5 Steps to Take Care of First on Your Wedding Planning Checklist

A good wedding takes a lot of planning. Figuring out where to start can be tough, especially if you are doing it all on your own. Below are the first five steps you need to complete on your wedding planning checklist.

Making a Guest List

The best place to start is with your guest list. While you don't need to put together a strict list of everyone who is going to be invited to your wedding, you should take a moment to ensure that you have a good idea of how many people you expect to attend. This will impact virtually every other item on your list, so start there.

Choosing Wedding Venue

Next up is the wedding venue itself. Popular venues can be booked years in advance, so start your search early. Your venue will be impacted by everything from the location of your wedding to your spiritual beliefs, so make sure that you take your time searching for the perfect place. Always ensure that you've got a contract that states exactly when you'll be able to use the facility as soon as possible.

Finding a Wedding Ballroom

Once you know where the ceremony will be held, it's time to think about the reception. Booking a wedding ballroom may be done with the venue or it may be done separately - it really depends on the setting of your ceremony. It is important, though, that you book a space that has adequate room for all of your visitors and that will accommodate the needs of your party.

Choosing Catering

Catering is a must for any reception and booking a good caterer can be a time-consuming process. You'll need to look at not only prices, but menus. If you have specific dietary needs, the search may take even more time. Like good venues, good caterers can be booked far in advance so it's usually a good idea to start looking sooner rather than later. Don't be afraid to shop around but try to be decisive when the deadlines start to come due.

Hiring Music

Finally, start figuring out your music situation. If you want a live band, you'll need to start looking at them early so you can book them in time for your wedding. DJs are likewise in high demand, so make sure that you have time to book someone before their cards become full. If you're getting married during a popular time of the year, be prepared to spend time searching for musicians or DJs that haven't already been engaged.

There are dozens of other things that belong on your checklist but these five items will give you a good start. If you can nail down these steps, you'll be able to fill in the rest closer to your wedding day. With the big things out of the way, you can concentrate more on getting married than planning a wedding.