But soon after that excitement wears off, you’re hit with the reality of the fact that you have to start planning a wedding– something that you most likely have no clue about, right?! Sure, you’ve been in a wedding or two, or maybe one of your close friends recently got married, but things are different when it’s YOUR wedding! And if you’re anything like I was, chances are good that you have NO idea where to start.

Well, don’t fret, because I am here to help you out with the 10 things you need to do first to start planning your wedding. (And no, this is not a list that tells you to get your nails done and buy your first wedding magazine you see. Those are just expected, right? ;))

So before we get started, here are a few things you should know:

1) I was a wedding planner before being a full time blogger. I was certified and I planned and designed several weddings from start to finish. I’m not just pulling this stuff out of thin air :)

2) I was NOT a wedding planner when I planned my wedding. I was completely clueless, and my mom pretty much planned it.

3) Everyone’s wedding is going to be different, and you may not do things exactly as I recommend. This is meant to be a general guideline for you. 

Okay, now that I have that out of the way, let’s get started! I’ve created a little checklist that you can save (or pin) for quick reference, and then descriptions are all below!

 1. Start your guest list

This is a tough one because yes, of course you want to invite everyone you know to your wedding. Well consider this your warning: the more people you have, the more you have to spend. (This is why you do your budget first.)

Example: You want to have 200 guests. Your budget is $20,000. This means that you will have $100 per guest. Well, that really ritzy hotel you love? Yeah they’re not even going to be close to $100 per person for food and beverage. And that doesn’t include flowers, decor, and all your other vendors!

When it comes to your guest list, the earlier you start planning and know your estimated maximum count – the better! And don’t worry if your guest count starts to go down as time goes on – by then you’ll have had practice in cutting down that growing list of guests. Plus, removing those who you haven’t spoken too in a while is sure to make life easier :)

You might be wondering, “Where do I even start with my guest list?” Click here to learn more!

2. Set a budget

You shouldn’t be doing anything before deciding on your budget. Don’t even so much as look at anything! I know, I know- it’s a tough conversation, but it needs to be discussed and decided on before anything else. Sit down with your parents, family members, or just the two of you, figure out who is contributing, how much they can contribute, and what your total budget will be. Then you can move on to #3!

We know it’s hard to have a good idea of what you’ll even need in terms of budget.

Check out the posts below and go to the Budget section of our Newly Engaged Guide for more information on what to expect things to cost! 

 3. Choose possible dates

To be safe, choose 2-3 possible dates to have your wedding. Think of the time of year you prefer, the weather, work schedules/vacation time, holidays, and yes, even football season (or whatever sport your fiance/family is crazy about). Then choose your #1 preferred date, and have a #2 and #3 available in case your preferred date isn’t available. Because venues book up fast- some even book up to a year and half in advance!

Choosing your wedding date might seem like a no-brainer at first, but there are several different things that you need to consider before setting anything in stone. Click here to learn more!

NOTE: THE PREVIOUS 3 STEPS CAN REALLY ALL BE DONE IN ONE SITTING. IN FACT, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING JUST THAT- SITTING DOWN AND MAKING ALL OF YOUR DECISIONS SO YOU CAN GET STARTED. 

 4. Decide on your wedding’s style

Yep, you heard me- wedding style. If you’re new here, you’ll soon discover out that we’re HUGE on knowing what style of wedding you want. Vintage, modern, classic, eclectic, handmade, rustic… there are SO many styles out there! The beauty of “wedding styles” is that they also coincide with decor and details, and so knowing from the beginning will help you later on.  No need to design your whole wedding right now though- just know the general look and feel of how you want your wedding to be. Once you know that, it’ll be easier to move on to #5…

A wedding style is something that every wedding has, something that defines and describes a wedding’s look and feel. Establishing your wedding style will help you tremendously when having to make decisions!  Click here to learn more!

5. Book your venue

All of those first 4 steps above can essentially be done all in one sitting. Pretty cool, right?

Once you have all of those decisions made, you can start researching and touring venues. When you’re researching and you find a venue that you like, I recommend contacting them and asking if they have any of your possible dates available. If they do, go ahead and schedule a time to tour the venue. Give yourself a few (2 to 4 max) weeks to tour all of your possibilities (depending on how long you have before your wedding date of course), crunch numbers, see if you can envision your wedding there (or not), and then book your venue! Once you have your venue booked (meaning deposit made and contract signed), your date is secured- and you my friend, are well on your way to getting MARRIED!

Note: Be prepared that some of the more popular wedding venues in your area are booked out for the next year to year and a half… and you may need to shift your wedding date to accommodate a venue that you want. 

I have a few questions that you can ask yourself that will help guide you in the process of choosing your wedding venue… Click here to learn more!

 6. Research

[This one is twofold. So many of the things involved in planning a wedding happen all at once. Get ready ;)] First and foremost, if you didn’t already hire a wedding planner during the first 5 steps, I strongly suggest you consider one. They will be able to give you excellent recommendations and will save you lots of time and frustration.

Vendors:

Researching potential vendors is HUGE. There are so many amazing wedding professionals out there now, and you want time to be able to choose the right ones for you. You definitely don’t want to be rushed, but at the same time, time is of the essence. (If you don’t have a wedding planner, go to this post for tips on finding, researching, and inquiring with vendors.) When you’re researching, I recommend that you check out the vendor’s portfolio, bio, pricing info (if they have it available) and their blog. Feel free to do research on every single type of vendor you need, but the ones that are crucial and book up quickly are the planner, photographer,videographer, and caterer (if applicable). Moving on, the next steps are going to pertain to these 3 things. [After you’ve completed the following steps for the previously mentioned vendors, then you’ll move on to your entertainment, florals/event decor, rentals, invitations, and cake. And then you’ll go on to hair and makeup, transportation, tux rentals, favors, and any extras.]

