Where to Start When It Comes to Wedding Planning
If you’ve just gotten engaged and your brain is already doing mental gymnastics—venues, dresses, budgets, guest lists…—take a deep breath 🤍 You’re not behind, and you’re definitely not doing it wrong.
When I was planning my own wedding, I remember sitting on the couch with about 37 tabs open, a half‑started Pinterest board, and absolutely no idea what I was actually supposed to do first. If that sounds familiar, this post is for you.
Let’s break wedding planning down into calm, doable steps—without the overwhelm.
1. Take a Pause (Yes, Really)
Before you dive head‑first into spreadsheets and supplier enquiries, give yourself a moment to enjoy being engaged. Call your people, pop the champagne, soak it in.
When I was planning my own wedding, I felt this weird pressure to immediately start locking things in, as if there was a secret timer counting down. Spoiler: there isn’t. A clear head makes much better decisions.
2. Talk About Your Vision Together
This doesn’t need to be fancy or fully formed. Start with the big picture:
Do you want something intimate or a big celebration?
Formal or relaxed?
City, beach, hinterland, backyard?
When we sat down to talk about what we actually wanted, it saved us so many unnecessary decisions later. You don’t need every detail, just a general direction you can keep coming back to.
3. Set a Realistic Budget Early
I know… not the fun part. But it’s one of the most important.
Your budget doesn’t have to be perfect, but having a rough range will guide every decision, from venue to guest list to suppliers. When I was planning my wedding, this step alone made everything feel more manageable because it instantly narrowed our options.
A good place to start is:
Total budget
Top 3 priorities (what you’re happy to spend more on)
Things you’re happy to keep simple
4. Choose a Date (or a Date Range)
You don’t need an exact date right away, but having a few options will help when enquiring with venues and suppliers.
Think about:
Season and weather
Peak vs off‑peak pricing
Any important dates or travel considerations
When I was planning my own wedding, being flexible with our date gave us more options, and less stress.
5. Lock in the Big One: Your Venue
Your venue sets the tone for the entire day and often determines your date, guest count, and styling direction.
Once your venue is booked, everything else starts to fall into place. Truly. This was the moment during my own planning where things finally felt real and exciting instead of overwhelming.
6. Start Building Your Dream Team
After the venue, focus on booking your key suppliers:
Photographer / videographer
Celebrant
Catering (if not included)
Content creator (hello 👋)
My biggest piece of advice here? Choose people whose work you love and who feel like the right fit. You’ll spend a lot of time with them on the day, good energy matters.
7. Remember: You Don’t Have to Do It All at Once
Wedding planning isn’t meant to be a sprint. It’s okay if your to‑do list lives half‑finished for a while. It’s okay to change your mind. And it’s definitely okay to ask for help.
When I was planning my own wedding, the biggest lesson I learned was this: the day isn’t about doing everything perfectly, it’s about creating something that feels like you.
Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, that’s completely normal. Start small, take it step by step, and trust that clarity comes with action.
And if all else fails? Close the tabs, grab a coffee, and remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place 🤍
You’ve got this.
