Did your holiday season surprises include a sparkling new engagement ring on your finger? First, congratulations! We know the path to getting married can be an exciting yet intimidating journey. With so many moving parts, planning the wedding of your dreams can be quite daunting! The good news? Ball Conference Center is here to make life a little easier with 10 wedding planning to-dos for the recently engaged!
1.) Organize a Timeline
First, focus on determining a range of dates that will work for you. You may not be able to set an exact date until other major decisions are made (such as booking your venue). When drafting your timeline, keep in mind that the average engagement lasts 15 months, and watch for seasons that you prefer and keep an eye out for major holidays to avoid.
2.) Find Your Style & Location
Before moving forward with other wedding details, take the time to imagine what style and vibe you want to set for your wedding and where you want it held. Do you picture your wedding on a beach, an outdoor garden, or even a historical mansion? Take time to gather inspiration through magazines, Pinterest, and others’ wedding photos to help give you a better idea of what you might prefer.
3.) Set Your Budget
Discussing how much your families may be contributing will be a big help in working through your budget. It can be an uncomfortable conversation to have, but it’s better to get it out of the way now so that you have a realistic picture about what you can spend for the big day!
4.) Plan Your Guest List
As you begin to plan your guest list, keep in mind how many people your desired ceremony and reception space will accommodate. In addition, especially if your family is contributing a large sum for the wedding, be respectful as possible of your families’ wishes. Remember, the more guests you invite, the higher the catering costs and the larger the venue size. The easiest way to shrink your budget is by capping your guest list.
5.) Register Gifts
Don’t worry about registering too early – with engagement parties, showers and well-wishing relatives, they’ll appreciate your foresight. Even if you’re not big on this tradition, it’s important to register for at least a few items so family and friends don’t have to guess at what you’d like.
6.) Select Your Wedding Party
Now it’s your turn! The earlier you ask your bridesmaids and groomsmen, the sooner you can enlist their help. Remember, they are spending their time and money to celebrate your big day with you, so make sure they know how much you appreciate them.
7.) Consider a Planner
Are you a busy couple with demanding jobs AND elaborate wedding plans? Then you should consider hiring a full-time wedding planner to help you organize the event from start to finish. Another option is to hire a part-time consultant to help lay the groundwork for your wedding – which includes the budget, schedule, and a list of good vendors and site choices. If you’ve got that part handled and just need someone to help on the big day, a “day-of” coordinator will make sure all goes smoothly.
8.) Book Your Venue & Date
The reception venue will set the stage for your wedding, which includes photos, your budget, guest list and catering just to name a few. Ensure that you get the look, price and extras that you want by scheduling tours and booking early. Ball Conference Center has an elegant ballroom with capacity to host 350 family members and friends (The Ballroom at Ball can also be easily scaled down for a smaller, more intimate reception). Ball offers convenient wedding packages that help make wedding planning a breeze! And, Ball also give you the freedom to provide your own liquor – often at a significant savings over hotel ballrooms – and you may select your own caterer, again, controlling costs. Trying to stage an elegant reception on a budget, Ball might just be the perfect solution!
9.) Employ Priority Vendors
If you have a certain photographer, band, DJ or cake-baker in mind for your wedding, don’t wait too long to book – they won’t be available for long! Determine your top wedding and reception vendors and quickly contract the ones whose work you love.
10.) Dress Shopping
A good way to start your dress shopping is by browsing wedding photos online and saving favorites to take with you to your dress shopping appointments. Remember, the season of your wedding may affect the style and fabrics for your dress. Also, it’s good to read up on wedding gown lingo – such as different silhouettes, necklines, trains and hues. Being knowledgeable will make you all the more ready to make your dream-dress decisions!
Follow the steps above and you’ve got a great start on your way to planning your fairytale wedding! And, should you choose Ball Conference Center, our team of professional planners will work with you all along the way – giving you peace of mind as each element of your planning seamlessly comes together, making your big day as stress-free as possible! With Ball, our goal is for you to relax and enjoy time with your friends, family and new partner while our experienced and dedicated staff handle all the details and final touches.
We’d love to show you around and talk to you about all that Ball Conference Center has to offer! For more information, give Michael Nicoski a call at (913) 322-4980. We look forward to giving you a tour and helping you create the wedding of your dreams!