Note: To make things easier on you and to ensure that you hire quality professionals, I’ve done extensive research on all of the wedding pros in The V List. Everyone you will find listed on ELD has been reviewed, vetted, and verified by ME. They are all of excellent quality and are absolutely amazing. :)

Choosing and hiring your wedding vendors is one of the most important steps in planning your wedding, because these are the people who are going to make your day happen! Learn more about this process by going to the page in our Newly Engaged Guide entirely dedicated to finding and booking vendors!

Part 2 of Research is…

WEDDING DRESS!

Yes, it’s in caps because it’s *that* exciting! Isn’t it pretty much the very first thing you wanted to do- look at wedding dresses?! I mean, come on, who doesn’t like wedding dresses? ;) But in all seriousness, you want to be sure that you research the types of dresses you like and the stores that carry them. And read this post. [Personal experience in a nutshell: I traveled 5 hours to go to a store that had the designer I liked- and I ended up taking my dress home that very day (after months of dress craziness- read here).]

Wedding dress shopping may be one of the most fun parts of wedding planning, but there are also a few insider tips that will help you leaps and bounds. Click here to learn more!

7. Inquire With and Interview Vendors

So by now you’ve done your research and you know what vendors you like. Now it’s time to contact the vendor, find out if they’re available for your date, check on their pricing (if you want to), and schedule a consultation. (I think this is what I myself felt awkward about. When you’ve never done it before, it’s just weird, you know?) It’s NOT weird though- in fact, it’s pretty darn fun! The vendors will get to know you, you’ll get to know them, you’ll get down to business, and then you let them know in a few days if you want to hire them or not! I recommend meeting with up to three of each type of vendor- one if you already absolutely love them and they sell you right away, two if you’re pretty set but want to know other options, and three if you’re not sure. It just really depends on you, your decision making skills, and your taste. :)

8. Hire Your Vendors

Of course the next step is to pull the trigger and hire one of those vendors that you’ve met and fallen in love with. After your consultations, try to let vendors know your decision a week or two from when they provide you with an estimate/proposal. And then hooray! You’re one step closer to your wedding day!

Important note: Once you’ve hired someone, please let the other vendors that you met with know that you won’t be going with them. I know it sucks to do it and yes, you might feel awkward, but it has to be done- they have to know! A nice, simple email will suffice.

Choosing and hiring your wedding vendors is one of the most important steps in planning your wedding, because these are the people who are going to make your day happen! Learn more about this process by going to the page in our Newly Engaged Guide entirely dedicated to finding and booking vendors!

9. WEDDING DRESS!

Alright, so you have some of your vendors booked… now it’s time to take a break and go wedding dress shopping! I don’t think this needs much explanation. Just be sure that you’ve read this post first. :)

10. Design & Detail Inspiration

Remember back in the first 5 steps when I had you decide on your wedding style? Well with the second round of vendors you will meet with next (florals, decor, invitations, rentals, cake) you’ll need to have a good idea of what you want your wedding to be like, so it’s time to focus on design and details!

Know that when I say “design and details”, it really just means what your wedding will look like. Design is more of a general term, and details is more of the specifics (and where your personality can really shine through too!). This too is something that requires lots of research… which in the wedding world we like to call INSPIRATION! :) I’m sure many of you have probably already started saving photos of things that you like and are Pinning away for your dream wedding. After all, this big, beautiful wedding world here on the internet does almost solely revolve around design and details! But you want to make sure that you have enough inspiration to be able to accurately convey to your potential vendors what it is you want for your wedding. And then in the same breath, you don’t want to have too much inspiration either! Oh and don’t forget to bring your inspiration with you to your consultations! You can probably even just pull up your Pinterest boards in your meetings- which I think is absolutely amazing. :)

As luck would have it, I have a few different posts devoted to design and details that should cover everything…

“Finding Wedding Inspiration and Making It Your Own”

“Inspiration, Not Replication”

“Why Every Wedding Needs Details”

“What Exactly Are Details?”

“Wedding Details Inspired By YOU!“

Once you get to the last step for your first set of vendors, then move on to the next round of vendors! Wedding planning is like a roller coaster- you’ll go really fast at full-speed, then you’ll slow down, and then you’ll speed up again. Yes it’s normal, and it’s okay to have a lull in planning. Basically that roller coaster ride just keeps going until you get married. ;) So remember this:

Wow so that was LONG and absolutely FULL of information, but I hope all of this will help some of you out and get you going on the right path as you start planning your wedding! There are of course other things that have to be done as you get closer to your wedding, but all of this will definitely get you started and prepare you for what is to come. And if you have any questions, please know that I’m here to answer them! (No really- all you have to do is ask me over on Instagram!) Or you can ask here in the comments! There are no silly questions… you’ve never planned a wedding before, so how are you supposed to know?! :)

And remember, sometimes things are done differently depending on your own situation, so it’s totally fine if you don’t follow these steps exactly. In my experience as a wedding planner, this order has been to be the best way to go. :) And most of all, don’t forget WHY you’re planning a wedding- to spend the rest of your life with your best friend! HAPPY PLANNING!!!

The post Newly Engaged? 10 Steps To Start Planning Your Wedding! appeared first on Every Last Detail.

First, a little note: I’ve had this data about what weddings cost ready for quite a few months now, and delayed sharing it in order to focus on information regarding COVID-19. I’m releasing it now because wedding vendors have been affected tremendously due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and now more than ever it’s so very important to hire professionals for your wedding. I’ve also been hearing about misunderstandings and misinformation regarding wedding pros’ costs, so I decided it was time to share. And plus, having this knowledge of what to expect wedding vendors to cost is one of the most helpful pieces of information you can have when planning your wedding! Let’s get started, shall we? 

We talk a lot about what weddings cost here at Every Last Detail. It’s something that not many like to talk about it, but it’s also VERY important information to know so you can plan a wedding properly. And it’s no secret that our main focus in all we do at ELD is to educate YOU, engaged couples, about weddings. Because we’ve said it before, but we’ll gladly say it again… you can’t be expected to know everything about weddings when you’ve never planned one before!  

