1) Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Often times we think we can take everything on ourselves, but the truth is, getting a little help usually makes things easier and less stressful. For some parts of the planning you’ll want to get your partner involved. You might even want to ask close friends and family members to help with other parts of the process. We’re sure they’ll be as excited to begin as you are! Plus, when you get others involved you can delegate tasks to help ease the stress on your shoulders. After all, you don’t want to be the next Bridezilla!

2) Determine your budget.

Planning the wedding of your dreams doesn’t have to put you in the hole financially. Before beginning the wedding planning process, determine a realistic budget for your event. Decide how much you’d like to spend on each aspect of your wedding, and give yourself a little wiggle room too, for those surprise extra costs. Knowing how much you have to work with will make selecting your venue and vendors just a little bit easier.

3) Select the date and venue.

Find a date that works for you and your partner, then spend some time looking at venues in the area you’d like to get married in. You might want to consider whether the venue is nearby to most of your guests, or if you’ll be asking your guests to travel from out of town. The venue should be someplace you love, that features the amenities you need (bar, dance floor), and can accommodate all of your guests. If you’re planning on a South Florida wedding, Bouer Catering Group can suggest a few great places to you!

4) Find your dress and book your beauty appointments.

Once you’ve got the date set, get started on finding your perfect dress. Grab some friends and loved ones and go shopping! You’ll also want to book your hair, makeup, and nail appointments around this time. It’s always good to know that if all else fails, you’ll still look fabulous!

5) Figure out your guest list early on and mail out your invitations.

You may have already drafted up a rough number of guests when you were deciding on your venue, but it’s important to finalize it early on enough that you give yourself enough time to mail out the invitations and have your guests respond and attend your big day. Extra tip: You can save money by making your own invitations! With so many options available online or with affordable software, you can make great, professional looking invitations!

6) Decide on your décor.

Again, you may have thought of the décor when browsing for venues, but now is the time to actually start working on your ideas. The Internet is full of ideas, from nautical inspired affairs to Hollywood glam weddings. You’ll find inspiration for color schemes and centerpieces galore. You might find that you can even create some of your wedding décor yourself! For the rest, Bouer Catering Group is happy to share some of our very favorite decorators in the area!

7) Enthrall your guests with fabulous entertainment.

Every great party offers great entertainment! For your wedding you might choose a live band or wedding DJ, so that you and your guests can dance the night away. Budget allowing, you might consider adding other options like professional dancers, acrobatic acts, fire breathers, live artists, or anything else you think would add an interesting and personal twist to your special day.

8) Choose the right caterer!

This one is near and dear to our heart, because as one of the top South Florida catering companies we know too well that choosing the right catering company to provide food for your big day is especially important. Guests will talk about how much they loved (or hated) the food served at your wedding for weeks. So, before you pick just any caterer, make sure you find the food delicious and the staff professional. Most caterers will let you sample menu items before making your decision, so you can be sure you’ve made the right choice. At Bouer Catering Group we let you fully customize your menu, or choose from one of our affordable and customizable menu packages. We also serve the food how you want it, when you want it, and always by a friendly and helpful staff.

9) Make your after-wedding plans.

Where will you go when the wedding is over? How will you get there? Are you planning on taking your honeymoon directly after the wedding day? These plans are also part of the process, so make sure you know what’s going on when it has all been said and done.

10) Relax and enjoy the process!

Pretty self-explanatory, but most brides need to be reminded that planning their wedding is supposed to be a fun experience. Accept that things may not turn out exactly how you want them to be and learn to move on happily. After all, the most important part of your wedding is making the commitment to your partner. Happy marriage!