Santa Monica, California | Engagement Ring | Emily Vizina Photography | Michigan & Destination Weddings

You’re engaged! This is it! You’ve dreamed about for a long time. Wedding Planning Steps 1-5 will ensure a great kick start to the perfect big day. Everyone wants an awesome wedding that they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives. There is something special about the commitment you are starting, and sharing with your friends and family.

For many reasons, weddings can sometimes be OVERWHELMING! We know this, and we want to help you out because weddings should be a positive and relaxing experience. Nobody wants to be called Bridezilla!

Here’s What We Know NOT to Do

Couples often start planning in the wrong places. Whatever you do, DO NOT go to Pinterest as a first step! Don’t get me wrong, I love Pinterest, and it will be extremely helpful later on, but you need to focus on Wedding Planning Steps 1-5 first. This will ensure that you don’t waste any time with indecision and endless online browsing. You have so much to do and so little time!

TIP: *Whatever you do, don’t pick a date just yet

Wedding Planning Steps 1-5

• Start calling VENUES now:

Tiato Kitchen Bar Garden Venue | Santa Monica Wedding | Emily Vizina Photography | Michigan & Destination Weddings

1. If you haven’t already realized, this is the absolute FIRST step in planning your wedding (besides telling your parents!). Your dream venue might already be booked for the date you are considering. So don’t get your hopes up, call first, and then fall in love with 8.18.18 (how cool is this one?!).

*You might have to change the date you chose, but don’t sweat the small stuff.  Make sure you get a CONFIRMATION from the director or manager of the venue BEFORE you start anything else.

Bride To Be | Bridal Party | Petoskey Michigan Bride | Emily Vizina Photography | Michigan & Destination Weddings

• Contact WEDDING SERVICES:

You really need to find out if they are available for the date you confirmed with the venue!

2. Photographers

3. Planners

4. DJ’s

5. Wedding Officiants / Pastors / Priests

*FYI: Most professional wedding vendors are booked 1-2 years in advance.

The sooner you narrow down a date, the sooner you can do all the fun stuff, and EVERYTHING will start getting easier!

Next up on the EV Blog | Wedding Planning Step 6: Save the Dates

Happy Wedding Planning!

Cheers! -Emily