Typically, whenever you look into what weddings cost, you’re given data that has been obtained directly from couples and what they spent for their weddings. This info only gives a glimpse of the overall average wedding cost, and includes figures from a wide range of weddings- from those have budgets of $500, all the way to figures like $5,000,000. It’s great to know, BUT it’s SUPER broad, and not necessarily a good reflection of what you can expect wedding vendors to cost. 

Now, that’s great information to have, but in my 10 years in the wedding industry, I’ve noticed that there tends to be a little bit of a disconnect between what wedding vendors are actually charging, and what couples are expecting (or told to expect) to spend.

So, a few years ago, I started conducting surveys asking WEDDING VENDORS what their couples are typically spending with them. Because I’m all about information and using it to establish realistic expectations… and what better people to hear from than those who are providing the products and services for your wedding?!

Today I’m so excited to be sharing the latest data about what a wedding costs when you use professionals. This data is what surveyed wedding vendors across the US have reported that their couples typically spent with them in 2019.

It’s my hope that by providing you with this information, you will be able to have a better idea of what to expect when it comes to wedding vendor pricing so you can establish expectations for your wedding costs that are both accurate and right for you. 

*Please note that these figures above are averages of what was reported by professional wedding vendors all over the United States.*

A few things to note regarding this data:

*The average guest count for these weddings= 143
*Data represents all of the United States.
*Catering and venues are often times one in the same.

Also, there were a few “categories” not included in the sampling, such as favors, gifts, and fashion. All of these categories are incredibly varied, most of which (except for fashion) are in price ranges of the low hundreds.

It’s important to note that pricing for wedding vendors definitely varies depending on location, level of experience, what you’re specifically getting, guest count, etc. This is also why I included the ranges of responses, to give an even better picture of what wedding professionals are charging. It’s also crucial to recognize that you don’t necessarily need to pay attention to the TOTAL AVERAGE here, as each and every wedding is different.

Over the next few weeks, my team and I will be addressing each vendor type and their associated costs to further expand upon this information, so be on the lookout for that!

Want more information on vendor pricing and wedding budget?

Click here for more insight!

PS: Are you a wedding professional who loves the educational content we share with couples? Please share this post with your couples and fellow vendors! 

Are you interested in supporting Every Last Detail so we can continue to share information like this? We would love to invite you join our Vetted + Verified vendor marketing service, The V List! Click here for information and to apply. <3 

The post How Much Do Weddings Cost? appeared first on Every Last Detail.

 What you need to know BEFORE you start planning your wedding:

Plain and simple, this is what I wish I had known when planning my own wedding:

*What I Wish I Had Known When Planning My Wedding

*10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Planning A Wedding

Pretty weddings cost a pretty penny. Your parents and family members are going to expect a wedding to cost what they spent back in the day, but *newsflash* that was 20, 30, maybe even 40 years ago! Gas and milk don’t cost the same as back then, so don’t expect weddings to. Here are few insights into what weddings cost nowadays:

*Why Do Weddings Cost So Much?!

*What A Wedding Costs (When you use professionals)

And on the note of what weddings cost, your budget is what’s going to make your wedding happen. These things are helpful to know:

*The 1 Thing That Has The Biggest Impact On a Wedding Budget

*Define “On A Budget”

One of the first things you’re going to do is inquire with vendors, and that is a whole new ballgame. A few tidbits about wedding vendors to help you out:

*5 Tips For Inquiring With Wedding Vendors

*You Don’t Want Cheap Wedding Vendors

*5 Reasons To Hire A Professional For Your Wedding, Not A Friend!

*Why You Shouldn’t Negotiate With Wedding Vendors

*What Negotiation Doesn’t Mean

Chances are good that you already have a Pinterest board started, and now you’re going to be spending even more time on the ever-so-inspirational site. A few words of caution:

*Using Pinterest To Plan Your Wedding

*Why You Don’t Want A “Pinterest Wedding”

And finally, I myself am a wedding planner by trade, and honestly, I believe that every bride deserves and should have a wedding planner. Yes, it costs money, and you think you (or your mom or your aunt) can do it yourself, but the truth is, the money that you spend in the grand scheme of things is pretty small- and in the end is 100% WORTH IT: 

*5 Things To Know About… Wedding Planners

*7 Things Wedding Planners Do (That Brides/Moms/Aunts/Friends Can’t)

*A Wedding Planner Does Not Plan Your Wedding… YOU DO!

Once you’ve read everything above, you should be ready to get started with your wedding planning!

If you’re ready to move on, click the following link for your next steps: 

Newly Engaged? 10 Steps To Start Planning Your Wedding!

The post What You Need To Know BEFORE You Start Planning Your Wedding appeared first on Every Last Detail.

It’s important during all of this to keep in mind that your wedding budget is going to be unique to YOU- after all, it’s YOUR wedding, and YOUR preferences. But there are definitely some guidelines and steps that you can follow when creating your wedding budget, and that’s what I’m sharing with you all today!

Creating your budget is not something that is going to take days- you can really and truly sit down and do it in an hour or so. I recommend definitely sitting down with those who are contributing to your wedding budget and going through these steps together. When it comes to creating a wedding budget, it’s really just a few decisions that need to be made, all of where are contingent on one another and essentially need to be decided upon at the same time.

I’m a step-by-step person, so I decided to designate each “step” for creating a wedding budget…

1) Research…

…because you’ve never planned a wedding before, so you should absolutely be doing your research!

2) Dream…

…because you need to have some kind of wedding envisioned to budget properly!

3) Discuss…

…because as much as you want to avoid it, you’re going to have to discuss financials to figure out how much will be contributed.

4) Count…

…because the one thing that has the BIGGEST effect on your wedding budget is your GUEST COUNT!

5) Create…

…because once you’ve covered all of the previous things mentioned, you can get to creating your budget!

