So you just got engaged? And maybe you’re thinking where do I even start? Well I got yo back, trust!

1. Build a budget and narrow down a guest list.

Some people will tell you to find your venue first, then pick your guest list based on that capacity. And I’m not saying they are wrong, but coming from experience, you always think it’s going to be easier to narrow down a guest list than it actually is! Wedding politics people - it’s a real thing!

So in my opinion, build a budget and build a guest list. Choose the people who are most important to you that you want to share in the day, then use that number to start sourcing venues that will match around that capacity.

2. Research and book your venue

Some people have their heart set on a certain date, while others have their heart set on a certain venue. Some people have both. Whatever is more important to you, work around that. If you are choosing a certain date because it has a significant meaning to you, research some venues and see if they have that date available. If you don’t care what date you want, I suggest having a general sense of the season you might want to get married in so you have somewhere to start.

Another thing to note here is that venues will have different pricing in “off” and “on” season. Off seasons (and this can change based on venue) normally range from November - March, while April - October will be busier months. Remember that budget you built before this step - being flexible on your wedding date could allow you to get your “dream location” during off season if it was out of budget during on season.

*Helpful tip when searching for venues: google a venue with “photography” at the end and chances are you’ll get a boat load of blogs with photos that come up so you can decide if you can envision yourself getting married there!

3. Book your vendors

So you’ve settled on a date and location, next come some vendors that book out a little quicker. Photography, videography and florists often book out a year in advance so trust me when I say early is not too early.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ways to find vendors!

+ Referrals - If you have friends that just got married or are a few steps ahead of you in their engagement, they’d be great people to reach out to and ask for recommendations. Having someone you know can be trusted because they have worked with them before really helps ease your whole process.

+ Instagram hashtags - These can be your best friend, and we all know Insta is super visual! Start by searching hashtags that involve “location - wedding - venor.” For example, #torontoweddingphotographer or #ajaxweddingplanner

Too many vendors to choose from? You might want to check out these 3 important tips when picking a photographer.

4. Visualize what you want

For some people, Pinterest is their thing, and for others it isn’t. Whatever works for you, visualize how you want your day. Think about a colour scheme you might like, but also think about what is most important to you on your wedding day. Make sure to stay true to those feelings throughout the wedding planning process so when a difficult question comes up like “should I spend the extra money on this, etc.” - ask yourself: “Does it contribute to what is important to me on the wedding day?”

5. ENJOY IT

You’ve secured the big things, NOW CHILL. Enjoy your engagement, bask in the happiness! You will have lots to do down the road - take a moment to yourself right now. Do things bit by bit to keep it manageable and less stressful for yourself. You DON’T need to have every detail planned all at once.

An intimate wedding & elopement photographer who captures genuine, authentic moments and photos that evoke emotion and comfort.

I’m always ready to hop on a plane and adventure with you!

Based in Toronto & GTA.

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