably most important, put that new bling ring on Instagram for all the world to see. Haters gonna say it’s fake, but this is your moment. Lean into it. And actually, before you blast your followers with the good news, it might be a good idea to take a couple of deep breaths and put together a list of people who would call you crying that they had to find out about your engagement on social media. Call them. Then post your selfie. Next item of business is to enjoy the feeling of being completely, outrageously, blissfully love-drunk.
2. Get Pin-spired.
Pinterest is the cheapest wedding planner you’ll ever use. Use it. Start collecting images you love of everything wedding. (We’ll pretend you haven’t had an “I Do” board for years.) Don’t have an agenda, just select the images that resonate with you. Once you’ve done that for a few days, step back and identify the consistent elements of the things you liked. Those are the colors, themes and ideas you should use. Take this inspiration to the KSL Classifieds “I Do” D.I.Y. Bridal Expo and build on your vision with real-life examples. You can plan everything you need in one swoop.
3. Set a budget.
Ok, before you get too attached to the idea of fireworks and synchronized dolphin swimmers to perform during cocktail hour, reign it in and look at your numbers. It’s kind of a buzzkill, but you’ll avoid major bridezilla breakdowns if you know what’s possible before you start writing checks. So break out the calculator, put on one of those green accountant visors, open up a fresh Excel sheet and start being honest with yourselves.
Before you get too attached to the idea of fireworks and synchronized dolphin swimmers to perform during cocktail hour, reign it in and look at your numbers.
4. Your wedding, your style.
Once you’ve taken your Pinterest inspiration to the Bridal Expo (taken your Pinspo to the Expo?), come home and take a hard look at what you’ve found that you love that’s also in your budget. (See how these steps are kind of building on each other?) Will it be classic? Romantic? Edgy? Steampunk? (It’s been done.) Elegant? Granola? How do you envision yourself as a bride? Barefoot and no makeup? Or are you more of a Princess Kate girl? Think of all the weddings you’ve loved the most and how you see yourself as you are. Now give that girl (or guy) the ability to be the very best version of herself and plan a wedding for her in the style that makes the most sense. Don’t plan the wedding all your sorority sisters will have. Plan the wedding of your dreams.
5. Make a bridal-party and wedding guest list.
This is going to be tough, but we’ll get through it together. First and foremost, ask yourself if you’d like a bridal party. If yes, make a list of your closest besties (don’t forget family), and send as formal an invite as you’d like to ask if they will participate in the duties of holding your train, calming your nerves and being there to share in your happiness.
And make sure you give some guidance on what they should wear. If you have a specific dress picked out, or if you just want to stick to a color palette, let them know. Pro tip: Finding a paint strip at a hardware store of the colors you’d like your ladies to stick to is always very helpful for a bridesmaid. Next, start putting together the final list of invitees to the event of a (your) lifetime. Facebook, your phone contacts, and your mother’s Christmas card list are good places to find names that might slip your mind otherwise.
6. Interview and select your vendors.
There’s a vendor for just about every wedding detail you can imagine. But with quantity rarely comes quality, so make sure you do your research. Whether it’s a dressmaker, photo booth vendor, photographer or florist, you can read reviews and other brides’ personal experiences here. Once you have a handful of people with good enough reviews, make sure you interview them before you pull the trigger. Keep in mind that just because you meet them does not mean you owe them anything. This is important. Hire the ones you feel confident about.
7. Breathe. You got this.
Once you have the dress, the venue, the style, the fuss, the hassle and the planning all out of the way, just breathe. Enjoy your perfect day.
Need more inspiration? Come meet some of the best local wedding businesses at the KSL Classifieds I Do D.I.Y. Bridal Expo! Get your tickets today!