Okay, now let’s get started, shall we?

1) RESEARCH

First things first, you MUST do some research on weddings themselves. I’ve found that it’s a lot easier to create your budget if you know what you should expect and are prepared right from the get-go.

Sure, there’s the “average wedding” data out there, but the problem with that is the data has such a HUGE range when it comes to the weddings they are surveying. The majority of the time, brides themselves are being surveyed on what they spent for their wedding- heck, I’ve filled out a survey or two myself! But the thing is, these “weddings” are ranging anywhere from $2,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now I don’t know about you, but to me, that doesn’t seem like the most accurate data to base your wedding expectations on.

Since I’m a proponent of brides using professionals for their weddings, I decided that I wanted to hear from the PROFESSIONALS what their prices were. Because really and truly- have you EVER purchased something without at least either looking it up online or looking at the price tag first?

So a year or so ago, I surveyed wedding professionals across the country to find out what their average pricing was for a wedding of about 140 people, and here is the data:

(I do want to point out that these figures were reported by experienced, professional wedding vendors based on what their brides spend with them on average. )

If you do a little math, you will see that all of these figures combine to add up to just under $50,000 for an average of 140 guests. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to spend all of the same amounts for each vendor category of your own wedding, but it at least gives you an idea for what it might cost to work with an experienced professional. Having this information will give you a starting point so you can then customize your wedding budget to your wedding and your preferences.

WHY DO WEDDINGS COST SO MUCH?!

This is a question that I think just about EVERY couple asks. I know I asked it, and I’m pretty sure you’re probably asking it now, right? Well, I have some quick insight for you about that…

1) Wedding PROFESSIONALS. These people are skilled professionals with tons of experience. This is their livelihood. They do it full time, and it’s what puts food on their tables, just as your job puts food on YOUR table.

2) Products. Rentals, purchases, food, alcohol, flowers, linens, etc etc. All of these products play a key part in a wedding, and they unfortunately don’t just materialize out of thin air. They have to be paid for!

3) Guests. The more guests you have, the more money you’ll have to spend. (This won’t be the first time I say this!) It’s more food, drinks, tables, linens, centerpieces, etc etc. And it’s something that YOU can have control over. If you don’t want to spend much on your wedding- keep it small. That is the key!

For more on this topic, click HERE to read a full post on it!

It’s really important to remember that when it comes to weddings…

You get what you pay for! Paying for quality and experience will be something you won’t regret!

Okay, now that you’re armed with this information, you can move on to the next steps of creating your wedding budget!

2) DREAM: Determine the “type” of wedding you want

Now I’m going to do something a little out of the norm and suggest that you start off by thinking about the type of wedding that you want. It doesn’t have to be anything set in stone like colors and decor, but more along the lines of the style and feel.

Do you want it to be casual, relaxed, and fun? Or do you want it to be elegant, chic, and romantic? Outdoors or indoors? A farm wedding, or a ballroom wedding? All fairly broad things, but also very important things that will help you in creating your wedding budget.

3) DISCUSS: Have “The Talk”

I know, this is what everyone dreads. But you HAVE to do it so you can determine who will be contributing to your wedding. Will it be just you and your fiance? Just your parents? Or maybe a combination of you and your fiance, your parents, and your fiance’s parents? Every family is different, so don’t feel like you have to do anything in any particular way. In your discussion, you may talk about specifics for what each party can contribute, or you may not. We all know that money can be a touchy subject and everyone approaches it differently. It may even be helpful to create a few example scenarios to figure out how much you might need.

If you’re going the traditional route, your (the bride) parents would pay for the wedding reception, and the groom’s parents would pay for the rehearsal dinner (groom’s parents also sometimes pay for the alcohol at the wedding).

However, today it’s pretty common for multiple people to contribute- such as the bride and groom’s parents, as well as the bride and groom themselves. It’s also not uncommon for the bride and groom to pay for the “extra” costs of vendors or things that mean a lot to them- like a super amazing photographer, or a planner to keep them sane.

Plus, since many couples are getting married later in life (aka once they are successful and have established careers), it’s becoming a norm for the bride and groom to pay for their own wedding. There’s really no right or wrong way in deciding who contributes to your wedding budget though. It’s all about whatever works best for you, your family, and your wedding. Once you know who will be contributing to your wedding budget and how much they can contribute, you can add it all up and set your total wedding budget!

*PRIORITIES: It’s really important to also discuss what your priorities are, if you have any. If amazing food is the one thing that you and your fiance care about, you’ll want make sure you have a great budget for that. Be prepared to make some cuts to other areas within your budget order to accommodate your priorities. Decide what things are most important to you, and then move on to the next step!

4) COUNT: Number of guests

Next, you need to know how many guests you can expect. Your guest count is THE most important part of your wedding budget, because just about everything for your wedding is directly related to the number of guests. Food and beverage are a big cost, as are rentals.

If you want to keep your budget small, then you need to keep your guest list small too!

Sit down with your fiancé and start your guest list. Ask parents and those contributing to your wedding budget. Once you have your list that will be considered your MAXIMUM. Usually about 30% of guests will RSVP no to a wedding, so you can then consider your guest count to be 30% less of the number of guests you have on your list. I also recommend taking a good look at your list to determine who you would absolutely *have* to have at your wedding, and who you could do without- and use that to cut your list a little more and create an A list and B list.

Read more on the guest list: 5 Tips To Help You Tackle Your Guest List

5) CREATE

Once you have the previous decisions made, you can actually CREATE your wedding budget!

The typical method of creating a wedding budget would be known as the “Top-Down” method, in which you set your total cost, and then divide up your budget from there. You can use specific percentages to help determine your budget for each vendor category.

The following percentages are what I recommend to use as a basis. They’re a little different from other resources’ recommendations, but based on my experience as both a bride and wedding planner, they’re much more realistic (if you’re planning on working with professionals)!

Now as you can see, the reception (which includes venue, food, and drink) takes up almost half of your wedding budget. This is why your guest count is so important- it can make your wedding budget or break it!

Note: The dress is not included in the above percentage recommendations due to the fact that often times it is considered as a separate cost from the full wedding budget, plus there is such a varied price range for dresses depending on your taste and style. If you do include it as part of your full budget, then just add it in accordingly and remove some percentage from another category to accommodate.

[FREE DOWNLOAD!] 

I have created a little worksheet for you to do the multiplication, fill in numbers,  and create your own budget…

Click HERE to download

I also have a spreadsheet here on ELD that has formulas for all of the percentages and makes customizing your budget really easy to do. Go to TheELD.com/planningdownloads to download it!

Another method for creating your budget is known as the “Bottom-up” method. This works well if you have one or two costs and use the “percentages” for those costs to determine the rest of the budget. This would be a good method to use if you have already received an estimate from a vendor or two. You can use those figures to help you figure out the rest of your budget. 

For example: you have already received an estimate for $20,000 for venue, food, and beverage. The $20,000 divided by 45% would equal to $44,444, and you can use that figure to help you set the rest of your vendor budgets.

Once you’ve started working on the numbers, you can start really customizing your budget to what is important to you. Do this by pulling from other categories to accommodate your priorities- the spreadsheet I have here on ELD makes this pretty easy to do. For example… if you want to make sure you have an awesome photographer, you can pull from one category to add more money to the photographer category. Just remember to always make sure your percentages add up to 100%!

 DONE! Now you have your wedding budget!

Now after doing all of these and making a few decisions, you should have your wedding budget!

 Remember- your wedding budget is the foundation of your whole wedding.

Only good things can come of having a budget in place! 

The post How To Create A Wedding Budget appeared first on Every Last Detail.

Well friends, that is NOT the kind of wedding planning site ELD is. If you ask me, not hiring professionals is a recipe for disaster! Hiring a friend would end up causing way more issues than paying for a professional would… and yes, you get what you pay for! 

Don’t just take it from me though.  This couple unfortunately found out the hard way when they decided to let a “budding photographer” friend take their wedding photos. The thing is though, this wasn’t a friend who had shot a few weddings and was trying to get into the industry. He just had a “nice camera” and so they asked him to capture their day. To make a long story short, this “photographer” lost the couple’s image card and now they have no wedding photos. Because he wasn’t a professional and didn’t know what he was doing. Yeah… that’s awful, isn’t it? Can you imagine?!

Here’s the thing- if it was the successful norm to have your friend who has a nice camera take your wedding photos, cater your wedding, or do your flowers, there wouldn’t be professionals doing it! And there most likely wouldn’t be amazing images like this one…

Image by Live View Studios

In my experience, having a friend do a professional’s job almost never works out… unless they ARE a professional who truly is your friend (in which case, you are one lucky gal!).

So before we go any further, let’s just go over a few of the reasons for why you should hire a professional and not your friend…

1. A professional is committed to YOU.

A professional will be committed to YOU and your wedding day. They are guaranteed to show up on your wedding day, no questions asked. I’ve seen “friends” commit to photographing a wedding and then flake out 2 months – even a few weeks- before the wedding, people not show up to help on the day-of when they said they would, and even people just not caring at all. When you hire and pay a professional, they are contractually obligated to carry out the duties that you hired them to perform!

2. A professional will have EXPERIENCE.

There’s nothing worse than having everyone standing around at your wedding not knowing what to do next. Hiring someone who has experience will most definitely help your stress level both before and during the wedding. A professional with experience will also have a specific way of doing things, so there won’t be too much guesswork for you while planning your wedding. The last thing you want to have to do while planning your wedding is figure out what your friend is supposed to be doing!

3. You will get awesome RESULTS from a professional.

Or in other words, you get what you PAY for! Hiring a professional will ensure that you get a great result. Whether it’s photos or flowers, or food or coordinating, having someone who does weddings for a living will certainly give you the best outcome. It may not always be the most ideal option to spend money on a professional, but really and truly, paying for a service makes SUCH a huge difference! Not to mention that yes, there’s a contract involved, and as I stated before, they are obligated to provide you with those awesome results.

4. You won’t have to worry about straining your RELATIONSHIP.

When working with a professional, if anything, you will build a relationship with them. Almost always, when hiring a friend the relationship gets strained in some way. Either they hold a grudge against you for making them work for free or less than normal, or you’re not happy with your results and you just can’t tell them. It’s not worth ruining a relationship with one of your friends!

5. You want your friends to ENJOY your wedding!!

If they truly are your friend, you’ll want to have them at your wedding and enjoy it, right? And if that’s not the case, then you don’t really want to even have them at your wedding.

Image by Jordan Keenan Photography

Don’t get me wrong- there CAN be friends that help out with your wedding who will do a great job. But in my experience, it doesn’t always work out for the best.

One of the things that I’ve discovered about weddings is that it’s pretty common for “friends” who “do weddings” to pop up when you get engaged. What a coincidence that you have a friend who photographs weddings, coordinates, AND is a DJ, right?! At the time, it seems lucky and like you have all your bases covered, but please do your best to make an informed decision when friends offer to help with your wedding.

I would love to hear from you all on this. Do you have any friends who wanted to help you with your wedding? Did you decide to go with them, or go with a professional? And any former brides out there… did you have any experiences with “friends”?

A version of this post was originally posted in June 2012.  

The post 5 Reasons To Hire A Professional For Your Wedding, Not A Friend! appeared first on Every Last Detail.

And so, I have made it my mission to take both of those personal experiences with wedding costs and educate you about what I have learned. I’ve talked about why weddings cost so much before, but I felt like it was about time that I touched on the subject again- so I’ve updated this previously published post on why weddings cost so much…]

 “Why do weddings cost so much?!”

I’m pretty sure this is a question that I think just about EVERY couple (and parent and bridesmaid and friend) asks. Don’t worry- I asked the same exact question when I was planning my wedding. And I never really figured out the answer until AFTER my wedding when I started working in the industry, learning the ins and outs and what it really takes for a wedding to happen. (Thankfully, since that’s a HUGE part of why I started blogging in the first place!)

So at first, you’re SUPER excited to start planning your wedding, right? And yeah, you know weddings can cost a good chunk of change… but when you start getting the proposals and quotes from people, THAT’S when it really hits you.

I think a HUGE part of it is that you don’t really have a good *idea* of what things cost beforehand. Whenever I give brides and grooms a ballpark range of what to expect for what something would cost, it’s usually a shock. But then after that, it’s always so much easier for them to take that expectation and make a decision using the information. There’s just something about knowing ahead of time that helps SO much, don’t you think?

Here’s the thing: when I was planning my wedding I did always wonder why things cost so much. But I was so focused on the COST that I never really considered or bothered to find out the WHY. So today’s that’s what we’re talking about…

1. Making it happen.

What does it take to make a wedding happen? Wedding professionals.

I don’t know what it is about weddings, but for some reason, lots of people don’t think of wedding professionals as having a “normal” job. Maybe because weddings are such happy and fun times, so it’s hard to think of any “work” being associated with them. (Confession: I was one of those brides who thought this!)  Or maybe it’s because there are indeed a few “hobbyists” in the wedding industry providing services to brides. Whatever it is that’s causing this thought process, it’s incorrect.

Wedding professionals aren’t charging what they charge just for the heck of it. They charge what they charge because it’s their livelihoods. Their career. How they put food on the table for their families. Sure, some charge less and some charge more, but it’s what they have deemed their worth to be based on their cost of doing business, their training, and their expertise. Oh and let’s not forget about experience, which is also a huge factor of wedding professionals’ costs too. And also, their TIME. They work during the week, and then they still have weddings on the weekend. Half the time, they’re not even being paid enough for the time they put in, but it’s what has to be done to make awesome weddings happen.

[Note: wedding professionals don’t charge more just because the word “wedding” is attached. This might be true for business owners who *aren’t* actively doing weddings, but please don’t think it’s true for those whose careers are 100% dedicated to weddings. Let’s kill that myth right here and now, k? :)]

2. The *Things*

Yes, there are *things* that are needed for your wedding. Lots of them. And these things are also what “cost so much”. Rentals, purchases, food, alcohol, flowers, linens, etc etc. They’re all things, and are a HUGE part of the wedding costs. These things usually have to be purchased (or rented) FOR your wedding, so they can be functional AT your wedding.

[Get ready for a baking/cooking analogy because that’s something that we all do, right?]

Think of it this way: You want to make chocolate chip cookies (from scratch) to bring to a party. But before you can make your cookies, you have to have all of the ingredients. That’s what the things for your wedding are. They’re the elements, the ingredients, of your wedding. These things still cost money- they don’t just appear out of thin air. And even though you may be making cookies from scratch, you don’t necessarily want to physically make the flour, chocolate chips, and butter, right? So that’s where wedding professionals come in, because they know/own/make/have access to those things that are needed to create a wedding.

Image via Bourbon & Blush Events

3. Guests.

Yep, the guests. Guests are really why weddings cost so much. I probably say it once a month. The more guests you have, the more money you’ll have to spend. It’s more food, drinks, tables, linens, centerpieces, all of the things that I just referred to above, etc. And guess what? It’s something that YOU can have control over. If you don’t want to spend much on your wedding- keep your guest list small. That is the key to EVERYTHING!

4. What YOU Want.

You can be your own worst enemy when it comes to what your wedding costs- I know I was! A wedding that costs “so much” could just be the result of what YOU want and your own taste! But hey, it’s AWESOME to know what you want, and hopefully you can get it for your wedding day! :)

Oh and after I wrote this whole post, I forgot that I wrote a post similar to this a while ago. It’s a little bit of a different breakdown though, so be sure to read it next! :)

All of this considered, it’s important to me that you know something: I don’t share this information to “inflate” the expectations for what weddings cost. I do it to educate you about weddings, and to share the truth with you. In my experience as both a bride and (after being a bride) a wedding professional, there’s plenty of fluff out there about weddings, but not enough truth! It is my goal to help brides and grooms, and to hopefully keep some of you from making the same uneducated wedding planning mistakes that I made.

Okay, so out of the things I mentioned above, which is the most IMPORTANT to you? It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting your planning, halfway through, almost done, or already married- I’m sure one of these things is/was what you absolutely have/had to have!

*Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2012 and and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 

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But, the real show stoppers of this shoot lie in the details! Farm tables decked with pinecones, evergreen, and exposed bark table numbers and place cards make you wish you were sitting down to Christmas dinner right now! The dessert table is decadent to say the least and with mint and red velvet shooters, chocolate cake pops, peppermint chocolate covered pretzel rods, coconut covered strawberries and hand crafted gingerbread custom cookies, just looking at this spread will make you put on a few holiday pounds.

And then there’s that hexagon arch- we love the variety in arch shapes we’ve seen this year and this beauty from Coastal Events is a favorite! No holiday celebration would be complete without some festive beverages and the mobile bar from Marion’s Bar & Bubbles, will have you wishing Santa was bringing you one of your own! And we love how this team incorporated two different looks for their bride and grooms- one with a grey suit from The Modern Groom and a fun, flirty dress, and another with a classic black suit and ballgown! Cheers to this elegant holiday inspired wedding look and wishing you all a beautiful and merry Christmas! 

And, we LOVE it when we get to see video of everything in action! This one from Jennifer Nicole Photography definitely has us feeling even more of the holiday spirit!

VENDORS WHO MADE IT ALL HAPPEN…

Host & Planning: Jennifer Nicole Photography // Photography & Videography: Jennifer Nicole Photography // Venue: Protea Weddings & Events // Coordinating & Set-Up: The Event Company // Floral Designer: Angela’s Floral Studio // Gown, Veil & Jewelry: Benedict Bridal // Suit: The Modern Groom // Hair: Simply Stunning You Beauty // Makeup: Beauty by Ashley 904 // Cake/Dessert Bar: LuBelle’s Cakes  // Mobile Bar: Marion’s Bar & Bubbles // Signage/Stationery: Flourish Creative Designs // Flat Lay Styling: Champagne & Grit // Furniture Rentals: The Event Warehouse Company // Tabletop Rentals: The Event Company // Arch: Coastal Events

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Anything less than a custom engagement ring or wedding band feels impersonal- but thanks to the innovation of softwares like 3D CAD designs and printing, it’s now possible for anyone to create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that reflects their style and personality! Let’s have a look at some of the top tips to bear in mind when you customize your engagement or wedding ring.

Choose a jeweler who will help you design your ring

Finding a jeweler who will listen to you and go the extra mile to guide you through this exciting journey is almost as important as finding the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Bespoke jewelry is crafted by people for people and it involves authentic, real-life communication. Many jewelry e-tailers say they offer custom service, but very few of them give people the chance to actually speak to real designers, and discuss their ideas in person, over the phone, or via a virtual consultation. (One of the many things that we love about Taylor & Hart is that you can book a virtual consultation with them!) The best starting point is to seek knowledge, ask questions, and let your imagination go wild. A good jeweler will listen to your ideas and help you design the ring of your dreams. 

Set a budget

Don’t be afraid to put a limit to your spending. It’s your love that should have no limits, not your budget. We’ve all heard the “three paychecks rule” about engagement rings, or that wedding rings should be 4% of the whole wedding budget. Those rules may suit some, but what matters is your own comfort and financial security.

Your jeweler will be able to fill you in on how you can save on your ring. A few examples of how to do this: opting for a lab-grown diamond rather than a mined one, choosing a non-round diamond shape, getting a halo which optically enlarges the center stone, choosing a fancy colored gemstone over the traditional diamond center. You’ll be surprised to find that there are many ways to spend wisely while maintaining your creativity. 

Work with metals

Choosing the right metal for your engagement or wedding ring is entirely up to you- some want it to match their skin tone or fashion taste, others go for durability and maintenance. Platinum, for example, is the easiest to maintain and doesn’t lose its shine, mainly because it doesn’t contain any alloys (like gold) which wear away with time.

Customizing the metal of your ring may refer to the metal finish or texture, which adds character to your ring. No wonder textured gold has been a hit with brides-to-be in the past year. You may feel inspired in the finishing touches, too. Using an ornate filigree technique gives your jewelry a unique vintage look, reminiscent of the Art Deco period, while milgrain is a beading detail that is often found in antique jewelry. Hand and inscription engravings are the most personal you can get with metal work and will definitely ensure you’re not wearing someone else’s ring.

Shapes and colors

The gemstone is the show-stopper of an engagement ring, so it’s best to choose the color and cut that will best reflect your personality. Some brides don’t want just one centerstone, which is why they opt for duos, trilogies, or clusters so that they can mix and match gemstone cuts and colors. There are no rules to follow and many celebrities have proven that custom is best- think Emily Ratajkowski’s bespoke pear and princess diamond duo or Lily Collins’ rose cut fancy pink diamond engagement ring. Colored gemstones give you the irresistible opportunity to create something special and unconventional. Remember: your love is like no other love, so why should your ring be?

Nowadays even wedding bands can be set with diamonds or have a diamond pavé. Some are made to match the engagement ring design, others pay extra attention to what the wedding ring reveals about them personally. One can even wear their loved one’s voice on the inside of the ring by engraving the visual pattern of a sound wave. 

Pop of color

You can always design an engagement ring with a fancy colored gemstone, but color can be incorporated in even more subtle ways. On a plain band, color can be incorporated by setting a colored gem on the inside, such as your partner’s birthstone or favorite color. You’ll share a secret known only to the both of you. Some couples put those tiny sparkling messages somewhere within the setting which gives even the most traditional designs an exciting twist.

Flora and fauna

Some of the most outstanding engagement and wedding ring designs are inspired by nature. Flowers, branches, animals, luminaries- it’s all part of the organic spectrum and many couples find inspiration in those elements. An organic-inspired ring can incorporate all of the customizable elements above and have a unique, unmistakable charm.

We certainly learned a lot about creating custom engagement rings and weddings from Taylor & Hart, and we hope you did too! Now pardon us as we go and get lost in the designs they’ve created with couples and dream about a ring upgrade!

*This post is part of a sponsored partnership with Taylor & Hart. 

The post How To Create A Custom Engagement Ring and Wedding Ring appeared first on Every Last Detail.

Bianca’s creation started with some decadent menswear – a velvet emerald jacket from The Black Tux that was begging to be paired with some soft yellow and gold tones. The rich, modern color combination became known as “Sweet Like Honey” and woven, geometric details were added to the mix. Some mid-century flair comes through in the selection of rental furniture from Birch and Brass, while the golden backdrop provided by Lucille Photo allowed for some studio-esque photos of the couple, reminiscent of a fashion editorial. Soft yellow taper candles, honeycomb chocolates for each placesetting, and the hexagon signage round out this design that has us buzzing.

VENDORS WHO MADE IT ALL HAPPEN…

Planning: Bianca Nichole Events // Venue: Prospect House // Photographer: Lucille Photo // Dress: Olivia Grace Bridal // Suit: The Black Tux // Florist: Stems Floral Design // Rentals: Birch and Brass // Linens: BBJ Linen // Calligraphy and Signage: Ivelisse Designs // Hair and Makeup: Gloss Beauty Boutique // Fine Chocolates: Charity Teague Confections // Film Lab: Goodmann Film Lab //

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Day-of wedding coordinators do NOT exist!

 I know, I know… they do exist. And a day-of coordinator is what everyone (myself included) says that you at least need to have for your wedding day to run smoothly. But the reality is that in order for a wedding day to run smoothly, a coordinator doesn’t just work for the day of the wedding. So in essence, we really shouldn’t be referring to these coordinators as “Day-of”!

Think about it- would you want someone walking into your wedding on the day-of when they have no idea about anything that is supposed to happen?

Definitely not, right? Having a coordinator for the day of your wedding is of course something that I highly recommend, but you must realize that for a coordinator to successfully carry out your wedding day, they need to be able to work BEFORE your wedding day too. Well thankfully, there are alternatives to “Day-Of” Coordination – “Month-of” Coordination and “Event Management”!

Month-of coordination certainly isn’t a new concept, because it’s pretty much how the former “day-of” coordination service has been done for some time. Essentially, all of this is just a matter of recognizing that the term “day-of coordinator” isn’t correct.

Wedding planners all over have decided that starting their coordination services 4-6 weeks before a wedding is enough time to get everything figured out and organized. This means that you hand over just about everything to your coordinator, and then they take over for you. You’ve done the planning up until this moment, and now your month-of coordinator is going to handle the rest. Vendor confirmations, creating your timeline, making sure everyone knows where to be, making sure you’re not forgetting anything- all of these are definitely things that you want done in the weeks before your wedding day, not on the day-of or the day before! And what makes it even better is that you get to enjoy (hopefully) the weeks leading up to your wedding!

I asked some of my wedding planner friends about their thoughts on month-of coordination, and they had some excellent insight:

“I always tell clients (both potential new clients and those that are retained) that day-of coordination doesn’t really exist. The best way to illustrate my point is to tell them that the last thing they want is for someone to literally come in the day before (or even day of) your wedding and try to interpret your months and months of planning and execute it to a tee. The benefit of having a month of coordinator is have someone there to help you in those last 30 days when everything is hectic and stress is at its highest point. Head counts are due, floor plans need to be finalized, payments ate due, wedding party members (and family) are driving you nuts with questions, etc. it’s exhausting and it’s always nice to have someone that you can hand off many of the items to. It is also the critical time to develop and solidify a wedding weekend schedule. I like to be able to develop a special relationship with my clients through the planning process, which allows me to be understand their needs, wants, likes, dislikes, etc. so that they feel comfortable coming to me throughout the process, but more so in those last 30 days.” – Kelly of Just Save The Date Events

“I think it’s important for couples to realize that it’s impossible for someone to effectively run an event if they are just doing “day-of.” We can’t know the details, the vendors, create a timeline, backup plans, and fully pour into the event if we aren’t putting in the hours before hand with the couple, the vendors, the venue, and fully understand every aspect to create the special day.” – Emily of Treasury Rentals

And then we have “event management“, which is a little bit of a newer term in the wedding world. Event management is meant to be more literal in definition, viewing the service as literally having your event managed, both on day of and in the months leading up to it. Often times with this service, it is starting more than a month prior to your wedding- usually around 2 months before. In my opinion, having an event manager is way better than just month-of coordination, because it means that the planner is going to be more knowledgable and aligned with your wedding and your expectations.

We asked a few of our V List experts to share more insight into this type of service:

“Because day of coordination really isn’t a thing and I come in 60 days prior to wedding day, it’s wedding management. I collect all the details of what you’ve planned, connect with and become your point person with vendors, help organize and finalize any list bits of planning and make sure I fully understand how to implement your day properly. Being thorough and learning all I can leading up to your wedding helps us be successful in creating a seamless timeline and pulling it off on wedding day. Month of and day of aren’t real expectations if you want a planner to get to know you, understand you and to be your ambassador at your wedding. We manage all the details that make your day run on time and fix anything you may have left out in your planning process.” – Karen of KMC Weddings & Events

“Imagine waking up on the morning of your wedding and not stressing about one single detail. You breathe a huge sigh of relief that you made the decision to hire a professional wedding planner to manage all the details of the wedding day. All you have to do is relax and enjoy each moment as your wedding day unfolds.

In Event Management, starting two months prior to your wedding day, we will work with you to gather all of the planning details, review a detailed wedding checklist, create timelines, attend a final walkthrough at your venue, and finalize timing and logistics with your team of event professionals. During the wedding weekend, we will coordinate your ceremony rehearsal, alongside your officiant, and oversee all the details on the wedding day including timing, logistics, setup, decor placement and clean-up.” – Sarah of Sincerely Pete Events 

“Wedding Management: Managing the event for our couples, providing resources, management. We don’t start just 30 or 45 days out, as most couples need some sort of guidance. To ensure the day is much smoother for us, we want to ensure our couples have the best resources available. While we don’t attend vendor meetings or design, we offer resources, consult over the phone/email and recommend our creative partners, ensuring the day to be more seamless and less stressful all the way around.” – Claudia of A Day To Remember

“Event Management is a more accurate term for what many planners used to call “Day of Coordination.” We believe it’s impossible to just “show up” on the wedding day and organize vendors, decor and people. Our Event Management service begins once the couple signs the contract with vendor referrals and access to online planning tools. We’ll meet with you several times- once at your venue to discuss the floor plan/layout and decor setup needs, and once in our studio to finalize your timeline. We’re also always available by phone or email throughout the planning process for logistics and timeline related questions. We’ll communicate timeline details to your vendors, coordinate your rehearsal and of course, coordinate the wedding day itself. As you can see, there are TONS of details that need to be managed, so we are happy to be available for our couples from the get-go!” – Cassie of Flaire Weddings & Events 

And let me add- as someone who has done “day-of” and “month-of” coordination, I can most certainly tell you that things go SO much better when your coordinator knows all of the nuances of your wedding. Because how else will you be able to have the day that you’ve dreamed of if you don’t let someone know about your plans and expectations? :)

So tell me- are any of you planning on hiring a “month-of” coordinator or event manager? How are you going to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly? 

A version of this post was originally published in June 2013, and it has since been updated. 

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